Jason Nelson

Who are you and what do you do?

I'm a solopreneur and freelance advocate. In August 2018, I launched Apollus Solutions. Apollus is an administrative services firm offering outsourced accounting, bookkeeping, and general operations management. Apollus partners with micro-businesses with fewer than 10 employees and generally $1M or less in revenue. Not everyone needs or can afford full-time support. So, Apollus provides fractional and project-based services to organizations looking to off-load and outsource accounting and bookkeeping functions. Our ongoing or limited-time arrangements deliver the benefits of experience without the cost of full-time staff.

In August 2020 I launched Heritage Swag as my second venture. Heritage Swag is an e-commerce platform and lifestyle brand delivering personalized apparel and accessories showcasing families (birth and chosen) and communities—the people you love and the places you live.

What did it take / how did you get started?

My first business started as a side hustle in late 2017. I was asked by a client if I could provide 5 to 10 hours of support for the organization she was launching. She was looking for a de facto business manager (i.e. back-office manager). It was a great way to create an additional revenue stream with flexible hours--I had a permanent full-time job at the time. Throughout early 2018 she continued to ask if I had additional capacity. Fast forward to summer 2018 when she inquired about buying 20 to 25 hours per week of my time. That was the game changer. I thought if she’s willing to buy that much of my time then I could cultivate other clients with similar needs and challenges. That’s what led to the formation of an LLC setting the stage for what is now Apollus Solutions. I’m motivated by offloading back-office functions so entrepreneurs can focus on what matters most to them.

What does the future look like for you and your hustle?

Promising and Bright! I like to think my champagne flute is always half full (never half empty). Mindset is critical. I focus on how things will work out rather than getting bogged down in what might go wrong. My client base was virtual from the beginning so the pandemic didn’t interrupt my Apollus client relationships. My work with Heritage Swag is just taking off. The early reception and feedback have all been positive. A new sales channel has emerged so the next few weeks will be devoted to additional discovery and testing of assumptions.

What drives / motivates you?

The opportunity to create not only a business or new hustle but the chance to experiment and explore. There’s no one to tell me I can’t or shouldn’t. I find a tremendous amount of JOY in the autonomy I have as an entrepreneur and solopreneur.

What advice would you give someone interested in doing what you do?

Don’t allow fear, anxiety, and/or doubt (FAD) get in the way of creating the life you want to create. Fear is natural and will always exist in our lives. Acknowledging it is an important part of the entrepreneurial journey. Once we acknowledge it we can more easily toss it aside.

What has been the hardest part of the hustle? 

Fine tuning niches. I find it easy to start with a broad idea/concept. Developing the more nuanced niche isn’t always intuitive or clear. It can be challenging to marry my idea with customer demand. Finding the space where a product or service solves a customer’s demand (or fills a gap in the marketplace) isn’t always easy. It can take a good bit of customer discovery, trial, and error before landing on the niche that sticks, resonates, and sells.

What are a few resources that you'd recommend?

Podcasts

Solopreneur Success with Steve Coombes

StartUp Podcast by Gimlet Media

Side Hustle Pro with Nicaila Matthews Okome

Solopreneur Money with Gabe Nelson

Find a Mentor, Advisor, Collaborator, Coach, or all of the above

YouTube

There’s a lot of content from entrepreneurs and side hustlers who have done what we’re doing. I find it helpful to watch a wide array of content and distill it based on my needs at the time.