The Secret to Building a Thriving Business?

Simple. Ditch over-ing.

The Surprising Power of Simplicity

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.

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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.

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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.

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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!