The Solo Grind
Welcome to the solo grind. Your weekly coffee break with a fellow solo entrepreneur who's right there in it with you. I am Teresa Schlup the original caffeine creative and this is where real business meets real life. No hype just honest conversations about building a business on your own terms. We talk mindset, strategy, burnout, breakthroughs, and everything in between because going solo doesn't mean doing it alone. Grab a cup of coffee, find your favorite spot, and let's talk about what it really takes to do this thing solo.
Episodes
Today we are rounding off our conversation about Customer Service with ten tiny tweaks you can make to improve your own customer service game that will help with satisfaction and retention. These cost little to nothing, but offer a really big impact, and they help you stand out in a noisy world of marketing.
What I hope you take away from today's episode...
☕ You don't have to buy gifts, or send generic than...
Last week, while researching the topic of the "must have" business tools and resources, I was stunned to see Customer Service tossed at the bottom of the list, like a an afterthought. From my earliest days of being employed, customer service has been at the core of what I do, and without good customer service practices in place I don't think I would have a business. Seeing it listed as such a low priori...
Do you ever feel like you are drowning in "all the things" necessary to build a successful business. Tools, resources, software hardware... the list goes on and one and can get quite overwhelming really fast!
Today, I am sharing how I broke up the the “must have business tools” and started building a business that feels really good for me. Like a warm cozy sweater on the first cool day in fall! I'm shar...
Working solo sounds amazing until you realize just how tricky it can be to keep yourself on track. Freedom of schedule can quickly feel like chaos, the quiet of home can get a little too quiet, and without a team there’s no one to lean on when things get heavy. In this conversation, I’m talking about the challenges we face as solo entrepreneurs, the structure that actually helps me stay focused, and the simple slump-b...
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Today I am sitting down with my good friend, go-to copywriter and fellow podcaster Emily Aborn to talk about all the noise around Marketing at the end of the year and why most of it simply doesn’t work for solo entrepreneurs. There is an incredible pressure to scale, the lure of shiny offers, and the shiesty marketing tactics that create fake urgency or play on guilt. Emily and I share personal stor...
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Ever find yourself mid-conversation or deep into a project and your brain just… stops? That frozen moment usually has nothing to do with your skills or creativity and everything to do with the invisible to-do list running in the background of your mind. From client work to admin tasks, personal projects, and future goals, those mental tabs add up fast. In this conversation, I’m sharing how I recogni...
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In this episode of The Solo Grind, I sit down with my friend Megan Dahle, a business strategist and fractional CFO, to talk about something that used to terrify me—numbers. We dig into how creative entrepreneurs (yes, even the “I’m not a numbers person” crowd) can feel empowered by really seeing and understanding what’s going on in their business finances.
Megan and I talk about the power of visibili...
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Some seasons in business feel electric. Ideas are flowing, projects are exciting, and you can’t wait to dive in each day. And then there are the other seasons… the ones where the spark seems to have packed up and left. I’ve been there, and I know how unsettling it can feel, especially when you want to create but nothing is clicking.
This week, I’m opening up about the creative slump, what causes it, ...
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We have all had those slow periods in business. You know the ones that have us questioning everything from if we made a good decision to going into business for ourselves, or if we are even good at what we do. These moments can shake the foundation of what we are building, but they can also be a much needed gift. The choice is up to us my friend!
In this episode I share my own story of facing one of ...
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Today I am chatting once again with business coach Nancy Quinn about mastering profitability, even in uncertainty, particularly when running a successful interior design business. We explore the importance of profitability, navigating tariffs, and effective client communication. Nancy shares strategies for managing unexpected costs and emphasizes the need for clear policies and transparency when com...
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Today I want to talk about the mindset hurdle that keeps so many solo entrepreneurs stuck... waiting to feel “ready.” I am sharing five clear signs that it’s time to take that next step, even if your confidence hasn’t caught up yet, and what it means to uplevel on your terms.
We will also be talking about why fear will always tag along for the ride (and why that’s okay), and how to move forward in y...
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In this episode of The Solo Grind, I’m talking about something we don’t talk about enough. Nurturing the people who are already here. It’s so easy to get caught up chasing new leads, new followers, new subscribers… but the real magic happens when you take care of the ones who already said yes.
I’m sharing why focusing on those existing relationships can actually grow your business faster (and feel b...
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In this episode of The Solo Grind, I’m honoring someone who made a big impact on my entrepreneurial journey: Steve Sims.
Steve was an author, coach, creative disruptor, a fellow lover of a really god old fashion, and one of the most unapologetically real people I’ve ever had the privilege to learn from. His books and his speakeasy event shaped the way I approach my business, my clients, and even myse...
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In this episode of The Solo Grind, I’m sharing some real talk about something every solo entrepreneur faces: rejection. It’s never fun, but it’s also not always personal. Sometimes it’s truly not about you at all.
I’m walking you through the reasons clients might say no (or disappear altogether), how to handle it with confidence, and why staying rooted in a long-game mindset matters more than any qui...
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In this episode of The Solo Grind, I’m talking about the reality of marketing as a solo entrepreneur—when it’s just you wearing all the hats and trying to figure out what actually works. I share why so much of the advice out there doesn’t fit when you don’t have a full team or unlimited time, and how to start building a marketing plan that feels doable and aligned with how you naturally communicate....
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Not sure whether to DIY your website copy, use AI, buy a template, or hire a pro? In this episode of The Solo Grind, I’m breaking down the pros and cons of each option—from affordable tools to done-for-you services—and sharing how I’ve personally used them in my business. This isn’t about what’s “right” or “wrong.” It’s about helping you find what works best for you and where you’re at in your solo ...
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In this episode of The Solo Grind, I’m talking about something I know all too well: going completely over the top when you’re excited about something you love. From over-the-top kid lunches and 3D Swiss Macarons, to launching Season 3 of this podcast with BIG ideas—I ALWAYS HAVE something big in the works!
But somewhere between new gear, video mishaps, and the pressure to be spectacular, I realized I...
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We’re told knowledge is power—but when does it stop helping and start holding us back?
In this final episode of Season 2, I’m talking about how easy it is to let metrics, data, and outside opinions override our own inner wisdom. Whether it’s business numbers, expert advice, or progress trackers—we can get so caught up in trying to prove our success that we stop trusting what we already know.
This one’...
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Have you ever hired someone for your business because you felt behind, stuck, or scared of failing? Yeah... me too.
Today, we’re having a real conversation about why hiring from fear never leads where you hope it will—and how to know when you're making decisions from clarity instead.
We’ll talk about what it really means to collaborate with the experts you hire, why trust matters from day one, an...
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We often think of legacy as something people talk about after we're gone—like it’s only visible in the rearview mirror. But what if your legacy isn’t about the grand finale? What if it’s being shaped every single day by how you show up, how you treat people, and the values you live out?
In this episode, I’m talking about the real impact you’re making as a solo entrepreneur—whether you realize i...
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