Solopreneur CEO

If you’ve ever felt busy, productive, and still oddly stuck, this episode might explain why.As solopreneurs, it’s easy to believe that working harder or refining more details will move the business forward. You tweak landing pages, adjust messaging, polish graphics, and optimize endlessly, all while telling yourself you’re making progress.But not all effort moves the needle.In this episode of The Solopreneur CEO Podcast, Carin and Marcia talk candidly about why smart, capable solopreneurs often pour energy into the wrong things and how that pattern quietly keeps businesses from growing.They unpack how busywork can become a form of leadership deflection, why perfectionism and over-optimization feel productive but rarely change outcomes, and how focusing on the wrong priorities drains energy without delivering real results. You’ll also hear why many solopreneurs stay stuck not because they lack skill or discipline, but because they’re operating from an operator mindset when the business requires CEO-level decisions.This is a grounded conversation about focus, leverage, and learning to direct your time and energy toward what actually matters.In This Episode, We Talk About:Why busy doesn’t always mean effectiveHow smart solopreneurs accidentally fix the wrong thingsThe difference between needle-movers and comfortable busyworkWhy over-optimizing details often stalls growthHow leadership deflection shows up in day-to-day decisionsWhy backend systems matter more than front-end polishHow CEO-level focus creates momentum and clarityIf you’ve been putting in real effort but still feel like the business isn’t moving the way it should, this episode will help you see where your attention might be costing you progress.🌿 Keep the conversation going in the Solopreneur CEO free community at thesolopreneurceo.com.

If you’ve built your business by being capable, responsible, and good at figuring things out, this episode might name a turning point you’ve been circling for a while.In the early stages of business, the operating mode works. You do the work, solve problems as they come up, and stay close to every detail. That hands-on approach is often what gets the business off the ground.But as the business grows, staying in operator mode creates friction. Decisions feel heavier. Everything depends on you. And even though you know something needs to change, it’s not always clear what that change actually is.In this episode of The Solopreneur CEO Podcast, Carin and Marcia talk about the decision most solopreneurs avoid making and why nothing really shifts until that decision is made.They explore why stepping into CEO leadership isn’t about titles or doing less work, but about choosing a different way to lead, think, and make decisions. You’ll hear why so many solopreneurs stay stuck in the in-between, how indecision quietly increases mental load, and why avoiding the CEO role eventually limits the business.This is a grounded conversation about leadership, identity, and what it really means to decide how your business will run.In This Episode, We Talk About:Why solopreneurs don’t drift into CEO leadership, they decide into itThe hidden cost of staying half-operator, half-CEOWhy knowing what to do isn’t the same as deciding to lead differentlyHow indecision increases mental load and complexityWhat the CEO role actually changes in day-to-day decision-makingWhy stepping into leadership often feels uncomfortable at firstHow intentional decisions reduce burnout and create clarityIf you’ve built something real but feel like your business still depends too heavily on you, this episode will help you see where a decision, not another fix, might be the shift you’ve been waiting for.🌿 Keep the conversation going in the Solopreneur CEO free community atthesolopreneurceo.com

If you care deeply about your clients but feel like constant availability is wearing you down, this episode will likely resonate.For many solopreneurs, being high touch gets confused with being always accessible. You want clients to feel supported, cared for, and confident in working with you, so you stay connected, responsive, and available. At first, that feels generous. Over time, it can quietly drain your energy and create constant mental noise.In this episode of The Solopreneur CEO Podcast, Marcia shares candid reflections from her experience running high-touch communities and mentoring solopreneurs, and what she learned about being deeply supportive without being on call.She unpacks why over-availability often leads to burnout, how unclear expectations and boundaries create anxiety for both clients and founders, and why leadership requires designing support instead of reacting to every request. You’ll also hear how identity, nervous system health, and self-worth get tangled up in accessibility, especially for solopreneurs whose work comes naturally to them.This is a grounded conversation about redefining high touch, protecting your energy, and leading your business in a way that supports both your clients and your well-being.In This Episode, We Talk About:Why high touch is often mistaken for constant availabilityHow over-availability creates mental load and burnoutThe hidden cost of unclear expectations and boundariesWhy clients don’t need immediate access to feel supportedHow structure and clarity reduce anxiety for everyone involvedWhat leadership looks like at higher levels of service-based businessHow to be thoughtful and caring without being on callIf you want to make a meaningful impact without burning yourself out, this episode will help you rethink what high touch actually means and how to lead with clarity instead of constant accessibility.🌿 Keep the conversation going in the Solopreneur CEO free community at thesolopreneurceo.com

