Hey there, Solopreneurs~

How’s it going, everyone? Welcome to K.I.S.S., the newsletter built by business owners for business owners.

(And, of course - Aspiring business owners are especially welcome!)

Sorry you haven’t seen me in a few weeks! I’m back, baby!

This newsletter aims to break down high-level business concepts into easily understandable chunks of knowledge. No more Reddit/Youtube holes!

Let’s Talk Networking

A lot of people love the “solo” in solopreneur. To them, this means less idle conversation, more gettin’ her done. But, in truth, those chance encounters can make or break your business. Without a strong network, you don’t have a chance.

Here’s a quick peek at today’s docket:

• Weekly Resource Recommendation

• The Art of Reaching Out

• Scratching Each Other’s Backs

• Finding Your “Group” While Staying Solo

• Look Out! A Comparison Trap!

Weekly Resource Recommendation

Today’s resource recommendation is the podcast “The Life You Love,” formerly known as the “Girl’s Talk Money” podcast.

I have been OBSESSED with these two ladies recently.

Grace Lemire and Erin Confortini (who hails from Pittsburgh, my home) sit down to discuss some incredibly relatable topics surrounding life as a freelancer, content creator, and chick navigating her 20s.

This obviously isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re looking for a new perspective on life as a female solopreneur, this is DEFINITELY going to be up your alley.

You can listen to the podcast here, but it’s also available on Spotify and other streaming platforms!

The Art of Reaching Out

How do you make that first move? When? To whom?

All great questions.

To boil down our answers, let’s list out some things you shouldn’t do:

• Don’t immediately pitch to someone you’ve just connected with. Even if they’re your ICP. Instead, make an effort to genuinely get to know them.

• Don’t waste time on calls and “coffee chats” with people who have little to do with your business. It’s awesome to get to know people, but if you put that concentrated effort into every person on the internet, you’d never have a moment to breathe.

• Don’t excessively compliment people or excessively complain to them when you first chat with/meet them. Folks do NOT like to be glazed, and they definitely don’t like to hear your ass moan.

Here’s a basic, boiled-down SOP for nurturing a new connection:

1. Send them a (ONE) genuine, sincere compliment. Tell them the reason you connected with them in earnest.

2. After the compliment, add a question.

3. When they respond, determine if their vibe is a match to yours.

4. If it is, ask if they want to set up a 15-minute chit-chat.

Here’s the method in action (though this person said hello first):

Scratching Each Other’s Backs

Okay. You know how to make buddies with other entrepreneurs.

Your next question might be: “Is there any practical benefit?”

You’re darn tootin’ there is!

I’ve had many times where one of two things have occurred:

1. One of my close connections (also a freelancer) reaches out to me to tell me they have a potential client that they simply can’t take on at the moment.

2. I’m approached by a potential client and refer them to a close connection instead because I simply can’t take them on at the moment.

Hell, I’ve even dabbled in the art of subcontracting before. It’s great in a pinch and ends up being mutually beneficial.

“But, won’t working for a peer be a little tough to navigate?”

This guy on Reddit had some great points about the logistics:

Finding Your “Group” While Staying Solo

Let’s face it: Having a solo, remote, digital job is lonely as hell.

Some of you might like it, but for the rest of us? It’s a loneliness epidemic!

That’s what makes networking non-negotiable, in my humble opinion.

I am so blessed to have a group of 5-7 connections in my network who consistently have calls with me, give me advice, and support me relentlessly.

You can find those people, too. You just need to start looking!

Here’s a challenge: Try reaching out to 10 connections this week, people who you already have in your network but have never said anything to directly.

If you can book a chat with just 3 of those 10 people, I can guarantee that you’ll find at least one solid, lasting friendship in the process.

(Quality over quantity, people.)

Look Out! A Comparison Trap!

Here comes the hard part.

What happens when your new friends, your peers, start finding excessively more success than you?

This is going to happen. Everyone grows at their own pace. Everyone’s business has its seasons of growth and stagnation.

These comparison traps can turn something that’s fundamentally pure and healthy into something that’s toxic and disheartening very quickly.

When this happens, I challenge you to take hold of this mindset:

Other people’s wins are NOT your losses.

In fact, you should thank your lucky stars that your friends are successful. Their success will inevitably fuel your betterment. You know what they say, after all: You are the company you keep!

Take the energy that you would put toward feeling crappy about yourself and direct it toward improvement.

Your time will inevitably come. How do you want your friends to react once the roles reverse?

That’s All, Folks 👋

That’s all for this week’s edition - I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Remember: Finding new friends doesn’t have to be a pain in the ass.

Just put your best foot forward and remember that solopreneurship is, at its core, a myth.

We’re nothing without our connections. Our network. Our relationships.

Those are what define us!

If you have any further questions about today’s topic, or any general insights/inquiries, don’t be afraid to shoot me a message on LinkedIn or simply reply to this email!

Until next time - Remember to keep things simple!