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The Aspiring Solopreneur

Advertise on podcast: The Aspiring Solopreneur

Rating
★★★★★
5
from
55 reviews
This podcast has
344 episodes
Language
English
Explicit
No
Date created
2021/11/09
Latest episode
2026/10/22
Average duration
23 min.
Release period
4 days

Description

*Formerly known as Solopreneur: The One-Person Business Podcast* Welcome to The Aspiring Solopreneur, the weekly podcast that dives deep into the world of solopreneurship. Join us as we bring you insightful interviews with industry experts and successful solopreneurs who have mastered the art of running their own businesses. Are you a solopreneur looking for guidance on how to attract clients? Or maybe you're searching for ways to stay motivated and overcome the challenges of working alone. Perhaps you're even struggling with the intricacies of taxes and financial management. No matter what obstacles you face, The Aspiring Solopreneur Podcast is here to provide you with the knowledge, inspiration, and practical advice you need. In each episode, our hosts, Joe Rando and Carly Ries, sit down with a diverse range of guests, including seasoned solopreneurs, marketing gurus, financial experts, and productivity specialists. Together, they unpack the secrets to solo success, sharing their personal stories, strategies, and actionable tips. Learn from those who have paved the way before you, as they reveal their tried-and-true methods for growing their company of one. Being a solopreneur is awesome but it’s not easy. It's hard to get noticed. Most business advice is for bigger companies, and you're all alone...until now. LifeStarr's Intro gives you free education, community, and tools to build a thriving one-person business.  So, if you are lacking direction, having a hard time generating leads, or are having trouble keeping up with everything you have to do, or even just lonely running a company of one, be sure to check out LifeStarr Intro! Access LifeStarr Intro: https://www.lifestarr.com/lifestarr-intro-for-solopreneurs

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Check latest episodes from The Aspiring Solopreneur podcast


Do We Practice What We Preach? A Solopreneur Reality Check
2026/10/22
Do Joe and Carly actually run life-first businesses, or do they just talk about it? After a community member asked that exact question, the hosts of The Life-First Solopreneur decided to show their work. In this episode, Joe Rando and Carly Ries share how they each design their solopreneur businesses around the lives they want to live. Joe keeps it simple with a hard stop at dinnertime, protected weekends, and the freedom to take off for a cycling trip through Europe or a long weekend in Iceland. Carly juggles young kids, early mornings, and a weekly planning ritual that lets her be fully present from mid-afternoon to bedtime while still crushing her deadlines. You’ll learn: Why a life first business doesn’t mean you stop workingHow Carly plans her week every Thursday around workouts, family, and focus timeWhy there’s no one-size-fits-all schedule for solopreneursHow flexible hours and real accountability can live side by sideJoe’s longtime advice to hire people smarter than you and why it ends micromanagementThe LifeStarr app is now available to everyone. Visit lifestarr.com to explore free courses, videos, the community, and the app. If this episode helped you, share it with a friend, follow the show, and leave a five-star review. It helps us reach more Life First solopreneurs.
The 4 Step Authority Formula Every Solopreneur Needs
2026/10/20
Feeling stuck on the content treadmill? You’re not alone, and according to George Wright III, more content isn’t the answer. Authority is. George is the founder and CEO of Authority Media Network and the host of The Daily Mastermind, a Top 50 Apple Entrepreneurship podcast with more than 1,300 episodes. After 30+ years building multimillion-dollar businesses and working alongside names like Tony Robbins, Robert Kiyosaki, and Brian Tracy, he knows what actually moves the needle for solopreneurs, and it isn’t posting five times a day. In this episode, Carly and George talk about: The surprising behind-the-scenes habit George picked up from some of the biggest names in personal developmentThe difference between being visible and being an authorityWhy talented experts stay invisible and how to control your narrativeGeorge’s four-step authority formula (strategy, authority, technology and automation, distribution and marketing)How to think like a media company even if you’re a one-person businessThe content engine strategy that turns one recording into podcasts, blogs, YouTube videos, and reelsSmart ways to use AI without losing your authenticityThe one question that helps you build a business around your life instead of the other way aroundWhether you’re an HVAC pro, a coach, a consultant, or a baker who never signed up to be a content creator, this conversation will help you build authority that keeps working long after you hit publish. Connect with George: dailymastermind.comauthoritymedianetwork.com (ask about a free feature in Valiant CEO magazine)Follow @DailyMastermind or George Wright III on all social channelsLoved this episode? Leave a five-star review, share it with a fellow solopreneur, and subscribe to The Life-First Solopreneur wherever you listen.
