One Man Band

Hosted at Gongol, Inc.

Here are the first three posts relating to solopreneurship that made me click through:

• The first-click-through award goes to Mad Kane’s Humor Blog for “Money Limerick Contest Results” because a One Man Band needs a sense of humor to maintain perspective. I especially liked the second-prize winner by Shawn McBurnie:

  Let me tell you, it’s not what you know.
  I work hard, but I’ve reached a plateau.
  I’ve a dozen degrees,
  Which astounds the trustees—
  Would you like that for here or to go?

  A future freelancer? Someone who could benefit from reading Seth Godin’s The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)?

• The second-click-through award goes to Sox First for “Top 10 ways to trash a brand” because, as a solopreneur, your brand is yourself, and you don’t want to trash it. My favorite is #4:

  Assuming you know what targeted customers value. A variation on the previous problem [Segmenting by demographics or account size rather than profitability]. So you know who your most profitable customers. But that’s only half the story. Do you know what they value? What are the five most important attributes that see them coming back or referring other customers to you? Without the answers, all you have is a pile of data without insight.

  A One Man Band may not have that pile of data, although collecting website stats is pretty darned easy. If you don’t know what your customers value, ask! (So I’m asking: what do you value about this website and/or my freelance writing services?)

• The one-more-before-the-door award goes to Econbrowser for “Housing’s struggle continues” because a DIY Online Business for One should always be aware of the larger economy that floats his boat, and can swamp it if care and notice aren’t paid. How can the continuing sorrows of the housing industry affect your own business? Do you have clients directly dependent on housing sales? If they aren’t bringing money in, are they likely to pay money out to you? Keeping your nose to the wind differs from wetting your finger and seeing which way the wind blows. One is proactive, the other reactive. Be on the hunt, not one of the hunted.

As always, there are more than the three listed posts. Click through for the full barrage.