Episode Summary: Morgan's Step Change Growth Framework from WorkSmart
Podcast: The Journey with Morgan DeBaun
Host: Morgan DeBaun
Episode Title: Morgan's Step Change Growth Framework from WorkSmart
Release Date: March 25, 2025
Introduction to the Step Change Growth Framework
In this insightful episode, Morgan DeBaun unveils her Step Change Growth Framework, a cornerstone of her WorkSmart methodology and a prominent feature in her upcoming book, Rewrite Your Rules. Morgan emphasizes the importance of moving beyond incremental progress to achieve significant, transformative growth in both personal and business endeavors.
"Your success, your... you want to have leaps, fast, quick jumps in income and revenue. And that is the step change growth mindset." [05:30]
Understanding the Mindsets: Incremental vs. Step Change Growth
Incremental Growth Mindset
Morgan begins by contrasting the incremental growth mindset with the step change growth mindset. The incremental approach focuses on small, consistent improvements—moving from $3,000 to $3,500 a month, for instance. While this can lead to steady progress, it often results in revenue plateaus due to inherent limitations in time, resources, and scalability.
"This is the mindset of I'm just going to keep trying to go from 3,500 to 4,000, 4,000 to 4,500. That's incremental impact." [08:45]
Step Change Growth Mindset
In contrast, the step change growth mindset advocates for setting ambitious, transformative goals that require fundamental changes in how a business operates. Instead of small steps, this mindset encourages entrepreneurs to make significant leaps that break through existing revenue plateaus.
"Your success, your... you want to have leaps, fast, quick jumps in income and revenue. And that is the step change growth mindset." [05:30]
Morgan explains that achieving step change growth involves optimizing teams, time, and tools to create scalable revenue sources. This approach not only boosts income but also frees up valuable time for further strategic investments.
The Step Change Growth Framework: A Detailed Breakdown
Setting Ambitious Goals
Morgan advises entrepreneurs to set ambitious goals that challenge their current business models. These goals should be uncomfortable enough to necessitate behavioral changes and strategic overhauls.
"I want the goal to be so high that you have to change your behavior." [16:50]
Creating a Step Change Growth Statement
A Step Change Growth Statement serves as a roadmap to achieve these ambitious goals. It outlines where you want to be within a specific timeframe (e.g., six or twelve months) and identifies the critical actions needed to reach that goal.
Components of the Statement:
- Revenue Goals: Define precise financial targets.
- Strategic Actions: Identify major initiatives required to achieve the revenue goals, such as launching new products, hiring key personnel, or optimizing pricing strategies.
"This is your step change growth statement. You start with, I want to be at XYZ revenue by the end of this year. And to get to XYZ Revenue, I need to first task, right?" [20:15]
Practical Example: Scaling a Therapy Practice
Morgan illustrates the framework using a therapist aiming to double income from $200,000 to $400,000 in a year. Instead of merely increasing client numbers or raising prices, the therapist must diversify income streams through group coaching programs, corporate workshops, and scalable services.
"A therapist would use this example and say, I want to be at 400k by the end of the year and to get to 400k by the end of the year, I need to release a group coaching course where I'm going to be able to scale by having 20, 30 members a quarter." [28:40]
Implementing Sprints for Effective Growth
The Concept of Sprints
Morgan introduces the idea of sprints—focused, time-bound periods dedicated to testing specific hypotheses or strategies within the business. Typically lasting two weeks, sprints allow entrepreneurs to experiment, gather data, and make informed decisions quickly.
"Lesson one in milestone five of master your growth is all about sprinting." [34:10]
Running a Sprint: Step-by-Step
- Identify a Hypothesis: Pinpoint a specific area to test, such as increasing average revenue per customer.
- Set a Time Frame: Allocate a short, fixed period (e.g., two weeks) to implement the test.
- Execute the Test: Implement the strategy on a small scale to gauge its effectiveness.
- Analyze Results: Assess the data to determine if the hypothesis holds true or if adjustments are needed.
"What we're gonna do is set up our first sprint. And to set up a sprint, what you're going to do is identify a period of time. I like to do two week sprints." [36:50]
Example: Boosting Blog Traffic Through Instagram
Morgan provides a practical example for a media company seeking to increase website traffic by leveraging Instagram. Instead of investing heavily in ads, the company can run a two-week sprint focusing on daily Instagram posts to test their effectiveness in driving traffic.
"So the work smart way in doing the sprints is how can you test this concept, this idea that you have, this hypothesis that you have in the fastest way possible so that you can decide if you should keep it going or move on to the next idea." [40:20]
Benefits of Sprints
- Efficiency: Rapid testing reduces time and resource wastage.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Clear metrics and data help in making informed choices.
- Flexibility: Allows businesses to pivot quickly based on what works and what doesn't.
Overcoming Resistance to Failure
Morgan addresses the common fear of failure among entrepreneurs, especially within Black and women communities. She emphasizes that failure is an integral part of the entrepreneurial journey and a catalyst for learning and growth.
"As black entrepreneurs or women entrepreneurs, a lot of times we have a resistance to failure. We have been trained to think that failure is actually a problem and that it's a sign of weakness." [38:15]
By embracing failure as a learning tool, entrepreneurs can iterate their strategies more effectively and move closer to their step change growth objectives.
Final Thoughts and Encouragement
Morgan concludes the episode by encouraging listeners to write down their Step Change Growth Statements and integrate them into their daily lives. Sharing these statements within a community can provide valuable feedback and support from peers and mentors.
"Put it on your mirror, put it on your laptop. Make sure you're sharing it here in our membership community so people can give you feedback and our coaches and advisors can also give you feedback as well." [47:00]
She reiterates the importance of committing to significant, strategic changes to break free from the incremental growth trap and achieve substantial, sustainable success.
Conclusion
This episode of The Journey with Morgan DeBaun offers a comprehensive guide to adopting a Step Change Growth Mindset. By setting ambitious goals, creating detailed growth statements, and utilizing sprints for efficient testing, entrepreneurs can transcend traditional growth limits. Morgan's framework not only fosters substantial revenue increases but also promotes smarter, more scalable business practices, empowering listeners to embark on their own transformative journeys.
Notable Quotes:
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"This is the mindset of I'm just going to keep trying to go from 3,500 to 4,000, 4,000 to 4,500. That's incremental impact." — Morgan DeBaun [08:45]
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"I want the goal to be so high that you have to change your behavior." — Morgan DeBaun [16:50]
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"As black entrepreneurs or women entrepreneurs, a lot of times we have a resistance to failure. We have been Trained to think that failure is actually a problem and that it's a sign of weakness." — Morgan DeBaun [38:15]
Resources Mentioned:
- Book: Rewrite Your Rules by Morgan DeBaun (Available April 1st)
- Podcast Platforms: Instagram, YouTube (for community engagement and feedback)
For more empowering conversations and detailed strategies on personal growth and business scaling, tune in to future episodes of The Journey with Morgan DeBaun.