If you're fed up with the non-stop solopreneur grind… I'm so glad you've found The Promote Yourself to CEO Show!
Each week, join host Racheal Cook MBA for candid conversations about stepping into your role as CEO of your business, the hard lessons learned along the way, and practical, profitable strategies to grow a sustainable business without the hustle and burnout.
Listen in to the latest show and connect with Racheal at http://www.theceocollective.com or on Instagram @racheal.cook to continue the conversation!
You know you must get in front of more potential clients to grow your business. So you make plans to get more visible, whether it’s through interviews or guest blog posts or videos or whatever. Yet, you feel this anxiety creep up at the thought of getting more visibility.
So what do you do when the concept of putting yourself out there more feels scary and intimidating? In this episode, I dive into how to prepare yourself for more visibility (even if you feel like you’re not ready) so that more opportunities show up more quickly for you and your business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
2:57 - Let’s start with the easiest place to set yourself up for success. Ensure these are ready to go before you start the process of increasing visibility.
7:40 - How do I pitch myself? I give an example of how I have everything prepared before an interview and how you can do the same.
10:33 - I make a pitching recommendation that helps if you’re already feeling nervous about putting yourself out there.
12:26 - How do you pitch yourself cold to someone? Follow this process to get the most success out of it.
13:59 - How can you prepare yourself for the mindset challenges that come with more visibility? I discuss my biggest worry about the first attract marketing method I used and how I got over it.
19:19 - I encourage you to do this if you want your visibility strategy to involve video but you feel really self-conscious about it.
24:03 - There’s a dark side to visibility, and it can feel scary for women in particular. What can you do about it?
27:36 - When you pitch yourself and gain visibility, you’re going to get people rejecting you. Here’s the approach I take when that happens.
Show Links
“How to Go Pitch Yourself with Angie Trueblood”
“From Not Ready Yet to Ready for Next Level Visibility with Nicole Otchy”
“CEO Confession: The Darkside of Visibility with MegAnne Ford”
“Patriarchy Stress Disorder with Dr. Valerie Rein”
Need to write a bio? Use this. - Alexandra Franzen
Yet another way to write your bio. - Alexandra Franzen
You spend so much time posting on social media or writing blog posts or sending newsletters to your email list. But no matter what you do (or how much), your marketing just. isn’t. working! You’re not seeing results in the form of new, paying clients. Today, I kick off a new series all about marketing that converts. In this first episode, I dive into the top three reasons why your marketing isn’t converting and how you can fix it.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:10 - Do you only hear crickets when you get your message in front of people? I reveal two reasons why you might be making mistake #1.
7:26 - Fixing the first mistake involves doing something that the current marketing ecosystem ignores.
9:41 - Do you have a plan in place to prevent mistake #2? Here’s how to make sure you do.
15:17 - Mistake #3 is a big one and the basis for my upcoming marketing strategy intensive. It’s where I see gaps in people’s marketing strategy.
19:36 - I clarify attract marketing and discuss the pros and cons of the three primary attract strategies.
29:30 - Where should you begin with attract marketing strategies? I reveal where I always start.
Show Links
Imagine you’re watching a movie about two solo entrepreneurs:
One is so excited about her business but finds herself spinning her wheels. She has an amazing vision for growing her business but goes from one idea to the next because instant success eludes her.
The other also loves the idea of growing her business. But instead of constantly changing course while trying everything under the sun, she takes the slow and steady approach and inevitably reaches her goals with the framework and consistency advocated inside The CEO Collective.
So in this tale of two entrepreneurs, which one do you want to be? Tune in as I discuss why what you’ve done over the previous few months has resulted in the business you have now.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:57 - What’s the real problem for women entrepreneurs struggling to get clients? I see this so often!
10:58 - My mindset shift during my TikTok experiment thus far demonstrates why giving yourself enough time to try out strategies is so important.
15:44 - Here’s another example of how this struggle plays out for a lot of entrepreneurs.
19:36 - Are you a podcaster struggling to pitch yourself to others for interviews? I reveal what I’ve discovered in my ten years of podcasting.
23:21 - Find out why you’ll never have to worry about bothering people with your offers again, as long as you adopt this shift in perspective.
27:50 - Hiring a coach to hold you accountable isn’t going to do this for you.
Show Links
I’m a business growth strategist who’s revealing the truth about scaling your business, so this episode series may have surprised you. But I want your eyes wide open when you go into business growth mode. It’s not just about making more sales; you also need to scale your team, customer experience, and infrastructure behind the scenes so your business doesn’t implode. In this final installment, I break down some key things for you to start thinking about to be more strategic and sustainable when you’re ready to go into high growth business mode.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:57 - Which mode allows me to have the lifestyle I want? Being more strategic and intentional while looking towards business growth.
7:26 - Women entrepreneurs tend not to step into leadership in their finances. You can’t allocate resources or make smart decisions otherwise.
11:42 - Keep it simple, upgrade as you go, have perspective, and stop comparing yourself to others. Here’s a particularly helpful recommendation for both new and experienced entrepreneurs.
16:14 - Marketing is one area where I see people get overwhelmed. Some personal examples of how I use my own system to prevent this from happening to me.
20:07 - Slow down. Things take time. We tend to overestimate how much we can accomplish weekly or monthly, yet underestimate our amount of productivity in a year.
25:08 - The biggest disconnect I’ve noticed between entrepreneurs and other small business owners. What the former tend to do.
27:03 - Here’s something not talked about often enough behind the scenes, particularly for female business owners. Having a team of support, both professionally and personally.
30:54 - Growth isn’t linear, and that’s okay. Some pointers on handling plateaus and explosive periods of growth.
Show Links
When you hear of businesses blowing up overnight, you get the glamorized version. You see the celebrity entrepreneurs online living the high life. They’re taking luxury vacations, driving fancy cars, and talking about how their business makes six, seven, eight (or more) figures.
But here’s what they’re not telling you. Their business isn’t sustainable because things are constantly breaking behind the scenes. They feel stressed out due to all the fires they have to constantly put out.
So how about we take a different approach? In this next segment of the “Truth About Scaling” series, I talk about the three mistakes I often see entrepreneurs make that cause problems when it comes to scaling your business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:29 - How do you know if you’re making this first mistake? Here are the warning signs.
11:52 - I reveal how I’ve fallen into the trap of mistake #1 myself and how you can avoid doing the same.
14:54 - Hiring is another area in your business where you may be making this same mistake.
21:28 - This third area where people make the first mistake is a big pet peeve of mine (and another one I’ve done myself).
25:10 - How did I reverse track on making this mistake when I shifted my approach to The CEO Collective?
32:25 - Too many startup entrepreneurs don’t realize this about cash flow in their business.
35:44 - I discuss mistake #2 and the problem that it won’t fix for you.
41:42 - Where do you really need to get honest about your business? Here are the three markets that you need to be testing.
45:58 - The third mistake and why doing the opposite will save your scaling business.
52:30 - Too much humanity has gone out of business, so I reveal what I’m doing to help bring it back.
58:26 - To end the show, I quickly recap the three mistakes.
Mentioned in 3 Common Mistakes That Can Cause Your Scaling Business to Implode
Just because you know something isn’t the same as experiencing it. As a CEO, you undergo rites of passage as you progress through your business, especially if you want a successful and sustainable one. In this episode, I share some of the lessons I’ve learned the hard way so you can see a little further ahead on your path, mitigate some of these challenges early on, or just have a more realistic view of what you’re up against.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:46 - Lesson one: you cannot do this on your way to sustainable business success.
8:03 - I get angry when I see how too many others fail to implement this lesson. You won’t have a dream business team with this mindset.
16:03 - What will you struggle with when you attain success, and why? The third surprising lesson I learned.
23:16 - Lesson four: the more your business grows, the less and less you’ll find yourself seeking this.
30:55 - The biggest celebrity influencer entrepreneurs make it seem like marketing solves all business problems. Here’s why it isn’t the answer.
33:17 - Lesson six is the best lesson of all. So how do I apply it in my business?
38:33 - We’re idea machines as entrepreneurs. But we need to take more heed of this lesson and beware who we listen to. I explain why.
45:15 - Surprise! I reveal a bonus lesson to wrap the show.
Mentioned in 7 Lessons I Learned On My Way to a Sustainable BusinessThis week, I went live on Instagram to share a little Rach Rant that I knew I needed to share with you on the podcast.
I've been hearing from so many small business owners who are looking for real support but when they bring their legitimate business challenges to the so called experts - they are told that the reason they are stuck is mindset.
Mindset it important! But there are very real challenges that we all are facing that impact our small businesses. If 2023 was a challenging year, then listen in!
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
00:00 Rachel Cook challenges mindset struggles for small businesses.
03:09 Challenges faced by women micro business owners.
06:56 Limited availability drives up costs for working families.
11:35 Global pressures can't be offset by mindset.
13:11 Consumer behavior shifts impacting small business owners.
18:45 Get proactive with marketing to boost sales.
20:19 Be wary of misleading marketing messages on social media.
Scaling is the name of the business game online, or so it would seem. So often we hear about people having seven-figure launches or seven-figure months (or even days).
But there’s something that really doesn’t get talked about regarding these eye-popping figures that you need to know. Beyond just making more money, what does it really mean to scale your business? Is it possible to double, triple (or more) your business in just a year or two?
Scaling just for the sake of it can be detrimental to your business. So I wanted to do a new series to talk about the truth behind scaling. In this first episode, I talk about everything you need to consider before you press the “scale” button on your business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:16 - What’s the difference between growth and scale? These words get used interchangeably a lot but aren’t exactly the same.
8:41 - Too many people go after scale at all costs and put their business into unstable territory. I reveal one of the biggest red flags that expose this.
14:26 - Beware of the well-known celebrity influencers you follow who teach you this. Here’s the real truth behind their success.
19:47 - What’s another potential “hidden” cash eater in your business? A lot of celebrity influencers like to use this one to bring in sales and clients.
22:48 - I discuss what I personally aim for when scaling my business that makes it easier for me to plan ahead.
26:37 - The last few years have seen the fragility of so many businesses. Some had to get really creative and have a solid but flexible infrastructure to survive.
29:18 - What should you focus on this month? Believe me, it’ll make it seven times easier to do business if you stick to this one thing.
Mentioned in What You Don’t Know About Scaling Your Business Will Kill ItAs soon as you get up, the dog is already begging to be let outside. The kids don’t want to get ready for school, so you have to practically drag them out of bed. Your partner is wondering where the hell this or that is while you’re trying to get ready yourself for the day. And you’re still just barely awake in all this and haven’t had your coffee yet!
Are your mornings crazy like this? Let’s do something about that! High performance CEOs know how to manage their day and conserve their energy to get the results they want in life and business. So in this last installment of the “Run Your Business Like a CEO” series, I talk about three surprisingly key things to running your day like a CEO, based on my own experience.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
7:54 - A great day truly starts the night before. I used to never be a great sleeper (and even failed at it, according to my FitBit), so here’s how I fixed that.
15:48 - Morning routines can be so different from person to person. As an introvert who likes the quiet, here’s what I do and don’t do.
20:00 - What else can you consider to keep your days running smoothly? Pay attention to these things.
23:00 - I reveal what I do to simplify decision-making regarding my wardrobe, self-care, and home essentials.
26:45 - What’s sucking away your time? I discuss the happy accident that helped me truly relax.
28:27 - I used to feel resistant to morning and nighttime routines. Are you in the same boat?
Mentioned in Run Your Day Like a CEO
As a CEO, you’ve got many potential distractions in your business. Answering emails or other ongoing administrative work can keep your attention off the tasks that’ll actually move your company forward. Then by the end of the week, you’ve made little (if any) progress on the tasks that do drive business growth and success. In this episode, I talk about how you can run your week as a CEO with five top strategies that help you skillfully manage your time and energy while prioritizing those higher-value tasks that move the needle.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
5:01 - What is a model calendar, and how do you use one? I talk about how I created my model calendar and really dig into the details of how I use it now.
21:57 - If you have other people on your team, here’s something else you should consider doing to protect your time and energy.
26:33 - What’s the second most important strategy to run your week like a CEO? I do this for my business every Monday morning.
39:46 - I’m pretty ruthless when I implement the third strategy. And it certainly helps with client appointments and business boundaries when I do this.
41:37 - I often get asked why I included these couple of questions in The CEO Planner. What are they, and why did I?
45:03 - The CEO Score comes in handy when it comes to sticking to the weekly plan you just mapped out. Here’s a breakdown of what it’s all about.
57:26 - The last strategy is built right into the planner as this series of questions so you can make better decisions and nip any recurring problems in the bud.
1:02:58 - To wrap up, I quickly recap all five top things to do to run your week like a CEO.
Mentioned in Run Your Week Like a CEOI go on CEO dates with myself. Once every month (as well as on a weekly basis), I take some time to check in on my business and ensure I’m continuing the progress toward the goals I’ve set. This is how I create business plans that I follow through on and adapt as circumstances arise. And in this episode, I discuss how you too can build in self-accountability so that your plan isn’t just another document you’ll never open again.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
2:59 - I talk about my monthly CEO date and dive into my check-in process.
7:48 - What kinds of questions can you ask yourself as you look back on the previous month?
11:28 - I reveal another reason why I absolutely love working with The CEO Planner.
14:15 - What are the consequences of not tracking and documenting things in your business on a consistent basis?
20:07 - Your business metrics and revenue help you predict your company’s future. I reveal how I check on mine every month without obsessing over them.
27:20 - What if you discover that you’ve fallen behind (even way behind) on your projected goals? Here’s how I handle it.
32:24 - One of the most crucial things you need to do with your team while setting your top business priorities for the next month.
34:10 - What’s the last thing I do at the end of my monthly CEO date?
Mentioned in Run Your Month Like a CEOEvery new year feels like a new chance to go after the big, audacious goals of your dreams. But as recent years have shown, you need to have adaptable plans for your business so that it can have the flexibility it needs while still getting the results you want. That’s why I love running my quarter through 90-day plans. Today, I talk about how to actually dig in and start creating these plans for your own business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:34 - Why go for 90-day plans? Entrepreneurs love setting big, ambitious goals, but it can be overwhelming.
7:27 - How do you break down big goals into more manageable chunks to fit your time, energy, and resources? You can make your best guess, or do this instead.
11:24 - As an example, I quickly walk through how you can launch a new group program within a year (or sooner).
16:03 - How do you actually create your first 90-day plan? I dig into it and discuss the kind of goals you want to focus on during this process.
19:50 - Start the process by looking over your sales and marketing with this 5-part marketing strategy framework.
27:01 - Most people think of this part of the framework when they think of marketing and can get it confused with the first step. I reveal why it’s different and necessary.
34:08 - What’s next after you have your systems in place? I discuss the difference between process vs. project goals and breaking them down in your 90-day plan.
38:38 - Asking yourself these questions as you work through your plan can really help ensure you avoid major challenges.
42:50 - I talk about fine-tuning your plan throughout the quarter without burning yourself out. Mentioned in Run Your Quarter Like a CEOIt’s one thing to have the right people on your team. But do you have them in the right roles?
Assessment tools like StrengthsFinder (now officially called CliftonStrengths®) can help you not just learn more about yourself and your team members but also give you the information you need to help put them in a better position for success. Specifically, StrengthsFinder helps you discover your top talents so you can maximize your personal and professional potential.
CEO Collective member La Tondra Murray has over a decade of experience with CliftonStrengths® and uses it as part of her strengths-based leadership coaching to help established entrepreneurs create business results with a lean team. She’s helped more than a thousand individuals and over 40 teams (including my own) in assessing their talent, work-life integration, and emerging leadership.
In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn about how using the CliftonStrengths® assessment tool can help you truly set your team members up for success. La Tondra will teach you how each of the four domains of StrengthsFinder can express itself in your role as leader, and you’ll even get a peek into what she discovered about me and members of my business team.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:14 - How did La Tondra first start working with strengths-based leadership as a powerful piece of her work?
10:32 - La Tondra explains what strengths are (specific to the CliftonStrengths assessment).
13:01 - La Tondra reveals what stands out to her the most when looking at others using their leadership strengths.
17:04 - What does La Tondra look for when assessing how members of a business team work together?
22:37 - La Tondra discusses what StrengthsFinder isn’t, the importance of all types of strengths, and pivoting from one domain to another.
28:07 - What are the four domains of the CliftonStrengths assessment, and how can they show up in leadership?
38:12 - La Tondra talks about her delightful discovery as a CEO Collective member for the last six months.
Mentioned in How to Leverage StrengthsFinder to Be a Better Team Leader In Your Business with La Tondra Murray
You have all kinds of personality assessment tools available to use. You’ve probably even taken some of the tests like Myers-Briggs, StrengthFinders, or the Enneagram.
But what about a tool that can help you assess and build your team in the best way possible? That’s where the Kolbe A™ Index comes in! It’s a tool that small business owners can use to understand their natural instincts in problem-solving and decision-making.
So, how does it work, and how can you implement it for yourself and your team? Kendra Tillman is a former client and founder of StrongHer.Me Coaching & Consulting specializes in using this system so that you understand your natural strengths as well as those of your employees. And she’s here to tell you how!
A system like this is essential when building a strong company culture. In this continuation of our culture series on the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn how the Kolbe system works and how to use it to build, support, and lead a better business team.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
8:02 - I originally took the Kolbe test in 2005 and still have the printout. How did Kendra first start working with this assessment system?
13:01 - Kendra explains what you can use Kolbe for as an entrepreneur who’s growing a business and leading a team.
16:39 - When you first get your Kolbe report, you see all these numbers, colors, and other information. What does it all mean?
21:35 - Kendra discusses how you can use the system to hire people or figure out who on your existing team needs to come in and support you.
28:46 - What do you need to pay special attention to when using Kolbe to evaluate potential hires for a spot on your business team?
31:53 - Kendra demonstrates how this assessment system can change the dynamics within a team.
34:55 - How does following the results of your Kolbe assessment affect the energy you put into your business? Kendra uses my Quick Start strength as an example.
About Kendra Tillman
Kendra Tillman is the founder of StrongHer.Me Coaching & Consulting. Her company’s mission empowers rising women leaders to RECLAIM their authentic voice, OWN their leadership potential, and ACTIVATE the courage to live their calling.
Mentioned in How the Kolbe A™ Index Helps You Better Support and Lead Your Business Team with Kendra Tillman
You’ve seen and heard about it from the hiring room to the Hollywood screen. For the last few years, every workplace imaginable has been discussing and trying to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion by implementing DEI practices in their company.
But Mia Henry, founder and CEO of Freedom Lifted, sees a flaw in the way these concepts often get applied. Her approach involves pioneering innovative work, and she has lots of experience working with those committed to promoting justice and equity.
In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, we’re continuing our work and business culture series with Mia. You’ll learn how to cultivate a sense of belonging within your team by using a more effective way of applying these concepts in your small business. Mia will reveal what shared power looks like, why it’s important to have it, and the process she uses to help others begin to do DEI work differently.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
7:03 - Why are diversity, equity, and inclusion so important within the culture of a company? Mia explains from her unique perspective.
12:42 - Mia discusses what social power and equity are and how they relate to shared power within team dynamics or management of organizations.
20:07 - Many still aren’t ready to have this conversation, so what is necessary for people to be ready to do this work? And how does Mia help them start to tackle it?
23:12 - Issues still arise when those with marginalized identities gain positional power. Why? And why is privilege not necessarily a bad thing?
25:23 - We talk about the two stakeholders I think small businesses really need to consider in this and how too many businesses approach it instead.
32:33 - How is this kind of social justice and movement work similar to doing trauma work? Mia also discusses a critical (and sometimes revolutionary) part of her work.
38:21 - Mia gives some examples of people she looks up to who are leading from this new paradigm of shared power.
41:11 - We share why we have hope for younger generations to make a difference, and how our generation can help.
45:08 - Mia has been part of The CEO Collective for a year. What has happened to her business since joining?
Mentioned in Build a Business Culture That You and Your Employees Love with Tiffany Slater
- Freedom Lifted
- The Shared Power Podcast
- “Redefining Leadership with Deborah Harrington” | The Shared Power Podcast
- The CEO Collective
- “How to Re-Align Your Business With Your Values with Erica Courdae”
- “Values Matter: Taking a Real Stand In Your Business with Erica Courdae”
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Rate and review on Apple Podcasts
Are you a small business owner who is hiring more employees and building a real team? Then it’s time to start thinking at an entirely new level about how this will change the game for your company. And you need to have a culture in place that helps you attract and retain the talent you want onboard.
In the last few years, we’ve seen huge changes in the way people work. In fact, the pandemic accelerated changes that were already underway. These changes very much revolve around company culture and how that affects its employees, something that the human resources department of every corporation has a direct hand in.
Dr. Tiffany Slater is very much a product of this change. She has over 20 years of experience as an HR professional but had to leave a toxic workplace situation. Now, she specializes in helping other busy entrepreneurs take the lead on their human resource needs. And she’s here today to help me kick off a new podcast series on business culture.
In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn how to get really honest about the type of business you want to have now that it’s no longer just about you. Tiffany will teach you how you can start building a more intentional culture for your small business that’s enjoyable and effective for you and your employees.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:27 - The dichotomy between the old and new way of work management has changed in the last few years. How does it impact small business owners?
12:09 - Tiffany explains what being a fractional human resources executive means for small business owners and reveals the tipping point for managing the HR side of a company.
15:55 - What does it mean to have a culture in your business? Every organization has one, even if they don’t plan for it.
17:59 - As a solopreneur, your company’s values are your values. But what happens with those values as you build your team?
23:23 - When you’re not intentionally thinking about your company’s culture, it tends to create one by accident. Tiffany describes the challenges she sees in those businesses.
27:45 - How is creating a healthy, functional dynamic for your team within your business similar to hosting a party? Tiffany reveals the two things that bring it all together.
31:22 - If you want to attract and retain talent in your business, you must build a company culture that does this.
Mentioned in Build a Business Culture That You and Your Employees Love with Tiffany Slater
- HR TailorMade
- Free HR Strategy Session with Tiffany Slater
- The CEO Retreat
- The CEO Collective
- “How to Re-Align Your Business With Your Values with Erica Courdae”
- “Values Matter: Taking a Real Stand In Your Business with Erica Courdae”
- The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Rate and review on Apple Podcasts
Do you often have to throw your 90-day business plan out of the window because events come up that throw a wrench in the works?
Over the past few years, pandemics, social justice movements, and wars have made the world feel more chaotic than ever. And that impacts you as a small business owner, as do the things just going on in your personal life.
So, how do you bridge that gap between your quarterly plans and yearly goals? In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn how to take your goals for the next year and turn them into an achievable plan. I’ll teach you the difference between process and project goals, the critical systems you need to make it all work, and examples of where you might need to shore up your business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
5:19 - What type of goals are you setting for your business? There’s a difference between process goals and project goals.
10:43 - Many small business owners are doing project goals they think will grow their business. Ask yourself these two questions when it comes to your goals.
15:00 - Is your business leaking anywhere? Do an audit to see where you need to plug the gaps.
22:35 - Make sure you have these three systems dialed in for all your offers so that you (and your team) succeed without burnout.
26:50 - What can happen if you don’t implement these systems in your business before adding new things?
29:54 - Here’s an example of a project versus process goal within my business. It enables me to take this next step with The CEO Collective I’ve been working on behind the scenes.
Mentioned in How to Bridge the Gap Between Your 90-Day and 12-Month Plans
Forgetting to market and prioritize making sales consistently? What about letting your schedule get so out of control that you don’t give yourself any time off for months on end? Or chasing every next shiny object instead of focusing on what works in your business?
What you suffer from, dear entrepreneur, is a lack of plan implementation. In the final part of this year’s Best Year Ever challenge, you’ll discover how to take all the insight from the previous episodes and turn them into an actionable 12-month profit plan for 2024.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:40 - How does my 5-part framework form the foundation for your 12-month plan?
11:56 - Here’s where I start when I’m mapping out my 12-month big picture profit plan.
13:52 - Discover how to plan out what you’re going to sell and when you’re going to sell it.
17:28 - I reveal one thing you need to make sure you’re doing throughout the year and another you need to do every month.
19:57 - What do you do about any goals that aren’t covered by your client growth engine?
20:52 - Now that you have your big picture profit plan for the year, what’s next?
Mentioned in Do You Have a Month-by-Month Profit Plan for 2024?
You tell yourself, “This year, I’m gonna do it!” You write down your business goal. You put it where you can see it constantly. You’re determined to reach that pinnacle you’ve set for yourself this time! A few months later... you’ve forgotten about it or given up on it.
We tend to only set goals once a year, and that’s one of the reasons why goal setting often doesn’t work for most people. On day 4 of this series, I take a different approach to goal setting to help you establish business milestones you’ll actually follow through on in 2024.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:54 - Many of us have such a love/hate relationship with goal setting. Why does it fail so often?
6:17 - As you brainstorm all of your potential goals for the new year, refrain from doing this.
8:40 - What is in your client growth engine and in your team engine?
10:50 - I talk about using my five-part framework (Attract, Engage, Nurture, Invite, and Delight) to help you as you create goals.
16:12 - Once you’ve brainstormed, how can you narrow your goals down to five for the year? Think about how you’re setting yourself up for success.
Mentioned in How to Set Goals You Can Actually Follow Through On?
Are you constantly running your business in emergency mode? You might be running your company by default instead of by design, constantly putting out fires and working crazy long hours. But panic as a business strategy isn’t a wise recipe for success.
In this episode, I talk about how to design a business that works for you and runs like clockwork in 2024.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:51 - Why should your business design come after your life design?
5:39 - What does personal and professional success mean to you? Here are some things to keep in mind.
10:41 - Who are the dream clients you want to focus on attracting and attaining in 2024?
11:40 - Time to shift into money mode! But you don’t want to pull a revenue goal out of thin air here.
16:03 - The final thing you want to look at as you go through this process of (re)creating your business by design.
Mentioned in Is Your Business by Default or by Design?
- Best Year Ever Challenge
- Get Paid Calculator
- Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts
With our hustle and bustle culture, we’re always in danger of burning ourselves out. The last couple of years, however, have made it even worse. It always feels like there’s something going wrong in the world--pandemics, war breakouts, etc.--that can have an effect on our business, causing us to worry about its future.
No matter what’s happening in the world, though, you can still build your dream business. This Best Year Ever series can help you get clarity about what you want to experience right now. In this episode, I dive into the second challenge and it’s a powerful one!
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:52 - Today’s the day you jump into your time machine! What do I mean?
5:50 - I reveal the best place to start as you go through today’s exercises. This is all about getting intentional.
7:03 - I give examples of how you can use this exercise to upgrade your life (with a little insight from my own life).
9:24 - How can you upgrade your business and have it support the life you want?
10:10 - This is when you bring some numbers into play. You need to think about it in two parts.
Mentioned in What Does Your Dream 2024 Look Like?
- Best Year Ever Challenge
- Get Paid Calculator
- Double Double by Cameron Herold
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts
With the holidays just around the corner, it’s not just time to look ahead in your business. This is also a good time to reflect on your progress over the last year. So many entrepreneurs don’t reach their goals because they keep running up on the same obstacles over and over.
If that’s you, let’s not do that again. Instead, let’s start planning your best year ever! In this episode, I kick off my annual five-part series where I walk you through the same strategic planning process I’ve used for over 20 years and shared with thousands of women entrepreneurs to help create a solid action plan for 2024.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
2:16 - Do this before you listen to the episode. It’ll help you follow along as I dive into the first BYE challenge.
5:25 - Doing this helps you determine the best course of action as you shift your business. It’s a move professional athletes understand well.
7:21 - Need assistance answering the questions for this challenge? Using these tools can help you get really clear on what’s gone on in your business.
9:33 - As you go through this exercise, you’ll start seeing things that bring up the following questions.
10:32 - Double down or let go? I share some scenarios where you might want to do either.
Mentioned in Ready To Plan Your Best Year Ever?
If you’re out of alignment with your business and want to realign yourself, it starts with your vision. But it doesn’t end there. You’ve got to get your values on board as well.
In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, Erica Courdae is back to help me dive into how you can realign your business with your values. You’ll learn how being out of alignment affects everyone in your company, the one band-aid you want to avoid using when you’re feeling stuck in your business, and what might be behind that resentfulness you feel towards your business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:02 - Why have this conversation now? Erica and I talk about why doing more isn’t the answer to fixing the problem.
6:12 - You’re not the only one affected in your business when you’re out of alignment. We reveal an inflection point for many small businesses.
13:52 - Why do values not exist in action in a lot of businesses (both large and small)? We discuss what it takes to realign your values.
21:17 - Here’s how the 90-Day CEO Operating System and Erica’s workshop help get you back to alignment.
25:49 - Do you resent everything about your business, including your clients and team? This might be a reason why.
30:48 - I share why we lead with “life before business” as our #1 value at The CEO Collective.
36:42 - Beware the consequences of going it alone and not allowing your team to contribute (on some level) to solidifying your company’s values.
41:46 - What’s the difference between joining and belonging? People often conflate the two.
Mentioned in How to Re-Align Your Business With Your Values with Erica Courdae
- From Implicit to Explicit Values Workshop
- The CEO Date Checklist
- 90-Day CEO Operating System
- The CEO Planner
- The CEO Retreat
- The CEO Collective
- Fair Play book and deck by Eve Rodsky
- “The Vulnerable Side of Visibility with Erica Courdae”
- “Values Matter: Taking a Real Stand In Your Business with Erica Courdae”
- Pause on the Play on Instagram
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Rate and review on Apple Podcasts
Are you at the point where you dread showing up to your business each day? Do you feel stressed at the thought of working in your business and would rather do anything else?
If so, that’s a sign that you’ve fallen out of love with your business. But how did it happen, and what can you do to rekindle the relationship?
Today, we’re starting a new mini-series. And in this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn about the two parts to re-aligning your business vision and how your definition for success provides the foundation. I’ll reveal the likely cause of your misalignment and give you a few suggestions to help you clarify your new business vision.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:05 - Why do you get out of alignment with your business vision?
6:01 - When you hire others, what’s in it for them? There are two parts to re-creating your business vision.
7:36 - I talk about owner’s intent and how I define success in several areas of my life outside my business.
15:32 - Cultivating this has been one of the biggest things that has really shifted my feeling of alignment with my definition of success.
20:05 - Looking toward the future, what do you want your business to do for you? I’ve documented my owner’s intent and share a bit of it here.
27:03 - Things tend to get a little messy when entrepreneurs start to grow their team. What does your vision need to look like for them to get excited about being on board?
30:53 - Here are a few things you might want to consider when you create your business vision.
35:40 - I recap what can help you re-calibrate a new vision for your business, as well as the next step to take once you have it.
