Why Clarity Is the Decision Making Superpower for Entrepreneurs Right Now

Let’s get one thing straight—your business isn’t suffering because you don’t post enough on Instagram or because your website isn’t “perfect.” It’s not even the economy (okay, maybe a little). The real culprit? Lack of clarity. In other words, the inability to confidently make decisions about what to do next when something changes.

Clarity isn’t some fluffy, feel-good buzzword. It’s your secret weapon. Your compass in the chaotic world of entrepreneurship. Without it, you’re just another business owner spinning their wheels, playing trial and error slot machine marketing, stuck in the same “I just need more sales” loop.

The real power behind clarity is that it gives you the superpower to cut through the noise and make quick and confident decisions about what to do, where, when and how.

Curious about how to get some? I asked my community of small business owners and experts to tell me what most gets in their way when it comes to clarity and to share their best tips. Their insights were not only eye-opening but also downright brilliant. As their advice rolled in, I noticed a pattern that inspired the C.L.A.R.I.T.Y. framework—a fun, actionable way to finally see your business through a crystal-clear lens.

C: Customer-Centric

Here’s a harsh truth: if you think “everyone is my customer,” you’re marketing to no one.

I see it all the time—entrepreneurs desperately casting their nets too wide, hoping to catch anyone. Guess what happens? You blend in. No one sees you.

Your ideal customer isn’t everyone; it’s someone. Narrowing your focus helps you craft messages that stick. Victoria Grey-Allen from AMP3 Notary Solutions captured this perfectly: “If an idea stays in your head, it never becomes a goal.”

It’s the same with your customer—having an “I’ll know them when I see them” attitude simply isn’t clear enough. It’s like having a party and instead of sending a clear invitation that specifies the date, time, address, and dress code you just send everyone the alphabet! It doesn’t work.

Brian Moran of Small Business Edge adds, “Clarity is having as close to a 360-degree view of your ecosystem as possible. It’s very hard to see everything on your own, so you need advisors and mentors who can offer perspectives you might miss.”

Your Action Plan:

Create a detailed customer persona. Think demographics, pain points, and what keeps them up at night. Then, tailor your offerings like you’re speaking directly to them—because you are.

My favorite way to do this is to head over to a book store (yes, a building where they sell books and magazines). Go over to their magazine section, and then put yourself in your customer’s shoes and start picking the magazines they would buy or read. It doesn’t have to be in your industry, just pick what you think your ideal customer would be interested the most.

What you’ll get is MILLIONS of dollars worth of research in the form of topics, pain points, products, colors, headlines, fonts and so much more. Buy a few of these and build a collage of your ideal customer.

L: Laser-Focused Goals

Raise your hand if you’ve started 15 projects and finished exactly none. (I’m raising my hand too.)

Without focus, you’re a hamster on a wheel—busy but going nowhere. Clifford Latshaw from Gastro Rejuvenator summed it up perfectly: “Cut through the clutter by focusing on what truly matters.”

Brian Moran has another gem of wisdom: “Maintaining clarity means executing in the weeds of your business but also taking time to go to the clouds and get a 20,000-foot view. Business changes, the world changes, and plans change.”

I want to add something here. Don’t just pull your goals and objectives out of your hiney. Your brain is smart. So make sure that your goals and objectives come from a place of knowledge. And that knowledge comes from doing your research and your homework.

You should clearly understand the following:

• Your industry and your market. The size of the market, the players, the customers, how and why the players were successful.
• Who are the potential customers, what are their demographics and psychographics. What’s missing that would blow the roof off their lives. How can you transform their experiences with the problem that you solve.
• What alternatives do they have to choose from. How do those alternatives compare to your solution.

It’s not just knowing this information, it’s integrating this information into your very being and living of your business. This is what generates confidence and clarity.

Your Action Plan:

Set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). For example, instead of saying, “I need more sales,” try, “I’ll increase email conversions by 15% in 60 days.” Clarity loves specifics.

Another way to do this is to start with a general goal “I need more sales” and then break that down into more specific objectives.  Still struggling? I’ve created a list of marketing objectives to choose from. 

