In this episode of Business Coaching Secrets, Karl Bryan and Rode Dog shake up their usual format by bringing on Karl Diffenderfer—a top-performing business coach and longtime member of the Focused.com coaching team. Karl ("KD") shares candid insights into his journey, his biggest client successes (including taking a client from $1 to $5 million in revenue), his struggles with perfectionism and execution, and the systems and mindsets that have fueled his record-breaking months. This episode is a masterclass in overcoming loneliness, leveraging systems, and taking consistent action as a business coach.

Key Topics Covered

Karl Diffenderfer's Path to Rockstar Coaching

• KD discusses his 11+ years in coaching, the transition from dabbling in multiple coaching niches (life, spiritual, leadership) to focusing exclusively on business coaching, and how joining Focused.com ("the perfect fit for me") turbo-charged his growth with superior systems and the Profit Acceleration Software.

Turning Struggles Into Success: The Power of Execution

• KD opens up about a tough lesson he learned from his own coach—how making excuses and blaming external factors held him back from results. When his coach (with confirmation from his wife) pointed it out, it became a pivotal moment to take radical ownership for his outcomes.

• He warns against being trapped in "perpetual system-building" and perfectionism. "I was always building…but not executing"—that was killing both his results and list engagement.

Systems—But Not at the Expense of Action

• Building systems is crucial, but success only comes when you implement, refine, and stick with them until they actually deliver. KD shares how procrastination often shows up as tweaking systems, rather than using them.

• "Pick a small piece of the big vision, execute it well, then add the next piece—rather than waiting till everything's perfect."

Lead Generation: Hunting vs. Farming

• KD distinguishes between "farming" (broad social media, waiting for inbound leads) and "hunting" (deliberate outreach, speaking, networking, live events, and joint ventures).

• He recommends an 80/20 focus: 80% of your time on hunting, 20% farming—especially early on. Examples: joint venture partnerships with attorneys, CPAs, and payroll processors; offering to coach them for free to build relationships and referrals.

Service First, Scarcity Mindset, and Client Retention

• KD often coaches key joint venture partners for free, in exchange for introductions and to master his craft. "I cared more about bringing value than the money. The money came later."

• He sets proactive expectations: scarcity (only a couple client slots), and a requirement (written into agreements) that if value slips, clients must let him know—plus a 30-day notice period to "right the ship" and retain the relationship.

• He emphasizes meeting clients where they're at, letting them process at their pace, and guiding them patiently—even when they're not ready for the advice they most need.

Investing in Yourself and the Virtuous Growth Loop

• KD invests profits back into his business, whether staff, advertising, or his own coaching. Coaches who constantly learn, grow, and maintain passion retain clients longer and attract higher fees.

Notable Quotes

• "If any of us have arrived, well, then we're not really a good coach. We have to be coachable ourselves."

• "I spent years building my own systems and I didn't even get close to what's inside the Profit Acceleration Software. I wish I'd found it sooner."

• "At the end of the day, I wasn't taking responsibility for my results."

• "Too many coaches love to build things, but don't love to execute things."

• "I sat on a database of 5,000 people, never organized it, sent out one email, got tons of unsubscribes. My perfectionism was getting in my own way."

• "Start small—execute one piece well, then add the next. Don't try to do it all at once."

• "You want to have 80% of your lead gen be hunting—public speaking, events, joint ventures—and 20% be farming like social media."

• "I cared more about bringing value and helping the world than I did about money. The money came later."

• "If I'm not learning and growing as a coach, I'm in the process of losing my clients."

Actionable Takeaways

Take Radical Ownership: Stop blaming systems, markets, or leads. Look in the mirror and take full responsibility for your outcomes.

Move from Building to Executing: Stop perfecting your systems and start executing—even if it's just one small part. Refine as you go, don't wait for "ready."

Hunt for Leads Relentlessly: Prioritize proactive outreach—speaking, live events, networking, and JV partnerships over passive social media farming, especially early on.

Offer Value First (Even Free): Coaching referral partners and joint venture contacts for free builds your skills and delivers referrals—don't fear "giving away" your expertise.

Use Scarcity and Set Clear Agreements: Limit client slots, write into your contract that clients must speak up if they feel value is lacking, and require a notice period. This gives you time to fix issues and retain clients.

Meet Clients Where They Are: Guide patiently at their pace, align with their motivations, and ask probing questions to reveal their real pains—don't force your agenda.

Invest in Your Own Growth: Keep hiring mentors and reinvesting in your business, even (especially) as you scale higher. Your passion and progress will directly affect client loyalty.

Resources Mentioned

- Profit Acceleration Software (by Karl Bryan) - Focused.com Coaching Community - BNI (Business Network International) & Local Networking Groups - Joint Venture Referral Partners: Business Attorneys, CPAs, Payroll Processors, Bookkeepers, Credit Card Processors

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, share with a fellow coach, and drop a review! See you next week on Business Coaching Secrets!

Ready to accelerate your coaching business? Listen to this episode now and take your next step. Visit Focused.com for more about Profit Acceleration Software™ and join our thriving community.

Get a demo now: https://go.focused.com/profit-acceleration

👉 Karl Bryan gets clients for business coaches. Period.

For more proven strategies to attract clients, fill events, and close high-fee deals, visit: https://go.focused.com/profit-acceleration

👇 Claim your free subscription to The Six-Figure Coach magazine: https://thesixfigurecoach.com/get-it

🔥 Subscribe, rate & share the show: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1477099279

🚀 Created by Karl Bryan, Founder of The Six-Figure Coach Magazine and developer of Profit Acceleration Software™—helping coaches and consultants get more clients.

Get a demo of Profit Acceleration Software™ today: https://go.focused.com/profit-acceleration