My 5-step process to scale past $10k MRR

January 29, 2026

Hey there,

You opened this email because you want to scale your app to $10,000 MRR.

Lucky for you, I scaled Puff Count to $44k MRR with 50 million TikTok views and 120,000 followers.

I built it without funding, without a team, without any fancy production equipment. 

The only thing I had was a repeatable 5-step system:

Step 1: Market research

Most founders post blindly and waste months creating content that dies. Research shows you what's already working before you create anything.

I spent 5-7 days watching TikTok. I searched my niche, filtered by "most liked last 6 months," and saved every viral video to a spreadsheet. I broke down the hooks, storylines, and CTAs.

Step 2: Post consistently

The algorithm needs data to understand what works. One video isn't enough but consistency gives you multiple shots at going viral.

I posted every single day using the formats from my research. My videos stayed at 200 views until one hit 3.6 million.

Step 3: Work with creators

You can't create enough content alone to hit viral odds consistently. More content = more chances for the algorithm to pick a winner.

I hired hundreds of creators to post about Puff Count and this multiplied my content output without burning me out.

Step 4: Use subtle CTAs

TikTok audiences know when they're being sold to. The second it feels like an ad, they scroll past. But subtle CTAs slip past their guard.

I'd flash the app for 2 seconds mid-story and say "Check this out if you need to quit." That's it.

Step 5: Scale winners on paid ads

Testing creatives on paid ads wastes money. TikTok already told you what works organically for free. Use that data.

Once a video went viral organically, I ran it on paid ads. No guessing and no testing 50 creatives. I just scale what’s already working organically.

This same system took Posted to $1M in 15 months.

Stop posting random content hoping something will stick.

Peace,
Steven