Trust the System: The Business Coach’s Secret to Predictable Profits

Let’s talk straight, coach. Are you spinning your wheels, jumping from one shiny new idea to the next?

Do you secretly envy coaches who reel in high-fee clients and keep them for the long haul, while you find yourself stuck in the “feast-or-famine” cycle?

Grab a coffee and settle in, because today, we’re unpacking a concept that separates the pros from the pretenders: Trust the System.

Why “Trust the System” Isn’t Just Military Jargon

If you listened to BCS-227, you’ll know that Don Van Pool, a seasoned coach with a military background, gets this at a cellular level. In the military, trusting the system isn’t optional. Why? Because chaos is guaranteed without a proven, repeatable operating system.

Business is no different.

Think about it: when a client’s world is on fire, revenues down, staff maxed, chaos everywhere, they don’t need another “guru” with more ideas. They need a roadmap that’s been stress-tested, refined by the experience of thousands, and ready for real-world implementation.

The Danger of “Creative” Chaos

Let’s face it: coaches are creative types. We like to tinker. But what Don nailed on the show is that creativity without constraints is a liability, not an asset. The fastest way to sabotage your coaching business is to treat every engagement like a blank slate.

Stop trying to reinvent the wheel. Get creative inside the system, not outside it.

Let me tell you what that looks like:

• Outside the system: You jump on every new tactic you see on LinkedIn. This week, it’s Instagram funnels. Next week, it’s AI everything. The only thing you’re consistently building is your anxiety.
• Inside the system: You rely on proven frameworks, methods built to work with businesses of every shape and size, and use your creativity to tailor solutions, not invent problems.

The Downside of System-Skipping

Plenty of ambitious coaches sign up for platforms, buy programs, and then… they drift. They get seduced by the next “big thing,” ignore the process, and end up back at square one, frustrated and overwhelmed.

Why?

• Systems look boring from the outside.
• Progress feels “slow” (hint: it’s not, it’s just predictable).
• There’s always someone hawking a shortcut on social media.

But look at every top performer in any field. Football teams have playbooks. Pilots have checklists. The best business coaches have an operating system. Period.

How “Trust the System” Translates to Cash in the Bank

Let’s get into the weeds on what it means to trust a system as a business coach. Here’s how you operationalize it, both for yourself and for your clients.

1. Pick ONE System and Go All-In

Don’t dabble. Whether you’re building your business or coaching a client, overwhelm thrives in indecision. Pick a system: sales process, marketing stack, fulfillment framework. Master it before layering anything new.

Don Van Pool said it took him six years to realize that mastery beats curiosity. When he locked into a coaching system, he not only signed bigger clients but landed contracts as high as $120,000 from billion-dollar companies.

2. Practice Consistent Reps, The Tom Brady Principle

Don didn’t start at the top. He coached, coached, and coached some more, sometimes for as little as $100 a month. Why? Because every rep built skill, confidence, and a track record. Practice delivers predictability.

Run sessions (even at a lower fee when you’re starting) to sharpen your process. With each client, you build both testimonials and muscle memory.

3. Systemize for Scale (Not Just for You)

A true system isn’t just for your own sanity; it’s your client’s secret weapon. When you install it in their business, you give them a foundation for delegation, scale, and profit.

• No more flying blind on lead gen.
• No more random acts of marketing.
• No more “hope” as a management strategy.

Don runs his OWN business through the same Jumpstart 12 framework every year. It’s not just theory, it’s the foundation for laser focus and fast iteration.

4. Create Value BEFORE Asking for Value

Joint ventures have a longer sales cycle. Don’t show up as the “Grinch” asking for referrals and scraps. Be Santa Claus, bring gifts first. Refer business. Make yourself indispensable. THEN have the JV conversation.

5. Get Creative WITHIN the System

Never mistake structure for stagnation. True creativity happens inside constraints. Use the frameworks as a springboard, not a straitjacket.

The Focused.com group coaching software. Follow the content path, but layer your own voice and insights. The result? More impact, less overwhelm.

Boredom and FOMO

Let’s address the elephant in the room: systems can feel boring. Progress doesn’t always feel “exciting” when it’s steady and reliable.

Recalibrate your brain to crave progress, not novelty. That “boring” system is why some coaches have 6-figure months while others hop from lead magnet to lead magnet, praying something sticks.

ACTION STEPS

• Audit Your Current Habits: Are you system-jumping? Make a list of every methodology you’ve “tried” in the past 12 months.
• Pick ONE Operating System: Commit 90 days to mastering it, no new distractions.
• Track Results Relentlessly: Use your system to get client wins (and testimonials), not just to organize your files.
• Review Your Own Business: Run yourself through the same process you sell to others. If it works for you, you’ll evangelize authentically.
• Show Up as Santa Claus: Bring value in every relationship. Watch referrals and joint ventures multiply.

The Real Payoff

The ultimate advantage? Confidence. When you know your process works, uncertainty melts away. Your clients see it. You close more deals. And you graduate from “hustling” to scaling.

Ready to install a profit-boosting system that works with any small business? I built an operating system that can transform both your practice and your client’s bottom line.
Book a call to learn more and get started today.