The Loneliness of Solopreneurship

Building connection isn’t a luxury it’s a growth strategy.

May 13, 2025

In our final edition of the Gallup’s 2024 Global Emotions Report review. If you know that 23% of people worldwide said they felt lonely the day before. That number likely runs even higher among solopreneurs. Because let’s face it: working for yourself often means working by yourself. And while independence is one of the great rewards of entrepreneurship, isolation can quickly become one of its biggest risks. This week’s post is a reminder that community is not something you wait for it is something you build. And the emotional payoff is not the only reason to do it. Staying connected is good for business.

If you know someone pushing through the hard times share this will them to help them out. Thanks!

Building connection isn’t a luxury it’s a growth strategy.

Solopreneurs Are Especially Vulnerable

When you are the founder, the operator, the head of sales, and customer support it is easy to slip into isolation without realizing it. You go head down on a product launch. You skip lunch to reply to emails. You celebrate wins alone. After all who else is going to celebrate with you? You troubleshoot setbacks at midnight. And eventually, even though you are doing everything right, you feel disconnected. That loneliness is not weakness, it is reality. And left unchecked, it can lead to burnout, poor decisions, and missed opportunities. You need to find ways to stay connected. Find mentors to bounce problems off of. Find friends or fellow solopreneurs you can celebrate with. As we are about to discuss, connection is the key.

Connection Is a Growth Tool

You do not just need a break you need input. Conversations with peers, customers, and mentors spark ideas you will not get from sitting alone with your calendar or e-mail. They are how:

A stalled project gets new momentum
A warm intro replaces 20 cold emails
A single question unlocks a better path forward

Relationships do not just support your emotional health they support your pipeline. You ca not scale your business in a vacuum. And the good news is: you do not have to. There are people out there that want to connect with you. They want to help you win, they want to help you get unstuck. You just have to get out there and make the time to connect.

You Have to Build the Village

There is a myth that community will find you when you “arrive.” Once you are on top of the mountain you can connect with everyone else that is up there. But the truth is, if you want meaningful connection, you have to make the first move. You have to connect along the way up the mountain or you will never make it up there. So do not wait. Reach out.

Host a casual founder lunch even if it is just two people.
Join (or start) a peer group that meets monthly.
Reach out to someone newer than you in the journey and offer help.
Look for start up communities. Like Start-up and Grind. Or 1 Million Cups.

You do not need a massive network. You need a few real conversations that remind you: you are not building alone. You do not need a lot of time either. 30 mins once or twice a week is more than enough time.

Action Step:

Reach out to three people this week:

A founder – to share what’s working (or what’s not).
A friend – to connect outside your business.
A mentor – to talk about where you’re going.

No pitch. No updates required. Just a check-in. Then set a recurring reminder to do it again next week. Your mental health and your business will thank you.

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