Breaking Solo

Donna Amos
  • 5.0 (1)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

🎧 Breaking Solo is your go-to podcast for insights from solopreneurs who’ve made it happen—sharing their strategies, challenges, and the tools they use to stay ahead.

  1. Start Scared, Stay Brave: Shampaigne Graves on Building a Business from $20

    6D AGO

    Start Scared, Stay Brave: Shampaigne Graves on Building a Business from $20

    In this episode of Breaking Solo, Donna Amos sits down with Shampaigne Graves, entrepreneur, founder of two businesses, and a powerful voice for women in business. Shampaigne shares how she started with just $20, a free Shopify trial, and a mission to help women start and stay in business—and how that early vision grew into a micro school, training center, and expanding team. She also opens up about the deeply personal loss that inspired her entrepreneurial journey and how she chose to turn grief into purpose by carrying forward her best friend’s dream. You’ll hear practical and inspiring insights on: Growing from solopreneur to building a team (including equity/profit-share options) Why personal branding helped her stand out (“the girl in pink”) How relationships helped her find her niche and grow without money, mentorship, or a roadmap Why solopreneurs need to stay current on AI, automation, and tech stacks How to use AI as an assistant without losing your voice Daily habits that support focus and productivity (including a morning routine you may want to steal 👀) Shampaigne also shares one of the best reminders for anyone starting out: be brave and do things scared. If you’ve been waiting to feel fully ready before making your move, this conversation is the nudge you need. BIO Starting in business with just $20 and a dream - Shampaigne Graves is a Women’s Consumer Research Strategist who explains why billion-dollar companies keep losing money by misunderstanding the $31.8 trillion women’s economy. She developed the proprietary WCR4™ Method after watching manipulative marketing campaigns exploit her sister as a new mother, which ignited her mission to dismantle predatory tactics disguised as empowerment. Her research reveals patterns like “Purchase Panic” (how imposter syndrome sabotages checkout) and “Legacy Consumerism” (how brand loyalty passes through generations like heirlooms) that traditional marketing models completely miss. She’s spoken to over 10,000 people internationally and been featured in Newsweek, WCPO ABC, and Observer for her controversial take that most consumer research is just expensive confirmation bias. Through her consulting practice and owned platforms like the Women’s Trends Summit, she teaches organizations that empathy is a systems design problem, not a soft skill, and translates complex consumer psychology into revenue-protecting operations.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Website www.shampaignegraves.com Social Media Links LinkedIn.com/in/shampaigne-gravesFreebie Giveaway Link https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfl5UI-A_bkmDfEmDwRVhN_K5YlGNz0BZQGraWM03onfDcl3w/viewform?usp=header

    19 min
  2. Stop the “Lipstick Rebrand”: Positioning That Makes You Uncopyable

    FEB 14

    Stop the “Lipstick Rebrand”: Positioning That Makes You Uncopyable

    What if the thing you’re calling “branding” is actually just a costume change… and your customers are now wandering the store like, “Where did my ice cream go?” In this episode of Breaking Solo, Donna Amos talks with Beatrice Gutknecht, a positioning strategist who helps service-based businesses (think landscapers, accountants, home builders, and other “we-all-sound-the-same” pros) claim a clear, market-dominating place in their industry—without confusing the audience or forcing a fake voice onto the team. You’ll hear why Beatrice is fiercely anti-rebrand-for-no-reason, how to find an “enemy” to sharpen your message, and why the best businesses don’t just sound different—they’re operationally set up to deliver the difference. They also dig into the growing challenge of too many loud opinions online, how to keep your own instincts intact, and why AI should support your voice—not replace it. Plus: the tools they can’t live without (Notion vs. Donna’s CRM/Pandarus), and Beatrice’s best advice for solopreneurs: avoid shiny distractions and have real conversations before you build anything. BIO Beatrice Gutknecht is the Founder of Badassery by B, shifting how businesses are seen with ROI (like increasing brand value, AKA business value, and reducing sales and marketing costs) and practical operations-focused brand strategy, and Host of The Art of Branding Podcast. Beatrice is a firm believer that the classic ‘rebrand’ is BS and a great way to spend a bunch of money while losing market share and trust and restart the growth cycle from scratch. What’s effective? Repositioning and refreshing your brand. Website https://www.badasserybyb.com Social Media Links Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/beatricegutknecht Freebie Giveaway Link https://www.badasserybyb.com/brand-health

