---
title: "What Is a Solopreneur? Meaning, Examples and How to Start | Superapp"
description: What a solopreneur is, how it differs from an entrepreneur or freelancer, real examples and data, legal and tax basics, tools, and how to become one.
image: https://superapp.dev/superapp-logo.png
canonical_url: https://superapp.dev/blog/what-is-a-solopreneur-and-how-to-start
md_url: https://superapp.dev/blog/what-is-a-solopreneur-and-how-to-start.md
---
## What Is a Solopreneur? The Short Answer

A solopreneur is a person who starts, owns, and runs a business entirely on their own, with no partners and no employees. Merriam-Webster defines a solopreneur as "one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise without the help of a partner," and dates the word to 1992 ([Merriam-Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solopreneur)). Solopreneurs can still use contractors, software, and AI tools, such as Superapp for building an app or an accounting tool for the books; what makes them solo is that they are the whole permanent team.

> **Quick answer: what is a solopreneur?** A solopreneur is a one-person business owner who handles everything, from the product and sales to marketing, finances, and support, without employees or co-founders. Solopreneurs run service businesses, freelance practices, consulting firms, content and course businesses, online shops, and software or app businesses built with tools like Superapp. In the US, solopreneurs usually operate as a sole proprietorship or a single-member LLC, and they pay self-employment tax of 15.3% once net earnings reach 400 USD. The appeal is control and freedom; the trade-off is that the business depends entirely on one person's time, health, and skills.

## Solopreneur Meaning, in Plain Terms

The word combines "solo" and "entrepreneur." It describes how a business is run, not what it sells. A solopreneur can be a designer, a consultant, a coach, a writer, a shop owner, or a software founder. What they share is three things:

1. **They own the business.** It is theirs, not an employer's.
 2. **They run it alone.** No co-founders, partners, or permanent staff.
 3. **They intend it to stay that way, at least for now.** Many solopreneurs choose to stay small on purpose, rather than treating solo as a temporary stage before hiring.

A useful test: if the owner took a month off and nothing in the business moved, it is almost certainly a solopreneur business. That is also its biggest risk, which this guide comes back to.

## Where the Word "Solopreneur" Comes From

Superapp's audience uses the word as if it were new, but it is older than most people expect. Merriam-Webster records its first known use in 1992 and defines a solopreneur two ways: "one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise without the help of a partner," and simply "a solo entrepreneur" ([Merriam-Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solopreneur)). The word became common much later, as the internet made it possible to sell to customers anywhere from a laptop, and it has spread again as AI tools let one person handle work that used to need a team.

You will also see "solo entrepreneur," "one-person business," "company of one," and "solo founder." They mean roughly the same thing. "Solo founder" leans toward startups, often venture-backed; "solopreneur" leans toward businesses meant to stay small and profitable.

## Solopreneur vs. Sole Proprietor: Not the Same Thing

Superapp users selling their first app often mix these two up. "Solopreneur" describes how you run a business. "Sole proprietor" is a legal and tax status. The IRS defines it plainly: "A sole proprietor is someone who owns an unincorporated business by themselves" ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/sole-proprietorships)). Sole proprietors report business income on "Schedule C (Form 1040 or 1040-SR), Profit or Loss from Business."

| Situation | Solopreneur? | Sole proprietor? |
| --- | --- | --- |
| You sell an app built with Superapp under your own name, with no company formed | Yes | Yes |
| You run the same app business through a single-member LLC | Yes | No, legally an LLC (often taxed similarly) |
| You and a co-founder run an app business as partners | No | No, a partnership |
| You run a business and have two employees | No | Possibly, if unincorporated |
| You freelance under your own name | Often | Yes |

In short: most solopreneurs start as sole proprietors, but a solopreneur can also run an LLC or corporation, and a sole proprietor can have employees.

## Solopreneur vs. Entrepreneur vs. Freelancer vs. Small Business Owner

Superapp users often ask which of these labels fits them. The terms overlap, and the table shows where each one differs.

| Term | Owns a business? | Has employees? | Main goal | Example |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Solopreneur | Yes | No | A profitable business run by one person | One person running an app business built with Superapp |
| Entrepreneur | Yes | Usually, or plans to | Grow and scale, often with investors | A founder hiring a team after raising money |
| Freelancer | Sells their own services | No | Paid work for clients, project by project | A designer billing clients per project |
| Small business owner | Yes | Usually yes | A stable local or niche business | A bakery owner with five staff |
| Indie hacker | Yes, usually software | Rarely | A profitable, independent online product | A developer with a small paid web tool |
| Gig worker | No, works through platforms | No | Income from tasks on apps or platforms | A delivery driver |

**Solopreneur vs. entrepreneur:** every solopreneur is an entrepreneur, but not every entrepreneur is a solopreneur. The difference is intent: an entrepreneur usually wants to build an organization; a solopreneur wants to build a business that does not need one.

**Solopreneur vs. freelancer:** a freelancer sells their time to clients. A solopreneur may freelance, but often builds something that earns without trading hours, such as a product, course, or app. Many solopreneurs start as freelancers and move toward products over time.

