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The 100k Database: Complete Analysis & Operating System

February 26, 2026

A deep analysis of Fraser's (@iamfra5er) guide on building a Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) product to $87k ARR in 12 months — distilled into an executable operating system.

1. What This Book Actually Is

A 76-page practical guide (Version 3, 2024) documenting how Fraser built AMAttendees — a conference attendee database for the affiliate marketing industry — from a Google Sheet MVP to $87k ARR. He has generated over $200k total from DaaS products.

The book is structured in three parts:

Part I — The Foundation

Why DaaS works, the origin story, idea validation, creating your database, examples making money

Part II — Building & Growing

Building lead lists, enrichment, cold email outreach, email templates, finding subscribers, hiring, building the web app

Part III — Scaling & Beyond

Selling the business (attempted), SEO strategy, LinkedIn outreach, upselling, final thoughts

2. The Core Thesis

The book argues a single, repeatable idea:

Curate niche B2B data that already exists publicly, enrich it with contact info, package it in a Google Sheet, and sell monthly access via cold email. No code, no audience, no large capital required.

Five foundational beliefs:

1. B2B over B2C — businesses easily justify $197-$247/month if it closes deals. One chargeback in 24 months vs. constant chargebacks on B2C.
2. No technical skills needed — Google Sheet is the MVP. Web app came later for $150.
3. No audience needed — zero subscribers came from 14k Twitter followers. All came from cold email and direct outreach.
4. Scratch your own itch — the idea came from his own conference networking pain point.
5. Speed over perfection — validate with a spreadsheet before building anything.

3. Everything Included (Chapter-by-Chapter)

4. Key Numbers & Data Points

5. The Operating System: Step-by-Step Algorithm

This is Fraser's entire playbook compressed into a deterministic, sequenced operating system. Follow each phase in order. Each step has a clear output that feeds the next.

PHASE 0: Idea Discovery

Goal: identify a niche B2B database idea with paying demand. Duration: 1-3 days.

INPUT:  Your industry knowledge, job experience, daily workflows
OUTPUT: One validated niche database idea

ALGORITHM:
1. LIST your professional context:
   - What industry do you work in?
   - What data do you or colleagues manually collect?
   - What conferences do you attend?
   - What lead lists do you wish existed?

2. GENERATE 20 database ideas using this method:
   a. Column A: Write 20 database product ideas
   b. Column B: Find the URL of a company already doing each one
   c. Column C: List customer complaints you find online about each
   d. Column D: Write how to fix the biggest complaint

3. RESEARCH pain points:
   - Search "[alternatives to ZoomInfo/Apollo/SignalHire]" on Google
   - Search Reddit, Twitter, Facebook groups in your niche
   - Read what people are complaining about
   - Note what they say they NEED and would PAY for

4. FILTER to top 3 ideas using these criteria:
   - Is the buyer a BUSINESS (not consumer)?
   - Can you find 1,000+ potential leads to populate it?
   - Are there active communities where buyers gather?
   - Does the data already exist somewhere you can aggregate it?

5. SELECT the one where you have the most domain knowledge

6. VALIDATE demand (zero-cost test):
   - Can you find 10 people who would hypothetically pay $197/mo?
   - Would YOU pay for this if you were in the buyer's seat?

IF no idea passes all filters: use AI (Claude) with these prompts:
   - "Give me 5 niche lead database products I can sell on a
     monthly subscription in the [VERTICAL] vertical"
   - "Analyze [COMPETITOR URL] and give me 5 similar niche ideas"

PHASE 1: Build the MVP Database

Goal: create a populated Google Sheet with a few thousand enriched leads. Duration: 1-2 weeks.

