Stuck in Transition? Here's Your Diagnostic Framework | Paula Washington
Paula Washington names the real reason experienced business owners get stuck — and shares a free diagnostic tool to find out what needs to change first.
Hosts: Percy Barr, Wayne Pratt & Bernie Franzgrote
Paula Washington shares the Golden Gap Compass — a free tool to diagnose what's blocking business growth. East Trade Winds S3 E032.
GROWTH CATEGORY: Leadership & Ops
Most business owners who feel stuck are working hard. That's the part that makes it so frustrating. Paula Washington has spent 30 years helping leaders find out what's actually in the way — and it's rarely what they think it is. In this East Trade Winds session, she shares the framework that changes how experienced owners see their own growth.
Watch the full conversation here:
WHO THIS IS FOR
SMB owners / Solopreneurs / Corporate escapees / Leaders who've outgrown their original business identity
Key Lessons
1. The mid time is real — and it has a name.
Paula calls it the mid time: the space between who you've been and who your business now requires you to be. Every business owner hits it. Most just push harder and wonder why nothing changes. Naming it is the first move. It shifts the question from "what am I doing wrong?" to "who do I need to become next?" That's a much more useful place to work from.
2. Effort that doesn't compound is just busy.
Paula's coach gave her a reframe worth keeping: your technology should serve your niche market, not mirror what everyone else is doing with theirs. That applies to tools, content, and daily workflow. If your strategy is built around activity — meetings, tools, new services — without alignment to who you serve and how they respond, you'll stay in the loop. Busy, but circling.
3. A business that stalls when you step back isn't built yet.
Paula has tested stepping back for two, three, and four weeks at a time. Her finding: when the systems are right, the business keeps moving. For solopreneurs, this feels impossible. Paula says it isn't. Smart scheduling, client flow management, and existing content can carry things forward. The goal is a business that works — not one that only works when you do.
Practical Steps
- Take the free Golden Gap Compass diagnostic this week. It takes about 10 minutes and shows you where your identity, strategy, and infrastructure actually stand right now. Grab it at bit.ly/GoldenGapCompass
- Ask yourself the question Paula gives every client: "Who am I now compared to when I built this?" Write the answer down. The gap between that answer and your current business model is where the work is.
- Test your infrastructure. Block two weeks off your calendar — even hypothetically — and map out what would stop without you. Each item on that list is a system you haven't built yet.
About the Guest
Paula Washington is a leadership strategist, executive coach, and author with over 30 years of experience helping business owners and leaders move through growth transitions. She works with people who are doing everything right but still can't seem to move forward. Her approach combines executive development, strategic clarity, and a hard look at the operating system behind the business — not just the tactics in front of it. She created the Golden Gap Methodology and the Golden Gap Compass to help leaders at every stage find out exactly where they are and what needs to shift.
Visit paulawashington.com or connect on LinkedIn.
Listen on Audio
FAQ
What is the mid time in business? The mid time is Paula Washington's term for the gap between who you built your business as and who it now needs you to become. It shows up as stalled growth despite consistent effort. Naming it is the first step toward moving through it.
How does the Golden Gap Compass work? It's a free diagnostic tool that helps you assess where you stand across three areas: identity, strategy, and infrastructure. It shows you where you are right now — not just where you've been or where you want to go. Grab it free at bit.ly/GoldenGapCompass.
Can a solopreneur really build a business that runs without them? Paula says yes — and she's tested it herself. The key is building the right systems, scheduling structures, and client flow so that existing content and processes carry the business forward during planned step-backs.
