Solopros, Do You Also Squirm at the Idea of a Being a Brand?

Here’s a perspective that changed my thinking on branding

Who knew that Coke would help me get over my distaste of branding? People as brands. Places as brands. Everyone needing a brand. Yuck. It matched the aversion I had to niching in my business.

Coke promises a smile and it delivered…in the form of this insight from its former CEO that changed the idea of branding for me:

“A brand is a promise. A good brand is a promise kept.”

— Muhtar Kent, former Coca-Cola Company CEO and Chairman

How did this help me? First, it helped a few author clients I work with. As in…I was mulling over this promise thing, when I started seeing it in my clients’ existing approaches, in their ways of being and doing. When I started hearing it in their own words. I saw and heard their brands and when I shared it with them, they were like, Oh, wow. Yes.

In a nutshell: What do you as a solo professional, owner of a one-person business, promise your clients and customers? What are you promising them every time they interact with you, your content, your products and services? What can they expect? What do you deliver every time? What can you guarantee?

A business book author-client of mine promises thought leadership, cutting-edge insights, chapters filled with real anecdotes, checklists, and bullet-point summaries — all in fewer than 150 pages.

A mystery author I know promises exotic locales, a fiery and quirky protagonist, unexpected endings, a deep dive into oddball subjects, stunning covers, an intriguing author persona, and one new book a year with a teaser for the next title at the end.

Bull Garlington is a comedic food and travel author who should be doing more events because he enjoys them, they play to his strengths, people love attending them, and it would bring him more money, exposure, and overall satisfaction faster. When recently listening to Bull mull over elements of his latest author event in the planning, I heard the promise of his brand and I realized he could deliver on the promise of his author event brand without breaking a sweat.

Could your business brand not only be your promise and that you deliver on that promise, but also something that’s easy for you to promise and deliver every time? I think it very much helps to think of branding this way and it can change everything for you.

Let’s get back to Bull and what I discerned from knowing him, his books, his events, and his latest round of questions and musings.

A Bull Garlington author event promises:

• Schadenfreude. (He invites you to commiserate with his travel or other topical failures.)

• Humor. (You can’t help but laugh. A lot.)

• A you-are-welcome-here vibe. (Bull’s the consummate host. Charming, likeable, interesting, approachable.)

• A cool setting. (His event locales are often mysteries until a couple days before. They ooze cool and escapism.)

• Good booze. (Whiskey, wine tastings, craft cocktails…count on it.)

• A bit of mystery-surprise-intrigue. (See above.)

• Books included. (Bundled into the ticket price. At least two books. One to read, one to give as a gift.)

• Cussing. (You’ve been warned.)

I’m still working on this for my company, Conspire Creative. We’ve grown a lot in the past couple years and I’ve been building it into a multifaceted agency. That means, I’ve been thinking about our brand. Our points of distinction. What differentiates us from others.

But the promise thing. That has made all the difference because it’s easy for me to know what we promise, what’s easy for us to deliver, and what we do deliver. Here are a few components:

• Customized solutions. (There are an infinite number of paths to author success and we can help you find and forge yours.)

• Creative approaches. (We have a massive and ever-expanding databank of new and old ideas that we can mix, match, experiment with, and draw from.)

• Outreach-centric. (Our methods involve heavy doses of reaching out, person-to-person communication, asking for things, and proposing things.)

• Sincere enthusiasm for and validation of clients and their work. (We are champions of all authors and their work and know there’s a role for them in the vibrant ecosystem and economy of the book world.)

• Belief in and promotion of entrepreneurship for authors. (Entrepreneurial skills and attitudes are key, and we think authors can be leaders in a future economy where the creativity, knowledge, inspiration, and meaning-making sector is growing.)

• Excellence. (Period.)

• Customer service. (Deep listening and Old School attention.)

Your turn. What do you promise your clients? What does your solo business promise? What can your customers reliably expect from you every single time? Jot down 4–8 things and your brand is in the making.

Let us know below…did this make branding easier for you as it did for me? Leave a comment. Share your new brand promise.

The Profitable Author / An Author Business You Love

Writing about all aspects of creating holistic, income-generating author and publishing businesses you love, book marketing, creative and customized solutions to the vexations of this industry, and finding your place in the vibrant ecosystem of books.

By Sharon Woodhouse

Sharon Woodhouse is a former indie book publisher and current owner of Conspire Creative, a book business agency that offers coaching, consulting, project management, and business support services for authors and indie publishers. She writes about all aspects of creating holistic, income-generating author businesses you love and finding your place in the vibrant ecosystem of books on the Profitable Author/An Author Business You Love Substack

His first book (How to Win at College) was published in 2005, but I first became aware of his writing in 2016 when his book, Deep Work, was published. He’s written 9 total (including “A World without Email” 😲) and he has a podcast called Deep Questions. He’s a professor at Georgetown University and is a graduate of MIT, so he’s definitely a pro.

All that to say, I listened to one of his recent podcasts while out walking my dog and I’d like to share some of the insights and how I plan to use them.

So, the title of the podcast episode got my attention right away because it hits on all 3 of my words for the year (Simple, Action, Mindset). Here it is:

“A Minimal Protocol for Taking Control of Your Life” (Link at the end.)

And here’s the main a-ha I took away from the episode:

Seems simple enough. And at the same time, easy to overlook.

In Cal’s view, to make a system really work for you, you have to find a balance between not enough and too much.

Not enough, and you won’t trust your system.

Too much, and the rigidity will make it hard to maintain.

Okay, so, that ‘too much’ point really stuck. I mean, I want my system(s) to help reduce decision fatigue and to guide me to stay on track from day-to-day but not be so rigid that the minute ‘life happens’, it’s hard to get back on track.

As he says, it IS possible to go overboard with any system. There’s a point at which it’s not only difficult to find your way back into your own system, but also to incorporate new stuff.

And where’s the joy in that?

How do you learn or find new things?

How do you keep the creative juices flowing?

I want to trust my system, but I don’t want to live under a rock, you know?

So now what?

I took a step back, checked-in and asked myself some questions.

· Do my current systems make life easier? Or are they distracting?

· Does a mix of digital and analog tools seem simpler?

