The Solomon Apex
Starter System

You did the right thing. Most people spend months watching videos, reading threads, and "getting ready" and never start. You bought a system and that means you're ready to move. What you have in your hands is the exact decision-making framework used to go from zero to a first paying customer. No audience. No product. No business name. It's not theory. It's the map.

This system won't build your business for you. That's your job. What it will do is remove the question marks. You'll know what to build, who to sell it to, how to reach them, and exactly what to say. Every step has a built-in AI prompt so you're never staring at a blank page. You bring 30 minutes a day. The system brings the map.

---

What You Just Bought

Five components. One system.

---

Where to Start

If you don't know what business to build: Start with Component 1 -- The Builder's Map. Follow it all the way through before touching anything else.

If you know what you want to offer but aren't sure how to package it: Start with Component 3 -- The Offer Builder. Then come back to Component 1 to validate your path.

If you have an offer but no customers yet: Start with Component 4 -- The First Sale Playbook. That's where the money is right now.

If you're not sure where you stand: Start with Component 5 -- The Foundation Checklist. It takes 20 minutes and gives you a clear picture of what's in place and what's missing.

Not sure? Start with Component 1. It tells you where to go next.

---

How to Use AI With This System

You don't need a paid AI subscription. Open ChatGPT (free at chat.openai.com) or Claude (free at claude.ai). When you see a prompt block in this system -- it's labeled clearly -- copy it, paste it into your AI tool, and read the output carefully. The AI drafts. You decide. Every decision is yours. The prompts save you 80% of the thinking time. The 20% that's left is the part only you can do.

---

The Promise

If you follow this system for 30 days -- one component at a time, in order, without skipping -- here is what you will have:

• A specific offer that you can describe in one sentence
• A clear picture of exactly who you're selling to
• A warm list of real people who might buy
• At least one real conversation with a potential customer
• A foundation that costs almost nothing and can grow into something real

That's not a guarantee. That's what the system is designed to produce when you actually use it. The doing is on you.

---

One Rule

Don't skip ahead.

Each component builds on the last. Jumping to the First Sale Playbook before you've built your offer is like trying to sell something you can't describe. Follow the sequence. Trust the system. Thirty days from now you'll understand why the order matters.

Let's go.

Solomon Apex Starter System -- v1.0 -- solomonapex.com

START HERE: What Do You Have?

Rate yourself honestly from 1 to 5. No inflating. No sandbagging.

Resource	Your Rating (1-5)	What it Means
Time		1 = under 30 min/day. 3 = 1 hour/day. 5 = 4+ hours/day
Skills		1 = no marketable skills yet. 3 = one solid skill. 5 = multiple skills others pay for
Network		1 = know almost no one in business. 3 = 50+ working adults who know you. 5 = active relationships with decision-makers
Money		1 = no startup capital. 3 = $500-1,000 available. 5 = $5,000+ available

Your totals don't determine your ceiling. They determine your starting point.

A score of 4/20 is fine. It means you build lean, move slowly at first, and prove things before spending anything.

---

DECISION 1: Do You Have a Skill Someone Would Pay For?

Ask yourself this exact question: Has anyone ever paid for this skill -- or would they pay someone to do what I can do?

Examples of YES:

• You've done bookkeeping, even as a hobby
• You're a great writer and people ask for your help
• You know how to build websites, even basic ones
• You've run events, managed projects, coached athletes
• You know a specific industry inside and out
• You're unusually good at organizing, planning, or systems

Examples of NO:

• You have general life skills but nothing specific
• You're still learning the skill
• The skill you have isn't something others struggle with
• You want to build something product-based

If YES: Go to Offer Path A below.

If NO: Go to Offer Path B below.

If you're not sure: That's usually a soft yes. List your three strongest skills and pick the one that other people have actually commented on or asked you about. Go to Path A.

---

---

VALIDATION GATE: Answer These Before Spending Anything

No matter which path you're on, stop here before you build or spend.

