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
Jan 4, 2021 • 40min
A Fresh Approach to Money Goals for 2021 with Nechelle Bartley
Do you ever hear other business owners talking about their money goals and milestones and wonder HOW those numbers might even be possible?The truth is, those goals you hear about may very well be based on fiction, not fact. How do you set money goals that are not only attainable, but actually make sense for you and your business? In this episode, I sit down with Financial Strategist Nechelle Bartley to discuss how we can take a fresh approach to our money goals for 2021. Get the inside scoop right here: https://smallbusinessboss.co/money-goals/
Jan 1, 2021 • 22min
Own It, Don't Erase It
Have you ever wondered the REAL story behind a business or the person running it? Not the shiny, glossed over version that omits key things from the past, but the actual story, privilege and all?Yeah, me too. My take is this: If you're going to listen to me, read my work, and potentially work with me, you deserve truth and transparency. Especially as I literally talk about trust. How can you possibly trust me if I'm burying my past? And that's exactly why in this episode, I'm sharing my backstory — from who I've worked with, the privilege I've benefited from in my life and what running a trust-driven business in 2021 looks like for me. Get the inside scoop right here: https://smallbusinessboss.co/ethical-business/
Dec 14, 2020 • 24min
Six Lessons About Online Business from the NXIVM Docuseries Seduced and The Vow
Question: What do the online business industry and cults have in common? Answer: Way more than you think. For as long as I can remember I've been fascinated by cults so when I discovered two NXIVM Docuseries — Seduced and The Vow — of course I was going to watch. But then something happened that I wasn't entirely expecting. I saw so many clear parallels between what was being shared on-screen, and what I see every day running a business in the online business industry. Which is where this new podcast episode and essay comes in. In this episode I'm sharing six lessons from both Seduced and The Vow that are directly applicable to online businesses. What I have to say may surprise you and make you think a little more about these seemingly harmless tactics used by celebrity entrepreneurs. You can listen to this on the BS-Free Service Business Show or read the full essay here: https://smallbusinessboss.co/problems-with-online-business/
Dec 7, 2020 • 34min
Rethinking Money Mindset with Bear Hebert
Have you ever been told that a challenge in your business could be fixed with some mindset work? Of course you have. Because in the online business world, mindset gets blamed for anything and everything— especially when it comes to money.Truth? I'm sick of it. While money mindset is real, not everything is a mindset issue. In this episode, I sat down with Bear Hebert, radical life coach, social justice educator, and anti-capitalist business consultant, for a completely fresh take on the intersections of power and privilege as it relates to our money mindset. We discuss money mindset, generational wealth, how we can run an ethical business, and so much more. Get the inside scoop right here: https://smallbusinessboss.co/money-mindset/
Nov 30, 2020 • 11min
Rethinking Your Pricing Heading Into 2021
Pricing is one of the more challenging parts of running a business as it can be complicated and nuanced. It can get tied up with our own stories about pricing, and leave us wondering what the right way to price our services really is. In this episode, we're talking about how to rethink your pricing heading into 2021, including how to raise your prices and all the factors that impact your pricing. Get the inside scoop right here: https://smallbusinessboss.co/pricing-strategy
Nov 23, 2020 • 24min
Taking a New Approach to Marketing and Sales for Your Online Business
When it comes to marketing and sales, there are so many different strategies and tactics you can use. It's overwhelming, and frankly, many of them just aren't the right ones for your business. But there's one thing that matters more than any single tactic, and that's trust. In this episode, we're going to break down how to take a trust-driven approach to your marketing and sales. Get the inside scoop right here: https://smallbusinessboss.co/business-marketing
Nov 16, 2020 • 19min
Nine Things Service Providers are Getting Wrong About Sales (And How to Fix Them)
When it comes to selling your services, it can be challenging to know if you're getting it right, or if you're inadvertently sabotaging yourself somehow. In this episode, I'm unpacking nine things I see service providers getting wrong, and we're going to talk about how to fix them. Get the inside scoop right here: https://smallbusinessboss.co/sales-mistakes
Nov 9, 2020 • 15min
The 5 Cs of Agency Success
If you're anything like me, when you look at other people running a successful business, you want to know *exactly* what they've done to get where they are. And the truth is, while everyone is unique and each agency has its own flavor, there ARE some things that are universal when it comes to building a thriving business.I like to call these The Five Cs, and consider them the nuts and bolts of running an agency. In this episode, I'm introducing you to the 5Cs which can make (or break) your agency. Get the inside scoop right here: https://smallbusinessboss.co/agency-success
Nov 2, 2020 • 12min
2020 Behind-the-Scenes at Scoop Studios
This has been the longest year ever. Am I right? And it's because my well-orchestrated plan was thrown out the window, and there's been a lot of adjusting along the way. As part of our agency model series on the BS-Free Service Business show, I'm taking you behind-the-scenes of my agency, Scoop Studios. I share the nitty-gritty on revenue growth, the realities of lead gen, and what I'm planning for 2021. Get the inside scoop right here: https://smallbusinessboss.co/behind-the-scenes
Oct 26, 2020 • 17min
My Agency Journey
In this episode of the show, I'm taking you on my agency journey which has been over 20 years in the making. The twist, the turns, the lessons and how everything agency has changed. Get the inside scoop: https://smallbusinessboss.co/build-an-agency/
