My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Identify investment opportunities in companies you already pay as a customer
Entrepreneurs and investors who have business expenses and want to generate returns from their spend
6-24 months to identify and executeWhat Success Looks Like
Becoming an equity partner in a business you already use, potentially seeing significant returns as the business grows with your help.
Steps to Execute
Audit your P&L line items to identify meaningful recurring expenses
Research which expenses go to companies with strong growth potential
Identify companies where you could add value beyond just money
Reach out to founders expressing genuine interest and usage
Negotiate equity participation rather than just affiliate deals
Actively contribute to growth through your network and expertise
Checklist
Inputs Needed
- Access to your business P&L
- Credible track record or audience
- Capital to invest
- Time to contribute meaningfully
Outputs
- Equity stake in growing business
- Potential significant returns
- Deeper product knowledge and influence
- Strategic business relationships
Example
“Shaan looked at his P&L, saw Shepherd as a significant expense, approached Marshall as a real user, negotiated equity deal, helped triple the business, and saw major returns when Nick acquired it.”
Related Knowledge
Audience Co-Founder Framework
A business partnership model where someone with a trusted audience becomes an equity partner to provide unfair distribution advantages, essentially acting as a non-fungible go-to-market cheat code.
Curse of Familiar Riches
The mental trap where entrepreneurs can easily envision 1-2x income growth (because they understand those mechanisms) but their brains short-circuit when trying to think of 10x growth paths.
affiliate_vs_equity
Trust Depth Over Reach Breadth
When evaluating audience partnerships, trust depth (how much influence you actually have) matters exponentially more than reach breadth (total follower count).
Money does make you happier, but the 'never enough' psychology persists at every level
Pursue wealth for the genuine benefits it provides, but don't expect it to eliminate the desire for more
Invest in your P&L
Look at your business expenses and try to become an investor in the companies you're already paying