Biking Streaks and Lessons for the Future of our #Solopreneur Businesses

Have you ever been fixated on a hobby??A simple pastime can turn into a serious pursuit?with quantifiable goals. That’s been the case with my #biking streak – for seven years, I have ridden over 3,000 miles a year. As 7 is a lucky number, I am even more focused on the streak this year.?

How can a hobby (or fixation) help rather than detract from our businesses? ?Every so often I step back and think about how biking can inform my business. By reflecting and linking the two, I reenergize myself and so wanted to share some of my tips with you.

Appropriately, I offer seven ideas:

1. Don’t Go it Alone. While I ride thousands of miles on my own throughout the year. I a m sure not to ride entirely on my own. Riding with friends gives me morale support and ideas for improving my technique. Similarly, the longer I am in business, the more I rely on support systems. Two critical ones are the Enhanced Collaborative Community run by Laurie Hirsch Schulz and especially my accountability partner of 2+ years Amy Jo Neill . Thanks also to Collaborative partners Pam Moskowitz and Rebecca Berman .
2. Small is okay, especially to start. Starting out in January in the Northeast, I seem to make glacial progress at first against a 3,000-mile annual goal.?But with improving weather, I can accelerate with still small but increasing weekly mileage. Rebuilding a business can also progress slowly. Around the time of the pandemic, I had a change with a major client and proactively shifted my overall focus as well. By setting and monitoring weekly goals, I’ve made slow but measurable progress toward this new direction.
3. Plan, at least sometimes. While I do not plan the exact trajectory on a week-by-week basis to reach 3,000 miles, I do know that May, for example, is a critical month for mileage if I am to have my annual goal within reach. Similarly, in business, I have for the last two years had a rough plan for pivoting my business. The plan is dynamic, with frequent changes in planned tactics based on marketplace feedback (or lack thereof) and some initial successes. To ease the transition, I’ve consciously continued to pursue pre-existing lines of consulting revenue. ??
4. Measure, at least sometimes. As my biking goal is quantitative, metrics do have a central place. I monitor my progress on Strava , which allows me to analyze my rides in more ways than I could have imagined several years ago. As a small business owner, I track my revenue trends carefully, even if progress is less than I hope, like in the “thin” days after the pandemic hit in March 2020. For my LinkedIn business, I pay attention to metrics like Impressions, Comments, and Shares, but am careful not to be consumed by them. For me, LinkedIn is ultimately about building quality business relationships, not how many people saw your post for a fraction of a second.
5. Be Mindful of others, but not obsessed. Through Strava, I am well aware of what my peers are doing, but I resist constantly comparing myself to others who are faster and have the time to bike more. Similarly on LinkedIn I am, believe it or not, one of the thousands of LinkedIn trainers out there. Instead of trying to one-up the others to be the most visible, I have a unique niche focused on helping low-key professionals to build a memorable presence on LinkedIn and begin leveraging the channel for branding and relationship development.
6. Be aspirational, but not too literal. ?In biking as in business, being too literal can be limiting. Let me explain: I am actually at 2545 miles so far this year, so shouldn’t be publicizing this article. However, I’ve hit the 3,000-mile mark enough to know that, as Barack Obama says “I’ve got this.” In business, I am learning to stretch myself a little bit and accept an assignment that I haven’t previously done. Instead, I can adapt, be resourceful, and end up doing a credible, even laudable job.
7. Leverage technology. Much as I tend to resist technology, it really can help. For example, learning how to edit a ride on Ride with GPS is a good tool when leading a group ride, to ensure a safe, pleasant experience for all. As I am starting to do with biking, I need to make learning technology for business even more habitual. For a while, I was designating Sunday morning for learning a least one technology tool. With so many new tools on LinkedIn like Audio and Events, I’ll need to make learning technology a priority.

After seven years, I have certainly nailed the 3,000-mile threshold. ?I wish that growing my small business was as predictable. In any event, it’s time to transfer some energy to my business and “gear up” for the fall.

Maybe you’re in the same place of needing to reenergize your business. Perhaps also LinkedIn ?could play more of a role in your business’ growth. If both statements are true, feel free to contact me. I have loved working with most of my clients as much as biking (well actually not quite as much??). ?Reconnecting with a few of you would be a great way to start the fall.?

Note: I publish articles on the intersection of biking and small business ownership from time to time. Check out THIS ONE from 2017. READ THIS for more on my biking "story."