Why Staying Solo Might Be Your Best Growth Strategy in 2026
Contributed by SBOC Member:
Pat Miller
Founder of the Small Business Owners Community
This content was first released in the new Small Business Summary Newsletter. Subscribe below to get insights like this straight to your inbox!
The Growth Assumption We Need to Question
There’s a script we all follow as small business owners. You start something. It works. Business picks up. And then the next step is obvious: hire someone.
That first part-time employee. Maybe a VA. Eventually a full-timer. You grow by adding people. That’s how it’s always worked.
But in 2026, maybe that assumption needs to be questioned.
The labor market has changed in ways that make traditional hiring genuinely difficult for small businesses. The talent pool is mismatched. Skills are lacking. Critical thinking is eroding. And engagement—even when you find good people—has collapsed.
So what if the answer isn’t to fight that reality? What if the answer is to stay solo longer than you planned?
Automation Before Employees
Before you hire anyone, ask yourself: what can be automated?
The tools available today are dramatically better than they were even a few years ago. CRM systems like GenHead can automate customer workflows. Marketing platforms like Engie can handle social media, content creation, and analytics. Project management tools can track everything without a project manager.
Every system you build, every workflow you automate, is one less thing you need a human for.
This isn’t about replacing people. It’s about making sure that when you do bring someone on, they’re doing work that actually requires a human—not administrative tasks that software handles better anyway.
SOPs as a Scaling Strategy
Standard Operating Procedures aren’t just for big companies with compliance departments. For solopreneurs, SOPs are a scaling strategy.
When you document how things get done—step by step, no assumptions—you create something valuable: the ability to hand work off without being involved in every decision.
SOPs mean:
- Contractors can execute without constant guidance
- Future employees can onboard faster
- You can take a vacation without everything falling apart
- Work gets done consistently, whether you’re involved or not
Building SOPs takes time upfront. But every hour you spend documenting processes saves you multiple hours later. And it makes the eventual transition to having employees dramatically smoother.
Contractors as a Middle Path
Contractors exist in a different category than employees. They have narrow skillsets. They’re here to do a specific thing. You can’t tell them when and how to work, but you can tell them “do this thing” and they’ll do it.
This is powerful for scaling without the overhead of traditional employment.
Need bookkeeping? Contractor. Need graphic design? Contractor. Need someone to edit your podcast? Contractor. Need customer service coverage during specific hours? Maybe a contractor can handle that too.
The more you can get done through contractors, the longer you can stay lean. And staying lean means staying flexible—which matters a lot when the economy is uncertain and the labor market is unpredictable.
When You Do Hire: Eyes Wide Open
Eventually, you might reach the point where contractors and automation aren’t enough. The business has grown to where you genuinely need employees.
When that happens, go in with realistic expectations.
You’re not just hiring help. You’re taking on new responsibilities:
You’re now the training department. With 89% of employers struggling to find qualified applicants, you’ll likely need to train whoever you hire. Budget time for that.
You’re now the engagement officer. Employee engagement has dropped to 64%. If you want people who care about the work, you’ll need to actively create that environment. It doesn’t happen automatically.
You’re now in the professional development business. When asked what would improve engagement, employees said professional development. They want to grow. If you’re not helping them grow, they’ll disengage—or leave.
None of this is impossible. It’s just different from the fantasy version of hiring where you bring someone on and suddenly have help.
Hiring is a new set of responsibilities. Knowing that upfront helps you prepare.
The Bottom Line
The old playbook said hire as you grow. The 2026 reality says that path is harder than it used to be.
For many solopreneurs, the smarter move is to stay solo longer. Build systems. Create SOPs. Use contractors strategically. Automate everything you can.
And when you do eventually hire? Go in knowing exactly what you’re signing up for.
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Contributed by
Pat Miller
Founder of the Small Business Owners Community
Pat spent two decades in broadcasting management and hosting. After leaving the radio industry, he spent time consulting small businesses and realized the support system for entrepreneurs was broken. Where could you find help for improving small businesses and building real connections with other like-minded people. In June of 2020, the Idea Collective Small Business Community was born.