Courage & Clarity – Episode 163 Summary
How Brian Went From 1 to 7 Clients in 2 Months
Host: Steph Crowder
Guest: Brian G. Murphy
Airdate: November 4, 2025

Episode Overview

In this energizing episode, Steph Crowder welcomes back author and coach Brian G. Murphy to discuss his remarkable leap from having just one coaching client to seven active 1:1 clients in only two months. They dig into the strategies, mindset shifts, and community support that fueled Brian’s rapid business ramp-up, offering listeners both tactical advice and real-world encouragement for building a thriving business. This conversation spotlights the essential blend of visibility, authentic connection, and structured support necessary to ignite sustainable growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Brian’s Business Background and New Developments (00:55 – 02:27)

• Brian introduces himself as an author and certified relationship coach, helping people clarify values and build right-fit relationships, with a focus on sex-positive, inclusive, and queer-affirming frameworks.
• He co-founded and co-hosts the Queer Theology podcast, the longest-running LGBTQ spirituality podcast.
• Discusses his recent books:
  • Love Beyond Monogamy: How Polyamory Can Enrich Your Spirituality, Faith, and Relationships (Sep 2025)
  • Reading the Bible Through Queer Eyes (Coming Sep 2026 with HarperOne)

2. Rejoining the Sold Out Group Programs Mastermind (03:12 – 06:32)

• Brian shares the context of returning to Steph's mastermind after a prior stint.
• He describes having paused his client work to write books, and rejoining the program to create accountability and structured re-entry into taking on new coaching clients.
• Highlights the importance of launch visibility and “launch magic”—being present online to allow past followers or dormant leads to rediscover you.

“There is something called launch magic happening in the background that you can't see ... so many people discovering you and rediscovering you.” —Steph Crowder (04:43)

3. Resetting Goals and Redefining the Audience (06:36 – 08:53)

• Brian outlines his transition: from primarily serving gay/bi men in open relationships to a broader audience inspired by his book themes.
• The first two months post-book involved clarifying his ideal client, refining messaging, and resetting business processes—especially around sales calls.

4. Why 1:1 Coaching Before Group Programs (08:53 – 09:55)

• Steph clarifies that the “Sold Out Group Programs” strategies apply to both group and 1:1 coaching.
• Brian shares that at mastermind re-entry, he only had one longstanding 1:1 client and an occasional single-session client after putting client work on hold.

5. From 1 to 7 Clients: Brian’s Process (11:37 – 21:00)

Coffee Chats & Market Research (11:58 – 14:08)

• Brian initiated a wave of “coffee chats” by posting Instagram stories, emailing his list, and inviting conversations with open-ended prompts.
  • Used engaging subject lines like “Want to trade?” to increase email responses.
• These chats provided direct feedback on what his audience wanted support with and rebuilt Brian's confidence.
• Most people were new connections, with a few former clients joining.

“I got off every single one of those calls being like … I could really help these people. Like, I know my stuff.” —Brian (19:15)

Refining Messaging and Offer (14:08 – 17:44)

• Brian used polls and Instagram stories to validate audience needs and identify hot topics.
• Received granular coaching from Steph on how to switch from casual chat to a direct offer/sales call invitation—utilizing transition phrases that felt authentic, often via DMs or voice notes.
• Focused on referencing his coaching more openly in public content, normalizing the mention of offers.

Overcoming the Awkwardness of Sales (17:44 – 21:39)

• Steph and Brian discuss shifting the mindset around selling by being consistently transparent and direct about service offerings, making it less jarring when transitioning to a pitch.
• The confidence boost from live conversations spilled over into written communication and DMs.
• Reinforces that selling is an active service:

  “Selling is serving. There’s something about, like, I would be doing you a disservice to not offer you to work with me.”
  —Brian (21:39)

6. Coaching Support & Results (21:42 – 25:56)

• Brian credits his rapid progress to specific, actionable feedback from Steph and the program’s secondary coach.
• Received direct support on sales call structure, copywriting, and pricing.
• Incrementally raised his prices as his confidence and results grew.
• Highlights that genuine, in-depth access to coaching in the program contrasts many “bait and switch” masterminds.