· Are there small tweaks I can make so I feel back on track?

My own step back/check-in:

I have decided that, personally, I like a mix of analog and digital tools. Sometimes, for me, digital tools get in the way of just thinking. Especially when I’m thinking through new ideas and just want to capture the idea. Sometimes that’s simply 3x5 cards (ya, really) or a printed worksheet.

Then, the digital tools can help me keep track of my ideas and help me organize them.

And, here’s the kicker revelation for me. When my systems are simple, my excuses for not taking that next step forward go out the window. (I wasn’t expecting that revelation, but there it is.)

Simplify & Create

If you’re out here working as a creator, then you know that things can quickly get confusing. Mainly because there’s so much information noise. Too many options.

However, the more I read and learn, the more I realize that as (mostly solo) creators, our best bet is to solve just 1 problem for our customers and do it well…just 1. The byproduct of this is that it’s a great way to keep systems simple and manageable.

That SOUNDS easy, but we humans are also really good at making things really difficult. And sometimes chaotic. And then we’re overwhelmed and questioning everything.

So, my hope is that resources like this help you find ways to clear some of that noise so you can figure out the 1 problem you can help your customers solve. And then have simplified your systems enough to become really good at it. 🥳

Today’s Resources:

• Cal’s podcast episode: Ep 343: A Minimal Protocol for Taking Control of Your Life

• Define Your Wedge in 4-Steps (Custom GPT)

• Define Your Wedge Worksheets (the analog version!)

Stay tuned,

Julie

A custom GPT that walks you through the 4-Step Define Your Wedge framework.

It’s something I’ve been playing with and wanted to share with you. In today’s world of AI, it only makes sense!

I’ve released this first version for free to the first 10 people who download it.

The GPT walks you through the 4 steps of Defining your Wedge, asking you one question at a time, getting your input. After it asks you 3-5 questions, it recommends your Wedge statement.

The GPT will review competitors, offer keywords, and even engage with you to ask for clarification. You can use and re-use it, which in itself is a great process for gaining clarity.

If you’ve got your business’ overall Wedge strategy, ask it about your next product idea. It’ll help there, too.

It’s short and sweet and will help you take the next step in your business!

Check it out!

Stay tuned,

Julie

P.S. All instructions are in the download document. I’d love your feedback, too! (Thanks!)

This year, I’m writing about 3 things: Simplicity, Action, Mindset. They are my 3 guiding words for 2025 and my hope is that writing about them helps you as much as I think they’ll help me.

What do those 3 Words have to do with quitting as W.C. Fields recommends?

Everything.

Simple

First off, I am really good at overcomplicating things. You? It’s why I need a simple word to remind me to keep it simple in the first place.

My simple business goal this year is to grow. I’ve got a revenue goal in mind and I have taken time to be very honest with my business-planning self to get clear about how that’s gonna happen.

The simple answer?

Lean into what’s working. Quit what’s not working…and fast.

Action

Last year, I wrote several times about Experimenting. And I’m continuing that type of action. Hands-on learning by doing: lean into what’s working, start small with the new things, keep moving.

Even if the action ‘fails’. I know that it’s a necessary part of the process.

Mindset

Honestly, you really can’t have the first 2 without this one. It’s great to keep things simple and to keep doing, but I, for one, need the constant reminder that both are okay. No need over-think every dern thing.

It’s this mindset that - given it’s one of my 3 words - I’ll remind myself of all year.

So, I guess this little note to you turned out to cover all three. See how simple that was? 😊

I’d love to hear if you’ve got your own 3 words, or, keep it simple and just piggy-back on these.

Stay tuned,

Julie

P.S. If you’re new here, check out this 4-Step workbook for doing simple market research and getting clearer about the next steps in your business.

You’re not the only one! Many solopreneurs gather insights but aren’t sure how to turn them into action. Today, I’m giving you three ways to immediately apply what you’ve learned.

1. Refine your messaging so customers say, “This is exactly what I need!”

• Use the words your audience is already using. If your research uncovered phrases they frequently say (e.g., “I just want a simple way to…”), work those exact words into your website, emails, and social media.

• Adjust your offer descriptions. If people are confused about what you do, tweak your tagline, product names, or service descriptions to be clearer and more aligned with their needs.

2. Improve your product or service so it stands out in the market

• Identify small gaps in competitor offerings. If customers mention a frustration that no one is addressing, that’s an opportunity for you to step in with a solution. (Great places for checking reviews are Trustpilot, Amazon (even reviews of similar products can reveal gaps you can address!)

• Add or remove features based on real needs. If your research shows people don’t care about a specific feature, don’t waste time on it! Instead, double down on what they do care about. (Take a look at sales on each product you offer or recent blog posts you’ve made: what are people paying for or reading about?)

3. Don’t waste one more minute on what’s not working

• Focus on the right platforms. If your audience is hanging out on LinkedIn but you’re spending all your time on Instagram, it’s time to shift your efforts.

• Test different content formats. Experiment! Did your research reveal that people prefer quick tips over long blog posts? Try reels, infographics, or email snippets instead of 2,000-word articles.

Market research isn’t just about collecting data—it’s about making better decisions with less guesswork.

Want a simple way to do this for your own business? Check out my workbook: Wedge: Define Your Niche, Grow Your Business and start using research to make your business stronger.

Stay tuned,

Julie

P.S. My 3 words for 2025 are Simple, Action, Mindset. This post is all about…

Action! Got your own? I’d love to hear about them!

One moment, you're researching a competitor’s latest move, and before you know it, you’ve spent two hours scrolling through articles, podcasts, and social media updates—feeling more lost than when you started.

So, how do you stay informed without getting stuck in analysis paralysis?

1️⃣ Define Your “Must-Know” Information Before You Start

You already know that not everything is relevant to your business. So get clear about what you want to know before you start looking. Ask yourself:

• What problem am I trying to solve with this search?

• What directly impacts my niche or customers?

• What helps me make better decisions?

• What’s just noise?

Stick to information that guides action, not just random updates.

