If you are not familiar with this term combining “solo operator” with “entrepreneur” read on. “Solopreneurship” is a real option for many academics no longer satisfied in the world of higher education. Working independently and following ideas from conception to completed projects are just a few of the easily transferable skills. Here’s guest blogger Jackie Peterson on the topic of solopreneurship:
Not to brag, but I’m a pretty good mind reader.
Think about your dream job for a minute. How would you spend your days? Really spend some time on this. Visualize your schedule, your work environment, and your daily tasks.
Okay. Do you have a clear picture in your mind?
Good. Here I go:
Your dream job would consist of doing exactly what you love and already know how to do. Your schedule, work environment, and tasks would be tailor-made to fit your preferences.
How’d I do?
Okay, so I’m not really a mind reader. It’s just that everybody’s dream job looks pretty similar. Even though we all have different passions, backgrounds, and work styles, there’s a good chance that we’d all love to make a living by doing what we love. And that’s why I’m so excited about solopreneurship. Could this rapidly expanding business model be right for you?
Back up a second—what exactly is a solopreneur?
In the simplest possible terms, solopreneurs are entrepreneurs who work alone. They might be artists, CPAs, web designers, acupuncturists, counselors, or motivational speakers …and the list goes on! At first, many of these professions don’t seem to have much in common. But what they share is passion: they want to make a living doing what they love.
I wish I could tell everybody in the midst of a career transition that solopreneurship is an exciting and increasingly viable business model.
I’ve worked with solopreneurs for years, and I can assure you: it really is possible to follow your dreams. Solopreneurship is growing rapidly and seeing ever-higher rates of satisfaction.
The first step is identifying your expertise: What are you passionate about? What do you love to do? What are you already good at?
I’ve worked with a lot of solos who started out thinking that they didn’t have anything to offer. They couldn’t imagine that people would pay them to follow their dreams and use the skills they already had.
Over and over again, I’ve seen them proven wrong.
The beautiful thing about solopreneurship is we’re all so different. There really are people who love whipping other people’s finances into shape, designing websites, and giving massages! And I can’t tell you how grateful I am—I certainly don’t want to give myself a massage. How fabulous is it that I can pay someone to pursue their passion for healing…and get a heavenly massage in return?
Think about it for a while. Maybe you’d paint all day. Maybe you’d spend your time writing, or counseling, or dancing, or designing dream vacations. Maybe you’d take care of children, make quilts, or motivate thousands of people with your inspirational speeches.
Turning your passion into a living might sound scary, but it’s completely doable—as long as you focus on doing the work you love to do. Solopreneurship is the perfect way to build on your knowledge, support your financial independence, and monetize your expertise.
The options are limitless. All it takes is acknowledging that you have something unique and beautiful to offer the world: yourself.
Jackie B. Peterson is a coach, consultant, and speaker based in Portland, Ore. She is the author of Better, Smarter, Richer: Seven Business Principles for Solo and Creative Entrepreneurs, and she specializes in helping people make a living by doing what they love. Find out more about solopreneurship at www. BetterSmarterRicher.com
Tags: solopreneurship
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