[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"nav-categories":3,"article-startup-reality-the-hard-numbers-from-trustmrr":70},{"data":4},[5,37,57,64],{"name":6,"slug":7,"categories":8},"Productivity","productivity",[9,13,17,21,25,29,33],{"id":10,"title":11,"slug":12},17,"Branding","branding",{"id":14,"title":15,"slug":16},19,"Marketing","marketing",{"id":18,"title":19,"slug":20},20,"Work","work",{"id":22,"title":23,"slug":24},34,"Community","community",{"id":26,"title":27,"slug":28},21,"For newbies","for-newbies",{"id":30,"title":31,"slug":32},24,"Investment","investment",{"id":34,"title":35,"slug":36},22,"Finance","finance",{"name":38,"slug":39,"categories":40},"Tech","tech",[41,45,49,53],{"id":42,"title":43,"slug":44},28,"Technology","technology",{"id":46,"title":47,"slug":48},32,"Artificial Intelligence","artificial-intelligence",{"id":50,"title":51,"slug":52},26,"Security and protection","security-and-protection",{"id":54,"title":55,"slug":56},31,"YouTube Blog","youtube-blog",{"name":58,"slug":59,"categories":60},"News","news",[61],{"id":62,"title":58,"slug":63},18,"quasanews",{"name":65,"slug":66,"categories":67},"Business","business",[68],{"id":69,"title":65,"slug":66},16,{"post":71,"published_news":94,"popular_news":151,"categories":214},{"title":72,"description":73,"meta_title":72,"meta_description":74,"meta_keywords":75,"text":76,"slug":77,"created_at":78,"publish_at":78,"formatted_created_at":79,"category_id":26,"links":80,"view_type":83,"video_url":84,"views":85,"likes":86,"lang":87,"comments_count":86,"category":88},"Startup Reality: The Hard Numbers from TrustMRR","Mark Lu, the founder of TrustMRR.com, runs the largest public database of verified startup revenues (the only bigger one belongs to Stripe, but they don’t share nearly this level of detail). Thousands of founders voluntarily connect their Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, and bank accounts so their real monthly recurring revenue (MRR) or annual recurring revenue (ARR) can be tracked and displayed publicly.","Mark Lu, the founder of TrustMRR.com, runs the largest public database of verified startup revenues","What the numbers really tell us is simple: the startup journey is dramatically longer, slower, and more grueling than almost anyone admits publicly.","\u003Cp>Mark Lu, the founder of \u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/projects/trustmrr\">TrustMRR.com\u003C/a>, runs the largest public database of verified startup revenues (the only bigger one belongs to Stripe, but they don’t share nearly this level of detail). Thousands of founders voluntarily connect their Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, and bank accounts so their real monthly recurring revenue (MRR) or annual recurring revenue (ARR) can be tracked and displayed publicly.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>The data is brutal, and it cuts through the highlight-reel illusion that most startup media feeds us.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Here are the actual numbers as of late 2025:\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cimg alt=\"\" class=\"image-align-left\" height=\"169\" src=\"https://quasa.io/storage/photos/00/image - 2025-11-21T075111.399.jpg\" width=\"300\" />Overall revenue distribution\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cul>\n\t\u003Cli>81% have earned at least $1 lifetime;\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>44% have earned at least $1,000 lifetime;\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>4% have earned at least $1,000,000 lifetime;\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>Only 0.4% have reached $10M+ ARR.\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cimg alt=\"\" class=\"image-align-right\" height=\"435\" src=\"https://quasa.io/storage/photos/00/photo_2025-11-21_07-44-08.jpg\" width=\"300\" />Current monthly revenue\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cul>\n\t\u003Cli>Median MRR across all tracked startups: $334 per month.\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Time to milestones\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cul>\n\t\u003Cli>From $0 → first $1: 5 months on average;\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>From $1K → $10K MRR: another 6 months;\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>From $100K → $1M ARR: another 2.2 years on average.