Turning Whitespace into Revenue: My Playbook as Matt Slonaker, Founder of M. Allen

As the Founder of M. Allen, I’ve learned one truth above all: my time is my revenue. Every minute I spend—or waste—shows up in the numbers. Too often, I see revenue leaders, myself included in the past, let their days slip away to “noise”—endless emails, unplanned calls, or tasks that don’t drive the bottom line. But I’ve found a better way. I call it “whitespace”—those gaps in my schedule that, when I use them right, turn idle moments into real money. Here’s how I do it.

My Day: The Starting Point

Let me walk you through a typical day as I run M. Allen and serve clients:

• 8:00 AM - 1:1 connect with a client rep on an active deal
• 9:00 AM - Demo
• 10:00 AM - Discovery call
• 12:30 PM - Commercials call
• 2:30 PM - Pilot training

It’s a pretty standard lineup—nothing wild. I’m supporting my client team, talking to prospects, and pushing deals forward. But here’s the thing: that’s only about 23% of my 8-hour day. That leaves 77%—what most people would call “free time”—just sitting there. For years, I let that time get swallowed by reacting to Slack pings or scrolling LinkedIn. Not anymore. Now, I see whitespace as my secret weapon. Here’s how I fill it:

• 7:30 AM - Strategize all plays for the day on active deals
• 8:30 AM - Execute plays for the day on active deals
• 11:00 AM - Finish plays for the day on active deals
• 11:30 AM - Prospect 3 new accounts (3-5 people at each)
• 1:00 PM - Break
• 2:00 PM - Send 3 gifts to 3 prospects
• 3:00 PM - All follow-ups for the day

I kick things off at 7:15 AM, time-blocking every one of these tasks while I sip my coffee and strategize. For me, whitespace boils down to three things: prospecting, active deals, or breaks. Anything else? It’s just noise.

My Whitespace Mindset

I don’t see whitespace as empty—it’s potential. I’ve got a rule I live by now: Don’t let 77% of my time go to non-revenue-generating activities. I read once that sales pros spend as little as 28% of their time actually selling. The rest? Admin, meetings, busywork. As a founder driving revenue, I can’t afford that. My job spans strategy, execution, and leadership, so the “noise” can easily drown me if I let it.

That’s why I break my whitespace into three buckets:

1. Prospecting - Keeping my pipeline alive with new opportunities.
2. Active Deals - Pushing what’s already in play over the finish line.
3. Breaks - Recharging so I don’t burn out.

If it doesn’t fit those buckets, I push it off my plate. Emails can stack up. Random requests get a “let’s schedule it” reply. Revenue stays front and center.

How I Make It Work

Here’s a peek into how I structure my day to squeeze every drop of value from my whitespace:

7:15 AM - My Morning Playbook

Before the chaos hits, I take 15 minutes to map out my day. I’m talking specific plays—tactical moves for every active deal and prospecting target. For example:

• Deal X: Prep my client rep for a hard negotiation at 8 AM.
• Prospect Y: Dig up the right contacts for outreach at 11:30 AM.

It’s not fluffy planning—it’s my battle plan. By 7:30, I know exactly where I’m headed.

7:30 AM - 11:00 AM - Deal Mode

My morning’s all about active deals. From 7:30 to 11:00, I’m strategizing, executing, or tying up loose ends around my scheduled calls. Take 8:30 AM: after my 1:1, I fire off a follow-up email to the client, locking in the rep’s pitch. Or at 11:00, post-discovery call, I log the big takeaways and assign next steps. I use the gaps between my 8, 9, and 10 AM calls to keep deals moving—no wasted breaths.

11:30 AM - Prospecting Blitz

Once my deals are rolling, I switch gears to prospecting. In 30 minutes, I hit 3 new accounts, targeting 3-5 people at each. I’m not blasting generic emails—I’m surgical. I pull up LinkedIn, Bebop, or ZoomInfo, find the decision-makers, and craft messages that hit their pain points. Three accounts keep it doable but impactful, feeding my pipeline without bogging me down.

1:00 PM - My Reset

At 1 PM, I step away. I grab lunch, take a walk, or just breathe. It’s not laziness—it’s intentional. I’ve seen the data: breaks sharpen focus and keep me from crashing. I come back at 2 PM ready to roll.

2:00 PM - The Gift Trick

Here’s a move I love: at 2 PM, I send 3 gifts to prospects. Nothing fancy—a $10 coffee card with a note like, “Let’s chat over a virtual brew next week.” It’s personal, it’s memorable, and it works. I’ve seen response rates jump when I add that touch. It’s a small spend for a big return.

3:00 PM - Closing the Loop

I wrap my day with a 60-minute follow-up sprint. Every email, call, or to-do from the day gets handled. Deals stay hot, prospects don’t cool off, and I sleep knowing nothing’s slipping.

Why It’s a Game-Changer

This isn’t about staying busy—it’s about staying effective. I’ve built this system on a few truths I’ve learned the hard way:

• Time Blocking Works: Scheduling my tasks keeps me sharp and cuts out decision fatigue.
• Revenue Rules: Prospecting and deals are my north star—everything else is secondary.
• Whitespace Wins: That 77% of “unclaimed” time? It’s now my edge.

Most days, I used to spend 40% in meetings, 30% on email, and maybe 20% on real work. Now, I’ve flipped the script.

Steal My System

You don’t need to run M. Allen to make this yours. Here’s how I’d tell you to start:

1. Check Yourself: Track your time for a week. How much is revenue-focused? Push for 70%+.
2. Plan Early: Take 15 minutes each morning to strategize your plays. It’s your roadmap.
3. Claim Your Whitespace: Fill it with prospecting, deals, or breaks—delegate the rest.
4. Batch It: Group tasks like follow-ups into tight blocks. Less jumping, more doing.
5. Try the Gift Play: Send a few thoughtful gifts to prospects. Watch the replies roll in.

My Takeaway

Whitespace isn’t a gap—it’s a goldmine. I’ve turned 77% of my day into a revenue engine by focusing on what matters: prospecting, pushing deals, and keeping myself sane with breaks. At M. Allen, this is how I lead—deliberately, not frantically. My pipeline’s fuller, my deals close faster, and my team’s got a model to follow.

So, pull up your calendar. Find your whitespace. Then ask yourself: What am I going to do with it? For me, the answer’s simple—turn it into revenue.