Read supportive musings on starting your own owner-operated business or becoming self employed. This blog covers everything from the nitty gritty to the less concrete challenges faced by entrepreneurs.
If you're just here for the train wreck: hear about my hardest day in business. If you're in it for the learning, then you'll find a silver lining that will make you dive into self-employment asap!
Read MoreSelf-employed business owners and cottage industry folks often don't spend a lot of time thinking about their business model. Combine this with the creative passions of my typical client, and suddenly, understanding business models becomes vitally important! Read on to learn how to see your business' business model. I promise your business is using a legitimate business model and I can help you see clearly what it is!
Read MoreConfidence in your business being possible is a key concern of so many aspiring self-employed people. This concern obscures the real question. In this article, I answer the initial question and offer a practical tool that will answer the underlying question.
Read MoreI don't know who's promoted the idea that business owners are universally good at money. We're not. And even then, those of who are good at it, it's not because of a god-given talent or anything. It's because we learned it. Being "good at money" is a complex set of skills that are rarely taught, but are totally learnable!
Read MoreThere are so many things to do when starting a business. Doing the right thing for your stage of the business' development can help conserve energy, bring greater success, and less stress. For those in the just getting started phase, here's what you should be focusing on.
Read MoreMarketing can seem overwhelming for new business owners. In this article, I demystify what works best, and set a clear path for your first marketing project. Plus one more bonus high-return marketing effort.
Read MoreYou didn't become self-employed to become a sales professional! And yet, here you are. You have a lot of sales skills already that you might not recognize. Let me show you how to leverage your skills to help you drive client conversions.
Read MoreMany of us have the idea to start a business, but few of us even try. What’s getting in your way? In this article, I clear the path from a common source of hesitation.
Read MoreMany self-employed white business owners might feel like their business is too tiny to do anything substantial for Black History Month. In this article, I’ll lay out my two-pronged approach to celebrating Black History Month in February, and every day of every month!
Read MoreYou’re probably already talking to yourself whether you notice it or not. If you say more supportive things, you’re likely to go further. Learn how!
Read MoreIf you’re afraid of launching your self-employed business a plan can be an easy way to alleviate some of your fears. You don’t have to leap blindly, you can have a plan for each of the three phases most people go through when launching their self-employed business. You’ll also find that having a solid plan B is both motivating and comforting.
Read MoreDon’t let decision paralysis rob you of living your life to the fullest! Here are my strategies for forward movement when you’re stuck on a decision.
Read MoreBeing stuck is terrible for productivity, and when you’re self-employed there’s no one around to help you get unstuck! Here are some strategies for creating forward movement when you’re stuck at the start.
Read MoreThe gig economy can be an attractive way to make extra money or start your own thing. But there are a few things to consider before embarking on one of these platforms.
Read MoreFirst time business owners often don’t have any experience in logo design or branding. This article considers if getting a logo should be at the top of your priority list. And if you do need a logo, I offer tips on what to expect from the logo design process.
Read MorePicking a name for your business is a very important decision. And it shouldn't be the thing that's holding you up from launching your business. This article covers some important things to consider when picking a name for your business, as well as a basic strategy for developing and testing a business name.
Read MoreYou started a business and now you think you need to be all serious? Pssh. Nope! Here are 5 silly practices that will HELP your business!
Read MoreA common hurdle to becoming self employed is where to find the money to get started. Here are the methods most self employed business owners have used.
Read MoreYou're looking for the perfect coach but you don't know where to start? This is a common confusion, especially if you're looking for a coach who offers one on one sessions. Here are the top 5 things to be looking for in a coach.
Read MoreThe act of becoming an entrepreneur is a courageous act. If you don't know what your dream business is, a thing you can do to prepare is practice courage.
Read MoreMaggie Karshner is a self-employment coach based in Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. She specializes in coaching solo entrepreneurs and owner-operated small businesses in industries such as real estate, mental health therapy, massage therapy, yoga, doulas, and non-profit.
Maggie's coaching practice encompasses one on one coaching, group coaching, and asynchronous learning via the member area of the website.
As seen on King5's New Day NW and in The Seattle Times.
If you've never felt insecure when comparing yourself to others, this article isn't for you. For the rest of us normal people, we need to explore this and how it's impacting our current or future businesses. It's vital for self-employed businesses to understand their competitive advantages and disadvantages. But trying to understand this usually gets us stuck, demoralized, or frozen. Let me reframe competition and the dis/advantages of your business so that you can more easily succeed.