Solopreneur Stories

In this episode I speak with Morgan Snyder. Morgan is the founder of ThoughtLeaderToday.com, where he helps executives tell their story. We cover topics including: Working at a startup Defining what you want out of your life Surrounding yourself with people doing cool shit The challenges of Credentialism in the market as a solopreneur Confidence as a solopreneur Self discovery, self acceptance, and self compassion And other topics. Utah - you have taken the lead with podcast guests reigning from your state. Something about Utah these days, it is cranking out awesome people I have been getting along with. Speaking with Morgan was a great experience. He’s been on some other podcasts, so definitely check them out. I had before having him on and his personality did not disappoint. So here it is - please enjoy my conversation with Morgan Snyder.

In this episode I speak with Neil Weitzman. Neil is the founder of revenue•x, a revenue advisory providing fractional CRO services. Neil helps early-stage ​and medium-sized businesses build and grow. CEOs call Neil when ok is not good enough. We cover topics including: Family What makes a good fractional leader Companies learning from the mistakes of the market Hiring fractionals before departments How tactical should fractionals get The art of expectation setting And other topics. Neil is an impressive guy. He’s someone I look up to as a voice in the fractional space and the great work he’s doing building a community, Porch, which you’ll hear about in our episode together. Thank you Neil for all of the great information. Neil is someone who for me personally, amidst all of the noise one may encounter on social media, always stands out as having something interesting to say and add to the conversation. And I’m grateful that part of that conversation is what I’m bringing you with this episode. So here it is. Here is - Neil Weitzman.

In this episode I speak with Tory Kindlick. Tory is the founder of Growth Trajectory, a growth marketing consulting company. Prior to his move into the world of solopreneurship, Tory worked as VP of Marketing at Corti (a Healthcare AI company) and Refine Labs (a full-service Demand Gen agency), as well as several demand gen leadership positions at B2B SaaS start-up's. Tory's super power is "figure-it-out-ability", and he's always ready to shift into problem solving mode when his clients or network of B2B marketers need help with GTM motions, RevOps, or customer acquisition strategies. We cover topics including: Sharing your work in the open as a solopreneur Adjusting to working as a solopreneur and developing a rhythm to running your business Imposter syndrome, which I think to date every guest has experienced some form of Leadership Incremental improvements as a solopreneur And other topics. Tory was another fun guest. I learn a lot from everyone I speak with on this show and Tory was no exception - he’s a great guy with a great attitude and it was a total pleasure having him on and hearing his story. So here it is. Here is - Tory Kindlick.

In this episode I speak with Jennifer Baron. Jennifer is a solopreneur and strategic B2B SaaS marketer with decades of experience running successful marketing programs and teams. After a long 20-year career in corporate marketing, she’s now founded her solopreneur operation, Willow and Bee, where she helps tech start-ups grow. We cover topics including: How even after 20-years honing her craft she can still experience moments of imposter syndrome - which I found totally endearing Niching to industries without going overboard niching Resilience as a solopreneur The story behind her brand name and the creative process of branding yourself And other educational topics. She was a great guest, and I love that even after two decades being a corporate professional she’s still embracing the “beginner’s mindset” and being open to learning and developing. I hope you enjoy my conversation with - Jennifer Baron.

In this episode I speak with Ezekial Rochat. Ezekiel is a solopreneur and website designer based in Knoxville, Tennessee. He works with consultants, coaches, solopreneurs, and creators to help them get a website they are proud to share. Ezekiel and I cover topics including: How the origins of his career include a love story Thematic challenges in personal branding for solopreneurs The psychology of personal branding Niching as a solopreneur through experiencing, learning, and adapting Determining your cap for clients and projects as a solopreneur And other topics. I mentioned it during this episode, but this was one of those really valuable conversations for my own professional journey. I’m working on this about myself, but too frequently I can allow some of the industry voices and popular LinkedIn posts get into my head. And while that advice tends to be well intentioned, at least I think it does, what it lacks is a long form examination of the nuance and an unraveling of the anatomy of some of this advice. And Ezekiel and I cover a lot of that in our conversation. So here it is. Please enjoy my talk with - Ezekiel Rochat.

In this episode I speak with Sherehan Ross. Sherehan is a seasoned marketer, recognized for her innovative thinking and ability to challenge the status quo. She has a proven track record of driving revenue, engaging customers, and establishing distinct brand identities in both B2B and B2C markets. Sherhan and I cover topics including: Building a personal brand in public Some of the changes having 2 pandemic babies brought to her life The many challenges of fractional and solopreneur work Hot sauce Leading with empathy and servant leadership And other topics. One of the reasons I wanted to speak with Sherehan is she has been an executive and a fractional leader and solopreneur, and is now open to working with companies as an employee again. Her and I get into some of the specifics that have been influencing her decision. But I want to reiterate as I have previously on this podcast, that a lot of the conversations and advice and lessons that get shared on here are as much for employees as they are for aspiring or seasoned solopreneurs. Like Sherehan, I’ve been very open that, under the right conditions, I am more than willing to become an employee again. And while we see a lot of bad press in the headlines about how rough things can be out there, there are still a lot of really extraordinary companies out there doing great work that offer a ton of rewarding experiences as an employee. So let’s dive into that. Here’s my conversation with - Sherehan Ross.

