It started, as most things do these days, on Zoom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My camera\u2014crooked as usual\u2014and my lighting made me look like I was doing the consultation from inside a cave\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But hey, when you charge $3,000 an hour, you assume people are here for your brain, not your webcam skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mark was sitting on the other side of the screen, somewhere between impressed and skeptical. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Now, we don\u2019t share the names of our partners and clients we work with, so they have a competitive advantage in their markets. So, we\u2019re going to call him Mark.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pulling in $110,000 a month already, Mark wasn\u2019t a newbie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was successful, but he wasn\u2019t free. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
His business was riding on his shoulders, and he was stuck trying to figure out how to break through to the next level without breaking himself in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His first words weren\u2019t the usual polite pleasantries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead, he dove straight in: \u201cI\u2019ve worked with all the top business coaches, hired agencies that promised the world, and I\u2019m still stuck. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I need to get to $1M a month, but I feel like I\u2019ve hit a wall. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you actually help me?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I grinned, adjusting my camera just enough to reveal a slightly less lopsided view of my ceiling fan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMark, you\u2019ve come to the right place. I won\u2019t waste your time with fluff or theory. By the end of this hour, you\u2019ll have a roadmap to break through that wall. But fair warning\u2014I\u2019m terrible at small talk. Let\u2019s get to work.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy should I listen to you?\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mark asked with the kind of half-smile that told me he was genuinely curious but wouldn\u2019t mind poking holes in my pitch if I didn\u2019t have my act together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fair enough. If I were about to spend $3,000 on an hour of someone\u2019s time, I\u2019d ask the same thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, I leaned in\u2014not to the camera, but into the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTwo years ago, I sold my coaching company after scaling it to high six-figure months. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Since then, I\u2019ve spent a year consulting CEOs who were paying me $25,000 a month to fix their businesses, and spoiler alert: most of them had the same problems you do. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Then I started The Rainmakers, my agency, and built a system that reliably adds 20+ clients a week to our partners\u2019 businesses without them burning out or running on a content treadmill.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mark nodded, intrigued but cautious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHere\u2019s the beauty of this plan,\u201d<\/em> I said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s not rocket science, but it works. I will take what you\u2019re already doing well and turn it into a machine that runs without you having to micromanage every little piece. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n By the end of this hour, you\u2019ll have a clear path from $110k to $1M a month.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mark looked up from his notepad, and he smiled for the first time since the call started. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOkay,\u201d<\/em> he said. \u201cLet\u2019s do this.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though Mark\u2019s already pulling in just over $100,000 a month\u2014which, let\u2019s be honest, isn\u2019t exactly couch-cushion change\u2014we started by talking about the three core systems every business needs for predictable, stress-free growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Because no matter how impressive your numbers are, if you don\u2019t have these systems dialed in, your business is like a house of cards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One strong gust\u2014aka a busy season, a staff issue, or life itself\u2014and the whole thing can topple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These three systems are my bread and butter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They\u2019re what I focus on when working with coaches in that $30k to $100k-a-month sweet spot who want to scale without adding gray hairs or extra work hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, let me walk you through the exact blueprint I gave Mark\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ve cracked $30k\/month, so now the game changes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s no longer about grinding for every sale\u2014it\u2019s about building systems<\/strong> that do the heavy lifting for you. At this stage, scaling starts with three repeatable systems: lead generation, sales, and fulfillment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mark had cracked $110K\/month, but it came at a cost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He was working late nights, micromanaging his team, and handling too much himself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As I walked him through the three core systems\u2014lead generation, sales, and fulfillment\u2014he realized he had only partially built each one, leaving him stuck in the grind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can\u2019t scale without a steady stream of prospects, and relying on referrals or organic traffic alone won\u2019t cut it. This is where paid ads<\/strong> or outbound marketing<\/strong> become non-negotiable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think of lead generation as your business\u2019s heartbeat\u2014it keeps the blood flowing so everything else can function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you\u2019ve got leads coming in, it\u2019s time to turn those calls into cash. This requires a repeatable, battle-tested sales process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A great sales process is like a recipe: follow the steps, and you\u2019ll get consistent results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As your client list grows, delivering consistent results becomes a bigger challenge. This is where you start building your \u2018fulfillment conveyor belt.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When clients get consistent results, retention and referrals become effortless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By the time you hit $100k\/month, you\u2019ll have built a well-oiled machine<\/strong> for generating, closing, and fulfilling high-ticket clients. