Recently my friend Justin asked on X, “How do you define success?” I said, “Can I knock off for a day at will to spend time with my family?”

The world constantly tells us we need to hustle to be successful – but that can’t be true. If you’re a parent, for example, hustle is just not an option.

That’s why I’ve brought on Terry Toh. Terry helps business owners successfully run their side business while maintaining a full-time job. But as you’ll see, much of what he has to say can apply to busy solopreneur who may have other obligations – like family, volunteer work, or other interests outside of work.

It’s all about finding your non-negotiable.

Want to hear a longer, ad-free version of this episode where Terry and I talk about Silicon Valley Hustle Culture? Become a member of Streamlined Solopreneur Accelerated.

Top Takeaways

• Define what success means to you personally. It's not just about money, but spending time on what matters most to you. Regularly check in with yourself as priorities change.
• Identify your single top priority and 2-3 key non-negotiables at any given time. Intentionally make progress on these each day before moving on to less critical tasks.
• Watch for personal signs that you're doing too much and nearing burnout, such as revenge bedtime procrastination or being irritable with your kids. Build in breaks and support.

Show Notes

• Terry Toh
• Terry on X
• Terry on Linkedin
• Aligning Your Values to Set the Right Goals with Tanya Alvarez
• The Checklist Manifesto

Ever wonder how to make your podcast stand out in a sea of content? After a serendipitous conversation at Podcast Movement 2024, I uncovered a game-changing strategy that could revolutionize your approach. Spoiler alert: It involves segments.

I'll break down why rethinking your podcast structure can make a big difference. We'll explore how segments can help you give more value to your audience, make your show more accessible, and even repurpose content more effectively. Plus, I'll share different segment ideas that work for both interview and solo episodes, ensuring you never run out of compelling content.

Want to hear a longer, ad-free version of this episode where I talk about a cool new opportunity, and building community? Become a member of Streamlined Solopreneur Accelerated.

And check out my other podcast, https://podcastworkflows.com

Top Takeaways

1. Implement Segments in Your Podcast: To create a more engaging show, think about incorporating segments. Just like how late-night shows have defined parts, segmenting your podcast can make it more consumable and structured. You can dedicate parts of your episode to different topics or formats, such as opening monologues, interviews, and specific segments tailored to your audience's interests.
2. Structure for Solo Episodes: If you're worried that solo episodes might become stale, develop a clear structure. For instance, discuss a main topic, then showcase an interesting tool related to that topic, and finish with an automation tip. This keeps the solo content engaging and valuable.
3. Balancing Personal and Professional Content: For busy solopreneur parents, combining personal experiences with actionable business advice can create a relatable and impactful podcast. Consider dedicating a segment to how you manage parenting alongside your entrepreneurial duties.

If you’re anything like me, you probably think about ways you can appreciably scale your business. Part of streamlining, after all, is taking things off your place.

That’s why I brought on Joel Oliver. Joel is the editor for all of my podcasts, including this one. I’ve been with him since he was a freelance editor, and now he’s grown to have a team of editors to help him work on more shows.

Listen in as we discuss structuring the business to stay a solopreneurship, while also creating processes that seamlessly hand off tasks to team members. We’ll talk about everything from picking tasks to delegate, to training!

Want to hear a longer, ad-free version of this episode where Joel and I talk about what it's like editing my process and adding video? Become a member of Streamlined Solopreneur Accelerated.

Top Takeaways

1. Delegate to Scale: As a solopreneur, it's crucial to delegate tasks that are not central to your core business functions. This frees up time to focus on strategic activities and growth.
2. Creating systems and processes is vital for effective delegation. Use checklists and workflow systems to ensure tasks are completed consistently and to a high standard. This approach helps maintain quality control and accountability among team members.
3. Mindset of Letting Go: Letting go of tasks and trusting others to handle them is a significant mindset shift for solopreneurs.

Show Notes

• Joel Oliver
• Descript
• Sometimes You Need to Fire Everyone and Start from Scratch with Jordan Eaton

• Talkroute: Visit streamlined.fm/talkroute for 20% off your first year

It’s the end of the summer and the end of our experiment to keep our kids home instead of sending them to summer camp. So today I’m going to answer 3 questions:

1. How did it go (including giving it a grade)
2. Was it worth it? (and if yes, would it have made it **not** worth it)
3. Will we do it again?

In Accelerated, I talk about why I want to create a more scalable business while remaining a solopreneur, and we do a time-tracking check-in. Sign up to get ad-free, extended episodes early over at https://streamlined.fm/join

Takeaways

• Know your schedule & build in time for unknowns. I felt overwhelmed because I didn’t have any margin in my schedule
• - Save some extra money. I know we saved money by not spending it, but that’s different from having extra money in the bank. Having kids home means having to entertain them —so have a budget for that!
• - Cherish the time you have time. I’m reminded that as another kid enters full-time school, they are now out of the house for most of their waking hours each week.

• Talkroute: Visit streamlined.fm/talkroute for 20% off your first year

I think failing to give a good presentation is an incredibly missed opportunity. You have everything: a captive audience, borrowed credibility, and a place to deliver your message your way.

But there are a lot of places where your presentation can fall down. Most people will focus on not capturing the audience quickly enough, or pacing. Maybe not rehearsing.

But what about your slides? The actual visual part of your presentation. The visual storytelling is as important as the words you deliver. Not enough context? Your audience is lost. Too much text? Your audience is too busy reading to hear your message.

