Lettuce Financial Identifies Five Trends Expected to Reshape the Solo Economy in 2026

AI adoption, corporate exits, and Gen Z accelerate growth of solopreneurs in the U.S.

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lettuce Financial, the AI-powered operating system built for solopreneurs, today released five key trends driving the surge of the solo economy in 2026. Economic shifts represent a fundamental reorganization of how Americans work and build wealth. From corporate talent leaving traditional employment to AI-first business models and a new generation approaching careers from a fundamentally different lens, these predictions map out the infrastructure and dynamics reshaping the future of work.

"We're at a moment where structural forces are aligning in favor of solopreneurs. Whether it's a result of corporate downsizing or talented professionals choosing to leave a corporate environment, or college graduates entering an unusually tight job market, there's never been a better opportunity to embrace becoming a solo business," said Ran Harpaz, founder and CEO of Lettuce Financial. "AI now handles work that once required entire teams, purpose-built platforms streamline the back office and financial operations, and benefits like high-quality healthcare and retirement plans, which were once major barriers to going independent, are finally accessible to one-person businesses. As these shifts converge, the friction that once held people back now opens the door for millions more to build businesses of one. These five predictions define what's possible in 2026."

Top trends expected to drive the solo economy this year include:

Corporate Exits Drive Surge in Solo Businesses
The solo economy is now at 29.8M in the U.S., with that number expected to rise dramatically in 2026. We're seeing a solopreneur movement that's equally driven by ongoing corporate downsizing and workers who increasingly see the advantages of independence. It's never been easier to start and grow a business-of-one than it is today, much of it driven by AI-powered tools and platforms that cater to businesses of one. Meanwhile, solopreneurs no longer need to stay in corporate jobs for healthcare, retirement, and other benefits—these are increasingly accessible to one-person businesses.

The Solopreneur Operating System
Vertical SaaS has proven that purpose-built software for specific industries outperforms horizontal tools. Applied to solopreneurs, this principle creates a "Solo OS," an operating system designed specifically for one-person businesses. This makes it easier for talent to transition from traditional employment to becoming a solopreneur. Managing customers, issuing invoices, pricing, benefits, retirement, sales tax, website management, email campaigns, and inventory — all of it will be automated and integrated into a single operating environment. As these friction points dissolve, more talented professionals will leave corporate jobs not because they're pushed out, but because independence finally becomes accessible.

Gen Z Is Skipping Traditional Employment
The decades-long decline in corporate tenure is reaching its endpoint: skipping traditional employment altogether. As entry-level jobs and corporate career ladders are vanishing, Gen Z will skip traditional employment and enter the workforce as portfolio career builders and solopreneurs from day one. They're instinctively adopting fractional positions or polyworking approaches, whether it's out of necessity or because they see an opportunity. Rather than waiting for a corporate opportunity that may never come, they're going fractional from the start, building their own path as solopreneurs.

The Rise of AI-Native Solo Businesses
2026 marks the inflection point where an AI-first strategy becomes the default architecture for solo businesses. Rather than building a business and then layering AI tools on top, more solopreneurs will build their entire operation around AI automation from day one, creating a fundamental competitive advantage over those retrofitting AI into existing practices. This includes AI-first core functions, such as the back-office (like finance) or building and managing an entire marketing presence across webpages, content creation, and social media.

The Great Unbundling of Professional Services
Just as we've seen marketing agencies dissolve and fragment into specialized solos, including copywriters, creative directors, and strategists now operating independently—accounting and finance firms will experience the same shift. Highly skilled professionals working independently will replace established professional services firms like the Big Five consulting firms, offering superior expertise at lower costs. Businesses of all sizes, from SMBs to enterprises, will gain direct access to top talent without the overhead of massive firms.

About Lettuce Financial
Lettuce Financial is the fintech platform built for solopreneurs, giving businesses of one the corporate-level advantages traditionally reserved for companies with many employees. Powered by AI, the platform provides a secure operating system that streamlines business operations and financial strategies, including accounting, payroll, benefits, and tax compliance. By handling the complexities of business management, Lettuce gives solopreneurs peace of mind and the financial edge to run and grow smarter, more profitable businesses.

Learn more at www.lettuce.co or follow the company on LinkedIn or Instagram.

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SOURCE Lettuce Financial