Ep 162: Why Growth Requires Slowing Down and Cutting Back with AJ Vaden [Highlight]

Mar 25

Why Growth Requires Slowing Down and Cutting Back with AJ Vaden [Highlight]

Scaling a membership business isn’t about doing more. In fact, sometimes the fastest way to grow is to slow down, cut back, and focus on what truly matters. Let’s talk about why simplifying your approach is essential to amplifying your impact, and how clarity can help you create sustainable growth in your membership.

Why Simplification Matters for Growth

If you feel stuck in your membership business, it’s often because you’re doing too much. Too many programs, too many offers, too many audiences—it all leads to diluted focus. And as personal branding expert AJ Vaden says:

"Diluted focus always gets diluted results."

In today’s fast-paced world of shiny objects and endless opportunities, it’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to do it all. But scaling isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing less with greater clarity.

The Foundation for Growth: Ask the Right Questions

When your membership feels stagnant, it’s time to revisit the foundational questions:

What am I doing this for?
What do I want to be known for?
Who am I serving?
What problem am I solving?
How do I uniquely solve it?
How do I want to make money solving it?

Skipping these foundational questions is like building a house without a blueprint—it might stand for a while, but it won’t sustain growth.

Simplify Before You Amplify

To amplify your membership’s growth, you need clarity. Here’s what that looks like:

1. Declutter Your Offerings

If you’re offering too many programs or revenue streams, it’s time to cut back. Focus on your core offerings—the ones that deliver the most value and align with your goals.

2. Clarify Your Audience

Are you serving people in your community who aren’t the right fit? If you’re dreading certain client interactions, it’s a sign you need to narrow your focus.

Your audience should be people you’re excited to serve, not just anyone who fits a broad profile.

3. Refine Your Messaging

Simplify what you’re saying, who you’re saying it to, and where you’re saying it. If you’re speaking to multiple audiences or spreading your message across too many platforms, your impact will be diluted.

Case Study: Why Saying “No” Helps You Grow

AJ Vaden shared a powerful example from her work with Lewis Howes. At one point, Lewis was saying “yes” to everything—a coaching program, a mastermind, a podcast, a TV show, speaking engagements, and more.

The result? Dilution. By trying to do it all, he was stretching himself too thin to make a real impact. The solution was to cut back, simplify his focus, and pour energy into the areas that mattered most.

Practical Steps to Simplify and Scale

1. Reassess Your Platforms

Not every audience lives online. AJ shared the example of someone targeting hedge fund managers, where social media wasn’t the best approach. Instead, they focused on networking, joining associations, and getting referrals.

Ask yourself:

Where are my people?
How can I meet them where they are?

2. Identify Your Flame

What’s the one thing you want to focus on? By pouring all your energy into one core message or program, you’ll see far greater results than trying to spread yourself thin across multiple ideas.

My Own Simplification Journey

Even as a membership consultant, I’m guilty of spreading myself too thin. Recently, I’ve been revisiting my marketing plan to focus on what matters most—my two core programs, Cultivate and Retain.

If I’m not talking about those two, I am wasting my time. Simplifying my focus has allowed me to serve my audience better and grow my impact.

The Bottom Line: Focus Creates Growth

If you’re feeling stuck in your membership business, ask yourself:

What do I need to cut back on?
Where can I simplify?
How can I create more clarity for my audience and myself?

When you simplify before you amplify, you’ll find that growth becomes not just possible, but inevitable.

Ready to take your membership to the next level? Start by simplifying your focus and clarifying your goals. For more insights on scaling and retention, check out my free guide at retainguide.com.

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Shana Lynn