1113: A full-time job... 3 kids under 5... and STILL building an impactful service-based business w/ JD Morris

In this episode, you’ll meet JD Morris, a full-time defense industry professional, dad of three young kids, and founder of Morris Strategic Advising. JD shares how he balances entrepreneurship with real life—and why doing “all the things” doesn’t mean burning out. With a deep focus on sustainable sales systems, he reveals the mindset and strategy shifts that allow solopreneurs to create consistent client pipelines without sacrificing their sanity.

Whether you're building your business while working a 9–5 or struggling to simplify your marketing, this conversation will give you the blueprint to move forward with confidence, clarity, and calm.

💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business

• 🧠 How to build a business that fuels your life instead of burning you out
• 💬 Why sales don’t have to feel “salesy” and how to focus on solving, not selling
• 🛠️ The 3-pillar framework JD uses to help clients grow: Ideal Customer, Unique Value, Customer Journey
• 🔁 How to avoid the “feast or famine” sales cycle as a solopreneur
• 📅 Why 60 minutes of focused effort can outperform a full day of scattered tasks
• 🧩 The power of building your business while working full-time (and why it might be your advantage)
• 🤖 How JD uses AI tools like Grammarly and ChatGPT to boost productivity and stay strategic

📝 About the Guest
JD Morris is the founder of Morris Strategic Advising (MSA), where he helps small business owners build sustainable, revenue-generating systems that restore the freedom they launched their businesses to achieve. While growing MSA, he also holds a full-time role in the defense industry—an experience that gives him a rare blend of startup agility and corporate strategy. Over the past decade, JD has led accounts spanning scrappy startups to Fortune 100 firms across automotive, aerospace, and defense sectors. He holds an MBA that deepened his expertise in business systems and sparked his drive to launch his own venture. A father of three young children and married to a fellow entrepreneur, JD knows firsthand what it takes to balance ambition with real life.

🎯 Guest’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs
“Success should feel like freedom—not a trap. Build at your own pace and on your own terms.”

💡 Key Takeaways from JD’s Advice:
 ✔ You don’t need to “go all in” on day one—gradual growth is still growth
 ✔ Build a business that aligns with your life, not one that dominates it
 ✔ Define success in a way that supports your values, family, and goals

📢 Memorable Quotes

“Without sales, you don’t have a business. But that doesn’t mean it has to feel like selling.” – JD Morris

“Most people don’t have a time problem—they have a focus problem.” – JD Morris

“If you’re sweating a LinkedIn post, it’s time to take a step back and revisit your plan.” – JD Morris

💡 Actionable Takeaways
✅ Replace “more effort” with focused effort—identify your 20% that moves 80% of the results
✅ Don’t rush to quit your job—leverage it as a strategic foundation for growth
✅ Build trust and relationships, not just leads—nurture is the long game

🔗 Links & Resources

• Visit Morris Strategic Advising’s Website
• Connect with JD on LinkedIn
• Follow Morris Strategic Advising on LinkedIn