#271 · how to personalize cold emails without AI slop
I'd say around $10k–$20k MRR for a solo founder. If you have a team, look at revenue per staff member—about $15k per person. Once you hit that recurring revenue, you can start making social media content; just don't start from zero.
Don’t invest time building a social‑media‑only brand; businesses built solely on social media tend not to be strong. Instead, reach out directly using non‑social‑media leads to build a real business, then later use social media from the position of a successful operation. Aim for high revenue per subscriber rather than chasing followers first.
I don’t recommend starting a brand right away because it demands huge time and effort for little or no payoff, often taking months or even years to see returns. Without credentials or a track record, it’s hard to stand out, and you likely lack the foundational habits needed for success. Instead, focus on making money first through direct outreach—cold email, cold DMs, cold calling, door‑to‑door, etc.—which is far more effective than hoping a social media post will go viral. Once you have something that puts you in the top 1% of your field, you’ll have the credibility and results to build a brand and talk about it. Starting too early leads to low success probability and distraction, as you may invest hundreds of hours with zero revenue and then chase short‑term monetization tactics. So, make money elsewhere first, then worry about monetizing your brand after you have a solid financial base.
Yes, offering social media services to small businesses is a possible start, but I'd recommend leapfrogging directly to selling AI services. Business owners see AI in the media and hear about it from friends, yet they don't know how to implement it beyond copying ChatGPT outputs—this creates a strong, inherent need for AI implementation services. In contrast, social media marketing is now a saturated market where most people already have experience, so there's less novelty and demand. By selling AI services, you tap into a well-established need with clear ROI, making it easier to attract clients without needing extra spending or hiring.
Don't jump into content or branding yet—first land clients and prove you can deliver results. Use a simple accountability habit (like daily updates) to stay consistent, and only then create content that showcases your work.