## How Many Solopreneurs Are There?

Superapp is built for a fast-growing group: the US Census Bureau counts businesses with no paid employees as "nonemployers," and that group has grown faster than businesses with employees for more than a decade.

| Data point | Figure | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Growth of US businesses with no employees, 2012 to 2023 | 2.7% a year on average, vs 1.1% for employer businesses | [US Census Bureau](https://census.gov/library/stories/2025/07/nonemployer-business-growth.html) |
| Employer businesses' share of all US businesses | Fell from 24.6% to 21.6% over the same period | US Census Bureau |
| Contribution of nonemployers to the economy | About 6.4% of 2023 US GDP, roughly 1.8 trillion USD | US Census Bureau |
| Share of new startups with a solo founder | Rose from 23.7% in 2019 to 36.3% in the first half of 2025 | [Carta](https://carta.com/data/solo-founders-report/) |
| Solo founders' share of venture cash | 14.7% of cash raised in priced equity rounds in 2024 | Carta |
| Solopreneurs who went solo to be their own boss | 52% | [QuickBooks survey of 2,087 solopreneurs](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/r/small-business-data/self-employment-trends-2024/) |
| Solopreneurs with under 25,000 USD in yearly revenue | 36% | QuickBooks survey |
| Solopreneurs planning to hire help | Nearly 6 in 10 | QuickBooks survey |

The Census Bureau's own description of the trend is striking: "Nonemployers also represented a larger share of all U.S. businesses each year from 1997 to 2023." Growth slowed in 2023, but "15 of 18 NAICS sectors saw an increase in the number of nonemployer establishments" that year ([US Census Bureau](https://census.gov/library/stories/2025/07/nonemployer-business-growth.html)).

Carta's report puts the startup side in one sentence: "From 2019 to H1 2025, the share of new startups with a solo founder has risen from 23.7% to 36.3%." Peter Walker, Carta's Head of Insights, adds: "A 13-point rise in about five years is a big shift." The report links the change directly to AI: "AI has expanded what individuals can accomplish in a finite amount of time" ([Carta](https://carta.com/data/solo-founders-report/)). The fundraising picture is less rosy: in 2024, solo founders "received only 14.7% of cash raised in priced equity rounds that year," even though they started 30% of the year's startups.

Two things stand out. First, solo businesses are growing as a share of the economy, and solo founding is growing among startups too. Second, most solo businesses are small: more than a third of the solopreneurs QuickBooks surveyed brought in less than 25,000 USD a year. "Solopreneur" describes a structure, not a level of success.

## Side-Hustle Solopreneurs: Starting Without Quitting

Superapp users often build their first app in the evenings, and they are in good company: many solopreneurs keep a job while the business grows. QuickBooks surveyed 500 people who work for an employer while running a business on the side, and found that 82% keep the job to "do so for the stability of a regular paycheck." Before they would quit, 49% say they "would need to earn at least $100,000 from self-employment per year" ([QuickBooks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/r/small-business-data/self-employment-trends-2024/)).

The survey also shows why many stay cautious. "35% of solopreneurs rate their stress level as "high" compared to 26% of employers," and 47% of solopreneurs say "they just want the flexibility that comes with self-employment" rather than a large business.

| Stage | What it looks like | Typical signal to move to the next stage |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Side project with Superapp | An app or offer built in evenings and weekends | First paying users or clients who are strangers |
| Side business | Regular income alongside a job | Business income covers a meaningful share of your costs |
| Full-time solopreneur | The business is your main income | Income is steady enough, with savings as a buffer |
| Solo business with help | Contractors, a partner, or first hire | Work you cannot do alone is limiting growth |

Tony Dinh, a solo founder profiled below, quit his job with about 300 USD a month in recurring revenue from one product and about 200 USD from another. It worked for him, and he still advises having savings and a backup plan first.

## Why Do People Become Solopreneurs?

Superapp hears the same reasons from people building their first app, and the survey data matches. In QuickBooks' survey, "52% of solopreneurs chose self-employment because they want to be their own boss." The common reasons:

- **Control.** Choosing what to work on, who to work with, and how the business is run.
 - **Flexibility.** Setting your own hours and location.
 - **Keeping the upside.** No partners or investors taking a share.
 - **Low starting cost.** Many solo businesses start with a laptop and a few subscriptions.
 - **Lower risk than hiring.** No payroll to meet each month.
 - **New tools.** AI and no-code tools now let one person do work that used to need a team, which is one reason Carta's data shows solo founding rising since 2019.

## Pros and Cons of Being a Solopreneur

Superapp makes one of the cons smaller, the need to hire for technical work, but most of this table applies to every solo business.

| Area | Pro | Con |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Building the product | Tools like Superapp let one person build an app without a developer | You still own every decision and every bug |
| Control | You decide everything | Every decision is yours to get wrong |
| Income | You keep all the profit | Income is uneven; 36% of surveyed solopreneurs earn under 25,000 USD a year |
| Time | You set your hours | The business stops when you stop |
| Costs | No payroll, low overhead | You pay for every tool and service yourself |
| Skills | You learn every part of a business | You must be good enough at sales, marketing, finance, and support |
| Risk | No investors or partners to answer to | No one to share the risk, the workload, or the stress |
| Social | Freedom from office politics | It can be lonely; Justin Welsh calls loneliness "the worst part" |

## Types of Solopreneur Businesses

Superapp fits the software and app row of this table. Every row is a real solopreneur model, with different trade-offs between how fast it pays and how far it can grow.

| Type | What you sell | Pays quickly? | Grows without more of your hours? | Examples |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| App or software business | Subscriptions to an app or web tool | No, usually slow to start | Yes | An iPhone app built with Superapp; a paid web tool |
| Freelance services | Your skill, by project | Yes | No | Writing, design, development, editing |
| Consulting | Expertise and advice | Yes, if you have credibility | No | Marketing, finance, operations consulting |
| Coaching and courses | Teaching what you know | Medium | Partly, with courses | Business coaching, online courses |
| Content and creator | Audience attention, sponsors, products | No, slow to build | Yes | Newsletters, YouTube, podcasts |
| Digital products | Templates, guides, assets | Medium | Yes, but crowded | Notion templates, design assets |
| E-commerce | Physical or print-on-demand products | Medium | Partly | Handmade goods, print-on-demand |
| Local services | Services in your area | Yes | No | Tutoring, photography, pet care |

The models at the top of the "grows without more of your hours" column are why many solopreneurs move from services toward products over time. Services pay the bills while the product grows.

