| name | Nick Saraev: Bottleneck Thinking |
| description | Theory of Constraints adapted for solopreneurs — pipeline visualization, constraint identification, and the 4-step business improvement flywheel |
| version | 2.1 |
| format | completion-engine |
| workflows | 4 |
Nick Saraev: Bottleneck Thinking
Every business is a pipeline. Output = speed at the narrowest point. Find it. Widen it. Repeat.
Nick Saraev applies fluid dynamics and Goldratt's Theory of Constraints to business growth. His core insight: the only work that matters is identifying and widening your bottleneck. Everything else is a strategic error. He scaled an automation agency to $72K/mo using this flywheel, compressing years-long growth cycles into months through faster feedback loops.
Available Workflows
| # | Workflow | Produces | Use When |
|---|
| 01 | Business Bottleneck Diagnostic | Constraint analysis + single highest-leverage prescription | Stuck, plateaued, or unsure where to invest effort |
| 02 | Revenue-Tier Growth Playbook | Phased scaling strategy mapped to revenue thresholds | Planning quarterly growth or diagnosing stalled growth |
| 03 | Flywheel Sprint Planner | 7-day sprint plan for one full constraint cycle | Ready to execute — need concrete action plan for the next bottleneck |
| 04 | Consulting Diagnostic Frameworks | Driver-tree diagnosis + equation-mapped recommendation + pyramid-principle pitch | Client arrives with a stated problem or pre-imposed solution — find the REAL problem upstream of the bottleneck diagnostic |
Quick Reference
- Genius Context: genius.md — load before any workflow
- Source: "Picture your business like this" — YouTube video on pipeline/bottleneck thinking
- Book Reference: The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt
Execution Prompts (structure-pure v2)
4 deterministic practitioner prompts — each carries an Output Contract, Output Skeleton, and Quality Gate. When a deliverable matches one, Read it and honor its contract instead of improvising the output shape.
- Bottleneck Diagnostic: [Business Name/Type] —
skills/nick-saraev-bottleneck-thinking/references/prompts-v2/business-bottleneck-diagnostic.md
- Diagnostic: [Client/Business] —
skills/nick-saraev-bottleneck-thinking/references/prompts-v2/consulting-diagnostic-frameworks.md
- Flywheel Sprint: Widen [Constraint Name] —
skills/nick-saraev-bottleneck-thinking/references/prompts-v2/flywheel-sprint-planner.md
- Revenue-Tier Growth Playbook: [Business Name] —
skills/nick-saraev-bottleneck-thinking/references/prompts-v2/revenue-tier-growth-playbook.md
