How 2 Lost Jobs Led to My Success as a Solopreneur
- Oct 7
- 3 min read
By Mindy Hamlin
When I launched my own PR and crisis communication consultancy, I must admit I wasn’t truly committed to being a solopreneur. Exhaustion, workplace frustration, and the demands of motherhood really drove my decision to start my own business. After 15 years, my role as the director of communications at a major airport in the south had become untenable. Also, my sons were young, and I was jealous of my husband’s ability to go to every school event and enjoy every birthday party without a pager or cellphone going off due to some new crisis.
These are the reasons I became a solopreneur, but after six years of going it alone, it seemed I would never make, or come close, to my previous six-figure salary. My distaste for business development and discovery of daytime women’s tennis were partially to blame for my low output. I also missed working with a team. I missed being part of a project from beginning to end. As a consultant, I was on the outside looking in and didn’t like it, so I changed course again, deciding I would begin the next phase of my career working for someone else.
I put together a resume and jumped into the job search with a zeal I should have been using as a consultant. I quickly landed my dream job as the VP of communications for a national nonprofit organization. However, the red flags came early and often. Before I officially began my position, my boss and CEO advised me that there was “no daylight”between her and the COO. In retrospect, her words signaled what was to come. After one too many gaslighting incidents, I resigned just shy of three months with the organization. Soon after, another job fell into my lap. I didn’t really want it, but I needed a consistent paycheck, and the team I would be working with seemed much nicer than the previous one. However, it was déjà vu, and I was fired after five months.
I believe the universe used these two experiences to remind me why I had left the job market in the first place – office politics and poor management. After a week or two of licking my wounds, I decided to commit myself 100 percent to my business and to make it profitable for me and my family.
My first strategy was to rethink the story I was telling my clients. I wrote down the unique experiences and services I provided to my clients. When I first launched my business, I simply provided potential clients with a list of tasks I could perform for them, but what they really want are solutions to the problems that are holding them back. These problems include too many projects and insufficient staff to complete them, a labor-intensive social media strategy that is not producing results, or a quick response to a crisis they didn’t see coming.
Using my solutions approach as a guide, I redesigned my website and provided details on the services I provide, focusing on three interconnected industries -- government, nonprofit, and related contractors. I then started writing and calling my contacts, posting my availability to LinkedIn, and writing blog posts and LinkedIn articles. Within two months, I landed two major projects, and, when I completed them, I quickly brought on four more using the strategy outlined above: consistent outreach to current and past clients and the development of content and case studies that highlight my expertise. Now that I am committed to my business and its success, I am reaping the rewards not only in my salary but in the work I get to do as a solopreneur.
Connect With Mindy
Instagram: @mindyhamlinpr
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