Boost Your Solopreneur Business with These 3 Proven Tips Make money, save time and avoid burnout.

It can take up to 18 months for an entrepreneur to finally feel like they have a working business model — if ever. And while there are no hacks, there are shortcuts to success that can save you time and accelerate your revenue growth.

These shortcuts are centered around the main obstacles any new entrepreneur will face:

• Establishing product-market fit
• Building trust and credibility
• Generating leads

Proactively eliminating these obstacles will give you a competitive edge over other emerging entrepreneurs. But as a heads up, this competition is expected to increase. The reason is that over 120,000 layoffs have taken place within the first four months of 2023, according to Layoffs.fyi . And that's just for the tech industry.

I expect many of those who were laid off will pursue solopreneurship in the short term, and they may end up sticking with it. So keep this in mind: Your ability to learn faster — and act on what you've learned — is the only sustainable competitive advantage.

Related: Ready to Level up Your Business? Here Are 7 Masterminds You Should Consider

Now it's time to learn about those shortcuts and how to implement them.

Sell a skill you already have

Let's start by defining product-market fit. As per HubSpot, product-market fit is when your product addresses and solves the needs of your buyer personas. So, it's when you sell something a specific audience actually wants.

You could spend months or even years trying to come up with a revolutionary idea that would transform the lives of your audience. Or, you could pick a skill you already have and enjoy using. For example, let's say you were responsible for managing your team's email marketing campaigns at a previous job. As a solopreneur, you could now offer email marketing training to other organizations.

Related: How to Leverage Your Skills to Start a Side Business

You know there's a product-market fit since that skill is needed by many companies and you know how to perform the work since you did it at your previous job. But remember, you need to select a skill you're good at and enjoy. If that's email marketing, go with that. If not, move on to another skill until you find one that satisfies both criteria.

Action item:

Jot down all the job-related skills you excel at and enjoy. Select one to offer as a professional service provider. Alternatively, you can pick up to three skills/services, so long as they complement each other. For example, email marketing, copywriting and lead generation.

Activate your network

Now that you've selected the service you want to offer, you will face another roadblock: Building trust and credibility with your target audience. This can be frustrating, especially if you've leveraged the skill for years in the corporate world.

So here's the shortcut: Ask your network to spread the word about your new business. I've surveyed hundreds of entrepreneurs, and 90% of them got their first customer through an existing acquaintance. This means you either know - or know someone who knows - your first client. All you have to do is ask for their help.

Related: 5 Ways to Connect and Network With Other Entrepreneurs

Keep it simple! Here's an example for you to wrap your head around.

"Hey Omar! I recently started offering email marketing consulting services to eCommerce companies. Would you happen to know of any companies that could use my help?"

Of course, it would help to have a few more details about your service. Be sure to include the specific offer you provide to clients and the outcomes they can expect. I explain how to do this in the article 5 Steps to Build Your Irresistible Offer and Attract High-Paying Clients.

Action item:

Make a list of 40 people who can help spread the word about your business. This includes friends, family, former co-workers, gym buddies, etc. Basically, anyone who may be able to connect you with your target audience. Then, reach out and ask for their help.

Speak in public

When I first started my business, I joined the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. My goal was to gain access to their members directly and pitch my services via email. I spent two weeks emailing everyone who seemed like a good fit for my services and failed miserably.

But then I got another idea. Instead of pitching individual members, maybe I could have the chamber do it for me. So, I created a speaking topic ("Personal Branding for Founders") and pitched myself as a presenter. They said yes, promoted me to their list, and even gave me access to a conference room at no charge.

The result? About 60 people showed up and two of them eventually became clients. Steal this approach! It's worked for me and hundreds of people that I've consulted.

• Come up with a relevant speaking topic
• Reach out to organizations that already have access to your audience
• Deliver an informative presentation and let people know you're available for hire

This is the fastest way to generate leads and you can even get testimonials from people who attended.

Action item:

Create your speaking topic and identify 20 potential organizations where you could present your session. This includes coworking spaces, mastermind groups and local conferences. Keep in mind that you don't have to deliver this content in person, you can also do so remotely.

Next steps

Look, I know there's a lot more than goes into launching a business. You might have questions about how much to charge, how to create social media content, maybe you also need some confidence to get started. If that sounds like you, then you should definitely consider joining my online course, The Solopreneur's Fast Track.

Built in partnership with Entrepreneur Magazine, you'll discover how to start a business, using the skills you already have, so you can start making money in less than 30 days. But I know money is an important consideration too – which is why we're offering a full money back guarantee. If you're not making money from your business within 30 days, we'll send you a full refund.

And the course has been designed so you can complete it in just one weekend. Sign up now to start making more money on your own terms.