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

It seems like people are talking about AI everywhere you turn these days.

As a result, many of us are trying to figure out how AI fits into our business. And if it does have a place in what you do, what about those legit legal and ethical concerns? How can we use it in a way that doesn't strip us of our creativity?

In this episode, I'm breaking it all down for you—the good, the bad, and the seriously thought-provoking.

Whether you're an AI enthusiast, a skeptic, or someone who just doesn't want to fall down another rabbit hole, we're diving into everything from its environmental impact to its creative possibilities.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• The environmental impact of AI.

• Legal and privacy concerns with AI.

• Is AI a creative catalyst or a distraction?

• Figuring out how AI fits into your business both practically and ethically.

• Opportunities for solo business owners to use AI.

For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com. Be sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode, and you can get Staying Solo updates by email by signing up here.

Here's the deal: packaging your services doesn't have to be overcomplicated.

Forget the endless "value ladders" and 15-step sales funnels, your clients just want something simple and easy to understand.

In this episode, we discuss how to package your services so they're simple, clear, and—most importantly—sellable.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• The problem with packaging: why is it often so overcomplicated?

• Why packaging services is about more than just listing what's being offered.

• Understanding the realities of the current market

• Practical steps on how to make your services more sellable.

For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.

Be sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode, and you can get Staying Solo updates by email by signing up here.

Monday morning. You're feeling motivated and ready to tackle the week. Your to-do list is set, and you're ready to CRUSH IT.

And then… Friday rolls around, and you're wondering where it all went wrong.

Despite your "best-case scenario planning," reality had other ideas.

How do you avoid this trap so you aren't setting yourself up to fail?

This episode explores how to ditch best-case scenario planning and create space for the unexpected.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• Why does planning with a best-case scenario mindset set you up to fail?

• The myth of best-case scenario productivity.

• Why building margin into your schedule is essential.

• Practical strategies for creating the margin you need.

• What happens when you build margin into your schedule.

For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com. Be sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode, and you can get Staying Solo updates by email by signing up here.

Trust is the bedrock of every great client relationship, so imagine what it would be like if every single client trusted you implicitly without hesitation.

The question is — how do you create that?

It starts with avoiding sketchy marketing and the pushy sales gimmicks often promoted by celebrity entrepreneurs.

In this episode, I show you why staying true to your values is ethical and the most powerful way to create lasting success.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• Breaking down the myth that "this is how it's done" regarding marketing.

• Why operating ethically makes you stand out from the competition.

• Understanding ethics and why they matter so much.

• What's in it for you when you choose ethics over easy wins.

• Why your ethics should be non-negotiable.

For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com. Be sure to subscribe to the show so you get all the episodes, and you can get Staying Solo updates by email by signing up here.

"Always be closing!" "Overcome objections!" "Push for the deal!"

These are just a few of the familiar refrains we often hear when it comes to selling.

It's all pushy, and for many solo service business owners, the idea of sales already feels uncomfortable.

After all, you didn't start your business to become a salesperson, did you? The truth is that sales don't have to feel that way.

The key to better sales isn't about selling at all, and in this episode, I will show you how to shift from selling to solving. Once you make that switch, sales feel much easier and way more authentic.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• One of the biggest misconceptions about selling.

• How to shift from selling to solving.

• Tips for selling in a way that aligns with your values.

• Why you shouldn't treat objections as something to be "handled."

• Four practical strategies to help you focus on solving, not selling.

For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.

Be sure to subscribe to the show so you get all the episodes, and you can get Staying Solo updates by email by signing up here.

Have you ever seen an offer on social media claiming you can make big bucks in no time at all if you sell something created by someone else?

Welcome to the world of Master Resell Rights, where you allegedly can get rich from doing little to no work at all.

But like everything else in online business, it's too good to be true and the house of cards is quickly tumbling.

• What Master Resell Rights (MRR) are.

• How MMRs gained popularity.

• Why the MRR grift started to fall apart.

• Why you should keep an eye on the MRR space.

• The ethical concerns with MRR.

Have you ever worked with a client who, despite hiring you for your expertise, just won't listen to what you tell them?

The idea that the client is wrong goes against everything we've been taught, so it's a hard habit to break.

But the reality is that, yes, sometimes the client IS wrong.

In this episode, I'm sharing how to handle those moments when your client is wrong (and maybe even a little delusional), the art of steering them back on course without losing your sanity, and what to do when they just won't listen.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• Why the customer isn't always right.

• How to tactfully redirect a client when they're wrong.

• What to do when a client won't listen to your counsel.

• Red flags to watch for with potential clients.

Links for this Episode: Show Notes Staying Solo by Email

Feeling stuck (or maybe even bored) in your solo service business and wondering what’s next?  In this special episode of Staying Solo, I’m sharing something I made for experienced solo service business owners who are ready for what’s next. (And it includes a whole lot of hands-on support from me!) **This episode will only be available until October 1st, and then it will self-destruct.** Get BS-Free Service Business Mastermind info here. And if you’re interested, book a fit call with me now.

Do you ever feel like all the marketing advice you hear from celebrity entrepreneurs always ends up being far more work than you ever imagined — and rarely gets the results you're looking for?

The reality is that these folks are doing you dirty with their one-size-fits-all marketing playbooks.

In this episode, I explain why celebrity entrepreneur advice isn't only misguided but harmful and what you should do instead to build a sustainable business as a solopreneur.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• Why much of the common celebrity entrepreneur business advice isn't just bad, it's harmful.

• The biggest myth about building an audience.

• How shiny marketing tactics often end up being nothing but a distraction.

• Why you're better off focusing on building relationships and asking for referrals.

• How to work on creating meaningful connections.

For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com. Be sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode, and you can get Staying Solo updates by email by signing up here.

Do you feel caught in a cycle of working more to make more money but melting down because you're overwhelmed and overworked?

While you can run this loop for a while, it's not sustainable.

You're more than our work; you need a life while tending to your health and mental well-being.

In this episode, I'm diving into how to create your Capacity Code—a way to manage your time, energy, and emotional bandwidth so you can break free from the time vs. money trap for good.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• Why hustling harder isn't the only path to success.

• Understanding capacity management.

• How to create your own Capacity Code.

• Figuring out if your schedule is aligned with your capacity.

• Determining which tasks are essential for your business..

• Finding the energy leaks in your business.

• Assessing your emotional capacity.

• How to create an environment that supports your capacity.

For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com. Be sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode, and you can get Staying Solo updates by email by signing up here.