Justin Welsh's story has recently been making waves in the solopreneur community. After leaving a high-stress corporate role at PatientPop, where he helped scale the company to $50 million in revenue, Justin made a bold move into solo entrepreneurship. By August 2019, he had started sharing his experiences on LinkedIn and had quickly gained a significant following.
He then launched a consulting business that generated $40 000 on its first day. Seeing the demand for his insights, he pivoted to digital courses. His first course, "The LinkedIn Playbook," sold 1,500 copies in its first year, bringing in $75,000. This article will explore the steps Justin took, the strategies he used, and the lessons he learned, offering valuable takeaways for anyone looking to replicate his success in their own ventures.
Justin Welsh
Justin’s early days
Justin Welsh began his career in the corporate sector, where he quickly moved up the ranks. He became the Senior Vice President of Sales at PatientPop, a booming startup based in Los Angeles. Under his leadership, PatientPop's revenue skyrocketed from zero to more than $50 million annually. It was an impressive feat, but it came with a price. By early 2018, the pressure of overseeing a $50 million department and managing a team of over 150 people started to take a serious toll on Justin’s health. He was constantly stressed, working long hours, and had little time for anything else.
In December 2018, Justin’s body sent him a clear signal that enough was enough. He experienced a severe panic attack, which was a frightening wake-up call. It made him realize that he couldn’t continue down this path without risking his well-being. The very next day, he made the life-changing decision to resign from his high-stress job. He knew he needed to focus on his health and find a new direction in life. This was the turning point that set him on the road to becoming a successful solopreneur.
Starting a new business
With his resignation planned for August 2019, Justin had a few months to figure out his next steps. He thought about starting a consulting business but had no clear idea of how to get clients. Despite this uncertainty, he had a strong belief in taking action and figuring things out along the way. Justin began sharing his professional experiences and insights on LinkedIn, a platform that wasn’t widely used for personal branding at the time. He hoped this would help him build a network and attract potential clients.
To his surprise, Justin’s content connected with many people on LinkedIn. Within a few months, he amassed a following of 20 000 users. Sensing an opportunity, he invested $20 000 in creating a professional website and officially launched his consulting business on August 1, 2019. His gamble paid off, and he made $40 000 in contracts on the very first day. This initial success gave him the confidence to continue building his online presence and expand his business.
Shifting to digital courses
As Justin’s LinkedIn following grew, he noticed a shift in the type of questions he was getting. Instead of asking for traditional consulting services, people were more interested in how he created content and built his audience on LinkedIn. Realizing there was a demand for this knowledge, Justin decided to pivot his business model. He began focusing on creating digital courses that would teach solopreneurs and entrepreneurs how to use social media to grow their businesses.
In 2020, Justin launched his first digital course, "The LinkedIn Playbook," priced at $50. The course was a hit, selling 1,500 copies in its first year and generating $75 000. The success of this course confirmed Justin’s belief that there was a significant market for digital products. Encouraged by positive feedback from users who benefited from his strategies, Justin focused even more on creating digital courses.
Building a successful online business
By the end of 2021, Justin had developed two main courses: "The LinkedIn Operating System" and "The Content Operating System." Each course was priced at $150 and offered in-depth guidance on using social media for business growth and efficient content creation. Both courses quickly gained popularity. The LinkedIn course enrolled over 11 000 students, and the content course attracted 4,500 students. Together, they brought in substantial monthly revenues of $80 000 and $45 000 respectively.
Smart strategies
Several smart strategies contributed to Justin’s success:
- Affordable pricing: Justin chose a price point that was accessible to many people, making his courses both attractive and profitable. He avoided the high-ticket model in favor of selling a larger volume of courses at a lower price.
- Short and focused content: He designed his courses to be concise and to the point, which helped ensure high completion rates. This approach made the content easy to digest and apply.
- Simple production: Instead of spending a lot of money on fancy video production, Justin kept things simple. He focused on delivering high-quality content through straightforward presentations and one-take recordings.
Simple launch and marketing
When Justin launched his LinkedIn course in July 2021, he kept the process simple. He pre-sold the course using a basic Carrd landing page and promoted it with just a few LinkedIn posts.
1st LinkedIn post
2nd LinkedIn post
3rd LinkedIn post
Despite the minimal effort, the response was overwhelming, and he made $75,000 in the first month. This success validated his approach and paved the way for further growth.
