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Embracing The Two Sides of a Solopreneur Designer
I want to share insights from a recent experience that has profoundly reshaped my approach to running a business as a solopreneur designer. This past weekend, I attended WordCamp Canada, a vibrant community gathering for people interested in WordPress. Among the myriad of compelling talks, one stood out and sparked the inspiration for this article. Be sure to listen to the podcast for the whole story.
While attending a presentation on email marketing, an unexpected nugget of wisdom caught my attention: the concept of balancing the two sides of a solopreneur designer—the CEO and the employee. This idea resonated deeply with me, and I knew I needed to explore it further.
CEO Strategies vs. Employee Execution
In the universe of solopreneur designers, we wear many hats. If you’re a longtime listener of my podcast, you might recall episode 38, where I discussed “The Many Hats of a Home-Based Graphic Designer.” Today, I want to narrow the focus to two critical roles: the CEO and the employee.
The CEO’s realm is all about vision and strategy. As a CEO, you are the strategic thinker, the planner, the decision-maker. You determine the services offered, set pricing, develop marketing plans, and chart the course for your business. The CEO’s job is to look ahead, strategize, and ensure your design business grows.
On the flip side, the employee’s role is execution. When wearing the employee hat, you are the doer. You interact with clients, handle design tasks, and ensure the work gets done. The employee focuses on fulfilling the client’s needs and increasing revenue through completed projects.
The Importance of Mental Separation
One of the most significant takeaways from the talk was the importance of mentally separating these two roles. When you blur the lines between CEO and employee, you risk prioritizing one role over the other, often leading to a neglect of strategic planning. Let’s face it—client work always seems urgent, but without a solid business strategy, you won’t attract and retain those clients to begin with.
To thrive as a solopreneur designer, you must carve out dedicated time for your CEO duties, separate from the daily grind of client work. The speaker suggested a brilliant tactic: never work at the employee’s desk while wearing the CEO hat. Even physical separation can make a huge difference. Find a different space, perhaps a cozy coffee shop, a quiet park bench, or another room in your house.
Implementing This Strategy
Here’s how you can implement this concept effectively:
1. Schedule CEO Time: Determine a specific time each week solely for strategic planning. It could be an hour every Monday morning or a couple of hours once a month. The key is consistency and commitment.
2. Create a CEO Environment: When it’s time to put on your CEO hat, step away from your usual workspace. Disconnect from emails and client communications to focus on big-picture thinking without distractions.
3. Discipline is Key: Respect the boundaries you set. When the CEO schedules time for employee tasks, such as updating your website, treat it as any client project. Conversely, the employee must not override the CEO’s wishes by extending work tasks into strategic planning periods.
4. Think Like Two People: Mentally separate these roles. The CEO has the authority to set priorities, and the employee’s job is to execute these decisions without interference. This mental shift can transform how you manage and grow your business.
Your Turn: Embrace the Two Sides
I’m genuinely excited about integrating this approach into my routine, and I encourage you to try it as well. Share your experience with me. Have you already practiced something similar? Do you have specific strategies for separating your CEO and employee roles? I’d love to hear how this concept resonates with you and how you plan to implement it.
Contact me via my feedback form or join the ongoing conversation in the Resourceful Designer Community. Here, we support one another, share ideas, and refine our businesses’ CEO and employee facets. We would love for you to join us.
Remember to nurture both sides of your solopreneur designer persona for your business to flourish. Dedicate time to strategy and growth and balance it with executing client work. When done right, these two sides will harmoniously create a thriving, well-rounded design business.
Stay Creative,
CLICK HERE to download a PDF transcription of this episode. This transcript was created with the help of AI and transcription tools. It has not been edited for errors or accuracy.
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Running a graphic design or web design business alone isn't easy. If you're facing any struggles running your design business, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'll do my best to help you by addressing your issues in a future article or podcast episode here at Resourceful Designer. You can reach me via my feedback form
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