Staying Solo

Staying Solo

Growing a solo service business is tough. It's even harder when you're bombarded with BS advice that steers you away from your values and why you started your business in the first place. This is the podcast for solo creatives and consultants who want to remain as a team of one and have zero interest in the hustle and grind of typical business teachings. Most podcasts for solopreneurs and freelancers, hosted by out-of-touch celebrity entrepreneurs who haven't offered one-to-one services in years, miss the mark on today's market realities. Maggie Patterson, a service business owner for 20 years, understands that to stay solo, you need to know what matters to you, what works for you, and what you should completely ignore. In each episode, she examines one piece of conventional business advice to discover how it may hurt your business or be completely wrong for you as a solo business owner. Join Maggie for real talk to help you avoid burnout or the desire to entirely burn down your business to open a flower shop, book store, or cat cafe. (Because those cats won't pay the bills.) (Formerly the BS-Free Service Business Show)

Episodes

October 27, 2025 14 mins

Everyone loves to brag about being "booked out." But let's be honest, booked out can also mean booked solid, burned out, and barely making bank.

What no one tells you is that a full calendar doesn't guarantee profit, margin, or breathing room. Sometimes it just means you've built yourself a job you can't step away from.

In this episode, we're rethinking what "booked out" should actually look l...

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You'd think being great at what you do would make business easier. But the better you get, the more the cracks show.

The clients, systems, and strategy that used to work? Now they feel too small. You've outgrown the business you built.

So you tweak, tinker, and try to make it fit again but the friction keeps coming back, because you're not meant to patch it, you're meant to rebuild it.

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If you're not talking about AI with your clients, you're already losing their trust.

In this episode, I break down why silence is a risk and how to lead the AI conversation without sounding defensive, desperate, or out of touch.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

  • Why client skepticism is rising and how AI is amplifying ...

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October 6, 2025 39 mins

**This week we're sharing an episode from the most recent season of Duped.**

Ever been captivated by a coach who seemed too good to be true—magnetic, inspiring, and totally authentic—only to find yourself questioning how you ended up spending thousands, still feeling like you're not enough? 

You're not the only one.

In this episode, we're diving into the darker side of online...

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Most masterminds? Total garbage. They're hype machines, overpriced courses in disguise, or giant groups where you're stuck babysitting beginners.

That's why in this episode I'm doing a fit check—so you'll know if the BS-Free Mastermind is your "hell yes" next step, or a "not right now." Either way, you'll walk away knowing exactly what support you need to build a steady, sustainable business.

...

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September 26, 2025 8 mins


**A very special ranty episode inspired by conversations I've been having the past month**

When business feels uncertain, it's tempting to pause and wait it out.

But options don't come from waiting—they come from making decisions, even imperfect ones.

  • In this episode, I share:
  • The problem with pausing for too long.
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Ever look at your business and think, "This isn't what I signed up for"?

The long hours, the barely-there income, the weekends that aren't really weekends… It's exhausting.

The answer isn't more hustle—or another shiny funnel. It's a Revenue Reset: the right actions, in the right order, built for your real life.

In this episode, I'll show you why a reset matters now, what it reall...

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Your revenue may look good on paper, but if your take-home pay doesn't reflect your effort, something's not right. 

If that's you, you're not broken—you're trapped in the salary lie. Big revenue, tiny take-home. 

Bad advice, such as "reinvest everything" and "keep your pay low to scale," is what probably got you here.

In this episode, we're talking about why, in 2025, ju...

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If your business looks solid on paper but still feels harder than it should—this episode is for you.

It's probably not your pricing or your offers. It's your strategy—and it's out of sync with your real life.

Just because it used to work doesn't mean it still does. 

In this episode, we're digging into why your current strategy might be holding you back—and how to reset it for...

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From the outside, your business looks great, but inside, you're barely hanging on.

You're booked, making good money, and clients are happy… but you're exhausted, skipping lunch, and running on fumes.

That's what I call the sustainability ceiling—when your business works, but only if you're at 100% all the time.

In this episode, we're digging into what that really means and why the...

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Most business advice assumes you've got unlimited time, energy, and support.

But what if you're juggling caregiving, chronic illness, parenting—or just the reality of being human?

If your business looks good on paper but feels hard to run, this episode is for you.

We're digging into The Real Life Rule—the mindset shift every solo service provider needs to build a business that act...

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Let's be honest, 2025 has been tough.

In many cases, business feels heavier. Clients are cautious. Leads are slower. And what used to work? It's not always landing like it used to.

If you've been wondering, "Is it just me?"—it's not.

In this episode, I'm sharing why you may need to reset for the world we're living in now. 

Topics discussed in this episode include...

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If one more bro tells me to read The 10X Rule, I'm throwing my e-reader in the lake.

Summer isn't for hustle manifestos—it's for books that actually bring you joy.

In this episode, I'm sharing my Summer Book Stack: the hits, the current reads, and the towering to be read. No scale-to-seven-figures pressure, just real recs for real humans.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

...

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Ever feel like summer turns your business brain to mush?

One moment you're laser-focused, the next you're chasing distractions, half-replying to Slack, and wondering why everything feels… off.

That's not a productivity problem—it's fragmentation. And it hits hardest when we try to run our businesses like it's any other season, even when everything around us is shifting.

In this ep...

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If your sales have slowed and your offer isn't landing, it's probably not your pricing—it's your positioning.

In a tight market, buyers aren't gambling on vague promises or "kinda-sorta" solutions. They're choosing clarity, confidence, and specialists who solve specific problems.

This episode is your wake-up call to stop blending in. We're breaking down why narrowing your niche (even further) ...

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What if your best ideas aren't gone…they're just buried under a packed calendar and constant noise?

If every idea feels stale and your creativity's running on fumes, this episode is your permission slip to slow down. 

In this episode, we're unpacking the myth of "always-on" creativity, why overcommitment is killing your best ideas, and how to build in the margin you need to let your creat...

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Ever tried a "simple" recipe only to end up with a kitchen disaster? That's how most business owners run their businesses—turning something straightforward into a chaotic mess.

The truth? Overcomplication is a scam. More income streams, endless platforms, and 57-step sales funnels won't save you—they'll sink you.

In this episode, we're breaking it all down—the Chaos Tax you're unknowingly payi...

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Feel like a clingy ex every time you follow up with a client?

You're not needy—you're leading.

Clients aren't ignoring you, they're busy. Following up isn't desperate—it's part of your job.

In this episode, we're getting real about following up with clients without feeling needy or annoying. I'll show you why follow-up feels so awkward, how to fix that mindset, and break down the ...

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Tired of discovery calls that feel like free coaching sessions and awkward sales scripts?

You've been sold a lie—overdeliver, be the "helpful expert," and somehow close without selling.

That doesn't work. Not for Done-For-You service providers.

In this episode, I'm breaking down how to do discovery calls in a straightforward, honest, and effective way. And the best part? It's way ...

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This week I'm sharing my story from my new private podcast series, Staying Solo Stories. 

Staying Solo Stories is a private podcast where we dig into the real, unfiltered stories of business owners who've chosen to stay intentionally small—people who are proving every single day that you don't need a big team or a complicated business model to be successful.

In this episode, I share how I...

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