The Hidden Power of Positioning

Solopreneurs face a cycle of endless work. It's part of the deal, right?

Hell no.

Most "endless work" is wasted energy. Think stagnation instead of growth. You have to break the cycle, knowing that "more work" isn't the answer.

A recent conversation with a client revealed this stark reality, highlighting how having too much work is often the consequence of poor positioning.

Here are my action notes from that call, breaking down how positioning can help.

Learn how positioning can serve as a catalyst for growth.

The Right Positioning

Attaining the right position in your field lays the foundation for efficient and sustainable growth. This position could be a unique niche, a refined service offering, or a well-structured process that sets the stage for accelerated growth without the common strains experienced.

This means you're serving the wrong clients. Or you're offering the wrong service to the right clients. Or it's just the wrong time.

Poor positioning could also be having the wrong people on your team, or asking the wrong questions at the start of your engagement, or solving for the wrong problem.

The Solution: Gain clarity by evaluating your current position using tough questions.

• How would this look if it was simple?
• What could I remove to improve the situation?
• Are the right people involved in this work?
• What would be the opposite of this solution I am seeking?

Create and refine your questions to help you continually align your work with your strengths and the needs of your customers.

Perceived Limitations

Ever find yourself stuck at work? Standing at what seems like a crossroads with many closed doors?

The truth is, these doors appear closed from where you are standing. From your position. But are they really closed to you?

From a different point of view, they might be unlocked and ready to open.

From another, they might only be painted doors on a mural.  

The Problem: Your perception hinders the exploration of new opportunities.

The Solution: Confront your perceived limitations by expanding your circle of perception to talk to others.  Engage with mentors, peer groups, or consider professional consulting to gain new insights into your situation.

How do other people handle situations like yours? How do they pivot? When do they know to act vs when to wait?

This isn't a problem to solve; it's an opportunity for growth.

Remember, a slight shift in perspective can translate into a significant leap in your growth trajectory.

Adapting for Growth

The mantra of ‘more time, more work’ is misleading. It leads to a burnout spiral with diminishing returns.

We each have a finite capacity for the amount of work we can endure. Just grinding it out isn't a sustainable option for scaling a solo agency.

On the other hand, adapting smartly to challenges paves a path for growth that doesn’t demand an unrealistic investment of time and effort.

It’s about working smarter, not harder, and optimizing operations for better outcomes without stretching your limits thin.

The Solution: Identify areas where smarter strategies could replace hard labor.

• Embrace automation.
• Delegate non-core tasks.
• Capture and continuously refine your processes.

The Final Word

The secret of your success revolves around your ability to deliver high value to your customers.

The highest possible value isn't just your time or your skill. It's your brain power. It's your perspective. It's your ability to create a net positive change that's a magnitude of order better than they imagined possible.

The only way to remain on that cutting edge of value is to recognize your limitations and invest your time and attention strategically to unlock more value.