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Hey Solopreneurs! We’re back with another one of our weekly Q&A shows, one of my favorite episodes to bring you.
If you’re new here first of all welcome! And second most Fridays we do a Q&A show where I ask you for questions on Thursday and then I answer them on the following day’s show.
Today is no exception – you had questions and I’ve got your answers. Let’s hear what you wanted to know on episode 312 of The Solopreneur Hour.
More About Solopreneur Coaching
We do this question and answer thing on the regular so if you’d like to have your question answered on our next Q&A show join us on the Proudly Unemployable group and look for my question-requesting post, then drop yours in. Without further delay let’s get to some answers and some solopreneur coaching!
Kevin BigHappy Smith
Q: Long-winded question. I’m not a youngster but I am far from old. I am a 54 year old man who recently retired from over 30 years of government service. After a 6 year stint in the Coast Guard I served 24 years as an Air Traffic Controller.
From all of this I have learned that my super power (so it be) is to remain in a state of absolute calm no matter how bad or deep the shiz around you is.
The problem is this doesn’t really subject itself to a whole lot of income opportunities in the real world. I’m not an entrepreneur, don’t have the drive for it.
However, I don’t mind taking the path that has already been carved by someone else. The only rules I have are I won’t be someone’s boss and I won’t have a boss. You talk about network marketing, explain what this takes from someone to get into. Can you do it half way? I don’t need a 6 figure monthly income, just something in the very low 5 figures. What else is there similar to network marketing that is out there?
I don’t mind working hard, just want to do it for myself, not anyone else. Love the Friday shows. Thanks for doing them.
A: Part one: Your ability to stay calm in a crisis is something you can market, I think. It’s how an ER doctor, a trained first responder has to think: they have to be a calm in a storm. There’s a real way to spin that into the real world; if you can think of a way to quantify that and then you’ve got something to work with.
Part two: yes you can do it a few hours a day. Align with a company that you resonate with, pick one you like and then do the 8 steps of being a successful solopreneur. And then give it time, it takes real study and real work.
Kevin BigHappy Smith
Q: Shorter question. I spend a good deal of time raising my 10 and 7 year old children as well as my 2 year old puppy. I work on teaching my kids to have the tools on how to be happy as well as a good amount of time of raising a responsible dog. Ideally I’d like to create a program that teaches children about happiness (and I’d like to include my dog somehow). Riff on some ideas about this if you’d like.
A: I love it, I think that’s a great idea. It’d be cool to have a bootcamp for a week: teach kids life lessons on responsibility, and you could do it with a dog theme. Kanine Kids or something like that could be a name for the business. Practice on your kids and some of the neighborhood kids. Then do a bootcamp going, get it rocking and turn it into a video series which you create passive income from.
Niel Reichl
Q: Hi Michael, I’m sure you have heard this billions of times where your loyal followers like me take the opportunity to ask for your help.. but I still am taking my chances.
The company I am working for as a drug rep for the last 5months informed me yesterday that they had to let me go, I never saw this coming as my wife and I are pregnant with our first child and are due in two weeks. or less.
What I have been doing however was learning each day through your podcast, the sexy 6, and your other recommendations like how to make people like you in 90 secs or less and creating an “escape plan” between sales calls before being let go.
Yet, I never expected to be let go this soon.. This is where I ask for your help to make a business out of the podcast that I have created which discusses the Filipino culture and learning the language. your help is sincerely appreciated!!!
I promise to never be an askhole and will pay it forward. What I do not have right now is money and that is why I collected all my guts to ask for your help as you are the best person whose knowledge will take me where I need to get to.
A: Check out Niehl’s new podcast with me here. He’s trying to educate men on the Filipino culture. I’d tweak your titles of your show, it’s a little hard to read the titles at first. You’ve got great download numbers and reviews so you’re doing something right. So start by cutting down the titles.
Wade Sarver
Q: Sorry I know we are supposed to ask questions, but the only think I have to ask is, “When should we make the move to a full-time business?” I am writing another book and plan to release in September, then I hope to bring on more customers. I plan to start with consulting and then moving to a membership page. It takes a lot of time but I really enjoy it.
A: The answer is when you can’t do both any longer and you’re making almost as much from your side gig as you do from your full-time job. Take consulting gigs to tide you over, and take on more than you can handle.
Jason Matthew
Q: Hey Micheal, thanks so much for the podcast and value it provides. I am trying to make some money on the side with a web design business but finding it hard to find clients.
What would you suggest? I am trying to cold contact some people but currently that hasn’t been too successful. Any other thoughts? My current website is jasonmdesign.com. I think it’s ok but the copy could definitely use some work in my opinion. Thanks again for all the value you provide.
A: I’d like to see more stuff in your portfolio, more than 3 if possible. Also I’d suggest doing spec work. Grab a few influencers, contact them and tell them you’re trying to get your name out there. Ask if they have any projects you can design for them. Either charge a low amount or do it for free, and request referrals from them.
Yenchen Lin
Q: Thank you for answering my question on the last Q&A, it definitely opened my eyes and now I know I have to change my mindset and definitely look into virtual assistants.
I remember you mentioned wrapping your car and using it as a tax write-off, can you please elaborate and explain what can be written off when it comes to advertising the business on your own vehicle while you’re still commuting to a job that is not your business? Thanks again!
A: The truth is I’m not going to answer this question, this is for a certified accountant. I don’t commute to another job with this car! I wouldn’t want to touch this question from a legal standpoint so I’d say to ask an accountant, ask someone who has a purpose-built vehicle (like a carpenter), and someone who has their car wrapped for a side gig. Find out what tax ramifications are for their vehicles.
outsmartinglife
Q: I’d love to know more about evergreen sales funnels, with as many specifics as possible 🙂 Examples, etc. are great!
A: You and me both! What I know about them – it’s not my area of expertise – is that I’m going to defer this question to Molly Richardson of Freakin’ Fast Funnels. All she does is build funnels, she can give you the nuances of this.
readspanish
Q: What are your suggestions for attracting the right kind of followers on Instagram and Twitter?
A: For Instagram I’d say use Crowdfire. Find someone who has the audience I want to attract then use Crowdfire to follow their followers. You get followed back by many of them.
neptune27
Q: Love your show. I’ve listened 8 hours a day at work since I discovered you. My question is if you have a business that you really love but are just scraping by in how do you decide when to quit? Thanks.
A: I’m so grateful you do that, thank you! As far as quitting that’s really up to you. If it’s only been months you can give it a bit more time, or you can pivot. Take the best parts of your business and try to find a new way to spin them. Write me and give me some specifics so I can tell you whether or not you’re hanging on too long.
Kim Niland-Varghese
Q: Working full time mom of 2 wants to hear about how others have managed time juggling both work home and still able to turn biz into a massive success. Thanks.
A: Be diligent about your time. Figure out whatever you can do and do it. Cut out TV, Facebook, etc. Cut it all out if it isn’t an income-producing activity, no distractions until the income is being produced. Then you can do whatever you want.
Scott W. Mulvaney
Q: How do you fight off the extra side business opportunities, the shiny ball, aka squirrel issues? Especially when some of us already have a couple in the existing mix.
A: You fight them off all the time until two things happen. 1. You get one up and running enough that you can automate it or be remote about it. Then you can be open to side gigs. 2. The exception is if something mammoth comes along then you can explore. Come back to SoloLab, we’re here to help you decide what’s a shiny object and what’s a real legit opportunity!
QUESTION OF THE DAY: What other questions would you like answered? Let us know in the comments below!
Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, could you please leave a review here. I read them, sometimes on the show, and will reach out if you leave your Twitter handle!
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