2️⃣ Pick 2–3 Reliable Sources & Stick With Them

Instead of following every industry trend, curate a shortlist of trusted sources. Looking at consistent sources makes it easier to see trend changes along the way. This could be:

• A go-to industry newsletter.

• A key podcast or YouTube channel.

• A data-driven report that you check quarterly.

Less is more. A few high-quality sources > endless mediocre ones.

3️⃣ Set a “Research Rhythm”

Make information work for you by setting a schedule:

• Daily (10 min max): Skim headlines, not deep dives.

• Weekly (30 min): Read or listen to key insights.

• Monthly (1 hour): Reflect on trends & adjust your strategy.

This keeps you informed without disrupting your work.

4️⃣ Use the “Two-Minute Rule” for Decision-Making

If you find a new piece of information, ask yourself:

• Can I apply this insight to my business right now?

• If yes, take action within two minutes—bookmark, note, or implement it.

• If no, let it go. (Honestly, this isn’t as easy as it sounds, but WILL help you!)

A quick decision keeps you moving forward.

5️⃣ Track What Actually Matters

Instead of storing random info, track only what directly supports your business right now. (See point 4, let it go if you don’t need it now.)

The Idea Compass Market Research Tracker can help.

🎯 Remember: The goal isn’t to know everything—it’s to stay informed just enough to move forward with clarity and confidence.

👉 How do you filter the information you consume? Drop a comment below!

Stay tuned,

Julie

It’s a common reason to avoid it altogether!

Many solopreneurs avoid market research because they think they need a long-drawn-out process for it to be of any value.

But the truth is: realistic, simple research beats overloaded research every time.

The Overload Trap

It’s easy to fall into an overthinking-it trap. There’s so much information out there, it can be hard to narrow it down. Basically, you just need a tiny plan before you start.

The first step in your plan is to avoid these things:
❌ Collecting endless data without knowing how to use it.
❌ Spending hours analyzing competitors but never taking action.
❌ Feeling stuck because you’re still unsure where to start.

And let’s be real—when you’re balancing business and life, spending weeks buried in research will make your head spin and no one wants to do that!

Here’s the Key:

Instead of doing all the things, focus on a few high-impact steps that bring clarity fast:

1️⃣ Start with a single question, a starting point.
Before diving into research, ask yourself: What do I actually need to know right now? Whether it’s finding your ideal audience or validating a product idea, defining this question first keeps your research focused.

2️⃣ Limit yourself to looking at just 3-5 competitors.
You don’t need to analyze everyone. Pick a few direct competitors and look for patterns—what they offer, where they engage their audience, and how they position themselves. This gives you a clearer picture of the market without overwhelming you.

3️⃣ Reflect on your own experience and expertise.
For solopreneurs, sometimes the best insights come from within. Ask yourself: What unique skills, knowledge, or past experiences do you bring to the table? How could those skills solve a specific problem or serve a particular audience?

Think about how you use those skills now, perhaps at your current (or previous) job with an employer. This not only helps you refine your niche but also builds confidence in your ability to offer value.

4️⃣ Know when to stop researching and start acting.
Read this one twice!

Market research should help you move forward, not keep you stuck in analysis mode. Once you’ve gathered key insights, take action. Even just 1 small step.

If you find yourself endlessly searching for more data instead of taking action, stop what you’re doing and just take that next step and see what happens…It’s honestly a great way to research your idea!

💡 Pro Tip: Set a timer for 1-2 hours when researching. This keeps you focused and prevents you from heading down the rabbit hole of unnecessary information.

Takeaway: Done is Better Than Perfect

Market research should support your business, not slow it down. The goal isn’t to have all the data—it’s to get just enough information to make a confident next step.

💡 Your turn! What’s one area of market research that feels overwhelming to you?

Drop a comment—I’d love to help simplify it!

Stay tuned,

Julie

Let me tell you a little secret—I’m an ace at overcomplicating things. Overthinking, overanalyzing, overdoing…you name it, I’m probably over-ing it.

In some areas, this habit is gold. Clients hire me to overthink the details, to consider lots of angles.

But here’s the problem: my over-ing habit has crept into way too many corners of my life and business. And it’s not doing me—or my bottom line in this venture—any favors.

Sound familiar?

If you’ve spent decades mastering your craft, growing your own solo business can feel overwhelming. You’ve got a lot of experience and expertise but channeling it into your own venture can be another story.

Plus, let’s be honest—a million other things demand your time, too.

Simple Is the Key

Starting a business feels like you have to do it all—and perfectly. You see polished entrepreneurs online with streamlined systems and multiple revenue streams. It’s intimidating, and you think, I need all that too.

Before long, you’re buried under a to-do list a mile long.

But here’s the thing: complexity kills progress. At least it does for me.

Simplicity, on the other hand, is your ticket to consistency. And consistency is what separates dreamers from doers.

Simple is one of my three guiding words for 2025. Feel free to make it yours, too.

How to Simplify Your Solo Business

1. Start With What You Know
Lean into your expertise. Start with the simplest version of what you do—something that solves a simple problem for your audience. Forget fancy packaging; people care more about results than aesthetics.

2. Pick One Thing and Do It Well
Multi-tasking is a myth!

We’ve all heard about that, right?!

Choose one platform to market on, one revenue stream to focus on, and one clear goal for the next 90 days. Once you’ve nailed it, you can expand—or not—and just choose to keep it that simple.

3. Cut Out the Noise
The endless advice about running a business can feel paralyzing, for sure.

Start the year by cleaning out distractions. Find a few voices that feel valuable, pause those that don’t.

4. Embrace Imperfection
It feels like a shortcut to progress, honestly.

Progress > perfection every time. Launch your offer, learn as you go, refine later.

The world won’t end if it’s not perfect, but you’ll definitely make progress.

The Surprising Power of Simplicity

When I started writing on Substack just over a year ago, I had a clear vision. I knew what I wanted to share, who I wanted to share it with, and how it would unfold. Sounds tidy, right?

But the world is full of distractions disguised as opportunities. I collected ideas like a squirrel hoarding acorns. Every “shiny object” seemed like the next great thing to try.

In my head, they looked amazing and I definitely embraced imperfection and experimenting!