Mentioned in How to Re-Align Your Vision and Fall Back In Love With Your Business
“You won’t make any real money doing that!” Has someone said something like that to you when you revealed you want to pursue a creative career in something like art or music? So many people stop chasing their dreams because they’re afraid they won’t be able to make it work.
Today, I chat with one of the founding members of The CEO Collective, Jennet Ingle, who took her talent as a musician and turned it into a sustainable business. If you’re a creative person, you’ll love our conversation in this episode!
2:36 – You’d be surprised to know this about me. That’s why it always makes me happy to see others in musical careers.
6:29 – Traditional paths for musical majors are few and heavily guarded. Jennet reveals how she’s forged her own path.
10:20 – What was Jennet doing when she first came into my world and joined The CEO Collective? It’s such a niche thing that snowballed.
16:05 – Jennet reveals the surprising audience receptive to her programs and how the pandemic actually made it easier to reach and teach them.
21:05 – What’s happened for Jennet since she initially got serious about turning her passion into a business?
25:26 – Jennet offers wisdom for those who feel they can’t have a career or business as a musician/creative person due to their fear of financial insecurity.
28:27 – Jennet discusses what she learned from The CEO Collective that helped her solidify her business’s direction. With such a niche business, she found it indispensable!
33:45 – How do Jennet’s musician friends feel about what she’s created? She reveals what’s most unfamiliar to them about what she does.
35:02 – I ask Jennet a couple of questions about her CEO Collective experience. She talks about habits she’s kept and the biggest challenge she overcame.
Mentioned in How the Happiest Musician Built A Predictably Profitable Business with Jennet Ingle
What’s the antidote to inconsistent cash flow and clients in your business? Having a solid plan certainly helps, but too many entrepreneurs are just winging it in hopes of finding success. In this episode, I deliver a little tough love and talk about how to figure out the kind of plan you need in place for your business to grow.
1:25 – What do most entrepreneurs do first when wanting to create the freedom and flexibility they desire? I explain why it’s a backward approach and a short-term solution.
5:08 – You find true freedom with a certain level of control in your business. I clarify what I mean by control here, because a lot of people might have mixed feelings on it.
7:39 – What do you need to have in place to get consistent cash flow and clients? I reveal the first of several different components necessary.
10:28 – The second component is one where a lot of people trip up. There’s a common trap entrepreneurs can fall into here as well, and I discuss how to avoid it.
14:23 – Having these two things in your business makes predictable profits so much easier to obtain. I explain how.
18:44 – How can you ensure that your team helps you create sustainable revenue, freedom, and flexibility? Without a plan here, things can become chaotic very quickly.
25:36 – I talk about another key thing to keep in mind as you’re working with your team to grow your business.
Mentioned in Winging It Isn’t a Business Growth Strategy
- The CEO Collective
- The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Leave a review on iTunes
You have money buried in your business somewhere. It doesn’t require you to gain more followers, run more ads, or hustle further to get your hands on it, either. It just involves taking advantage of the lowest-hanging fruit in your business.
Today wraps up this series on ending hustle culture, burnout, and entrepreneurial poverty. In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, I reveal the third and final strategy to grow your business sustainably. I can’t wait for you to unlock this one!
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:13 – I share a quick story and reveal the final secret to sustainable growth for your business.
7:51 – I expose the huge problem not being discussed in the business world right now. What could be the culprit?
9:36 – You need to nail these things to form the foundation for finding hidden money in your business. I see too many people ignore the last one.
14:33 – What simple offers can you provide your clients behind the scenes? I reveal one way to ensure your 1-on-1 clients fit perfectly for you.
19:02 – If you have past clients, what should you do next? Here are some other ways to discover hidden income opportunities.
22:55 – I sum up all of the main strategies I’ve highlighted in this episode series.
Mentioned in Avoid Hustle & Burnout With The Hidden Money In Your Business
Are you on this entrepreneurial journey with someone else?
Business owners often ask whether or not I can help them with their specific type of business. Perhaps they’re a business selling a product instead of a service, or they’re in a very unique niche. And while most of the small businesses I work with are solopreneurs, sometimes I see two people who’ve come together as business partners.
Co-CEOs need support, strategies, and systems specifically designed to help them too, because a partnership can open up new communication and work challenges. That’s why today I’ve invited Carmen Reed-Gilkison and Deirdre Harter, the co-CEOs of Encore Empire, to share their perspective on how two people can efficiently work together.
In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll hear how they’ve streamlined and upleveled how they communicate in their business. They’ll discuss how they ensure they’re not stepping on the other’s toes or accidentally re-doing the other’s work... and avoid overworking themselves in the process.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:06 - Where did the idea come from to form a business partnership and launch Encore Empire? Deirdre and Carmen discuss how they came together.
10:07 - Deirdre and Carmen love working with midlife women looking to launch something new. Why do they focus on this specific group?
16:25 - Where was Encore Empire a year ago when Deirdre and Carmen first joined The CEO Collective? They talk about the changes they’ve made in their business since.
25:19 - Deirdre and Carmen share the biggest takeaway they’ve implemented (and recommend) as business partners from attending the CEO retreats and working within the Collective.
30:30 - What are Deirdre and Carmen most proud of accomplishing in the last year? What’s really made a difference for their business?
Mentioned in Better Communication Between You and Your Business Partner With Encore Empire
What do you think you need to gain in order for your business to change and grow? Too often entrepreneurs get hyped up to chase vanity metrics like huge numbers of Instagram followers or email subscribers. Ultimately though, gaining five or 10 new clients is all you need to have a massive impact on your business.
The simplest, easiest way for getting those clients isn’t something sexy or glamorous. It involves using a real strategy to invite people in, actually connect with them, and let them know how you can help. Continuing on with this series to avoid hustle and burnout, today I talk about the second strategy you need to adopt to grow a truly sustainable business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:27 - I rant (again) about an issue in the business world that sets so many people up for failure.
5:18 - What is a predictable profit plan? It’s key to how I help entrepreneurs break out of the feast or famine cycle, so I walk you through how to put one together.
10:00 - I reveal the most important but least discussed part of a profit plan. If you don’t have this, it’ll break your business.
10:45 - People get so focused on marketing and sales that they forget about this piece of the puzzle and end up with a lot of unhappy clients.
15:00 - What will be your strategies for marketing, sales, and delivery? I use The CEO Collective as an example.
17:13 - Consider this if you have no idea when you should promote your signature offer. I give more examples from my business.
20:14 - Full upfront payment is awesome! But you’ll love extending payment plans to clients for this incredibly powerful reason.
25:04 - How can you ensure that you don’t experience a revenue gap?
Mentioned in Your Profit Road Map for More Sustainable Sales
Are you running your business on a wing and a prayer? Meaning, you don’t have a plan for what to do next in your business?
Andrea Bentschneider has been a leading expert genealogist in Germany for almost 20 years. She’s been featured on international TV shows and is a sought-after guest on German media.
But when she first joined The CEO Collective, her business and marketing strategy was winging it. She didn’t have consistent demand for her services, so she would have to hire and let go staff as demand went up and down, respectively. And she ended up in the feast and famine cycle because of it.
Things have turned around for Andrea now, but how? Today on the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, we continue our entrepreneurial poverty and hustle culture series.
In this episode, Andrea will share how being clear on how you’re going to market your business, and being consistent with it, is a complete game changer. You’ll shift from reacting all the time to knowing what the right next steps are so you can move your business forward.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
1:19 - What are some signs that you’re winging it instead of being proactive in your business?
6:05 - Andrea talks about how long she’s been in business and what it looked like prior to joining The CEO Collective.
10:53 - Andrea explains what she found inside the membership that she couldn’t find elsewhere.
15:03 - What’s the one gap that still exists in Andrea’s marketing? She also reveals the answer to a question I answered that finalized her decision to join.
17:40 - Andrea has had some major media coverage as she’s gotten more proactive this year. She discusses some big visibility opportunities that started showing up for her.
21:00 - What were some of the little things Andrea did to help her land marketing opportunities?
27:35 - Here’s the one question Andrea asks herself whenever she’s hesitating about doing something. She also shares what she’d say to anyone considering joining.
Mentioned in Going From Reactive to Proactive In Your Business with Andrea Bentschneider
We women entrepreneurs keep underpricing ourselves when offering the same service or product as our male counterparts. On average, we price up to 20% less. When I first heard that, I was blown away!
Pricing is one of the quickest and most powerful ways to adjust your business trajectory and make it more sustainable. I’ve seen it in my business and those of my clients. So in this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn why properly pricing your offers is the first step to designing a successfully sustainable business and how to figure out the math in your pricing.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:49 - What is the feast or famine zone, and does your business fall into it?
13:43 - Discover the two biggest reasons why businesses in this zone struggle to compete.
16:54 - I demonstrate how underpricing can easily lead to overworking by using the example of a wedding photographer.
20:07 - Taking the wedding photographer example further, this simple step is an easy way to improve your profitability and ease burnout.
25:07 - What if you want to double your rates? You need to take a deeper look at these factors in your business.
30:27 - Pricing impacts other aspects of your business. Michalowicz’s Profit First percentages can help you figure out the math to meet your revenue goal.
33:46 - I push back against the hype of online gurus who have a certain mindset about pricing and the need for a large audience to get enough clients and customers.
38:27 - What if you’re not used to selling at a higher price or booking multiple sessions at a time per client?
45:51 - Keep these questions in mind as you crunch your numbers.
Mentioned in Why Underpricing (and Overdelivering) Is Creating Business Burnout
- Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
- The Get Paid Calculator
- The CEO Collective
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Rate and review on Apple Podcasts
Do you dread looking at the numbers in your business?
So many people say they aren’t good with numbers or don’t understand what’s happening with the money in their business. They make financial decisions without knowing where the money’s going and just hope they’re making the right choice or that it’ll magically pay off.
But you need to understand what’s coming in, what’s going out, and make very discerning decisions about where you’re spending the money. It’s key to halting the cycle of cash flow problems so many small business owners go through.
Wealth & Worth Within CFO Carla Titus joins us today in this continuation of our series on ending entrepreneurial poverty and hustle culture. She has over 15 years of financial planning, analysis strategy, and business consulting experience and has helped her clients have more cash to pay themselves and begin building more personal wealth.
And today, on the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, she joins me for a no-nonsense discussion about where you really need to be paying attention to your money. You’ll learn the cash flow mistakes that most entrepreneurs make and the internal shift it takes to move from employee mode to boss mode (and amazing salary that can come with it).
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:06 - How did Carla get started with her business? She introduces herself.
10:15 - Carla reveals her non-negotiables before she took the leap to become the sole breadwinner for her family.
13:44 - Eighty-two percent of small businesses struggle with cash flow. What common cashflow mistakes does Carla see small business owners make?
21:17 - There’s a shift in the mind that needs to happen when you replace your job salary with an incredible business income.
26:10 - What’s it like inside The CEO Collective if you’re curious and thinking of getting more business support? Carla shares her thoughts.
When you think of entrepreneurial poverty, you probably think of money, right?
Entrepreneurial poverty isn’t just a financial concept, though. And while I’ve talked about this concept in lots of interviews over the last year, I’ve never done it in-depth on this show... until now.
Today begins a new series on getting yourself out of the entrepreneurial poverty that comes with hustle culture.
In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn how hustle hype has directly led to women entrepreneurs bearing the brunt of this situation and the three kinds of entrepreneurial poverty you can experience in your business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:47 - What does poverty of time look like for women entrepreneurs? It’s not (just) about literally working around the clock.
8:53 - I share the big mindset shift that helped me realize the necessity of avoiding the poverty of time struggle when I started my business.
11:52 - Energy poverty is HUGE right now for entrepreneurial women, and the conversation around it has changed in the last few years. Why?
17:54 - The feast or famine cycle epitomizes entrepreneurial poverty of money. I discuss what it looks like and how it compounds the other two problems.
25:55 - Influencers love peddling the hustle hype. But who are these celebrity entrepreneurs actually targeting, and how do they lead people astray?
30:34 - Here’s how succumbing to the culture of FOMO (fear of missing out) contributes to the entrepreneurial poverty cycle.
35:14 - How can you build a solid sustainable business without the entrepreneurial poverty that hustle hype creates? I give a little preview of the rest of this series.
Mentioned in Why Hustle Culture Creates Entrepreneurial Poverty
When it comes to visibility for your business, you can’t ignore one of the most prolific ways of marketing online for the last few years: social media.
And so many influencers make it seem like they have it all figured out. It’s like they live on the platforms, posting 24/7 about the things they do and the things they buy. The shopping excursions, the vacation photos, the lifestyle tutorials--all of it designed to sell to a mass audience and make them think they too can have this kind of life if they do (and buy) what the influencer recommends.
Being a CEO is completely different than being a social media influencer, though, so you don’t have to document your life on social media just to have business visibility there successfully. But how can you make the shift from trying to get a mass audience to trying to get the right audience?
If you’re tired of being told that you need to show up more on social media and do all the things the influencers do, then you’re in for a treat with my conversation with Andréa Jones as we continue this series on visibility.
In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn valuable (and updated) insights from a social media agency owner about how to get real results from your social media without being on it all the time. She’ll teach you what social media algorithms are really looking for, why creating more content isn’t the answer, how to share without oversharing, how top-of-funnel differs from conversion content, ways to sell beyond the bio, how businesses can take advantage of the next evolution in social media marketing, and more!
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:39 - Recently, Andréa changed her messaging around social media. What was the change, and why did she make it?
7:02 - What is the purpose of social media algorithms, and how do you communicate with them so that your content gets out there?
9:36 - You also still have to produce content for your audience to meet your business goals. We discuss the content that works (and that doesn’t anymore).
11:45 - Andréa talks about what you need to do to avoid acting like an influencer on social media.
14:23 - What’s the distinction between content meant to get people into your funnel and content meant to convert them into clients?
16:37 - Marketers on social media default to asking for people to click their bio link to make the sale. Andréa discusses how to sell on these platforms beyond the bio.
20:29 - Algorithms always change, and platforms like Facebook roll out new features. What is the next thing you need to know about in social media marketing?
23:37 - What is Andréa’s prediction for how artificial intelligence will change social media marketing for small business CEOs?
- OnlineDrea
- Andréa on Instagram and TikTok
- Savvy Social Podcast
- Andréa’s “Social Media Starter Kit Free Mini Course”
- “Bro, do you even AI?” by Forest Linden | Clarity Lab
- The CEO Collective
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Rate and review on Apple Podcasts
When you think of visibility, you tend to think of the things you can see... literally.
You think about the posts, photos, and videos you consume on social media, blogs, and Youtube. But what about introducing yourself to an audience and letting them get to know you using a sense other than sight?
Audio has been one of the best ways I’ve gotten my message out there. But you don’t have to be a podcaster like me to use audio in your marketing. And today, in our visibility series, I have an expert who knows all kinds of creative ways to use audio in your business for visibility.
Introducing Kim Tradewell of May and James Co! In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn how to leverage audio for business visibility purposes and hear a simple framework to make the process work without overcomplicating things. And as you listen in, the ideas Kim and I discuss can even spark new ones that might be perfect for you!
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
5:00 - Kim shares a bit about her business and why she does what she does.
8:39 - How can you use audio without the long-term commitment of a podcast? Kim reveals one way.
12:40 - Using audio in this way for live events will have you looking at them differently.
18:45 - You don’t have to have a typical podcast to utilize podcasting in your marketing. Kim discusses how.
24:10 - Ever thought of using audio in this way behind-the-scenes? And there are some niche-specific avenues to using audio as well.
27:29 - How complicated is this to do? Is it very techy? Kim breaks it down in a simple way.
31:47 - After you’ve created your audio content, how can you amplify it?
Mentioned in How to Leverage Audio In Your Business for Visibility with Kim Tradewell
- May and James Co.
- Women’s Meditation Network
- The CEO Collective
- Fired Up and Focused Challenge
- Customer/Client Experience podcast series:
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Rate and review on Apple Podcasts
Are you staying ahead of the marketing shifts that affect your business?
Trends come and go--like Myspace, which was once all the rage, but isn’t even in the marketing conversation anymore. What once was effective becomes less so, like you’re seeing on certain social media platforms.
But if you wait too late to get ahead of the shifts and change your approach, you’ll find yourself struggling to get your business back on track. So what can you do now?
Getting in front of other people’s audiences is one of my favorite ways to create more visibility for myself and my clients. Not through cold pitching, though, but building relationships and creating collaborative partnerships. And today as we continue our conversation on visibility in your business, I have the perfect expert to talk about collabs on the show!
In this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO, my friend Jordan Gill is back to talk about how you can leverage collaborations in your business. You’ll learn about ways in which you can form these partnerships, how to ensure you make it beneficial for both sides, and what the future of collaborations might look like soon.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
9:53 - What was the thought process behind Jordan’s creation of Ready Set Collab?
14:41 - I talk about my own experience with collaborations vs. hiring a PR team to pitch for me.
17:05 - What are the different kinds of collabs you can engage in as a CEO? Jordan discusses a few.
22:17 - Jordan talks about how to sustain your energy over the long haul when doing collaborations for the first time.
27:52 - There’s one big thing that most people miss when going after collabs. Jordan reveals what it is.
29:40 - What is coming next in the world of collaborations, and what should you pay attention to?
34:29 - What about using AI tools like ChatGPT for collabs? Jordan shares how she and her Ready Set Collab members use it.
Mentioned in How to Use Collaborations to Help Your Business Thrive in Uncertain Times
- Ready Set Collab waitlist
- Jordan’s VIP program, Done In a Day™
- “How to Profit from VIP Days with Jordan Gill” episode
- Mistakes That Made Me podcast
- The Get Paid podcast
- The CEO Collective
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Rate and review on Apple Podcasts
The world of marketing and sales is shifting. Some of the strategies you’ve used may not be as effective as they used to be (or work at all anymore).
But one thing does remain the same: visibility. One of your biggest jobs as CEO is getting the word out about your offers, products, programs, and services. And giving yourself a little experiment or challenge can help you get more eyeballs on your business.
CEO Collective member Megan Gersch is incredible at getting visibility! She ran a challenge for herself on Tik Tok, and what started as a goal of 100 turned into over 262 potential clients, which sparked a lot of momentum for her bold brand and website design company for creatives.
In this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO, we kick off a new podcast series about visibility for small businesses. Today, you’ll hear Megan describe her experiment and learn about how doing a similar challenge can help you gain visibility and insight into what your potential clients are actively looking for.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:28 - What is Megan’s approach when helping people create a brand that stands out? She reveals the common mistake too many make with their branding.
10:32 - Megan talks about her experiment with doing website design reviews on Tik Tok. What were the two biggest issues she found?
15:39 - Megan discusses the impact of her experiment on her business and how she feels about using it as a promotional technique.
20:22 - Megan shares how she got visibility through two other avenues and why Tik Tok has been such a great strategy for her business.
25:40 - The amount of creative business assets you need can be a challenge. How does Megan’s VIP day strategy help you launch in days instead of months?
28:55 - What has it been like for Megan inside of The CEO Collective? How has she and her business benefited and changed?
Mentioned in How a Visibility Experiment Can Help Jumpstart or Grow Your Business with Megan Gersch
You make yourself available to your clients constantly. They can email or text or call you 24/7, and you make it a priority to respond to them as soon as possible. And you might even be making great money in the process!
From the client's perspective, this sounds great. But while the constant availability works for them, it means your business isn’t really working for you.
Today, I talk with CEO Collective member Dr. Libby Wilson whose functional medicine practice looked great on the surface with successful clients and cash flow. But she had to make shifts so that she could truly have freedom in her business to enjoy life. In this episode, she talks about how she turned things around over the last year to ensure that her practice not only works for her clients but also for herself and her family.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:25 - Who is Dr. Libby Wilson, how does she help her clients, and where was she struggling in her business before joining the CEO Collective?
7:55 - Hustle culture created this health issue for Dr. Libby. She had to fix the root cause and talks about how the 90-Day Planner helped.
13:07 - Content creation is a major sticking point for a lot of entrepreneurs. Dr. Libby has a 12-month rinse-and-repeat content calendar, so how does she do it?
16:29 - Dr. Libby reveals something she does for her practice and that every entrepreneur needs to apply in their business. We discuss what it is and why it’s so important.
22:34 - Watching how my business runs behind-the-scenes helped Dr. Libby get away from making herself constantly available to clients. What changes did she make in her practice as a result?
30:04 - Dr. Libby discusses how making the adjustments to her business has improved her life and her mindset.
36:30 - To wrap the show, Dr. Libby reveals what she’d say to anyone thinking of joining The CEO Collective. She also briefly discusses her new book and how she works with clients.
Mentioned in Is Your Business Really Working for You?
If you had maternity leave or a health emergency requiring you to be away from your business for a couple of months, could your business handle it? Could it even survive?
Let’s say, for instance, that you’re a chiropractor who injures her wrist and can’t work on clients for 12 more weeks. That’s where Dr. Lisa Griffith (my chiropractor, client, and friend for the last three years) found herself...and that happened after she’d taken a 12-week maternity leave from her practice the previous year.
But not only did her business make it through, it’s growing! So how did she do it, especially as an entrepreneur who has to work face-to-face and be hands on (quite literally) with her clients?
Today on the show, Dr. Lisa talks about how she transitioned into having her own practice, grew her team, and continued to grow her business despite the maternity leave and the injury necessitating time away.
In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn many insights into how you can continue to grow your business and keep it running when you need to step away from someone who’s done it twice in back-to-back years. You’ll also discover how to communicate big changes in your business to your clients in ways that’ll get them excited and an example of layering support in your business for when you need time off.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:12 - How did Dr. Lisa and I get connected, and what was going on in her practice at the time?
10:57 - Dr. Lisa did something smart with her practice that also served as kind of a full circle moment.
12:48 - How did Dr. Lisa arrange things for maternity leave in her practice for her second pregnancy?
16:20 - Entrepreneurs sometimes fear people won’t follow them when they move. Dr. Lisa discusses how she got clients to move along with her brand.
20:48 - What is coverage in the health care world, and how did Dr. Lisa utilize it for her business while on her maternity leave?
25:10 - Dr. Lisa talks about what she's been able to work on now that she’s pulled back on her overall hours.
28:16 - What has been Dr. Lisa’s experience with The CEO Retreat and the 90-Day plan?
Mentioned in Growing Your Business When You Need to Take a Step Back with Dr. Lisa Griffith
- Dr. Lisa Griffith’s website and Instagram
- Jane app
- The CEO Retreat
- 90-Day CEO Operating System
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Rate and review on Apple Podcasts
Can you afford to take 30 days away from your business? What would happen if you can’t but took the time anyway?
Sometimes, things come up. Personal or family illness, the impending birth of a new baby, or just needing a break can spark the need for taking some extended time off.
But for a lot of small business owners, taking that time would essentially shut the business down. You’d stop marketing, working with clients, and making sales... unless you have systems in place that keep your business running when you slow down.
This past April, I had to step away from my business because of a flare-up of my chronic illness that caused me extreme pain and kept me up at night. But if you listened to the show in April, you’d never know that because I had systems in place that could help me weather that situation.
So in this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn the systems I use to make sure that my business runs smoothly even if I have to step back for a bit. By growing through some of the systems I use in my 5-part framework, I’ll teach you how you can keep on serving your clients and generating revenue while you’re away.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
5:09 - I talk about the biggest changes I’ve made for more flexibility in the “delight” stage of my framework.
9:18 - What do these changes look like functionally inside of The CEO Collective?
18:20 - How do I make sure sales keep coming in even if I have to step away from my business?
25:08 - If you think you need to be active in the nurture marketing stage all the time, systems are your friend here. I reveal how.
31:29 - Where do I spend the majority of my time, and why should you do the same?
39:33 - It took me a long time to follow this final piece of advice.
Mentioned in The Systems That Keep Your Business Running When You Slow Down
Just because it's a slow down season in your personal life doesn’t mean your sales have to follow suit.
Summer especially is known (and sometimes feared) as a dead time for business revenue. Unless your product or service can specifically cater to what people purchase during the season, you’re probably expecting to see a dip in sales.
But you can still keep the sales gravy train going... and not just during the summer but anytime you choose to slow down or take a step back from your business. All you need to do is incorporate a couple of high leverage tactics to keep up the momentum.
These are simple strategies you can use right away. And the best thing about them is, once you have the pieces in place (assuming you don’t already), they run automatically and won’t take up more of your time.
In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn about three tactics to keep generating the sales and revenue you desire (and deserve) when you take time off from your business. I’ll also teach you ways to implement each one and ensure that you don’t have to suffer through the famine part of the business cycle so many entrepreneurs go through.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
5:21 - What’s the first thing you need to do before you can keep the momentum going in your business?
7:21 - Make sure you make this part easy for potential clients and customers in order to keep up business momentum.
11:34 - I share one of the best ways you can continue sales momentum if you’re a service provider.
13:15 - Here’s a high leverage tactic you can do that often surprises people.
17:34 - What should you double down on to keep momentum going? (Most people do the opposite).
21:47 - I quickly recap my top three ways to keep business momentum going when you’re slowing down or taking a break.
Mentioned in 3 High Leverage Ways to Keep Up Business Momentum
“Why Your Old Sales Strategy Might Not Be Working”
“How Your Client Education Process Leads to More Sales”
“How to Gain Clients for Life with Stacey Harris”
“What questions do I ask myself in a review? What do I do when I sit down to check my progress? How do I adjust my plan?”
We’re almost at the midway point of the year which is the perfect time to do a review of your business. But not everybody knows where to start when it comes to doing a review, and these are the types of questions I get when working with clients.
What if you’re not sure if you’re on track with your goals? Don’t worry! With my framework, you can figure out whether or not you’re still on pace to meet your goals for the year.
In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, I walk you through a mid-year review. You’ll learn the questions you need to ask yourself to help you determine what is and isn’t working in your business and how you can start planning for the second half of the year.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
5:00 - Look at each goal you set at the start of the year and ask yourself these questions. I discuss a couple of mine.
10:39 - What goal am I not currently on track to reach? Here’s one I’ve been struggling with lately.
14:42 - The next step in the mid-year review process involves digging a little deeper with a month-by-month review. Answer these key questions.
25:22 - What has worked so far this year? (And what has flopped? I reveal why something going wrong isn’t always because you did something wrong).
33:28 - Your leading and lagging metrics are two of the most important things in your business to wrap your head around.
36:10 - Is there a gap in your revenue at this mid-way point? If so, here’s what you can do.
38:17 - Plan for the rest of the year with these four questions to ask about each month remaining.
44:22 - So many entrepreneurs struggle because they overcomplicate this! To wrap up, I offer this one final piece of insight.
Mentioned in How a Mid-Year Review Can Help You Achieve Your Goals
- Mid-Year Review Workbook
- The CEO Collective
- The CEO Retreat
- 90-Day CEO Operating System
- The CEO Planner
- Plan Your Best Year Ever Challenge
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Rate and review on Apple Podcasts
Have things been slowing down in your business? What if you could start each year knowing that you have the majority of the revenue you need locked in?
Many entrepreneurs have noticed a recent slowdown in their businesses due to consumer anxiety surrounding the economy. The natural reaction to that is to market to attract new people and bring them into your business to boost revenue. But are you neglecting an easier way?
As a podcast producer for service-based businesses, Stacey Harris has noticed the downturn trend and gotten ahead of the curve. She and I have had a conversation about this recently during a retreat. But instead of putting all the attention on the front end, she’s helping others get set up for continued success (regardless of what happens with the economy), focusing on gaining clients for life.
And now, we’re bringing our conversation to you. In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn about how you can focus on bringing in more revenue by paying attention to the people who’ve already paid you. We’ll tell you about the small things you can do and shifts you can make to take advantage of this small business gamechanger.
7:52 - Some businesses like cable and cell phone companies keep making this mistake.
10:16 - What’s the difference between a repeating customer and a lifetime client?
16:04 - I give examples of how consumer-facing businesses can provide extra value to existing clients in times of economic uncertainty.
22:01 - We run a people-over-profit business here at The CEO Collective, which helps us stand out. Here’s an example of how.
26:12 - How can you make things even a tiny bit easier for your clients? Stacey talks about how she’s doing it for podcasters.
28:56 - One of the biggest shifts in my business recently came from an unexpected source.
31:38 - What’s the real linchpin to gaining clients for life? And how have I used it to evolve my business since the beginning?
40:01 - You can bring all of your expertise to the table to make money in multiple ways. Stacey discusses a recent example of how she did it.
43:04 - Stacey reveals the hardest part about communicating in client relationships.
49:07 - What else happens for your business when you retain clients? It makes business growth so much easier.
Mentioned in How to Gain Clients for Life with Stacey Harris
- The CEO Collective
- The CEO Retreat
- Customer Experience podcast series: episode 1, 2, 3, and 4
- Stacey Harris on Instagram and TikTok
- Uncommonly More
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
Imagine spending a half hour (or longer) on a sales call with someone. And as you wrap it up, you’re hoping they’ll say yes to your product, program, or service.
But instead, they tell you they’re not ready. Or they can’t afford it. Or the timing is off, and can they get back to you?
This is one of the most frustrating things about sales and the reason why so many entrepreneurs dread getting on a call with a new potential client. If this is something that you’re experiencing right now, then you need a strategy that allows you to turn more potential clients into actual clients.
Creating a well-crafted pre-client education process will do the trick. Not only does it improve your overall conversion rate, but it also makes sales so much easier!
In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn how to implement this pre-sale education process for potential clients in your business. I’ll talk about why old-school sales strategies don’t work anymore, what modern sales strategies do differently, and take you step-by-step through the pre-client education process.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
2:24 - How have sales changed since the 1990s? I explain why there’s a disconnect with old-school strategies from 25-30 years ago.
7:53 - I reveal how modern sales strategies differ from old-school sales strategies and the importance of pre-sales education.
12:23 - What’s the first step of the pre-sales education process? You need this regardless of what you sell.
18:55 - Here are two options you can add in step two if a potential buyer needs to have a conversation with you.
24:10 - How do you use pre-sales emails to sell your product, program, or service? I discuss a great example I share with clients inside The CEO Collective.
30:26 - You can add this to your pre-client education content in case potential clients aren’t already familiar with you.
32:29 - I talk about a couple of other things you might consider including in your pre-sales content.
37:13 - How are sales calls different for me since I began implementing this process in my business?
39:09 - Give people a window of time to make a decision. What does your enrollment period look like?
43:01 - Some people will want to wait for the next round to buy from you, or you might have all spots filled. I share what you can do for those situations.
45:50 - What formats do you want to use to send pre-sales education content to your potential clients?
The rumors are true - the world of entrepreneurship and small business is rapidly changing. And what may have worked in 2016 or even 2020 is no longer as effective.
