5 Lessons Learned From 5 Years As A Solopreneur

This past weekend, I hit a milestone—my company, Polaris Principles, just turned five years old! Growing up, I worked at my parents' pizza place, getting a close-up view of the ups and downs of running a business. So, when I finished college, starting my own business wasn’t even on my radar. I wanted the stability and growth potential that came with big corporations.

Fast forward to 4? years ago, when my business partner and I came to an impasse, I decided to take a leap and launch my own company. Five years in, despite some bumps in the road and a pretty tough construction market, Polaris Principles is still here and making a difference in clients' lives every day. Here are five big lessons I’ve picked up along the way:

1. Business Is an Infinite Game Simon Sinek nailed it with his book "The Infinite Game"—business isn’t about winning, it’s about staying in the game. Over the last five years, I’ve seen a lot of consultants and coaches come and go. The key to lasting success? Focus on making a difference in the lives of the people you serve, and refuse to give up on that mission. When I first started Polaris Principles, I didn’t get a single unsolicited inquiry in my first month. Now, I regularly get people reaching out because they’ve heard about the impact I have made in my clients' lives. It’s all about playing the long game.
2. Have a Clear Vision You’ve probably heard the analogy about being just 1 degree off course—if you’re flying from San Francisco to D.C. and you navigate just 1 degree off course, you’ll end up in Baltimore instead of D.C.. Same goes for business: you need to know where you want to end up. Before setting goals, get crystal clear on your vision for both your business and your life. As Stephen Covey said, "Begin with the end in mind." Know where you’re headed, figure out where you are now, and set goals that will help you get there step by step.
3. Know Your Customers Inside and Out I’ve seen too many businesses spend tons of time and money developing products or services that no one actually wants. Don’t make that mistake. Take the time to really understand your customers—their fears, needs, and dreams. The more you know, the better you can serve them with products and services that truly resonate.
4. Outsource, But Be Smart About It Being able to hire freelancers for specific tasks has helped me keep my business agile. But here’s the catch: don’t outsource things you don’t understand yourself. Early on, I hired a Virtual Assistant to set up my CRM without knowing much about it myself. She ended up spending time on things that weren’t a priority for me, which was a waste for both of us. Take the time to learn the basics of what you’re outsourcing—you’ll thank yourself later.
5. Community Matters, Big Time As a solopreneur, I’ve spent a lot of time working alone. That was fine, until it wasn’t. When COVID hit, I had to pivot to virtual services fast. Joining a couple of communities—one for entrepreneurs and another for coaches—was a game-changer. I met people who had already figured out how to scale online and were generous enough to share their playbooks with me. It’s true what they say: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.

The first five years of running my own business have taught me more than I could have imagined. Seeing how far Polaris Principles has come is incredibly rewarding, but I’m even more excited about where we’re headed in the next five years. Here’s to the journey!