That’s why I decided to have Emily Schneider on the show. She’s a visual storyteller, and her canvas is PowerPoint presentations.

Intrigued? I was too.

Want to hear a longer, ad-free version of this episode where I take Emily’s advice and roast my own recent talk slides? Become a member of Streamlined Solopreneur Accelerated.

Top Takeaways

• Start with the Audience: Understand who your audience is and what you want them to think, feel, and do by the end of your presentation. This is crucial for making a meaningful impact.
• Craft a Compelling Story: Begin with the end in mind and structure your presentation around a clear storytelling arc. Focus on the challenge, benefits, and reinforcing the main message.
• Balance Images and Words: Use simple words or short sentences, and stylize your slides to naturally guide your audience through your story. This approach is effective not just for live presentations but also for pitch decks and emailed presentations.

Show Notes

• Emily Schneider
• 4 Simple Tips for Impactful Presentations
• The Go Giver
• Want to be a Better Speaker? Do THESE Things with Mike Pacchione

• Talkroute: Visit streamlined.fm/talkroute for 20% off your first year
• Get started with Clariti for just $1 your first month with code SOLO2024

Do you have offerings for people at any level of their journey? That’s the importance of having a well-defined product ladder. A product ladder provides multiple offerings at different price points and levels of engagement to meet potential customers where they are at.

Today I’ll talk about how I have struggled with this in my own business, with offerings that didn’t clearly communicate how I help my specific target audience of busy solopreneurs with podcasts.

Then, I give you a walk through (walk-up?) of my Product Ladder!

Want to hear my poke holes in my product ladder and give a general update on Podcast Navigator and my business? You can become a member over at https://streamlined.fm/join

Top Takeaways

1. As a solopreneur, it's important to have multiple offerings at different price points to avoid putting all your eggs in one basket. Some offerings should be scalable and not require a lot of your time.
2. Your product ladder should clearly communicate how you help your specific target audience and micro-segments achieve their goals. Be focused rather than trying to be everything to everyone.
3. Map out your product ladder from low-priced "assistance" offerings like courses, to mid-priced "accountability" offerings like group coaching, to high-priced "acceleration" offerings like done-for-you services. Have something for customers at every stage.
4. Your core offering that you want to sell the most should be in the middle of your product ladder. For me, that's my Podcast Navigator tool.
5. Constantly evaluate and refine your product ladder based on customer feedback and your business goals as a solopreneur. Don't be afraid to make adjustments as you gain more clarity.

Show Notes

• Podcast Navigator
• My Home Page, where most of product live
• Chris Lema’s blog post on Product Ladders

• Talkroute: Visit streamlined.fm/talkroute for 20% off your first year
• Get started with Clariti for just $1 your first month with code SOLO2024

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the endless options for hosting your online business? The decision between a hosted platform like Squarespace or a self-hosted solution like WordPress can be daunting, especially for solopreneurs juggling multiple responsibilities.

And while the conversation feels like it's been done to death, I was recently reminded that even seemingly simple platforms can shut you down for no reason.

There are a lot of merits to going with a hosted platform. But there's also a lot of danger. Let's explore.

Want to hear a longer, ad-free version of this episode where I talk about my experience choosing the wrong platforms, and how I’m trying to fix it? Become a member of Streamlined Solopreneur Accelerated.

Top Takeaways

• Hosted vs. Self-Hosted is a lot like renting vs. owning a house. There are safeties in place, but you can't do as much, and you run a higher risk of being kicked off a platform you don't own.
• No matter what you choose, portability and how it impacts your ability to truly own and control your online presence is important. Worse than needing to change platforms is being completely unable to.
• Research is key. Look at features, sure, but make sure you can export, use your own payment accounts, and look at the terms of service. You might even reach out to support to ask them questions about what types of projects are allowed.

Show Notes

• Why an apartment is better than a house for most creators
• Matt Medeiros on X
• Memberful
• ConvertKit

• Get started with Clariti for just $1 your first month with code SOLO2024

When I first started my business, I was 14 years old. My income was pretty light, and my expenses were even lighter. Heck – I didn’t even pay for hosting. I hosted my few client websites on a web server in my bedroom (don’t tell my old ISP).

But even then, I knew the importance of keeping track of my income and expenses, which I did in an Excel sheet. I’ve always had an interest in accounting, which I thought served me well.

Then I hired Rachel Stas. She made some fantastic changes to my business that ended up saving me money AND lowered my tax bill. And while everyone is different, I know the advice she gives today will be great for any solopreneur*.

Want to hear a longer, ad-free version of this episode where Rachel and I talk about my business, and I ask her specific questions about my books? Become a member of Streamlined Solopreneur Accelerated.

Top Takeaways

• Forming an LLC alone does not provide tax benefits. While incorporation is an important aspect of running a business, you also need to file as the right type of entity (like an S Corp), to help lighten your tax load.
• Track all business income and expenses from day one in a spreadsheet or separate bank account. Don't rely on memory or mix business and personal finances.
• Don’t deduct for the sake of deducting, and be cautious with what you deduct. Some things, like a home office, might offer short-term gains for long-term pain.

Finally, I believe that investing time upfront to properly track finances and get professional accounting help pays off in the long run in taxes saved and peace of mind. Don’t wait until your business gets big to implement good accounting practices.

Show Notes

• Rachel Stas Tax
• Why Solopreneurs Need to Time Track
• Podcast Growth Audit

• Check out Podcast Workflows here or wherever you get your podcasts
• Get started with Clariti for just $1 your first month with code SOLO2024