Welcome to The Sustainable Solopreneur
Yep, she got a name change!
Alright, sweet friends. I’m back with a few fun updates for you over here in newsletter land. About a month ago, I found out that I needed to change the name of this newsletter for copyright reasons. If you’ve been following along for a while, you know I changed my branding to The Third Door about six months ago. But I was actually excited to rebrand this whole thing again; it felt like catching up to myself.
I’m also planning to center this Substack and email space more heavily in my marketing and business model, going forward. I adore writing essays, having real conversations, and connecting with potential clients who resonate with my approach here. So: We’re expanding what you get access to and giving her a new name: The Sustainable Solopreneur!
The vibe will be the same: An opportunity for you to learn about how to build a business that doesn’t burn you out, on your own terms, while still making a beautiful impact on the world.
But the perspectives you’ll find here will be a little bit more raw. The truth is that the internet is noisy right about about how you should build a business. Things like: “Hustle and embrace overwork to see the best results.” “Create a perfect funnel and you’ll have constant conversions.” “Make viral content on social media and your business will grow rapidly.”
Sound familiar?
I’m tired of it and I know you are too. So much of that advice is copy-pasted and does not apply to the work you’re doing, the life things you’re handling or the way your unique brain works. It’s also inherently capitalist and often, these approaches will burn you out.
I know that because I’ve coached hundreds of you. And let me tell you: There is no silver bullet solution that will help you make more money or finally decide to go out there and market like a wild woman. Or rather: You are the silver bullet you’ve been waiting for. Learning to accept your own energetic patterns, to rewrite old stories, and to give yourself permission to work how you want is the actual unlock. And that work is deeply relational. You can’t do it alone. It happens in community, in conversation, in mentorship — with other humans!
The Sustainable Solopreneur is about releasing all of those “shoulds” and leaning into seasonality, self-awareness and creativity in your business. A sustainable business is one that lasts, one that doesn’t burn you out, one that is built for you and your passions.
As it has in the past, this newsletter will include stories, essays and lessons to help you thrive on this entrepreneurial path less taken. Consider this a map that guides you down your own path, but inspires solidarity as well.
But the big update is that there will be three (yes, three!) segments in The Sustainable Solopreneur moving forward:
True Stories: Essays & case studies from me, always sent out on Mondays, to teach you about that mix of practical strategy and human psychology I’m so obsessed with. You’ll read (anonymous) client stories and my honest takes on things like procrastination, audience development, toxic self-reliance, behavioral patterns that are keeping you stuck, branding, marketing, money and beyond.
Sample Paths: A Wednesday Q&A series that will feature creative solopreneurs taking unique paths to success. (If you think you’d be a great interview, please reach out!)
Trying Stuff: A once-monthly podcast (yep, you read that right!) from me, which will give you a behind-the-scenes look at the experiments I’m conducting in my own solopreneur business and what I’m learning from them. The frequency of this podcast will likely increase over time and it will eventually become a paid subscriber benefit!
Here’s to a continued evolution, to a more honest take on the ways our businesses are intertwined with our lives, and to saying the real things even when they’re messy.
xo,
Jenni
PS. Want to hang out with me in a few weeks? I’m teaching at the Lettuce Financial Solo Summit (which is free!) about how to support yourself in a business of one through automation, hiring, coaching and beyond. And the line up is absolutely stacked. Register here.