How I Hit $100k Months by Fixing This One Bottleneck (The Flows & Functions Method)

Back when I finally hit that elusive $100,000 month, you’d think I’d be over the moon—popping champagne, taking the rest of the week off, soaking it all in.

But truthfully?

I was stressed the heck out.

Yeah, leads were flooding in. Clients were signing up like clockwork. Revenue was jumping faster than my nervous system could handle. I had just brought on an assistant coach to help with the influx. And instead of feeling excited, I felt overwhelmed.

Because the truth was, I didn’t know what to focus on next.

There were 10 different fires and 50 different ideas… but no clear direction. I wanted consistency. Predictability. Something repeatable.

That’s when I realized: This wasn’t a new problem. I had experienced the same chaos every time I’d hit a new growth stage in business.

So I started using a method I now call The Flows & Bottlenecks Method—a variation of a concept I first heard years ago that literally changed how I scale.

This framework has helped me (and now dozens of my clients) grow past every plateau: from $10k to $30k to $50k months and beyond.

Let’s break it down.

My $100k Month (And Why I Didn’t Celebrate It)

Rewind to 2022. I’d been about a year into full-time business coaching and consulting after years of running fitness businesses.

• I owned a gym for 8 years and built it to 300+ members.

• I transitioned to an online fitness biz and served over 3,000 clients.

Eventually, fitness coaches started asking me how I was getting clients so consistently. I launched a new business offer—and in the first 6 weeks, we brought in $140k cash.

Momentum was strong. We hovered between $50k–$90k months, then hit a peak of $113k in revenue (some cash, some contracts).

Sounds great, right?

But I wanted to stabilize. I didn’t want a big spike—I wanted consistency, predictability, scalability. And I had no clue where to point my focus.

That’s when a memory from 2018 popped back up.

Where the Framework Came From

Back when I still owned my gym, I listened to a podcast from a not-yet-famous Alex Hormozi. He talked about something called “Flows and Bottlenecks.”

Turns out, he got the idea from Alex Charfen, who teaches a brilliant concept called The 5 Core Functions of Business.

It stuck with me. I used it in my gym. I applied it in my online fitness biz. And now I use a variation of it in my current business.

It helps me eliminate noise, stop reacting to fake problems, and focus on the one thing that will actually move the needle.

Let me walk you through it.

The Core Concept: Think of Your Business Like a Pipeline

Imagine your business is one long pipeline. And instead of water, what flows through that pipe is energy—revenue, clients, results, etc.

Now, if there’s a block anywhere in that pipeline, flow breaks down. Revenue becomes inconsistent. Operations get chaotic.

So here’s what I do:

I divide that pipeline into 5 key segments, based on core business functions:

1. Lead Generation

2. Lead Nurture

3. Conversion

4. Delivery

5. Retention

Every single time something feels off or growth stalls, I rate these 5 segments and find the one that’s broken or bottlenecked.

What Each Function Looks Like

1. Lead Generation

• Am I getting at least 10–20 qualified leads per day?

• On Facebook, this could mean 10 new friend requests from ideal clients.

• On Instagram, 10 new ideal followers.

• If it’s crickets, that’s a bottleneck.

2. Lead Nurture

• Are those leads engaging, booking calls, and DM’ing me?

• Am I getting 2–3 inbound leads per day?

• If I’m not seeing people reach out or book, my content likely isn’t hitting.

3. Conversion

• Am I closing at least 50% of my sales calls?

• Industry average might be ~30%, but let’s aim higher.

4. Delivery

• Are clients completing the initial term (e.g., 90 days, 6 months)?

• Are they happy and getting results?

5. Retention

• Are they renewing?

• Is my average lifetime value (LTV) strong?

How to Score Your Pipeline

Once I ask those questions, I rate each of the five categories on a scale from 1 to 5:

• 1 = it’s on fire, totally broken

• 5 = it’s a superpower

Let’s say I do an honest rating:

• Lead Gen: 3 → Getting about 8-10 leads per day

• Lead Nurture: 2 → Not many inbound leads or calls booked

• Conversion: 4 → I close over 50% of the calls I get

• Delivery: 5 → Clients stay, love it, get great results

• Retention: 5 → LTV is solid, community is strong

The lowest score is your bottleneck. That’s where you need to focus.