    24 min
  3. Transforming Shyness into Speaking Success

    FEB 9

    Transforming Shyness into Speaking Success

    In this episode of Breaking Solo, Donna Amos interviews Laurie-ann Morabito, a former shy individual who transformed into a confident speaker and coach. Laurie-ann shares her journey from corporate life to becoming a solopreneur, emphasizing the importance of public speaking in building credibility and attracting clients. The conversation explores the challenges of being a solopreneur, the evolution of finding one's niche, and the significance of personal branding in today's market. Laurie-ann also discusses essential tools for managing a business, effective habits for productivity, and offers valuable advice for those starting their solopreneur journey. The episode concludes with insights into upcoming projects and resources for aspiring speakers. BIO BioLaurie-Ann Murabito is a reformed painfully shy gal who couldn't make eye contact with others and accidentally became a professional speaker. 2x Best Selling Author of Rethink Leadership and Rethink Your Leadership. Host of Be IN Demand, a Top 1.5% podcast. A few of her clients are Johnson & Johnson, American Towers and Far East Recycling. Today Laurie-Ann works with coaches, consultants, and service provides who hate to sell and help them write and deliver a speech that does the selling for them. Her clients routinely step off the stage to more clients, leads, and future stage bookings. Website https://SpeakAndStandOut.com Social Media Links LI-> https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-ann-murabito/IG-> https://www.instagram.com/laurieann.murabitoYT: https://www.youtiube.com/lamurabito Freebie Giveaway Link https://SpeakAndStandOut.com/Magic

    32 min
  4. Sales Is Vanity, Profit Is Sanity: Real Solopreneur Lessons with Deirdre Martin

    FEB 1

    Sales Is Vanity, Profit Is Sanity: Real Solopreneur Lessons with Deirdre Martin

    What do you do when the career you planned disappears overnight? In this episode of Breaking Solo, host Donna Amos sits down with Deirdre Martin, a business coach from Kilkenny, Ireland, who turned an unexpected layoff in retail banking into a purpose-driven solopreneur business. Deirdre shares how being laid off forced her to rethink everything—from income and identity to how she truly wanted to help others. She opens up about the real challenges solopreneurs face, including cash flow, defining a profitable niche, and the mindset shift behind the phrase “sales is vanity, profit is sanity.” You’ll also hear how Deirdre evolved her work into “neuro strategies,” why psychographics matter more than demographics, and her cautionary take on using AI without losing authenticity. If you’re navigating reinvention, building a business solo, or questioning your next move, this conversation will resonate. BIO Deirdre Martin is a Neuro-Strategist who helps purpose-driven founders attract clients they love working with, overcome decision fatigue, and scale beyond their first million by monetising their expertise, without burnout, bottlenecks, or sacrificing what matters most.After twenty years in retail banking, where she guided entrepreneurs through high-stakes financial decisions, she developed a deep understanding of what motivates business leaders under pressure. Seeing how trust, stress, and bias drive behaviour more than spreadsheets ever do, she retrained in neuroscience-based coaching and brand strategy to combine brain science with practical growth systems.Today, Deirdre works with growth-stage coaches and consultants to replace cookie-cutter funnels with messaging frameworks grounded in how the brain builds trust and processes value. She teaches founders to leverage neuroplasticity to rewire limiting beliefs, decision-making habits and reduce cognitive load, to create frictionless customer experiences and resilient teams. Her clients achieve significant revenue growth while working fewer hours and building businesses that thrive without constant oversight.She is the creator of the Millionize Method™, a framework for sustainable, repeatable growth that equips founders to scale well beyond their first million, and the Millionize Mastermind, her flagship program for coaches ready to expand their dreams and grow with impact, without burning out. An award-winning business coach, best-selling author, podcast host, and keynote speaker, Deirdre is also Ireland’s only Certified StoryBrand Coach and Level C Brand Strategist, uniquely positioned at the intersection of branding, storytelling, neuroscience, coaching, and strategy. Website www.deirdremartin.ie Social Media Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deirdremartincustomerexpeience/ Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/deirdremartinconsulting/Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DeirdreMartinConsultingDeirdre Martin Master Your Business Podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3o6b65R0gcibJjtn5lPe4yDeirdre Martin Master Your Busienss Podcast Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/the-master-your-business-podcast/id1667327376Freebie Giveaway Linkhttps://www.deirdremartin.ie/LinkedInVisibilityChecklist

    26 min
  5. Navigating the Solopreneur Journey: Insights from Annie Figenshu

    JAN 26

    Navigating the Solopreneur Journey: Insights from Annie Figenshu

    In this episode of Breaking Solo, host Donna Amos interviews Annie Figenshu, a solopreneur and content marketing expert. They discuss the challenges and rewards of running a solo business, the importance of effective content marketing, and the value of in-person networking. Annie shares her journey from performer to entrepreneur, the difficulties she faced during her divorce, and her strategies for maintaining productivity. The conversation also covers essential tools for solopreneurs, advice for those starting out, and the significance of building an email list. Annie emphasizes the need for consistency in content creation and the benefits of video content. Takeaways Annie Figenshu emphasizes the importance of effective content marketing. Solopreneurs often face overwhelming demands for content creation. Networking in person is vital for building relationships. Collecting email addresses is crucial for business growth. Daily routines can significantly impact productivity. Annie's journey highlights the challenges of balancing personal and professional life. Less is more when it comes to tools for solopreneurs. Consistency in content creation is key to success. Video content can enhance engagement and trust with audiences. Building a niche helps attract the right clients. Bio BioWhen you’re the face of your brand, it’s easy to spend lots of time creating content and very little time understanding whether it’s helping you reach your goals. Annie Figenshu, founder of Downstage Media, helps business owners build clear content strategies and systems that make their marketing pull its weight. Website www.downstage.media Social Media Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniefigenshu/ Freebie Giveaway Link https://www.downstage.media/signup

