I\u2019m a no-growth, order-taking solopreneur.<\/p>\n

And proud of it.<\/p>\n

But in a business world that tells us success arrives when we lean in, work ON the business not IN it, and scale rather than sustain, \u201cno-growth\u201d and \u201corder-taking\u201d are shame-inducing entrepreneurial dirty words.<\/p>\n

So what if we reframe this a bit? What if we expand what it means to be a business owner, with success defined by our passion, work style, and desired lifestyle? For example, I\u2019m a writer who loves to work alone and has never wanted to be anyone\u2019s boss or business partner. I just want to write<\/em> – from anywhere in the world. For me, success looks like hunkering over my laptop in my home office, a cafe, or the deck of a beachfront cottage.<\/p>\n

And what if we give solopreneurs permission to lean back and reap the rewards of blood, sweat, and business development? I spent the first seven years of my solopreneurial decade drumming up business and refining my craft. Those efforts resulted in lasting relationships with clients who call on my expertise when they need it. It might look like order-taking, but to me, it\u2019s my business running itself – allowing me to focus on doing the work and living my life.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s nothing wrong with growing your business. There\u2019s nothing wrong with selling, scaling, hiring, and outsourcing. That\u2019s the right strategy for some businesses and some business owners. But there\u2019s also nothing wrong with working hard to build your business, and then working hard to sustain it – especially if you\u2019re a creative who\u2019s passionate about what you\u2019re making. So if you\u2019re lucky enough to find yourself with a nice little pod of repeat customers and you\u2019re living a life you love, feel free to stop the growth and start taking orders.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve earned it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nicole Christie<\/strong> is a writer, storyteller, and the principal and creative director of NICO, Inc. \u2013 a one-woman firm specializing in fresh, honest, engaging employee and marketing communications for Fortune 500 corporations, leading-edge creative firms, and rapidly growing new technology companies. You can find her on Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a>, and at nicolechristie.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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