Start Here: Earning More Isn’t About Working More
How to build a business that pays you better without demanding more hours.
If you work harder than your business pays you, this newsletter fixes that.
Most solopreneurs aren’t stuck because they’re not talented enough.
They’re stuck because:
They sell the wrong thing
Or they don’t know what to sell
Or they underprice
Or they reinvent themselves 6× a year
Or they chase trends, traps, and shiny objects
Or they create a lot… and earn very little
Or they feel invisible
Or they burn out trying to “be consistent”
These are all monetization problems, and monetization is a skill you can build.
That’s what we’re working on here.
Who is this for?
If you’re wondering whether Smarter Solopreneurs is a newsletter for you, our community is for (aspiring) solopreneurs who are:
Competent, but not confident (in this new solopreneurship context)
Used to external validation (titles, salaries, teams, institutions) and struggling to keep at it on their own
Allergic to hype, funnels, and “personal brand” theatrics
Afraid of wasting time, not effort
More afraid of looking foolish than of working hard
Quietly asking: “Is this a real path for serious people like me?”
What Smarter Solopreneurs actually does
This isn’t another newsletter about hacks.
It’s the system for solopreneurs who want to earn more from what they already know — without scaling fantasies, dopamine traps, or losing their life to the business.
After you join, something shifts:
Before
❌ confusion about what to sell
❌ unclear messaging
❌ low confidence in pricing
❌ mimetic chasing
❌ scattered ideas
❌ inconsistent income
After
✔ you know exactly what product fits you
✔ your writing and messaging sharpen
✔ selling feels grounded, not performative
✔ you adopt a monetization identity
✔ your decisions simplify
✔ your income becomes repeatable
✔ your business starts compounding — quietly, sustainably
You’re not subscribing to read more.
You’re subscribing to become someone who earns more.
“Maya is a wonderful teacher and a role model of success. If you want to learn how to do it, work with Maya.” — Dr. Axel Meierhoefer
Free subscribers get:
Weekly essays that help you stop chasing shiny objects and build with clarity
Free = understanding.
Paid = implementation.
Paid subscribers get:
Weekly Monetization Frameworks
Every week, you get a clear, actionable breakdown of why you’re under-earning and what to do about it.
These aren’t hacks; they’re decision-shaping models that help you work less, earn more, and stop guessing.
Fast-Track Access to Me
Ask questions, share your work, and get direct guidance to sharpen your offer and remove whatever’s holding your business back.
The Smarter Strategy Series
A step-by-step path to structuring your solo business for leverage, sustainability, and profit, without burning yourself out or reinventing your niche every 90 days.
The Irresistible Offer Mini-Series
Learn what to sell, how to price it, and how to communicate value so people want to buy.
Occasional Live Workshops & Events
Real-time guidance to refine your monetization strategy, strengthen your messaging, and make better business decisions faster.
Where to start.
If you’re new here, start with:
1️⃣ Smarter Strategy
Learn how to structure your solo business for leverage, clarity, and focus.
2️⃣ Irresistible Offer
Learn what to sell, how to price it, and how to communicate value so people want to buy.
The philosophy behind this newsletter.
Most solopreneurs build businesses that swallow their lives.
I help you build a business that fits your life AND makes you great money.
This is the newsletter for solopreneurs who:
feel lost, pressured, or overwhelmed
want clarity without hustle culture
want direction without dopamine traps
want to grow without burning out
want to stop chasing shiny objects
want to trust themselves again
want calm, confident monetization
If you’ve ever felt like you’re running your business on ambition and anxiety…
this is where you exhale.
This is NOT the newsletter for:
Hustling.
Showing up on every platform.
Chasing every opportunity at all costs.
Saying yes to everything and everyone.
Total beginners—you probably still believe in hustling too much. Circle back when you’re exhausted and still poor.
Who am I?
I’m Maya Say. I used to write about pages for $5 a piece. This year, my biggest copywriting client paid me $40K.
And I don’t even have a website.
I’ve worked with 2000+ solopreneurs one-on-one and I’m tried of seeing the same problem over and over:
Super smart people (yes, YOU ARE!)
Not making money
I also know this problem needs time. Needs work. Needs inner changes. Needs long-term support.
So instead of creating a course, I created this newsletter where you can come, read, ask, learn, and slowly become the person who earns what they’re worth.
I’ve been featured in Business Insider and Metro UK. My online articles on entrepreneurship have accumulated over 600,000 views.
I know I can change how you think about yourself & your business—and help you earn a lot more.
What paid subscribers are saying.
“I don’t know about you but my feed is full of “if you go to paid, I’ll change your life” promises. My soloprenuer life is changing with Maya Sayvanova. Her subscription has already tweaked at least 3 facets of my work Teachers Unmuted in the 1st 2 weeks I’ve been on.”—Jeff Smith
“What you shared is going to insanely help me with a copywriting gig I just landed. Thank you!” — Jeanna Isham
Maya knows her stuff. If you’re looking to make a better living by making a bigger impact, Smarter Solopreneurs is worth your time.