Building a business is like climbing a mountain.
Everyone starts at the bottom and there are levels to this game.
There are specific jumps you have to make at different elevations.
I scaled my business to over $55 million in revenue and I coach dozens of other owners across every industry.
The most common mistake I see is owners doing the right work but at the wrong time.
There are five distinct levels on this mountain.
Level 1: Zero to $1 Million - Skills
To start, you need to be locked in on building skills. Selling, marketing, hiring, & operations.
Without that foundation, nothing else works.
Level 2: $1M to $2M (or 1 to 2 locations) - Systems
You can’t be in two places at once. You need to systemize your process to successfully operate multiple units.
If everything still relies on you as the owner, the business won’t grow.
Level 3: $2M to $5M (or 2 to 5 locations) - Standards
You need clear expectations enforced consistently across every location, every day, so the operation copies over cleanly as you add units.
Level 4: $5M to $10M (or 5 to 10 locations) - Structure
Defined roles, ownership, and clear communication.
Without structure, you’ve got a district manager who becomes a bottleneck for every conversation that should be going somewhere else.
Level 5: $10M & beyond - Strategy
Strategy to grow into new markets, acquisitions, or development
Major decisions on how to deploy capital, taking on debt, equity investors or funding from cash flow
Growth Is A Stair Step, Not A Straight Line
Each jump required me to grow as a leader, as a manager, as an entrepreneur.
And the trap some owners fall into is working on the wrong level
Like owners at $500k thinking about org charts instead of their sales process (working up)
Or owners at $5M micromanaging sales calls instead of building their leadership team (working down)
I just released a new video breaking down my roadmap to building an 8-figure business
