Do you want to change the world, or at least a small piece of it? I might be able to help. Hi, my name is Larry Keltto. I’m the owner of Straight River Media, which I founded in 1993, and I’m the publisher of TheSolopreneurLife.com.

My motivation for creating TheSolopreneurLife.com was best-described by a friend of mine, Bob Andelman (aka Mr. Media): “If the world’s self-employed entrepreneurs came together to share their victories and woes, their challenges and innovations, the result would eventually uplift them all.”

Bob’s right, and TheSolopreneurLife.com launched in March of 2010.

At the top of the Web site, I say that TheSolopreneurLife.com provides resources for building your purpose-driven solo business. But what does “purpose driven” mean? Here are characteristics I see in purpose-driven solopreneurs.

• We want to achieve socially significant goals through our work.

• We are hardwired to want to serve.

• We are empathetic.

• We don’t view “net worth” purely in monetary terms.

• We are grateful for what others have done for us.

• We strive to pay forward.

• We want to live lives of meaning.

The Solopreneur Life Locations

The “capitol” for The Solopreneur Life is right here, TheSolopreneurLife.com. “Outposts” from the Web site include:

• Facebook: Facebook.com/TheSolopreneurLife

• Twitter: @Larry_Keltto

• The Solopreneur Life on BlogTalkRadio

• The Solopreneur Life Store at Amazon.com

My Background

I graduated from Mentor High School in Mentor, Ohio, which is located on Lake Erie, about 25 miles east of Cleveland.

I graduated from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. I majored in English and History and I was co-editor of the student newspaper in my senior year. I attended William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota; when I was halfway through with my studies I knew I didn’t want to be a lawyer. But I wouldn’t trade those law-school years for anything — it was in my law studies that I began to learn how the world works.

After leaving law school, I pursued my dream of working in newspapers. I started as a writer/reporter at The N’West Iowa REVIEW in Sheldon, Iowa, and my last job in journalism was as the managing editor of The Faribault Daily News in Faribault, Minnesota. I loved newspaper work but I walked away because the hours did not mesh well with married life.

I started Straight River Media in December of 1993, and I have worked for myself ever since.

My business has evolved. I started out by providing marketing, copywriting, copyediting, and design services to local and regional clients. Clients have included: Federated Insurance, Jostens, University of Minnesota Veterinary Health Department, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, Wardrop Engineering, Maddens Resort, Penton Publishing, Quebecor, Brown Printing, City of Inver Grove Heights, City of Faribault, Viracon, Truth, Hidden Creek Golf Club, Owatonna Canning Company, United Commercial Upholstery, Minnesota Biotechnology Association, Wells Fargo Bank of Owatonna, Homestead Hospice, Iowa Information Publications, and many others.

Today I offer coachsulting through TheSolopreneurLife.com, and I continue to provide marketing communications to businesses, organizations, and local governments.

Where Is The Solopreneur Life Located?

The world headquarters are in Owatonna, Minnesota, a city of 25,000 residents located about 60 miles south of Minneapolis. Owatonna has a grand tradition of solopreneurship and entrepreneurship, and it’s the home of: Jostens (the class-ring company); Wenger (makers of music stands, risers and other great music stuff); Federated Insurance; and Viracon (the worldwide leader in the manufacturing of architectural glass).

Owatonna at one time was known as the Butter Capital of the World, and it’s the home of the Steele County Free Fair, the largest county fair in the state.

What Do You Do When You’re Not Working?

I’m probably with my wife and our two daughters. The fifth member of the family is Griffin, our 8-year-old Shih-tzu. I golf in the summer and get cabin fever in the winter.