I started my first business because I hated working for someone else.
I hated to go to work in the morning doing something I hated.
I know I'm not unique in this situation.
There are millions of people around the world that feel the same way.
But there is one difference between myself and those millions of people out there.
I walked away.
I decided I had enough and decided to walk alone and go after my own vision for my life.
Not the vision of someone else for my life.
But this article is not about how easy it is to walk away and start your own business.
This article is about telling you what it takes to make it.
The one thing we all have that gives us a massive advantage over other generations is the internet.
It's the greatest opportunity in history to make a life for yourself on your terms.
But remember this road is not for everyone.
It can get hard and challenging.
Walking alone means you will need to be bold.
You will need courage and determination.
So what are the rules for walking away and actually building an online business.
What is a solopreneur?
What are the rules for the Digital Solopreneur?
7 Rules For Becoming a Digital Solopreneur
1- Commit To Do The Work.
The romantic part of building a business is talking about how you are going to build a business.
But all that disappears when the reality sets in for most people that they will have to do the work and a lot of it.
You need to make sure you understand this reality.
You now work for yourself and that means you will have to make a commitment to yourself that you will do whatever it takes to make this a reality.
You will have to be disciplined because nobody will tell you to do the work. It's all on you.
2 – Work At Least 15 Hours A Day When You Start.
You will have to work at least 15 hours a day 6 days a week.
That leaves you with 6 hours of sleep and 3 hours to eat and exercise.
You can take one day a week off but I would recommend not taking one day a week of for at least 6 months.
Work and more work to start building momentum and fast as possible.
You can go down to 6 days a week after 6 months of working 7 days a week.
To build something out of nothing takes a lot of work.
If you don't understand this then this is not for you.
The luxury of not having to work full time only comes after you establish your business and have created a certain level of success.
Until then it will take a lot of your time.
The good news is you are your own boss and when you love what you do then this will come easy to you.
3 – Cut Your Cost Of Living By Moving To South East Asia.
If you live in a country where the cost of living is high then you need to move to South East Asia.
There are countries like Thailand,Vietnam, Mexico etc. where you can live a great lifestyle for very cheap.
You will be able to experience a new way of life and a new culture.
But more importantly, you will cut your costs.
It takes time to start making money online.
It's up to you to make it happen.
Become a digital nomad and live on your own terms at a very low cost as a solopreneur.
4 – Don't Live On Credit Cards.
Credit cards are very convenient but when you start out and have very little money you should reject them.
Getting yourself into more debt is no way to build your life.
You should cut down on all debt and focus on getting more cash into your bank account.
The whole idea of starting your own online business is to become free.
But if you get more in debt you will never be free.
Start building wealth not more debt.
5 – Focus.
You need to focus.
Your main priority and focus should be your business.
That means adding value to other people's lives and the people paying you money in return for that value.
If you do that consistently then you will be able to start building a real business out of your small beginnings.
But Focus is key.
You need to prioritize your new business above all else.
6 – Sacrifice.
Sacrifice walks hand in hand with focus.
There certain things you need to give up to get what you want.
That means letting go of things like mindlessly surfing the internet and spending hours on pointless social media activities.
You will need to let go of anything that does not align with your goals and vision for your life.
So sacrifice and self-discipline must be a lifestyle.
You made a big decision to start your own business and become a solopreneur ,now it's time to follow through.
7 – Choose A Business That Has A Market.
You can't just start any business.
There has to be a market for what you are selling.
That means if you sell something that nobody wants then you're in the wrong business.
You need to sell something that people want and that adds value. So dont just do something that you like.
Find a middle ground between something you are interested in and something the people want.
That is your market.
Don't let your ego stop you from building the right type of business.
If your research show you there is no market for your idea then you must adapt and try something else.
If you want to ask me “What business should I start?”
Then my answer is I don't know.
You need to figure that out.
That is part of the process.
I can only give you guidelines and some tools.
But the rest you have to figure out.
And if you really want this then you will find a way.
Good Luck.
Become a solopreneur.
