For many years, solo businessmen worked among the ranks of the self-employed as "organizers" or facilitators of groups of like-minded people.
They held titles such as "consultants," "coaches," "mentors," and "instructors." Sometimes they operated strictly as solo entrepreneurs being the only source of expertise in their company.
Others banded together to form a "team" or group that offered the same type of service but included the perspective and experience of multiple experts that often worked together on one project to provide the service.
These workers would organize their own curriculum, design their own delivery approach, and earn their fee by teaching or coaching their clients either in a one-on-one setting or small group atmosphere.
Instructors were paid for their knowledge, experience, and the information they could provide to others in their field who would then "learn" these same valuable skills and techniques that they could then apply on their own.
Organizers were paid based upon their results and reputations. The most highly skilled and knowledgeable commanded the top salaries (actually fees).
Those that had a performance record of helping others successfully implement their suggestions and knowledge received most of the accolades in the business.
Usually this business model had the typical constraints of limited income based upon the owner's time (hourly fee-based), limited geographic reach, there was a limit to the number of jobs that could be accomplished in a day, week, or month, and the owner had some overhead expense in terms of materials used, lesson plan development time, and travel, meals, etc.
Some still practice this same approach today simply because they love working with people and "teaching" them new ideas and concepts. They find a great amount of satisfaction in helping others to improve themselves.
Organizers can be solo business owners of a different sort today if they apply their business subject to the independent Internet business owner model that we've been discussing. Here are several ways they can do that:
1. Membership site owner. Subscription web sites are typically based upon a monthly fee for membership in an elite group of highly focused and targeted members (or students.) The owner provides the members with information and products that are based around a narrowly defined niche.
2. Coaches. The subject could be business creation, weight loss, public speaking, or tournament poker. The coach instructs his members in a pre-determined course or time arrangement which ends when the lessons are completed. Usually fees are paid by the students for the complete coaching period or session, whatever that is determined to be.
3. Niche expert. This is a more general term for an online professional that offers his advice and wealth of experience in return for fees charged for his information products. His knowledge might be delivered in an e-book, a series of private articles, posts, or lessons, or via conference calls, audio tapes, or video courses.
In a sense, this solo business operator is a combination of coach, consultant, and membership manager. He can deliver his information in various forms and to any customer that is willing to pay for the information.
4. Consultant. The Internet business consultant is much like the traditional consultant except that she operates online and typically doesn't travel to physically be with the client. She has the option of delivering her advice via email, instant messaging, information downloads, conference calls, or pre-packaged products specific to the information needs of and help desired by the customer. Such a consultant generally does not require any type of office help although she may outsource some of her operational activities.
5. Associate. The business owner could be a marketing expert that concentrates on driving sales to product or service owners willing to pay commissions to their independent sales associates. This is also known as affiliate selling and it is strictly solo digital business.
The product owner handles all business overhead for the product including the creation and development of the product, all financial transactions, delivery of the merchandise (physical or digital), and customer service. The associate works solely as the "brush beater" driving prospects to the owner's web site where the sale is made.
There are other forms of digital organizers as well. We'll look at some of the more unique examples in one of our upcoming posts.
