Congratulations! You are at Red Level

Red is the second level of nine levels in the Entrepreneur Spectrum. Red makes just enough money to have nothing. You may even have a successful business, but if you are just surviving personally, every business problem becomes a personal problem, which means you are your business’ greatest liability.

At this level, you’re just getting by but it feels like you’re on a treadmill. No matter how much faster you try and run, you keep ending up in the same place. No matter how much more you give or make, there never seems to be that much to show for it. This is because Red level is about survival. When there’s nothing coming out of the plumbing system, turning the tap harder won’t solve the problem. It’s time to redesign the plumbing system to make sure your efforts are properly rewarded and your personal flow becomes cash flow positive. The good news is, there’s simple steps to get there!

The Nine Entrepreneur Levels

The Three Entrepreneur Prisms

Your level is one of nine, divided of the Entrepreneur Lighthouse. These link all wealth flow from personal to commercial to universal – This covers the entire world of wealth we live in. Each Prism includes three levels, which together make up the nine levels of the Entrepreneur Lighthouse. You are always only at one level at any one time, and seeing all levels will give you a full picture of where you want to – and don’t want to – be playing

The Foundation Prism

This is mastery of the wealth flowing through our life: Our ability to create an abundant flow of value and money through our life regardless of market conditions.

The Enterprise Prism

This is mastery of the wealth flowing through our markets: Our ability to manage investments and enterprises effectively to flow value and money through our teams and markets.

The Alchemy Prism

This is mastery of the wealth flowing through our societies: This is the prism in which money itself is made and the rules of our markets are created.

Why is it so important to move through these three prisms in this order? Many of us have a desire to have an impact in the world, but the only way to have that impact is to master flow at a community level. We can do that after mastering market flow, and that requires first mastering our own personal flow. Like a captain who wants to set sail to distant shores, the journey begins with being on the crew of other ships - and the only way to get on a crew is first learning how to swim.

That’s the distinction between the three prisms - From mastering your personal flow, to mastering market flow, to mastering global flow. At every step, you are ‘earning the right’ to move to the next level. Like gears in a car, once you understand each level you can move smoothly from one to the next, and change pace with the seasons - in your team, your company and your industry.

The Nine Entrepreneur Levels

The nine entrepreneur levels measure your level of mastery in creating value and leveraging it profitably. Here is an overview of the nine levels. Read them in context of where you currently are, and where you plan to be:

The Foundation Prism

Infrared Level: Victim

Infrared falls deeper in debt month after month. Infrared comes from separation, and the steps out come from discipline and duty. You need to fix the plumbing before filling the pipe, and setting up the habit of paying yourself first.

Red Level: Survivor

Red makes just enough money to have nothing. You may even have a successful business, but if you are just surviving personally, every business problem becomes a personal problem, which means you are your business’ greatest liability.

Orange Level: Worker

Orange is someone who works for a living. Whether you are in a job or self-employed, when you are Orange you have to work hard to earn a living, and you don’t know how to multiply your income. An Orange world is about action, not attraction.

The Enterprise Prism

Yellow Level: Player

Yellow is empowered to forge your own journey. You know how to create value, leverage it and make money in your niche. You have created a level of freedom, but your earnings are limited as you and your enterprises still rely on you more than others to keep things flowing.

Green Level: Performer

Green enables enterprises: Leading a team profitably is entirely different from self-employment, but the rewards are exponential. While Yellow works from outside in, Green works from inside out, leading to high performance teams and enterprises.

Blue Level: Conductor

Blue frees you entirely from having your hands full. Blue level has multiple investments and has mastered both cash and capital. Blue speaks an entirely different language, focus and set of measures, with multiple teams of income.

The Alchemy Prism

Indigo Level: Trustee

Indigo is the playground of the billionaire. When you have mastered the enterprise prism, trust becomes your greatest asset and one that you can monetize in magical ways. Understand this level, and you will see the world’s wealthy through a new lens.

