Cool small business step by step
Dominika Mączka: Hi Jacek, I'm glad we can welcome you to our blog – in the form of this interview :) So let's get started! First question: when did you learn to stand your ground, while also not bending over backwards? And how did that happen?
Jacek Kłosiński: Hi, thank you for the invitation. 🙂 You could say I'm still learning, but I'm actually better at it now than I was a few years ago. What was the turning point? Definitely having a baby. It changes priorities significantly, but it also simply changes opportunities. Before, I was essentially working two jobs (my own agency + blog, training, etc.). When my son arrived, I didn't have as much time, but I also didn't want to be the father who's never there. I had to find some compromise, and I think I managed it quite well. 😉
DM: Referring to the first question, how do you share your recipe for a great small business on your blog (which – mind you – is read by as many as 60,000 users per month)?
JK: Now it's closer to 80,000, and the numbers are growing rapidly. 😉 I share my knowledge in various ways because I know people have different preferences. I publish text articles on klosinski.net, but I also record videos and have my own podcast. Last year, I published a book, I also have two online courses, and a third is on the way. Before the virus took over the world, I also conducted a lot of "classic" training courses and classes at universities.
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DM: Small business ideas – on your blog, we can read about several… dozens of suggestions for a great small business. How do you find a business idea online?
JK: By understanding people well. It's worth talking, observing, and looking for needs. Instead of wondering "how can I make money," it's better to think "how can I help, what's needed." There's a great saying that says, "You can achieve anything you want in life if you just help enough people achieve what they want." In other words: focus on helping, solving problems, and the money will come along the way. Business is about changing our clients' lives for the better. Think about how you can improve other people's lives, and yours will improve too. 😉
DM: What do you think it takes to run a great small business online?
JK: Above all, a good idea for how to provide value. There's less and less room, and quality is becoming increasingly important. It's not enough to just "be there"; you have to contribute something tangible. Start with what you can offer and how to make it better than what already exists.
DM: Do social media and other online channels play a big role in the functioning of a small business?
JK: Sure, it's where most people spend their time, and brands need to be there too. I think it's safe to say that social media is fundamental to most businesses.
DM: You share a lot of cool, often completely free, and useful tools on your blog – which ones do you think will definitely be useful to those who want to run a small business?
JK: In my opinion, such a basic set is:
- A tool to create your own website: e.g. WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, etc.
- Mailing Tool: How I Use ConvertKit
- A tool for planning, task management, etc.: I recommend Notion
- Some office suite for creating documents, offers, presentations, etc. – I use Apple programs
Self-management, productivity and prioritization
DM: "The Iris Method" is the title of your book, which deals with time management and planning, among other topics. You describe various methods and techniques. Which one do you use?
JK: I could say, perversely, that the techniques I use don't matter. 🙂 Why? Because the whole idea of the book is based on the fact that everyone is different. What works for one person won't necessarily work for another. I feel like many authors artificially try to create one universal way to manage time, tasks, and projects that will suit everyone. I believe that's impossible.
That's why, when writing the book, I emphasized how to choose the best methods for your own situation. The first part is a set of tests and methods for better understanding your needs, predispositions, and style of operation. Only then can you choose the right tools. I describe a multitude of them, but each time I also suggest how you can adapt them and adapt them to your needs.
In other words, the book encourages you not to rely on how others are doing. Instead, I suggest understanding yourself better and adapting your methods accordingly. If this approach appeals to you, the book will be a good guide on how to do it.
DM: Are there any methods you would particularly recommend to small business owners that might be useful in running and scaling their business?
JK: I think some form of block work is very helpful, meaning setting aside longer periods of time to work on one topic or related topics. Instead of jumping between tasks, we divide them into groups. Some entrepreneurs like to dedicate an entire day to a single topic, for example, a day for marketing, a day for product development, a day for accounting, etc.
Creativity for those seeking creativity
DM: When creating content for social media, we encounter a multitude of "beaten paths" and already used solutions. How can we still be creative?
JK: Look for inspiration in a variety of unusual places and fields. Instead of browsing industry outfits, magazines, or blogs, you can look somewhere completely different.
Sometimes a black-and-white Japanese film will give us more marketing ideas than the next post on a marketing blog. It's worth being open-minded and seeking out unusual connections and contexts.
DM: What tools might be useful for those who don't have much experience with graphics but want to create interesting graphic designs, e.g. for Facebook or Instagram?
JK: There's a lot. 🙂 The well-known Canva is just the tip of the iceberg. In my online course on graphic design basics for people who aren't (and don't want to be) graphic designers – like marketers and entrepreneurs – I show you a dozen great solutions. It's worth taking a look at things like Visme or Gravit.
And finally, the traditional bio:
My name is Jacek Kłosiński, and I help you turn small business into a great job. On my blog, klosinski.net, you'll find tons of resources to help you at every stage of building your business: from getting started, through marketing, to acquiring clients and building relationships. I've also written a book about tools that help you organize your work.
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- Jacek Kłosiński is building a profitable small business by helping others solve their problems using valuable content and carefully selected online tools.
- Effective time management requires adapting methods to your own needs, and a particularly helpful technique for entrepreneurs is working in thematic blocks.
- It is worth building creativity in business by seeking inspiration in unusual fields and using simple graphic tools to create unique content.
- Jacek Kłosiński supports small entrepreneurs in building their businesses and organizing their work through practical materials on his blog and his own book.
