The Solopreneur's Guide to Building a Unicorn

Table of Contents

1. Emerging Opportunity

2. Why Systems and Delegation Are Key to Success

3. Frameworks for Success

4. Types of Solopreneurs

5. Practical Steps for Delegation and Systems Buildin …

Emerging Opportunity

Today, we are seeing a new wave of one-person businesses that are breaking into the multi-million-dollar mark. Entrepreneurs like Pieter Levels, who built Nomad List, are generating $2.7 million annually with no employees​. Influencers like Kat Norton, who brings in $2 million annually, demonstrate how creators can turn their solo ventures into thriving businesses​. These solopreneurs are not just growing—they’re racing to become the first-ever one-person unicorns.

Why Systems and Delegation Are Key to Success

While solopreneurs often start as DIYers, those who scale successfully have one thing in common: they build systems and delegate strategically. Influencers like Justin Welsh built a $2.5 million business by automating routine tasks and leveraging a VA for administrative work​. Similarly, Dan Koe’s frameworks focus on habit stacking and system-building to ensure momentum, even on days when motivation wanes.

Frameworks for Success

Building momentum is often more about maintaining consistent systems than motivation alone.

1. The PARA Method: Organize your business around Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives to ensure you’re always focused on high-impact tasks​ even when motivation is low​.

2. Time-Blocking: Divide your day between creative work and operational work. This allows for deeper focus and helps avoid burnout​. Create time blocks for “creator” mode (deep work) vs. “manager” mode (operations)​. The concept of “maker’s vs. manager’s schedule,” as described by Paul Graham, can be useful for solopreneurs who need to juggle both aspects effectively.

3. Dan Koe’s Approach: Koe’s insights on leveraging habit stacking and setting up routines can be a game changer. He recommends creating habits that automatically push your business forward, even on unproductive days. For example, you could delegate recurring tasks to a VA and create workflows that minimize the need for daily decision-making.

Types of Solopreneurs

Your idea of expanding on the different types of solopreneurs is excellent, but it can be taken further by categorizing them and showing how each group can specifically benefit from delegation and smart systems.

Creators/Influencers: People like Kat Norton (Miss Excel) have turned their solo ventures into multi-million-dollar businesses by focusing on their zone of genius—content creation—while delegating admin work and social media management​.

Private Equity Investors: These solopreneurs often manage multiple portfolios but rely on remote assistants to conduct research, manage investor relations, and handle scheduling. VAs help maintain operational efficiency so investors can focus on high-stakes decision-making​.

Tech Entrepreneurs: Individuals like Pieter Levels, who created Nomad List and other successful projects, show that scaling a one-person business requires constant product iteration and managing a diverse set of tasks. VAs and automation allow him to focus on launching new products while managing existing ones

Practical Steps for Delegation and Systems Building

Step 1: Use the “$10, $100, $1,000” Delegation Framework
According to Leila Hormozi, one of the most effective ways to decide what tasks to delegate is by classifying tasks based on their value. Assign a dollar amount to each task:

• $10 tasks: These are repetitive, low-skill tasks that you should always delegate, like scheduling meetings or organizing documents.

• $100 tasks: These tasks require more thought and creativity but can still be delegated, like drafting emails or managing social media.

• $1,000 tasks: These are high-impact strategic tasks that only you should handle—such as product development, partnership negotiations, or business growth strategies.

Actionable Formula: Each week, list all your tasks and assign them a dollar value. Delegate anything below the $1,000 threshold to a trusted assistant or team member. This not only frees your time for high-value activities but also allows your team to handle operational tasks with precision.

Step 2: Create Systems for Repetitive Processes Using the “One-Touch Rule”
Top leaders maintain momentum by developing systems that eliminate inefficiencies. The One-Touch Rule is a strategy that dictates every repetitive task should be dealt with only once. This means creating standard operating procedures (SOPs) or systems that eliminate the need for future intervention.

How to Implement:

• Document your processes the first time you execute a task.

• Delegate the documentation of tasks to your assistant so that they can create a repeatable system.

For example, instead of handling invoices manually every week, document the process once and ensure your assistant takes over from there. This systemization ensures no task gets unnecessarily repeated by you, conserving your mental energy for more critical decisions.

Step 3: Build Momentum Through Delegation by Setting Expectations Early
Top performers don’t wait until they're overwhelmed to delegate—they proactively establish clear expectations with their assistants or teams. A common mistake is to delegate tasks without giving the full context, which can lead to inefficiencies.

Proven Method: The “Define, Measure, Improve” approach, widely adopted by executives, is used to delegate with clarity:

• Define: Clearly outline the expected outcome of each task. What is the end result you’re looking for?

• Measure: Create a metric or success criteria for your assistant. What key performance indicators (KPIs) will show that the task was done correctly?

• Improve: Encourage a culture of feedback. Ask your assistant to propose ways to improve the process after completing it.

By following this system, even on days when you are less motivated, your team will continue executing at a high level, driving results forward.

Step 4: Reassess Your Role Quarterly Using the “CEO Time Audit”
Rather than reviewing tasks monthly, many top 1% leaders conduct a quarterly time audit. This practice allows you to take a broader look at how you’re spending your time and recalibrate based on growth.

Actionable Insight:
At the end of each quarter, ask yourself:

• What are the recurring tasks that I’m still handling that could be passed to others?

• What high-level initiatives have I been neglecting because of time spent on operational duties?

• Are my current delegation systems and SOPs enabling growth, or are they creating bottlenecks?

From there, reassign any tasks that are not contributing directly to strategy or business development and continuously push the operational workload to your assistant.

This framework, with actionable steps at each stage, is designed to give elite founders and leaders a clear roadmap to optimize their productivity, delegate effectively, and systemize their operations for long-term success.

With smart systems and remote support, solopreneurs can scale their businesses without compromising their personal well-being. Stay tuned for future posts where we dive into more ways to optimize workflows and scale even further!