\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Current breakdown by revenue band\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cul>\n\t\u003Cli>20% still at $0;\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>34% between $1 and $1K;\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>The rest are fighting in the thinner and thinner air above that.\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\n\u003Cp>These aren’t projections, guesses, or “post-money valuation” fantasies. These are real dollars hitting real bank accounts, verified automatically every day.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg alt=\"\" class=\"image-align-left\" height=\"298\" src=\"https://quasa.io/storage/photos/00/image - 2025-11-21T075046.224.jpg\" width=\"200\" />What the numbers really tell us is simple: the startup journey is dramatically longer, slower, and more grueling than almost anyone admits publicly.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>You will spend months - often many months - just trying to get the very first person to pay you a single dollar. Once you do, the next leap (from a few hundred to a few thousand) still takes half a year for those who eventually make it.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>And if you ever dream of seven-figure ARR, you’re looking at multiple additional years of consistent execution, iteration, and - above all - survival.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>The media loves the 18-month unicorn stories because they’re exciting. Reality is far more likely to resemble a seven-to-ten-year grind with plenty of $334 months along the way.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>The path is not impossible; 4% do cross a million, and 0.4% do eventually hit eight figures. But those outcomes are extreme outliers, not the baseline expectation.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg alt=\"\" class=\"image-align-right\" height=\"358\" src=\"https://quasa.io/storage/photos/00/image - 2025-11-21T075046.961.jpg\" width=\"240\" />So if you’re considering starting a company, ask yourself one question before anything else: Are you ready for a multi-year moral marathon where most months the outside world will see little or no visible progress, and where the main enemy is your own motivation on the days when the MRR number refuses to move?\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>If that sounds unbearable, that’s okay - startups simply aren’t for everyone. But if you look at these TrustMRR numbers and still feel the pull, then welcome to the 20% who at least got off zero. The rest is just execution, persistence, and time. A lot of time.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Also read:\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cul>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/argentine-court-freezes-assets-of-libra-memecoin-creator-amid-presidential-bribery-probe\">🇦🇷 Argentine Court Freezes Assets of LIBRA Memecoin Creator Amid Presidential Bribery Probe\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/largest-miners-rely-on-ai-revenue-streams\">Largest Miners Rely on AI Revenue Streams\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/oops-what-happened-the-great-ai-reverse-layoff-is-underway\">Oops, What Happened? The Great AI Reverse Layoff is Underway\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/scientists-find-evidence-that-ancient-egyptians-were-tripping-balls\">Scientists Find Evidence That Ancient Egyptians Were Tripping Balls\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\n\u003Cp>Thank you!\u003C/p>","startup-reality-the-hard-numbers-from-trustmrr","2025-11-21T06:54:03.000000Z","21.11.2025",{"image":81,"thumb":82},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/Og7Er42DaVkiQTAwHeIoNpkaRh7K9RLqBrMz4HG0.