July 31, 2025 • 23 mins
What if building a business didn’t require burnout, hustle culture, or 80-hour workweeks? In this episode of The Aspiring Solopreneur, we chat with Amanda Bourbonais—copywriter, wellness advocate, and self-proclaimed OG Health-First Freelancer—about how a health crisis reshaped her definition of success and led her to build a thriving six-figure business…with plenty of time for naps.
Amanda shares how to manage client expectations with grace, raise your rates with confidence, and why prioritizing your well-being isn’t just possible—it’s profitable. Whether you’re managing chronic illness or just sick of glorifying the grind, this episode is a must-listen for solopreneurs who want to thrive without sacrificing their health.
Being a solopreneur is awesome but it’s not easy. It's hard to get noticed. Most business advice is for bigger companies, and you're all alone...until now. LifeStarr Intro gives you free education, community, and tools to build a thriving one-person business. So, if you are lacking direction, having a hard time generating leads, or are having trouble keeping up with everything you have to do, or even just lonely running a company of one, be sure to check out LifeStarr Intro!
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Episode Transcript
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Carly Ries (00:00):
What if success didn't mean sacrificing your
(00:02):
health? In this eye openingepisode of The Aspiring
Solopreneur, we're joined byAmanda Bourbonais, a self
proclaimed OG health firstfreelancer who built a 6 figure
copywriting business even with achronic illness because she
prioritized her well-being fromday one. We talked about
redefining hustle culture,setting healthy client
boundaries, building in time fornaps. Yes, we actually talked
(00:25):
about that. And why your healthshould be part of your
definition of success, not anobstacle to it.
If you've ever felt like thegrind was grinding you down,
Amanda's story will challengeeverything you thought you knew
about building a solo business.So grab your headphones and a
cozy blanket. This one mightjust change how you work
forever. You're listening to theAspiring Solopreneur, the
(00:46):
podcast for those just takingthe bold step or even just
thinking about taking that stepinto the world of solo
entrepreneurship. My name isCarly Ries, and my cohost Joe
Rando and I are your guides tonavigating this crazy but
awesome journey as a company ofone.
We take pride in being part ofLifeStarr, a digital hub
dedicated to all aspects ofsolopreneurship that has
(01:08):
empowered and educated countlesssolopreneurs looking to build
business that resonates withtheir life's ambitions. We help
people work to live, not live towork. And if you're looking for
a get rich quick scheme, this isnot the show for you. So if
you're eager to gain valuableinsights from industry experts
on running a business the rightway the first time around or
want to learn from the misstepsof solopreneurs who've paved the
(01:31):
way before you, then stickaround. We've got your back
because flying solo in businessdoesn't mean you're alone.
Amanda, before we get into it,we have an icebreaker question
for you, and that is, what doyou wish you would have known
before becoming a solopreneur?
Amanda Bourbonais (01:48):
Yeah. I feel like I'm taking a little bit of
an unconventional answer here,but I actually wish I would have
known that in my experience,it's not as hard as I think a
lot of people make it out to beto start a business for
yourself. Particularly for me, Iidentify as a solopreneur, but I
(02:12):
identify more as a freelancer.And so for me, was really just
about taking, for me, it'swriting skills and turning that
into my primary offer. I'm acopywriter.
And making that the basis of mybusiness. Once I kind of figured
out that that's what I wanted todo, it did feel like a lot of
(02:37):
the pieces fell into placerelatively quickly for me. And I
still, built my business in moreof a slow and steady way. It
wasn't like I quit my job andthen just started freelancing
right away.
Joe Rando (02:52):
But You started with a side hustle. Right?
Amanda Bourbonais (02:54):
Kind of, yeah. It was more of a gradual
build. But yeah, for me, I thinkI had this misconception
beforehand of starting abusiness is really hard. And you
have to put in eighty hour weeksand, work yourself to the bone,
and that was not my experience.
So I wish more people knew that.
Carly Ries (03:16):
I'm so happy you said that because I feel like
the mental game when you want tobecome a solopreneur is so big
and is such a barrier for peoplebecause it seems like that
Everest that they need tosummit. So it's just nice
because you do even hear a lotof experts say it's a lot of
hard work at the beginning. Andit's like, it's your career.
Like you make it as hard as youwant.
Joe Rando (03:39):
Can I ask a question? when you'd made this decision to
start your business as a sidehustle or, at some point in that
process, did you kind of focusdown on a particular area where
you got to be known for asopposed to just saying I'm a
writer?
