1,000 Routes with Nick Bennett

Andrew Capland is a growth strategist and founder of his own business, where he helps growth teams and entrepreneurs build scalable, efficient strategies. With years of experience in the growth space, Andrew now focuses on creating content and resources to empower others to navigate their professional challenges with actionable, repeatable frameworks.In this episode, Andrew shares his journey of transitioning from full-time employment to building his own business. He walks through his struggles and successes, from figuring out how to create content that resonates with his audience, to experimenting with pricing models for his new digital offerings. Andrew also reveals how he’s working to scale his income through sponsorships, while balancing the demands of fatherhood and entrepreneurship. Plus, he dives into the nuances of creating a digital product that can operate without him—designed to help others make decisions, take action, and achieve results.(00:00) Intro(01:00) Transition from full-time to solo business(05:15) Navigating self-employment challenges(09:40) Evolving content strategy and creating value(14:00) Exploring new income streams: sponsorships & digital products(18:25) Pricing dilemmas and thought process(22:05) Developing self-guided course & digital products(27:00) Balancing family life & entrepreneurship(31:20) Lessons learned and moving forward with clarity(36:10) Creating scalable business model that works without you(40:45) Thoughts on the changing role of digital products & content creation(46:00) How sponsorships align with passive income goals(50:05) Importance of experimenting with new business models(54:30) Challenges in building long-term business(59:00) Building business that works for your lifeFollow Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcapland/Check out Delivering Value: https://deliveringvalue.co/--Create your next digital offer: https://harnessandhone.com/ Join Full Stack Solopreneur: https://fullstacksolo.com/Download the free roadmap: https://fullstacksoloroadmap.com/ 

Jen Allen-Knuth is a sales strategist, keynote speaker, and founder of DemandJen, where she helps teams simplify selling and rediscover the joy of driving meaningful conversations.In this episode, Jen opens up about the mindset shifts that finally pushed her to go solo after years at Challenger and Lavender. She shares the insecurities she had to overcome, the messy behind-the-scenes of setting up her business, and the surprising joys (and pains) of self-employment. From being called out by Josh Braun to forging a playful feud with Will Aitken on LinkedIn, Jen walks through the very real, very human story of building a solo business with staying power.(00:00) Intro(00:32) From Lavender to solopreneurship(03:05) Overcoming insecurities and taking the leap(06:05) Navigating LinkedIn and building a personal brand(09:07) Choosing a business model and early challenges(12:27) The turning point(15:47) Support from industry leaders(21:09) Balancing work and personal life(25:04) The reality of sales and entrepreneurship(26:25) Humor and content creation(28:24) LinkedIn dynamics and fake feuds(30:32) Transitioning from Lavender and finding new balance(31:40) Challenges of working independently(35:35) Navigating business logistics(46:50) Pricing and value realization(47:38) Lessons in business pricingFollow Jen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/demandjen1/ Check out DemandJen: https://www.demandjen.com --Create your next digital offer: https://harnessandhone.com/ Join Full Stack Solopreneur: https://fullstacksolo.com/Download the free roadmap: https://fullstacksoloroadmap.com/ 

Justin Simon is a content strategist, course creator, and founder of the Distribution First Academy, helping solopreneurs and marketers build smarter content engines without burning out.In this episode, Justin shares how a layoff became the unexpected push he needed to bet on himself—and why he’s focused on building a business he never wants to retire from. He opens up about navigating the messy early days of consulting, finding his niche in content repurposing, and the mindset shifts that helped him build a more sustainable, intentional career. From launching a course while still working full-time to taking a leap into coaching and community building, Justin traces the real, unfiltered path that brought him to today—and where he’s aiming next.(00:00) Intro(01:28) Creating the Content Repurposing Roadmap(02:52) Transition to solopreneurship(11:54) Early struggles and learning curves(19:22) Lessons from fractional roles(22:49) Balancing revenue streams(23:16) Building a membership community(26:25) The challenges of creating a membership(32:33) The impact of one-on-one coaching(37:58) Balancing personal and professional life(47:23) What Justin would’ve done differentlyFollow Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justincsimon/ Check out Distribution First Academy: https://distributionfirst.club/ --Create your next digital offer: https://harnessandhone.com/ Join Full Stack Solopreneur: https://fullstacksolo.com/Download the free roadmap: https://fullstacksoloroadmap.com/ 

