Solopreneur

The age of the generalist is over. In order to be competitive, you not only have to be good at what you do; you have to give people a reason to choose you. Enter: Your niche. The fear is that you’ll “limit” prospects. Wrong. The more specific you get, and the more targeted your approach, the more you have to offer, and the less time you waste on the jobs and clients who aren’t a fit. Marketing Mentor Ilise Benun shows you how and why it’s time to pick a niche.

Most people would sooner die than get up in front of other people and start talking. And yet—speaking is a great way to get the word out about your business and raise your own profile in the industry. Public speaking coach Julia Wojnar, founder of Unleash Your Presence, joins Terri at Voila Chocolat on Manhattan’s Upper West Side to show you how to bust through your mental blocks and butterflies and make an impression on stage.

You don’t know where your next opportunity is coming from—and it may not be coming from above, but from below, or even from left field. Are you ready for it? Caroline Ceniza-Levine is a career expert and cofounder of SixFigureStart, which helps ambitious professionals find their competitive edge. As a former executive recruiter, she knows what the decision makers are looking for and how they think—which you can apply regardless of your business. Get fresh insights into how to network, negotiate, and pitch like a pro.

When Emmi Sorokin worked in IT, it was all she could do not to forcibly make over her nerdy colleagues. She knew they could look, and feel, so much more confident, if they only knew how. In this men-friendly episode, the author of The Business Casual Survival Guide gives you dudes some strategies for stepping things up a notch—and getting more respect (and more dates) in the process. Plus: Why even if you work from home, you gotta get dressed, unless you only want to do pajama-level work.

Public relations has to two objective: Two promote you, or protect you. Either way, you’ve got to own the spin and maintain your brand’s image through careful use of PR. And Lisa Nickerson is just the woman to do it. This episode, the #brandboss herself gives you a crash course in PR, following up, and how to get the right kind of attention. Shot aboard the Seabourn Odyssey.

One of the biggest perks of working for yourself? Unlimited vacation days. And yet—chances are you’re even MORE afraid to take time off, because you think the whole operation will fall apart in a few days. (It won’t.) This week: How to handle email when you’re away, how to use time off as the chance to shake up your perspective on your business and your life, and share a cocktail with Terri and her friend Lisa Nickerson, host of BrandBoss, also on this very network. Shot on location aboard the Seabourn Odyssey.

Amy Peloso knew she loved coaching when she’d happily push her work aside anytime someone came crying into her office (as they often did). When it was time to go out on her own, she wanted to figure out what her “thing” was—so she did a deep dive into her work and life history to find her through line. If you work for yourself, you need to know the what and why, and you don’t have to guess at it. In this episode, Amy walks you through the steps of finding the through line of your life and career so you can do a better job of shaping and marketing your business.

Sam Hysell doesn’t believe in business plans, or a lot of other stuff that entrepreneurs waste time on. Why do so many startups fail? They spend time on the stuff that doesn’t matter, and only see what they want to. His job is to poke holes in assumptions (and people pay him to do this). Find out how the kids are doing business now. Also: A good lesson in what makes one company not just cooler, but better, at customer service, thanks to a lesson Terri learned the hard way.

Think you need to choose between a 9-5 and building your own business? Think again. Maggie Mistal moonlighted as a career coach while working as a corporate HR executive. Before she took the leap to go solo, she took every opportunity to use her coaching skills at her day job, which grew her skillset and later contributed to the success of her business. And it even helped her fulfill a dream with her current employer: Hosting her very own career-themed radio show. Find out how it’s possible to grow where you are by sharing what you’re good at with your boss and asking how you can be of service. Plus, why you need to step away from your smartphone this summer if you’re going on vacay.