My “very limited knowledge” when it comes to business building is only “very limited” in comparison to someone who has an enormous wealth of knowledge. Likewise, I have a lot of valuable knowledge compared to someone who is in the beginning stages.

Yesterday, I was watching an interview with a solopreneur who was making over 2 million dollars per year running his business. In comparison, I was so far behind where he was. His audience size was massive, of course, in comparison.

As he elaborated on running and growing his current business, I noticed that 90% of what he said does not apply to someone who is just starting out or struggling to make their first $5,000. It is too advanced and would only confuse and frustrate someone who has not made any meaningful financial progress yet.

Start Where You Are

Growing a solopreneur business involves distinct and separate stages.

Stage 1 is very different from Stage 10. The actions and mindset required to consistently make $5,000 per month are quite different from those required to consistently make $20,000 per month, which are drastically different from those required to make $100,000 per month.

Sure, there are commonalities, but the practical steps and “beginner mindset shifts” are quite different.

Just as with crawling, then walking, then running, you first have to learn how to properly crawl, which prepares you to eventually walk, which builds a foundation that allows you to run.

When crawling becomes easy, you start learning how to walk.

As a solopreneur, I am currently in the “walking stage,” which means that it is super easy for me to support my basic needs, and I have a firm grasp on how to add value and create income. Practically speaking, I can consistently generate $10,000 to $20,000 in revenue within 30 days if I focus. I know what to do, how to do it, and I have a relatively high degree of confidence that comes with having done it over and over again.

Easy? Well, yes, in the way that it’s obvious or simple. Sure, at times I just don’t feel like doing it, and think I ‘should’ do it, then I’m fighting a current that makes it more difficult.

However, my overall point here is that when it comes to making $5,000 per month consistently, or at least defining a clear path to how that’s possible (i.e., learning to crawl), it is profoundly easy for me. Especially in the niche of holding space for others and adding value to their lives through sharing my direct experience.

If I am someone who is interested in learning the basics of “how to crawl,” it’s wise for me to find someone who teaches that. What I don’t want to do is go to someone who teaches people “how to run.” I would only become frustrated as I get lessons in running when I can’t even crawl yet.

Simple to You, Profound to Them

This Sunday’s letter is also inspired by a conversation I had the other day with an aspiring solopreneur who was super frustrated with “how to get started.” In the simplest way, I shared with her what I would do if I were in her situation, and my feedback completely blew her mind. What was quite obvious and simple for me was unnecessarily complex, frustrating, and painful for her.

However, and hear me out, what I shared with her wasn’t “amazing insight” to me. It was simple, obvious, and “not special.” I was helping her learn to crawl, and she was deeply grateful as I saved her from lots of frustration and pain. Now, if I shared those same insights with someone who could already run, they would say, “Uhh, well, duh, that’s obvious.” My sharing of experience would not be valuable to a runner.

Your Value

Your value as a solopreneur lies in recognizing where you are excelling and then supporting those who are looking to improve. The disaster is constantly comparing yourself to people who are running, which makes the real value you have to offer invisible or greatly diminished.

Here’s what I can promise you. Whatever niche you have learned valuable skills that added value to your life (like learning to walk), there are thousands of people you can access who are looking to learn how to crawl in that same area.

As a practical illustration, there’s a simple number’s game here, where you can…

• Freely help 1,000 people (crawlers) by sharing your growth journey and what you’ve learned.
  • Create an offering/container where 5% (50) of those people can pay you for direct and focused support.

This illustration is a simplified direct path to making $60,000 to $120,000 per year. In one way, it’s incredibly obvious to me how and why this works, but I can understand why it might not be obvious to others. Sure, there are lots of other little details about how to make this more practical, efficient, and effective.

The obvious follow-up question for me as a solopreneur is: “How much is it worth (value) to someone (an aspiring or struggling heart-based solopreneur) who deeply desires to make $60,000 to $120,000 every year by sharing their knowledge and experience with other people?”

The value here depends on that person’s pain and desire, along with my ability to communicate a clear path to success. From my personal experience, and in the way that I can best help another, I understand the importance of both pain and desire. The clear path includes, in part, being able to define the desire in practical and realistic terms, and then channel the pain into fuel that helps you focus rather than tear you down. The pain simply tells you how important something is.

How Do I Know I Can Help?

Naturally, this question makes more sense if you haven’t yet experienced the success you’re trying to support others in attaining. However, if you’ve simply become really good at something, and you genuinely desire to support others in experiencing the same, then knowing (or being confident) you can support them, in some capacity, is quite obvious.

This speaks to the importance of being profoundly clear about the service you’re providing, which is a service that’s drawn from your direct experience of success. The trap, which is a fear-based/lack-based mindset, is thinking we need to help everyone succeed in everything, rather than being focused on solving a very specific problem that a person has.

The more clearly defined the problem is, the clearer the solution becomes. This means that when a potential client is looking to solve that same problem, they resonate more deeply with your solution.

Honor Your Value

Honor your value by being honest with yourself about the value you can provide and who you can provide it to. Don’t compare yourself to others who may be further along in their journey. Instead, focus on the unique perspective and knowledge that you have to offer, and find those who are looking to learn what you already know. Remember that what may be simple and obvious to you can be profound and life-changing to someone else. By recognizing your value and sharing it with others, you can create a successful and fulfilling solopreneur business.

Last Sunday’s Letter to Solopreneuer (See Your Value; crawl, walk, run) was about 1,300 words.

Here’s the short version.

👉 Key Takeaways:

• Growing a solopreneur business involves distinct stages. Start where you are and focus on the actions and mindset required for your current stage.
• Your value lies in recognizing where you excel and supporting those who are looking to improve.
• Don’t compare yourself to others who may be further along in their journey. Instead, focus on the unique perspective and knowledge that you have to offer.
• By recognizing your value and sharing it with others, you can create a successful and fulfilling solopreneur business.
• Simplified direct path to making $60k-$120k per year:
  • Freely help 1,000 people by sharing your growth journey and what you’ve learned.
  • Create an offering/container where 5% (50) of those people can pay you for direct and focused support.
  • By creating an offering/container where 5% of those people can pay you for focused support, you can make $60k-$120k per year.