Is there an entrepreneur in me?

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Hi there,

There is no gigs edition of the newsletter this week. Sometimes, we need to take a break from the routine and that’s exactly what I am doing this weekend.

But switching off from routine should not necessarily mean binging Netflix. Sometimes, we need to take a pause to reflect on where we are and what we need to do next.

I do not want to sound like life or career coach but in these challenging times, one really needs to find their True North to keep going.

That’s why I want you to read about Lex Roman’s journey. Lex is one of the people who inspired me to start The Science Freelancer last year and why I keep doing this every week.

They wrote this exclusively for subscribers of this newsletter, so I will request you to read it till the end. I am sure you will find inspiration in their words and embark on your own entrepreneurial journey through writing or something else.

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Lex Roman:

I never thought I’d be an entrepreneur. I barely even claim that title now.

But I’ve been working for myself for over 5 years so I’m getting used to it.

Some people always know they wanted to start a business, but for many of us, entrepreneurship comes out of necessity. 

In my case, I had hit a dead end with the company I worked for, and I didn’t fit into a box that was typically written up as a job description. Looking for another job seemed futile, and at the same time, I was getting new opportunities in the form of speaking engagements and publisher interest. I wondered if I could leave my job and find a way to do what I actually wanted to do.

At that point, I didn’t think much about vision or strategy or even client acquisition. I just thought:  I need to find a way to make money for the next few months without getting another job.

I launched my business in September 2019 by booking a six month contract with a tech company called Gusto out of San Francisco and Denver. That was a nice transition because I had some steady income for a bit, while also having some room to explore what would be next for me.

My business looks very different now then it did in 2019. I make most of my money now, not from client work, but from memberships, speaking, trainings and products. Name a revenue stream. I have tried it. Some are easier than others, some are more fun than others, some are more lucrative than others.

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But the main thing I’ve learned in all this time is that so much of running a business is a head game.

That’s why you see so many coaches and masterminds and group programs, and mindset products. Because skills can be taught, you can learn everything you need to learn, but your success depends on you staying in the game long enough to win. Far too many quit early when things get hard (which they will) rather than reaching out for support (which they should!)

The entrepreneurs who are successful are the ones who believe they can solve the problems in front of them. Their success doesn’t mean they don’t screw things up, lose money or make bad decisions. Their success comes from them sticking around, working through blockers and always finding a way forward.

If you are thinking now might be the time to go out on your own—whether you want to start freelancing or you want to start your own publication—my biggest advice to you is to not do it alone. 

It is intimidating to start a business, but A LOT of people have gone before you. 

We can expedite your path through challenges and we can pep talk you out of any issue any time. You should leverage our base of knowledge and support to move faster, with more confidence. And you should know that all of us, no matter how long we’ve been doing this, doubt our abilities and our choices. 

You’ll find that getting comfortable with uncertainty is going to be your hardest won skill as an entrepreneur.

Figure out quickly the kinds of support you’d find most helpful and gather it around you. The easiest first step there is to join a community of people who run similar businesses. Freelance writers, science writers, science entrepreneurs or media professionals. Start engaging in chats, don’t be afraid to ask questions and check out how others are navigating what you’re working through. 

Can’t think of any? Ask other writers you know for recommendations!

I have seen many an entrepreneur say they were going to quit and get pulled back into their own vision by getting one of these community pep talks.

Your fears and worries are not unfounded, but they are also not unsolvable. There’s always a way forward and you have an open-ended opportunity to find it or to enlist others to help you find it.

Kinda like science :D

-Lex Roman

Lex writes Journalists Pay Themselves, a newsletter for reader-funded journalists. They show you the smartest ways to find paying readers to fund your own media business.

Thank you for reading till the end. Feel free to share your thoughts on this by clicking on this post.

The Science Freelancer gigs edition will return next week.

Ameya