My Year Zero Review
What I've learned in my first year as a solopreneur
Welcome to Morning Pages, a newsletter sharing inspirations to help you cultivate creativity and fulfillment.
A year ago, I ended my 12 years of corporate career and began pursuing a new direction: being independent. I didn’t feel that I was ready. But life happens. Sometimes to start something new, we need to stop doing something old. I didn’t know where it would lead me. I took a leap of faith.
I always knew that I desire to be independent at some point in my life. I picture my 60-year-old self painting in an art studio. Most of the people that I admire are authors and artists who live independent lives. As an immigrant working under a visa for nine years, I was granted a green card last January. Finally, I have the opportunity not to have my identity completely tied to an employer.
Given my first year as a solopreneur has come to an end, it’s an ideal time to reflect on what I’ve learned. I love to refer to this past year as Year Zero. At California College of the Arts, Year Zero refers to the first year of the three-year MFA graduate program. It marks a new beginning and symbolizes boundless potential.
Some things I’ve learned from the first year of being a solopreneur.
1. Investing In Yourself
Being a solopreneur comes with great freedom as well as responsibilities. I’m the storefront of my business. To serve my clients well, it’s a priority for me to invest in my own growth.
In July 2020, I enrolled in professional leadership coaching training. Coaching has transformed my mindsets and viewpoints about life. Eight months later, I became a better and wiser person and also a certified practitioner.
In Oct 2020, I was granted a diversity fellowship by Brit Morin’s Self-made program. I met a passionate group of women entrepreneurs, learned a lot about starting a business, and kick-started the idea of running a group coaching program.
In Nov 2020, I joined the first cohort of Part-time YouTuber Academy to learn more about making videos. I was a bad student because I never created a YouTube channel. However, there were many insights that elevated the production quality of my teaching and coaching. I have also become quite decent at editing videos using Final Cut Pro.
The past year, I challenged myself to learn and try things that I’ve never done in the past. The skills I gained from these programs have accelerated my business and elevated the quality of my service. I learned that we are all far more capable and resourceful than we think. Investing in yourself early and often, especially if you’re a solopreneur.
2. Providing Value First
From June 2020 to Nov 2020, I spoke 1:1 to over a hundred designers from students to lead levels about their careers. 70% of those conversations were mentorship. 30% were coaching. I’ve helped designers negotiated their salaries up to 60k. I did mock interviews to help land their roles at big tech companies as well as high-growth startups. Most sessions were free or at a discounted rate.
These trusting relationships from my conversations became the backbone of the coaching business. I quickly reached the required hours for Associate Certified Coach. Some of my initial coaching clients also joined my group program as peer mentors.
In September 2020, I started this newsletter Morning Pages to help people cultivate more creativity and fulfillment in life. I often write about what I need to hear for myself. In helping others, we often help ourselves. Now having written thirty volumes, I am more confident in my ability to write and express myself. I’m nowhere close to being prolific, but I’m determined to keep writing. Your kind words and donations have been a great support.
The more I help out, the more successful I become. But I measure success in what it has done for the people around me. That is the real accolade.
― Adam Grant, Give and Take
3. Relationships Outlast Companies
One of my old fears about going independent is that I would be disconnected from other design professionals in the industry.
On the contrary, being a coach for designers has fostered some significant and deep connections. I have supported dozens of talented women designers and leaders through 1:1 coaching. Nothing is more fulfilling than witnessing your clients coming out of their shadows and reclaiming their power.
A highlight from group coaching and teaching was to reunite with former colleagues. I feel incredibly fortunate to have a broad network to tap into. Everyone that I invited was generous and supportive. This small business wouldn’t be where it is today without the support from the people in my circle.
I learned that being a solopreneur doesn’t mean that you no longer collaborate with others. It has become my habit to rally people behind a common cause, open up new doors for young designers, and always stay open for collaborations. In fact, that’s how I joined CCA to co-teach with my former Twitter colleague Josh Silverman. Relationships outlast companies.
4. Doing The Work That Only You Can Do
Being a solopreneur takes courage. Every day something out there might try to pull you back into your old life, something more stable, a higher pay, or a bigger title.
Many opportunities that fit those categories had made it into my inbox. It can be tempting because I know that I meet the requirements. No longer living in SF has made filtering opportunities a bit easier. I’ve learned to treat these moments as a test on how strongly I want to step into my power and focus on doing the work only I can do. I wake up every day excited to teach my students and support my clients. I’m passionate about supporting their growth, and it fuels me to see them thrive.
Last week I led a reflection workshop with On Deck Design fellows. Every designer was invited to reflect on their unique gifts and what they would do to share their gifts with the world. Here is mine:
My unique gifts are I have the eyes of a designer, the mind of a coach, and the heart of an artist. I’m deeply passionate and curious about arts & culture inspired by my heritage.
To share my unique gifts with the world, I will coach to unleash the creative and leadership potentials of women and people of color. I will teach and create to amplify the untold histories of arts & design in East Asia.
I’m excited to explore the vibrant histories of Asian arts and design in the summer. I have many papers and books to go through. And I also have some personal gifts that I look forward to fulfilling. I’ll keep you all updated with what I create.
Year Zero has exceeded my expectations.
I’ve had to adopt new mindsets and also shed old ones that were no longer serving me. I’ve had to unhook my self-worth from my salary, title, and employer. I’ve also had to acquire new knowledge and skills to jumpstart a business. It has not been easy. But every part has been rewarding and fulfilling.
I have no clue where the next year will take me next. But I feel a sense of inner peace because Year Zero has taught me to see opportunities in every situation.
take the risk
choose the direction you feel burning in your intuition
life is a unique opportunity;
you can make best use of it when you rise above fear
walking the uncommon path is not a certain victory
but it does provide the greatest possibility for fulfillment
― Yung Pueblo, Clarity & Connection
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Yuan Studio offers a series of coaching offerings to support creative professionals to play bigger in their careers and lives. Want to get in touch? You’re welcome to comment here or reach out on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Congrats, Yuan, for being a solopreneur! It's one of my dream journeys as well. Also, thanks for sharing your story - it's super inspiring :)