Hey honeys and hustlers,
Businesses have problems. Business owners are brimming with ideas to solve those problems. When I think about fixing problems or pursuing a new idea, all I hear is expenses, expenses, expenses. Trying to do everything all at once will leave you broke. So, how do you come up with a framework for determining where to put your energy best when working on your business and not just in your business? I was reading an article from the Accidental MBA newsletter and came across a framework for determining which business problems to fix next and which business or creative ideas to pursue next. I thought it was really helpful, and wanted to share it here with you today. But before we jump into it, here’s a little info on my next creative project that I think will benefit creators, marketers, and entrepreneurs at any stage in their careers.
Today’s post is brought to you by….me!
CommunityOS is available for pre-order
By the end of CommunityOS, you will operate like a creator with a working community system – not just ideas. You will have a documented publishing cadence, a repurposing pipeline, a collaboration engine, an analytics dashboard that drives decisions, and a validated offer or sponsor path—so growth, engagement, and revenue become consistent and compounding instead of sporadic and reactive. It will go live on Monday, September 29th (aka a week from today!). If you buy the course during pre-sale, you’ll get the most benefits:
15% off the course with code HUSTLER15
entry to the kick-off group coaching call with me and other students
a personal strategy review via Loom, where I review your newsletter community or respond to a specific pain point
and the newsletter community onboarding playbook, where I’ll share templates for creating a welcome sequence to engage new community members.
The whole kit and kaboodle, available now.
P.S. Bonuses scale with speed. Pre‑order for 3 bonuses + a discount code. 72 hours after launch, the number of bonuses drops to 2. First week after launch, the number of bonuses drops to 1. After that, none.
You typically have more of one than the other: time or money. Whether you are time-rich, resource-rich, or capital-rich, here are some things to consider when deciding what to fix next:
Frequency – How often does this come up? If you frequently complain about a step in your workflow or process, make a note of it. If customers frequently mention confusion with a specific product feature, or part of your services/scope of work, prioritize an update or create an educational campaign around it.
Severity – Is it a minor annoyance or a dealbreaker? Track your sentiment changes over time. A frequent journal question I ask myself is, “What feels difficult or hard right now?” What would make it feel better or easier?
Impact – How does it affect customer retention, revenue, or brand perception? Proactively address potential issues and regularly share updates about how customer feedback has shaped your decisions. Whether it’s through newsletters, social posts, or direct outreach, transparency builds trust.
Address high-frequency, high-impact issues first. Of the issues you identify, ask yourself:
What must happen in the next 90 days to increase my pride, confidence, and excitement...while reducing my regret, lack, and worry?"
The top item that comes to mind? That’s your right next thing to focus on. If you’re like me and need to break this down into smaller chunks, here are some questions to ask yourself:
What am I proud of?
Where do I have regrets?
Where do I feel confident?
Where do I feel a sense of lack?
What excites me?
What worries me?
One thing I learned running a creative business is that most customer frustration has nothing to do with what actually happens. It has everything to do with what they thought was going to happen. If they expected three-day delivery on images and they show up in five, you failed. And while customer sentiment isn’t everything, it plays a huge part in customer retention and revenue sustainability. And those are things you need to feel good about the business you’re growing or the creative projects you’re working on. We have less than 100 days left in the year. What will you choose to focus on that will help propel you into 2026? Community and trust aren’t built overnight, but I have a blueprint to help you get started in the next 30 days. Join CommunityOS to get started.
