SOLO is your weekly design and visibility lab — part of the Solo Business School, and dedicated to helping solopreneurs stand out with smart systems, sharp visuals, and AI that unlocks your edge.

Each week, you get fresh ideas to help you stay small and play big.

Welcome to issue #068.

This Shape Might Change How You Think

Hey, Reader —

Summer is an appropriate time to think about circles. As the seasons change, we can step back, notice patterns, and find shape in the swirl of solo business life.

This week, we continue our 3-Question summer format by turning to one of the most timeless shapes in visual frameworks: the circle.

A QUESTION I’VE BEEN ASKED

What makes the circle a standout shape?

Circles are deeply rooted in human perception and carry layered meanings that make them uniquely effective in visual thinking:

⭕️ Inclusion and harmony​
Circles draw us in. Their symmetry signals unity, balance, and a sense of belonging — a space where everything has a place.

⭕️ Cycles and continuity​
Perfect for illustrating life cycles, seasonal rhythms, or iterative loops, circles show how the end connects back to the beginning.

⭕️ Eternity and infinite possibilities​
With no start or end, a circle conveys timelessness and the infinite flow of ideas, energy, or potential.

⭕️ Focus and motion​
Circles pull the eye to the center while also suggesting movement, making them ideal for dynamic processes and focal points.

⭕️ Versatility for visualizations​
From Venn diagrams and pie charts to targets and wheels, the circle shows up everywhere, adapting with ease to simplify the complex.

Whether you’re mapping relationships, designing a system, or framing a big idea, circles offer solopreneurs a beautiful way to bring coherence to complexity.

⭐️ I’m collecting questions about visual frameworks to answer in this section, and I’d love to hear yours. Simply hit Reply, and your message will be delivered to my inbox. Thanks.

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A QUESTION TO REFLECT ON

See your business in loops, not lines

Circles help us see how things connect and repeat. They remind us that not everything moves in a straight line.

This week’s reflection question:

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A QUESTION TO CONSIDER TOGETHER

Are circles already part of your visual toolkit?

Circles are used in many kinds of frameworks. (They were also the most popular choice in last week’s poll about your favorite framework shape.) Respond to this week’s poll below to share which one shows up most in your work.

Answers are anonymous, and you’ll see responses immediately after answering.

​ Quick Links 🔵 Download the Solo Business Canvas, a free visual tool to map your one-person business. ​ 🔵 Learn to create quality content with AI as your personal assistant. ​ 🔵 Browse the free solo resources of handpicked tools and resources I actually use. ​ 🔵 Send me an email to book a 1:1 Coaching Session or ask a question​ ​ 🔵 Explore the archives of past issues​ ​ Got this from a friend? Subscribe to get future issues.

Until next week: Stay small and Play big!

Terri Lonier, PhD Founder, Solo Business School

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