The biggest thing holding you back from $10M

Hey there, it’s Patrick.

I want to talk about the hardest part of scaling an eCommerce business.

It’s not your ads.

It’s not your conversion rate.

It’s not your email flows.

It’s the six inches between your ears.

After working with many 8-9+ Figure founders, this is the difference.

I see it all the time. A founder hits $3M, $5M, even $7M in revenue. They’re working harder than ever, but the business feels stuck.

They’re on a treadmill, and the speed keeps increasing, but they’re not actually going anywhere.

That’s because the mindset that gets you to 7 figures is the same mindset that will keep you from 8.

To get to $1M, you have to be a great operator. You’re in the weeds, pulling the levers, making things happen. You’re the best media buyer, the best copywriter, the best everything.

But to get to $10M and beyond, you have to stop being an operator and start being a CEO.

It’s a fundamental identity shift. And it’s painful.

Here are the three biggest mindset shifts I see in founders who successfully make the leap.

1. From Tactics to Systems

The 7-figure operator is obsessed with tactics.

They’re constantly asking “What’s the latest Facebook ad hack?” or “What’s the best landing page template?” They’re looking for the next silver bullet.

The 8-figure CEO is obsessed with systems.

They’re asking “What’s our system for developing new creative?” or “What’s our system for managing inventory?” They’re not looking for a single tactic; they’re building a machine that produces results predictably.

They know that tactics are fleeting, but systems are durable.

2. From Doer to Architect

The 7-figure operator’s first instinct is to do it themselves. “No one can do it as well as I can.” They’re a glorified freelancer, the central hub for every decision and task in the business.

The 8-figure CEO’s first instinct is to ask “Who can own this?”

They know that their job is not to do the work, but to design the system and put the right people in the right seats. They’re an architect, not a builder.

They fire themselves from jobs every single quarter. They replace themselves with talent or systems, freeing themselves up to focus on the one or two things that only they can do.

3. From Revenue to Enterprise Value

The 7-figure operator is chasing revenue. They’ll run a big, flashy sale to hit a monthly target, even if it kills their margins and trains their customers to wait for discounts.

The 8-figure CEO is building enterprise value. They’re focused on profitability, brand equity, and the defensibility of their business. They’ll sacrifice a short-term revenue spike to protect the long-term health of the company.

They’re not just thinking about this month’s P&L; they’re thinking about what their business will be worth in five years.

So here’s the question I have for you this week: Where are you still operating like a 7-figure founder?

Are you stuck in the tactical weeds? Are you still the bottleneck for every decision? Are you chasing revenue at the expense of profit?

Making the leap to 8 figures isn’t about doing more. It’s about becoming someone new.

Talk soon,

Patrick O’Driscoll