In August 2011 I received a call from a new client who asked me if I could meet with them to discuss a program they were looking at running. I hadn’t met them before so I was well organised and prepared for the meeting.

When I was the head of training for a large organisation 10 years ago, I was sitting at my desk in my office on a Saturday. I was designing and finishing the time management program I was going to deliver the following week as I knew I wasn’t going to have enough time to finish it during the coming week.

My good friend and expert Tracey Hughes was born in the UK and backpacked around Australia in her teens. At 18 years she took up an apprenticeship, and after proving to be a pretty good stylist she was asked if she would attend an event to show people how she cut.

Being in business for yourself can be isolating. Lonely. Anthropologist and expert on tribes, Robin Dunbar identified that successful tribes and groups operate in groups of 5, 15, 150 and with a greater village going to 1500.

We are in a golden age of solopreneurs: independent, innovative experts who are turning the traditional working model on its head. No longer content with working under layers of organisational management, workers around the globe are increasingly making the decision to take full control of their careers.

Public speaking is a golden ticket to creating awareness and generating leads. It’s where you can truly let your personality and expertise shine. It’s also great for gaining an insight into your audience’s problems and how you can help, which is crucial for refining your services.

You’ve probably heard of the Top Five Regrets of the Dying. It’s a stunning list that was put together by Australian palliative care nurse Bronnie Ware in her book of the same name. She undertook research of patients in hospitals to identify their regrets.

What’s your story? One of the most effective tools for building your personal brand is storytelling. The emotional connection it creates with your clients and leads is a marketing powerhouse.

Earlier this month Don Meij, the CEO of Dominos, shared this image. Don and a team outside one of his company’s European branches with the caption “Enjoying Europe store visits… Claude worked for us in operations for 10 years and is now a new Franchisee”.