Question 1: Is there a real, specific person who would pay for this today?
Not "there are probably people out there." A real person, with a name, who has this problem.
Name one:                     

Question 2: Do you know where to find more people like them?
Online, in person, in a community, at an event. Somewhere specific.
Where:                     

Question 3: Does your offer describe a clear outcome -- not just a feature?
Bad: "I do social media management"
Good: "I help restaurant owners post 5 times a week and grow their local following without spending time on it themselves"
Your offer:                     

If you can't answer all three clearly, don't move forward yet. Go back and get sharper.

---

FIRST SALE TARGET

Before you build a website. Before you design anything. Before you buy tools.

Your only goal is this: One real person gives you money.

That's it. One sale. Even $50. Even for a draft version. Even for a pilot rate. That first dollar tells you something no amount of planning can: this is real.

I will sell   to   for $  by  

Write it down. Put it somewhere you'll see it. Then go to Component 4 -- The First Sale Playbook.

Solomon Apex Starter System -- Component 1 of 5

The One Rule Before You Start

Pick your session length before you sit down. Not after. Knowing you have 30 minutes forces different decisions than knowing you have two hours. Decide first. Then open this document.

---

The 30-Minute Session

For days when life is full

This is not a consolation session. Thirty focused minutes beats two distracted hours. When this is all you have, use every minute.

Minutes 1-5: Orient

Don't open email. Don't check anything. Just answer these two questions out loud or in writing:

1. What happened yesterday? (One sentence. What did you actually do?)
2. What is the one thing that moves my business forward today?

The "one thing" is not "work on my business." It's specific. Examples: write the first draft of my offer sentence, text Marcus about whether he'd be interested in what I'm building, fill out the buyer definition in the Offer Builder, add 10 people to my warm list.

Write your one thing here before the session starts:                     

Minutes 5-20: Do the One Thing

No context switching. No browsing. No researching "just to see." Do the one thing. That's it. If you finish early, don't start something new. Review and improve what you just did.

Minutes 20-28: AI Draft

Use these 8 minutes to set up tomorrow's task with AI. You won't have time to do this tomorrow. Do it now.

Open ChatGPT or Claude (free). Identify what you need to get done next. Paste the appropriate prompt below.

Save the AI output. You'll use it tomorrow.

Minutes 28-30: Set Up Tomorrow

Write down tomorrow's one thing. Not a list. One thing.

Tomorrow I will:                     

Close everything. You're done. That session counted.

---

The 60-Minute Session

Two tasks. More output. Same discipline.

Minutes 1-5: Orient

Same as above. Two questions: What happened yesterday? What are the two things I'm doing today? Write both tasks. Order them. The harder one goes first.

Task 1 (do this first):                     

Task 2:                     

Minutes 5-25: Do Task 1

Same rule. No switching. If it's a conversation or outreach task, it might take less than 20 minutes. That's fine. Move to review and improve.

Minutes 25-45: Do Task 2

Fresh focus. Same approach.

Minutes 45-57: AI for Tomorrow

You have 12 minutes now. Use it to do two things. First: Get AI output for tomorrow's priority task (use the prompts from the 30-minute session above). Second: Use this prompt to review today's work:

Read the output. Don't just copy it. React to it. Cross out what's wrong. Keep what's useful.

One 60-minute bonus use -- The Offer Sprint

If you're stuck on your offer definition, use an entire 60-minute session as an offer sprint.

• Minutes 1-10: Write the worst possible version of your offer sentence. No judgment. Just get something out.
• Minutes 10-20: Paste it into AI with the prompt below.
• Minutes 20-40: Pick the best version. Edit it yourself until it sounds like you.
• Minutes 40-55: Read it out loud. Would a real person understand this in 5 seconds? Adjust until yes.
• Minutes 55-60: Write it on paper. Post it somewhere visible.

---

The 2-Hour Session

Full build mode. Three tasks. You draft, AI assists, you decide.

Two-hour sessions are for building things -- not thinking about building things. Come in with a plan or leave without much to show for it.

