Yes. Yes, I am an entrepreneur.

I have a hard time calling myself an entrepreneur.

Mainly because when I'm reading about "entrepreneurs," there seems to be a specific type that the media really speaks to - the one who went from bootstrapping to an IPO.

The fancy biz publications love a good founder story. Specifically, someone who had no pedigree and then made it.

It's easy to feel unseen as an entrepreneur when I compare myself to these stories.

But I am.

I sell things for a profit and assume all the responsibility that goes with that.

I am a specific type that happens to contribute $1.2 trillion to the economy. No joke.

We are a growing bunch of one-person empires.

More than one-third of the American workforce freelance amid the Covid-19 pandemic, a 22% increase since 2019. (cnbc.com)

We are freelancers, side-gigers, solopreneurs, indiepreneurs, digital nomads, gig workers, creators, makers, artists, microbusinesses.

Most of us are bound together by a core value of independence, which has many faces - choosing our location, creating our own schedules, pivoting when we need to - we define it as we like.

We most likely are not aspiring to rule the world nor become an IPO (although, fantastic if it does happen). We aren't on the hunt for VC funds.

We bootstrap. We are resourceful. We choose small and nimble. Some of us have teams and strategic partners. We are stoked to earn every dollar we make. We control the quality and fun factor of our work and the products we produce.

We have the capacity and skills to earn the money we need for happy, comfortable lives and save a retirement.

We're a joyful bunch. And yes, we too, are entrepreneurs.

I love seeing this trend and hope it only continues to grow. I think the world of happy, boss-less folx is a good thing.