Anyone who’s ever started their own business knows that it takes a lot of know-how and effort. And doing it solo means that all the responsibility falls on one person’s shoulders. We recently surveyed over a thousand solopreneurs to better understand what those responsibilities are and how they’ve impacted them personally and professionally.
Our full write-up, The Power of One: 2025 Solopreneur Report, goes into the nitty gritty details of what these self-employed entrepreneurs had to say. But here are a few takeaways about the things they didn’t expect, the sacrifices they’ve made, and what makes it all worth it.
Underestimating the Workload
“One of the biggest challenges was getting people to take a chance on a small, unknown company. I didn’t have a big budget for marketing, and I had to wear every hat: cleaner, scheduler, sales, customer service. Building trust, staying consistent, and being reliable helped me overcome that.”
Gabriel, owner of Acoff Cleaning Services
It’s logical to expect it to take a lot of work to become a successful solopreneur. But our survey found that there were a number of aspects of the career path that respondents underestimated.
The top response? Wearing so many hats. We found that 61% underestimated their ability to handle all business functions themselves. Solo business owners are often expected to handle, well, everything. That means bookkeeping, marketing, customer service, and a whole laundry list of other administrative tasks necessary to keep things running. The solopreneurs we surveyed found they hadn’t anticipated just how much they’d have to manage.
Similarly, 53% underestimated the amount of time and effort required. Not only do they need to know how to handle all necessary tasks, they also need to have the time and energy to do them while also trying to build a client list and do the job itself.
The third most common response had to do with money matters, with 41% stating that the financial commitment and continued investment were more than they expected. Upfront costs can be high for new business owners, and for a solo-run business, that means that there’s only one person there to foot the bill.
The Sacrifices Solopreneurs Make for Autonomy
Solo business owners often have to make sacrifices that impact their overall quality of life. For instance, 40% of solopreneurs surveyed said they’ve had to sacrifice a steady paycheck. And financial stability isn’t the only thing they’ve given up. Three out of the top four most common sacrifices have to do with a lack of time. According to the survey, 42% reported they’ve had to forgo time with family and friends. An additional 35% said they’ve had to give up their own vacation and free time. And finally, 34% have missed out on sleep.
The takeaway? Free time (or lack thereof) is clearly a common issue. But, when you have so much on your shoulders, it’s important to try to prioritize leisure time as much as you can. It’s a key factor in reducing stress and allows you to decompress and come back to work refreshed. Our guide to taking vacation time as a small business owner offers tips to help you with the time management needed to get some time to yourself, and you can find it here.
Why it’s Worth the Work
“In the beginning, the biggest challenge was doing it all ourselves with limited resources, old equipment, tight finances, and not a lot of support. But we pushed through, kept improving, and started earning trust from our community. Every job, every review, and every repeat customer helped us build momentum. Now we’re focused on growing smart, staying efficient, and creating a business our kids can be proud of.”
Richard, owner of StoneHedge Landscaping Services
Only 34% of those we surveyed said they’d considered giving up on their businesses, many citing the issues discussed above (tight finances, burnout, and difficulty finding clients). Compare that to the 79% who are confident in their business’s future. We’d say that overall the solopreneur landscape is cautiously optimistic, despite the challenges.
Being your own boss, of course, comes with sacrifices. But it’s important to understand why these hardworking individuals decided to make the leap in the first place. The top reasons, according to our survey, were out of passion or desire for autonomy. And it’s clear that this drive is a major incentive to make all the work involved in going solo worth it.
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