And even though I value simplicity in this (ad)venture, I think I needed the imperfect experiments to find this next iteration of my business. (I totally expect more iterations in the future.)

It’s also how Simple became one of my guiding words for the year. For me, that meant stripping back to what I love and do best: self-publishing short books and workbooks. It’s sustainable, enjoyable, and plays to my strengths.

I plan to share that work here on Substack, too.

Final Thoughts: Your Business, Your Rules

At the end of the day, your business doesn’t have to fit anyone else’s definition of success.

The entire goal is to make it work for you—profitable, yes, but also aligned with your life. Keeping things simple just means being strategic with your time and energy.

Call to Action

What’s one thing you can simplify in your business today?

Drop it in the comments or share it with me—I’d love to hear how you’re cutting through the noise and making things work.

Let’s keep it simple, consistent, and profitable together in 2025!

Stay tuned!

The 3 Words are a quick, simple method I picked up along the way to business plan (oooh, the dreaded business plan!). It’s a plan and it’s not. It’s more of a compass. 😊

At some point, I may re-hash my 2024 words (it’s important to take stock of what you’ve done). But, right now, I want to look ahead with guide words for 2025. And, I invite you to do the same.

Ready?

Here are mine:

Simple. Action. Mindset.

It’s got to be Simple.

I’m taking smart Action.

And it all happens with the right Mindset.

Those are my 3 words for 2025.

I usually start thinking about these in early November and have done so for the past few years. I keep them handy and in a place where I can remind myself of them all year long.

I invite you to check out a few of my Notes from the week here, here, and here. I started with Simple, it’s my lead word.

As you start growing as a solopreneur, this one is the key to getting (and keeping) the whole thing off the ground. Especially if you have other responsibilities in your life…and who doesn’t? If it’s not simple, you won’t be able to do it consistently, that’s just a fact. (Note to self here.) And every successful solopreneur you talk to will tell you consistency wins. Every. Time.

Start now, start simple

So, take out your pencil and jot down your own 3 Words (and share if you like)!

Then be on the lookout for my next series of posts that will be all about these 3 Words.

Stay tuned…

A few clients make up the bulk of my portfolio business and there’s been lots to do, so this is a quick note to you about heading into 2025! 🥳

For the past few years, as a sort of prep for the new year, I’ve chosen 3 guidance words for my upcoming year. At the end of the year, I take stock of the actions I took related to each of the words and set a new 3-word course for the upcoming year.

Borrow the Idea

It’s not an original idea. I got it from Chris Brogan and Rob Hatch (both on LinkedIn) who’ve run year-end workshops on it in the past. I’ve found that the 3 words are a great way to create direction and focus, and at the same time give myself options for staying open to new ideas. Things move so fast!

I’m still working on my 3 words for 2025 and on reviewing what I accomplished with my 2024 words. In case you’re wondering, my words for 2024 are:

1. CONNECT

2. LEARN

3. LEVERAGE

I’ve definitely connected with new people and new ideas for growing both my business and personally. That, for me, is a challenge since I work remotely from my clients, so I knew this year that I wanted to focus on connecting with more people.

I’m always learning, but for 2024, I wanted to focus on learning more about creating my newsletter. Still have a way to go, but learning!

As I mentioned, the bulk of my business is in client work, freelancing. And, the challenge is that you are either working or you are not. I wanted to change that even more this year, so I published (another) book. I also created some mini-products. I will keep building this leverage in 2025. It’s fun and satisfying work.

Checking in frequently

When I get to a spot during the year where I don’t feel like I’ve done ‘enough’, I pull out these 3 words and list what I’ve done under each word. It really helps me see just how far I’ve come at any given time.

I also pull them out when I’m trying to make decisions in my business. Guidance, but openness, too.

Does anyone else do this?

If so, what 3 words are you thinking of as guidance for your 2025? (I might ‘borrow’ them!) Feel free to borrow mine!

I listen to them most days when I take my dog for a walk.

A few of my favorites are:

• Stuff You Should Know

• Planet Money

• Freakonomics

• Tiny Course Empire

There are so many I like! Maybe I need to start taking my dog for longer (much longer) walks so I can listen more!

It’s a recent episode of Freakonomics that really interested me this week.

The episode was called What Do People Do All Day? (episode 605)

The stat that caught my attention was this:

60% of the jobs that Americans do today didn’t exist in 1940.

(The original source is the quarterly Journal of Economics, an article called New Frontiers, the Origins and Content of New Work, 1940-2018.)

60%??

One of the authors of the paper, David Otter, an economist at MIT, noted that no, this doesn’t mean we have 40% few jobs (we all kind of new that, right?). Actually, as we have innovated, we have just created new ones.

Here are a few that no longer exist:

• Switchboard operator

• Chimney sweep

• Typist

• Ice delivery man

Here are some that exist now that didn’t before:

• Software programmer

• Geriatric caregiver

• Pediatric oncologist

• Solar panel installer

So what’s my point?

We as a society are always creating and re-creating work. Old ways of doing things are always being rotated out for new ways of doing things based on advancements in lots of fields.

I’ve often read about how certain innovations will take away lots of jobs (looking at you AI).

I believe new innovations will take away jobs. But I also believe that AI and other advancements will create a new cycle of jobs and work.

One new cycle of work that’s happening right now is the incredible up-tick in the number of people who freelance and the number of solopreneur ‘jobs’ that have formed and been fostered by the technological advancements that let us create and communicate via our computers.

All this to say, if you are reading this, it’s likely that you are part of the crowd that’s creating what this next wave of work will look like.

In a recent interview with Hayden Brown, the CEO of Upwork, she said that last year 64 million people freelanced in some capacity.

She also said that on Upwork, there are 125 work skill categories that companies hire from.

64 million!

125!

If you are in the process of defining your business’ wedge or you are looking to pivot or make some sort of work change, check out the 125 categories. (They are listed right on the website, no sign in needed.)

Those are categories that companies both large and small are hiring in. Today. Companies are paying people with those skills good money.

Categories from design to sales to IT to writing.

It’s likely that you have some of those skills.

Take a look at that list of skills and compare them to your own.

How can you use the in-demand skills you have in your own indie-business?

Your application of your skill set to your niche creates your own unique wedge.