## Examples of Successful Solopreneurs

Superapp's own examples come from the app world, but solopreneurs succeed in many models. These are real, named people, with figures as reported by them or the publication linked.

| Solopreneur | Business | Model | Reported result |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| You, building with Superapp | An app business | App subscriptions | Starts with one problem and one app |
| Justin Welsh | Courses and digital products for creators | Content and digital products | Over 6.8 million USD in revenue at a 90% profit margin, with no employees |
| Pieter Levels | Photo AI and other web products | Software | Photo AI passed 100,000 USD in monthly revenue |
| Christian Selig | Apollo, a Reddit app for iPhone | App | About 5 million installs, built and run alone for close to a decade |
| Florian Vates | MonAi, an expense tracker for iPhone | App | Portfolio of about 40,000 to 60,000 USD a month (later with a business partner) |
| Tony Dinh | DevUtils, Typing Mind, and other software | Software portfolio | From zero to about 45,000 USD a month in two years |
| Samuel Rondot | AI software products | Software portfolio | About 28,000 USD a month (one product co-built) |

### Justin Welsh: a one-person content and course business

Justin Welsh left a startup executive role in 2019 and built a business selling courses and digital products to creators and solopreneurs. According to [Indie Hackers](https://indiehackers.com/post/FzLRweGZuhK45W82J7Rt), he has earned over 6.8 million USD at a 90% profit margin, grown an audience of more than a million followers, and done it without paid ads. "Yes, I am a one-man business," he says. His operating principle: "Systems and processes are your best friends as a solopreneur." He is also candid about the costs. In an [earlier interview](https://www.indiehackers.com/post/surviving-solopreneurship-an-interview-with-justin-welsh-135k-mo-cdde66ca92), he said: "The worst part of being a solopreneur is that it can get quite lonely," and described a period when "I started burning out pretty heavily."

### Pieter Levels: solo software products

Pieter Levels is known for building and running internet products on his own. His AI photo web app, Photo AI, launched in February 2023 and passed 100,000 USD in monthly revenue about 18 months later ([Indie Hackers](https://www.indiehackers.com/post/tech/pieter-levels-just-passed-100-000-a-month-in-revenue-with-photoai-NToMGI3ZjwSBOfTywZnG)). It came after many earlier products, which is typical: solo software founders often ship many small products before one takes off.

### Christian Selig: a solo iPhone app

Christian Selig built Apollo, a Reddit app for iPhone, and maintained it alone for close to a decade. According to [RevenueCat's interview with him](https://www.revenuecat.com/blog/growth/christian-selig-apollo-sub-club-podcast), it reached about 5 million installs before he shut it down in 2023, after Reddit introduced API charges. His rule for picking projects: he does not start one "unless I'm confident it's something I care about." Apollo also shows a solopreneur risk: the business depended on another company's platform, and when the terms changed, it could not continue.

### Florian Vates: an iPhone app business that found a partner

Florian Vates builds native iPhone apps. His expense tracker, MonAi, uses AI to make logging expenses faster and generates about 90% of a portfolio income of roughly 40,000 to 60,000 USD a month ([Indie Hackers](https://www.indiehackers.com/post/tech/partnering-up-with-a-content-creator-to-hit-50k-mo-QZTlkTd3spxX5N2rNc3Z)). Growth came after a content creator, Charlie Alvarez, started making videos about the app, and Charlie later became his business partner. "If I did it again, I would definitely find a partner sooner," Florian says, which is a useful reminder that staying solo is a choice, not a rule.

### Tony Dinh: a portfolio of solo products

Tony Dinh builds software products on his own. In [his solopreneur story on Indie Hackers](https://www.indiehackers.com/post/my-solopreneur-story-zero-to-45k-mo-in-2-years-1b858f47af), he describes going from zero to about 45,000 USD a month in two years with products including DevUtils, a Mac app for developers; Black Magic, a Twitter tool he later sold for 128,000 USD after Twitter's API pricing changed; and Typing Mind, an interface for ChatGPT that reportedly earned 22,000 USD in its first seven days. On quitting his job: "It's the best decision I've ever made." His main advice: "Build an audience. This is not for everyone, but if you can, give it a try." And his caution: "There is no formula to guarantee success." His closing advice: "Be patient and be prepared for luck."

### Samuel Rondot: validating before building

Samuel Rondot runs a portfolio of AI software products, led by an AI short-video tool, earning about 28,000 USD a month in total ([Indie Hackers](https://www.indiehackers.com/post/tech/learning-to-code-and-building-a-28k-mo-portfolio-of-saas-products-OA5p18fXtvHGxP9xTAwG)). One product is built with a school friend, so not everything is strictly solo. His rule is one every solopreneur should tape to the wall: "If you can't clearly see the path to money, don't build it." On how he became able to build at all: "Learning to code changed everything." And on decisions: "I trust intuition, but I also verify it with data." One of his products lost revenue when LinkedIn tightened its automation limits, another example of platform risk.

### Brian Casel: building around business-founder fit

Brian Casel runs Builder Methods, a business teaching people to build software with AI, alongside other projects, with revenue in the multiple six figures a year ([Indie Hackers](https://www.indiehackers.com/post/creators/finding-business-founder-fit-and-bringing-in-mid-six-figures-per-year-Vv1o5UsM9vT6YkuI5mPE)). Some of his projects have small teams, so he is better described as an independent founder than a strict solopreneur, but his lessons apply directly: "Get to your first failure as quickly as possible." "Trust your gut." And the one most people need to hear: "Nothing has ever worked overnight."

### More from Justin Welsh on how he grew

Welsh's growth came from content, not ads. "So I created content for LinkedIn every day," he says, and later: "So I kept writing articles that talked about problems and positioned my products as solutions." He sees the result as his main advantage: "Having over a million followers across three platforms is a massive distribution advantage." His starting point was a hard decision: "I decided to walk away from my high-paying executive job." And the question he recommends every solopreneur answer first: "What do you need to earn and how do you need to spend?"

