Roadmap Growth Strategy Business

The 0 to 1 Million Roadmap: The 4 Growth Phases of an AES

By Mahfod December 24, 2024 7 min read

The 0 to 1 Million Roadmap: The 4 Growth Phases of an AES

Don’t skip steps.

That’s the number 1 mistake of aspiring Architects.

They want to scale before validating. They want to automate before understanding. They want to diversify before mastering.

The road from 0 to 1 million is marked. There are phases. Each phase has its rules.

Ignoring the phases means ensuring failure.

Respecting them means maximizing your chances of success.

Overview of the 4 Phases

PhaseRevenueMain FocusTypical Duration
MEP0 → €10KValidation3-6 months
AEP€10K → €100KAutomation6-12 months
Scale€100K → €1MMultiplication1-2 years
Exit> €1MCapitalizationVariable

Phase 1: MEP (0 → €10K)

The Objective

Validate that your idea works.

Find “Product-Market Fit” — proof that someone wants to pay for what you offer.

The Mindset

Accepted tinkering.

At this phase, nothing is perfect. And that’s OK.

You’re not building an empire. You’re testing a hypothesis.

Key Actions

1. Define a precise niche Not “fitness.” Rather “yoga for pregnant women over 35.”

2. Create a minimal offer The simplest product that solves the problem. Not 50 features. One, well executed.

3. Find your first customers By any means:

  • Personal network
  • Online communities
  • Free content
  • Cold outreach

4. Get feedback First customers are R&D partners. Listen to them. Iterate.

5. Reach €10K in revenue Not €10K/month (not yet). €10K total. Proof the market exists.

Mistakes to Avoid

Automating too early You don’t know yet what works. Automating the wrong process = wasted time.

Diversifying too early One product. One niche. Absolute focus.

Investing too early Minimal budget. Prove it works first.

Criteria to Move to Next Phase

  • ✅ €10K+ in revenue generated
  • ✅ At least 10 satisfied customers
  • ✅ Clear understanding of what works
  • ✅ Processes identified (even if manual)

Phase 2: AEP (€10K → €100K)

The Objective

Automate what works.

Go from tinkering to system.

The Mindset

Systems engineering.

You’re no longer an artisan. You’re building a machine.

Key Actions

1. Install your AEP (FlowContent) The platform that will orchestrate everything.

2. Document your processes Everything you do manually must be written. It’s the basis for automation.

3. Automate progressively Start with tasks that are:

  • Most repetitive
  • Least complex
  • Most time-consuming

4. Create your AI agents Writing Agent, SEO Agent, Email Agent… Each repetitive task → an agent.

5. Remove humans from operations Your role shifts from “doing” to “supervising.” The system does. You validate.

6. Optimize conversions Now that volume is increasing, every % counts. Test, measure, improve.

Key Metrics

  • CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost): How much does a customer cost you?
  • LTV (Lifetime Value): How much does a customer bring over their lifetime?
  • LTV/CAC Ratio: Must be > 3 to be viable
  • Churn: Customer loss rate (for subscriptions)

Mistakes to Avoid

Automating without understanding If you don’t understand why something works, you can’t automate it correctly.

Neglecting quality Automation can degrade quality if done poorly. Monitor.

Forgetting the customer Systems are there to serve the customer, not to simplify your life at the expense of experience.

Criteria to Move to Next Phase

  • ✅ €100K+ in revenue generated (cumulative or annualized)
  • ✅ Largely automated system
  • ✅ Less than 10h/week of operations
  • ✅ Clear and positive metrics
  • ✅ Stable positive cash flow

Phase 3: Scale (€100K → €1M)

The Objective

Multiply what works.

Inject fuel into a validated machine.

The Mindset

Amplification.

You’re no longer changing the engine. You’re stepping on the gas.

