To help get further into this topic, let me share an analogy.

Some years ago I went on a self-defence course. The instructor talked to us about what to do if we were set upon in the street by a mugger.

“There’s no point in simply screaming out for help” he told us, because as he explained, the natural tendency of others is either to not get involved, or to assume that someone else will do the helping.

Instead we were told to, in effect, ‘appoint’ a passer-by to help. Here’s what was suggested:

Instead of a ‘general’ message he told us to ‘get specific’.

His example was: “Hey you, in the green shirt with the brown briefcase, help me!”

By doing this – by explicitly assigning someone to the task – it was far more likely that help would be given. Of course it would! If you were the person in the green shirt are you going to walk by? Of course not. At the very least you’d turn to someone nearby and enrol that person to your cause.

And this is precisely what we need to do in our solo businesses. We need to tailor our messages to specific people if we are to be truly heard.

Let’s look at this applied more directly to business. Picture an accountant who does basic tax accounting. Chances are you can think of three of four soloists who do precisely that. No doubt each does a good job, but not much is standing out here is it?

Imagine instead an accountant who spoke in terms of ’helping professional service firms pay less tax and retain more profits’.

Compelling language along these lines stands much more chance of being heard, remembered and passed on.

So how do we go about finding the right words? The answer is: Listen to your clients. Ask them what they really get as an outcome of your work and start to talk in these terms.

Use straightforward, clear language and keep it brief. Don’t get all knotted up in processes. People are looking for solutions, it’s how referrals are generated.

There’ll be plenty of time later to talk processes. For now, concentrate on being heard amid the noise.

I disagree.  Sure, some of it can be good and at times it is very convenient, but the worrying trend is that always available may become the workplace norm.

A quick glance at how these new services are being marketed and you’ll see imagery depicting young, happy executives tapping away at the keyboard while at the beach or in the garden. In the distance we see friends and family supposedly playing and communing happily.

Everyone is doing what they love. How nice.

Let’s now consider the reverse scenario: Friends and family playing happily in the office while you work. Do you reckon you’ll get much done? Nope. Me neither. You’ll be distracted and certainly won’t be concentrating on your work.

Relaxing with friends and family isn’t a totally passive past time. You need to participate if you are to give and receive. It’s called “being present”. If you’re not joining in, all you’re really doing is moving the office to a new location and one where nothing terribly meaningful is achieved.

Let’s look at other implications of the always available trap.

Remember the good old days when you took a day or two off and were pleasantly surprised when everything ran smoothly in your absence? The times when your clients and associates rose to the challenge of management and decision-making and showed themselves much more capable than you had given credit?

Why would anyone risk making a decision about anything now, when you’re just a moment away?

On the other hand, if you want to make every micro decision (er, control freak!) then carry on, you’re doing just fine.

While some soloists may quite rightly say that being always available and in-touch is wonderful for their business, a survey on our site suggested over 72% of you would be more than happy if a surprise law banned mobile phones. Chances are partners and friends are sure to agree!

The answer to this is not that complex. Being available can most certainly be good, but we have to establish boundaries with our colleagues and clients.

If you don’t stay in control of your involvement in your business, you’ll forever be its prisoner.

That doesn’t sound like a good recipe for loving your work does it?

Exploration on the topic of visions is often done in the context of a start-up business, but to dismiss visions as something solely useful to newbies is to miss out on an invaluable tool.

To leave visions behind as we move forwards is akin to cleaning the windows once and never doing them again.

A compelling and inspiring vision needs to underpin everything… all the time. Without a vision how on earth can we develop meaningful plans, create strategies and get into positive action? We can’t. Sure we can rush around doing lots of things and give the appearance of being really busy, but our activity invariably comes devoid of any real focus or direction.
Working without the ‘pull’ of a vision leaves us hugely susceptible to distraction and it’s wicked half-sister, procrastination; whereas the presence of a vision creates quite the reverse.

