Hiring too soon can break you. Waiting too long can burn you out. In this AMA, we explore when a solo founder should scale past one. We dive into Olivier’s real-world dilemma—balancing product work, SEO, and revenue constraints—and break it down across three essential lenses: organization, product, and finances. Whether you’re building an empire or a solo practice, this one’s packed with insight.

The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive | Companion post and downloads here : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/ama-i-want-to-hire-but-i-cant-afford-it

How do you make sure your customers’ voices get heard as your company grows?

In this episode of The Journey, we break down how to build a Scalable Feedback Engine—a structured way to collect, analyze, and activate customer insights using the right mix of tools, processes, and people. You’ll learn how to choose survey tools, how to segment communication lists ethically, how to avoid bias in your research questions, and how to design a system that actually delivers feedback to decision-makers inside your organization.

Whether you’re a scrappy startup or scaling fast, this one’s packed with real-world advice—and a killer use case to steal.

Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/two-tin-cans-and-a-string

The Paradox of Success on Medium : https://medium.com/@6catalysts/the-paradox-of-success-why-customers-fall-out-of-love-with-growing-brands-29a0bc831234

The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive

Running your business ≠ building your business. This episode breaks down the difference between working in vs. on the business—and why the magic happens when you do both the right way. Includes practical tips like treating your business as a product, viewing employees as internal customers, and time-segmenting your weeks for higher leverage.

Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/working-on-the-business-new

The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive

Think your idea is too new, too risky, or too expensive to test? Think again. In this episode, we dive into the Market-Maker Method—your playbook for simulating a full product launch before you ever build the real thing. Discover how to test offers, pricing, and market interest with real data from real users. This is your roadmap to high-confidence decision-making.

Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/testing-ideas-the-market-maker-method-new

The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive

Tariffs just spiked—but your margin doesn’t have to suffer. In this episode, we explore the hidden financial risks of the new US import tax regime and show you how to warehouse smart across borders. Whether you’re considering US, Canadian, or Mexican distribution, we break down the pros, cons, and cashflow impact of each model—plus a hybrid option for complex logistics. Bonus: get a free modelling tool to forecast your own numbers.

Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/tariff-tantrums-minimizing-the-cashflow-new

The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive

What happens when you take your idea to the streets—literally? In this episode, we unpack the hands-on customer validation method that has you pitch to strangers, gather direct feedback, and test your idea without building a thing. Yes, it’s uncomfortable—but it’s also deeply rewarding. If you’ve ever wanted raw, honest input before committing time or money, this one’s for you.

Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/testing-ideas-the-customer-centric-new

The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive

Ever wish you could simulate the future to see if your idea has legs? That’s the core of The Alignment method—a collaborative exercise that imagines the world where your idea is the best option for the customer. Learn how to run it effectively with cross-functional teams, align leadership around strategic sparks, and avoid the pitfalls of groupthink. This one’s perfect for retreats, brainstorms, and early-stage product ideation.

Companion Post : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/testing-ideas-the-alignment-method-new

The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive

In this episode of The Journey, we dive into a surprisingly effective idea validation tactic: The Contrarian Method. Learn how to play devil’s advocate—with yourself or others—to uncover flaws, refine assumptions, and stress-test your next big idea. Includes practical steps, caveats, and notes on using AI effectively in the process.

Companion Post: https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/testing-ideas-the-contrarian-method-updated

The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive

In this Ask-Me-Anything episode of The Journey, Paul tackles a real question from a DTC founder in Prague building a subscription box for non-alcoholic cocktail kits.

The challenge?

Plenty of early interest—newsletter signups, social follows—but low conversion to first purchase.

We unpack what might be going wrong (and what’s probably not), how to diagnose issues with pricing vs. traffic vs. positioning, and what to look for before making a pivot.

This one’s packed with actionable advice for anyone launching something new—and wondering why interest isn’t turning into revenue.

Have a burning question about building your business? Submit it here, and it might be featured on the show!

Companion Post: https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/ama-cocktail-kits-for-the-sober-curious

The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive

Original long-form post published on March 25, 2025. This is the introduction to a four-part series on how to validate ideas (sparks of inspiration).

Companion Post: https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/the-spark-is-not-the-strategy

The Journey is your builder’s reference library. Crack open the full archive here → https://6catalysts.substack.com/archive