5 Lessons from 5 years As a Solopreneur

I can’t believe it, but this little experiment called Signify turns five years old this month!

This business was born out of a desire to help nonprofits and social enterprises have a bigger impact. After years of volunteering and freelancing for organizations and causes I believed in, I saw how many of them struggled with their marketing and communications. They had so much potential, but either didn’t have the know-how or the manpower to move their mission forward through marketing. I knew that’s where I could help.

And over the past five years, it’s been an absolute privilege to assist social impact organizations in increasing their sales and donations, building larger audiences, and doing more good.

But it hasn’t always been an easy and it hasn’t come without its costs. Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart, and I certainly have more gray hair than I did five years ago!

Recent studies I’ve read say that only 50% of businesses make it this far, and there are days when I clearly understood why. I’d be lying if I didn’t ask myself more than once if this was all worth it. Being the one who makes all the decisions—and all the mistakes—can be exhausting, and there are times when I would’ve just preferred to show up to someone else’s office and collect a paycheck.

However, my mission and my “why” continue to inspire me every day to show up for my clients. I still deeply believe in what I do and the reason I do it, and am grateful to be a part of their story and the difference they make for others. For that reason, I’m here not only today, but hopefully for years to come.

And though there are a heck of a lot of pearls of wisdom I could share (and pitfalls I could tell you to avoid), here are just five of the lessons I’ve learned over the past five years.

1) When Your Motivation Wanes, Your “Why” Picks Up the Slack.

I mentioned this earlier, but being an entrepreneur is hard work. You don’t just have an idea, launch a website, and find yourself sipping cocktails on the beach weeks later with loads of cash to spare . . . no matter what you see on Pinterest.

There are lots of days I questioned my decision to start this business. As a solopreneur, I make all the decisions and the buck always stops with me. Some days I wanted to give up and just find a job where I could punch a clock and collect a paycheck. But I didn’t because my “why” kept me going.

Motivation is fleeting, but if you have a clear and powerful reason that you should show up each day, that’s what will actually drive you and make the headaches and heartaches worth it. I know the difference I want to make (and do make) for nonprofits and social enterprises, and that keeps me going because I feel that purpose deeply and want to live it out.

2) Your Brand Message is Everything.

First of all, if this is a new term for you, let’s clarify: Your brand message is what you want people to understand about your mission. And your brand voice is how you communicate your message.

In working on so many different projects for social impact organizations over the years, I kept seeing the issue of brand messaging crop up. Basically, as founders and entrepreneurs, we all reach a point where we can’t see the forest for the trees.

We begin by sharing our vision with friends and family who are willing to listen to our story and dream with us of what could be. But as we grow and bring others into the mission, we have less time to get our message across and we can’t distinguish what is most important and relevant for this new audience.

The result is confusion, stumbling over our words, rambling, or just a lack of clarity for how this new person fits in other than, “Show me the money.”

So, it is utterly essential to define your brand message, making it clear and compelling for the listener. Once you can express this idea in a way that resonates with your audience, you turn customers and donors into evangelists, which allows you to expand your mission.

Psst—need help clarifying your brand message? I’m here for you!

3) Your Organization Will Only Grow If You Do.

Investing in yourself is critical for convincing others to invest in you. People want to partner with those who are headed somewhere, and growing personally and professionally is a big part of that.

To become the industry leader, the subject matter expert, and the person that boards, donors, and customers put their faith in, you need to be focused on learning and becoming even better at what you do.

This could include:

• Finding mentors.

• Taking courses.

• Reading books.

• Listening to podcasts.

• Learning from peers.

• And much more!

Seek out educational opportunities wherever you can.

Additionally, part of your growth should come from observation. To move forward, you must take time to reflect.

Too many leaders are only focused on what’s new and next, and don’t take the time to learn from what’s already happened. And, as the saying goes, those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.

This is one big reason I plan quarterly retreats. Not only do I use the time for planning, but I look back to see what’s working and what needs to change. I don’t want to keep making the same mistakes. I consider this another opportunity for growth.

4) Strategy Beats Tactics Every Time.

