Running a business of one means being the founder, the marketing team, the bookkeeper, and the help desk all at once. So we wanted to know what the hyper-growth solopreneurs do that others might not. We surveyed 193 solo business owners and zeroed in on the hyper-growth group, those whose revenue grew 30% or more in the past year, to see which website and digital habits show up most among them.
The pattern was clear among hyper-growth solopreneurs. They get their business online early, keep improving their website after launch, and hand over routine tasks to AI so they can focus on the work that grows the business.
Key takeaways
- Nearly 9 in 10 hyper-growth solopreneurs (89%) have a website.
- Nearly 2 in 3 (63%) had their website live within three months of starting.
- More than 3 in 4 (79%) have improved their website since launch.
- Nearly 4 in 5 (79%) use AI for at least one part of their business.
- Nearly half (47%) use AI for marketing and content.
- About 1 in 3 (32%) use AI tools to help with bookkeeping.
- Nearly 2 in 3 (63%) feel their tools let them compete with far bigger businesses.
- More than 1 in 4 who use AI (27%) save six or more hours a week.
Hyper-growth solopreneurs get websites up early and keep at it
For the hyper-growth solopreneurs, a website isn’t a someday project. It’s a part of their operations.
Nearly 9 in 10 hyper-growth solopreneurs (89%) had a website, and most got there fast, with 63% online within three months of starting, compared with 40% of other solopreneurs. Just as telling is what they did after launch. More than 3 in 4 (79%) had improved their website since building it, versus 63% of the rest, and 58% updated it at least monthly, compared with 39%. More than 2 in 3 (68%) also kept active social accounts.
When we asked all solopreneurs what they would build first if they had to start over, more than 1 in 4 (27%) said a website and domain, second only to their personal network. Even so, about 1 in 4 solopreneurs overall (24%) still had no website, a reminder of how much room there is to catch up.
AI is the team they never hired
Ask a hyper-growth solopreneur how they cover the work of a full team, and the answer is usually AI.
Nearly 4 in 5 hyper-growth solopreneurs (79%) used AI for at least one part of their business, compared with 64% of other solopreneurs. Marketing and content led the way at 47%, versus 30% of the rest, followed by image creation and website copywriting (both at 37%). About a third (32%) used AI tools to help with their bookkeeping, compared with 13% of other solopreneurs, and 26% used AI to support marketing or social media work.
More than 1 in 4 hyper-growth solopreneurs who use AI (27%) saved six or more hours a week, and 1 in 10 saved more than a full workday. Across all solopreneurs, product descriptions, marketing and content, and images were the most common uses, each named by about 3 in 10. Still, 35% of solopreneurs don’t use AI at all, the single most common answer when we asked how they use it, so there’s a clear opening for the ones who start..
How hyper-growth solopreneurs achieve success
Get the foundation and the tools right, and a business of one starts to feel a lot bigger.
Nearly 9 in 10 hyper-growth solopreneurs (89%) had the time freedom they set out for, compared with 68% of other solopreneurs, and 63% felt their tools let them compete with far bigger businesses, versus 40% of the rest. More than 2 in 3 (68%) said they had grown without burning out, more than double the 31% of other solopreneurs, and 47% had reached the steady, reliable revenue they define as success, compared with 30%.
Across all solopreneurs, steady revenue was the top definition of success, cited by 79%, yet only 31% had reached it. Overall, solopreneurs said they would need about $78,000 a year to feel successful, while 62% currently earn under $50,000. Hyper-growth solopreneurs set an even higher bar, at about $100,000, and they were the likeliest to be closing the gap.
What this means if you are building solo
If there’s one thing to take from all of this, it’s that the hyper-growth solopreneurs aren’t working with more people or having more luck. They get online early, keep their website running, and let AI handle the busywork so their time goes to the work only they can do. You don’t need a team to grow. You need a foundation you keep building on, and the right tools to stand in for the team you haven’t hired yet.
Methodology
This survey was conducted in August 2026 by Fractl on behalf of Network Solutions. It surveyed 193 American solopreneurs to explore what it takes to grow a business of one, from how quickly they built their online foundation to which websites and digital habits, including AI, they rely on to run everything themselves. Hyper-growth solopreneurs are those whose annual revenue grew 30% or more over the past year, approximately 10% of respondents. Other solopreneurs are all remaining respondents. This report compares the two groups to surface the habits most common among the fastest-growing solopreneurs. All participants were adults aged 18 or older and were the sole owner or operator of their business.
The average age of respondents was 43. Of those surveyed, 63% were women, 30% were men, and 8% self-described, preferred not to say, or did not disclose. By generation, 7% were baby boomers, 30% were Gen X, 51% were millennials, and 12% were Gen Z; a further 5% did not disclose their age. Methodology percentages not totaling 100% are due to rounding. The margin of error for the full sample is approximately ±7 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Hyper-growth figures are based on a subgroup of 19 respondents and are directional, with a wider margin of approximately ±22 percentage points. All findings are self-reported and do not guarantee results.
About Network Solutions
For over 40 years, Network Solutions has helped people claim their space online, and it all starts with a domain. As this study shows, many solopreneurs still don’t have a website, and the ones growing fastest treat getting online as step one. From registering your domain to website building, hosting, security, and AI tools built to help you move from idea to action faster, we bring everything you need to get online and grow, all in one place. Ready to claim yours? Start your domain search at Network Solutions. We believe you have what it takes to break through, and we’re here to help make it happen. .
Fair Use Statement
Information in this article may be used for noncommercial purposes only. If you reference any findings, please provide a link back to this page and a mention of Network Solutions as the author.
