20 Months into Navigating My Solopreneur Pathways (and Busting Some Bullshit Myths Circulating Online)
Debunking stories of effortless online success and riches -- replacing them with principles of resilience and persistence
Twenty months ago, I plunged into Solopreneurship, stepping away from the security of the corporate public sector, healthy salaries, and good career advancement prospects… bla, bla, bla.
I walked out the door after years of office jockeying, 9-5’ing, and managing teams (in healthcare and higher education). And, I set out on a very dimly lit and uncertain path.
What I did have was a few key thoughts and principles in mind as I set out to build a Business of One. A Business of One built around the life I wanted to be living— NOT the other way around.
Engaging in Change
In my public sector career, I was fortunate as I worked, by conscious choice, in areas and on initiatives that I wanted to. I was able to do quite a bit of thinking, writing, research, and social change-related work. But the grind of ‘required’ hours, HR-speak, endless layers of bureaucracy, and thousands of hours in pointless or poorly planned and executed ‘meetings’ — had worn my soul down to a shadow of its former self.
So I walked…
Many thought I was koo-koo, ridiculous, and simply ‘going through a fad’. (One family member can still barely talk to us - think’s I’m being “irresponsible”.)
However, at home, is where the dialogue and decisions that mattered—were, occurring.
That is one misnomer that’s critically important in the literature on Solopreneurship… on establishing businesses of One. If these occur in a marriage, they’re not reaaaalllllyyy “Solo”…
The core principle guiding my, and our, decision was building ways to support our family (bring in income) which were guided far more by the lives we wanted to live — not the reverse.
Years and years of 8-5 M-F had structured our lives around work. Holiday time booked months if not a year in advance — and limited to a set # of days. And so on and so on…
A Business Shaped by Life, Not Defined by Growth
As I set out on the Solopreneur path, I had some clear principles and vision in mind, such as:
Establish a business where my passion for writing, research, and thinking could flourish—where I could remain intimately connected to projects and organizations that resonated with my values.
After years of intense pandemic emergency response, completing my doctorate in Education (2021), and teaching part-time, I was in dire need of some recovery and a return to well-being.
Operate a business built on an ideal that it would not simply be another status-quo entity in the business landscape.
It would be a business that supported my (and our families’) well-being — including opportunities for personal growth and prioritizing mental and physical health.
Mountain biking and camping trip this summer. Valemount, BC I envisioned days that included the freedom to ride my bike when I chose, being outdoors regularly, and not starting days with the sound of an alarm clock indicating and dictating another grinding day in the office. 👇
Mountain biking on a weekday… 😱
A business built around the ability to craft schedules suited to my rhythms, and with the flexibility that would allow me to be more present for my family and myself.
The goal was not to scale an enterprise to towering heights and revenues but to build a sustainable, fulfilling business fare more aligned with my philosophies of success, and definitions of “enough”.
As I trundled and stumbled down this new path, I’ve remained keenly focused on constructing a lifestyle as much as building a business.
Including this past year, being the Chief Driving Officer for our youngest son’s volleyball commitments. This past spring, that included sometimes working on my business while in the bleachers, whenever we were travelling for tournaments. 👇
This fall, I’ve been an assistant coach with his junior high school volleyball team. This has meant some Box Cutter Co. newsletters and other writing was posted while on the road.
In the past, while in the public sector, any days away, like family commitments for example, had to be taken from the bank of holiday time (if there was any).
This new path is purposeful life design where work is a complement, not a commander—a life where measures of success are not dictated by the bottom line, obsessive growth, expansion, or more pay — but by the quality of each day lived.
Keep in mind, and for clarity, I turn 50 this year—so this is also about looking at a time-limited offer in which I continue to be alive on the planet. The idea of grinding at an office until 60-something, to then start a life of independence in retirement, has always made my head (and soul) hurt.
(I recognize and respect that this isn’t the case with everyone)
20 Months In… 5 Principles Lighting My Solopreneur Pathway
The Foundations of a Life-Centric Business: The structure of my business is a reflection of my life’s structure and purposeful design. The two are interwoven, each supporting the other, ensuring that my professional endeavours and projects enhance (or at least support) my personal journeys.
