Courage & Clarity Podcast / [SUMMIT REPLAY] Day 1: Predictable Plan (March 19, 2026)

Host: Steph Crowder
Theme: How to build a predictable, revenue-generating plan for entrepreneurs — moving from chaos and busyness to consistent income, with a focus on identifying and executing "money-making activities" (MMAs). Includes live coaching, practical frameworks, and an invitation to Steph's yearlong mastermind.

Episode Overview

Steph kicks off her "Sold Out Sales System Summit" with a deep-dive into designing a predictable weekly plan for entrepreneurs and business owners. Drawing from her own journey — from underperforming sales rep to industry-leading coach and mastermind host — she pinpoints the root causes of overwhelmed, “busy but not productive” business routines and offers her cure: clarity on what actually moves the needle for revenue.

Expect a blend of mindset shifts, practical frameworks (like the "sales zone"), and interactive coaching that help listeners stop improvising each week and instead take control with focused, repeatable actions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. From Chaos to Clarity: Busyness vs. Productivity

• Many entrepreneurs mistake busyness for productive, progress-making work.
• "You can actually be busy but not productive. We are going to put an end to the guessing of what you should be working on in your week." (04:00)
• The common cycle: Each week starts with improvisation, new ideas, random actions, and ends with little learning about what worked or didn't.

2. Why Not Knowing What to Focus On is Not Your Fault

• The feeling of lacking time and focus comes from a system problem, not a discipline or laziness problem.
• “More of the wrong things just creates a fancier version of chaos.” (15:55)
• Most people have a pile of tasks, not a plan.

3. The Root of Revenue: Money-Making Activities (MMAs)

• Not all business activities are equal. Only a handful of activities (“MMAs”) truly drive sales — and these are unique to each business.
• Examples of MMAs:
  • Active outreach & making offers
  • Sales conversations
  • Launching
  • Lead generation
  • Following up with potential clients
• Non-MMA tasks (while important) like tinkering with your website, social media posting, or creating curriculum are “support work.”

Memorable Quote:

“Doing more of the wrong things just creates a fancier version of chaos... You don’t have a plan, you have a pile.” (16:10)

4. The “Sales Zone” Framework

• Business boils down to two sides: Product (what you sell) and Audience (who you reach).
• True sales happen where Product & Audience activities overlap — the “sales zone.”
• Activities not in the sales zone: Offer creation (drafting behind the scenes), client delivery, content-only audience building.
• The priority: Spend an hour each day in your personal "sales zone" (customized MMAs).

Memorable Analogy:

“It’s the business equivalent of putting your own oxygen mask on before you help the person next to you.” (36:25)

• Mindset shift: Prioritizing sales is not selfish — it’s vital for serving clients and sustaining your impact.

5. Building a Predictable, Revenue-Generating Week

• Steph introduces the 90-Day Clarity to Cash Cycle:
  1. Identify the exact actions that create clients
  2. Focus on executing these weekly
  3. Review what works every 90 days, then rinse & repeat
• Your week should have a rhythm — not constant reinvention.
• "Sales should become the result of what you do every week, not a random surprise." (49:10)

Key Steps Suggested:

• Commit to a strategy/plan for 90 days before making changes.
• Track and audit time spent: Are you really spending time on sales zone/MMAs?
• The goal: Know exactly what 3-5 activities move your needle.

Practical Takeaways

• Hour-a-day Rule: “An hour a day of MMAs. Most people who are not hitting their enrollment goals... are not.” (40:19)
• MMAs ≠ Generic for All: Align activities with your unique strengths, audience, offer, and goals.
• Predictability = Confidence: When your plan is tight, revenue becomes a reliable outcome, not a fluke.

Live Coaching Highlights

[52:14] — Christy (Relationship Coach): Overwhelm & Focus

• Struggle: Too many different tasks, doesn’t know what specifically leads to discovery calls (her main driver of sales).
• Steph’s Guidance: Audit past client conversions—what directly preceded them? Build a “mini-sales funnel” and dedicate daily time to each stage (DMs, outreach, follow-up).
• Key learning: “If I want to get a new one-on-one client, I just have to be walking myself through this sales funnel enough times for it to work. At a certain point it's just an equation.” (58:03)
• Christy recognizes she’s often busy but lacks consistency in prioritizing outreach that brings calls—leading to more clarity.

