Scaling is Relative

Scaling a business is not linear.

There’s also NOT a fixed process that works for all businesses in all stages.

That’s why I get both disappointed and angry whenever I talk to a business owner who says they have multiple agencies and consultants who say they can come in, apply their “system” and 10X their business.

That’s bullshit, plain and simple.

There’s far too much of this crap going on right now and very few people who can actually pull it off.

Is it possible to 10X your business?

Possibly. Maybe even probably, depending on what level you’re at.

If you’re a startup with a great product that solves a core problem, getting from $100k to $1m… or $1m to $10m…

Both scenarios are highly likely with the right steps and great marketing.

Getting from $10m annual revenue to $100m… that’s another story entirely.

Because that leap is about a lot more than just offer positioning, marketing strategies or traffic channels.

Here are some things to consider, depending on what your next growth step-up is.

Scaling as a Start-Up

Most new businesses — say under $100k in revenue — are still in proof of concept mode.

It’s a bootstrapped organization with one or a few members, each filling multiple roles in the company.

The goal in this stage isn’t just to get your first sale, but to get enough sales to prove you’ve got something with a broader potential.

Think of it like this, a $1,000 product only takes 100 sales to get to $100k…

But those 100 buyers aren’t enough to prove broad market appeal or to prove you can commit money to paid traffic in a profitable way.

This stage is all about collecting more information about your prospects problems and where your solution fits in…

Getting your name out there and getting feedback on it…

And slowly but surely building an audience in whatever medium works for you — email, a newsletter, a podcast, YouTube… just pick one.

The First 10X

$100k to $1M is going to be a trial and error process.

You’ll have marketing campaigns that work and ones that will flop.

You may try dabbling in paid traffic, putting more money in Facebook or Google’s bank accounts than you’re own.

But it only takes one successful marketing campaign with an offer that clicks with your prospects to make this leap.

If you’ve got great marketing chops, you might be able to make this leap on your own.

But if offer construction and marketing are your weak spot, this is where it makes sense to bring in an outside expert to do it for you.

Depending on what level of experience & services you pay for, this may cost anywhere from $10k to $50k…

But even at the high end, that’s a potential 20X return on investment.

I’ve been responsible for over a dozen multi-million dollar promotions the past few years and not once was I ever told I was overpaid.

These are the only things you need to make the 10X leap from $100k to $1m…

• A proven offer that solves ONE solution for your target audience (you should have proven this out with your first $100k in sales)

• An audience of potential buyers wherever you’ve attracted them

• A solid, strategic marketing plan that fits your industry, your offer, your price point and your audience. (There is no “best strategy” that works for everyone)

• Great marketing copy and creative to turn prospects from browser to buyer

To be clear, you don’t need 5 products, a big team, or a bunch of phony promises to make this leap…

Just one clear, compelling offer that solves a core problem that you’ve already proven is something people are willing to buy and it works.

The next 10X is a little tricker…

Which is why I’m going to stop here for today and dive into the transition from seven to eight figures next week.

Until then, if you need any help figuring out your marketing or messaging, you can reach out to us and tell us about your business here.

Jon & Chris