Amanda Bourbonais (03:55):
Yeah. I mean, from the beginning, so I'm a
copywriter, and I write forhealth and wellness clients. So
in that sense, I knew prettymuch from the beginning that I
wanted to write in that nicheand write specifically for
practitioners. So I write forlike functional medicine
doctors, naturopaths,chiropractors, people like that
(04:19):
in kind of alternative healthand wellness space. You know,
people who generally have theirown clinics and practices, and
they typically outsource theirmarketing to someone else to do
that for them.
So I knew that that was kind ofwhere I wanted to come in as
support for those people and,kind of just help them, achieve
(04:41):
their mission of helping morepeople get well, which, directly
ties into my journey as well.So, yeah, that's kind of how I
started.
Joe Rando (04:49):
Do you work for them or do you work for the doctor or
do work for an agency that worksfor the doctor?
Amanda Bourbonais (04:55):
I have never worked with agencies actually.
Directly work with apractitioner.
Joe Rando (04:59):
Alright. I'm just curious.
Carly Ries (05:01):
Thanks. So let's talk about your journey because
you call yourself the OG, healthfirst freelancer. what inspired
that identity, and then how didyour journey begin?
Amanda Bourbonais (05:12):
Yeah. So it's a long story. I'll try to give
you the short version. Butessentially in 2019, I had a
pretty severe health crisis. Alot of crazy symptoms.
I didn't really know what wasgoing on. It was a lot of
anxiety and depression, fatigue,brain fog, gut issues that were
(05:35):
coming up for me. And I couldn'tpinpoint it to one specific
diagnosis, saw a number ofdoctors, no one could really
give me any answers. And I wasworking at a digital marketing
agency at the time, had to quitbecause my health was getting so
bad. And basically went on thisroller coaster of this illness
(05:59):
for several months.
And then towards the middle ofthat year, the summer, I ended
up seeing a naturopathic doctorwho started to help me put more
of the nutritional foundationsin place to start feeling better
again. And then I ended upseeing another practitioner who
did diagnose me with Lymedisease, chronic Lyme disease.
(06:22):
So coming out of that, as I wasslowly regaining my health and
kind of exploring thisalternative health and wellness
world at the same time, gettingreally interested in that. I
realized that I would not becapable of going back to a nine
to five type of job. I'd alsoprior to the digital marketing
(06:45):
agency, worked in a corporatesetting.
So I realized that that kind ofenvironment and that schedule
was not going to be conducive tomy health, particularly as I was
still really recovering fromthis particular episode. And
that's kind of where I landedon. Okay then, that means I have
to work for myself. I have tofind a way to make money on my
(07:09):
own and do it in a way thatreally prioritizes my energy and
my well-being. So really bigpriorities for me at the time
were being able to work for likethree to four hours a day max.
Also being able to lay down andtake a nap in the afternoon. I
(07:29):
really like to tell people thatI started my business so I could
take naps and that is absolutelytrue. And yeah, be able to use
my skills in such a way that Iwas providing value but without
all the kind of extra hassle oflike going into an office and
(07:52):
sitting for eight hours a day ata desk and not having access to
my bed at home so I could justlay down and rest when I needed
to. So I say that I'm the OGHealth First freelancer because
my business was really built onthis foundation of like, I need
to be able to take care ofmyself. And that is my most
(08:14):
important priority and my workhas to fit around that.
So that was kind of mybeginning.
Carly Ries (08:22):
Well, I'm so sorry you had that experience. Like
it's never fun to say I knowwhat I'm talking about because
I've lived it. You always wannasay, I know what I'm talking
about because I've researchedit, but you have actually
experienced it. And so myquestion for you is what advice
would you give to solopreneurswho feel like their health
challenges are a barrier tosuccess for them?
Amanda Bourbonais (08:43):
That's a really good question. I would
say, I think there's a mindsetshift there that has to happen
around making your health partof your definition of success.
So if you're seeing your healthor chronic illness as an
obstacle right now, I think youhave to start considering, okay,
(09:07):
how can prioritizing mywell-being, in my everyday,
integrated into my business? Howcan I make that part of my
definition of success?
As opposed to just seeing it assomething to constantly
overcome. I think once you makethat shift, it becomes less
(09:32):
overwhelming. And it's more likebecoming a partner with your
health in a way, as opposed toyour health being the enemy.
Ugh. Absolutely. Yeah. I justfeel like so many people are in
this situation that you've beenin. I feel like this is such an
important episode.
Carly Ries (09:53):
How do you manage client expect expectations and
deadlines while honoring yourphysical and mental capacity?
Amanda Bourbonais (10:00):
Yeah. I've definitely been really fortunate
with my clients. They've allbeen really understanding, And I
don't often ask for, extensionsof deadlines of things. But for
the most part, my clients arevery understanding of like,
we're working in marketing here.