[Re-Release] Commitments vs. Communication: The Mindset Shift Every Solopreneur Needs
2026/10/15
In light of our LifeStarr Academy and Lifestarr App launches, we thought we'd re-release a very relevant conversation. Enjoy!Ever open your inbox on a Monday morning, spend two hours responding to everything, and realize you haven't actually moved your business forward? You're not alone. In this episode, Carly and Joe break down the crucial difference between communication and commitments, and why confusing the two is quietly killing your productivity as a solopreneur. You'll learn the simple three-part structure (What + Who + When) that turns vague promises buried in email threads into trackable, actionable commitments. Joe shares his own journey from losing entire mornings to his inbox to building a paper-based system inspired by David Allen's Getting Things Done, and how that evolved into something even more streamlined. In this episode, we cover: Why treating every message as equally urgent keeps you busy but unproductiveThe difference between communication (talking about work) and commitments (owning the work)The What, Who, When framework for creating clear, trackable commitmentsWhy every commitment needs exactly one owner, never twoHow to track commitments others make to you (the ones most likely to fall through)Using tags and separate lists to filter by context so you only see what's relevantThe 60-second recap habit that prevents miscommunication before it startsJoe's analog card-and-notebook system that kept projects on track for yearsWhether you use a notebook, a spreadsheet, or a dedicated app, the tool doesn't matter, the habit does. Hit play and learn how to build it. Big news: The Aspiring Solopreneur podcast is now in the top 2% of all podcasts globally! Thank you for listening, now help us hit the top 1% by sharing this episode.
What to Automate and What to Keep Human in Your Solopreneurship
2026/10/13
Spending five or more hours a month on invoicing makes you nearly three times more likely to face cash flow problems. That’s just one of the eye-opening stats Faye Pang of FreshBooks brings to this episode of The Life-First Solopreneur. Faye grew up watching her immigrant parents run a small wholesale meat business, tracking every dollar in a blue ledger book at the kitchen table at midnight.  Today she spends her career helping solopreneurs and small business owners adopt technology that gives them time back. She joins Carly Ries and Joe Rando to talk cash flow, automation, AI, and why she believes we’re entering the era of the solopreneur. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why admin tasks like invoicing and chasing payments act as a handbrake on your cash flowThe first thing solopreneurs should automate to win back hours every monthWhere AI genuinely helps and where it’s still overhypedWhy AI output is only as good as the context you give itHow to start with AI when you feel behind (spoiler: everyone feels behind)Why 86% of solopreneurs turn to AI before hiring a personWhat to automate and what should always stay humanWhat solopreneurs really want to do with five extra hours a weekConnect with Faye Pang on LinkedInLearn more about FreshBooks Enjoyed this episode? Leave a five-star review, share it with a fellow solopreneur who is wrestling with AI and automation, and subscribe so you never miss an episode of The Life-First Solopreneur. 🌟 Featured Resource: LifeStarr Intro for Solopreneurs Are you building a business on your own and feeling like you’re going it alone? That stops today. LifeStarr Intro is a free, forever membership built especially for solopreneurs who want real support, real resources, and real community. When you join LifeStarr Intro, you unlock: A vibrant community of like-minded solopreneurs for feedback, encouragement, and connectionThe LifeStarr productivity app (coming soon), built to support your workflow using GTD principles (that’s Tasks, Projects, Inbox that works)Live problem-solving meetups, expert sessions and strategies...and you don’t pay a thingTotal value: $65/month. Your cost? Zero. 👉 Ready to stop struggling solo and build a business that works for you? Join LifeStarr Intro for Free
Flying Solo Without Being Alone: Our Journey Serving Solopreneurs
2026/10/08
