- Outlier Growth
- Posts
- Frame your problem so the solution becomes obvious
Frame your problem so the solution becomes obvious
4 proven frameworks to solve any growth problem
Read time: 3 min, 59 sec
Hey there - it's Brian š
People love to rant about their problems to me.
Client work made me have this skill to listen to a 5 min rant and say it back in one simple framework (that makes the solution clear).
But I didnāt understand how powerful this trick was until I saw my consulting partner command a room by drawing a framework.
This issue is for you if you:
ā¢ Want to command a room when everyone is confused on what to do
ā¢ You want to look at a growth problem and know how to find the answer
ā¢ You want to solve hard problems, fast
So in today's issue, you learn the 4 ways to frame your growth problem (so the solution becomes obvious).
Letās make your business an outlier: š
Frame your problem so the solution becomes obvious

So a few years ago we were helping a large bank outsource their customer analytics.
Executives are sitting around a board room talking over each other. The problem: weāre debating the right customer journey.
Each shares their idea but itās not organized. Itās frustrating. No one is on the same page. Weāre no closer to figuring out the customer stages.
The consulting partner stands up. The room goes quiet. He grabs a marker and draws 5 boxes on the whiteboard.
The executives in the room laughed. The answer now looked so simple. Problem solved.
Ever since seeing him command the room with just a few boxes I became obsessed with getting that superpower too.
Iāve since used these frameworks with 100s of business owners and managers.
So hereās 4 ways to break down your hardest problems until theyāre so simple the solution is staring you in the face:
The 4 ways to frame your growth problem (and clarify the solution)
Quick refresher on how to problem solve:
1) First, list the problem
2) Then, frame the problem into categories to investigate
3) Finally, list out the details under each categories
Weāre covering Step #2 today.

The āOpposite Wordsā framework
Letās dive in to the 4 ways to frame your problem (weāll start with the easiest and move to the hardest).
Opposite Words
Math Framing
Process Framing
Segments
Let me explainā¦
1) Opposite Words
Take one thing to investigate and its opposite.
Is your funnel broken for customer or non-customer reasons?
Technical or non-technical?
Internal or external reasons?
Opposite words is a great start. It helps you think within the lines of what the problem could be.
We donāt use it with our clients because itās too simplistic for most problems, but itās an easy framework to use if youāre looking for a quick, rough answer.
2) Math Framing
This is great for when you can break the problem down into an equation. Then you investigate each part of the equation.
Like:
ā¢ Revenue = Units * Price
ā¢ Profit = Revenue - costs
ā¢ Market share = Market size / your revenue

š§š»āāļø Brianās nerdy side rant:
This one is great for estimations. Whenever someone tells me a number (units sold, revenue etc.), Iāll run a quick estimate in my head.
If my estimate is different than the number I heard, then I stop the conversation and find out why.
Most people like to nod along so they seem smart. But doing a rough estimate gives you permission to ask āstupidā questions. Itās the dumbest questions that move the needle.
If you want to learn to estimate quickly, itās called Fermi Questions. My two favorite resources are this YouTube video and a book called Maths on the Back of an Envelope.
3) Process Framing
This is best when you ask: why arenāt these steps working?
Example: Why arenāt we getting the sales we expect?
So one way to solve the problem - break the customer journey into 5 parts. Check each part for leaks:
1) Awareness: Do customers find out about us in the right way? Right time?
2) Consideration: Do customers have the right information?
3) Sale: Are customers buying less than we expect?
4) Retention: Are customers leaving too quick?
5) Referral: Are customers not sharing with friends?

Itās much easier to solve the revenue problem when itās broken down into 5 smaller questions like these, isnāt it?
š§š»āāļø Brianās nerdy side rant:
This is one of my favorite frameworks. I use this framework a lot.
I tend to see problems as part of a system, so I break the problem into steps. Then analyze the steps for leaks.
A book that got me thinking this way is called Thinking in Systems. You get the point after the first few chapters, but those chapters alone are worth the buy.
4) Segments
This is best for prioritization problems.
Which customers do we focus on?
Students, parents, child-free couples
Which countries should we expand into?
Americas, Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania
Which digital channels can we win?
SEO, Paid Ads, Social Mediaā¦
Break each section into smaller chunks. Look at each chunk to see which is most attractive.
š§š»āāļø Brianās nerdy side rant:
We did this when a bank in Mexico asked us to boost their revenue. We first segmented their businesses, then segmented their customers, then their products.
We then, re-packaged their products to aim at the highest priority customers.
But to prioritize each segment youāll need a framework that balances customer needs, financials, and strategy. Check out that framework here.
Once youāve found the right framework for your problem, the solution becomes easy
These basic frameworks will demystify problem solving for your growth challenges.
If the problem youāre dealing with is exceptionally hard, youāll nest these frameworks inside one another. But thatās a topic for another time.
And thatās it!
If you found this helpful, please forward this email to 1 friend or colleague. They'll appreciate you and you'll help grow the community.
If youād prefer a video version, thereās a great YouTube video that also breaks down these frameworks.
See you next Thursday š
If you liked this post, and want more like it, sign up for free:
š Vote: What did you think of todayās edition?
Leave a comment to let me know what could be improved:
What did you think of today's edition? |