You can dream all you want about building your empire, but let’s face it—dreams only stay dreams if you don’t take action.
Becoming a successful solopreneur starts with one small step today that your future self will thank you for.
With inflation and the cost of living at an all-time high (and only getting higher) now is the time to start your side venture.
Solopreneurship is the solution to financial freedom.
“There are almost 7B people on this planet. Someday, I hope, there will be almost 7B companies.”
-Naval
In this post, I’ll walk you through a 10-step roadmap I’d follow if I had to start completely from scratch.
Whether you’re just starting or looking to refine your journey, these actionable steps will set you on the right path.
How to Become a Solopreneur:
- Identify what you’re good at
- Embrace an obsession
- Master something that blends your skills with your obsession
- Share what you learn in public
- Attract people interested in what you do
- Look for problems to solve
- Package the answers and solutions neatly
- Sell your packaged knowledge to the public
- Upsell to monthly recurring revenue
- Earn passive income and enjoy life
Step #1: Identify What You’re Good At
Let’s start with a simple question: What are you naturally good at?
This could be anything from writing or photography to organizing events or helping others improve their fitness routines.
When I started, I didn’t even realize I had skills worth monetizing. But then I asked myself:
What do my friends and family always ask me for help with?
What feels effortless to me but seems difficult for others?
For me, the answer was simplifying complex ideas into actionable steps. That became my starting point. Jot down your answers—you might be surprised by the possibilities.
Step #2: Embrace an Obsession
Here’s the thing: you can’t build a sustainable business around something you hate. I mean, who wants to spend their days doing work they dread? That’s why I recommend finding an obsession—something you love so much you’d talk about it nonstop.
For me, it was the idea of creating a business that allowed me to spend more time with my family while doing work I cared about. Think about your top three passions. What’s something you’d do even if you didn’t get paid? That’s your clue.
Step #3: Master Something That Combines Your Skills and Obsession
This is where the magic happens. Once you know what you’re good at and what you’re obsessed with, it’s time to combine the two into a unique skill set.
For example, I started by teaching myself digital marketing. It wasn’t easy—I spent hours watching YouTube tutorials, reading blogs, and experimenting with what I learned. But each mistake taught me something valuable.
Pro tip: Follow people who are already doing what you want to do. Reverse-engineer their steps and practice relentlessly. Mastery takes time, but it’s worth it.
Step #4: Share What You Learn in Public
When I first started posting on social media, I had no clue what I was doing. Some posts flopped, and others got decent engagement. But here’s the kicker: by sharing my journey, I built trust with my audience.
People don’t just want your success story—they want to see the messy middle. Share your wins, your failures, and the lessons you’re learning. Over time, you’ll attract like-minded individuals who resonate with your story.
Step #5: Attract People Interested in What You Do
When you start sharing consistently, you’ll naturally attract a tribe of people who are curious about your work. But here’s a pro tip: not everything you post will resonate, and that’s okay.
Instead of focusing on the flops, double down on what works. For me, I noticed that posts about simplifying social media strategies got the most engagement. So, I leaned into that topic and kept going.
Step #6: Look for Problems to Solve
This is where the rubber meets the road. Your audience will tell you exactly what they need—you just have to listen.
When I started engaging with my audience, I noticed common questions like:
How do I grow my social media following?
How do I monetize my content?
Where do I find clients without spending a fortune?
Each question was an opportunity to create a solution. Pay attention to what people are asking you—those are golden opportunities for your business.
Step #7: Package the Answers and Solutions Neatly
Here’s the reality: people value convenience. Sure, they could Google their way to answers, but most folks prefer a well-organized, step-by-step guide.
For example, I turned the most common questions into a digital course. It wasn’t fancy—just a simple PDF and a few video tutorials. But it solved a specific problem, and that’s what mattered.
If you’re not ready to create a course, start with something smaller like an eBook or a checklist. Just make it easy for people to get from point A to point B.
Step #8: Sell Your Packaged Knowledge to the Public
This step scared me the most when I started. I mean, who was I to sell anything? But here’s the truth: if you’re solving a problem, you’re adding value.
Not sure what platform to use to sell your products? Check out Stan here.
You can start by using one social media platform to build an audience.
A buddy of mine has been posting a few Tweets a day consistently and showed his 2024 stats recently.
He got a ton of engagement and truckloads of sales.
Consistency works.
Consistency > Talent
From here ask your audience what they need.
You can then create a simple product to recommend to them.
You do not need to be salesy—just share helpful content and let people know about your product.
Quick tips for selling your course:
- Build trust with your audience first
- Solve a specific problem in less than 2 hours
- Make it affordable and actionable
Step #9: Upsell to Monthly Recurring Revenue
Once you’ve established yourself as an expert, you can create opportunities for recurring revenue. You can create newsletter on Substack and offer a monthly or yearly subscription.
Think about what you can offer consistently—whether it’s a private community, templates, or even a subscription box of curated tools. The key is to provide ongoing value.
Step #10: Earn Passive Income and Keep Building
Passive income isn’t a myth, but it takes work upfront. Online courses can take weeks to create, but eventually they will generate revenue for you.
Here’s the beauty of digital products: once they’re built, they can scale without much extra effort. Just focus on creating high-value content, driving traffic to your site, and tweaking your funnels as needed.
Final Thoughts: Your Next Steps to Solopreneur Success
The journey to solopreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint. You’ll face roadblocks, make mistakes, and question yourself at times—but that’s all part of the process.
Start with what you love, experiment with what works, and commit to taking messy action every day.
So, what’s one small step you can take today to move closer to your dream? Write it down, and take action. Your future self will thank you.