Become a South Dakota Solopreneur in 3 Days

We’re so excited to be new members of the Yankton Area Chamber of Commerce! 

If you have any questions about our service, please feel free to reach out to us. Our member directory page contains contact information, including our phone number: (844) 493-6249.

Do you dream of starting your own business, with the freedom to follow your own path and without the obligations of permanent staff? If so, becoming a solopreneur can make your dream a reality, and you can achieve that goal in as little as three days. 

Day 1: Get Established

1. Determine what direction suits you best. For your best success, this will be a culmination of skills, knowledge, and personality traits.

2. Evaluate your idea for your business: Does your idea solve a problem? Is there a significant number of people who have that problem? And if so, are there other companies already solving this problem, or will you have minimal competition?

3. Come up with a good name for your business. It should make it clear to your audience what you do, be easy to spell, and be unique to your industry.

4. Register your name and your business with your state. At this point, you should also select your business structure. For many solopreneurs, the best option is a South Dakota LLC. An LLC affords you opportunities for expansion and protects your personal assets right off the bat.

5. Formalize your business plan. This is probably the most involved step for Day 1, and many solopreneurs think it’s overboard. However, it’ll help you define your goals, how you’ll reach them, and whether you should decide to apply for funding, so it can come in handy.

Day 2: Sell Your Idea

1. Reflect on Day 1 — your idea, your name, and your business plan — and let that information help you carve out a tagline for your venture. It should be succinct but reflect your goals and what problem you solve. 

2. Design a simple and strong logo for your business.

3. Pull these pieces together into a website. Your website should be high-quality — uncluttered, with clear information, an understandable message, well-constructed pages, and security. If this is outside of your skillset, you can use a website builder or hire a freelancer to pull it together for you. 

4. Select a safe and secure invoicing option.

5. Start getting the word out and land your first customer. You might do this any number of ways, such as through an email blast, via social media, through former employers and workplaces, or by connecting with your chamber of commerce.

Day 3: Grow! Grow! Grow!

1. Make customer service a priority. Unhappy customers are not only apt to leave you, but also apt to be noisy about it, telling an average of 9 to 15 people about what happened (but typically not telling you).

2. Get to know your customers. Ask them for feedback such as social media posts, email requests, or in response to purchases. Doing so not only provides you with important feedback, but lets your customers know they are heard and valued.

3. Request testimonials from your customers. These can be used on your website, in newsletters, on social media, and so forth. 

4. Do some networking. Join area business groups, connect through meetups, and attend area events.

5. Get involved with your community. Consider hosting events, do some volunteer work, sponsor a sports team, or participate in a nonprofit’s board.

6. Look to analytics to better understand what’s working and what isn’t, and to determine whether you need to change things up.