    31 min
  6. Unlocking Your Business Potential with Tami Murphy

    JAN 11

    Unlocking Your Business Potential with Tami Murphy

    In this episode of Breaking Solo, host Donna Amos speaks with Tami Murphy, a business coach specializing in the toy and game industry. Tami shares her journey into entrepreneurship, the challenges of working alone, and the importance of finding joy in business. She discusses her strategies for differentiating herself in a competitive market, staying ahead of industry trends, and maintaining work-life balance. Tami also offers valuable advice for aspiring solopreneurs and shares exciting news about her upcoming projects. BIO Launching a new toy and game business is not all play, it takes a lot of strategy and foundational work to set a business up for success long term. Whether a company is just launching or they've had a successful launch but are now plateauing, they need to define their goals, clarify their messaging so customers actually understand what makes them different, and build operational systems that can scale without burning out the founder. Website www.tamicstrategies.com Social Media Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/murphytami/

    26 min
  7. From Solopreneur to Coach: A Journey of Transformation

    JAN 5

    From Solopreneur to Coach: A Journey of Transformation

    Summary In this episode of Breaking Solo, host Donna Amos interviews Reena Duell, a former solopreneur turned business coach. Reena shares her journey of starting her own business while balancing family life, the health challenges she faced, and her transition to coaching other solopreneurs. The conversation delves into overcoming imposter syndrome, the importance of community support, and practical advice for maintaining productivity and work-life balance. Reena emphasizes the significance of building a supportive network and shares insights on differentiating oneself in the coaching industry. She also discusses her upcoming projects aimed at helping business leaders connect and share their experiences. Bio Rena Duell is a business coach at One TEAM Partners, guiding female small business entrepreneurs to lead with clarity, confidence, and purpose, without burning out. After 25 years of building her own business while juggling family and travel, Rena hit a wall that cost her everything. That breakdown became her breakthrough. Today, she helps women build sustainable businesses without sacrificing their health and happiness. Her belief is simple but powerful: you are the ceiling of your business. When you grow, your business grows. Website https://oneteampartners.com/ Social Media Links linkedin.com/in/rena-duell Freebie Giveaway: A free month to the Skool community where we host weekly brand calls four business owners. Email me at: skool@oneteampartners.com and include the [name of podcast-Breaking Solo] in the subject line.

    19 min
  8. The Challenges of Solopreneurship: Insights from Kyle Bailey

    12/28/2025

    The Challenges of Solopreneurship: Insights from Kyle Bailey

    In this episode of Breaking Solo, host Donna Amos speaks with Kyle Bailey, the owner of Frontburner Marketing, about his journey as a solopreneur in the digital marketing space, particularly focusing on the home service industry. They discuss the challenges faced in the solopreneur journey, the impact of AI on business, and the importance of storytelling for brand identity. Kyle shares valuable insights on productivity, team management, and offers advice for aspiring solopreneurs, emphasizing the need for persistence and adaptation in a rapidly changing market. Takeaways Kyle Bailey founded Frontburner Marketing in 2010, focusing on home service industries. His motivation to start his business stemmed from the 2007-2008 financial collapse. Kyle faced significant personal challenges, including the loss of family members, which impacted his career. He emphasizes the importance of understanding sales processes in digital marketing. AI is transforming the marketing landscape, and businesses must adapt quickly. Finding a niche in the home service industry can provide unique opportunities. Daily habits and effective team management are crucial for productivity. The 'Rule of 100' suggests that practice and repetition lead to mastery. Storytelling is essential for home service businesses to connect with customers. Kyle is writing a book titled 'What's Your Story?' to help business owners articulate their brand narratives. BioKyle Bailey has been helping Home Service Businesses increase sales through SEO, Local SEO, Social Media Marketing and Website Conversion for over 15 years.He founded Frontburner Marketing in 2010 to help Home Service business owners tell their story more clearly and help their ideal customers find them and buy from them faster and more often.With more than 30 years of sales experience, he brings deep passion and knowledge of the sales process to each engagement, and knows that every business owner wants one thing from every marketing engagement: more sales!He shares many free tips and tools on his YouTube channel and his blog, and loves helping home service business owners especially.Kyle grew up in the construction trades, and is likely the only SEO expert you've ever met who has built foundations, framed and roofed houses, remodeled kitchens and swung a hammer on many other such projects.That's why he knows the day-to-day struggle of the home service business owner, and is eager to share his unique skill set to help grow businesses. Website https://frontburnermarketing.net Social Media Links https://www.instagram.com/burnermarketinghttps://www.facebook.com/burnermarketing/http://www.youtube.com/@burnermarketingkylehttps://www.linkedin.com/company/frontburner-marketing Freebie Giveaway Link https://frontburnermarketing.net/free-seo-resources/the-complete-hvac-google-business-profile-optimization-guide-15-steps-to-local-seo-success/

    27 min
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About

🎧 Breaking Solo is your go-to podcast for insights from solopreneurs who’ve made it happen—sharing their strategies, challenges, and the tools they use to stay ahead.

Information

  • Creator
    Donna Amos
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    48
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Donna Amos
  • Show Website
    Breaking Solo