Renee Lynn Frojo is a writer, strategist, and former journalist who’s built multiple creative ventures—from food blogs to online magazines to a thriving content consulting business.In this episode, Renee shares why she’s walking away from one-to-one client work and betting big on herself (again). She opens up about evolving as a solopreneur, finding clarity through experimentation, and what it really takes to stay motivated when the initial spark fades. From a press badge in D.C. to building a food blog from scratch, Renee traces how every chapter of her career has uniquely prepared her to help others tell their stories—and now, to launch A Good Reputation, a new newsletter about building businesses with intention and integrity.(00:00) Intro(01:03) Getting traction on LinkedIn by breaking the mold(02:21) Why she stopped trying to be an “expert”(03:35) How Renee approaches honest writing(05:12) Writers she admires and what she’s learned from them(07:26) Going back to journalism roots(11:00) The turning point to go solo(14:06) Her first blog, Make It Like A Chef(15:42) Why 10K followers wasn’t enough(17:46) Selling Woman Born and entering consulting(19:44) Building a content business and evolving again(22:06) When discomfort means it’s time to pivot(24:05) The compounding value of all her projects(27:03) Launching A Good Reputation(29:31) Turning down clients to make space(32:28) Escaping the one-to-one “freelance trap”(34:08) Moving toward cohorts and courses(35:56) Making the leap (with a safety net)(43:00) Lessons she’d do differently(44:33) What she’s building nextFollow Renee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renee-lynn-frojo/Check out A Good Reputation: https://www.reneelynnfrojo.com/--Create your next digital offer: https://harnessandhone.com/ Join Full Stack Solopreneur: https://fullstacksolo.com/Download the free roadmap: https://fullstacksoloroadmap.com/ 

Alice Lemée is a writer, strategist, and creator of Internetly, a newsletter exploring identity, creativity, and online business. In this episode, Alice opens up about the moment she realized freelancing wasn’t her long-term path, how she coined the concept of “Creator Gravity,” and why building something meaningful requires messy, unglamorous work behind the scenes. From a failed music internship during COVID to going viral on Twitter, Alice shares how she turned rejection into a full-time writing career—eventually building newsletters for top creators like Miss Excel and growing an audience of her own. (00:00) Intro(03:36) Discovering Medium and writing about scams(08:01) How a viral Twitter thread launched her freelance career(12:57) Landing early clients and building momentum(15:18) Creating value through curation, not expertise(20:06) The highs and lows of freelancing(23:54) Building Miss Excel’s newsletter from 50 to 392K(26:30) The power of relationships and personal brand(29:34) Launching Internetly as a creative outlet(31:58) Why Alice walked away from the digital nomad lifestyle(38:55) Coining “Creator Gravity” and building a new lens(46:03) The importance of commitment to the craft(48:30) Detaching from metrics and trusting the process(49:56) Letting go of a past identity to make room for what’s next(51:19) Building the Creator Gravity cohortFollow Alice on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicelemee/Work with Alice Lemée: https://www.alicelemee.com/Subscribe to Internetly: https://internetly.substack.com/--Create your next digital offer: https://harnessandhone.com/ Join Full Stack Solopreneur: https://fullstacksolo.com/Download the free roadmap: https://fullstacksoloroadmap.com/ 

Devin Reed is a content strategist, solopreneur, and creator of The Reeder—a content consultancy and newsletter helping B2B brands stand out by owning a single word in their market. In this episode, Devin opens up about his journey from head of content at Gong and Clari to running his own business full-time. He shares the mindset shift that helped him overcome self-doubt, the moment he realized VP life wasn’t for him, and how he designed an intentional business with built-in client graduation. Devin also explains why clarity beats cleverness, how to build content that sells without selling, and why he believes content should be synonymous with credibility—not just clicks.(00:00) Intro(00:46) Starting Read Between the Lines(03:39) Building shows that break the mold(06:35) Why Devin didn’t go solo after Gong(09:54) The turning point at Clari(13:35) Starting The Reeder on the side(18:46) Devin’s evolving business model(22:54) The reality behind “passive” income(26:16) Why people actually buy from Devin(29:11) The one-word principle of mindshare(34:07) What category creation really takes(40:14) Why Devin ditched long retainers(43:03) Raising rates with confidence(45:26) Pricing based on real impact(46:05) What Devin’s building nextFollow Devin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinreed/Subscribe to The Reeder: https://thereeder.coCheck out Devin’s playbook: https://www.thereeder.co/courses/content-that-converts--Create your next digital offer: https://harnessandhone.com/ Join Full Stack Solopreneur: https://fullstacksolo.com/Download the free roadmap: https://fullstacksoloroadmap.com/ 

