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scale-validator skill

/bundles/startup/skills/scale-validator

This skill helps you validate if your business can scale by identifying bottlenecks and growth constraints through a 10x stress-test framework.

npx playbooks add skill shipshitdev/library --skill scale-validator

Review the files below or copy the command above to add this skill to your agents.

Files (3)
SKILL.md
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---
name: scale-validator
description: Use this skill when users need to validate if their business can scale, stress-test their model, or assess bottlenecks. Activates for "can this scale," "validate my business model," "what's my bottleneck," or when planning for growth.
version: 1.0.0
tags:
  - business
  - hormozi
  - validation
  - scale
  - unit-economics
  - bottlenecks
  - leverage
auto_activate: true
---

# Scale Validator - Hormozi 10x Stress Test

Stress-test business models by imagining 10x growth and asking: "What breaks?"

**Hormozi's Core Principle:** "A business model is only as good as its constraints allow."

## When This Activates

- User asks "can this scale"
- User asks "validate my business model"
- User asks "what's my bottleneck"
- User says "I'm stuck at [revenue]"
- User asks "how do I grow beyond [number]"
- User mentions hitting a ceiling

## The Framework

**Core Question:**

```
If you 10x'd your business tomorrow, what breaks first?
```

### Four Leverage Types

| Leverage | Description | Scale Factor |
|----------|-------------|--------------|
| Labor | Other people's work | Low |
| Capital | Other people's money | Medium |
| Code/Media | Software/content 24/7 | High |
| Products | Standardized offerings | Highest |

### Scoring Dimensions

| Dimension | Weight | What It Measures |
|-----------|--------|------------------|
| Time Independence | 2x | Can it run without you? |
| Unit Economics | 2x | Do the numbers work at scale? |
| Bottleneck Clarity | 1.5x | Do you know what's constraining? |
| Leverage Active | 1x | How many leverage types? |
| Delivery Scalability | 1.5x | Can you deliver 10x without 10x cost? |
| Margin Integrity | 1x | Do margins hold at scale? |

**Max Score:** 100 points

### Rating Scale

| Score | Rating | Verdict |
|-------|--------|---------|
| 85-100 | Scale-Ready | Pour fuel on fire |
| 70-84 | Strong Foundation | Fix weak points first |
| 55-69 | Fixable | Address constraints first |
| 40-54 | Risky | Major issues to fix |
| 0-39 | Broken Model | Rebuild fundamentals |

## Common Bottlenecks

| Type | Signs | Solution |
|------|-------|----------|
| Lead Gen | Not enough qualified leads | Optimize acquisition |
| Sales | Leads not converting | Improve sales process |
| Delivery | Can't fulfill demand | Systematize/delegate |
| Cash | Can't afford to grow | Improve margins/capital |
| Time | Founder maxed out | Delegate/hire |

## Integration

| Skill | When to Use |
|-------|-------------|
| `business-model-auditor` | Deeper model analysis |
| `offer-validator` | Validate the offer scaling |
| `lead-channel-optimizer` | Optimize acquisition |
| `execution-accelerator` | Get unstuck |
| `pricing-strategist` | Fix unit economics |

---

**For detailed scoring criteria, assessment templates, and scale roadmaps:** `references/full-guide.md`

Overview

This skill evaluates whether a business can handle rapid growth and identifies the first things that would break under scale. It uses a structured stress-test and scoring framework to produce a clear readiness rating and prioritized fixes. Use it to convert vague concerns about scaling into concrete bottlenecks and action steps.

How this skill works

The tool asks you to imagine 10x growth and inspects each part of your model against weighted dimensions: time independence, unit economics, bottleneck clarity, leverage types, delivery scalability, and margin integrity. It scores your answers to produce a 0–100 readiness score and a rating from "Broken Model" to "Scale-Ready." It then highlights the most likely bottlenecks and suggests targeted fixes and next-skill integrations.

When to use it

  • When you ask "can this scale" or want to validate scale readiness
  • If you need to stress-test your business model for 10x growth
  • When you’re stuck at a revenue ceiling and need diagnosis
  • If you want to identify the primary bottleneck limiting growth
  • When planning hiring, capital raises, or automation to support growth

Best practices

  • Answer the assessment with conservative, evidence-based inputs (don’t sugarcoat capacity or margins)
  • Map current processes and throughput so delivery constraints are visible
  • Segment leverage sources (labor, capital, code/media, products) and prioritize higher-leverage investments
  • Focus fixes on the highest-weighted dimensions first (time independence and unit economics)
  • Combine this skill’s output with targeted follow-up skills for offers, lead channels, or execution plans

Example use cases

  • Early-stage founder wondering if the current model survives 10x customers
  • SaaS team testing whether support and infrastructure will hold under massive growth
  • Service business diagnosing why demand can’t scale without founder involvement
  • Investor or operator assessing which portfolio companies need operational fixes before expansion
  • Pre-raise checklist to identify capital needs and margin pressure under scale

FAQ

What does the 10x thought experiment reveal?

It surface-tests constraints: the first thing to fail when volume jumps and which systems must be hardened or automated.

How accurate is the numeric score?

The score is a diagnostic heuristic based on weighted dimensions. It guides prioritization but should be validated with real operational data.

Which leverage should I prioritize?

Prefer code/media and standardized products for highest scale efficiency, then capital. Labor is lowest leverage and should be systematized or minimized.