Revenue Design

The Reason

Convert true champions into industry advocates

"This is bigger than me" - Nipsey Hussle

Internalized belief is table-stakes. A movement only takes form when that belief gets externalized.

People advocate for their own reasons – building a reputation, looking good in front of their boss, being seen as forward-thinking. Solving a problem for someone isn't enough to earn their voice. You have to give them something worth putting their name behind.

This is where movements get fun. You have to be visible, but you're not alone – you're building something with your community. You're the steward, but make it about them, not you. When the reason to advocate is clear, the message stops being yours to carry. It circulates on its own.

MENTAL MODEL

understand what drives advocacy

It's rarely about your product. It's about what advocating for your movement does for them. Know the real incentive – status, access, recognition – and design around it.

make it worth their name

People put their reputation on the line for things that make them look smart, forward-thinking, or ahead of the curve. Give them something that elevates them, not just you.

give the message room to grow

The best movements take on a life of their own. If the message only works in your words, it's not ready. It has to be adoptable enough for others to make it theirs.

MESSAGING TIPS

write the anthem

Give your champions a line worth repeating. Something that looks good on a slide, sounds good out loud, and makes them feel like they're part of something bigger.

highlight their inflection point

Advocacy gets personal when people see their own turning point in the story. Show them where they were, where they're going, and why this moment matters for them.

give them messages to run with

Principles they can reference. Talking points they can borrow. Content they can share without editing. The easier you make it to advocate, the more they will.

TROPES TO AVOID

faux influencer vibes

Blatant promotion kills credibility. If it feels like a paid post, your audience will tune out, and your champions will too.

over-futurizing

What works for investors doesn't always land with your audience. Advocacy has to be grounded in reality. If the vision is too far out, no one will stake their name on it today.

making it about you

The moment the movement centers on your company instead of the community, it stops being a movement. Steward the message, don't own it.

OPERATING MODEL

find your champions early

Identify the people already leaning in. The ones asking sharp questions, sharing your content, finishing your sentences. These are your first advocates – invest in them before you need them.

elevate their voices

Put your champions on stage, on your podcast, in your case studies. When they get visibility, they become more invested. Their win becomes your win.

feed the people

Show up consistently with substance, not noise. The community grows when you give more than you ask. Be the steward who makes everyone around them look good.

All Revenue Design Method Pillars