## How AI Is Changing Solopreneurship

Superapp is one example of a broader shift: AI tools let one person do work that used to need a team, such as writing code, designing, drafting marketing, and handling support. Carta's data shows the share of new startups with a solo founder rising from 23.7% in 2019 to 36.3% in the first half of 2025 ([Carta](https://carta.com/data/solo-founders-report/)).

| Job that used to need a hire | What a solopreneur can use now |
| --- | --- |
| Mobile app developer | Superapp builds native iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch apps, and web apps, from a description |
| App marketer | Selfdrive runs App Store optimization, Apple Ads, creator campaigns, and SEO for iOS apps |
| Copywriter and editor | AI writing assistants for drafts, with your review |
| Designer | AI image and design tools for drafts and assets |
| Support agent | AI-drafted replies with a human approving |
| Bookkeeper | Accounting software with automatic categorization |

The catch: AI lowers the cost of making things for everyone at once. Matt Busel, who listed 130 AI-built products on Gumroad and made no sales, put it in one line: "The AI made the shelf infinite" ([DEV Community](https://dev.to/mattbusel/selling-on-gumroad-with-ai-130-products-0-sales-greg-is-wrong-5f0b)). AI makes the building part of solopreneurship easier. It does not make selling easier.

## What Solopreneurs Say About the Hard Parts

Superapp can take the coding off a solopreneur's plate, but the hardest parts of working alone are not technical. Here they are in solopreneurs' own words.

| Hard part | In their words | Who said it |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Building faster than selling, even with Superapp | "The AI made the shelf infinite." | Matt Busel |
| Loneliness | "The worst part of being a solopreneur is that it can get quite lonely." | Justin Welsh |
| Burnout | "I started burning out pretty heavily." | Justin Welsh |
| No guaranteed path | "There is no formula to guarantee success." | Tony Dinh |
| Slow results | "Nothing has ever worked overnight." | Brian Casel |
| Choosing what to build | "If you can't clearly see the path to money, don't build it." | Samuel Rondot |
| Staying alone too long | "If I did it again, I would definitely find a partner sooner." | Florian Vates |
| Stress | "35% of solopreneurs rate their stress level as "high" compared to 26% of employers." | QuickBooks survey |

None of these people quit, and most of them describe solopreneurship as worth it. The point of listing the hard parts is to plan for them: build in time off, find peers, check demand before building, and decide in advance how long you will give an idea.

## Traits of Successful Solopreneurs

Superapp can build the product, but the traits below decide whether a one-person business lasts. Each one shows up in the stories in this guide.

| Trait | Why it matters when you are alone | Seen in |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shipping early, with Superapp or any tool | Feedback only comes from real users | Max Artemov and Brian Casel: "Get to your first failure as quickly as possible." |
| Self-discipline | No manager sets deadlines | Justin Welsh posting on LinkedIn every day |
| Comfort with selling | Every customer comes from your effort | Welsh's articles that "positioned my products as solutions" |
| Patience | Most solo businesses grow slowly | Tony Dinh: "Be patient and be prepared for luck." |
| Judgment about what to build | Your time is the only resource | Samuel Rondot: "If you can't clearly see the path to money, don't build it." |
| Systems thinking | One person cannot do everything by hand | Welsh: "Systems and processes are your best friends as a solopreneur." |
| Resilience | Platforms change and income swings | Christian Selig and Tony Dinh both lost products to platform API changes |
| Willingness to ask for help | Staying solo can become a limit | Florian Vates: "I would definitely find a partner sooner." |

None of these traits is fixed. Most solopreneurs build them by doing the work, often after an early failure.

## How to Become a Solopreneur, Step by Step

Superapp users follow these same steps when they turn an app into a business. The order matters: test demand before you spend money on structure.

1. **Choose a business model.** Decide whether you will sell services, a product, content, or an app. If you need income soon, start with services; if you want income that grows without more hours, plan a product as well.
 2. **Pick a specific problem and a specific customer.** "Bookkeeping for Etsy sellers" is a business; "bookkeeping" is a category.
 3. **Validate before you build.** Find five people with the problem and ask what they currently pay to solve it. For an app, search the App Store and Google for the problem to see whether people look for it.
 4. **Choose a legal structure.** In the US, most solopreneurs start as a sole proprietorship or form a single-member LLC (see the next section).
 5. **Get your basics in place.** An EIN from the IRS if you need one, a separate business bank account, and a simple way to track income and expenses.
 6. **Set your prices.** Price for the value you deliver, and include taxes, tools, and your time off in the math.
 7. **Pick one marketing channel and stick with it.** The US Chamber of Commerce advises giving a marketing strategy at least 90 days. Spreading across every channel at once is the most common solo mistake.
 8. **Build systems early.** Templates, automations, and checklists are how one person handles the work of several. As Justin Welsh puts it: "Systems and processes are your best friends as a solopreneur."
 9. **Plan for taxes from the first sale.** Set aside part of every payment for self-employment tax and income tax.
 10. **Review every quarter.** Keep what brings in money, drop what does not, and decide whether to stay solo or bring in help.

## How Solopreneurs Find Their First Customers

Superapp users with an iOS app can let Selfdrive run App Store growth, but every solopreneur needs a plan for the first customers. The solopreneurs in this guide used a small set of channels, usually one at a time.

| Channel | Who used it | What they said |
| --- | --- | --- |
| App Store search and ads, run by Selfdrive or by hand | iOS app founders | Apple says 70% of App Store visitors use search to discover apps |
| Daily content on one platform | Justin Welsh | "So I created content for LinkedIn every day." |
| Building an audience in public | Tony Dinh | "Build an audience. This is not for everyone, but if you can, give it a try." |
| Articles that solve problems, linking to products | Justin Welsh | "So I kept writing articles that talked about problems and positioned my products as solutions." |
| SEO plus paid ads | Samuel Rondot | Combines SEO, which compounds, with ads for predictable traffic |
| A content creator partner | Florian Vates | "Most of our growth occurred after I collaborated with Charlie Alvarez." |
| Free content and tools | Brian Casel | Free resources showed him what the paid offer should be |

The pattern: pick one channel, stay with it long enough to learn (the US Chamber of Commerce suggests at least 90 days), and only then add a second. Solopreneurs who try five channels at once usually do all of them badly.

