If you’re self-employed, this is the space for honest reflections, helpful systems, and mindset shifts that make solo work more sustainable. It’s not about doing more—it’s about doing what works for you. When you’re trying to grow a business that fits your life, not the other way around, start here.
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That’s a Wrap on 2025: A Decade In, The Year By The Numbers
Reflecting on a decade in business, this 2025 year-in-numbers recap shares insights, client work, lessons learned, and what’s ahead for 2026.
Make a Start, Stop, Continue List to Bring Clarity to Your Brand and Marketing
When your brand or marketing starts to feel scattered, clarity matters more than new tactics. A Start, Stop, Continue list is a simple three-step tool to help you decide what to focus on, what to let go of, and what’s already working.
The Scariest Thing I’ve Ever Done? Going Solo
Going solo is one of the scariest things you’ll ever do—not because of failure, but because of freedom. I’ve done it twice: once by choice, and once by circumstance. Each time taught me something new about fear, resilience, and what it really means to bet on yourself.
Making Space for Creativity: The Case for 4-Day Weeks and Sabbaticals
Reducing the workweek to four days or incorporating regular sabbaticals isn’t just a corporate trend—it’s a game-changer for freelancers and solopreneurs, too. Backed by research showing maintained productivity and improved well-being, shorter schedules can lead to better focus, reduced burnout, and a more sustainable creative life.
Feed the Right Wolf: Staying Visible When Business Feels Quiet
When business feels quiet, it’s tempting to pull back. But staying visible — even in slow seasons — builds trust, brand equity, and future opportunities.
How to Ask for Referrals (Without Feeling Weird About It)
Getting referrals is about doing great work, asking clearly, and saying thank you. Be specific in your ask so people know exactly who to refer. Build trust through genuine relationships and consistent follow-through. The more intentional you are, the easier it is for others to help you grow.
Is your brand Holding you back?
Take this 15-minute brand clarity assessment and discover what’s holding your business back—so you can fix it fast.
I Went for Pancakes and Left with a Lead
Even the most underwhelming networking events can lead to meaningful business opportunities. Consistent outreach, follow-up, and simply showing up—especially when it’s inconvenient or awkward—are essential parts of building a sustainable solo business.
Seeing the Bigger Picture: Why Opportunity Drives Long-Term Success
Not every business deal is about immediate profit—some opportunities create long-term value that leads to greater success. Taking on strategically valuable projects, even at a lower rate, can refine services, build strong relationships, and open new doors. Knowing when to pursue an opportunity and when to say no helps balance profitability with sustainable business growth.
Stop Overthinking It: How to Make Decisions Faster and Move Your Business Forward
Stop letting overthinking, analysis paralysis, FOBO, hold your business back. You can make faster, more confident choices that drive progress…if you let yourself.
Why Referrals Should Be Your Marketing Priority
Referral marketing isn’t just a strategy—it’s the backbone of sustainable growth. Referrals harness the most powerful form of advertising: personal recommendations. Turning satisfied customers into enthusiastic advocates can build trust, attract new clients, and create lasting loyalty without stretching your budget.
Serendipity and Spaghetti: The Networking Story You Didn’t Expect
Here’s a little tale about why you’re always networking, even when you’re just grabbing a plate of free food.
Recharge Your Entrepreneurial Spirit: The Importance of Downtime for Solopreneurs
Downtime for solopreneurs and small business owners is essential for boosting productivity, creativity, and work-life balance. Learn why taking breaks, whether through vacations or sabbaticals, is key to preventing burnout and ensuring long-term business success.
3 AI tools I use that aren’t ChatGPT
Cuts through the AI hype, with practical insights for service-based SMEs. From automating customer relationship management to refining your professional writing and optimizing your calendar, these AI tools streamline your tasks and enhance productivity.
The Fundamentals of Developing a Strong Personal Brand
Managing your personal brand is an ongoing process that requires constant attention and effort to build and maintain one’s brand image. But doing so can significantly impact career success and professional relationships.
The Power of Monthly Resolutions: How to Achieve Your Goals in Smaller Steps
Setting monthly resolutions can be a powerful tool to help you stay motivated, focused, and on track to accomplish your annual goals.
Six Steps To Get More Referrals From Your Network
Referrals don’t happen by chance. They come from trust, clarity, and consistency. Build credibility, clearly define your ideal client, show your network how to spot opportunities, and make it easy to refer you. Give referrals first, and always show appreciation. Over time, your network becomes an active source of growth.
How to Evaluate Your Business Contact Network
One of the most valuable and often ignored assets any business professional has is their network of personal contacts. If you keep an organized list of contacts, you’ll be able to effectively and efficiently build and deepen your relationships, ask for referrals, or simply keep in touch.
Never Forget to Follow-up Ever Again.
A timely follow-up can mean the difference between closing a sale and hearing that they hired someone else before you got around to it. Use this hack to never forget to follow-up ever again.
Present Like a Pro
Are you stressed about your next networking presentation? Wondering if your message will...
How To Use Social Networks to…Network
If you’re like me, you have changed your approach to networking over the last seven months. As we have learned in our chapter, we can all find new clients by watching out for each other on Facebook. But Social networks are multifaceted tools being used to create awareness, promote, and build relationships!
Networking Virtually…tips for the new normal
With social distancing becoming the norm, networking has moved to online platforms, but it is still an essential tool for building relationships. To be successful, you must have the right mindset, where you focus on how you can help others, not how they can help you. This approach builds mutually beneficial relationships, which is the goal of networking. You can start by nurturing existing relationships, checking in on close friends, family, and colleagues. To meet new people, you can target specific groups or be open to random connections. Allocating just 30 minutes a day to LinkedIn can be an effective way to network online by skimming your feed, commenting on relevant articles, and sending personalized messages to your connections.
We’re all working from home now.
Since so many people are working from now, and Brenits Creative is a 100% remote-work team, I wanted to share the four things that I have been doing consistently for 20 years.
To-Do, To-Don’t, To-Done!
Sometimes it feels like there’s a lot on my plate. I run my own business, sit on two boards, serve as leadership for my referral networking group, and I teach. Most importantly, I’m a husband and father. I have a lot of stuff that needs to get done every day. But I’m never overwhelmed enough to say, “my plate is overfull.”
Plan and run better meetings
Meetings are a necessary evil in our business. Between staff meetings, project planning...