OK, so today’s post is going to be kind of short, but that’s only because I want to get you to the good stuff right away. Typically, I write up a post to share with you the tips, techniques and insight I’ve learned over the years for a solopreneur starting a small business and growing it. Today’s post, however, is an announcement of more value that my partner over at Small Biz Break, Maria, and I are giving away to help you get your solopreneur business growing.


1. Multimedia Services
Are your marketing campaigns one-dimensional? It used to be that you would have to pay thousands to get your voice heard in print, on the radio and in videos. Not anymore! Small Biz Break is giving solopreneur startups a break with attention-getting, action-inducing multimedia products at a startup budget.

Check out our new Multimedia Service page to get the creative juices flowing.


2. More free downloads in our Solutions Center
Small Biz Break just added two additional documents to the Solutions Center:

Marketing Communications Checklist
With so many marketing options, how do you know if you have your bases covered to hit a marketing campaign grand slam? This form will help you consider the different channels you have for communicating your message. And when you do, consider our multimedia services mentioned above.

Business Insurance Planning Worksheet
Whether insurance is a requirement for your business model or just extra protection, download this form to make sure that you are looking into your different options BEFORE you need them.

To download these forms and many others along with our ebooks, “My Idea, My Business” and “My Idea, My Research”, simply go to our Register page, sign in and get your access code to our Solutions Center.


3. SBB Blog Talk Radio Goes on the Air
Mark your calendars to set aside about 15 minutes at 3 PM EST / 12 PM PST on Wednesday September 8^th for the very first show on Small Biz Break’s Blog Talk Radio show. Yes, we said only 15 minutes! We believe in giving you great insight without taking an hour or more to do it.


Got any questions about this announcement?


Need help with some multimedia services?


Have a request for our startup services?


Contact us.


All the Best,


Doug Dolan
The Solopreneur’s Guide
Small Biz Break

I remember the first time I mentioned the idea of starting my own solopreneur business. Everyone I told went silent for a couple seconds. Not a peep. Then they would say, “Are you crazy?”


“Maybe”, I would reply. 


No, I wasn’t crazy; I was a dreamer … a talented dreamer. I was a Vice President of Sales & Marketing making a good six-figure income, and I wasn’t going to let much stand in my way.


Did I make mistakes? Of course I did.  


Did it cost me? The worst pain was to my ego.


Did I learn from it? Tons! I’m still learning.


Would I do it again? Yes!


Everything in life is a learning experience; what you do with it depends on your outlook. I have a positive outlook. Even in my worst moments, I have tried to muster a smile, laugh, and find the strength to precede forward. So far, I have. 


Starting a business isn’t easy, but it is possible. It can be done. You have to be determined to keep going! You have to look at the positive in things. There is always a reason for everything. Use it to your advantage. Never stop believing in yourself, even when the people around you are starting to question you. 


There is nothing like other people’s assumption that you will fail to grow the inner spirit. If I had listened to some of my worst critiques, I wouldn’t be running a business today.


I am though … because I believed in myself.


Now, go about your day believing in you.


All the Best,


Doug Dolan
The Solopreneur’s Guide
Small Biz Break

Are you hoping for a lucky break to get your new solopreneur business started?


My Small Biz Break partner, Maria, and I are here to give you that break.


We’re going to give 5 lucky people a free business plan review.


Simply go to our Facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/smallbizbreak), click on the “Like” button at the top of the page and enter the phrase “Give me a break with my business plan” on our wall no later than 12:00 PM PST, Friday August 20^th.


We will randomly choose 5 entrepreneurs from the group on Friday August 20^th to be the lucky winners of a business plan review.


Our method for selecting winners is not scientific, but it is honest. Everyone that enters and follows the instructions above will have an equal chance to win. We will list the winners on our Wall on Monday August 23^rd and contact them through their Facebook pages.


Once Small Biz Break has notified the winners, they will have 30 days to submit their business plan for review. Small Biz Break will provide a written report back to the winners within 5 business days with a review of the plan with recommendations for improvement.


Just make sure that if you do enter and win, you don’t waste the opportunity by submitting a half written plan. If you aren’t sure what goes into a business plan, you can register on Small Biz Break’s web site for access to the Solutions Center where you can download a free copy of the Mini Business Plan Outline or the Formal Business Plan Outline.


So if you are working on a business plan and want a professional review and critique, give yourself a break and simply sign up on our Facebook fan page and enter the phrase “Small Biz Break, give me a break with my business plan” on our wall no later than 12:00 PM PST, Friday August 20^th.


Good luck!


Doug Dolan
The Solopreneur’s Guide
Small Biz Break

My Small Biz Break partner, Maria, and I have some good news today, and then some great news. But, we believe in being honest, so we need to ‘fess up and admit there are some strings attached to today’s announcement. We don’t like the bait-and-switch tactic either.


