This approach wouldn't suit niches requiring physical products (e.g., fashion retail), heavy regulation (e.g., legal services, pharmaceuticals), or large upfront capital (e.g., tech hardware startups). It's optimized for high-ticket digital sales where one person can handle most operations initially. If you're in a niche like this, starting with the $0 foundation ensures you're not overcomplicating early stages.

Special thanks to Knox for the post

Here’s a clean, punchy growth checklist version that reads like something people will save + share:

The Sequential Growth Checklist (Don’t Skip Stages)

$0 Stage — Foundation

☐ Delete every unnecessary tool.

☐ Your entire stack = X account + Telegram + Google Docs

☐ Pick one specific problem for one specific person.

☐ “Helping entrepreneurs” isn’t positioning — it’s a coma.

$0 → $10K Stage — Momentum

☐ Post 3× daily for 90 days, no evaluation until day 90.

☐ Every post must teach or trigger emotion. No diary entries.

☐ Build a Telegram hub — trust compounds in closed rooms, not timelines.

☐ DM 10 engagers per day. No pitching. Learn their real problems.

☐ Pre-sell before building: land 10 buyers at $297.

☐ Ship the ugly version: Google Doc + Stripe link. Done in a weekend.

$10K → $100K Stage — Proof & Leverage

☐ If people buy without objections, your price is too low.

☐ Screenshot every win, every DM, every result. Stack undeniable proof.

☐ Add backend: upsells, downsells, bumps — turn $47 buyers into $3K.

☐ Systematize everything that works. Document SOPs.

☐ Content mix: 70% value / 20% proof / 10% personality.

☐ Most creators flip this and stay broke with 50K followers.

$100K → $1M Stage — Scale

☐ Hire for anything <$50/hr. You focus on offers + decisions.

☐ Build a product ladder: $97 entry → $997 core → $3K advanced → $497/mo recurring.

☐ Remove single points of failure: multiple accounts, processors, brands.

☐ Reinvest 40% minimum — scale or stay small.

☐ Build a referral engine. 30% of revenue should come from recommendations.

Why $1M Becomes Inevitable

Because at this point you’re no longer guessing.

No more posting and praying.

You built the machine.

You know exactly what $1 produces.

Most people stay stuck at $2K because they run $1M tactics on a $0 foundation.

This is a sequential game — respect the order and you win.