February 2025
In a world dominated by large corporations, the idea of a single person building a million-dollar business might seem like an outlandish fantasy. Yet, time and again, entrepreneurs have proven that it’s possible to build thriving companies without a team, a fancy office, or even a hefty initial investment. Solopreneurs—those brave individuals who dare to take on the world alone—have revolutionized the concept of business ownership. They demonstrate how creativity, resourcefulness, and a relentless pursuit of a dream can lead to extraordinary success, all while flying solo.
One of the most prominent examples of a solopreneur-driven company is Pieter Levels, the founder of Nomad List, a platform that helps digital nomads find the best places to live and work remotely. His story is not just about creating a product; it's about building a sustainable business with no employees and very little external funding. What’s remarkable about Pieter’s journey is how it epitomizes the modern age of entrepreneurship, where technology and a global mindset allow a single person to scale a business beyond what was ever possible in the past.
Pieter Levels’ journey began with his desire to find a way to live and work anywhere in the world. As a digital nomad, he faced a common challenge: finding reliable, up-to-date information about the best places to live as a remote worker. Realizing that no such platform existed, he decided to build it himself. But unlike traditional startups that require investors, employees, and massive amounts of capital, Pieter’s approach was radically different. He relied on his own skills as a developer and his deep understanding of the remote-working community to create something that would solve a real pain point.
The key to Pieter’s success lies in his ability to leverage his skills and knowledge. He was a solo developer with a clear vision: create a platform where digital nomads could access useful information about the best cities, cost of living, internet quality, safety, and other factors important to remote workers. With minimal upfront investment, Pieter began working on Nomad List in his free time, focusing on creating a tool that was not just functional but also user-friendly and engaging. The platform quickly gained traction, attracting a loyal base of users who valued the depth of information it provided.
Pieter’s ability to scale Nomad List to a million-dollar business, all while maintaining its status as a single-person operation, comes down to a few factors. First, he capitalized on the growing trend of remote work, which had been steadily gaining momentum long before the pandemic made it a norm. But more importantly, Pieter used automation and outsourcing to maintain the efficiency of the platform. While he handled most of the development and product decisions himself, he relied on tools like Zapier, APIs, and other third-party services to automate processes like payment processing, data updates, and communication. This allowed him to focus on the core aspects of his business without getting bogged down in administrative tasks.
One of the most remarkable things about Pieter’s success is how he maintained control over the entire operation while still scaling it to generate significant revenue. Nomad List generates money primarily through membership fees, and despite having no employees, the platform has become a thriving business. Pieter also demonstrated an exceptional ability to pivot and add additional value. For example, he expanded his offerings to include “Remote OK,” a job board for remote work opportunities, and “Pomp,” a platform for nomads to find meetups and events. These additions were a natural extension of the Nomad List brand and further enhanced the value proposition for his users, leading to additional revenue streams.
But it’s not just about the technical side of things. Pieter has demonstrated an exceptional understanding of community-building. He didn’t just build a product and hope for the best—he actively engaged with his user base, listening to their feedback, and adapting the platform to meet their evolving needs. He built a sense of loyalty and trust among users, which in turn translated into sustained growth for his business.
Pieter Levels’ story is far from unique. He’s part of a broader movement of entrepreneurs who are leveraging automation, digital tools, and the power of remote work to build successful, profitable companies on their own. A few common threads run through many of these success stories.
For one, many solopreneurs who’ve achieved significant success have done so by automating as many aspects of their business as possible. The proliferation of tools that handle everything from marketing to accounting has made it easier than ever to run a company without the need for a large team. Many solopreneurs rely on software like Zapier to automate workflows, Stripe for payments, and platforms like Shopify to handle e-commerce, all while keeping overhead costs low.
Additionally, these solopreneurs have embraced the concept of working from anywhere, often taking advantage of the flexibility that comes with being able to set their own hours and locations. This approach allows them to focus on high-value tasks while minimizing distractions. The digital nomad lifestyle itself has become a kind of marketing tool, as entrepreneurs can showcase their lifestyle to connect with like-minded individuals and build a community around their brand.
Moreover, the rise of online marketplaces, affiliate marketing, and subscription-based models has opened up new avenues for solopreneurs to monetize their ideas. Many successful one-person companies now operate on a subscription basis, ensuring a steady stream of recurring revenue while minimizing the need for ongoing customer acquisition efforts.
While Pieter Levels is one of the most well-known examples, there are several other solopreneurs who have built impressive businesses without employees. Take Pat Flynn, for example. Pat is the founder of Smart Passive Income, a platform that teaches people how to create passive income streams through online businesses. Like Pieter, Pat built his business by leveraging his skills, particularly in podcasting, blogging, and online marketing. He focused on providing real value to his audience by offering free resources, educational content, and transparent case studies that helped others replicate his success.
Similarly, Nathan Barry of ConvertKit is another solopreneur who has built a multi-million dollar business with no employees. ConvertKit is an email marketing platform designed for creators, and Nathan grew it from a side project to a full-fledged business by focusing on the needs of content creators and offering them a streamlined, user-friendly tool to engage with their audiences. Nathan did all of this while being deeply involved in every aspect of the company, from product development to marketing, all while staying a one-person team for years.
These stories underscore an important lesson for anyone aspiring to create a business from scratch: the key to success as a solopreneur isn’t necessarily about having the most resources or the biggest team. It’s about leveraging the tools at your disposal, finding your niche, and building a product or service that provides genuine value. Solopreneurs who focus on their strengths and embrace the power of automation, outsourcing, and digital marketing can create businesses that rival even the most established corporations.
The stories of solopreneurs like Pieter Levels, Pat Flynn, and Nathan Barry prove that it’s not only possible to build a successful business with no employees, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. By focusing on automation, understanding the needs of your target audience, and leveraging the power of technology, anyone can turn an idea into a thriving, sustainable business. The rise of the solopreneur has shattered the conventional notion that building a successful business requires a massive team or a hefty budget. In today’s world, it’s more possible than ever to build a million-dollar company with nothing but passion, persistence, and the right tools.