INPUT:  One validated niche idea
OUTPUT: Google Sheet with 1,000-10,000 enriched leads

ALGORITHM:
1. CREATE a Google Sheet with these columns:
   [First Name | Last Name | Full Name | Title |
    Company Name | Company URL | Email |
    LinkedIn URL | Email Validation Status]

2. COLLECT base data (choose one path):
   Path A (from scratch):
     - Scrape publicly available data (conference apps,
       directories, LinkedIn, websites)
     - Collect: name, company, title minimum

   Path B (quick-start):
     - Pay for access to an existing database in your niche
     - Export the data
     - You're enriching and repackaging, not just reselling

3. ENRICH the data:
   Option 1 (Manual/VA):
     - Hire on Upwork at $0.15/lead
     - Provide NeverBounce login for email validation
     - They add: email, LinkedIn URL, title, company details

   Option 2 (Automated):
     - Import base data into Clay
     - Add enrichment columns (waterfall approach)
     - Clay tries multiple data sources automatically
     - Export enriched data back to your sheet

4. VALIDATE all emails through NeverBounce
   - Remove any "unknown" or "invalid" results
   - Only keep verified emails in the sheet

5. CONFIGURE sheet permissions:
   - Set to "view only" (no downloading)
   - Track who views the sheet

6. QUALITY CHECK:
   - Spot check 50 random entries
   - Verify emails are real, LinkedIn URLs work,
     companies exist
   - If <90% accuracy, re-enrich

PHASE 2: First Sales (Validate with Revenue)

Goal: close your first 5-10 paying subscribers with zero infrastructure. Duration: 2-4 weeks.

INPUT:  Populated Google Sheet + Stripe account
OUTPUT: 5-10 paying subscribers at $197/mo

ALGORITHM:
1. SET UP payment:
   - Create Stripe account
   - Create a recurring payment link ($197/mo)
   - After payment confirmation, share Google Sheet URL

2. SEED the funnel (the "accidental share" method):
   a. Share the Google Sheet directly with 100-500
      people in your niche
   b. Frame it as: "I put this together, thought it
      might be useful"
   c. Track who views it (Google Sheets shows viewers)
   d. When they stop viewing, email them:
      "Did you find it useful? Any feedback?"

3. COLD EMAIL the leads in your own database:
   - Use the "Value First" template:
     Subject: hey [NAME]
     Body: "I put together a list of [WHATEVER] and
     really thought it would be useful for you — [LINK]?
     [NAME] from [COMPETITOR] says [SOMETHING ABOUT
     CLOSING NEW BUSINESS FOR THEM].
     Looking forward to hearing from you!"

   - GOLDEN RULE: do NOT sell in the first email
   - Goal is to get a REPLY, not a sale
   - The sale happens in the conversation

4. PROCESS responses:
   IF positive reply:
     → Ask qualifying questions
     → Share Stripe link when they express buying intent
   IF negative/no reply:
     → Follow up once after 3-5 days
     → Move on if no response

5. SUCCESS CRITERIA:
   IF 5+ subscribers in 30 days:
     → PROCEED to Phase 3
   IF 0 subscribers in 30 days:
     → Revisit idea selection (Phase 0)
     → Try a different niche
     → Do NOT build a web app yet

PHASE 3: Cold Email Infrastructure

Goal: set up scalable cold email system for consistent subscriber acquisition. Duration: 1 week setup, then ongoing.

INPUT:  Validated product with paying subscribers
OUTPUT: Repeatable cold email system doing 50-80% open rates

ALGORITHM:
1. DOMAIN SETUP (via Mailforge):
   - Buy 3-5 sending domains (variants of your brand)
   - Configure DNS settings (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
   - Set up multiple mailboxes per domain

2. WARMUP (via Salesforge):
   - Warm up all new mailboxes for 14-21 days
   - Do NOT send cold emails during warmup period

3. BUILD prospect lists:
   - Use your own database as the prospect list
   - Segment by: industry, title, company size,
     geography
   - Personalize based on segment

4. CREATE email sequences:
   Email 1 (Day 0): Value-first, no selling
     → Goal: get a reply
   Email 2 (Day 3): Gentle follow-up with social proof
   Email 3 (Day 7): Direct value proposition
   Email 4 (Day 14): Break-up email

5. TEST continuously:
   - Test different subject lines
   - Test different opening lines
   - Test different angles (partnership, conference
     follow-up, results teaser)
   - Measure: open rate, reply rate, conversion rate

6. OPTIMIZE the winner:
   - When you find a template that works, hammer it
   - Replace losing templates with new variations

   Loop: Test → Measure → Iterate → Repeat

PHASE 4: Build the Web App

Goal: replace manual Google Sheet access with a searchable web app. Duration: 1-2 weeks. Trigger: 15+ active subscribers.

