Catch up on some related episodes:

How to figure out what's a priority (when everything feels like a priority)

Today’s talking points:

I’m sharing everything you need to know about my FOCUS method and how it will help you generate sustainable business growth.

Join the Embodied Boss Collective

Every business coach talks about prioritising needle-moving tasks and how to achieve more of your goals.

But I have honestly never seen anyone actually break down a proven method for how to figure out these tasks and creating a plan around them to help you understand the components of what it really takes to drive sustainable growth in your business.

So of course, I have a FULL breakdown for you - full curtains back, no gatekeeping.

Generating sustainable growth in your business can be overwhelming as you try to balance the vision of what you’re aiming for with the details of what needs to happen to get there.

So I am helping you map out your own gameplan - all with the intention of allowing you to get to where you want to be with ease and without burnout.

In this episode, I introduce you to my FOCUS method, which I teach in The Embodied Boss Collective - my 12 month group program for online business owners who want to achieve more of their goals and increase the completion of their most needle-moving tasks, so they can gain control of their schedule, increase their confidence and generate sustainable business growth.

You’ll learn about the approach to sustainable growth that I’ve found works best, what areas of your business you should focus on to optimise your growth and why this method really works.

We’re going to cover:

Why “copy and paste” strategies don’t tend to work long-term
The 5 core areas we cover in the FOCUS method (macro, micro, map, meet & move)
Factors that make the FOCUS method super successful in your life and business.

Let’s get started

Alright, let's break this down a bit. First things first, let's get on the same page about scaling versus growth.

When we talk about growing our business, it's all about ramping up that income, right? But oftentimes, it's like a seesaw. As our income goes up, so do our costs - whether it's time, money, or other resources. Now, scaling, on the other hand, is what we want. We want to boost that revenue without increasing the costs.

So, here's a quick example: in growth mode, you might be snagging more one-on-one jobs, which means more money, but it’s also more time and energy spent. Not a bad deal, but it's not quite scaling. Now, picture selling 20 spots in a program designed for 10, doubling that dough without doubling your time or costs.

Scaling isn’t just about making more money. Think less about chasing after more leads and expanding your marketing, and more about fine-tuning your business.

If you really understand what I share here about the FOCUS method and its steps you'll be able to use it again and again as your business grows because as your business gets bigger, you'll need to plan more carefully and be more intentional than ever before.

And as your business grows, even small changes can have a big impact, for better or worse. For example, a tiny tweak to how you upsell could double your sales. But if you don't have good systems in place, you might keep doing things that don't work and feel totally overwhelmed. That's not so great.

There are always these small changes that can make a big difference, especially as your business gets bigger. But if you don't really understand how your business works, you'll miss out on these opportunities and make scaling even harder.

Now, let's talk about some important stuff for scaling.

First, you need to stop trading time for money.
You also need to make sure you're actually making a profit, not just bringing in lots of cash.
You need to understand how valuable your customers are over time.
Don't forget about processes—they're not the same as fancy tech stuff, but they're super important for keeping your business running smoothly.

The focus method

So let me introduce you to the focus method, that five-step curriculum which gives you the foundations of being able to wake up each day knowing exactly where your business is headed.

There are essentially five steps and it's really a cycle because you're doing this almost always every 90 days. The cycle is made up of the five M's: Macro, Micro, Map, Meet, and Move.

Step one is Macro, where we zoom out to see the big picture. Step two is Micro, where we focus on the smaller details. Step three is Map, where we chart out our game plan. Step four is Meet, where we check in with our weekly progress. And step five is Move, where we adjust and examine our mindset.

Going through the approach in this manner in this formula is important because you have to consider the entire picture of your business ecosystem. It's also the best way to feel sustainable growth because you're able to make really intentional action and informed decisions.

So let's get into it.

step 1 - macro

Macro is crucial because it's all about taking that birds-eye view of your business. This is where many people tend to stumble by diving straight into the micro-details without considering the broader vision. Sure, it's tempting to think, "I need support, I'm working too many hours, let's post on Instagram or start a YouTube channel." But to truly elevate your business to the next level and reach your income goals, you need to start with the big picture. We often find ourselves bouncing back and forth between macro and micro to ensure we're covering all bases. If we get too bogged down in the details, we lose sight of the bigger picture and how everything fits together. That's why we refer to the business as a machine—it's about understanding how each part influences the whole.

With Macro, we're focused on auditing the business, analysing data and insights, and constantly clarifying our vision for how we want things to operate.

