99% of founders I talk to who have reached at least $1M ARR tell me something like:
"I had no clue how difficult this would get—but I'm glad I didn't."
It's unspoken...
But every founder is dealing with one of three situations:
They're stuck at $0-10k/mo...
- They have found some tiny seed of PMF
- They have no idea how they will scale it
- They feel like their biggest obstacle is just moving!
They're mid market fit: $10k/mo-$1M ARR...
- They can smell (but not see) PMF
- They are frustrated about how little they know about SO MANY THINGS
- They are not convinced they are on the right path (but keep marching)
They're past PMF, scaling, $1M+ ARR...
- They are dealing with new, crazy, scaling problems
- They feel hollow as they are no longer CEO of a 10 person team
- They want ARR, but don't (or won't) acknowledge how far it is from "mission accomplished"
Here are some recommendations for the three main founder problems:
1. You're stuck
- Don't think of your problems as "BIG" (like 'nailing GTM'); think of them as very small
- Make it your mission to wake up and solve ONE very small problem each day
- Almost always, your offers need to improve - focus there
2. You have market fit
Use a "Bowling Pin" strategy:
- Define your ICP with precision; attack one vertical, company, or app at a time
- Start with where you see the greatest opportunity to create value
- Knock over one, then use the momentum for the next
3. You are scaling
- Think hard about your "core" and protect it
- Create high-performing startup units inside of your org that can repeat the cycle
- Don't lose your story and your community as you scale
TAKEAWAY:
Every founder goes through these stages.
It's always challenging and often overwhelming.
But with focus and clear strategies, you can continue to move forward.
What do you think? What stage are you in right now?
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👋 Don't know me? I'm J.Y! I've been building things and making money online since 2017, and I share my entrepreneurial journey here on LinkedIn.