Standing in the 8% Gap: Helping Businesses Break $1M

“How many small businesses make it past $1M in annual sales?”

That’s a question I’ve asked in nearly every presentation I’ve given over the past year.

And the answers have been all over the board.

Recently, one brave soul shouted, “90%,” and I couldn’t help but comment that I wished we all had his unflinching optimism. Another participant, on the opposite side of the room and the other side of the optimism curve, countered, “It’s probably more like half a percent.”

Answers like 10%, 2%, 30%, and even as high as 40% or 50% tend to be far more common.

But none of those are exactly on the money.

The 8% Reality: Breaking the $1M Barrier

Eight percent.

That’s right—only 8% of businesses make it past the 7-figure mark. Even more shocking? Less than 1% make it past $10M.

For most consulting firms and business service companies, $10M in annual revenue is the magic number—the point where businesses have enough need and buying power to make servicing that account worthwhile.

What Happens After $10M?

After $10M, problems tend to be more specific and less pervasive. In other words, businesses at this level usually need help with something, not everything. They’ve done a lot right to get where they are and now need to reimagine, revamp, and reinvigorate with precision to reach the next level.

$10M is also the entry point into the coveted Lower Middle Market, where lenders and investors are eager to play.

We call businesses poised to break that barrier 1%-ers, and they are part of our 1% Club—a club we aspire to grow in every major market in the United States.

What Should Business Owners Do in the Gap?

What about the businesses in between?

The ones that need help with everything—but don’t yet have access to all the resources?

So many business services and structures are built for larger organizations and then downsized to fit the unique challenges of small businesses.

Not ProQ.

ProQ’s Focus: Supporting the 8%

We love the 8-percenters—the bold, bright, ambitious business owners who have bought a business, joined a franchise, or built something from the ground up. They’re past the idea stage but haven’t yet reached the Lower Middle Market.

They are in the gap.

And that’s exactly where we love to meet them.

In the gap.

Right above the $1M, $2M, or $3M mark—with all the headroom to grow to $5M, $7M, $12M, or beyond.

Are You One of the 8%? (H2)

If you’re a million-dollar or multi-million-dollar business owner looking for more than a quick fix or a flash-in-the-pan burst of growth—if you want to scale in a **predictable, repeatable, and sustainable way—**you’re exactly the kind of business ProQ Systems is built to serve.

Reach out.

We have a 95% success rate and can help make you part of the 1% Club