Staying Solo: Why Growth Doesn’t Have to Mean Bigger with Maggie Patterson

Do you ever get sucked in by all the messaging online about growth and what that looks like? For a while, I have known that I don't want to grow my business to be an agency or to have a big team, but sometimes it feels a bit frowned upon to stay small and keep your business lean

I was so excited when Maggie Patterson got in touch and suggested chatting on the podcast about staying small on purpose. This chat was totally up my street! We talked about the "trust recession", AI, how we price and package our work, and so much more.

I hope you will come away feeling encouraged, but also given a confidence boost about building a business that feels right for you.

Key Takeaways:

• You don't need to scale to succeed: The majority of businesses are actually one-person operations, yet most business advice focuses on scaling up. You don't have to hire a team if you don't want to; staying solo is a valid and ambitious choice.
• Charge for strategy, not just tactics: A common mistake for creatives and consultants is charging the same for strategic thinking as they do for tactical implementation. If you don't highlight and charge for your strategy, clients may overlook you for big-picture projects.
• The "Trust Recession" and AI: We are currently in a market where buyers are skeptical and price-conscious, often referred to as a "trust recession". As a solo business owner, your superpower is your ability to offer genuine human connection and build personal relationships, which builds trust faster than faceless brands can.
• The "Real Life Rule": Your business must work for your actual life, otherwise you will end up resentful and burnt out. When planning growth, you must consider your actual capacity—not just time, but energy and the season of life you are in (like having small children).

 

Episode Highlights:

• 02:00 – Maggie introduces her book, Staying Solo, and why she wrote it for the majority of business owners who don't want to manage a big team.
• 10:00 – Why pricing is the first place to look when refining your business, and why most service providers are undercharging.
• 13:00 – The "Strategy Stack": understanding that pricing doesn't exist in isolation from your positioning, packaging, and promotion.
• 20:00 – Discussing AI, the "trust recession", and why solo owners have an advantage in building genuine connections.
• 39:00 – Maggie’s "Real Life Rule" and why we need to stop trying to build fantasy businesses that don't fit our reality.

 

About The Guest:

Maggie Patterson is a consultant who has spent years working with micro-businesses and solo service business owners, such as creatives, consultants, and professional service providers. She is the author of Staying Solo: Your Guide to Building a Simple and Sustainable Service Business, which launched in April 2025.

You can find Maggie at bsfreebusiness.com

Staying Solo Book
Staying Solo Podcast
Brave Boundaries Workshop

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I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode!

This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft lucylucraft.co.uk

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