(10:20):
It's not life or death. ifsomething is delayed by a few
days, it's not a huge deal. Butalso, I tend to work on a
monthly retainer schedule. Sowith a lot of my clients, what
we do is we have a set number ofdeliverables for the month. And
I just let them know I will havethese to you by the end of the
(10:42):
month.
And that kind of really gives methe freedom within the entire
month of spacing out my work.And, if I needed, if there's a
day where it's just nothappening for me and I need more
rest on that day, it usuallyworks out and I can make it up,
make up the work on another day.
Carly Ries (11:02):
are you just big on transparency with your clients?
I mean, do they know your past?And do they know the situation?
Amanda Bourbonais (11:09):
Yeah. Most of them do. All of them do,
actually. I'm pretty open aboutit.
Joe Rando (11:15):
Well, they do now because it's on a podcast.
Amanda Bourbonais (11:17):
Right. But I mean, also my clients are in
that space, if I'm working withpractitioners. For example, I
worked with a naturopathicdoctor who really specializes in
mold illness and chronic Lymeand these kinds of long term
chronic illnesses. So she's veryfamiliar with that type of
(11:41):
illness.
And yeah, I've never had aclient be like, no, that's
unacceptable. You can't. Youknow, we need this by, tomorrow
kind of thing. So, yeah.
Carly Ries (11:56):
Well, there are solopreneurs that are like you
who have gone through thesechallenges and health has to be
a priority. Like it just has tobe. But then there are those
solopreneurs that are go gettersand put health on the back
burner a little bit. How do youencourage people to slow down
from the get go and overcomethat guilt or pressure of not
(12:21):
hustling and actuallyprioritizing rest?
Amanda Bourbonais (12:24):
Yeah. It's so huge. I mean, this is really
kind of the foundation of what Iteach which is like the health
first mindset. You really kindof have to change your way of
thinking to that.
And I think for people who don'thave chronic illness and maybe
it's more of like, they're justkind of generally concerned
(12:47):
about their health or theircapacity or, you know, the risk
of potential burnout, it doestend to be more of a mindset
shift for them to think, okay,you know, I could push past, my
energy limits here or whateverit might be. But there's another
(13:08):
choice here of taking the timeto rest and revisiting this
later, or whatever that lookslike for them. So it's really
about adjusting your mindset andconstantly learning to ask
yourself that question every dayof like, okay, I have this
decision before me. Is thissupporting my health or is it
(13:30):
not supporting my health? Andmaking your decision
accordingly.
Carly Ries (13:36):
Well, so with wellness in mind, you've built a
6 figure business. So whatsystem and systems and
strategies in place withoutsacrificing wellness and making
that your priority so that it'seasier for you to get stuff done
even while you're resting?
Amanda Bourbonais (13:52):
Yeah. For me as a freelancer, it's really
growing my income over time hasreally just been about
maintaining and growing myrelationships with my clients.
Honestly, so I've beenfreelancing my business
birthday, I say is 06/10/2020.Just just had a five year
(14:13):
anniversary.
Thank you. And for me, I'vereally had probably 10 or so
clients in that entire time. Andmost of them, I just continue to
go back and do new projects withthem and grow our retainers. So
that's really how it's workedfor me. And I think it's been a
(14:33):
natural process of learning.
For me, it's copywriting. Solearning new types of copy and
just getting better and moreefficient at things. Of course,
now that we have AI as a tool touse that has also been a huge
efficiency booster in mybusiness. So it's just been kind
(14:54):
of finding those tools over timeto get more efficient and also
raising my prices over time forthe services that I offer. And
knowing that I bring huge valueto my clients by extending our
working relationship as I get toknow their their voice and their
brand better over time.
(15:15):
That is an increase in value andcharging accordingly. I'm so
glad you brought up the pricething because that stresses so
many people out.
Carly Ries (15:25):
And they don't realize that's just kind of a
part of business. I feel like ifyou're with somebody for a
while, you can kind of assumelike, oh, well, rates are going
up elsewhere so I'm gonna And itdoesn't have to be a crazy
amount. But that is reallyintimidating. Do you have any
advice for people on how toapproach that?
Amanda Bourbonais (15:43):
Yeah. I do actually. So this has always
been something that I'vechallenged myself to do. A.
charging, you know, quoteunquote more than I'm
comfortable with. Even from thevery beginning of just offering
blog writing services. a trick Ikind of do is okay, I think of
(16:06):
what I think I should charge,what I think the offer is worth,
and I add 10%. And then thatalways makes it feel just a
little bit stretchier, a littlebit more uncomfortable. But then
I know that I'm adding that 10%buffer, and kinda pushing myself
to charge more, and I've neverhad a client, reject that.
