A daily 10-point checklist to scale from $1M to $10M

Executive overview

Most founders stay stuck because they act like employees instead of CEOs. The work that scales a company — removing bottlenecks, building assets, leading with clarity — gets crowded out by reactive tasks.

This 10-item daily checklist takes under 10 minutes. Run through it each evening: seven or more checks means you operated like a CEO that day.

The calendar doesn't lie — your time allocation reveals whether you're running the company or just working in it.

The 10-point daily CEO checklist

1. I know our company's current bottleneck to scale. Start by asking: are we demand-constrained (need more leads/sales) or supply-constrained (can't fulfill what we have)? Narrow from there.
2. I committed the necessary resources to remove that bottleneck. Reallocate budget, tools, or people. Don't change strategy out of impatience — let the cake bake.
3. I spent my time like a true CEO, not a doer. Review your calendar. Were you solving only problems only you can solve, or putting out other people's fires?
4. I created or improved an internal asset. Documented a process, built a tool, created a reusable resource. CEO work should create compound interest.
5. I reviewed our scorecard and key metrics. Scan your dashboard daily. Note which red metrics are trending up or down and whether you're on track for quarterly goals.
6. I led through clarity, vision, and accountability. Did you leave a team member more empowered or more accountable than they were yesterday?
7. I said no to something urgent but non-essential. Strategy is choosing what not to do. Model selective silence for your team.
8. I checked in on cashflow and capital reserves. Two minutes: open your bank dashboard, check inflows, outflows, receivables, payables. Spot cash problems before they become crises.
9. My calendar tomorrow reflects my highest priorities. Block strategic time before others claim it. Add buffers between meetings. Remove anything that shouldn't be there.
10. I acted like an owner, not just an employee. Were you reactive or intentional? If you checked most of the above, you can check this one too.

Putting it into practice

• Add the 10 items as a daily note on your phone.
• Set a reminder — end of workday or before bed.
• Consistency matters more than timing.