Why Solopreneurs Grapple With Burn Out And How To Identify It

By

Theodore Henderson

The Wisdom Man

–

As solo entrepreneurs or “solopreneurs,” you are a unique form of entrepreneur or business owner that runs everything in their business themselves. There are numerous advantages to this kind of business model. Thanks to internet-based research and resources, it’s now a more feasible alternative for more people than ever before. 

The notion of running an entire empire single-handedly would have seemed like an impossible pipe-dream only a few years ago. Today though, this is what more and more people are living as their reality. The internet is such a powerful force multiplier that it allows many people to truly become “digital polymaths.” 

Solopreneurs – The Gaming Example

Take video game development as a perfect example. Once upon a time, during the days of the ZX Spectrum and other early hardware, a single developer could create a game in their basement and release it to the world to mass acclaim. But then computers developed further, and computer game graphics became photo-real. Today, the budget for a “AAA” title is gigantic. The projects require thousands of people working around the clock for years.

Click here for a free look at how to Research A New Market to create a profitable online business.

For many years, a single developer couldn’t compete with the big game studios. But then things changed. 

Tools like Unreal Engine and Unity provided ready-made physics and graphics rendering pipelines, even providing drag-and-drop interfaces for developers to streamline production. Then came freely available assets such as 3D models, music, textures, and more: created by the community and distributed with a creative commons license. Often these were free. 

Suddenly, a single developer could leverage powerful tools, and the community’s hard work and creativity to develop a game that would look almost as graphically impressive as something built by a much larger studio. 

And slowly, the industry saw the rise of the “indie developer.” Solo projects like Hyper Light Drifter, Undertale, Minecraft, Thomas Was Alone, Stardew Valley, Spelunky, Braid, Cave Story, and others have sold millions of copies! 

Then there are the distribution platforms that allow individual creators to upload their projects to be easily discovered. There are video and photo editing tools that make it easier than ever before to create marketing materials. And there are forums, social media platforms, and SEO that help creators reach a massive audience. 

A single person can be an entire games business. And by taking this route, they can potentially reap HUGE rewards. They get to bring to life their creative vision, but they also get to take home all of the profit for themselves. 

Click here for a free look at Expert Secrets to create a profitable online business.

Building a game is not an easy project, though. It still requires a considerable amount of hard work, coding skills, passion, and creativity. The most successful indie games also manage to sidestep the issue of “photorealism” with striking graphical styles. This helps them stand out while also reducing the amount of work necessary for the creator. 

But this is just one example of how tools can empower individuals to take on much larger organizations. There are countless other examples: from owners of successful blogs to creators of highly popular YouTube channels. You can be an affiliate marketer. You can make money reselling hats or any other physical product. 

The latter is a business model that has been particularly transformed by the web’s power. Thanks to sites like Alibaba, it’s now possible to work directly with manufacturers that will produce your products and then deliver them straight to your customers. The best part is that they don’t even reveal themselves, meaning that you have your own factory as far as the customer is concerned! 

Any of these business models are available to the proactive individual who is willing to learn and who knows how to spot an opportunity. You can even create your own business model with a little creativity that simply didn’t exist before! 

Challenges for Solopreneurs 

But while the solopreneur lifestyle is liberating in many ways, it can also be extremely challenging. That’s because it requires you to wear many hats and take full responsibility for every aspect of your business.

Tech Crunch published an article in recent years showing how the most brilliant and creative amongst us, such as solopreneurs, can at times be the most troubled. This is made extremely clear in the entrepreneurial environment. With each example of unnecessary self-harm or even death, the importance of mental health comes momentarily into focus.   But the short attention span of the public guarantees that focus lasts no longer than a couple of headlines. As you will see below the statistics show a troubling picture which means we must take action hep ourselves and our fellow entrepreneurs and solopreneurs.  

Let us look at the numbers more closely. 18.5 percent of Americans will suffer from mental illness this year. 4 percent of them will suffer so acutely that it may substantially limit their ability to live fully functionally.

Click here to hire a freelancer or get hired for a project.

Put less scientifically we all likely know someone who is suffering right now and could use some form of support. Furthermore, dissimilar from many challenges we face today, the most prevalent expressions of mental health disorder (anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and imposter syndrome) are primarily handled through individual action. Not only should we all take action, but we all can do something helpful.

