It's Not You, It's The System
If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking:
“I’m just not cut out to be a successful solopreneur,”
“Maybe I’m not good at business,”
or “Why is this so much harder for me than everyone else?”
Let me stop you right there.
It’s not you.
It’s the system.
After 30 years of working with solopreneurs, I’ve seen a heartbreaking pattern: brilliant, creative, hardworking people gaslighting themselves into believing they’re “bad at business” because their efforts don’t translate into the kind of success that hustle culture promises.
But here’s the truth: the system is stacked against you.
Capitalism doesn’t reward solopreneurs—it marginalizes them.
As solopreneurs, we’re already navigating a system that favours exploitation and extraction. Businesses that succeed on a grand scale are often built on the backs of low-wage labor, unsustainable practices, and a disregard for human capacity.
But if you’re the kind of person who says, “I want to build something ethical. I want to create value without exploiting others or burning myself out,” then you’re swimming against the tide.
And that’s not a weakness. That’s a strength.
The system wants you to believe you’re failing because it doesn’t want you to question it.
What I want you to know is that solopreneurs like you are the antidote to this system.
Over the years, I’ve worked with hundreds of solopreneurs who were on the verge of giving up.
They weren’t failing because they lacked ambition, intelligence, or ideas. They were failing because the traditional business model—designed for extraction and endless growth—doesn’t fit people who want to honour their capacity, align their work with their values, or build a better world.
They weren’t failing - the model was failing them.
The turning point came when they stopped trying to fit into the system and started leveraging what they already had.
One client, for example, shifted their pricing to reflect their capacity, not market pressure. Another stopped wasting energy on social media strategies that felt soul-sucking and instead focused on nurturing their network.
They didn’t hustle harder. They worked smarter—and more ethically.
And the result? They created businesses that worked for them.
This is exactly why I created the Thrive Business Ecosystem™—a framework created exclusively for solopreneurs like you to build sustainable, values-aligned businesses.
I believe we can challenge the system, one business at a time.
By honoring your nervous system and capacity.
By setting boundaries that protect your time and energy.
By leveraging your resources for good, rather than extraction.
If you’re tired of feeling like you’re the problem, let’s rewrite the story:
📅 Book a free 60-minute call and let’s explore how you can thrive without sacrificing your values.
📆 Solve that one thing that has been holding you back. Book a 90 minute Breakthrough Session and let’s get you moving forward.
The system isn’t built for solopreneurs.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t succeed.
You just need a different approach—one that respects who you are, what you have, and what you stand for.
Let’s change the system together.
With care,
Marisa
Thanks for reading.
P.s. If you want to learn how to price your offers in a way that feels fair, sustainable, and aligned with your values, my free mini masterclass, Fair and Fearless: Ethical Pricing Strategies for Solopreneurs Who Want to Do Good and Make Money will help you break free from undercharging so you build a thriving business that works for everyone.