Join the mentors of The CEO Collective for this discussion about what we are currently seeing in the world of small business, including:
- The 'popular' tactics are constantly changing, but we see entrepreneurs getting exhausted trying to constantly keep up. That's why we focus on proven best practices for small businesses!
- How perfectionism rears it's ugly head especially during more stressful times when we start to doubt ourselves and our core business strategy.
- Why the mentality of 'set it and forget it' does not work long term when those tactics stop working. Passive income, funnels, and automate everything leaves out the HUMANITY of business.
- Business grows at the speed of relationships - we all believe that building those relationships are key to the long term success for small businesses.
- Remember that business is cyclical and trends come and go - there's always an opportunity to ride the wave in popularity but what do small businesses do when those stop working?
- Why the 'overnight success' myth is really distracting small business owners from the time it really takes to build a successful business.
- Why we dive deep into nuance and context when considering what will or won't work for small business owners
Want to learn more and apply to the next cohort of The CEO Collective? Get all the details about how you can work with our team at https://theceocollective.com/apply/
We’ve just seen a golden age for people wanting to start their own small business. The 10 to 15 year period from the 2008 recession to COVID-19 was a bull market that saw improved and more affordable technology available for small business owners. As a result, small businesses exploded into existence, particularly for women entrepreneurs.
But the economy is cyclical, and there comes a time when the bull market slows down. In the last few years, we’ve seen that lots of businesses had to adapt or get shut down during the pandemic lockdowns. We’re watching inflation cause expenses to skyrocket. And your customers and clients are feeling the impact.
The economy is uncertain right now, and perhaps your sales are slowing down as a result. People might be telling you that they need a little more time to budget for your signature offer, or they’re less willing to commit to a long-term program and higher dollar amounts. So your sales process will have to change.
Today kicks off a new series all about how the sales process is changing. In this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO, you’ll learn about what to do if your sales strategy is no longer producing the results you want right now. I’ll teach you how to prevent your business from slowing down so much that it threatens to shut down.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
9:11 - There’s been a big change in B2B vs. consumer-facing sales strategies over the last few years. What is it?
13:29 - Adding in a personal touch somewhere to your sales process will improve your overall results. I reveal how I do it.
17:14 - Here’s another high-touch tactic I do that you can add to your marketing.
19:45 - People want to know who they’re giving money to, so are you making your company’s values explicitly clear?
27:40 - How can you make your business relevant to clients and customers right now? It’s all about meeting them where they are.
34:48 - One last thing to think about that will help you so much as a small business owner.
Mentioned in Why Your Old Sales Strategy Might Not Be Working
Do you struggle internally with selling because you feel like you’re pushing people to buy things they don’t need? You want to improve your sales skills and feel like you’re advocating your offers out of service, not desperation.
You need sales confidence. And my guest today, Leslie Lyons, is a sales and leadership coach with a no BS approach who’s all about helping women embrace sales confidence. She just has a way of talking about sales and encouraging people to make more sales that’s so refreshing to hear.
In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn about how to get more confident at selling. You’ll also discover how to re-examine your relationship with sales and money so that you can truly step into your purpose and be of service to people you’re here to help through your business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
8:22 - Leslie describes the kind of household she grew up in and reveals why having money is key for women in relationships.
12:34 - How are women in the Western world conditioned when it comes to money? And how does white feminism tie into it?
17:52 - How did Leslie find out she was good at sales? She reveals her very first sales job and the foundational piece to having sales confidence.
26:54 - Leslie discusses how to build up sales confidence so you don’t feel so hesitant, uncomfortable, or awkward when advocating for your offer.
30:33 - Other than stereotypes about selling, here are a couple of other reasons why women hesitate to do it (and what we make them mean about ourselves as individuals).
34:30 - What lesson can Kanye teach you as an entrepreneur in sales situations?
38:27 - I learned an important sales lesson as a kid. And it demonstrates why Leslie focuses on sales confidence instead of sales strategy.
41:40 - Here’s something else that can keep you attached to your business and make it personal.
Mentioned in How to Embrace Sales Confidence In Your Business with Leslie Lyons
- Leslie D. Lyons
- Leslie’s podcast: Pleasurable Profits: Sales & Leadership for Non-Traditional CEOs
- Leslie on Instagram and LinkedIn
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Rate and review on Apple Podcasts
If you're already crossing that big $100K milestone and looking at $250K, $500K, and beyond, you need different information and advice than the businesses that are brand new, but the more you grow, the less public information you're going to find.
If you're ready to break through to your business's next level of success, join me for today's masterclass, The 90-Day CEO Operating System.
This system is designed to help you put the infrastructure in place to sustainably scale your business without sacrificing your life, your health, or your family.
Find the slides for this masterclass at http://www.theceocollective.com/training.
Apply Now for The CEO Collective at https://theceocollective.com/apply.
A lot of us entrepreneurs have seen (and heard) from our parents and others that success requires a lot of hard work and long hours. I used to be frustrated with the whole “work smarter, not harder” concept because I saw my entrepreneurial parents embrace the hustle. I thought to gain success, you had to do anything and everything and work 80-100 hour weeks.
But you eventually reach a point where you just can’t work any harder! So how do you get to that next level of success? Working harder for it clearly isn’t the answer. You need to shift the way you think about your relationship with work. So in today’s episode, I talk about six lessons that will have you working smarter instead.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:48 - When you do this, you get an exponentially higher return on your time and energy. So what’s lesson #1 and how have I practiced it in my business?
7:12 - What does the E in CEO not stand for? I learned this lesson the hard way!
11:46 - You’ve probably heard this phrase before, and there is some truth to it. I’ve had to follow this lesson whenever my business crossed another threshold.
17:03 - Many entrepreneurs, especially creative ones, find lesson #4 challenging to implement. But not doing so can eventually sabotage you.
20:41 - Don’t love the idea of going into debt to invest back into your business? Here’s what I did early on in my business for lesson #5.
25:32 - You can’t implement the final lesson through Google. You’ll face rites of passage in your business when you want this in your corner instead.
Mentioned in 6 Lessons to Work Smarter, Not Harder
- The CEO Collective
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Rate and review on Apple Podcasts
People keep asking for your time, energy, and attention. Someone invites you to an impromptu coffee date in the middle of something important or wants to meet up with you about something after business hours. But when it comes to your business, you need to learn to say no when necessary.
You want to turn these types of things down but fear it’ll have a detrimental affect on your life or business. Maybe you’ll miss out on an opportunity or offend a client or potential business partner or friend.
But there’s always a trade-off and saying yes to everything is really the thing that can hurt your business. The key to not doing that is the CEO’s best friend: boundaries. You need to set strong boundaries for yourself and your business and not waver on them.
That (especially the not-wavering thing) sounds easier said than done, right? Well, in this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn about the three different types of boundaries you as a business owner need to think about setting for yourself. You’ll also learn how to enforce and stick with your new boundaries.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
8:47 - The first boundary you need to examine is the biggest challenge I hear from women entrepreneurs.
12:32 - What is the flow state, and how do you get into it?
16:46 - How do you organize your calendar? I walk you through how I do mine as an example.
19:13 - I talk about how to manage clients when it comes to your calendar’s specificity, including emergency appointments.
23:40 - What about appointments for non-business related things (i.e. lunch with a friend or potential business referral)?
26:50 - So many of us struggle with constant communication. I discuss setting up your boundaries around this so you don’t make yourself seem available 24/7.
30:22 - How can you set expectations for your response turnaround time? Here’s how we do it through my preferred communication channel.
33:27 - I talk about boundaries around your non-preferred methods of business communication.
37:48 - How do you respond to questions? You might experience this particular scenario, especially as your business grows and you become known as an expert.
43:09 - Having clear, upfront boundaries saves you so much time and energy when dealing with sticky clients situations such as these.
48:24 - Feel free to do this with clients when necessary. But make sure it’s in your contract/client agreement.
52:02 - To wrap up the show, I give a quick recap of the three boundaries.
Mentioned in 3 Areas to Think About When Defining Your Boundaries as CEO
- The CEO Collective
- “How a Model Calendar Helps Me Work Just 25 Hours a Week!”
- Help Scout
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Rate and review on Apple Podcasts
What does it mean to be CEO of your business anyway?
When you start your business, you’re the marketing team, the sales team, the customer service team, the tech support, all of it. But over time, as your business grows and gets more established, you want to take some of this workload off your plate.
Traditional CEOs have the people and teams in place to help them so they can focus on higher-value tasks and take their business to the next level. But how do you, as the CEO of a smaller business, build an environment that’ll sustainably do the same for you? How do you transition from the role of entrepreneur to the role of CEO?
It all starts with getting clear on five elements that’ll help you figure out your role as CEO. In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn about those elements that make up the job description of a traditional CEO and how to translate that for your small business. I’ll teach you the process to help you define your specific CEO role and reveal questions to help you determine your biggest value to your company.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:44 - Transitioning from solopreneur to CEO can be a challenge (and one I’ve faced multiple times). I explain why.
6:12 - What was Sara Blakely’s journey from solopreneur to CEO like? Here’s her story.
11:02 - What is the job description of a CEO? I share a process to help you define your role as CEO of your business.
18:58 - I talk about how we live one of my company's key values (“life comes before business”).
22:42 - Creating a strategic plan is part of your traditional CEO role. What does that look like for entrepreneurs running smaller companies?
26:07 - How do you lead your team as CEO of a small business? I use The CEO Collective as an example.
30:47 - The final piece that defines traditional CEOs is one of the hardest things about running your own company. (And you can’t crowdsource it, either).
35:44 - I quickly recap the five key elements of a traditional CEO role and how it impacts you as an entrepreneurial business owner.
37:43 - Ask yourself these questions to clarify what you need to be responsible for as a small business owner in your company.
45:57 - What do my essential CEO tasks of content, clients, and connections mean in my business? I share how I apply these to give you some clarity and insight.
Mentioned in 5 Key Elements That’ll Help You Define Your Role As CEO
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Double Double by Cameron Herold
Do you feel bogged down in your business?
You might be in your email inbox more often than you want to be. Or chasing people who still need to pay that invoice or scheduling people on your calendar all the time. Or perhaps you’re stuck on the technical side of things every day, messing around with the code on your website or trying to figure out what happened to that client email that seemed to vanish.
Instead of being the CEO of your business, you, my friend, are stuck in employee or manager mode. So how do you shake off those shackles and embody the role you’re meant to? In this new series on the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn the difference between the employee, manager, and CEO roles. And I’ll teach you how to start firing yourself from those first two modes so you can step into your role as CEO.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
2:13 - Why do women start their own business? Believe it or not, money isn’t at the top of the list of reasons.
9:30 - There’s so much glamorization around the entrepreneurship space for women. But you’ll see something different, if you take a peek under the hood.
11:19 - I discuss the role of the employee and how it’s different from being a manager or CEO.
13:58 - You can start off wearing so many hats as CEO of your business. Then as your company grows, you start bringing in team members in this order.
17:03 - You might find yourself becoming an accidental manager by adding team members. What’s the role of a manager?
21:06 - Most entrepreneurs spend their time in the employee or manager mode. How much time do you actually get to spend in CEO mode?
25:29 - Here’s how shifting into CEO mode gives you more freedom, flexibility, and control in your business.
30:10 - What does it truly mean to step into the role of CEO? I reveal what happens when you take a bigger picture view of your business.
36:02 - I talk about the importance of having a vision and values for you, your team, and your company.
Mentioned in Being the Employee Vs Manager Vs CEO In Your Business-
Nichole Forsline’s The Solid Bow
Want clients for life? Give your client an experience that goes beyond their expectations.
Think about booking lodgings for a vacation. It’s one thing to book a room for your stay with all the expected accommodations. But you remember the place that goes beyond: the chocolate on the pillow to greet you as a new guest, warm and freshly laundered towels in the bathroom daily, a minifridge already full of goodies you didn’t even have to buy, etc. And the next time you’re ready for a vacation in the area, you want to stay there again.
Now, it’s really easy to think that translating that type of experience into your service-based business is as simple as surprising and delighting with little gifts, like that chocolate on the pillow. But there’s so much more to it, and today I’m excited to have Amber Kinney back on the podcast to talk about it.
In this final episode of our customer experience series on Promote Yourself to CEO, you’ll learn about how you can translate surprising and delighting clients into your business as part of your customer experience plan. We’ll teach you how to put a little more intention and thoughtfulness into the ways you choose to surprise and delight clients so that they’ll trust and connect with you and your company.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:44 - What’s one of Amber's favorite ways to surprise and delight clients in her agency?
8:45 - I talk about a recent surprise I received when I started working with someone new. This kind of delight can motivate your clients even more!
13:01 - You can vote with your dollars when delighting your clients, too. Here’s how we do it every year.
16:22 - How do you and your team build connection with your clients in ways that will surprise and delight them?
24:25 - I discuss another way I try to delight all the time. This one goes above and beyond, and it can stick for your clients for years!
Mentioned In How to Include Surprise and Delight for Clients In Your Customer Experience-
Amber Kinney’s agency, The AK Collective
Sustainably scaling your business isn’t a solo act. It takes a team to pull it off.
Now you’ve probably had some help in the marketing and sales aspect of your business. Or maybe you’ve hired help for the technological or administrative side of things. But are you still holding out on hiring a team to help you work directly with clients to deliver your offer? That’s the last place we as entrepreneurs tend to hire to help us, but it’s necessary if you want a sustainable business.
Building a team for a sustainable business ultimately boils down to one thing. And in today’s installment of our customer experience series, I’ve invited my Director of Operations (and right-hand woman) Amber Kinney onto the show to help me cover it.
Amber and I have worked together for over a decade. And she’s the owner and CEO of her own marketing agency where she works with lots of entrepreneurs behind the scenes. So she knows the dos and don’ts of working with (and within) a business team.
In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn about all the layers that go into hiring people to join your business and how to do it in a way that works for you, your team members, and your clients. We’ll teach you about transfer of trust and why it works so well to set your business up for success.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:49 - Why can scaling your team be one of the biggest challenges you face? Here’s the most likely place where you might stumble when hiring help.
12:24 - There’s a necessary shift you need to make to get to the point where clients comfortably deal with your team members.
16:40 - How can you start transferring your clients’ trust from working with you exclusively to working with your team directly?
20:08 - Amber reveals how to approach bringing on someone new onto your team who you don’t have a previous track record with.
23:26 - What if you have no plans or desires to hire anyone (at least right now)? You’ll still want to do this to set yourself up for success.
28:14 - I reveal a red flag that’s a sign of more than just bad hiring practices to your clients.
Mentioned in How Strategically Scaling Your Business Team Sets You Up for Success-
Amber Kinney’s agency, The AK Collective
According to American Express, people will pay 86% more if you give them an impeccable customer experience. That’s why providing a great experience after the purchase is one of the best ways to differentiate yourself, your brand, and your business from your competitors.
So how can you improve the customer experience of your company? It’s all in the delivery of whatever you offer, whether you’re selling a product (physical or digital) or a service. Today on the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn about seven ways to upgrade the delivery process of your offer that’ll have your clients or customers loving you and your business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:41 - Clear containers for your offers helps you as well as your clients or customers. How?
8:28 - With so much small business competition, how can you develop relationships with your clients so that they remain loyal to yours?
11:45 - Have a clear vision for your customer experience and create a success path to help buyers get there.
13:20 - Do you follow up after the purchase? I discuss how to create checkpoints and proactively reach out.
17:44 - You’ll need to proactively coach your clients or customers on this as well.
21:05 - What can you use to improve your customer experience on an ongoing basis?
24:57 - The last way to upgrade your customer experience is easier said than done, but it must be done for a sustainable business.
29:22 - To wrap the show, I quickly recap the seven ways to upgrade your customer or client experience.
Mentioned in 7 Ways to Upgrade Your Client or Customer Experience
Most people aren’t talking about customer experience when they think they are. They’re talking about putting out fires, troubleshooting things, solving problems as they arise--all customer service-oriented stuff.
While having good customer service is important, it’s not a thing that’s necessarily going to help your business grow or generate excitement about it from your clients. That’s where having an impeccable customer experience comes in!
But how do you design one for your business? There are three elements (or stages) to this: the first sets the tone for your relationship with each client, the next creates your path to success, and the last one wraps everything up and sets you (and your client) up for continued success.
In this next episode of Promote Yourself to CEO, you’ll learn all about those three elements. I take you through every stage one-by-one and include all of the systems, pieces, considerations, and questions you should implement or think about for each to create an excellent experience for your clients.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:11 - I talk about the five systems you need for the first element: client onboarding.
10:50 - How can your clients get the best results? This is all about setting expectations.
12:54 - What’s the third area to shore up in your client onboarding process? (And what is the key to making it work)?
16:32 - The final piece of onboarding is incredibly powerful to make sure that everything starts off on the right foot.
19:37 - Your path to success lies in this next element of your customer experience plan. Here are a couple of areas to think about as you map it out.
28:19 - Too often, entrepreneurs wait to do this. So you’ll need to be proactive in this next step on your success path.
30:39 - How can you keep your clients committed to the process of going through your entire program? I reveal the final piece to your success path.
33:56 - I discuss four steps to think about as you complete the implementation of your customer experience plan for each client.
Mentioned in Designing an Excellent Customer Experience In 3 Stages-
The 3 Essential Systems to Sustainably Scale Your Business (LINK TBA)
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The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier
Are you confusing customer service with customer experience?
Right now, you might be wondering, “Huh? What’s the difference?” Customer service is reactive; it’s all about handling problems as they arise. But an incredible customer experience is a thoughtfully designed journey through your business that can elevate it and gain you clients for life.
So how do you go about designing this experience so that your clients will not only want to stick around but recommend your business to others? Today kicks off a new series of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast where we discuss something that hasn’t really been delved into on the show before.
In this episode, you’ll learn about why creating an excellent customer experience helps you stand out from the crowd. You’ll hear about the coaching experience I heard about that triggered this topic, discover exactly how powerfully a great customer experience design can affect your business, and reveal what your revenue goals aren’t telling you.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:08 - Why am I digging into customer experience? I talk about the recent sales call that inspired this series.
8:03 - Customer experience matters and can be such a competitive advantage. Here’s why!
11:58 - Everybody loves coming up with revenue goals. But you’re missing out on a lot of important information in the process.
17:11 - How does plugging the holes in your customer experience affect your profit?
20:09 - What’s coming up next in this series? I give a short preview.
Mentioned in The Key to Boosting Your Business and Creating Clients for Life
For the last 15 years, I’ve seen so many people come and go. I’ve seen so many people start out with dreams and ambitions, only to burn themselves out and take years to recover from the impact.
But you know in your heart and soul that you’re meant to be an entrepreneur. And I want you to have long-term success, instead of sacrificing it with a short-term view. It’s why I wanted to create this “Truth About Scaling” podcast series.
So now, that brings me to the final installment. In this episode, I break down some final key things to consider and implement when you’re ready to shift into high-growth business mode.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
5:58 - Are you ignoring or passing off parts of your business that you don’t understand? I discuss why that’s a mistake.
11:39 - You need to understand these indicators to know whether or not your marketing is working in your business.
14:05 - What’s another area where women entrepreneurs play small because they’re not considering it at all?
17:23 - Keep it simple, keep it sane, and keep it strategic. I reveal the trap entrepreneurs often fall into that only complicates their business.
24:01 - What common habit have I seen over the years from women entrepreneurs that holds them back? Inside The CEO Collective, we know this happens and are prepared for it.
28:25 - If you don’t allow your business to develop these two important pieces before attempting to scale, then you’ll end up in a cycle of catastrophic growth.
35:02 - I reveal one of the biggest disconnects I see between business owners and why you need your own CEO support team.
40:05 - Personal success teams are another crucially important aspect to being a CEO with sustainable business growth.
45:15 - It’s easy to look at marketing material out there and think that growth is linear. But is it really?
Mentioned in How to Get Yourself Ready to Hit High-Growth Mode In Your Business
- The CEO Collective
- CEO Retreat
- Business Growth Checklist
- 90-Day CEO Operating System
- Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Rate and review on Apple Podcasts
Business franchises are everywhere! You see several in the form of fast food chains whenever and wherever you get off the interstate. And while I’ve talked about scaling your business on the show before, I haven’t gone deep into more traditional ways to do it like this.
Today, I’ve invited The Scout Guide co-founders Susie Matheson and Christy Ford onto the podcast. They’ve built an enterprise that showcases small businesses nationwide for people in their own cities, with the help of over 70 local entrepreneurs. In this episode, you’ll hear some incredible takeaways as they talk about their journey, which you can learn from even if you’re not interested in turning your business into a franchise.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
1:22 - I give a short introduction to The Scout Guide. It actually started near my town of Richmond, VA.
8:29 - How did Susie and Christy come up with the idea for The Scout Guide? Listen as they describe exactly what it is they do.
11:20 - A lot of people think of traditional print advertising as dead. Why has The Scout Guide turned that idea on its head, and how does it complement social media marketing?
20:18 - The Scout Guide is also a resource (and source of inspiration) for small business entrepreneurs across the country. Christy and Susie explain how.
23:43 - Why did the co-founders decide to pursue a franchise model instead of doing everything themselves?
28:22 - Susie and Christy discuss some considerations when making the jump from owning a single business to forming a franchise.
33:03 - The key to making a franchise work is what also makes it easier to sell your business down the line.
37:11 - What did the co-founders struggle with as they launched their franchise? They talk about getting clear on your long-term vision and setting yourself up for success.
43:21 - What’s next on the horizon for The Scout Guide? Christy and Susie reveal their ultimate goal.
Mentioned in Want to Scale Your Business As a Franchise? Get the Scoop with The Scout GuideSocial media and online marketing and content creation strategies are wonderful and I use them. But... business grows at the speed of relationships. If you’ve heard it’s impossible to scale a referral-based business or that you shouldn’t rely on referrals for your business, then tune in as me and my Operations Director Amber Kinney expose these myths.
Amber can certainly vouch for this promotional strategy as she’s built her business entirely on referrals. So we have a conversation about how referrals are here to stay, can serve as one of the best things you do for your business, and cover five key strategies to think about so your business can become referrable.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:23 - Amber briefly discusses a little bit about her business.
9:29 - Is it sustainable to only have a referral-based business? Amber shares her thoughts on the matter.
12:21 - Growing too fast has its consequences. Amber reveals two must-have components for a referrable AND scalable business.
17:07 - How does Amber get referrals? It’s such a simple, casual process.
18:48 - With referrals, a lot of the heavy lifting in vetting both sides (the client and the CEO) is done for you. We discuss the reasons why.
22:46 - Why do some people really struggle with referrals? It’s tied to the transactional feeling of relationships that lack buildup.
27:04 - We talk about how we’ve networked, made connections, and built relationships as introverts to stay on top of our game.
32:28 - Amber offers some final advice to wrap up the interview.
34:23 - I end the episode with a quick summary of the five key things Amber and I talked about regarding building a more referral-based business.
Mentioned in Why Referrals Are STILL the Gold Standard
One of the biggest things you need to plan for your business in the coming new year is marketing; how are you going to get more visibility? I’m a bit biased because I love using podcast interviews as a marketing tool. But how do you get started with pitching yourself for podcast interviews, especially if you don’t have a team to help you?
Luckily, Danielle Weibe, the founder of the Business Babes Collective, knows how and is here to share it with us as my special guest today! She’s doing something that’s so accessible for many people.
In this episode, she talks about how she’s able to consistently land more interviews, opportunities, and visibility for her business by pitching really, really smartly.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
8:21 - What is the Business Babes Collective, and how did Danielle get started in business?
14:50 - Danielle and I talk about why it takes an abundance mentality and a strategic approach to make collaborations work effectively.
19:34 - How does Danielle define collaborations vs. partnerships, and how does she increase her chances of creating them for her business?
24:30 - I reveal the red flags I often see when others try to pitch themselves as a guest on my show. What did Danielle do differently to get my attention?
28:18 - Too many treat business relationship building like speed dating. Danielle discusses how being pleasantly persistent over quite some time secured a collaboration.
33:22 - Sometimes, you have to get creative to secure a collab. Also, be careful not to fall into this trap when on the receiving end of opportunities.
35:00 - What is Danielle’s process for finding the right people to work with? She goes through it, step-by-step.
39:05 - I add my own tip that works especially well if you’re a beginner or trying to collaborate with someone with a bigger audience.
Mentioned in Power of Strategic Collaborations for Business Growth with Danielle Wiebe- Get Paid Calculator
- Business Babes Collective
- Business Babes Collective on Instagram
- Danielle on Instagram
- Racheal on Instagram and
We women entrepreneurs keep underpricing ourselves when offering the same service or product as our male counterparts. On average, we price up to 20% less. When I first heard that, I was blown away!
Pricing is one of the quickest and most powerful ways to adjust your business trajectory and make it more sustainable. I’ve seen it in my business and those of my clients. So in this episode, I discuss why properly pricing your offers is the first step to designing a successfully sustainable business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:36 - What is the feast or famine zone, and does your business fall into it? Discover the two biggest reasons why businesses in this zone struggle to compete.
8:40 - I demonstrate how underpricing can easily lead to overworking by using the example of a wedding photographer.
12:18 - Taking the wedding photographer example further, this simple step is an easy way to improve your profitability and ease burnout.
14:42 - What if you want to double your rates? You need to take a deeper look at these factors in your business.
17:42 - Pricing impacts other aspects of your business. Michalowicz’s Profit First percentages can help you figure out the math to meet your revenue goal.
20:43 - I push back against the hype of online gurus who have a certain mindset about pricing. There’s a reason why I primarily work with service providers.
23:50 - What if you’re not used to selling at a higher price or booking multiple sessions at a time per client?
26:55 - Here’s why you don’t need a large audience to get enough clients for your higher-priced programs and services. I give you a behind-the-scenes look.
28:52 - Keep these questions in mind as you crunch your numbers.
Mentioned in Why Underpricing (and Overdelivering) Is Creating Business Burnout
- Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
- The CEO Collective
- The CEO Planner
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Leave a review on iTunes
Celebrity entrepreneurs don’t do any favors with all their hustle talk, and despite everything you hear about escaping burnout and hustle culture, too many women entrepreneurs still can’t escape. They desperately need the cash flow in their business right now. So if you’re struggling to get your business working on all cylinders, keep listening. Today’s episode kicks off a new series to help you break free from entrepreneurial poverty of time, energy, and money so you can attain the sustainable success you desire.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:06 - People prescribe this antidote too often to the burnout problem. It’s creating a FOMO culture for an increasing number of women.
4:55 - I discuss the entrepreneurial poverty of time and what it looks like for women business owners.
9:42 - Energy poverty is HUGE right now. How does this impact you as a female entrepreneur?
13:07 - While lack of money is easy to point to, it doesn’t just have an effect on you financially.
14:16 - I see so many women in the middle stage of their business succumb to this cycle. Why do some stay stuck in it for years?
17:17 - I quickly overview what’s coming up next in this new podcast series of episodes.
As mentioned in How the Current Hustle Culture Creates Entrepreneurial Poverty for Women
A couple of years ago, I received an invitation to a thank you party via email. That incredibly heartfelt invitation gave me the best feeling and became the catalyst for a friendship and business contact. In this Thanksgiving Day episode, the woman behind that email, Shannon Siriano Greenwood, is back on the show. She and I talk about how gratitude can have a huge impact on and should be the driving force behind your business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:23 – I read the entire email from Shannon that caused me, a super introvert, to dress up and attend a restaurant downtown.
8:54 – Shannon discusses how she and I met. She calls it our own little love story.
14:53 – When did Shannon realize that bringing people together was her strength? She discusses why the realization didn’t come quickly.
20:25 – Shannon reveals a huge component of making connections and building relationships. It looks different from most people’s image of networking.
22:48 – What’s even better than a typical referral? All it takes is a simple mindset shift to see it, and it definitely has a huge effect on your business.
25:53 – We talk about how we remember to touch base and stay in contact with people.
31:04 – Why does Shannon get invited to a lot of things? She’s already done five podcast interviews this month without having to pitch herself.
34:32 – Shannon reveals the purpose behind her new program that brings women together.
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Angie Trueblood came to me years ago when she wanted to go all in on her idea. She’d learned how to pitch herself to podcasts as an interview guest and had the idea to do the same for other entrepreneurs. As someone in the podcast space who was in the target market for her services, she was the first person I saw talking about something like this in 2019. So, of course, I had to have her on the show (and immediately hire her after)!
Now, Angie’s back to give an update on what’s happening in her business now and how it’s changed since she’s become part of The CEO Collective. In this episode, she talks about the service side of her business and why she’s making the choice to do the opposite of what so many other service-based entrepreneurs are doing.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:20 - What was business like for Angie in the summer of 2019 (before life as we knew it shifted drastically)?
12:02 - Angie reveals how the rinse and repeat process of the 90-Day planner impacted her business that year.
14:49 - Angie talks about what it’s like for her to have both group programming and a service up for offer in her business.
19:48 - Resistant to growing an agency for so long, Angie is leaning towards the service side of her business more. Why?
25:54 - People worry that growing a service-based business means more time and energy spent in the business. How does Angie find balance?
28:51 - Here’s something you need to know as a service provider looking to create and launch a course or membership.
33:42 - What excites Angie the most in this next stage of her business?
Mentioned in Why Lean Into the Service Side of Business? Re-Visiting with Angie Trueblood- “How to Go Pitch Yourself with Angie Trueblood”
- The Podwize Group
- Go Pitch Yourself podcast
- Angie on LinkedIn and The Podwize Group on Instagram
- The CEO Collective
Certain subjects are polarizing, and I’m not just talking about the usual topics like politics or religion. The last time I had MegAnne Ford on the show we discussed the dark side of visibility she experienced through her coaching business…her parenting coach business.
As you can imagine, parents have particular thoughts about raising their (and sometimes others’) kids. And someone took umbrage to what MegAnne had to say that they bullied and essentially stalked her! She’s come out on the other side of it, though, and years later she’s still here and visible as ever.
In this episode, she talks about how she’s developed a community around her coaching and continued to grow her business since then. If you’ve had to deal with a bully, suffered vulnerability hangovers, or fear putting yourself out there due to the potential backlash over a disagreement, then you’ll want to listen in!
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
5:17 – I first met MegAnne a few months after she started her business. She talks about how she stumbled into it.
9:27 – What was MegAnne’s first year in business like? She realized she had to make this shift.
12:35 – MegAnne discusses how she developed her popular frameworks for parents.
15:14 – Building and nurturing a community has become a huge part of MegAnne’s business. She reveals how.
19:11 – How did MegAnne get into using Instagram stories and Tik Tok to gain visibility?
28:12 – MegAnne reveals what drew her to join The CEO Collective and talks about her prior “$18,000 learning experiment.”
33:37 – Before The CEO Collective, there was the Sweet Spot Strategy. Here’s why shutting it down benefited me and my clients tremendously!