Carly Ries (16:28):
Yeah. No, that's a good point. Well, you've kinda
learned that over time. You justcelebrated your fifth business
birthday.
What are some things you wishyou would have known? I mean, we
talked about this at thebeginning, but what are some
mistakes that you made that youthink that other solopreneurs
can learn from?
Joe Rando (16:44):
I don't think you made any mistakes. It sounds
like you just nailed it out ofthe gate.
Amanda Bourbonais (16:49):
I know. I mean, even with the whole health
first mindset, there are stilltimes when I have kind of pushed
myself too far and I've learnedlike, oh, okay, that was a
little bit too much for me totake on. I do think something I
tend to do is like, will knowthat I have to make a certain
(17:11):
change in my business or move ina certain direction, but I will
resist it for way too long untilI finally do whatever it is. And
then I'm like, oh my gosh,that's so much better. Why
didn't I do that before?
So I think that's something I'mstill working on. I think for a
lot of people that's pricing.For a lot of people it's I know
(17:32):
I should raise my prices. I knowI should be charging more. And
then but they sit on it.
They don't do it until fartherdown the line when you could be
probably charging more right nowand it would be fine.
Carly Ries (17:45):
Yep. Well, tell us more about the Health First
freelancer community that yourun. Who is it for? And what
makes it different than othercommunities?
Amanda Bourbonais (17:55):
Yeah. So Health First freelancer is for
humans with chronic illness whowant to build a freelancer
business that puts their healthfirst. And basically, I created
this community for me five yearsago. What did I need when I was
first starting out and reallysharing the experience of having
(18:17):
a chronic illness and building abusiness, an online business,
with other people. And yeah,it's really for those who, if
you have a chronic illness andyou're interested in working for
yourself and freelancing, butyou don't wanna do it alone.
And you wanna be in a supportiveenvironment where other people
(18:39):
are going on the same journey asyou. Of course, I'm there to
provide guidance and assistancewhenever possible. But it's
really about connecting withother people on the same path.
Especially in the current agewe're in, I think with AI and
everything's changing soquickly. I think the way that I
(18:59):
built my business is notnecessarily going to apply one
to one to anyone doing it today.
But, in community is where youcan go on the journey together
and solve problems togetheralong the way.
Carly Ries (19:15):
That is so awesome and so necessary. What would you
say are the biggest mindsetshifts you see in people who go
through this community?
Amanda Bourbonais (19:25):
I think, particularly for people who are
coming from the nine to five,like a corporate environment,
just realizing that work andworking for yourself can be so
much less taxing than they'reused to. I think people are used
(19:45):
to as particularly with chronicillness, you're used to kind of
just pushing through your dayconstantly when you're working a
quote unquote regular job. And Ilove watching people realize
that actually, I don't have todo it that way. And it can be a
lot easier for me and I can dothings in a way that supports my
(20:08):
health.
And typically requires a lotless of my time and energy, to
make the same amount or moremoney, which is so amazing.
Carly Ries (20:21):
It just sounds like such a great idea. I'm so glad
you you have this going. AndAmanda, you help solopreneurs
across the board, butsolopreneurs who are are facing
health challenges find success.So we ask all of our guests this
question, what is your favoritequote about success?
Amanda Bourbonais (20:41):
It's funny. I'm not a huge quote person. I
don't have the Pinterest boardfull of quotes or anything. But
I think of success as a successis a lifestyle, I think more
than a number.
And I think a lot of people,think of success as a number in
(21:06):
the bank or a number thatthey're reaching for in their
salary or whatever it might be.And to me, I want to challenge
people to take a more holisticview of success of what does
your day to day life look like?So for me, it's very much
prioritizing my health and timeand space to rest and enjoy
(21:33):
myself throughout my day, whilealso, striving in my business
and providing a great service tomy clients. So that's what I'd
say.
Joe Rando (21:42):
And you just summed up everything that LifeStarr is
about, which is building abusiness that serves your life
and your goals. So very cool.You're a poster child for what
we're trying to do. So thankyou.
Carly Ries (21:56):
And Amanda, if people wanna learn more about
you, more about the community,everything, where can they find
out more information?
Amanda Bourbonais (22:02):
Yeah. So, the most active place you'll find me
is on YouTube at health firstfreelancer. Check me out,
subscribe to my channel. Wouldlove to have you there. I'm also
toying with the idea of actuallystarting my own podcast.
So if that happens, you willfind it on the YouTube channel.
And links to my email list andthe community page are there as
(22:25):
well.
