Ep: 114 - Designing Your Signature Method for Scalability with Jason Van Orden
What if your most valuable asset isn’t your time, but your unique way of thinking?
In this episode of Scaling Expertise, I chat with business strategist and OG podcaster Jason Van Orden to talk about building a business that scales beyond your hours and your inbox.
Jason has been turning ideas into scalable assets since launching his first podcast in 2005 (yes, really). Today, he helps consultants and coaches package their knowledge into branded methods and systems that create real leverage—and real impact. We talk about why your signature method is more than just marketing—it’s your filter, framework, and freedom. How to detach your business from your presence and turn your ideas into repeatable assets. What traps to avoid when you serve too broadly, and how to position yourself to attract premium clients who buy into your method, not just your minutes.
If you’ve ever wondered how to turn your expertise into intellectual property that can scale—without losing your voice or burning out—this one’s for you.
Key Takeaways:
Create a Signature Method: Your method isn’t just a framework—it’s a strategic filter that helps you stay focused and aligned.
Detach Value from Time: To scale, you must shift from selling access to you, to selling results through a system.
Define Who You Serve Best: Narrowing your ideal client and solution makes growth simpler, not smaller.
Systematize Your IP: Organizing your knowledge into processes allows for more impact with less burnout.
Your Voice Matters: Even if your approach uses common tools, your perspective and values make it unique—and that’s worth branding.
Resources Mentioned:
🎁 Free Worksheet: Signature Method Framework
📩 Join Jason’s newsletter (via website)
Charity: Girls Who Code
Connect with Erin to learn how to Turn Your Expertise into Scalable Recurring Revenue.
Erin's LinkedIn Page: www.linkedin.com/in/erinaustin/
Scaling Expertise YouTube Page: https://www.youtube.com/@Scalingexpertise
More About Our Guest
Jason Van Orden
Jason helps coaches and consultants grow their businesses by creating offers that scale without overloading their time and energy. Since 2004, Jason has worked with over 10,000 entrepreneurs and created more than 60 online courses and programs. In 2005, he launched the first-ever internet marketing podcast, Internet Business Mastery, which spent a decade as a top ten business podcast.
Find Our Guest
Music credit: Paphos by Mountaineer
A Team Dklutr production
Blog Transcript:
Erin Austin: Hello everyone. Welcome to this week's edition of Scaling Expertise, where we talk to experts who have scaled their expertise and also can give you tips about how you can scale yours. So this week I'm very excited for my guest, Jason Van Orden. Welcome Jason.
Jason Van Orden: Hi, you're in. So good to be here. Thank you.
Erin Austin: Yeah, I mean, we talk about a lot of the same things. We want to help experts, maximize the volume of their expertise. I think this gonna be a great conversation. Lots of good nuggets for everyone, and frankly, since I'm, I. Always in the, process of trying to maximize my expertise. You're the perfect person for me to talk to as well.
Wonderful. Wonderful. So I'll, I'll be, trying to get some free advice at the same time that we have this conversation.
Jason Van Orden: Perfect. Perfect. Let's do it.
Erin Austin: know, one of the things I noticed about you is that you launched a podcast in 2005. Is this a true.
Podcast Pioneer to Strategic Growth Expert
Jason Van Orden: Is this? Yeah. Yeah, it was. I launched a couple of podcasts.
In fact, I launched three podcasts in 2005 because I was so curious and fascinated. Now, the short of the story is that one of them, took off unexpectedly and became a top 10 business show within a couple of years, and, became my primary business when that was not at all what I expected. It was just a friend and I.
Getting on and talking about our internet businesses and how we were trying to carve our own path as entrepreneurs, former employees, and I guess it resonated. that was a huge turning point in my entrepreneurial journey was, gaining that audience. Mm-hmm. And so, yeah, I'm a big fan of podcasts as a way to get the word out and grow an audience and connect with people.
And, don't have an active podcast right now, but I Sure. Like going on other people's podcasts.
