Let’s be real—Instagram paints a pretty picture. Endless success stories, wins, and “you can do it!” attitudes are nice and all, but sometimes they just don’t match reality, right?
For every beautifully filtered win, there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes mess that you don’t see. Because the truth is, as solopreneurs, we get to make the calls, but we also have to deal with all the sh*t that comes with running a business. And that's tough. So let's talk about it.
The Freedom (and Overwhelm) of Getting to Choose
One of the things I love most about running my own business is the freedom. I don't set alarms—I wake up when I naturally wake up (before 7:30 a.m. usually, in case you’re curious). No one’s breathing down my neck telling me what I have to do, when, or how. I choose my focus for the day, my priorities for the week, and the direction of my business. It’s empowering… until it’s not.
The downside? All those choices land on me. It’s up to me to decide what matters, what needs to get done, and what’s worth dropping. And when you’re wearing all the hats—salesperson, bookkeeper, marketer, tech support, the actual doer of the thing—it gets overwhelming fast.
The Lonely Solopreneur
I'm not going to lie, I miss the camaraderie of working in an office—the ability to bounce ideas off of other people, share frustrations, and brainstorm together. In my business, it’s just me. Sure, I talk to my husband and business coach, (and occasionally my dogs) but it’s not the same as having a team.
That’s been one of the hardest adjustments for me. Networking with other business owners and masterminds help, but it’s still not the same as having that “partner in crime” every single day. It’s a struggle—sometimes you just need that second opinion to validate your choices.
The Never-Ending Learning Curve
I’m a curious person—I love learning. But what I didn’t realize when I jumped into running my own business is how much you have to learn, especially if you want to grow. It’s not just about having a website and calling it a day. You’ve got to learn about email marketing platforms, automation, payment processors, ads, webinars, you name it. And each new tool comes with its own learning curve.
And once you’ve got a handle on one thing, bam!—there’s something else to tackle. That constant need to learn and adapt is exciting, sure, but also draining. It’s a full-time job just managing the tech side, let alone being the creative brain behind the business. You’re learning the systems, the strategies, and, oh yeah, actually doing the work you’re selling.
Let’s Talk About Those $0 Launches
Yup, it happened to me. My first campaign was a flop—crickets after weeks of effort. I was pushing hard: emails, social media, you name it. The cart opened, and... nothing. It was frustrating, but I learned a lot. For one, perhaps I didn’t know my audience as well as I thought. I didn’t let it crush me, though. Instead, I asked myself what went wrong and how I could improve.
We see those stories of entrepreneurs hitting 10K months or signing five clients in a week, but what we don’t see are the failures they had along the way. Entrepreneurship is a long game—sometimes you’re winning, sometimes you’re losing, but the key is to stay in the game.
The Inevitable Highs and Lows
Running your own business is a rollercoaster. For every high—those incredible wins that make all the hard work worth it—there’s a low. Failed launches, missed goals, dips in revenue. That’s just part of the deal. The trick is not to let those lows make you quit, because the highs? They’re just around the corner. And they’re so much sweeter after the struggle.
When the Doubts Creep In
I won’t lie. There are days when I want to burn it all down, throw in the towel, and start job hunting. I’ve even taken a break for a couple of weeks at a time. But here’s the thing: that pause? It’s powerful. It gives me time to step back, reset, and remember why I’m doing this in the first place.
Thrive in 5: Remember Your Why
So here’s my Thrive in 5 tip for today—take five minutes and remind yourself why you started your business. Why did you leave that job? What are you trying to achieve? When the going gets tough (and it will), remembering your why is what will get you back in the chair tomorrow, ready to keep pushing. And that’s how we keep moving forward, despite the ups and downs.
You’re not alone in the struggle. We’re all going through it. But if we just keep showing up, keep learning from our mistakes, and keep going after what we want, our success is inevitable.
And if you need someone to commiserate with, shoot me a message on Instagram, I'd love to connect!