Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Paul Hunkin, a software consultant based in Lisbon, Portugal.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I work with startups and SMBs around the world, helping them refine their ideas and then turn them into reality. I'm a coder by background, but now I do a bunch of biz-dev stuff too.
Tell us about yourself
I'm originally from New Zealand. I was backpacking through Asia and wanted to figure out how to extend my trip — so I started working remotely on Upwork. It turned out to be quite fun :) I really like helping startups get off the ground. My favourite projects are ones where we've scaled a business from a couple of people in a garage to a functioning business employing dozens.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Working remotely for 11 years. I've visited 83 countries — and counting!
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Time and task management. I organise everything for myself on Trello every day and follow the same routine wherever I am in the world. Only once the daily Trello board is clear do I go do fun stuff :)
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
These probably apply mainly to consulting-style stuff like I do.
- Be good at talking to people and be responsive. People like working with people that they like.
- Keep a pipeline of upcoming work. Always know what you're doing next month.
- Don't rely overmuch on one client. If a client project bails or falls through, it should be an inconvenience, not a disaster.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://paulh.consulting/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paul_hunkin/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_hunkin
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phunkin/
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.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.