Last week I invited Six-Figure Systems members to join me for a first look at the new roadmap I’ve been working on. It’s always been my goal to simplify online business—to make it easier for you to earn more without working more. The new systems map will help you see how everything you do is connected to produce (hopefully) a predictable outcome.
And if predictability feels like a pipe dream, it’s going to give you the levers to pull and the settings to tweak that will get you there.
Here’s the thing: Our systems maps are needlessly complex. Here’s a small piece of what’s going on in my business.
And that doesn’t even include all my side hustles, courses in development, new platform testing, and dozens of other time and energy sucking projects.
There is an endless supply of platforms and strategies and social apps and marketplaces where you can sell your templates, and somehow we’ve bought into the idea that we have to be everywhere.
We’re continuously on the hunt for more. But what if less really is more?
Fewer offers = easier to scale
A few months ago I read 10X is Easier than 2X, by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy. They make a compelling point that doing one thing really well is better than doing lots of things half-assed.
I mean, would you rather your heart surgeon studied hearts for the entirety of their career, or that they also practiced dentistry and law, managed a roofing crew on the weekends, and were studying for their real estate license in the evenings?
I’ll take option one, please.
Why then, when I want to grow my business, is my first reaction to branch out? To do something new?
Instead of going broader, I should be going deeper.
Experts have the time to perfect their processes, and because of that, they reach a more engaged audience. What’s more, they have earned the right to charge higher rates.
Fewer platforms = less time managing them
This is a big sticking point for a lot of people. We think (have been told) that we have to be everywhere. Instagram. LinkedIn. Facebook. Podcasting. YouTube. Paid ads. TikTok. Snapchat. Etsy. Gumroad. Udemy.
Every one of those platforms comes with its own learning curve, its own processes and standards, and its own maintenance schedule. Or put another way, its own endless hamster wheel of management.
Is it worth it? That’s a question we don’t often ask before launching into something new, like another social platform or marketplace.
Now, this doesn’t hold true if you’re Gary Vaynerchuck or Alex Hormozi. When you have a large team whose job it is to take every piece of content you produce and turn it into 3,497 other pieces of content, it’s easy to be seen everywhere.
When you’re a company of one though, it’s better to focus on producing the best quality content you can on a single platform. Maximize your reach there before branching out into other platforms.
Fewer funnels = easier to optimize
A while back I moved my email list from Active Campaign to Kit. I had dozens of funnels set up in the old platform, and I worried that it would take me weeks to move them all.
Once I looked at them, I discovered most of them could simply be eliminated. I ended up moving one single funnel, and there wasn’t even a blip in my income due to missing funnels.
Looking at my Kit dashboard now, it’s much easier to navigate because there’s less clutter. I don’t have to chase down broken links and mixed messaging when someone enters a funnel that hasn’t had an update in a while. My potential customers are no longer confused by old branding.
One funnel. One thing to maintain. One place to check when things go wrong. One thing to improve to generate more sales.
Headspace isn’t free
You might be thinking, “But Cindy, these things are minor. Extra funnels? A few more courses in your shop? They’re not hurting anything, and maybe they’ll make a sale or help a potential client.”
You’re not wrong. Those unnecessary courses and funnels and platforms (probably) aren’t hurting anything at all. You can just leave them be.
Years ago my friend Tracy told me that the reason she was giving up an easy-going client wasn’t because of the time it took to complete the work, but rather that it took up too much space in her head.
I think about that often when I let go of business clutter like unnecessary funnels and slightly off-brand courses. That stuff does take up space in my head, and that space is much better used for deep thinking and strategic improvements, rather than surface level additions that don’t serve me (or you) well.
Questions for you
I want to invite you to take a look at what you can subtract from your business, instead of what you can add.
💰 Which offers bring in the majority of your revenue?
📢 Which platforms bring you the most new clients or sales?
📈 Which funnels or lead magnets are building your list?
What if you just let the rest go? Give your brain a break. Take the time you spend managing all those extras, and put it into building your main thing.
That’s what I’m doing. I hope you’ll join me.
🤝 If you could use some support, here are a few ways I can help:
- Join my Six-Figure Systems community and get instant access to an entire library of system-focused resources to help build, grow, and scale your business. You’ll also get live Q & A calls, mindset coaching calls, and monthly Action Labs to build momentum.
- Work with me 1:1. If you’re ready to nail down the systems that support your business growth, let’s talk about how I can help you avoid the overwhelm and frustration so you can spend more time doing what matters: teaching and coaching.
- Schedule a one-time, “Get Unstuck” call. Bring me your biggest frustration about your existing business systems, and we’ll solve it together. You’ll walk away with an action plan to get you to the next step.
- Need something else? Email me directly at cindy@cindybidar.com. I read and respond to every one of your emails, and I genuinely would love to hear from you.
