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Running a business shouldn’t mean running yourself into the ground. The Thrive by Design podcast is here to help service entrepreneurs like you create more balance, build sustainable growth, and design a business that actually supports the lifestyle you want.
Alright, I want you to picture this.
You've spent the morning journaling, dreaming big, setting those bold, expensive goals for
your business and your life.
You've mapped out what your dream week would look like.
Imagine the income you want to create, the clients you'd love to work with, and the
freedom you want to feel.
You've done the work to craft your playbook.
You're clear on the life and business you want to build.
But then, the next day, you sit down at your desk and you don't know where to start.
You've got Slack messages, client work, invoices, and a to-do list that seems to grow
faster than it shrinks.
That vision suddenly feels a little fuzzy, a little far away.
And before you know it, you're back on autopilot, responding, reacting, and doing all the
things without feeling any closer to that vision of life you just designed.
Does this sound familiar?
If you've ever found yourself in that space,
where your vision feels clear, but your next steps don't.
You're not alone.
This is one of the most common gaps I see for service entrepreneurs.
They've done the big thinking, they've done the strategy sessions, they've done the goal
setting, but what they haven't done is map their moves.
Because a vision without a plan is just a wish.
Mapping your moves is the bridge between dreaming and doing.
It's how you take that big picture clarity and turn it into a confident, focused action.
Here's the reality.
Most business owners don't fail because they don't have big enough goals.
They fail because they don't know how to translate those goals into an action plan that
actually works for them.
They either overcomplicate things with a 17-page strategy document that never gets opened
again, or they go the other way, setting vague goals like grow my business or hire help
without any real clarity on how or when that's going to happen.
And when that happens, two things show up, overwhelm and inconsistency.
Because without a map, you're just spinning your wheels, stuck between too many ideas and
too little progress.
Mapping your moves is about creating direction.
It's not about doing everything.
It's about doing the right things at the right time for the right reasons.
And here's the kicker.
When you map your moves properly, you don't just feel more organized.
You make more progress with less effort because every action lines up with where you
actually want to go.
That's how you build a business by design, not by default.
So how do you map your moves properly?
How do you take that bold, beautiful vision and turn it into a plan that you'll actually
follow?
This is where my model, the Vision to Action Flow comes in.
It's a step-by-step process I use with clients to bridge the gap between strategy and
execution.
There are five stages.
The first stage is divine.
Get crystal clear on what success actually looks like.
Not in vague terms, but in measurable outcomes.
You ask yourself, what do I want to achieve this quarter or this year?
What results would tell me I'm winning?
And how will I know I'm on track?
Because clarity is the foundation of confidence.
If you don't know what you're aiming for, you'll never know what deserves your attention.
Stage two is design.
Once you know what success looks like, decide where to focus your energy.
You can't do everything at once and you shouldn't try to.
Pick your two to three biggest priorities.
These are the things that will have the most meaningful impact on your goals financially,
strategically, and personally.
This is where you start aligning your business priorities with your life priorities.
Because remember, your business should serve your life.
not the other way around.
Stage three is decide.
Turn those priorities into projects.
Decide what needs to happen, by when and who's responsible.
Break the work into bite-sized actionable steps.
Ask yourself, what's the timeline?
What milestones do I need to hit?
What resources or people do I need to make it happen?
This is where you move from idea to structure, where your goals start to look like
something real.
Stage four is deploy.
Now we put money and time around your plan.
This is where your financial and operational plans meet.
You look at your budget, what will it cost to execute and what return you expect.
And you create your rhythm.
When you'll check in, when you'll review and how your course correct if things start
slipping.
And the last stage is drive.
This is the final stage where you build accountability and momentum.
It's about creating the habits and rhythms that keep you on track week after week.
It's not about perfection, it's about progress.
When you drive, you're building consistency, and consistency is what compounds into
results.
That's division to action flow.
Define, design, decide, deploy, and drive.
Simple, repeatable, and effective.
So let's make this practical.
Say one of your big playbook goals is to increase recurring revenue by 30 % this year.
If we apply the vision to action flow, here's what that looks like.
Stage one we define.
You decide your goal is to add $10,000 in recurring monthly revenue by the end of the
year.
Step two, design.
You identify your top two strategies to get there, being you're going to launch a group
program for existing clients and you're going to improve your onboarding process
to increase retention.
Stage three, where you decide, you turn these into projects.
So on the group program, you've got design, market, and launch by May.
Onboarding revamp, audit, and implement changes by March.
You break each one down into specific steps, assigning owners or deadlines, and slot them
into your 90-day plan.
Stage four, you deploy.
You build the budget.
So you estimate your costs for design, marketing, delivery, and anything else.
You identify the time commitment required, and you allocate resources, whether that's
hiring help, adjusting capacity, or blocking out time in your calendar.
And then lastly, you drive.
So you set up your rhythm.
Weekly check-ins to review progress, monthly budget reviews, and quarterly reflection to
celebrate wins and reset priorities.
Now instead of I want to grow my business, you've got a living, breathing roadmap for how
you'll do it.
That's what it means to map your moves.
Now here's what I see far too often.
Business owners who spend hours creating a beautiful plan and then they never look at it
again.
They get lost in delivery.
Client work takes over, the plan becomes a Sunday document instead of a weekly guide.
So why does this happen?
It happens because most plans are built for the planner, not the doer.
