Reach net monthly profitability without external funding — documented with 3 consecutive months of P&L showing positive margin.
Milestone map
Milestone map
0 of 3 done
1
Current milestone
Document cost structure and burn rate
1–2 weeks (5–8 hrs/week)
Pull every expense line from your accounting tool or bank statements for the last three months. Categorise into COGS, fixed costs, and variable costs. Build a simple unit economics model showing CAC, LTV, and gross margin per customer. Identify your largest cost driver and calculate what revenue level makes you cash-flow positive.
Proof required
Submit a monthly P&L for the last 3 months (you may redact sensitive figures to nearest $500) with expenses categorised, a unit economics table, and a one-paragraph explanation of which cost line you're attacking first and why.
What gets checked
P&L clearly distinguishes COGS from operating expenses — a spreadsheet with a single 'costs' column doesn't pass.
Unit economics model shows CAC and LTV from real acquisition and revenue data, not assumptions — cite the source rows.
Break-even calculation uses your actual gross margin, not 100% margin — the math must close.
Resources
Foundation: start here · Depth: go deeper · Mastery: for the dedicated
Foundation
YC Startup School Library
Depth
Baremetrics Open Benchmarks
Mastery
First Round Review — Bootstrapper's Bible
Cut or convert costs to reach break-even
Sustain profitability for 90 consecutive days
Sign in to start this outcome and track your progress publicly.