Ever wonder what really goes on behind the scenes of a business built for solopreneurs? In this episode, Joe Rando and Carly Ries pull back the curtain on the LifeStarr journey, from a simple app idea in 2020 to a full ecosystem designed to help solopreneurs build life-first businesses. Joe shares how a frustration with task management tools sparked the original idea, why their first launch during COVID didn't go as planned, and how the search for a solopreneur community came up nearly empty (except for one newsletter in Australia). They talk about writing Solopreneur Business For Dummies, creating the Solopreneur Success Cycle, and why switching to the phrase "life-first business" changed how people responded to them almost overnight. Plus, they share what's coming on October 13th, including the launch of LifeStarr Academy, where previously paid courses and Solopreneur Success Sessions will be available for free. In this episode, you'll hear Why the original LifeStarr app was inspired by Getting Things Done, and Facebook friend requestsThe real lessons from launching before a product was readyHow LifeStar evolved from an app into a community, courses, and a bookWhat a commitment management system is and why solopreneurs need oneHow a small language shift can dramatically change how your audience respondsWhat solopreneurs need most, including community, accountability, systems, and visionEverything included in the free LifeStarr Academy launchResources Gain access to all of our solopreneur resources at https://www.lifestarr.com/lifestarr-intro-for-solopreneursIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a five-star review, share it with a fellow solopreneur, and subscribe so you never miss an episode of The Life-First Solopreneur. 🌟 Featured Resource: LifeStarr Intro for Solopreneurs Are you building a business on your own and feeling like you’re going it alone? That stops today. LifeStarr Intro is a free, forever membership built especially for solopreneurs who want real support, real resources, and real community. When you join LifeStarr Intro, you unlock: A vibrant community of like-minded solopreneurs for feedback, encouragement, and connectionThe LifeStarr productivity app (coming soon), built to support your workflow using GTD principles (that’s Tasks, Projects, Inbox that works)Live problem-solving meetups, expert sessions and strategies...and you don’t pay a thingTotal value: $65/month. Your cost? Zero. 👉 Ready to stop struggling solo and build a business that works for you? Join LifeStarr Intro for Free
Sales Without the Sleaze for Solopreneurs Who Hate Selling
2026/10/06
If the idea of selling makes you want to crawl under your desk, this episode is for you. Nicole Cramer spent 15 years as a high school math teacher before landing a sales job with zero experience and becoming the number one salesperson in the country for a Fortune 500 company. Today she's a sales coach who has built consistent $20K+ months without falling into hustle culture. Nicole joins Carly Ries and Joe Rando to talk about why sales is really just helping people, how to get so behind what you sell that not sharing it feels out of integrity, and the simple shifts that take the "salesy" feeling out of every conversation. In this episode, you'll learn The one word swap that made Nicole's sales conversations feel like partnershipsHow "I've been selling math for 15 years" turned around a job interviewWhy niching makes your sales process do the heavy lifting for youThe rejection-free opener that appeals to how people see themselvesHow a full client roster became the invitation to launch a group programWhy new solopreneurs should stop tinkering with funnels and focus on salesHow to avoid the feast and famine cycle by keeping sales habits going when you're busyWhy your business is really a personal development seminar in disguiseConnect with Nicole Find Nicole on Instagram at @thenicolecramer. Send her a DM to get her free list of 23 questions for more successful sales conversations. Love the show? Leave a five-star review, share this episode with a fellow solopreneur, and subscribe to the Life-First Solopreneur on your favorite podcast platform and YouTube. 🌟 Featured Resource: LifeStarr Intro for Solopreneurs Are you building a business on your own and feeling like you’re going it alone? That stops today. LifeStarr Intro is a free, forever membership built especially for solopreneurs who want real support, real resources, and real community. When you join LifeStarr Intro, you unlock: A vibrant community of like-minded solopreneurs for feedback, encouragement, and connectionThe LifeStarr productivity app (coming soon), built to support your workflow using GTD principles (that’s Tasks, Projects, Inbox that works)Live problem-solving meetups, expert sessions and strategies...and you don’t pay a thingTotal value: $65/month. Your cost? Zero. 👉 Ready to stop struggling solo and build a business that works for you? Join LifeStarr Intro for Free
Back By Popular Demand: The Life-First Solopreneur Manifesto
