The Road to $300,000 a Day: How a Little Determination, a Lot of Coffee, and a Crazy Plan Changed Everything

Perry Jones
7 min readOct 1, 2024

This story was written with the assistance of an AI writing program.

Once upon a time (okay, about 20 (uh-hmm, cough, cough) years ago), I found myself in a meeting room surrounded by some of the brightest minds in the business.

It was a typical corporate strategy session — you know, the kind where everyone talks about incremental growth and small wins.

But I had a different vision in my head. We were bringing in around $30,000 a day in sales, which wasn’t bad, but I knew we could do better. So, naturally, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind: ”Why don’t we aim for $300,000 a day?”

You could’ve heard a pin drop. For a second, I thought I’d said something ridiculous, but then I realized that’s exactly what everyone thought. They looked at me like I’d just proposed we launch a new product on the moon.

”Why not?” I asked. “We have the product, we have the customers — let’s go big or go home!”

And that was the start of what became an exhilarating, caffeine-fueled, teamwork-powered sprint to the kind of growth that even I didn’t fully expect.

In just three years, we went from $30,000 to $300,000 in daily sales. Here’s the story of how we did it — and, I’ll admit, how I went from being ‘that crazy guy in the corner’ to the person people started taking seriously.

Step 1: Vision or Insanity? You Decide.

The thing about grand ideas is that you need people to get behind them.

So, after my $300,000-a-day proclamation, I decided it was time to back that vision with a plan — a crazy, detailed, every-little-thing-counts plan. This wasn’t just about ramping up sales; it was about building a machine that could operate efficiently, no matter what.

I knew we had the foundation already, but it needed serious optimization and a heck of a lot of fine-tuning.

We didn’t need new products, fancy new office furniture, or an endless supply of free snacks in the breakroom (though those would’ve been nice).

What we really needed was better systems, better training, and a better environment for our people to work in. It was all about streamlining what we already had and expanding the things that were working.

So, what did we do first?

Step 2: Let’s Get This Party Started — The Staff Overhaul

There’s no business without people, and I knew that if we wanted to scale the business, we had to scale the team. At the time, we had a solid group of about 300 employees, but we needed more.

By the time we were done, that number had tripled to around 1,000. But hiring more people is only half the battle — you also need them to be good at their jobs, and, ideally, to like their jobs too.

So, we went into training overdrive.

I personally rewrote the entire customer service manual and sales script (because let’s face it, who doesn’t like hearing themselves talk?). Then we rolled out an in-depth, intensive training program that wasn’t just about ticking boxes — it was about making people feel confident, knowledgeable, and motivated.

You see, in any business, customer service is a big deal.

It’s the face of your company, and in many cases, the only face your customers ever see (or hear). We wanted our team to not just provide answers, but to connect with our customers.

And let me tell you, nothing turns a lukewarm customer into a brand evangelist faster than a cheerful, well-trained, and empowered service rep who actually cares.

Oh, but wait, it gets better!

We didn’t stop at training. We created an atmosphere of excitement and enthusiasm.

Bonuses for hitting sales goals? Absolutely. Celebrating wins like we just won the Super Bowl? You bet. Every little success became a reason to celebrate, whether it was hitting a sales target, resolving a tricky customer issue, or surviving a Monday without spilling coffee all over your desk.

And speaking of coffee… we drank a lot of it.

Step 3: We All Need a Little Backup

People are essential, but so are systems.

And while our workforce was expanding, so were the operational systems behind the scenes. You can’t just throw bodies at a problem — you need to optimize everything from technology to processes, and that’s exactly what we did.

We implemented new technology systems to streamline everything from order processing to logistics. We developed a well-oiled machine where customer orders could be tracked, processed, and fulfilled faster than ever.

That’s the key when you’re trying to scale: speed And efficiency.

Alongside that, we beefed up our internal support teams — HR, IT, finance, you name it.

