Hello there,
๐ I hope you had a cozy and joyful Christmas with your loved ones!
Can you believe weโre just days away from saying goodbye to 2024? ๐คฏ
At the start of December, I told myself, โThis will be a peaceful time to reflect on the year and set new goals for 2025โno client work!โ
Fast forward to the end of the month, and while I stuck to the โno client workโ rule, I still couldnโt fully unplug from my online business. Hereโs what kept me busy:
๐ Prepping for the upcoming tax season
๐ฐ Calculating profits from my client work and side hustles
๐ Brainstorming ways to scale my online business
๐ป Trying to show up online more often
...and so much more.
Itโs not easy to be a solopreneur and content creator nowadays.
Once youโre on this path, your mind is always runningโthinking about wins, losses, and how to create a sense of stability (which, letโs be real, is rare in business).
Even 2.5 years after quitting my full-time job, Iโm still figuring out what it truly means to be my own boss.
Here are a few lessons Iโve learned as a solopreneur in 2024: ๐ ๏ธ
1. Faceless content just doesn't cut it anymore
Thereโs so much content out there now, and weโre all wondering why we should stop scrolling and spend our time reading someone elseโs stuff.
Letโs be real โ weโre more likely to engage with people we already know and trust, right? ๐ค
Thatโs why showing personality, sharing your unique voice, and building a connection with your audience are more critical than ever.
At the end of the day, people connect with people, not just random words on a screen.
Plus, the latest Google algorithm updates make it clear that Google loves creators with authority. ๐
This means having a solid personal brand can actually boost your websiteโs performance in search results.
I wrote more about it in this article. ๐
Thatโs why we see individual creators soar while big sites like Forbes and Quora are losing their audience.
Iโm all-in on building my personal brand, and Iโll keep growing it next year. ๐ช
2. Your temper shapes the style of your online business
If you're an introverted creator, you might find yourself wanting to connect with fewer people while still building your online business. ๐งโ๐ป
You'll probably lean towards quieter, more focused ways of working.
But if you're extroverted, you'll love engaging with your community! ๐
Networking, collaborations, and creating a sense of belonging will likely be at the heart of your business.
Trying to force yourself into the opposite style can hurt your mental health ๐ and might not help you hit your goals.
Itโs all about finding what works for you! ๐
3. Scale your business in a way that fits your values
One of my core values is having the "freedom to shape my own life," so anything that restricts that just doesn't work for me.
This year, I tried scaling my client business by taking on more dealsโsince I had a lot of SEO writing requests coming in. ๐ผ
But here's the thing: working more hours, even at a higher rate, doesn't really align with my goal of more freedom. ๐
I've always been drawn to the idea of passive income, and Iโve tried building it multiple times. ๐ธ
The client work is all about trading time for money.
But I want bothโfreedom and income.
So, in the coming year, I'll probably be saying โnoโ more often. โ
4. Partnering with brands > freelancing
Let's be realโworking with brands as an influencer is way more rewarding than just freelancing.
When you build your authority and grow an engaged audience, brands will start noticing you and want to work together to promote their services. ๐ฅ
And here's the best partโyouโre in charge!
You know your audience best, so you get to call the shots and decide how to connect with them. ๐ฏ
Freelancers earn money per project, but influencers get paid for the value they bring.
Thatโs the real difference. ๐
Iโve had the opportunity to experience both sides this year, working with amazing clients and top brands like Fiverr and beehiiv.
Honestly, thereโs nothing better than collaborating with brands you genuinely love and believe in.
Itโs like a partnership where your values align, making the work not only financially rewarding but also personally fulfilling. ๐

Talking to beehivโs content manager and just an amazing human - Kanishka. Thatโs one of the best collaborations of 2024.
5. Community makes solopreneurship less lonely
๐งโ๐ป Solopreneurship isn't really "solo" when you find your people. ๐
Iโll admit, itโs tough to carve out time for chats, but I'm super grateful for my friend and fellow creator Tina Lopez (the automation queen ๐) for our monthly "creator therapy" calls.
We brainstorm, support each other, and itโs just the kind of motivation we all need. ๐

Weโve finally met with Tina in Toronto this summer.
My unsolicited advice:
๐ Want to move at your own pace? Go solo.
๐ Want to grow faster? Surround yourself with like-minded people.
These lessons have been game-changers for me, and I hope they help you, too. ๐ก
Whatโs one thing youโve learned this year?
Hit reply and let me knowโIโd love to hear from you! โจ
Cheers to an amazing 2025 ahead! ๐
Iโll be back in your inbox during the first week of the new year!
Victoria

Victoria Kurichenko

