In 2018, Joy DasGupta walked away from a steady job in marketing at Starbucks after 13 years to work for herself as a rewards program consultant.
As a caregiver with a young child, DasGupta says the corporate life proved too inflexible, and the logistics of balancing her personal life and career were becoming overwhelming. Starbucks was also undergoing restructuring, and DasGupta’s once-secure corporate job was starting to feel a little shaky.
She explains that for most working mothers, “if you get the opportunity to make as much money—maybe even a little less—and get flexibility, many will take that option.” She adds that “there aren’t enough companies that are innovating around ways to compensate people with time, as opposed to just money.”
Instead, she’s earning what she calls a good income as a solopreneur, while enjoying the flexibility to structure her own schedule in a way that allows her to show up for her daughter and her clients.
“The hourly [rate] is great in terms of the return on my time.”
Between return to office mandates, AI-driven job insecurity, and a struggling labor market, American employees are feeling disengaged at work, inspiring many to seek an alternative. At the same time, solopreneurs—or those with full-time independent businesses and no desire to hire staff—are thriving.
It pays to be a solopreneur
According to a recent study conducted by online payroll and HR provider Gusto, solopreneurs typically earn about one-third less than similarly skilled employees in year one, but catch up quickly.
“By year two, the average solopreneur is making about 15% more than a similarly-skilled employee, and that goes up to about 25% by year five,” says Gusto economist Nich Tremper.
According to the study, the average solopreneur earns about $41,000 in year one, and over $83,000 by year three.
The most popular industry for solopreneurs, according to the study, is professional, scientific, and technical services, followed closely by transportation and warehousing, each accounting for about 13%. Those in the information sector typically see the sharpest annual revenue growth at over 51% per year, followed by arts, entertainment, and recreation at about 30%. Real estate, rental, and leasing professionals placed third with nearly 12%.
“When people think about small businesses, they tend to imagine folks that are on Main Street, with staff—little shops, little restaurants,” says Tremper. “In reality, 80% of small businesses don’t have any W2 employees, so solopreneurs are really foundational to the economy in a lot of ways.”
Since the pandemic, the United States has seen a significant spike in new businesses, and that entrepreneurial boom includes both traditional business owners and solopreneurs.
