Do you love it?
The Stack #11
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I just finished watching this video by
.In it, he talks candidly about a few of his business mistakes. It’s super enlightening and well worth a watch.
It got me thinking about some of my mistakes as a solopreneur.
I’ve definitely made a few wrong turns over the years. I think we all have. But as Tim suggests in his video, those losses only become lessons when we talk about them.
Here are a few of mine:
I started a wedding videography business in 2010 after a friend asked me to record her wedding. It seemed like a good idea. But guess what? I actually really hated doing it - my motivation to grow and develop was low, and within a couple of years, that business was toast.
I was a freelance writer from 2018 to early 2020. Again, it seemed like a great fit for my skillset, but I didn’t enjoy the pressure of working for other people. Turns out, I’ve never enjoyed that. So by the time the pandemic rolled around, I was done.
My first real, sustained business model is still going and generates money every month, but it’s very social-media heavy and building an email list off the back of it isn’t easy. I can feel my enjoyment there gradually draining away as I become more invested in online writing, so I can guess what might happen with that business in the next couple of years.
My point here seems to be this: personally, I have to enjoy what I’m doing in order to stay motivated.
If I don’t like the business or care about where it’ll be in 5 years, I can’t put my heart and soul into it. I have to love it. When I love it, it works.
I’d say that’s true for most of us as solopreneurs.
When we enjoy what we do, it’s easy to want to see it grow. Working on it feels like second-nature. As cliched as it is to say, when you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.
So let me ask you: if you run your own business (as a solopreneur or as part of a bigger setup), do you enjoy it? Does it feel fun, or is it hard work? Does it give you energy or take it away?
Those are big questions to ask ourselves at any stage in our solopreneurial journey.
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The Stack
A curated selection of inspiring, educational content to fuel your solopreneurial journey.
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How to Gain Clarity as a Solopreneur: A Practical Guide by
(15 more links below 👇)