Welcome back to A Founder’s Lens. So far, we’ve explored shifts in the economic landscape and evolving work arrangements. Starting today, we’ll focus on tactical steps you can take to showcase your value and secure opportunities. Let’s begin!
If you’ve recently discovered your innate entrepreneurial spirit, you may feel eager to dive in to the hands-on work of building your business. At the same time, you may be overwhelmed by all of the moving parts and decisions to consider. Maybe your digital feed is inundated with guru style messaging offering lofty promises and sales packages and you fear you’ll never compare.
I invite you to breathe.
All these emotions are completely normal. You may be starting your entrepreneurial journey from any of the following scenarios, each of which carries its own challenges:
Employed and looking to launch a supplemental revenue stream or opportunity
Employed and looking to generate sufficient income from your business that you can exit your current role and focus on the business full time
Navigating a career exit, transition or layoff and facing urgent need to secure short-term income and/or build a bridge toward your next role
Managing family responsibilities, such as parenthood or caregiving, that require flexibility or a career pivot
In or approaching retirement and looking to define your next chapter
Any of the above scenarios can lead toward a successful business. That said, it’s important to understand how your circumstances affect your personal starting point in the following ways:
The amount of time you can devote to the business, both during launch and operational stages
The level of financial resources you have available for both business and personal expenses
Access to connections who can help you build visibility and secure introductions to potential customers
Access to connections who can offer support with tasks you may be navigating independently for the first time, such marketing, accounting, or IT setup
Psychological or emotional challenges such as burnout, loss of confidence or isolation
I’ve designed my approach so you can launch a business from any starting point to align with your needs and priorities and adapt the business as these evolve.
Some businesses entail more fixed requirements than others. Opening a restaurant, for example, or mass producing a physical good involve complexities beyond the scope of this series. Fortunately, it’s much easier to package your professional knowledge into a range of profitable business offerings. These can include:
Freelance and fractional work
Custom consulting and service packages
1:1 and group coaching programs/workshops
On-demand courses and content
Of these business models, freelance and fractional roles represent the most direct transition from traditional employment. You can easily create a profile and apply for opportunities on platforms like Upwork and GoFractional that align with with your experience and availability, just as you would in a traditional job search. Additionally, you may have contacts in your network who are looking for assistance with their business or a project. This is how I first began my entrepreneurial journey with PublioSTUDIO, as I describe in an previous post.
Freelance and fractional engagements provide a great learning ground for transition toward work outside of an organization. They offer the chance to explore industries and skills you may not have been exposed to in prior roles, all while cultivating and expanding your network. You can approach these experiences as opportunities to identify the tasks you most enjoy, then package that work into a custom offer that differentiates you from similar service providers.
In addition to searching for freelance work, you can also develop a unique offer to promote online and to your network. This approach carries multiple advantages. First, it allows you to cultivate demand for your expertise and position yourself for unsolicited opportunities. Moreover, it provides the chance to build a package around the work that most excites you so you can pursue more of that work - along with less of what you don’t enjoy.
I’ve recently gone through this process in launching the SarNDipity Blueprint, my new business advising and support package. Based on my experience managing operations for PublioSTUDIO and SarNDipity Solutions, I’ve created a framework that founders and solopreneurs can adopt to launch and scale their own businesses. Packages start with a free consultation, followed by a custom action report and options for additional setup and training. If this series has piqued your interest in establishing or growing a business, the SarNDipity Blueprint is the perfect next step. Visit the SarNDipity Solutions website to learn more and schedule your discovery call.
There’s a lot more to cover in future Founder’s Lens installments, including legal concepts, marketing, financial planning, and launching new revenue streams. It all starts with identifying the value that you can provide. As you take that step, explore the following resources and share your ideas in the comments below - doing so could lead to your next customer!
To collect data informing SarNDipity Solutions’ new offer, I’ve launched a market validation survey, with intent to publish findings in a future Founder’s Lens installment. If you manage a business, or are thinking about starting one, I’d love to hear from you. Follow the link below to complete the survey:
By sharing your perspective, you won’t only inform offer development - you’ll also support current and future entrepreneurs. As an added bonus, you’ll qualify for special pricing on service packages. Stay posted to Dose of SarNDipity and the SarNDipity Solutions website for updates on offer development and rollout. Thank you for your support!
I’m compiling a real-time resource library to help you sharpen your own ‘Founder’s Lens.’ Subscribe to Dose of SarNDipity to receive a link to download in your welcome email. (Already subscribed? Access your copy here: sarndipitysolutions.com/a-founders-reading-list)
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