Jay Acunzo is a keynote speaker and storytelling coach to business storytellers & experts, helping them compete on the impact of their ideas, not the volume of their marketing.In this episode, Jay unpacks the reality behind his transition from working at brands like Google, HubSpot, and NextView to going solo. He explains why he didn’t “make the leap,” how he replaced hustle with systems, and how an offhand compliment from a stranger helped him realize the value of his voice. Jay also shares what it means to build a platform of impact, how to tell stories that stick without shouting, and why he believes the best ideas aren’t always the newest—they’re the ones people actually remember.(00:00) Intro(00:46) The “final boss” of podcast guests(03:39) From Google to solopreneur(04:29) Building a platform of impact(30:37) The frustration of PR pitches(31:12) Crafting a unique contact form(32:51) The reality of public speaking(35:21) The end of Creator Kitchen(42:38) The “final boss” of podcast guests (reprise)Follow Jay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo/Jay Acunzo’s Official Website: https://jayacunzo.com Listen to How Stories Happen: https://jayacunzo.com/how-stories-happen-storytelling-podcastSubscribe to Jay’s newsletter, Playing Favorites: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter --Create your next digital offer: https://harnessandhone.com/ Join Full Stack Solopreneur: https://fullstacksolo.com/Download the free roadmap: https://fullstacksoloroadmap.com/ 

Chris Marr is the founder of The Authoritative Coach, a practice dedicated to helping coaches and consultants become trusted experts in the eyes of their clients.In this episode, Chris shares his journey from entrepreneur to employee and back again. He talks about how The Authoritative Coach started as an experiment, how he knew it was time to leave his job, and how he signed his first clients without even having a website. Chris also discusses the value of iteration, the importance of asking for what you want, and why he believes "figuring it out" is the real work.(00:00) Intro(02:16) The birth of the Authoritative Coach(03:28) Deciding to leave IMPACT(08:09) The importance of figuring it out(21:41) Acquiring first clients(26:25) The power of asking(28:25) The importance of networking(29:29) Building and monetizing an audience(34:25) Iterating your service model(36:04) Launching a coaching business(52:13) Future aspirations and business goals--Follow Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theauthoritativecoachThe Authoritative Coach: https://theauthoritativecoach.com/Check out the book “Become an Authoritative Coach”: https://theauthoritativecoach.com/buy-the-book/--Subscribe to the 1,000 Routes Newsletter: https://1000routes.com/Full-Stack Solopreneur is the only hybrid digital program that combines the flexibility of a self-paced course with the hands-on nature of a private consulting service⁠: https://fullstacksolo.com/

Sean Blanda is the owner of Gate Check Studios, providing fractional brand, content, and marketing leadership for startups.In this episode, Sean shares his journey from journalism to entrepreneurship, his experience as a founding marketer at Crossbeam, and why he ultimately chose to go solo. Sean discusses the creative exhaustion that led him to take the leap, the importance of adapting to shifts in marketing, and how his sabbatical-inspired newsletter helped him reconnect with his creative instincts. He also unpacks the process of landing his first clients, the challenge of productizing services, and why every solopreneur should embrace curiosity and velocity.(00:00) Intro(01:03) Sean’s entrepreneurial journey(05:21) The birth and evolution of Gate Check Studios(10:06) The Sabbatical concept and its impact(21:41) Exploring side projects and client work(23:19) The importance of curiosity and velocity(26:12) Navigating client relationships and market corrections(33:01) Productization and packaging strategies(37:31) Results aren’t enough, vibes matter too--Follow Sean on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanblanda/Sean Blanda’s Official Website: https://seanblanda.com/Gate Check Studios: https://gatecheckstudios.com/--Subscribe to the 1,000 Routes Newsletter: https://1000routes.com/Full-Stack Solopreneur is the only hybrid digital program that combines the flexibility of a self-paced course with the hands-on nature of a private consulting service⁠: https://fullstacksolo.com/

Ramli “RJ” John is the founder of Delight Path, helping B2B companies optimize product onboarding to drive growth.In this episode, Ramli shares his journey from working in-house to launching his own consulting business, how writing a book changed his career path, and the lessons he’s learned in solopreneurship. He breaks down the mental shifts required to go from employee to business owner, the challenges of pricing and selling high-ticket services, and why structured processes make all the difference. Ramli also discusses the balance between short-term projects and retainers, how he built his Eureka framework, and what’s next for him as he scales his business.(00:00) Intro(01:10) How writing a book changed Ramli’s career(03:30) The turning point for launching his own business(06:45) Overcoming the fear of going solo(08:20) The importance of runway and financial security(10:50) The biggest challenge: learning sales(14:15) Why niching down made all the difference(17:30) Choosing between short-term projects and retainers(20:40) Building the Eureka model for product onboarding(24:10) Structuring offers to avoid scope creep(27:00) The emotional highs and lows of solopreneurship--Follow Ramli on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramlijohn/?originalSubdomain=caCheck out Delight Path: https://www.delightpath.com/--Subscribe to the 1,000 Routes Newsletter: https://1000routes.com/Full-Stack Solopreneur is the only hybrid digital program that combines the flexibility of a self-paced course with the hands-on nature of a private consulting service⁠: https://fullstacksolo.com/