## How Solopreneurs Price Their Work

Superapp app founders usually price with subscriptions; service solopreneurs price by project or retainer. Whatever the model, solo businesses have one advantage in pricing: low overhead. Justin Welsh reports a 90% profit margin on over 6.8 million USD in revenue, because there is no payroll to cover.

| Pricing model | Common for | Watch out for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription (for example, an app built with Superapp) | Apps, software, memberships | Churn; you need new customers just to stay level |
| One-time purchase | Courses, templates, some apps | Income stops when new sales stop |
| Project fee | Freelance and consulting work | Scope creep without a clear agreement |
| Monthly retainer | Ongoing services and automation | Clients expecting unlimited work |
| Usage or credits | AI tools with real per-use costs | Pricing below what heavy users cost you |

Raising prices is a normal part of solo business. Tony Dinh raised Typing Mind's price from 9 USD to 39 USD as he learned what customers valued. The usual mistake is the opposite: pricing low out of fear, then working too many hours to make the numbers work.

## Can a Solopreneur Business Scale?

Superapp and similar tools change the answer to this question. A solo business used to hit a ceiling when the owner ran out of hours. Now there are three ways to grow without hiring a team:

1. **Products instead of hours.** An app, course, or template sells to the thousandth customer with almost the same work as the first. Justin Welsh's business, built on courses and digital products, reports over 6.8 million USD in revenue with no employees.
 2. **Software and AI for the routine work.** Bookkeeping, scheduling, support drafts, and app growth tasks like App Store optimization and ad management can be handled by tools, with the owner approving.
 3. **Contractors and partners for specific jobs.** A solopreneur can hire help project by project without becoming an employer. Florian Vates went further and took on a business partner when a content creator drove most of his growth.

There are limits. A business that depends entirely on one person is fragile: illness, burnout, or a platform change can stop it. Solo founders also raise less outside money; Carta found they received only 14.7% of cash in priced equity rounds in 2024. And QuickBooks found that nearly 6 in 10 solopreneurs plan to hire help, which suggests many see solo as a stage rather than a permanent shape. Scaling alone is possible; staying alone forever is a choice, not a requirement.

| Growth lever | How it scales a solo business | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A product built with Superapp | Each new customer costs almost no extra time | A subscription iPhone app |
| Digital products and courses | Made once, sold many times | Justin Welsh's courses |
| Automation and AI tools | Routine work handled by software | Selfdrive running app growth tasks |
| An audience you own | Each launch reaches more people without new ad spend | Welsh's newsletter and social following; Tony Dinh's audience |
| Contractors | Specific jobs done without employees | Design, editing, or development by the project |
| A partner | Shared work and complementary skills | Florian Vates and Charlie Alvarez |

## Legal and Tax Basics for Solopreneurs (US)

Superapp users selling apps in the US face the same structure and tax choices as any solopreneur. This is general information, not legal or tax advice; check with a qualified professional for your situation.

| Structure | Personal liability | Paperwork | Common fit |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sole proprietorship (common for a first app built with Superapp) | Not separated from you | Minimal | Testing an idea, early side businesses |
| Single-member LLC | Generally protected | State filing and fees | Businesses with real revenue, clients, or risk |

The US Small Business Administration explains the difference clearly. For a sole proprietorship: "your business assets and liabilities are not separate from your personal assets and liabilities." For an LLC: "LLCs protect you from personal liability in most instances," meaning your personal assets, such as your vehicle, house, and savings accounts, "won't be at risk" ([SBA](https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/launch-your-business/choose-business-structure)).

On taxes, the IRS says "The self-employment tax rate is 15.3%," made up of 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare, and it applies once "net earnings from self-employment ... were $400 or more" ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employment-tax-social-security-and-medicare-taxes)). Solopreneurs also "generally have to make estimated tax payments if they expect to owe tax of $1,000 or more when their return is filed" ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estimated-taxes)), which usually means paying quarterly.

| Tax and admin item | What it means for a solopreneur |
| --- | --- |
| App Store income from a Superapp app | Counts as business income; Apple pays proceeds after its commission |
| Self-employment tax | 15.3% on net self-employment earnings of 400 USD or more |
| Estimated taxes | Usually quarterly, if you expect to owe 1,000 USD or more |
| Separate bank account | Keeps business and personal money apart, which makes taxes and liability easier |
| EIN | A federal tax ID for the business, needed for some structures and banks |

### What an employer used to provide, and how solopreneurs replace it

Superapp replaces a development team, but leaving a job also means replacing benefits. These are the US basics.

| What an employer provided | Solopreneur replacement | What the official source says |
| --- | --- | --- |
| An engineering team to build products | Superapp for apps, plus contractors as needed | Not applicable |
| Health insurance | The individual Health Insurance Marketplace | You "can enroll through the Marketplace if you're a freelancer, consultant, independent contractor" ([HealthCare.gov](https://www.healthcare.gov/self-employed/coverage/)) |
| Retirement plan | A one-participant (solo) 401(k) | "a traditional 401(k) plan covering a business owner with no employees, or that person and his or her spouse" ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/one-participant-401k-plans)) |
| Tax withholding | Estimated quarterly tax payments | Required "if they expect to owe tax of $1,000 or more" |
| Half of payroll taxes | Self-employment tax | "The self-employment tax rate is 15.3%." |
| An office | Home office, if it qualifies | "You must regularly use part of your home exclusively for conducting business." ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/home-office-deduction)) |

Two more IRS points matter for many solopreneurs. The qualified business income deduction "allows eligible taxpayers to deduct up to 20 percent of their QBI," and "Many owners of sole proprietorships, partnerships, S corporations and some trusts and estates may be eligible" ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/qualified-business-income-deduction)). And an EIN costs nothing: "You never have to pay a fee for an EIN," and you can "get an EIN directly from the IRS in minutes for free" ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/get-an-employer-identification-number)). As always, this is general information, not tax advice.

