“If you want to become a successful solopreneur, all you have to do is…”
That’d be great, wouldn’t it?
If there was a simple, easy-to-follow path for solopreneurship?
Honestly, it’s probably what you hoped I would discuss today — that I’d discovered the secret formula and found a way to divide by two.
And if I was a lesser man, a swindler, a trickster…
I’d tell you exactly what you hoped to hear. Heck, I’d probably charge a pretty penny for it too.
But I’m not a lesser man, a swindler, or a trickster.
And as much as I’d love to give you an easy roadmap to follow (and make some $ while I’m at it), I can’t.
Because there isn’t one.
There’s no “all you have to do.” There’s no “simple” or “easy.”
Oh, sure, there’s a roadmap of sorts — filled with twists and turns, hills and valleys, dangers around every corner, and even a pothole or two.
But it’s as far from “easy” as the east is from the west.
Still, if you’re up for the journey…
…and given the fact you’re still reading, I’d say you are…
I’m headed in that direction, and you’re welcome to join me.
We’ll Begin With Step One
“The first step is always the hardest,” people say.
“Things get easier afterward.”
I get the sentiment behind it but…
Deciding to push a big rock uphill isn’t hard. Pushing the darn thing up the hill is the hard part.
Want to know why there are so many who dream about success but too few who are actually successful?
Because most of us spend too much time deciding which hills to push the rocks.
We’re stuck on the first step.
Big projects, small tasks, it doesn’t matter — we want to find the perfect hill. We want nice weather and the wind to be at our backs. And, let’s be honest, we’re hoping a better rock comes along (one that’ll be easier to push).
So we wait. And wait. And wait.
And some of us never stop waiting.
We’re forever trapped in a valley, waiting for the weather to improve and a new shiny rock to come along.
Or, maybe “the pursuit of perfection” isn’t the issue.
Maybe there are so many hills and boulders to choose from, you’re paralyzed by indecision.
Or maybe you’re just tired. After pushing boulders for other people all day, you can barely muster the energy to think, much less find your own rock.
Whatever the reason, we have a “Step 1 Problem.”
And, before we can move forward, we need to solve it.
“But How Do We Solve It?”
That’s the million dollar question, isn’t it?
Here’s what works for me:
Every decision that needs to be made goes in one of three buckets, with each bucket having a time limit.
(Which decisions go in which bucket, as well as the time limit for each bucket, is for you to decide. Everyone’s situation is different.)
It looks simplistic (because it is simplistic), but a system like this will keep you from getting stuck.
If a decision requires more time to think about it, by all means, take more time.
Give it all the time and attention it needs — just not a minute more.
How I’ve Applied These Lessons (So You Can Learn From My Mistakes)
First, the big one:
I waited years to dive into the solopreneur waters.
“I don’t have the time,” was my reasoning.
Heck, I still don’t have the time. I have a wonderful full-time job. I have a lovely wife and three beautiful children.
My plate’s full.
But this is an itch I’ve wanted to scratch — one that, if successful, could help a lot of people while providing additional income for my family.
I wanted to do it. I needed to do it. And when I finally jumped in, I regretted not doing it sooner.
Takeaway #1:
There will never be a perfect time or perfect conditions for you to pursue your solopreneurship dreams.
Start today. Even if it’s a tiny step.
Once I took the plunge, things happened fast.
I have my “3 Decision Buckets” to thank for that.
“What font should I use?”
That goes in bucket #1. The answer? Georgia. Next question.
“What domain/URL should I use?”
Bucket #2. After giving it some thought, I opted to use the personal domain I already owned, kevinjduncan.com, rather than starting something new. Done. Next question.
“Should I use Kit (aff link) or beehiiv (aff link) for my email provider?”
This one went into bucket #3, but it took several days to settle.
Ultimately, because I’m used to creating intricately detailed funnels and automations (an area where beehiiv is limited), I opted for Kit (formerly known as ConvertKit).
And so on and so on.
All totaled, I’ve made 100+ small-to-large decisions – that’s over 100 different step one’s – to go from “idea” to “sending the newsletter you’re reading now.”
And if I’d let dragging my feet be an option, who knows…
I might still be choosing between Georgia and Open Sans as my font of choice.
Takeaway #2:
Get in the habit of making decisions fast.
Not “eventually.” Not “after I’ve spent weeks weighing the pros and cons.” Not “after I ask everyone I know and get their thoughts.”
Make a decision…
Take that all-important initial action…
And then get to work pushing your boulder up the hill.
Tackling a Big Step (Together)
When Jon Morrow hired me at Smart Blogger in 2019, he told me something I found shocking at the time:
“Kevin, most of our readers and subscribers don’t have a blog. Most have never written a single post.”
I couldn’t believe it.
“Why read or subscribe to a site called ‘Smart Blogger’ if you aren’t actually a blogger?” I wondered to myself.
Eventually, I figured it out.
It was all about “the dream outcome.”
They didn’t have blogs, but they wanted them. They hadn’t written anything, but they wanted to. Being a successful blogger, a SMART blogger, was the dream.
The lesson?
Keep one eye focused on where your readers are now, and the other eye focused on where they want to be.
Using this history, plus the feedback so many of you have given me in your emails (thanks again), I have a firm grasp on where a majority of you are, where you aren’t, and where you hope to be.
And we’re in luck:
There’s one element that binds all of us together (besides wanting or needing more money)…
It’s audience building.
We all need people to visit our websites, read our content, click our links, and buy our stuff. It’s true whether you have a blog or newsletter, whether you’re selling services or products, and whether your niche is copywriting, self-improvement, or underwater basket weaving.
And it doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned pro or someone who hasn’t yet taken their first step.
We all need an audience.
Next week, I’ll dive into the first part of a plan that each and every one of us can implement for building one.
It’ll be detailed. It’ll be actionable. And it may feel like pushing a giant boulder up a hill.
But it’ll be oh so worth it.
Appreciate you…
Rooting for you…
See you next time.
