The Navy-Engineered Business Launch Checklist

The Navy-Engineered

Business Launch Checklist

A System for Building Your First Business with the Precision of a Naval Engineer

PHASE 1: STRATEGIC RECONNAISSANCE

(Before You Spend a Dollar)

Objective: Validate your mission and secure your position before engaging.

Define Your "Why":
Write a single sentence explaining why you are starting this specific business. If it's only for money, abort mission.
Conduct "Enemy Territory" Analysis:
Identify 3 direct competitors. List their strengths and weaknesses as if you were profiling an adversary.
Identify Your "Beachhead":
Define your specific, narrow target customer. Who is your first, most likely client? (e.g., "Local coffee shops needing social media," not "all businesses").
Secure Your "War Chest":
Calculate the absolute minimum capital required to survive for 6 months with zero revenue. This is your non-negotiable financial runway.
Pass the "Attic Test":
Ask yourself: "Am I willing to make significant personal sacrifices (like living in a metaphorical 'attic') for the next 12-18 months to make this work?" If not, reconsider your plan.

PHASE 2: OPERATIONS & LOGISTICS

(Building the Engine Room)

Objective: Build a lean, functional operational backbone.

Establish Your "Command Center":
Secure your business domain, email, and a simple, professional website. This is your base of operations.
Source Your "Supply Lines":
Identify and vet your top 2-3 suppliers. Have a backup for your primary supplier.
Create Your "First Product/Service" Prototype:
Build the simplest version of your offering that delivers core value. Perfect is the enemy of operational.
Set Up Your "Sovereign Ledger":
Open a separate business bank account. Install a simple accounting spreadsheet to track every penny in and out from Day 1.
Develop Your "Standard Operating Procedure" (SOP):
Document the 5 core steps to deliver your product/service. This is your first playbook.

PHASE 3: INITIAL ENGAGEMENT

(Your First Deployment)

Objective: Secure your first revenue and validate your model under fire.

Execute "Shock and Awe" on Your Beachhead:
Personally contact your 10 most likely first customers. Offer them a founding-member discount for their early faith and feedback.
Close Your First "Reconnaissance Deal":
Your goal for the first sale is not profit, but intelligence. Get a paying client and learn everything you can from the process.
Debrief and Adapt:
After the first deal, answer: What went wrong? What went right? Update your SOP immediately based on real-world data.
Implement the "Velocity Over Vanity" Audit:
Review your first week/month. Are you focused on activities that generate cash flow (velocity) or just ones that make you look successful (vanity)?
Reinforce and Repeat:
Systemize what worked in your first deal to secure the next 3.

PHASE 4: FORTIFICATION & SCALE

(Securing the Beachhead)

Objective: Move from a single victory to a stable, growing position.

Analyze Your Cash Flow Engine:
Is revenue consistently exceeding burn rate? If not, return to Phase 3.
Formalize Your "Trifecta Model":
Plan your 3 revenue streams:

Retail/Service (Your core offering)
Wholesale/Partnerships (Selling to other businesses)
Projects (Larger, high-margin contracts)

Install Your "Early Warning System":
Define your 3 key metrics (e.g., monthly revenue, new customers, profit margin). Review them weekly. Any downward trend triggers an immediate strategy session.
Plan Your First "Controlled Demotion":
Identify the first repetitive task you can systemize or delegate. Your goal is to stop being the chief everything officer.

Your Mission Debrief:

This checklist is your operational orders. It is designed for action, not theory. Your objective is not to achieve perfection, but to achieve forward motion.

The most critical phase is Phase 1.

Most businesses fail because they skip the reconnaissance.

Your build begins now.

Download this Checklist Page

John Antony Sterling
From the Engine Room to the Boardroom

Go to: The Sovereign Builder Trilogy