How To Scale Your Business Without A Team

The solo entrepreneur movement is surging. According to a 2024 Intuit study, 65 % of solopreneurs earn more working for themselves than as employees, while 50% of current employees want to start businesses within a year. 

With 9.82 million self-employed professionals in the US, the challenge isn’t starting a business — it’s scaling without a full team. While 6 in 10 solopreneurs planned to hire help in 2024, successful founders proved that significant scaling is possible first.

After sitting down with several entrepreneurs, it is clear that scaling your business without a team lies in strategic automation, community building, and laser-focused prioritization.

Leona Burton, founder of MIB International, built her global women’s network while raising six children. She said being “resourceful, intentional, and crystal clear on your goals” is the key to successfully scaling your business. Leona advocates for treating technology as your first hire. 

“Automate whatever you can, from scheduling to onboarding,” she said. “Treat your tech like your first employee — that could be Canva or Claude. Don’t fear AI, embrace it.”

Igor Trunov, founder of Atlantix, said he relied on AI-powered tools for research and process automation before hiring staff. 

“This allowed me to punch above my weight class and build momentum without employee overhead,” Igor said.

His AI workflows monitored market signals and generated investor-ready reports, replacing the need for a full-time analyst. 

Katie Jones, owner of Squirrel A Store of Buried Treasure, said she operated alone for two years using simple spreadsheets to track sales and stock, unified payment systems and pre-scheduled social media. During the holiday season, she pre-planned promotions and pre-packed popular items.

“Although it appeared I had a small team, it was merely good preparation,” Katie said. “Operate your business as though it has employees. When you bring people aboard, they’ll find systems that assist development.” 

Anna Stella, marketing expert at BBSA, said scaling without employees “only works if you build solid processes.” She recommends creating “a virtual bench of suppliers who work with you as if they were a team.”

According to a survey by Gusto, one-third of new solopreneurs hired contractors in 2024, with over half planning to expand their contractor base in 2025.

Leena Chitnis, founder and CEO of Timberdog, scaled from “a sketch on a napkin to a full-fledged e-commerce operation with patented inventions” over 7.5 years. Leena said she focuses on “reviews, testimonies, endorsements, media attention and awards, and backlinks through guest blog-posting and podcast appearances. These efforts put you on the map and improve search results.”

Leona also reinforces community-building.

“I built MIB by connecting women globally — that peer-to-peer support scaled impact far beyond what I could do alone,” she said. “When you don’t have a team, collaboration is your superpower.”

Camille Fiori, IBCLC and Functional Chef at Nourish Meal Delivery, said she scaled through daily Facebook group posts and Instagram reels. Her breakthrough came from switching from WooCommerce with WordPress to Shopify, which allowed for more exposure and ease of use.

This enabled her to join the Shop Collective, a Shopify e-commerce feature, where other brands imported her DIY kits. She implemented automated review systems using Loox and Bon Loyalty apps that “send automatic emails encouraging reviews and reward points for future orders.”

Leona emphasizes energy management too.

“Protect your energy because scaling without staff means you are the engine,” she said. “Boundaries, self-care, and clarity on what truly moves the needle are non-negotiable. Build lean, prove the concept, then bring the right people on when foundations are strong.”

“Be ruthless about where your time goes — double down on things only you can do, and let technology or external partners handle the rest until you’re ready to scale your team,” Igor said.