How I’m Building My Next Million-Dollar Business With Zero Employees

In April, I stepped back from active CEO duties in one of my companies.

Finally walked away from the day-to-day operations of the 7-figure business I'd built.

My business partner took over operations. Great guy. Solid operator.

I thought I was done.

But here's what nobody tells you about walking away from a big business:

You can't actually walk away.

Not completely.

Not when there's still skin in the game.

And that's when it hit me...

Look, after generating over $100 million in sales across multiple businesses, I've learned something most founders won't admit:

The traditional model of business, massive teams, huge overhead, endless complexity…

…is total bullshit.

Yeah, it can make you money. But at what cost?

For me, that cost was my health, my sanity, and years of my life I'll never get back.

You know that feeling?

When you realize you've built a very expensive prison?

When "success" means you're trapped in a business that owns you, instead of the other way around?

That was my life. For years.

The stress was literally killing me. Between August and December last year, I dropped 15 pounds off an already skinny frame. Couldn't sleep. Gut on fire. Falling asleep in Zoom meetings at 2:00pm.

One night at jiu-jitsu, this new white belt asked about my injuries (my wrist was wrapped up). I rattled off my list of issues like some broken-down old man.

The look he gave me… Pure pity.

Then he proceeded to tap me out in under a minute while barely trying.

That's when I knew: This "success" was destroying me.

We've already hit 6-figure months helping experts and creators build leveraged businesses.

With 5 contractors total. Not 40+. Five.

Projecting $1.5M next year.

With the same 5 people.

No massive ad spend. No bloated stack. No praying we get out of the red and into the black.

Actual margins. Actual profit. Actual sanity.

But here's where it gets interesting:

That's the "leaner model."

My PERSONAL brand…

That's the one-person model.

Same principles. Same frameworks. Same AI and automation tools.

But zero employees. Zero contractors. Just me.

I'm currently an affiliate for my own company (yes, really). Which means I send people "over the fence" to the 5-person business, collect commissions at 80%+ margins, and never touch fulfillment.

The goal is to hit a million in revenue within 18-24 months. Solo.

This is the evolution:

Each step removes complexity. Each step increases profit. Each step gives you more life back.

And I'm documenting the entire journey in real-time.

Here’s how I figured this out…

It started with getting clear on what I actually wanted. Not what looked good on the socials. Not what would impress other entrepreneurs.

What would actually let me live in peace.

After that Teams disaster with the IRS, I got brutally honest about what I wanted from business.

I came up with 6 criteria. If a business model didn't nail ALL SIX, I threw it in the trash.

Let me be clear: I suck at a lot of things.

Detailed operations? Not my thing. Managing people? I'd rather stick needles in my eyes. Building complex systems with 47 moving parts? Hard pass.

But I'm damn good at spotting opportunities, simplifying complex ideas, and connecting with people authentically.

Most people build businesses around skills they hate, then wonder why they're miserable. It's like buying shoes two sizes too small, then complaining that walking hurts.

I've played the "dump six figures into a business and pray" game.

Never. Again.

This model had to be lean and scrappy. Something I could bootstrap without selling a kidney.

But even more important: I needed it to generate cash FAST.

Not "eventually." Not "once we scale." Not "after we build an audience."

FAST. Like, this-month fast.

Relying on one income stream is like having one leg. You can hop around, but you'll never run.

I wanted:

Most business models make you choose. This approach doesn't.

We've all bought into that "hustle 24/7" bullshit at some point.

I'm over it.

I want to:

This business exists to serve MY life. Period.

I'm too old for fads and trends that disappear overnight.

If I'm putting my limited energy into something, it needs staying power.

That means solving REAL problems for REAL people willing to pay REAL money.

I refuse to be chained to a desk OR a schedule.

The goal:

After filtering through dozens of options, I discovered there are really only TWO paths that checked all six boxes.

Both can get you to 7 figures. Both give you freedom.

But they're fundamentally different approaches.

This is about creating a leveraged offering priced between $1,000-$3,000.

Could be:

The KEY advantage? You can sell this WITHOUT getting on the phone.

No sales calls. No awkward objection handling. Just a streamlined sales process.

The math: At $1,500 per sale, you need 56 customers per month to hit a million per year. That's less than 2 sales per day.

The catch: You're still trading time for money at scale. More customers = more support = less freedom.

This path is PERFECT if you:

This is about solving expensive problems for people happy to pay premium prices.

We're talking $5,000-$25,000+ solutions.

The math comparison:

Which sounds easier?

Getting 1,000+ strangers to your website, or having 10 solid conversations with people who actually need help?

The reality: High-ticket is NOT passive income. You're still trading time for money, just at way better rates.

But here's why it works: When you charge premium prices, you get BETTER clients. People who respect your time, take action, and don't argue about price.

Here's what's different now vs. even 2 years ago:

AI isn't just a buzzword anymore. It's replacing entire teams.

My current stack:

What used to take my team 3 hours takes me 30 minutes.

Sam Altman (CEO of OpenAI) recently predicted we'll see "a billion-dollar one-person business within the next few years."

I believe he's right.

Because the math has fundamentally changed.

Let me pull back the curtain completely:

My Current Business Models:

Model 1: Traditional Structure

Model 2: Lean Company

Model 3: Personal Brand (Solo)

Same revenue potential. Completely different lives.

No matter which path you choose, you need what I call the 4P Formula:

1. Problem: Find a high-value problem people are actively trying to solve (and losing sleep over)

2. Prospect: Get crystal clear on exactly who has this problem and will pay to fix it

3. Promise: Create a solution that delivers what they want (not what you think they need)

4. Premium: Structure your offer to deliver maximum value at premium prices

When you nail all four P's, everything else gets easier.

You don't need complicated funnels. You don't need massive ad budgets.

You just need a handful of perfect-fit prospects who see your offer and think: "Holy shit, that's exactly what I need."

Look, I know this might sound too good to be true.

"Sure Tim, easy for you to say after 24 years in business."

Fair point.

But here's the thing: I could have done this 10 years ago if I'd known what I know now.

I wasted YEARS trapped in what I call the "Hustle Zone"—high revenue, zero leverage. Making good money while sacrificing everything that mattered.

Don't make my mistakes.

In Part 2 of this series, I'm revealing the “Yield Leverage Matrix”—a simple framework that shows exactly why most entrepreneurs get stuck making decent money with zero freedom.

More importantly, I'll show you how to position yourself in the "Freedom Zone"—where you make great money AND have your life back.

I'll also share:

Stop for a second. Really stop.

Ask yourself:

What are you actually building?

A business that serves your life? Or another expensive prison?

Because if you're grinding 60-hour weeks, managing dozens of people, and barely breaking even after massive monthly overhead—you already know the answer.

And life's too short for that shit.

I'm documenting this entire journey in real-time through this weekly newsletter.

Raw, unfiltered insights about building businesses that serve YOUR life—not the other way around.

I'll show you what works, what doesn't, and the actual numbers behind building a business that doesn't own you.

The IRS can't audit what doesn't exist. And contractors can't be reclassified when it's just you.

That's the beauty of the one-person model. No team drama. No compliance nightmares. No wondering if you're building another prison.

Just you, your expertise, and a stupid amount of leverage.

Until next time,

—Tim Erway

P.S. That IRS agent? She had the same Teams issues I did. We spent 10 minutes bonding over Microsoft trauma before she remembered she was supposed to be investigating me. Sometimes the universe has a sense of humor.

P.P.S. Know someone burning out chasing "success?" Send them this post. They'll either thank you or hate you for showing them the truth. Either way, you might save their sanity (and their business).