Practical guidance to help you start and scale your one-person internet business.

Most people have luck wrong.

They think it's random. 

Something that happens to you...

But after years of watching successful friends, I've noticed a pattern:

The "luckiest" people aren't always the smartest or most talented.

They're the ones who front-load the work.

How do they do it?

By understanding that luck is mostly just math.

They: 

- Read more
- Write more
- Build more
- Meet more people
- Connect others more

It's not about knowing some secret formula to build success.

It's about taking more shots than everyone else.

While others are waiting for luck to strike, these people are busy creating opportunities.

Want to know the five specific ways to engineer more luck in your life?

I break down "getting lucky" in this week's Saturday Solopreneur.

185,000 readers are getting the issue tomorrow morning at 8:15a EST

Subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/eymFT7nF

Tomorrow, luck comes to you.

Justin Welsh

Over the last decade, I helped build two companies past a $1B valuation and raise over $300M in venture capital. 

Then, in 2019, I burned out.

So, I decided to walk away from my high-paying executive job.

But, before I could, I had a hypothesis.

I believed building an audience online would be an incredible asset. That attention was the new currency and would play a major part in my success as an entrepreneur.

So, I started building my brand on LinkedIn in early 2019. 

And the results were pretty phenomenal.

In just 6 months I grew from zero followers to over 20,000.

And on August 1st of 2019, I walked away from my executive role at a fast-growing startup.

Since that day, I've spent my time building a number of one-person Internet businesses.

My mission is to be the "Diversified Solopreneur." 

My results:

→ $10M+ in business revenue at a ~86% profit margin.
→ 725K+ people following my journey on LinkedIn
→ 525K+ people following my journey on Twitter
→ 200K+ people read my weekly newsletter
→ 600M+ impressions in the last 4 years

If you want to learn more about how I did this, you can take one of my self-guided courses.

THE OPERATING SYSTEM DIGITAL COURSE

In this 120-minute course, you will learn the complete LinkedIn operating system that I used to grow from 0 to 725K followers and earn $10M+ in income with zero advertisements. Join 35,000+ students and 70+ LinkedIn Top Voices in my LinkedIn course rated 4.98/5 stars.

→ GO HERE: www.TheOperatingSystem.co

THE CONTENT OS DIGITAL COURSE

In this 85-minute course, you will learn the 8-part content creation machine behind 600M+ impressions on LinkedIn and Twitter, and building a 200,000+ subscriber newsletter. If you're looking for systems to produce 10-15 pieces of high-quality written content every single day, this is the course for you.

→ GO HERE: www.justinwelsh.me/the-content-os

Email: support@justinwelsh.me
X: @thejustinwelsh

graphical user interface, text, application

Most people don't fail at business building.

They simply never start.

Why?

Because it feels safer to:

• Stay in the job they hate
• Dream about "someday"
• Watch others take action
• Discuss ideas that never launch

But here's the truth about work:

Playing it safe is the riskiest move you can make.

The people who succeed aren't special.
They just stopped avoiding failure.

They learned how to build something real.
They pushed through the fear.
They took messy action.

And that's exactly what successful business owners understand:

Success lives on the other side of failure.

I recorded 19 hours behind-the-scenes of building an online business.

I call it: The Creator MBA

Over 6,000 entrepreneurs have joined to learn the path to building a one-person business.

Stop avoiding.
Start building with us.

Watch lesson 1 today: https://lnkd.in/gBnHYrjW

The myth of overnight success:

It doesn't exist.

What looks like luck is usually:

• Years of unseen effort
• Relentless persistence
• Countless failures and lessons

Most people:

• See the highlight reel
• Chalk success up to "luck"
• Ignore the behind-the-scenes work

Success is an iceberg.

The visible part is tiny compared to what's beneath.

Stop waiting for your lucky break and start creating it through your work.

Your "big break" is built daily, not discovered.

Want to create your own luck?

There's no better place than LinkedIn.

Here's your playbook: https://lnkd.in/eh9pVVuf

Building Unsubscribe — A private network of 800+ entrepreneurs building profitable businesses that improve their lives.

99.9% of people have the "next big thing." 
 
0.1% actually build it. 
 
It's addicting to: 
 
• Talk endlessly about your idea 
• Find validation before taking action 
• Never move past the planning stage 
 
The result? 
The idea dies in conversation. 
 
Real entrepreneurs: 
 
• Keep ideas close 
• Act on the first step 
• Learn from taking action 
 
Remember: 
 
Ideas are worthless without execution. 
The market rewards results, not intentions. 
 
Less talking. 
More building.

Want to build together?

Try my $1,000 New Business Challenge.

21 days.
21 small actions.
Free to participate.