In this episode I speak with Kate Erwin. Kate went from a B2B SaaS marketer to full-time freelancer and solopreneur in 2023. She's been a copywriter and content marketer for nearly a dozen years. Kate is sharing the raw truth about this transition to solopreneurship on TikTok and LinkedIn. Her content is great. In fact that’s how I found her. Some of it hits spot on, so when I found her I immediately reached out and she was generous enough to come on the podcast. We cover topics including: Thinking of side clients and side income as having lifeboats The challenge and importance of setting the right prices as a solopreneur TikTok for solopreneurs The attitude clients can take to make solopreneurs feel more deeply part of their organization Good clients, bad clients, and cultivating client relationships as a solopreneur The importance of good briefs and good direction for solopreneurs And other topics. Kate was a lot of fun to speak with, we had a lot of laughs and I learned a lot from her story. Give it a listen, because I think you will too. Here is - Kate Erwin.

In this episode I speak with Simon Mills. Simon is a growth consultant and solopreneur at George St. Growth, where he works with B2C Seed to Series A startups as a fractional head of growth. Outside of work, you can find him playing water polo or traveling somewhere warm to escape the cold. Simon and I cover topics including: Digital nomadism as a solopreneur The importance of trial and error as a solopreneur Listening to feedback and signals from the market and clients Getting comfortable putting yourself out there on social media and developing your voice in front of an audience And other topics. Simon was a ton of fun to chat with. He’s making a trip to the New York City area this year. There are a lot of folks in that area that I’m well overdue to link up with, so hopefully Simon and I will go from podcast friends to in real life friends when he’s visiting. Until then, I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Here is - Simon Mills.

In this episode I speak with Ari Mason. Ari is a Utah-based fractional CMO and business consultant who is on a mission to humanize the workplace.  She’s a former journalist and a storyteller at heart.  Ari builds disruptive brands that turn purpose into profit through authenticity and emotional connection. Ari and I cover topics including: The Utah tech scene and silicon slopes New undertakings as a solopreneur Emergent, organizational culture  The shortcomings of individual contributor paths and paths toward solopreneurship Integrating culture into go to market And other topics. It was another fun episode. I think San Diego and Utah are now competing for where most of my guests are based, so it’s really great to be having these conversations with today's solopreneurs and building these relationships with brilliant folks out there who I hope to one day meet in real life. All of that aside, I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did. Here is - Ari Mason. ========== Are you a freelancer who wants to focus on the work that actually gets you paid? Whelm handles all of the necessary but boring and time consuming administrative work so you can focus on the work that you love and makes you money. You can create invoices, receive payments, generate client contracts, manage projects, and collect vital client feedback. All in one, simple platform. Check it out with my link here.

In this episode I speak with Erin Simmons. At the time we filmed, Erin was less than a month into their freelance and solopreneur journey as an events and community manager. Erin is an old friend, and someone I wanted to speak with right at the beginning of their journey.  After a collective decade worth of agency work and 4 years across various in-house brands, Erin is using the upcoming year to chase after connection and joy with every professional and personal opportunity they choose to work on. Erin and I cover topics including: Why in-person events are so important  Finding community and what it feels like when you’ve found it Developing a work cadence across multiple time zones How Erin will be helping me with a GPT model - which was an idea they came up with on the fly that totally won me over And other great topics. It was a ton of fun catching up with Erin, and their perspective on following their heart into this next season of life of theirs really resonated with me. And I think it will with you too. Here is - Erin Simmons.

In this episode I speak with Nancy Chu. Nancy is a Product Management Leadership and Solopreneur Coach, whose mission is to develop the courage of product leaders to reach their goals faster, and tech employees to make their first $10k months outside of corporate. Nancy has accumulated nearly 2 decades of experience in engineering and product management, building products for hundreds of millions of users generating tens of millions in revenue across her roles at companies like Meta/Facebook and Roku.  We cover topics including: Toxicity in the workplace and overcoming traumatic workplace experiences The connection of mental health and physical health for solopreneurs and employees Her experience with the forum Blind Livestreaming with Buddhist master teachers And other topics.  Nancy was such a pleasure to speak with and we hit some really deep topics. What I love about conversations like these is that, as much as some of Nancy’s story and advice can be applied to solopreneurship, its application really finds itself squarely talking about life and our own psychology. It was another great discussion where I learned a lot from her story, journey, solopreneurship, and life lessons. And I think you will too. Here is - Nancy Chu. ========== Are you a freelancer who wants to focus on the work that actually gets you paid? Whelm handles all of the necessary but boring and time consuming administrative work so you can focus on the work that you love and makes you money. You can create invoices, receive payments, generate client contracts, manage projects, and collect vital client feedback. All in one, simple platform. Check it out with my link here.