38:16 – With her larger audience now, what does MegAnne have planned for her coaching business in 2023?
Mentioned in CEO Confession Take Two: From Bullied to Vibrant Business Community with MegAnne FordWe all love hearing success stories. If you’ve listened to this podcast since August of 2021, you may remember Sarah Young and her accounting business. Back then, she was about a year into her experience with The CEO Collective. Now a year later, she’s back! And she’s here to let us know what happened after she shared her success story on the show.
Today kicks off a series I’m doing with clients who’ve taken part in my flagship program. In this episode, Sarah talks about what’s changed in the last year, the incredible wins she’s enjoyed in her business, and how she plans to move forward with even more success. As you listen, you’ll come away with some major takeaways and lessons to implement in your own business!
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
5:24 - Sarah recaps how she started her business and changed it over a period of a couple of years.
11:53 - What’s happened in Sarah’s business since she last guested on the show? And how has it affected her husband?
16:54 - Sarah talks about the support she now has behind the scenes of her business and areas where she wants to improve.
19:24 - How has Sara’s business evolved to incorporate two different audiences? She discusses her trial and error process.
23:47 - Sarah reveals where she wants to go next in her business. It highlights the missing wealth piece for so many women entrepreneurs.
28:44 - As an entrepreneur, you may think you know what diversifying your income means. Here’s what it really means.
31:11 - What’s coming up for Sarah in 2023? She reveals what she plans to prioritize for the coming new year.
34:35 - Sarah made this mindset shift that can benefit you as an entrepreneur.
Mentioned in What Business Wins Can Happen In a Year? Revisiting with Sarah Young- Young + Co
- Profit + Prosper podcast
- Sarah on Instagram
- Racheal on Instagram and
Forgetting to consistently market and prioritize making sales? What about letting your schedule get so out of control that you don’t give yourself any time off for months on end? Or chasing every next shiny object instead of focusing on what works in your business?
What you suffer from, dear entrepreneur, is a lack of plan implementation. In the final part of this year’s Best Year Ever challenge, you’ll discover how to take all the insight from the previous episodes and turn them into an actionable 12-month profit plan for 2023.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:32 - How does my 5-part framework (attract, engage, nurture, invite, and delight) form the foundation for your 12-month plan?
11:20 - Here’s where I start when I’m mapping out my 12-month big picture profit plan.
15:12 - Discover how to plan out what you’re going to sell and when you’re going to sell it.
20:31 - What’s one easily forgettable thing you need to keep in mind throughout this process? I reveal what it is.
24:49 - To wrap up, I give you this reminder as you go about planning things out for the first time.
Mentioned in How to Set Goals You Can Actually Follow Through On?You tell yourself, “This year, I’m gonna do it!” You write down your business goal. You put it where you can see it constantly. You’re determined to reach that pinnacle you’ve set for yourself this time! A few months later... you’ve forgotten about it or given up on it.
We tend to only set goals once a year, and that’s one of the reasons why goal setting often doesn’t work for most people. On day 4 of this series, I take a different approach to goal setting to help you establish business milestones you’ll actually follow through on in 2023.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:16 - Many of us have such a love/hate relationship with goal setting. Why does it fail so often?
5:18 - As you brainstorm all of your potential goals for the new year, refrain from doing this. I also offer a huge tip to ensure you don’t miss out on key things.
7:07 - I go through the process of making sure you have the business systems you need set up before taking on additional projects.
10:45 - I talk about how I apply my five-part systems process to my own business.
13:58 - Once you’ve brainstormed, how can you narrow your goals down to five for the year? What will it take to make each goal happen?
15:48 - One of the most important pieces of the puzzle involves thinking about how you’re setting yourself up for success. Think of it like a marathon.
17:55 - What if you have more than five goals you want to accomplish? Here’s what I do.
18:35 - Finally, I encourage you to do this as you complete the BYE workbook.
Mentioned in How to Set Goals You Can Actually Follow Through On?Are you constantly running your business in emergency mode? You might be running your company by default instead of by design, constantly putting out fires and working crazy long hours. But panic as a business strategy isn’t a wise recipe for success.
So in this episode, I talk about how to design a business that works for you and runs like clockwork in 2023.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:39 - I give a quick recap of the Best Year Ever series thus far.
5:45 - What does personal and professional success mean to you? Here are some things to keep in mind.
9:23 - Who are the dream clients you want to focus on attracting and attaining in 2023?
10:25 - Time to shift into money mode! But you don’t want to pull a revenue goal out of thin air here.
14:29 - The final thing you want to look at as you go through this process of (re)creating your business by design.
Mentioned in Is Your Business by Default or by Design?- Best Year Ever Challenge
- Get Paid Calculator
- Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Leave a review on iTunes
With our hustle and bustle culture, we’re always in danger of burning ourselves out. The last couple of years, however, have made it even worse. It always feels like there’s something going wrong in the world--pandemics, war breakouts, etc.--that can have an effect on our business, causing us to worry about its future.
No matter what’s happening in the world, though, you can still build your dream business. This Best Year Ever series can help you get clarity about what you want to experience right now. In this episode, I dive into the second challenge and it’s a powerful one!
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:40 - Today’s the day you jump into your time machine! What do I mean?
5:25 - I reveal the best place to start as you go through today’s exercises. This is all about getting intentional.
6:59 - I give an example of how you can go through this exercise (with a little insight from my own life).
8:53 - Keep it simple. Sometimes you can dream so big that you overwhelm yourself and get frustrated.
10:36 - My company’s #1 value is putting life before business. How can your business support the life you want?
12:41 - This is when you bring some numbers into play. I talk about how doing so affects me and my family.
Mentioned in What does your dream 2023 look like?- Best Year Ever Challenge
- Get Paid Calculator
- Double Double by Cameron Herold
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Leave a review on iTunes
With the holidays just around the corner, it’s not just time to look ahead in your business. This is also a good time to reflect on your progress over the last year. So many entrepreneurs don’t reach their goals because they keep running up on the same obstacles over and over.
If that’s you, let’s not do that again. Instead, let’s start planning your best year ever! In this episode, I kick off my annual five-part series where I walk you through the same strategic planning process I’ve used for over 20 years and shared with thousands of women entrepreneurs to help create a solid action plan for 2023.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
2:31 - Do this before you listen to the episode. It’ll help you follow along as I dive into the first BYE challenge.
6:19 - Doing this helps you determine the best course of action as you shift your business. It’s a move professional athletes understand well.
8:30 - Do you need assistance answering the questions for this challenge? Using these tools can help.
9:38 - Here are a few key questions to ask yourself to get really clear on what’s gone on in your business.
11:14 - As you go through this exercise, you’ll start seeing patterns that bring up more questions to ask.
13:44 - Double down or let go? I share some scenarios where you might want to do either.
Mentioned in Ready To Plan Your Best Year Ever?As we head towards the end of 2022, we look forward to setting aims for the incoming new year. But sometimes, goal setting can be a pain in the neck! Everybody’s trying to tell you that you should do this or that: create a seven-figure business (or several), gain millions of social media followers, etc. It can leave you feeling frustrated and like you’re shooting yourself in the foot!
But what if there was another way? My friend Tara McMullin has a unique view on goal setting. In this episode, we discuss her latest book What Works and why it’s so radically different from what most people think about when it comes to goal setting. So if you’re like me and have a love/hate relationship with setting goals, then you’ll love this conversation!
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:54 - What led Tara to radically shifting her relationship with goal setting?
9:57 - The struggle over goal setting really boils down to this belief, and social media and news just reinforce it.
13:35 - How are goals like “cultural technology”? Tara describes how goals can affect your values and how you think of yourself.
16:27 - Tara and I discuss how society has reached the point where following the usual goal setting advice is such a challenge (and one that can actually cause more harm than good).
32:14 - So how do we move forward and do goal setting differently? Tara reveals the process step-by-step and warns about “value hijacking.”
40:52 - What does personal growth without striving or being beholden to harmful cultural systems look like?
43:00 - Tara and I discuss the low-stakes way she went about making commitments for herself over recent years.
49:41 - This low-stakes approach can translate into business too, like my six-month Tik Tok experiment. I describe my approach to using the social media site.
51:00 - Tara mentions a couple of important things to keep in mind when it comes to your projects and plans.
Mentioned in An Unconventional Approach to Goal Setting with Tara McMullin- What Works: A Comprehensive Framework for Goal Setting by Tara McMullin
- Best Year Ever Challenge
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- <
Are you running a business that works for you? Or does your business have you running in circles? So many entrepreneurs think that reaching a certain income level will make things easier and finally give them the life they want. Too many of them wonder if it’s really worth it and just want to burn their business to cinders in frustration and start fresh.
Hold up before you burn it down or drastically change anything because you hope someone else’s approach will finally strike gold! We’re winding down the year 2022 and gearing up to help entrepreneurs have their best year in 2023 with the next launch of the Best Year Ever Challenge. So to prepare for it, in this episode I discuss five things to strategically think about to align your business so that it truly works for you as an individual, instead of you for it based on what others tell you to do.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
5:19 - What’s your definition of success? I reveal the first area of alignment to think about when deciding what success looks like for you.
9:15 - I discuss the second area of aligned success to look at. I used to struggle with this one!
10:42 - The third area naturally fits us as entrepreneurs and is especially helpful in the beginning. But you’ll want to limit yourself here, and I reveal why.
13:02 - How do you want to feel in your business? I share my thoughts, including what luxurious felt like to me at the time I first went through this exercise.
17:48 - A lot of people talk about flow but not about what it truly looks like. I discuss one area of my personal life where I’ve made sure ease and flow show up.
20:51 - This final thing to take a look at is usually the first thing we entrepreneurs dismiss. But it’s your biggest competitive advantage.
Mentioned in Is Your Business Aligned With YOU?- Best Year Ever Challenge
- The Desire Map: A Guide to Creating Goals with Soul by Danielle LaPorte
- Apply for The CEO Collective
- The CEO Retreat
- The CEO Planner
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Le
So many people use the threat of an incoming recession to fear-bait you. They promise that they have the answer (in the form of a product, a free email course, etc.) on how to recession-proof your business. But they’re all about increasing their sales, not giving you useful information.
A digital course, high-ticket program, or 37-step email funnel won’t save your business from suffering the effects of an economic downturn. I’ll tell you what will, though--without you having to join my list or purchase anything from me first! In this episode, I reveal the three areas you need to pay attention to so that your business will be prepared to weather the storm of a recession.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:38 - Take a look at money management in your business. Here’s why you need to be ahead of the curve on this.
9:02 - How can you prepare for the worst case scenario (clients dropping out like flies and sending you into a sudden cash crunch)?
12:37 - When it comes to investing in your business, it’s important to be very discerning. Here’s what I mean.
15:36 - What’s the biggest culprit behind so many small businesses slowing down during an economic downturn? If you’re especially dependent on referrals, heads up!
22:32 - Don’t be afraid to add this into your marketing. It’ll help make you and your business stand out.
24:09 - What’s the simplest, easiest way to make more sales? I reveal a few things I’m thinking about and implementing on a regular basis in my own business.
29:25 - I went through a lot of stuff in this episode. But I recap what I most want you to take away from it.
Mentioned in Why a Digital Course Won’t Recession-Proof Your Business and What Will InsteadYou make yourself available to your clients constantly. They can email or text or call you 24/7, and you make it a priority to respond to them as soon as possible. And you might even be making great money in the process!
From the client's perspective, this sounds great. But while the constant availability works for them, it means your business isn’t really working for you.
Today, I talk with CEO Collective member Dr. Libby Wilson whose functional medicine practice looked great on the surface with successful clients and cash flow. But she had to make shifts so that she could truly have freedom in her business to enjoy life.
In this episode, she talks about how she turned things around over the last year to ensure that her practice not only works for her clients but also for herself and her family.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:25 - Who is Dr. Libby Wilson, how does she help her clients, and where was she struggling in her business before joining the CEO Collective?
7:55 - Hustle culture created this health issue for Dr. Libby. She had to fix the root cause and talks about how the 90-Day Planner helped.
13:07 - Content creation is a major sticking point for a lot of entrepreneurs. Dr. Libby has a 12-month rinse-and-repeat content calendar, so how does she do it?
16:29 - Dr. Libby reveals something she does for her practice and that every entrepreneur needs to apply in their business. We discuss what it is and why it’s so important.
22:34 - Watching how my business runs behind-the-scenes helped Dr. Libby get away from making herself constantly available to clients. What changes did she make in her practice as a result?
30:04 - Dr. Libby discusses how making the adjustments to her business has improved her life and her mindset.
36:30 - To wrap the show, Dr. Libby reveals what she’d say to anyone thinking of joining The CEO Collective. She also briefly discusses her new book and how she works with clients.
Mentioned in Is Your Business Really Working for You?Not every entrepreneur wants or needs to scale their business. And that’s okay! But if you do want to go through this third stage of business, then you’ll have to show up differently than you did in either of the previous two stages. In this final part of my business growth series, I talk about what it looks like to scale and the foundational habits, tasks, and mindset needed for success at this point in your business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
2:41 - What’s often missing from the conversation about scaling your business?
8:21 - You’ll need to put this in place when you’re ready to move beyond a lifestyle business.
13:14 - I talk about the “lifestyle creep” I see with a lot of entrepreneurs.
15:13 - What’s your vision, and why do you want your business to grow?
17:16 - You’ll need to plan further ahead and undergo this focus shift as your company expands.
22:28 - What do the most consistently-growing and fastest-growing businesses do that others don’t?
25:04 - I discuss the necessity of uncomplicating your business and how to dramatically increase your visibility as you scale.
31:37 - This next piece of the puzzle is where some people drop the ball. But it’s the easiest place to start getting support.
33:09 - People will often use a rebrand opportunity as a distraction. So when should you wait to level up your branding?
38:45 - I talk about sales as you scale, specifically making the process as “rinse and repeat” as possible while maximizing your profits.
46:26 - Along with leadership skills, your business growth success depends on your personal development too. Why?
Mentioned in Scaling Your Business When You Want to Move From Solopreneur to CEO Level
Getting lackluster results from the same strategies that the experts insist will work for those who work it? You’re not the problem, and neither is the strategy. Your business just might not be ready for that particular step. In episode two of this Business Growth Checklist series, I want to hone in on the second stage of business and how to stabilize it with the implementation of four key systems.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:38 - The second stage of business doesn’t get enough credit because of this untrue assumption.
7:44 - What’s the biggest challenge in this stage of business, and why?
10:35 - Implementing this plan is one of the most powerful things you can do for your business in this stage.
14:04 - I reveal a couple of recommendations to make sure you’re doing CEO level work instead of day-to-day busy work.
16:27 - What’s an additional puzzle piece that can make your business run smoother?
21:04 - Make sure you have this marketing framework in place. I go through it step-by-step.
27:30 - Once you’ve stabilized your business, what will your next offer look like? Here are some ideas.
29:39 - At this point, you may also want to internally streamline your business too. I discuss my favorite ways to do this.
33:05 - I’ve added something new to the checklist because of seeing how stressed out so many entrepreneurs were about money in their business.
39:30 - Make sure you have this kind of team in place, as well. It’s not a matter of when (not if) you’ll have to use it.
40:26 - One final thing I recommend before you try to get to stage three of your business.
Mentioned in 4 Key Systems That Set the Stage for a Successful, Manageable BusinessYou’ve taken course after course or tried strategy after strategy and still aren’t where you want to be in your business. You’re frustrated and confused because other people seem to get results but not you!
Building a business is hard enough. But it’s even more difficult when you don’t know what the big picture is supposed to look like. It’s like trying to build one of those 1000-piece puzzles without ever looking at the front of the box to see what it should look like in the end.
Years ago, I created the ultimate Business Growth Checklist but have completely overhauled it recently with even more insight and resources. In this episode, I kick off a three-part series that covers each of the three core stages of business growth and what to do for each so that your company has a solid footing each step of the way.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
2:13 - What I heard over and over again that inspired me to create the Business Growth Checklist
4:40 - A quick overview of the three stages outlined in the checklist
6:29 - Revealing the first stage of business and its biggest challenge
9:27 - Strategies that work best for stage one of your business
12:32 - Walk-through of critical actions steps for the first stage
15:19 - Questions for each specific new offer in your business
18:25 - Why you’ll want to keep your starter offer as simple as possible
22:09 - One of the best things I did when I got started and highly recommend
26:12 - Your goal in implementing the 5-part marketing system in stage one of your business
Mentioned in How to Get Your Business In Check for a Solid Foundation- The Ultimate Business Growth Checklist
- “Why TikTok Could Be an Incredible ATTRACT Strategy” podcast episode
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Leave a review on iTunes
Sometimes, you just wish you could do several months worth of things in a single day. You’ve felt it in business and probably other areas like health or personal development, too.
What if you could do that as an entrepreneur for others? You’ve more than likely seen VIP days as a revenue stream for client-based businesses. But instead of making it an add-on to your business, what if you could turn that concept into the main offer of your business?
Today I have Jordan Gill of Systems Saved Me who has made VIP days the cornerstone of her company. In this episode, we dive into the upside of having a VIP day offer in your business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
5:04 - Why is Jordan so passionate about VIP days versus other types of service offers? She tells her story.
8:21 - Jordan describes what she did for VIP clients and the kind of entrepreneur VIP days are especially well-suited for.
12:45 - What VIP day ideas has Jordan seen from others? She reveals what any VIP day offer (including the more intangible ones) really comes down to.
16:21 - Jordan discusses what she did during her three-day workweek, including the non-VIP client days, and what.
18:22 - Jordan shares what she dislikes most about the retainer business model and how a VIP day offer helps mitigate it.
21:38 - What can attendees look forward to in Jordan’s upcoming Done In a Day virtual conference?
25:18 - How can you know if VIP days are a good fit for you as an entrepreneur? Jordan reveals a couple of things you’ll want to consider.
Mentioned in How to Profit From VIP Days with Jordan Gill- Done In a Day Virtual Conference
- Systems Saved Me website and Instagram
- Systems Saved Me podcast episode with Racheal
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Leave a review on iTunes
What’s the antidote to inconsistent cash flow and clients in your business? Having a solid plan certainly helps, but too many entrepreneurs are just winging it in hopes of finding success. In this episode, I deliver a little tough love and talk about how to figure out the kind of plan you need in place for your business to grow.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
1:25 - What do most entrepreneurs do first when wanting to create the freedom and flexibility they desire? I explain why it’s a backward approach and a short-term solution.
5:08 - You find true freedom with a certain level of control in your business. I clarify what I mean by control here, because a lot of people might have mixed feelings on it.
7:39 - What do you need to have in place to get consistent cash flow and clients? I reveal the first of several different components necessary.
10:28 - The second component is one where a lot of people trip up. There’s a common trap entrepreneurs can fall into here as well, and I discuss how to avoid it.
14:23 - Having these two things in your business makes predictable profits so much easier to obtain. I explain how.
18:44 - How can you ensure that your team helps you create sustainable revenue, freedom, and flexibility? Without a plan here, things can become chaotic very quickly.
25:36 - I talk about another key thing to keep in mind as you’re working with your team to grow your business.
Show Links
- The CEO Collective
- The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber
- Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
- Leave a review on iTunes
It’s really easy for you to add complex layers to your business as it grows. But sometimes you gotta pause and simplify things in order to amplify your results.
This has been the secret to success for so many of my clients, including yoga studio owner Letitia Walker. In this episode, she shares how she simplified her business’s infrastructure to maximize her results.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:35 - Letitia talks about her business journey. What is her yoga business, and how did she get started?
7:50 - Initially, Letitia didn’t see herself as a CEO. She discusses how being part of the CEO Collective changed that.
13:35 - Letitia reveals how she found virtual assistants for her studio and the mindset that makes it easier.
17:44 - What has forgoing the $10 and (most of) the $100 tasks allowed Letitia to focus on these days to help grow her business?
22:41 - Letitia discusses the two things she’s most excited about in her business right now.
Show Links
Ready to Fully OWN Your Role as CEO? It starts with the Fired Up & Focused Challenge! Over these 5 days, I’m sharing a strategy to help you find more time to work ON your business (ya’ know, those $1K - $10K Revenue Generating Activities) vs. IN the day to day grind.
To get the full challenge videos, workbooks, exercises, transcripts, and bonus content - join at firedupandfocused.com
Ready to Fully OWN Your Role as CEO? It starts with the Fired Up & Focused Challenge! Over these 5 days, I’m sharing a strategy to help you find more time to work ON your business (ya’ know, those $1K - $10K Revenue Generating Activities) vs. IN the day to day grind.
To get the full challenge videos, workbooks, exercises, transcripts, and bonus content - join at firedupandfocused.com
Ready to Fully OWN Your Role as CEO? It starts with the Fired Up & Focused Challenge! Over these 5 days, I’m sharing a strategy to help you find more time to work ON your business (ya’ know, those $1K - $10K Revenue Generating Activities) vs. IN the day to day grind.
To get the full challenge videos, workbooks, exercises, transcripts, and bonus content - join at firedupandfocused.com
Ready to Fully OWN Your Role as CEO? It starts with the Fired Up & Focused Challenge! Over these 5 days, I’m sharing a strategy to help you find more time to work ON your business (ya’ know, those $1K - $10K Revenue Generating Activities) vs. IN the day to day grind.
To get the full challenge videos, workbooks, exercises, transcripts, and bonus content - join at firedupandfocused.com
Ready to Fully OWN Your Role as CEO? It starts with the Fired Up & Focused Challenge! Over these 5 days, I’m sharing a strategy to help you find more time to work ON your business (ya’ know, those $1K - $10K Revenue Generating Activities) vs. IN the day to day grind.
To get the full challenge videos, workbooks, exercises, transcripts, and bonus content - join at firedupandfocused.com
When you’re running a business day to day, your to-do list is full with answering emails, posting on social media, working with clients, etc.
Many women entrepreneurs spend so much time working in their business that they don’t have the time to work on big picture, game-changing stuff like writing the book they’ve thought of for years or creating that next-level program that brings everything together.
In this episode, I share my favorite time management tips to help you build more CEO time into your business so that you can finally open up new revenue streams, reach more people, and work smarter instead of harder.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:29 - The answer is, “No.” I discuss how money mindset mentor Denise Duffield-Thomas decided to use tip #1 to stop this time and energy infiltrator.
7:21 - If you’ve been sitting on big dreams for years due to lack of time, I reveal the honest truth in tip #2.
9:33 - What’s my absolute favorite strategy to help you design your week around what matters to you most?
11:54 - You can work on the big picture of your business in 20 hours a week. I discuss how, even if you’re still working a job or taking care of young kids.
16:03 - I talk about this third and final big time management tip all the time! It’s one of my favorite things to do.
Show Links
As a new entrepreneur, you feel inclined to say yes to everything. But as your business grows and those yeses pile up, they become overwhelming to the point where they prevent you from doing the necessary CEO level work you need to focus on.
In today’s episode, I share the top three boundaries that’ll give you the confidence to say no so that you can concentrate on the work you’re truly here to do.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
2:59 - Having clear boundaries doesn’t get talked about much in business circles. Why is having clear boundaries in place so crucial as a CEO?
8:07 - I discuss the different types of clear boundaries you need to place in your business, starting with your calendar.
15:31 - What’s one reason why people get drained and feel tired when working with clients? I talk about the most important thing you can do about it.
21:57 - I reveal how I handle emergencies (on both my end and a client’s) and requests for meet-ups to ensure I protect my time and energy.
27:29 - Constant communication can become an energy drain too. What do you need to look at when setting boundaries around people contacting you?
37:28 - While email is my go-to business communication channel, I reveal how I handle questions and messages through other channels.
42:17 - What do you do when people just want to pick your brain? It’s easy to get sucked into this thinking it’ll lead to a client relationship!
45:46 - Having these clear client boundaries in a scheduling policy will nip problems like last-minute cancellations in the bud quickly.
50:45 - This client boundary challenge is something I see a lot in service providers who are good at a lot of things.
Show Links
- Fired Up & Focused Challenge
- Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
- “How a Model Calendar Helps Me Work Just 25 Hours a Week!”
- The CEO Planner
- The CEO Retreat
- Google Voice, Help Scout, and Voxer
- Racheal on Instagram and
My entrepreneurial dad taught me that you have to fire yourself from every other position in your business. But when you first start your business, you have to wear so many hats: customer service, bookkeeper, tech person, assistant, and so on. So it can be quite challenging to let go of some of the roles as you grow your business and your team.
Today kicks off a new podcast series that discusses how you can become more productive and focuses as a CEO. And in this episode, I talk about how to redefine your role as CEO of your business so you don’t become the bottleneck that holds everything up.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:56 - Why is it so difficult to let go of the other roles and stay in your CEO lane as your business grows?
7:07 - Founder of Spanx, Sara Blakely, gave insight on how she had to learn to get out of her own way.
12:05 - You being the bottleneck in your business has this unintended consequence as well.
13:06 - How can you start redefining your role as CEO? I reveal the first thing I did and some red flags that signal you’re getting in the way.
17:29 - I discuss the role of the traditional CEO in defining their business’s vision. I also share my favorite exercise to get clarity on your business’s vision.
22:00 - CEOs also have a responsibility to set the culture for the company. I talk about one of the values I’ve had for my business since the beginning.
26:36 - What’s the difference between how corporate CEOs go about creating the strategic plan for their business vs. small business CEOs?
28:49 - I discuss how running a small business team contrasts with running a large company team and how that’s reflected in my business.
31:53 - This final role-playing piece for CEOs is one of the most difficult. It’s the one thing you can’t outsource.
38:35 - Where do you need to put your time, energy, and attention so that you can focus on generating business growth and results? To get clear on this, here are some questions to ask yourself.
48:44 - I share how the avenues where I focus my time, energy, and attention on show up in my business every week and month.
56:15 - How do I divide up my time between doing all the things I’m focused on in my business?
Mentioned In This Episode
“You won’t make any real money doing that!” Has someone said something like that to you when you revealed you want to pursue a creative career in something like art or music? So many people stop chasing their dreams because they’re afraid they won’t be able to make it work.
Today, I chat with one of the founding members of The CEO Collective, Jennet Ingle, who took her talent as a musician and turned it into a sustainable business. If you’re a creative person, you’ll love our conversation in this episode!
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
2:36 - You’d be surprised to know this about me. It’s why it always makes me happy to see others in musical careers.
6:29 - Traditional paths for musical majors are few and heavily guarded. Jennet reveals how she’s forged her own path.
10:20 - What was Jennet doing when she first came into my world and joined The CEO Collective? It’s such a niche thing that snowballed.
16:05 - Jennet reveals the surprising audience receptive to her programs and how the pandemic actually made it easier to reach and teach them.
21:05 - What’s happened for Jennet since she initially got serious about turning her passion into a business?
25:26 - Jennet offers wisdom for those who feel they can’t have a career or business as a musician/creative person due to their fear of financial insecurity.
28:27 - Jennet discusses what she learned from The CEO Collective that helped her solidify her business’s direction. With such a niche business, she found it indispensable!
33:45 - How do Jennet’s musician friends feel about what she’s created? She reveals what’s most unfamiliar to them about what she does.
35:02 - I ask Jennet a couple of questions about her CEO Collective experience. She talks about habits she’s kept and the biggest challenge she overcame.
Show Links
Summer is just around the corner! It’s the time of year to relax with a cold drink by the pool and just slow things down. Sounds great, but how do you make sure things don’t slow down too much in your business?
In this episode, I talk about how you can avoid losing momentum during the slower summer months and ramp up your business for the fall.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:21 - Summer is the perfect time to work on the bigger picture for your business. Here’s the first way to help you get the most out of this slower period.
6:45 - What’s the one thing that’ll help you grow your business sustainably? This allows you to leverage your time and energy by working smarter, not harder.
19:19 - Want to set yourself up for success for the rest of the year? Look at these three core parts of your marketing strategy and your overall marketing system.
28:33 - How your business shows up in the world matters. It’s the first impression people get, so consider upgrading this aspect over the summer.
32:36 - This time of year is when I’ll often plan for and create new offers, including my very first program in the summer of 2011.
Show Links
How are you doing on those 2022 goals you set at the beginning of the year? We’re almost at the midway point of the year. But if you’ve gotten off track with your goals, don’t worry! In this episode, I walk you through a mid-year review to help you figure out what is and isn’t working and how you can start planning for the second half of 2022.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
2:42 - Look at each goal you set at the start of the year and ask yourself these questions. I discuss a few of mine, including a big one accomplished already.
6:07 - What goal am I not currently on track to reach? I’ve had this one on my to-do list for two years!
8:24 - The next step involves digging a little deeper and doing a month-by-month review. I reveal how I do it.
14:27 - Answer these questions to really get a handle on what you’ve noticed in your review.
20:53 - Plan for the rest of 2022 with these four questions to ask about each month remaining.
25:38 - So many entrepreneurs struggle because they overcomplicate this! To wrap up, I offer this one final piece of insight.
Show Links
Undercharging and over-delivering can be a challenging habit to break. You have to come to terms with the idea of increasing your prices and overhauling your packaging structure.
If you’re like my guest today and feel nervous about raising your prices, then listen up because I have a real-life case study for you! I interview CEO Collective member Sarah Young about her journey over the last 18 months where she increased her price points, decreased burnout, positioned herself differently than other bookkeepers and CPAs, and now enjoys her business more than ever.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:15 - What did Sarah’s business look like before she joined The CEO Collective? She reveals what prompted her to get into business for herself.
10:11 - Sarah feels like her pricing story is a little embarrassing, but she tells it anyway. Everybody has the same struggles, especially women.
14:27 - After some research, Sarah started raising her prices but still found herself burning out. Then something happened in January 2021 that changed her business.
21:28 - What did existing clients think after Sarah raised her price points? She discusses repackaging herself for higher-paying clients and framing a response to those who could no longer afford her.
27:13 - Sarah reveals something she had to come to terms with as she rebuilt her business from the ground up.
28:48 - Where did Sarah find higher-level clients willing to invest at her prices? If you think it’s super complicated, think again.
32:08 - Sarah shares what she sees happening financially with fast-growing businesses when they underprice themselves.
36:09 - How do you build in profitability in your pricing, especially as you hire and grow a team? Sarah offers her insight.
42:47 - Sarah shares what’s been the best part of being a member of The CEO Collective.
Show Links
We’ve all heard the conditioned messaging about how to achieve success:
Pull yourself up by your bootstraps! No one’s going to work as hard or care as much about your business as you. If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.
If you’ve been struggling with this mindset and haven’t allowed yourself to be fully supported in your business, then this episode should help change your mind. I interview my client Michelle Clayton, who’s the founder of WeLetHerFly.com and a member of The CEO Collective. We discuss how she finally stepped into her CEO role by surrounding herself with support and made mindset shifts in her business that allowed her to get out of the feast or famine cycle that traps so many entrepreneurs.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
5:18 - Your branding can affect your ability to show up in your business the way you want. How?
