What’s the hardest part of being a solopreneur that no one talks about?
There’s a lot of talk about freedom, flexibility, owning your time, and 100% equity.
But behind the scenes, being a solo founder is also full of hidden challenges — emotionally, financially, and logistically.
As a solo founder, you wear all the hats: product, design, marketing, support, strategy… and sleep, if there's time.
What’s one thing you wish more people talked about honestly as a solo founder?
p.s. I have a co-founder but we are also the only 2 team members working on our startup, and I already feel each of us takes too many responsibilities. We used to consider outsource some non-core tasks but we also heard lots of drawbacks of outsourcing (even not the core technical stuffs). So currently we are still doing everything all by ourselves.
Salute to all solo-founder! You all are the true hero!
Replies
Wearing every hat - strategy, execution, and support - without a safety net.
Here are some concise points on the hardest parts of being a solopreneur that often go unspoken:
Loneliness – No team to share wins, failures, or decisions.
Decision Fatigue – Constantly making every choice alone can be exhausting.
No Work-Life Balance – Work easily bleeds into personal time.
Self-Doubt – No external validation can lead to imposter syndrome.
Inconsistent Income – Financial unpredictability adds pressure.
Limited Time – Juggling admin, marketing, delivery, and growth solo.
Lack of Accountability – Staying disciplined without external deadlines is tough.
Burnout Risk – Hustling nonstop without backup leads to fatigue.
Wearing Too Many Hats – Doing everything from CEO to customer support.
Scaling Alone – Growth becomes overwhelming without a team.
@jayeshhchauhan Fee like all bitters :( Maybe I should create a thread "What's the best part of being a solo-founder..." the next time to give some positive vibes haha.
@andrea_liao1014 Sure I didn't mean that solo founder is not a good option :) , here some positive points of being a solo founder:
Full control – You make all key decisions.
Clear vision – No conflicts in direction or priorities.
Faster execution – Less coordination, more action.
Personal growth – You wear many hats and learn fast.
Equity retention – 100% ownership of your company.
Stronger resilience – Builds confidence and independence.
Direct relationships – Closer bond with team, users, and investors.
I’m a social worker pivoting into tech, getting ready to launch an iOS app. I’ve clocked in 845 hours (just checked my Xcode screen time 🤣) because I’m so committed to quality.
Trying to do this process as best as I can, meeting with colleagues in VC/tech who understand a healthy product development process and what to aim for. Reading well-established UX and software design principles/laws to define my contraints as I go.
I totally agree with the other commenters, especially when it comes to having a team to share decisions, failures, and successes with. I also haven’t found any social work colleagues who share my interests, so it’s lonely not having kindred spirits in a way that’s both emotional and technical. I think UX design and psychotherapeutic modalities aren’t that different in principle; it’s understanding who you’re working with, what constructs their psychology, and how to move them forward. That’s therapy. It’s also a user journey.
Hoping to find community here on Product Hunt (Reddit scares me lol but maybe that’ll change), everyone seems supportive and I can’t wait to launch! Thank you Andrea for this thoughtful question!
@masontember I'm so glad to hear that a social worker is joining tech and developing something for social good! It's such a niche domain yet so meaningful.
Definitely it's hard at the beginning when you pivot into a new area, but learning while doing is common nowadays. I learned so much while developing my product and I wouldn't have learned that much from school.
Really appreciate that you shared your true story, and glad that you find a community here where you feel comfortable (Haven't been in Reddit for a while and I'm curious how scary it is now 🤣). Do let me know when you launch the product. I can't wait to try it out! Good luck!
Hey Andrea.
One of the obstacles I see is that the journey sometimes feels so lonely. Especially when a solo-founder has downs.
@busmark_w_nika Loneliness has been mentioned for the most times for this topics! If there's any community where solo-founders can support and cheer for each other, that'd be a big source of energy for solo-founders!
@andrea_liao1014 Cannot find any particular, but I feel that in the #buildinpublic community on Twitter, there are many solo founders, and there is cohesion among us.
I have seen more and more mental health mentoring sessions for founders in accelerators/pre-accelerators.
Stay well, and stay strong! (You're never alone!)