Carly Ries (22:25):
Well, Amanda, thank you so so much for coming on the
show today. And listeners,subscribe to her channel, but
also subscribe to our channeland subscribe on your favorite
podcast platform. Share thisepisode with a friend, and we
will see you next time on theAspiring Solopreneur. You may be
going solo in business, but thatdoesn't mean you're alone. In
(22:48):
fact, millions of people are inyour shoes, running a one person
business and figuring it out asthey go.
So why not connect with them andlearn from each other's
successes and failures? AtLifeStarr, we're creating a one
person business community whereyou can go to meet and get
advice from other solopreneurs.Be sure to join in on the
conversations atcommunity.lifestarr.com.
What if success didn't mean sacrificing your
(00:02):
health? In this eye openingepisode of The Aspiring
Solopreneur, we're joined byAmanda Bourbonais, a self
proclaimed OG health firstfreelancer who built a 6 figure
copywriting business even with achronic illness because she
prioritized her well-being fromday one. We talked about
redefining hustle culture,setting healthy client
boundaries, building in time fornaps. Yes, we actually talked
(00:25):
about that. And why your healthshould be part of your
definition of success, not anobstacle to it.
If you've ever felt like thegrind was grinding you down,
Amanda's story will challengeeverything you thought you knew
about building a solo business.So grab your headphones and a
cozy blanket. This one mightjust change how you work
forever. You're listening to theAspiring Solopreneur, the
(00:46):
podcast for those just takingthe bold step or even just
thinking about taking that stepinto the world of solo
entrepreneurship. My name isCarly Ries, and my cohost Joe
Rando and I are your guides tonavigating this crazy but
awesome journey as a company ofone.
We take pride in being part ofLifeStarr, a digital hub
dedicated to all aspects ofsolopreneurship that has
(01:08):
empowered and educated countlesssolopreneurs looking to build
business that resonates withtheir life's ambitions. We help
people work to live, not live towork. And if you're looking for
a get rich quick scheme, this isnot the show for you. So if
you're eager to gain valuableinsights from industry experts
on running a business the rightway the first time around or
want to learn from the misstepsof solopreneurs who've paved the
(01:31):
way before you, then stickaround. We've got your back
because flying solo in businessdoesn't mean you're alone.
Amanda, before we get into it,we have an icebreaker question
for you, and that is, what doyou wish you would have known
before becoming a solopreneur?
Amanda Bourbonais (01:48):
Yeah. I feel like I'm taking a little bit of
an unconventional answer here,but I actually wish I would have
known that in my experience,it's not as hard as I think a
lot of people make it out to beto start a business for
yourself. Particularly for me, Iidentify as a solopreneur, but I
(02:12):
identify more as a freelancer.And so for me, was really just
about taking, for me, it'swriting skills and turning that
into my primary offer. I'm acopywriter.
And making that the basis of mybusiness. Once I kind of figured
out that that's what I wanted todo, it did feel like a lot of
(02:37):
the pieces fell into placerelatively quickly for me. And I
still, built my business in moreof a slow and steady way. It
wasn't like I quit my job andthen just started freelancing
right away.
Joe Rando (02:52):
But You started with a side hustle. Right?
Amanda Bourbonais (02:54):
Kind of, yeah. It was more of a gradual
build. But yeah, for me, I thinkI had this misconception
beforehand of starting abusiness is really hard. And you
have to put in eighty hour weeksand, work yourself to the bone,
and that was not my experience.
So I wish more people knew that.
Carly Ries (03:16):
I'm so happy you said that because I feel like
the mental game when you want tobecome a solopreneur is so big
and is such a barrier for peoplebecause it seems like that
Everest that they need tosummit. So it's just nice
because you do even hear a lotof experts say it's a lot of
hard work at the beginning. Andit's like, it's your career.
Like you make it as hard as youwant.
Joe Rando (03:39):
Can I ask a question? when you'd made this decision to
start your business as a sidehustle or, at some point in that
process, did you kind of focusdown on a particular area where
you got to be known for asopposed to just saying I'm a
writer?
Amanda Bourbonais (03:55):
Yeah. I mean, from the beginning, so I'm a
copywriter, and I write forhealth and wellness clients. So
in that sense, I knew prettymuch from the beginning that I
wanted to write in that nicheand write specifically for
practitioners. So I write forlike functional medicine
doctors, naturopaths,chiropractors, people like that
(04:19):
in kind of alternative healthand wellness space. You know,
people who generally have theirown clinics and practices, and
they typically outsource theirmarketing to someone else to do
that for them.
So I knew that that was kind ofwhere I wanted to come in as
support for those people and,kind of just help them, achieve
(04:41):
their mission of helping morepeople get well, which, directly
ties into my journey as well.So, yeah, that's kind of how I
started.
