# Growth

> How Baked Design Studio grew from a $25 first payment, shared on X as it happened: clients, followers, leads, roasts and revenue.

## 2023: A 7-day experiment
What started as a 7-day experiment in 2023, with no vision, zero followers and zero revenue. (0 followers)
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/2083598100527300958

## 2023: Free design roasts on X
Started by roasting designs for fun, in public, and never approached anyone to pay.
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/2083598100527300958

## Feb 2023: The first payment
Someone paid $25 for a design roast without being asked. ($25)
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/1883094080701554881

## Jul 2023: The first six months
About $5k in the first six months, running $150 a month retainers. ($5k)
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/2083598100527300958

## Aug 2023: The first $4,317 a month client
After the $150 a month subscription, the first client on a $4,317 a month plan. ($4,317/m)
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/1883094080701554881

## Oct 2023: $90k recurring
Eight months after the first $25 roast: $90k in recurring revenue. ($90k/m)
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/1883094080701554881

## Nov 2023: $129k MRR
Monthly recurring revenue reached $129k. ($129k/m)
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/1883094080701554881

## Jan 2024: $162k a month, still roasting for free
New account in February 2023, public roasts, a $25 roast, a $50 a month subscription, then a $4,317 a month service. Monthly totals reached $162k by January 2024, while still roasting in public for free. ($162k/m)
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/1865469864321945765

## 5 Jul 2024: Roasts work
One roast didn't win the project, but it brought 15+ leads in 6 days and $25k+ in revenue. The same approach as the $25 roast in 2023. (15+ leads)
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/1809141708325802178

## 17 Apr 2025: From free to a studio
From designing roasts for free, to charging $25, to a $50 a month subscription, to a studio doing $100k a month. ($100k/m)
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/1912889112828494012

## 15 Aug 2025: Every lead from X
100% of leads from X and 0 unsolicited DMs. About 75 design roasts, 3 a week: $350k+ in direct revenue and 300+ organic leads. (300+ leads)
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/1956238067288957032

## 26 Nov 2025: The ladder
Free design roasts on X, then $25 websites, templates, a $50 a month subscription, $150 landing pages, $2k a month, then $166k a month. ($166k/m)
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/1993824302505054526

## 21 Jan 2026: $1.2M in 12 months
Roasted designs and made $25 the first month. $0 to $190k a month in 6 months, $0 to $1.2M in 12 months. No hooks, rage bait, cold DMs or mentors. ($1.2M)
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/2013854665822421330

## 6 Jun 2026: Do things that don't scale
Start from 0. Roast designs on X for 6 months, never DM or ask for money. Charge about $50 if they offer, then a $150 a month subscription up to $700, then $2,317 to $4,999 a month retainers, then $1.2M a year. ($1.2M/yr)
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/2063176291726000331

## 20 Jun 2026: Design roasts still work
The 2023 method: show, don't tell, and never ask for money. Six months, then the leads and the money come.
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/2068418691478458685

## 1 Aug 2026: One person to a team of 10
Three years in: one person to 10 people and 150+ clients, with zero cold emails or DMs. (150+ clients)
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/2083598100527300958

## 1 Aug 2026: 3 years of Baked
Officially 3 years of running Baked Design: $3.97M in revenue ($5.57M CAD), from a $25 first payment. ($3.97M)
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/2083598100527300958

## Aug 2026: Seven months
To actually make life-changing money, it took 7 months after starting design roasts.
https://x.com/nickbakeddesign/status/2083776289954283535

Follow along on X: https://x.com/nickbakeddesign