The next wave is here!

Stay tuned,

Julie

These tips still come with caveats. Some tools are still better than others and you do still need to check that the information the tools give you is valid. But, I’m sharing some simple workarounds that will help you get better information quickly.

Using AI for research, but still doing so cautiously

There are some pretty straightforward things you can do to get better search results from the current (freely available) AI tools available today.

The most straightforward thing you can do is to give the AI tools specific and thoughtful direction. It helps quite a lot. When you provide more detail than a basic prompt, you’ll get far better output. It’s not always fool-proof, but so much better.

And, the side-effect of creating your specific and thoughtful direction is that you get clearer in your own mind about what it is you are seeking.

The Tools

The tool I’m most impressed with (at the moment) for this type of search is Perplexity. Yes, I use ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Claude, too. I also use NotebookLM (which I also plan to cover). But Perplexity, I’ve found, returns most consistently solid sources and works with you in a very conversational and easy way.

Perplexity does not have the functionality to create custom GPTs in the same way that ChatGPT does (or Gems in Google Gemini), but you can create scripts that are specific and thoughtful (picking up on those keywords? 😉), and that intentionally guide Perplexity.

In the Resources section below, I share a detailed prompt I used on a recent project and you’ll see how I direct Perplexity much more specifically about what I want it to return.

Resources/Links

·       Sure-Fire Ways to Use Your Market Research (article)

·       Detailed Perplexity AI Research Prompt (download)

Stay tuned,

Julie

With a master’s degree in economics and 20+ years’ experience in market research and business planning, I decided to use my skills in a new way by creating The Idea Compass. At the heart of this venture is this newsletter but there are some other easy ways to work with me when you are ready:

The Solopreneurs Guide to Platforms & Marketplaces: Looking to run some of your own experiments? Well-established freelancing and product platforms are a great place to run them. On them, you can spend more time honing your offer and less time on the nuts and bolts of marketing. I’ve put together a short resource describing how some of the major platforms out there today work.

But before you do that experimenting, give yourself some clear direction! Check out my recently-published book on Amazon: Wedge: Define Your Niche. Grow Your Business.

For instance, here in Florida, we’ve got a hurricane coming. (Yikes!) And every business (and citizen) around knows that the day before the storm, everywhere you go will be busy. You might not be surprised to hear that the grocery stores are busy, or even gas stations, but the mall? All the local restaurants? Hair salons, nail salons, gyms, boutiques of all kinds…all busy. What?

Everyone is out not only getting supplies to hunker down during the storm, but also doing lots of errands and social things that they’ll won’t have a chance to do, not only on ‘Storm Day’, but also for an undetermined number of days after that.

Yes, you might just chalk this up to ‘those crazy Floridians’, and I’ll grant you that, at least in part. 😉

But the other half of it is that all these various shop owners and managers know this, too. Having observed what happened before previous storms, they know they have to staff up for these Storm Day Eve’s. They’ve also learned what people buy on these days. Sure, it’s water and TP, but also (because this is Florida), lots of wine and spirits, too.

While these businesses may not necessarily say they have ‘conducted market research’, they actually have. The tell-tale sign is that they have made adjustments based on observations and previous experience that have helped their business be more successful or run more smoothly on these high-activity days.

I suspect that they use a mix of formal and informal information in making their Storm Day Eve or seasonal plans. A grocery store might keep a higher stock of certain items, let’s say water, during hurricane season. Stores everywhere analyze their inventory to make all sorts of seasonal adjustments. As a storm gets forecasted for our area (weather forecasters let us know several days in advance), they schedule extra staff and adjust inventories.

You might just call this operations or logistics. And that’s partly true. But, what’s also happening is that operations and logistics departments are making adjustments based on market conditions, based on their market research.

Market research can save or make your business – regardless of what your business is – time and money. It sounds almost too simple when put like that, but it really is true.

It can help guide your decisions, help you figure out what to create, and how to talk to your customers. It can help you identify trends so you can better plan for all those pivots businesses need to make in order to stay relevant.

I’ve seen time and again the impact a bit of organized knowledge can make for businesses large and small.

So what’s the point?

The point is, I also know that market research isn’t always people’s first stop on the creating-a-business train.

It can feel like extra fluff that’s too time consuming. Or, like too expensive an undertaking, too expensive for a solopreneur, at least.

To that, I say:

It can be easy.

It can be informal.

And even by starting at easy and informal, it will benefit your business.

Stay tuned,

Julie

With a master’s degree in economics and 20+ years’ experience in market research and business planning, I decided to use my skills in a new way by creating The Idea Compass. At the heart of this venture is this newsletter and there are some other easy ways to work with me when you are ready:

The Solopreneurs Guide to Platforms & Marketplaces: Looking to run some of your own experiments? Well-established freelancing and product platforms are a great place to run them. On these platforms, you can spend more time honing your offer and less time on the nuts and bolts of marketing. I’ve put together a short resource describing how some of the major platforms out there today work.

But before you do that experimenting, give yourself some clear direction! Check out my recently-published book on Amazon: Wedge: Define Your Niche. Grow Your Business.

Today, I’m sharing a quick alternative use for the 4-Step Define Your Wedge worksheet. The original 4-step framework has new instructions for finding inspiration and getting unstuck in your content creation process. Read on for how to get your copy.

So what’s this about?

I’ve written a couple of articles about using the 4 steps to get unstuck as you develop new products/services or make pivots in your business. But lately I’ve been reading a lot about just everyday stuck-ness, particularly around content creation. And in all transparency, I’ve also had a moment or two (or three) of my own stuck-ness in creating content.

It’s in these moments that a simple, yet constructive way of getting unstuck helps. That makes sense, right? We sometimes need help getting the creative juices flowing, something that will help us keep moving forward!

Because it’s also at these stuck moments when we are…uh…stuck, that we’re not even sure what our very next step should be.

So as an experiment, I used the 4 steps as a guide for working through this kind of stuck.

And, Eureka! It worked!

In sum, using the 4 steps in this way cleared out some creative thinking blocks for me and re-energized the way I want to write. It also helped me make a decision about some product experiments I’m running (not ready to reveal all that just yet!).

