Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Erin Lebacqz, founder of High-Value Writing, located in Sacramento, CA, USA.

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

If you've faced confidence challenges with your business writing, then you're exactly the kind of person I work with. My business, High-Value Writing, provides education in the workplace through workshops, coaching, and the High-Value Writing book. I work with teams and individuals to take charge of their writing and write clearly and confidently.

Tell us about yourself

I've always been a teacher. When I started teaching writing in 1998, I began at an overcrowded, urban high school full of smart and insightful students. They helped me learn to teach and learn to teach writing! Since then, I've spent 15 years teaching in colleges and universities, including a couple around the world. After teaching in education for 20 years, though, I went solo and began my own business teaching writing in businesses and other organizations. It's fun to bring writing help to people where they really need it: at work!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I'm most excited about two aspects of what I've accomplished in these years as a solo biz gal:

  1. The network of supportive colleagues I've found.
  2. The creation of the High-Value Writing curriculum, based on my own theories and practices, developed over 25 years of teaching writing in a real workplace and school situations.

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

For me, an organization can be a challenge. As a business owner, there's the actual work (for me, developing curriculum, writing books, and teaching workshops). Then there's the overhead: IT, accounting, marketing, networking. I have trouble keeping it all organized sometimes.

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

I've learned so much during my solo journey. Here's what I'd recommend to folks starting out:

  1. Find your tribe. After teaching in schools for so long, I worried at first about being lonely in my new solo approach to teaching. However, over a few years, I was able to find colleagues and new friends taking similar risks. I've found wonderful women who are also brave solopreneurs, and we've found so many ways to support each other.
  2. Believe in your (weird) ideas. It's ok to do things differently. The world has already seen the traditional ways of doing things. If you have an idea to challenge and "disrupt" an industry, see if it's feasible and consider taking that exciting risk!
  3. Try to see the full picture instead of taking things personally. Sometimes it can feel like new or potential clients aren't responsive at certain times, etc. However, they're dealing with their own realities too. If it takes a while to get things started, that's ok. Folks are busy, but as long as we do our end to create a good relationship, opportunities will come through.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I'd love to connect! As a lifelong teacher, you better believe I'm up for mentoring others and connecting and collaborating. So many people have helped me with my journey. I'm happy to help you as well!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.highvaluewriting.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDdx6ZE7SgVCTG1t1KMDjeQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highvaluewriting/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlebacqz/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.