Courage & Clarity: Episode 158 Summary

Episode Title: [Part 1] The 3 Gaps Keeping You From Selling Out
Host: Steph Crowder
Release Date: October 29, 2025

Brief Overview of the Episode's Main Theme

In this episode, Steph Crowder kicks off a new miniseries aimed at uncovering the three critical "gaps" that keep entrepreneurs from selling out their offers—whether that’s a group program, one-on-one coaching, or another service. Drawing on her decade of experience in sales and coaching, Steph proposes that every business problem related to sales can be distilled down to these three core issues. The episode is both comforting and practical, providing listeners with a clear, actionable framework—her "universal diagnostic tool"—for troubleshooting sales problems.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: Why Most Sales Problems Aren’t as Complex as They Seem

• Steph reassures listeners that, despite how overwhelming business can feel when things aren’t working, the root problem is never as ambiguous as it seems.
• Insight: “It really feels like there could, it could be like one of 100 different things that are going wrong. But I am here to prove to you that it honestly comes down to just three things.” (03:20)

2. The Universal Diagnostic Tool: The Three Gaps

Steph introduces the three foundational gaps:

• Gap 1: Eyeballs (Visibility Problem)
  • Not enough people are seeing you and your work.
  • “This is an eyeballs problem. We talk about eyeballs, and literally I use the term eyeballs so you can think about people seeing you. Inherently, this is a visibility problem.” (09:13)
• Gap 2: Interest (Messaging Problem)
  • People might be seeing you, but not enough care about what you’re saying or the problem you solve.
  • “If you feel like you have an audience...and it just doesn't really feel like people are, like, motivated or moving. You have an interest problem. Okay? So that's the second gap: interest. And interest comes down to messaging.” (11:17)
• Gap 3: Conversion (Sales Problem)
  • Some people are seeing you and are interested, but not enough are saying “yes.”
  • “When you have conversion problems, what you have at your core is a sales problem.” (13:07)

3. The Dangers of Tackling All Three at Once

• Many entrepreneurs try to fix all three gaps simultaneously, leading to overwhelm and burnout.
• This looks like constantly creating new offers, rebranding, or “panic posting.”
• Quote: “Most entrepreneurs try to fix all three of these things at once. And that is where things get really overwhelming. And that, my friends, is a recipe for burnout.” (06:40)

4. Self-Diagnosis and Sequential Problem Solving

• Steph recommends focusing on the lowest-hanging fruit—often visibility—before tackling the next gap.
• Advice: “Typically for my clients, what I like to do is we pick off our lowest hanging fruit first. If you think you have all three of these as a problem, we’ll probably have you start with visibility.” (15:36)

5. What’s Next: Deep Dives in Upcoming Mini-Episodes

• The series will continue with dedicated episodes exploring each gap in detail—how to identify them and practical steps to close them.
• Listeners are encouraged to binge the miniseries for a comprehensive self-audit.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the simplicity of the framework:
  “What if not everything is wrong? What if it’s one thing? Even if it’s three things, we can fix three things, right?” (04:50)
• On rebranding as a distraction:
  “I love my rebrand. But I also know that rebranding in and of itself is not gonna fix these three things. Right?” (07:58)
• On listener encouragement:
  “If you’re listening to this in real time, then I want you to know that I think this round of the sold out group programs Mastermind is such an amazing time to join because when you make the decision this November to work with me, you are going to get to work with me through the entirety of 2026.” (18:46)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:40 – Steph introduces miniseries and overall theme
• 03:20 – Why business problems aren’t as complicated as they seem
• 06:40 – Pitfalls of trying to fix everything at once; why that leads to burnout
• 09:13 – Gap 1: Eyeballs (Visibility problem)
• 11:17 – Gap 2: Interest (Messaging problem)
• 13:07 – Gap 3: Conversion (Sales problem)
• 15:36 – How to prioritize which gap to tackle first
• 18:46 – Invitation to upcoming Mastermind and workshop; what listeners can expect next

Structure & Flow

Steph speaks with warmth and empathy, using personal stories and direct language. She grounds her advice in real-world observations from working with entrepreneurs, making her framework feel both actionable and reassuring. The tone is encouraging, supportive, and free of “gross marketing tactics” or hype.

Summary Takeaway

This episode lays the foundation for a systematic approach to solving lagging sales: identify whether you have a visibility, messaging, or sales problem, then tackle one at a time with focus and clarity. Steph’s signature mix of courage and brass-tacks strategies shines through, setting listeners up for success in the rest of her miniseries and beyond.