There’s a reason that marketing is so overwhelming for people: There’s always something new to learn or try. It’s a lot to keep up with! Heck, even those of us who do this professionally can’t know everything.

That’s why you need to prioritize strategy over tactics.

For example, social media is always a big topic of conversation with peers and clients. Which platforms should you be on? What do you post? When do you post? What’s the latest change to the algorithm? It’s like a moving target.

But you know what? I personally don’t prioritize it. It’s not that it’s not important, but it’s just not a big part of Signify’s strategy at this time. Instead, for my business model, I primarily focus on content, search engine optimization (SEO), and word-of-mouth referrals. My time is spent in those areas rather than worrying about Facebook’s most recent changes.

Will that always be the case? Probably not, but right now, that’s my plan . . . and I use that word literally. I put my time and energy into those tactics because they are built into my strategy for growth.

If you don’t have a strategy and plan, you’ll always be stressed by tactics. And when marketing distractions pop up, you’ll have no filter to make decisions. So, start with a strategy and let that determine your tactics.

5) Be Courageous Enough to Make the HARD CHOICES.

I wrote an entire post on this topic in January, but part of being a leader means making the tough decisions.

For me, it meant getting a part-time job—and that was an excruciating decision. There was a lot of fear, worry, and anxiety. And even though the basis came from chronic health issues, I still felt like a failure in many ways.

But once the decision was made, I felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. And I happen to love the team I get to work with now. Plus, I’m able to serve the social impact community in an entirely new way as well as continue to run Signify. #WinWin

There have been plenty of other decisions over the past five years that haven’t had the outcomes I’d hoped, but that’s the gig, right? There’s always some measure of risk, some unpopular decisions, and some times when things don’t go in our favor. It’s what we signed up for as entrepreneurs, founders, and leaders.

But I’d encourage you to be courageous. Gather the facts, calculate the risks, trust your instincts, and take the leap. You’ll never get it 100% right, but that’s also part of the adventure. And, after five years, I can certainly tell you that it’s still an adventure!

What lessons have you learned in founding or running a nonprofit or social enterprise?

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I’m Kristi Porter, and I help cause-focused organizations understand and execute effective marketing campaigns so they can move from stressed to strategic. Your resources may be limited, but your potential isn’t. Whether you’re a nonprofit, social enterprise, or small business who wants to give back, I’ll show you how to have a bigger impact.

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The Most Difficult Business Decision I Made in 2020

2020. What can I say?

My word for the year was TRUST, and good gracious, that was certainly put to the test.

There has been so much fear, anxiety, heartbreak, and unknown over the past 12 months, and though we are more well-informed today and a vaccine has arrived, we still don’t know what the long-term ramifications will be.

At times it feels like a constant free fall, doesn’t it?

Yet, we each also found some bright spots. There were signs of hope all around us—if we dared to look for them.

People working together.
Kindness being shown.
Justice taking hold.
Smiles behind the masks.

But I have to admit, I found myself struggling on a lot of days. From forced isolation to losing clients to my own chronic health issues to, you know, general pandemic junk like wiping down my groceries for months, I went through a lot of dilemmas last year.

However, there was one decision in particular that changed the course of my business and life.

Let me take you through a general timeline of 2020 from my perspective.

January

Remember when we all started 2020 with hope and fresh eyes? So many business plans and capital campaigns were built around the start of this new decade.

Themes were created.
Events were planned.
Anticipation was all around us.

I was right there with you. I had made progress in my business and health the previous year, but 2020 was going to be my best year yet! In fact, that sentiment is what I kept writing over and over in my planner: 2020 is my year!

And then . . .

March

It’s like our calendar re-started, isn’t it? Everything is “before the pandemic” or after.

As someone with chronic health issues for almost nine years now, I was safely tucked away in my apartment. Honestly, things weren’t much different. I already lived alone, as a solopreneur, I worked alone.

So, other than having to move a few of my meetings online and my amazing friend delivering my groceries to me, my routine didn’t change all that much. I actually thought I was kind of built for this, and as long as I was careful, I’d be fine.