Let’s start with the good news.
We’ve just completed our second ebook, “My Idea, My Research” as a follow up to “My Idea, My Business”. We feel very proud of our latest accomplishment, but feel even better because we know it will help solopreneurs become more effective at performing research for their new business idea. This in turn will give them greater odds for success.


We know, most people don’t like performing research. However, it helps if …

1) You start a business that you are passionate about.
You will want to learn more about your market and the potential for your business if you are passionate about it. If you are struggling trying to decide a strong small business idea for you, grab your free copy of “My Idea, My Business” from the Solutions Center while it lasts. Just make sure you register first, if you haven’t already.


2) You download your copy of “My Idea, My Research”.
“My Idea, My Research” covers critical issues for market research, including methodology, helpful resources, and important questions about target markets, customers, the competition, outsourcing and joint venture partners, plus legal issues while keeping the content reader friendly.


And now for the great news.
We are currently giving “My Idea, My Research” away for FREE! And if you are reading this in time, you can still download your free copy of “My Idea, My Business”, too. Extra bonus!


As we mentioned above, all you have to do is register for access to the Solutions Center, go inside and download your free copy.


What’s the catch? Yes, we have a couple of strings attached. We told you we did. Actually, the strings are more of a request than a requirement. However, since we are giving our ebook away for free, we hope you will reciprocate.


Request #1 – After reading “My Idea, My Research”, let us know your thoughts. Please leave a comment below or stop by our Contact Us page and give us your feedback. Your feedback helps us create better products and services for you!


Request #2 – Tell your friends and colleagues. If you know of other people interested in starting their own small business or know of a solopreneur struggling to launch one, please send them over to register for access to the Solutions Center.


We are passionate about helping new and struggling entrepreneurs find their “Simple, Spontaneous, Success” and know that “My Idea, My Business” and “My Idea, My Research” will start them on that path to discovery.


PS – “My Idea, My Plan” is coming soon. Stay tuned.


All the Best,


Doug Dolan
The Solopreneur’s Guide
Small Biz Break

This is a big question that both the unemployed and those feeling locked in the cubicle prison are asking themselves.


There can be a difference between having your own business and being an entrepreneur. You can have your own business without being entrepreneur, and that’s OK depending on what you want and what works best for your skill set.


For example, you could buy into one of the many work-from-home programs, MLM and franchise opportunities, or even purchase an existing business. These types of businesses will give you structure and a formula to follow allowing you to have your own business. However, an entrepreneur, on the other hand, would find these scenarios restrictive.


In case you haven’t seen my previous mentions of my partnership with Maria Smith-Alvira at Small Biz Break, we coach people to help them decide which scenario works best for them and then consult them through the steps to success.


If you are ready to be your own boss and prefer a structured work-from-home, MLM or franchise program, we can help you determine a program that will fit well with who you are and where you want to go.


If you are ready to flex your entrepreneur muscles, we will coach you through defining and launching a business that is an extension of YOU (your strengths, your experience, your passion, your financial needs and wants, and your personal goals), ultimately giving you your optimal balance between your personal and professional fulfillment and financial success.


By following this process, we lead you to your “Simple, Spontaneous, Success”. By starting your ideal business (instead of just any business that makes money), the process becomes simpler because you will replace fear and frustration with enthusiasm and determination. As you think of ways to improve and grow your business, your ideas will be more spontaneous because the business is an extension of you, ultimately leading to greater success.


How can we help?


1. Register for access to the Solutions Center.
Click here to go to the Small Biz Break Solutions Center. Inside you will find a number of business templates and forms to help you focus your activity for creating and launching your small business. Registration and downloads are free.


2. Download your free copy of “My Idea, My Business”.
Currently, we are giving away our new ebook, “My Idea, My Business” in the Solutions Center. “My Idea, My Business” helps you define the business of you. This ebook walks you through creating a business that is an extension of who you are so you can achieve your “Simple, Spontaneous, Success”.


3. Get started with one of our package solutions.
If you want answers to starting your own small business, get started quickly with by choosing the package that best meets your needs. From a professional review of your business idea, to creating an idea and launching it, to increasing your brand recognition and revenues with your own book or ebook, simply go to our Services page and select the package that is right for you.


4. Contact us for personalized, professional coaching.
Not all help fits within a package. Sometimes the right package for your needs is the one that we create from scratch. Contact us for a free consultation to design your personalized coaching and consulting program.


5. Brand the business of you with your own book / ebook.
As we mentioned above, creating your own book or ebook is one of the most effective ways for building a warm prospect list of future customers, establishing a rapport with them, keeping them loyal, generating more sales and gaining recognition and credibility as a leader in your industry. Contact us to discuss our writing services of coaching, editing and ghostwriting.


Don’t let a struggling economy stop you from pursuing your passion of starting and growing your own small business.


Contact us to get your start today.


All the Best,


Doug Dolan
The Solopreneur’s Guide
Small Biz Break