Rewriting the Entrepreneurial Growth Playbook

As a business growth strategist at my core, I've always been known for something unique—my questions. They have always hit founders, CEOs, and executive directors differently.

Over time, I've come to realize that my questions aren't mere musings; they're deliberate prompts that aim to stir profound thought and ultimately guide strategic decisions.

You see, as an entrepreneur, it's easy to fall into one of two narratives:

1. The Early Enthusiasm: During the initial years of launching, the narrative sings, "Entrepreneurship is sexy. It brings freedom, money, and purpose that a 'job' can't provide. I can and will change the world in my own right."

2. The Growth Seeker: Fast forward a few years (or at any inflection point after that), and you're entrenched in the spaghetti phase and the reality of how challenging business can truly be.?

Yet, you're too invested or perhaps too embarrassed to quit. The new narrative whispers, "Everyone says there's no overnight success. I need to trust the process."

It takes years to reach where you want to be, so you’ll hustle day in and day out, get addicted to a bit more of ‘hopium’ and the belief that things will shift soon.

But here's the reality I know:

The unvarnished truth is that many founders have gotten some real momentum and even traction, but freedom still feels distant.?

Consistent money remains elusive.?

While their purpose burns like a fire, and the drive to be a changemaker is etched into their bones, reality has a way of settling in.

Real moments exist where self-doubt creeps in.?

Some days, they are filled with confidence, feeling like they've got it all under control, while the next day brings second-guessing and a sense of being adrift without direction.

I’ve witnessed it time and again in the stories of hundreds of clients and the companies I've advised. And I've encountered it in every conversation I've had with founders (and their team members) at my events, in cafes, during discovery calls, at conferences, on my podcast—you name it.?

These 1000s of conversations, engagements, and sessions have always been my market research for the patterns I see, and the gap I see in the entrepreneurial growth journey.

So What’s Missing: Rewriting the Entrepreneurial Playbook

What I have learned true and true that if we want to change the actual outcomes of smart, very capable founders— it's time to challenge the traditional narrative of business growth.

The traditional narrative often pushes us to believe that more people, more processes, and more technology are the solutions to their problems.?

We are constantly bombarded with the idea that the next social media trend, the perfect lead magnet, or a viral marketing campaign will be our savior.

And of course, we all have been consistently told to trust in the signs, the process, and your personal journey...knowing that nothing in business EVER happens overnight!

All of of these strategies and narrative are true in many ways.

But what if I told you that the real keys to success lie elsewhere...and one key phase keeps getting overlooked in process:? INTENTIONAL DECISIONS.

The Silent Challenge: Evolution Without Action

Let's be honest; your business has evolved.

Who are were when you first started is not who you are today.?

There have been tons of learnings, experiences—and you have a better understanding of what your market actually desires vs. all the assumptions you had when you first started.

The problem is even while your businesses has evolved, frequently, the crux of the problem lies in attempting to be all things to all people, serving too broad an audience, and lacking a clear brand positioning that sets us apart.

And in the mix, just like traditional medicine doctor, founders get stuck treating the symptoms of their business ailments, like bringing in more team members or adopting the latest tech, without digging into the root causes (like a functional medicine doctor would do for you health).

Bandaids do not last. They get wet or dirty —and fall off and open your wound once again. If they are too tight, they suffocate the area—and continue the infection deeper and deeper.?

Think about it in your business…if you business has evolved, but your business model has not changed.?

If you business has evolved, and your brand still is the same.

What do you think is going to happen?

There will be a misalignment in how you are seen in the market and who you really are.

It's high time we shifted our approach.

This led me to create the UNIQUE Method?—a 6-step strategic framework designed to empower founders to make informed decisions, transitioning from the chaotic spaghetti phase to intentional growth and becoming sought-after businesses.

It entails aligning your strengths, identifying unique customer transformations, and carving out an earned niche, ultimately attracting those who value your expertise and solution.

This is not about taking time out of your business to work on strategy for strategy’s sake.?

This is about taking time out of your business so you can get focused, aligned and more intentional with your time and resources —and attract more of the people who are SEEKING you out vs. marketing to those who don’t value your expertise or solution.

How does it work?

Moving from spaghetti phase of business to growth means you have to make informed decisions on 3 key areas that make you business unique and different

• 1. Your vision (Why does your business exist now?)
• 2. Your niche positioning (What are your expert capabilities, who do best serve, and who do you no longer serve?)
• 3. Your intellectual property (What is your unique customer transformation (UCT)? Your unique approach / framework to consistency reach the outcome your ideal client is seeking?)

At this stage, these decisions are not mere assumptions; they're founded on your experiences, achievements, and your market's genuine desires.

These choices redirect your focus, providing the clarity and intentionality you've been seeking. This clarity, in turn, enables you to allocate your time, energy, and resources with precision in three critical growth domains:

1. Thought Leadership and Marketing: By crafting a clear vision and niche, your thought leadership and marketing efforts become more specific and compelling.
2. Branding and Sales: Your refined positioning allows for the creation of a brand that resonates deeply, streamlining your sales efforts and boosting your expertise.
3. Mutually Beneficial Strategic Partnerships: With a well-defined niche and Intellectual Property, you become an attractive partner, opening doors to lucrative collaborations.

Consider the significance of this for a moment: Many founders spend significant time on thought leadership, branding, and partnerships before making key decisions. Consequently, they often end up with generic messaging or an overwhelming array of focuses, ultimately positioning their business as a commodity rather than the expert entity it could be.

Contrary to popular belief, the primary reason businesses fail or stagnate is not a lack of focus; it's an extended stay in the spaghetti phase without making the informed decisions needed to transition to intentional growth.

This is precisely where my UNIQUE Method? comes into play.

Now, Envision What's Possible One Year From Today

As we embark on this new year, I invite you to imagine the possibilities that await if you embrace this contrarian approach:

?? An optimized business model aligned to your vision, experiences, and what your market actually desires. ( Not filled with assumptions you made when you first got started.)

?? A unique positioning that resonates deeply with your ideal audience and makes you become sought-after as a valuable resource...the expertise / solution that they have been manifesting versus seen as just another commodity brand.

?? An intentional growth roadmap for marketing, thought leaderships, and partnerships that is aligned to your vision and will move the needle forward on your impact, profit, and personal fulfillment goals more than you ever thought possible.

In the months ahead, I'm excited to delve deeper into these concepts, offering practical insights, relatable examples, offering programs and accelerators with a supportive community of like-minded entrepreneurs who are ready invest in themselves to break the mold and have transformational shifts in their business.

Direction, focus, alignment & growth.

How do those words sound to you?

Your Turn: What's Your Entrepreneurial Challenge?

Before we dive in, I want to hear from you.

What challenges or roadblocks have you encountered in your entrepreneurial journey that you'd like to explore further? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below, and let's embark on this transformative journey together.

Here's to a year of strategic growth, clarity, and redefining the rules of entrepreneurial success.

If you want to learn more about the UNIQUE Method? growth accelerator or advisory opportunities to see how it can help you and your business move from the spaghetti phase to intentional growth, schedule some time here or go to www.disruptive.ceo.

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