As of this month, I have been RocketGirl for six years. It’s hard to believe.
I remember the day my longtime friend Michael Katz and I came up with the name. It was so exciting – and it was so scary. I couldn’t wait to get started, but I had no idea what to do first. I began by doing the things you’d probably expect.
I developed a logo, ordered business cards, decided on a title and changed my voicemail message. I updated LinkedIn, created a website, got a new headshot and spent time (way too much time) wondering if I was going to be good enough.
Happily, things have turned out quite well! Still, it took a couple of years to figure out this solo professional thing – and don’t get me wrong; I’m still working on it. All in all, I’ve made some some important discoveries along the way:
1. Figure out what you love to do and do it. We’ve all heard the expression, “Do what you love and the money will follow.” But I have to admit, I used to think that was a fairytale. I spent my first few RocketGirl years doing what I thought people would be willing to pay for, rather than what I loved. That seemed logical, but I was stressed out all the time because I didn’t really enjoy my work. I didn’t see how it was going to be sustainable.
So I stopped, made a list of all the things I really like to do, and put them on my website. Then I figured out how to get paid for them, experimenting with what worked and what didn’t. It transformed my business (and me!). Now I do the work I love and get paid for it in a way that works for me.
2. Surround yourself with really good clients. You’re heard me say this a thousand times, but it really matters. There is an endless supply of clients who will appreciate you and appreciate your work. Clients who say “please” and “thank you” and who understand the value of what you are giving to them.
If you have a client who’s not like that, say goodbye and make room for one who is. You have no idea how much the difficult clients are negatively impacting your life until they’re gone.
3. Embrace change; it’s not going away. Over the past six years, I have updated or changed every single thing I do in my business at least three times. My website, the way I take payments, my project management system, file management, my computer … you name it.
In the beginning, I thought if I had to change something it meant that I didn’t do it right the first time. But I’ve come to realize that I need to make changes because my business is growing and the world is changing.
Don’t change just for the sake of change though. Do the best you can when you make a change in your business and stick with it until you can tell that it’s no longer working. Then make the change.
4. Don’t expect to have all the answers … but do figure out how to get them. In the beginning, I thought I had to have all the answers – whether it was about a project I was working on or what to say to a client or how much to charge. This kind of thinking was unbelievably stressful.
It took a long time to realize that it’s impossible to know all the answers, so you need to have a reliable system for finding them. This comes in the form of asking experts, calling tech support, taking the time to work through the issue or simply doing a Google search.
5. Make friends with other solo professionals. If it weren’t for my army of solo professional friends and colleagues I wouldn’t last a week on my own. When the going gets tough, I go to them for help. Of course, I love my job-holding friends and family, too. But they see the world through a different lens.
Turn to someone who’s been in your shoes and, when necessary, who can encourage you and talk you off the ledge (we all know about the ledge).
It has been an amazing journey and one I look forward to continuing for a long, long time. Thank you for being on it with me.