Pre launch (validation)
Productized service
Before building the SaaS, launched a productized service where customers ordered leads via a form and the team fulfilled them manually within 24 hours. This required zero dev cost, validated demand, generated $5k–$10k/month in cash flow, and revealed exactly what customers wanted in the eventual SaaS.
→ $5k–$10k/month cash flow used to fund SaaS development; clear product spec gathered from real customers
Pre launch (audience building)
Twitter — threads
Publicly narrated the full founder journey on Twitter — from early productized service success, to failed developer attempts, to nearly quitting, to the rebuild. This built a loyal audience invested in the outcome before the SaaS even launched.
→ Warm audience ready to buy on launch day; product was already something they had been specifically requesting
Launch (Day 1)
Email to existing list
On relaunch day, sent a few emails to the combined customer list from the agency, coaching program, and productized service. Also hosted a couple of live calls and posted tweets announcing the launch.
→ Customers 'rushed to support' the launch; contributed to $1M ARR within 87 days
Month 1–3 (0 to $1M ARR)
Cold email lead magnet
Instead of pitching ListKit directly via cold email, offered 50 free verified leads to anyone who replied naming their target audience. Converted respondents into paying customers after delivering the leads. This hook dramatically outperformed direct product pitches.
→ Became a widely copied strategy by competitors; major driver of the 87-day $1M ARR milestone
First 6 months
Product ecosystem cross sell
Leveraged the existing Client Ascension coaching program community and agency client base as a built-in distribution channel. Students and clients already trusted the brand and had the exact pain point ListKit solved.
→ 1,000 paying customers within first 6 months
Users 1.0k users
Scaling (post $1M ARR)
Paid ads video and static
Ran paid ads centered on a 'setup offer' — instead of selling the low-ticket SaaS directly, upsold a done-for-you cold email system setup with recurring leads. Tested ~20 new creatives per week (10 static images, 10 video variations) with different headlines, copy, and spokespeople to combat creative fatigue at scale.
→ Primary scaling channel beyond the initial launch; helped grow from $1M to $2.4M ARR
Scaling (ongoing)
Affiliate program
Rolled out an affiliate program as a supplementary growth channel alongside ads and content marketing.
→ Named as one of three primary growth channels at scale; specific numbers not disclosed
Retention / reducing churn
One on one onboarding calls
Offered every new paying customer a personal 1-on-1 onboarding call. On each call, asked why they signed up, what they hoped to achieve, and whether they were getting it. Used findings to drive both product improvements and support quality, keeping churn low.
→ Described as a key competitive differentiator; helped retain 1,500+ paying customers nearly a year in
Users 1.5k users