These unsung heroes were just as critical as the folks on the front lines. As we grew, they kept the gears turning, whether it was handling payroll for our growing army of employees or ensuring our servers didn’t go down right when a big promotion hit.

And speaking of promotions…

Step 4: Marketing, Advertising, and the Magic of Messaging

Growth isn’t just about hiring and systems — it’s also about getting the word out. If you’re going to hit $300,000 a day, you need a serious influx of customers. Enter our marketing and advertising blitz.

But back in the day, the internet was still a shiny new thing, and social media? Well, that wasn’t even a twinkle in anyone’s eye. Instead, we relied on good ol’ fashioned TV, radio, and print ads in magazines and newspapers. And guess what?

They worked like a charm.

We got creative with tracking our ads by embedding serial numbers into each one.

Whether it was a dollar-off promotion on radio or a special code in a TV ad, we used these to get real-time feedback on what was resonating with customers.

People loved getting a discount for remembering a number, and we loved knowing which ad campaigns were driving the most sales. It was a simple but highly effective way to measure our return on ad spend (ROAS) long before Google Analytics existed.

We learned that our customers weren’t just responding to our products — they were connecting with the stories and messages behind them. And from there, we were able to refine our messaging to focus on what really worked, ensuring that every dollar spent on marketing was worth it.

We were everywhere, and we were loud about it. But being everywhere isn’t enough — you need to be strategic. We tested everything: different messages, different promotions, different platforms. And guess what? The data doesn’t lie.

We learned that our customers weren’t just looking for products — they were looking for experiences. So we shifted our messaging to focus not just on what we were selling, but on the emotions, convenience, and joy our products brought to their lives.

Our ads became more personal, our promotions more targeted. We used customer data to create tailored experiences— a win for the customer and a win for us.

Step 5: Scaling Like a Boss

Now, a funny thing happens when you start scaling a business: the numbers get big, and the stakes get higher.

You’ve got to keep your eye on everything — sales, customer service, employee morale, inventory, IT, accounting. It’s like juggling chainsaws while riding a unicycle across a tightrope. Except more stressful.

So we got smart about it. We had dashboards, metrics, KPIs, spreadsheets and graphs for every little thing — you name it. Everyone in the company knew what our goals were and how we were tracking toward them.

Transparency was key. I didn’t just want people to know that we were shooting for $300,000 a day — I wanted them to feel like they were a part of it.

Because they were.

And here’s the thing: When everyone’s rowing in the same direction, something magical happens. You start seeing the results of all that effort.

Step 6: Planting Roots in Warmer Climates

Now, if you know anything about Massachusetts, you know that it snows. A lot. And sometimes, snow days can shut down your entire operation for days at a time. That’s not exactly conducive to scaling a business, right?

So, we got creative. We opened new offices in Atlanta, Georgia and Phoenix, Arizona, where the weather was far less likely to interfere with our business. Having backup offices in different climates meant that we could keep the wheels turning, no matter what. It was a little insurance policy that paid off big time.

Step 7: Celebrating Success, Without Getting Complacent

After three years of hustle, heart, and a little insanity, we hit that magic number: $300,000 a day in sales. It was exhilarating. And while I’d love to say we popped a bottle of champagne and called it a day, that’s not really how it works in business, is it?

The truth is, there’s always another mountain to climb. But at that moment, we took a minute to appreciate how far we’d come. From $30,000 a day to $300,000 — by scaling our team, streamlining our systems, and delivering the best possible experience to our customers.

Now, here’s the kicker: What we did then, I’ve done several times since. The truth is, any company can scale like this if they’re willing to invest in their people, refine their processes, and believe in a bold vision.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about the numbers. It’s about building something bigger, something that works like a well-oiled machine.

And trust me, the ride is worth it.

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Next story in series: “Hopes and Dreams: Doubling Billions in 18 Months”

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Kearsedge Boston

Perry Jones

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Perry Jones
Perry Jones

Written by Perry Jones

Urban philosopher, author, teacher, American.

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