5 early things I've learned going solo
I'm still new on my solo-founder journey but I've already started to experience some of the ups and downs of this approach. My reasons for going at it this way, versus a traditional hyper-scaling startup, are tied to a desire to continue the more sustainable approach I've pursued these past few years.
Balancing speed of execution with the thoughtfulness and intentionality that a slower pace requires isn't something I get right all the time, so here are 5 quick takeaways from my experience so far.
It can take over
The accountability amplification is real - I've always been accountable for my work, but full ownership feels different. That 4am wake-up because something exciting popped into my head? Great for momentum, terrible for my rest and recovery goals.
My laptop stays open - Sometimes it feels like I'm doing a solo hackathon instead of building a sustainable business. Reminding myself to close the laptop (or not open it) is an ongoing challenge.
Maintaining work-life boundaries requires intentionality - Without external structure, it's easy to let work consume everything. I'm still figuring out how to maintain the balance I want.
It can get lonely
Even introverted-extroverts need social stimulus - My home office setup lacks the coffee breaks and quick chit-chats that come from team work.
It's not about collaboration, it's about presence - I don't necessarily need someone to solve problems with, but I do miss the social energy.
Co-working with fellow solo founders is a good alternative - We mostly ignore each other while working independently, but there's something comforting about it.
Tests, Tests, Tests
"Too early for tests" is not the way - It's tempting to say you'll write automated tests later, but at what point does it actually move to the top of the priority list? Why build a house without a basic foundation?
Confidence correlates with execution speed - My ability to ship faster as a solo founder is tied to knowing I'm not constantly breaking things with a new feature.
No peer review means tests are my safety net - There's something deeply satisfying about writing new code and validating with a single command that nothing (hopefully) has broken.
Documentation is like lighter fuel
It forces better upfront thinking - Time spent documenting makes me do product and design pre-work instead of just "figuring it out as I go."
I’m technical, but this is even more critical for non-technical founders - If you're working with external engineering resources, documentation gives you visibility into the "how" and "what" of their deliverables.
This compounds in value over time - Like tests, documentation gets harder to bolt on after the fact and becomes exponentially more valuable as product complexity (and hopefully your user list) grows.
Non-human coworkers can add significant value
Solo-founder doesn't mean solo-builder - I'm leveraging AI tools like a junior developer in the building process.
As with real junior developers, the better their context (my documentation, tests, and project structure), the more valuable its output becomes, which drives a massive amplification of my capabilities.
Without that context, like many human junior developers, you may end up with too narrowly scoped solutions or even worse at this stage, unnecessarily complex solutions.
All of this happens while I'm also doing Product Consulting and Advisory work, which feels like running two businesses where one requires constant client development. The mental context-switching between "building my thing" and "selling my skill set" deserves its own deep dive.
Speaking of which, I'm taking on new product consulting projects for Q3—helping clients think through strategy, roadmaps, and scaling decisions-particularly valuable if you're at that stage where you need experienced product thinking without a full-time hire. Drop me a line if that resonates.