Staying Solo

Fact: your revenue doesn't tell the truth about your life. You can be booked out and still feel depleted, disconnected, and barely holding it together. Because success on paper doesn't mean success in practice. A delightfully boring business flips the script—more ease, more breathing room, more actual delight. So today, we're resetting what "success" means and putting delight back at the center. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why traditional success metrics don't reflect a life that actually feels good. Why delight is the real data you should be tracking. The hidden conditioning that makes joy and rest feel "unproductive." What a delight-filled, right-sized business looks like. Simple business decisions that create space for ease and margin. One tiny "micro-delight" challenge to reset how success feels. The Squad is open for new members until December 19th. Get details and join us here. For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

If it feels like other people land better clients with ease, here's the truth: it's not luck, it's structure. In this just-in-time episode, we run a Mini Client Audit to uncover what's actually blocking better clients from finding (and choosing) you.  You'll hear: The visibility mistake most booked service providers don't realize they're making The subtle way you might be pushing your best-fit clients away without meaning to What's really happening after the sales call when things go silent Landing better clients aren't about trying harder. They're about fixing the right things. And this episode shows you exactly where to start. If you're ready for a real plan to get booked with better clients in 2026, that's exactly what we're building inside the Staying Solo Squad this January. We're kicking things off by creating your One-Page Booked & Unbothered Sales Plan, the simple, sustainable roadmap to attract the right clients, build real trust, and keep the work (and money) flowing all year long. Doors are open until December 18th. Join us.

Ever hit a money milestone and instantly feel like it's… still not enough? You're not broken, you're human.  When money has felt unpredictable at any point in your life, "enough" doesn't feel safe; it feels suspicious. And that's usually when the internet tries to sell you a mindset fix you may not even need. In this episode, we're digging into why your brain reacts this way and why choosing enough might be one of the most unexpectedly delightful decisions you can make in your business and your life. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why money milestones may not feel safe. How scarcity conditioning and money trauma fuel the chase for "more". Why choosing enough is a countercultural power move. What enough actually looks like in your business and life. How sufficiency creates a steadier, more sustainable business. For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:. Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolor Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

Perfection isn't ambition — it's armour. It keeps you safe from judgment, mistakes, and uncertainty… but it also keeps you stuck. And when your business relies on you taking action, that kind of safety gets expensive fast. In today's episode, The Delight of Progress (Not Perfection), we're digging into what perfectionism is really protecting you from, and why choosing progress is actually the safer path forward. Topics discussed in this episode include: How perfectionism keeps you stuck (and why it feels so productive). The hidden cost of waiting for "perfect". The tiny steps that create real momentum with messy action. Why progress is the true competitive advantage in your business. For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:. Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolor Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

If you're trying to run your business with 2019 energy, no wonder you're exhausted.  After years of uncertainty, you can't manage your time like a machine. You need to manage your capacity like a human. And that starts with the Delightful No — the kind of boundary that protects your energy, your focus, and your sanity. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why you're depleted, not disorganized. How collective stress has reshaped your true capacity. The myth of "I can handle it all with better time management." Why every yes has a cost. How the Delightful No protects your energy and focus. A simple YES Plan for using your capacity intentionally. Practical ways to say no without guilt. For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:. Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolor Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

Some days, you look at the online business world and wonder, what are we even doing? We were sold freedom and ended up with nonstop optimization, fake urgency, and the pressure to perform 24/7. In a world this chaotic, the smartest move you can make is building a business that isn't. You can't control the economy, the algorithm, or a flaky client, but you can control how your business runs. And when you do, your business stops being the source of drama and becomes the calm in the storm. In this episode, we're exploring the power of a delightfully boring business. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why the business "freedom" dream isn't working. How hustle culture morphed into non-stop optimization. What a delightfully boring business really looks like. Why predictability reduces stress and boosts clarity. How to build a business that stays steady no matter what. For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:. Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

Not every business pivot starts with a breakdown. Sometimes it hits quietly — like staring at yet another sales page for a client you genuinely like and thinking, I can't keep doing this. That was the moment for Natalie Taylor. You can love your clients, be fully booked, and still know something has to change. In this episode, Natalie shares how she went from burned-out and booked-out to building a business that actually fits her life — not the other way around. Topics discussed in this episode include: Natalie's quiet "I'm done" moment that changed everything. Burnout in a business that looks successful from the outside. How Natalie shifted from copywriter to strategic consultant. Letting go of clients + safety nets without burning it all down. The mindset shifts that made her reinvention actually stick. For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:. Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolor Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

