The Solo-preneur’s Guide to Asserting Dominance (Over Yourself)

Ah, the life of a solo-preneur: no co-founders, no big team, no problem. Just you, your laptop, and an endless supply of caffeine-fueled dreams. You’re not just hustling—you’re building multiple small apps in the hope that one of them will take off, dragging you out of your glorified side-gig existence and into the promised land of actual success.

But here’s the thing: to succeed as a solo-preneur, it’s not enough to grind away quietly. You have to assert dominance. Over who? Well, mostly yourself. But also your tiny team of virtual assistants, your customers, and the universe itself. Because if you’re not in complete control of your solopreneur empire, who is?

Here’s your definitive guide to asserting dominance as a solo-preneur. Trust us, you’ll need it.

1. Call Yourself a “Serial Entrepreneur” by Default

The key to asserting dominance as a solo-preneur is starting with the title. Forget “indie hacker” or “solopreneur.” That’s small-time. You’re a Serial Entrepreneur, even if the only thing serial about you is the number of failed apps in your portfolio.

Wear the title with pride. Drop it in every conversation, tweet, and LinkedIn bio. People don’t need to know that the “series” is just a long list of apps that your cat uses. What matters is that you’ve got the mindset of someone who’s already made it. (Or at least someone who plans to make it eventually.)

2. Schedule Meetings With Yourself to Show You Mean Business

You might not have a team (yet), but that doesn’t mean you can’t schedule a few daily stand-ups. Nothing says "I'm a serious founder" like starting the day by talking to yourself about key performance indicators (KPIs).

If anyone asks, just tell them, "Oh, I have a quick team sync at 9 AM every morning." They don’t need to know that the "team" is just you, staring into the void and planning your next side project pivot. The important thing is that you look busy and in charge.

3. Use Phrases Like “We’re Working On…” Even Though It’s Just You

Sure, it’s just you behind the scenes, but your customers don’t need to know that. Always use the royal “we” when discussing your products. “We’re currently integrating some AI features,” sounds way more impressive than “I’m still trying to figure out this API documentation.”

When you speak as if you’re a fully-staffed company, it sends the message that you’ve got things under control—even if you’re just one more bug fix away from losing it entirely.

4. Be In “Stealth Mode” For As Long As Possible

Have you noticed that every solo-preneur who hasn’t launched yet is always “in stealth mode”? Use this to your advantage. Whenever someone asks about your current project, tell them you’re “working on something huge, but I can’t reveal the details just yet.”

The beauty of stealth mode is that it makes you sound like you’re on the cusp of disrupting an entire industry—without actually having to show anyone what you’re building. It’s the perfect cover for when you’re still Googling “How to get product market fit.”

5. Hire A Virtual Assistant, Then Refer To Them As Your “Team”

Once you’ve made a little money—whether through your latest app or that freelance gig that pays the bills—hire a virtual assistant. Then, whenever you refer to your “team,” act as if you’ve just onboarded a Silicon Valley dream team.

Sure, your VA might just be helping with customer support and scheduling your tweets, but as far as everyone else is concerned, you’re leading a small army of dedicated professionals. You’ve delegated, and that’s what real CEOs do.

6. Call Every Minor Pivot a “Strategic Business Shift”

Did your latest app flop after three weeks? No worries. It wasn’t a failure—it was a strategic business shift. You’re just pivoting to a new market opportunity.

Whether you’re changing your app from a “productivity tool for freelancers” to a “wellness platform for remote workers,” frame every change as if it was part of the master plan all along. Remember, dominance is about perception, not reality.

7. Tweet at 4 AM About the “Grind” (But Only After Your Power Nap)

You know the solo-preneur culture: if you’re not tweeting about the grind, are you even hustling? Make sure to schedule a few late-night tweets that really capture the suffering you're enduring for the sake of your future success.

Something like: “It’s 4 AM, and I’m still building. The grind never stops. #IndieHacker #SaaSLife”.

Just don’t mention that you actually went to bed at 9 PM, woke up briefly at 4 AM, scheduled a tweet, and went back to sleep. They don’t need to know the details—they just need to think you’re hustling harder than anyone else.

8. Launch Early, Then Tell People “It’s All Part of the Process”

Launch your product early—like, super early. So early that the landing page barely works and half the features are just placeholders. Then, when people ask about the missing functionality, respond with a confident, “That’s all part of the process. We’re testing with early adopters.”

This is a power move. It shows that you’re agile, iterative, and confident enough to release a half-baked product and call it an MVP. The bugs? They’re features, and only you have the vision to see it that way.

9. Drop Product Hunt Launch Hints Like You’re Running a Stealth Startup

Even if you’re just building a to-do list app, treat your Product Hunt launch like it’s the next billion-dollar IPO. Casually drop hints about your upcoming launch in every Slack group, tweet thread, and indie hacker forum.

“Big things coming soon, folks. Stay tuned for the launch 🚀.”

Make sure people are counting down the days, even if what you’re actually launching is a glorified version of Notepad with dark mode. Remember, it’s not about what you’re launching—it’s about the hype.

10. End Every Email With “Let’s Crush This”

As a solo-preneur, you might be spending a lot of time talking to yourself, but you’ll still need to send emails every now and then—to potential partners, customers, or your virtual assistant. The key to asserting dominance in email is simple: always end with “Let’s crush this” or “We’re just getting started”.

Nothing signals that you’re in control like a vague but motivational sign-off. It creates the illusion that you’re about to embark on a heroic entrepreneurial journey, even if you’re just sitting at home, fighting with your web host about uptime.

Final Thoughts: You’re the Founder, the CEO, and the Entire Staff

As a solo-preneur, it’s easy to feel like you’re a small fish in a big pond. But remember: you are the entire operation. You’re the boss, the team, the marketing department, and the janitor. By asserting dominance—over yourself, your time, and your tiny empire—you can project the confidence of a one-person powerhouse.

Now get back to your stand-up meeting (with yourself), schedule that 4 AM tweet, and tell everyone you’re in stealth mode. Because if you don’t believe you’re building the next big thing, who else will?

Disclaimer: This post is meant for satirical purposes only. While being a solo-preneur is tough, you probably shouldn’t take yourself too seriously. Stay focused, stay balanced, and maybe… sleep a little more.