Here’s what newbie soloist management consultant Ben said when we interviewed him for the book:

“A year before I was ready to fly solo I created my vision, the headline of which was: ‘In twelve months’ time, I see myself running my own business, working from a home office which has a view of the ocean.’ This scenario bore no resemblance to my circumstances at the time.

I knew if I really wanted the set-up I dreamed of I’d need to make big life changes over the year. It was nerve-racking in a way, but my vision helped me justify these changes. When faced with decisions, I’d refer to my vision and ask ‘Does this fit?’ This made my journey to soloism easier. In fact, it would have been impossible for me to get where I am if I hadn’t had such a strong mental picture of where I wanted to be.”

Lucky old Ben you may say, but what he achieved in his start-up phase every soloist can enjoy regardless of the time already spent airborne.

Now’s not the time to go right into the detail of how to generate an inspiring vision – hey, it took us the best part of twenty pages to cover the topic in the book – but I can certainly share with you one key ingredient of a comprehensive vision and that is the essential element of imagery.

Whether you’re creating a vision for the outcome of a project, or a vision for the launch of an entirely new business proposition, try capturing it with a single image and hold that image in your mind.

I have one such image for an element of my work and it’s stuck prominently on the wall of my office. What’s the image? Well, it looks a little bit like this:

Ironically for a number of novice soloists the very thing that appeals – the vision of working alone – becomes a major reason to quit.

Working solo doesn’t suit everyone. Without planned habits and behaviours, isolation and loneliness is extremely destructive.

The trick is to engage in ‘purposeful participation’.

If you’re running a business, you’re clearly participating at some level. We’re talking, though, about purposeful participation, the ‘purpose’ in this context is to avoid the incidence of you becoming isolated or cut-off from the rest of the world.

To keep isolation at bay we must feel connected; we need to foster the habits and behaviours of a purposeful participant.

The onset of isolation is rarely heralded. One day you’re chuffing along nicely supported by throngs of unseen supporters and advocates, the next you’re seemingly invisible and alone.

Here are 4 tips to keep you connected:

1. Build meaningful relationships

Take a look at what you’re doing to foster business relationships that have meaning and a strong sense of connection.

If you’ve got it right, a customer conversation will bring the same joy as speaking with a good friend. You will enjoy a feeling that lasts.

Too often we ignore the ‘relate’ aspect of relationships as the emphasis is on sales outcomes. Look instead at building relationship as a means of furthering a sense of connection.

Hmmm. Reckon this depth of relationship may just impact on sales as well? Now there’s a thought.

2. View your neighbourhood as a bustling office

Next, look at how you relate to those around you – the people with whom you regularly come into contact.

Isolation rarely impacts those working in a busy, populated office. Why? Because all they need to do to maintain a sense of connection (without even realising it) is breeze through a workstation or two, collecting smiles and nods along the way.

So consider your acquaintances as your co-workers – whether suppliers, neighbours, corner shop owners, couriers, or the postie.

Relate more with everyone you meet and you cannot help but feel connected.

3. Start talking to people

While email has hugely expanded communication, it has also, sadly, diluted the essential element of voice dialogue. You remember speech, don’t you?

Talking with others is pivotal to the demise of isolation. Before you whizz off another email, make sure you’re not missing an opportunity to connect with a fellow human being.

4. Challenge established actions

Finally, give some of your habitual actions a going over. For example, how do you travel around? Could you move by another means, one that would help you connect more? Think, too, about what you read. Are you learning anything new from your reading? When is the last time you read a teenager’s magazine or tried to understand alternative music/lifestyles?

Remember, every time you take a proactive step towards getting involved, you’re taking one step back from falling into the isolation trap.

1. Have I done the right amount of research?

The excitement of starting a new business can cause new soloists to be too hasty. Often driven by the mistaken belief that some imaginary boat will be missed if the business isn’t started NOW, this haste can result in the cutting of corners, particularly in the area of research.

You need to research potential markets, the activities of competitors, the mechanics of the business, financial projections and methods of marketing.