Joe Rando (04:49):
Do you work for them or do you work for the doctor or
do work for an agency that worksfor the doctor?
Amanda Bourbonais (04:55):
I have never worked with agencies actually.
Directly work with apractitioner.
Joe Rando (04:59):
Alright. I'm just curious.
Carly Ries (05:01):
Thanks. So let's talk about your journey because
you call yourself the OG, healthfirst freelancer. what inspired
that identity, and then how didyour journey begin?
Amanda Bourbonais (05:12):
Yeah. So it's a long story. I'll try to give
you the short version. Butessentially in 2019, I had a
pretty severe health crisis. Alot of crazy symptoms.
I didn't really know what wasgoing on. It was a lot of
anxiety and depression, fatigue,brain fog, gut issues that were
(05:35):
coming up for me. And I couldn'tpinpoint it to one specific
diagnosis, saw a number ofdoctors, no one could really
give me any answers. And I wasworking at a digital marketing
agency at the time, had to quitbecause my health was getting so
bad. And basically went on thisroller coaster of this illness
(05:59):
for several months.
And then towards the middle ofthat year, the summer, I ended
up seeing a naturopathic doctorwho started to help me put more
of the nutritional foundationsin place to start feeling better
again. And then I ended upseeing another practitioner who
did diagnose me with Lymedisease, chronic Lyme disease.
(06:22):
So coming out of that, as I wasslowly regaining my health and
kind of exploring thisalternative health and wellness
world at the same time, gettingreally interested in that. I
realized that I would not becapable of going back to a nine
to five type of job. I'd alsoprior to the digital marketing
(06:45):
agency, worked in a corporatesetting.
So I realized that that kind ofenvironment and that schedule
was not going to be conducive tomy health, particularly as I was
still really recovering fromthis particular episode. And
that's kind of where I landedon. Okay then, that means I have
to work for myself. I have tofind a way to make money on my
(07:09):
own and do it in a way thatreally prioritizes my energy and
my well-being. So really bigpriorities for me at the time
were being able to work for likethree to four hours a day max.
Also being able to lay down andtake a nap in the afternoon. I
(07:29):
really like to tell people thatI started my business so I could
take naps and that is absolutelytrue. And yeah, be able to use
my skills in such a way that Iwas providing value but without
all the kind of extra hassle oflike going into an office and
(07:52):
sitting for eight hours a day ata desk and not having access to
my bed at home so I could justlay down and rest when I needed
to. So I say that I'm the OGHealth First freelancer because
my business was really built onthis foundation of like, I need
to be able to take care ofmyself. And that is my most
(08:14):
important priority and my workhas to fit around that.
So that was kind of mybeginning.
Carly Ries (08:22):
Well, I'm so sorry you had that experience. Like
it's never fun to say I knowwhat I'm talking about because
I've lived it. You always wannasay, I know what I'm talking
about because I've researchedit, but you have actually
experienced it. And so myquestion for you is what advice
would you give to solopreneurswho feel like their health
challenges are a barrier tosuccess for them?
Amanda Bourbonais (08:43):
That's a really good question. I would
say, I think there's a mindsetshift there that has to happen
around making your health partof your definition of success.
So if you're seeing your healthor chronic illness as an
obstacle right now, I think youhave to start considering, okay,
(09:07):
how can prioritizing mywell-being, in my everyday,
integrated into my business? Howcan I make that part of my
definition of success?
As opposed to just seeing it assomething to constantly
overcome. I think once you makethat shift, it becomes less
(09:32):
overwhelming. And it's more likebecoming a partner with your
health in a way, as opposed toyour health being the enemy.
Ugh. Absolutely. Yeah. I justfeel like so many people are in
this situation that you've beenin. I feel like this is such an
important episode.
Carly Ries (09:53):
How do you manage client expect expectations and
deadlines while honoring yourphysical and mental capacity?
Amanda Bourbonais (10:00):
Yeah. I've definitely been really fortunate
with my clients. They've allbeen really understanding, And I
don't often ask for, extensionsof deadlines of things. But for
the most part, my clients arevery understanding of like,
we're working in marketing here.
(10:20):
It's not life or death. ifsomething is delayed by a few
days, it's not a huge deal. Butalso, I tend to work on a
monthly retainer schedule. Sowith a lot of my clients, what
we do is we have a set number ofdeliverables for the month. And
I just let them know I will havethese to you by the end of the
(10:42):
month.
And that kind of really gives methe freedom within the entire
month of spacing out my work.And, if I needed, if there's a
day where it's just nothappening for me and I need more
rest on that day, it usuallyworks out and I can make it up,
make up the work on another day.
Carly Ries (11:02):
are you just big on transparency with your clients?
