Plants, most of them, require light, water, and a growing medium that feeds them and drains well.
We grow most of our stock in very good light, just short of direct sunlight; and we water when dry. Don’t water on a schedule. Water when the soil is not dark and moist.
Our bacteria-activated soil, which I have mixed and used for about four decades, drains well and provides minerals and nutrients. Its three components are simply peat moss; perlite (white pumice) and sand for drainage; and a blend of organic compost, manure, minerals, and a shot of liquid soil activator that brings the mix to life.
We use this medium to start seeds and to cultivate cuttings. We use small pots for rooting, upsizing only when the plant has filled the pot with roots. A small plant transplanted to a large pot will probably try to grow roots rather than foliage, and it will likely receive much more water than it needs. We upsize pots gradually. Over-potting can be lethal, especially for succulents that like to dry out a bit before their next watering. Succulents like small, tight containment.
You can make a 20-pound bag of commercial potting soil a better medium by making it drain better with a bit more perlite.