## Tools Every Solopreneur Needs

Superapp covers the app-building row of this table. Solopreneurs replace a team with a stack of tools, and these are the categories most need.

| Job | Example tools | What it replaces |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Build an app | Superapp for native Apple apps and web apps; Xcode if you code | A development team |
| Get users for an iOS app | Selfdrive for ASO, Apple Ads, creator videos, and SEO | A growth marketer |
| Take payments | Stripe on the web, StoreKit or RevenueCat in apps | A billing team |
| Accounting | QuickBooks, Wave, FreshBooks | A bookkeeper |
| Organize work | Notion, Trello, Asana | A project manager |
| Scheduling | Calendly | An assistant |
| Design | Canva, Figma | A designer |
| Email and newsletters | Mailchimp, beehiiv, ConvertKit | A marketing coordinator |

As a disclosure, Superapp and its growth agent, Selfdrive, are our products, so weigh this accordingly. Superapp builds native iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch apps, and web apps, from a description, so a solopreneur can launch an app business without hiring a developer. Plans start free with credits, then Pro at 25 USD a month; publishing on the App Store also needs Apple's 99 USD a year Developer account. Selfdrive runs growth for iOS apps, including App Store optimization, Apple Ads, creator campaigns, and SEO, with your approval on budgets and changes. Neither replaces the solopreneur's judgment about what to build and who it is for.

## What a Solopreneur's Week Looks Like

Superapp users building an app business typically split their week across the same jobs every solopreneur juggles. This is an example, not a rule, but it shows why systems matter.

| Block | Share of the week | What happens |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Building the product (an app in Superapp, a course, or client work) | About a third | The work customers pay for |
| Marketing and sales | About a third | Content, outreach, ads, and following up |
| Customer support | A few hours | Questions, refunds, and feedback |
| Admin and finance | A few hours | Invoices, bookkeeping, taxes |
| Learning and planning | A few hours | Reviewing numbers, deciding what to stop or start |

The most common imbalance is too much building and too little selling. Welsh's principle, "Systems and processes are your best friends as a solopreneur," is mostly about shrinking the support and admin blocks so the selling block can grow.

## Solopreneur Business Ideas

Superapp readers can start with the first idea in this list, but every row is a business one person can run. For a deeper, ranked list of ways to earn with AI, see [how to make money with AI](https://superapp.dev/blog/how-to-make-money-with-ai).

| Idea | Why it works solo | Starting cost |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A focused iPhone app built with Superapp | Subscriptions earn without more of your hours | Low: tool subscription plus Apple's 99 USD a year |
| AI automation for local businesses | High demand and repeatable setups | Low |
| Freelance writing, design, or development | Uses a skill you already have | Very low |
| Consulting in your industry | Your experience is the product | Very low |
| Online course or cohort | Package what you know once, sell many times | Low |
| Newsletter with sponsors | Grows into an asset you own | Very low |
| Digital templates and tools | Low cost to make and deliver | Very low, but crowded |
| Bookkeeping or virtual assistance | Steady recurring clients | Low |

## A Checklist Before You Quit Your Job

Superapp users often ask when it is safe to go full time on an app or side business. There is no universal answer, but these checks, drawn from the survey data and stories above, help.

| Check | Why it matters |
| --- | --- |
| Your Superapp app or side business has paying customers who are strangers | Friends and family buying is not proof of demand |
| Business income covers a meaningful share of your living costs | Tony Dinh quit with about 500 USD a month in recurring revenue, but most people need more of a cushion |
| You have savings to cover months of expenses | Solo income is uneven; Welsh says solopreneurship "will likely never be stable" in the sense of a salary |
| You have a health insurance plan | In the US, the Marketplace is the usual route for the self-employed |
| You know your tax obligations | Self-employment tax is 15.3%, and estimated taxes are usually quarterly |
| You have picked one marketing channel and seen it work | Growth after quitting comes from a channel, not from extra hours alone |
| You have a plan for loneliness | Peer groups, coworking, or communities |
| You know what you will do if it does not work | A backup plan makes the decision less risky |

QuickBooks found 49% of side-hustlers would need at least 100,000 USD a year from the business before quitting. Your number will be different, but it is worth writing down before you decide.

## Common Solopreneur Challenges, and How to Handle Them

Superapp users face these same challenges once their app is live. Each has a practical fix.

| Challenge | Why it happens | How solopreneurs handle it |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Building faster than you can sell, with Superapp or any tool | Making things is now easy; finding customers is not | Plan marketing before building; pick one channel and give it 90 days |
| Uneven income | No salary, and clients or sales come in waves | Keep a cash buffer; add recurring revenue such as retainers or subscriptions |
| Loneliness | No coworkers | Communities, peer groups, coworking, and partners like Florian Vates found |
| Burnout | Every job is yours, with no one to cover | Systems, automation, and real time off |
| Doing everything badly | No one is good at every function | Outsource the weakest area first |
| Platform risk | A business built on one platform can lose it overnight, as Apollo did | Own your audience: an email list, a website, more than one channel |
| Taxes surprise | Nothing is withheld | Set aside a share of every payment; pay estimated taxes |

## A 90-Day Plan to Start as a Solopreneur

Superapp readers building an app can follow the product track; others can follow the service track. Many do both: services for income, a product for the long term.

