The Best Way to Clone These $1M+ Online Businesses (Legally)

The Best Way to Clone These $1M+ Online Businesses (Legally)

By Chris Koerner on The Koerner Office Podcast


Introduction

Many digital companies are making between $10,000 and $1 million per month, and some even scale up to $10 million or $100 million yearly. The fascinating part? Most of these multi-million dollar businesses are essentially “copy and paste” models, often built on the same platforms.

In this article, Chris Koerner shares actionable insights on how to legally reverse engineer such businesses, specifically those built on the software platform High Level (GoHighLevel). By studying successful award-winning companies, you'll get ideas and frameworks that you can replicate - from pricing to customer acquisition strategies.


What is High Level?

High Level (GoHighLevel) is a software platform mainly used for:

  • Customer relationship management (CRM)
  • Running automations
  • Managing customer relationships
  • White labeling software to build your own branded business

You don’t need coding skills to build a business on High Level. For example, if you want to create a text messaging platform for real estate agents but don’t know how to code, you can simply use High Level’s platform, rebrand it as your own, and offer it as a monthly subscription.

High Level Awards Program

High Level hosts annual awards for companies built on their platform:

Award Level Number of Sub Accounts / Customers
Gold 100+
Platinum 500+
Diamond 1,000+

Customers typically pay between $50 and $5,000 per month, which means those with hundreds or thousands of customers are making significant revenues, often in the millions.


How to Reverse Engineer These Businesses

Chris recommends using publicly available tools and websites - such as Google, Facebook’s Meta Ads Library, and the Wayback Machine - to:

  • Discover how these companies price their products
  • See how long their ads have been running
  • Analyze original versus current website designs and offerings

This approach reveals how these businesses acquired customers, adapted over time, and where you can improve or replicate their models.

Important Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. No financial advice or guarantees of success are implied.


Case Study #1: Astro Blaster (SMS Automation for Real Estate Agents)

Overview

  • Over 500 customers
  • Charges roughly $1,000 upfront + $100/month
  • Estimated $50,000+ recurring revenue monthly
  • Minimal operating costs due to white labeling
  • Focus on real estate professionals

Website & Marketing Insights

  • Website copy includes testimonials and offers time-saving features.
  • The site is mostly “copy-pasted” from High Level templates.
  • Meta Ads Library shows no active Facebook ads currently.
  • Their website has maintained similar pricing since launch about 2 years ago.

Growth Tactics

  • Astro Blaster’s founder, Jal, has an audience in real estate wholesaling.
  • They offer a done-for-you system, including data scraping, to remove friction for users.
  • They leverage affiliate marketing and regular calls to sell outcomes, not just features.
  • They partner with existing audiences or influencers rather than relying solely on their own.

Replication Framework

If you want to build a similar business:

  1. Use High Level’s SMS platform and white label it.
  2. Partner with creators or influencers who already have real estate audiences.
  3. Offer the same pricing and product to that audience.
  4. Manage software, fulfillment, customer service, and marketing.
  5. Let partners promote it to their network for a revenue split.

Note: Don’t try to underprice. Follow their pricing to convey value effectively.


Case Study #2: Event Rental Systems

Overview

  • Over 500 customers
  • Pricing tiers at $150, $250, and $400 per month
  • Estimated $100,000+ monthly recurring revenue
  • Offers rental booking software, e.g., for bounce house rentals or catering

Website & Marketing Insights

  • Attractive, modern website, also built on High Level and easily copyable.
  • Actively running Facebook Ads (four active ads, some running for 14 months).
  • Ads use simple images and emojis; effective but with room for optimization.
  • Uses a strong offer with a free demo and clear social proof.

Growth Tactics

  • Ads longevity suggests a successful and cost-effective campaign.
  • Offers a compelling “love it or money-back” guarantee, including charitable donation options.
  • Transitioned from an older, custom-built website to High Level for better scalability.

Replication Ideas

  • Offer software to niche rental markets (bounce houses, catering, mobile kitchens, etc.).
  • Use Facebook ads for customer acquisition.
  • Consider a clear, value-driven guarantee to reduce buyer friction.

Case Study #3: Pipeline Pro (Sales & Marketing Platform)

Overview

  • Over 1,000 customers (Diamond level)
  • Lifetime access offered at $67, with a $13 upsell PDF
  • More generalized sales and marketing software, not niche-specific
  • Long active domain since 2003, pivoted focus in recent years

Website & Marketing Insights

  • Website features a 43-minute Video Sales Letter (VSL) to convert users.
  • Lifetime pricing offers a unique value compared to monthly recurring fees.
  • Facebook Ads Library shows five active ads, launched within the last few months.
  • Lifetime pricing model is a clever alternative to typical SaaS subscriptions.

Growth and Replication

  • Paying a flat fee ($500 - $600/month) to High Level regardless of customer count allows margin flexibility.
  • Lifetime pricing can attract customers overwhelmed by recurring subscriptions.
  • You can create diverse pricing models beyond monthly plans.

Rapid Fire: Other High Level Businesses

  • REI Reply: Real estate automation, poor website design but huge business.
  • CRM Voice: AI calling system built easily on High Level.
  • FG Funnels: Funnel builder service with over 1,000 customers, $129/month pricing, six figures monthly revenue.

Tools to Reverse Engineer Any Business Online

Below is Chris’s comprehensive list to analyze and reverse engineer internet businesses effectively:

Tool Purpose
BuiltWith Identifies website tech stack and platforms (free Chrome extension available)
Rapalizer Cheaper alternative tech stack lookup
CRFT Lookup / Stack Crawler Similar to BuiltWith, for technology analysis
SimilarWeb Website traffic estimation
WhatRuns / NerdyData In-depth tech insights and databases used
IBISWorld (via SearchFunder) Market intelligence and industry reports (thousands of expensive reports for lower cost)
DealRoom / Crunchbase / PitchBook Startups, fundraising, and company insights
Owler Competitors and alternatives research
AlphaSense / DataBrier Financial and market data
WI Franchise Search Franchise financial disclosures, useful for estimating franchisee income
Sensor Tower Mobile app download and revenue data
G2 / Bomba (MBORA) Software review aggregation for product analysis
Distill / VisualPing / ChangeTower Website change monitoring (like pricing updates)
AdEspresso / BigSpy / SocialPeta Competitor ad spying and performance analysis
Upwork / Fiverr Outsource research tasks, e.g., scraping or account access sharing

Additional Tips

  • When reaching out to influencers or creators for partnership, avoid crowded platforms like Instagram DMs. Use less trafficked platforms such as Twitter, Strava, or personal Facebook accounts.
  • Copy and paste website designs and business models where possible to save time and cost.
  • Focus on removing friction for customers to sign up, while increasing friction for customers to leave.
  • Leverage affiliates and strategic partnerships as much as product features.

Final Thoughts

Building a scalable digital business by legally cloning successful models is possible with the right tools and tactics. Platforms like High Level enable entrepreneurs to white label powerful SaaS software, coupled with smart customer acquisition and pricing strategies to generate $1 million+ in monthly revenues.

If you found these strategies valuable, consider joining Chris Koerner’s private community, TK Owners (tkowners.com), dedicated to building business with High Level.


Support & Affiliate Link

Chris Koerner openly endorses High Level and offers a 30-day free trial instead of 14 days via his affiliate link, giving you extra time to test the platform before buying.


This article faithfully reflects the insights shared by Chris Koerner on The Koerner Office Podcast in his video: “The Best Way to Clone These $1M+ Online Businesses (Legally).”

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