Are you straddling that line between doing it all yourself and building a team? You’re not alone! Whether you’re mowing lawns solo or dreaming of running a company with employees, you’ll pick up some valuable advice here.

Hey there, and welcome back to the Empowering Entrepreneurs Podcast! On today’s episode, Glenn Harper and Julie Smith are answering the question a lot of business owners face:

Am I a solopreneur?

Am I an entrepreneur?

If you’ve ever wondered what the real difference is—or if you’re just creating a job for yourself instead of building something bigger—this is the episode for you.

Glenn and Julie explain what it really means to go it alone versus growing a team, sharing their takes on what makes each approach appealing (and what the downsides are, too). They get real about the hard work, the risks, and why some people love sticking to their own thing while others are always chasing that next big opportunity.

It’s all about figuring out where you want to go, how to get there, and having a little fun along the way!

This episode is brought to you by PureTax, LLC. Tax preparation services without the pressure. When all you need is to get your tax return done, take the stress out of tax season by working with a firm that has simplified the process and the pricing. Find out more about how we started.

Here are 3 key takeaways:

• Solopreneur vs Entrepreneur: As a solopreneur, you wear every hat—from service delivery to marketing and billing. The upside? Full autonomy. The downside? If you’re out of commission, your business is too.
• Scaling & Selling: Entrepreneurs who build systems and teams are better positioned to scale and eventually sell the business. A company built on personal branding alone is harder to hand off.
• Do Your Homework Before Jumping In: Analyze your costs, understand your pricing, and seek advisors early. Jumping in with both feet is important, but knowing your numbers can save you from expensive lessons.

An entrepreneur and speaker, Glenn transformed his firm into an advisory-focused practice, doubling revenue and profit in two years. He teaches entrepreneurs to build financial and operational excellence, speaks nationwide to CPA firm owners about running their businesses like entrepreneurs, and consults with firms across the country. Glenn enjoys golfing, fishing, hiking, cooking, and spending time with his family.

Julie Smith, MBA, is a serial entrepreneur in the public accounting space. She is the Founder of EmpowerCPA™, Founder of PureTax, LLC, COO for Harper & Company CPAs Plus, and Co-host of the Empowering Entrepreneurs podcast.

Named CPA.com's 2021 Innovative Practitioner of Year, Julie led Harper & Company's transition to an advisory-focused firm, doubling revenue and profit in two years. She now empowers other CPA firm owners nationwide through consulting and speaking, teaching them how to run their businesses like entrepreneurs. Julie lives in Columbus, OH with her family and enjoys travel, coaching basketball, sporting events, and the occasional shopping spree.

Running a business doesn’t have to run your life.

Without a business partner who holds you accountable, it’s easy to be so busy ‘doing’ business that you don’t have the right strategy to grow your business.

Stop letting your business run you. At Harper & Co CPA Plus, we know that you want to be empowered to build the lifestyle you envision. In order to do that you need a clear path to follow for success

Our clients enjoy a proactive partnership with us. Schedule a consultation with us today.

Download our free guide - Entrepreneurial Success Formula: How to Avoid Managing Your Business From Your Bank Account.

Copyright 2025 Glenn Harper

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