I mean, do they know your past?And do they know the situation?
Amanda Bourbonais (11:09):
Yeah. Most of them do. All of them do,
actually. I'm pretty open aboutit.
Joe Rando (11:15):
Well, they do now because it's on a podcast.
Amanda Bourbonais (11:17):
Right. But I mean, also my clients are in
that space, if I'm working withpractitioners. For example, I
worked with a naturopathicdoctor who really specializes in
mold illness and chronic Lymeand these kinds of long term
chronic illnesses. So she's veryfamiliar with that type of
(11:41):
illness.
And yeah, I've never had aclient be like, no, that's
unacceptable. You can't. Youknow, we need this by, tomorrow
kind of thing. So, yeah.
Carly Ries (11:56):
Well, there are solopreneurs that are like you
who have gone through thesechallenges and health has to be
a priority. Like it just has tobe. But then there are those
solopreneurs that are go gettersand put health on the back
burner a little bit. How do youencourage people to slow down
from the get go and overcomethat guilt or pressure of not
(12:21):
hustling and actuallyprioritizing rest?
Amanda Bourbonais (12:24):
Yeah. It's so huge. I mean, this is really
kind of the foundation of what Iteach which is like the health
first mindset. You really kindof have to change your way of
thinking to that.
And I think for people who don'thave chronic illness and maybe
it's more of like, they're justkind of generally concerned
(12:47):
about their health or theircapacity or, you know, the risk
of potential burnout, it doestend to be more of a mindset
shift for them to think, okay,you know, I could push past, my
energy limits here or whateverit might be. But there's another
(13:08):
choice here of taking the timeto rest and revisiting this
later, or whatever that lookslike for them. So it's really
about adjusting your mindset andconstantly learning to ask
yourself that question every dayof like, okay, I have this
decision before me. Is thissupporting my health or is it
(13:30):
not supporting my health? Andmaking your decision
accordingly.
Carly Ries (13:36):
Well, so with wellness in mind, you've built a
6 figure business. So whatsystem and systems and
strategies in place withoutsacrificing wellness and making
that your priority so that it'seasier for you to get stuff done
even while you're resting?
Amanda Bourbonais (13:52):
Yeah. For me as a freelancer, it's really
growing my income over time hasreally just been about
maintaining and growing myrelationships with my clients.
Honestly, so I've beenfreelancing my business
birthday, I say is 06/10/2020.Just just had a five year
(14:13):
anniversary.
Thank you. And for me, I'vereally had probably 10 or so
clients in that entire time. Andmost of them, I just continue to
go back and do new projects withthem and grow our retainers. So
that's really how it's workedfor me. And I think it's been a
(14:33):
natural process of learning.
For me, it's copywriting. Solearning new types of copy and
just getting better and moreefficient at things. Of course,
now that we have AI as a tool touse that has also been a huge
efficiency booster in mybusiness. So it's just been kind
(14:54):
of finding those tools over timeto get more efficient and also
raising my prices over time forthe services that I offer. And
knowing that I bring huge valueto my clients by extending our
working relationship as I get toknow their their voice and their
brand better over time.
(15:15):
That is an increase in value andcharging accordingly. I'm so
glad you brought up the pricething because that stresses so
many people out.
Carly Ries (15:25):
And they don't realize that's just kind of a
part of business. I feel like ifyou're with somebody for a
while, you can kind of assumelike, oh, well, rates are going
up elsewhere so I'm gonna And itdoesn't have to be a crazy
amount. But that is reallyintimidating. Do you have any
advice for people on how toapproach that?
Amanda Bourbonais (15:43):
Yeah. I do actually. So this has always
been something that I'vechallenged myself to do. A.
charging, you know, quoteunquote more than I'm
comfortable with. Even from thevery beginning of just offering
blog writing services. a trick Ikind of do is okay, I think of
(16:06):
what I think I should charge,what I think the offer is worth,
and I add 10%. And then thatalways makes it feel just a
little bit stretchier, a littlebit more uncomfortable. But then
I know that I'm adding that 10%buffer, and kinda pushing myself
to charge more, and I've neverhad a client, reject that.
Carly Ries (16:28):
Yeah. No, that's a good point. Well, you've kinda
learned that over time. You justcelebrated your fifth business
birthday.
What are some things you wishyou would have known? I mean, we
talked about this at thebeginning, but what are some
mistakes that you made that youthink that other solopreneurs
can learn from?
Joe Rando (16:44):
I don't think you made any mistakes. It sounds
like you just nailed it out ofthe gate.
