What is a Soulpreneur?

a working definition, the shadow side, and a calling.

I love the word soulpreneur.

It’s an idea, a posture, that I’ve been aiming to live for almost two decades, and something I see more thoughtful humans reaching for, often without a word for it yet.

So let me share what it means to me, in case it helps you recognize yourself. :)

The feeling that there has to be more

It’s 3pm on a Tuesday, you’re at your screen, and somewhere underneath the pile of to-do’s, there’s a question: is this really it?

Or it’s late at night, and you’re thinking about the work you wish you were doing. The people you wish you were helping. A version of yourself that feels closer to your actual gifts.

That deep ache is worth listening to.

I grew up wondering two things. 1) Why did the adults around me spend so much of their life at work they didn’t love? 2) And why did school ask us to memorize so much that had nothing to do with our real lives, our curiosities, our desire to create?

I didn’t have language for any of this back then. But I sensed there had to be more. I’ve spent decades exploring and experimenting, and now I’ve landed on this word: soulpreneur.

A working definition

A soulpreneur is a solopreneur who builds their livelihood as a path of service, soulful expression, and spiritual growth.

It’s more than self-employment. It’s soul-expression in service of growth — your own, and the people you serve. Money is part of the picture, but it is definitely not the priority.

A soulpreneur asks “what am I here to offer?” more than “what will scale?” They care more about transformation than transaction. They see the people they serve as souls to walk alongside, rather than leads to convert.

However, this is not a purity test. It is still a north star for me. I still catch myself, at times, in hustle-mode, or undercharging, or overthinking a launch instead of putting it out there. I still make these mistakes. This path is for humans who are trying, not the mythical “successful” person who has it all figured out.

The hidden ones

Soulpreneurs take many forms — coaches, creators, healers, teachers, mentors, counselors, consultants, facilitators, artists, community-builders, creators, and so on.

A lot of them don’t use the word, but you might recognize them anyway:

The school teacher who runs art circles for tired adults on the weekend. The former engineer building calming productivity tools for neurodivergent people. The copywriter who refuses fear- and scarcity-based language, and has chosen the slower path of earning audience trust that lasts. The coach who will sometimes encourage a client to leave a high-paying role because alignment matters much more. The healer who knows her work changes lives but still hesitates to charge what it’s worth (a too-familiar story to many of us!)

These are soulpreneurs. And if you recognized yourself in any of those, you might already be one too.

Why this moment feels important

Previously “stable” careers are changing. Institutions feel unstable, and more of us are finding we need to create our own livelihood… whether we planned to or not.

At the same time, the tools are more accessible than ever. You can create, share, teach, and reach people with far less capital and technical know-how, than even two years ago.

Just as important though, is that AI, however capable it becomes, is not going to do this: be soulfully present for another, that only a human can be. To sit with someone while they work through a burden/yearning they’ve been carrying for ten years. To actually care as a human only can.

That’s the soulpreneur’s work, and I don’t think it’s a soft or impractical moat. It’s one of the more durable ones I know. Businesses built on trust tend to come through recessions and algorithm changes in better shape than businesses built on hype. To read more about this: Ideas for soulpreneur work in an age of AI.

The shadow side

The gifts of a soulpreneur are tangled up with temptations. So many of my clients deal with these, and I have too…

Our sensitivity can become hesitation. We care so much that we overthink, and then call it “not being ready yet.” What I keep coming back to: launch the smallest possible version of the thing you’re dreaming about. It doesn’t have to be “good”. It simply has to be something authentic to you.

Our intuition can become avoidance. True intuition, in my experience, pulls you forward… even when it’s scary. Fear pulls you back, makes you contract. On the other hand, the voice that says “this will be messy, but try it” — I’ve come to trust that one. If it says “wait… you’re not ready, are you?” — it’s usually fear, in a clever costume.

Our passion can become inconsistency. Flow is a real and beautiful thing, and it isn’t enough on its own. The work still asks us to show up, seek feedback (and support), and try again.

And our generosity can become chronic undercharging. I have to remind myself often that charging fairly isn’t greedy — it’s part of how I protect my capacity to keep showing up for people. When money changes hands, clients often commit more deeply, and so does the service provider.

None of these are character flaws. They’re more like the edge of our strengths. Becoming aware of them is a kindness to ourselves.

What this asks of us…

If any of this is resonating, then I invite you to do this:

Trying saying it out loud — I am a soulpreneur — or, whatever other word fits you better. Simply name the identity you’re seeking to embody more deeply.

Then show up. As consistently as you’re able, to share your authentic journey. What you’re learning, what you’re still figuring out, what you love to do. Show the actual process, not just the (sometimes polished) outcomes.

And look for your fellow soulpreneurs! There are many more of us than at first appears. When you start using this type of language… soulpreneur, authentic business, true livelihood, etc… you’ll be surprised who answers back.

An important part of the ongoing process — try creating one small offer, or one simple service, something that feels like home to you. Start simple. Take a small step, and keep moving. However slowly, just keep experimenting.

The work itself is the practice

A key idea that is at the heart of all this:

For a soulpreneur, the work isn’t only about serving others. The work is also how you grow yourself. Every part of it — the messy process of creating… the sometimes awkward conversations… the hesitant launches… the feedback that makes you overthink… the clients who challenge you… the long stretches where you can’t tell if you’re helping anyone at all… all of it is part of the journey. All of it can grow you, if you let it.

You don’t do the inner work in order to then go do the business. The business is the inner work, in real time. Each message you write, each offer you make, each time you choose integrity over expedience, and even each moment of “boring” admin work that you bring a spirit word into — these are where you actually meet your soul.

This is why soulpreneurs keep going, even when the numbers are small and the path seems “slow”. We’re not only building something outside of us. We’re being built, too.

A note from my soul~

May you remember that work can not only be “successful”, but feel deeply yours.

May you build a livelihood that grows you, as much as it serves others.

May this path feel increasingly more joyful, as we find each other along the way.

I warmly welcome any comment you’d like to make below. Even this, the comments area, is a little experience of a soulpreneur community. Thank you for being here. 🙏🧡