9:03 - What happened when Michelle decided to increase her pricing?
13:16 - Your pricing communicates certain things about your business, product, or service.
16:02 - Michelle has undergone another big shift in her business while in The CEO Collective. It’s something I’ve often discussed on the show.
20:07 - How has Michelle’s role as CEO changed? And what did she do to stay creatively inspired when the well ran dry?
26:46 - I ask Michelle a couple of lightning round questions to wind down the show.
30:08 - Michelle discusses why anyone on the fence about joining The CEO Collective should just go ahead and do it.
36:12 - I recap some key things about how Michelle pulled her business out of the feast or famine cycle.
Show Links
- We Let Her Fly
- Free Guide: Plan Your Best Brand Photoshoot Ever
- The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
- The CEO Collective
- Racheal on Instagram
- Leave a review on iTunes
When you need to grow your business, what do you do? Do you lock out the rest of the world and brainstorm new products, programs, or service ideas yourself, like so many entrepreneurs do? Big mistake!
When you try to expand your business this way, you’re cutting out 100% of one of your most crucial assets: your existing customers and clients. In this episode, my guest and CEO Collective member Layne Lyons tells us about how she’s on track to double her business by getting actual input from those already familiar with her business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
5:17 - Layne describes her business before it underwent an amazing transformation and reveals her first business bottleneck.
9:39 - What did Layne do to resolve her first bottleneck? What was her experience like after she started putting some boundaries in place?
13:12 - Layne shares what it felt like to finally increase her price points and offers advice to those on the precipice of doing the same.
15:53 - A new offer has opened the door for Layne to double the revenue from her business. She reveals what it is and the journey she went on to get here.
21:31 - What happened when Layne launched her new offer? This demonstrates why asking your existing client base for new ideas is the easiest way to build your next offer.
25:21 - Layne describes how she and her business are different now thanks to the changes she’s implemented.
34:21 - How was Layne’s experience joining The CEO Collective? She offers an inside look.
37:09 - To wrap up, I highlight a few points Layne made about streamlining and simplifying her business to the point where she now works less and enjoys her life more.
Show Links
As a business growth strategist for over 15 years, I’ve constantly heard and seen something that grates on my nerves. So many so-called experts always hype up the latest tools and tactics that grow your business by some measly amount every year.
But why only settle for five or ten percent annual growth when you can double it instead? You don’t have to, which is why in this episode I reveal my three key strategies to help you rapidly grow your business (doubling or even tripling your revenue) with half the effort.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:35 - I dive into the first strategy right off the bat. You can do it quickly, without engaging in more marketing or attracting extra sales.
9:31 - What’s the most common concern I often hear when I advocate my first strategy? One of my clients recently went through this.
13:55 - I discuss one final key thing to think about when it comes to strategy #1. Women entrepreneurs especially need to pay attention to this!
18:00 - Key strategy #2 involves increasing this aspect of your business. It does come with a couple of caveats, though.
25:13 - What’s the correlation between consistent business growth and time spent on marketing and sales activity?
26:24 - I reveal the last strategy to double your revenue with half the effort. It involves something a lot of entrepreneurs forget.
30:58 - Retention is a huge thing that leads to results, and I talk about the myriad of ways in which that helps your business growth.
33:25 - What happens after your clients have achieved the big promise of your signature offer?
37:08 - To wrap up the episode, I quickly recap the strategies.
Show Links
We all got through those startup stages of our business where we knew it was going to take awhile to figure things out and to get people in the door.
Once you get a little bit further along on your journey and you’re ready to make this your full-time focus, you need your business to pay you a real paycheck.
No one loves to run a business that can’t support the entrepreneur running it.
This is why it’s so, so important to have a game plan for how you’re going to design that predictably profitable business.
But the statistics show us that most women do not have a predictably profitable business.
Over 75% of women entrepreneurs do not earn more than $50,000 a year. And most entrepreneurs shut the doors within the first couple of years.
If you are committed to making your business truly work for you and work for your family, you have to have a real profit plan to make it work before you get so burnt out that you throw in the towel.
Not long ago, I was a guest coach for a business workshop where everyone was working on a poster-size post-it to map out our business for the next 12 months.
There were directions to map out your business goals, your offers, and your marketing strategy.
I started looking around the room to see where people needed help and I realized everybody in the room had a leaky business.
Their marketing plan was not working together.
Everyone’s marketing plan was a smattering of tactics… but there was no clear strategy to ensure that all that marketing effort was leading potential clients to their paid offers.
The minute I shared with them a different way to approach their marketing strategy, all the light bulbs went off as people could see why all the work they had put into marketing their business wasn’t generating real results.
Most people when they sit down and write out a marketing plan, they make a list of marketing to-dos. They need to have a newsletter and they need to blog… they need to do a podcast and they need to be posting on social media.
But a marketing to-do list isn’t a strategy unless it all works together to turn your community into paid clients.
Ready to fix the LEAK in your predictable profit strategy?
Statistically, 80% of new businesses are going to fail within the first few years… so how do you make sure that you’re going to beat the odds and succeed?
How do you make sure your business is going to stick it out through the startup stages to get to the success stage where you’re finally making consistent revenue?
It comes down to FOCUS.
In this episode, I’m going to share how you can get more focused so you can achieve your business goals. It’s all about simplifying your business strategy.
In this episode, we're focusing on the #1 strategy to ensure that you get paid each and every month in your business… even when you need to take a break from your business.
Have you ever found yourself with a family emergency, something that needed your immediate attention, and suddenly, you had no choice but to completely rearrange your calendar?
Or maybe you just want to enjoy a fun vacation without worrying about your inbox or your clients.
You love the idea of being able to take a week or two off throughout the year in your business, but the same problem exists::?If you’re not working, you’re not getting paid.
I know that this is something that’s incredibly common, especially for those of you who are heart-centered service providers.
Maybe you’re a teacher or a coach or a trainer and you’re probably running your business by working one on one with clients offering services.
While that is a fantastic first step to get your business going, it can also create a bottleneck in your business where, again, if you’re not working, you’re not getting paid.
Today, I want to break down a really simple strategy that can start to free you from this dollar-for-hour trap that is not allowing you to take sick days or vacations… and start thinking more strategically about your business.
In my conversations with women, I’ve discovered that we just don’t ask for or seek enough help. We feel like we have to do everything ourselves, and this leaves us feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and on the brink of burnout. In this episode, I talk about building your own support system. I take you behind the scenes and share how I’ve built teams to help me in various areas of my business and my life.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:03 - When building your own support system, you can focus on several areas. I start with discussing the different ways I receive support in my business.
8:29 - Doing this used to take up a HUGE amount of my time. I talk about it and how my Director of Operations, customer support team, and program coordinator are life savers!
14:42 - I have more people behind the scenes I’m in contact with to occasionally help me on the business side of things.
17:09 - My personal success team at home helps me manage my health. This area is one where a lot of women entrepreneurs still hold on to some old-fashioned norms.
23:21 - I discuss the final area of support I receive. It’s something I wasn’t even sure I’d talk about on the show.
28:18 - You’ve got a permission slip to ask yourself: Where do I need support?
Show Links
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:29 - Are you spending much of your time doing $10 p/h activities in your business? For big shift #1, I go over what $10, $100, $1,000, and $10,000 hourly tasks look like.
12:28 - Many clients hit another plateau when they refuse to make the second big mindset shift. Here’s how doing so can pay dividends.
15:05 - I reveal another challenge I often see among entrepreneurs (myself included), even when they’ve previously overcome the second mindset hurdle.
17:46 - Where was my focus when I hit this business plateau? It took me a long time to admit this to myself.
22:20 - I discuss the final shift needed and reveal an exercise I frequently do to help me get out of my own way.
26:14 - To wrap the show, I recap the three shifts to think about if you’re feeling stuck and unsure about how to move the needle in your business.
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A lot of us entrepreneurs have seen (and heard) from our parents and others that success requires a lot of hard work and long hours. I used to be frustrated with the whole “work smarter, not harder” concept because I saw my entrepreneurial parents embrace the hustle. I thought to gain success you had to do anything and everything and work 80-100 hour weeks.
But you eventually reach a point where you just can’t work any harder! So how do you get to that next level of success? Working harder for it clearly isn’t the answer. You need to shift the way you think about your relationship with work. So in today’s episode, I talk about six lessons that will have you working smarter instead.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:48 - When you do this, you get an exponentially higher return on your time and energy. So what’s lesson #1 and how have I practiced it in my business?
7:12 - What does the E in CEO not stand for? I learned this lesson the hard way!
11:46 - You’ve probably heard this phrase before, and there is some truth to it. I’ve had to follow this lesson whenever my business crossed another threshold.
17:03 - So many entrepreneurs, especially creative ones, find lesson #4 challenging to implement. But not doing so can eventually sabotage you.
20:41 - Don’t love the idea of going into debt to invest back into your business? Here’s what I did early on in my business for lesson #5.
25:32 - You can’t implement the final lesson through Google. You’ll face rites of passage in your business when you’ll want this in your corner instead.
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In your business, you have to constantly make big decisions. Who’s going to be your coach or mentor? Who should you hire to join your team? What resources should you use to help run your company? How (and where) will you market your business?
It can get overwhelming! So you want to only spend time and money where there’s a return on your investment. In this episode, I cover the five key ways to ensure you’re getting the most out of every business investment you make.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
2:09 - I reveal why relying on your feelings can sometimes lead you astray in making business decisions.
3:45 - Tip #1 is one of the biggest things that ensures you’re not signing up for something or hiring someone who isn’t the right fit for you.
9:40 - People often get stuck in their journey because they don’t follow tip #2. Even I’ve been guilty of it recently, and I tell you how.
12:30 - So many of us have a hard time with the third tip. I discuss how I’ve seen this inside The CEO Collective.
19:23 - What’s a good rule to follow whenever you’re learning or getting advice from others? Some of my best business breakthroughs have come as a result of this tip.
23:20 - By following this final tip, you establish the ability to create your own economy. I explain what I mean by that and how I’ve benefited from it.
29:26 - To wrap the show, I quickly recap the five ways to make your business investments worth your time, energy, and money.
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We've all heard that it costs money to make money, right?
Do you remember the first big investment you made into your business?
I do... and it was SCARY.
I remember being nervous, excited, and a little nauseous as I wrote the first check to join my first mastermind for $10,000.
At the time, I was coming off a nearly year-long maternity leave with my twins.
We'd made ends meet with Jameson's teaching salary and a couple of clients I was working with on the side... but reality was hitting us that I needed to dramatically ramp up my business to support my family.
Investing $10,000 into my business seemed like a huge stretch for us.
But as Jameson and I talked about the vision I had for this business - one that would allow me to support our family while working from home - we knew that it was time to commit 100% and go all in.
That decision to?commit?made all the difference.
It instantly shifted my mindset from?"How am I going to afford this mastermind? How can I handle this added expense to my business?" to?"How many clients do I need to make back this investment? How can I get a Return on Investment?"
I realized I just needed 2 new consulting clients.
Suddenly it didn't seem so scary to make that investment.
In this episode, I want to share with you the ROI of thinking like a CEO - how we can make smart decisions about when, where, and how we spend our money to grow our business::
5:30 The big question I always ask myself when it comes to spending money in my business - is this an expense? Or is this an investment?
6:26 The different types of return I'm looking for when I spend money in my business including ROI, ROT, and ROE
11:00 Why I see marketing, branding, and photography as an INVESTMENT into my business because it reflects the quality and value of my offers - and where I'm actually investing in these areas.
14:30 Just to be clear - not everyone needs to invest this much into their brand at the early stages of your business or when your brand isn't holding you back from getting more clients or growing your business. Be discerning and only invest when you have a clear reason why!
16:03 Entrepreneurs are resourceful and will Google all day to figure things out! But it's a huge waste of our time. Hiring support is one of the best ways to buy back your time.
19:00 How you can not only get buy back your time - but get a return on investing in a team member - when you use that saved time to serve clients or attract new clients.
23:45 No one really talks about this unless you are surrounded by other high-performing entrepreneurs and business owners - but the best investment is investing in yourself!
24:46 "Your income seldom exceeds personal development." - Jim Rohn
24:48 These stats SHOCK me - Did you know that 1/3 of high-school grads never read any other book for the rest of their lives. 80% of families haven't read a book in the last year!
25:35 The level of success we experience in our outer world is simply the mirror reflection of our self-identity and personal development of our inner world. We all have a set-point, an internal thermostat, for the level of development. The only way to increase your internal set-point? Personal development.
28:15 Why high-performers invest 10% of their income back into their personal development and the lesson I learned from Darren Hardy about how he approaches investing into his development with books, courses, conferences, and coaching.
29:50 In the early stages of our business, we invest into mastering our craft and learning the
After setting a revenue goal for your business, the next question on your mind might be, “How do I actually reach my goal?” If that’s you, then you’ll love this episode! In it, I dive even deeper into the actual math behind your revenue goal using real numbers to help you determine what to sell, at what price point, and to how many clients or customers.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:26 - I explain why figuring out how to hit your revenue goals can get a little tricky, especially if you follow so-called guru advice.
10:11 - You have to understand your sales conversion rate which varies based on what you’re selling, to who, and at what price point.
12:26 - What kind of sales call conversion rate do I see among people, even those without much sales experience?
14:53 - Let’s take a look at conversion rates of some other popular promotional methods.
22:56 - How do I know that the price point advice too many “gurus” give to entrepreneurs isn’t necessarily based on any real data?
27:39 - I discuss the biggest problems I see with offering a one-session service and my minimum price point recommendation for your signature offer.
31:39 - Here’s how building a baseline revenue with a higher-end offer can help you grow your income down the line, without sacrificing your time or salary.
34:55 - Remember this about each product, program, or service you create for your business.
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There’s a tale that’s rarely told in the business world. It’s a tale of two companies. Both make seven figures annually. But the business owners behind them receive a vastly different amount of money as actual take-home pay.
What happens once money comes into a business? Where does it go from there? The lack of real disclosure on this in online entrepreneurial circles has led to lots of people focusing solely on revenue goals, not their business’ actual profitability.
So in this episode, I break it all down, talk some numbers, and tell you exactly what it means to have a six-figure take home income, not just a six-figure business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:29 - How much time do you have to invest in your business? Here’s how to take a look at your situation to see what works best for you.
7:16 - How much energy do you have available to you? And what do you need to do to maintain it?
9:48 - Instead of pulling a revenue goal out of thin air, ask yourself this question. I reveal the right way to come up with your number and a free resource you can use.
14:28 - I briefly mention why defaulting to your last salary as your revenue goal won’t work.
15:55 - I talk about what goes into running a business, how to use that information to reverse engineer your target, and a super simple way to figure out your revenue goal.
23:46 - Setting aside a little bit of your profits every month really starts to change the game and your perspective. I break down some percentages in detail.
31:08 - I look at the math behind a $100,000 annual revenue goal and how much you really need to earn to make that your take-home pay.
36:27 - How much tax are you going to pay at this point? This is where you’ll want to get yourself a good CPA.
39:10 - Before wrapping up, I go over the biggest piece of misinformation about growing a bigger business. It stops many from setting a higher revenue goal.
Show Links
- Get Paid Calculator
- Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
- Racheal on Instagram
- Leave a review on iTunes
You’ve seen the hype about small business and entrepreneurial success out there. It’s unreal! Not a day goes by when I don’t see photos of fancy cars, vacations, oodles of cash, and the typical success catch phrases that come with them on my social media.
Here’s the conundrum, though: when your business crosses into the territory of making seven or eight figures, it can quickly become less about doing what you love and more about grinding things out as an entrepreneur to meet demand.
So does bigger actually mean better for you? Or is big enough... enough? In today’s episode, I talk about why I believe in creating a big enough business to create an actual business and life you love.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
5:54 - I discuss what it was like growing up around entrepreneurs, and the surprising information I recently learned from my mother.
8:16 - Why should you beware of creating a business that grows too fast? I tell you what I’ve seen from businesses that experienced hyper growth.
10:02 - I retell a parable about a CEO and a fisherman that illustrates my point.
12:47 - I describe the time I was at a crossroads when I first heard the parable and the realization I came to after some reflection.
15:30 - The big questions I want you to ask about your revenue goals, and defining a Big Enough Business, the kind that loves you back.
17:10 - An early lesson in my business that serves as an example of why NOT to model your version of success after someone else.
20:05 - An example of what my "Big Enough Business" looks like and why it serves me in creating a business and life I love.
23:55 - How being intentional allows me to succeed without sacrificing my life and without causing me to be in a constant state of emergency in my business.
25:20 - How a big enough business allows you to live in your business sweet spot, and stop dreading Monday morning.
27:50 - How a big enough business and building a business and life you love will mean you must know your non-negotiables.
29:40 - Does focusing on a big enough business, mean you lack ambition?
34:00 - The questions I want you to ask to define your big enough business.
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Are your mornings just the craziest time of the day? Between dealing with pets, coffee, and kids, you ultimately feel frazzled by the time you sit down at your desk. Or perhaps at the end of your day, you’re just exhausted and collapsing into bed. Well, high-performance CEOs and leaders know they need to manage their day well and conserve their energy and brain space for what really matters to get the results they desire in life, health, relationships, and business. So today, we’re going to talk about how you can run your day like a high-performance CEO.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:06 - A great day truly starts the night before. I’ve never been a great sleeper and even failed at it according to my FitBit app, so here’s how I fixed that.
15:48 - Morning routines all about personal preference. I discuss what the introvert in me thrives on.
19:58 - Pay attention to anything causing frustration in your day. What used to annoy me and how I solved it.
22:58 - Simplifying decision-making. I describe my simple capsule wardrobe choices and advance self-care scheduling.
25:41 - Having essentials for health and home shipped to me automatically. I do this for myself, my husband, and our kids.
26:43 - Manage whatever sucks away your time. The happy accident a couple of weeks ago that helped me truly relax that weekend.
Show Links
Running your business like a CEO requires strategy and planning. It also requires skillfully managing your time and energy every week as a CEO so that you’re putting your attention on the tasks that’ll actually move your business forward. However, this is an area where we often get stuck. The email inbox, administration work, and ongoing busy work daily in our business can become a distraction. Then at the end of the week, we realize we haven’t made progress on those high-priority tasks that will truly move your business forward. In this episode, we’re talking about how you can run your week like a CEO and make those higher-value tasks a priority.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:33 - My model calendar approach. It’s essentially time blocking specific types of tasks, but here are the details of how I do it.
16:56 - Your CEO date. This is the time on your calendar when you’re checking in with your business.
26:49 - Asking yourself where you need support and self-care this week. Why did I include it in the CEO planner?
29:17 - Sticking to what you just mapped out for the week. The CEO Score really comes in handy, and I break down what it’s all about.
36:26 - A weekly review, starting with wins. It also helps track any recurring problems so you can nip them in the bud.
38:57 - Quickly recapping my top 5 things to run your week like a CEO.
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You’ve probably heard of my weekly CEO date if you’ve been following me for a while now. This is where I sit down to check in on my business to make sure we’re continuing to progress towards all the goals we’ve set. But I have another CEO date every single month. This series is all about what you’re doing on an ongoing basis to ensure you aren’t only creating business plans but also following through on them and adapting as circumstances arise. So I’m diving deep today and discussing how to build in self-accountability so that your plan isn’t just another Google document you’ll never look at again.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
2:37 - My monthly CEO date falls on the first Monday of each month. Diving into my check-in process.
5:59 - The importance of a planner to look back and review. This way, you see patterns before a big emergency crops up.
8:50 - Reviewing last month’s metrics and revenue. It keeps my finger on the pulse and helps me decide my goal for the next month.
12:08 - Actively or passively selling offers? Just putting out the information isn’t enough anymore, so here’s what I have to do now.
14:23 - Seeing what has and hasn’t worked with marketing helped me course correct quite a few times. Brainstorming all of my content for the month.
16:38 - Setting my top three monthly priorities, communicating them to my team, and managing my calendar.
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Every new year feels like a fresh start and a new chance to go after those big, audacious goals for our lives and businesses. But if this year has taught us anything, it’s that our plans need adaptability. We need to build this adaptability into our entire business and allow it flexibility while still getting the results we want. That’s why I love running my quarter through 90-day plans. Today, I talk about how to actually dig in and start creating these plans for your own business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:14 - Why 90-day plans? Entrepreneurs love setting big, ambitious goals but it can be overwhelming.
8:40 - Breaking big goals into more manageable chunks to fit the time, energy, and resources you have. You can make your best guess, or do this instead.
12:08 - What do you need to think about as you’re creating your first 90-day plan? I walk you through my process.
14:32 - Starting the process by looking over your sales and marketing. I go over my 5-part marketing strategy.
19:31 - This step is what most of us think of as marketing. Super valuable and important but only going out to the people who already know you.
22:50 - Breaking things down into process vs. project goals. I share some personal examples of each.
25:01 - Asking yourself these questions can really help ensure you avoid major challenges as you’re working through your action plan.
27:54 - Fine-tuning your plan to achieve your goals at the beginning of every quarter.
Show Links
You hear a lot of terrible advice online these days that causes people to focus on scaling at all costs. All of that effort only leads to your business blowing up. Things break and go awry, and you’re constantly putting out fires, feeling overwhelmed and stressed at the cash-eating monster you’ve created. So let’s forgo this unsustainable approach to growth and do something different. Avoid the three biggest things I see causing problems with business scaling.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:58 - The first mistake I see entrepreneurs make and how you can get yourself into this situation. No matter how much money you bring in, you feel like you can never get ahead.
6:33 - When do expensive, robust systems make sense to purchase and use in your business? Technology audits and figuring out where you’re unnecessarily spending money right now.
9:50 - Female entrepreneurs are especially susceptible to this mistake. Trying to do it all yourself vs. paying everyone but yourself.
12:12 - These specific incidences of comparison often lead to overspending. Here’s how you can spend in a way more cost-effective way.
18:04 - Mindset that contributes to the second key mistake (especially for a product that doesn’t fit your market). Test this first, instead.
26:00 - The third key mistake feeds into both of the previous ones. Dangers of having overly complicated systems in your business.
31:04 - Bringing more humanity back to business. I ditched my Frankenstein-looking system for an old program that wasn’t working and simplified it.
34:20 - Recapping all three key business mistakes.
Show Links
- The CEO Collective
- The Ultimate Business Growth Checklist
- “The Truth About Scaling Your Business” episode
- Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine by Mike Michalowicz
Is it really possible to double, triple, or 10x your business in just a year? Or to take your business from 100k to $1,000,000 in revenue within just 36 months? If you listen to all the noise online, scaling seems like the name of the game and what we all should be focused on. But the honest truth is scaling for the sake of it can be detrimental to your business. So in this series, we’re talking about the truth of scaling your business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
2:44 - The difference between growth and scale. While the terms are used interchangeably, they’re not the same thing at all.
6:25 - Entrepreneurs focusing just on scaling sales and not putting infrastructure in place create unstable and unsustainable businesses with irate customers and bad word-of-mouth.
9:25 - Emergency panic mode triggered by a large influx of customers creates chaos. Exhausting sales cycle leads to burnout with the type of massive, expensive launches you see online all the time.
15:15 - All the expenses going into massive launches in pursuit of scale focuses on top-line revenue, not profit. The entrepreneur gets paid last and doesn’t actually end up pocketing a lot of money at all.
18:00 - This year exposed how fragile so many businesses really are. One launch or bad month away from having to close up shop.
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A couple of years ago, I received an invitation to a thank you party via email. That incredibly heartfelt invitation gave me the best feeling and became the catalyst for a friendship and business contact. In this Thanksgiving Day episode, the woman behind that email, Shannon Siriano Greenwood, is back on the show. She and I talk about how gratitude can have a huge impact on and should be the driving force behind your business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:23 - I read the entire email from Shannon that caused me, a super introvert, to dress up and attend a restaurant downtown.
8:54 - Shannon discusses how she and I met. She calls it our own little love story.
14:53 - When did Shannon realize that bringing people together was her strength? She discusses why the realization didn’t come quickly.
20:25 - Shannon reveals a huge component of making connections and building relationships. It looks different from most people’s image of networking.
22:48 - What’s even better than a typical referral? All it takes is a simple mindset shift to see it, and it definitely has a huge effect on your business.
25:53 - We talk about how we remember to touch base and stay in contact with people.
31:04 - Why does Shannon get invited to a lot of things? She’s already done five podcast interviews this month without having to pitch herself.
34:32 - Shannon reveals the purpose behind her new program that brings women together.
Show Links
Are you like a hamster on a wheel when it comes to content creation? Do you feel pressured to release a newsletter, blog post, or social media posts week after week? Unfortunately, you’ve become a couch potato content creator--creating content that gets seen once, then gets archived and never sees the light of day again.
Time in your business can be spent so much better than that! So in this episode, I’ve invited my friend and podcast producer Stacey Harris to discuss our anti-couch potato content creation approach and how to see your content as an asset to be used over and over in your business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:25 - Stacey talks about podcast production and what her agency Uncommonly More does differently for podcasters.
11:24 - Is doing an interview-only podcast a good approach to take? Here’s why you might not want to do it like Dax Shepard.
12:54 - Shifting your content approach for client acquisition purposes doesn’t just apply to podcasting. You can do it elsewhere too.
14:03 - How do Stacey and I plan out the content for my podcast together? We reveal how the sausage is made to help you see the shift in real action.
18:13 - We discuss why you needn’t worry about boring people with recycled content, as long as you’re not creating junk food content.
20:19 - Stacey and I divulge how this approach creates space to get away from the never-ending content creation hamster wheel.
27:12 - Stacey highlights how she re-purposes her sales page content and why it helps get clients on board more quickly.
31:10 - How did one service-based entrepreneur build a content marketing system that worked for her, right around the time automation became popular?
37:44 - I circle back to the three key questions that Stacey asks me every quarter. They can totally change the way you think about your content.
Show Links
- Uncommonly More
- Uncommonly More with Stacey Harris
- Uncommonly More, Episode 543: “Using Your Podcast As a Sales Tool with Racheal Cook”
- Uncommonly More on Instagram
- Plan Your Best Year Ever 5-Day Challenge
- The CEO Collective
- Racheal on Instagram
Tiktok taking off. Influencer marketing making a huge splash. Gurus advocating automation everywhere. AI technology that practically reads the minds of potential clients and customers (or so it seems) being a thing that exists. All of these marketing trends took the world by storm in 2021.
But something about these kinds of marketing strategies doesn’t appeal or feel right to most entrepreneurs. So in this episode, I talk with marketing expert Beth Gebhard about why you need to be thinking more of the big picture when it comes to marketing and really bring the soul of your business forward in 2022.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:34 - If there’s one thing you should take away from my conversation with Beth, it’s this. I’ve seen people succumb to this A LOT this year.
8:13 - Beth summarizes the twisting, winding road of her marketing and PR background.
13:29 - Marketing gets treated too often as an afterthought. Try this if you’re new or hesitant to plan out your marketing.
18:52 - What are some major components you should keep in mind when creating a marketing plan for your business?
23:27 - Beth breaks down what a brand actually is. What you think it is doesn’t even scratch the surface.
25:37 - You need to get all the components of your brand in writing. Here’s how it’ll become a bottleneck in your business down the line if you do otherwise.
31:18 - Using text message marketing as an example, Beth reveals the three filters she uses to help clients decide on whether to engage with any marketing tactic.
33:30 - Ask yourself these questions after you’ve spent some time implementing any marketing technique.
38:29 - How can business growth be catastrophic? We reveal why marketing isn’t the solution to everything.
43:45 - To wrap up the episode, I circle back to point out some key takeaways from the interview.
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Inconsistent marketing... feast or famine cycle... shiny object syndrome... all work and no play... these are all signs of a lack of effective business planning to keep you focused and in implementation mode, without the hustle and burnout. In this episode, I guide you towards taking all the insights you’ve gained from the last few days and turning them into your 12-month profit plan for 2022. Welcome to the last day of the Plan Your Best Year Ever challenge!
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:59 - Your 12-month profit plan today isn’t a day-to-day or week-to-week list of things to do.
5:29 - I reveal the 5-part marketing strategy this profit plan is built on and include some examples.
8:56 - How do you map out a big picture profit plan for your business in 2022? Here’s where I start.
9:41 - Do this first to make sure you burnout-proof your business. I offer some questions for you to consider.
11:24 - Start planning what you’re going to sell next year. I discuss how I figure out what my promotion calendar will look like.
14:24 - As you implement your promotion calendar, you’ll want to build up this vital asset as well.
16:19 - I mention one last thing you might want to include in your workbook.
17:12 - If you loved this challenge, what can you do next? I offer you an invitation.
Show Links
Does this sound familiar? You write down a business goal and put it some place to remind you of it constantly. Then a few weeks or months down the line, that goal has gone missing, gotten thrown away, or is gathering dust on your desk or fridge or wherever you’ve placed it. And your business is as aimless as it’s ever been.
With goal setting, too many people have a “set it and forget it” mindset. It’s time to try something new! In this episode, I dive into a different way of goal setting that’ll help you actually create the kind of milestones you’ll follow through on. Welcome to day four!
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:20 - You’ve made New Year’s resolutions, only to realize you’ve fallen off the wagon before January’s over. Why does goal setting fail so often?
5:52 - Let’s begin a new approach for setting goals. I share a tip I’ve given a lot of my clients when it comes to brainstorming potential goals.
9:23 - You’re going to have a lot written down after your brainstorming session. I discuss how to narrow everything down to your top five goals.
11:08 - Think about how you’re setting yourself up for success.
13:39 - What’s a push goal? I define it and quickly give you a scenario to demonstrate.
Show Links
Too many women entrepreneurs work crazy long hours trying to do everything themselves. And just when they feel like they’ve finally put out one fire, another one flares up soon after. But panic isn’t a business strategy, and you didn’t become an entrepreneur to stress yourself out.
Imagine a 2022 that’s different, one without the hustle and burnout. Imagine running your business by design instead of default. When you do, things begin to run like clockwork. So in this episode, I dive into a strategic process for consciously designing a business that works for you instead of you for it. Welcome to day three!
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:33 - Why are we doing business design today after lifestyle design yesterday? It reflects one of The CEO Collective values.
5:33 - I discuss the first part of today’s exercise: looking at your personal definition of success.
7:46 - What’s your professional definition of success?
8:42 - Without getting clear on part two and being more discerning, your business becomes really stressful.
9:43 - Part three shifts you into money mode, but you’re not just going to pull a revenue goal out of thin air. Here’s a helpful way to crunch the numbers.
12:11 - I talk about what to do after you’ve come up with your revenue goal and mention a caveat to keep in mind if you have multiple offers.