Erin Austin: Yeah. That's great. And when I think about 2005, I'm like, did I even know there were podcasts in 2005?
Jason Van Orden: Right. I
Erin Austin: don't think I did.
Jason Van Orden: Well, the joke that I say is that sometimes when I first found out about podcasting at the beginning of 2005, I searched for it and Google, I'm like, what is this word?
And Google tried to correct me because it was like, do you mean fly? You know, Google used to say, do you mean like, you mean fly casting or, because it didn't know what podcasting was yet. Um, oh, that's crazy. Very different world now though.
Erin Austin: A hundred percent. I mean, you know, there's so many things.
Frankly, as a, I call myself kind of a Luddite regarding using technology. I'm a big fan, just figuring out how to use it. for something like, podcasting in the early days, like I. Right now, frankly, I have a plug and play kind of podcast process where all I do is show up here and talk to the nice people, and then somebody else takes it from there and, figure that out.
That's perfect. We've got all the props. Me. All right. So Introduce yourself to the people, please.
Jason Van Orden: Oh, yeah, sure. So, I'm Jason Van Orden. I'm a business growth strategist. I work with consultants and coaches and other kinds of experts like that.
mission simply put is to help. Smart people with really important, impactful ideas to reach more of the people that they are uniquely positioned to serve in the world. And speaking of podcasting, all the wonderful channels we have, like there's such a huge opportunity these days for.
Experts, people with a message to reach their audience. And so, know, more specifically, I'm that strategist that helps them when they have reached a point where, like, what got me here is it is not what's gonna get me there, I don't think. Mm-hmm. And so I don't know what to shift. And so they need that second person, that outside perspective and experience to help them look at it and go, here's where you should focus to get where you want to go.
But brass tacks, when it comes down to it, we're often looking at their messaging. Making their offers more scalable, which I'm sure as some will talk about mm-hmm. You know, designing their signature method and things like that. what do they need to do to reach that bigger audience and deliver value at scale without burning out and without losing their unique edge and their, you know, unique voice.
Erin Austin: That is fantastic. just on one more on the podcast, like how did you monetize that back? Like, were there ads or what was
Jason Van Orden: Yeah. Okay. it's so funny, like I was on a panel once at a conference in like 2008. By that time I was monetizing my podcast and I remember, you know, it was like five of us and they were going one by one through the panel.
Like, how do you monetize a podcast? 'cause that's what everyone wanted to know. And all of 'em were like, advertising, advertising, sponsors, advertising. And most of them had like ad networks and things. then it got to me I'm like, well. Actually, we monetize it indirectly through courses and coaching and mm-hmm.
our products that we've packaged, our knowledge that we've packaged up in ways for people. And so the podcast of what brought people in and earned their trust and eventually they'd end up like on an email list or somewhere where we could. deliver value, but also promote our programs.
Mm-hmm. And so we had a membership program and courses that we sold over those years. and I remember everybody looked at me funny on that panel, but I think it's one of the best ways to like monetize your podcast is it's kind of that indirect method. I mean, there's wonderful way, lots of wonderful ways, but that's how I did mm-hmm.
Was, you know, it was an indirect way of bringing awareness to my, Coaching and courses.
Erin Austin: Yeah, I mean, it reminds me of where people talk about, you know, write a book. you are not gonna make any money. And we might, you know, but more about how it gets you out there as a marketing tool, as a lead generator, even as a closer sometimes depending on, if it's good enough.
and that brings us to the topic of intellectual property. I'm going a little bit outta order here because you started talking about this, but, I'm always afraid to use the term intellectual property. Because sometimes that shuts people down, but how do you think about like, creating that asset that people can help use to scale?
Do you think about it in terms like directly as intellectual property, or do you just think about it as. A tool how do you look at it and talk about it?
The Power of a Signature Method
Jason Van Orden: Yeah, I mean this is, it's a really good question because something we always have to think about is, are we using the right words to resonate with the people that we want to reach?