BUT around this time I also started feeling bad. Not COVID bad, but I knew I had another kidney infection. They weren’t new to me, sadly. This one, though, wouldn’t go away.

Remember: I’m also running my own business during this time.

Not only did I have to work while dealing with this issue (which was super hard), but the world was just learning about what the pandemic could mean for us—and freaking out as a result.

During March I lost most of my clients, at least for the short-term.

The projects I’d mostly been working on in January and February were travel-related or for nonprofits . . . so, yeah. Gone. And even those that were in the works got put on hold, sometimes indefinitely.

Though I’ve been there before, I was truly looking into the future and unsure where money was going to come from. Frankly, it was scary, and you probably know at least some of how I felt from your own experience.

April - May

Over these two months, I had to rebuild my client base, keep in contact with past clients that might have future projects, and of course, stay inside.

Oh, and I still had the kidney infection.

I’ve never had one this bad. I went through four rounds of antibiotics, got treatment from both of my naturopaths, tried tons of homeopathic remedies, and slept a lot. It just wouldn’t go away!

(Side note: Having a kidney infection during a TP scarcity is not recommended. :)

I was extremely grateful to have work, but struggling to get it done because I just felt bad all the time.

My anxiety was also growing—and my hair was falling out from the illness and stress!

It was time to do something that I really didn’t want to do: see a specialist.

June - July

Two things were working in my favor at this point. First, my biggest client was actually having a great year because of the industry they’re in. So, that meant more work for me, yay! Second, I had a new retainer client that would be steady work for at least the rest of the year.

To be honest, I prefer project work to retainer work. But I’ll be the first to admit that I needed the stability these two clients gave me, both for my business and for my health.

At the same time, I was seeing more doctors and getting tests because they didn’t really know what was wrong with me. An x-ray, ultrasound, CT scan, blood work, and more. It wasn’t just a hassle, it was getting expensive! I didn’t have great insurance as an entrepreneur, and I was certainly paying for it.

Additionally, I’d formally started implementing my self-care plan: weekly trips to the Starbucks drive-thru! (And episodes of The West Wing Weekly.) With social distancing and oodles of Zoom calls, my baristas and a Tall Skinny Vanilla Latte were a welcome sight to my routine.

August would also bring a couple of big turning points.

August

Still not knowing what was wrong with me, I had a procedure done to help the docs suss it out. Guess what? They still didn’t know. I got yet another, “If it gets worse, let us know.”

I’d actually started feeling better since July, though. That was a good sign, but I was growing more frustrated by paying doctor fees and getting no answers, my anxiety was getting out of control, and my hair had gotten pretty thin.

I was not okay.

I was at a crossroads, and it was time to make my most difficult business decision yet:

I decided to get a “regular” job.

Oh, and I went on anti-anxiety meds. I needed a clearer and calmer mind to work, sleep, and live life. That was a very good decision, and I hope to go back off of them very soon.

Besides needing better benefits and additional stability, I also have to admit that the forced isolation was getting to me. Like I said, I was primarily by myself a lot anyway, and it actually doesn’t bother me. It is very rare that I feel lonely. But having the decision taken away from me was difficult. As was not traveling, which is really important to me.

For my mental health, I also knew I would benefit from working with a team again. It would be nice to have the support and regularly work with people toward a common cause. Even I couldn’t deny that additional benefit.

Let me also stop and clarify two things before moving on. First, I had no intention to close Signify. My mission, work, and clients matter a great deal to me and I wanted to continue growing my business in some way. I still know how much it’s needed, and I would find a way to continue.

Second, there was a lot of ugly crying involved. For my fellow entrepreneurs out there, you know what I gut-wrenching decision this was.

I felt like a failure.
Like I couldn’t hack it as a business owner.
Like I wasn’t fit to be an entrepreneur.

Now, I know that isn’t true. Part of this was my perfectionism talking and part of it was the anxiety. But it felt horrible and very, very real.

But I pressed forward and did what I need to do: I started looking for a job.

September - October

My body had healed itself by this time. I still don’t know what was wrong, and am praying it doesn’t come back.

