Multiplied Entrepreneurship: Building a Scalable One-Person Business

In the business world, the concept of a one-person business is gaining traction as well as people seeking solo business ideas.

But how can you build a scalable enterprise that aligns with your dreams and goals without running yourself into the ground?

Matt Gray, a successful entrepreneur, shares his insights on what he calls “Multiplied Entrepreneurship” – a model that combines your vision, systems, and a remote team of specialists to scale your business and legacy.

The Future of Entrepreneurship

Gray argues that the one-person business model is the future of entrepreneurship. He envisions a world where entrepreneurs can:

• Run a calm company
• Love their customers and community
• Live a life of ease and relaxation
• Scale their business without the typical stress
  

However, many founders face common challenges:

1. Struggling to find high-paying clients
2. Inability to drive attention to their business
3. Difficulty in generating consistent revenue
   

The Content Waterfall System: Multiplying Your Audience

To overcome these challenges, Gray introduces the Content Waterfall System.

This innovative approach allows entrepreneurs to take one piece of long-form content and transform it into multiple pieces across various platforms.

“The content waterfall system allows you to take One X thread or any long form piece of written content and turn it into 26 pieces of content.”

Here’s how the system works:

1. Start with one long-form piece of content (e.g., an X thread)
   
2. Transform it into:
   • 3 Instagram reels
   • 3 YouTube shorts
   • 3 TikTok videos
   • 3 X videos
   • 10 tweets
   • 1 newsletter
   • 1 Instagram carousel
   • 1 LinkedIn long-form post
   • 1 long-form YouTube video
     

The Content Waterfall System in Action

Gray provides a behind-the-scenes look at how this system works:

1. Start with a pillar piece of content (e.g., an X thread on “13 life lessons at 33 that I wish I knew at 23”)
   
2. Break down the main points into separate tweets
   
3. Create short-form videos using the content as a script
   
4. Develop animations based on key points
   
5. Incorporate the content into long-form YouTube videos
   
6. Use the content for email newsletters
   
7. Create LinkedIn and Instagram carousels
   
8. Produce B-roll videos with voiceovers from the original content
   

By implementing this system, entrepreneurs can:

• Multiply their audience
• Increase their impact
• Get off the “content hamster wheel”
• Produce a large volume of content from one core idea

“This is how you multiply your audience and multiply your impact.”

Clarity: The Foundation of a Scalable One-Person Business

After mastering content creation, the next challenge entrepreneurs face is lack of clarity around their direction, goals, and vision.

Gray emphasizes the importance of connecting with your “why” – the reason you started your business in the first place.

Finding Your Story

Your story is a powerful tool that can:

• Guide your hiring process
• Help you sell your products or services
• Multiply your impact across platforms
  

To develop your story:

1. Think about your vision for your business
2. Craft your origin story
3. Incorporate your mission, values, and vision
   

“Your story really feeds everything else that you do in business. Your story is how you hire people, it’s how you sell people, and it’s one of the most powerful aspects you can do to multiply your impact.”

Your story becomes the backbone of your brand and influences various aspects of your business, including:

• Team member onboarding
• Brand strategy
• Content creation (YouTube scripts, newsletters, social media posts)
  

Health: The Foundation of a Healthy Business

Gray emphasizes that entrepreneurs are their own biggest asset, yet many neglect their health in pursuit of business growth.

He shares his personal experience of burnout and the importance of prioritizing health.

Key takeaways:

1. A healthy business requires a healthy founder
2. Seek professional help when needed (doctors, coaches)
3. Surround yourself with a supportive community
4. Prioritize sustainability for long-term success
   

“To build a healthy business, you need to be a healthy founder.”

The Importance of Community and Mentorship

Gray debunks the myth that solopreneurs must do everything alone:

• Seek out coaches and mentors
• Build a supportive community
• Find accountability partners
• Embrace the concept of “winning together”

“It takes a community to raise a company, and it takes mentors and friends and family to raise a founder.”

Multiplying Your Output: Building Your Team of “Weapons”

The final piece of multiplied entrepreneurship is scaling your output by building a team of high-performing individuals, which Gray refers to as “weapons.”

“A weapon is an A-player that you bring on board to help you scale your company to the next level.”

Finding and Hiring “Weapons”

To find these high-performing team members:

1. Reach out to other A-players in your network
2. Ask for referrals from successful entrepreneurs
3. Look for individuals who take complete ownership of their area of expertise
   

The Evolution of a One-Person Business

Gray shares his personal journey of scaling Founder OS, illustrating the phases of growth:

1. Ideation Phase
   • Started with just himself
   • Developed the initial concept (Soulful Entrepreneur)
   • Began with a small cohort of 30 founders
     
2. Validation Phase
   • Rebranded to Founder OS
   • Scaled to over $30k per month
   • Hired specialists for funnels, copywriting, finance, and tech
   • Focused on founder experience, strategy, content, and audience growth
     
3. Monetization Phase
   • Sold to the first 100 customers personally
   • Developed proven sales scripts and customer success processes
   • Hired sales and customer success “weapons”
   • Expanded the creative team to execute brand identity across platforms
     
4. Scaling Phase
   • Grew past $250k per month in revenue
   • Empowered team members to take complete ownership of their areas
   • Focused on hiring more “weapons” and helping them scale their teams
     
5. Mastery Phase
   • Scaled beyond $1 million per month
   • Built a team of “legends” across all areas of the business
   • Focused on leadership, motivation, and mission-driven growth
   • Aimed to pass the “one-month test” (ability to leave the business for a month and return to find it stronger)
     

The Four Pillars of Multiplied Entrepreneurship

To build a scalable one-person business, focus on these four pillars:

1. Content Creation: Implement the Content Waterfall System to multiply your audience and impact.
2. Clarity: Develop a clear vision, mission, and story that guides your business decisions.
3. Health: Prioritize your well-being and surround yourself with a supportive community.
4. Team Building: Assemble a team of high-performing “weapons” to help scale your business.
   

By mastering these four areas, entrepreneurs can create a business that not only succeeds financially but also aligns with their personal goals and values.

The journey of entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint. Prioritize sustainability, seek support when needed, and always stay connected to your “why.”

As you embark on your journey of multiplied entrepreneurship, keep Gray’s advice in mind:

“Don’t feel like it needs to just be you. You want to make sure that you’ve got coaches around you, mentors, a community, accountability.”

With the right mindset, systems, and team, you can build a scalable one-person business that allows you to live the life you’ve always dreamed of while making a significant impact on the world.

(Source: Matt Gray’s YouTube channel, video on Multiplied Entrepreneurship)