Right? Yeah. And intellectual property obviously is gonna bring certain connotations and things, and I do use that phrase, sometimes your IP or intellectual property. Right. sometimes I'll refer to it often as body of work. Mm-hmm. is another thing that I'll use. And then more generally, sometimes I'm just like, you know, Hey, I'm here to help you.
Package and communicate and deliver your unique knowledge in a way that's, you know, and so it's a little bit more like mm-hmm. Right. speaking to exactly what they want to do. a phrase that I use a lot, that's not necessarily something that people right off the top of their heads are thinking about, but as soon as I bring it up seems to resonate, at least with the people that I am trying to speak with, is, you know, your signature method or your signature process, like your unique approach to guiding your ideal client from, know, where they're.
At when they sign up to work with you through the challenges and milestones to get them to those outcomes that they want the most. And you know, we all have that unique approach. I mean, certainly we might borrow some of the same principles and best practices that other experts do. Mm-hmm. But in the end, we do have a unique approach with our perspective and our values and our vision and how we.
synthesize and present things. So I don't know. Those are some of the different ways I think about and refer to. Yeah. This idea of knowledge that can be turned into, an asset. But one of the fundamental building blocks is that idea of a signature process. Mm-hmm. Or signature method.
Erin Austin: Yeah. I think that's so important because so many.
Experts, consultants, know, they know how to sell their time. And they're thinking about this process to build a scalable business, and they really don't think that they have any assets. Only as that is their time and they're kind of starting from scratch. Like, what do I. Do, like, how do I even, you know, I was, talking to a group of people and it was a pretty generic group.
Like it wasn't just experts. It and the question was like, how do I know I have expertise or what is a niche and, not. Questions for a lawyer, but you know, I I do my best. Yeah, yeah. Right. But it was definitely about, who are you talking to all the time?
what are their common problems? What are the common solutions? Mm-hmm. How do you steer people from getting out of the, okay, I just do what people need me to do to being proactive about, okay, this is what I do and this is how I make the. Impact.
Jason Van Orden: Right? Yeah, and it's, I mean, one of the common frustrations that I'm trying to speak to, and I'm sure you are as well, is that
People know that it's like, you know, there's so much more I could be doing with my ideas. Mm-hmm. Or they just wanna grow their income and help more people, but they're like, yeah, they've run into that ceiling and mm-hmm. They're maybe feeling stretched thin, burned out, and they're like, okay, this isn't sustainable the way I'm doing it.
and so that's the moment where I come in and, one of the first principles to realize is something that I think you kind of touched on there, and it's like you need to detach the value from your time or even your presence. Hm, to your knowledge. Yeah. The intellectual property, whatever you want to call it, right?
Mm-hmm. So that, that's like principle number one. Principle number two, which often people don't think about, is that you need to organize it in a way that it can be, need to be able to deliver it more efficiently, or, if you're customizing every single solution that you provide, you're gonna be spreading yourself too thin.
So that's where it's like. Actually, maybe principle too is like being very clear about here's the best people that I can help the most and here's that, signature way that I help them.
Erin Austin: Mm-hmm. And
Scaling Requires Strategic Focus, Not Just More Work
Jason Van Orden: once you've, because some people are like, oh, I serve all these different audiences and all these different ways.
And that can be very fulfilling, but it's also, you just have to accept the fact that. You also are spreading yourself very thin. So then if you're like, okay, I need to organize it. Andthe analogy I use is, you know, so often we might realize as entrepreneurs at some point we come to the, where it's like, okay, I can't wear all the hats anymore.
I need to maybe hire assistance and I need to create systems and standard operating procedures or whatever lingo you want to use. and so we think about that in terms of the admin of our business, but then we don't apply that same principle to the. Knowledge or the product of our, of our business.
So true as well. So that's like the third principle is like, it's absolutely important to have that systemization. And then the last principle I'd put in there is that, there's this. Very basic image I'll put up sometimes that, makes it click for people.
And that is like, I'll show them no, I'll, I'll show their client on one side, know, as like a circle or square, whatever. And the outcome the client wants to get to on the other side of the diagram. then I put them the expert there in the middle and then said, most of you're selling yourselves this way.
