Case library · 3,149 businesses · 1,997 founder-reported revenues
How businesses got to $1M a year, and every milestone before it.
Real cases with sourced numbers: what they sell, how they charge, how they found customers. Ask about any business model and get the cases back.
Where 1,997 businesses were when their founders were interviewed
Monthly revenue as the founder reported it. $83K a month = $1M a year.
$1M+ a month 129 $1M+ a year 596 $50K–$83K/mo 196 $10K–$50K/mo 577 $1K–$10K/mo 417 Under $1K/mo 82Median: $40K a month · 36% at $1M+ a year · founders who chose to be interviewed, 2015–2026. Method
Case studies
Latest cases
One sentence on the business, an at-a-glance card, then the story, with every figure sourced and dated.
- ABIV product services, $12K a month, self-reported in 2023: product leadershipABIV offers product strategy, management, research, design, and product leadership services to teams building and shipping products.Agencies & services$12K/mofounder-reported 2023
- Abstract27 Ghost CMS hosting: $2.3K in 30 days, EU hostingAbstract27 sells self-service Ghost CMS hosting for blogs, newsletters, and online media.Software & SaaS$2.3K in the last 30 daysverified 2026
- Supplements, e-books and shampoo: $3.4K in 30 days, clinical dosesAsta sells natural supplements, e-books and a Korean shampoo bar to women building a daily skincare routine.Health, fitness & wellness$3.4K in the last 30 daysverified 2026
- ATMO air quality monitors, $4M a month, self-reported: indoor and outdoor trackingATMO sells air quality monitors and sensors for tracking indoor and outdoor conditions.Software & SaaS$4M/mofounder-reported 2026
- Bewell online dietitians: $1.8K a month, self-reported in 2022 | form matchingBewell matches people in Turkey with dietitians for online consultations and personalized diet programs.Agencies & services$1.8K/mofounder-reported 2022
- Bumpy dating app: $10K a month, self-reported in 2022, 35M+ downloadsBumpy is an international dating app for people seeking meaningful relationships with singles worldwide.Software & SaaS$10K/mofounder-reported 2022
- Codelivly — interactive cybersecurity training — $1.9K in 30 daysCodelivly offers interactive cybersecurity courses, hands-on rooms, labs, learning paths, and CTF challenges.Courses & education$1.9K in the last 30 daysverified 2026
- Devcinch: developer access, $30K a month: monthly subscriptionsDevcinch is a subscription service that gives clients access to a software developer.Agencies & services$30K/mofounder-reported 2025
New case studies are being added. Browse the data pages below in the meantime.
Browse by industry
What each kind of business makes
Software & SaaS
- Median / mo
- $40K
- At $1M+ / yr
- 35%
Agencies & services
- Median / mo
- $48K
- At $1M+ / yr
- 35%
Newsletters, blogs & media
- Median / mo
- $8.5K
- At $1M+ / yr
- 11%
AI tools & apps
- Median / mo
- $16.5K
- At $1M+ / yr
- 26%
Courses & education
- Median / mo
- $20.4K
- At $1M+ / yr
- 26%
Fashion, apparel & accessories
- Median / mo
- $40K
- At $1M+ / yr
- 38%
Marketplaces & platforms
- Median / mo
- $51K
- At $1M+ / yr
- 44%
Home, lifestyle & gifts
- Median / mo
- $30K
- At $1M+ / yr
- 35%
Other physical products
- Median / mo
- $167K
- At $1M+ / yr
- 63%
Mobile apps & games
- Median / mo
- $17K
- At $1M+ / yr
- 19%
Health, fitness & wellness
- Median / mo
- $74.5K
- At $1M+ / yr
- 46%
Food & beverage
- Median / mo
- $56K
- At $1M+ / yr
- 40%
Our analysis
What 1,997 founder-reported businesses tell us
57%
were started by one founder.
Of businesses that gave a founder count.
3
employees was the median team at interview, across all revenue levels.
Founder-reported.
4 yrs
median time from starting to the interview where the revenue was reported.
Where both years are known.
Growth channels credited: $1M+ a year vs everyone else
| Channel | $1M+ a year (501) | Below $1M (932) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organic social media | 53% | 64% | ||
| SEO & organic search | 51% | 49% | ||
| Word of mouth & referrals | 40% | 33% | ||
| Paid ads | 37% | 28% | ||
| Email & newsletters | 28% | 32% | ||
| Partnerships & affiliates | 25% | — |
Share of businesses with channel information that credited each channel; founders often name several. Grouped by 1M.chat.
By business model
By growth channel
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Questions
Where do the numbers come from?
The project list comes from 2,566 founder interviews and 583 business profiles published by Starter Story. Revenue in an interview is what the founder said at that time; profile revenue is a Starter Story estimate and is labelled as one. Facts about what each business sells and charges come from its own website.
Is this what a typical business makes?
No. Founders chose to be interviewed, so the sample leans toward businesses that were already working. Use it to see real ranges and how specific businesses got there, not as the odds for a new business.
What does $1M a year mean here?
A founder-reported run-rate of about $83K a month or more at the time of the interview. It is revenue, not profit.
Can I ask about my own idea?
Yes. The chat answers from the same case library and shows the cases and numbers behind each answer. It does not promise results and nobody will follow up with you unless you ask.