Violet Level: Composer

Violet prints our currencies, sets our taxes and scripts the tunes we dance to. Until recently the domain of nations, more entrepreneurs, leaders and communities are now stepping into the role of composer and rewriting the rules by which the rest of us play.

Ultra-violet Level: Legend

Those at ultraviolet are the symbols to live by, like legends on a map. Their names become synonymous with their composition, and are left as a legacy. This level has a frequency that lasts over generations, and the rise and fall of nations.

The Five Spectrum Principles

Before we go into the details of what your results mean, here are the five Spectrum Principles to keep in mind:

We are all in the Spectrum.

ALL economic conditions – from being in debt to being a millionaire to controlling a country’s taxes to being a global philanthropist – exist in the 9 levels of the Spectrum. A wealth gap makes us powerless. An entrepreneur ladder allows us to start climbing.

The Spectrum is always here.

Every level of the spectrum plays an economic role which keeps money flowing, so all nine levels exist. Complaining about your (or any other) level won’t make it disappear - or improve your own situation

The Spectrum is the map to your wealth.

We change levels through our life. Understanding the nine levels and where you are empowers you to ensure your path to your success is deliberate and not accidental.

Your level determines your reality.

Every level has a level of flow and a level of consciousness. When we move levels, our flow changes and so does our awareness. The problems and opportunities you see in life will depend on the level you are at. When you change level, what appeared to be big issues often simply disappear.

Your wealth is your choice.

When you know your level, you can choose to stay at that level, move down or up. Each has costs and benefits. Knowing your level gives you the power to direct your focus on the next steps to take. Your wealth is your choice.

When you understand the nine levels, and why we get stuck at each level, you can use your Genius to follow your natural path from one level to the next.

Emotions

Struggle; blame; denial

Red level is a constant struggle, with a sense of anxiety similar to driving a car where the fuel gauge is on the red line. The car is still moving but you’re desperately searching for the nearest petrol station. That means your focus is keeping you from seeing and acting on the opportunities right in front of your eyes.

This state has you distracting yourself with being busy, entertained or managing a crisis so you keep running on empty. Weekends and holidays break up the anxiety – which may not even feel like anxiety as you think it’s normal to feel this way. Yet you still seek the escape.

Another way to look at this state is to liken it to a tap being poured into a basin with no plug, where all the water drains out. This is the survivor condition, where the water could be poured in twice as fast and it will still all drain out. There is no control of flow and so no way to begin building reserves – either with your money, your time, your energy, your resources or your attraction.

There is no point trying to increase your income or pursue new opportunities when you are at this level, as you will have to keep on living from month to month with the same pattern of survival – only now you will be doing it with increased activity and risk of burn out. This feeling stops you from following through on new plans, as you already doubt whether you will have the energy or time it will take.

Benefit of staying here

Endurance; Comfort; Instant Gratification

The benefits of a level are often invisible, but they are what draw us unconsciously to remain at that level – even when we consciously want to move out of the level.

Why would you unconsciously want to stay at this level? Red level allows us to play out a heroic drama. We’ve all seen the stories of survival, and the triumph of the human spirit. We know the hero needs to endure hardship, gets to feel the pain of sacrifice and is rewarded by the appreciation of those around them.

At the end of each bout of hardship, the hero gets to take a deep breath and feel the release from the chains. Then, back into the chains you go for another round of battle and hardship. This is the addiction to the survival experience that keeps you here.

There’s also a comfort that comes with not being as much in the firing line or to be confronted with setting big goals that we fail at in front of ourselves or others. Especially if we’ve already had painful experiences of failing in the past. Yes, we know we could achieve more and make a bigger difference but is the effort really worth it? And when it comes down to a choice of taking the holiday or investing that money for our future, won’t we feel better with the instant gratification?

