Staying Strategically Small as a Service Business Owner

My summer is coming to a close, and I’m back with a bang! Today’s episode is packed with exciting changes, so stay tuned for everything you need to know as a service business owner who wants to stay strategically small. 

I’m back from my summer break and ready to go. But before we dive in, I want to give you a heads-up that today’s episode will be a little different than usual. I’m sharing some changes that I’m excited about, and I hope you will be too.

One of the things I’ve prided myself on over the years is being an unwavering voice of reason for service business owners. In a world full of celebrity entrepreneurs pedalling generic business advice unsuitable for SERVICE or SOLO business owners, I’ve spent years separating fact from fiction.

The good news is that’s not going to change because we need to recognize that no matter what type of service business we run, we need to stop buying into this hype and believing that bigger is better.

Whether running a service business as a solopreneur or a micro agency, staying strategically small is a choice. But for years, we’ve been told we’re playing small or settling when we’re anything but.

This is where the changes I’ve been hinting at come in. I’m committing here, and now to advocating for being strategically small because small is sustainable, small is simple, and small is a way to have a business AND a life on your terms.

While I’ve been talking about this in different ways for years, this is the moment it’s needed as the online business world evolves, people are tired of working so damn much, and technology is changing how we work.

So what does this mean for you? 

Starting next week, the BS-Free Service Business show will rebrand as the Staying Solo podcast. Then, for micro agency owners, a new podcast called Confessions of a Micro Agency Owner is on the way.

So, if you’re a solo business owner, stick with this show. If you’re a micro agency owner, head over to the website to get the link to subscribe to the new show.

Now, I want to share a little bit more about what’s coming up for each show.

For Staying Solo

Let’s be real, 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.

Staying Solo 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.

On the Staying Solo podcast, we’ll prioritize truth over trends by examining conventional business advice to discover how it may harm your business or be completely wrong for you as a solo business owner.

My goal is to help you know what matters to you, what works for you, and what you should completely ignore.

Expect 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.)

Again, to listen to the Staying Solo podcast, you need to subscribe to this podcast feed. (If you’re not, you should do so now.)

Over the next few episodes, we’ll be diving into some of the most pervasive myths that solo service business owners are targeted with and what you need to consider instead.

For Confessions of a Micro Agency Owner

Typical and traditional agency advice doesn’t work for micro agency owners.

I’m talking about things like needing to scale quickly, treat your clients like a number, or engage in scammy growth tactics that put your reputation and values on the line.

If you’re tired of trying to grow using dated tactics designed for big, traditional agencies or the sleazy scaling promises all over the internet. (You know, the stuff the bros in backward baseball hats are pitching to you 24/7.)

Most podcasts for agency owners focus only on revenue growth as a measure of success. They’re hosted by people who don’t get that your goal isn’t necessarily to make millions but to have a sustainable business that adds to your life…and doesn’t ruin it.

And that’s where Confessions of a Micro Agency Owner comes in.

I’ve spent my entire career working with agencies of all sizes and now run a content production agency with B2B clients. I’ll be sharing my shameless confessions and everything I’ve learned along the way to save you from the “scale sharks” with their tricky tactics that will run you and your agency into the ground.

In each episode, I’ll separate fact from fiction while unpacking the typical agency teachings to help answer the question, “Will this help or harm me, my team and my agency?”

Join me by subscribing to Confessions of a Micro Agency Owner for anti-hustle strategies to grow slower and stronger as a micro agency. The goal? To help you have a business, team, and life that you don’t want to burn to the ground or fake your death to escape from.

Staying Strategically Small

As we wrap up today’s episode, I want to thank you for listening and being part of our BS-Free Business community. These changes will help me create more specific and actionable content for you as a solopreneur or micro agency owner and explore the power of staying small more deeply. 

Don’t forget to subscribe to the new podcasts, Staying Solo (which is this podcast) or Confessions of a Micro Agency Owner, depending on where you fit.

Your business deserves to thrive without all the hype.