2026/10/01
You left corporate to gain freedom, so why does your business feel like the most demanding boss you've ever had? In this episode, Joe walks Carly through the brand-new Life-First Solopreneur Manifesto: a short, no-nonsense framework built from everything they've learned working with thousands of solopreneurs across 300+ episodes. They dig into "the ownership trap": what happens when you build a business around your skills instead of the life you actually want to live. The result? A business that consumes you instead of one you own. In this episode: Why 65% of people start businesses for freedom, but 80% end up losing sleep over themThe three root causes of the ownership trap: no life-first design, no commitment system, and no plan to evolveThe "accountability gap" and why running your business out of your inbox is quietly failing youThe one question that reframes everything: What does your Tuesday look like?How to build a business that serves your life instead of the other way aroundThis isn't a motivation problem. It's a design problem, and it's fixable. We want to hear from you: [email protected] or [email protected] (LifeStarr with two R's) Find the full manifesto here: https://www.lifestarr.com/life-first-manifesto If this episode struck a chord, leave us a five-star review and share it with a fellow solopreneur who needs to hear it.
Why Most Solopreneurs Are Doing PR Completely Backwards
2026/09/30
Most solopreneurs think PR means getting into Forbes. PR strategist Haley Raymond says that belief is exactly why so much publicity effort goes nowhere. In this episode, Haley joins Carly and Joe to break down what public relations actually looks like for a business of one. She explains why the old "I only want someone with the best contacts" mindset is outdated, why a promise of guaranteed coverage is a red flag, and why your story and strategy now matter more than anyone's rolodex. You will hear the two part question Haley asks every client before choosing a single channel, why legacy media still works beautifully for local businesses, and why niche podcasts and Substack often move the needle more than a mention on a national network. She also walks through the PESO model created by Gini Dietrich, a simple way to see your paid, earned, shared, and owned channels as one connected ecosystem instead of a pile of to-dos. If you have ever landed a great feature and then heard crickets, Haley explains the promotion mistake almost everyone makes, plus how to track PR results without drowning in vanity metrics. And for anyone who dreads social media, good news. You do not have to talk to a camera to build visibility. What you will learn The PR advice Haley wishes people would retireHow to pick channels when your time is the scarcest resourceWhy PR is a much bigger umbrella than media coverageWhen legacy media is worth it and when a niche podcast winsThe PESO framework explained in plain languageHow to promote a feature without feeling gross about itSimple ways to tie visibility back to actual revenueThe biggest mistake solopreneurs make doing PR aloneA starting plan for solopreneurs with almost no budgetChapters 00.01 The PR advice that makes Haley cringe01.33 The intern who emailed a media contact list to the media02.39 The first question to ask before choosing any channel04.17 Why PR is much bigger than getting in the news05.46 What to do if you genuinely hate social media09.20 What legacy media actually means now10.30 Local news versus niche podcasts for solopreneurs3.09 The PESO framework explained15.42 You landed the big feature and heard crickets17.54 Measuring PR without chasing vanity metrics20.30 The simple link trick that shows where leads come from21.09 The biggest mistake solopreneurs make doing PR alone22.49 First steps on a tiny budget26.01 It's PR, not the ER28.00 Where to find Haley Connect with Haley Raymond Website: haleyraymond.com LinkedIn If this episode helped, please leave a five-star review and share it with a friend who needs PR advice. Subscribe to The Life-First Solopreneur wherever you listen, including YouTube. 🌟 Featured Resource: LifeStarr Intro for Solopreneurs Are you building a business on your own and feeling like you’re going it alone? That stops today. LifeStarr Intro is a free, forever membership built especially for solopreneurs who want real support, real resources, and real community. When you join LifeStarr Intro, you unlock: A vibrant community of like-minded solopreneurs for feedback, encouragement, and connectionThe LifeStarr productivity app (coming soon), built to support your workflow using GTD principles (that’s Tasks, Projects, Inbox that works)Live problem-solving meetups, expert sessions and strategies...and you don’t pay a thingTotal value: $65/month. Your cost? Zero. 👉 Ready to stop struggling solo and build a business that works for you? Join LifeStarr Intro for Free
