The Life-First Solopreneur
A twice-weekly podcast for solopreneurs who believe the business should be designed around life, not the other way around. Hosts Joe Rando and Carly Ries explore what it takes to design, run, and evolve a one-person business with your life at the center.
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Sep 17, 2026 · 11 minFrom The Vault: Life First. Then Business. Here's What That Actually Means For Solopreneurs.In this episode, Joe Rando and Carly Ries officially draw a line in the sand. After nearly 300 episodes and hundreds of conversations with solopreneurs, they name the sinSep 15, 2026 · 24 minA Solopreneur's Case Against Trendy MarketingPolly Pollock makes the case for capacity-conscious marketing. She explains why trendy advice burns out solopreneurs and offers alternatives like podcast guesting and parSep 10, 2026 · 14 minHow Smart Solopreneurs Choose Who to Work WithCarly and Joe talk through vetting clients and contractors, from personality fit to red flags like early requests for free work.Sep 8, 2026 · 34 minThe Solopreneur's Guide to Hiring Your First VA Without the PanicVirtual assistant expert Rachael Davila explains the difference between doers and collaborators, when a solopreneur is ready to hire, what to hand off first, and why the Sep 3, 2026 · 12 minThe Solopreneur's Guide to Breaking Up With a Bad ClientHow to fire a difficult client without burning bridges: calculating what the client really costs per hour, using a rate increase to fix the relationship, staying professiSep 1, 2026 · 31 minWhat Solopreneurs Should Stop Copying From Big BrandsBranding veteran Warren Kornblum argues branding is about the customer, not technology or reach, and introduces the idea of a brand stand: consistently keeping promises iAug 27, 2026 · 13 min[Re-Release] How to Get Leads Without Social MediaCarly and Joe outline relationship-first lead generation for people who hate posting: working your existing network, borrowing audiences through podcast guesting, and buiAug 25, 2026 · 41 min[Re-Release] The Pricing Strategy That Doubled This Solopreneur's Income in Year OneAre you stuck in the hourly billing trap, racing against the clock while your clients pressure you to go faster, cheaper, and more? In this episode, Jonathan Stark, the "Aug 20, 2026 · 14 minThe Rate Increase Conversation Every Solopreneur DreadsRaising your rates can feel downright terrifying, even when you know deep down that you are worth it. In this episode, Carly shares the very personal story of prepping foAug 18, 2026 · 31 minThe AI Trap Many Solopreneurs Walk Into Without NoticingAre you using AI to sharpen your thinking or to slowly dull it? In this episode, Carly Ries and Joe Rando sit down with Johan Roos, creator of Lego Serious Play and authoAug 13, 2026 · 10 minSolopreneurs, Your GPS Needs a Destination FirstDo you need a mission statement as a solopreneur? Carly and Joe finally found something they disagree on, and it turns into one of the most useful conversations they haveAug 11, 2026 · 34 minWhy This Solopreneur Refuses to Scale (And You Might Want To Also)What if you could build a business that supports your life instead of consuming it? In this episode of The Life-First Solopreneur, Carly and Joe sit down with Francesca CAug 6, 2026 · 14 min[Re-Release] Ditch the 9-to-5 Mindset: How Solopreneurs Should Really Structure Their DayYou left your 9-to-5 for freedom, so why does your calendar still run your life? In this episode of The Life-First Solopreneur, Carly and Joe tackle a habit most soloprenAug 4, 2026 · 35 minThe Dating App Psychology Every Solopreneur Should StealWhat does swiping right on a dating app have to do with growing your business? A lot more than you think. In this episode, Carly and Joe sit down with Colin Hodge, nationJul 30, 2026 · 15 minThe Solopreneur's Secret Envy ProblemCarly scrolls LinkedIn and sees a friend announcing new funding and a tenth hire. The comments are exploding. Carly feels a pang of envy, then realizes something odd. SheJul 28, 2026 · 34 minBusy Is an Illusion, and Other Truths Every Solopreneur Needs to HearYou are the product. So why are you the last thing on your own to do list? Daffney Allwein has spent 20 years working with over 700 CEOs, executives, and high performers Jul 23, 2026 · 12 minIs Your Life-First Business Just Lazy Solopreneurship in Disguise?Does choosing a life-first solo business mean you're lazy? Carly and Joe say absolutely not, and in this episode they explain why. They dig into where the lazy story realJul 21, 2026 · 35 minSolopreneurship Starts With One Question: What Do You Really Stand For?What do you really stand for, and how could knowing the answer transform your business? In this episode of The Life-First Solopreneur, Carly and Joe sit down with Paul InJul 16, 2026 · 13 minThe Shutdown Ritual Every Solopreneur NeedsDo you struggle to shut your brain off at the end of the workday? If you're a solopreneur working from home, you know the feeling...the laptop closes, but the mental tabsJul 14, 2026 · 41 minSolopreneurs, Stop Chasing Work-Life Balance And Chase This InsteadWhat if the goal was never balance, but harmony? In this episode, Carly and Joe sit down with Dan Scott, founder of Spotlight Advisory Group, a former big-firm lawyer whoJul 9, 2026 · 12 minStop Benchmarking Your Solo Business Against Someone Else's Highlight ReelYou're having a great week. Clients are happy, work is steady, and you took the afternoon off. Then you open your feed and see another solopreneur bragging about their 50Jul 7, 2026 · 28 minThe 3-Step System That Buys Back 50 Hours a Month for SolopreneursMost solopreneurs think delegation is something you earn after hitting a revenue milestone. Claire Giovino, co-founder and CEO of 50hrs.com, says that belief is exactly wJul 2, 2026 · 12 minThe Counterintuitive Key to a Life-First Solopreneur BusinessWe obsess over income minimums (rent, bills, the baseline we need to survive) but treat the top end as infinite. In this episode, Carly and Joe challenge the "always moreJun 30, 2026 · 31 minWhy Betting On Yourself Is the Safest Career Move NowIs your corporate job really safer than going solo? Hooman Radfar, co-founder of Collective and an early investor in Uber, SpaceX, Stripe, and OpenAI, argues the oppositeJun 25, 2026 · 12 minWork-From-Home Boundaries For SolopreneursWorking from home blurs the line between "on the clock" and "off." In this episode, Carly and Joe dig into why work-life harmony still requires firm boundaries, especiall
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