Cost of staying here

Exhaustion; resignation; life repeating itself

Many, many people are at red level. In fact, the finance industry relies on it, which is why they will always loan you enough or give you enough or a credit line to keep you there. But there is also a high cost for staying here. Red has a far greater effect on those around you then you might imagine. When you are not expanding, you are contracting, and the constant struggle at survival mode is taking a toll on your every day. Struggling children tear at the hearts of their parents, and struggling parents tear at the hearts of their children. Dreams diminish, spirit shrinks and the true possibilities of life dry up and die.

Exhaustion is not something easy to notice, as it creeps up over time. It works from the inside out, and it spreads beyond you to everyone around you. Eventually, it leads to resignation – whether you resign from your job, resign from your dreams or resign from your life. Almost always, when someone commits to move out of Red level, they are later surprised to see just how much their reality was negatively impacting their health and relationships.

This effect is also putting on the brakes at work. Someone at Red level will not have the attraction in a team, to new partners, mentors or opportunities – Someone higher in the Spectrum can say exactly the same words as someone at Red level and will have an entirely different level of attraction simply based on the radiance and energy they project from a higher level of passion and momentum they are tapped into.

Focus needed

Passion and connection

Of course, you know all about survival already, so why is it so difficult to get out of it? The stress and relief cycle doesn’t leave you with any extra energy at the end of every week. There are no reserves to draw from. The passport out of survival is not from the inside, but the outside – from passion and connection.

Imagine your energy account like your bank account. Trying to draw from a zero balance doesn’t work. Your passion is what makes you jump out of bed in the morning it’s like waking up to a new deposit in your account every day. Then, your connection to others and their flow links you to the outside resources to fill your account. That means linking to people in the enterprise prism – not to others at the Red or Infrared level. Two Reds just makes more red!

Your Entrepreneur Level

Level 2 - “The Spring”

Your enterprise has a Level 2 Impact. You have more than 10 customers but not yet 100 customers. It is called the Spring because you have created a source of flow, but the flow is limited. You have proven there is demand for what you offer, but you have not established a scalable model to your market, which means you’re limited in size and impact.

The path to a Level 3 business is to create a predictable pathway with clear unit metrics to attract your market to you. Without this scalable flow, you can never build a team. The question to answer to move up to level 2 is “Have we found a repeatable, measurable pathway from our market’s need to our solution?”. Every company that has grown to Level 3 and above know how to 10x their flow by developing such a customer and product pathway.

The Eight Enterprise Levels

The eight enterprise levels measure the level of impact your company can have. It is an exponential scale, with each level having 10x the impact of the level below. Here is an overview of the eight levels. Read them in context of where you currently are, and where you plan to be:

Level 0: The Desert (No customers)
Separate from the flow of value, resources and money

“Am I ready to create a job instead of trying to get a job or start a business?” At this level, a person is having little or no impact as there is no value being exchanged at a level where someone is willing to pay for that value. Now is the time to simply connect to one customer or employer who is willing to pay to have their problem solved.

At this level, a person is having little or no impact as there is no value being exchanged at a level where someone is willing to pay for that value. Now is the time to simply connect to one customer or employer who is willing to pay to have their problem solved

Level 1: The Oasis (1-9 customers)
Personal service to solve one person’s problem

“Am I solving a problem for someone who trusts me that they are willing to pay to have solved?”

At the very first stage of a startup, the focus is solely on serving the first customer and ensuring the product or service that is being co-created is solving that customer’s problem in a way that deserves payment, and in a way that is better than the alternatives.

Level 2: The Spring (10-99 customers)
Intimate user group to maximise value and market fit

“Can I scale my solution to ten people such that they are willing to pay and refer me to others?”

At the second level of a startup, the focus must remain on optimizing the value being delivered to ensure the customers are coming back for more, with their friends. Knowing what can be productived and replicated, and what needs to stay personalized, happens now.

