One of the most common questions I get asked is: how do you get started as a solopreneur? I purposely decided to be a solopreneur, but I also know what it's like to manage a team and run operations, thanks to my full-time job.

People are often surprised at how much they can accomplish in just a few months - even with a full-time job. They are even more surprised by how much this little change opens up their future career opportunities.

Whether you are overwhelmed about where to start or to see if being a solopreneur is even the right approach for you, keep on reading.

#1 Start small

I'm a big believer in starting small, then expanding. When starting out, it's better to focus on completing one project at a time than trying to do everything at once.

If you start to work on different projects simultaneously, you will spread yourself too thin while accomplishing nothing. Categorize your projects by type. For example, instead of creating one Instagram post at a time or creating one TikTok at a time, bundle your content creation session. You should be creating 10 to 15 Instagram posts in one setting before moving on to the next project.

By bundling tasks, you can work more efficiently without feeling overwhelmed. Start small with your budget too! If you can only afford the main equipment for the next six months, that's fine. Or if it'll take two years before your business is profitable enough for you to upgrade your equipment, that's also fine (and probably smart). You don't want to over-commit yourself or spend money your business did not generate.

In the beginning, try not to take on too many clients, so you don't get overwhelmed. Wait until your first project is completed successfully before taking on additional clients. Doing it this way will also help you change anything you don't like for future clients, for example, meeting schedules, payment terms, or a more precise outline of what your business would handle.

If you overcommit to onboarding too many clients, especially at the beginning, it can lead to unhappy clients and bad work output.

#2 Make sure your goals are realistic and challenging at the same time

As a solopreneur, you'll have to do everything yourself. And I mean everything: sales, marketing, content creation, and communication with clients - the whole nine yards. It's important to be realistic when setting goals and expectations. If you set yourself up for failure by setting impossible or too easy goals, you'll end up feeling disappointed in yourself and your abilities.

If you set up unattainable goals, for example, making six figures within two months or expecting to sell out after launching your product, you'll feel disappointed because you weren't able to reach them. If you continue setting unrealistic goals, you'll lose motivation, and your business will suffer.

Be realistic that it takes time and effort to build a business. The majority of entrepreneurs work years before their business becomes profitable.

Just as you can't expect a marathon runner to suddenly sprint the last quarter mile of every race he runs, you shouldn't expect yourself to work 20 hours per day. Instead, you should set realistic goals that challenge your strengths while allowing time for rest and relaxation.

#3 Be open to change

As a solopreneur pivoting directions are inevitable, whether it's changing your content strategy or entire business model, products, or even business name. However, I don't recommend the latter.

You'll also change locations and, most likely, hours. Some days you'll work more, some days you'll work less. That's the beauty of being your own boss.

Being flexible and understanding that changing directions is sometimes necessary and crucial to becoming successful. It's just part of the ever-evolving world of being an entrepreneur who only has themselves to answer to (that's why you call it "solopreneur").

#4 Perfection vs. progress

Perfectionism will kill your business. Yes, it sounds harsh, but it's true. If you keep working on your product because you want it to be perfect before launching it, you'll never launch it.

Focus on making progress. Moving forward in any way and fixing issues along the way is smarter than working on a product and never launching it.

You can only improve your product if you receive feedback; the only way to receive feedback is by launching it. So go ahead, make some mistakes! You'll learn more that way anyway!

#5 Find a mentor you trust

If you're working for yourself, you should consider a mentor to help guide your way. A mentor can help keep you on track and give advice when needed.

A good mentor has been there and done that; they may not have all the answers but know how to find them if you don't. A mentor should be someone that you can always call up for help and advice.

A mentor should have all the skills necessary in order for them to provide constructive feedback on any struggles that arise during their mentorship sessions with you.

You can find a mentor for your business by attending networking events, joining Facebook groups, searching Twitter, or asking family and friends.

#6 Is solopreneurship right for me?

Solopreneurship is a fabulous way to start a business, as long as you're willing to do the work. You have to understand that as a solopreneur, you will wear many hats and do many things at once, which can be overwhelming—but it's also incredibly rewarding when you see what you have achieved.

During the process, you'll understand how much time you need to complete tasks necessary for running your business and what kinds of boundaries are appropriate for a healthy work-life balance.

The main advantage of running a business all by yourself are low overhead costs. This means that there are fewer expenses associated with running your company compared to businesses with employees where salaries and insurances make up a big part of the expenses.

The main disadvantage is that it can be tricky mentally, especially when faced with deadlines and demanding clients. There are days when it feels like your brain is working 24/7 without breaks because there's nobody else around.

Conclusion

So if you're on the verge of launching your own business all by yourself or even just considering it, I hope you have a better understanding now.

I know it can be scary sometimes, but remember that every solopreneur started somewhere, and they all started with a single decision: yes, I can do it! That decision will get your business off the ground and keep it growing strong.

So don't be afraid of failure. It is just another way for you to get feedback.