Hi,
I would love opinions on my Fiddle Leaf Fig. I adore this plant and want it to thrive but need some help. This picture is the "good side." The other side is pretty bare from losing all the leaves. It's about 6.5 feet tall. I want it to grow to 9 feet tall and then continue to fill out from there. How do I go about helping the plant accomplish this? Any advice is so appreciated!

Brief history:
I have had the plant for about a year. It lost a good 1/3 to maybe 1/2 its leaves a couple months after I brought it home. I don't think I was watering it enough. After I adjusted the water it has seemed fairly happy and has not dropped any more leaves.
This past summer it had a good growth spurt and grew a good foot or so in height. The new growth is all at the top.

Other Questions:
-Should I cut off the small stem that is growing further down on the trunk? How do I get my tree to "fill in" in the areas where it has lost leaves, as its last growth spurt was solely concentrated on new growth at the top of the tree?
-I have it staked to try and encourage the new growth to grow straight up. Will this be effective as I wait for the branches to strengthen?
-Should I repot?

Any other advice or observations based on looking at the tree?

Thanks again for taking the time to offer any advice!