1,000 Routes with Nick Bennett

In this discussion, Erica Schneider, a writing and editing coach and founder of Cut the Fluff, shares her transformative journey from content marketing to solopreneurship. She explores the power of words and the art of engaging storytelling. Erica discusses the challenges of building an audience, navigating multiple income streams, and managing burnout. She emphasizes the importance of vulnerability in content creation and the impact of personal writing. Tune in for her insights on launching online courses and achieving personal fulfillment!

John Rougeux is a narrative designer and the founder of Flag & Frontier. John shares the route he carved from mechanical engineer, to marketer, to category designer, to solopreneur. (00:00) - Embracing the Entrepreneurial Journey: A Personal Reflection (00:55) - Discovering The Route (01:10) - Networking and Learning in Business (03:00) - The Solopreneur's Mindset (07:48) - Finding Your Motivation and Defining Success (11:48) - The Process of Becoming a Full-Time Consultant (14:04) - The Turning Point (20:35) - Navigating the Challenges (23:22) - Overcoming Doubts (25:55) - Embracing Failure (27:21) - Overcoming Negative Thoughts (28:06) - The Birth of Narrative Design (33:27) - Navigating Challenges (37:16) - Evolving Business Messaging and the Importance of Feedback (43:05) - The Journey to Narrative Design and Its Impact (50:21) - Looking Forward Aspirations -- ⁠Follow John on LinkedIn⁠ Subscribe to The Narrative Field Guide -- Free blueprint for Solopreneurs - ⁠The Digital Consulting Blueprint: 5 Steps To Acquire New Clients, Stabilize Your Income, And Capture The Value You Create⁠

Mike O'Neill is an elite-level executive coach, leadership trainer, and podcaster. We explore Mike's transition from a corporate HR leader supporting thousands of employees to becoming a solopreneur. He shares the challenges and rewards of Solopreneurship, the lessons learned from mentors, and how building meaningful, long-term relationships has been key to success. (00:00) - Success Through Problem Solving and Trus (01:24) - Reconnecting and Reflecting (04:28) - Uncertainty and Opportunity (09:10) - Building a Business with Heart (19:37) - Finding Purpose and Impact (24:57) - Navigating Requests and Self-Awareness (25:59) - From Consulting to Coaching (26:33) - Transforming Awareness into Action (28:51) - Setting Expectations (32:26) - The Role of Mentors and the Impact of Long-Term Relationships (43:53) - Navigating Business Identity (48:26) - Looking Forward -- ⁠Follow Mike LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Listen to Get Unstuck & On Target -- Free blueprint for Solopreneurs - ⁠The Digital Consulting Blueprint: 5 Steps To Acquire New Clients, Stabilize Your Income, And Capture The Value You Create⁠

Max Traylor’s journey is a testament to prioritizing what matters most. By turning setbacks into opportunities, he’s found a way to help solopreneurs create businesses that align with the lives they aspire to lead.Drawing from his experience as a consultant and former agency leader, Max explains how he revamped his pricing strategy to create more personal time, the value of nurturing high-level relationships, and the importance of failing on your own terms. He also talks about the ROI of focusing on what you’re best at and how outsourcing can help you find more time for the things you love the most.(00:00) The four-day work week(03:26) The importance of leveraging your strengths(07:48) The value of self-publishing(16:37) Embracing failure as a path to success(19:11) The turning point: going solo(28:54) Finding professional motivation(31:27) Navigating career transitions(34:35) The myth of hustle culture(44:36) The power of asking for what you want--Follow Max on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxtraylor/--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/ 

Andrew Capland is a coach and mentor of growth leaders, an advisor for product-led SaaS companies, and the host of the Delivering Value podcast. Andrew is on a mission to revolutionize his business and build a media empire.In this episode, Andrew shares his transition from a corporate role at companies like HubSpot, Wistia, and Postscript to becoming a solopreneur driven by passion and purpose. He also touches on the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, dealing with not-so-great clients, and the stress of making it on your own. 00:00 Overcoming self-doubt01:06 Andrew’s journey through HubSpot, Wistia, and Postscript03:01 Lessons from high-growth companies04:58 The impact of company culture07:04 Transition to solopreneurship20:36 Building confidence and your client base22:08 Refining the coaching business35:54 The importance of compassion in leadership38:46 Balancing mission and money56:24 Connection and vulnerability with coaching clients01:02:15 Building a media arm for greater impactFollow Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcapland/Subscribe to the 1,000 Routes Newsletter: https://1000routes.com/ Get my free blueprint for Solopreneurs - ⁠The Digital Consulting Blueprint: 5 Steps To Acquire New Clients, Stabilize Your Income, And Capture The Value You Create⁠: https://becomeadigitalconsultant.com/ 

If you call yourself a solopreneur, this is for you. Whether you became one on purpose, or because it seemed easier than getting another job after a layoff, like a lot of people, you're trying to build something meaningful, and you want to do it on your terms. But it’s been harder and it's taking longer than you thought it would to get out of survival mode. And for most people who do make it out and start earning good money, they end up working 60-70-even 80-hour weeks to manage their “success.” No one I know calls that success. I speak with dozens of solopreneurs every single week and have heard some version of this story over and over again. And I believe it’s because our social feeds have us convinced that if you don’t burn out trying to follow the route the loudest people have paved, you’ll go broke. Turns out this is not even a little bit true. There are thousands of solopreneurs out there right now cutting their own routes, building in silence, and making progress without fanfare. This is what we need more of and who we need to hear from. So that’s exactly what we’re going to do. Join me every week as I explore the stories, learn the lessons, and track the uncommon routes that common Solopreneurs take to get more clients, earn more money, and plant their flag. I'm Nick Bennett, and this is 1000 Routes.