14:55 - Marketing that works best for others may not be right for you at all. So how do you figure out the best strategy for you?
Show Links
- Plan Your Best Year Ever 5-Day Challenge
- Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
- Racheal on Instagram
Do you spend every waking moment thinking and worrying about your business, especially with everything that’s gone on since last year? You can still build your dream business regardless of what’s happening in the world. Just take the time to get intentional about what you really want to experience. In today’s episode, I focus on a strategy to help you design your dream life in 2022. Welcome to day two!
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:54 - Today is when things get fun and exciting. I reveal what inspired me to create this exercise.
5:25 - Where is the best place to start when you’re dreaming of what you want to see in your life in the future?
5:58 - I walk you through the process and give examples of upgrades you can attain a year from now.
7:58 - Keep these caveats in mind as you brainstorm your upgrades.
8:29 - I mention some upgrades you may want to consider making in your business.
9:51 - Putting some numbers on the upgrades you desire will give you a clearer picture of the income you need to make it happen.
12:30 - I briefly preview tomorrow’s episode. If your business hasn’t provided you with a steady paycheck, day 3 will make a huge difference!
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The holidays are almost here and many of us are already thinking about next year. But before you do that, it’s important to first take time to reflect on the progress you’ve made in your business this year. Too many entrepreneurs make the same mistakes and face the same obstacles again and again because they fail to do so, making the need to reach the next level of success that much harder.
So to help you avoid this, I’m kicking off my annual five-part series for planning your best year ever! I’ll walk you through the same strategy that I and thousands of other women business owners have followed for the last five years. Today, I start off with reviewing the year. By the end of this series, you’ll have a 12-month plan in hand to help you turn your profit dreams into reality.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
2:29 - Entrepreneurs who plan grow twice as fast as those who don’t plan. So here’s what I encourage you to do before even listening to the episode.
5:01 - Why is planning so important? I talk about what I’ve noticed in my 15+ years working behind the scenes with clients.
7:46 - I reveal why I like to review the year month-by-month and tools that can help refresh your memory of what happened.
9:21 - Ask yourself these key questions as you reflect back on each month. You’ll start to see patterns and get insights into what worked and didn’t work.
12:39 - I give examples of the type of clarity you can gain through this process to help your business.
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What does it mean to have success on your terms? For many, it looks like being your own boss, on your own schedule, and making as much money as you want. Then you see the success of entrepreneurial influencers online, start to feel like you’re doing things wrong, and try to change the way you operate, only to realize you’ve just created another 9-to-5 job for yourself.
To help you discover your own definition of success, I’ve created a workbook covering five areas of life. In this episode, I walk you through this workbook so you can transform life and business to align with your real desires in 2022.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:15 - I remember when I started realizing that our definition of success as women entrepreneurs had massively changed.
6:22 - Why can you still feel disappointed when you hit a revenue goal? Having clarity on your definition of success gives you a decision-making filter.
8:02 - What does your ideal regular day look like for you? I walk you through the first part of the workbook I’ve created.
13:19 - Keep these questions in mind as you think about your relationships with family and friends.
17:35 - This is an area where I often put myself last, especially when I’m feeling stressed. It goes back to when I was a teenager.
22:44 - Discover the biggest benefit of having creative outlets outside of your business and how I avoid the temptation to turn every hobby into a business.
26:16 - Fulfilling your definition of success in this area will have you feeling more empowered and grounded in your life and business.
29:23 - To wrap up the episode, I quickly recap the five areas you want to think about to define your success.
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Social media and online marketing and content creation strategies are wonderful and I use them. But... business grows at the speed of relationships. If you’ve heard it’s impossible to scale a referral-based business or that you shouldn’t rely on referrals for your business, then tune in as me and my Operations Director Amber Kinney expose these myths.
Amber can certainly vouch for this promotional strategy as she’s built her business entirely on referrals. So we have a conversation about how referrals are here to stay, can serve as one of the best things you do for your business, and cover five key strategies to think about so your business can become referrable.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:23 - Amber briefly discusses a little bit about her business.
9:29 - Is it sustainable to only have a referral-based business? Amber shares her thoughts on the matter.
12:21 - Growing too fast has its consequences. Amber reveals two must-have components for a referrable AND scalable business.
17:07 - How does Amber get referrals? It’s such a simple, casual process.
18:48 - With referrals, a lot of the heavy lifting in vetting both sides (the client and the CEO) is done for you. We discuss the reasons why.
22:46 - Why do some people really struggle with referrals? It’s tied to the transactional feeling of relationships that lack buildup.
27:04 - We talk about how we’ve networked, made connections, and built relationships as introverts to stay on top of our game.
32:28 - Amber offers some final advice to wrap up the interview.
34:23 - I end the episode with a quick summary of the five key things Amber and I talked about regarding building a more referral-based business.
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I’ve said before that high touch is incredibly important for entrepreneurs with premium offers. Despite being told that you can make lots of money while you sleep or that you must have a complicated funnel to be successful, directly connecting with people interested in your products, programs, and services is the real key to making sales at a premium level. In this episode, I share seven high-touch sales boosters to help you increase your revenue.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
8:28 - I dive into the first high-touch sales booster. It’s one of my absolute favorite things to do and can make a huge impact on your launch.
10:25 - How can you personally follow up with your most active community members?
13:22 - Sales booster #3 is a little bit more techie but totally worth it because it produces incredibly high conversions. Here’s how I do it.
17:30 - I only recommend this sales booster if you have someone to help you manage it. It’s a great one for enrollment periods.
18:17 - How can you quickly and efficiently respond to all the emails and DMs you receive during your enrollment period?
20:48 - Using this method can help boost enrollments during the middle days of your launch when things slow down.
25:46 - I save the best high-touch sales booster for last.
Show Links
Remember the day you first heard you should be on Twitter? Or Facebook? Or Instagram? Last year, it was Tik Tok. Years prior, it was Periscope. And on and on it goes.
You hear the same about other marketing methods like building email lists, creating YouTube videos, starting a podcast, and blogging. And on and on it goes.
One of the challenges women entrepreneurs face is just understanding the right strategies to use to grow their unique businesses. Without that clarity, you can’t gain real momentum as it just dilutes your efforts.
So if all of this advice has your head spinning and confused about how to promote your business, then this episode’s for you. In it, I simplify how to think about your overall marketing strategy for better results.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:45 - What are your strengths? Answering this question isn’t as easy as it seems and I discuss why.
6:13 - I reveal a few ways for you to gain clarity on what you’re naturally good at.
11:05 - What are the four sweet spot themes for entrepreneurship? I briefly talk about each one.
13:25 - Focusing on strengthening weaknesses only incrementally improves results. How can you focus on your strengths instead?
21:15 - The final piece of the puzzle is the real secret to long-term success for entrepreneurs.
24:12 - I dive into all five components of my marketing strategy, using myself as an example.
32:23 - I give a quick recap of the episode and your next action steps.
Show Links
- The Sweet Spot Quiz
- Your Business Sweet Spot by Racheal Cook
- Racheal on Instagram
With the availability of many social media platforms today, you'd think it would be fast and easy to launch any type of business. Reaching and selling to a lot of people seems to be a task you can easily tick off your to-do list as an entrepreneur. This is a misconception which many CEO aspirants fail to realize at the beginning. To get business going, we need to address this issue.
To be able to start scaling your business, first, you must understand the basics of entrepreneurship. This is a crucial stage that no CEO aspirant should skip. What are the steps that you need to take in order to scale your business? In this episode, we identify the points which you need to tackle before you can even plan to make your business bigger. Join me as I dig deep into the foundations of a successful business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
1:44 - I talk about being approached by entrepreneurs who have tried several tactics but are still unable to scale their business.
2:36 - Is there really a specific tactic needed to scale your business?
3:00 - I share my thought process in deciding business scaling readiness.
4:30 - What are the different stages of business growth?
6:23 - Find out why you're not getting the sales you were hoping for.
11:40 - I emphasize the importance of being clear about what your business offers.
13:40 - Pay attention to the people who respond to what you offer. You'll be surprised about what it can actually do for your business.
15:24 - Do you have a marketing system in place? How do you capture and nurture potential clients?
20:52 - How much time are you able to spend in marketing your business?
21:47 - I explain how to get clients to commit to your business offer.
27:45 - Persistence is key!
29:50 - What goes into building your support team?
30:42 - Have you built your business in the right structure?
34:59 - Learn the ways to make sure that your business is fully protected.
37:00 - Are you paying yourself a solid salary?
39:01 - I wrap up with some final thoughts.
Show Links:
If you’ve ever done a full-scale launch of a product, program, or service, then you know how overwhelming the process can be. You’ve got to ensure that everything’s working correctly and all the different pieces of software do what they need to do (and in the right order).
But is this the only way to get more sales and clients? If you’ve been burned by launches (or feel burned out at the very thought of them), then don’t fret. There’s a way to simplify launching, and I’ve brought on business strategist Kelly Roach to reveal how. During my conversation with her you’ll discover her live launch method to get clients and sales without the super complicated, super technical marketing approach.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
2:24 - I take you back to my earliest launching days and discuss why I absolutely had to have this conversation with Kelly.
7:16 - How did Kelly come up with the idea for creating a new approach to launches? Her own frustration and desperation drove her to it.
12:44 - Remember this every time you see a celebrity entrepreneur and feel the pressure to model yourself after them.
15:18 - Kelly describes what she means by a live launch and what it looks like in practicality.
18:59 - As someone watching from afar, there’s one thing I especially love about how Kelly does her live launches. Discover what it is and why it’s so important.
20:59 - What is social selling, and how does it fit into the live launch method?
22:53 - Kelly discusses how to run a live launch and sustain this way of marketing without burning yourself out. She reveals the 3 big elements of the live launch methodology.
27:39 - How does Kelly see the future of the online marketing industry? Those making their living from selling courses will especially want to pay attention to this!
30:50 - I wrap up the episode with some final thoughts.
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Raise your hand if you’ve never felt comfortable as a promoter of your business. Today’s episode is for you! I’m joined by speaker, Hay House author, marketing mentor, and dear friend Nikki Nash who’s written a new book called Market Your Genius. Nikki is here to share how she helps women entrepreneurs do business more confidently and package and leverage their expertise for real revenue growth. Her approach is one of the smartest ways of helping women I’ve heard yet, and I can’t wait for you to hear this conversation.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
5:39 - Nikki took a bit of a long, winding road to entrepreneurship. She gives a little background about herself.
10:33 - What makes Nikki’s approach to marketing your knowledge different from other mentors?
14:14 - Is Nikki’s approach the same as brand building? It’s similar, but she adds another layer to it that helps your business live beyond you.
17:31 - Nikki quickly describes the 3-step marketing genius process she walks people through.
19:52 - Here’s something people (many new entrepreneurs, especially) don’t realize about mindset, and business growth.
23:13 - How do trends and changes in marketing tactics fit into Nikki’s way of doing things? She discusses how solopreneurs need to approach social marketing differently.
31:13 - Nikki reveals another huge mistake so many entrepreneurs make that prevents them from gaining momentum. It’s tied to something that most marketers don’t talk about.
37:29 - Once, Nikki had a Facebook Live show she thought was a waste of time, so she quit. But, months later, it led to something... grand.
42:22 - I wrap up the episode with a few key takeaways Nikki and I discussed.
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Pricing is an uncomfortable subject for entrepreneurs that brings up all of our money mindset challenges. It often feels easier to just play safe when setting our price in order to not appear greedy to potential clients. So if pricing has ever been a sticking point for you, you’ll love today’s episode! I’ve invited my dear friend and financial behaviorist Jacquette Timmons to talk about the human side of money and how to determine the right price for us that honors what we do and helps us achieve our ultimate business and financial goals.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:59 - How did talking about the human side of pricing become such a huge part of Jacquette’s messaging?
9:33 - With money, Jacquette’s framework involves a few core areas to look at. Her process involves approaching them in a different, better way.
11:39 - Pricing has four jobs. What are we conditioned to do as entrepreneurs that needs reconsideration?
14:29 - Jacquette brings up another hard choice that women entrepreneurs can be confronted with.
16:49 - Jacquette reveals some common mistakes she’s seen people make when it comes to re-evaluating price points.
22:17 - Why has exclusivity and high-end service really stood the test of time, despite high prices?
27:50 - How does Jacquette help people approach the mindset block many have around raising prices? She provides two ways to shift your mindset, and one’s definitely easier than the other.
30:18 - We briefly discuss applying the “blue ocean strategy” to your business, as well as making another game changing move when the opportunity inevitably arises.
Show Links
- Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne
- Pricing Made Human masterclass
- Jacquette on Instagram
- The CEO Collective
- Racheal on Instagram
When you need to grow your business, what do you do? Do you lock out the rest of the world and brainstorm new products, programs, or service ideas yourself, like so many entrepreneurs do? Big mistake!
When you try to expand your business this way, you’re cutting out 100% of one of your most crucial assets: your existing customers and clients. In this bonus episode, my guest and CEO Collective member Layne Lyons tells us about how she’s on track to double her business by getting actual input from those already familiar with her business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
5:17 - Layne describes her business before it underwent an amazing transformation and reveals her first business bottleneck.
9:39 - What did Layne do to resolve her first bottleneck? What was her experience like after she started putting some boundaries in place?
13:12 - Layne shares what it felt like to finally increase her price points and offers advice to those on the precipice of doing the same.
15:53 - A new offer has opened the door for Layne to double the revenue from her business. She reveals what it is and the journey she went on to get here.
21:31 - What happened when Layne launched her new offer? This demonstrates why asking your existing client base for new ideas is the easiest way to build your next offer.
25:21 - Layne describes how she and her business are different now thanks to the changes she’s implemented.
34:21 - How was Layne’s experience joining The CEO Collective? She offers an inside look.
37:09 - To wrap up, I highlight a few points Layne made about streamlining and simplifying her business to the point where she now works less and enjoys her life more.
Show Links
You have money buried in your business somewhere. It doesn’t require you to gain more followers, run more ads, or hustle further to get your hands on it, either. It just involves taking advantage of the lowest hanging fruit in your business.
In the last episode of this series on putting an end to hustle culture, burnout, and entrepreneurial poverty, I reveal the third and final strategy to sustainably grow your business. I can’t wait for you to unlock this one!
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
4:13 - I share a quick story and reveal the final secret to sustainable growth for your business.
7:50 - I expose the huge problem not being discussed in the business world right now. What could be the culprit?
9:35 - You need to nail these things to form the foundation for finding hidden money in your business. I see too many people ignore the last one.
14:24 - What simple offers can you provide your clients behind-the-scenes? I reveal one way to ensure your 1-on-1 clients fit perfectly for you.
18:47 - If you have past clients, what should you do next? Here are some other ways to discover hidden income opportunities.
22:52 - I sum up all of the main strategies I’ve highlighted in this episode series.
Show Links
- Profit Plan Workbook (LINK NEEDED)
- The CEO Collective
- Racheal on Instagram
You’re doing everything right. You’re offering a ton of content to get people in the door. But no matter what you do in your business, you only get a sale here or there. You’re just not seeing the results you want. So how can you make more sales?
My guest today, CEO Collective founding member Leesa Klich, is a health writer and blogging expert who helps health and wellness professionals use engaging research-based content to build their practices. In this bonus episode, she reveals the strategic tweaks she made in the foundation of her business that took her from struggling to sell a thing to selling out her offers and generating her best revenue month ever.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
9:01 - Leesa shares the vision she had for herself that prompted the restructuring of her business model.
12:26 - How did Leesa transition from serving one person at a time to multiple people simultaneously while also raising her prices?
20:11 - Leesa reveals what she has and hasn’t done to market herself and her business. Introverts especially will want to pay attention to this!
24:43 - You can get stuck in this quagmire as an entrepreneur. What does it take to be the most successful possible in your marketing efforts?
28:03 - Leesa created an even bigger offer to sell. She discusses the process of how she came up with and then refined her idea for a white label course.
30:24 - How did Leesa feel about increasing her price point again with the introduction of her course? I had to really work with her to get her pricing mindset right on this.
33:32 - Leesa discusses her audience’s response upon launching the course and what increased her confidence in raising her price.
38:15 - What’s next for Leesa? She tells us where she’s most excited to put her focus for now and advice for anyone considering joining The CEO Collective.
Show Links
What do you think you need to gain in order for your business to change and grow? Too often entrepreneurs get hyped up to chase vanity metrics like huge numbers of Instagram followers or email subscribers. Ultimately though, gaining five or 10 new clients is all you need to have a massive impact on your business.
The simplest, easiest way for getting those clients isn’t something sexy or glamorous. It involves using a real strategy to invite people in, actually connect with them, and let them know how you can help. Continuing on with this series to avoid hustle and burnout, today I talk about the second strategy you need to adopt to grow a truly sustainable business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:27 - I rant (again) about an issue in the business world that sets so many people up for failure.
5:18 - What is a predictable profit plan? It’s key to how I help entrepreneurs break out of the feast or famine cycle, so I walk you through how to put one together.
10:00 - I reveal the most important but least discussed part of a profit plan. If you don’t have this, it’ll break your business.
10:45 - People get so focused on marketing and sales that they forget about this piece of the puzzle and end up with a lot of unhappy clients.
15:00 - What will be your strategies for marketing, sales, and delivery? I use The CEO Collective as an example.
17:13 - Consider this if you have no idea when you should promote your signature offer. I give more examples from my business.
20:14 - Full upfront payment is awesome! But you’ll love extending payment plans to clients for this incredibly powerful reason.
25:04 - How can you ensure that you don’t experience a revenue gap?
Show Links
Undercharging and over-delivering can be a challenging habit to break. You have to come to terms with the idea of increasing your prices and overhauling your packaging structure.
If you’re like my guest today and feel nervous about raising your prices, then listen up because I have a real-life case study for you! I interview CEO Collective member Sarah Young about her journey over the last 18 months where she increased her price points, decreased burnout, positioned herself differently than other bookkeepers and CPAs, and now enjoys her business more than ever.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:15 - What did Sarah’s business look like before she joined The CEO Collective? She reveals what prompted her to get into business for herself.
10:11 - Sarah feels like her pricing story is a little embarrassing, but she tells it anyway. Everybody has the same struggles, especially women.
14:27 - After some research, Sarah started raising her prices but still found herself burning out. Then something happened in January 2021 that changed her business.
21:28 - What did existing clients think after Sarah raised her price points? She discusses repackaging herself for higher-paying clients and framing a response to those who could no longer afford her.
27:13 - Sarah reveals something she had to come to terms with as she rebuilt her business from the ground up.
28:48 - Where did Sarah find higher-level clients willing to invest at her prices? If you think it’s super complicated, think again.
32:08 - Sarah shares what she sees happening financially with fast-growing businesses when they underprice themselves.
36:09 - How do you build in profitability in your pricing, especially as you hire and grow a team? Sarah offers her insight.
42:47 - Sarah shares what’s been the best part of being a member of The CEO Collective.
Show Links
We women entrepreneurs keep underpricing ourselves when offering the same service or product as our male counterparts. On average, we price up to 20% less. When I first heard that, I was blown away!
Pricing is one of the quickest and most powerful ways to adjust your business trajectory and make it more sustainable. I’ve seen it in my business and those of my clients. So in this episode, I discuss why properly pricing your offers is the first step to designing a successfully sustainable business.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:36 - What is the feast or famine zone, and does your business fall into it? Discover the two biggest reasons why businesses in this zone struggle to compete.
8:40 - I demonstrate how underpricing can easily lead to overworking by using the example of a wedding photographer.
12:18 - Taking the wedding photographer example further, this simple step is an easy way to improve your profitability and ease burnout.
14:42 - What if you want to double your rates? You need to take a deeper look at these factors in your business.
17:42 - Pricing impacts other aspects of your business. Michalowicz’s Profit First percentages can help you figure out the math to meet your revenue goal.
20:43 - I push back against the hype of online gurus who have a certain mindset about pricing. There’s a reason why I primarily work with service providers.
23:50 - What if you’re not used to selling at a higher price or booking multiple sessions at a time per client?
26:55 - Here’s why you don’t need a large audience to get enough clients for your higher-priced programs and services. I give you a behind-the-scenes look.
28:52 - Keep these questions in mind as you crunch your numbers.
Show Links
- Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
- Racheal on Instagram
Celebrity entrepreneurs don’t do any favors with all their hustle talk, and despite everything you hear about escaping burnout and hustle culture, too many women entrepreneurs still can’t escape. They desperately need the cash flow in their business right now. So if you’re struggling to get your business working on all cylinders, keep listening. Today’s episode kicks off a new series to help you break free from entrepreneurial poverty of time, energy, and money so you can attain the sustainable success you desire.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:06 - People prescribe this antidote too often to the burnout problem. It’s creating a FOMO culture for an increasing number of women.
4:55 - I discuss the entrepreneurial poverty of time and what it looks like for women business owners.
9:42 - Energy poverty is HUGE right now. How does this impact you as a female entrepreneur?
13:07 - While lack of money is easy to point to, it doesn’t just have an effect on you financially.
14:16 - I see so many women in the middle stage of their business succumb to this cycle. Why do some stay stuck in it for years?
17:17 - I quickly overview what’s coming up next in this new podcast series of episodes.
Show Links
Have you ever told yourself you’ll make time to do something when your life calms down a bit? Did you promise to start focusing on your health, go work out, practice more self-care, and so on when you have the space to fit it into your schedule? Then you need to listen to this special episode with my business friend, podcast host, and author, Heather Chauvin. In our conversation, she and I talk about why you must stop putting yourself on hold and why the time to prioritize your needs is now.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
7:08 - Heather describes what led to her changing perspective for how she wanted to show up in life and business.
13:21 - Heather makes a surprising claim about her ordeal with cancer and her health today.
15:53 - Instead of focusing on money, Heather now filters everything she does and allows in her life based on this concept.
18:59 - Why did Heather have to remove herself from “mom culture”?
22:18 - Heather discusses the mindset shift that finally ended her struggle to embody the concept of feeling good.
25:48 - It can be hard to reprogram yourself, but you’ve probably seen people everywhere discuss this process as a way to get there.
29:00 - What are some simple things Heather recommends to start with that can add up and make an impact on your stress levels over time?
32:43 - Pay attention to gender roles. Heather describes her difficult time loosening her grip on domestic duties.
38:39 - How does over-mothering, over-nurturing, or over-delivering show up in your personal life and business?
Show Links
Imagine being so exhausted at the end of the week that you immediately put on your pajamas, pour yourself a glass (or two) of wine, and crash. By the time the last few hours of the day arrive, you’re just completely drained and have no energy for anything. Then you start all over again on Monday morning!
This cycle impacts our lives and our business in a big way. In today’s episode, my guest Dr. Crystal Frazee talks about how we can learn to tune into our body’s battery and figure out which activities and interactions deplete and increase our charge. Then we can make smarter decisions that have us show up more pleasantly and powerfully on a daily basis. Get ready for a game-changing conversation!
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:38 - Crystal found out the true cause of women’s complex illnesses and pains. It turned her practice around.
11:22 - Crystal focuses on calling out this underlying issue causing us to busy ourselves to the point of burnout.
15:49 - How do you know when you’re being taken off track? Crystal covers three areas to pay attention to so you can recognize signs of your body’s battery depletion.
21:12 - Even though you’re on a 24-hour cycle, you shouldn’t let your charge hit 0%. These technological tools help you keep track.
31:16 - Find out what you can do to recharge your battery. Crystal breaks her program down into three parts.
36:00 - When you have signs of burnout, how long can it take you to recover?
37:35 - As a parent of young kids, I initially fought against bettering my sleep, but here’s what I did to improve.
40:17 - Don’t do this if you want better sleep to come easily to you. It’s the antithesis of your body’s nature.
42:44 - Crystal discusses implementing boundaries so we can care for ourselves better and keep charged up. She even walks us through a short exercise.
48:30 - What signals a strong yes or no for you? Here’s how most people can tell.
50:19 - Pay attention to these two concepts related to boundaries and caring for your body battery.
53:30 - Crystal reveals what you must remember whenever you decide to say no.
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“You can do it!” If you’re a Gen Xer, elder millennial, or born between those two generations, you’ve heard numerous people say this about women in pop culture and real life. In fact, you were probably raised on the belief that women could do anything: have an incredible career, raise a family, build wealth, etc. Women could have it all!
But now you realize that trying to have it all doesn’t feel possible, it just feels exhausting. In today’s episode, I have a wonderful conversation with Melissa Marasia, the MidLife Mentor for Gen X Women. We talk all about the burnout we women face with internal and external pressures to achieve success in work, family, and so much more.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
3:04 - What were girls growing up in the 80s and 90s not being told about “having it all”?
7:11 - Melissa reveals how her own issues with burnout culminated into her current line of work.
11:05 - What causes women headed towards their 40s and 50s to stress out so much?
14:01 - Melissa describes how even women who decide not to have kids still feel the need to compensate.
16:41 - On top of all the other inequality issues we face, women have to deal with this double standard as well.
19:14 - Discover the biggest obstacle that prevents you from making the changes to eliminate burnout.
22:13 - With young kids, I made this simple change in my life to enjoy stress-free mornings.
26:38 - How can you handle the days when you have so many things to do or must interact with many people, especially if you’re introverted or highly sensitive?
30:25 - Take the time to acknowledge this about yourself when you experience burnout.
33:42 - Follow these suggestions if you don’t know what you need or where to start finding your joy again.
36:05 - Has this productivity-driven era driven off our love of hobbies?
40:54 - Avoid this approach if you want to still love what you do as a hobby.
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It’s never been safe to be a woman in this world, especially if you’re an outspoken or successful one. For generations, we’ve carried the trauma of the war against our bodies, minds, spirits, and then some. Yet, the more we as women succeed and break glass ceilings, our nervous system perceives it as a threat and goes into hyper-vigilant mode.
We experience it whenever we reach a new level of business success and decide to self-sabotage. My guest Dr. Valerie Rein calls this invisible threat hanging around the backdrop of our lives “patriarchy stress disorder.” In this episode, she and I define what it is and how to understand it so you can break out of patriarchal prison and begin burnout-proofing your business and your life.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
13:33 - Dr. Valerie discusses the health scare that triggered her realization of this disorder as a real thing challenging women.
17:28 - What is patriarchy stress disorder, and how did Dr. Valerie connect the dots?
22:57 - Dr. Valerie reveals why traditional talk therapy doesn’t have the tools for healing trauma.
25:58 - How does the transmission of intergenerational trauma happen? A study involving cherry blossoms and mice illustrates it well.
29:45 - Discover the reason why we women sabotage ourselves and struggle in getting to the next level.
31:58 - Dr. Valerie and I uncover a startling trend in the self-help space for women entrepreneurs in recent years.
36:05 - This core wound of patriarchy sets us up for a battle we can’t win. There’s only one way to get off the hamster wheel.
40:21 - Dr. Valerie tells a story of one of her clients that shows the magic that can happen when you rewire your nervous system.
44:09 - How can you tell when your defense mechanisms no longer serve you? Dr. Valerie unearths signs of trauma adaptations that may surprise you.
50:28 - Learn even more client stories that reveal the benefits of healing trauma and rewiring the nervous system.
52:45 - Where does Dr. Valerie recommend people start to make an internal shift away from the hustle?
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You’ve probably heard by now that one of the best ways to grow your business and start making a bigger impact is hiring a team. A team can support you by doing all the administrative, customer service, marketing, and sales work, and even work directly with your clients. If you’re attempting to do all of that yourself, it sounds overwhelming.
So in this episode, I walk you through some things to think about as you level up your leadership and start bringing on a team. Listen as I give some insights into what it was like to grow a team inside my own business, including mistakes I’ve made and lessons I’ve learned along the way.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
2:30 - Hiring initial support at home and in business. What I did to start leveling up in 2008.
12:38 - When I set out to hire customer service help, I found two amazing candidates. How I turned a tough choice into gold.
17:02 - Audience changes, branching out, and rebranding. Gaining clarity for my new direction.
23:03 - Letting go of sales and marketing control produced my biggest leadership uplevels. Hiring coaches, a PR team, and a podcast team.
28:53 - Why I decided to hire people to help me with copyrighting. Sales-related and content-related copywriting support.
32:37 - Looking at other areas of my business. A huge change happened in one area that took me until 2018 to really get behind.
39:14 - What I discovered as I’ve released the death grip on everything in my business. My team has been a lifesaver!
42:20 - Starting out slowly and building up gradually. Final words of advice to wrap up the episode.
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Welcome to a very special episode! I’m joined by Anna Binder McAsey who owns Rethink Nutrition. A year ago, she was running a business primarily on her own. Fast forward to now, she’s really grown leaps and bounds as a leader and stepped into her role as CEO, bringing in more people behind the scenes and working with her clients.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
1:31 - What did Anna’s business look like in early 2020? A quick overview and changes made since.
6:32 - How did Anna learn to let go of control as she built her team?
11:30 - Seeing the value in bringing on people with different specialties to your team. What nuances exist between the clients you serve?
16:35 - Anna talks about her mindset shift toward seeing the pros in adding administrative support. Her changing role as CEO.
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Today, I’m joined by my friend and colleague Erica Courdae who has been my DEI consultant and is a part of the CEO Collective as a mentor. She’s back on the show to dive into staying true to your core values when your business is growing, changing, or its mettle is being tested.
On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:
6:23 - Making a commitment to values. It’s not a one-time thing.
9:51 - Where does real empowerment come from? The word gets thrown around often, but it isn’t a gift you can give others.
12:03 - How do the working and business worlds try to blame the victims?
18:05 - Avoiding echo chambers. Who are you intentionally networking with?
25:05 - You need to life proof your business so it can still thrive when things aren’t perfect.
32:05 - Dealing with panic moments by modeling clear and kind boundaries. Panic is not a business strategy.
36:07 - Having a strategy and a process for making decisions. Running your business becomes easier for yourself and your teams.
39:25 - The noise around you is a big distraction. Do you just need to shut it out, scale back, and return to basics?
43:13 - You can only do what you do for your community in the way that you do it.
48:23 - Clarity in your values makes your business growth journey so much easier.
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What does it actually mean to be The CEO of your business?
We entrepreneurs do EVERYTHING in the beginning, but as we grow, we need to re-define our role as CEO to focus on the most essential tasks that move our business forward.
When we don't take the time to redefine our role, we often find ourselves becoming the bottleneck in our business and causing chaos for our teams.
This episode will help you get clarity on your top CEO tasks as your role changes.
Visit https://rachealcook.com/entrepreneur-ceo/ for the full show notes.
If you’re anything like me, there comes the point in your business where your business needs to step up to support you and support your family if you’re going to stick with it.
We all got through those startup stages of our business where we knew it was going to take awhile to figure things out and to get people in the door.
