What’s the Difference Between an Entrepreneur and a Solopreneur?

Entrepreneurs and solopreneurs are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Both are self-employed individuals who start and run their own businesses, but there are some key differences between the two.

An entrepreneur is someone who starts and runs a business, typically with the goal of creating a scalable company. Entrepreneurs are driven by the desire to innovate, solve problems, and create value for their customers. They often have a long-term vision for their business and are willing to take risks in order to achieve it.

Solopreneurs, on the other hand, are self-employed individuals who run their own businesses, but on a smaller scale. They are often solo practitioners in a specific field, such as consulting or coaching, and may work with a few clients or customers at a time. Solopreneurs are typically more focused on providing a specific service or product, rather than building a scalable business.

One key difference between entrepreneurs and solopreneurs is the level of risk they are willing to take. Entrepreneurs are often willing to take bigger risks, such as investing a large amount of money or time into their business, in order to achieve their long-term vision. Solopreneurs, on the other hand, may be more risk-averse and prefer to grow their businesses slowly and steadily.

Another difference is the level of control and decision-making involved in the business. Entrepreneurs make strategic decisions that impact the entire business and they manage multiple employees, without needing to do all the fulfillment work themselves. On the other hand, solopreneurs spend most of their time fulfilling their customers’ needs directly. They have more control over the day-to-day operations because they handle most of the operations themselves.

There are thousands of types of solopreneurs in today’s economy. A few categories and examples include:

• Authors (books, blogs, freelance work, etc.)
• Coaches (business, life, fitness, etc.)
• Consultants (strategy, marketing, IT, etc.)
• Agents (real estate, auto insurance, independent sales, etc.)
• Freelance workers (graphic designer, videographer, rideshare driver, etc.)
• Online sales (e-commerce, affiliate marketing, paid influencer, etc.)

Overall, the main difference between entrepreneurs and solopreneurs is the scale and scope of their businesses. Entrepreneurs are focused on building scalable companies, while solopreneurs are focused on providing a specific service or product to a smaller group of clients or customers. Both types of self-employed individuals can be successful in their own right, and the right choice for one person may not be the right choice for another.