| Days | Product track (an app with Superapp) | Service track (freelance or consulting) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 to 14 | Pick one problem and one user for your Superapp app; check App Store and Google search demand | Pick one service and one type of client; list 30 people to contact |
| 15 to 30 | Build the first version in Superapp; test it with 10 real users | Contact your list; land the first paid project |
| 31 to 45 | Fix what testers struggled with; publish to the App Store or the web | Deliver well; ask for a testimonial and a referral |
| 46 to 60 | Write the listing around search phrases; start one growth channel | Publish one piece of content a week about client problems |
| 61 to 75 | Track who pays and who comes back; fix the biggest drop-off | Turn repeat work into a fixed-price package or retainer |
| 76 to 90 | Double down on the channel that works; decide whether to continue | Raise prices for new clients; decide what to keep |

At day 90, review honestly. Brian Casel's advice applies: get to your first failure quickly, learn from it, and adjust, because "Nothing has ever worked overnight."

## Is Being a Solopreneur Right for You?

Superapp can remove the need to hire for building, but only you can decide whether solo suits you. These signals help.

| Solopreneurship is likely a good fit if | It may not be a good fit if |
| --- | --- |
| You want to build something like an app with Superapp and also sell it | You only want to build and never sell |
| You are self-directed and work without a manager | You need external structure to stay productive |
| You can live with uneven income for a while | You need a predictable paycheck right now |
| You enjoy learning many skills | You want to specialize deeply in one function |
| You value control more than scale | You want to build a large company and team |
| You can handle working alone | Isolation drains you quickly |

You do not have to choose forever. Many people start solo while employed, many solopreneurs later bring in a partner, and many entrepreneurs began as solopreneurs.

## Solopreneur Glossary

Superapp, Selfdrive, and the stories in this guide use some terms that are common in solo business. Here they are in plain language.

| Term | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| App business (for example, built with Superapp) | A business whose main product is an app, usually earning through subscriptions |
| Nonemployer | The US Census Bureau's term for a business with no paid employees |
| Sole proprietor | The IRS's term for "someone who owns an unincorporated business by themselves" |
| Single-member LLC | A limited liability company with one owner, which the SBA says protects personal assets "in most instances" |
| Self-employment tax | Social Security and Medicare tax for the self-employed, 15.3% |
| Estimated taxes | Tax payments made during the year, usually quarterly, instead of withholding |
| EIN | Employer Identification Number, a free federal tax ID |
| MRR | Monthly recurring revenue, the steady monthly income from subscriptions or retainers |
| Retainer | A monthly fee a client pays for ongoing work |
| Solo founder | A founder starting a company alone, often a startup |
| Platform risk | The risk that a business built on another company's platform loses access or faces new costs |
| Business-founder fit | Brian Casel's term for whether a business suits the person running it |

## Frequently Asked Questions

**What is a solopreneur?**
A solopreneur is a person who starts, owns, and runs a business alone, with no partners or employees. Merriam-Webster defines it as someone who runs a business "without the help of a partner."

**What does solopreneur mean?**
Solopreneur combines "solo" and "entrepreneur." It means a one-person business owner who handles every part of the business, from the product to sales, marketing, and finances.

**What is the difference between a solopreneur and an entrepreneur?**
Every solopreneur is an entrepreneur, but an entrepreneur usually aims to build a team and scale, while a solopreneur intends to run the business alone.

**What is the difference between a solopreneur and a freelancer?**
A freelancer sells their services to clients project by project. A solopreneur owns a business, which can include freelancing but often includes products, courses, or apps that earn without trading hours.

**Can a solopreneur have employees?**
Not by the usual definition; once you hire employees, you are a small business owner. Solopreneurs often use contractors, freelancers, and software instead.

**Can a solopreneur be a CEO?**
Yes. A solopreneur can use any title, including CEO or founder, since they lead the business. In practice, they are also its whole team.

**How many solopreneurs are there in the US?**
The US Census Bureau tracks businesses with no paid employees, called nonemployers. They grew an average of 2.7% a year from 2012 to 2023, faster than employer businesses, and contributed about 6.4% of 2023 US GDP.

**How much do solopreneurs make?**
It varies widely. A QuickBooks survey found 36% of solopreneurs bring in under 25,000 USD in yearly revenue, while well-known solopreneurs like Justin Welsh report millions in revenue.

**How do I become a solopreneur?**
Choose a business model, pick a specific problem and customer, validate demand, choose a legal structure, set up a business bank account, price your offer, pick one marketing channel, and plan for taxes from the first sale.

**Should a solopreneur form an LLC?**
Many do once they have real revenue, clients, or risk, because the SBA says an LLC protects you from personal liability in most instances. A sole proprietorship is simpler but does not separate business and personal liability. Check with a professional for your situation.

**What taxes do solopreneurs pay in the US?**
Income tax plus self-employment tax, which the IRS sets at 15.3% on net self-employment earnings of 400 USD or more. Most solopreneurs pay estimated taxes quarterly if they expect to owe 1,000 USD or more.

**What are the best solopreneur business ideas?**
Ideas that suit one person include app or software businesses, freelance services, consulting, courses, newsletters, digital products, and AI automation services. The best one uses a skill or knowledge you already have.

**Can a solopreneur build an app?**
Yes. AI builders like Superapp build native iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch apps, and web apps, from a description, so a solopreneur does not need to hire a developer. Marketing the app is still the solopreneur's job.

**What tools do solopreneurs use?**
Most use tools for building or delivering their product, payments, accounting, project management, scheduling, design, and email marketing. App solopreneurs add an app builder such as Superapp and a growth tool such as Selfdrive.

**What are the biggest challenges for solopreneurs?**
Uneven income, loneliness, burnout, doing every job yourself, platform risk, and taxes. Justin Welsh calls loneliness "the worst part of being a solopreneur."

