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    Home » The Step-by-Step Plan to Go From $3M to $10M+

    The Step-by-Step Plan to Go From $3M to $10M+

    webmasterBy webmasterFebruary 10, 2025 All Videos 4 Mins Read
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    In this episode, Ayman Al-Abdullah, former CEO of AppSumo, shares his framework for scaling businesses from seven to nine figures. The conversation focuses on the importance of customer retention, strategic hiring, and proper incentive structures. Ayman shares insights from his experience scaling AppSumo from $3M to $84M in revenue, emphasizing the transition from founder to CEO mindset.

    Timestamps:
    00:00 – Introduction and background
    02:35 – Discussion of the Nine Steps framework
    08:01 – Team building and executive compensation
    10:22 – The Reality of Startup Valuations
    14:23 – The importance of setting a strong foundation
    15:47 – Focus on Retention Before Growth
    22:13 – Evaluating Opportunities and Thinking Big
    29:34 – Examples of Successful Founders that Ayman admires
    31:22 – The Importance of Focus in Business
    33:14 – Build Skyscrapers, Not Strip-malls
    35:48 – The importance of being the best in the market
    37:42 – Where to double down in your business
    40:10 – Testing and Investing in Business Strategies
    41:53 – Identifying Bottlenecks in Your Business
    44:27 – Finding Your Zone of Genius

    Key Points:
    • The "Nine Steps to Nine Figures" framework divides business growth into three phases: startup, scale-up, and grow-up
    • Focus on retention and customer loyalty before aggressive growth
    • Use the "Test Then Invest" framework with 80% resources on core business and 20% on experiments
    • Structure executive compensation with a 50-50 split between top-line and bottom-line metrics

    1) The "Nine Steps to Nine Figures" Framework:

    Breaks down into 3 phases:
    • Startup (Product Market Fit)
    • Scale-up (Company Creation)
    • Grow-up (Legacy Protection)

    Most founders get this wrong from day 1…

    2) RETENTION over GROWTH

    "Building a business without focusing on retention is like building a skyscraper on sand"

    Every 3% increase in net revenue retention = DOUBLES company valuation

    Stop chasing growth before you nail retention!

    3) The 80/20 Marketing Rule:

    • 80% of resources on proven channels
    • 20% on experimental channels

    Real example: AppSumo tested switching from credits to cash payments for referrals → Became 8-figure revenue channel

    4) The Shield vs Sword Framework for Decision Making:

    Rate every opportunity 1-5 on:
    • Impact (Sword)
    • Effort (Shield)

    Only pursue 8+/10 total score opportunities
    Ignore the rest – they’re distractions

    5) On Building Your Executive Team:

    Two core functions:
    • Sales (CRO)
    • Delivery (COO)

    Pro tip: Hire first in YOUR zone of genius
    Why? You’ll know what excellence looks like

    6) The Triple, Triple, Double, Double Path to $100M:

    Year 1: $3M → $9M
    Year 2: $9M → $27M
    Year 3: $27M → $54M
    Year 4: $54M → $108M

    This is how you hit 9-figures in 5 years

    7) REVOLUTIONARY Compensation Framework:

    Forget traditional equity!
    Instead:
    • Set total comp package
    • Let employees choose cash vs equity split
    • Makes equity REAL by forcing skin in the game

    8) CEO Evolution:

    "The founder is the hardest working person
    The CEO should be the laziest"

    Your job: Think 3-5 quarters ahead while your team executes

    Key Takeaway:
    Focus on retention first
    Build processes before hiring
    Think in 5-year blocks
    Execute with intention

    Notable Quotes:
    "Product market fit is when it feels like you’re wearing a meat suit in a dog park – you just have more leads than you know what to do with." – Ayman
    "Every 3% increase in net revenue retention doubles a company’s valuation." – Ayman

    LCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future – from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn ‘what if’ into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/

    BoringAds — ads agency that will build you profitable ad campaigns http://boringads.com/

    BoringMarketing — SEO agency and tools to get your organic customers http://boringmarketing.com/

    Startup Empire – a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.startupempire.co

    FIND ME ON SOCIAL

    X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg
    Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/

    FIND AYMAN ON SOCIAL

    Ayman’s Website: https://aymanalabdullah.com
    X/Twitter: https://x.com/aymanalabdul
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aalab003/

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