A solopreneur’s starter kit: What you need on Day 1

2 hours ago7 min read1 comments

You’ve decided to start a solo business—congratulations! I’ve been a solopreneur for years and love being my own boss, but let’s be real: Day 1 can feel like staring up a mountain with no map. My own leap into full-time freelance writing happened overnight after losing my job at a marketing agency.The job market looked bleak, and working for myself became the fastest way to start earning and covering bills. Still, I’d been quietly building toward this for months, laying the groundwork so that when the moment came, I wasn’t starting from zero.If you’re stepping into the solopreneur life, think of your first day not as a sprint but as laying a foundation—the same way you’d approach a smart side hustle or personal finance goal. First, get your pricing straight.Before you talk to a single client, decide: will you charge by the hour, by project, or on retainer? This is one of the toughest early puzzles. A good starting point is breaking down your last full-time salary into an hourly rate—even if you bill per project—and then adjusting for taxes and business costs.Tools like Canva can help you craft polished proposals without breaking the bank, and always use a contract; the Freelancers Union offers a solid free template that’s better than winging it. Next, build a simple website.It doesn’t need to be flashy—mine is basically an online business card with my background, services, portfolio, and a contact form. Having your own domain (from GoDaddy or Cloudflare) adds credibility, and if you’re ready, linking it to Google Workspace gives you a professional email.But don’t let perfectionism stall you; a basic site is far better than none. Then, set up invoicing and payments.My early invoices were Google Sheets miracles, but today, you need to make paying you effortless. Clients might prefer bank transfers, credit cards, or even international options—tools like Stripe handle the messy details for a small fee, so payment never becomes a friction point.Finally, craft a client-finding plan. This isn’t a one-day task; it’s your long-term marketing engine.When I started, I hustled on LinkedIn, joined Slack communities, and guest-starred on podcasts. Your tactics will evolve—I quickly learned which clients aligned with my skills—but early on, every connection counts.Remember, starting solo is overwhelming, but you’re building something entirely your own. Nail these basics on Day 1, and you’ll grow the rest as you go.

#solopreneur

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#business startup

#pricing

#website

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#featured

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