8,000+ people have already enrolled.

Join today: https://lnkd.in/eN5XWs8F

One small action each day.
That's how you start building.

the-saturday-solopreneur

audience-income

Talks about #branding, #business, #socialmedia, #entrepreneurship, and #personalbranding

Talks about hashtag branding, hashtag business, hashtag socialmedia, hashtag entrepreneurship, and hashtag personalbranding

Manage notifications from Justin

The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business

JW Strategic Advisory

Building a portfolio of one-person businesses to $5M+ in revenue.

Founder of Unsubscribe — A private network of 800+ entrepreneurs building profitable businesses that improve their lives.

Success isn't about big ideas.

It's about resilience.

The most successful people I know don't obsess over perfect plans.

They work through the mess everyone else avoids.

Here's what they understand about business that others miss:

Discomfort isn't the enemy.
It's the pathway.

Most people quit when:

- Clients say no
- The market changes
- Their first launch fails
- Competitors beat them

But building something meaningful requires sitting in that mess longer than everyone else.

This is how real success happens.

Not through genius, but through grit.

Not through perfect ideas, but through persistent execution.

People who win aren't smarter.

They simply outlast.

That's why I built The Creator MBA to help you choose this path.

Over 6,000 entrepreneurs have already joined to build their one-person businesses.

Inside you'll find:

→ 14 chapters of real strategies I've used
→ 111 lessons on actually doing the work
→ LinkedIn & Twitter growth systems
→ My Notion setup for running everything

Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gBnHYrjW

The truth about building in public:

• Most people won't understand how you work.
• They won't get why you're sharing.
• They won't support your business dreams.

But here's what successful people know:

• The opinions that matter are from the people doing the work.
• The ones who are building their own paths.
• The ones who understand the journey.

Everyone else?

They're spectators.
Commenting from the sidelines.
Waiting to see how your story ends.

Your job isn't to convince them.
Your job is to keep building.
Keep sharing.
Keep growing.

Because one day, they'll call your overnight success a "10-year journey."

And you'll know the truth.

Come start your journey in The Creator MBA.

Over 6,000 entrepreneurs have joined to build businesses their way.

Inside, you'll find:

→ 14 chapters of real strategies I've used
→ 111 lessons on actually doing the work
→ My LinkedIn revenue growth systems
→ My Notion setup for running everything

Stop waiting for permission from other people.

Start building a new future.

Watch here: https://lnkd.in/gBnHYrjW

Most people wait for the perfect moment.

But here's the truth:

Perfect moments don't exist. 
Perfect conditions don't exist.
Perfect plans don't exist.

The most successful people in business don't wait.

They build through consistent small actions.

A post.
A sentence.
A sketch.
A new belief.

This is how real work happens.

Not through some huge effort.

Through small steps that compound over time.

The question isn't "how do I create something massive?"

It's "what small thing can I build today?"

Start by building here on this platform. 

- A better profile
- Better content
- Smarter openers
- Better calls-to-action
- A better system

Here's my 90-minute operating system you can set up: https://lnkd.in/eh9pVVuf

Watch it and start making impactful small changes today.

Stop waiting for permission.

The doors are wide open.

Most people spend years seeking approval.
Looking for someone to say yes.
Asking, " is it okay to start?"

But nobody's guarding the gate anymore.

The permission you need?
It's already yours.

That business idea sitting in your notebook.
That work project you're afraid to pitch.
That life change you keep postponing.

Start today. Start messy. Start anyway.

The world needs what you have to offer.
Your unique perspective matters.
Your contribution counts.

Don't wait for:

• More money
• Perfect timing
• The right moment
• Someone's blessing

Because while you're waiting, someone else is doing.

So stop asking and start building.

I explore this idea here → https://lnkd.in/erVvHrRe

Most people wake up at 65 and wonder where life went.

They followed the script:

• Good grades.
• Safe job.
• Steady paycheck.

Then, one day, they realize:

Time is running out.
Dreams are fading.

Confucius said it perfectly:

"We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one."

That wake-up call?

It doesn't have to be at 65.
It can happen right now.

Stop living someone else's life.
Stop chasing someone else's dreams.
Stop following someone else's path.

Your second life is waiting.

Making the leap is terrifying.
Building something new is hard.

That's exactly why I built The Creator MBA.

It's everything I wish I had when I started my second life:

→ Real strategies (no fluff)
→ Proven systems
→ Clear roadmap

5,000+ entrepreneurs have already started their second chapter.

Ready for yours?

Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gBnHYrjW

Most people sabotage their own business.

Not with bad work.
Not with poor strategy.
Not with weak execution.

But with their mouth.