And so they sign up and they are expecting you to be on the phone. They are buying into you because you've sold as you, your time, your presence is what you've sold. Mm-hmm. Now. Then I say, okay, I show a second diagram where they slide out of the way and their signature method shows up in the middle.
And it's like when that's the thing that you've branded and put forward, that's what they are buying into. And therefore, yes, you might still be involved and they know that it came outta your mind and that they can trust it, but you've branded it as. That is the thing. That is gonna get you to where you want to go.
Mm-hmm. And so over time, if there are team members who come in and facilitate part of the process, or eventually you're certifying people in your process or whatever model you wanna go with mm-hmm.
Erin Austin: You're
Jason Van Orden: able to, like, that's what people are okay with and expecting when they come in. Right. And so all of those principles add up to like, hey, those are some of the key mindset and operational shifts that you need to make to have that business that has more.
Capacity, more capacity to serve, more capacity to make money, whatever the case, may be. that's how think of it, making that shift, to a more scalable, knowledge based, expert based business. I.
Erin Austin: Yeah. You are literally just described my business, so Yeah,
Jason Van Orden: yeah.
Right. Like serve, and I learned that, I mean, the before differently. I mean before, not the after,
Erin Austin: just, yeah. But yeah, so about me, I mean, it is tough. I mean lawyers have a tough time. not selling themselves, this is what, these are my old clients and as opposed to selling transformations, and for me it's been a real challenge to.
Break away from the temptation, especially, you know, you get referrals that are anywhere. like, oh, she's an IP lawyer. Referrals are all over the place, right? Mm. I don't do it all, so those are easy. Some I can do, but should I do it? Mm-hmm. Uh, well, that person sent them, so, know, I wanna honor the referral, so I'll do it.
And boy do I get all over the place. these are one-offs. There's no system, and that is a real frustration. And that's kind of where I am trying to, stick to what I want to, help people with, yeah, be able to say no to the things that I can do but shouldn't do. and have that kind of.
Branded transformation as opposed to. Services for hire,
Jason Van Orden: And part of that is narrowing the scope of who you think of as your ideal clients. Mm-hmm. And which problems you think of yourself as being best to solve. And I mm-hmm. I get it. That it's, it's really hard. For us sometimes to make that transition from, well, I don't wanna exclude anyone, I don't wanna leave anyone out.
I don't wanna leave money on the table. I can totally do this. I could create value and when I help clients create a signature method, one of the surprising there's a whole stack of benefits that come out of it, and scalability is just one. But a mutual friend of ours, Erica Holt Hausen, I think that's actually how we met, and Yes.
Mm-hmm. I helped her with her signature method and one of the. When I was talking to her, she said, you know, one of the things that I didn't expect is that it has become a strategic filter for me.
Erin Austin: Mm-hmm.
Jason Van Orden: Meaning that now that clarified so well, like who I serve and how I do it, and what outcomes I deliver.
That when opportunities come up, when ideas come up, when referrals come my way or whatever, I run it through like, does it fit this model? Right. And if not, then. I'm ready to send them elsewhere or give them an idea to run with or point them to whatever I can. but I get it, like that transition is hard to make and it's completely natural earlier on in our business as experts, whatever our model is to want to try d serving lots of, we shouldn't, we should like, Hey, where do I create the greatest value?
Who do I enjoy working with most? Who do I have the best access to? Right. And then at some point, I think it is important to, yeah, start. Shoring that in and narrowing that scope.
and then it can really help with that. And it feels like a leap of faith sometimes. 'cause you're like, okay, now I gotta go all in on that and hope it brings in enough leads and high enough, command high enough prices to make what I need.
All all the things that we worry about, right? Yes. Mm-hmm. But, um, so I get it. But that is a, critical shift to make.
Erin Austin: Yeah. Yeah. I feel like I'm on the precipice of something, but I can't quite, yeah.
