5 Secret Formulas for Business Success (Any Career!)
Every business revolves around money—whether show business or small business. But how do you personally decide when and where to spend your hard-earned cash?
Success in any field requires these five formulas. The question is: how can you apply them to your creative career or business?
Formula no. 1Business = K.L.T. + W.O.M.
We do business with brands we know, like, and trust (the K.L.T. factor).
Think of Apple, Geico, or Starbucks. You know them, like them (or even LOVE them), and they've built your trust through consistent quality products and experiences. The K.L.T. factor is something they've earned over time. It’s why you're ready to spend $6 on a cup of coffee or $1600 on a new phone.
But here's the “secret” part: we also do business based on word-of-mouth (W.O.M.). You trust your friends' recommendations, referrals, or reviews the most.
Think about the last time you went to a new restaurant, chose a movie, or bought a book. Was it mostly because of marketing and advertising (K.L.T.)? Or was it based on reviews from friends or even strangers (W.O.M.)?
Both K.L.T. and W.O.M. are essential to business success. However, in the long-term, garnering positive word-of-mouth is much more effective and economical.
Here's the challenge: Building K.L.T. takes time and money. But word-of-mouth? W.O.M. is your magic wand!
how do you create word-of-mouth?
It's not just about your work product—it's also about the process (or experience) of working with you and who you are as a person.
The number one way to create positive word-of-mouth is simple: Take the best care of yourself first.
When you show up as the best version of yourself, the process becomes more enjoyable for everyone. That leads to better products, stronger relationships, and the kind of reputation that generates referrals.
Work to be sensational at what you do, but don't forget to be a sensational person and make the process sensational, too.
Formula No. 2 Booking = Marketing + Networking
If you want to book more work, you need both marketing and networking. They're both essential at every level of your career.
At the Broadway opening night party for On Your Feet, a Tony Award-winning director disclosed to me that he had to work the room to find producers for his next project—and he hated it. Still, he was aware that both marketing and networking are non-negotiables for booking the next gig.
Here's how they connect to Formula #1:
Marketing = K.L.T. (making it easy for people to know, like, and trust you)
Networking = W.O.M. (creating new recommendations, referrals, and reviews)
Both are necessary. Both work together to book you the next job!
Formula No. 3Results = Reputation + Relationships
Most artists cringe at words like "marketing" and "networking." So let's reframe them!
This gentler formula comes from the incredible Dallas Travers:
Marketing = working on your reputation
Networking = working on relationships
Your reputation and relationships create direct results in your business.
R.O.I. (return on investment) is a business term for measuring what you get back from what you put in. Are your investments of time, energy, and money returning the results you want? Could nurturing your reputation and relationships create better results? Absolutely!!!
Formula NO. 4 Career = Charisma + Connection
We can't always control our results, reputation, or relationships.
But you can control your character. To me, charisma is simply sharing the best part of your character.
Start by focusing on how you share yourself online. This can really make or break your reputation, relationships, and career. It’s also an easy way to leverage the limited resources of time, money, and energy we all have — digital marketing and networking is scalable.
That being said, you can only maintain so many close, personal, and real relationships. As your career grows, focus on connection—maintaining quality relationships at scale (while nurturing offline relationships with your VIPs).
For better or worse, social media eliminated obstacles of time and distance between people. You can nurture relationships online through likes, comments, shares, and authentic interaction. Through time and repetition of genuine engagement, it's quite easy to turn online connections into offline relationships—whether that's coffee with one V.I.P. influencer or getting thousands of fans to buy tickets to your show.
Online and offline, it's about connecting with another human being. Keep sharing your unique charisma and nurturing connection (focused on the 1:1 — even at scale) until it forms a real bond.
Formula No. 5 Success = Consistency + Persistency
Success is rarely overnight or permanent. You could have a hugely successful film, show, or book—but then what do you do next?
Sustaining success requires consistency. Show up regularly with your best work and genuine connection. Think of it as a practice, like daily warm-ups or vocal exercises.
Early in your career, you’ll likely do everything yourself. But as you grow, focus on building your team and repeatable systems. The key isn't working harder—it's working smarter. Eventually, your reputation and brand work for you. Your definition of success will evolve, too—and that's exactly as it should be.
Did you notice that all five formulas are connected?
Consistency (Charisma, Reputation, Marketing, K.L.T.)
+
Persistency (Connection, Relationships, Networking, Word-of-Mouth)
=
Success (Career, Results, Bookings, Business)
Want to Go Deeper?
Enter The Business Blueprint
These five formulas are just the beginning. Inside my FREE video masterclass, I walk you through not only these entrepreneurship principles, but also the five stages to design your future—using the digital tools at your fingertips to change your business, amplify your career, and leave a lasting legacy.