A: Actionable Strategies

Dreams are cute. Strategies get results.

Without a roadmap, you’ll end up somewhere—just not where you want to be. Harriet Uzzi of Apostle Lia Lorylyce Foundation shared how her team stays on track: “We anchor every day in our mission, then align our actions with it. That’s what keeps us moving forward.”

Choosing strategies to achieve your goals and objectives is very different today than it was in the past — heck, even 5 years ago! There are too many options, too many tools, too many marketers trying to sell you their solutions as if it’s some silver bullet. This is where your getting clear superpower really comes into play.

Armed with your research and your focus, you’re going to choose a strategy. Here’s the great news: there are only 3 marketing strategies; content marketing, direct marketing, and advertising. That’s awesome because inside each of these strategies are millions of options and permutations that you can start with and shift to without throwing your entire marketing plan out of whack.

Your Action Plan:

Take the Marketing Superpower Quiz — this will give you a starting point and tell you which marketing strategy is best for you.

Use a “Stop/Start/Continue” list. What should you stop doing (ineffective tactics)? Start doing (new experiments)? Continue doing (what’s working)? Simple, but it works.

R: Resilience

When we talk about resilience, we’re talking about recovering quickly. And today, that’s more important than ever. Social platforms come and go, email rules and regulations change, and then there’s just — human beings and their irrational behavior.

I ran across this wonderful quote from Pam Sherman, Writer, Actor, and Leadership Consultant:

“Clarity isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about staying the course when the road gets bumpy. Resilience is your ability to adapt, pivot, and keep moving.”

Clifford Latshaw, a member of my community really brings it home: “Resilience isn’t just about calming the chaos; it’s about building focus and strength to power through it.”

When you have foundational clarity around your business, your customer, and your offer it’s infinitely easier to shift, bob, weave and get up again — no matter what the market environment throws at you.

Your Action Plan:

Start a resilience ritual. Journal about wins (even tiny ones), reflect on challenges, and note what you’re learning. It’ll keep your head clear when things go sideways.

I: Impact-Driven

People don’t buy products; they buy solutions. They buy outcomes. If you’re not making an impact, why should anyone care?

Harriet Uzzi asks, “What’s your unique value?” Your job is to figure that out and shout it from the rooftops.

Your Action Plan:

Revisit your mission statement. How does your business make life better for your customers? Build your messaging around that and make it impossible for people to ignore you.

T: Time Management

You know what kills clarity faster than anything? Saying yes to too much.

Lisa Bell of LisaMBell.com nailed it when she said, “Saying ‘yes’ to too many things creates guilt and drains focus. Learn to say ‘no’ to protect your time.”

Your Action Plan:

Adopt the Eisenhower Matrix. Sort tasks into urgent/important, not urgent/important, etc. Then guard your calendar like a hawk.

Y: Your Unique Value

Let’s get real—what sets you apart? If you don’t know, how will anyone else?

Victoria Grey-Allen puts it beautifully: “Moving from an idea to a goal takes courage because it means owning your value and delivering on it.”

Your Action Plan:

Craft a one-sentence value proposition. Start with “I help [specific audience] achieve [specific outcome] by [your method].” Make it short, sweet, and memorable.

WARNING: Avoid the Clarity Tax

While doing some searching on clarity for your business, I ran into this amazing post by David Flaing on LinkedIn — he warns everyone of using a lack of clarity as an excuse and paying what he calls a clarity tax.

The clarity tax shows up when:
• Research becomes resistance
• Planning prevents progress
• Learning loops replace action
• “Getting ready” never ends

I see this a lot, and I have to admit that I’ve gotten caught up with it as well. All you have to do is make sure that you are clear on the most important things and don’t get stuck on researching and analyzing because you’ll never have perfect information.

Clarity is the Game Changer

When you prioritize clarity, everything changes. Decisions get easier. Marketing feels less like guesswork. And your customers? They’ll see you for the powerhouse you are.

So, are you ready to unlock your superpower? Start with one step today. As Jan Carlos says, “Action creates momentum, and momentum reveals clarity.” Let’s go!