For the business owner who is ready to stop chasing trends

Wan to skip the introduction and head straight to the 5 Core Business Foundations you need to develop in your business? CLICK HERE

It feels like every business educator or online influencer has a different “secret sauce” method to grow your business to 7 figures overnight. All you need to do is follow this simple formula, and it’ll unlock everything for you!

I’m betting you’ve heard one (but more than likely all) of these sure-fire methods to grow your business….

“Just show more of your personal life.”
“Post on your feed every day and have 10 stories up at all times.”
“Actually, just share 1-3 story slides on Instagram.”
“Be more authentic!”
“Be vulnerable AND authentic!”
“Woah. Not *that* vulnerable.”
“Post on Notes 5x per day.”
“Grow and email list!”
“Build community.”
“You need a high-strategy funnel.”
“You need a full suit of offers.”
“You only need ONE offer and go all in.”

I could go on. Every idea or magic formula seems to contradict the next - but that’s good, right? We’re supposed to have a hot take, aren’t we? *cue dramatic eye roll*

I digress.

All of this contradictory advice leads to us trying everything, whichever feels most compelling in one moment, and then trying another one that feels more compelling in a different moment, never stopping to actually stick it out long enough to know if it works.

Why?

Because we’ve fallen prey to the lie that says success is fast-earned. Or, more accurately, I should say - we’ve been tricked into believing that success is what we accomplish instead of the life we live.

And I bet Satan is so pleased by his handiwork.

Because let’s be honest, if you’re earning a million dollars in revenue every year but you’re exhausted, overworked, and burnt out, you’ll never be able to enjoy the rewards of your hard work. And think of all the wonder, beauty, and goodness you may be missing out on if you’re a slave to your own business.

As Kingdom-minded entrepreneurs, we know that the success metrics of this world are skewed. Favoring fast cash, outward metrics, and peer validation.

…but how do we live this truth?

What if we flipped this all on its head?

What if instead of seeking growth hacks and another Instagram-famous business educator, we looked to men and women whose day-to-day life actually reflected the kind of day-to-day life we want to live, not *just* the milestone but the day in and day out routines, mundane moments, and the work itself.

Because at the end of the day, whatever bed you make for yourself, you have to lie in.

And here’s where it gets tricky: we do NEED to care about our annual revenue. We DO need to learn from men and women who are ahead of us, the lessons they learned have been hard fought too!

This uncomfortable in-between is so important to talk about. Especially for entrepreneurs. Especially for Christian entrepreneurs.

Every day, I get to work with, learn from, and cheer on Christian authors, mentors, ministry leaders, service providers, and impact-makers. Each one is ambitious, eager, and excited to do good work in their businesses for the glory of God and the good of His people.

But equally, they are all at war with themselves.

They doubt, as I do, their ability to do the work set before them.

They know, as I do, that success isn’t a metric - it’s a lifestyle that glorifies God in every way.

….and yet.

And yet we ALSO need to earn money. We also need to grow our following. We also need to utilize whatever platform we’ve been given to further our message.

Here’s my first question for you: Why is it, do you think, that we separate these two ideas? To live in alignment with God’s will and to enjoy the rewards that come from a “successful” business?

In recent weeks, I’ve seen many Substackers complain about people using the platform to grow. They are so worried that business owners, like me, will take over their beloved quiet corner of the internet and ruin it for everyone.

And I can’t help but laugh.

Yeah, Substack is a platform for the writer, the thinker, the creative - but to think that these things must only take on a quiet, soft, or highly intellectual form is completely ludicrous. And also - I see you with you’re paid subscription feature turned on!! You cannot honestly tell me you don’t want to grow in this space, too?

Let me be clear - I’m not shaming the wealthy. I’m not criticizing those with large followings! Lord willing, I’d be honored to have those things for myself. To bless my children, to take more vacations, to enjoy the gift of money, and to grow a community that encourages and inspires. Money and follower count are not the issue here.