Encore! Why Your Solo Business Isn't Giving You the Life You Wanted (And How to Fix It)
2026/09/24
A re-release of a popular episode from earlier this year! If your solopreneur business feels like it's running you instead of the other way around, you've fallen into the Ownership Trap. In this episode, Carly and Joe break down the three root causes behind why so many solopreneurs end up building a business that controls their life rather than supports it. In this episode: What the "Ownership Trap" is and why almost every solopreneur falls into itWhy this is a design problem, not a motivation problemThe 3 causes: No Design, No System, and No Plan to EvolveHow to start viewing every business decision through a "Life First" lensReal stories from Joe and Carly about the mistakes they made, and what they learnedIf you've been grinding away wondering why you left your 9-to-5 only to end up right back in the same trap, this episode is for you. Life first. Then business. Subscribe to The Life-First Solopreneur so you never miss an episode, and if this resonated, leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review. It helps more solopreneurs find the show! 🌟 Featured Resource: LifeStarr Intro for Solopreneurs Are you building a business on your own and feeling like you’re going it alone? That stops today. LifeStarr Intro is a free, forever membership built especially for solopreneurs who want real support, real resources, and real community. When you join LifeStarr Intro, you unlock: A vibrant community of like-minded solopreneurs for feedback, encouragement, and connectionThe LifeStarr productivity app (coming soon), built to support your workflow using GTD principles (that’s Tasks, Projects, Inbox that works)Live problem-solving meetups, expert sessions and strategies...and you don’t pay a thingTotal value: $65/month. Your cost? Zero. 👉 Ready to stop struggling solo and build a business that works for you? Join LifeStarr Intro for Free
The AI Agent Team Every Solopreneur Wishes They Had (And How To Build It)
2026/09/22
What if your AI actually sounded like you? In this episode of The Life-First Solopreneur, our AI go-to guy, George B. Thomas of Sidekick Strategies, shows solopreneurs how he built Echo, an AI second brain loaded with his identity, stories, and core values. He also explains how he runs a team of AI agents in Grok Bot that drafts emails, schedules meetings, manages projects, and builds landing pages while he walks the dog. Hosts Carly Ries and Joe Rando dig into what a second brain really is (spoiler, it's mostly folders and files), how to stay the human in the loop, and the simplest AI task you can hand off this week to start buying back your time. In this episode, you'll learn What an AI second brain is and why solopreneurs should careWhy feeding AI your identity, stories, and values beats writing better promptsHow an AI agent team differs from typing questions into ChatGPT or ClaudeGeorge's five-minute rule for deciding when to use an agentWhen to keep AI in draft mode and when to let it run on autopilotAn easy email and calendar handoff you can set up this weekThe story behind "be a happy, helpful, humble human"Connect with George Visit sidekickstrategies.comFind George B. Thomas on LinkedInEmail [email protected] to the HubHeroes podcast and Beyond Your DefaultWant to see Echo and George's agent dashboard in action? Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a five-star review, share it with a solopreneur friend who's curious about AI, and subscribe so you never miss an episode. 🌟 Featured Resource: LifeStarr Intro for Solopreneurs Are you building a business on your own and feeling like you’re going it alone? That stops today. LifeStarr Intro is a free, forever membership built especially for solopreneurs who want real support, real resources, and real community. When you join LifeStarr Intro, you unlock: A vibrant community of like-minded solopreneurs for feedback, encouragement, and connectionThe LifeStarr productivity app (coming soon), built to support your workflow using GTD principles (that’s Tasks, Projects, Inbox that works)Live problem-solving meetups, expert sessions and strategies...and you don’t pay a thingTotal value: $65/month. Your cost? Zero. 👉 Ready to stop struggling solo and build a business that works for you? Join LifeStarr Intro for Free
From The Vault: Life First. Then Business. Here's What That Actually Means For Solopreneurs.