Check it out! You can get the free download, including the updated instructions that fit this alternative use below:

Resources/Links:

• Getting Unstuck post

• 4 Steps for Getting Unstuck in Your Content Creation Worksheets

Stay tuned,

Julie

With a master’s degree in economics and 20+ years’ experience in market research and business planning, I decided to use my skills in a new way by creating The Idea Compass. At the heart of this venture is this newsletter but there are some other easy ways to work with me when you are ready:

Looking to run some of your own experiments? Well-established freelancing and product platforms are a great place to run them. You can spend more time honing your offer and less time on the nuts and bolts of marketing. I’ve put together a short resource describing how some of the major platforms out there today work.

But before you do that experimenting, give yourself some clear direction! Check out my just-published book on Amazon: Wedge: Define Your Niche. Grow Your Business.

This real-life-look gives you a glimpse into what’s working in the market currently and what isn’t. Importantly, it helps you understand what your customers are already seeing in the market and how problems are already being solved.

Looking around before you create can save you precious resources. It’s a way of lowering your risk and making your product creation less of a leap into the unknown.

The idea here isn’t about copying and pasting someone else’s ideas and making them your own. No. The idea is about gathering inspiration and ideas to create products based on your own experience, perspective, and expertise.

What you are looking for here is an understanding of what customers are expecting from companies like yours. You want an understanding of how things look from your customer’s perspective. That’s what you really want to know and it’s an important step in defining your business’ wedge.

Where do I start?

So, what makes a good comparative competitor? Who can you both compare yourself to and learn from? Or, as I ask, who are your Inspo-Competitors?

Should you learn about the competitors who could take your customers (or that currently serve them) or should you learn about the competitors who inspire you? Should you look at the ones who are way ahead of you? Or the ones that appeared after you started out?

It might not surprise you that the best mix of competitors to look at is a bit of all these. You want a mix that will give you the most realistic view of your niche. Realistic. You want to look at the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Any time you look at your market in this way, your goal is to reduce your own risk. You want to create things that customers need, things that solve their problems. You want to look at what competitors are offering, how they are offering it, and how they are talking about it.

You want to learn from (their) experience.

How do I…?

When you take a look at your competition, it doesn’t have to be a deep dive involving a full review of their SEO or a complex foray into trying to understand how they are doing financially.

What you are looking for is more high-level than that.

You want to ask yourself questions like:

What are my competitors creating? Is it courses or one-on-one consulting or books?

What’s the tone? Is it humorous or serious?

Who are their target customers?

How long have they been around?

What is their background story? How did they come about?

Which ones are doing something similar to my business? Which are doing something quite different? (And why do you think that is?)

How do they promote themselves?

As you do this, track not only the answers to these questions, but also your thoughts about your findings.

Why is that piece so important?

Because your opinions come from your own experience and absolutely need to be fed into the process of creating and running your business. Yours is the perspective from which you are growing your business and it counts! At the same time, this review of your competitors is a way of reality-checking yourself within the bigger picture.

It’s the balance of the two that will move you forward.

It also moves you to the next step in defining your business’ wedge.

Want to read more about about Inspo-Competitors? Or maybe about the next step in defining your business’ wedge?

Stay tuned,

Julie

With a master’s degree in economics and 20+ years’ experience in market research and business planning, I decided to use my skills in a new way by creating The Idea Compass. At the heart of this venture is this newsletter but there are some other easy ways to work with me when you are ready:

Looking to run some of your own experiments? Well-established freelancing and product platforms are a great place to run them. You can spend more time honing your offer and less time on the nuts and bolts of marketing. I’ve put together a short resource describing how some of the major platforms out there today work.

But before you do that experimenting, give yourself some clear direction! Check out my just-published book on Amazon: Wedge: Define Your Niche. Grow Your Business.

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”

-Rita Mae Brown, in her 1983 book Sudden Death (not Einstein, I found out)

The real key to setting (or re-setting, as the case may be) your business’ compass isn’t reading the exact right stuff or taking the exact right classes or doing the exact right things all the time. (All of which sounds pretty stressful.)

It’s about getting into the habit of thinking about things differently, taking in different perspectives, thinking about them, and then looking at how they might impact your business.

Got it, a habit of doing things outside-of-habit. Check. (a touch of sarcasm there)

Here are some simple ways to re-set your compass and inspire different thinking:

• Read an out-of-your-character non-fiction book (I’ve got a few suggestions, some are still on my to-read list, admittedly)

• Read fiction (A few suggestions at that same link.)

• Take a walk…without headphones

• Take a walk…and listen to a different podcast (More suggestions at that same link.)

• Take an art class (Here’s the one I’m taking.)

• Take a yoga class

Sound scary? Maybe, yes. But none of this is life-threatening, right?!

Worried you’ll be wasting your time? Really though, life’s full of risks…and these are pretty low-risk, right?!

I’m practicing what I’m preaching this month:

I signed up for an art class.

I went out to dinner alone (this is not my usual dinner mode).

Every other day this week when I took my dog for a walk, I left the headphones at home.

Habit mode

I get stuck easily when I’m too much in ‘habit mode’.

You?

After a while, I can’t think outside the box. I’ve got to expose myself to new inspiration which not only helps me personally, but it also helps my business.

What do you do to get yourself thinking outside the box? Comment and share it!

Vive les experiences! (Did you know the Paralympics kicked off this week in Paris?)

Stay tuned,

Julie

If you are new here and want to read more, you can find more at The Idea Compass.

Looking to run some of your own experiments? Well-established freelancing and product platforms are a great place to run them. You can spend more time honing your offer and less time on the nuts and bolts of marketing. I’ve put together a short resource describing how some of the major platforms out there today work.

But before you do that experimenting, give yourself some clear direction! Check out my just-published book on Amazon: Wedge: Define Your Niche. Grow Your Business.

There’s so much excitement and heart and desire to make a go of it. It’s great that we don’t always need to reinvent the wheel to build a successful business. It’s awesome that it’s sometimes our most boring of ideas – but ones that solve real problems – are the most successful. And, at other times, it’s fun to do a bit of wheel re-invention.