Don’t guess. Don’t let stress dictate your actions. Let the flow show you the truth.

If you have multiple low scores, a good rule of thumb is to fix the issue that’s earliest in the pipeline.

But there’s a caveat.

The Caveat: Discernment Over Default

Let’s say both Lead Gen and Lead Nurture are rated as 2s.

You could default to Lead Gen since it’s earlier in the flow.

But often, what’s needed is a deeper Lead Nurture strategy. Instead of always chasing new leads, you can extract so much more from the ones you already have.

For example:

I helped one client double their calls booked by just optimizing their email sequences.

Same audience. Better nurturing. Huge result.

So before assuming “I need more leads,” ask:

• Am I maximizing what I already have?

• Can I turn up the heat on my current audience?

Don’t Let Emotion Lead You Astray

We all get in our heads.

We hit a rough patch and say:

“I just need to post more.”
“Maybe I should try that Instagram funnel I saw…”
“Time to start a new offer!”

That’s emotion leading.

Instead, let data + intuition guide you.

Yes, use your gut. But also:

• Know what problem you’re actually trying to solve (cash collected? profit? retention?)

• Diagnose the actual bottleneck

• Choose actions that fix the real constraint, not just the easy one

Most coaches fix what’s easy, not what’s broken.

The Three Ps: Project → Process → Person

Once you identify the bottleneck, use this framework from Hormozi:

1. Project – What are you going to build or improve?
Example: Build a VSL funnel, launch a masterclass, optimize your nurture email series.

2. Process – What’s the repeatable system to run it consistently?
Example: Weekly masterclass schedule, VSL nurture follow-up, email cadence.

3. Person – Who’s responsible for it?
Example: You record the video. VA sets it up. Editor polishes it. Done.

Keep it simple. Most businesses can grow massively by fixing one or two of these at a time.

A Few Real Projects Based on Your Bottleneck

Here are a few examples:

If Your Bottleneck is Lead Gen

• Add a lead magnet + run Instagram ads

• Start guesting on podcasts

• Join 5 new Facebook groups and start adding ideal clients daily

If It’s Lead Nurture

• Launch a weekly email newsletter

• Post long-form educational or storytelling content (YouTube, email, FB posts)

• Host a free mini-training or workshop

If It’s Conversion

• Upgrade your sales script

• Create a mini-VSL pre-call asset

• Add a pre-call assessment form

If It’s Delivery or Retention

• Install better onboarding

• Add community or accountability systems

• Introduce client-only events or retreats

Final Words (and How to Take Action Today)

Every time I’ve plateaued or felt overwhelmed in my business, this method has brought me clarity.

You don’t need to fix everything. You need to fix what’s broken.

So here’s your next move:

1. Rate each of the 5 categories (Lead Gen, Nurture, Conversion, Delivery, Retention) from 1–5.

2. Circle the lowest one.

3. Brainstorm 1–2 projects that could raise that number.

4. Commit to the project → process → person plan.

"Let the flow show you the truth. Don’t let fear, ego, or urgency hijack your direction."

If you want the exact worksheet I give my clients to score and identify their bottlenecks, shoot me a DM on Facebook or Instagram and I’ll send it your way.

And if you’re stuck trying to figure out what your biggest growth constraint is right now, don’t hesitate to reach out. Sometimes, a 5-minute convo unlocks 5-figures in revenue.

Keep building. Keep fixing the right bottleneck.

- Jason

Who Is Jason Meland?

I am a value creator, mentor, and entrepreneur. I help online coaches master their messaging, attract dream clients, and build thriving high profit, high impact businesses.

When You’re Ready, Here’s How I Can Help You:

1. Grab a copy for the 5 posts responsible for 7 figures in online fitness sales: https://www.indemandcoach.com/5-posts-ebook-2505 

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