2026/09/17
In this episode, Joe Rando and Carly Ries officially draw a line in the sand. After nearly 300 episodes and hundreds of conversations with solopreneurs, they name the single insight that keeps showing up in every episode that lands differently: the Life-First Business. Joe and Carly explain why most solopreneurs unintentionally build a business that ends up owning them, why that happens by default and not by choice, and why the forces reshaping work right now make this the right moment to name it, claim it, and build a movement around it. Key Points Most solopreneurs start by asking "what can I sell?" but the better starting point is designing the life you want the business to serve.Falling into The Ownership Trap isn't a character flaw. It happens by default when you say yes to revenue before you've designed the life around it.A Life-First Business is not about working less, it's about making conscious tradeoffs so the business gives you the freedom that actually matters to you.AI is reshaping the solopreneur landscape in two directions at once: pushing people out of traditional employment and empowering them to run a real business solo.The Life-First Movement is bigger than LifeStarr. If you're helping solopreneurs build businesses that serve their lives, Joe and Carly want to hear from you.FAQs What is a Life-First Business? A Life-First Business is one designed from the start to serve the life you want, not the other way around. Instead of building around your skills and seeing what life fits around the business, you begin with Step 0: defining what you want your life to look like. The business is then designed to support that. Does Life-First mean working less or only part-time? No. A Life-First Business is not about working fewer hours or generating passive income from a beach. It's about making intentional tradeoffs, choosing the freedoms that matter most to you, and building a business that protects them, whatever that looks like for your life. Why is this conversation happening now? Two forces are converging: AI is displacing or reshaping traditional jobs, pushing more people toward solopreneurship as a real option. At the same time, AI is giving solopreneurs the capability to run a serious business without a team. That combination makes this the right moment to define what a well-designed solo business actually looks like. What is The Ownership Trap? The Ownership Trap is what happens when a solopreneur builds without a life plan (saying yes to whatever pays, running everything on memory and email, with no system and no plan to evolve). The business grows, but it starts running the person instead of the other way around. What is the Life-First Movement? The Life-First Movement is the category of people, businesses, and ideas organized around one belief: the business exists to serve the life. Joe and Carly are building this movement at LifeStarr, but they're clear it's bigger than any one company. If you're working to help solopreneurs build businesses on their own terms, they want to connect. Life First. Then Business.
