Staying Solo
Growing a solo service business is tough. It’s even harder when you’re bombarded with BS advice that steers you away from your values and why you started your business in the first place. This is the podcast for solo creatives and consultants who want to remain as a team of one and have zero interest in the hustle and grind of typical business teachings. Most podcasts for solopreneurs and freelancers, hosted by out-of-touch celebrity entrepreneurs who haven't offered one-to-one services in years, miss the mark on today's market realities. Maggie Patterson, a service business owner for 20 years, understands that to stay solo, you need to know what matters to you, what works for you, and what you should completely ignore. In each episode, she examines one piece of conventional business advice to discover how it may hurt your business or be completely wrong for you as a solo business owner. Join Maggie for real talk to help you avoid burnout or the desire to entirely burn down your business to open a flower shop, book store, or cat cafe. (Because those cats won’t pay the bills.) (Formerly the BS-Free Service Business Show)
Show episodes
Feel like a clingy ex every time you follow up with a client? You’re not needy—you’re leading. Clients aren’t ignoring you, they’re busy. Following up isn’t desperate—it’s part of your job. In this episode, we’re getting real about following up with clients without feeling needy or annoying. I’ll show you why follow-up
Tired of discovery calls that feel like free coaching sessions and awkward sales scripts? You’ve been sold a lie—overdeliver, be the “helpful expert,” and somehow close without selling. That doesn’t work. Not for Done-For-You service providers. In this episode, I’m breaking down how to do discovery calls in a straightf
This week I’m sharing my story from my new private podcast series, Staying Solo Stories. Staying Solo Stories is a private podcast where we dig into the real, unfiltered stories of business owners who’ve chosen to stay intentionally small—people who are proving every single day that you don’t need a big team or a comp
You know what’s wild? I’ve been podcasting for 11 years, writing even longer—but the moment I decided to write a book, I completely freaked out. Why? I’ve shared my words for years, but somehow, a book felt different. In this episode, we’re going beyond the book—what it took to write Staying Solo®, how I got it done,
What if the advice on growing a business isn’t just wrong—but hurting you? We’re told success means scaling, hiring, and going bigger. But what if that’s holding you back from a profitable, sustainable business that works for you? Staying Solo isn’t settling; it’s a strategy. Topics discussed in this episode include: M
You built your business for freedom, not to be on call 24/7. So why are you still checking emails at night and saying yes when you mean no? Ignoring boundaries leads to chaos, stress, and clients pushing limits. And no, charging more or “manifesting better” won’t magically fix it. The real solution? Boundaries. They tu