The issue is that, in an attempt to do the very opposite, so many kingdom-minded entrepreneurs have placed far too little (and therefore too much) focus and importance on these things.

And it all comes back to pride. Let me explain.

Pride can exist in the haughty person as much as in the self-deprecating person. Because at the end of the day, the focus is on them, not their Savior. I think we can safely extrapolate that same line of thinking here in the way we go about growing our businesses.

It is not evil to want to grow.
It is not a sin to want to earn money.

It is not detestable to talk openly about wanting these things!

It’s true, your follower count doesn’t really matter so much as you might think - I’ve worked with clients who have 70k+ followers on Instagram making $0/month and clients who have less than a thousand Instagram followers making around $7k per month.

And yes, it’s also true that money is not the metric of “success” - and also, you can want success in reaching your goal to earn more money.

Both can be true!

So all this begs the second question I’d like to ask you: Are you being honest with yourself about your goals? And are you seeking God’s direction as you set those goals? Or are you basing your success metrics on that of the Instagrammer you love to follow?

I want to invite you to take a few minutes, right at this very moment, to spend some time in self-reflection and ask God to reveal to you any misaligned desires. As His to give you direction, to bless you with clarity, to give you the strength to humbly submit and surrender your goals to him.

Avoid the inclination you might feel to try and cover up your perfectly legitimate (or willfully sinful) desires with a “humble mask” pretending to be more holy and above it all. You’re not. I’m not. God already knows what you want - just speak plainly to Him. If you aren’t sure what you want, ask Him to reveal it to you.

Ask Him to give you joy in pursuing his will for your life. Ask Him to help you delight in doing the daily work it takes to reach whatever it is God is asking you to do (or not do.)

And after you’ve taken some time to do this, ask yourself - Is growing a business still in alignment with God’s will for you? And if so, what is the next step you need to take to work toward your God-given goals?

I can tell you right now it’s not from desperately (and haphazardly) adhering to random advice you find on the internet searching for that magic “growth hack”.

Instead, it will be an outpouring of intentional business foundations.

Building a strong business isn’t about crossing your fingers and hoping you stumble into viral stardom. It's about laying down solid foundations that help your business wear in, not out (thank you for that gem, Kaitlyn Parker).

It doesn’t matter if you’ve been in the online business world for years, if you’re baby fresh, or if you’ve had an on-again, off-again relationship with online business (like me!) - you need foundations that stand the test of time.

I’m going to walk you through 5 Core Business foundations you need in place to develop a business that puts you in the driver's seat, rather than operating on the whims of whatever trend is happening at the moment.

More often than not, when I work with consulting clients, it’s not that they are bad at business - it’s that they lack clarity about what direction they are heading in. They are at war within themselves - and it shows.

But first, this blog post is a more polished version of an episode I shared on my private podcast, Voice Memos from Dusty. If you want to listen to the unfiltered, raw, no-hold-back episode, subscribe below.

1. Strategic Planning: This is Your Core

If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you’ve likely heard me say this before (probably more than once - and no, I have no intentions of stopping): your Strategic Plan is a non-negotiable item in your business.

It’s your guide and the framework through which you’ll filter every decision, and idea, and keep your adorable squirrel brain from running off with yet another mind-blowingly good idea. (That we all know will fizzle out soon enough.)

With a strategic plan in place, you’ll be able to measure everything against your strategic plan. Is this in my strategic plan? Will this move my Strategic Plan forward? If not, then don’t do it!

What Goes Into a Strategic Plan?

This is a non-exhaustive list but includes the core items in your business that you’ll clarify, strategize, and plan around.