7. Sales Calls: From Burnout to Enjoyment (24:10 – 27:46)

• Once results started coming in, Brian’s perception of sales calls shifted from burnout to enthusiasm.
• Adopted Steph’s “serve on the sales call” approach—ensuring clients receive value regardless of purchase.
• Set attainable package prices, then gradually increased as comfort grew.

“There’s an element of serving them on the call. So it feels like you walk away from this call with something, rather or not you join.” —Brian (27:27)

8. Celebrating Wins & Group Culture (28:10 – 31:30)

• Brian hit his 90-day client goal in under two weeks, leading to new challenges of onboarding and managing rapid success.
• Steph emphasizes the power of celebration as a motivation and psychological sales tool; the mastermind group regularly and exuberantly celebrates all member wins, regardless of scale.

“Someone will post, like, I just signed a new client for $900, and someone else will post. I just had a client for $28,000, and the energy is the same. We're all like, yeah, you did it.” —Brian (31:30)

9. Advice for Listeners on the Fence (32:32 – 33:45)

• Brian urges listeners who have a proven ability to help others—even at a small scale—to consider joining.
• Endorses Steph’s straightforward advice whether or not someone is a fit and highlights how structure, frameworks, and accountability have multiplied his results.
• Encourages an initial call with Steph for clarity.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Steph on visibility and “launch magic”:
  “There is something called launch magic happening in the background that you can't see… There are so many connection points and so many people discovering you and rediscovering you.” (04:43)

• Brian, on rediscovering his confidence:
  “I got off every single one of those calls being like… I could really help these people. Like, I know my stuff.” (19:15)

• On sales as service:
  “Selling is serving. Like, there’s something about, like, I would be doing you a disservice to not offer you to work with me.” (21:39)

• Steph, reframing self-promotion:
  “Paradoxically, the more you talk about that stuff, the more ethical your selling really is.” (18:32)

• On the program’s community:
  “Someone will post, like, I just signed a new client for $900, and someone else will post. I just had a client for $28,000, and the energy is the same. We're all like, yeah, you did it.” (31:30)

• Brian, advice for joining:
  “If you've got a fire already, it'll pour gasoline on it. And if you don't have a fire, then you just have a pile of gasoline. So if you've got that initial spark, this will help you supercharge it.” (33:18)

Important Timestamps

• 00:55 – Brian’s introduction and business overview
• 01:34 – About Brian’s new books
• 03:12 – Why Brian joined the mastermind again
• 06:57 – Goals, niche clarification, first steps after book launch
• 09:55 – Starting with just one ongoing client
• 11:58 – The coffee chat blitz and engagement tactics
• 15:17 – No sales page needed—focusing on conversations
• 17:15 – Coaching to handle sales call transitions
• 19:15 – Coffee chats rebuilding self-belief
• 21:39 – Adopting a service-based sales mindset
• 24:10 – Specific support and coaching granularity
• 27:58 – Rapid achievement of 90-day goals
• 31:30 – Celebrating wins across all levels in the program
• 32:32 – Brian’s advice for undecided listeners
• 33:52 – Where to find Brian online

Connect with Brian

• Website: thisisbgm.com
• Social: @thisisbgm (Instagram, Threads, YouTube; most active on Threads and IG)

Tone:
Authentic, uplifting, no-nonsense, and encouraging—packed with actionable details while remaining warm and inclusive.

For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

This episode is a must-listen for any coach, consultant, or entrepreneur feeling stuck in their client acquisition or missing the confidence to step up their sales game. Through Brian’s candid recounting—peppered with real scripts, practical mindset tools, and behind-the-scenes strategy—you’ll see exactly what it takes to pivot from stagnation to quick, tangible growth, all without sleazy tactics or burnout. The message is clear: meaningful connection, visible offers, and a structured support system are the recipe for authentic success.