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
May 17, 2021 • 14min
Paying Your Team: What You Need to Know
One of the most common questions I get asked is about how much people should be paying their employees or contractors. While the actual amount will always vary depending on the role, having a strategy for determining what rates to offer is critical.An important part of running an ethical online business is about NOT trying to get the largest amount of work for the least amount of money. It's time to put people before profits and not listen to the exploitative hiring BS celebrity entrepreneurs teach. In this episode, we're diving into what you need to know about paying your team. Get the inside scoop: smallbusinessboss.co/paying-your-team
May 10, 2021 • 20min
How to Spot a Celebrity Entrepreneur (2021 Edition)
When you're trying to figure out who to trust online, you can't just look for something sleazy or sketchy as a sign that you should skip doing business with someone. It's much more complex and nuanced than looking at the FB ad with a guy on a yacht and thinking, next. It's much more complicated, and sometimes a scammer looks and acts like your BFF or your fave academic researcher. And their marketing is designed to lure you with that image and act. In this episode, we're diving into the world of celebrity entrepreneurship with fresh updates for 2021. Get the inside scoop: smallbusinessboss.co/2021-celebrity-entrepreneur
May 3, 2021 • 14min
The Basics of Capacity Planning
Have you ever felt so overwhelmed in your biz that you're ready to light a match and burn the whole thing to the ground? 🔥 Been there, done that. The reality of being of a biz owner is that even when things seem to be going great, the tide can turn quickly. Even something awesome like bringing a client onboard can start to make you feel like you're falling apart at the seams if you don't actually have enough support to get all the work done. So how do we turn it around so we don't end up in that position in the first place? It starts with capacity planning, where you get a better handle on the supply and demand of your business. In this episode of the BS-Free Service Business podcast, I'm giving you a crash course on the basics of capacity planning. Get the inside scoop: smallbusinessboss.co/capacity-planning
Apr 26, 2021 • 26min
Inclusive Copywriting with Nailah Z. King
Language is always evolving, and with that, so should our marketing and copywriting. Why? Because the words we choose matter.If we want to convey the message that our business is inclusive, diverse and equitable, then the language we use needs to reflect that. That's exactly why in this episode, Nailah King joins me to talk about inclusive copywriting including what it is, and how to get started on being more inclusive with your copy. Get the inside scoop: smallbusinessboss.co/inclusive-copywriting
Apr 19, 2021 • 26min
Small, Simple & Sustainable: The Profitable Service Business
How many times have you heard the advice that you need to focus on scaling your service business? While on the surface telling someone to work on growing their business doesn't seem like bad advice, the reality is that it's not always time for growth. Being profitable doesn't automatically mean you have to double or triple in size. In this episode, we're going to dig into how to really build a small, simple and sustainable service business. One that's profitable and that doesn't drive you into the ground. Get the inside scoop: smallbusinessboss.co/profitable-service-business
Apr 15, 2021 • 44min
NEW PODCAST: Duped - The Case of the Bait and Switch
If you've worked in the online biz world for more than a hot minute, you've probably noticed something —Nothing is quite like it seems. You buy a template, a course, mastermind or hire a coach, and once you've handed over your hard earned money you quickly realize you are definitely NOT getting what you thought you paid for. Turns out you've fallen prey to the old "bait and switch". And trust us when we say, so have we. It was with these sorts of questionable tactics in mind that we decided to do this limited series podcast as a way to explore some of the most pressing and concerning issues we see in online business. In our inaugural episode, we're tackling the massive bait and switch problem that's rampant in this industry and sharing ideas on how you can protect yourself. More details at duped.online.
Apr 5, 2021 • 18min
Unpacking the Service Business Model: Coaching vs. Done For You
What's the worst business advice you've ever received? For me, when I think back on the bad business advice, there's one thing that stands out — a whole lot of it came from people who didn't understand very much about running a service business. People who haven't done it themselves. People who don't get how creative businesses work. Unfortunately, this bad advice can lead us to all sorts of places we don't need to go. It can waste so much time and energy….which is why in this episode we're looking at two very different types of services businesses and what's involved with each one. We're doing a deep dive into the differences between coaching and creative businesses. Get the inside scoop right here: https://smallbusinessboss.co/service-business-model
Mar 29, 2021 • 21min
Design Your Services: What's the Right Offer for You & Your Clients?
As a services business owner, have you ever felt overwhelmed trying to figure out what exactly to offer your clients?Part of that struggle often stems from the world of online business and the revolving door of what's trending. Some years flat-rate pricing is all the rage, other years it seems like everyone's preaching the benefits of the VIP day model. How do you wade through the trends and figure out what *really* makes the most sense for you AND your clients? In this episode, we're exploring how to design your services so you provide the right offer for you and your clients. Get the inside scoop right here: smallbusinessboss.co/client-offers
Mar 22, 2021 • 32min
Taking a Responsible & Respectful Approach to Storytelling
Hands up if you love a great story! As an avid reader and a professional writer, I've always been fascinated by stories. And while storytelling hasn't been a topic that I've tackled in a while, it hasn't escaped my notice that the online business world continues to be besieged by an approach to storytelling that's a weird combination of super basic and ultra toxic. What's the alternative? How do you tell your stories in a way that isn't the same old canned, repetitive trope, or worst yet serving up drama and trauma? In this episode, I'm talking about how we need to think differently about how we use storytelling in our business and focus on an approach that's based on being respectful and responsible. Get the inside scoop right here: smallbusinessboss.co/storytelling-for-business
Mar 16, 2021 • 1min
Breaking-Free of the Status Quo of Online Business: Free Webinar
The business as usual of online business is broken. But what are the alternatives? Breaking-Free of the Status Quo of Online Business will help you take a trust-driven approach to your marketing, sales and service as a coach, consultant, creative or creator. (That's right this isn't just for service businesses, but don't worry, you're still my fave!) In this free training we'll explore: - The current state of online business when it comes to sales, marketing, and service. (And why you need to run the other way!) - An alternative approach where you bake trust into everything you do in your business. - Specific examples of how to put this into action in your business. Sign up now at: smallbusinessboss.co/trusted
