What Keeps Solopreneurs Awake At Night?

In 1926 Ernest Hemingway wrote a short story titled, “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place.” In it he described a late-night diner, its employees and patrons; implied in the story is the need for human beings to keep the darkness of their fears at bay. The Solopreneur Life 2010 End-of-Year Survey asked “What keeps you awake at night,” and the answers reveal the fears that can creep into and overwhelm the solopreneur life.

Survey participants were asked to give a written response. Eighty-six people answered the question, and though they worded their answers in a variety of ways, the top worries/fears can be classified as:

Cash flow, 10
Sales and marketing, 10
Lack of time/time management, 9
Product development, 5
Customer service, 3
Pricing, 2
Taxes, 2
Branding, 2
Lack of benefits/health insurance, 2

Several respondents wrote that they sleep just fine.

In Their Own Words

Cash-flow issues were be described in a variety of ways. Here are examples:

“[I] wouldn’t go as far as to say it keeps me awake, but many clients and prospects delayed projects, which seriously affects cash flow.”

“Cash flow and meshing it with the rest of my life, especially my other work-related goals.”

“Cash flow and debt.”

Examples of marketing responses:

“How to connect with my ‘right’ people.”

“Getting my message in front of the right prospects.”

“When I put my products/services out there, will anyone buy? Am I overpricing? What’s the best product strategy?”

“Marketing, marketing, marketing.”

Examples of time-management responses:

“Balancing my need for work/income and my need for time to care for ill spouse
(plus some time for myself, too).”

“The amount of work that is left undone at each day. It stacks up so quickly.”

“Finding the time to complete my endless to-do list. Meeting deadlines. Figuring
out how to grow the business.”

“Responsibilities to clients, to business, to family.”

“I am over-committed and do not have the time to train staff to deliver products and services.”

“I am not cloneable.”

Below are the undedited responses, in the order in which they were received.

Please share your opinion in the comments, or join the discussion on Twitter by using the hashtag #solopreneursurvey.

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