The Self-Employed Life: Business and Personal Development Strategies That Create Sustainable Success

by Jeffrey Shaw Narrated by Jeffrey Shaw

Overview

Faced with uncontrollable circumstances, from a change in market demand to a global pandemic, being self-employed can sometimes feel less like you're running the show, and more like the show is running you. But it doesn't need to be that way. Small business consultant, entrepreneur coach, and acclaimed portrait photographer Jeffrey Shaw--TEDx speaker and host of the popular The Self-Employed Life podcast--offers the essential manual on everything you need to be successful as a self-employed business owner. Through the Self-Employed Ecosystem, you'll learn the business and personal development strategies that will help you regain control over your business, and master effective daily habits that create sustainable success. This is the definitive guide for self-employed business owners.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Becoming self-employed is a dream for many. But without the right strategies in place, the reality can sometimes be confusing and frustrating. Jeffrey Shaw's new book provides a valuable resource that will guide any entrepreneur—new or experienced—to sustainable success.” —Dorie Clark, author of Entrepreneurial You and executive education faculty, Duke University Fuqua School of Business

“Jeffrey Shaw shows you the critical link between your own growth and that of your business. This book is your guide to pulling off both.” —Mike Michalowicz, author of Fix This Next and Profit First

“This book will be worthwhile for anyone running their own business or thinking of starting one. Candid, refreshing advice for self-guided businesspeople.” —Kirkus Review

“As an association that supports small business owners, we are always looking for ways to encourage, inspire and educate our members. Jeffrey Shaw’s The Self-Employed Life is exactly what our members need to hear. Jeffrey’s approach to helping small business owners take control of their lives and their businesses is inspired yet practical. Readers are provided with great takeaways, actions and ideas they can implement right away. His three-pronged approach to success can help a small business owner reframe the way they think to create true and lasting change. This book provides a mindset shift that entrepreneurs truly need.” —Angela Kurkian, Director of Education, Professional Photographers of America

“The Self-Employed Life gives business owners the integrated perspective and tools they need to not only build a powerful business model, but to enjoy their lives while building it. A fun and accessible read that will help you awaken your creativity, change your habits, and strengthen your brand.” —Pam Slim, author of Body of Work

“While being self-employed has long been a dream for a lot of people, most have no clue where to begin. Jeffrey Shaw offers practical advice that’s rooted in deep experience running his own businesses. The Self-Employed Life will provide you with the tactics and mindset you need to thrive as a small business owner.” —Todd Henry, author of The Motivation Code

“Welcome to your very own business mentor disguised as a book. Jeffrey Shaw asks you the questions you are often afraid to ask yourself. Let The Self-Employed Life be your best friend on the bumpy road of entrepreneurship.” —Phil M Jones, self-employed since fourteen years old and bestselling author of Exactly What to Say

“The Self-Employed Life is a breath of fresh air. Instead of offering up the same list of clichéd (not to mention exhausting) practices, Jeffrey Shaw’s book provides a grounded, holistic alternative approach to achieving sustainable success in the full spectrum of your life as a business owner. Through an approach that combines personal development, business strategies, and several powerful daily habits, The Self-Employed Life will help you become a bigger, bolder version of yourself—helping you to embody the whole reason you went into business in the first place.” —Denise Jacobs, author of Banish Your Inner Critic

“Jeffrey Shaw has created the definitive guidebook to being successfully self-employed. You’ll return to its wisdom time and time again—guaranteed.” —Leslie Ehm, author of Swagger

Kirkus Reviews

2022-05-17
A book of inspiration and practical tips for self-employed business owners that goes beyond the usual.

Shaw, a photographer, podcaster, speaker, coach, and consultant, has been self-employed for his entire career—from age 14 through midlife—and works with clients who are also self-employed. In this debut guide he introduces a “self-employment ecosystem” with the aim of providing everything necessary to create a sustainable business and lifestyle for oneself. An introductory section describes the paradox of self-employment: wanting to control one’s own destiny, while finding oneself in uncontrollable circumstances. It goes on to list symptoms of work-life imbalance and to present his ecosystem concept. The main text is organized into three parts: “Personal Development,” “Business Strategies,” and “Daily Habits.” Each offers the author’s personal experiences and client success stories as well as useful explanations and pithy, practical advice. The “Personal Development” section covers such topics as one’s mindset regarding money and how to deal with obstacles and limiting beliefs. Clear, memorable explanations abound; for example, he encourages readers to think of letting go of one thing to reach another as like Tarzan swinging from vine to vine. “Business Strategies” includes an explication of what the author calls “hug marketing,” pictured as a series of concentric circles. Shaw offers a novel, step-by-step way to conceptualize a website that’s refreshingly easy to grasp, explaining it as an emotional journey. The section also covers such elements as defining one’s niche and inspiring referrals. “Daily Habits” suggests ways to sustain growth, creativity, and work-life balance through various techniques and how to handle rejection and self-employment in midlife. The book’s tone is immediately relatable; self-employed people in creative fields will feel seen. Throughout, the author’s style is personal, candid, and conversational, sometimes reading like a pep talk tinged with self-deprecating humor. Several brief exercises and worksheets will help readers think through the author’s principles, and an additional workbook (not seen) is available on the author’s website. Overall, this book will be worthwhile for anyone running their own business or thinking of starting one.

Candid, refreshing advice for self-guided businesspeople.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940178437544
Publisher:	Lantern Audio
Publication date:	08/16/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged

Read an Excerpt

I have always made marketing a priority. It has to be. It also has to be done in a way that feels good for you so that you stick with it. The good news is marketing has evolved to be much more aligned with the behaviors and desires of most self-employed and small business owners. Marketing has become much more honest, authentic and transparent. When you are your business, how could this not be a better way to market your business? Many people used to think of marketing as dishonest, manipulative and kind of gross. I mean, it wasn’t that long ago that tobacco manufacturers were marketing cigarettes as cool and glamorous, knowing full well they were killing people. Of course, similar manipulative marketing goes on today. But thankfully, consumers have a whole new standard. Minimally, consumers require honesty and transparency in marketing. If they find out otherwise, it’s all over social media. Rightfully so. Or if there’s a discrepancy between a brand’s public image and how they treat their employees, it’s not likely to stay a secret for very long. Decency is the minimum requirement in marketing today.

But we don’t want to meet the minimum requirement. To excel at marketing today, think about it as moving people, emotionally. Emotionally moving them from where they are, perhaps from being a stranger, to becoming a customer. Emotionally moving them from being unsure which of your products or services to choose, to being able to make a clear decision. When you begin to think about all your marketing actions and even sales actions as needing to emotionally move people, marketing and sales will never feel creepy again.

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