Solopreneurship is about more than just working for yourself. It’s about using tech to build something bigger than yourself.To celebrate this, we’re introducing the Zoom Solopreneur 50: a national index of the most innovative independent business builders in the game. Hand-picked by a jury of industry leaders and academics, these 50 individuals are proving that “one person” isn’t just a headcount — it’s a powerful business model.
These founders aren’t just leading the way — they’re also the latest Zoom grant recipients, setting the gold standard for solopreneurs and showing the world what’s possible.
Cakes by Angela Morrison
NKENNE
Positive Equation
The Owl's Nest
Worklution Inc
Rebellious Pins
Autistic Culture Institute
Wexist
Planting People Growing Justice
Whip It Goods Skincare
Ashunta Inc.
Emerald City Flowers
BrickRose Exchange
Newsberg Media
Siyanse
Grants For Creators
$NP Designs
MyBeeBear
Made to Measure Matching
Cafecito Social
Bullfrog Recruiting Solutions
Studiomatic
Rizo Radiance
Quest Craft
Kids Grief Support
Class Act Cats
Kiyamel Inc.
The Vegan Knife
Public Schools Raised Me
Hoopsy
The Scholarship Mama
The Traveling Black Women Network
Adinkra Charms
Floofah
In the Cut
Brown Girl Made That
Rooted Living
Chipmunk Robotics
Explanations From Exile
Intercontinental Music Awards
MAUJH
Sips
Pamoja
Swelter Coffee Roasters
Louisiana Creole Candy
Otto's Grotto
WellBalance
The Mane Wildling
Our S.P.A.C.E. Studios
The Botanical Bar
applicants
states
industries
The Rise of the Solopreneur Report draws on findings from Zoom's first-ever Solopreneur 50 program, which attracted nearly 3,000 applicants across 48 states and 12 industries. By combining application data with founder insights, we offer an early look at a rapidly growing segment of the economy: solopreneurs.
CMO, Zoom
Kimberly Storin is Chief Marketing Officer at Zoom, where she leads brand, communications, product, and enterprise marketing. Before joining Zoom in 2025, she served as CMO at Zayo, building the company’s first marketing function and driving three years of revenue growth. She has held leadership roles at major Fortune 50 tech firms and began her career in M&A consulting at Deloitte. Kimberly earned a BBA from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from the University of Southern California.
Global SMB Advisor, Zoom
Lisa Scheiring is Global SMB Advisor and “Chief Solo Officer” at Zoom, focusing on how small businesses and solopreneurs use AI and digital tools to drive clarity and growth. With more than 20 years of experience building and scaling startups and established organizations, she is recognized for helping entrepreneurs adopt technology to operate more efficiently and effectively.
VP, Legal & Policy, Upwork
Patrick Hedren is VP, Legal & Policy at Upwork, the world’s largest human + AI-powered marketplace. He heads up Upwork’s engagement with government stakeholders globally and leads a legal team that advises the company on emerging issues involving AI, data, user safety, product, disputes, and risk. Prior to joining Upwork, Patrick held senior leadership roles at one of the nation’s most prominent industry groups, where he led the association’s Supreme Court and appellate practice and drove the industry’s engagement on regulatory and workforce issues. Earlier in his career, he served as senior counsel in GE’s Washington, DC office. He holds a B.A. and J.D. from the University of Minnesota.
Professor, Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business
Anita Williams Woolley is a Professor of Organizational Behavior at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business. Her research on collective intelligence in teams and human-computer collaboration has been widely published and supported by DARPA and the NSF. She earned her doctorate in organizational behavior from Harvard University and serves as Senior Editor at Organization Science and founding Associate Editor of Collective Intelligence.
COO, Capital Department
Selma Studer is the Chief Operating Officer at Capital Department, bringing extensive experience leading marketing and communications for Fortune 500 companies. She holds a BA in Economics and French from Cornell University and an MBA from the University of Oxford, where she was a Saïd Foundation Scholar and Chair of the Oxford Business Network for Entrepreneurship.
To find the best of the best, the jury looked at every nominee through five key lenses:
Zoom’s mission has always been to connect people and enable new ways of working. With the ZSP50, we’re celebrating the innovators who embody that mission — running their entire business on connection, creativity, and courage.
Join us in recognizing the individuals who, on their own, are building what’s next.
If you have any questions, email us at solo@zoom.com.