In time, start using this side gig to earn money. And when you find a few customers—then quit and focus on building a company of one from there. Be Passionate—But Practical as Well Always-on, always-available is a big enemy of companies of one that need focus. 9. Teach Everything You Know Especially if it inevitably results in just enough money to buy you just enough time to pursue your hobby in the future. In other words, no matter how passionate you are about these things, chances are you’re never going to become the next Serena Williams, Beyoncé or Toni Morrison, for the very same reason that a whole class can’t become the next President of the United States. A “company of one” is a collective mindset that can be applied to small, medium or large businesses alike. The impact and implementation process will be different in different contexts, but the fundamental principle is always the same. A company of one is a business that questions growth, not because of stubbornness, but because growth is often not the answer you are looking for.

Tom Fishburne, through his drawings, invoices two to three times more compared to his previous job, doing what he loves and enjoying his time with his family.He proposes that to have a rewarding and productive life, you purposely keep your company small. That way you will avoid headaches, like deal with employees, meetings and excessive concerns with the company's expansion.

This means listening to, communicating with, and helping the existing people who are already paying attention and buying from you, working to improve your products and get better results for them, who in turn will continue to buy from you. Besides his work as an author, Jarvis hosts classes on how to be a successful freelancer, where he has advocated for the contrarian idea that businesses don’t need growth to be profitable. Building authority/credibility is especially important for a company of one. III. Maintain 10. Properly Utilizing Trust and Scale And that is because these “company of one principles” mean self-sufficiency and more autonomy—and that is precisely what most employees, executive leaders, board members, and corporate leaders want today.

A leader in a company of one needs to provide clear direction, set up rules, tools and processes, and then get out of the way. bq] "Just as company growth should be questioned, so too should a busy schedule." 6. Personality Matters Deliberately putting upper bounds on goals allows you to build safety margins and have sustained growth rather than crazy short-term growth.

Should get some minimal legal and financial advice by hiring lawyer and accountant as contractors. Afterword: Never Grow UpWhat areas you could learn more about that would benefit your business and make you a more well-rounded generalist The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau. Inspired and guided by Chris's own story, you can devise your own plan for world domination-and make the world a better place at the same time. Contrary to what you might deduce from the title, this is not a book about freelancers, nor is it a book about successful small businesses that want to find ways to grow. (If you want that, consult books such as Good to Great). Speed – questioning systems, processes, and structure to become more efficient and to achieve more with fewer hours of work. A company of one is about becoming better at one thing. Becoming the best individual, or organization, by doing one particular task, satisfying one particular niche.