Just to be clear in normal times national mental health statistics are worrisome, however, they are downright frightening for entrepreneurs. According to a study by Michael Freeman, entrepreneurs are 50 percent more likely to report having a mental health condition, with some specific conditions being incredibly prevalent amongst founders.

Statistics show that Entrepreneurs/Founders are:

• 2 times more likely to suffer from depression
• 6 times more likely to suffer from ADHD
• 3 times more likely to suffer from substance abuse
• 10 times more likely to suffer from bi-polar disorder
• 2 times more likely to have psychiatric hospitalization
• 2 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts

Even if you are simply running a blog and selling affiliate products, this can be a surprisingly challenging lifestyle. Suddenly, there is no employer. There is nobody who is going to take responsibility for your business. There is no one to blame if things go wrong. 

Likewise, there is no guaranteed paycheck. There isn’t even an assurance that you’ll have any work this time tomorrow. 

What can go wrong for Solopreneurs

Things can be going exceptionally well one day, and terribly the next. 

What if Google removes your site from its listings, and you can’t sell any more products? 

Suppose your one big client moves on and you have a quiet spell lasting for months? 

Click Here to get more info on the GetResponse free and paid programs.

Suppose a shipment of products goes missing? 

As the solopreneur, you must be ready to weather all these scenarios. Not only that, but you must also make countless huge decisions. 

You run a YouTube channel, and you want to sell an eBook from there. But how much do you charge for it?  What eCommerce store do you use to sell it from? 

What if your loyal audience finds it offensive that you are now charging for information, and thus they leave you? 

Your WooCommerce store crashes because you have an outdated PHP version on your server? And what if that means you lose thousands of preorders? 

And do you let that other creator you met upload videos to your channel? What if those put off your viewers because it’s not what they came to see? What if they like the other person’s content more than yours?? 

Juggling work is also complicated, especially if you want to maintain some work/life balance semblance. This is especially true for a service provider. In this scenario, there is no delineation between work hours and downtime. 

That is to say, that you could work 9-5, but you could also work 9-9. That latter option would mean you earn a LOT more money! Do you really need to be relaxing in the evening when you could be getting closer to your goals? 

What if you don’t finish your work on time? Do you work a little more? 

What if there’s something you want to buy? 

Click Here to get more info on the SiteGround hosting and e-commerce programs.

Again, the number of variables is enormous, and you are always forced to make these decisions. Even when you are “relaxing,” you will still be questioning whether you could be doing something more useful. You might always be worrying that that work wasn’t done to standard. 

Then there are the emails from customers who couldn’t download/didn’t like their products. And from clients who don’t want your work. There are the comments on your YouTube videos from people who don’t understand what you’re trying to do and seem to have a vendetta against you. 

It’s stressful! 

You are, after all, a pioneer. And with a new type of career, we need a new approach to health and productivity. 

Conclusion – Solopreneurs Moving Forward

But here’s the thing: it’s not just about trying to “survive” in business. The truth is the more we improve our focus, energy, creativity, and health, the more we will produce. As a solopreneur, everything you sell and everything that earns you money comes from you. 

If you want to be more successful, that means that you need to produce more. And if you’re going to provide more, you need to manage your energy levels and focus. You need to learn how to get the most from your brain and body. 

And this can result in a HUGE increase in your productivity and profits. Because when you’re a solopreneur, learning how to double your output, means doubling your income!

So my fellow entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and small business owners take action now to safeguard your mental and physical health to enjoy real success.  See another of our articles on this issue that you may find helpful called The Importance of Stress Management in Business Success.

–

Click here to gain access to the free video training on starting an online business and profitable digital publishing.

About The Author

Theodore Henderson works with business owners, entrepreneurs, and corporate professionals on their business skills, marketing, and leadership strategies. He is an Amazon best-selling author, a Certified Career Coach, Business Skills & Leadership Coach, and a Certified Social Media Security Professional Powered by CompTIA.

–

Visit The Wisdom4Business Blog for the complimentary series on business startup and entrepreneurship. Also, visit TheHealthyBusinessOwner.com for timely and useful tips and strategies for living a healthier lifestyle.

–

There are some affiliate links below and I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no additional cost to you and it helps us to continue providing quality information to our readers. These are all products I highly recommend. I won’t put anything on this page that I haven’t verified and/or personally used.