The TenK 6 Methodology
A systematic growth framework for indie founders to reach $10k monthly recurring revenue through evidence-based experimentation and consistent progress.
Introduction
Indie founders often stall not because they lack skills, but because they don't know what to do next. They get stuck in random tasks with no clear outcome, lack accountability, and have no evidence of real progress.
TenK 6 solves this by providing six universal step patterns that create a repeatable weekly growth loop. These primitives help founders run systematic experiments, gather evidence, and share progress until they reach $10k MRR.
Background
Traditional startup advice overwhelms with endless tactics while missing the systematic approach needed for consistent growth. Most founders know what they should do in theory, but struggle with what to do next in practice.
The TenK 6 methodology emerged from observing successful indie founders who naturally follow repeatable patterns. Rather than prescribing specific tactics, it provides a framework that adapts to any stage, industry, or business model.
Who should read this?
This methodology is for:
- Indie founders building their first product or scaling an existing one
- Solo entrepreneurs who need structure without bureaucracy
- Teams of 1-5 people who want to move fast with evidence
- Experienced indie hackers who want to maintain momentum and scale beyond $10k to $20k+ MRR
- Anyone seeking a systematic approach to reach $10k MRR
The Six Primitives
I. List 5
Generate 5 options, ideas, or possibilities. Expand your thinking before narrowing down. This prevents tunnel vision and ensures you consider multiple approaches before committing.
II. Pick 1
Choose one option from your list. Focus beats perfection. Commitment over analysis. This forces decisive action and prevents endless planning.
III. Ship 1
Execute your chosen option. Build, publish, launch, or implement it into reality. This is where ideas become experiments with real outcomes.
IV. Ask 3
Gather feedback from 3 sources. Real users, potential customers, or domain experts. This grounds your assumptions in external reality.
V. Measure 1
Track one key metric that matters. Evidence over intuition. Data drives decisions. This creates objective progress markers.
VI. Share 1
Publish your learnings publicly. Build accountability and community through transparency. This creates external pressure and attracts help.
Core Principles
Evidence Over Intuition
Every completed step requires evidence: a screenshot, metric, note, or link. Progress is measured by proof, not promises.
One Step at a Time
Focus on only the current step. The next step unlocks only after you ship the current one with evidence. No overwhelming lists or complex roadmaps.
Pace-Agnostic Progress
No calendar gates. Complete 3 steps in a day or 1 in a week. The system adapts to your rhythm while maintaining forward momentum.
Weekly Reflection
Each week ends with a retro that summarizes your evidence and generates a shareable update. Build accountability through public progress sharing.
Implementation Tracks
The six primitives adapt to different growth focus areas:
Validate Track
Prove product-market fit through customer interviews, surveys, and demand validation experiments.
Distribute Track
Grow your audience through content, partnerships, and systematic marketing channel experiments.
Monetize Track
Convert users to paying customers through pricing experiments, sales processes, and revenue optimization.
Retain Track
Keep customers engaged and reduce churn through product improvements and customer success initiatives.
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Get Started
Ready to apply the TenK 6 methodology? Indie10k implements this framework through guided weekly arcs that help you apply these principles consistently.