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/Og7Er42DaVkiQTAwHeIoNpkaRh7K9RLqBrMz4HG0.jpg","small",null,2686,0,"en",{"id":26,"title":27,"slug":28,"meta_title":89,"meta_description":90,"meta_keywords":91,"deleted_at":84,"created_at":92,"updated_at":93,"lang":87},"Quasa media is a growth hacking blog for those who have no experience","Insiders and instructions on how not to step on a rake in any area of life.","For newbies, how to, newbie, advice, instructions","2021-10-25T14:55:26.000000Z","2024-08-25T15:35:10.000000Z",[95,108,119,130,140],{"title":96,"description":97,"slug":98,"created_at":99,"publish_at":100,"formatted_created_at":101,"category":102,"links":103,"view_type":83,"video_url":84,"views":106,"likes":86,"lang":87,"comments_count":86,"is_pinned":107},"Chatbots and the Already-Gone","Danish scientists teamed up with shrinks and did what any sane person would do in 2026: they dug into whether AI is making the already-batshit even more batshit.","chatbots-and-the-already-gone","2026-03-28T20:04:23.000000Z","2026-04-11T06:04:00.000000Z","11.04.2026",{"title":47,"slug":48},{"image":104,"thumb":105},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/2BZyVo3V4JYjSwSr0Sx8nPKR0kpXPIprTvE0pNTt.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/2BZyVo3V4JYjSwSr0Sx8nPKR0kpXPIprTvE0pNTt.jpg",2,false,{"title":109,"description":110,"slug":111,"created_at":112,"publish_at":113,"formatted_created_at":101,"category":114,"links":115,"view_type":83,"video_url":84,"views":118,"likes":86,"lang":87,"comments_count":86,"is_pinned":107},"Market Sizing in Minutes: How Claude AI Just Turned TAM, SAM, and SOM Analysis into a 2-Minute Superpower","For years, calculating Total Addressable Market (TAM), Serviceable Addressable Market (SAM), and Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM) was one of the most tedious parts of any strategy, pitch deck, or go-to-market plan.","market-sizing-in-minutes-how-claude-ai-just-turned-tam-sam-and-som-analysis-into-a-2-minute-superpower","2026-03-28T18:02:11.000000Z","2026-04-11T03:52:00.000000Z",{"title":19,"slug":20},{"image":116,"thumb":117},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/WqSZ1w4RUZJdakkDj5L1v09G7bkmNxCVAU244BAb.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/WqSZ1w4RUZJdakkDj5L1v09G7bkmNxCVAU244BAb.jpg",88,{"title":120,"description":121,"slug":122,"created_at":123,"publish_at":123,"formatted_created_at":124,"category":125,"links":126,"view_type":83,"video_url":84,"views":129,"likes":86,"lang":87,"comments_count":86,"is_pinned":107},"Marble 1.1 — World Labs Just Made Their World Model Significantly Better","World Labs has released a meaningful update to its generative world model: Marble 1.1 and a new, more powerful variant called Marble 1.1 Plus.","marble-1-1-world-labs-just-made-their-world-model-significantly-better","2026-04-10T19:22:07.000000Z","10.04.2026",{"title":43,"slug":44},{"image":127,"thumb":128},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/Klmcbo6URuD0uYTxZn4aR9x8zl98NpFfsdMHTGHw.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/Klmcbo6URuD0uYTxZn4aR9x8zl98NpFfsdMHTGHw.jpg",452,{"title":131,"description":132,"slug":133,"created_at":134,"publish_at":134,"formatted_created_at":124,"category":135,"links":136,"view_type":83,"video_url":84,"views":139,"likes":86,"lang":87,"comments_count":86,"is_pinned":107},"Unmasking Runway Characters: The Unexpected Rise of the Real-Time Avatar","The generative AI landscape is moving so fast it's sometimes hard to keep up. But just when we thought we knew what to expect from major players like Runway, they dropped a curveball: Runway Characters.","unmasking-runway-characters-the-unexpected-rise-of-the-real-time-avatar","2026-04-10T19:04:45.000000Z",{"title":58,"slug":63},{"image":137,"thumb":138},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/Lxi7mPfuvku81DkTvlELBfErpx8nbus6cXvBCWMk.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/Lxi7mPfuvku81DkTvlELBfErpx8nbus6cXvBCWMk.jpg",414,{"title":141,"description":142,"slug":143,"created_at":144,"publish_at":144,"formatted_created_at":124,"category":145,"links":146,"view_type":83,"video_url":84,"views":149,"likes":150,"lang":87,"comments_count":86,"is_pinned":107},"Claude Mythos Just Broke Cybersecurity: The AI That Finds Vulnerabilities Better Than Most Human Hackers","Anthropic has quietly unleashed something terrifyingly powerful — and then immediately locked it away.","claude-mythos-just-broke-cybersecurity-the-ai-that-finds-vulnerabilities-better-than-most-human-hackers","2026-04-10T15:10:28.000000Z",{"title":43,"slug":44},{"image":147,"thumb":148},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/mzgaJsOkQfbcba4vvmQXFniw06VALNMRRGcRLVXF.