In this episode I speak with Lala Cooper Carver. Lala is a Content & Communications Consultant, with an extensive background in brand identity, communications, and content. She’s partnered with some of the biggest names in consumer tech, healthcare, energy and publishing over the past decade. Lala launched her micro-business, Goldline Content, in September 2021. Since then, it's grown rapidly, and currently supports a wide range of businesses and organizations in the UK and around the world. Lala and I cover topics including: The benefits solopreneurs can have coming from an agency background and wearing different hats Accepting the challenges of solopreneurship and focusing on solutions Jumping in, taking action, and being bold as a solopreneur The importance of saying no to things, but also the challenge of embracing a no mindset as a solopreneur Burnout, being aware of it and being empathetic about it And other topics. We talk about perspectives that are as much for employers as they are for solopreneurs.  While the primary audience of this podcast is aspiring or seasoned solopreneurs, a lot of this advice is very actionable for employers out there looking to learn from those who have gone out on their own and why they’ve done so. I’ve said on this podcast before that I am personally 100% open to being an employee, but that employer would have to meet certain criteria - and the bar seems to remain low for a lot of corporations out there, so I hope some of the perspectives discussed with my guests may get through to anyone willing to listen. So I hope you enjoy my conversation with - Lala Cooper Carver.

In this episode I speak with Tim Hillison. Tim is the Founder & CEO of Entry Point 1.  He’s launched over $1B in products and campaigns for some of the world’s most recognized companies like Visa, Microsoft, and PayPal, and led global go-to-market strategy in the US, EMEA, and APAC for PwC and Cognizant.  Currently, he helps scale B2B startups and transform scaleups into enterprises. Tim was a ton of fun to speak with. We cover topics today's solopreneurs will find a lot of value from, including: The myth of linear career paths  Some of the limitations put on specialist roles  Stoicism and the works of Epictetus Growth at all costs Web 1, 2, and 3 and career 1, 2, and 3 Some thoughts I really enjoyed regarding modern business, and where there’s a gap in satisfying modern life needs And other topics. Tim is someone I’ve been in touch with a few times outside of the podcast, and he’s just a great example of how generous some folks are in the solopreneurship space who is out there working to make the pie bigger and support everyone winning. It’s really great. I learned a lot, and I think you will too. Here is - Tim Hillison. ========== Are you a freelancer who wants to focus on the work that actually gets you paid? Whelm handles all of the necessary but boring and time consuming administrative work so you can focus on the work that you love and makes you money. You can create invoices, receive payments, generate client contracts, manage projects, and collect vital client feedback. All in one, simple platform. Check it out with my link here.

In this episode, I speak with Tenisha Griggs. Tenisha is a solopreneur, agency founder, and public speaker. As part of her solopreneur journey, she’s launched 37X, a digital marketing agency catering to B2B and e-commerce brands. She’s a former All-American track and field athlete, has been recognized as 'Advertiser of the Year' by ADWEEK, and is a sought-after speaker, where she shares her expertise on leveraging AI, digital advertising, and championing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the ever-evolving marketing landscape. Throughout our discussion, Tenisha shares valuable insights on the ups and downs of her journey as a new solopreneur, offering tangible advice for fellow solopreneurs who can be successful on their own journey. We explore topics including: The importance of personal alignment in goal-setting,  The art of networking and winning clients,  And the transformative power of continuous daily improvement inspired by the works of James Clear and his book, Atomic Habits. But that's not all – we also delve into the wisdom of proverbs and Buddhist parables, adding a lot of emotional depth and richness to our conversation. This episode is a treasure. Tenisha is a total professional, and her dedication and expertise really comes to life as she shares her story, experience, and wisdom. I hope you enjoy my conversation with - Tenisha Griggs. ========== Are you a freelancer who wants to focus on the work that actually gets you paid? Whelm handles all of the necessary but boring and time consuming administrative work so you can focus on the work that you love and makes you money. You can create invoices, receive payments, generate client contracts, manage projects, and collect vital client feedback. All in one, simple platform Check it out with my link here.

