“You don’t get results by focusing on results. You get results by focusing on the habits and behaviors that produce results.” — Mike Hawkins.

My son’s high school football coach says this to his team every day, though he puts it a little differently: “Pound the rock.”

It’s on banners and shirts, in locker room speeches, and scrawled across practice notes. Every drill, every rep, every play; pound the rock.

The phrase comes from a story about a stonecutter who hammers away at a rock a hundred times with no visible change. Then, on the 101st blow, the rock splits open, not because of that final strike, but because of all the ones that came before it.

That’s the real secret to growth, in sports, in business, and in branding.

You don’t win by staring at the scoreboard. You win by doing the work that gets you there.

And for solopreneurs and small business owners, that means showing up, again and again, in ways that build visibility, trust, and connection. Momentum isn’t magic. It’s discipline.

Sales Is a Habit, Not a Hustle

I’ve never considered myself a “sales guy.” But when you work for yourself, sales isn’t optional; it’s survival.

Over the years, I’ve learned something simple but powerful: selling is just another version of pounding the rock. It’s about consistent effort, not sudden genius.

Every time you reach out, follow up, or pitch your services, you’re building a muscle, and that muscle is trust.

“Most solopreneurs quit too early. They send one email, don’t hear back, and move on. But the fortune is in the follow-up.”

Sales success doesn’t come from a perfect script. It comes from confidence, empathy, and follow-through. Most solopreneurs quit too early. They send one email, don’t hear back, and move on. But the fortune is in the follow-up.

Rejection isn’t personal unless you make it personal. And “no” doesn’t always mean never; sometimes it just means “not yet.”

When you keep showing up professionally, calmly, and consistently, your prospects start to remember you as someone reliable, not desperate. Over time, that reliability becomes brand equity.

Networking Without an Agenda

Too many people think networking means pitching, promoting, or handing out business cards. I used to believe that too.

But the best opportunities I’ve ever had didn’t come from cold outreach or campaigns. They came from conversations, the unplanned kind where you just catch up with someone, share ideas, and ask how you can help.

That’s the quiet power of networking: building trust through genuine connection.

The best form of marketing isn’t a polished elevator pitch. It’s curiosity. When you reach out to someone simply to reconnect, with no hidden agenda, it stands out. It’s rare.

Try it: reach out to one person this week just to see how they’re doing. No pitch. No ask. Just a genuine “Hey, it’s been a while.”

That’s brand strategy at the relationship level. It reinforces who you are, not just what you sell.

Consistency Beats Complexity

Every small business owner I meet wants better marketing results. So they try to do more: post more, chase trends, spread themselves across every platform, all while spending less.

But the truth is, marketing isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters, consistently.

Your audience doesn’t need to see you everywhere. They need to see you regularly, in the right places, with a clear message that reinforces who you are, what you do, and why it matters.

Momentum builds visibility. Visibility builds trust. And trust drives growth.

It’s not about funnels or algorithms. It’s about rhythm.

Find the cadence you can sustain: a blog every two weeks, a newsletter every month, one social post a day, and stick with it. That’s how brands are built in the real world: through repetition and reliability.

Consistency isn’t boring; it’s branding. Every touchpoint teaches your audience what to expect from you. Every consistent act builds memory and credibility.

Referrals: The Trust Dividend

If consistency is the habit, and relationships are the method, referrals are the reward.

Referrals are every small business owner’s favorite kind of magic: a new client who shows up because “a friend told me about you.”

It feels organic, authentic, and effortless, but it’s not luck. It’s the natural result of a brand built on trust.

When someone refers you, they’re not just recommending your work; they’re lending you their reputation. That kind of trust only happens when your brand is clear, consistent, and memorable.

How do you build that?

• Do great work (that’s the baseline).
• Ask for referrals (most happy clients just need a nudge).
• Show gratitude (thank-yous turn one referral into many).

Referrals aren’t random. They’re earned through every experience you deliver. They’re the compound interest of consistency.

Keep Pounding the Rock

Brand strategy isn’t just a logo, a tagline, or a marketing plan. It’s a system for consistency, a way to make sure every swing counts.

If you’re showing up regularly with clarity, empathy, and value, the results will come. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but they will.

Every post, every follow-up, every conversation, that’s one more strike of the hammer.

And one day, the rock will split, not because of one lucky blow, but because of the hundred steady ones before it.

So today, whatever you’re building, your business, your reputation, your pipeline, keep swinging. Keep showing up. Keep pounding the rock.

Because momentum is the strategy.

Want help finding your rhythm?

That’s exactly what my BrandTherapy sessions are for — helping solopreneurs and founder-led businesses build sustainable marketing habits that create real momentum. Learn more here.