Before You Start (5 minutes outside the session)

Answer these before you sit down:

1. What will I have when this session is over that I didn't have before?
2. What are the three tasks that get me there?
3. What will I NOT do today, even if it feels important?

Three tasks:

1.                     
2.                     
3.                     

What you're not doing today:                     

Minutes 1-10: Session Launch

Read your three tasks. Estimate time for each. Assign a rough order. This is the only planning you do. Then start.

Minutes 10-50: Task 1

Minutes 50-55: Break

Step away. Walk. Drink water. Don't check social media.

Minutes 55-95: Tasks 2 and 3

Split based on your estimates. Keep moving. When you hit resistance on a task (and you will), use this:

Minutes 95-110: Review and Integrate

Minutes 110-120: Log and Set Up Tomorrow

Write a brief session log (2-3 sentences):

Today I finished:                     

Still in progress:                     

Tomorrow's first task:                     

---

The Weekly Review

Sunday, 20 minutes. No excuses.

The weekly review is not optional. It's the mechanism that keeps you from drifting. Without it, weeks turn into months and nothing moves. Do this every Sunday. Same time. Same spot if you can.

The 5 Questions

1. Did I do what I said I'd do this week?
Not "did I work hard." Did you do the specific things you said you'd do? Yes or no for each one. No partial credit. Honesty here is the whole point.

2. What got in the way?
Not as an excuse. As data. Was it time? Energy? Uncertainty about what to do next? Fear? Name it. Patterns repeat. Naming them gives you a chance to change them.

3. What's the one thing I actually moved forward this week?
Even in a hard week, something moved. Find it. Write it down. This matters more than you think. Momentum is partly psychological.

4. What is the most important thing to focus on next week?
Not a list of 10. One thing. If you only finish one task next week, what should it be?

5. What do I need to stop doing, start doing, or do differently?
Three options. Pick the one that applies most this week. You don't need all three every time.

What to Do With the Answers

• If you answered YES to question 1: you're on pace. Keep going.
• If you answered NO more than twice: you're overplanning. Cut your weekly list in half next week. Seriously.
• If you can't answer question 3: nothing moved this week. That's a red flag. What was eating your time instead?
• If question 4 gives you more than one answer: you don't have enough clarity yet. Go back to Component 1 and re-run the validation gate.
• If question 5 reveals a pattern (same blocker three weeks in a row): that blocker is the work. Don't work around it. Work on it.

Next week, my one priority is:                     

---

A Note on Consistency vs. Intensity

You don't need to go hard every day. You need to show up every day.

Thirty minutes, five days a week, for four weeks is 10 hours of real work. That's enough to validate an offer, build a simple product, and have 20 outreach conversations.

Most people don't fail because they don't have enough time. They fail because they stop showing up when the result isn't instant. The result isn't instant. Keep showing up anyway.

Solomon Apex Starter System -- Component 2 of 5

Before You Start

An offer is not a service description. It's not your resume. It's not a list of features. An offer answers one question for one specific person: "Is this for me?" If they can't answer that in five seconds, your offer needs work. This component walks you through building one that works.

Set aside 60-90 minutes to complete this in one sitting if you can. Or do one step per session. Either way, don't skip steps.

---

Step 1: The One-Sentence Offer

Every good offer starts with a single sentence that can survive a first impression.

The formula:
"I help [specific person] [do specific thing] so they can [specific outcome]."

The key word is specific. Each blank should be narrow enough that the right person immediately thinks "that's me" -- and the wrong person immediately thinks "that's not me."

Examples of weak offers:

• "I help businesses grow" (who doesn't?)
• "I do marketing" (what kind? for whom?)
• "I'm a consultant" (for what problem?)

Examples of strong offers:

• "I help solo therapists fill their client schedule so they can stop worrying about where their next patient is coming from."
• "I help first-time Airbnb hosts set up and optimize their listing so they can get to their first 5-star review without the guesswork."
• "I help construction contractors create simple quotes and proposals so they can close more jobs without spending hours on paperwork."

