From side hustle to storefront: a boom in solo entrepreneurship

U.S. small-business formation rose sharply in early 2026, with about 3.1 million Americans filing to start a business in the first half of the year—up 17% from 2025—driven by graduates choosing self-employment, side hustles becoming full-time ventures, and a rise in women-owned startups. AI tools are helping owners with marketing, bookkeeping, and social media, reducing barriers. Despite labor-market uncertainty, entrepreneurship is becoming a more permanent feature, and newcomers are advised to define a ramen-noodle income floor and to actively promote their ventures.