Discover
Staying Solo
Staying Solo
Author: Maggie Patterson, BS-Free Business
Subscribed: 272Played: 8,093Subscribe
Share
© Copyright Scoop Studios 2016 to 2025
Description
Growing a solo service business is tough. It's even harder when you're bombarded with BS advice that steers you away from your values and why you started your business in the first place.
This is the podcast for solo creatives and consultants who want to remain as a team of one and have zero interest in the hustle and grind of typical business teachings.
Most podcasts for solopreneurs and freelancers, hosted by out-of-touch celebrity entrepreneurs who haven't offered one-to-one services in years, miss the mark on today's market realities.
Maggie Patterson, a service business owner for 20 years, understands that to stay solo, you need to know what matters to you, what works for you, and what you should completely ignore.
In each episode, she examines one piece of conventional business advice to discover how it may hurt your business or be completely wrong for you as a solo business owner.
Join Maggie for real talk to help you avoid burnout or the desire to entirely burn down your business to open a flower shop, book store, or cat cafe. (Because those cats won't pay the bills.)
(Formerly the BS-Free Service Business Show)
This is the podcast for solo creatives and consultants who want to remain as a team of one and have zero interest in the hustle and grind of typical business teachings.
Most podcasts for solopreneurs and freelancers, hosted by out-of-touch celebrity entrepreneurs who haven't offered one-to-one services in years, miss the mark on today's market realities.
Maggie Patterson, a service business owner for 20 years, understands that to stay solo, you need to know what matters to you, what works for you, and what you should completely ignore.
In each episode, she examines one piece of conventional business advice to discover how it may hurt your business or be completely wrong for you as a solo business owner.
Join Maggie for real talk to help you avoid burnout or the desire to entirely burn down your business to open a flower shop, book store, or cat cafe. (Because those cats won't pay the bills.)
(Formerly the BS-Free Service Business Show)
488 Episodes
Reverse
Most service providers think they need to be everywhere, all the time, just to stay visible. So they either force it or avoid it completely. Both paths lead to the same result: not enough clients. In this episode, I'm breaking down the marketing mistakes that keep you stuck and how to shift to an approach that actually creates easy yeses. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why doing "more marketing" isn't the problem and what your marketing should actually be doing. Why showing up everywhere isn't turning into clients. 5 key marketing mistakes blocking your easy yeses, and how to fix them. What it takes to move someone from "interested" to "ready to work with you." 🔥Join the Squad through April 23, 2026 🔥 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
Despite what conventional business advice may tell you, if you're not booking clients, it's probably not a visibility problem. More marketing won't fix what's broken underneath. In this episode, we're breaking down the four Easy Yes Energy blocks that stop clients from saying yes and how to fix them so your more of your consults convert into paying clients. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why more marketing won't fix a conversion problem The 4 "Easy Yes" blocks that stop clients from booking. The journey of attention, interest, desire and action you need to take your clients on with Easy Yes Energy. How to deal with these blocks if you're identifying with what I'm sharing. Join the Staying Solo Squad wait list. 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
Clients are interested—but they're not choosing you. If you're stuck in the "maybe" pile, it's not a sales problem. It's an Easy Yes Energy problem. In this episode, we're getting into why clients hesitate, what most people get wrong, and how to become the clear yes instead of just another option. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why interested clients don't convert and what keeps you stuck in the "maybe pile." Why it's not a sales problem and what you need to do instead. How clients actually decide: the 5-step "consideration journey." The key positioning gaps that cause you to lose leads you never even see. Join the Staying Solo Squad wait list. 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 your bigger packages have stopped selling, it's not your work; it's your entry point. Clients aren't ready to make big decisions right now. They want something simple, clear, and low-risk to start. That's where your Easy Yes Offer comes in. In this episode, we break down what it is, why most offers miss the mark, and how to create one that your clients actually say yes to. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why are bigger packages harder to sell in today's market? What an Easy Yes Offer is and how it reduces buyer risk. 3 common reasons offers don't sell. The POP framework: positioning, outcome, and process. How to design a simple, high-value starting offer (without underpricing). 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
When you've been running a business for a long time, experience can quietly turn into ego. You start believing certain things are beneath you, like following up, reaching out to your network, or sending a simple check-in email. In this episode of the Easy Yes Energy series, we explore how the Ego Trap shows up for experienced service providers and how it can block the very things that bring clients into your business. Because sometimes the biggest obstacle to booking work isn't strategy—it's the story you're telling yourself about what you "shouldn't have to do anymore." Topics discussed in this episode include: The "I shouldn't have to do that" mindset. Why simple actions still bring in clients. How experience can become rigidity. Ego disguised as perfectionism. Why staying scrappy still matters. 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 potential clients keep saying "let me think about it," show interest but never follow through, or seem confused about what you actually do, your business may be missing what I'm calling Easy Yes Energy. In this episode, we're kicking off a new podcast series about making your service business easier for the right clients to confidently say yes to. I explain why today's skeptical market requires greater clarity than ever—and the subtle ways experienced service providers accidentally make their businesses harder to buy from. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why busy, skeptical buyers won't "figure out" how you help them, The concept of Easy Yes Energy and why it matters right now. Common signs your business is harder to say yes to than you think. Why prospects say "let me think about it" or never follow through. How confusing offers, educator-mode marketing, and unclear positioning hurt sales. What this new series will teach you about making your business easier to buy from. 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
