Staying Solo | Business Strategy for Service Providers, Creatives and Consultants

Have you ever worked with a coach and felt like something was off?

While coaching for business can be a great thing, with the wrong person it can be downright detrimental. And like any close relationship, there's the possibility that abuse can occur.

What are the red flags you need to look for when choosing to work with a coach? And what should be considered if you're in one of these toxic relationships and your gut is screaming it's time to be done?On this episode, my guest business therapist Nicole Lewis-Keeber joins me for a discussion about coach abuse.

Get the inside scoop right here:

https://smallbusinessboss.co/coach-abuse/

What is it about service business ownership that makes people want to chuck it all in and give up?

For some reason, service businesses are often treated as "less than" in the online business world. They're treated as though our businesses are just a stop along the way until we can do something "better".

How do we turn the tide and make sure service businesses start getting the respect they're due?

In this episode we're unpacking why people want to quit services, what to do about it, and why it's time to elevate the service business.

Get the inside scoop right here:

https://smallbusinessboss.co/service-business/

Ever wondered why service businesses get such a bad rap?

Probably because we have our very own anthology of urban legends and myths that have been repeated so many times they're now accepted as fact.

A lot of these myths and stories are designed simply to sell you something, and in the process, they challenge what we think we know about our service businesses. They mess with our heads. They shake our confidence.

And that's why it's time we say NO MORE.

In this episode, I'm exploring seven service business myths, and digging into the REAL truth so we can forget about these once and for all.

Get the inside scoop right here:

https://smallbusinessboss.co/service-business-myths/

Q: What do the online business industry and MLMs have in common?A: Way more than they should, unfortunately.

Yet for some reason, the online biz world seems to direct a whole lot of vitriol towards MLMs (and really, lots of other business models).

So where's the disconnect? How do people not see — or maybe not care — that the very thing they judge can be uncannily similar to the things they do?

In this essay and podcast, I'm exploring the crossover between what's going on in the online business world and the way MLMs are run, and discuss why it's time for us to recognize how many of the unethical business and marketing practices are foundational to online business.

Get the inside scoop right here:

http://smallbusinessboss.co/online-businesses-and-MLMs

Ever had to chase a client to get paid?

The fact is, when it comes to payments terms for your business, there are a ton of variables, so having everything nailed will make collecting your money as easy as possible.

In today's episode, we're talking about all things payments including payment terms, options for receiving payments, payment plans and so much more.

Get the inside scoop right here:

https://smallbusinessboss.co/handling-payments/

Do you ever hear other business owners talking about their money goals and milestones and wonder HOW those numbers might even be possible?The truth is, those goals you hear about may very well be based on fiction, not fact. How do you set money goals that are not only attainable, but actually make sense for you and your business?

In this episode, I sit down with Financial Strategist Nechelle Bartley to discuss how we can take a fresh approach to our money goals for 2021.

Get the inside scoop right here:

https://smallbusinessboss.co/money-goals/

Have you ever wondered the REAL story behind a business or the person running it?

Not the shiny, glossed over version that omits key things from the past, but the actual story, privilege and all?Yeah, me too. My take is this: If you're going to listen to me, read my work, and potentially work with me, you deserve truth and transparency. Especially as I literally talk about trust. How can you possibly trust me if I'm burying my past?

And that's exactly why in this episode, I'm sharing my backstory — from who I've worked with, the privilege I've benefited from in my life and what running a trust-driven business in 2021 looks like for me.

Get the inside scoop right here:

https://smallbusinessboss.co/ethical-business/

Question: What do the online business industry and cults have in common?

Answer: Way more than you think.

For as long as I can remember I've been fascinated by cults so when I discovered two NXIVM Docuseries — Seduced and The Vow — of course I was going to watch.

But then something happened that I wasn't entirely expecting. I saw so many clear parallels between what was being shared on-screen, and what I see every day running a business in the online business industry. Which is where this new podcast episode and essay comes in.

In this episode I'm sharing six lessons from both Seduced and The Vow that are directly applicable to online businesses. What I have to say may surprise you and make you think a little more about these seemingly harmless tactics used by celebrity entrepreneurs. You can listen to this on the BS-Free Service Business Show or read the full essay here:

https://smallbusinessboss.co/problems-with-online-business/

Have you ever been told that a challenge in your business could be fixed with some mindset work?

Of course you have. Because in the online business world, mindset gets blamed for anything and everything— especially when it comes to money.Truth? I'm sick of it. While money mindset is real, not everything is a mindset issue. In this episode, I sat down with Bear Hebert, radical life coach, social justice educator, and anti-capitalist business consultant, for a completely fresh take on the intersections of power and privilege as it relates to our money mindset. We discuss money mindset, generational wealth, how we can run an ethical business, and so much more.

Get the inside scoop right here:

https://smallbusinessboss.co/money-mindset/

Pricing is one of the more challenging parts of running a business as it can be complicated and nuanced. It can get tied up with our own stories about pricing, and leave us wondering what the right way to price our services really is.

In this episode, we're talking about how to rethink your pricing heading into 2021, including how to raise your prices and all the factors that impact your pricing.

Get the inside scoop right here:

https://smallbusinessboss.co/pricing-strategy