My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
“You need a good idea and good team”
What It Means
Business success ultimately comes down to two simple but difficult things: identifying real opportunities and assembling talented people
Why It Matters
Cuts through complexity of business building to focus on what actually matters for success
When It's True
In all business contexts, but especially important for venture-scale opportunities
When It's Risky
When market timing, regulation, or capital requirements dominate success factors
How to Apply
Spend most time on opportunity research and team building
Avoid getting distracted by tactics, tools, or optimization
Evaluate potential ventures primarily on these two dimensions
Example Scenario
“AlleyCorp spends 2.5 months researching industries to find good ideas, then focuses entirely on recruiting specialist CEOs”
Related Knowledge
Time is never on your side
Any good business idea will be copied by competitors within months, so speed of execution is critical
The Ryan Studio Model
A systematic approach to creating multiple companies by combining deep industry research, patient capital, and specialist CEO recruitment rather than trying to be CEO of everything yourself.
The Dollar-Into-Two-Dollar Machine Framework
A mental model for evaluating whether to raise capital and invest in growth by determining if you can reliably convert investment into higher returns.
The 10-Year Trend Betting Framework
A strategic approach to business building that focuses exclusively on trends and opportunities that will play out over 10+ years rather than immediate market gaps.
Systematically understand a new industry well enough to identify billion-dollar opportunities
A 50-page document identifying 3-5 major pain points, key players, industry structure, and specific product opportunitie
Scale across multiple companies by being an effective chairman rather than trying to be CEO of everything
CEOs who proactively reach out for guidance, successful financing rounds, strategic decisions made efficiently, and comp