You don’t have a sales problem. You have a disconnect.
When your personal growth, client journey, and business strategy are out of sync, nothing works the way it should. You get effort without results, engagement without conversion, and clients who don’t fully transform.
This episode breaks down how the RISE framework aligns with your client journey and where most businesses quietly lose momentum. You’ll also learn how to identify your current stage of business so you can stop guessing and start fixing what actually matters.
What You’ll Learn
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How to align your marketing with real client transformation
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The hidden gaps that kill conversions in your business
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How to diagnose your business stage and next move
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Chapter List
00:02:34 Introduction and Series Context
00:04:25 Foundation and Alignment
00:05:45 RISE Framework Overview
00:06:59 Reveal Stage Discover and Connect
00:08:56 Release Stage Engage and Invite
00:11:53 Redefine Stage Convert and Experience
00:14:05 Rise Stage Refer and Return
00:16:18 Where Businesses Break Down
00:19:04 Four Stages of Business Overview
00:19:59 Figure It Out Stage
00:22:28 Work It Out Stage
00:24:40 Rock It Out Stage
00:26:08 Boss It Out Stage
00:27:32 Identifying Your Stage
00:29:38 What It Looks Like When It Works
00:32:09 Call to Action and Next Steps
Introduction and Series Context
00:02:34
Lori: Welcome back to the Midlife Business Academy. I’m Lori Lyons, marketing strategist, business coach, and accidental techie. And this is part two of a series I’m so excited about and I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. The last, I don’t know, 20 episodes or so, it’s all been building toward this episode.
In the last episode, we talked about disconnection, about what it looks and feels like when your personal transformation, your client’s journey, and your business stages are all operating independently instead of operating as one system. So if you haven’t listened to that one, go back and start there because it’s going to make this episode make a lot more sense for you.
So today we’re building the full picture. And like I said, I’m really excited about this one. We’re going to walk through the client journey stage by stage, map the RISE framework into it so you can see exactly how your transformation connects to how your clients move through your business. And then we’re going to layer in the four stages of business to figure it out, work it out, rock it out, and boss it out so you can look at your own business and know exactly where you are and what that means for what you should be doing now.
So this is the oh, that’s what I’ve been missing episode. Let’s get into it.
Foundation and Alignment
00:04:25
Lori: So before we start on the full picture, let’s reestablish the foundation from the last episode, because everything that we’re about to do builds on top of this.
Your business works, it really works, and not just occasionally converts, when these three things are aligned: who you’ve become, how your client moves through your business, and the stage your business is currently in.
Most people are treating these like three separate problems to solve. They’re working on their mindset over here, their marketing over there, and their business strategy somewhere else entirely. And because those things aren’t connected, the growth they’re getting in one area doesn’t translate into the others.
You have a massive personal breakthrough. You completely shift how you see yourself in your work, and it can make zero difference in your revenue if your business is still structured the way it was before that shift happened. That’s not a you problem. That’s a systems problem.
So let’s fix it.
RISE Framework Overview
00:05:45
Lori: So here’s where the RISE framework meets the client journey. You already know the RISE framework. Reveal, Release, Redefine, and Rise. That’s the internal process somebody goes through when they’re experiencing real transformation. They’re not just learning new information, but actually changing it at an identity level.
So what I want to show you today is how that same arc maps almost perfectly onto the journey your client takes through your business. And when you see this, when you really see this, you’re going to understand why some parts of your business are working and others aren’t.
Every stage of your client’s external journey corresponds to the stage of their internal transformation. The job of your marketing and your offers isn’t just to create awareness or drive conversions. It’s to guide someone through a genuine shift. You’re not just teaching, you’re guiding.
So let’s walk through it.
Reveal Stage Discover and Connect
00:06:59
Lori: The reveal stage is where someone starts to see what’s actually going on for them. Not the surface symptom they’re trying to fix, but the real thing underneath it.
In the context of your client’s journey, this is the discover and connect phase. It’s where they first encounter you, your content, maybe your podcast or social media, whatever that front door to your business looks like. And they have that feeling of recognition, that she’s talking about me feeling.
This is where your marketing either works or it doesn’t. You’re not pitching. You’re not listing features. You’re holding up a mirror and saying, here’s what I see. Here’s what’s actually going on.