They talk about their struggles:

To friends
To family
To customers
To anyone who'll listen

Here's the hard truth about how business really works:

80% don't care about your problems.
20% are secretly happy you have them.

I learned this in 2017:
$20K invested.
6 months wasted.
Nearly quit.

Why?

Because I focused on the wrong things:

- Complaining about challenges
- Making excuses
- Seeking sympathy

Successful people build differently:

They work in support groups.
They share victories.
They attract winners.

Most people get stuck in this cycle:

Start excited → Hit obstacles → Share struggles → Lose momentum → Repeat

Looking for a support group for your journey?

Join 750+ creative entrepreneurs in my private membership called Unsubscribe.

A small group stepping off the default path to build a life they love, supported by work they enjoy.

Join us here: https://lnkd.in/eYib_EWx

Most successful people aren't busy.

They're free.

While so many people are trapped in:

• A job they don't love 
• A life they didn't design
• A schedule they don't control 

And focused on:

• The car they drive 
• The watch they wear 
• The vacations they post

The true success story is:

• Working when they want 
• Creating stuff that matters 
• Saying NO without fear

I've spent 6 years building a business that gives me that freedom.

Was it easy? No.
Was it worth it? Absolutely.

The secret isn't working harder than everyone else.

It's working smarter and building an audience that values what only you can offer.

Want to join me?

I've created a step-by-step system that's helped 6K+ entrepreneurs build lean, profitable, one-person businesses.

It's called The Creator MBA: https://lnkd.in/gBnHYrjW

A different life is waiting. 

But only you can build it.

Ready is a decision, not a feeling.

That changed everything for me.

I used to wait for the perfect moment to launch my ideas. 

When I felt completely prepared.
When I had every answer.
When I had no doubts.

But that moment never arrives.

The most successful people I know don't wait to feel ready.

They decide to begin despite uncertainty.

They know that work starts messy and gets better with action.

They understand that life's biggest opportunities appear before we feel qualified.

The gap between where you are and where you want to be isn't filled with more preparation.

It's crossed by simply deciding: 

Today, I begin.

Ready to stop waiting and start building your LinkedIn presence that actually works?

My LinkedIn OS helps you make that decision today. 

No more endless trying and failing.

Just a simple system that attracts followers and customers.

Get started today: https://lnkd.in/eh9pVVuf

Perfection kills progress.

Most people I talk to?

They're stuck in the same cycle:

- Work on version 1.
- It's not perfect.
- Quit.

Here's a hard truth: nobody starts at the top.

That first blog post?
Probably terrible.

That first business pitch?
An absolute mess.

That first product?
Totally flawed.

But this is exactly how successful entrepreneurs operate - they ship anyway.

They understand that business growth happens through iteration, not perfection.

The question isn't "is this perfect?"

It's "what can I learn from this?"

Look at any successful person's early work. 

It's almost always embarrassing compared to what they produce now.

Mine included.

That's the process!

Want to know the real secret to building something great?

Give yourself permission to be terrible first.

After 6 years of building a $10M business, I recorded all of the messiness and how you work through it.

I called it The Creator MBA.

Inside, you'll discover how to:

→ Build fast, learn faster
→ Ship imperfect work confidently 
→ Create a sustainable one-person business

6,000+ have already joined and are building their messy first versions of business.

Perfection is the enemy of progress.

Start terrible, end up amazing.

Watch it here: https://lnkd.in/gBnHYrjW

The corporate world wants you to work harder, climb higher, sacrifice more.

I'm saying no thanks to that.

Most people are chasing someone else's definition of success.

They build empires that look impressive but feel empty.

How do I know? 
I've been there.

The business metrics were great, but my life metrics were failing.

Here's what I've learned:

The best work comes from people who are relaxed, not rushed.

The best ideas come from minds that aren't constantly stressed.

The best life comes from designing it intentionally.

Stop building to impress others.
Start building to fulfill yourself.

That's why I created The Creator MBA.

Over 6,000 entrepreneurs have already joined to build their one-person businesses that prioritize freedom over fame.

Inside you'll find:

→ 14 chapters of real strategies I've used
→ 111 lessons on actually doing the work 
→ Systems for growth without burnout
→ My exact setup for running everything

Building a business shouldn't cost you your life.

It should enhance it.

Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gBnHYrjW

Building Unsubscribe — a membership for people stepping off the default path to build lives they love, supported by work they enjoy.

Your life will change when you finally learn how to stop.

Most of us keep chasing more in business and life without asking "why?"

More staff.
More stress.
More clients.
More revenue.

But what if "enough" is actually the goal?

What if a healthy business and healthy mental state is the ultimate flex?