BUSINESS GOALS:
What are you working toward? Why? What are your revenue goals? Impact goals? Just for fun goals? Getting clear on what you WANT out of your business (aka your Owner’s Intent) and understanding how to measure if you’re actually getting what you want - is so important!
BRAND IDENTITY:
It’s not the colors and fonts and logos - though your brand identity will absolutely inform your brand visuals! Instead, your brand identity is the character of your business. Think owner’s intent, core values, vision, mission, boundaries, and so on.
OFFER ECOSYSTEM:
What are you selling? Does each product flow one into the other? Are they all supporting your overall owner’s intent?
ALIGNED CLIENT/CUSTOMER (beyond avatars)
Are you clear on the kinds of people you want to attract? Where is your audience on the buyer's journey? How do you gauge their readiness to invest? Do you have a clear understanding of who you’re selling to?
MARKETING & SALES PLAN:
How will you 1) Get more eyes on your products and 2) Close the deal!? This includes email marketing, social media marketing, podcasting, blogging, networking, your website (we’ll cover this more in a second), and so on.

In just a few weeks, I’ll be opening the cart for my newly revised Strategic Plan Audio Course. It comes with a very robust Notion dashboard so you can develop your strategic plan without all the stress and complications. I’ll walk you through establishing your business foundations in small, bite-sized steps, and teach you how to *implement* as you go!

Get on the waitlist (HERE) to save over $100 when the course launches and snag some waitlist-exclusive bonuses like a live Q&A Workshop and more!

Plus, when you join the waitlist, you’ll get early (exclusive!) access to the Notion Dashboard!

Strategic Plan Waitlist

2. A Website That Works for You

(Not Just Another Pretty Page)

Social media is not a replacement for your website. Let me say that again because for whatever reason, people have a hard time hearing this one - social media is not a replacement for your website!!

Your website is foundational because it establishes instant credibility. On any social media account, people know if this is your first day - your follower count and metrics will reflect that! But your website? It can beautifully and effortlessly showcase your pure brilliance and expertise from the moment they hop onto your site.

Plus, your website is built for sales. It (should be) a sales-generating machine! And aren’t you tired of putting so much effort into content on Instagram that lives and dies within 4 hours? Your website is evergreen - focusing more time on creating valuable blog content that drives people to your website is a MUCH better use of your time!

You can DIY your website starting with a high-quality, professional website template (I sell some stunning Squarespace ones if I do say so myself) or invest in a website design. But in either case, because you can build your website, you’ll need:

Simple, professional brand visuals
- 2 easy-to-read fonts, one is your header and the other is your body/paragraph font (so cursive or script fonts!! They are too hard to read on small screens)
- 3-4 colors - THAT’S IT. The more you add, the less professional and cohesive your branding will feel.
- A simple work-mark logo: Think Google, Gucchi, Walmart - don’t add any icons, illustrations, or decorations. Just keep it simple, clean, and easily read at a small scale.
A product to sell (or one in the works)
Quality brand photos
Strong copywriting that clearly communicates the PROBLEM > SOLUTION > OUTCOME

Do you have to invest in all of this right away? No! But you do need to spend intentional time on it and prioritize getting professional help as you’re able.

Need a website template that’s rooted in strategy? My templates at CaffeinatedSites.co are still available (but not for long—I'm moving them soon!). Each one includes a mini course to help you customize and launch with confidence.

3. Blog It Like It’s 2011

Blogging is not dead, my friends! In fact, blogging is more effective now than ever before. There are a lot of factors at play as to why, but largely because so many people neglect their blogs on their websites (I’m guilty of this!), and when that happens, we are missing out on HUGE growth opportunities!

Your blog is what brings people to your website. It’s not an “if you build it they will come” situation - you need to post blog posts! I suggest starting by launching with a few and then continually adding to them.

In slower seasons, blog more often; in client-filled seasons, it’s okay to ease up. Blogging is a revenue-generating activity that will serve you for YEARS to come. Don’t neglect this one just because there isn’t a like count attached to it.

A quick PSA: Substack is great, but it doesn’t replace your blog. Neither does Instagram.

4. Client & Customer Experience

(It’s More Than the Final Product)

This one is wildly underrated and wildly important.

Listen, your product or service could be incredible - but if the process for the customer/client to get that product is miserable, then it doesn’t matter what the end result is.

