In my past posts, I have been complaining about my low sales during Q4, while everyone else is having the best time of the year. This time, it’s different. No, my sales did not skyrocket, but I am choosing a different mindset. No more moaning (yes, I could do that and start with how AI messed up everything for me) and no more being the “victim” (the algorithm does not like me, stuff).
I suppose I am growing up. Realising a few things about solopreneurship.
- Yes, it is very “solo”. You have to do everything yourself.
- It is slow, very slow.
- You need to learn all the time.
- You need to adapt all the time.
- You need to persist, be consistent, and show up again and again.
- You are the main motivator, investor, and auditor.
- It is not “one job”, but several bundled up and done together.
- You will not see any reward for a long time (or at least it feels like a long time for you)
So, after several years, I have made some small breakthroughs. I have got consistent traffic (albeit small) to my Etsy shops and Social media, and I have made some sales in Q4. Yes, it is a trickle. But where there is a trickle, there can be a stream. This year, I have been focusing mainly on setting systems and collecting data. That should be a good and healthy springboard to 2026.
Also, if you know me by now, I do have a shiny object syndrome, and I am constantly testing new things on the side. It keeps the boring and mundane more exciting. I am seriously looking into Facebook, which I have been rejecting and avoiding religiously for many years (my mindset stopped me there), and I will give more time to Substack as it has so much potential, especially for local community building. Did try Threads briefly, but will probably give them a miss, as I feel that most of it is just shouting into the void.
My steps I will be focusing more on are as follows:
- Following the data from Q4, doubling down on what worked.
- Simplifying processes, are the systems working?
- Can I use AI and where to save my time?
- Trying Facebook/Substack, while dropping Threads
- Prioritizing my health, doing less if possible.
I hope you all will have a fabulous 2026, dear friends, and that you will stay on the solopreneur journey 🙂
P.S. This blog is still going to be about the same thing. A super ordinary person, trying to become independent and self-employed based on what can be learned from mostly freely available resources. Is it achievable? And will I find out the answer in 2026? 🙂
You don't have to read this 
I’ll be blunt, but I mean this in a helpful way:
If you’re deciding between Facebook and Substack, I’d put my energy into Substack. Not because Facebook is “bad,” but because of how the platforms are designed and what you’re trying to build.
First, if you’re building a business or a long-term body of work, ownership matters. Facebook is borrowed space. Accounts get limited, pages disappear, and algorithms decide who sees your work. On Substack, you own your list, your content, and your connection to readers. That alone makes it a stronger foundation.
Second, I think the bigger shift isn’t what the platform can do—it’s how you use it. Substack works best when you treat it like a home base, not just another social feed. When readers subscribe, they’re choosing you, not scrolling past you.
Third, reach looks different on Substack. Facebook might show your post to more people on a good day, but Substack gives you direct access to people who actually want to hear from you. That kind of reach is more meaningful and more stable.
If you’re great at social media marketing, using both can make sense. Facebook can act as a discovery tool, while Substack is where you deepen the relationship. Cross-post, share links, and guide people back to where you want them long-term.
But if the goal is focus, engagement, and building something you truly control, Substack is the better place to build.
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Wow, thanks Hari. That is a very valuable insight. I do not know much about Facebook. Always avoided it. I hear a lot about Substack, so probably that is the way to go.
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Mood board on point. I found your blog as if it were an answer to a question me and my friend were talking about yesterday. Can I realistically start and maintain a online business, where and in what way can we use AI so we work smarter not harder and what software is needed. Thank you for being a little beacon of light ont his topic.
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Hi Jam, thank you for your kind words! I am trying my best, but not using AI as much at the moment. Wishing you all the best with your online business 🙂
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