Jason Van Orden: Like,
Erin Austin: do But, I'm getting there, you know, every time something comes in that's not the right fit and you're like, I will never do that again, so I might just be right.
A process of elimination,
Jason Van Orden: right?
Erin Austin: I'm like, okay, I'm not doing that again. Yeah,
Jason Van Orden: and that is some of it like process of elimination and like, oh, that wasn't good. So what are the filter criteria I can use in the future to get myself to say no or recognize it when it, it comes up? but I'll say, you know, from the outside, you've figured out how to deliver interesting and valuable ideas.
I tune into your email newsletter in your live streams and stuff, so you've got that dialed in. But Yeah. Isn't it funny that then sometimes on the inside there's just still like, oh, I'm trying to, like, I'm so close. But what is that? Thing. I have no doubt that you'll figure it out.
Erin Austin: Very good. Very good. So, let's talk about your business. So we know you started back 2005 with your podcast, but you've evolved to where you are today. Tell us about that evolution and how you have developed. Your signature method helping other people. Yeah. Like their signature method.
Following the Breadcrumbs
Jason Van Orden: Yeah, sure.
I mean, speaking of trying a lot of things out, I mean, there've been so many breadcrumbs over my, like two decades of being an entrepreneur. We talked about how I got my start in podcasting, you know, that was a good fit for, had technical skills as a former programmer, and I had audio skills as a former musician, and I.
have teaching skills in my DNA and background and right. And so it's like figuring out like where you create that best value and it's like mm-hmm. From podcasting and that business that took off for 10 years, like that was wonderful. And I helped a lot of people. People wanted to get out of a job and start something meaningful, like make that shift and really ultimately figure out what they wanted in life.
Right. And then at some point, like that container for my strengths, my strengths of like, taking ideas and, organizing them, whether to teach them myself or help others do that on their own. I was like, okay, something needs to shift 'cause this isn't doing it for me anymore.
And so about 10 years ago I started doing a little bit more exploration. I went back into consulting to see where I created the best value and that's where I made a shift eventually to work with coaches and consultants. I wanted to apply all my knowledge and experience to, again, people with important ideas that needed to get them out there and move away from working with your beginners, which was fun, but I needed the challenge and I needed to get out of the like.
You can make money online business. 'cause then that's what it was turning into. It was so noisy. I'm like, I'm not gonna market in that anymore. I don't want to. So I guess, know, one of the points I'm making is like, yeah. I think we come in and out of that exploration at times too.
And so, like, I've had a signature method for launching a business podcast and that's for a while I was a consultant that helped people do that. Mm-hmm. Oh 5, 0 6, 0 7, know, and then I've had signature method for. How to figure out what your business is when you've never started a business before, right?
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Well, now I have signature methods for like, how do you organize your ip, your knowledge and how do you communicate it best? but inside of that, like, you know, the strengths are the through line. And whether we're like showing up as a lawyer who's got billable hours or as somebody with a podcast who
I've learned over time that where I create really great value is I'm a good systems thinker. I'm good at helping people zoom in and zoom out when they need to pick the golden nuggets out of what they are creating to realize, no, this is one of the things you need to double down on and really bring forward and highlight,
one of the things I'll say is sometimes, like my clients show up with this beautiful mess of assets and by that I mean like they might have written a book, you know, and they're proud of that book, and then like they do some speaking over here and their site has a bunch of content on it and they've got different opportunities and all this stuff, all this content, all this they just haven't figured out how to like really snap it together into like mm-hmm.
This is the business model and approach to your career that's gonna take you where you want to. Mm-hmm. Go. Mm-hmm. And so I like bringing that, order and That shine as much as it can. Mm-hmm. And so that's what's always been inside of, my approach. Whether my signature method is called this or that, or, is aimed at this audience or that audience.
hopefully I'm kind of answering your question. Yeah. But that's one important thing, I think. Mm-hmm. Just speaking of my journey and where I've come and mm-hmm. The, the most recent iteration, it's funny, it's like every decade is now with ai. It's kind of like when I found podcasting and dove into that.