INPUT:  Growing subscriber base, manual access management pain
OUTPUT: Functional web app with search, login, and access control

ALGORITHM:
1. WRITE a clear job description:
   "[Task] $150 simple search web app
   - Connects to Google Sheets as backend
   - Search by first name, last name, company,
     conference
   - Free tier: 5 results, push to subscribe
   - Paid tier: unlimited search with login
   - Log searches not found (for market intelligence)
   - Payment via Stripe"

2. HIRE a developer:
   - Post on Reddit (r/slavelabour or r/forhire)
   - Budget: $150-$300 for v1
   - Filter responses: only reply to people who ask
     SMART QUESTIONS about the specs
   - Test 5-8 candidates with a simple $10 test task:
     "Scrape A, B, C from D site into my Google Sheet"
   - Select the one who delivers quality + asks
     good questions

3. ALTERNATIVE (no-code):
   - Use Bubble or Softr
   - Connect to Google Sheet / Airtable backend
   - Build search + login + Stripe integration

4. LAUNCH v1:
   - Migrate existing subscribers to web app
   - Keep Google Sheet as the data backend
   - Iterate based on subscriber feedback

PHASE 5: Scale & Delegate

Goal: remove yourself from daily operations. Duration: 2-3 months.

INPUT:  Working product + cold email system + web app
OUTPUT: Semi-automated business doing $5k-$8k/mo net profit

ALGORITHM:
1. DOCUMENT everything for 1-2 months:
   a. Handle all cold emails yourself
   b. Copy/paste every new question + your reply into
      a FAQ document
   c. Record phone calls with prospects
   d. Build a similar document for call handling
   e. Note which email templates close the most deals

2. HIRE outreach person:
   - Philippines-based ($500/mo + performance bonuses)
   - Hand off: cold email campaigns + response handling
   - KPI: 10-15 new subscribers per month
   - They follow your documented templates and SOPs

3. MAINTAIN the database:
   - Update data AT LEAST once per month (data rot!)
   - Add new leads continuously
   - Evolve data points based on subscriber feedback
     (add: phone numbers, company type, likely
     conferences, etc.)

4. LISTEN to subscribers:
   - Ask what's missing
   - Ask what needs improvement
   - Their feedback = your product roadmap
   - Their feedback = your spin-off product ideas

5. LAUNCH spin-off products:
   - Solve common requests from existing subscribers
   - Each spin-off is a new revenue stream:
     → FindAdvertisers ($5k total, zero advertising)
     → FindInfluencers ($697 one-time)
   - Use existing subscriber base as initial customers

PHASE 6: Maximize Revenue

Goal: extract maximum value from your existing subscriber base and product. Ongoing.

INPUT:  Stable subscriber base + product
OUTPUT: Diversified revenue streams, higher ARPU

ALGORITHM:
1. PRICING experiments:
   - Test price increases carefully
   - $197 → $297 failed (only 2 subs in 60 days)
   - $247 was the sweet spot for this niche
   - Offer one-time downloads for non-sticky prospects
     ($997 → $697 → $497 → $397 was the sweet spot)

2. UPSELL existing subscribers:
   a. List Building Deal: $1,750/mo (2-month commit)
      → Build custom prospect lists from your data
   b. Done-For-You: $3,997-$5,000/mo (3-month commit)
      → Find, contact, and close leads for clients
   c. Sponsored Listings: $497/mo (4-month commit)
      → Premium placement in search results + blog

3. SEO (long-term growth channel):
   a. Keyword research via Google Keyword Planner
   b. Generate blog content with Claude:
      "Give me a 1800 word SEO optimized markdown blog,
       my keywords are x, y, z"
   c. Build domain authority:
      → Submit to 100+ relevant directories manually
      → Expect DA boost in 30-60 days

4. LINKEDIN outreach:
   - If your niche is active on LinkedIn
   - Highly targeted connection requests + value-first DMs
   - (Twitter DMs produced zero results for Fraser)

5. CONSIDER selling:
   IF bored or want to move on:
     → List on Acquire.com
     → Expect 3-6x annual profit valuation
     → Require majority cash on closing (avoid
        seller financing risk)
     → ~100 NDAs → ~3 offers in 60 days

