The Science of Scaling — A Solopreneur’s Guide
When you are working every day to keep the business going and the lights on, there aren’t enough hours in the day to strategically plan for scaling. Here are some thoughts about a scientific approach to scaling. Based on The Science of Scaling by Benjamin Hardy (with Blake Erickson), here is a breakdown and key insights for the solopreneur.
Why This Book Matters
Scaling isn’t just about adding more work or resources. It’s about rethinking identity, focus, systems, and priorities so you can “grow bigger and faster than you think possible.”
Hardy frames scaling as a science—a systematic, repeatable approach rather than luck or brute force.
While the book is written with bigger businesses in mind, the core ideas—identity shift, elimination, and clarity—apply just as powerfully to solopreneurs.
Core Principles (Adapted for Solopreneurs). Each idea will have pragmatic information for the solopreneur, containing the following:
Concept
What It Means
How to Apply Solo
Watch Outs
Frame Impossible Goals
Set bold, 10× goals that force new thinking rather than small tweaks.
Instead of aiming for 20% growth, set a 5–10× revenue or impact target. Use it as a filter: anything unrelated gets cut.
Big goals can feel paralyzing. Break them into milestones and experiments. Join a BoldLEAP Working Session to test your idea.
Time as a Tool
Use short, aggressive deadlines to create clarity and urgency. Leverage our Accountability Sessions to stay focused.
Run 30–90-day sprints tied to “impossible” goals.
Unrealistic compression can cause burnout or sloppy execution.
Raise Your Floor
Decide what you’ll stop doing—clients, tasks, or services that don’t scale.
Audit your work: drop low-margin clients, eliminate distractions, stop non-essential tasks.
Letting go may hurt short-term revenue or comfort, but it makes space for scalable growth.
Simplify & Focus
Complexity kills scale. Keep offers and systems simple.
Focus on 1–2 high-leverage services. Build repeatable workflows with templates and automation.
Over-simplification can limit flexibility—keep some diversity to hedge risk.
Scale Through Transformation
Growth comes from transforming your model, not just doing more.
Build leverage: digital products, automations, partnerships, or hiring “Super Whos.”
As a solopreneur, be intentional about what you automate or outsource first.
Culture & Accountability
Even small businesses need culture, discipline, and strong partners. SO IMPORTANT. Doesn’t feel right; end the partnership ASAP.
Hire or collaborate only with people aligned with your standards and vision. Build accountability loops (peer check-ins, OKRs).
Cheap, misaligned help can derail momentum. Culture must be consciously reinforced.
Practical Checklist for Solopreneurs
Define Your Impossible Goal
Pick a bold 5–10× growth target or milestone (12–24 months).
Make it specific, measurable, time-bound. SMART Goals
Use it as a decision filter.
Run Time-Compression Experiments
Sprint for 30–90 days toward a key subgoal.
Ruthlessly cut “nice-to-haves.”
Audit & Cut
List all clients, tasks, offers.
Drop 50–80% that don’t support your impossible goal.
Build Repeatable Systems
Document workflows (onboarding, delivery, sales).
Automate where possible.
Use templates instead of reinventing.
Delegate & Partner Smartly
Bring on aligned “Super Whos.”
Give them ownership, not just tasks.
Build accountability loops.
Adopt the Scaled Mindset
Act as if your future scaled self already exists.
Ask: “Would my 10× self do this?”
Watch for internal resistance—it’s often psychological.
Iterate & Learn
Track metrics and feedback.
Pivot or kill what isn’t working.
Use rapid feedback loops.
Strengths & Weaknesses for Solopreneurs
What Works Well
Breaks solopreneurs out of incremental, “stuck” thinking.
Emphasis on elimination counters “shiny object syndrome.”
Systems, automation, and transformation create leverage beyond doing everything yourself.
Where to Be Careful
Some examples are built for large enterprises and may feel irrelevant.
Heavy focus on mindset, lighter on tactical one-person checklists.
Aggressive deadlines can backfire without balance and rest.
Access to true “Super Whos” may take time, so expect a slower ramp-up.
Bottom line: Scaling solo isn’t about doing more—it’s about thinking bigger, cutting harder, and building smarter systems so your business grows beyond you.
About Charissa
Charissa Gant, Change Strategist with over 30 years of experience driving change for Fortune 500 companies. Most recently, a Principal Director at one of the largest consulting firms. Leading change with empathy. Unlocking leadership potential. Owner and Founder of BoldLEAP Collective, a community for courageous solopreneurs. Charissa@boldleapcollective.com