Key Actions

1. Activate paid advertising Now that the system converts, inject paid traffic.

  • Facebook/Meta Ads
  • Google Ads
  • TikTok Ads
  • YouTube Ads

2. Duplicate geographically Your system works in France?

  • Translate to English → US market (10x)
  • Translate to Spanish → LATAM market
  • Translate to German → DACH market

3. Duplicate thematically Your niche works?

  • Adjacent niches with the same system
  • New angles on the same audience
  • New products for the same customers

4. Hire (optional) If necessary:

  • Freelancers for specific tasks
  • Virtual assistants for support
  • Experts for optimization

5. Tax optimization At this revenue level, tax structure matters.

  • Holding company?
  • Optimized jurisdiction?
  • Consult an expert.

Scale Levers

LeverPotential Multiplier
Optimized paid ads2-5x
Geographic expansion2-10x
New products1.5-3x
Partnerships1.5-2x
Acquisitions2-5x

Mistakes to Avoid

Scaling a broken system If metrics aren’t good, scaling = losing money faster.

Losing control More volume = more complexity. Keep clear visibility.

Forgetting the base The original system must continue working while you scale.

Criteria to Move to Next Phase

  • ✅ €1M+ in revenue (cumulative or annualized)
  • ✅ Multiple revenue sources
  • ✅ Team in place (even small)
  • ✅ Replicated and functional systems
  • ✅ Solid and predictable cash flow

Phase 4: Exit (> €1M)

The Objective

Capitalize on what you’ve built.

Convert your machine into capital or empire.

The Options

Option A: Continue to Grow

  • Toward €10M, €100M…
  • Hire a real team
  • Become a “real” company

Option B: Sell (Exit)

  • Valuation: 3-5x annual profit
  • Cash out: Financial freedom
  • Start over on something else

Option C: Acquire

  • Buy competitors
  • Consolidate the market
  • Become the leader

Option D: Stabilize

  • Maintain current level
  • Maximize dividends
  • Enjoy life

Preparing for Exit

If you’re considering selling:

1. Document everything The buyer wants to understand how it works.

2. Clean up metrics Clear, predictable, verifiable history.

3. Reduce dependence on you The more the system works without you, the more it’s worth.

4. Stabilize revenue Buyers prefer predictability.

5. Find a broker Empire Flippers, FE International, or other.

Valuation

Business TypeTypical Multiple
Content site30-40x monthly
E-commerce25-35x monthly
SaaS40-60x monthly
Agency20-30x monthly

Example:

  • Monthly profit: €20,000
  • Multiple: 35x
  • Valuation: €700,000

Know Where You Are

The key is to know where you are to know what to do.

Quick Diagnosis

You’re in Phase MEP if:

  • You haven’t yet reached €10K in cumulative revenue
  • You don’t yet know what really works
  • You do a lot of things manually (and that’s normal)

You’re in Phase AEP if:

  • You’ve validated a product/market
  • You’re progressively automating
  • You’re going from “doing” to “supervising”

You’re in Phase Scale if:

  • Your system runs almost by itself
  • You’re injecting paid traffic
  • You’re duplicating (geo, product, niche)

You’re in Phase Exit if:

  • You’re exceeding the million
  • You’re thinking about “what’s next?”
  • You’re preparing a capitalization

The Phase Error

Most failures come from doing actions from one phase while being in another.

  • Scaling in Phase MEP = Losing money
  • Tinkering in Phase Scale = Stagnating
  • Selling in Phase AEP = Undervaluing

Respect the phases. They exist for a reason.

Conclusion

The road from 0 to 1 million is a progression, not a jump.

Phase MEP: Validate (tinkering, feedback, PMF) Phase AEP: Automate (systems, agents, optimization) Phase Scale: Multiply (paid, geo, products) Phase Exit: Capitalize (sale, acquisition, stabilization)

Each phase has its rules. Each phase has its metrics. Each phase has its mistakes to avoid.

Know where you are. Do what that phase demands. Move to the next when criteria are met.

That’s the roadmap. Follow it.