We’ll try to give today the solo-entrepreneur definition. Solo-entrepreneur is an entrepreneur or businessman (same thing).
But, why distinguish this types of business people from entrepreneurs in the traditional sense?
In my opinion, solo-entrepreneurship is a phase and show off badge.
Solo-entrepreneur is often associated with the lean startup kind of people, or startups on bootstrap budgets. This for sure does not concern the businessman that focuses on simple trade.
In other words it is simply a title, that tech-focused entrepreneurs and millennials use to distinguish themselves.
Why a phase ? Entrepreneurship requires combined effort. If successful, an entrepreneur will need sooner or later to outgrow the solo-entrepreneur box, and actually hire some people.
A Freelancer is not a solo-entrepreneur, he is a gig economy worker.
Outsourcing tasks may still qualify you as a solo-entrepreneur as long as you do not have full time workers.
In some countries, solo-entrepreneur is a form of company registration, thus registering otherwise technically makes you no longer a solo-entrepreneur but a 1 person company.