Ideas brought to fruition by someone who has an interest in making it work, an interest in being creative, an interest in learning, and an interest in being an active participant in the process are the coolest success stories.

That’s why I started The Idea Compass. I love helping people clarify their starting idea (because it will change over time), clarify how they can use their experience and strengths to get there (because we’ve all got them), and experiment their way to success (because action means progress).

The heart of The Idea Compass is this newsletter, and it is being built around readers/solopreneurs like you. My goal is to prioritize writing about the things that you are most interested in learning about.

Those sure fire ways…

There are tons of ways to use market research in your business, but most times research just simply gets a bad rap. Like, it’s something you do but then put on a shelf and forget about!

The real deal is that market research is just another name for learning, it’s learning about the world around you with a focus on how it relates your business’ growth.

It’s looking up from your day-to-day work to get a different perspective about what’s happening in the world and then figuring out how that might impact your ideas.

And it doesn’t have to be a long time-consuming thing, it’s actually better if it’s not. I’ve worked on projects that take just a few weeks’ time, but then the customer uses the research for the entire year to guide their decision-making.

Subscribe now

Here are examples of sure-fire ways you can use market research in your business:

1. Validating your idea. Big idea or small, as an entrepreneur, it’s just good business sense to get some outside information about it. Research is not all reading papers and looking at books though, it’s also validating ideas by doing low-risk experiments. A bit of research just helps you figure out which ideas make the most sense for your venture now.

2. Building your audience. A business is nothing without customers, of course. But how are you explaining your cool business to potential customers? Research helps you figure out what they are currently listening to, how they are talking about their problems, and then meeting them where they are with your messaging. Know, Like, Trust is a concept that never goes out of style.

3. Creating your product/service. As solopreneurs, we don’t always need a fully-detailed, all-the-I’s-dotted-and-T’s-crossed business plan. BUT – a bit of direction would be nice! We’re all out here creating and doing, but without at least some direction, it’s SO easy to get lost in the noise. Creating some direction for your business will help you create the right stuff for your customers.

4. Flexibility. Wait, what? Have you noticed how fast things change out here in the real world? It’s lightning speed! While I’m a believer in market research, I’m also a believer in making it simple enough that you can edit and update it as things change in your niche. A straightforward framework for collecting and evaluating your ideas can help you be flexible and keep up with the only constant out there: change.

So, I have a favor to ask of you. It’s your chance to give some direction AND get more clarity on those sure-fire ways. 😊

Below is a quick 1-question poll that will help me create my next few steps for you. Based on what’s going on in your business right now, what can The Idea Compass newsletter do for you?

Thanks for reading!

Stay tuned,

Julie

With a Masters degree in Economics and 20+ years experience in market research and business planning, I decided to use my skills in a new way by creating The Idea Compass. At the heart of this new venture is this newsletter but there are some other easy ways to work with me when you are ready:

The Solopreneurs Guide to Platforms & Marketplaces: Looking to run some of your own experiments? Well-established freelancing and product platforms are a great place to run them. On them, you can spend more time honing your offer and less time on the nuts and bolts of marketing. I’ve put together a short resource describing how some of the major platforms out there today work.

Wedge: Define Your Niche. Grow Your Business: But before you do that experimenting, give yourself some clear direction! Check out my just-published workbook on Amazon:

I’ve written a few articles about running experiments as a solopreneur – or an indie-business owner (which in my mind is a much more fun ‘job title’, right?!). In my mind, experiments are an absolutely necessary part of starting, running, and importantly, building a business.

Most of us have come to running an indie-business through a process of experiments we didn’t even know we were running. We may have worked in corporate roles or in educational roles for a good part of our careers. Or we may not be coming from a traditional employment role at all, perhaps being a caregiver or managing your own kids/household.

Whatever the case, experiments have been a part of what you’ve done in those roles and they are important in an indie-business, too.

Why?

Here’s the short-list:

1.      Your indie-business is likely one you’ve never run before (stating the obvious here), and you likely aren’t 100% familiar with all the ins and outs of not just the business, but also your niche (also obvious?). So, experiments help you become familiar with the ins and outs and more comfortable with how your business fits into the picture.

2.      Things change fast around here…in case you hadn’t noticed! Not only do trends and customer needs consistently change, but new platforms and ways of running an indie-business are always on the horizon. Experiments help keep you up-to-date and determine, again, what will work for your business in this chapter of it.

3.      Experiments can help open up revenue streams you may not have considered before. Keep an open mind when it comes to experiments, you may find something unexpectedly profitable. (Consider this Olympic swimmer from Sweden who didn’t plan to compete in this race but was talked into it at the last minute. I bet she’s glad she did!)

For all these reasons, it’s important to be flexible and aware of the options available to you for running experiments.

It can be tough to convince yourself that a new experiment or two would be good for your business or worth the time and effort. You’ve likely got a lot on your plate, both inside and outside of your business.

For sure.

But unlike being employed in one of the roles mentioned above, no one is going to dictate to you what experiments need to be run. In your role as indie-business CEO, no one will come to you and tell you to learn about a new platform or a new marketing strategy or even that a pivot in the business needs to be made in order to keep going and growing.

That’s all on you.

Which can be freeing, but also intimidating.

It’s a fear that’s valid, but also one that you can train yourself to consciously overcome or at least manage. Especially if you aren’t one who naturally takes these kinds of risks.

Starting a business is enough of a risk, right? Now, you’re saying I have to keep taking them? Yikes!

The cool thing is though, that there are lots of low risk experiments you can run. Some will be unexpected successes, and some will be unexpected failures. Both kinds will teach you a lot about what works in your business and what works for you personally. I would argue that those personal lessons are just as important as the ‘business’ ones. (I put ‘business’ in quotes because for us indie-businesses, it’s all personal.) Any updates, changes, edits, or pivots in the business need to make not just business sense, but also personal sense, since you’ll be leading the charge and very likely, doing the actual work.

Some will work, some won’t

While I’ve been in market research for a number of years, I’ve been running The Idea Compass for just less than a year, so I’m in a spot where I’m running frequent experiments and making sure I lean into the ones that seem to be working and leaning away from ones that aren’t. Some experiments I’ve run, I may return to. Some, I won’t.