If your marketing isn’t doing this, people will scroll past. Not because they’re not interested in what you do, but because they don’t see themselves in what you’re saying. You’re describing a solution before they’ve even recognized the problem.
The reveal stage isn’t about you. It’s about them finally being seen.
Release Stage Engage and Invite
00:08:56
Lori: The next stage is the release stage, and this corresponds to the engage and invite stage.
Now they’re leaning in. They’ve recognized themselves in your content. They’re listening more. They’re reading your emails. Something is starting to shift.
This is where they begin to let go of the stories and assumptions that have been keeping them stuck. The I’ve tried that before. That works for other people. I’m probably the exception. Those beliefs start to loosen.
Your job here is not to push. It’s to invite. Pushing sounds like pressure. Inviting sounds like showing them what’s possible and where to go next.
When this stage is working well, your audience grows and warms organically. When it’s not, you get engagement without conversion. And the fix is usually not a better offer. It’s that the release stage isn’t doing its job.
Redefine Stage Convert and Experience
00:11:53
Lori: Next is redefine, and this relates to the convert and experience stage.
This is where the real identity shift happens. Your clients stop seeing themselves as the person with the problem and start seeing themselves differently.
They say yes, they step into the offer, and now they’re doing the work. If your offer only delivers information, they may feel good but revert back. Transformation requires identity-level change.
When this stage works, clients get real, sustainable results. When it doesn’t, they like the experience, but nothing truly changes.
Rise Stage Refer and Return
00:14:05
Lori: The last step is the rise stage, and it correlates to refer and return.
This is when clients own their results. Not just achieve them, but own them. They understand their change and how to keep building on it.
This is where referrals naturally happen. Not because of a program, but because the transformation was real. This is also where repeat clients come from.
When this stage is missing, you’re stuck constantly finding new clients. It’s exhausting, expensive, and fixable.
Where Businesses Break Down
00:16:18
Lori: So where do businesses break down?
Most are skipping stages. Not intentionally, but because they were taught tactics, not journeys.
Skipping reveal means going straight to selling without connection. Skipping release means trying to sell to people who still don’t believe change is possible. Skipping rise means no referrals and constant starting over.
The solution isn’t a new strategy. It’s filling in the gaps.
Four Stages of Business Overview
00:19:04
Lori: Now let’s layer in the four stages of business: figure it out, work it out, rock it out, and boss it out.
Figure It Out Stage
00:19:59
Lori: Figure it out is the earliest stage. You’re still testing your message, learning your audience, and figuring out what works.
Your focus is front-end visibility. The trap is overbuilding too early. Your job is clarity: who you serve, what problem you solve, and how you convert.
Work It Out Stage
00:22:28
Lori: Work it out is where you get more intentional. You have proof of concept, but inconsistency remains.
You’re developing your journey. The trap is hustle. Your job is building infrastructure so the business doesn’t rely entirely on effort.
Rock It Out Stage
00:24:40
Lori: Rock it out is where things feel solid. Your message connects. Your offers convert. Clients get results.
The trap is thinking you’re done. Your job is creating an experience that drives referrals and repeat clients.
Boss It Out Stage
00:26:08
Lori: Boss it out is where everything works as a system. Referrals come in. Clients return. You’re not starting from zero.
The trap is complacency. Your job is to deepen and scale what already works.
Identifying Your Stage
00:27:32
Lori: So where are you now?
Be honest. If your message is unclear, you’re in figure it out. If you’re making money but can’t replicate it, you’re in work it out. If things work but rely on you, you’re in rock it out. If it’s system-driven, you’re in boss it out.
What It Looks Like When It Works
00:29:38
Lori: When everything aligns, your marketing feels natural. Your sales feel like clarity, not convincing. Your clients transform, not just learn.
Referrals happen organically because your work becomes part of your clients’ story.
That’s when your business truly works.
Call to Action and Next Steps
00:32:09
Lori: Here’s your action step. Figure out where you are. Look at your journey. Where is it strong? Where is it weak?
Pick the weakest link. That’s your next focus.
And if you need help, schedule a Profitable Path Blueprint call with me. You probably don’t need to build anything new. You just need to connect what you’ve already built.
The link is in the show notes. Come ready to work.
You’ve done the work on yourself. It’s time for your business to catch up. And remember, it’s never too late to build the business of your dreams. We’ll see you next time.