Growing the business and community
- Expanding on social media: Justin continued to grow his presence on LinkedIn by increasing his posting frequency in 2022. This boosted his engagement significantly, leading to 118 million impressions and 280 900 visits to his website. He also expanded his reach to Twitter, where he amassed a following of 325 000 and generated nearly 200 million impressions.
These were the results of Justin’s strategy on LinkedIn in 2022:
- LinkedIn Impressions: 118,243,294
- LinkedIn Engagement: 1,150,267
- LinkedIn Comments: 199,791
- Website Visits: 280,900
- Boosting organic traffic: To further grow his business, Justin moved his website to Kajabi and focused on improving its search engine optimization (SEO). He also started a weekly newsletter, "The Saturday Solopreneur," which quickly gained 80 000 subscribers. This helped drive more organic traffic to his site and brought in new potential customers for his courses.
- Using affiliate marketing: Recognizing the power of word-of-mouth marketing, Justin created an affiliate program that enrolled over 11,000 students. He offered a generous 35% commission to affiliates, which helped increase his reach and brought in over $200,000 in revenue. This strategy showed the effectiveness of using satisfied customers as brand ambassadors.
Planning for the future
As of 2023, Justin’s business continues to grow, with projected revenues of $2.5 million. Even though his profit margins remain high (around 91-92%), he plans to reinvest significantly into his brand, improve his website, and expand his content reach to platforms like Instagram and YouTube. He believes these investments will help him reach even more people and grow his business further.
Looking ahead, Justin also plans to write a book. This will help him share his knowledge and experiences with an even wider audience and extend his influence beyond digital courses. His goal is to make a global impact and help more people achieve success in their solo businesses.
Lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs
The importance of action
One of the key lessons from Justin’s journey is the importance of taking action. He believes in learning by doing and encourages others to try new things and learn from their mistakes. This hands-on approach has helped him adapt to new opportunities and grow his business successfully.
Trusting your instincts
Justin’s story also highlights the value of trusting your instincts. Despite receiving advice to follow more traditional business models, he stuck to his vision of a simple, lean business. His success shows that staying true to your goals and focusing on what feels right for you can lead to great results.
Building a supportive network
Justin emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with like-minded people. Connecting with other motivated creators on platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter provided him with valuable support and inspiration. This highlights the importance of building a supportive network to help you on your journey.
Tools and resources
Essential tools for solopreneurs
Justin runs his business with a few key tools that help him stay efficient. These include Kajabi for website hosting and course management, Taplio and Hypefury for social media publishing, and Notion for organizing his thoughts and plans. These tools allow him to manage his business with minimal overhead and maximum impact.
Influential books
Several books have inspired Justin along the way. "When To Jump" by Mike Lewis gave him the courage to start his own business. Lifestyle books like "Goodbye, Things" by Fumio Sasaki and "Die With Zero" by Bill Perkins align with his approach to living a balanced and fulfilling life. These resources have helped shape his philosophy and guide his business decisions.
Advice for aspiring solopreneurs
1. Start small and simple
Justin advises new entrepreneurs to start with simple, actionable steps rather than overthinking their plans. He emphasizes the importance of taking small steps and learning by doing. This approach helps build momentum and confidence as you grow your business.
2. Keep learning and sharing
To build a successful business, Justin recommends continuous learning and regularly sharing your knowledge. This helps you build trust with your audience and establish yourself as an expert in your field. By providing valuable content, you can attract and retain loyal customers.
3. Find your audience
Justin suggests finding your ideal audience—those who are on a similar path but a bit behind you. By understanding their needs and helping them solve their problems, you can create a loyal customer base and build a sustainable business.
Conclusion
Justin Welsh's journey from a stressed-out corporate executive to a successful solo entrepreneur offers valuable lessons for anyone wanting to start an online business. His story shows the power of social media, the importance of taking action, and the value of staying true to your vision. By following his example and focusing on continuous learning and genuine connection with your audience, aspiring entrepreneurs can create successful businesses and build fulfilling careers. Whether you’re looking to escape the corporate grind or start a new venture, Justin’s story provides a roadmap for achieving your goals.
What an inspiring story!
I totally agree with learning and sharing knowledge. That's one thing I love about Partnerkin👌♥️