[62:24] — Jill (Group Program Host): Follow-up Systems

• Challenge: Has lots of free coaching sessions; struggles with organized follow-up when enrollment isn’t open.
• Steph’s Advice: Don’t overcomplicate. Even a simple spreadsheet (“sales hygiene” list) works: columns for name, backstory, next action, date. Daily check-ins keep leads warm.

[74:14] — Sarah (Breakup Coach): Audience vs. Sales Zone

• Insight: Spends lots of time building audience but little on conversations leading to sales.
• Steph’s Solution: Move audience engagement into the sales zone with simple low-barrier interactions (e.g., Instagram polls, clear “raise your hand” prompts), then personalized follow-up.

[68:55] — Heather (Grief Coach): Sales Ethics with Vulnerable Clients

• Dilemma: How to balance ethical care/minimizing pressure with the need to “make offers” to deeply vulnerable groups.
• Steph’s Response: “Allow adults to make adult decisions... Our job is to show people what is possible, what you would help them with, the transformation.” (70:21)
• Don’t exclude someone from an offer on their behalf — difficult times increase the need for support.

Notable Quotes

• “You don’t have a plan, you have a pile. More of the wrong things just creates a fancier version of chaos.” (16:10)
• “Your money making activities come first before everything else. Yes, even your client work. Because you cannot serve your clients if you don’t have a business, full stop.” (39:30)
• “Sales is not the selfish part of your business. It makes everything else possible.” (36:44)
• “Hour a day of MMAs. Most people who are not hitting their enrollment goals are not...” (40:19)
• “If you're not getting the clients you want, you're probably not spending enough time in your individualized sales funnel, that's all that's happening.” (60:14)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 – 04:00: Episode introduction & summit context
• 12:00 – 16:30: The “pile vs. plan” metaphor; identifying the real issue
• 18:00 – 24:00: What counts as a “money making activity” (MMA); misconceptions entrepreneurs face
• 28:00 – 34:00: The "sales zone" explained; audience vs. product work
• 36:30 – 42:00: Mindset shift: Selling as service, fundraising your own mission
• 45:00 – 54:00: The 90-day planning rhythm (Clarity to Cash Cycle); building a predictable week
• 52:14 – 61:38: Live coaching with Christy (clarifying actions that lead to sales)
• 62:24 – 67:28: Live coaching with Jill (building follow-up systems)
• 68:55 – 74:00: Ethics of selling to vulnerable clients (with Heather)
• 74:14 – 78:54: Coaching with Sarah (bridging audience building to sales zone)
• 81:09 – 83:10: Difference between lead generation and general visibility
• Throughout: Repeated calls to customize MMAs, focus daily, and track outcomes

Memorable Moments

• The “hour a day of MMAs” mantra — a practical, sticky rule for weekly sales focus.
• Steph’s blunt, heartfelt encouragement to end “all or nothing” thinking: “Sales should be the result of what you do every week, not a random surprise.” (49:10)
• Light-hearted, honest moments—"Y' all are pretty stinky at your sales hygiene!"—as a call for daily, unfancy follow-up.
• Practical whiteboard “sales funnel” coaching, breaking down the chaos with actionable steps.

Final Invites & Resources

• Enrollment opened for Steph's yearlong mastermind, "Sold Out Group Programs" — with an in-depth curriculum, coaching, feedback, AI tools, and a special, “slightly unhinged” done-for-you launch build bonus for fast action.
• Listeners can apply at stephcrowder.com/apply by Sunday, March 22, to access the bonus.
• Further Q+A about mastermind logistics (group size, men/women, Facebook replacement, payment plans, etc.) addressed toward the episode's end.

Tone

Steph is open, encouraging, candid, and practical. She blends tactical advice with real-world honesty and a dash of humor, making big strategies feel doable and focused for listeners overwhelmed by entrepreneurial busyness.

Recommended Next Steps

• For listeners: Audit your own week. What 3-5 activities really lead to sales in your business? Commit to one hour daily on these before all else.
• Want more? Listen to tomorrow’s summit Day 2 for insights on “Predictable Content,” or apply for the "Sold Out Group Programs" mastermind for hands-on support.