SME#6: A year in the life of a solopreneur
Streaming Made Easy #6
Hey dear readers 👋
I hope you enjoyed spending time with your family and friends around delicious meals and managed to get a bit of rest.
As 2022 comes to an end, I feel compelled, more than ever before, to look back at what the year brought me and share my experience with you as you’ve been instrumental in leading me to where I am today.
I came out of 2021 with the urge to make a major change in my professional life.
In January 2022, I was faced with two options:
Join a US scale up to lead their Business Development efforts in Europe. Great project, cool offices in Amsterdam and to top it all colleagues (I’ve been a remote worker for the past 4 years so I couldn’t wait to have tons of colleagues), or
Start my own business. Boy, that one felt like a true jump in the unknown. I’ve been a corporate employee for 17 years. I’ve worked in a start up, a scale up, a family business and a big group but I had never built something from the ground up.
My gut told me to go for the latter. I felt that if I wasn’t trying in 2022, I never would. The stars were aligned.
And here I am 12 months later.
How do I feel?
Not a single regret (although there are days when I miss the big job title or the money that goes with it, I’m human after all),
Thrilled to have taken a chance on myself (otherwise it would have felt like a missed opportunity),
Psyched about what I have built & learnt, the people I met and worked with,
Proud I reached, in 8 months, the revenue goal I had set for my 1st year,
Totally over the moon by the fact that I wrote an article for Variety 🤯
Here are my 6 learnings from 2022:
1. Support system - It takes time to build one but boy people are incredible. I've received so much support from my network (old and new). Thank you 🙏
2. Education - Historically, I didn't take enough time to learn new skills or topics. Now I have to do it every single day, no excuses.
3. Transformation - 17 years + of corporate is hard to shake off. Learn to build a service offering clients will buy. Skills & expertise won't cut it.
4. Personal brand - It's a necessity as you can't rely on a company's brand anymore, and guess what? It's incredibly fun to do.
5. Trust the process - Things take time, patience is key.
6. Ambition - Don't settle, you must know your worth and believe that anything is possible.
There is no situation alike but I truly believe that each one of us can achieve more than we think.
So for 2023, the one thing I wish you is to punch above your weight and see where that takes you. Whether you succeed or fail, you will have changed forever.
Finally, I want to thank all of you, friends, family, fellow industry execs, and my first clients who took a chance on me.
I may be working solo but projects are always about team work.
Cheers to you all and to a fabulous 2023!
❤️❤️
Marion
At night, I write Streaming Made Easy and post each working day on Linkedin.
By day, I run The Local Act, a streaming video consultancy.
Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:
If you’re looking to understand FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV), I'd recommend starting with a 4-week Discovery Program (Book a call to discuss).
Then, go further with a dedicated "How to get into FAST" Program where I fast-track the launch of your FAST Channel Business in 90 days (Book a call to discuss).
Last but not least, work with me 1:1 to grow your streaming video business in Europe (new market entries, distribution expansion etc.).