The Solo Specialist
Do focused activities consistently and do them well, rather than trying to do everything.
That notion has been one organizer’s Golden Rule in running her business as a solo operation. “One of the challenges in growing any business is thinking that you have to be everything to everyone,” she says. “The fear is that narrowing your focus will narrow your growth, when in fact, just the opposite occurs.”
The NAPO member of four years has applied this strategy to every aspect of her profession. She carves out time each week to review her annual goals and plan her weekly activities. Having a plan in the form of a checklist helps determine the best business marketing techniques to focus on–when she should schedule speaking sessions, for example, and how many Internet blog posts she should write.
The icing on her cake of solo organizing success is being her own boss. “You get to set your own rules and your own direction,” she says. “I have total creative control over my business and complete flexibility in my schedule.”
But, without proper guidelines, working for one’s self can sometimes be tricky, especially for someone not used to setting his or her own hours. She suggests forming what she calls a “mastermind group” to help stay on task, keep creative juices flowing, and prevent isolation. She meets regularly with other NAPO members to brainstorm and share advice. “We lay out goals for what we will have accomplished for the next time we meet,” she says. “When I have to meet with somebody else, I’m going to make sure that I accomplish what I set out to do. We are often more accountable to other people than we are to ourselves.”
The bottom line, she stresses, is to make a plan. Without it, “you may be on the wrong road entirely,” she says.
With a map of your business’ future in hand and NAPO’s large network of organizers by your side, success is within reach. “The most valuable resource is in the relationships, interactions and collaboration that I have with other members,” she says. “I get so energized and motivated whenever I meet with other organizers.”
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