How to Trade Your Way to a $5MM / Month Company (Part 3)
You've built the perfect plan. Your financial models are solid, your team is executing, and growth is steady. Then overnight, everything changes.
A global pandemic hits. AI disrupts your entire industry. Your main traffic source disappears. The market shifts beneath your feet.
Most entrepreneurs freeze. Some panic. Others give up entirely.
But these "crisis moments" are actually the ultimate test that separates successful entrepreneurs from everyone else.
I call this the "ex machina" factor—those unexpected outside forces that can either make or break your business. After growing my company 936% in eight months (even during COVID), I've learned something crucial: it's not about avoiding these disruptions—it's about expecting them and turning them into fuel for growth.
When COVID hit in 2020, our revenue crashed from $36k to just $10k monthly recurring revenue. Instead of shutting down, we pivoted hard—and that "crisis" became the catalyst for our biggest growth period ever, reaching $125k MRR within months.
More recently, AI destroyed 60-90% of our organic search traffic practically overnight. Again, we adapted. Again, we found new opportunities.
Here's the truth: ex machina events aren't rare exceptions—they're the norm. Research shows most companies face at least one serious crisis annually, yet only a fraction feel truly prepared.
This is part 3 of my series on building an unstoppable business. Because all the planning and financial modeling in the world won't matter if you can't handle what comes next.
Here's what you'll learn:
- Why expecting chaos wins and how to turn crises into your biggest growth catalysts
- How to pivot when everything breaks and rebuild during the worst possible times
- The Emergency Growth Engine—my system for turning any disaster into your next breakthrough
The entrepreneurs who thrive aren't the ones who avoid obstacles—they're the ones who dance with uncertainty and come out stronger.
Ready? Let's dive in...
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Would You Take the Deal?
Let’s start with a simple question: If I gave you a piece of paper with a series of steps on it, and told you that if you executed them, within 18 months you’d have a business producing millions in revenue per month with healthy profit margins—would you take that deal?
That’s what part one of this series was about: adopting a trader’s philosophy. You can have anything you want in life and business, as long as you’re willing to pay the price.
The real question is, what is that price?
Often, it’s about knowing your numbers.
How many cold emails do you need to send? How many people need to see your ads? How can you optimize your copywriting once it’s live?
Sometimes, it’s about trading your time for results, or trading money to pay for a team that can help you get there faster.
Setting Goals and Defining Success
We also talked about goal setting and defining tactical success. In part two, I walked you through a financial modeling system to help you break out of the mindset that your goals are too lofty or out of reach.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by big goals like losing 50 pounds or building a business that makes millions in profit every month—especially if you’ve never done it before. But I’ve been there.
When we achieved $10k in monthly recurring revenue as a service business, it was a huge milestone. Then $20k, $30k, and eventually over $125,000 in monthly recurring revenue, growing 936% in just eight months.
I did this with a tech-enabled, productized service, so I know what it takes to sell products and services at scale.
The Real Test: Dealing with the Unexpected (Ex Machina)
The final factor that determines whether you achieve your goal is how you handle unexpected changes in the market. That’s the ex machina factor. The term comes from the Latin “deus ex machina”—a god from the machine, an outside force that suddenly changes everything.
In business, ex machina is when outside factors force you to pivot or fundamentally change your assumptions—whether it’s your financial model, your marketing, or even your core product or service. It’s not a question of if, but when.
You can’t predict every variable, so you need to expect the unexpected and be ready to adapt. This is why it’s so important to be consistently profitable and to build a financial cushion. More money in the bank means more confidence and more time to react when things shift.
Case Study: Pivoting During COVID-19
One of the biggest ex machina moments in our journey at Growbo came during the summer of 2020—right at the height of COVID-19. Everyone was freaking out, the economy fell off a cliff, and we had to make a calculated bet to pivot away from our previous business model.
We shifted from being a "done-for-you sales funnel team" to offering an all-in-one marketing fulfillment team with 13 skill sets. It was a bold move, but I had conviction because I knew the market needed an on-demand marketing team.
Still, it took months of trial and error—redesigning the website, rewriting copy, and launching new marketing initiatives.
Revenue dropped from $36,000 to $10,000 in monthly recurring revenue. We were burning cash, but we doubled down on content and accelerated with Facebook ads.
That’s when things turned around, leading to our 936% growth spurt and $125,000 in monthly recurring revenue.
