The SOLO Framework: How I'm Reverse-Engineering One-Person Empires

For Solopreneurs Only

What's up, Solopreneurs,

Few weeks back, I dropped a truth bomb about why mission beats niche every time.

The responses? Intense.

"Finally, someone who gets it. I've been trying to force myself into a box for months." - Tony, Newsletter Creator

"This changed how I think about my entire business." - Marcus, Course Creator

Today, I'm pulling back the curtain on the SOLO Framework - the systematic approach I've developed (and am actively testing) to build anti-fragile one-person businesses.

Consider this your blueprint.

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The SOLO Framework: Your 4-Stage Business Operating System

Most solopreneurs are flying blind.

They're throwing spaghetti at the wall, hoping something sticks.

The SOLO Framework eliminates hope. It replaces it with systems.

Here's the breakdown:

• S - Start Smart

• O - Offer Fast

• L - Launch Lean

• O - Optimize Solo

Each stage has a specific focus, AI leverage points, and measurable outcomes.

But today? We're diving deep into Stage S - Start Smart.

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Stage S: Start Smart (The Foundation That Changes Everything)

Most people start with "What should I sell?"

Wrong question.

The right question: "Who am I serving, and what's slowly killing them?"

Start Smart has 3 critical components:

1. Define Mission (covered last week)

2. Build ICP (today's focus)

3. Define MVP (the finale)

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Building Your ICP: The Psychology-First Approach

Forget demographics.

Age, location, income? That's surface-level noise.

What matters:

• Their internal monologue during painful moments

• The friction points that make them want to throw their laptop

• The trigger moments that make them desperately seek solutions

Here's my 3-step ICP process:

Step 1: Define Your Customer Persona

Most people stop at "marketing managers aged 25-35."

That's amateur hour.

Go deeper:

• Demographic basics (yes, still needed)

• Psychographic profile (values, fears, desires)

• Trigger moments (what makes them search for solutions at 2 AM)

• Current behavior patterns (how they actually work, not how they think they work)

Step 2: The DILO Framework (Day In Life Of)

This is where the magic happens.

DILO = Day In Life Of your ideal customer.

Here's the 6-step breakdown:

1. Time Block - Map their 2-3 hour work windows

2. Tasks (Doing) - What activities consume their time?

3. Tools Used - What apps/software are they juggling?

4. Internal Monologue - What are they thinking/feeling?

5. Friction Points 🔥 - Where does the process break down?

6. Opportunity Areas 💡 - What could be automated/streamlined?

Real Example: Alex (Freelance Illustrator)

• Time Block: 9-11 AM, 11-1 PM, 2-4 PM, 4-6 PM

• Tasks: Checking emails, client replies, deep creative work

• Tools: Gmail, Notion, Figma, Slack

• Internal Monologue: "So many tabs open... where's that client feedback?"

• Friction Points: Context switching, lost notes, client miscommunication

• Opportunity: Unified client feedback dashboard with AI tagging

Step 3: Pain-to-Product Framework (The S.E.E. + WTP Method)

This is where most solopreneurs fail.

They build solutions for problems that don't hurt enough.

The S.E.E. Framework:

• S - Speed (time-based pain)

• E - Efficiency (effort-based pain)

• E - Effectiveness (quality-based pain)

Plus the WTP Score (Willingness To Pay: 1-5 scale)

Here's the 6-step process:

1. Pain Spot - Identify the friction from DILO

2. Pain Type - Categorize (Speed/Efficiency/Effectiveness)

3. Root Cause - Find the system/workflow behind the pain

4. Emotional Cost - What emotion do they attach to this pain?

5. Product Opportunity - Your solution idea

6. Quick Win Feature - The fastest "aha!" moment you can deliver

Real Examples with WTP Scores:

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The WTP Score: Your Product Priority Matrix

WTP 1-2: Nice to have (don't build)

WTP 3: Moderate interest (maybe later)

WTP 4-5: Urgent need (build immediately)

Pro tip: Focus on WTP 4-5 problems that hit E+S or E+E impact zones.

These are your goldmines.

I am developing Notion template with all the Prompts built in. Please comment “I need the template” and I will ensure to add you in the waitlist.

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How to Use This Framework Right Now

Week 1: Map your customer's DILO

• Pick one ideal customer

• Interview them or shadow their workflow

• Document their 6-step breakdown

Week 2: Run the Pain-to-Product analysis

• Identify 3-5 friction points

• Rate each with S.E.E. + WTP scores

• Pick your highest-scoring opportunity

Week 3: Build your MVP concept

• Focus on the Quick Win Feature

• Test with 5 customers

• Iterate based on feedback

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What's Next?

Next week, I'm breaking down Define MVP - the third component of Start Smart.

You'll learn:

• How to validate ideas in 48 hours

• The 3-MVP rule that prevents feature creep

• My testing framework for rapid iteration

Plus, I'll share real results from builders using this exact framework.

Current experiment status:

• 47 builders testing SOLO

• 12 have launched their first MVP

• 3 have paying customers already

The data is promising.

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Grab a copy of my AI Writing Blueprint- [Access here]

Grab a copy of my 48 Prompt Framework Library- [Access here]

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Your Turn

Try the DILO framework this week.

Pick one customer. Map their day. Find their friction points.

Then reply and tell me what you discovered.

I read every response.

Stay focused,

Mike