There's likea unique convergence right now. I think of my knowledge, a Venn diagram of everything I've been doing with clients for 20 years now, being able to infuse AI into that, both in serving my clients, but helping them. To leverage it responsibly. Mm-hmm. Hopefully, ethically, there's lots for us to figure out, but also powerfully, again, to package and communicate and deliver Yeah.
Their ideas at scale. And so that's where I'm headed next. And so my signature methods are adapting a bit now to like, bring in, AI as well.
Erin Austin: now we are converging there. I mean, as a copyright lawyer 'cause I'm not all the other types of ip, I'm a copyright lawyer and with the issues involving using AI being copyright issues mm-hmm.
It kind of pulled me in and it surprised, you know, again, I'm a proud Luddite, but I'm like, there's no light. When I first heard about ai. and it was in the context of doing a continuing legal education. I just needed some hours this popped up as available. I'll listen to this CLE about AI while I'm checking email, and I'm just listening just three years ago, I guess.
and then they started talking about chat, GPT, and I can do this and that. I'm like, what? and then I dove in and then that was it. Originally, I'm like, well, it's changing so fast. How can I kind of stay ahead of it? Like I can't stay ahead of it, but I can stay ahead of.
Everyone else, like, you know? Right. You sure? Right, right. Like, I'm not in it, but I can be the interpreter between, using AI and the legal issues regarding using ai. Yeah. yeah, so that's been an interesting journey as well. And falling in love with AI, frankly. awesome. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Exactly. So you mentioned that, know, you didn't want to work with kind of the beginners as much anymore, or you're not working with them what stage of development are your clients typically when they come to you?
Jason Van Orden: I mean, I typically don't say like, oh, they have to have been in business for X amount of years or whatever.
'cause like everyone's, different and, I've worked with people who are like recently outta corporate and going into consulting and like very quickly are in a place where I can absolutely help them. Mm-hmm. Given what they have to work with. So what I usually tell people is that the people that I can help best are.
They already have a pretty good idea of who they serve best. I mean, there's always some cleanup. I mean, even people who have been doing business a long time, there's always some cleanup, but let's make sure we're really clear about who your ideal client is, what's going on in their mind and what language they're using.
But you need to like, know how to deliver value and results to them. Mm-hmm. Like we all go through our growth period of like finding our expertise and figuring out how we can dependably deliver great results to the clients that we serve. But yeah, if you haven't crossed that bridge yet, then I could still help, but like, you know, I've chosen where I focus my efforts on, hey, you already know you deliver great value.
You just know that, again, like the model needs to shift or you need to extract yourself from some parts and focus yourself more on others. And you're just not sure how to make that shift or what systems to put in place or what bottleneck is, needs to be removed. You're serving clients consistently, making some, some money.
Yes. There's still maybe boom and bust cycles in your business like we all have going on. but you're at that precipice, that inflection point that, um, Maybe a transition or you just, you're feeling that ceiling And now you're like, okay, I need somebody to help shine a light on which direction to go now.
And so that's, that's how I describe, it's a little harder sometimes if you like said in one sentence, who do you serve? You know, like experience coaches and consultants who are delivering great results to their, their clients, but want to do it at a bigger scale, I guess would be the short version of that.
but that's how I think of it.
Erin Austin: Yeah. You know where I find trouble is, and this is from an IP perspective, is coaches who have a bunch of certifications and they're using a bunch of third party materials, and so they don't actually own anything. Mm-hmm. And I'm like, I don't know. How to help you create a protectable work,
Jason Van Orden: right.
Erin Austin: If you don't own anything, you know? And so how do you, like, do you come across that and how do you help them kind of create a signature method out of, a bunch of assessments that they got from, you know, the other places and,
Jason Van Orden: yeah. Right. Yeah. This is a really, Good question. And, a couple of things.
I think there are different types of coaches and some will be happy to, go and certify in Donald Miller's story, brand system and just is gonna be really good at helping apply that to all kinds of, clients and they're happy to have learned that and just. Be a purveyor of that awesome system.