People aren’t buying a thing - they are buying an EXPERIENCE. They are investing in their future selves, one who is more carefree, confident, and motivated. They are seeking a transformation! And if your client or customer process is bumpy - well, it really throws off their groove!

Yes, the quality of the product matters, but it will be widely undermined if the experience of getting said products is clunky, confusing, or frustrating. And that’s what they’ll remember more than the incredible course, coaching session, or handmade product.

1. Make It Easy For People to Pay You

Invest in software that makes it as friction-free as possible for people to give you their money! I highly recommend Honeybook for any service-based business.

Make all the buttons on your site stupid easy to read and understand
Make the pricing clear and easy to find
Put a “buy now” or similar button on each section (or within each scroll) of the sales page - so they don’t have to scroll all the way up or down to find it
Offer payment plans wherever possible or reasonable

2. Make It Easy For Access What They Bought

Send reminder emails for client calls, send an email sequence teaching them how to make the most of the product they bought, add a way for them to reach out with any questions they may have - make it simple, fun, and engaging to access whatever they are investing in!

3. Make It Easy For Them To Communicate With You

People shouldn’t have to go on a wild goose chase to find your email address!

Put it in the footer of your website (Not JUST a contact form! You need both!)
Add a direct link for people to email you back in all email communications
Link it in your social media profiles
And add instructions on HOW you’d like them to contact you on your contact and about page
Put a direct link to your contact page in the footer of your website

4. Make Them Feel Like They’re in Good Hands

Assure your customers and clients that they are in good hands! Over and over and over again!

Speak to them with respect, not patronizing them for asking what may seem to you like a stupid question
Send them a client gift! A simple Starbucks gift card goes a long way
Make space for small talk - I know everyone likes to hate on it, but small talk is important!
For service-based providers, include “get to know you” type questions on your intake forms

Send an automated email sequence guiding them through course content, your freebie, or whatever they are working on for added support.

I love HoneyBook for this! It’s a robust CRM that streamlines everything from contracts to client communication.

5. Marketing With Longevity in Mind

You need to market your business. If people don’t know about it, how can they buy from it!? But man, it’s time to stop chasing trends and start putting our effort into marketing efforts that last.

I suggest choosing one platform to start with and then adding a second once you’re in a good routine. I wouldn’t add more than two unless you have a team or a solid strategy/the time needed to manage each “platform” well.

Choose Platforms with Staying Power:

Blogging (yes, again)

This really should (more than likely) be the first choice. Though I am a firm believer in building a business that is FUN for you! If blogging is your literal worst nightmare, maybe don’t start there. Or maybe seek support or guidance to help make it more fun for you, because it is really important.

Additionally, it’s important to note that you can reformat the content you publish on any other platform onto your blog! I wouldn’t suggest just copying and pasting simply because each platform requires something different out of the way the content is formatted - that said, you don’t need to put different content in all the places. You can work smarter, not harder!

PODCASTING: For the yappers

Podcasting and blogging go hand-in-hand. Pop your show notes and a short summary of each topic covered in a blog post!

Podcasting is especially great for collaboration and building credibility and authority in your industry fast. I love podcasting!

Join Voice Memos Here

YOUTUBE: For performers & yappers

YouTube is a platform I’ve never really leaned into. With that said, it is the most used platform today, with 62% of internet users in the U.S. accessing the platform daily - that’s roughly 122 million people! (Source)

If you’re podcasting, consider adding a video element (it doesn’t need to be fancy!) and popping that onto YouTube!

SUBSTACK: For the writers

Substack is starting to gain more and more popularity, and I don’t think it’s going to stop. I *highly* recommend popping your Subtack articles over to your blog! It’s a very simple way to get the most reach and impact out of your efforts.

Just a quick note: Substack is not a replacement for email marketing or a website.

Then use:

Social media to amplify and bring people over to your website (or the platform of your choosing.)
Email marketing to nurture

And if you’re not sure where the holes are in your foundation? Book a strategy session with me at dustyhegge.com. We’ll build you a custom plan to move forward with confidence, clarity, and actual joy.