The Pursuit of 'Enough': Understanding my (and our) definitions of 'enough' has been freeing. It's a concept that challenges many traditional narratives of constant acquisition and growth and replaces them with satisfaction, contentment and purpose.
Quality Over Quantity: Prioritizing 'better' over 'more' has refocused my energy on mastery (like writing and building online) and improvement rather than mere expansion and mindless pursuit. It's a commitment to depth, not breadth.
Limiting Growth for Greater Good: I've learned to recognize the tipping point of diminishing returns where additional growth does not equate to additional happiness, or more importantly, more contentment. At this juncture, I enforce firm boundaries which maintain a balance favouring well-being, over bloated financial wealth.
A Critical Eye on Expansion: “Opportunities” are not just doors to walk through but puzzles to solve. Before I pursue an ‘opportunity’, I critically assess the necessity and implications of growth in the business.
Looking Inward and Outward
For the first six months of my Solopreneur path, I spent much time looking inward (and outward) and writing about it. My outward-looking work included building a wider social media footprint. I shared many of those in the first issue of the Solopreneur Series.
I’ve been cautious and reflective along the way to make sure I wasn’t building “Followers” for ego’s sake. That I wasn’t securing “Subscribers” for envy’s sake.
Building presence and footprints on social media is A tool… not THE tool. It’s marketing. The number of Followers does not equate to amounts of revenue.
Social media is also a place to practice in public. Something that did not exist a mere few decades ago. It’s a place to explore and test content. Refine. And build an audience, that may very well become customers someday.
I also simply love to write. Have for about 3 decades. I love the act of reading, thinking, synthesizing, and then putting those into sentences, paragraphs, and larger articles and stories.
Writing… for me… is an absolutely essential tool, process, and product of looking inward while looking outward, and looking outward, while thinking inward.
My business decisions, thus far, have been less about grandiosity and more about genuineness, less about accumulation and more about appreciation and trying to stay authentic.
This approach has raised some critical questions:
How do we gauge the true value of our life’s work beyond financial metrics; beyond ‘growth’?
In what ways can we infuse our daily routines with the essence of our deeper values, and sometimes passions?
What measures can we take to ensure that our work is filling our cup, rather than draining it? How much is ‘enough’?
Some Nuts and Bolts on my Solopreneur Path
We live in a rural area — and thankfully this road in the image below is only a few kilometres from our house. I walk it almost daily — with the office assistant pictured 👇
We often find nuts and bolts and straps and various doo-dads on the road. And here are a few that keep my little Business of One afloat.
Services (Foundations)
These are the core and foundations of my current business. I provide writing, ghostwriting, research, thinking, and strategic support to Indigenous, Non-profit, and Education organizations.
My current client contracts range between $8k - $13k per month. This is usually around 50-80 hours per month (billing time).
I recently wrapped up a contract and pondering securing more (slowly and purposefully)
I teach part-time for a university. Online Communications courses. I’ve been doing this at this particular institution for almost 5 years.
Writing and Publishing (Infrastructure)
Providing and billing for the services I provide secures the income we need to keep our household going. My wife is also a Counsellor and a Solopreneur (as of June ‘23). She has a steady practice with a waiting list of clients.
In addition to keeping the house going, I use much of my time thinking, researching, and probably most importantly publishing my writing. Last month, I wrote over 100,000 words.
I engage a multi-platform approach (as outlined in the previous issue).
I publish free weekly issues here on
. I have recently secured 3 paid subscribers out of almost 400 total subscribers (~$300/yr). I am exactly 12 months in here.This past month, I may have turned a corner on Medium. I publish around 5-20 stories per month there. I’ve had four stories ‘Boosted’ recently. For November, I’m currently having my best month ever (joined June ‘22) with ~$250 US already and two weeks to go. Last month, I made ~$235 US, which was $320 🇨🇦
Last week, I went over 5,000 Followers on Medium. (I was at 100 last December).
I have grown my footprint on LinkedIn, from 1,000 Connections in April ‘22 to now over 4,000. I’ve grown some great relationships globally.
I’m approaching 1,000 Followers on X (Twitter) - I was at 100 in December.
My personal website got over 7,000 impressions last month, up from 5,000 the month before. Traffic has been steadily increasing there.
I have published two Free Educational Email Courses and almost 200 people have enrolled (some of you here - thank-you!).
In the summer, my wife and I Co-founded Humanity Academy. A small educational startup and social enterprise. We have built and launched 7 Free Educational Email courses, with almost 200 people enrolling.
We also just recently launched a newsletter: Notes to Humanity
We are nearing the launch for our first two paid online courses
But… Those ‘nuts’ must make you “Nuts”
These may very well be the thoughts of some.
As, yes, looking at the ‘revenues’ from my 100,000-plus words last month—e.g. about $400 — paints a picture of mere fractions of a fraction of one cent earned per word published.
Yup. Correct.
However, the whole purpose of building a Solopreneur business — A Business of One — is a long-term vision with thousands of short-term baby steps to get there.
Word by word is the old adage.
The Long-Term Vision: Building a Business of Words
The journey of writing and publishing over 100,000 words last month, while seemingly a modest financial endeavour, is a foundational cornerstone of my long-term vision and goals.
It's also an exercise in compounding — each word, each article contributes to building an engaged audience, essential for the sustainability and growth of some aspects of my solopreneur venture.
1. Investing in the Power of Compounding:
Audience Building: Every piece I publish helps to expand my reach, supporting growth of a community that resonates with my voice, stories and values.
Skill Refinement: Continuous writing hones my craft, ensuring that each word I put out is a step towards mastery.
Data Collectors: Each story, article, and post collects data that sticks to its fur. I get valuable feedback, make connections, find kindred spirits, and build some community.
2. Joy and Passion in Creation:
Beyond strategy, writing fuels my passions and brings joy. It's an essential outlet for my thoughts, research, and creativity, serving as both a personal and professional fulfillment. It’s a way to look inward and outward.
I have also thoroughly enjoyed playing with and honing my illustrating skills. As well as learning new skills and watching closely as tools like ChatGPT look to celebrate their first birthday.
3. Embedding some Solopreneur Traits:
Resilience: My writing journey reinforces resilience, fostering a sense of purpose and adaptability. Resilience and adaptability are critical skills in the Solopreneur mindset.
Autonomy: Choosing projects and clients aligned with my values ensures autonomy and control, avoiding the pitfalls of micromanagement. Who wants to leave a micromanaging workplace to then have to work with micromanaging clients? (not I).
Efficiency in Building towards ‘Enough’: With each word, I learn and streamline my process, building and learning simplicity and speed, crucial traits for a successful Solopreneur. Mixed in there are also fluidity, flexibility, and a thick skin (there’s lots of trolls out there).
So, yes, while the immediate financial return might seem minimal, the long-term value of consistent writing and publishing is immeasurable (and thus the building of resilience, persistence, and perseverance).
These last 20 months have been all about laying foundations for a future where my business thrives not just financially but as a true reflection of who I am and what I stand for. And a business that reflects ‘enough’ — for us.
Absolutely, I could have engaged in relentless DM’ing of potential clients and blasting out unsolicited proposals. Playing the game of odds. “If I can pester 1000 people and companies, I’m sure to secure at least a couple of contracts.”
No thanks.
I’d rather build steadily, purpose-fully, and aligned with paths and values I want to be engaged in.
How about you?
Reflecting on Your Journey: What are some foundational principles that guide your Solopreneur mindset (even if you’re employed), and how have they shaped your professional and personal life?
Defining Success on Your Terms: How do you define 'enough' in your business (and/or life), and in what ways do you balance pursuit of financial success with personal fulfillment and well-being?
That’s it for Issue #2 of The Solopreneur Series. Please send along any questions or a comment.
Re-post or re-share, send me feedback and steal at will.
The depth of quality in your life with this new solo career sound fabulous. You’re a phenomenal writer. Mass-production of words that don’t touch the soul is common but loses its appeal quickly. It’s shiny song and dance, opposite of how you write. You write to connect and enrich others’ lives rather than to blatantly, unapologetically enrich your own.
You’ve got the best office assistant imaginable. The kind with 4 paws.
This really makes me think about how to make my own transition into releasing the corporate job and building something fulfilling to my soul. I’m not sure what those logistics look like. I don’t yet write enough. But I sure appreciate you sharing your own path with such beautiful specificity.
Thank you for a good breakdown on why you write and how it all looks financially - the latter is not so easy to find elsewhere