But the financial damage was done at this point, and reinforced my decision to find a job. Between all the different healing avenues I’d taken, I’m guessing the costs totaled about $10,000. And, as a reminder, I’d been dealing with chronic health issues for almost nine years, so this was just additional debt to stress me out.

So, during the fall I networked, applied for a couple of jobs, had a promising interview, and continued my client work. However, the meds had kicked in at this point, so at least I felt more clear-headed, which was a huge blessing.

Oh, and of course, a vaccine was just around the corner!

November: THE BIG CHANGE

The first person I reached out to about a job had been a client for about a year, Vector Global Logistics. The founder, Enrique Alvarez, and I got along swimmingly. We had very similar business philosophies and believed in the power of business for social impact.

We were always trying to find ways to work together, and I thought this might be the next step. Luckily, he thought so, too.

It took us a while to work out the details, but I officially started working part-time for them—with benefits—in November!

I’m happy to announce that I’m the VP of Sales and Marketing for Vector Global Logistics.

Basically, Vector gets the products people care about from Point A to Point B. They provide commercial shipping and logistics services. So, they don’t ship you the new shoes you bought off of Amazon, but they do ship the containers of shoes just like them that came from far off places. Well, they do a lot more, but that’s the gist.

Plus, the reason they exist is to change the world. Because the supply chain affects so many aspects of our lives, they see it as a terrific opportunity to do good. They love giving back and do it every chance they get. Obviously, I can get behind that.

And this still allows me to work part-time on Signify as well. I’m deeply grateful, and have really enjoyed working with them over the past two months. They are an incredible and talented team, and I have to admit, it is nice to be working with a team again!

(I will take a moment to give a huge shout-out to all my previous interns, though, who have really helped shape Signify over the past few years. Plus, they have been a blast to work with!)

December

The most difficult aspect of joining the Vector team has been figuring out how to juggle my new responsibilities with my client work while still growing Signify. (And writing content like this!)

I’m a pretty organized person, but I’m definitely still figuring things out. I imagine it’ll be months of working through this process.

I love starting and building things, though, so working with Vector is a really fun and unique opportunity. It is an amazing company.

I’m excited for the future of what we can do together, and how it will effect Signify (and vice versa.) They are very supportive of my work for both companies, and I’ve got big ideas for both!

Overall, the end of 2020 worked out pretty well for me. It was certainly rough at times, but I clung to my word of the year, TRUST, and came through okay.

The Moral of My Story

Here’s the paradox of 2020 for me: I actually made more money than in any other year, whether as an entrepreneur or a full-time employee. But with the stress of the year, my ongoing (and new) health issues, the new debt, the forced isolation, and another uncertain year ahead, I decided to get a job.

Weird—the watchword of 2020.

I tell you my story not just to say “woe is me” or get your sympathy. I’m sharing what happened to me because it’s probably not all that uncommon and I wanted you to know that you’re not alone.

As the founder or leader of a nonprofit or social impact company, you’re always in a battle for better.

You want to do good and by working on behalf of a cause, you’re always sacrificing something of yourself. It could be your time, money, resources, or any number of things. It’s not easy, but you know it’s worth it. I do, too.

While I strive to be a genuine and authentic person, I admit that I’m not always an open book. I do keep things close to my chest because that’s just the way I operate and internally process. But I wanted to share my difficult decision with you because I know you get it.

You may not have been in the same situation as me, but you know how hard it is to run an organization and what you might have to do or give up as a result, both personally and professionally, to see your mission move forward.

Let me remind you, though, just like in 2020—and just like in your work—there are always bright spots in dark times.

How to Find the Right Social Impact Job for You

There are lots of websites, blogs, podcasts, and more that tell you how to find a great job you’ll love. But let me share two pieces of advice that really helped me last year.

• Create a great network. When you find yourself with some sort of need, you need a great network to turn to. Cultivate relationships with lots of amazing people, in life and in work. Be generous with your time and resources because it’s the right thing to do, but also because those wonderful people will return the favor. When I was looking for a job, I wasn’t doing it in a vacuum. There were a few amazing friends and peers who were looking out for me, too.

