Client Ascension

He Was Scared to Quit His Job, Now He's a Successful Business Owner

Topics:

SaaS

Cory Carlson transitioned from a freelancer to a structured business owner in just three months with the help of Client Ascension. Leveraging his creative background and adopting operational discipline, he rapidly scaled his business and improved his processes to prepare for future growth.

7 minutes

read time

Written by

Daniel Fazio

published:

December 21, 2024

Cory Carlson Inside Client Ascension

Business transition

Transitioned from feeling like a freelancer to operating as a structured business owner.

Revenue growth

Achieved his best-ever month in revenue shortly after his worst month.

Streamlined operations

Streamlined his operations to handle up to 5–6 additional clients.

Daniel Fazio

Co-founder @ Client Ascension - The #1 Digital Agency Coaching Program | $15M+ generated helping Agencies & B2B companies scale past $30k+/mo. Live in Tampa, AKA "Cold Email Wizard", and creator of Internet Money Group.

Overview

Cory Carlson runs Carlson Visuals, offering unlimited social media posts and ad creatives to direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands. Leveraging skills from his prior job, Cory initially struggled with structure and scalability. After joining Client Ascension, he refined his operations, set boundaries, and adjusted workflows, enabling him to grow sustainably. His story highlights the value of structured mentorship and disciplined action.

What It Meant for the Business

Mindset Shift: Cory transitioned from viewing himself as a freelancer to embracing the role of a business owner. This mental shift enabled him to create boundaries and implement structured workflows.
Increased Capacity: By refining his processes and restructuring his daily operations, Cory unlocked the ability to manage an additional 5–6 clients without hiring.
Strategic Growth: Instead of rushing to hire, Cory identified operational inefficiencies and optimized them, preparing his business for sustainable scaling.

Key Takeaways from the Interview

Transitioning from Freelancer to Business Owner: Cory shifted his mindset and workflows to align with a structured business approach, gaining the capacity for sustainable growth.
(04:42 - 06:18)
Avoiding Premature Hiring: Instead of hiring prematurely, Cory analyzed his operations and found internal efficiencies to scale without added costs.
(06:18 - 06:41)‍
Patience Pays Off: After his worst month, Cory focused on long-term systems and saw a threefold revenue increase the following month.(08:16 - 08:43)

“

Transitioning from Freelancer to Business Owner

Cory shifted his mindset and workflows to align with a structured business approach, gaining the capacity for sustainable growth.

Cory Carlson

04:42 - 06:18

“

Avoiding Premature Hiring

Instead of hiring prematurely, Cory analyzed his operations and found internal efficiencies to scale without added costs.

Cory Carlson

06:18 - 06:41

“

Patience Pays Off

After his worst month, Cory focused on long-term systems and saw a threefold revenue increase the following month.

Cory Carlson

08:16 - 08:43

Before Client Ascension

Challenges:

Operated more like a freelancer than a business owner.
Lack of structure and boundaries in daily operations.
Limiting beliefs about scaling and hiring.

Goals:

Transition from freelancer to business owner.
Refine operations and establish workflows for scalability.
Adopt a long-term growth mindset.

How Client Ascension Helped Cory Achieve These Results

Operational Structure: Cory implemented structured workflows, setting boundaries to improve efficiency.
Community Support: Access to coaches and a supportive network provided guidance for critical decisions.
Scalability: Refined systems allowed Cory to prepare for growth without premature hiring.

Parting Words

Cory emphasizes the importance of action, patience, and leveraging a supportive community for success. Client Ascension helped him transition from a freelancer to a confident business owner with the systems and mindset to scale.