Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dennis Geelen, an author based in Peterborough, ON, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am an author of 4 books, a consultant, speaker, and coach. After starting and running my own one-person management consulting company (Zero-In) for four years, I now also coach other solopreneurs looking to start and scale their own one-person business.

Tell us about yourself

For the first 40+ years of my life, I was very risk-averse. I didn't think I had an entrepreneurial bone in my body! Then at the age of 43, I found myself laid off for the first time in my life. It was then that I realized the corporate world could be just as risky as running your own business. I decided to take a full year to bet on myself and start my own one-person consulting company. I never looked back.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My 3rd book (The Zero In Formula) hit the number 1 best seller on Amazon in four different countries and was translated into Spanish. This landed me on several podcasts, attracted multiple new clients, and catapulted my credibility and reputation. Because of that, I created an online course (The Author's Playbook) that teaches people everything I've learned about writing, editing, publishing, and marketing a great book so they can too!

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

As a solopreneur, ALL the weight is on my shoulders. This can get stressful and lonely at times.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Find your niche. Be VERY specific about the challenge you solve and for what specific group of people. You want to be seen as THE EXPERT.
  2. Find ways to establish and increase your credibility as early as possible. Collect testimonials, write books, start a podcast, and create a proprietary system or methodology. Each of these things will increase your credibility. Now you will be seen as a CREDIBLE EXPERT.
  3. Learn how to sell. You can have the greatest product or service in the world, but if you don't know how to sell it, you won't have a business. Invest in learning how to package, price, and offer your product or service to the right potential clients.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.dennisgeelen.me/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dennis_geelen
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennis-geelen/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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