• Make a list of what you want. I didn’t want just any job. I knew exactly what I was looking for and I went in search of it. I made a list of all the tangibles and intangibles that wouldn’t just give me a paycheck, but a career, and some place I could really contribute to. Near the very tippy top of that list was a strong culture. I wanted to go somewhere that I would feel encouraged and supported, and everyone else felt the same. Vector checks almost every box on my list (and it’s a long list!). Of course, I’d also had the privilege of working with them for a year, so I knew they walked the walk. I was fortunate in that way, but a good network will also know other good people, so that reinforces the first point as well.

So, there you go! That’s my story of 2020. Now you know the most difficult decision I had to make last year—and know that I’m here for you in your difficult decisions as well.

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I’m Kristi Porter, and I help cause-focused organizations understand and execute effective marketing campaigns so they can move from stressed to strategic. Your resources may be limited, but your potential isn’t. Whether you’re a nonprofit, social enterprise, or small business who wants to give back, I’ll show you how to have a bigger impact.

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How to Give Back With Your Small Business

Over the summer, I had the desire to be more charitable with Signify. It’s generally a slower season, and that gave me a little more capacity to think about how I wanted to utilize my business to give back to the “do good” community at large.

You might look at a small business like mine think that philanthropy is very easy for me, given that my service offerings and products are primarily built for cause-focused organizations. And in some ways, that’s true. But I’m also a solopreneur still in the early stages of my business. So, it’s not like I can take off every week to volunteer or send out large checks on a regular basis.

If you’re a fellow startup, entrepreneur, or small business, you probably understand the dilemma.

Still, I knew there were ways to capitalize on the summer months if I was creative. I wanted to give more than the occasional volunteer hours or one-off check here and there. And I knew that the fall would be incredibly busy, so this was going to be a short-term effort.

So, I looked around at what I had to give and who I wanted to serve, and formulated a plan.

The Good News About Charitable Giving For Small Businesses

In my current work at Signify, as well as my many years of volunteering for and working in nonprofits, I’ve learned a lot of things. But one of the chief take-aways is that small organizations can use anything you have to give.

That is fantastic news for solopreneurs and small businesses who want to be more charitable. Only have a little to give? No problem!

Whether it’s a few volunteer hours, small donations (regular or now and again), or some other in-kind service, it will be put to good use by those with limited resources. Plus, you’ll get to participate in the causes that you care about! And, if that wasn’t enough, you’ll get to build personal relationships with the people solving problems that matter to you.

This Solopreneur’s Solution

As I mentioned, I formulated a workable plan for my summer giving. I decided that dishing out free marketing advice was the best thing I could offer. After all, standing in the gap for nonprofits and social enterprises who don’t have a marketing department was the reason I created Signify in the first place. So, my time and expertise was the most valuable commodity I had to give.

I held what I called “office hours,” which were set consultation hours during the week that any purpose-driven organization (for- or non-profit) could sign up for. There was no cost and no pitch for working with me afterward. It was just a chance to get their marketing and communications questions answered, or get feedback on their current efforts.

It was a lot of fun, and I ended up meeting some awesome people. I learned about new organizations, and was able to build new relationships and strengthen existing ones. Additionally, it was like a thousand degrees in Atlanta, and didn’t require me to leave my house, ha! ;)

How Will You Give Back With Your Business?

For my fellow entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses, I hope I’ve given you some inspiration in beginning your own philanthropic journey. I’m proof that being charitable doesn’t have to be hard. And it doesn’t have to cost you a lot of time or money. But I promise, to those you end up helping, it will be extremely valuable!

If you’d like some direction on how you can be more giving with your business, I’ve written a four-step plan over at Honeybook/The Rising Tide Society. There, I’ll walk you through the stages of how to add philanthropist to your job title.

Download the free worksheet to walk you through giving back with your small business! (No opt-in required!)

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing and consulting services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing, and business communications. I also teach solopreneurs and small businesses how to incorporate philanthropy and giving strategies. I believe that cause-focused organizations are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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Work ON Your Business, Not IN Your Business (Part 2)

There are a couple of stereotypes that come to mind when the word "entrepreneur" is brought up. First, is the more romanticized notion of being able to travel, take long lunches, and basically do what you want, when you want. On the other hand, there's the overworked, underpaid, and basically frazzled lump of a person. Those are the opposite ends of the spectrum, and honestly, depending on the day, either can be accurate.

