#01Subscribe
Hello!
Welcome to the first issue of Flying Solo — my rebranded newsletter for Shopify-focused soloists and founders. You're receiving this email as we've worked together; you signed up via my website or attended an event I hosted.
Each issue won't take more than a minute or two to read and will feature a mix of business observations, links to useful resources, and the ups and downs of running my own solo consultancy. Expect it to grace your inbox a couple a few times a month. You can, of course, unsubscribe; you'll find that link below!
In Issue #01
- A book for soloists thinking about launching a digital product business
- Why replying to emails could be an underrated growth strategy
- Upcoming IRL events worth checking out
- Three fresh picks from my bookmarks vault
Build, Launch, and Grow Your Own Digital Products
Have you ever thought about adding a digital product to your existing business? If so, you might be interested in an upcoming book by Christine Vallaure.
Solo promises to be "A practical, beginner-friendly guide to creating and running digital products using modern technology and AI as a company of one—whether you code or not". Out now — €29.99.
The book was inspired by Christine's talk at the beyond tellerrand conference in Berlin last November, where she explored the "beauty of solopreneurship and how to build digital products on your own".
The Power of a Thoughtful Reply
Sometimes, it takes a frustrating customer experience to realise you might be making the same mistakes in your own business.
Take, for example, my recent search for a venue for this year's Craft+Work events. I contacted around ten venues in London. Five replied. Of those, only three responded as if they'd read my short requirements brief, and just one consistently followed up beyond their initial reply.
Are they the best option? The most suitable? It's hard to say since most never engaged, but they cared the most and seemed genuinely invested in my event. Long story short, they are getting the business.
This experience got me thinking about how I could improve my own email practices. Here are three things I'm considering:
- Creating more useful text expanders (I use aText) to speed up responses without sacrificing personalisation.
- Create a short PDF outlining my key services and offers to send with enquiries if I am pushed for time "right now."
- Set and communicate follow-up expectations and follow up without feeling bad about it.
What do you do to stay on top of your inbox?
Upcoming Events
Q2 is shaping up to be a busy events season. Maybe I'll see you at one of the following shindigs?
- The Marketing Meetup Conference (March 20 — London, UK)
- The Bulletproof Agency Network Conference (May 1 — Manchester, UK)
- beyond tellerrand (May 5-6 — Düsseldorf, Germany)
- The Wide Event (May 12 — Paris, France)
- Editions.Dev (May 29-30, Toronto, Canada)
May's going to be fun!
From the Vault
Each week, I share links to resources, articles, and tools in my bookmarks Vault on my website. Here are three recent additions:
- GoFullPage — Create full-page screenshots with a single click. Go Premium for $12.99 a year — well worth it!
- For Starters — A new email newsletter by former Monocle and Courier editor Daniel Giacopelli featuring weekly inspiration, ideas, tips & tools for starting and growing a small business.
- Busy Bar— Take my money now! This looks great and perfect for anyone who works from home and suffers from fellow house dwellers disturbing your online calls.
If you, like me, miss RSS, why not subscribe to the Vault feed?
Work With Me in 2025!
I'm a business and marketing consultant and event host specialising in supporting soloists and founders working in the Shopify Partner ecosystem who want to improve and grow their businesses but aren't sure where to start. Perhaps I can help you. Here are three ways we could get started:
- Inbox Influence — A 12-week program to build trust, authority, and connection through the power of email in under two hours per week.
- First Officer— My signature coaching/consulting/mentoring service for soloists and founders who want a trusted partner to discuss ideas, challenges, and next steps.
- Craft+Work — An event which brings together soloists, founders, and leaders in the Shopify Partner ecosystem to share real stories, hear honest reflections, and gain fresh perspectives.
Interested to learn more? Book a free consultation, and let's find a time to chat.
Finally, I'm looking to interview more soloists and founders. If you'd like to answer my 9 questions, hit reply and let me know.
Thanks for reading,
Keir
This is Flying Solo #01 by Keir Whitaker. Why not connect on LinkedIn and follow me on Bluesky? Subscribe for future updates.