And then I think there are some who just feel a little more driven to like, nah, I wanna like add something to my industry. I want to leave a legacy, or I want to, you know, whatever, you know is, is driving them. And so I think sort of naturally, I think. I tend to attract, at least the ones who approach to work me a little more the the latter and mm-hmm.
What Makes Your Method Truly Yours
And they are realizing, Hey, I've been doing this for a while and yes, I've synthesized and learned a lot, but I really have something unique to how I'm doing this now. Now, of course, I mean there's all kinds of tools that I'll refer to. I'll talk about, Dan Sullivan's unique ability, you know, from Strategic Coach.
And that's an amazing, anyway, but when I'm suggesting that clients, I'm very much saying like. Hey, it's his thing and I recommend getting this book, or I'm gonna buy it for you and we're gonna gonna, I'll help you go through the process know, but a lot of what I'm helping them do is figure out what have they managed to synthesize from just what's best practices and.
Right. I guess common knowledge maybe for a lack of better. and where the trick comes in is that sometimes people feel, well, there's nothing special about what I do. Like I think every expert like me knows that you need to do AB and C and avoid de and f or whatever. Mm-hmm. that might be true to a degree, but look like.
you still again, have like a different, perspective approach, set of values. Mm-hmm. there are some people that I'm not the right fit to help them with marketing. 'cause they just wanna be a lot more like go, go, go and like, whatever, you know? And, then there's people I attract 'cause they're like, ooh.
Chase market's different. It doesn't feel so pushy. It it feels more organic. It feels more, mm-hmm. You know, and so they like to come and learn marketing from me because that's how I want to market. So that's where like knowing who you serve and what they're looking for and what they value, and then packaging and delivering and communicating in a way that's not only relevant to what they need, but resonant in a way where they're like, you're the person that I want to help me.
I don't want just to. Have a great, website and messaging. I want somebody who. Is like steeped in this philosophy of mm-hmm. Of doing those things. and so that's where I like to try to help pull out like what is unique about their voice. Mm-hmm. What are they doing that maybe others aren't doing, or how can we position it because there's something that they're saying that's not the common knowledge.
They might not be the only one saying it. Mm-hmm. But it's not, you know, it hasn't become the common knowledge in their industry and they've got like. A contrarian view or like, Hey, this is, we really need to go in this direction 'cause it's not serving us anymore the way we used to do it. And that's exciting to help somebody Yes.
Own that message and push it forward. that's in there if you are that type of coach that wants to go that direction and nothing wrong with being like, I've got my certifications and I've got my licenses and mm-hmm. I mean, I got started doing that kind of stuff too. Licensing other people's stuff so.
Erin Austin: Yeah. That's great. Well, speaking of how you work, tell me how do you work with your clients? What is your preferred method of working with clients?
Modularizing Your IP to Scale Impact
Jason Van Orden: Yeah, so, in terms of like the container that it takes, it's either I have, a group program and that's, Built to be very like directional towards getting, scaling and fixing their business model and optimizing it.
And sometimes people, they'll be in that program for six months, sometimes two years, not because, you know, I've made them dependent on me because we just keep finding more things mm-hmm. That we can do, right? Mm-hmm. And then I'll do a bit of one-on-one. Now I limit that because, I want to scale my impact.
Right. I do like a limited amount of that.
And you know, the cool thing is like whether you're in the group container or in this one-on-one extended or even a like, Hey, I just need this one thing done. Can I work with you for a month, Jason Container that I'm plucking out the piece of my model and the bits of my frameworks that are relevant to them, and I'm able to very quickly, cause I've got these modules, snap 'em together in a way that feels, structured but still, customized to mm-hmm.
To them. So they feel like I, you know, we're hanging on a lattice work. Their vision, strengths, goals, and so forth. Mm-hmm. and that's how I try to help my clients to think about their work as well. Mm-hmm. so I always say, when you come to work with me, you're getting an action plan. I. I'm helping you do that.