6. The Complete Toolchain

Data & Enrichment

Email & Outreach

Development & Growth

7. Email Templates (Summarized)

1. The Partnership Angle — Reference a conference, mention demand in their verticals, ask if it's true
2. Conference Follow-up — "I was at [CONFERENCE] and saw partnership opportunities for [COMPANY]"
3. The Results Teaser — "We didn't get to meet at [CONFERENCE]" + drop revenue numbers from competitors using your data
4. Value First — Share a list you created, include a competitor testimonial, ask for thoughts
5. Simple Value Prop — "I have a way for you to connect with new [X] and [Y]. Is this a priority?"
6. Just Got Back — "I just got back from [EVENT] and have an easy way for you to connect with [IDEAL PROSPECTS]"

Golden rule across all templates: do NOT sell in the first email. Get a reply first. The sale happens in the conversation.

8. The 7 Unexecuted Ideas

1. Conference Data for Other Industries — home services, legal, dental, cosmetic surgery. Access event apps to get attendee lists. Sell the enriched list to the very leads you enriched.
2. SponsorLeads for Podcasts/YouTube — Database of podcast/YouTube sponsors (not shows). Focus on one niche (crypto, NFL, gambling). Sell to the shows looking for sponsors AND sponsors looking for shows.
3. Home Service Leads — Database of homeowners with property issues (roof, siding, paint). Use PropertyRadar or drone footage. Reverse HomeStars/Angi: contractors search for homeowners.
4. Professional Service Database — Pick ONE type (dentists, lawyers, accountants). Highest quality direct contact info for decision makers. Not scraping Google Maps for info@ emails.
5. Google Search Keyword Tracker — Like TrendingData but for "hot keywords." Leverage Google Trends / KeywordTool. Database + weekly email trend reports.
6. Inflation Tracker for Groceries — GasBuddy but for groceries. Weekly scrape from Flipp. Viral potential: counter government inflation reports with real data.
7. Customized Database for a Creator — Partner with a large creator (like Doug DeMuro). Turn their existing data/rating system into a searchable subscription product.

9. What Didn't Work (Anti-Patterns)

10. Critical Assessment

Strengths of the Playbook

• Extremely low barrier to entry. Google Sheet + Stripe link + cold email. Total launch cost: effectively $0 + time.
• Revenue validates before building. The MVP-first philosophy is genuinely sound. Building a web app after 20+ paying subscribers prevents wasted effort.
• Real numbers, real failures. Fraser shares what didn't work with specifics (discount codes, pricing experiments, social media). This is more useful than the wins.
• Highly replicable process. Every step is documented with enough detail to execute. The email templates, job descriptions, and tool recommendations are immediately actionable.
• B2B focus eliminates common pitfalls. 1 chargeback in 24 months is a powerful data point. B2B subscription revenue is stickier than consumer.

Weaknesses & Gaps

• Industry-specific success. Affiliate marketing conferences are a very specific niche. The playbook may not transfer directly to all verticals — especially ones with stronger data privacy enforcement.
• Legal/compliance risks underexplored. The book mentions cease-and-desist letters from conference organizers almost casually. GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and data privacy laws vary significantly by geography and industry.
• Cold email at scale is getting harder. Google and Microsoft are aggressively filtering cold email. The 50-80% open rate may not be sustainable as inbox providers tighten spam filters.
• Enrichment platform dependency. The entire business model relies on platforms like Apollo, Clay, and NeverBounce continuing to exist and price favorably. Any major pricing change or shutdown disrupts the model.
• Moat is thin. The defensibility is in the data freshness and enrichment quality, not in proprietary technology or exclusive data access. A competitor with more resources could replicate and outspend.

The Core Takeaway

The 100k Database is not a book about databases. It's a book about finding a specific B2B pain point, solving it with the cheapest possible packaging (a spreadsheet), and acquiring customers through direct outreach rather than audience building. The database is the vehicle. The operating system is: find pain → package data → cold email → iterate → delegate → scale.

Analysis by Alexis Bouchez. Source: "The 100k Database" by Fraser (@iamfra5er), Version 3, 2024.