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These systems form the backbone of your business, allowing you to scale without constantly reinventing the wheel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll move from chasing growth to creating predictable, scalable success\u2014and that\u2019s when the real fun begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At this stage, you\u2019re no longer just running a business\u2014you\u2019re building a machine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Mark admitted he\u2019d tried to hire a sales closer before, but the results were disappointing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I explained that the problem wasn\u2019t the person\u2014it was his onboarding process. Together, we mapped out how to hire, train, and support closers and account managers effectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n By the end of this phase, he knew his business could run without him handling every detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Scaling beyond $100k\/month isn\u2019t about working harder; it\u2019s about productizing<\/strong> your operations so they can run without you in the driver\u2019s seat. This is the phase where you make your business scalable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To productize your business is to turn your systems\u2014lead generation, sales, and fulfillment\u2014into streamlined processes that can scale efficiently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The goal is to create a repeatable, reliable operation that delivers results whether you\u2019re directly involved or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ve spent countless hours closing sales and ensuring clients get exceptional results. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Now it\u2019s time to bring in reinforcements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of spending your mornings on back-to-back sales calls, you\u2019ve got a dedicated closer handling them for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But handing off sales isn\u2019t as simple as giving someone a script and hoping they crush it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your role is to set them up for success<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n While your closer takes over sales, your account manager steps in to oversee fulfillment and client success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This isn\u2019t just about lightening your load; it\u2019s about ensuring every client gets a seamless, exceptional experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your job is to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n When done right, these hires don\u2019t just save you time\u2014they multiply your impact. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They create bandwidth for you to focus on growth, not the grind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a hard truth: when a new hire doesn\u2019t work out, the problem often isn\u2019t the person\u2014it\u2019s the onboarding process.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Think about it. How can someone meet your expectations if they don\u2019t fully understand what\u2019s expected of them or how to deliver it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A well-structured onboarding process is your insurance policy against failure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And here\u2019s a pro tip: document everything. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your onboarding process should be so well-defined that it becomes a repeatable system anyone can follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even with a stellar team in place, your systems will never be \u201cset it and forget it.\u201d Growth demands constant iteration and improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Work closely with your closer to analyze metrics, tweak approaches, and optimize scripts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A slight adjustment in how they frame your offer or handle objections could mean the difference between hitting 30% close rates and blowing past them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Collaborate with your AM to identify bottlenecks in client workflows. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s slowing things down? <\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s confusing clients? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Address these issues to create a seamless process that ensures consistent results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regularly review client feedback and team performance to spot opportunities for improvement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Every tweak brings you closer to a business that operates with precision and reliability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The balance here is key: you want efficiency without sacrificing effectiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s not about cutting corners\u2014it\u2019s about doing what works, better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By the end of this phase, you\u2019ll have a sales and fulfillment team consistently hitting their KPIs without needing your constant oversight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the turning point. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019re no longer just running a business\u2014you\u2019re scaling a machine. And with these systems in place, your business doesn\u2019t just grow. It thrives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When your business hits $250k\/month, everything changes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s no longer about how hard you<\/em> work or how fine-tuned your systems are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, it\u2019s about one thing: how well your team<\/strong> performs. Scaling beyond this point isn\u2019t an operational challenge\u2014it\u2019s a leadership one. Success at this level comes from your ability to develop people, not just processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Mark to hit $250K\/month, he realized something: his team wasn\u2019t the problem\u2014he was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He was still too involved in solving day-to-day issues. I told him, \u2018It\u2019s time to step into leadership. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your team can\u2019t grow if you\u2019re always in the weeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At this stage, your role evolves. You\u2019re no longer the person executing every task or fixing every problem. Instead, your focus is building a culture of performance, accountability, and growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your mission is clear: make your team successful, so they make the business successful.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Growth at this level demands scaling your inputs<\/strong>: more leads, more sales calls, and more fulfillment capacity. But scaling inputs only works if you\u2019ve built the infrastructure to handle them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Avoid the trap of scaling ads faster than your team. A flood of leads without the capacity to handle them will overwhelm your systems, frustrate your clients, and hurt your brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your team\u2019s success is a direct reflection of how well you train and support them. When you invest in their growth, it creates a ripple effect that drives the entire organization forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A strong team doesn\u2019t happen by chance\u2014it\u2019s a product of intentional leadership. When you build your people, they\u2019ll build your business.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As your business grows, you can\u2019t rely on ad-hoc solutions or informal systems. You need processes that scale with you. Focus on three key areas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This simple structure keeps your team aligned, surfaces problems early, and fosters a culture of transparency and accountability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By the end of this phase, your team will be a high-performing engine driving your business forward. Your role shifts from micromanaging to guiding and developing. You\u2019re not stuck in the weeds\u2014you\u2019re steering the ship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When your team is winning, your business becomes unstoppable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At $500k\/month, you\u2019ll have built more than a thriving company\u2014you\u2019ll have created an organization capable of scaling to even greater heights. And best of all, you\u2019ll be leading with clarity, confidence, and purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hitting $500k a month is an accomplishment most business owners only dream about. