From remote corporation to remote solo

It was, at the very least, silly; most people would think. To leave a remote job for an international company that was gearing up to become even bigger. I was just about to secure a permanent contract and a salary raise that was already more than I could have ever imagined earning. But I’ve made up my mind. At that moment, it seemed like a perfect decision to start my own business in digital marketing. I had no children (and didn’t plan on having any soon), my living situation was secured, and I had money in the bank to start. The rest is history.

Am I failing, or is this normal?

The fourth month of running my digital marketing business is approaching. Even though it's been just under four months, I've already experienced various victories and defeats. Every now and then, I questioned myself if I was sane and why I had chosen to do this.

After every major decision and the initial enthusiasm of a beginner, there comes that period of downturn. Fortunately, I had people around me who reminded me that it's just a small bump in the road (not the boulder I saw at the time). 😊

Indeed, it's during such "down" periods that I learned the best lesson. I sat down again, thought about what I was doing wrong, and gave myself a (figurative) kick in the butt to keep going.

I wish someone told me this before starting my business

One thing I wish I knew when I was starting is that being self-employed is just one big experiment. There are no wrong answers. I hate when people give a formula for success or steps you need to follow for your business to succeed. There’s no formula; you just need to keep on trying and testing what works for you.

Also, you don’t have to have a website or a bunch of professional social media accounts. It might be helpful, but it won’t determine if you get new clients. The most important thing is to be visible and to spread the word.

Here are the ways I’ve increased my visibility:

• Joining associations for entrepreneurs
• Sharing my knowledge through articles
• Starting a LinkedIn newsletter
• Participating in online networking events
• Organising a giveaway
• Handing out my business cards
• Occasionally posting about my business on my personal social media accounts

To diversifying or specialise - that is the question

One thing that was bugging me was if I should specialise. By specialising, you become an expert in the field who can charge more and is more in demand. However, I feel that specialising is too restrictive. I don’t want to do just one thing in digital marketing.

I want to offer a variety of services. Mostly because I enjoy doing all the services I offer. I think I would get bored out of my mind if I was just writing blog posts, creating presentations, or designing newsletters all day.

It ended up working out well. I have clients who need different services. Each day I do something different. On Monday I’ll write blog posts, on Tuesday create a presentation, on Wednesday I’ll edit LinkedIn profiles and so on. It’s a healthy balance.

Crying yourself to sleep during the “dry season”

Let’s face it; at the beginning, it’s quite common to have a “dry season.” As a freelancer or a contractor, you’ll probably have periods where there’ll be no work. First off, make sure you have some money on the side. Secondly, don’t cry yourself to sleep.

I know that in that period it won’t seem like that, but the “dry season” is a perfect time for reinvention and creativity. During mine, I’ve started a newsletter and wrote a few editions ahead of time. I’ve also prepared a few blog posts for the association I’m a part of. I got a bunch of other ideas on what should I do and how I can draw more attention to myself.

In the meantime, clients started showing up. Since I didn’t waste my time crying, I’ve managed to schedule and prepare a bunch of content for my personal brand. Now, I can dedicate my time to clients but know I don’t have to produce content for myself at the same time.

Can you have it all?

I think I do. While having your own business may seem risky, it has so many benefits that are worth that risk. I don’t work full-time; I work as much as I want and need. I feel like work should be just a small fragment of our lives and not our whole story.

I enjoy many things outside of my business. Now I can truly dedicate myself to all of that. I’ve started to work out regularly. I’ve probably read about 10 books in these last four months. I’ve bought a car and I drive more often; that’s something I’ve been putting on hold for a long time. I’ve travelled and started to write more for my personal blog.

I think working for myself gave me the freedom I’ve needed. I don’t know if I’ll feel the same way in a few months or years. It doesn’t even matter. What matters is that I’ve tried. If there’s that gut feeling or an idea to start your own business, explore it. Don’t run from it because it might be one of the best things you can do for yourself.