Write your first attempt -- even if it's rough:

I help              do              so they can             .

Don't edit it yet. Just get something on the page.

How to Choose the Right One

Read each variation out loud. For each one, ask: Would the person I'm trying to help immediately recognize themselves? Would someone outside my target say "that's not for me"? (This is actually good.) Does it describe a real outcome? Would I be comfortable saying this to someone's face?

Your chosen offer sentence:                     

The 5-Second Test: Read your chosen sentence to one real person who doesn't know your business. Don't explain it first. Just read it. Then ask: "Who do you think this is for?" If they get it right, your offer passes. If they're confused, rewrite.

---

Step 2: The Right Person

Most people define their buyer too broadly. "Small business owners" is not a buyer definition. "Female restaurant owners with 2-5 employees who have been open less than three years and are doing their own marketing" is a buyer definition. Narrow is not limiting. Narrow is powerful.

The 10 Questions

Answer each one in a sentence or two. If you can't answer it, that's a gap -- go find out.

1. How old are they, roughly? What stage of life or career are they in?
2. What do they do for work, and how long have they been doing it?
3. What is the one problem in their life or business that keeps them up at night?
4. What have they already tried to solve this problem? Why didn't it work?
5. What does a win look like for them? How would they describe success in their own words?
6. What do they read, watch, or listen to? Where do they go to learn?
7. Who do they trust? (Peers, industry voices, specific communities?)
8. What do buying decisions look like for them? Do they research heavily or buy on instinct?
9. What objection will they have before they say yes to you?
10. What would they be embarrassed to admit about this problem?

The Watering Hole Exercise

Where does your buyer actually spend time? Not where you'd like to find them. Where they actually are.

List three real watering holes for your buyer:

1.                     
2.                     
3.                     

These are not where you'll advertise yet. These are where you'll listen first. Spend one hour in each of these places reading and observing before you say anything. You will learn more about how to talk to your buyer in that hour than in a week of guessing.

---

Step 3: The Price

The Backwards Framework

1. What is the outcome worth to them? Not what the work is worth to you. What is it worth to them?
   Example: If you save a solo business owner 5 hours a week and they value their time at $50/hour, that's $200/week or roughly $800/month. You can charge $400/month and the math still makes sense for them.
2. What have they already paid (or are paying) for a partial solution that doesn't fully work?
3. What would they pay for the outcome itself -- not the service?

Three Price Tiers

Your First Offer Price: $ 

---

Step 4: The One-Page Offer Doc

This is the document you send or share when someone asks "what exactly do you do?" It's not a website. It's not a brochure. It's one page that answers the questions in the right order.

Editing Checklist -- 5 Things Every Good Offer Has

• The buyer recognizes themselves in the first 2 sentences
• The problem is named specifically -- not softened or generalized
• The outcome is described in terms of the buyer's life, not your process
• The price is visible. No "contact for pricing" on a simple offer.
• There is one clear, specific next step

---

Step 5: The Gut Check

This is the last step before you take your offer to the market. Five questions. Answer them honestly.

1. Could you deliver on this offer tomorrow if someone said yes?
If the answer is no, what specifically isn't ready? Your offer should describe what you can actually do now.

2. Is there a real person in your life right now who has this exact problem?
Not a "type of person." A name. If you can't name one, you don't know your buyer well enough yet.

3. Does your offer describe an outcome -- or just a service?
Read your offer sentence again. Does it tell the buyer what their life looks like after they work with you?

4. Would you be comfortable putting your name on this?
Not "is it perfect." Is it honest? Does it describe what you actually do and what they'll actually get?

5. Are you pricing it in a way that's sustainable for you?
If you'd resent the work at this price after three months, the price is wrong. Raise it or redefine the scope.

What to Do If You Answer NO

• NO to #1: Don't launch yet. Get the capability in place first. This usually takes less time than you think.
• NO to #2: Go talk to real people before you finalize anything. Listen first.
• NO to #3: Rewrite the offer sentence. Focus on the outcome the buyer wants, not the activity you perform.
• NO to #4: Figure out what specifically feels off and fix it. Don't launch something you're not standing behind.
• NO to #5: Raise the price. Adjust the scope. Pick one.

