Solopreneurship: Your first 2 years as a consultant

The first two years of a consulting business are scrappy, unglamorous, and the most important ones you’ll have. Here are six lessons from building ThriveHive from a laptop and a belief — with no team and no systems.

Part 1: Solopreneurship (Years 0-2)

When I launched ThriveHive in 2019, I had no team. No fancy systems.

Just a laptop, a belief in what was possible, and a drive to build something meaningful.

In the first two years, I generated $799,000 in revenue — $272,000 in Year 1 and $527,000 in Year 2. But more than income, those early years gave me the most important thing a business owner can earn:

Hard-won wisdom.

If you’re in this phase right now, I’d like to offer you the six biggest lessons I learned while building ThriveHive from the ground up — lessons that helped me transition from solopreneur to CEO.

Lesson 1: Get into massive action ASAP

Like many first-time founders, I spent a little too long “getting ready to get ready.”

I poured energy into taking courses, selecting my brand colors and fonts, refining templates, agonizing over my website, and enrolling in online programs that gave me the illusion of progress — but not the momentum I truly needed.

So, what moved the needle?

Starting before I was ready. Talking to real people. Making offers — even messy ones. And letting clarity come through doing, not just planning.

You don’t need more prep. You need movement.

Lesson 2: Why one clear focus beats five good ideas

Early on, I tried to serve everyone — career changers, executives, and aspiring entrepreneurs. I thought casting a wide net would lead to more clients.

Instead, it led to more confusion. My offers felt diluted, and my message didn’t land.

Everything changed when I committed to one clear focus: helping experienced corporate women build consulting businesses.

ONE ideal client. ONE premium offer. ONE consistent message.

That’s when traction started. The clearer I got, the easier it became for the right women to find me — and say yes.

Focus doesn’t limit your growth. It accelerates it.

Lesson 3: DIY it before you outsource it

During those first two years, I wore every hat.

I built the landing pages. Wrote the emails. Delivered the coaching. Filed the paperwork. And ran every Zoom room.

It wasn’t glamorous, but it was necessary.

When you know how each part of your business runs, you can set standards, train well, and make smarter hires. That early experience helped me lead with clarity once I was ready to grow a team.

Start scrappy. Learn the pieces. Then delegate with confidence.

You can’t lead what you don’t understand.

Lesson 4: Find your voice

In the beginning, no one else could speak for me.

So I wrote every word myself. Sales pages. Social posts. Email sequences. Course materials.

And while it wasn’t always polished, it was real.

That authenticity built trust — and that trust built a community.

I used social and email to test my message, refine my positioning, and figure out what made my ideal clients stop scrolling and start listening.

Those early voice-finding reps shaped everything that came next.

Your voice is your most powerful asset. Don’t outsource it too early.

Lesson 5: Develop a growth mindset

Solopreneurship is a test of your courage, resilience, and resourcefulness.

Not every offer will land. Not every launch will work. You’ll face imposter syndrome, comparison traps, and setbacks that sting.

That’s why mindset is everything in these early years.

I always had a coach — someone to help me stay grounded, see what I couldn’t, and push me when I wanted to shrink.

I also learned to treat every failure as data. Each “no” became fuel for refining what came next. I wasn’t failing — I was learning.

Success doesn’t come from getting it right the first time. It comes from staying in the game.

Lesson 6: Find your people

Building a business from scratch can feel isolating — especially if no one in your immediate circle understands what you’re trying to do.

But here’s the truth: you don’t have to do this alone. And you shouldn’t.

I sought out masterminds, mentorship, and programs that connected me with like-minded entrepreneurs who were in the same season of growth.

Eventually, I created a community to provide that same kind of support for other women — so they could build inside a community, not in isolation.

Even if you’re a solopreneur, you don’t have to build solo.

What should you focus on in your first year as a consultant?

I want you to know… It won’t always be this way.

You won’t always feel stretched so thin. You won’t always have to wear every hat. And you won’t always be chasing clients one at a time.

But in these early years — before steady, recurring revenue kicks in — profitability comes from keeping it simple.

This is the chapter where your foundation gets built. Where your strategy takes shape. Where your systems and structure start to support you.

So yes, it’s hard. But it’s not forever.

And if you stay in it, stay focused, and stay grounded in action — this chapter will give you everything you need for what comes next.

You’re not just building a business. You’re becoming the woman who leads it.

And remember — you were made to thrive.