For instance, when I started late last year, I immediately signed up for email marketing software. After about 3 months, I realized that, with my other responsibilities and the functionality available on Substack, it wasn’t a tool I needed to use just yet. The software wasn’t hard to use, but being capable does not necessarily mean you have current capacity, which is another reason to run experiments and drop the ones that aren’t working for you (at least not today).

As I move forward, I do keep a tally of my experiments as I might need to revisit them in the future. Since Substack delivers posts to email subscribers, right now, for me, the email software didn’t make sense.

I also started out using a product hosting company for my digital products and it requires a monthly subscription. Then, I found Gumroad and have decided to, at least for now, experiment by hosting my products there. Gumroad allows you to post products for free. There are other benefits, too, that Gumroad offers to sellers, so right now, it’s working for me.

As far as communicating, Substack and Medium are both are working for me and I can manage them along with my other responsibilities. I’ve been only a little active on X, but not sure I’ve got the capacity for it currently, it’s definitely a work-in-progress experiment.

I’ve got more experiments to run, and I will run them, but I’m not rushing into it. The thing I’ve found about experiments is that you have to let them cook for a bit. There are tweaks to make within the experiments, and I want to make those before deciding whether it’s time to move on.

So, if you’re out here in indie-business land trying to grow and feeling stuck, try a new experiment. Tweak the ones you’re currently running. Keep moving and editing and updating until you find the right mix!

Here’s to experiments!

Stay tuned,

Julie

If you are new here and want to read more, you can find more at The Idea Compass.

Looking to run some of your own experiments? Well-established freelancing and product platforms are a great place to run them. You can spend more time honing your offer and less time on the nuts and bolts of marketing. I’ve put together a short resource describing how some of the major platforms out there today work.

But before you do that experimenting, give yourself some clear direction! Check out my just-published book on Amazon: Wedge: Define Your Niche. Grow Your Business.

I’ve also written about a 2-pronged approach to business building. The first prong being to start sharing your ideas with other people, for instance, by starting a newsletter or a YouTube channel. The second is by experimenting with actual offers that actual customers have the opportunity to purchase from you.

With that in mind, last week, I added another of my own experiments. It’s actually a variation of an experiment I’ve run before, editing the experiment each time I run it.

The experiment was to self-publish a book and here’s why I love this type of experiment.

Cheers to low-risk experiments

The way I’m publishing follows a couple of ideas that I really like.

1.      It’s an actual offer that real customers have a real opportunity to purchase. This will teach me a lot about whether I’m offering something my customers want.

2.      It is also an experiment for which I did not need to reinvent the wheel, so to speak, or invest a lot of money.  While I have spent time developing the framework and writing the short book, I have published books in the past, so I was able to build on those experiments to run this latest one.

A great low-risk experiment!

Of course, I want the experiment to succeed, so I will pay attention to feedback, and I will pay attention to things like keywords, all with the intention of learning and making it better. I will keep the experiment going. And I will start new ones.

Start your own

We are all out here trying different things in an ever-changing environment, and sometimes we just get stuck. Sometimes we forget that we can run new experiments and try different things in our business. We’re so focused on making the first thing we’ve tried…work. Can anyone else relate?

The wedge you’ve defined for your business may not be hitting the mark with your customers or audience the way you thought it would. Your current experiments may not be working. Growth may be stalled.

My best advice for that predicament is to try new experiments. It may be that your message needs some editing, experiment with it. It may be that you need to learn more about a different platform, experiment with that.

All experiments need time to get fleshed out, sure, and focus is a good thing. But, it’s also good to add in a dash of flexibility.

This is just a friendly reminder that, like me, some new experiments may be valuable to you, too.

Happy experimenting!

Stay tuned,

Julie

If you want to read more, you can find more at The Idea Compass.

Looking to run some of your own experiments? Well-established freelancing and product platforms are a great place to run them. You can spend more time honing your offer and less time on the nuts and bolts of marketing. I’ve put together a short resource with details about how some of the major platforms out there today work.

But before you do that experimenting, give yourself some clear direction! Check out my just-published book on Amazon: Wedge: Define Your Niche. Grow Your Business.

Have you ever noticed that when you take the hat off, you see things around you that the brim of the hat had been blocking? Sure, it was protecting you from too much sun, but it was also - unbeknownst to you - blocking a bunch of what’s going on around you.

Sometimes, of course, you need the hat. There’s just simply too much sun.

Other times, the hat is on, but you miss some things.

What, on earth, does this have to do with your business??

Most of the time, as a solopreneur, you are too busy ‘doing stuff’ to do market research. That makes total sense because there’s a lot to do!

Hat on/Hat off

But, market research is like taking off the hat. Sometimes, you need to take a look around because you may be missing some things…and you don’t even know it! Taking the hat off is key to knowing what products to create, what problems your customers have (that you can help solve!), and even how to talk to your customers. It’s key to continued growth in your business, to pivoting when you need to, and to having a clear sense of where to take your business next.

But, you know, that pesky sun is still there. Hello Summer! That sun is like all the things (social media, news, email…there’s a long list) that catch your attention when you are just trying to learn something about your business niche or trying to better define your wedge. Amiright? Where’s my hat?

When I do market research for clients, it’s incredibly easy for me to get side-tracked. Incredibly. So, out of necessity, I created some instructions for myself to follow to help me stay focused on the industry, topic, business - whatever it is I am actually looking for.

I need a system, a process, to help me stay on track and more quickly answer my questions. At a high level, here it is:

1. Understand where you are now.

2. Understand what’s going on in the broader marketplace.

3. Figure out where there’s open space.

4. Re-define, with greater clarity, where you want to go.

When doing research for your business, the goal is to take your hat off with intention. The goal is to see what you might be missing. But, there is frequently a point in the process where it’s easy to get off-track and it’s time to get back to focusing on answering the questions at hand. These steps help.

If I feel like I’m off-track, I can check in to see which step I’m working on (or supposed to be working on) and re-adjust my hat so that I’m learning what I need to learn in order to keep moving forward.

Here’s to keeping your hat balanced!

Stay tuned,

Julie