**Is solopreneur a real word?**
Yes. Merriam-Webster lists it, with a first known use in 1992.

**Is a solopreneur the same as a sole proprietor?**
No. Solopreneur describes running a business alone; sole proprietor is a legal and tax status. The IRS defines a sole proprietor as "someone who owns an unincorporated business by themselves." Many solopreneurs are sole proprietors, but some run LLCs.

**Do solopreneurs need an EIN?**
Not always; many sole proprietors without employees can use their Social Security number. If you need one, the IRS says "You never have to pay a fee for an EIN," and you can apply online in minutes.

**How do solopreneurs get health insurance in the US?**
Most use the individual Health Insurance Marketplace. HealthCare.gov says you can enroll "if you're a freelancer, consultant, independent contractor," and you may qualify for premium tax credits.

**How do solopreneurs save for retirement?**
A common option is a one-participant 401(k), which the IRS describes as "a traditional 401(k) plan covering a business owner with no employees, or that person and his or her spouse."

**Can I be a solopreneur and keep my job?**
Yes. Many solopreneurs start on the side. In QuickBooks' survey of side-hustlers, 82% kept their jobs for the stability of a regular paycheck, and 49% said they would need at least 100,000 USD a year from the business before quitting.

**How long does it take to make money as a solopreneur?**
Services can pay within weeks; products, content, and apps usually take months or longer. Brian Casel's summary fits most solopreneurs: "Nothing has ever worked overnight."

**How do solopreneurs find customers?**
Usually through one channel at a time: content on one platform, search, ads, an audience built in public, or a partner. For iOS apps, App Store search matters most, since Apple says 70% of visitors use search to discover apps.

**Are solo founders the same as solopreneurs?**
They overlap. "Solo founder" usually refers to startups, sometimes venture-backed, that may hire later; "solopreneur" usually describes a business meant to stay one person. Carta found solo founders started 36.3% of new startups in the first half of 2025.

## References

- [Merriam-Webster: Solopreneur](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solopreneur)
 - [US Census Bureau: Nonemployer business growth, 2012 to 2023](https://census.gov/library/stories/2025/07/nonemployer-business-growth.html)
 - [Carta: Solo founders report](https://carta.com/data/solo-founders-report/)
 - [QuickBooks: Self-employment trends 2024](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/r/small-business-data/self-employment-trends-2024/)
 - [US Small Business Administration: Choose a business structure](https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/launch-your-business/choose-business-structure)
 - [IRS: Self-employment tax](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employment-tax-social-security-and-medicare-taxes)
 - [IRS: Estimated taxes](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estimated-taxes)
 - [US Chamber of Commerce: What is a solopreneur](https://www.uschamber.com/co/start/startup/what-is-solopreneur)
 - [Indie Hackers: Justin Welsh, growing to 6.8M USD and 1M followers](https://indiehackers.com/post/FzLRweGZuhK45W82J7Rt)
 - [Indie Hackers: Surviving solopreneurship, an interview with Justin Welsh](https://www.indiehackers.com/post/surviving-solopreneurship-an-interview-with-justin-welsh-135k-mo-cdde66ca92)
 - [Indie Hackers: Pieter Levels passes 100,000 USD a month with Photo AI](https://www.indiehackers.com/post/tech/pieter-levels-just-passed-100-000-a-month-in-revenue-with-photoai-NToMGI3ZjwSBOfTywZnG)
 - [RevenueCat: Christian Selig, Apollo](https://www.revenuecat.com/blog/growth/christian-selig-apollo-sub-club-podcast)
 - [Indie Hackers: Florian Vates, MonAi](https://www.indiehackers.com/post/tech/partnering-up-with-a-content-creator-to-hit-50k-mo-QZTlkTd3spxX5N2rNc3Z)
 - [DEV Community: 130 products on Gumroad, 0 sales](https://dev.to/mattbusel/selling-on-gumroad-with-ai-130-products-0-sales-greg-is-wrong-5f0b)
 - [IRS: Sole proprietorships](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/sole-proprietorships)
 - [IRS: Qualified business income deduction](https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/qualified-business-income-deduction)
 - [IRS: One-participant 401(k) plans](https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/one-participant-401k-plans)
 - [IRS: Get an employer identification number](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/get-an-employer-identification-number)
 - [IRS: Home office deduction](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/home-office-deduction)
 - [HealthCare.gov: Coverage for the self-employed](https://www.healthcare.gov/self-employed/coverage/)
 - [Indie Hackers: Tony Dinh, my solopreneur story](https://www.indiehackers.com/post/my-solopreneur-story-zero-to-45k-mo-in-2-years-1b858f47af)
 - [Indie Hackers: Samuel Rondot, a 28K-a-month portfolio](https://www.indiehackers.com/post/tech/learning-to-code-and-building-a-28k-mo-portfolio-of-saas-products-OA5p18fXtvHGxP9xTAwG)
 - [Indie Hackers: Brian Casel, business-founder fit](https://www.indiehackers.com/post/creators/finding-business-founder-fit-and-bringing-in-mid-six-figures-per-year-Vv1o5UsM9vT6YkuI5mPE)
 - [Superapp: How to make money with AI](https://superapp.dev/blog/how-to-make-money-with-ai)
 - [Superapp: Selfdrive](https://superapp.dev/selfdrive)

## Keep reading

[How to Design an App in 2026: Steps, Tools and Costs

Oct 22, 2026](https://superapp.dev/blog/how-to-design-an-app) [Apple Ads Basic vs Advanced: Which to Use in 2026

Oct 22, 2026](https://superapp.dev/blog/apple-ads-basic-vs-advanced) [Grok Bot Review: vs Claude, Codex and Selfdrive (2026)

Oct 22, 2026](https://superapp.dev/blog/grok-bot-review-vs-claude-codex)

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