Thread
In my 7 years as a solocreator, I've made a ton of mistakes.
I've wasted time, wrote tons of posts that no one read and left money on the table.
Here are 5 things I'd do differently if I started over today:
I've wasted time, wrote tons of posts that no one read and left money on the table.
Here are 5 things I'd do differently if I started over today:
1. Start hiring earlier
There's a tension between earning the revenue before you spend it.
This creates a lag effect, when your business needs are always behind your current team.
There's a tension between earning the revenue before you spend it.
This creates a lag effect, when your business needs are always behind your current team.
My first hire was a Virtual Assistant, after 51 months.
As a PT contractor, this was a very low-risk hire, yet I really wanted to "make sure" I could afford them.
Yet, by over-indexing on the downside, I overlooked the opportunity cost of my own time.
As a PT contractor, this was a very low-risk hire, yet I really wanted to "make sure" I could afford them.
Yet, by over-indexing on the downside, I overlooked the opportunity cost of my own time.
2. Attempt to monetize earlier
I launched my first paid webinar was 3 years after I started.
My inability to monetize was driven by one known enemy: Impostor syndrome.
I launched my first paid webinar was 3 years after I started.
My inability to monetize was driven by one known enemy: Impostor syndrome.
Until I sold that webinar, I refused to admit to myself that I was an entrepreneur.
(Despite the fact that this was clearly my livelihood. How silly!)
I was hedging against my own insecurities, calling it a "creative project."
(Despite the fact that this was clearly my livelihood. How silly!)
I was hedging against my own insecurities, calling it a "creative project."
Selling is hard.
Creating an offer is harder.
Getting people to open their wallets is nearly impossible.
I wish I had developed these skills earlier.
Creating an offer is harder.
Getting people to open their wallets is nearly impossible.
I wish I had developed these skills earlier.
3. Lean into platforms with accumulating advantages
I launched a podcast in 2019 and self-produced 52 episodes.
It averaged a respectable 3,000 downloads, but with a catch.
I launched a podcast in 2019 and self-produced 52 episodes.
It averaged a respectable 3,000 downloads, but with a catch.
It took about 5,000 total hours. And it didn't grow our audience.
The podcast was great for deepening engagement, but lacked built-in discovery.
If I did it again, I'd invest more into TikTok, YouTube, Twitter and/or SEO.
The podcast was great for deepening engagement, but lacked built-in discovery.
If I did it again, I'd invest more into TikTok, YouTube, Twitter and/or SEO.
4. Conduct more surveys
We've got a ridiculous amount of engagement and loyalty.
Our readers would gladly fill out surveys and do user interviews that could shape future offers.
We've got a ridiculous amount of engagement and loyalty.
Our readers would gladly fill out surveys and do user interviews that could shape future offers.
But I have the insecurity around "asking for a favor" Even for a 3 minute survey.
(I know, it makes NO sense.)
Plus, reviewing the data takes a ton of time and isn't totally $10K Work.
(I know, it makes NO sense.)
Plus, reviewing the data takes a ton of time and isn't totally $10K Work.
But this data could've been used to inform new essays, products and events.
We would've learned more about our readers deepest desires and their lingering pain points.
We could've created an *even better* experience for them.
We would've learned more about our readers deepest desires and their lingering pain points.
We could've created an *even better* experience for them.
5. Iterate on the "Big Idea"
Think Deep Work, Radical Candor, Second Brain or Black Swans.
They are the ultimate "containers" for your pool of ideas.
Think Deep Work, Radical Candor, Second Brain or Black Swans.
They are the ultimate "containers" for your pool of ideas.
When executed properly, they can become memes.
They'll spread in the form of blog posts, tweets and other UGC.
Identifying the Big Idea is an odd mix of experimentation, user research, Zeitgeist mapping, visualization and identifying first principles.
And a whole lotta luck.
They'll spread in the form of blog posts, tweets and other UGC.
Identifying the Big Idea is an odd mix of experimentation, user research, Zeitgeist mapping, visualization and identifying first principles.
And a whole lotta luck.
Thankfully, over these 7 years I did a lot of things right and compounded many small wins:
Here are things I wish I had done differently as a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed creator:
1. Start hiring earlier
2. Attempt to monetize earlier
3. Lean into platforms w/built-in discovery
4. Conduct more surveys
5. Lean into the "Big Idea"
1. Start hiring earlier
2. Attempt to monetize earlier
3. Lean into platforms w/built-in discovery
4. Conduct more surveys
5. Lean into the "Big Idea"