Once you get a little bit further along on your journey and you’re ready to make this your full-time focus, you need your business to pay you a real paycheck.
No one loves to run a business that can’t support the entrepreneur running it.
This is why it’s so, so important to have a game plan for how you’re going to design that predictably profitable business.
But the statistics show us that most women do not have a predictably profitable business.
Over 75% of women entrepreneurs do not earn more than $50,000 a year. And most entrepreneurs shut the doors within the first couple of years.
If you are committed to making your business truly work for you and work for your family, you have to have a real profit plan to make it work before you get so burnt out that you throw in the towel.
Not long ago, I was a guest coach for a business workshop where everyone was working on a poster-size post-it to map out our business for the next 12 months.
There were directions to map out your business goals, your offers, and your marketing strategy.
I started looking around the room to see where people needed help and I realized everybody in the room had a leaky business.
Their marketing plan was not working together.
Everyone’s marketing plan was a smattering of tactics… but there was no clear strategy to ensure that all that marketing effort was leading potential clients to their paid offers.
The minute I shared with them a different way to approach their marketing strategy, all the light bulbs went off as people could see why all the work they had put into marketing their business wasn’t generating real results.
Most people when they sit down and write out a marketing plan, they make a list of marketing to-dos. They need to have a newsletter and they need to blog… they need to do a podcast and they need to be posting on social media.
But a marketing to-do list isn’t a strategy unless it all works together to turn your community into paid clients.
Ready to fix the LEAK in your predictable profit strategy?
Statistically, 80% of new businesses are going to fail within the first few years… so how do you make sure that you’re going to beat the odds and succeed?
How do you make sure your business is going to stick it out through the startup stages to get to the success stage where you’re finally making consistent revenue?
It comes down to FOCUS.
In this episode, I’m going to share how you can get more focused so you have achieve your business goals. It’s all about simplifying your business strategy.
In this episode, we're focusing on the #1 strategy to ensure that you get paid each and every month in your business… even when you need to take a break from your business.
Have you ever found yourself with a family emergency, something that needed your immediate attention, and suddenly, you had no choice but to completely rearrange your calendar?
Or maybe you just want to enjoy a fun vacation without worrying about your inbox or your clients.
You love the idea of being able to take a week or two off throughout the year in your business, but the same problem exists::?If you’re not working, you’re not getting paid.
I know that this is something that’s incredibly common, especially for those of you who are heart-centered service providers.
Maybe you’re a teacher or a coach or a trainer and you’re probably running your business by working one on one with clients offering services.
While that is a fantastic first step to get your business going, it can also create a bottleneck in your business where, again, if you’re not working, you’re not getting paid.
Today, I want to break down a really simple strategy that can start to free you from this dollar-for-hour trap that is not allowing you to take sick days or vacations… and start thinking more strategically about your business.
Past show notes - https://rachealcook.com/ultimate-business-growth-checklist/
Past show notes - https://rachealcook.com/start-a-business/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Over the last few years, I’ve noticed that one of the biggest struggles for women entrepreneurs isn’t that they don’t have great ideas to grow their business. The problem is we don’t have time to work on the big picture. The day to day of running any business is full of things to do like posting on social media, answering emails, and working with clients. But all of these tasks that fill up most of our working hours fall under the category of working in your business. What about working on your business? How do you find the dedicated time to work on the big picture? In this episode, I’ll dive into my top three time management tips to help you build in more CEO time in your business.
When you’re first getting started in your business, saying yes is your go-to answer for nearly anything whether it’s meeting up for coffee, meeting at 8 o’clock at night, or adding more things to do to your project. Suddenly, you’re saying yes to say many things, it starts to get a little out of control. As your business starts to grow and you take on more clients, all of those yeses start to mean no to doing the CEO-level work you need to be focusing on. In this episode, I talk about setting boundaries as a CEO, so you can feel more confident and comfortable saying no in order to say yes to the work you’re truly here to do.
Welcome to the final installment of the Get More Clients series on the podcast! Have you ever been on a call with a new potential client, and you wrap up the call with this feeling of, “What just happened? That didn’t go the way I meant it to.” You wonder why your calls with potential clients aren’t converting into paying clients. If you’ve experienced this, then in this episode I walk you through the essentials of a free call that converts and dive into how you can ensure that your free consult calls produce paying clients.
What would your first steps be if you were starting a brand new business after you had to start your life completely over?
That's what Caroline Howe was thinking at the end of 2020. She had lost her previous business, had gone through a divorce, and was ready to quit her job to revolutionize the way we work.
Listen in to our conversation where Caroline shares::
- How she prioritized the need for clients and cash-flow, right now, instead of waiting years to build up an audience to launch online courses and products.
- The exact way she tapped into her existing network via LinkedIn and personal emails to announce her new business venture.
- Why leading with value via a free survey helped her potential clients immediately see the value in working with Caroline - and led to booking over $100K in revenue within 6 weeks of launching her business.
Get the full transcript and show notes at http://www.rachealcook.com/show
Promote Yourself to CEO is sponsored by The CEO Collective - a 12 month implementation experience for women entrepreneurs ready for next level strategy and results - without the non-stop hustle.
If what I’ve been sharing with you in the Get More Clients series resonates and you’re ready to implement these types of stress-free sales systems into your business, then head over to TheCEOCollective.com/PODCAST to be the first to hear when we open the doors again to new members.
The CEO Collective is the ONLY way to work closely with me and my team in 2021! And when you join us, you’ll get INSTANT ACCESS to our Get More Clients sales system so you can implement immediately and start seeing results in as little as 2 weeks. So head over to join the waitlist now at TheCEOCollective.com/PODCAST
Welcome back to this podcast series on Get More Clients! Have you ever been in a position where you knew that just gaining a few more one-on-one clients would make all the difference for you and your business? It would mean a boost to your cash flow and make things so much easier! But how do you find the people ready to sign on the dotted line and become your clients right away? In this episode, I’ll discuss my very clear, fluff-free, practical and profitable approach to getting more private one-on-one clients for your business.
Have you ever felt like no matter what you’re trying in your business, you’re just not seeing the clients and the cashflow you’d hoped for? Solopreneurs often find themselves in this position where we’re doing everything we can think of to grow our business and checking all the marketing items off the list. We can post on social media or send out email newsletters, but it’s just not delivering results and bringing in the clients we need. What’s going on? What’s the missing piece? In this episode, we’re going to dive into the top 3 reasons why you’re not getting clients into your business.
Things are humming right along in your business and life. Then, an unexpected bill lands on your desk. Maybe you found out your entire HVAC system needs replacing, or your kid stayed in the hospital for a few nights and now you’re looking at a big medical bill. Or perhaps you forgot to put away enough for taxes and discovered the need to quickly catch up. Any entrepreneur will find themselves in a situation where you gotta come up with some cash really quickly.
So what do you do when you’re in that situation? In this episode, I talk about the fastest path to cash and why it’s better than the alternatives. Don’t worry; it’s not creating an entirely new offer, coming up with a passive income product on the fly, or offering a huge discount or flash sale. Let’s dive in! https://rachealcook.com/fastest-path-to-cash/
It takes next-level leadership for your team, your clients, and your community - and leading so many people requires self-leadership FIRST.
That's why in this behind the scenes episode, I'm sharing an excerpt from a recent live strategy and support call that I hosted inside The CEO Collective. Every single week, I not only show up for lightning round strategy Q&A, but also to address the challenges that we've all come up against in our business.
Over the last year, we've talked about everything from navigating the pandemic, showing up as an imperfect ally during Black Lives Matter, juggling virtual school + running a business, an intense election year, and so much more.
Get the full transcript at http:///www.theceocollective.com/Live-Call
Promote Yourself to CEO is sponsored by The CEO Collective - a 12 month implementation experience for women entrepreneurs ready for next level strategy and results - without the non-stop hustle.
If what I’ve been sharing with you in the UnSexy Secrets of Sustainable Success series resonates and you’re ready to learn more about how we can help you build a predictably profitable business, then head over to TheCEOCollective.com/join
The CEO Collective is the ONLY way to work closely with me and my team in 2021! And when you join us by February 26, you’ll be right in time to participate in the Q2 2021 CEO Retreat happening in March. So head get all the details at TheCEOCollective.com/join
If you've been listening to the recent Unsexy Secrets to Sustainable Success Series, you might be thinking 'This all sounds too simple. How will I know that slowing down to implement these strategies will actually help me grow?' then this episode is a must listen.
When you've been surrounded by the hustle harder hype, it seems completely counter-intuitive that slowing down and strategically planning can be the key to unlocking your success.
That's why I'm thrilled to interview CEOs Paula Billig and Nichole Lynn to share how implementing the 90 Day CEO System into their business has not only helped them to burnout proof their business, but has been the key to consistent growth over the last year including growing revenue by over 162%.
Get the full transcript and read all the case studies from our CEOs at http:///www.theceocollective.com/testimonials
Promote Yourself to CEO is sponsored by The CEO Collective - a 12 month implementation experience for women entrepreneurs ready for next level strategy and results - without the non-stop hustle.
If what I’ve been sharing with you in the UnSexy Secrets of Sustainable Success series resonates and you’re ready to learn more about how we can help you build a predictably profitable business, then head over to TheCEOCollective.com/join
The CEO Collective is the ONLY way to work closely with me and my team in 2021! And when you join us by February 26, you’ll be right in time to participate in the Q2 2021 CEO Retreat happening in March. So head get all the details at TheCEOCollective.com/join
Have you ever felt like your business was stuck, like it had plateaued at a certain level of success?
No matter what you tried, however many courses you took, or whatever trending tips, tricks, and tactics you attempted to implement, you couldn’t move forward and get to that illusive next level of success.
In this episode, I continue with part two of this Unsexy Secrets to Sustainable Success series, so keep listening if this sounds familiar. You’ll hear the amazing story of how one of my clients, Xonna Clark, got out of what I call the “top secret entrepreneur lab” and exceeded her monetary goals starting in her first full month in business...without an email list, social media, or any real online presence.
You’ll also discover how to break out of the secret entrepreneur lab yourself so you can start seeing consistent clients and cash flow in your business.
Over the last 13 years of working with women entrepreneurs, I’ve observed them feeling stuck in their business, and there’s a big reason why.
Despite all of the courses and late nights Googling for answers, they’re unable to get past a certain level of success. They’re not sure exactly what it is that’s going to help them break through to that illusive next level where they have more revenue coming in the door, more time back in their schedule, and the dream life and business they’ve been promised.
In this episode, I talk about the two types of entrepreneurs who find themselves stuck and the three limiting beliefs that prevent you from figuring out the action to take to move forward. You’ll discover why you need to get out of information overload and how to start getting into implementation mode to see the results you’re looking for.
Are your mornings just the craziest time of the day? Between dealing with pets, coffee, and kids, you ultimately feel frazzled by the time you sit down at your desk. Or perhaps at the end of your day, you’re just exhausted and collapsing into bed. Well, high-performance CEOs and leaders know they need to manage their day well and conserve their energy and brain space for what really matters to get the results they desire in life, health, relationships, and business. So today, we’re going to talk about how you can run your day like a high-performance CEO.
Full show notes at - https://rachealcook.com/run-your-day-like-a-ceo/
Running your business like a CEO requires strategy and planning. It also requires skillfully managing your time and energy every week as a CEO so that you’re putting your attention on the tasks that’ll actually move your business forward. However, this is an area where we often get stuck. The email inbox, administration work, and ongoing busy work daily in our business can become a distraction. Then at the end of the week, we realize we haven’t made progress on those high-priority tasks that will truly move your business forward. In this episode, we’re talking about how you can run your week like a CEO and make those higher-value tasks a priority.
Full show notes at - https://rachealcook.com/run-your-week-like-a-ceo/
You’ve probably heard of my weekly CEO date if you’ve been following me for a while now. This is where I sit down to check in on my business to make sure we’re continuing to progress towards all the goals we’ve set. But I have another CEO date every single month. This series is all about what you’re doing on an ongoing basis to ensure you aren’t only creating business plans but also following through on them and adapting as circumstances arise. So I’m diving deep today and discussing how to build in self-accountability so that your plan isn’t just another Google document you’ll never look at again.
Full show notes at - https://rachealcook.com/run-your-month-like-a-ceo/
Every new year feels like a fresh start and a new chance to go after those big, audacious goals for our lives and businesses. But if this year has taught us anything, it’s that our plans need adaptability. We need to build this adaptability into our entire business and allow it flexibility while still getting the results we want. That’s why I love running my quarter through 90-day plans. Today, I talk about how to actually dig in and start creating these plans for your own business.
Full show notes at - https://rachealcook.com/run-your-quarter-like-a-ceo/
I’m a business growth strategist who’s revealing the truth about scaling your business, so this episode series may have surprised you. But I want your eyes wide open when you go into business growth mode. It’s not just about making more sales; you also need to scale your team, customer experience, and infrastructure behind the scenes so your business doesn’t implode. In this final installment, I break down some key things for you to start thinking about to be more strategic and sustainable when you’re ready to go into high growth business mode.
Full Show Notes at https://rachealcook.com/how-to-scale-sustainably/
You hear a lot of terrible advice online these days that causes people to focus on scaling at all costs. All of that effort only leads to your business blowing up. Things break and go awry, and you’re constantly putting out fires, feeling overwhelmed and stressed at the cash-eating monster you’ve created. So let’s forgo this unsustainable approach to growth and do something different. Avoid the three biggest things I see causing problems with business scaling.
Full Show Notes at https://rachealcook.com/3-mistakes-entrepreneurs-make-scaling/
Is it really possible to double, triple, or 10x your business in just a year? Or to take your business from 100k to $1,000,000 in revenue within just 36 months? If you listen to all the noise online, scaling seems like the name of the game and what we all should be focused on. But the honest truth is scaling for the sake of it can be detrimental to your business. So in this series, we’re talking about the truth of scaling your business.
Full show notes at https://rachealcook.com/the-truth-about-scaling-your-business/
The one thing most entrepreneurs have in common is that we LOVE big ideas. We love setting ambitious goals and dreaming big dreams. But where we often struggle is in the follow through. In taking the action steps we need to take in order to see the results we’re looking for. If you’ve been following along with me the last week in the Plan Your Best Year Ever challenge, then you’ll love this episode. We’re going to talk about how to shift from idea overload to Implementation mode. There are no million dollar ideas, only million dollar implementations.
Full Show Notes - https://rachealcook.com/idea-to-implementation/
Today we are putting everything together in a 12-month profit plan of the main things you are going to focus on throughout the year.
Once your 5-step marketing strategy is mapped out, we need to put it together in our monthly profit plan. Each month, ask yourself these questions:
Make sure you have your challenge workbooks downloaded here: http://www.rachealcook.com/BYE
If you’re ready to make sure all of your ideas for 2021 become a reality, join us in the CEO COLLECTIVE. A 12-month immersive community mastermind for next-level strategy and results - without the non-stop hustle.
In today’s episode we are going to do goal setting differently so that you can create goals you can actually follow through on.
As you are setting up your goals for 2021, they need to be set up around this 5 part marketing strategy:
Make sure you have your challenge workbooks downloaded here: http://www.rachealcook.com/BYE
Is Your Business by Default or by Design?
Panic is not a business strategy. If your business is constantly in emergency mode, it might be because your business is running by default instead of by design. When you begin to run your business by design, it starts to run like clockwork.
As we start to strategically plan our year, we will consider:
- What is your personal definition of success?
- Fine tune who we want to work with next year?
- What is your revenue goal?
- What products, programs, or services will you offer to hit your revenue goal?
- Gain insights by looking at your last 10 clients. What did they buy, how much did they spend and where did they come from?
Make sure you have your challenge workbooks downloaded here: http://www.rachealcook.com/BYE
Today we are going to burnout-proof your business by getting clear on what we want to be doing, feeling, having, experiencing, and living in 2021.
We’ll be asking ourselves the following questions:
- One year from now, what do you want to see different from what is happening today?
- What are the areas we want to upgrade in life, relationships, health, and hobbies?
- How can we upgrade our business?
- What do our finances look like in our business and what do they need to look like to sustain the upgrades we want?
Make sure you have your challenge workbooks downloaded here: http://www.rachealcook.com/BYE
We’re kicking off the entire strategic planning process with the Year In Review. Before we dive into goal setting for 2021, it’s important to look back on the lessons we learned in 2020. What’s working and what’s not working?
We’ll be going through 2020 month by month asking these 3 questions:
Then we’ll ask ourselves the following key questions:
Make sure you have your challenge workbooks downloaded here: http://www.rachealcook.com/BYE
I have a very special announcement! Today, the Plan Your Best Year Ever Challenge is coming back! This is a 5-day challenge running from Monday, November 16th - Friday, November 20th.
This challenge will help you hit the ground running in 2021 by building a solid foundation giving you the clarity you need about what you’re selling, how you’re selling it, and what marketing strategies work best FOR YOU.
Sign up at the link below to gain access to the challenge and each of the daily challenge workbooks.
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we must make our values explicitly clear in our brand, in our business and in the culture of our communities. We have seen the impact of what happens when people say one thing, but do another. So today, I’m excited to bring India Jackson to the conversation to talk about how to make your values crystal clear in your business and your marketing strategy.
We all know that creating content is a fantastic way to showcase your expertise and your experience and to help potential clients understand why they should work with you. But how do you figure out exactly what that content should be or how to make sure that you're doing it strategically, not just throwing a bunch of proverbial spaghetti at the wall? Well, in this episode, I am talking with my dear friend, Abby Herman, about how we can get more strategic about our content marketing.
If you’ve been in business for any length of time, you know that you need an audience of people who are potentially interested in working with you.
And when your business was brand new, getting the word out felt simpler, and you got a nice audience and some paying clients then…
This week on Promote Yourself to CEO, I talk to Mado Hesselink, founder of Yoga Teacher Resource, and one of the few people that took on the 100 conversation challenge. She shares what she learned along the journey of completely transforming her business from yoga teacher to business owner. We cover:
- Who ACTUALLY has the answers of where your business should go next, and how to get access to them to prepare for your next move.
- The tactical methods of talking to 100 different people - how to find them, what programs will help you the most, and ways to start the conversation.
- How to simply ask people for what you want, and why it’s a muscle that you need to flex regularly to be the most successful CEO possible.
You’ll be surprised how much you can learn from these simple conversations, and how much it can really help you grow your business. After hearing Mado’s story, you’ll be ready to take on the 100 conversation challenge, too.
If you want more visibility, all you need to do is show up on Instagram.
We’ve all heard that before, right?
And it’s not long before you’re going live every single day until you’re at your wits end, so frustrated from not seeing results.
I’ll let you in on a secret - the answer isn’t MORE Instagram!
I’ve seen so many amazing women entrepreneurs struggle with this exact same problem, so if this sounds all-too-familiar, you’re not alone.
This week, I’m so excited to be kicking off a series on Promote Yourself to CEO about all things marketing. You’ll learn:
- Why more isn’t always better in terms of marketing, and how you can actually cut through the noise instead of just making more of it.
- How to get more customers taking the action steps you’re looking for - clicking links, commenting on your posts, and purchasing your services - and why you might be making this less likely with your current approach.
- The real, strategic way to build more trust with your clients that doesn’t involve any trendy tips or tricks so that you can avoid the feast or famine cycle.
It IS possible for your marketing to be fun, clear, and effective, but it might be a little unsexy.
If you’re ready for real results, this episode is for you!
How would you describe the last 90 days for your business?
I would call it a rollercoaster.
Between the pandemic, the economy, and the Black Lives Matter movement, nothing has been predictable.
And as we close out this hectic Q3, this is usually when I’d record a podcast episode of my quarterly review. This process is super important to me and keeps my business on track.
But this year, I’m showing you a bit of a different review.
I still did my Q3 review, but I’m recording a review of one of the priorities for my business: allyship.
I committed to being an imperfect ally not only in my business, but also in my personal life.
That means showing up, doing the work, and holding myself accountable for it, NOT just a one time Instagram post.
So this week on Promote Yourself to CEO, I’m being transparent about what I did over the last few months to be an imperfect ally. You’ll hear:
- My realization that I was intellectually doing the work, but falling short in my actions as an ally for Black, trans, and LGBTQ+ lives, and what steps I took to align my business with my values.
- The generational shift that has made it more dangerous for your business to NOT share it’s values, and how to explicitly state yours to your clients to build connection and trust.
- How being an entrepreneur automatically gives you the power to make an economic impact and how I got intentional about voting with my dollars, in business and my personal life.
Plus - an answer to one of my most common questions: what books have you been reading?
The journey to becoming an ally is just that - a journey. I need to continue to evaluate myself and my business to make sure I’m aligning my actions with my business. I will not make a promise to “do better” and not follow it with action.
If you’re making the same commitment, this episode is for you!
If you're anything like me, there comes the point in your business where your business needs to step up and support you and support your family if you're going to stick with it.
We all got through those startup stages of our business where we knew it was going to take awhile to figure things out and to get people in the door.
Once you get a little bit further along on your journey and you're ready to make this your full-time focus, you need your business to pay you a real paycheck.
No one loves to run a business that can't support the entrepreneur running it.
This is why it's so, so important to have a game plan for how you're going to design that predictably profitable business.
Show Notes::
Let me ask you, have you ever found yourself just hustling, hustling, hustling in your business?
You feel like you're doing all the things to bring clients into your business, but you're just not seeing a steady flow of new potential clients who are ready to work with you.
If your experience as an entrepreneur has been inconsistent clients and inconsistent cash flow, then I want you to keep watching because today we're going to talk about this significant leak that is happening in so many entrepreneur's businesses.
This leak prevents those dream clients from becoming paying clients and the good news is once you understand what this leak is, it's simple to fix.
Backstory: I was at an event not too long ago, and everybody got one of those enormous post-it note papers. The assignment at this event was to map out your business in the next 12 months.
There were a couple of different sections everybody was filling out. They were filling out what they were offering, a lot of people had a lot of different offers going on. Multiple things they wanted to offer and sell, different products, programs, and services.
They also had a section for your marketing plan. I started looking around the room at the marketing plan, and I realized everybody in this room has a leaky business and here's why; because their marketing plan was not working together.
It was not working together.
It was a smattering of tips, and tricks, and tactics but it wasn't putting the pieces together and making sure they led to your offers. Nothing was cohesive, and the minute I shared with them a different way to approach this, all the light bulbs went off.
Most people when they sit down and write out a marketing plan, think about all of the activities they need to do. They need to have a newsletter, and they need to blog, they need to do a podcast, they need to be on social media
There's no point of focus, and there's no consistency in what they're doing and making sure that it all works together.
Show Notes::
Are you working too hard in your business... but still not seeing results???
Today I'm sharing the #1 Mistake that is holding most entrepreneurs back from predictable profits... HINT HINT... it's not about doing more!
Show Notes::
You wouldn't take a job without having paid vacation days, sick days, and other perks, right?
Then why would you build your business that way?
In this episode, we're breaking down how to stop selling your services by the hour and start designing a signature offer that creates a solid monthly baseline revenue you can depend on.
See the FULL show notes and get the Business Growth Checklist at RachealCook.com/baseline-revenue-plan
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
I recently I chatted with an entrepreneur who is incredibly smart, so educated, so qualified to do the work that she wanted to do in the world, but by the time she came to chat with me she said:
"Rach, here's my challenge; I have taken training, after training, after training and it feels like I'm constantly shifting direction, and as a result I'm not getting where I want to go."
Have you ever felt that way, like you're just continually adding more pieces to the puzzle, but it's like you don't even know what the puzzle looks like?
I know that when I first started in my business, I didn't know the direction I was going. I was trying to figure it out as I went. It wasn't until I saw the big picture that things started to fall into place.
I want to share with you The Ultimate Business Growth Checklist.
This checklist walks you through what you need to focus on FIRST to design and grow a predictably profitable business.
There has never been a better time to start a business.
- A business that allows you to create success on your terms while allowing the freedom to work on your schedule and flexibility to work from wherever.
- A business that can simply support a comfortable lifestyle for yourself and your family – or scale up with systems and support to truly create financial freedom.
- A business where work doesn’t feel like work because you have finally found a way to share your passion and your purpose to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
In this special episode, Racheal shares the stories of 5 CEOs who took their businesses on The CEO Retreat. Their experiences and takeaways provide massive advice for entrepreneurs looking to raise their biz to the next level.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Ready to Grow From Stressed Solopreneur to Confident CEO? Join me for the Fired Up & Focused Challenge. Register and grab your workbooks at https://firedupandfocused.com/
Like we’ve been talking about for the past few weeks, this is our opportunity to intentionally build a new normal that isn’t so difficult. I’ve had some amazing guests come on the show to talk about this, and I’m excited to share another with you this week!
I met Michelle Wood at the very first CEO Retreat I ever hosted in January 2018. She is the founder of Live Colorfully and Well where she helps high achieving women bring more joy, happiness, and color into their lives as they courageously take a stand for living an intentional and fulfilled life.
Before COVID-19 really hit, I was constantly hearing from my clients how overwhelmed they were. Especially for my clients who are working parents, they often felt like they were juggling so much, they were constantly hustling, and they were wondering if there was a better way to do things.
All this to say, burnout is NOT new.
But, many entrepreneurs are seeing that their world being flipped upside down is actually giving them a great opportunity to create a life and business that will lead to sustainable success without the crazy grind.
Can I give you a reality check, CEO?
Life is NOT going back to “normal.”
Maybe you’ve been hoping and praying that things would feel normal again soon.
Or maybe you KNOW that things will always be different, but you’re grieving the loss of how things were six months ago.
And while I’m all about feeling all of the feelings, it is important to realize that you have a massive opportunity here because of all of this change.
You have the opportunity to intentionally design your next normal.
Are you on-track to reach your 2020 goals? Now is the perfect time to do a quick Mid-Year Review. Get the full show notes and download the free workbook at RachealCook.com/mid-year-review!
I’ve been in business as an entrepreneur for 12 years. And anyone who has had their job for that long knows that everyday is not going to be absolutely perfect.
But I know I’m not the only one who has felt like their world has been flipped upside down over the past four months.
Most days, I have tried just to GET THROUGH the day. I found myself questioning if I was really making an impact, or if my hard work really meant anything, or if life really had to be this way ...
A plan only works if you work the plan, but what if the plan goes out the window?
In this final piece of the Unsexy Secrets to Sustainable Success, I share how you can be both focused and flexible as you navigate these new challenges in life and business.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest insight.
For full show notes, head over to https://www.rachealcook.com/stick-to-your-plan/
Burnout is far too common a struggle for women entrepreneurs trying to balance work, home, family...
Continuing the Unsexy Secrets to Sustainable Success series, this episode is dedicated to your 12 month profit plan.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/simple-sustainable-success
Why are so many women entrepreneurs only reaching $30K-$50K revenue in their business?
When women entrepreneurs are generating $50K or less in revenue, they honestly don’t have enough revenue coming into their business to create the business and the life that they are truly dreaming of.
They don’t have the revenue that would allow them to hire some support so they’re not working 24/7, hustling for each and every client.
They don’t have the resources to help them consistently show up and market their business.
When they’re not making enough revenue, they are stretched way too thin!
But when they finally break through to that ‘Next Level’, amazing things start to happen!
This week on Promote Yourself to CEO, I’m kicking off the Unsexy Secrets to Sustainable Success series with a full episode about why we need to get out of information mode in order to break through in our businesses. You’ll learn:
- The two types of entrepreneurs that are getting stuck at low levels of success and the specific steps each need to take in order to move onto the next stage of business growth
- Why you need to get out of the 'Top Secret Entrepreneur Lab' and the tool that you can use to move forward, stop obsessing over perfection and start moving the needle in your business.
- How to work through all those feelings of 'I'm not ready yet', perfectionism, and fear of failure to start taking action asap.
- The story of one of my dear clients, Xonna Clark, and what steps she took to surpass her revenue goals without a fancy website or massive email list.
- How to start getting into IMPLEMENTATION MODE with the Business Growth Checklist (100% FREE Download at https://www.rachealcook.com/get-unstuck/)
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/get-unstuck
Being a CEO doesn't mean we have all the answers – and it’s OK to ask for help, support, and education so we can do better. In this episode, we are talking with Erica Courdae about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and becoming an Imperfect Ally.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
For new entrepreneurs, "Yes" is our reflex response to every client request. Before long, we can find ourselves overdelivering, compromising our boundaries, and sabotaging our focus. How can we set appropriate boundaries as the CEO in our business?
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
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Today we revisit my #1 practice for increasing the value I add and the results I get in my business: the CEO Date. If you want to stay on track for reaching your big business goals every week, month, and year, this episode's for you.
Visit RachealCook.com/show for complete show notes, and begin putting CEO Dates to work for you with the RachealCook.com/CEO-Planner
We’ve all heard that it costs money to make money, right?
Do you remember the first big investment you made into your business?
I do… and it was SCARY.
I remember being nervous, excited, and a little nauseous as I wrote the first check to join my first mastermind for $10,000.
At the time, I was coming off a nearly year-long maternity leave with my twins.
We’d made ends meet with Jameson’s teaching salary and a couple of clients I was working with on the side… but reality was hitting us that I needed to dramatically ramp up my business to support my family.
Investing $10,000 into my business seemed like a huge stretch for us.
But as Jameson and I talked about the vision I had for this business – one that would allow me to support our family while working from home – we knew that it was time to commit 100% and go all in.
That decision to commit made all the difference.
It instantly shifted my mindset from “How am I going to afford this mastermind? How can I handle this added expense to my business?” to “How many clients do I need to make back this investment? How can I get a Return on Investment?”
I realized I just needed 2 new consulting clients.
Suddenly it didn’t seem so scary to make that investment.
In this episode, I want to share with you the ROI of thinking like a CEO – how we can make smart decisions about when, where, and how we spend our money to grow our business.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
As women, we so often hate our bodies.
We tear ourselves apart when we look in the mirror.
We relentlessly compare ourselves to other women.
We let our self worth plummet based on the number on the scale.
And as entrepreneurs, that usually means we stop showing up.
I’ve talked to so many amazing women that won’t put themselves out there because of their crippling fear of visibility.
Allow me to let you in on a little secret…
What does it actually mean to be The CEO of your business?
We entrepreneurs do EVERYTHING in the beginning, but as we grow, we need to re-define our role as CEO to focus on the most essential tasks that move our business forward.
When we don't take the time to redefine our role, we often find ourselves becoming the bottleneck in our business and causing chaos for our teams.
This episode will help you get clarity on your top CEO tasks as your role changes.
Visit RachealCook.com/show for the full show notes.
This week, I encourage you to pull out a notebook and follow along with me as I review the first 90 days of 2020. I share all of the questions I ask myself each quarter, and show how you can adapt to the new challenges this year has brought us.
If this episode has given you insight into how you can tackle success in 2020, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest insight.