They're too big, too complex, and too disconnected from day-to-day reality.
To avoid that, you need two things.
Number one is simplicity.
If your plan isn't easy to use, it won't be used.
It's as simple as that.
And number two is rhythm.
Your plan needs a home in your weekly routine.
This is why I'm such a believer in quarterly planning.
It gives you the balance between focus and flexibility.
Each quarter, you zoom in on a small set of priorities, build a focus plan, and then check
in weekly to make sure you're on track.
Think of it like using Google Maps.
You know you're in destination, but you still check in every few minutes to make sure
you're not off course.
Your business plan should work the same way.
Now, you know I'm not going to talk about planning without bringing money into it.
Because every move you make in business has a financial impact, whether you realize it or
not.
Making your moves isn't just about what you'll do.
It's about what those actions cost and what they'll return.
When you create your plan, make sure you include a financial layer.
What will this project cost to implement?
What's the potential return or revenue impact?
How does this fit into our overall budget or cash flow rhythm?
For example, if you're planning a launch,
It's not just about marketing and content.
It's about forecasting the upfront costs, timing the spend, and knowing when the cash will
come back in.
Financial clarity is what allows you to plan confidently, because you're not guessing,
you're making informed decisions.
That's what it means to plan by design.
Here's the other big piece, accountability and boundaries.
Because even the best plan won't work if you don't protect the time to make it happen.
I'll give you a personal example.
Every Wednesday afternoon I have a block of time in my calendar to work on my business.
Not in it, on it.
That time is for strategy, planning, reviewing progress and mapping out what's next.
But I'm going to be honest, it's easy to let that block slip.
Client priorities pop up, a meeting request sneaks in, and before you know it, that
precious CEO time has disappeared.
So I've had to get really intentional about protecting it and using it because if I don't,
I end up in reaction mode, constantly working in the weeds instead of leading with
purpose.
Your plan only works if you make space for it.
So here's your reminder, protect your planning time like you would a client booking.
Guard it fiercely because it's not a luxury.
It's a necessity for sustainable growth.
And if accountability is something you struggle with, find someone to keep you on track,
whether it's a coach, a peer, or a community like Thrive HQ.
Having people who remind you of your goals and help you stay accountable makes all the
difference.
Now, before we wrap up, I really want to talk quickly about the most common traps that can
derail your planning rhythm and how to avoid them.
Now the first one, and I'm sure we're probably all familiar with this one, is
perfectionism.
Waiting for the perfect plan before you start.
But here's the truth, there will never be a perfect plan.
Done is better than perfect because you can adjust it and tweak it once you're in motion.
Number two is overcomplication.
If your plan requires three spreadsheets and a decoder ring to follow, it's way too
complex.
Simplify, focus on what matters most.
Number three is overload.
Trying to do too much at once.
Focus on two to three priorities per quarter, no more.
And remember, progress beats burnout every time.
And the last one is not having a review rhythm.
If you're not checking in on your plan weekly or monthly, you're flying blind.
The magic is in the rhythm.
in making planning a habit, not an event.
When you avoid these pitfalls, your plan stops being a chore and starts becoming your most
powerful business asset.
So what I want to do is help you build a planning rhythm.
And here's a simple Thrive by Design framework you can implement right away.
The first thing is a weekly check-in.
Spend 15 minutes every Monday
Some people do do this on Sunday before the week starts, but spend 15 minutes every week
reviewing your plan.
What are your top three priorities this week?
What's one action that will move the needle most and what needs to be adjusted or
delegated?
Number two is having a monthly review.
Spend one hour every month reviewing your progress and metrics.
Are you on track with your goals and finances?
What worked?
What didn't?
What lessons can you carry forward?
And what can you tweak so next month stays on track?
Then we've got the quarterly reset.
This is your CEO moment where you step back and zoom out.
You revisit your playbook and big picture goals.
You reset your 90 day plan using the Vision to Action flow and you adjust based on what's
changed in your business or life.
This rhythm keeps you grounded, proactive and aligned so your business runs with clarity
and intention all year round.
When you start mapping your moves, something powerful happens.
You stop reacting, you stop spinning, you stop chasing every new idea that crosses your
feet.
And instead, you start leading with focus.
You start knowing exactly what matters today, this week, this quarter.
And that brings a sense of calm.
clarity and confidence that no amount of hustle can buy.
Because when you know where you're going and you've mapped how to get there, every
decision becomes easier.
Every yes and no becomes clearer and every step forward feels intentional.
That's the power of planning by design.
So let's bring it all together.
When you map your moves, you're turning your pay book into progress.
You're using the vision to action flow to bring structure, focus and momentum to your
goals.
You define what success looks like.
You design the priorities that matter most.
You decide on the projects and milestones that get you there.
You deploy your time, money and resources and you drive your plan forward with
accountability and rhythm.
That's how you bridge the gap between knowing and doing.
That's how you build momentum.
And that's how you create a business that works for you, not one that constantly works
you.
So as you finish listening today, I want you to ask yourself, what's one move I need to
map this week?
Maybe it's finally creating that 90 day plan.
Maybe it's booking a planning session into your calendar.
Or maybe it's setting your financial targets for the quarter ahead.
Whatever it is, don't wait for the perfect time because clarity doesn't come from
thinking.
it comes from doing.
And the moment you start mapping your moves, momentum will follow.
So until next week, keep thriving, but do it by design, not by default.