What to Know About Going Solo

If you’ve ever thought about pursuing a solo career but it makes you nervous, then let me assure you that there has never been a better time to strike out on your own. 

I say this as someone who’s been working for myself since the last century! (1999 to be precise.) Just look at the hurdles solo practitioners faced back then:

• WFH was uncommon, so there was a significant stigma attached to it. (“What do you do all day — sit on the couch and watch TV in your pajamas?”)
• Basic infrastructure was lacking. Home broadband and Wi-Fi were rare, search engines were primitive and the content they pointed to was relatively scant. Google was barely a thing — and there’s no way it would have returned the current 7 billion results for the term “how to start a business.”
• Services and software catering to the small business owner were limited. Quickbooks, LegalZoom and Godaddy either didn’t exist or were in their infancy.

If you’re feeling any trepidation, then be grateful for all you have! Here’s some advice based on my 24 years of practice. 

Establish solid systems.

Starting your business is easy (in the U.S., at least). You don’t have to incorporate right away. Just act as what’s called a “sole proprietor” and get to work.

And don’t worry at first about coming up with the perfect name for your business. If you brand yourself “The Write Stuff” or “Media Maven,” then it could limit you as your work evolves.

But do register your own name as a domain. You don’t have to put up a website immediately, but you should at least have a domain email address. This is a business, and a Yahoo, Hotmail or even Gmail address undermines your credibility.

Create a financial tracking system for your billing, collections and expenses. It doesn’t have to be fancy — an Excel spreadsheet or even a handwritten ledger will do. Though bookkeeping software will save you a lot of administrative headaches.

Familiarize yourself with the regulations governing sole proprietorship. You should calculate and pay your taxes quarterly. And be careful about deductions. The sandwich you eat at your home computer is not deductible, nor is the outfit you bought for a big meeting.

As the business progresses, so should your systems. Hire an accountant, establish an LLC (to offer some protection for personal assets in case you get sued) and consider investing in liability insurance.

Speaking of finances, as someone who has survived three major economic shocks/recessions, take it from me: Horde cash! There will be lean times, so make sure that you build a solid financial cushion.

Get the word out.

The most common question I get is: “Where do you find your clients?”

The answer is simple: Start with people you know and build outward from there. That includes former colleagues, clients (be careful of noncompete agreements you’ve signed), family and friends.

And don’t forget former competitors. The PR business is extraordinarily fluid and, I’ve found, pretty collegial. Yesterday’s competitor might be tomorrow’s client or partner.

Beyond “broadcast” announcements, make sure you reach out individually to your key contacts. 

Send personalized emails and include an “ask.” Are you offering your services? Asking them to keep their ears open for opportunities? Seeking an introduction? 

Be specific. Instead of a vague request for referrals, scour their LinkedIn contacts for someone you think could be a valuable source of business or leads and ask for an introduction. Offer to draft the message for them.

Seek informal partnerships with other professionals. Some could be a source of spillover work when they have too much on their plate (and vice versa). Or they may be in a complementary niche — an internal comms strategist may require a good speechwriter, or a media relations pro might need a specialist in a narrow trade.

One final piece of advice: Going it alone doesn’t have to be lonely. Join PRSA’s Independent Practitioners Alliance, where you’ll get a wealth of advice and support from people who have “been there and done that.”