ground-up progress
noun phraseUK /ˌɡraʊnd ˈʌp ˈprəʊɡres/
US /ˌɡraʊnd ˈʌp ˈprɑːɡres/
Progress that starts from the very beginning and builds up step by step.
The team made ground-up progress on the new garden, starting with just seeds and soil.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. Improvement that begins with basic elements and grows into something bigger.
Their ground-up progress turned a small idea into a thriving business.
3. Advancement achieved by rebuilding from the base rather than patching the top.
The school showed ground-up progress after redesigning its whole reading program.
4. Steady gains made by starting small and working upward.
Ground-up progress in the community came from neighbors helping one another.