Let’s be real, I didn’t fall into a seven-figure business. I built it. From nothing. No offer, no audience, no strategy beyond knowing I couldn’t go back to a 9-5. I didn’t follow the rules. I didn’t look polished. And I didn’t waste time trying to appeal to everyone.

I focused on what worked for me.

These are the five things that got my business to my first million

1. Stop looking for leads. Find buyers

Everyone online is obsessed with lead gen. But here’s the truth: leads don’t buy. Buyers do. There’s a big difference. A lead might look good on paper, fit your ideal client profile, and tick all the demographic boxes. But that doesn’t mean they’re going to hand over money.

A buyer is different. A buyer knows they have a problem, PLUS they’re actively looking for a solution, PLUS they’re giving off indicators that they’re ready to invest.

That’s who I speak to. That’s who I market to. The people that display all 3. Anything else is a waste of energy. You don’t build a million-dollar business chasing people who aren’t even in the market to buy.

It doesn’t matter how many names you’ve collected if none of them are ready to invest in what you do. I don’t care about vanity metrics. I care about who’s ready to move. That’s where my time, energy and content goes—and it’s made all the difference.

2. Anchor in action, no matter what

I didn’t wait until things felt perfect. I didn’t wait until I had clarity or confidence or the right branding. I just moved. I acted. I launched. I figured it out along the way.

People spend too much time sitting in indecision. Thinking, planning, tweaking. You get nowhere like that. I made a promise to myself early on that I’d be the kind of woman who does, even when it feels uncomfortable. Especially when the money isn’t flowing yet. That’s when it matters most.

In my first 30 days of business, I made five figures. Not because I had it all figured out, but because I was willing to go all in before it looked perfect. I acted fast. I made decisions quickly. And I stayed focused on one thing: sales. Everything else came second.

3. Say yes, then figure it out

The people who get ahead say yes faster. I didn’t overthink every opportunity. I didn’t sit on the fence. If something aligned with where I was headed, I jumped in and worked it out as I went.

There’s this lie that you need to feel ready before making a move. You don’t. In fact, most of the best things in my business came from saying yes before I knew exactly how I’d deliver. That’s where growth lives. That’s how momentum starts.

So many people stall themselves out waiting to be fully prepared. That delay is costing you. If I had waited until I felt worthy, ready, or expert enough, I’d still be stuck under that bridge I used to sleep under. The way out was always through action.

4. Get in rooms that make you feel small

I got in the habit of learning from people doing better than me. And not just occasionally, but every week. That regular exposure to higher-level thinking forced me to level up.

The millionaire mindset doesn’t come from group chats with your peers. It comes from paying to be in proximity to people who think and operate at a higher level. I didn’t always feel like I belonged in those rooms, but that was exactly why I needed to be in them.

When you’re surrounded by people with bigger goals, bigger money, and bigger moves, you rise to meet them. That’s what happened to me. The rooms you’re in will either grow you or keep you small. Choose wisely.

5. Respect money before you have lots of it

People think wealth starts when you hit a certain number in your bank account. It doesn’t. It starts when you treat every dollar with respect. That means paying bills straight away. It means knowing where your money’s going. It means understanding your numbers and keeping your business and personal finances separate.

I didn’t wait until I was rich to start making smart money moves. I got serious about it early, and that’s one of the reasons I scaled so fast. Money wants to go where it’s appreciated. It doesn’t land with people who are careless with it.

To this day, I treat money with the same discipline. I track it. I direct it where it will grow. I invest in coaching, because my business doesn’t grow if I don’t. I make decisions based on future value, not quick wins. That’s how you scale. That’s how you stay.

You want the truth about becoming a millionaire?

It’s not about finding the perfect strategy or getting lucky. It’s about doing the right things consistently, even when they’re uncomfortable. That’s what makes the difference.

In the first year, I made $350k, and by the second year, I’d hit the 7-figure mark.

And if you’re willing to act before it’s perfect, to back yourself before anyone else does, and to stay the course when it gets tough, you’ll get there too.

Want more? Get our newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! Follow Kochie’s Business Builders on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.