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Staying Solo

Staying Solo

Written by: Maggie Patterson BS-Free Business
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About this listen

Growing a solo service business is tough. It's even harder when you're bombarded with BS advice that steers you away from your values and why you started your business in the first place. This is the podcast for solo creatives and consultants who want to remain as a team of one and have zero interest in the hustle and grind of typical business teachings. Most podcasts for solopreneurs and freelancers, hosted by out-of-touch celebrity entrepreneurs who haven't offered one-to-one services in years, miss the mark on today's market realities. Maggie Patterson, a service business owner for 20 years, understands that to stay solo, you need to know what matters to you, what works for you, and what you should completely ignore. In each episode, she examines one piece of conventional business advice to discover how it may hurt your business or be completely wrong for you as a solo business owner. Join Maggie for real talk to help you avoid burnout or the desire to entirely burn down your business to open a flower shop, book store, or cat cafe. (Because those cats won't pay the bills.) (Formerly the BS-Free Service Business Show)Copyright Scoop Studios 2016 to 2025 Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • The Lie of "I'll Fix This Once Things Calm Down"
    Jan 19 2026

    "I'll fix this when things calm down" is one of the most convincing lies we can tell ourselves about our business.

    Because things don't calm down, they normalize. The workload, the pressure, and the vigilance can become the baseline.

    In this episode, we're breaking down why waiting for ease keeps you stuck and what actually creates room for change while the business is still working.

    Topics discussed in this episode include:

    • Why waiting for things to calm down is a trap.

    • How "working fine" still steals your time, energy, and pay.

    • The real reason change feels risky.

    • The small decisions that actually create room to change.

    For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.

    If you enjoyed today's episode, please:

    • Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo

    • Subscribe for new episodes every Monday.

    • Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

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    11 mins
  • Nothing's Wrong: It's Just Time for an Upgrade
    Jan 12 2026

    January has a way of telling the truth.

    Because once the hype dies down and the "new year, new you" noise fades, you're left with a simple question:

    Do I actually want another year of this business? Not because it's failing. But because it's working… and still doesn't quite fit.

    In this episode, we're diving into what to do when nothing's wrong, it's just time for an upgrade.

    Topics discussed in this episode include:

    • The hidden cost of "fine" (and why it keeps you stuck).

    • How endurance can be mistaken for sustainability.

    • Why you don't need a big old breakdown to justify a change.

    • What an intentional upgrade looks like for 2026.

    For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.

    If you enjoyed today's episode, please:

    • Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo

    • Subscribe for new episodes every Monday.

    • Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

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    15 mins
  • Delight Yourself: The Real Metric of Success
    Dec 15 2025

    Fact: your revenue doesn't tell the truth about your life.

    You can be booked out and still feel depleted, disconnected, and barely holding it together.

    Because success on paper doesn't mean success in practice.

    A delightfully boring business flips the script—more ease, more breathing room, more actual delight.

    So today, we're resetting what "success" means and putting delight back at the center.

    Topics discussed in this episode include:

    • Why traditional success metrics don't reflect a life that actually feels good.

    • Why delight is the real data you should be tracking.

    • The hidden conditioning that makes joy and rest feel "unproductive."

    • What a delight-filled, right-sized business looks like.

    • Simple business decisions that create space for ease and margin.

    • One tiny "micro-delight" challenge to reset how success feels.

    The Squad is open for new members until December 19th. Get details and join us here.

    For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.

    If you enjoyed today's episode, please:

    • Leave a positive review or rating at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ratethispodcast.com/stayingsolo

    • Subscribe for new episodes every Monday.

    • Sign up for email updates at www.bsfreebusiness.com/solo

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    13 mins
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