💡Solo Stories #1: Connor Tagg
“I didn't want to be *that* guy in the pub going, 'That was MY idea.'“
Hello solopreneurs, freelancers and those who work solo(ish!)…
Welcome to the first Solo Stories edition of the Solo Together newsletter, doing exactly what it says on the tin - sharing a solopreneur’s story for inspiration, to learn another person’s way of doing it, and get some reassurance we’re all doing okay.
Today, it’s my chat with Connor Tagg - a solo-ish entrepreneur with a passion for connection. He’s also a former fully solo-preneur and now a member of our Solo Together WhatsApp community.
That lovely community (upgrade to paid to join!) has been open for a month now, all inspired by an Instagram post I put out asking if people wanted what I did:
to be able to speak to other people who get it
to learn the things we don’t know from people who’ve done it
to feel less weirdly isolated
and figure out how to do that inside an already-bursting-at-the-seams week
I’m so grateful for the conversations we’re having – we have a lovely, warm, helpful group with a mix of experienced and new-to-it solo and solo(ish) workers, chatting and sharing knowledge about all kinds of things from social media to finding new customers/clients.
If you want to join, upgrade to paid, check your emails for a form, submit it, and you’ll be added on the next Friday. Email me at info@wearesolotogether.com with questions.
THANK YOU for your interest, whether you’re already a member or haven’t joined yet. And please follow me on Instagram at @wearesolotogether for all things working solo…
ICYMI, I’m Beth, a London-based writer, counsellor-in-training and solopreneur working with individuals and businesses on story-led brand messaging, with a big interest in how the stories we tell ourselves affect us.
Now, here’s that conversation with Connor…
“I didn't want to be that guy in the pub 30 years from now going, 'That was MY idea.'“
SOLO STORY #1: A conversation with Connor Tagg, founder of Werksy
Werksy is a co-working space access app for solo workers and teams, built by Brighton-based Connor over the last five years before he hired a co-founder in March.
We first met online to share notes on hosting our respective communities, and I was inspired by how he approached addressing the same feeling I had - the disconnection that comes with freelancing and working solo - from a different angle.
Now he’s a member of the Solo Together WhatsApp community, and I’m excited to explore a few co-working spaces using his passion project. Hit reply if you’d like to join me!
We talked about his story so far, bullshit overnight success myths, and the mix of grit and luck it takes to keep going.
↳ INSPIRATION FROM ISOLATION
"During COVID, there was this shift to hybrid work that had this vision of freedom," he explains.
"But the reality was that it just led to isolation for most people.
"I can't really overstate the power of being around other creative people who are pursuing their dreams. When you can meet someone who is an expert in something that you might suck at, that's when magic can really happen.
"I saw an abundance of underutilised [co-working] spaces, and I wanted to create something - initially in my downtime - that allowed people to get access to workspaces without the high price point, giving them the ability to move around and not be tied to one location.”
↳ GOING ALL IN
"I was tempted away from a job I liked for a more lucrative opportunity. Not long after, I suddenly got made redundant, and the process was terrible. The CEO announced some people would be let go in an All Hands meeting, and immediately, I got a calendar invite from the COO. Then, that call confirming I was gone was literally two minutes long.
"I was like, 'Okay, I can get a new job, keep slogging, earning decent money and commuting to London, or I can see this as an opportunity to actually just go all in on this thing that I've been working on for years at this point.'
"I didn't want to be that guy in the pub 30 years from now going, 'That was my idea.' I knew that if I sat back and just kept moving on from job to job, I'd just be seeing someone else do that."
↳ FIND PEOPLE WHO CAN DO WHAT YOU CAN’T
"I was cold-calling, and I'm not a salesman. I'm rubbish at cold calling.
“I was sitting at home with my script on my laptop, calling these co-working spaces and just getting hung up on."
His soon-to-be co-founder worked in B2B sales, was an old neighbour, and approached him after Werksy launched.
"He said, 'I really love this concept. I want to get involved.' When I told him I couldn't afford to pay him, he just said, 'Let me show you what I can do. I just want to support you.' He was (and is still) living his dream of working remotely and travelling around the world."
↳ KNOW WHEN TO PAUSE, CHANGE OR STOP
"I have a rule when I'm working on a difficult problem," he explains. "I give myself an hour and then ask myself: 'Am I making progress or just going around in circles?'
"If I'm not making progress, I get up and go for a walk. Sometimes it's just taking the dogs out (scroll down to see them), walking around my flat, calling my dad, or changing my scenery.
"I've had days where I'd push through and realise I've made so many cataclysmic errors that I'd actually have to revert back to the previous day's version and start over."
↳ DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE
"When you see people on Instagram talking about how they made loads of money, like, 'Buy my course and I’ll reveal all' - it's all bullshit," he says bluntly.
"When you love what you do, then it's great, but don't expect your thing to blow up overnight. There's so much behind the scenes that you don't see.
“[In the case of those people], you don't know what connections someone has, what financing or support they've received."
↳ REMEMBER YOUR VALUES
"It's very hard when you're a solo founder, and bills are coming through your letterbox. It's difficult not to make financially motivated decisions. But you can't compromise on your long-term vision for a short-term gain.
"I've learned not to make decisions that are at the detriment of our brand's mission and core values, regardless of what it might improve. Our core values are about trust."
↳ BUILD YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM
"I'm so glad I have the right people around me," he says. His girlfriend, who is also an entrepreneur, plays a crucial role.
"She texts me reminders to eat on days I’ve been working flat out. And to drink water.” he laughs. “And we sound ideas off each other. She understands when I’m still up at 2am working out a problem."
Ultimately, for Connor, entrepreneurship is about more than just building a business.
"I think entrepreneurship and loneliness are going to become more and more widespread as AI tools allow creators to be more independent. People will take the plunge because they can.
“But it's really important for people to have human contact - to be surrounded by other people who support them and who they can support."
🎁 A gift from Connor for the Solo Together newsletter…
Download the app at werksy.io, go to your profile, then Credit & Coupons and enter the code SoloT20 to get £20 credit on Werksy to work in one of their partner co-working spaces across the UK (or a Werksy Pro membership…)
🤫 Want to unlock Werksy Pro (pay monthly instead of one-off)? Go to your profile in the app, scroll to the very bottom, and press + hold the version number (currently 7.5). It’ll quietly unlock access. Don’t tell anyone…
A huge thank you to Connor for his time and for being so honest – and the offer! And thank you for being here and for reading this far!
Finally, a poll, inspired by a conversation I had with a freelancing friend earlier this week:
Be honest… I’ll share the results soon.
Until next time…
Beth x
Beth Squires
Solo Business Owner + Solo Together Founder
PS. Just for readers, here’s an offer for my one-on-one Solopreneur Power Hours.
An hour on Zoom with me as your sounding board - someone who’s worked across brand stories, messaging, marketing and content for 20 years - with everyone from solo businesses and thought leaders to Vogue and the NHS to Birchbox and so many more.
We can talk about whatever’s on your mind:
clarity on your brand story
what’s not working
what you’re stuck on
getting your messaging out there
what you want to be known for next
I always start with your story, ideal audience, and values, as I find that’s the anchor to all our work from there on out.
🟡 As you’re a newsletter subscriber, you can book here for £150 (a £49 discount) using the code SOLOSTORY150*
🟡 If you’re in the Solo Together community: DM me directly to book in for £100*
And if you want to join us in the community? Upgrade to paid, fill in the form or drop me a line with any questions by hitting reply or emailing info@wearesolotogether.com.
I add new members every Friday!
Until next time x
*NB I will check email addresses against subscriber list to keep this exclusive.