Six figures. Just saying it sounds satisfying, doesn’t it? A hundred grand. Six digits. That magical number that seems to separate the “side hustlers” from the “real business owners.”
If you run a small business, chances are you’ve daydreamed about hitting that milestone. Maybe you even wrote it down on a whiteboard or said it out loud like a mantra. And hey, why not? It’s a solid, tangible goal.
But let’s be real for a second. Scaling a business to six figures isn’t as simple as stacking cash like it’s a board game. It takes strategy, stamina, and, honestly, a bit of stubbornness. Some days it’ll feel like you’re on the verge of a breakthrough. Other days? Like you’re crawling through peanut butter just trying to post something decent on Instagram.
So, is there a secret formula? Not really. But there are patterns, habits, decisions, and sometimes hard truths that successful small businesses tend to share.
Let’s get into it.
First, Let’s Talk About What Six Figures Really Means
Before we get too hyped up, let’s set the record straight. Hitting $100,000 in revenue isn’t the same as taking home $100,000. That’s gross versus net, and the difference can be brutal.
If you’re a solo service provider with minimal overhead, sure, you might keep a big chunk of that. But if you’ve got staff, tools, inventory, and subscriptions eating away at your margins, that “six-figure business” might leave you with less take-home than your old 9-to-5 did.
And yet, it still matters. Not just because of the money, but because of what it means. Hitting that number usually signals that you’ve figured something out. You’ve built something that’s working beyond just luck or one good month. It’s like your business got promoted.
Emotionally, that number carries weight. It’s proof of concept. Validation. And for a lot of small business owners, it’s the first sign that maybe, just maybe, this whole thing might be real.
Sales Solve Almost Everything… Except When They Don’t
You’ve probably heard it before: sales cure all problems. And to be fair, there’s some truth to that. If you don’t have consistent income, it’s hard to do anything else.
But here’s the catch. You can’t just sell your way out of chaos. More sales without a plan can make things worse, not better. Imagine you’ve got a small bakery. People love your cinnamon rolls. Orders are pouring in. But your oven’s too small, your packaging is messy, and you’re still manually writing down addresses for every shipment. More sales? More problems.
Scaling isn’t just about increasing sales. It’s about building a business that can handle growth. Otherwise, it’s like pouring water into a bucket full of holes.
So yes, focus on revenue. But also focus on what happens after the sale.
The Unsexy Stuff That Actually Moves the Needle
Let’s talk about the part no one brags about on LinkedIn: the boring stuff. Cash flow spreadsheets. Sales tax filing. Figuring out why your profit margin is 12 percent when you thought it was 30.
This is where a lot of small businesses stall, not because they aren’t good at what they do, but because running a business is a whole different beast. You can be a phenomenal wedding photographer and still be underwater if you’re undercharging or don’t know how to manage your time.
Some tools that can help (without making your brain melt):
-
Wave for easy accounting (and it’s free)
-
Notion for task and client tracking
-
QuickBooks Self-Employed if you’re juggling expenses and tax stuff
These aren’t shiny. They won’t go viral. But they’ll keep your business from quietly bleeding money behind the scenes.
Marketing That Doesn’t Make People Roll Their Eyes
Marketing today? It’s a weird world. You’ve got TikToks of people pretending to be cats and billion-dollar brands replying with memes. It’s easy to feel like you have to do everything, everywhere, all the time.
Here’s the thing: most small businesses don’t need to go viral. They just need to connect.
That means building a brand that doesn’t make people cringe. Speak like a human. Show up consistently. Give a damn about your audience. That’s it.
Organic content (like blogs, emails, or posts) can work wonders, but only if you’re saying something people want to hear. Paid ads can be gold, but not if your landing page looks like it was made in 2008.
And please, for the love of your future self, don’t just copy whatever’s trending. What works for a skincare brand on TikTok isn’t going to translate to your accounting firm. Be weird. Be real. Be useful.
Systems Will Save You (Even If You Hate the Word)
“Systems” sounds cold. Robotic. Corporate.
But really, systems are just repeatable ways to get things done without reinventing the wheel. Think of it like setting up your kitchen before you cook. You wouldn’t dig through drawers for a spatula every time you flip pancakes, right?
Small systems, like templated emails, automated appointment schedulers, pre-scheduled content, or even checklists, free up brain space. And you’re gonna need that space when things start moving fast.
Some ideas?
-
Use Calendly for bookings so you don’t play email ping-pong
-
Automate recurring invoices with FreshBooks
-
Batch-create your content once a week instead of every morning at 8 a.m.
It’s not about being a robot. It’s about giving your future self a break.
The People Problem (And Blessing)
This part gets emotional. Scaling often means you can’t do it all alone anymore, and that’s hard.
You’ve poured everything into this business. It’s your baby. The idea of someone messing up your system or not “getting it” can feel like a straight-up gut punch. But trying to wear every hat forever? That’s how businesses burn out.
Start small. Maybe it’s a virtual assistant for 5 hours a week. Maybe it’s a bookkeeper to make tax season not feel like a crime thriller. Or a freelance designer who finally makes your website look less like a group project.
Letting go is tough. But with the right people, it’s also the best part. Suddenly, your business isn’t just you. It has legs. It can grow while you sleep (or at least while you take a weekend off).
Mindset, But Not the Fluffy Kind
Okay, let’s tread lightly here. “Mindset” gets tossed around like glitter in the business world. But we’re not talking vision boards and manifesting luxury yachts (unless that’s your thing).
We’re talking practical mindset shifts. The kind that actually keep your business afloat when the dopamine dries up.
Like tolerating boredom. Real business growth? It’s often repetitive and kind of slow. Can you stick with a strategy for six months, even when it’s not shiny anymore?
Or learning to say “no” to new ideas. Because sometimes, chasing something exciting means neglecting what’s already working.
And this is a big one, getting comfortable with imperfect. That blog post you keep rewriting? That reel you didn’t post because your hair looked weird? Yeah… that hesitation adds up.
Let things be “good enough.” Perfect can wait.
Okay, But How Long Does This Actually Take?
This is the part everyone wants a number on.
So how long does it take to scale to six figures?
Well, it depends. I know, I know. But it’s true.
Some folks hit it in six months, usually because they brought experience, funding, or connections to the table. Others take three, even five years, because they’re building something slow and solid. Neither path is better.
What matters is sustainability. Because what’s the point of hitting six figures if you’re exhausted, resentful, and glued to your phone at 10 p.m. every night?
Slow growth is still growth. You’re not late. You’re not behind. You’re just building something real.
The Truth Most People Won’t Tell You
Here’s what gets left out of the Instagram captions and email funnels. Not everyone wants to scale. And that’s okay.
Some people love staying small. They want creative control, flexible hours, and a business that fits around their life, not the other way around.
But if you do want to scale, if you’ve got that itch to build something bigger, know this. You don’t need to go viral. You don’t need to be a genius. You don’t even need to have it all figured out.
You just need to show up. Keep listening. Keep adjusting. Keep going, even when it’s not glamorous.
The path to six figures is messy. It’s not linear. It’s full of weird detours and boring Tuesdays.
But if you can stick with it? If you can handle the grind and the growth?
Then scaling to six figures isn’t just possible.
It’s inevitable.