Can a few strokes on paper increase your ability to persuade or sell? Could a simple sketch unleash a superpower to guide your clients and customers?

These questions aren’t just hypothetical — they highlight the real power of visualizing fundamental business principles.

Take, for example, the 80/20 rule.

Of all the mental models we use daily, the 80/20 rule (aka the Pareto Principle) is among the most common.

Named after the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, it states that roughly 80% of effects come from 20% of causes. While Pareto initially applied this concept to the distribution of wealth in society, it has since been found to apply to various phenomena across many fields.*

However, there are nuances to this principle that “80% of the ________ comes from 20% of the _________.”

Today, I want to explore those nuances and share three ways to transform them into visual frameworks you can easily sketch and share.

Each visual illustrates one aspect of the 80/20 rule with a different emphasis. See which ones resonate with you and where you might use them in your solo business presentations or client meetings.

If you want to show relationship

A simple pie chart can vividly illustrate how a small portion of inputs — be it effort, costs, or resources — produces the majority of outputs, such as profits or customer satisfaction.

This principle identifies which causes (20%) lead to most of the effects (80%).

Consider when you might use this framework in conversations with clients (or yourself!):

“Do you know which 20% of your efforts generate 80% of your business's success? What if you could pinpoint it today?”

“20% of your best customers share an interest in a full-service solution, which generates the most revenue for your company.”

If you want to show differentiation

Drawing two groups of dots — one significantly smaller than the other — can effectively show the disparity in contribution from a company’s most and least impactful elements.

This visual separates the crucial 20% from the less significant 80%.

Consider these comments in a client conversation with this framework:

“Imagine increasing your business revenue by focusing on just a few key activities. Which ones would you choose?”

“Of the 10 items in your product line, these 2 attract the most publicity and set you apart from your competition.”

If you want to show discernment

Discernment refers to the ability to look deeper into the underlying causes and effects that aren’t immediately apparent.

Sketching an iceberg triangle lets you show what's visible on the surface (20%) is only a small part of the whole picture, with the substantial bulk (80%) hidden beneath and often overlooked.

Consider these comments in a client conversation:

“Imagine what insights lie hidden in the 80% of your efforts that seem unproductive. Could they hold the secret to transforming your business efficiency?”

“You recognize the market trends affecting your company. What other opportunities are you not seeing?”

No art skills needed

Now, notice that none of these visuals is that difficult to draw. In fact, they could easily be sketched spontaneously on a napkin during a conversation. Artistic skill is not a necessity.

What is required, however, is that you think through how to apply them to your specific business needs.

Each of these visual frameworks makes the concept more accessible to your audience.

More importantly, it makes your ideas actionable.

Visual persuasion power

Visuals are powerful. By learning to draw these simple yet effective frameworks quickly, you’re not just sharing information. You're creating an experience that invites engagement and builds understanding.

Why wait? Grab a pencil and paper (or tablet), and try sketching these frameworks today. Challenge yourself to use them at your next client meeting or customer presentation, and see the difference they make!

* My friend and fellow framework thinker Vicky Zhao inspired me to visualize the nuances of the 80/20 framework in her recent Confident Communicator Cohort online course. I’ll remind you when she offers it again. It was filled with creative ways to think and speak with frameworks.

Wanna chat?

I’ve been reaching out to a handful of readers each week to get a better idea of who is reading SOLO and what they’d like to read about or learn in these emails. It’s been fun to connect and discover the varieties of solopreneurship. Plus, I’m getting some great feedback and ideas.

Readers can respond by email or have a 15-minute chat, and I’ve received both types of replies. So if you get an email directly from me, know that it’s not spam — it’s a genuine request.

If you want to jump the queue and give me your feedback (or schedule a 15-minute chat) sooner, just email me and we can set something up.

My favorite visual delights ❤️

Here are a few gems from around the Web this week to help you build visibility, credibility, and authority:

🤔 The Most Confusing Emojis in Every Country​
Have you, like me, ever seen an emoji and thought: What the heck does that mean? C’mon, admit it. 🙂 This infographic maps the most confusing emojis in more than 130 countries, based on the frequency of Google searches. It seems the pleading face --> 🥺 is the most confusing in the USA. Folks in Canada, Sweden, Australia, Finland, and Denmark are confused by the upside-down face --> 🙃. See how many you recognize or which emojis still stump you.

🕺 CDK: Somebody I Used to Know by Gotye​
In this newsletter, we usually consider visuals to be graphic-based. But I discovered this YouTube video of CDK, a dance company from the Netherlands that is so striking, so creative, and so captivating that I knew I had to share it with all of you. Enjoy these 4 minutes of visual delight, and join the nearly 6 million people who have viewed it since it was posted a month ago.

⚡️ Un-Ignorable Challenge​
This online course with Katelyn Bourgoin and Neal O’Grady is for entrepreneurs who are serious about building an audience. I was in the last cohort and gained valuable insights about content creation and buyer psychology. Their sales page gives extensive details. As an alum and partner of Katelyn and Neal, I get to offer you a $400 discount ($600 instead of $1000) plus a $150 bonus, but only until Thursday, April 18th at midnight PT. If you’re ready to build an audience of future clients and customers, it could be a good match.

Thanks again for being a SOLO reader and coming along on this journey of visual exploration.
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See you next week,