About this podcast
Welcome to Sequence Over Strategy, a show about small business entrepreneurship. Michelle Warner's goal is to help you find and trust your own sequence of actions rather than follow someone else's theoretical strategy. In every episode she takes a real challenge or question shared by real entrepreneurs like you, and figures out the right next action to take.
Together, you'll wrestle with the problem, examining your business to find solutions. And every time you'll walk away with a single tool or framework, you can apply to your own business. So stop looking for playbooks. Stop chasing strategy. Don't search for all the answers before you act. Act to find your answers.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 65 episodes
- Too Many “Should Be Doings” · 24 min · Episode 64Michelle talks about survivorship bias, the LinkedIn newsletter craze, and how to sort through all your ideas so you can actually plan next year without feeling guilty about…
- Should You Speak For Free? · 28 min · Episode 63Michelle tackles a question service-based business owners keep asking: should you get paid to speak, or is free okay? It all comes down to who’s in the room.
- Stuck? Look Back. · 22 min · Episode 62In this episode, Michelle breaks down why getting stuck with your messaging, product mix, marketing, or niche can be a sign that you skipped an earlier decision.
- Messy Middle of Networking · 26 min · Episode 61Michelle breaks down the four stages of relationship building - scouting, connecting, collaborating, and compounding - and explains how to move relationships forward without…
- Speed Costs You Lessons · 21 min · Episode 60In this episode, Michelle breaks down why small business growth shouldn’t look like a hockey stick and why a slower, more intentional “switchback” path can lead to something far…
- [Replay] Why Your Niche Feels Off · 22 min · Episode 59In this episode replay, Michelle breaks down why defining your ideal customer often leads to hesitation and second-guessing, even for experienced business owners.
- [Replay] When Free Is Smart · 31 min · Episode 58Michelle cuts through the noise and shows you the real question to ask: what job is this opportunity actually doing for your business?
- [Replay] Customer Maturity as Marketing Strategy · 25 min · Episode 57In this replay episode of Sequence Over Strategy, Michelle Warner unpacks the crucial concept of customer maturity and how it directly impacts your marketing success.
- [Replay] Rethinking Reciprocity in Business · 26 min · Episode 56In this replay episode of Sequence Over Strategy, Michelle breaks down why that way of thinking is holding you back and why real reciprocity rarely looks like a simple…
- [Replay] Why Asking Matters · 28 min · Episode 55In this replay episode of Sequence over Strategy, Michelle challenges that mindset and shows why asking is actually key to building strong relationships.
- [Replay] Power of Because · 25 min · Episode 54In this replay episode of Sequence Over Strategy, Michelle breaks down the 1978 "Copy Machine Study" by Harvard professor Ellen Langer, showing how providing a reason—no matter…
- Human Feedback Loop · 21 min · Episode 53In this episode, Michelle explores why relationship marketing isn't just a growth strategy; it's one of the fastest ways to test ideas, sharpen your messaging, and get real-world…
- Ask Small, Build Deep · 21 min · Episode 52The gap between meeting someone and having a real relationship with them isn't filled by time or small talk.
- Second Launch Problem · 19 min · Episode 51In this episode, Michelle breaks down exactly what's happening when your first offer flies and the next one stalls, using her three levers of business growth framework.
- Give Yourself a Job · 20 min · Episode 50Michelle gets into what to do when your networking momentum has stalled - not because the other person isn't interested, but because there's just no natural reason to keep…
- The Wrong Kind of More · 22 min · Episode 49In this episode, Michelle unpacks what she actually means when she says "double down on your marketing."
- Ethics of Earning · 21 min · Episode 48In this episode, Michelle gets real about the guilt so many business owners feel when the world is heavy and life feels bigger than revenue goals, marketing plans, or growth…
- The Truth About Pricing · 23 min · Episode 47In this episode, Michelle breaks down why pricing isn’t a standalone decision at all.
- Relationship Marketing Scorecard · 23 min · Episode 46Michelle breaks down why relationship marketing needs a totally different scorecard, using real examples (hello, bat colony email) that prove impact isn’t the same as reach.
- Why Your Niche Feels Off · 20 min · Episode 45In this episode, Michelle breaks down why defining your ideal customer often leads to hesitation and second-guessing, even for experienced business owners.
