Once the WHY is established, which also involves recognizing just how important this is, then the HOW becomes clearer. It's a funny thing that happens, where if the WHY is big enough, the how is just to go and figure it out.
If I were to break down the HOW to become a Heart-Based Solopreneur in 3 steps, it would be this...
Special Note: Of course, my highest recommendation for people who are passionate about this journey and are new or struggling is to explore the opportunity to join my Solopreneur Group Training Program.
Step 1: Understand the Problem & Audience
As a solopreneur, you're not trying to build a huge corporation. You're simply building a process that allows you to share your value and create an exchange for that value. You're building a container that communicates the value you offer, which is the problem people have and the unique solution you provide.
The value you offer is that you've figured out how to solve this problem for yourself (to some degree), and you are now helping other people solve that problem.
The business of being a heart-based solopreneur is all about communication. To get started, you must be able to clearly communicate the problem while also knowing your audience. The question is:
“Can I clearly and specifically communicate the problem I’m deeply interested in solving, so the right people hear my message?”
As a framework, think about it like this…
“I help XYZ (people), who struggle with XYZ (problem), so they can XYZ (solution).”
The more clearly this is defined, the more interested the person who matches it will be in what you have to say.
Step 2: Learn and Grow by helping people for free
One of the biggest mistakes I see people make, which I made myself, is being too concerned about making money quickly. When starting out, keep in mind that you are building something - a container - which takes time to develop. As it becomes more stable, it can then generate revenue and income.
This also speaks to the required shift in mindset from an employee mindset to a business owner/investor mindset. Employees want to get paid at the end of the week, while business owners and investors build something without getting paid now, so they can get paid much more later on.
When starting out, helping people for free accomplishes 3 important things:
- You learn more about what works and what doesn't, which increases your overall value as someone who can help others solve a problem. This energizes your purpose, passion, and play, resulting in more rapid growth.
- You start creating social awareness about your interests, and people begin to know you as someone who is interested in XYZ. This builds a community of social trust, which adds credibility to what you offer down the road.
- By helping others for free, you build a library of timeless content and resources that other people can appreciate and share. Ask people about their struggles and create free content that encourages them to look within themselves and communicate a clear solution that helps them reduce their struggles and make progress.
Helping people for free doesn't have an endpoint; it's an integral part of the whole journey. As you grow, you become better at helping more and more people for free with less of your time.
Think about it this way... "Give away all the secrets to solving the problem, sharing what you've learned. And then, sell the implementation of those secrets."
The "implementation" is the focused container where you can play a more direct role in helping someone make progress. By creating a financial exchange for more direct access to your support, you can speed up their progress and make it a more meaningful and enjoyable journey.
Step 3: Start With the End in Mind
The more clearly you understand what you are building, the easier it is to build. The more clearly you understand where you are going, the easier it is to get there.
If you are going to build a house, you must have a well-crafted vision and a plan. You must start at the end and work your way backwards. This also ties into your WHY. The more important the house is to you, the more care and attention you should give it as you build.
As it relates to building a solopreneur business, ask yourself what you want it to look like in 3 years from now.
● Practically, What's the Work/Life Balance I Want?
- EXAMPLE: I want to start work early and be done working by 2 pm so I can spend the rest of my day doing other things I enjoy.
● How Much Money Do I Need/Want to Make?
- EXAMPLE: I need to generate at least $10,000 per month so that I can live on half and save the other half.
● How Do I Want to Share and Deliver My Value?
- EXAMPLE: I want to work with a limited number of people one-on-one for an extended period of time because I like going deep with people and building meaningful relationships with those I support.
- Or... I want to create digital products that help people solve their problems, like online courses.
- Or... I want to speak to groups of people on a stage and then help them work together to solve a common problem.
- The list of options here is endless...
Once you have a vision, you simply start breaking that vision down into manageable steps. This vision also indicates what is important for you to learn in order to deliver value in that way. Remember, this isn't about what you "SHOULD" do; it's about what sounds like an incredibly good match for your genuine and sincere interests.
Regardless of your future vision for your solopreneur business, you need to first be clear about your ability to communicate the problem you're deeply interested in solving.
Starting with the end in mind can be applied to your life vision, yearly vision, and your monthly and weekly goals. This is what helps you stay focused: be profoundly clear about where you are going.
If you don't decide where you're going or what you're building, you'll ultimately end up letting someone else decide that for you.