A Solopreneur's Case Against Trendy Marketing
2026/09/15
Tired of being told you need to post three times a day to grow your business? This episode is your permission slip to stop. Carly and Joe sit down with Polly Pollock, the creator of capacity-conscious marketing and founder of the Antisocial Marketing Kit. Polly runs a thriving business without an active social media presence, and she is here to show you how it is done. In this conversation, Polly shares her journey with a late ADHD diagnosis and how it reshaped the way she runs her business. She breaks down why popular, trendy marketing advice leaves so many solopreneurs burned out, and she offers a real, step by step alternative built on visibility strategies like podcast guesting, guest teaching, and strategic partnerships. You will learn: Why consistency does not mean showing up every single dayHow to time-block your marketing so it takes a few focused hours a week, not hours a dayWhy one signature offer beats a stack of five or sixHow to find where your ideal client actually spends their timeA life first reminder to protect your weekends, your evenings, and your funIf you have ever felt stuck in the noise of online business, this episode will help you free yourself from the marketing you hate and focus on what you love. Grab Polly's free Antisocial Marketing Kit at antisocialkit.com. Leave a five-star review, share this with a fellow solopreneur, and subscribe wherever you listen. 🌟 Featured Resource: LifeStarr Intro for Solopreneurs Are you building a business on your own and feeling like you’re going it alone? That stops today. LifeStarr Intro is a free, forever membership built especially for solopreneurs who want real support, real resources, and real community. When you join LifeStarr Intro, you unlock: A vibrant community of like-minded solopreneurs for feedback, encouragement, and connectionThe LifeStarr productivity app (coming soon), built to support your workflow using GTD principles (that’s Tasks, Projects, Inbox that works)Live problem-solving meetups, expert sessions and strategies...and you don’t pay a thingTotal value: $65/month. Your cost? Zero. 👉 Ready to stop struggling solo and build a business that works for you? Join LifeStarr Intro for Free
How Smart Solopreneurs Choose Who to Work With
2026/09/10
Signing the wrong client can mean months, or years, of stress, churn, and heartburn. In this episode, Carly and Joe break down how to vet clients and contractors before you commit. They cover why doing your homework upfront matters, how defining your business protects you from the wrong fit, and why personality can be just as important as the actual deliverables. You'll hear a clever way one consultant uses personality tests and questionnaires to gauge compatibility, why the gut check still reigns supreme, and the red flags that should make you pause. Think early freebie requests, panicky urgency, and how a prospect talks about past providers. Plus, Joe shares one of the worst hiring mistakes of his career and the lesson that stuck with him ever since. Hint, watch how people treat the waiter. If you want fewer bad-fit clients and more long-term relationships, this episode gives you the framework to get there.
The Solopreneur's Guide to Hiring Your First VA Without the Panic
2026/09/08
Think being a solopreneur means doing everything yourself? Think again. In this episode, we sit down with Rachael Davila, a virtual assistant since 2005 and founder of Extra Hands! Virtual Assistance, to break down everything you need to know before hiring your first VA. Rachael has seen both sides of the desk. She spent 16 years as a VA before hiring her own in 2021, and that experience gave her a fast education in why delegation feels so scary. We get into the real difference between "doers" and "collaborators," how to know which one your business actually needs, and why the cheapest VA is rarely the most affordable choice. You will also hear when to bring on support (spoiler, before you are drowning), how to document your processes even if your brain does not work that way, and why a human VA still beats AI for relationship-driven businesses. Whether you are curious, overwhelmed, or somewhere in between, this conversation will help you delegate with confidence. What you will learn The difference between a doer VA and a collaborator VAThe signals that tell you it is time to hireWhy cheaper VAs can cost you moreHow to find and vet the right-fit VA at any budgetWhen a human VA beats AI (and when it does not)Rachael's life-first advice: start small and build trustLearn more about Rachael at extrahandsva.com and check out her podcast Hey! Do I Need a VA? Enjoy the show? Leave us a five-star review and share this episode with a fellow solopreneur who needs it. 🌟 Featured Resource: LifeStarr Intro for Solopreneurs Are you building a business on your own and feeling like you’re going it alone? That stops today. LifeStarr Intro is a free, forever membership built especially for solopreneurs who want real support, real resources, and real community. When you join LifeStarr Intro, you unlock: A vibrant community of like-minded solopreneurs for feedback, encouragement, and connectionThe LifeStarr productivity app (coming soon), built to support your workflow using GTD principles (that’s Tasks, Projects, Inbox that works)Live problem-solving meetups, expert sessions and strategies...and you don’t pay a thingTotal value: $65/month. Your cost? Zero. 👉 Ready to stop struggling solo and build a business that works for you? Join LifeStarr Intro for Free