Step 2 - micro

So in the micro part of the focus method, we focus on a very specific area of business, rather than trying to tackle all areas of business.

Now, when it comes to micro, we're not overhauling every single aspect of your business. Instead, we're strategically selecting one core area that demands our attention first. This approach ensures that we're not spreading ourselves too thin but rather focusing our efforts where they'll have the most impact, creating a ripple effect of change. And the primary focus in this micro aspect? Your time.

Your time is the lifeblood of your business. Every decision we make affects how we allocate our time, which is limited and precious. Whether it's shifting our offerings, transitioning from one-on-one consulting to a broader program, or scaling our services, these choices shape our daily schedules. That's why it's crucial to be deliberate and strategic in identifying revenue-generating activities and crafting a high-level strategy around them.

In essence, the micro part of the Focus Method is all about honing in on your most valuable asset—your time—and leveraging it effectively to drive sustainable growth in your business.

step 3- map

Step three is Map. So it's time to map out your game plan. You need to create a cohesive big-picture strategy that incorporates both the macro and micro details. This is where many people face problems. They might attend a basic planning session and set goals at the start of a new 90-day period, only to forget about them a week later. Been there, done that - but no more. Without a solid game plan, it's challenging to stay focused and make progress toward your big vision.

Creating this comprehensive game plan allows you to have a crystal-clear vision and actionable steps to turn your business dreams into reality. While many people may sketch out a quick launch plan or brainstorm a new offer, having a holistic view in one game plan enables you to make more effective changes and always know what steps to take next. It allows you to see how different parts of your business ecosystem interact with each other, empowering you to make informed decisions.

A significant aspect of mapping out this game plan is developing your marketing and sales strategy. I always recommend my marketing method—Attract, Engage, Nurture, Invite, Delight—to help you map out activities for each stage and finalise your game plan for the next 90 days. If you create the game plan effectively, you'll have a clear roadmap with weekly activities to support your business growth journey.

step 4 -meet

And that brings us to step four: Meet.

This is where your Boss Progress score comes into play - we want to meet our boss score. The reason we're keeping track of your Boss Progress score is that scorekeeping serves as a reality check. It offers invaluable feedback and insights into your effectiveness, all while helping you detach emotionally. This data isn't concerned with effort or intentions; it solely focuses on outcomes. This allows us to confront the reality of our situation, even when it feels uncomfortable.

Tracking your Boss Progress score provides crucial feedback for making key decisions. Remember, you have more control over your actions than your results. Your results are a product of your actions. So, the Boss Progress score, essentially your execution measure, indicates whether you've completed the most important tasks needed to achieve your goals.

step 5 - move

The last step is Move, which consists of two elements. The first element involves understanding how to course correct. I teach a specific method for assessing and adjusting when something isn't working or when circumstances change. We ensure we're not hindering our progress, avoiding becoming a bottleneck, or succumbing to shiny object syndrome. Instead, we test hypotheses to determine the most impactful adjustments, whether they're minor or major, to keep us aligned with our desired path.

The second element of Move ties everything together and that’s what I call the Belief Blueprint. This is the set of beliefs needed to achieve our goals. It's one thing to have a vision, 90-day goals, and action plans, but without believing in our ability to accomplish them, success is never going to happen.

key factors to make it work

The last thing that you need to understand to walk away from here with a lot of confidence is a few key factors that actually make this work.

Number one) You cannot scale and grow randomly by just focusing on one small part of your business.

Number two) The order and timeline that you do all of this matters way more than you think. Small adjustments can yield huge results. For example, delaying hiring a VA until after taking on additional clients can lead to overbooking and increased stress.

Number three) The three P’s of success: being proactive, prepared, and having a plan. When you have those three P's, you are acting as if your success is inevitable, and you are setting things up to be able to support as it comes, rather than letting things sneak up on you.

Number four) So strategy comes first, then you make the plan, and then you take the action. Just thinking alone and coming up with an idea that's not a strategy.

Number five) When you take things to the next level, you want to look at what you can leverage. What can you leverage to get to the next step, rather than trying to craft this overly complicated plan to go from zero to whatever? You almost never grow from where you are now to where you want to be with one step. It has to happen in stages.

Number six) Intentional focus. Our attention is our most valuable tool to move us forward yet not a lot of people give this credit. So many people get caught up in 50 million new ideas and new strategies, and they can't stay the course this is basically because they didn't have a whole 90-day game plan in place to be able to follow to begin with.

So that’s a little bit more of my FOCUS method which is covered in depth in the Embodied Boss Collective.