Creating and operating profitable solo work-from-anywhere digital businesses

Here are a few more suggestions of ways to begin a business network of contacts and support if you are creating a new solo business:

7.  Own your failures.  If you've been an employee of a business that has more than a few employees, you know that often failures in specific campaigns and projects are bantered about without anyone owning up to the blame for the failure.  One person after another deflects the blame from himself and directs it toward another employee.

Soon, the failure is everyone's fault - and thereby it becomes no one's fault.

In a solo business, though, there is no one to blame but the owner.  He must be willing to step forward and take responsibility for the failures or actions of his business.

Sure, there are uncontrollable outside influences that affect every small business.  But instead of blaming a poor economy, or lack of sales due to a single large customer's cutback, or a distributor strike, the owner should evaluate what he may have done better in order to avert the difficulties of these situations.

Lone Wolf business owners are constantly thinking of ideas and methods that will help them become more efficient and greater at earning increased profits.  You don't become more efficient by ignoring or downplaying mistakes and problems.

8.  Constantly review and evaluate your contacts.  Let's face it, some people you deal with in a business setting do nothing but waste your time and cost you money.  You need to week these well-intentioned people out of your network as soon as you can.

I remember one supplier that I dealt with in a retail business that really drove this point home for me with clarity.  I needed to work with him because he controlled and represented an important product line to my business.

But the only way to get him to do business was to listen to him ramble on and on about his recent travels and experiences until he was ready to get down to business (on his own sweet time, thank you.)

People like this cost you money.  Sure it's important to be personable because that's the only way some people know how to conduct their business.  But you need to try to weed out the time-wasters, the slackers, and the wanna-be players from your list of contacts.

9.  Go outside your business for help.  Just because you run a solo business, it does not mean that you shut yourself off from all outside contact.  Just the opposite should be the case.

This suggestion really relates to items #1 and #4 above.  Don't be afraid to ask for any help that you need in your new business.

The majority of Lone Wolf solo business owners have not been formally trained in running a business.  They come from a variety of disciplines and skill levels.  They would do well to learn to rely upon the knowledge and expertise of others rather than their own limited understanding.

This is a hard point for many former employees to internalize.  Their very reason for leaving the corporation may have been to get away from having to deal with customers or fellow employees or contacts in the niche.

But running a solo business has everything to do with automation of functions and processes.  Let others help you to run your business - leverage yourself and your time as much as you can.

All of these suggestions relate to the notion that when you leave corporate life and create a new business, you leave behind a lot of the support and systems that the company had in place to help you be successful.

You will either need to build these systems into your business as you grow, or generate substitute strategies to develop your network faster than what it normally takes.

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