How Stepping Forward Found Clarity, Accountability, and Growth with Doug Diamond
When Matt Harvey first met Doug Diamond, he was running Stepping Forward almost entirely on instinct. “I was the leadership team,” he laughs. “We were small, and I was trying to do everything myself. I had goals, but no real structure or accountability. And it’s hard to ask someone you pay to hold you accountable.”
Day after day, the urgent tasks piled up, leaving little space for big-picture thinking. “I was constantly inundated with day-to-day fires. It was hard to keep perspective on what would actually move the business forward,” Matt recalls. “I’d make a plan, look at it at the end of the year, and say, ‘Did we hit it or not?’ That was about as far as my planning went.”
Finding the Right Coach
Matt knew he needed an outside influence — someone who could offer clarity, perspective, and truth without judgment. Having learned from other industry leaders, he noticed something special about Doug. “I realized that a lot of the people I admired had Doug’s fingerprints on their success,” he says. “So when I heard he was offering business planning programs, I dove in.”
From the beginning, Doug’s approach felt different. “He’s one of those rare coaches who tells you the truth while being kind about it,” Matt explains. “He’s not there to beat you up; he’s there to help you get back up. You always know he’s right — you can feel it — but he delivers it with such grace that you want to rise to the occasion.”
From Annual Goals to Living Plans
Before working with Doug, planning meant setting a target once a year. With Doug’s guidance, Matt discovered the power of consistent reflection and course correction.
“Doug’s framework makes your plan alive,” he says. “We focus quarterly instead of yearly, so we’re always checking in — what worked, what didn’t, what’s next. That shift alone changed everything. Suddenly the plan wasn’t a document; it was a tool we used to make real decisions.”
Over time, those habits became a rhythm. “Business planning is like a muscle — it takes practice,” Matt says. “Doug helps you build those muscles step by step. There’s always another level you can go with him.”
Accountability, Alignment, and Growth
Having the right plan — and a coach who keeps you honest — created the structure Matt had been missing. “The plan itself holds you accountable, but having Doug beside you adds another layer. When I started slipping on doing the work between sessions, I could see the difference right away,” he admits. “It’s time well spent every time you show up.”
That consistency paid off. “We’ve essentially tripled the business in about four years,” Matt shares. “Not everyone will see that kind of growth, but for us, the combination of alignment, accountability, and focus made all the difference.”
A Coach Who Helps You Grow Yourself
As Stepping Forward has grown, so has Matt. “Good business planning isn’t just about growing the business — it’s about growing yourself as a leader,” he reflects. “Doug’s coaching has given me so many opportunities to do that. It’s changed how I think, how I plan, and how I show up for my team.”
Asked what he’d tell other leaders on the fence about getting a coach, Matt doesn’t hesitate:
“You can’t do it all in your own head. Having an outside influence like Doug is critical for business health — and for your own growth as a leader. He’s refined his program year after year, and it just keeps getting better. If you’re considering it, don’t wait. Work with Doug.”