Amanda Bourbonais (16:49):
I know. I mean, even with the whole health
first mindset, there are stilltimes when I have kind of pushed
myself too far and I've learnedlike, oh, okay, that was a
little bit too much for me totake on. I do think something I
tend to do is like, will knowthat I have to make a certain
(17:11):
change in my business or move ina certain direction, but I will
resist it for way too long untilI finally do whatever it is. And
then I'm like, oh my gosh,that's so much better. Why
didn't I do that before?
So I think that's something I'mstill working on. I think for a
lot of people that's pricing.For a lot of people it's I know
(17:32):
I should raise my prices. I knowI should be charging more. And
then but they sit on it.
They don't do it until fartherdown the line when you could be
probably charging more right nowand it would be fine.
Carly Ries (17:45):
Yep. Well, tell us more about the Health First
freelancer community that yourun. Who is it for? And what
makes it different than othercommunities?
Amanda Bourbonais (17:55):
Yeah. So Health First freelancer is for
humans with chronic illness whowant to build a freelancer
business that puts their healthfirst. And basically, I created
this community for me five yearsago. What did I need when I was
first starting out and reallysharing the experience of having
(18:17):
a chronic illness and building abusiness, an online business,
with other people. And yeah,it's really for those who, if
you have a chronic illness andyou're interested in working for
yourself and freelancing, butyou don't wanna do it alone.
And you wanna be in a supportiveenvironment where other people
(18:39):
are going on the same journey asyou. Of course, I'm there to
provide guidance and assistancewhenever possible. But it's
really about connecting withother people on the same path.
Especially in the current agewe're in, I think with AI and
everything's changing soquickly. I think the way that I
(18:59):
built my business is notnecessarily going to apply one
to one to anyone doing it today.
But, in community is where youcan go on the journey together
and solve problems togetheralong the way.
Carly Ries (19:15):
That is so awesome and so necessary. What would you
say are the biggest mindsetshifts you see in people who go
through this community?
Amanda Bourbonais (19:25):
I think, particularly for people who are
coming from the nine to five,like a corporate environment,
just realizing that work andworking for yourself can be so
much less taxing than they'reused to. I think people are used
(19:45):
to as particularly with chronicillness, you're used to kind of
just pushing through your dayconstantly when you're working a
quote unquote regular job. And Ilove watching people realize
that actually, I don't have todo it that way. And it can be a
lot easier for me and I can dothings in a way that supports my
(20:08):
health.
And typically requires a lotless of my time and energy, to
make the same amount or moremoney, which is so amazing.
Carly Ries (20:21):
It just sounds like such a great idea. I'm so glad
you you have this going. AndAmanda, you help solopreneurs
across the board, butsolopreneurs who are are facing
health challenges find success.So we ask all of our guests this
question, what is your favoritequote about success?
Amanda Bourbonais (20:41):
It's funny. I'm not a huge quote person. I
don't have the Pinterest boardfull of quotes or anything. But
I think of success as a successis a lifestyle, I think more
than a number.
And I think a lot of people,think of success as a number in
(21:06):
the bank or a number thatthey're reaching for in their
salary or whatever it might be.And to me, I want to challenge
people to take a more holisticview of success of what does
your day to day life look like?So for me, it's very much
prioritizing my health and timeand space to rest and enjoy
(21:33):
myself throughout my day, whilealso, striving in my business
and providing a great service tomy clients. So that's what I'd
say.
Joe Rando (21:42):
And you just summed up everything that LifeStarr is
about, which is building abusiness that serves your life
and your goals. So very cool.You're a poster child for what
we're trying to do. So thankyou.
Carly Ries (21:56):
And Amanda, if people wanna learn more about
you, more about the community,everything, where can they find
out more information?
Amanda Bourbonais (22:02):
Yeah. So, the most active place you'll find me
is on YouTube at health firstfreelancer. Check me out,
subscribe to my channel. Wouldlove to have you there. I'm also
toying with the idea of actuallystarting my own podcast.
So if that happens, you willfind it on the YouTube channel.
And links to my email list andthe community page are there as
(22:25):
well.
Carly Ries (22:25):
Well, Amanda, thank you so so much for coming on the
show today. And listeners,subscribe to her channel, but
also subscribe to our channeland subscribe on your favorite
podcast platform. Share thisepisode with a friend, and we
will see you next time on theAspiring Solopreneur. You may be
going solo in business, but thatdoesn't mean you're alone. In
(22:48):
fact, millions of people are inyour shoes, running a one person
business and figuring it out asthey go.
So why not connect with them andlearn from each other's
successes and failures? AtLifeStarr, we're creating a one
person business community whereyou can go to meet and get
advice from other solopreneurs.Be sure to join in on the
conversations atcommunity.lifestarr.com.
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