The conclusion that I've come to, is that this is a business model problem. If you are a single founder and want to stay that way, then starting a consumer business whose success depends on getting a lot of customers doesn't seem like the way to go. When I do take the plunge and start something of my own, it's going to be something that caters to very few customers, who in turn sell something to a lot of customers (e.g., a publishing platform for authors where you make a cut of every book sold) or who I can charge a lot. Even better if the billing is recurring.
P.S. The single founders I've spoken to consistently also mention that something that got to them more than any of this, was a feeling of loneliness. Guess HN sorta solves that problem for some.