The Hidden Trap That Catches New Entrepreneurs: Thinking Like an Employee

The Hidden Trap That Catches New Entrepreneurs: Thinking Like an Employee

Want to succeed as a solo entrepreneur? Start with these 4 mental shifts.

Whether you’re just starting out as a consultant, coach, or solo entrepreneur, the hardest part isn’t creating an LLC or finding clients; it’s shifting your mindset on how you approach work.

It’s common to bring over the rules and restrictions of full-time employment into your own business as that’s what you’ve known all these years, and it’s the most visible career path we’ve all been extensively educated on.

This takes shape in limiting beliefs in how you “have” to work, like sticking with a Monday through Friday nine-to-five schedule, taking a set number of vacation days, measuring hours logged instead of value created, or treating fellow solopreneurs as competitors.

Thinking and acting like an employee can have consequences, like losing out on repeat business if you’re delivering work but not proactively managing your relationships with clients.

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Adjusting your mindset happens gradually by rethinking how you show up in your career. Consider these key reframes as you transition to being a business owner.

1. Set more holistic career goals beyond salary and title.

What you’re working toward matters. And it shouldn’t be limited to a financial goal. This aligns to how many are redefining the American Dream without a single agreed-upon path.

According to a survey by Simon-Kucher, more U.S. adults are aiming for personal freedom and independence over owning material goods, symbols of success, and social status.