A practical guide for startup founders aiming to grow their AI or SaaS business to over $1 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR). The guide is highly tactical, emphasizing low-cost, high-impact marketing methods. It breaks the journey into three key stages over 24 months:

Stage 1: $0–$100K ARR (Months 1–6)
Focus on product-market fit and landing the first 50 customers using tactics like:

• Targeting micro-verticals

• Running VIP beta programs

• Leveraging AI feedback

• Engaging niche communities (Reddit, Slack)

• Personalized cold outreach

Stage 2: $100K–$500K ARR (Months 7–12)
Emphasis on scaling and building repeatable systems, including:

• Hosting office hours and podcast tours

• Creating “powered by” widgets

• Cold email campaigns

• Guerrilla marketing and teardowns

Stage 3: $500K–$1M+ ARR (Months 13–24)
Focus shifts to optimization and expansion with strategies like:

• Multi-channel outreach

• Content partnerships

• Influencer and webinar collaborations

• Targeted advertising