How To Scale Your Business With A Many-to-Many Model
Written by: Gemma Went • October 05, 2023
Image Source: https://unsplash.com/@Microsoft Edge
If you've been exploring the labyrinth of online business growth, you'll have noticed that the focus is often on individual connections — one-to-one business models and one-to-many models.
But what if I told you that this approach, though seemingly fruitful, might be more of a hindrance than a highway to success?
I’m talking about business coaches, marketing advisors, sales gurus, and so on, who advocate for personalized services and one-to-one or one-to-many client models as the magic pill for expansion.
Yet, if you’re anything like me, you might start wondering:
Is this the only pathway to success? Won’t I run out of time? How is that scalable if I’m still the one doing everything?
Do I “need” to stick to the one-to-one or one-to-many model to scale and run a thriving business?
The reality? You don’t.
And frankly, this notion is often more exhausting than effective.
I’ve witnessed numerous clients grappling with this same sense of overwhelm, and I impart the same wisdom to them all —
Some might find prosperity in these models, but for others, it’s a recipe for exhaustion.
So, hold off on your expansion strategy for a moment, read what I’m about to share, and then see if you agree that this is the future of scaling businesses.
As a seasoned business mentor, I’ve seen businesses cripple under the weight of these models. It’s a demanding pathway that consumes time, energy and resources.
Today, I’m a strong advocate of the many-to-many model.
A model that doesn’t rely on just me to serve our clients, but allows me and my team to cater to multiple clients simultaneously.
It expands my reach, maximizes my potential, and most importantly, prevents burnout.
Let’s consider this simple scenario so I can illustrate my point…
Think of a chef running a private kitchen. This chef, let’s call him Gordon, offers personalized dining experiences. One client at a time, one meal at a time.
Sure, the food is exquisite, the service top-notch. But it’s only Gordon’s magic at play.
Now imagine if Gordon moves his magic to a restaurant setting, catering to multiple diners at once. More people experience his culinary expertise, and he earns more, without compromising on quality or service.
This is good, he’s expanded his reach.
But Gordon is still doing ALL the cooking.
Until he brings in other chefs to work alongside him, following his recipes and methods, but also bringing their own talent, creating an even better dining experience for more people.
As time goes on, his other chefs are so good, Gordon doesn’t need to cook as much. So he steps back and does other life things he’s always wanted to do, without affecting revenue.
This is precisely the shift I propose in your business model.
Here’s a truth bomb for you — the one-to-one model demands significant time and attention from both ends.
You pour all of your efforts into one client, neglecting the potential to serve many others simultaneously.
The time you could invest in business innovation, personal growth, or new ventures is instead confined within one-to-one interactions.
And it’s not just about your business… It’s about your clients too.
Imagine a client needing multiple services. With a one-to-one model, they need to find, hire, and manage various providers, which is overwhelming, to say the least.
You might be excellent at what you do, but is the burden of managing multiple one-to-one relationships worth it to your clients?
I’d argue it’s not.
Even if you move to a one-to-many model, after a time, the focus is still on you to deliver.
It’s time to shift the gears and consider the many-to-many model.
The buzzword these days is “scaling,” and rightly so.
You want growth. You want momentum. But the one-to-one model can make these goals seem like a distant dream.
The alternative? The many-to-many model.
Imagine a group coaching program where you can guide multiple clients simultaneously, or a product suite that serves hundreds, even thousands, at once, with a team of expert coaches and mentors serving those clients, ensuring they get the support they need.
You are still delivering value, possibly even more than before. But now, you’re doing it at scale.
This is the future of business growth… It’s time for the many-to-many model to take center stage.
This model offers a balance between providing value and achieving scale. It allows businesses to serve multiple customers at once, saving time and energy, all while increasing profit margins.
If you feel stifled by your business right now, it’s probably not because you’re incapable of managing it…
It’s simply because you’ve boxed yourself into a one-to-one or one-to-many model.
But now as you can see, you don’t need to limit yourself, and you don’t need to serve one client at a time.
Instead of holding onto these models, explore the many-to-many approach to help more people without you having to do it all.
Not only will it save you time and energy, but it will also amplify your growth.
And if you’re hesitant about making the switch, don’t be. You can choose to embrace the many-to-many model, just like I did. I run a many-to-many model in both signature programs and it changed the game for me.
In addition: If you’d like help in understanding where you currently stand in business, and how you could focus on scaling…
Grab my Free Business Simplification Tool.
It’s designed to help you understand where you are now in business and free up space, so that you can focus on scaling. In it, I dive deeper into the topics discussed here, as well as many others.
I hope this article has inspired you to embrace this unique approach (that very few people are talking about).
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