About seven years ago I started my own facilitation business and, in honor of that anniversary, I want to celebrate by sharing a few of my favorite learnings with the people who have supported me along the way. I hope you’ll find these insights and takeaways helpful whether you’re running your own business, or are simply navigating the ebbs and flows of life and work.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at 6 “secrets” I’ve cultivated over the past 7 years working for myself as a facilitator and strategic workshop leader. They’ll help you manage your day-to-day life in a way that’s organized, enjoyable and sustainable.

Does growth create opportunity? Absolutely. But is it the best and only way to run a business? Absolutely not. Here’s why I intentionally choose solopreneurship year after year.

Jackie believes in service. She has been volunteering for most of her life and has worked with organizations in the Twin Cites such as Amicus (Prisoner mentorship program), Free Arts Minnesota, and as a hospice volunteer. When she started her business, she committed to giving back to help her community thrive. Each year, she offers her services pro bono.

I am often asked to have coffee with people who are thinking about starting their own thing. They want to go solo, fly free, run their own show. Sometimes they are interested in focusing on Design Sprints, but often they are interested in something adjacent: digital strategy, digital transformation, product leadership, brand strategy, etc. Here’s my advice.

If you are excited about something, jealous of someone or have a desire to say no so that you can say yes to something else, ask yourself: “How you are standing in your own way?” I’m out on my own running collaborative design sprints for clients to solve problems and come up with new ideas for products, services or experiences in the world.