In this episode I explore the world of solopreneurship with Nick Lafferty, Growth Consultant and Founder of Early Exit Club.  Nick shares his backstory, insights, and experiences on his journey of quitting his job to pursue his solopreneur dreams. We get deep into some of Nick's areas of expertise, the challenges and highlights of his solopreneur venture thus far, and the backstory on his work with digital products, including The Competitive Conquesting Playbook and Notion templates. Nick shares some of his personal strategies for success, from the power of journaling and positive affirmations to the significance of a compelling personal positioning statement.  Nick also fearlessly and transparently opens up about sharing his personal finances with his audiences and what other solopreneurs should consider when doing the same. Nick is a wealth of knowledge and someone who is thriving in this era of fractional work and solopreneurship. The topics we cover are essential for aspiring and seasoned solopreneurs, with tactical insights and actionable advice others can leverage to grow their brand and pursue solopreneurship success. ==================== Are you a freelancer who wants to focus on the work that actually gets you paid? Whelm handles all of the necessary but boring and time consuming administrative work so you can focus on the work that you love and makes you money. You can create invoices, receive payments, generate client contracts, manage projects, and collect vital client feedback. All in one, simple platform Check it out with my link here.

In this episode I speak with Shirin Shahin. Shirin is a seasoned solopreneur who has worked in product marketing for over 10-years both at larger enterprise companies like Constant Contact and Brightcove, and then as a founder and consultant for herself, which she’s been doing since 2019. She works with primarily B2B organizations of all sizes who are either starting to build their product marketing foundation or expanding on it.  In our conversation we covers topics including: What it was like transitioning from large companies with large teams to her own company as a solopreneur of one WeWork and what it's like as a solopreneur working in public spaces Her experiences in mentorship with organizations like Tech Stars Productized services and some common misconceptions And other great topics. We have a lot in common and this was a really fun episode, so I hope you’ll learn something and enjoy my conversation with - Shirin Shahin. ========== Are you a freelancer who wants to focus on the work that actually gets you paid? Whelm handles all of the necessary but boring and time consuming administrative work so you can focus on the work that you love and makes you money. You can create invoices, receive payments, generate client contracts, manage projects, and collect vital client feedback. All in one, simple platform Check it out with my link here.

In this episode I speak with Rachel Kumar Cross. Rachel is a brand strategist, culture consultant, and marketing communications expert. She’s worked with global companies across industries including Google, Qualcomm, Intuit, and more. We cover topics including: How her first taste of working from home piqued her interest in working for herself  Cognitive dissonance and what it feels like working on projects one doesn’t believe in  Defining A and B and C clients - what that means and how to prioritize who you work with And how setbacks from injuries forced her to be intentional about slowing down and evaluating the work she was doing She was a really great guest, another one I’ve had on from San Diego that’s made me miss being out there. If I have a few more San Diegans come on we may need to host a meetup out there. Anyways, Rachel was a pleasure to speak with and I hope you learn as much as I did.  I hope you enjoy my conversation with - Rachel Kumar Cross.

In this episode I speak with Tracy Laranjo.  Tracy is a Fractional Head of Conversion Rate Optimization and Experimentation who builds high-performing optimization programs for direct-to-consumer brands and agencies. She was Experiment Nation's #1 Must-Meet CRO in 2023, one of Kameleoon's top experimentation influencers from 2022 to 2023, and the former co-host of “From A to B,” the experimentation podcast. She is an advocate of neuroinclusion in the workplace and openly shares her experiences as a woman with ADHD, which we touch on in our conversation. She was a great guest, and we covered topics including: Self-care, self-reflection, and self-awareness  Living intentionally Avoiding playing the short game and building value beyond immediate gratification The importance of word of mouth while being mindful of developing outbound sales motions Rejection and not taking things personally And other topics. Tracy was a ton of fun to speak with. We covered some deep topics and her journey really resonated with me. And I think it will with you too.

In this episode I speak with Dylan Cinti. Dylan is the co-founder of Yarrow, a real estate firm dedicated to enlivening historic properties in Ypsilanti, Michigan.  We cover topics including: How his experience in marketing agencies and leading creative teams led him to founding his company A refurbished, healthier way of thinking about ‘resilience’  Taking time to reflect on and understand one’s values, and then align our working lives towards those values The importance of community and peers and creating a brand identity And other topics it was great to discuss with him. Dylan wasn’t shy about including how mental health was one reason he began reconsidering his career path. It’s something I’m sure a lot of listeners can relate to, myself included. So you can hear all of that and more in my conversation with - Dylan Cinti.

In this episode I speak with Garren Glachman. Garren is the Founder of Follower Fuel, an Instagram marketing agency that connects businesses with real people to boost brand awareness and increase sales.  Garren and I cover topics including: The non-negotiables for setting yourself up for success, like exercise and time management Prioritization Niching in one category before moving to adjacent categories Leveraging systems and more efficient processes to free up time, and then reinvesting that time into high leverage activities The difference between “more” and “better” And other topics. Garren was a great guest and is doing really cool things in the social media space, so definitely check him out. So I hope you enjoy everything he and I speak about.