Scale — $10K to $1M ARR

Reach $100k MRR

Required. $100K MRR is the clearest proof that you have a repeatable, scalable business — not a product that works for a narrow initial cohort. Bank statements for 3 consecutive months are the proof.

3 milestones

1. 1Reach $25K MRR — financial evidence and team structure
2. 2Reach $50K MRR — name the primary growth channel and its limit
3. 3Reach $100K MRR — describe the business model at this scale

Reach $1M ARR

Required. $1M ARR is the anchor milestone of this path. At this revenue level, the business has enough signal to support institutional investment, acquisition interest, or a profitable solo operation.

3 milestones

1. 1Identify and systematise the $100K ARR motion
2. 2Build the operational infrastructure for scale
3. 3Cross $1M ARR with documented evidence

Bootstrap to Profitability

Elective — bootstrap track. Three consecutive months of positive operating income (not just gross profit) with a P&L as proof. Choosing to bootstrap rather than raise is a legitimate scaling strategy.

3 milestones

1. 1Document cost structure and burn rate
2. 2Cut or convert costs to reach break-even
3. 3Sustain profitability for 90 consecutive days

Raise a Pre-Seed Round

Elective — VC track. $250K–$1M raised from angels or a micro-VC on signed terms. The signed term sheet or SAFE agreement is the proof artifact — not a verbal commitment.

3 milestones

1. 1Define the round — amount, use of funds, and investor type
2. 2Run the pre-seed process — first commitments
3. 3Close the pre-seed — capital received and first milestone defined

Raise a Seed Round

Elective — VC track, after pre-seed. $1M–$5M from institutional investors with signed documents. This proof requires a post-money cap table showing the new investors — not a press release.

3 milestones

1. 1Write the investment memo — thesis, market, and why now
2. 2Run the fundraising process — first meetings and active conversations
3. 3Close the seed round — signed agreement and capital received

Raise Series A

Elective — VC track, after seed. $5M+ with a lead institutional investor. A Series A at this path's scale typically means you have proven unit economics and a clear path to $10M ARR.

3 milestones

1. 1Build and validate your Series A narrative
2. 2Build metrics package and data room
3. 3Close the round with a signed term sheet

Build a Board Presentation Cadence

Elective — post-funding governance. If you've raised institutional capital, a board presentation cadence (3 quarterly presentations with recorded minutes) proves operational discipline to investors.

3 milestones

1. 1Design the Board Update Framework
2. 2Run Three Full Board Update Cycles
3. 3Navigate a Board Crisis Update

Lead a Company Through a Pivot

Elective. Not every path to $1M ARR is a straight line. A documented pivot — what changed, why, and what happened to revenue 90 days after — is often the most credible proof of founder adaptability.

3 milestones

1. 1Conduct and Document the Pivot Case
2. 2Execute the Pivot Announcement and Team Alignment
3. 3Track and Report Pivot Progress at 90 Days

Build and Exit

Elective — terminal milestone. An exit (acquisition, PE buyout, or IPO) is one valid endpoint of this path, not the required one. Documented signed terms are the proof.

3 milestones

1. 1Business reaching $500k+ ARR
2. 2Acquisition conversations initiated
3. 3Deal closed

Grow Startup

Elective. Sustained revenue or user growth over a 6-month period with documented growth rate and channel attribution. Broad but useful for founders who have scaled one function and want to document it.

3 milestones

1. 1Establish Growth Baseline and Attribution Framework
2. 2Three-Month Growth Snapshot with Channel Breakdown
3. 3Six-Month Growth Report with Practitioner Review