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/mzgaJsOkQfbcba4vvmQXFniw06VALNMRRGcRLVXF.jpg",657,1,[152,164,178,190,202],{"title":153,"description":154,"slug":155,"created_at":156,"publish_at":157,"formatted_created_at":158,"category":159,"links":160,"view_type":83,"video_url":84,"views":163,"likes":106,"lang":87,"comments_count":86,"is_pinned":107},"The Anatomy of an Entrepreneur","Entrepreneur is a French word that means an enterpriser. Enterprisers are people who undertake a business or enterprise with the chance of earning profits or suffering from loss.","the-anatomy-of-an-entrepreneur","2021-08-04T15:18:21.000000Z","2025-12-14T06:09:00.000000Z","14.12.2025",{"title":65,"slug":66},{"image":161,"thumb":162},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/mVsXPTMuHZuI7UXCsENgL1Qwp1uSOf7Rz3uVPMfm.webp","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/mVsXPTMuHZuI7UXCsENgL1Qwp1uSOf7Rz3uVPMfm.webp",69426,{"title":165,"description":166,"slug":167,"created_at":168,"publish_at":169,"formatted_created_at":170,"category":171,"links":172,"view_type":175,"video_url":84,"views":176,"likes":177,"lang":87,"comments_count":86,"is_pinned":107},"Advertising on QUASA","QUASA MEDIA is read by more than 400 thousand people a month. We offer to place your article, add a link or order the writing of an article for publication.","advertising-on-quasa","2022-07-06T07:33:02.000000Z","2025-12-15T17:33:02.000000Z","15.12.2025",{"title":58,"slug":63},{"image":173,"thumb":174},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/45SvmdsTQbiyc3nxgbyHY1mpVbisYyub2BCHjqBL.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/45SvmdsTQbiyc3nxgbyHY1mpVbisYyub2BCHjqBL.jpg","large",69108,4,{"title":179,"description":180,"slug":181,"created_at":182,"publish_at":183,"formatted_created_at":184,"category":185,"links":186,"view_type":83,"video_url":84,"views":189,"likes":177,"lang":87,"comments_count":86,"is_pinned":107},"What is a Startup?","A startup is not a new company, not a tech company, nor a new tech company. You can be a new tech company, if your goal is not to grow high and fast; then, you are not a startup. ","what-is-a-startup","2021-08-04T12:05:17.000000Z","2025-12-17T13:02:00.000000Z","17.12.2025",{"title":65,"slug":66},{"image":187,"thumb":188},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/EOsQhSW3VXyG7a6NPdE1oZd00xfJXe3bjY5aJGb7.webp","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/EOsQhSW3VXyG7a6NPdE1oZd00xfJXe3bjY5aJGb7.webp",66895,{"title":191,"description":192,"slug":193,"created_at":194,"publish_at":195,"formatted_created_at":196,"category":197,"links":198,"view_type":83,"video_url":84,"views":201,"likes":106,"lang":87,"comments_count":150,"is_pinned":107},"Top 5 Tips to Make More Money as a Content Creator","Content creators are one of the most desired job titles right now. Who wouldn’t want to earn a living online?","top-5-tips-to-make-more-money-as-a-content-creator","2022-01-17T17:31:51.000000Z","2026-01-17T11:30:00.000000Z","17.01.2026",{"title":19,"slug":20},{"image":199,"thumb":200},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/gP8kiumBPpJmQv6SMieXiX1tDetx43VwFfO1P4Ca.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/gP8kiumBPpJmQv6SMieXiX1tDetx43VwFfO1P4Ca.jpg",41050,{"title":203,"description":204,"slug":205,"created_at":206,"publish_at":207,"formatted_created_at":208,"category":209,"links":210,"view_type":175,"video_url":84,"views":213,"likes":106,"lang":87,"comments_count":86,"is_pinned":107},"8 Logo Design Tips for Small Businesses","Your logo tells the story of your business and the values you stand for.","8-logo-design-tips-for-small-businesses","2021-12-04T21:59:52.000000Z","2025-05-05T03:30:00.000000Z","05.05.2025",{"title":15,"slug":16},{"image":211,"thumb":212},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/Wbx2NtS1CnTupgoQbpFMGspJ5jm4uob2hDOq33r0.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/Wbx2NtS1CnTupgoQbpFMGspJ5jm4uob2hDOq33r0.jpg",40252,[215,216,217,218,219,220,221,222,223,224,225,226,227],{"title":23,"slug":24},{"title":47,"slug":48},{"title":55,"slug":56},{"title":43,"slug":44},{"title":51,"slug":52},{"title":31,"slug":32},{"title":35,"slug":36},{"title":27,"slug":28},{"title":19,"slug":20},{"title":15,"slug":16},{"title":58,"slug":63},{"title":11,"slug":12},{"title":65,"slug":66}]