Ever had everything look fine…clients happy, money flowing, nothing on fire…yet something still feels off? That quiet friction? That low-level hum you can't shake? That's not anxiety. It's a warning light. In this episode, we're digging into what's really going on beneath the surface and how to fix it before it cracks wide open. Topics discussed in this episode include: The hidden cracks that show up even when business looks "fine".. Signs your business model, pricing, or positioning needs to evolve. The role of a strategy reset and why it's not a teardown. The three-phase Revenue Reset framework: Define, Design, Deliver..  For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:. Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

Everyone loves to brag about being "booked out." But let's be honest, booked out can also mean booked solid, burned out, and barely making bank. What no one tells you is that a full calendar doesn't guarantee profit, margin, or breathing room. Sometimes it just means you've built yourself a job you can't step away from. In this episode, we're rethinking what "booked out" should actually look like and how to make more without stuffing your schedule. Because "fewer clients, more money" isn't a tagline. It's the most sustainable way to run your business. Topics discussed in this episode include: The myth of "more clients = more success" and how it keeps you stuck. The real cost of volume-based business models and why the real secret is focusing on value.  Three strategies to earn more with fewer clients. For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:. Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

You'd think being great at what you do would make business easier. But the better you get, the more the cracks show. The clients, systems, and strategy that used to work? Now they feel too small. You've outgrown the business you built. So you tweak, tinker, and try to make it fit again but the friction keeps coming back, because you're not meant to patch it, you're meant to rebuild it. Topics discussed in this episode include: The "season of stuck" and why it's a normal sign of growth. Why patching symptoms (tweaks, tweaks, tweaks) never fixes the real problem. How shifting clients, markets, and standards creates hidden misalignment. The three areas that actually need your attention. Why pausing is strategic and not optional.  For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:. Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

If you're not talking about AI with your clients, you're already losing their trust. In this episode, I break down why silence is a risk and how to lead the AI conversation without sounding defensive, desperate, or out of touch. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why client skepticism is rising and how AI is amplifying it. The hidden trust gap created when you stay silent about AI. What clients are really thinking (but not asking) about your use of AI.. The three pillars of the AI conversation and how to discuss AI without sounding outdated or opportunistic. How to define your own AI stance before speaking to clients. For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:. Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

**This week we're sharing an episode from the most recent season of Duped.** Ever been captivated by a coach who seemed too good to be true—magnetic, inspiring, and totally authentic—only to find yourself questioning how you ended up spending thousands, still feeling like you're not enough?  You're not the only one. In this episode, we're diving into the darker side of online business, exploring how some leaders use cult-like tactics to build trust, manipulate your decisions, and keep you hooked.  Topics discussed in this episode: How web celebs earn your trust and devotion through "authenticity." How they maintain control once you're inside the program The BITE Model of Authoritarian Control How to protect yourself from being swept up in the cult of personality. For detailed show notes and links to everything mentioned in this episode, please visit duped.online. For more Duped, including monthly bonus episodes, join the Patreon.

Most masterminds? Total garbage. They're hype machines, overpriced courses in disguise, or giant groups where you're stuck babysitting beginners. That's why in this episode I'm doing a fit check—so you'll know if the BS-Free Mastermind is your "hell yes" next step, or a "not right now." Either way, you'll walk away knowing exactly what support you need to build a steady, sustainable business. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why most masterminds are hype, chaos, or overpriced group programs that don't deliver. What makes the BS-Free Mastermind different (and who it's really for). The Revenue Reset: a fast way to earn more without working more. How the Staying Solo Framework (Salary, Strategy, Space) helps you build sustainably. Real stories from members who raised rates, set boundaries, and simplified their businesses. What kind of support you actually need to create a steady, profitable business in 2025 and beyond For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:. Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

**A very special ranty episode inspired by conversations I've been having the past month** When business feels uncertain, it's tempting to pause and wait it out. But options don't come from waiting—they come from making decisions, even imperfect ones. In this episode, I share: The problem with pausing for too long. Why you want to avoid celeb entrepreneurs right now Specific things you may need to reset Remember, your business isn't fragile; it can handle change, but you need to be willing to get into action.  And if you want support making the right moves, in the right order, that's exactly what we do in the BS-Free Service Business Mastermind. We start in October with the Revenue Reset, allowing you to move forward with clear decisions and the right priorities in front of you. ☎️ Book a call and we'll figure out if the mastermind is what you need right now.