Level 3: The Stream (100-900 customers)
Predictable, replicable and viable model to grow with

“Have we found a repeatable, measurable pathway from our market’s need to our solution?”

At the third Enterprise Level, the focus needs to move from creating value to leveraging the value in a predictable way. This is the time to create a customer pathway that enables you to scale the business without simply relying on word-of-mouth.

Level 4: The River (1,000-9,999 customers)
Scalable team and time to develop a sustainable business

“Are we growing our team and time to enable the business to run well without me?”

At the fourth level of enterprise, the focus moves from growing a predictable customer pathway that attracts customers to growing a predictable talent pathway that attracts the right team members and partners. If not for this step, the founder remains the bottleneck.

Level 5: The Ocean (10,000-99,999 customers)
Market leadership, attracting resources and partnerships

“Have we built a reputation that attracts the financing, partners and support to leverage with?”

At level 5 the focus changes from the customer pathway and the talent pathway to now building a capital pathway that attracts investors, financing and resources for growth. Without this change in focus, the company will reach a limit in its ability to fund its own growth.

Level 6: Sea Change (100,000-999,999 customers)
Personal service to solve one person’s problem

“Are we establishing a mission, culture and model that is inspiring others on their journeys?” Few companies reach level 6, but those that do have done so by creating a movement or mission that extends beyond the interests of the company. At this size the company can impact millions, and to grow further needs to take on an industry wide responsibility.

Few companies reach level 6, but those that do have done so by creating a movement or mission that extends beyond the interests of the company. At this size the company can impact millions, and to grow further needs to take on an industry wide responsibility.

Level 7: New Horizons (1 million+ customers)
Personal service to solve one person’s problem

“Have we directed the trust that we are growing towards a meaningful global purpose?” Companies that reach an impact of 1 million or more customers have done so not by adding complexity but multiplying simplicity. They have moved beyond solving a problem to serving a purpose, and always a global purpose that can leave a lasting legacy..

Companies that reach an impact of 1 million or more customers have done so not by adding complexity but multiplying simplicity. They have moved beyond solving a problem to serving a purpose, and always a global purpose that can leave a lasting legacy.

The Three Impact Principles

The eight levels of enterprise share three principles that form the basis for the entire Entrepreneur Dynamics system. In the same way that changing gears on a car share the same mechanism at increasing degrees of leverage, understanding these principles makes it easier to transition from one level to the next:

The Entrepreneur Levels are exponential

Each level is 10 times the impact of the level below. We are living in exponential times, where it is possible to grow a billion dollar business in a matter of years. Using these levels gives you an exponential agile leadership tool to grow exponentially with.

Every level is essential

You cannot skip a level without negative consequences, with the need to drop back to get things right if you go too fast. At each level the focus and strategy is different, where the winning formula at one level becomes the losing formula at the next level.

Your enterprise is limited by you

If you have a low Entrepreneur Level, don’t focus at growing your enterprise. Focus at growing yourself. Once you grow you Entrepreneur Level to a higher level of expertise and consciousness, the enterprise will naturally follow.

In the following section, you will discover the five parts of your business, and what to do in each. Be mindful as much on what not to do as what to do. Each level needs to be approached differently from the level below and above.

Next Steps

Now that you have learned about your Entrepreneur Level and your Enterprise Level, here are three next steps that you can take to turn this learning into action:

Continue with the Entrepreneur Dynamics Microdegree:

Each step of this Microdegree will take you through the steps of the entire Agile Leadership system of Entrepreneur Dynamics, of which the Impact Test is the first step. This will enable you to apply this system in your business and with your team to 10x your income and impact.

Attend an event:

We have a full calendar of Entrepreneur Dynamics events taking place around the world. Attend one of our events by viewing our calendar here.

Connect with a mentor:

We have Entrepreneur Dynamics Faculty members around the world. They are certified trainers and mentors who can take you through your personalized path based on where you are and where you are going. Begin by getting the Upgrade 5.0 and booking a call here.