AMTP Proceedings 2026

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

Spring 2026

Abstract

A growing trend in the modern labor market is solo entrepreneurship or self-employment without employees. Advances in technology and the changing nature of socio-economic environments are reshaping the working environments and creating a new form of employment. (Cieślik & van Stel, 2023). This trend is particularly evident in the United States, where 5.2 million applicants filed for new businesses in 2024, with more than 80% of businesses operating without employees (Melhorn et al., 2024). Solo entrepreneurs can offer both financial and non-financial advantages. It is estimated that solo entrepreneurs earn 6.7% more than traditional employees doing a salary or wage-based job (Dvouletý et al., 2021). Individuals are often motivated by non-financial factors such as autonomy, flexibility, and the opportunity of being their own boss (Cieślik & van Stel, 2023; Dvouletý, 2018; Zwan & Hessels, 2019). Entrepreneurs often spend more hours and take a higher risk compared to doing a job traditionally, like a salary or wage-based employment (Dvouletý et al., 2021). Doing business independently poses some financial, human, and institutional constraints, which lead entrepreneurs to difficulties in innovation and competitiveness (Cieślik & van Stel, 2023; Zwan & Hessels, 2019).

Download

Share

COinS