If you answered YES to all five -- your offer is ready. Go to Component 4 -- The First Sale Playbook.

Solomon Apex Starter System -- Component 3 of 5

The Mindset Reset

Here's what most people believe: to get customers, you need an audience. You need a following. You need a website, a brand, a presence. You need to earn the right to sell.

That's not how first sales work. First sales come from people who already know you. They come from conversations, not campaigns. Your first customer isn't going to find you through a Google search or an Instagram ad. They're going to say yes because they trust you -- and you have people in your life right now who trust you. You've been building that trust for years. This playbook is about using it intentionally, not awkwardly. Not in a way that feels gross or desperate. In a way that feels like one friend telling another friend about something real.

Your first sale isn't a marketing problem. It's a conversation problem. And conversations are something you already know how to have.

---

The Warm List

Before you write a single outreach message, build the list.

How to Build Your Warm List (20-30 people)

Pull out a blank sheet of paper or open a new doc. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Write down every person you can think of who:

• Has a job or runs a business
• Knows you and has some level of trust with you
• Might have the problem you're solving -- or might know someone who does

Go through categories to jog your memory: past coworkers and bosses, current or past clients, friends who have their own businesses, family members who are professionally active, people from church, gym, neighborhood, groups you're in, people you went to school with who are now working, former classmates, teammates, colleagues you've lost touch with, people you follow online who also follow or know you.

Don't filter yet. Don't decide who would or wouldn't be interested. Just write names.

Categorize Your List

After you have 20-30 names, sort them into three buckets.

Most first sales come from the Hot list. First referrals come from the Warm list. Don't ignore the Cool list -- you never know who they know.

---

The First Message

The message that kills sales before they start sounds like this: "Hey! I just started a new business and I'm offering [long description]. I'd love to share more with you and see if you might be interested or know anyone who is! Here's my website..."

That message is about you. It asks for something before it offers anything. It feels like a pitch. People don't respond to pitches from friends. They respond to interest and genuine connection.

The Right Framework

The first message does three things:

1. Makes contact like a real person, not a salesperson
2. References something real about them or your relationship
3. Opens a door without pushing them through it

It does NOT include pricing, a website link, a full pitch, "check it out," or words like "opportunity" or "exciting news." The goal of the first message is one thing only: start a conversation.

Three Templates

---

The Conversation

They replied. They're interested. Now what? The conversation has one goal: understand their situation well enough to know if your offer actually helps them. That's it. Not to close them. Not to impress them. To understand.

How to Go From "That Sounds Interesting" to "Here's My Price"

Start with questions. Not a pitch:

• "Tell me what that looks like day to day for you."
• "How long has that been an issue?"
• "What have you tried so far?"
• "What would it mean for you if that was handled?"

Listen. Don't interrupt. Don't rush to the offer. When they've described the problem in their own words, reflect it back:

"So it sounds like [summarize their problem in their language]. Is that right?"

If they say yes, that's your signal. Now you can describe your offer -- briefly:

"That's actually exactly what I built this for. Here's how it works: [2-3 sentences, no more]. I help people like you [specific outcome] in [timeframe] for [price]."

Then stop talking. Let them respond.

When They Say "Let Me Think About It"

This is not a no. This is uncertainty. There's something they haven't said yet. Ask one of these:

• "Of course. What specifically would help you feel more confident?"
• "Is it the price, the timing, or something about how it works?"
• "What would need to be true for this to be a yes?"

---

The Close

The One Question That Closes More Sales Than Any Pitch

After you've described your offer and answered their questions:

"Does this feel like a fit for where you are right now?"

This question gives them full ownership. It's not pressure. It invites a real answer. If they say yes, ask for the next step. If they say maybe or not quite, ask what would need to be different.