We entrepreneurs are definitely lured away from more traditional jobs by the first persona, but for many of us, it's the second one that ends up taking root. And though none of us signs up for long hours and little pay long-term, those of us who are leading purpose-driven organizations often just chock it up to the cost of doing business differently. But I don't think this has to be the case.

Last week, I shared that I'd recently finished the book The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber, which made the phrase "working ON your business, not IN your business" popular. In that post, I recounted that he says there are three different types of personalities that all business owners must display in order to be successful: the entrepreneur, manager, and technician. Building on that idea, today I want to share his strategy for growth and scale. And, like last time, I'll also tell you what some of the nonprofit and social enterprise leaders I admire do to work on their business.

(Psst: Missed part one of this series? Catch it here.)

The first part of the book, the section which primarily deals with those three personalities, made perfect sense to me. I recognized those traits in myself, but also saw areas of improvement I know I need to work on if I want to making it in business, as well as see my social enterprise thrive.

However, there were aspects of this second part that initially rubbed me the wrong way. But I pushed through, and Gerber made a strong case for his argument. I think I even became a believer along the way.

So, what was it?

The Franchise Model

The stance Gerber takes in this book is a bold one, in my opinion. He submits that to grow and scale, all small businesses owners must adopt a franchise mentality. That is, they must on some level be able to replicate themselves through systems and processes.

Some of you might automatically get stuck after reading that paragraph. Even being a girl who loves systems, "I totally paused," to quote Clueless, when I started this section of the book. At this point, I don't see myself setting up numerous Signify offices around the country, or hiring hundreds of employees. In fact, that thought makes me kinda want to barf. However, I am flying solo on this venture right now, and it would be super terrific to one day maybe have a bookkeeper, a few specialists on retainer, or heck, even an intern. And those things mean that I need to think bigger. I need to think in terms of scaling. In Gerber's philosophy, I need to franchise.

If a business is to thrive, it must obviously move beyond the founder. It cannot be wholly dependent on me or my skills—or in your case, you. Otherwise, it can feel very burdensome. It's more of just a job at that point. If I am out on vacay or sick in bed or taking that glorious three-hour lunch, nothing's getting done. Sound familiar?

Gerber equates business growth to the development of a person, with an infancy, adolescence, and maturity stage. The infant stage is exciting. Everything is new, but it can also easily get overwhelming. There are so many tasks to complete, and not enough help or time to complete them. You enter the adolescence stage when you hire someone. This is pretty spectacular, but too many owners end up wanting a break so desperately that they shove everything on to the newbie, which creates a whole new set of problems. It's possible said newbie either becomes overwhelmed too, may not yet carry the vision, or may have a different take on doing things that they execute in your absence. None of those are good alternatives. Gerber calls it "managing by abdication rather than delegation."

At this point, he says the owner has two viable options: the first is to either return to their comfort zone of the one man band, or expand with a franchise model mindset. 

Turnkey Revolution

His solution to success is the "turnkey revolution," which is a model that allows basically anyone to complete the process. Yes, just like a franchise. He uses the example of McDonald's.

While many businesses fail every year, putting processes, systems, and organization in place allows 75% of franchises to succeed. Wow, that's crazy! This is because they are consistent and predictable. And we humans are often creatures of habit, so those two words are comforting.

There are four basic principles behind the turnkey model:

1. Design for simplicity and efficiency. Your system should determine the outcome, not your people.

2. Document everything in an operations manual. This includes the roles, the work itself, and everything between.

3. Predictable service is a necessity. You must provide consistent value to your customers (or donors, for you nonprofit founders who are still with us).

4. Be results-oriented. Create a profit for your business, and be able to measure goals and objectives. And, of course, be ready to tweak at any time.