Zoom in, zoom out, strategize, okay, here's the thing we need to focus on to get you where you want to go. Then I'm like, here are tools and templates because I've created these and refined them over years. This is my framework that's gonna help you do that thing we just identified. I. Whether that's a set of worksheets or a process, whatever.
Mm-hmm. And then support, and it's like you're on the phone with me or in these group calls or email access to get the guidance and feedback that you need. And that support piece varies depending on like, which container you've signed up for and how that's, you know, your budget and what you decided you need.
But it's very easy for me to have those different containers because it's still all foundationally. built around how I have modularized my intellectual property, my ip, my expert, my expertise.
Erin Austin: That's fantastic. I love that. another thing that I'm struggling with, which is that I've had kind of pieces, you know, I have kind of a process to go through to get to the point where you have all your intellectual property protected.
and licensed but I found ultimately that I needed to. Know that they owned and had the rights to everything that was part of that license. Right. And so I'm like, I can't really do that part. Like to me, someone could do it. I can't do that part unless I know that you own everything and have the rights to license all this stuff.
Right. And unless I, and so I'm like, I can't actually. Sell them that part without selling this other part. And so that's something I'm working on. There's like a certain
Jason Van Orden: degree of, discovery that you need to do to know that. Yeah. That it's ethically can apply your signature process to what they're bringing in.
Yeah. That, that makes sense. And so that's where, you know, it's like, yeah, either you figure out the filters to filter people in and out, or a lot of times my clients will have some sort of assessment or intake or something on the front end that helps them to then. Either decide which container's the best one to put that person into.
Mm-hmm. Or, know, formulate the path through their offer and system that is going to match or to tell 'em, it's like, Hey, you're not quite ready yet. Mm-hmm. Here's what I'm seeing. Mm-hmm. So I recommend this and this and this, and then come back when you're ready for that next piece. And so, yeah, having, yeah.
Intake assessment filters on the front end is an important piece that I'll also explore a lot with my clients for that. Very reason and many others as well.
Erin Austin: Yeah, not having the right intake has gotten me in trouble. A hundred percent.
Jason Van Orden: Yeah. All of us. Yeah. I think that's one of those that bites us and we're like, oh, I don't want that to happen again.
Erin Austin: Yes. that's where it comes in a lot. So tell everyone where they can find you and if there's something new and exciting, you wanna. Announce as well. I'd welcome that, but I'm sure people wanna follow up with you.
Jason Van Orden: Yeah, sure. So, you can find me@jasonvanorden.com. I will admit that right now there's a bit of cobbler without the shoes where my site badly needs to be updated with my latest, like stuff that I'm focused on.
Yes. the exciting thing is I am full force ahead with a research project that's basically asking the question of what do. Experts, coaches, consultants, need in order to leverage AI to deliver impact at scale. And so like, what are the things getting in their way? What are the things they need to know that they don't know that they need to know?
And then what are the systems I can create to facilitate all of that? So I'm very excited about, and, one of the thing I'll mention if it's okay, I just have a, a free gift here that I can point people to.
if you go to jason van method, all one word, signature method, what that'll do is it'll take you to. a paired down, but great to get you started, version of my Signature Method framework to at least get you starting to play around with organizing, and, giving a taste of that process.
So, you know, you download this, there's a worksheet, give it about, 30 minutes to an hour Have your time to really sit with your stuff it'll get you, to a first draft. Of course, we we want to like prove it out. There's lots of stuff we want to do to make sure you're really ready to leverage that, but it's a great place to start if anyone's thinking like, oh, maybe I have a signature method.
Mm-hmm. So, jason van orden.com/. Signature method, all one word. I will make sure that that URL is set up correctly as soon as we're done, talking here.
Erin Austin: Perfect. And we'll make sure it is in the show notes that everyone can get access to that fantastic resource and connect with you. Thank you so much, Jason.
This has been great conversation. Thank you for the free advice. Yeah,
Jason Van Orden: my pleasure. Thanks for having me. I really appreciate it.
Erin Austin: It.