I've watched friends build empires they can't enjoy because they're too busy defending them.

I've seen people work 80-hour weeks for years to buy freedom they'll never use.

Here's my rule: 

Define "enough" before you start.

Enough money to live well.
Enough time to enjoy your life.
Enough work to stay engaged.

When you hit "enough," stop and celebrate.

That's not settling. 

That's winning a game you love playing.

Larysa B.

“0% of billion-dollar companies were built on a 9-5 schedule.”

I saw someone post that yesterday.

She went on to suggest that if you want to build something "truly extraordinary", you have to sacrifice balance and give everything you’ve got for years.

I understand the sentiment. 
Ambition requires effort.

I responded:

Don't conflate “billion-dollar business” and “something extraordinary.” 

I know plenty of extraordinary businesses that are $100K, $1M, or $10M.

Sure, the point is somewhat valid.

Big things require hard work. 

But revenue isn’t always the best proxy for how extraordinary something is.

That comment hit a nerve.

Because not everyone wants a billion-dollar valuation.

And even if you do, you most likely wouldn't get there in 100+ lifetimes.

We don’t want to work 100-hour weeks chasing someone else’s definition of success.

We want to build something meaningful, profitable, and sustainable on our terms.

Some people just want freedom. 
Or purpose.
Or peace. 

And in 2025, those things are plenty extraordinary.

Entrepreneurs are obsessed with scale.

But scale has a problem.

- Scale often means more employees
- More employees mean more meetings
- More meetings mean more emails

And all of these things mean less time.

Here's the deal:

You don’t need a huge business to build a life you enjoy.

You need just enough.

- Enough customers.
- Enough time.
- Enough freedom.

Design a business around your ideal life.

Don't let your life be dictated by the endless chase for growth.

That's the opposite of the default path.

That's anti-scale.

👋 If you enjoyed this, you'll enjoy my newsletter called Unsubscribe.

Short essays for people stepping off the default path to build a life they love, supported by work they enjoy.

Join free here: https://lnkd.in/eYib_EWx

Setting goals can be a trap.

Here's the truth:

Goals can often be a moving target...

You get the promotion. 
Six months later, you want another.

You hit your revenue target. 
Next year, you double it.

You buy your dream house. 
Five years later, it feels small.

We're all running on a treadmill we can't see.

The hedonic treadmill.

And high achievers are the worst victims.

I spent twenty years chasing bigger goals, but each time I hit one? 

The finish line moved.
The satisfaction lasted days. 
Sometimes only just hours.

Then I tried something different.

I stopped chasing outcomes completely.

Started building a business I'd run even if it made nothing.

Focused on loving the daily work instead of the monthly numbers.

And of course, the business is growing despite not being "goal oriented."

The secret isn't reaching your goals.

It's realizing they were never the point.

Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/e_yr9Wac

Slowing down changed everything for me.

Some people don't understand.

When we rush through life, we miss what matters.

I used to think success meant constant acceleration.

More clients. 
More projects. 
More everything.

Then I watched friends burn out pursuing "more" while others seemed more content choosing "enough."

The difference?

Control of your time.

The wealthiest people I know aren't those with the most money. 

They simply have control over their hours.

They protect empty space in their calendar. 
They say no to almost everything. 
They deliberately do less.

And strangely, their best work emerges in slowness.

Deep thoughts have time to breathe.
Creative juices flow during walks, not meetings.
Relationships get deeper with slower conversations.

So I'm experimenting with this question: 

"What if I did half as much, twice as well?"

The answer keeps surprising me daily.

When I slowed down, everything sped up.

Come Join 750+ creative entrepreneurs doing the same, in my private membership called Unsubscribe.

A small group stepping off the default path to build a life they love, supported by work they enjoy.

Join us here: https://lnkd.in/eYib_EWx

I'm not the smartest guy.
I always got poor grades in school.
And I certainly don't have a fancy degree.

It turns out that most of those things are overrated.

Especially in solopreneurship.

What you need is persistence.

A lot of folks forget this:

They stop learning.
They skip the hard parts.
They show up sometimes.

But consistency beats talent when talent doesn't show up.

And that's the secret.

Show up.
Stay curious.
Keep learning.
Do the work.

I've built my entire business on this approach.

What if I told you being "average" was your superpower?

That's exactly what I teach inside Creator MBA.

5,000+ entrepreneurs have learned to build a lean, profitable, one-person business without:

• Genius-level intelligence
• Trust fund money
• 80-hour weeks
• Venture funding

They take consistent action. Every single day.
On the right stuff.

The outcome?

You just build a good business. That's it.

Want to turn your consistency into revenue?

Start here: https://lnkd.in/gBnHYrjW

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