Hehlows, I hope you still enjoyed your time with the game even though you didn't get to successfully make the potion.
I intended for it to not be a free win unless you use at least most of the mechanics well but also make it possible to go WAY above 3k. Here's a few tips if you want to give it another try.
Use synergies between abilities to make them stronger then the sum of their parts.
Plan when you want to use your level up abilities to the best of their effect.
Use the overtime and overwork mechanics to squeeze out as much as you can from each day
Prioritize the main project and let deadlines go on for as long as you can, so you can level up faster and deal with the side tasks more efficiently.
Hope these help! If you want even more insight, there is still more to give.