However, too much research can signal and fuel procrastination. Many prospective business owners remain just that – prospective – rendered motionless under the weight and anxieties caused by research excess.

Do your best to strike a happy medium between these extremes.

2. Have I been realistic about the pitfalls?

If you’re starting up a new business, you’ll know there are risks involved. It’s really important, though, you draw the distinction between risk and irresponsibility. In a nutshell, risk is not usually terminal. Sure the business itself might fail, but the possibility of loss will have been foreseen and personal disaster will generally have been avoided. Irresponsibility on the other hand generally indicates that pitfalls have been blatantly ignored.

When risks takers don’t pull it off, it’s onto the next. When the irresponsible fail, it’s lose everything and head back to employment.

3. Am I cut out to working on my own?

Working for yourself sounds like bliss and to many it is. To others, however, it’s lonely, isolating and downright destructive.

Before starting out on your own, take a good look at your strengths and weaknesses. Ask yourself these questions as a starter:

• In what way may my behaviours sabotage my business?
• Am I a good problem solver?
• Will I interact with enough people during the week?
• Can I strike the balance between freedom and discipline?

The answers will help reveal your readiness to go it alone.

4. Can I handle administrative tasks AND develop my business?

‘How did I get here?’ is a far too common complaint of the soloist. Just a few months into the business and the optimism of the pre-launch period has been replaced with mountains of paperwork and endless action lists. At this point, days can go by when nothing gets done.

This can be due to insufficient thought being given to the mechanics of the business, i.e. a lack of procedures. Formulate procedures beforehand and you’ll find it easier to keep control of your business once you’re up and running.

5. Do I have sufficient financial reserves?

Commonly, start-ups are under funded with insufficient reserves to survive the development period. Here we see the new owner opting for the “she’ll be right” seat of the pants approach to business – not a sensible strategy.

Of course occasionally we hear of an under-capitalised business that launches and succeeds effortlessly. But ever wondered why it’s so newsworthy?

Imagine trying to promote, market and network your business when you’re anxious about whether you’ll meet the next rent payment. Not only is it very personally draining, it becomes very apparent to others that you’re in difficulty.

It’s a harsh reality, but few want to give custom to a business that appears to be failing. Make sure you have the funds to ride out the storm.

In conclusion, much is spoken of the high percentage of solo businesses that fail. Don’t let yours become a statistic. Do your preparation and get ready for the best journey of your life!

For example, if you’re a retailer, your opinion may be about the products you sell, issues concerning the people you sell to, or issues to do with being a retailer.

The point is, opinions matter. People value your opinions – your customers, your contacts, your network, the media. Speak up about your views and before too long you will be approached for opinion.

Ponder for a moment: Your customers, your contacts, your network, the media… all approaching you for your opinion. How does it feel?

2. As an aid to generating referral

In simple terms, for referrals to be generated, people need to know what you do and who you do it for.

By establishing yourself as a specialist in a given field, you make it easier for acquaintances, friends, fans and advocates to talk about you.

Got trouble with your feet? Need work on your gums? Want to get more clients? Who you gonna call?

3. Helps maintain focus

Focus is fabulous. Henry David Thoreau had it right all along. So if you’d like to “meet with a success unexpected in common hours” you’ll give it your attention. By becoming a specialist, focus moves from being an optional extra to standard equipment. You simply have no choice.

4. Specialists command a premium

Recently in a crisp little surgery with art on the walls and James Taylor playing on the stereo a very nice man in white Birkenstock sandals spent 40 mins prodding around in my mouth. It cost me $500.

I am not complaining, I’m merely illustrating a point: If you dedicate yourself to your area of speciality and over time, truly become a specialist, you can charge a premium for your work.

5. You’ll open a door to serial-specialism

Once you have tasted the benefits of becoming a specialist, you’re likely to see opportunities for more. A good place to start is to look at your current client base and search for specialised commonalities in the work you do.

A valuable exercise can be to ask the question of clients: What do you get from working with me that you did not anticipate at the outset?