Ever look at your business and think, "This isn't what I signed up for"? The long hours, the barely-there income, the weekends that aren't really weekends… It's exhausting. The answer isn't more hustle—or another shiny funnel. It's a Revenue Reset: the right actions, in the right order, built for your real life. In this episode, I'll show you why a reset matters now, what it really looks like, and how it can finally give you a business that works for you, not against you. Topics discussed in this episode include: What a revenue reset looks like. The three pillars of the Stay Solo Framework that apply to a reset. How we can work together on a reset. What happens when you do a reset, and what kind of results you'll see.  How you can focus on the right actions in the right order for your real life.  For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:. Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolor Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

Your revenue may look good on paper, but if your take-home pay doesn't reflect your effort, something's not right.  If that's you, you're not broken—you're trapped in the salary lie. Big revenue, tiny take-home.  Bad advice, such as "reinvest everything" and "keep your pay low to scale," is what probably got you here. In this episode, we're talking about why, in 2025, just scraping by isn't safe and how it's time to flip the script: your salary isn't what's left over—it's the strategy. Topics discussed in this episode include: The real cost of just "getting by." What it looks like to use salary as a strategy - not an afterthought. Four practical salary moves for 2025. Busting through myths about salary. How to get started with a salary-first reset.  For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolor Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

If your business looks solid on paper but still feels harder than it should—this episode is for you. It's probably not your pricing or your offers. It's your strategy—and it's out of sync with your real life. Just because it used to work doesn't mean it still does.  In this episode, we're digging into why your current strategy might be holding you back—and how to reset it for 2025 and beyond. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why your business might feel more complicated than it should—even if it looks successful on the outside. What the strategy gap is and how it quietly derails even experienced solo business owners. Signs your current strategy is outdated, misaligned, or actively working against you. Why scaling, hiring, or launching something new won't fix a broken strategy. How strategy fleas—hand-me-down advice from courses, coaches, and internet gurus—keep you stuck. The five layers of the Strategy Stack and how they shape your entire business. A practical self-check to spot strategy misalignment fast How do you know when it's time to reset vs. when to refine?  For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  Check out the new free training Reset Era: Earn More Without Working More: www.bsfreebusiness.com/reset  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:. Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolor Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

From the outside, your business looks great, but inside, you're barely hanging on. You're booked, making good money, and clients are happy… but you're exhausted, skipping lunch, and running on fumes. That's what I call the sustainability ceiling—when your business works, but only if you're at 100% all the time. In this episode, we're digging into what that really means and why the solution isn't scaling, hiring, or launching something new. Topics discussed in this episode include: What the sustainability ceiling is—and how to know when you've hit it. Why more clients, more money, or a digital product won't fix your overwhelm. Why scaling chaos only creates more chaos. The real reasons your business feels like it's always one crisis away from collapse. How to stop white-knuckling your way through every week. A practical reset built around Space, Salary, and Strategy—not hustle. Why your next move isn't reinvention—it's realignment.  For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  Check out the new free training Reset Era: Earn More Without Working More: www.bsfreebusiness.com/reset  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:. Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolor Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

Most business advice assumes you've got unlimited time, energy, and support. But what if you're juggling caregiving, chronic illness, parenting—or just the reality of being human? If your business looks good on paper but feels hard to run, this episode is for you. We're digging into The Real Life Rule—the mindset shift every solo service provider needs to build a business that actually works in real life. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why most business advice is built for fantasy, not reality. The unfortunate realities of hustle culture conditioning. How you suffer when you ignore your real-life needs.  Why your capacity isn't a problem—it's a parameter. Breaking down what the Real Life Rule is and why I created it, and what it looks like in action  ***Take the Real Life Rule Quiz Now*** www.bsfreebusiness.com/quiz For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:. Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo Subscribe for new episodes every Monday Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

Let's be honest, 2025 has been tough. In many cases, business feels heavier. Clients are cautious. Leads are slower. And what used to work? It's not always landing like it used to. If you've been wondering, "Is it just me?"—it's not. In this episode, I'm sharing why you may need to reset for the world we're living in now.  Topics discussed in this episode include: How surface-level stability masks deeper tension. Why most mainstream business advice is out of touch. What is the Reset Era, and what's involved?  Why you shouldn't burn it all down. Why friction, fatigue, and resentment are signs that something needs to change in your business.  ***Check out the new free training*** Reset Era: Earn More Without Working More: www.bsfreebusiness.com/reset For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.  If you enjoyed today's episode, please:. Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolor Subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo