Did you know that over 50% of the workforce is expected to be freelancers by 2027?
This highlights a significant shift towards independent work. And more individuals are seeking the flexibility and control that solopreneurship offers.
But who's a solopreneur? A solopreneur is an entrepreneur who runs a business without employees.
If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming your own boss and turning your skills into a thriving business, then you should be a solopreneur!
But with so many possibilities and advantages, where do you begin? And what does it take to succeed?
EdytAI has you covered. We are part of a SAAS product group that serves solopreneurs. This post will cover sound solopreneur business ideas and examples. We have categorized these ideas into five emerging trends and sectors.
We also have prepared some examples of solopreneurs: Justin welsh and Dan koe at the bottom of this blog.
1. Digital & Creative Services Business Ideas
| Solopreneur Idea | Description | Real-World Example |
|---|---|---|
| Software as a service | Provide your software product as a service | See examples from Indiehackers.com |
| Content creation | Create engaging content across various platforms | Mr. Beast - Visit his channel on YouTube |
| Developing personal digital products | Create and sell digital products focused on personal development | Dan Koe - Known for integrating personal development with digital strategyHe creates impactful content and digital products |
| Web design and development | Design and develop websites for businesses and individuals | Mike Janda - A freelance web designer sharing insights and tips for other designers |
| Graphic design services | Offer graphic design for digital and print media. | Aaron Draplin - Founder of Draplin Design Co., known for his graphic design work |
| Video production | Create videos for promotional, educational, or entertainment purposes | Peter McKinnon - Known for his videography tutorials and vlogs on YouTube |
| Photography | Offer professional photography services or sell photographs online | Brandon Stanton - Creator of "Humans of New York," a successful photoblog and book series |
2. E-Commerce & Product Sales Business Ideas
| Solopreneur Idea | Description | Real-World Example |
|---|---|---|
| Eco-friendly products | Sell sustainable and eco-conscious products online | Package Free Shop by Lauren SingerThe shop sells various zero-waste and sustainable products |
| E-commerce store | Run an online store focusing on specific niches | Beardbrand by Eric Bandholz - Started as a blog and evolved into an online store focusing on beard care products |
| Handmade crafts seller | Create and sell handmade crafts or unique products online | ThreeBirdNest by Alicia Shaffer - An Etsy store that became highly successful by selling handmade clothing and accessories |
| Online bakery or food business | Sell baked goods or specialty foods online | Bakerella by Angie Dudley - Known for popularizing cake pops through her blog |
| Specialty subscription box | Curate and sell subscription boxes focused on a specific theme | Birchbox - Initially started with delivering personalized beauty product samples to subscribers |
3. Education & Coaching Business Ideas
| Solopreneur Idea | Description | Real-World Example |
|---|---|---|
| Online business coaching | Provide coaching on building successful online businesses | Justin Welsh - An expert in creating and scaling online businesses, focusing on content creation |
| Online tutoring | Provide online learning assistance and tutoring | Belinda Flournoy - An online STEAM tutor |
| Online course creation | Create and sell online courses in a specific niche | Rob Percival - A web developer who created successful coding courses on Udemy |
| Health and wellness coaching | Offer online coaching in health, nutrition, and fitness | Dan Go - A health and wellness expert providing online coaching |
| Personal finance advising | Provide online advice and planning for personal finance | Ramit Sethi - Founder of "I Will Teach You To Be Rich," offering personal finance advice |
| Life coaching | Help individuals achieve personal and professional goals | Tony Robbins - Well-known for personal development coaching |
4. Marketing & Consulting Business Ideas
| Solopreneur Idea | Description | Real-World Example |
|---|---|---|
| Social media consulting | Offer social media strategy and management services | Rachel Pedersen - Known as the "Queen of Social Media" |
| SEO consulting | Provide search engine optimization services | Brian Dean - Founder of Backlinko, offering SEO courses and consulting |
| Digital marketing freelancing | Offer digital marketing services like SEO, and PPC | Neil Patel - Co-founder of Neil Patel Digital, offering digital marketing services |
| AI consulting | Provide AI-based consulting services to businesses | Jana Eggers - CEO of Nara Logics offering AI consulting services |
| IT consulting | Offer IT and technology consulting services | Nick Balletta - CEO of TalkPoint, specializing in webcasting services |
5. Personalized Services & Planning Business Ideas
| Solopreneur Idea | Description | Real-World Example |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual event planning | Organize online events, conferences, and meetings | Hopin - An online event platform facilitating engagement in a digital environment |
| Freelance writing | Write articles, blogs, or content for businesses | Elna Cain - A freelance writer providing high-quality content online |
| Virtual assistance | Provide administrative and business support services remotely | Gina Horkey - Founder of Horkey HandBook, a resource for virtual assistants |
| Bookkeeping services | Offer remote bookkeeping services to businesses | Bench by Ian Crosby, a leading online bookkeeping service for small businesses |
| Travel planning | Provide customized travel planning and advice services online | Going by Scott Keyes - Founder of Scott's Cheap Flights, helping others save on travel |
Some of the products and services covered in the above sections are now run by teams. But they did start finding success with a solo founder.
Journeys of Some Successful Solopreneurs
Exploring Justin Welsh's Solopreneur Journey. Who is He?
Justin Welsh is an online business coach and mentor.
Justin's move from the corporate world to solopreneurship resulted from his belief in the power of building an online audience. Recognizing the value and potential of online attention, he began cultivating his brand on LinkedIn in early 2019.
In his first six months, he had over 20,000 followers, showcasing the effectiveness of his strategy.
In August 2019, Justin made the bold decision to leave his executive role to focus on building one-person internet businesses. His mission, dubbed as the 'Diversified Solopreneur,' aimed to achieve success through multiple online ventures rather than relying on a single source of income.
Justin's remarkable results speak for themselves. His interview with James Fleischmann on 28 March 2024 highlights these results.
- Over 6.7 million in solopreneur business revenue with a 90% profit margin
- A huge following across various platforms: 550K+ on LinkedIn, 475K+ on X (formally Twitter), and 215K+ weekly newsletter readers
- His impressions exceeded 600 million over the past four years
What services does Justin Welsh offer?
Justin offers practical guidance and mentorship to individuals interested in internet solopreneurship. His expertise lies in leveraging digital platforms to generate revenue and build a personal brand.
He provides two self-guided courses.
The Operating System Digital Course
This is a 120-minute course with Justin's complete LinkedIn operating system. It covers strategies to grow from 0 to 500K followers and earn over $6.7 million without advertisements.
He markets his course and services primarily on social media platforms. Mainly on LinkedIn and Twitter.
He also uses his newsletters to promote his course to his email list.
This course costs $200 but it's currently on discount. It's now going at $99.
Justin also sells The Content OS Digital Course.
This is an 85-minute course focusing on content creation strategies. It reveals the secrets behind Justin's impressive 600M+ impressions on LinkedIn and Twitter, and building a 200,000+ subscriber newsletter.
All his courses and services are openly received by his audience. Here is what his customers say:
And where can you get Justin?
Justin is active on various online platforms, primarily LinkedIn and Twitter.
LinkedIn: With over 582k followers on LinkedIn, he uses it to connect with his audience and promote his solopreneur courses.
X(Twitter): He has over 487k followers on X, which also contributes to his visibility and online presence.
Justin Welsh website: He has a website where individuals can access his courses and contact him for further inquiries.
Instagram: He has over 36k followers on Instagram where he motivates and engages with his audience.
Through his courses and mentorship, Justin empowers new solopreneurs to achieve their business goals.
The Solo Entrepreneurial Journey of Dan Koe
From a young age, Dan Koe recognized the pervasive dissatisfaction with conventional life paths. This motivated him to embark on an entrepreneurial journey. A decision that would define his unique brand of solo entrepreneurship.
When he went to college at ASU, he was ready to start working on his business ideas. He wanted to make money, without needing a regular job. This was the beginning of his life as a solo entrepreneur.
Like Justin Welsh, Dan offers services that help small business owners. He gives advice and help on how to make a brand strong and grow a business.
He offers online classes and things that make it easier to understand freelancing, using social media to get famous, and how to make good content.
Dan's newest project is a tool called Kortex. It's made to change the way professional writers and creative folks make their work. He also put together lessons that were accessible to Kortex users.
Here are some of Dan's pieces.
- The Art of Focus Keepsake Edition - This premium package includes a hardcover book, a digital download, and an audiobook. It also has a specially designed planner and coin to enhance focus and intention.
You can buy this book on Amazon at $30, 25.20, or 14.99 depending on how you want it. - Digital Transformation Center - Provides modern entrepreneurship training and a community for networking and support.
- Consulting and Coaching - Through this, he imparts valuable marketing, sales, and branding strategies tailored to the needs of creators, coaches, and freelancers.
Where can you get Dan?
Dan Koe's digital footprint is as diverse as it is profound. You can get him on,
- LinkedIn: He has over 135k followers. He uses LinkedIn to engage with his network.
- X(Twitter): He shares daily posts on his X handle which has over 443k followers.
- YouTube: His YouTube channel has over 675k subscribers and 161 videos.
- The Dan Koe website: This website is a nexus of his work. It gives access to his writings and digital downloads.
- Email list: It offers an intimate channel for communication, where he promotes a direct dialogue with his audience.
- Instagram: It's his visual storyboard.
Tips for Becoming a Successful Solopreneur
- Define your vision and goals. What do you want your business to achieve? How will it impact your life and the lives of others? A clear vision will guide your decision-making and motivate you during challenging times.
- Identify your strengths and weaknesses. No one is good at everything. Be honest with yourself about your skillset and areas for improvement. This self-awareness will help you focus on developing your strengths and determine when to outsource tasks.
- Create a business plan. Your plan should include market research, financial projections, and marketing strategies. It will serve as a reference point and help you secure funding.
- Know your target market. Who are your ideal customers? Understanding their needs and wants helps develop targeted marketing campaigns and irresistible offers.
- Establish your brand. Your brand is your reputation. Develop a consistent brand identity that reflects your values and resonates with your target market. This includes your logo, color palette, messaging, and overall customer experience.
- Develop a marketing strategy. How will you reach your target market? Explore various marketing channels, such as social media, content marketing, and email marketing. Track your results and adapt your strategy as needed.
- Prioritize tasks and time management. Develop effective time management strategies to stay productive and avoid burnout.
- Continuously learn. Stay ahead of the business curve by continuously learning and developing new skills. Take online courses, attend workshops, and network with other professionals in your field.
- Outsource when necessary. You don't have to do everything yourself. Delegate or outsource tasks outside your core competencies or take up too much time. This will free you up to focus on high-value activities that drive growth.
- Never stop networking. Surround yourself with positive and supportive people. Network with other solopreneurs, industry experts, and potential collaborators.
- Depending on your niche. You might need to write consistently to get your customers. There are lots of tools out there to help you. But if you need to blog, edyt.ai is your best tool.
The solopreneur path offers endless possibilities for the brave. You can create a fulfilling and profitable business on your own terms by leveraging your unique skills and expertise. Whether you're interested in online reselling or freelance writing, there is something for everyone.
Start small, focus on your strengths, and continuously learn and adapt.
For further reading, check out these resources: