244: Demystifying Solopreneurship with Dwain Hebda and Kelli Reep

Summary Welcome to another episode of the Startup Junkies Podcast! In this episode, Dwain Hebda and Kelli Reep discuss solopreneurship and freelancing with Caleb Talley, Jeff Amerine, and Matthew Ward.  Dwain is the founder of Ya!Mule Wordsmiths and Kelli founded Flywrite Communications, both of which are Public Relations and Journalist agencies.  They discuss engaging readers with a story, drumming up your own business, deciding when to go full-time, and much more!  Thanks for listening!   Shownotes (1:15) Introducing Dwain Hebda and Kelli Reep (8:34) Driving your own ship as a solopreneur (13:56) Telling a story that engages with readers (18:59) How simplified language and a 24-hour news cycle affects communication (22:12) Outsourcing accounting and legal responsibilities to stay above board (29:35) Deciding to freelance full-time (36:19) Advice for the younger self (39:31) Wrap up   Links Caleb Talley Jeff Amerine Matthew Ward Dwain Hebda Ya!Mule Wordsmiths Kelli Reep       Quotes “If you can’t sell – and in this case, sell yourself – people are not just lining up outside your door because you announced to the world that you can put a sentence together.  It doesn’t work that way.” (9:56)   “You have to be able to build a compelling case as to why you are going to be an expense for them that month.  You have to be able to demonstrate how this is going to pay off and you have to demonstrate how you taking it off their hands actually save them money.” (10:47)   “You really do need a couple of members of your team who are versed in something you’re not versed in.  And in my particular case, the best hire I ever made, the best money I spend year in and year out is an experienced accountant who could guide me through a number of different things early on.” (23:09)   “Had I jumped out on my own based on the first magazine article that I landed, I’d have been hungry really, really quick, and it just wouldn’t have worked.” (32:15)   https://www.startupjunkie.org/ https://wlj.com/