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But scaling to $1M? That\u2019s a different game entirely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At this level, the work shifts from doing more to doing less<\/strong>\u2014strategically. It\u2019s no longer about being involved in every decision or every task. It\u2019s about building a business that thrives without you, delivering exceptional results whether you\u2019re in the room or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mark had the epiphany on our call\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n To hit $500K\/month, his mindset is the thing that needed shifting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He knew he no longer should be asking, \u2018How do I fix this?\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, he should be asking, \u2018How do I empower my team to fix this?\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n This stage demands a fundamental mindset shift: moving from execution to strategy, from being in the trenches to leading from above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By now, you\u2019ve built a solid team that runs your core systems\u2014sales, fulfillment, and operations. The next step is to elevate your best performers into leadership roles, creating a layer of management that takes full ownership of their departments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s the trick: promote from within whenever possible. People who\u2019ve grown with your company already understand your culture, values, and systems, making the transition seamless and effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the hardest shifts at this stage is letting go of the need to fix every problem yourself. If you\u2019re still jumping into Slack to handle client complaints or troubleshooting your ads at midnight, you\u2019re holding your business back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your managers need to take ownership of their roles\u2014and their problems. Your job is to empower them with clear decision-making guidelines and trust them to execute within those boundaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re checked out\u2014it means you\u2019re no longer in the weeds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of fixing problems, you\u2019re coaching your managers to handle them better. You\u2019ll still check in regularly, but your focus shifts to guiding, not micromanaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With your team running the day-to-day, your role becomes one of visionary leadership.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is where you step back to look at the big picture and focus on shaping the future of your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This stage requires a profound mindset shift: letting go of the need to control every detail and trusting your team to execute the vision. Your job now is to think strategically and lead confidently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By the time you\u2019ve mastered this phase, your business runs like a well-oiled machine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sales happen without you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Clients are delighted without your direct involvement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Challenges are solved before they even reach your desk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And the revenue? <\/p>\n\n\n\n It grows\u2014without you having to push every button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is operational freedom<\/strong>\u2014the moment where you\u2019re no longer a business operator but a true architect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You have the time, space, and energy to focus on what lights you up, whether that\u2019s doubling down on growth, exploring new passions, or simply enjoying the life you\u2019ve built.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At $1M a month, you\u2019re not just running a business anymore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ve designed a legacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A machine that works for you, instead of the other way around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It started, as most things do these days, on Zoom. My camera\u2014crooked as usual\u2014and my lighting made me look like I was doing the consultation from inside a cave\u2026 But hey, when you charge $3,000 an hour, you assume people are here for your brain, not your webcam skills. Mark was sitting on the other […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26277","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-essay","post-wrapper","thrv_wrapper"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chrisdufey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26277","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chrisdufey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chrisdufey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chrisdufey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chrisdufey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26277"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.chrisdufey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26277\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26280,"href":"https:\/\/www.chrisdufey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26277\/revisions\/26280"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chrisdufey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26277"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chrisdufey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26277"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chrisdufey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26277"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Phase 1: Building the Three Core Systems ($30k to $100k\/month)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
1. Lead Generation: Creating a Consistent Flow of Qualified Leads<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n
Closing Calls Like Clockwork<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n
3. Fulfillment: Systematizing Client Results<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n
Phase 2: Productizing Your Business ($100k to $250k\/month)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Offloading Sales Success (& Trusting Performance)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hiring Your First Closer<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n
Bringing in an Account Manager (AM)<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n
Step 2: Onboarding and Ramping Processes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Step 3: Iterating for Consistency and Efficiency<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Refining Your Sales Process<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Streamlining Fulfillment<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Building Feedback Loops<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Phase 3: Scaling Through Team Leadership ($250k to $500k\/month)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Shift: From Operator to Leader<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
1. Increasing Capacity: Ads and Team Growth<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
2. Training and Developing Your Team<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
3. Building Scalable Processes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
Phase 4: Operational Freedom ($500k to $1M\/month)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Promoting Internal Managers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Step 2: Delegating Problem-Solving<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
Step 3: Transitioning to Strategic Leadership<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n