You did the work. You delivered. The client was happy. And then… the relationship ended. Not because anything went wrong, but because there was no plan for what came next. That's the Deliver-and-Disappear cycle — and it's quietly costing you revenue. In this episode, I'll show you where it's happening in your business and how to restructure your client relationships so projects lead somewhere instead of ending in silence. Topics discussed in this episode include: The "Deliver & Disappear" cycle that's quietly capping your revenue. Why finishing the project shouldn't be the end of the relationship. 5 missed opportunities hiding in your current client experience. How to turn completed work into renewals, expansions, and retainers. A simple shift that makes retention, referrals, and revenue more predictable. 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 a potential client seem ready to move forward… and then disappear? Not a no. Not a yes. Just silence. In today's episode, I'm breaking down the four hidden leaks in your sales process that are costing you clients and how to fix them so more of those conversations actually turn into booked clients. Topics discussed in this episode include: The 4 hidden leaksstalling your sales (and filling your pipeline with "maybes"). Why great consult calls still fail without clear next steps. How your proposal might be creating hesitation. The real reason follow-up feels uncomfortable (and why you need to do it anyway). Sign up now for the Profitable & Preferred Summit. 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've heard the phrase trust recession but what does it actually mean for your marketing in 2026? In this episode, we break down the research behind shifting buyer behaviour and why visibility alone no longer converts. If your marketing feels harder than it used to, this conversation will help you understand what's changed and how to adapt so your marketing earns trust, reduces buyer risk, and attracts the right clients. Topics discussed in this episode include: What the "trust recession" really means for service businesses. Why visibility and familiarity no longer convert like they used to. The biggest reasons marketing isn't turning into clients right now. How to build credibility and reduce buyer risk in your messaging. What's actually working in 2026: fewer platforms, clearer positioning, and intentional marketing systems. Sign up for the free Profitable & Preferred Summit. 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
60 days from now, your business will still exist...but will it feel the same? In this pop-up episode, we explore why 60 days is the perfect window to shift your business without burning it down. I'll walk you through a simple 3-part exercise to clarify what you want to feel, what's getting in the way, and the decision you've been avoiding that could unlock real momentum. Topics covered: Why 60 days is enough time to create meaningful change. The simple 3-part exercise to get unstuck and take action. Real examples of powerful 60-day business shifts. The cost of avoiding key decisions. Why strategy (not hustle) creates a calmer, more stable business. Get the details and book your Revenue Reset consult call with Maggie now.
Most people don't raise their rates until they're exhausted or furious and by then, it's damage control. In this episode, we're breaking down five early signs it's time to raise your prices before things hit that point. Topics discussed in this episode include: Waiting until you're exhausted is the worst time to raise your rates. The five early signs your pricing needs attention before resentment kicks in. How to tell when your value has outgrown your prices. Why working around your pricing is a red flag, not a strategy. How to raise your rates without drama, panic, or blowing up what's working. 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
Most pricing advice says, "Just raise your rates." If it were that simple, you would've done it already. Undercharging isn't the problem; it's the symptom. In this episode, we're digging into why your pricing stopped working and how to fix it without guesswork. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why "just raise your rates" misses the real problem. How undercharging shows up after your business has already changed. The hidden pressure points keeping your pricing stuck. The cost of continuing to undercharge. 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
Future you is already over this. The stuff you're tolerating right now isn't going away — unless you deal with it. In this episode, we're talking about what to fix so you're not still stuck with it six months from now. Topics discussed in this episode include: The stuff you're tolerating now that future you will hate. Why do the problems you keep avoiding never magically fix themselves? The difference between "coping" and actually getting it handled. How to make decisions that stick (and stop backsliding). What future do you really want from this 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
Somehow, service businesses became the problem. Not because they stopped working, but because it became profitable to say they were broken. If you've been told you're underpaid, burned out, or capped because you sell services, that's a lie. In this episode, we're talking about what's actually broken — and how to fix your strategy without ditching services. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why service businesses were branded "broken" — and who benefits from that lie. The real reason services feel exhausting (hint: it's not the work.) How bad clients, burnout, and income ceilings get misdiagnosed. The Strategy Stack that fixes pressure without blowing up your business. Why you don't need a new business model — you need better strategy. 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
"I'll fix this when things calm down" is one of the most convincing lies we can tell ourselves about our business. Because things don't calm down, they normalize. The workload, the pressure, and the vigilance can become the baseline. In this episode, we're breaking down why waiting for ease keeps you stuck and what actually creates room for change while the business is still working. Topics discussed in this episode include: Why waiting for things to calm down is a trap. How "working fine" still steals your time, energy, and pay. The real reason change feels risky. The small decisions that actually create room to change. 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
January has a way of telling the truth. Because once the hype dies down and the "new year, new you" noise fades, you're left with a simple question: Do I actually want another year of this business? Not because it's failing. But because it's working… and still doesn't quite fit. In this episode, we're diving into what to do when nothing's wrong, it's just time for an upgrade. Topics discussed in this episode include: The hidden cost of "fine" (and why it keeps you stuck). How endurance can be mistaken for sustainability. Why you don't need a big old breakdown to justify a change. What an intentional upgrade looks like for 2026. 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
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






















