12 helpful hacks for adopting solopreneur best practices

Are you an entrepreneur operating a business alone?  As a solopreneur, would you like to find some best practices to work from your home?  Read on.

I studied in the field of Business Administration.  After a few years in the corporate world, I’ve moved to have a startup.  I currently blog and also work in marketing, being my own boss (for over 8 years at the time of writing).  While the term ‘solopreneur best practices’ may sound unusual, I’ve used my experience to make a list of them.

Here they are:

1. Set up a home office

One of the first things to do when getting started is to allocate the right space.  Make it your home office.  Do choose it strategically, so that it’s convenient, comfortable and supports productivity.

I’ve recently moved my desk to a new room.  It’s more spacious, and I can have all my important things right there.  This makes working much easier.  The view from my window is also inspiring, full of nature.

2. Define your priorities

Know what you need to focus on.  Being on your own in business can be overwhelming.  Know where to draw the line and avoid burnout.

I have an organised daily agenda.  It’s also a part of my calendar to keep time in mind.  I say ‘no’ when I need to and cut out time-wasters to stay productive.

3. Find your niche

If you’re just starting, find your niche.  Niching down helps to better target the right prospects.  Know your ideal client persona/s.  Find out where they hang out.  Make sure you can be present there.

My self-improvement site has an international audience of readers.  Writing in the English language does allow reaching a wider audience, compared to other languages.  I also speak French but blog in English.  I do talk in other languages, although not like a pro.

4. Do market research

Estimate how many people are likely to need your product or service.  Who are they?  Their demographics?  Their pain points?  Where can you find them?

Hiring an agency to conduct a survey can be expensive.  While on a small budget, you can search online in forums.  Join relevant Facebook groups, post questions.  Interviewing your existing clients are some affordable ways to find things out.

I’ve added a survey link to my welcome email.  All new subscribers who download my productivity checklist freebie are invited to briefly indicate their interests.  This helps me to plan relevant content.

5. Celebrate your why

Being a blogger, freelancer, or influencer, you have to be yourself.  Show authenticity and genuineness.  If not, your readers and followers will sense it and move away.  Brands who are looking to work with you will find it too.  Choose something that you can write or talk about for hours, without difficulty.

Self-improvement is something that I prioritize.  It’s helpful to my readers.  I not only grow personally through my activities but gain so much more intrinsically.  

6. Set SMART goals

SMART is an acronym for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.  It’s a popular goal-setting framework, among others that exist.  Knowing clearly what you want to achieve is crucial, before spending time on it.

I prepare monthly reports to monitor my blog and social media channels.  It’s essential in monitoring progress and also identifying what needs attention.  There are many online tools that you can use, and most of them have a free version.

7. Business plan

Have a written plan.  Allocate resources through budgeting.  Know exactly what needs to be done and how.

You might have a simple plan.  However, it does serve as a guide.  The exercise of creating one is primordial.

8. Need a VA?

A virtual assistant can help you save lots of time.  Focus on your priorities.  As your business grows, you might prefer hiring one.

I do most of my work myself and currently don’t have a VA.  I, however, save time by not tackling the technical things myself.  This allows me to better focus on blogging and marketing.

9. Take action

Setting goals and creating a plan are incomplete if you don’t make things happen.  Get to work with joy.  You are your own boss and CEO!

I have a ritual for planning my agenda.  Even in my home office, I have clear to-dos for every day.  Using my calendar, I keep track of time and prioritize.  Taking regular breaks is super important to stay energized.

10. Networking benefits

Working all by yourself, you’ll feel lonely sometimes.  Find others who can share experiences.  Collaborate by working together on a project.  Share the same passions and interests.

I’ve always networked online more than attending physical events.  Even during the lockdown period and now post-lockdown, it has remained nearly the same for me.  The products that I promote are also mostly digital, and easily shipped worldwide.

11. Survey for feedback

Find out what your existing clients and interested leads think.  Feedback is powerful.  However, only consider the right type of it.  For example, anyone can say anything about your product or service.  Take it with an open mind, but also realize that they might not be your target client in the first place.  

I encourage readers to comment on my articles and reply to each one of them.  I approve comments manually, deleting unwanted spam.  It enables me to know the experiences of others and see what they value most.

12. Ongoing improvements

Always keep enriching yourself, formally, informally, and on every possible occasion.  Lifelong learning is your ally.  Learn from failure and never repeat it.  Benefit from those who are more experienced. 

It’s never too late to start something you’ve always wanted to.  Turn a hobby into a side-hustle.  Start a podcast, YouTube channel, or anything else you prefer.  

In my article, I highlighted some key things that help me and can benefit my readers.  They’re simple, yet effective.  If you’d like to tell me about your experience, do comment below.

Conclusion

These were some hacks for adopting solopreneur best practices.  They’re simple and based on my personal experience.  If you find value in my content, please comment and share for others to read it.  Thanks!!

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Resources:

Market research

SMART criteria