The Three Most Common Objections

What to Do the Moment Someone Says Yes

1. Say: "Great. Let's lock this in." Then stop talking.
2. Confirm the next step in writing immediately -- text, email, whatever you have.
3. Send them a way to pay. Venmo, Zelle, PayPal, Stripe link -- right now, before the conversation ends.
4. Set a start date or first call before you get off the phone.

Do not celebrate out loud in the moment. Do not overthink. Just move to the next step cleanly and confidently. You can celebrate after.

---

The Follow-Through

Your first customer is not just your first sale. They are your first proof. If you deliver well, they become your best marketing.

How to Deliver So Well That It Becomes Your Best Marketing

• Do exactly what you said you'd do. No more, no less to start. Reliability over surprise.
• Communicate proactively. Don't make them chase you for updates.
• Deliver early when you can. Even one day early creates a strong impression.
• At the midpoint of the engagement, check in: "Is this what you expected? Is there anything you want to adjust?"

What to Ask When It's Done

Wait until the outcome is visible -- not just when the work is technically complete. Then ask:

"Now that [you've seen the results / we've finished / this is in place], I have two quick asks. First, would you be willing to write me a one or two sentence testimonial about your experience? Second, is there anyone in your world who has a similar situation I should know about?"

Testimonial Prompt for Your Client

If they're willing but not sure what to write, give them this:

"Just write 1-3 sentences about: what problem you had, what we did together, and what changed. That's it."

The best testimonials are specific. "Solomon helped me get my social media consistent and I stopped stressing about it" beats "highly recommend!" every time.

Solomon Apex Starter System -- Component 4 of 5

The Rule Behind This List

Every item on this list passes one test: does it help you make a sale or serve a customer?

If it doesn't pass that test, it's not on the list. Logo design doesn't pass. A fancy website doesn't pass. Business cards don't pass. They feel productive. They are not.

You can spend two weeks "setting up your business" and end up with a beautiful logo, a polished website, and zero dollars earned. That's not a foundation. That's decoration.

This list is the real foundation. Everything you actually need. Almost all of it is free.

---

The Non-Negotiables (All Free)

These five things are the actual minimum. Without them, you can't operate. With them, you can.

---

The Nice-to-Haves (Free or Nearly Free)

You don't need these immediately. But as soon as you're having regular conversations and want to look more professional, add them in order.

---

What to SKIP Until You Have Paying Customers

These things feel important. They are not.

• Logo: A logo does not make a sale. No customer has ever said "I was going to hire you but your logo wasn't ready." When you have consistent revenue, budget $100-300 from a real designer. But not yet.
• Fancy website: A complicated, multi-page website takes weeks to build, costs money, and changes nothing about whether you can sell your offer. Your first sale will happen through a conversation, not a website visit.
• Business cards: Save the $50.
• LLC or formal business structure: You need a legal entity when you have something to protect. Most solo businesses do fine as a sole proprietor until they're consistently earning $2,000-3,000/month or taking on clients with real contracts. When you get there, talk to a local accountant or use a service like ZenBusiness ($0-49/year). Until then, this is a distraction.
• Paid tools of any kind: Canva has a free plan. Notion has a free plan. Calendly has a free plan. Zoom has a free plan. Almost every tool you'll want has a free version. Pay only when the free version is genuinely holding you back and you have revenue to cover it.

---

The Order of Operations

Do these in this order. Don't do step 4 until you've done steps 1-3. The sequence matters.

Steps 7-11 (when you're ready)

---

A Note on the Temptation to Prepare Instead of Build

Setting up tools feels like progress. It's not. It's preparation. Preparation is necessary. But it has diminishing returns fast.

There is a moment -- and most people hit it -- when you've set up everything, organized everything, read everything, and you still haven't made a single sale. That moment is uncomfortable. And it's also the moment that separates people who build businesses from people who plan to.

This checklist gets you through preparation in a day. Then the work starts. That's intentional.

Everything you need is already on your phone and your laptop. The rest is execution.

Solomon Apex Starter System -- Component 5 of 5