Find Your Brand Sweet Spot: The 3-Circle Funnel That Drives Purpose and Clarity

Beyond the Hustle: Building a Brand That Aligns with Who You Are

In a world overloaded with noise, cutting through the clutter starts with focus. I’ve found this simple funnel diagram—three overlapping circles leading to a clear sweet spot—helps bring clarity to what I do and why it matters.

What Is the 3-Circle Brand Funnel?

At the top, three circles represent your core passions—those topics you can’t help but talk about, write about, and explore. They could be:

• Activism (what fuels your spirit? For me, it’s community impact)

• Real Estate (naturally, the business of incredible properties)

• People (connections, community, relationships)

Where those three overlap, a resource‑rich zone energizes me and drives most of my meaningful work. That’s the sweet spot. Year after year, we see that the majority of our clients come from this space. 

How to Find Your Sweet Spot

1. List your passions.

   • What conversations come to you naturally?

   • What content do you create or want to create?

   • What interests do you dive into, even off‑hours?

2. Map them in three circles.

   • If your passions intersect, observe where synergy lives—this is your funnel edge heading to clarity.

3. Define your tone & purpose.

   • This is how you show up—in your voice, your style, your ‘why.’

Why It Matters

Porter Gale (author of Your Network Is Your Net Worth) puts it succinctly:

“Having a defined online brand or profile also makes connecting more likely, as credibility checks are just a click away.” Beyond credibility, articulating your passions opens doors—it changes how life unfolds for you and who finds you.

Why Purpose Is the Key to Your Brand?

Purpose. That falls in line with:
“To connect incredible people to incredible homes to fund my ideal life.”

That statement is more than a slogan:

• It’s actionable—connect.

• It’s value-driven—incredible people, remarkable homes.

• It’s also personal—fund your ideal life, your vision of success.

• Clarify your passions: What are you comfortable talking about? Writing about? Exploring?

• Overlay them: Find where they intersect—this is where focus and momentum align.

• Define your purpose: Make it action‑oriented and personal.

This isn’t just branding—it’s a filter that cuts through noise and shapes every decision you make about how you show up.

I write this not just to share something I’ve found to be true, but because I’ve lived it. This simple framework works. It brings clarity, energy, and direction. But I also write it for myself. As a reminder. Because, like anyone, I sometimes drift. I forget to stay focused. I get caught up in the next lead, the next client, the next goal. This is both a message and a mirror—something I come back to, again and again, to recenter on what matters most.

Take the funnel test: draw your three passions, note the overlap, and craft your bottom‑of‑the‑funnel purpose. It might just change how people find you—and how you find meaning in your work. In my career—and really, in my life—I’ve learned that chasing the next lead, client, or closing isn’t the answer. It’s tempting, but ultimately exhausting. The real magic happens when you stop chasing and start aligning. When you focus on what truly makes you tick, the right opportunities and people show up. It may sound counterintuitive, but that’s the point. That’s where clarity lives. That’s the sweet spot.

— Craig Hogan & Rudy Zavala
Hogan Zavala Group | Engel & Völkers Chicago

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Inspired by Porter Gale’s insights in Your Network Is Your Net Worth

If you're a broker who's been chasing and not aligning, we should talk. This business is better when it's true to who you are.