Welcome to the Working Solo Minute, the 60-second newsletter designed specifically for solo entrepreneurs. To unsubscribe or change subscriber options, see the bottom of this issue.

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Millions of individuals cast their ballot yesterday for the next President of the United States, after a long and contentious campaign. Whether Barack Obama or John McCain (or someone else) was your choice, there are some valuable lessons from this extended campaign season that can be applied to solo ventures.

1. Control your narrative.
Every business has a story, and if it's not defined by you, it will be created by your competitor(s). Barack Obama's story line focused on change; McCain's narrative drew on his respect as a war hero and his long years of experience. Some felt that McCain's lack of narrative focus hindered his campaign, while others believed Obama's rhetoric could not be backed up with experience. As a soloist, how do you want your business to be perceived in the marketplace? As this campaign illustrated, it's important to make it clear and easy to understand, and to communicate it consistently.

2. Forego centralized control for distributed efforts.
Obama's impressive team of volunteers was empowered to run their own local and regional efforts with a light hand guiding them from the central office. This article by Zach Exley takes a look inside the typical operations of an Obama field office, and illustrates the remarkable results that can be achieved through the efforts of individuals united for a purpose they believe in. Translated to your solo business: How might you share control to gain more?

3. Aggregate to achieve results.
Candidates in this election raised more money than any in previous contests, yet the average contribution was under $100. Small efforts, taken together, can generate results beyond what you might ever imagine.

4. Leverage technology to multiply resources.
Cell phones, text messages, email campaigns, YouTube videos, and countless Web sites -- this campaign had it all. The lesson for soloists is the reach and capabilities that come from using technology, particularly in combination. How might you bring together two or more technologies to create new opportunities in your business?

And, if you're like many of my solo colleagues, you're glad that nearly two years of campaigning has come to an end!

-- Terri Lonier
Founder, WorkingSolo.com