Staying Solo
Maggie Patterson, BS-Free Business
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)
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 13, 2021 • 46min
2021: The Year in Review
Have you ever looked at someone else's business and wondered what *really* goes on behind the scenes?The end of the year is often a time for reflection, and here at Small Business Boss we always like to take a look at what went on during the past 12 months to celebrate the wins and learn some lessons. That's why In this episode, I sat down with Sara, our director of community and client service, to recap the year that was — the good, the bad and the ugly. Get the inside scoop right here: smallbusinessboss.co/2021-year-in-review
Dec 6, 2021 • 15min
How I'm Really Planning for 2022
Is it just me or do you sometimes feel like December can be a pressure cooker of expectations to plan, plan, plan for the coming year? Now, don't get me wrong — I loooooove me some planning. What I *don't* love is this ridiculous and arbitrary demand on me that I must plan NOW. Could be my rebel nature, could be the cumulative effect of things being really hard to plan in the midst of a pandemic.Whatever the reason, seeing people say we need to push ourselves to plan a whole year in advance so we can have the "best year ever!!" can be completely overwhelming. But it doesn't have to be. In this episode, I'm sharing how I'm really planning for 2022 to give you a real-world perspective amid the end-of-year planning frenzy. Get the inside scoop right here: smallbusinessboss.co/planning-for-2022
Nov 29, 2021 • 22min
Ditching Arbitrary Money Goals: Setting New Metrics for Personal Success
Have you wondered if your money goals are actually YOUR goals? How to make money, how to manage money, and how much money you "should" be striving for is always a hot topic in the world of online business. We're flooded with so many messages that sometimes, we end up pushing ourselves to meet goals that don't actually serve us or our business. We're told if we're not scaling we're failing, and that just is not the case. That's why in this episode, I'm unpacking money goals, why I think that the conventional teachings of online business are broken, and how we can define a new approach to making money. Get the inside scoop at: smallbusinessboss.co/money-goals
Nov 22, 2021 • 56min
Duped: The High Ticket Hustle
Have you ever assumed that just because something is high ticket, it must be good?We've certainly been there, but here's the problem - What exactly IS "high ticket", anyway? A certain dollar amount? A specific level of service? A high return on investment? The reality is that one person's high ticket could be loose change for another, and the big price tag really means nothing in terms of actual value. It's all subjective. That's why in this episode of Duped we're digging into the high ticket economy of online business including WTF high ticket even means, its problems and why you probably shouldn't believe the hype. Find out more at duped.online
Nov 15, 2021 • 34min
Hustle Culture and Ableism in Online Business With Brittany Berger
Have you ever felt like no matter how much you do you're always seeing messaging telling you to hustle even harder? As an industry, online business is alllllll about the hustle. Hustling is worn as a badge of honor, but what we don't talk about is what that 24/7 hustle can mean for us — Burnout, feeling apathetic and overwhelmed and more. So, is this culture of hustle really the dream we should be chasing? In this episode, guest Brittany Berger from Work Smarter chats with me about hustle culture, how it shows up, and how this intersects with ableism across the industry. Get the inside scoop right here: smallbusinessboss.co/ableism-in-online-business
Nov 8, 2021 • 13min
Sales Conversations: BS Messaging & Myths to Watch For
There are a lot of stories we tell ourselves as entrepreneurs, but there's one, in particular, I hear time and time again from the people I work with:"I'm bad at sales." Now, you may or may not be a gifted salesperson, But so much of how we think of sales is wrapped up in antiquated myths and a ton of BS about what we "should" and "shouldn't" do. Add in a never-ending stream of courses and programs designed to sell us on someone's specific version of sales, and it's no surprise we have a hard time sorting through the confusion. That's why In this episode, we break down BS myths and messages about sales calls and talk through some specific ways to make those calls that much simpler. Get the inside scoop: smallbusinessboss.co/sales-myths
Nov 1, 2021 • 1h 1min
DUPED: Courses: Moneymaking Dream or Business Nightmare?
*Check out the first episode of Duped, season 2* Stop us if you've heard these ones before - "Make money while you sleep!" "Never trade dollars for hours again!" "Create it once and set it on autopilot!" We all know celebrity entrepreneurs make BIG promises when selling us a course that teaches us how to create… another course. But do courses actually live up to the hype? Are they the passive income dream they claim to be? In this episode of Duped, we're looking at whether courses are a magical moneymaking dream or a bonafide business nightmare. Find out more at duped.online
Oct 25, 2021 • 31min
The Dynamics of Delegation with Bekka Prideaux
Does the idea of having to hand off work to other people make you break out in a cold sweat?Do you ever find yourself thinking "it will be faster if I just do it myself"? *raises hand sheepishly* The struggle is real, my friends. As someone who has a somewhat challenging relationship with delegation, it's a muscle that I have to consciously work on building. Thankfully, I've had someone guiding me along the way and giving me a gentle nudge when needed.That's why in this episode I sat down for a chat with leadership coach Bekka Prideaux to dive into the dynamics of delegation. We talk about how to improve your delegations skills, why delegation isn't just about having a team, and so much more. Get the inside scoop right here: smallbusinessboss.co/dynamics-of-delegation
Oct 18, 2021 • 15min
7 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting an Agency
Despite how those FB ads make it look, running an agency and being the boss isn't all sitting back and watching the cash roll in while your team gets the job done. No matter how much you *think* you know about what the reality is, like so much else in life, you don't know what you don't know until you're actually in the thick of it. That's why in this episode, I'm sharing 7 things I wish I knew before starting an agency, including a few things that may be unexpected. Get the inside scoop right here: smallbusinessboss.co/before-starting-an-agency
Oct 11, 2021 • 12min
The Agency Business Model: Is it Right For You?
Do you ever feel like you don't have enough hours in the day? Like you're already working too much but could still be doing more? Then there's the fact that your services are in demand and you would take on even more work if you were able. You WANT to grow your business, but driving yourself into the ground isn't a solid strategy. Right about now, running the agency business model may seem like reeeeally good option. But is it? In this episode, we're diving into the ins and outs of the agency business model, to help you answer the question….is it right for you? Get the inside scoop right here: smallbusinessboss.co/the-agency-model