If you’ve built your business by being independent, capable, and self-reliant, this episode might put words to something you’ve been feeling for a while.Doing it alone often works in the early stages of business. You figure things out as you go, make fast decisions, and rely on yourself to keep everything moving. That independence can feel empowering, and for a time, it is.But as the business grows, the complexity grows with it. And at a certain point, self-reliance quietly becomes the bottleneck.In this episode of The Solopreneur CEO Podcast, Carin and Marcia talk candidly about why doing this alone eventually stops working, even for very capable solopreneurs who are already doing many things right.They unpack the hidden cost of isolation at higher levels of business, how decision fatigue builds when there’s no sounding board, and why over-availability often creates burnout instead of real support. You’ll also hear why many solopreneurs mistake this stage for personal failure instead of recognizing it as a leadership transition.This is a grounded conversation about leadership, sustainability, and why support and perspective aren’t luxuries at this level, they’re infrastructure.In This Episode, We Talk About:Why doing everything yourself works… until it doesn’tHow business growth increases complexity and decision fatigueThe emotional cost of carrying leadership in isolationWhy over-availability often creates more problems than it solvesHow unclear structure leads to burnout for founders and clientsThe difference between support and constant accessWhy environment and perspective matter at higher levels of businessIf you’ve built something real but feel like you’re holding too much alone, this episode will help you understand why that feeling isn’t a personal failure, it’s a signal that you’re operating at a new level.🌿 Keep the conversation going in the Solopreneur CEO free community at thesolopreneurceo.com

If you feel like you’re constantly running out of time, this episode might change how you see the real problem.Most solopreneurs assume capacity issues are time issues. They buy new planners, try time blocking, and search for the perfect productivity system. But even with all that effort, the business still feels full, heavy, and hard to grow.In this episode of The Solopreneur CEO Podcast, Carin and Marcia break down why capacity is not the same thing as time and why managing your schedule won’t fix a structurally overloaded business.They unpack how complexity quietly creeps in as businesses grow, why decision fatigue and mental load drain capacity faster than hours on the clock, and how unclear communication, onboarding, and boundaries turn you into the default for everything. You’ll also hear why many solopreneurs subconsciously avoid growth because their business isn’t actually set up to support more clients.This is a grounded conversation about designing a business that can grow without exhausting you, not by doing more, but by simplifying how the business runs.In This Episode, We Talk About:Why capacity problems are often mistaken for time problemsHow business complexity limits growth even when you “manage your time well”Why planners and productivity tools don’t fix structural issuesHow unclear communication and onboarding drain your capacityThe hidden ways solopreneurs become bottlenecks in their own businessWhy client capacity matters just as much as your ownHow to start creating capacity without burning everything downIf you want to grow your business but feel like you’re already at your limit, this episode will help you understand what’s really holding you back and where to start redesigning for more ease and sustainability.🌿 Keep the conversation going in the Solopreneur CEO free community at thesolopreneurceo.com.

“If your business falls apart when you step away, is it really working for you?”This is a conversation we’ve been having with solopreneurs for years, and it does not get talked about enough.If you’ve built a successful business but feel like you’re carrying all of it alone, this episode is for you.In this conversation, we break down why so many solopreneurs are working harder than ever, making money, and still feeling exhausted and stuck. We talk about why systems get such a bad reputation, and why avoiding them actually keeps you trapped in reactive mode.Friend, systems aren’t tech. They’re leadership decisions.We’re chatting about:Why solopreneurs resist systems and what it’s really costing themHow panic-buying tools creates more chaos instead of clarityThe mental load that comes from running everything manuallyWhat high-touch, systemized businesses actually look likeHow systems help your business support you, not consume youWe’ve learned these lessons the hard way, through burnout, rebuilding, and helping other solopreneurs untangle the same problems. And we’re sharing them so you don’t have to repeat them.🌿 Keep the conversation going in the Solopreneur CEO free community at thesolopreneurceo.com.

You’ve built something real. Clients... revenue... momentum.But behind the scenes, you’re carrying more than you want to be. The business works, but it depends too heavily on you. And deep down, you know it shouldn’t feel this hard.In this first episode of the Solopreneur CEO Podcast, Carin Kilby Clark and Marcia Sheehan reintroduce the show and share who it’s really for: established solopreneurs who love what they do but are tired of operating in constant reaction mode.This episode sets the foundation for what’s to come. Honest conversations about the mental load of solopreneurship, the emotional rollercoaster no one talks about, and how mindset, systems, structure, and support work together to create a more sustainable business.No hustle culture. No pretending. No “just do more” advice.If your business looks successful on the outside but you’re one bad day away from burning it all down, you’re not broken. You’re just carrying too much.And you’re in the right place.🌿 Keep the conversation going in the Solopreneur CEO free community at thesolopreneurceo.com.