My Hang-Ups

I've already mentioned my first issue, and that was trying to define what scaling meant to me. Through his examples in the book, he is definitely talking about becoming a big player, but again, at this point, I have no desire for that. But his case was strong enough to help me realize that even wanting to scale on a very small scale could benefit from what he had to say.

Item number two may have made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up as well, and that was "Your system should determine the outcome, not your people." Okay, ouch! I pursed my lips and scowled a bit when he started in on this idea. After all, if I'm one person now, and want to expand that to two, three, or five people, I want to hire great people! I want to love them, and be friends with them, and invite them for sleepovers. (Okay, maybe not that last one, but I haven't ruled it out.)

But, after thinking about it a little more, I'd heard something similar before that I did agree with, and that was to hire based on the capability of the person, not the job description. Gerber may not agree with me there, but I'm gonna go with it. His point is that when you get a good system in place, most anyone should be able to pick up the ball and run with it. You should make it that simple, efficient, and seamless. And there is a lot of that I can stand behind.

Along those lines, I was a little put off with his continued use of McDonald's as an example. I'm personally not a fan for many reasons. But I am smart enough to recognize the business sense and innovation that company, and Ray Kroc, had in the early days. It just took reframing that concept for me. An assembly line is not what I'm looking for, but because I love systems, I understand the value of putting a process in place to help guide or predict an outcome.

The other thing I'll say is that if you choose to read the book, he pretty much sticks to product-based businesses to illustrate his point. So, you service-based guys and gals like me will need to think a little more intuitively. 

Overall, I really did find the book interesting and worth my time. I would recommend it as well. There are some steps I've already started putting in place along these lines, and plenty more to come. If anything, it'll just get you thinking differently about your little engine that could.

If you've read The E-Myth Revisited, what did you think?

What It Looks Like in Action

I also asked a few small business owners that I know, or follow online, to share how they work on their business, not just in their business. Here's what they had to say:

"You can't do everything on your own. Outsource what you can to freelancers, so you can focus on scale and the North Star of your vision." – Grant Trahant, Causeartist

“Every year on January 2, the Plywood staff takes a retreat to focus on the year ahead. We turn off our email and spend the first few days of the year focusing on the big picture." – Callie Murray, Plywood People

“For sixteen years, through North Point and Orange, I have heard ‘work on it instead of just in it.’ I get it, but it is so difficult to live it out. With everything thing that needs to get done, stopping to theorize, dream, analyze, and ask tough questions often doesn’t make the list. But I declared summer of 2017 the summer of analysis. This summer we have worked on it instead of just in it, and it has changed the direction of our division in many ways. The greatest benefit of working on it, is the peace of mind that you are working on the right things.” – Ted Lowe, MarriedPeople

“To continually improve our effectiveness, we block four hours per week for the entire team to work 'on' the business. During this time, we may work on our marketing initiatives or redesign key business processes. There are weeks when it's really hard to protect the time on our calendars. However, even without a 100% success rate on our goal, we've seen our organization's projects move forward more consistently than ever before.” – Kevin Jennings, Junction 32

“The only way I actually find time to work on my businesses, instead of just in them, is by making them a priority. Think back to high school or college dating . . . if your crush was available to hang out, it didn’t matter if you had class in two hours, or a paper due tomorrow, or a project to work on. You can bet you were hanging out with your crush! You found time to meet up with them, because it was your priority. Your business is no different. You have to trust that the work that needs to get done will get done when you take the time to make working on your business a priority, just like it did when you were younger and you survived school work and a date with your crush all in one day.” - Christina Scalera, Founder of The Contract Shop

“The thing I've had to learn as Refuge is growing from a small mom-and-pop venture to a larger-scale nonprofit is to let go! Not to let go of vision and culture, but to let go of the details. That's not a problem for me in some areas—the things I don't like to do or don't do well—but anything having to do with messaging or partying, I want to have my hands in it. I have to find people I trust and let them lead. It's freeing, but hard at first. In the end, it's so worth it, not just for your organization and your own sanity, but for the people who take those details, learn, grow, and knock it out of the park. Plus, they get the credit and satisfaction, and that's really cool.” – Kitti Murray, Refuge Coffee Co.

Read the first part of the series.

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing, and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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