The business infographic below shows that 59% of businesses have experienced a crisis, but only 54% have a plan in place to deal with it. This visual highlights the importance of preparation and adaptability in uncertain times.
Modern Ex Machina: The Impact of AI and Search Traffic
Another recent ex machina has been the rise of AI and changes in Google’s search algorithms. Organic search traffic dropped by 60-90% for many businesses, including ours. While the quality of leads from AI search is often higher, the volume is much lower.
The following image is a donut chart of Google Search CTRs on mobile which shows that: 43.1% of clicks go to organic results, while paid clicks account for only 0.02%. With AI-driven answers and zero-click searches (17.3%) rising, the chart underscores how traditional organic visibility is shrinking—illustrating the disruptive effect AI is having on how users interact with search results.
Instead of complaining, we accepted reality and focused on building a new, reliable source of leads. This meant pursuing an omni-channel approach—leveraging YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and maybe even TikTok, along with quality content and ads.
The Simple System for Continuous Growth
Our approach is simple and repeatable:
- Make something (content, offer, product).
- Publish and promote it.
- Observe the data.
- Draw conclusions and apply the learning back to the process.
This is the Growbo marketing flywheel. The more turns of the flywheel you get, the faster you learn and grow.
Our core hypothesis is:
- Content and social work if done consistently over time.
- You can move faster by learning what the market wants and doubling down on what works.
- Use ads to amplify your best-performing content and turn it into lead magnets.
Ex Machina Can Be Positive, Too
Not all unexpected events are negative. Sometimes, positive ex machina can propel you forward.
But don’t let good luck go to your head. Separate skill from luck, stay grounded, and keep executing.
"Inputs go in, outputs come out. Yes, we have influence, but ex machina is going to happen and it’s just part of the game."
The next image is a PwC Global Crisis Survey chart which shows that
- 42% of businesses reported being in a better place after a crisis
- 36% ended up in a similar position as before, and
- 19% were in a worse place.
This highlights how unexpected events can sometimes create growth opportunities, not just setbacks.
Why This Matters to You
Every business owner and entrepreneur faces ex machina moments. The difference between those who succeed and those who don’t is how they respond.
A business crisis infographic below shows that 69% of business leaders experienced at least one crisis in the last year. It also notes that large organizations with 5,000+ employees are likely to face at least one crisis every year.
This highlights the inevitability of disruption and underscores the importance of being ready and adaptable.
If you expect the unexpected, stay flexible, and keep executing, you’ll be able to trade your way to any goal—whether it’s $10k in monthly recurring revenue or $1 million in profit per month.
Speed is your friend on this journey. The faster you can execute and adapt, the less likely you are to be derailed by market shifts.
"You don’t need a 100-page business plan. You need a goal, an offer the market wants, and the willingness to make the trades and decisions to get there."
Execution is Everything
Consistent execution is one of the hardest parts of business. That’s why having an all-in-one marketing team was crucial for our growth—and why it can be for yours.
You know your market better than anyone, but having a skilled team lets you focus on the final 3-5% that can make all the difference. Whether it’s copy, design, development, or ads management, some things just can’t be automated.
"The judgment that is there from the neural net in a human brain compared to AI models—there’s still a big gap."
Conclusion
To wrap up, remember: You can achieve any level of success you want in life and business if you’re willing to pay the price and walk the path. That path is made up of trades—decisions to invest your time, money, or skills.
Move quickly, keep your focus, and don’t get distracted by competitors or shiny tactics. The times of most exponential growth come from making the right trades and not assuming you know too much.
Let the numbers each month guide your inputs—what to start, stop, or keep doing.
Because the ability to adapt and execute through change is exactly what will set you apart.
Put in the work, expect the unexpected, and work the plan. Every month, run the race against yourself.
If you want an all-in-one marketing team to help you execute, check out Growbo.com for a 14-day risk-free trial. And if you found this series valuable, please share, comment, and subscribe. I look forward to seeing you in the next video.
Stay flexible. And keep executing.
Keep Growing, Stay Focused,
Image Credits:
1. https://www.smartinsights.com/online-pr/issues-could-undermine-pr-strategy/
2. https://storage.googleapis.com/website-production/uploads/2023/10/google-search-click-through-rate-on-desktop.png
3. https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=2545
4. https://reputation911.com/pr-crisis-management/