The Solopreneur's Guide to Breaking Up With a Bad Client
2026/09/03
Every solopreneur eventually meets the client who pays the bills but crushes the soul. The one who calls at odd hours, ignores your boundaries, pays late, and somehow still feels impossible to let go of because the money is good. In this episode, Carly and Joe tackle one of the hardest parts of running a life-first business, walking away from a client you cannot afford to lose. They explain why the difficult client is not always the mean one, sometimes it is the perfectly nice person who has pulled your business away from its core. You will learn how to do the real math on what a problem client is actually costing you per hour, why communicating your boundaries comes before firing anyone, and how raising your rates can either fix the relationship or end it cleanly. Carly and Joe also share why keeping things professional matters more than venting, how to give enough notice so you never leave someone in a lurch, and what to do with your freed-up time once the client is gone. Whether that client is your only client or the one funding your vacations, this conversation gives you a clear, calm path out. Your paycheck and your peace of mind do not have to be at war. Leave a five-star review, share this with a fellow solopreneur, and subscribe wherever you listen, including YouTube. 🌟 Featured Resource: LifeStarr Intro for Solopreneurs Are you building a business on your own and feeling like you’re going it alone? That stops today. LifeStarr Intro is a free, forever membership built especially for solopreneurs who want real support, real resources, and real community. When you join LifeStarr Intro, you unlock: A vibrant community of like-minded solopreneurs for feedback, encouragement, and connectionThe LifeStarr productivity app (coming soon), built to support your workflow using GTD principles (that’s Tasks, Projects, Inbox that works)Live problem-solving meetups, expert sessions and strategies...and you don’t pay a thingTotal value: $65/month. Your cost? Zero. 👉 Ready to stop struggling solo and build a business that works for you? Join LifeStarr Intro for Free

Podcast reviews

Read The Aspiring Solopreneur podcast reviews


5 out of 5
55 reviews
★★★★★
ncramer34 2026/10/13
the show every solopreneur needs
Most solopreneurs are drowning in work with no light at the end of the tunnel. They only know “live to work” and not “work to live.” Carly and Joe are...
★★★★★
J Kennington 2026/09/23
Wonderful hosts, useful content
Carly and Joe have built an amazing resource for any solopreneur. They have super useful conversations with other entrepreneurs and provide insights o...
★★★★★
Ben Tasker 2026/04/28
Fantastic Podcast, Questions with Care
As a guest on the podcast, Carly and Joe are fun to record with and the questions are written with care and offer a unique blend of fun and more serio...
★★★★★
jonathanstark 2026/04/14
Great questions, great chemistry, fun show!
There just aren’t enough shows for solopreneurs. Joe and Carly are whip smart and fun to listen to. TAS is a must listen!
★★★★★
AmyMSuto 2026/01/20
Tons of Great Information for Solopreneurs!
Love this show — it has so much AWESOME information for people wanting to make the leap into solopreneurship. Highly recommend!
★★★★★
Sydney O’Brien 2025/07/24
Love it
A must-listen for any solo business owner navigating the messy middle of building something meaningful. I always walk away with at least one thing I c...
★★★★★
BizGuideforGenXperts 2025/05/06
Great Resource!
As a former professor of entrepreneurship and a serial solopreneur, I have say that Joe and Carly are doing a great job diving into topics that are us...
★★★★★
AHro827 2025/03/19
Motivating
As a solopreneur, it’s important to have community. Listening to Joe and Carly - I can feel that community
★★★★★
TravelSoccerMom66 2025/03/17
Helps Me Keep Moving Forward
Ever felt the urge to abandon the solopreneur journey and retreat back to the safety of a 9-to-5 corporate job? You are not alone. This morning, I f...
★★★★★
himaddiekelley 2025/02/13
Loved the episode with Maddie Kelley
Carly and Joe asked amazing questions and made sure to have a balance of practical advice. Must listen if you’re an aspiring entrepreneur.
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