For full show notes, head over to https://www.rachealcook.com/stick-to-your-plan/
This special episode is the final third of a live event hosted on Facebook on Monday, 3/16/20. My guests in Part 3 include Lisa Carpenter, Angie Trueblood, Sharvette Mitchell, Cortney Baker, and Jenn Gottlieb.
Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners are an at risk population during times of crisis! It's not business as usual.
Join me and other amazing CEOs to create your contingency plan as we navigate this unforseen global event.
During this FACEBOOK LIVE - we will talk about::
→ How to shift your marketing and messaging to be useful and relevant to your community
→ How to navigate the financial and legal challenges that may arise
→ How to keep clients calm and find creative ways to continue to serve (even if you can't see them in person)
→ How to take care of YOURSELF during this crisis so you can lead like a CEO
→ How to show up as a leader in your community and with your clients
For full show notes and to view the live video recording, visit RachealCook.com/coronavirus-contingency-plan.
This special episode is the second third of a live event hosted on Facebook on Monday, 3/16/20. My guests in Part 2 include Stacey Harris, Mindy Totten, and Tara Newman.
Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners are an at risk population during times of crisis! It's not business as usual.
Join me and other amazing CEOs to create your contingency plan as we navigate this unforseen global event.
During this FACEBOOK LIVE - we will talk about::
→ How to shift your marketing and messaging to be useful and relevant to your community
→ How to navigate the financial and legal challenges that may arise
→ How to keep clients calm and find creative ways to continue to serve (even if you can't see them in person)
→ How to take care of YOURSELF during this crisis so you can lead like a CEO
→ How to show up as a leader in your community and with your clients
For full show notes and to view the live video recording, visit RachealCook.com/coronavirus-contingency-plan.
This special episode is the first third of a live event hosted on Facebook on Monday, 3/16/20. My guests in Part 1 include Raven Willis, Lane Clark, Wendy Batten, and Kim Wensel.
Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners are an at risk population during times of crisis! It's not business as usual.
Join me and other amazing CEOs to create your contingency plan as we navigate this unforseen global event.
During this FACEBOOK LIVE - we will talk about::
→ How to shift your marketing and messaging to be useful and relevant to your community
→ How to navigate the financial and legal challenges that may arise
→ How to keep clients calm and find creative ways to continue to serve (even if you can't see them in person)
→ How to take care of YOURSELF during this crisis so you can lead like a CEO
→ How to show up as a leader in your community and with your clients
For full show notes and to view the live video recording, visit RachealCook.com/coronavirus-contingency-plan.
Coronavirus COVID-19 is sending shockwaves around the world, and among all the uncertainty, entrepreneurs face even greater anxiety about their economic security and business future. What can we small business owners do now to plan for times ahead?
Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners are an at risk population during times of crisis! It's not business as usual.
Join me and other amazing CEOs to create your contingency plan as we navigate this unforseen global event.
During this FACEBOOK LIVE - we will talk about::
→ How to shift your marketing and messaging to be useful and relevant to your community
→ How to navigate the financial and legal challenges that may arise
→ How to keep clients calm and find creative ways to continue to serve (even if you can't see them in person)
→ How to take care of YOURSELF during this crisis so you can lead like a CEO
→ How to show up as a leader in your community and with your clients
Speakers announced soon!
Being a CEO is exhausting when you’re always trying to keep up with the next big thing.
When you work in the online space, it’s easy to feel like you’re drowning in a sea of new social media platforms, new launch techniques, and new ways to sell your product.
But why do we think we need to reinvent the wheel?
I’m all about keeping it simple - in life, and in business.
I have a capsule wardrobe, my family meal preps many of the same meals each week (any other taco Tuesday people out there?), and I still use many of the same practices after 10 years of business!
I get it - my methods don’t seem very exciting.
But you know what is exciting?
Weekly date nights with my husband.
Being able to drop everything when my kids get sick.
Taking an entire month off last year and letting my business run itself.
This week on Promote Yourself to CEO, I’m giving you a preview of my upcoming three-part series, The Unsexy Secrets to Sustainable Success.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
Shoulders down, heart open, 100% accepted; that’s how it feels to truly belong. This week I’m talking about the difference between joining and belonging, what it means to lead a community, and how we can help others belong in our own.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
Can your business support you while you are going through turbulence in your life? This week, one of my amazing accelerator clients Mindy Totten opens up about experiencing a loss and how she kept her business going during this extremely challenging time.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
This episode includes a huge part of my personal story and my WHY behind working so hard to build a space for women entrepreneurs to connect, support, and help each other grow. Being in business FOR yourself doesn’t mean being in business BY yourself.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
This week, we share another CEO Confession from amazing parenting coach and founder of Be Kind Coaching, MegAnne Ford. We talk about the reality of visibility, online bullying, and finding community that will lift you up to do your best work.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
As more women than ever build their own businesses, massive free communities and content are asking for our attention. But are they giving us what we want? This week, we're talking about how you can surround yourself with a support system as you grow!
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
Whether you love it, hate it, or shy away from it all together, when you’re the CEO, you need to be thinking about money. CFO, CPA, and coach Brittney Suttle shares her journey money mindset tools & strategies.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
As CEOS, it's crucial for us to recognize market trends and think strategically about how they are going to impact our business in the new year. Listen in to hear insights and opinions from 6 amazing guest entrepreneurs about what's to come in 2020.
Visit RachealCook.com/show for complete show notes, and follow along on Instagram.
Racheal catches up with friends and CEOs Cate Stillman of Yogahealer and Amanda Cook of Wellpreneur to share how their business have evolved and where they're growing!
Visit RachealCook.com/show for complete show notes, and follow along on Instagram.
You're confident and ready to record a podcast and have it produced, but how can you make sure it brings value to your business? In this episode, Jameson and I share strategy that delivers value to your audience and brings ideal clients to you!
Visit RachealCook.com/show for complete show notes, and get a free consult on your podcast plans at JamesonCook.com
One of the top goals I've been hearing from women entrepreneurs this year is that they want to start a podcast. I've invited my podcast producer and husband Jameson Cook to talk about everything you need to get started podcasting in 2020.
Visit RachealCook.com/show for complete show notes, and get a free consult on your podcast plans at JamesonCook.com
An interview with my own coach Tara Newman, a business strategist and organizational psychology expert, whose practice of a CEO Debrief taught me how to slow down, so I can speed up!
Visit RachealCook.com/show for complete show notes, and begin putting CEO Dates to work for you with the RachealCook.com/CEO-Planner
Racheal revisits a very special invitation she received from fan Shannon Siriano Greenwood to attend an annual Thank You Party, and the surprising impact that gratitude practices can have in your business!
Get the download 25 ways to practice business gratitude right here:: https://www.rachealcook.com/episode26/
In today's episode, I'm introducing my new print planner! I'm so excited, and want to share why I built this, what it took to create it, and what you can find inside to keep you accountable and following through with all your great plans for next year.
Visit RachealCook.com/blog for the complete show notes from this episode, and get YOUR copy of the CEO Planner at RachealCook.com/CEO-Planner/
The #1 reason most people fail to achieve their goals? They don't have a clear PLAN to keep them focused.
So today, we're taking all your insights from this week and turning them into a monthly marketing and sales plan for 2020.
For the full challenge (and planning workbooks) go to RachealCook.com/Best-Year-Ever
Knowing that business, like life, has its ebbs and flows will help you to be a more resilient and proactive CEO.
So today, we're setting SMART, strategic goals to help you stay laser focused on what you really want in your life and business!
For the full challenge (and planning workbooks) go to RachealCook.com/Best-Year-Ever
There is nothing I love more than working with entrepreneurs on the overall strategy that moves their business by default into a business by design! So let's make success happen in 2020!
For the full challenge (and planning workbooks) go to RachealCook.com/Best-Year-Ever
Today, we're continuing our journey to plan your best year ever by designing your dream life next year. Why start with your life and lifestyle and not your business?
For the full challenge (and planning workbooks) go to RachealCook.com/Best-Year-Ever
Ready to Plan Your Best Year Ever? Now is the perfect time to ramp up to 2020 before the holiday season kicks off!
In this episode, we are starting with a year in review to learn the biggest lessons 2019 has to share with us about what is - and isn't - working in your business.
For the full challenge (and planning workbooks) go to RachealCook.com/Best-Year-Ever
What is YOUR Definition of Success? Yes - you CAN have it all! But first, you've gotta define what it all means to you!
Find the full show notes including the free workbook mentioned in today's episode at RachealCook.com.
And if you've been loving the Promote Yourself to CEO, take a screenshot of this episode, then share and tag me on Instagram!!
Have you been wondering if it's time for you to turn your years of experience working 1x1 with clients into a group program or online course? Friend and LinkedIn expert Judy Fox joins me to share her lessons learned as she created her very first group program.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
Racheal shares a LIVE interview with amazing women about how they built their businesses.
We’ve already welcomed so many amazing entrepreneurs into this 6 month Sweet Spot Strategy experience.
Entrepreneurs who just like you, found themselves at a turning point in their life where they asked 'Can I REALLY Do This?' as they considered taking the leap of faith to create success on their terms.
Entrepreneurs who were feeling stuck as they tried to figure everything out on their own.
Entrepreneurs who worried they would have to hustle and grind for 80 hours a week for years before their business would provide a decent living.
Maybe these are some of the things you've been worried about too.
I'm so excited to host several of my Sweet Spot Strategy Alumni for How She Built This LIVE! Listen in!
Join us for THE final round of Sweet Spot Strategy and be part of the online masterclass-meets-mastermind experience for women entrepreneurs ready for sustainable success!
If you’ve been listening to Promote Yourself to CEO, you know that I’m passionate about helping women entrepreneurs find sustainable success without the hustle or burnout.
But what if your business isn’t bringing in consistent clients each and every month?
This episode is here to help you turn things around - so 6 months from now, you can confidently share the news that your biz is consistently attracting new dream clients and you're finally paying yourself a great salary to match!
✓ The CEO Mindset Shift required for women entrepreneurs to get OFF the revenue rollercoaster once and for all.
✓ Real-Life Examples of Women Entrepreneurs Running Profitable, Sustainable Businesses without 80 hour work weeks and business burnout.
✓ The Simplest Way to Create Baseline Revenue Plan built around your desired weekly work schedule and even includes paid time off.
✓ The 5 Part Marketing System that consistently attracts new paying clients into your business – even when you’re on vacation.
✓ The Single Most Effective Way to PLAN for Predictable Profits and why you MUST have this in place if you’re ready to stop hustling so hard for your next client.
This episode is a replay of the most popular live masterclass I've ever created for women entrepreneurs who are ready to stop stressing over clients and cashflow and start feeling CONFIDENT with your plan for predictable profits!
Plus - I share a big announcement about why I’m retiring my signature online masterclass-meets-mastermind Sweet Spot Strategy and how you can join me for 6 months of business strategy & support.
Find all the details at YourSweetSpotStrategy.com/enroll
Here I share the response I gave to one of my clients who was struggling to get signups for an amazing offering that she knew would deliver results. If you've been hoping to shift from one-off sessions to bigger programs and packages, this one's for you.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
After a while running your business, you may feel the need for a change. But can your business survive a transition? In this CEO Confession, copywriter turned launch strategist Tarzan Kay shares how she pivoted in her biz and lessons learned along the way.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
This episode is brought to you by the history of my online business. From 1x1 consulting to groups and online courses, mine is a story of slow and steady success. Listen in to hear the work and time required to transition, pivot, and grow your biz online.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
There's more to entrepreneurial burnout than can be cured with time management and productivity tips. Today I share 5 causes of burnout, and the true ways to remedy each one.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
Ever notice how quickly people are becoming household names these days? Inside this episode, I've invited Angie Trueblood to share her expertise in biz visibility and how YOU can become that next industry-household name by learning to pitch yourself.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
When your biz is new, getting the word out feels simple: everyone's excited, you get a nice up front audience, paying clients, and then... Your list fizzles. It's time to STAY excited, market your biz, and attract new audience members day after day.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
Do you feel like you’re marketing isn't working? If the answer is yes - you’ll want to listen into today’s episode because we’re diving into the three reasons your marketing isn’t working… and how to fix it!
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
The tools that we teach at The CEO Retreat have the power to transform your business – and the best part? It’s not about working harder! For today’s episode of Promote Yourself to CEO, I invited Missy to come share her top takeaways from The CEO Retreat.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
Do you ever go to work, realize there's tons to be done, but that none of it really feels like it's helping you reach your goals? Today's a lesson in the practice that keeps me on track every week, month, and year towards achieving my business goals.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
Have you ever had your best ideas in the shower or on your morning walk?
Our brains need white space for higher creativity and performance.
In this episode, I'm sharing how prioritizing more vacation time will help you to become a better CEO.
If you love this episode, please take a screenshot and share on Instagram! Tag me @Racheal.Cook and let me know your biggest aha or insight.
For full show notes, head over to RachealCook.com/show
A vulnerable CEO confession, this episode shares Racheal's personal story of comparisonitis and the hard feelings that came with it. But best of all, the tools that helped her move past it all.
Visit RachealCook.com/show for the full show notes.
Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast in iTunes to hear every episode on its release!
We all have the same 168 hours a week, but there's a point for entrepreneurs where working more hours is not the answer. How do you get to that next level in your business? Today, I’m sharing 6 lessons learned as I’ve grown my business 6 figures.
Visit RachealCook.com/show for the full show notes.
Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast in iTunes to hear every episode on its release!
In today’s CEO Confession, I dig into the most dangerous thing an entrepreneur can say to themselves: "I’m not ready." I get real and raw about where this thought has really held me back in my own business - and how I’ve learned to take the leap anyways.
Visit RachealCook.com/show for the full show notes.
Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast in iTunes to hear every episode on its release!
I have a CEO Confession: I've been a bit lazy in my business. Today's episode takes you behind the scenes of my online mastermind to an honest talk about breaking out of my comfort zone, investing in a leadership coach, and finding clarity on what's next for my biz.
Visit RachealCook.com/show for the full show notes.
Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast in iTunes to hear every episode on its release!
Between vacations and activities, how do you find time for work projects during the summer? Join me to learn how I've leveraged the summer months to write 2 books, create new programs, and offer VIP days! See the show notes and download your Mid-Year Review workbook at RachealCook.com/summer-schedule.
A few months ago, Jameson joined me on FB Live to chat about what it's looked like for him to support me over the last 10 years growing this biz! Listen in with your spouse if you're ready to grow a predictably profitable business!
Set yourself up for lasting success in your biz with Sweet Spot Strategy!
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
To cap off The Path to Predictable Profits series, Racheal's here to answer listener questions! This episode covers your entrepreneur Qs about virtual and live events, prioritizing focus, customer journey, finding clients, and transitioning in business.
Set yourself up for lasting success in your biz with Sweet Spot Strategy!
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
If you're anything like me, there comes the point in your business where your business needs to step up and support you and support your family if you're going to stick with it.
We all got through those startup stages of our business where we knew it was going to take awhile to figure things out and to get people in the door.
Once you get a little bit further along on your journey and you're ready to make this your full-time focus, you need your business to pay you a real paycheck.
No one loves to run a business that can't support the entrepreneur running it.
This is why it's so, so important to have a game plan for how you're going to design that predictably profitable business.
Show Notes::
http://www.rachealcook.com/profit-plan/
Free Masterclass::
http://www.yoursweetspotstrategy.com
Let me ask you, have you ever found yourself just hustling, hustling, hustling in your business?
You feel like you're doing all the things to bring clients into your business, but you're just not seeing a steady flow of new potential clients who are ready to work with you.
If your experience as an entrepreneur has been inconsistent clients and inconsistent cash flow, then I want you to keep watching because today we're going to talk about this significant leak that is happening in so many entrepreneur's businesses.
This leak prevents those dream clients from becoming paying clients and the good news is once you understand what this leak is, it's simple to fix.
Backstory: I was at an event not too long ago, and everybody got one of those enormous post-it note papers. The assignment at this event was to map out your business in the next 12 months.
There were a couple of different sections everybody was filling out. They were filling out what they were offering, a lot of people had a lot of different offers going on. Multiple things they wanted to offer and sell, different products, programs, and services.
They also had a section for your marketing plan. I started looking around the room at the marketing plan, and I realized everybody in this room has a leaky business and here's why; because their marketing plan was not working together.
It was not working together.
It was a smattering of tips, and tricks, and tactics but it wasn't putting the pieces together and making sure they led to your offers. Nothing was cohesive, and the minute I shared with them a different way to approach this, all the light bulbs went off.
Most people when they sit down and write out a marketing plan, think about all of the activities they need to do. They need to have a newsletter, and they need to blog, they need to do a podcast, they need to be on social media
There's no point of focus, and there's no consistency in what they're doing and making sure that it all works together.
Show Notes::
http://www.rachealcook.com/predictable-profit-strategy/
Free Masterclass::
http://www.yoursweetspotstrategy.com
Are you working too hard in your business... but still not seeing results???
Today I'm sharing the #1 Mistake that is holding most entrepreneurs back from predictable profits... HINT HINT... it's not about doing more!
Show Notes::
http://www.rachealcook.com/predictably-profitable-business/
Free Masterclass! 3 Essential Strategies to Design a Predictably Profitable Business::
http://www.yoursweetspotstrategy.com
Today, all those fixer-upper binge watching sessions are paying off as I share some of my favorite lessons from Ms. Joanna Gaines that you can apply into your business. Check it out.
One of the things that I have seen over the years is that often my students want to skip ahead.
They want to skip ahead to what seems to be the more fun and interesting stuff. They want to skip ahead to the marketing strategy and to other things that they think sound more important in their business.
I started thinking about how I could explain why the foundational pieces are so important. I went on the treadmill at the gym, watching Fixer-Upper – which is one of my absolute favorite shows. I don’t even have a TV, but I have watched every single episode of Fixer-Upper.
So today I'm sharing the two biggest lessons from Joanna Gaines on building a sustainable business!
Show Notes::
http://www.rachealcook.com/building-sustainable-businesses/
Free Masterclass! 3 Essential Strategies to Design a Predictably Profitable Business::
This is such an important piece of the entrepreneurship puzzle and I don’t think it’s talked about enough. We are in a current entrepreneurial culture right now that seems to worship the hustle, the badge of honor that comes with saying, “I work 12 hours a day,” or 16 hours a day. “I’m putting in 80-100 hour weeks.”
But, I shared some statistics recently in a new master class 3 Essential Strategies to Design a Predictably Profitable Business.
One of the things that really shakes me is that despite the rate of people starting new small businesses, 80% of those small businesses will close their doors within the first 18 months.
The survival rate beyond that is abysmal. It’s terrible. Most people simply are not making sustainability a part of the conversation when they are starting their business and running their business.
After being at this for nearly a decade on my own, I’m here to tell you that if you’re in your business for the long haul:
Sustainability is just as important as profitability.
Show Notes::
http://www.rachealcook.com/sustainable-business/
Free Masterclass! 3 Essential Strategies to Design a Predictably Profitable Business::
In this intense two-episode series, Racheal looks at the current opportunities for new entrepreneurs and how she would start a biz NOW, with her practical and profitable experience. Part 2 leads you from getting clients through social marketing!
See the FULL show notes and get the Business Growth Checklist at RachealCook.com
Learn more about the Get More Clients and signup for the Masterclass!
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
In this intense two-episode series, Racheal looks at the current opportunities for new entrepreneurs and how she would start a biz NOW, with her practical and profitable experience. Part 1 highlights the questions to ask yourself as you begin your journey.
See the FULL show notes and get the Business Growth Checklist at RachealCook.com
Learn more about the Get More Clients and signup for the Masterclass!
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
How do you find clients when you're just getting started? Today I interview nutritionist Cristina Hoyt, a friend and client who shares with us how she started using the Get More Clients systems to start FILLING her monthly client docket!
Learn more about the Get More Clients and signup for the Masterclass!
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
When it comes to getting new clients, high-touch always wins out over high tech. Especially when you are in the start-up stage of your business or you simply don't have a large audience.
And the conversion rates speak for themselves. Even a brand-new coach, consultant, or service provider could see one-out-of-four phone calls translate into a paying client. That's a 25% conversion rate. When you compare that to the standard 1-2% of your email list converting into clients with a traditional online launch, it's easy to see that your energy may be best spent picking up the phone.
The challenge? Actually knowing how to have calls convert into clients {without feeling like a sleazy salesperson}.
Without a real understanding of how this call fits into your Customer Journey, it's really easy for these calls to quickly become an exercise in potential clients just picking your brain.
And that's why so many entrepreneurs become frustrated! They are constantly spending time on the phone, feeling like they are having fantastic conversations, but not seeing a ROI in real paying clients.
Wondering what's happening? Here's 5 reasons why your calls aren't converting into clients::
If you’ve been following along, you know that the foundation of any solid 1x1 business model is HIGH-TOUCH, making the time to reach out and talk with potential clients.
But who do you reach out to?
Where do you find these mythical dream clients?
In the early days of my business, whenever I needed to generate revenue I would challenge myself to come up with at least 10 ways I could get in front of the right potential clients. And that practice helped me find my go-to strategy I could pull out of my back-pocket whenever I needed to fill my client docket {and it worked so well I turned my system into the Get More Clients program}.
But I’m not the only one with back-pocket strategy! I’ve found that most experienced entrepreneurs have a similar strategy they turn to anytime cashflow is tight or they need a revenue boost. My favorite part? These strategies don’t require a big list, big launch, or complicated marketing!
Let’s dive into 25 favorite strategies to find more potential private clients for your business!
http://www.rachealcook.com/backpocket/
Welcome to part three of the Get More Clients series! In this series, I'm sharing my favorite strategies to help you book more clients {and generate more cashflow} without all lots of marketing or complicated technology. If you missed the first two posts in the series, then you can catch up right here::
1:: Why Working 1×1 Is The Fastest Path To Cash
There's a myth in the online business space that launching a passive product is the fastest path to cash. For many, working 1x1 is the answer! This post shares why working 1x1 is a smart move to building a solid business foundation.
2:: 3 Reasons You’re Not Getting Clients In Your Business
If you're not getting clients, it's likely because your value is getting lost in translation. This post helps you find the 'leaks' in your current communication so you get more clients in the door!
Now onto the third installment of the Get More Clients series! In this post, I'm getting into the simplest, easiest way you can start filling your client docket. In fact - this is EXACTLY the process I used to book $10K within my first 2 weeks back after a year long maternity leave.
In 2017 when nearly every business finds itself online, a lot of entrepreneurs find themselves stressing over all the online marketing strategies that may actually be holding them back from growing their business.
We feel like we can't start our business before we launch our website.
We believe that we've gotta grow our email list to 1000 people before we can offer anything for those people to buy.
We spend months and years blogging and building an audience before we work up the courage to actually invite people to work with us... then we start with an inexpensive $20 e-book {which requires you to sell thousands in order to bring in much needed revenue}.
But what if you don't have months to slowly build an audience?
Welcome back to the Get More Clients series! In this five-part series, I'm sharing my best tips to help you fill your private client docket. If you’re just tuning in, then you might have missed the first post in this series. I recommend reading that first:
Why Working 1×1 Is The Fastest Path To Cash
And today... we're doing some troubleshooting to ensure that you're not making these big mistakes in your client attracting plan!
Solopreneurs often themselves in this position where we’re doing everything we can think of to grow our business - we’re checking all of the marketing items off the list - but it’s just not delivering enough paying clients.
So when I get an email list this...
Hello Racheal,
I started my life coaching business a year ago, and I feel like no matter what I try, I’m just not getting clients. It’s really, REALLY frustrating. I’m blogging, sending emails to my subscribers, and posting on social media, but nothing changes.
At this point, I’m not sure what else to do, or where the gap is. I don’t want to scare off my list with email after email pitching to hire me, but revenue is inconsistent and I'm struggling to keep my calendar full. Help!
... I know that 99% of the time, there is likely a missing piece of the profit-generating puzzle. There’s a disconnect between you and your potential clients that’s preventing them from taking that next step towards working with you.
It doesn’t matter if you’re needing to pay your rent, wanting to take your family on a vacation, or if you’re ready to sign up for an amazing business training you've had your eye on.
In this day and age, many people believe that if they can just whip out a passive income product – like a DVD or eBook – or an online program, they’ll be rolling in the dough in no time.
And while I love creating online offerings + passive income streams, there’s a faster, easier, zero-tech way to start bringing in those dolla dolla bills.
And it’s not offering a huge discount on your services…
It’s not hosting a flash sale of your programs…
Ready for it?
The fastest path to cash is working 1×1 with clients.
What would happen to your business, your income, and your clients if a life emergency forced you to pause? Today, I'm sharing how my biz continues to run like clockwork and generate over $15K in the last 2 weeks when my entire family was down with the flu.
Learn more about The CEO Retreat and get YOUR tickets at http://www.rachealcook.com/CEO-Retreat
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
Do you ever find yourself feeling frustrated and unfocused in your business to the point where you know you aren't doing the things that need to be done to get you to those business goals?
If so, listen up, because today we are talking about the one practice I have put in place in my business that ensures that I'm staying focused and staying on track every week, month, and year towards achieving those big business goals.
One of the most significant challenges I hear from women entrepreneurs is we set those big dreams. We set those big goals at the beginning of the year, but a few weeks, a few months in, we find ourselves off track.
We find ourselves struggling with those shiny objects that keep asking for our attention, begging for our attention, and, as a result, we're not getting where we need to go.
Do you relate to that feeling of sitting down at your desk and just feeling completely unsure of where your time and energy should be focused every day?
If that's you, you're in luck, because today we are talking about a practice that I call my weekly CEO date.
Writing a bio, crafting an about page, and giving an elevator pitch are often challenging even for veteran entrepreneurs. Today, Dr. Michelle Mazur joins me to talk about her book 3 Word Rebellion, and how to make your messaging resonate!
Learn more about The CEO Retreat and get YOUR tickets at http://www.rachealcook.com/CEO-Retreat
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
It's impossible to grow a profitable, sustainable business when your time goes to $10/hr busywork instead of $1000/hr CEO level, big picture tasks. Today, learn the system to keep your biggest priorities front and center for growth!
Learn more about The CEO Retreat and get YOUR tickets at http://www.rachealcook.com/CEO-Retreat
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
The nitty-gritty day to day IN your business is always full - from admin to social to service and back. But what about working ON your business? How do you get more time dedicate to working ON the big picture? Let's build real CEO time into your business!
Learn more about The CEO Retreat and get YOUR tickets at http://www.rachealcook.com/CEO-Retreat
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
Today, Margaret Cogswell joins me to share her top takeaways from The CEO Retreat - my 1-day event that helped her 2-year-old business see a 4X in revenue!
Learn more about The CEO Retreat and get YOUR tickets at http://www.rachealcook.com/CEO-Retreat
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
If you’re feeling like the kind of success you really want is only reserved for those who can handle non-stop stress, grind, and hustle... then I can’t wait to share how you can have more ease and less stress in your business.
In this episode of Uncomplicate Your Business, I'm sharing one of my favorite trainings with myself and my amazing team to talk about why promoting yourself to CEO is essential to create the success you're looking for in your business.
Learn more about The CEO Retreat at http://www.rachealcook.com/CEO-Retreat
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
With so many things to do, how do you know what to focus on next?
In this episode of Uncomplicate Your Business, I'm asking you the TOP 3 questions to help you decide what you need to be investing your time and energy into to see real results in 2019.
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
Entrepreneurship looks glam on social media with beautiful photo shoots and inspirational quotes... but the reality is far from it! Today, I'm chatting with some amazing ladies who share a real look at the messy middle of entrepreneurship.
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
As much as we all LOVE our businesses, there's a major downside of being an entrepreneur we rarely talk about: It feels like you can never escape your business.
Even when you’re not sitting at your desk… you’re reading about business. You’re talking about business. You’re coming up with a million new ideas for your business.
Which is why it’s so ironic that the #1 reason most women become entrepreneurs is to create FREEDOM in our lives!
Today, I’m going to share exactly how I run my business in just 25 hours a week.
Have you ever wondered why it is that at the end of some weeks you feel like you’ve been incredibly busy, but you look back and realize you haven’t really done anything that is moving you towards your goals in your business or in your life?
I want to share this little demonstration with you to help you understand how you can better prioritize how you approach your week.
Ready to achieve your big goals? Start with the big rocks first!
Today I'm going to share with you why I created a live in person event for my online business, and all the lessons I've learned from a year of my live events: the CEO Retreat.
See the full show notes at RachealCook.com!
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
I invite bodywork entrepreneur Mindy Totten to share how the overwhelm of offering more to a wide audience can be remedied by leaning into your dream work, and the niche that's perfect-for-you.
See the full show notes at RachealCook.com!
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
An interview with Tara Newman, a stellar coach seeing women toward more intentional leadership with her strategy of a CEO Debrief.
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
Time for a REAL PLAN to say NO to shiny objects and YES to strategic action steps that move you closer to your dream business and life each and every day!
Join the challenge at RachealCook.com/best-year-ever.
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
Time for a REAL PLAN to say NO to shiny objects and YES to strategic action steps that move you closer to your dream business and life each and every day!
Join the challenge at RachealCook.com/best-year-ever.
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
Time for a REAL PLAN to say NO to shiny objects and YES to strategic action steps that move you closer to your dream business and life each and every day!
Join the challenge at RachealCook.com/best-year-ever.
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
Time for a REAL PLAN to say NO to shiny objects and YES to strategic action steps that move you closer to your dream business and life each and every day!
Join the challenge at RachealCook.com/best-year-ever.
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
Time for a REAL PLAN to say NO to shiny objects and YES to strategic action steps that move you closer to your dream business and life each and every day!
Join the challenge at RachealCook.com/best-year-ever.
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
What is YOUR Definition of Success? Yes - you CAN have it all! But first, you've gotta define what it all means to you!
Find the full show notes at RachealCook.com.
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
Creating content is a huge part of my marketing strategy, but showing up consistently for nearly 10 years means having a solid content strategy in place.
If you’ve ever struggled to know what to talk about, listen in!
Find the full show notes at RachealCook.com.
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
You've got the messaging, and just need the right audience. These 3 strategies can help you grow your audience in the short term AND in the long run.
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
Getting the word out about your business takes a ton of work. And despite all the blog posts, newsletters, Instagrams...you may not be seeing the results you'd like. Today we’re diving into the three reasons your marketing isn’t working…and how to fix it!
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
Over the last year, I’ve done nearly 100 Facebook Live episodes of the Uncomplicate Your Business Show! It’s been my favorite way to create amazing free content for my community, so today, I thought I’d break down the good, the bad, and the ugly of hosting a Facebook Live show.
Join Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
And follow Racheal on Instagram!
Do you ever find yourself doubting the value of your offering, or worse, discounting clients because you're afraid they'll doubt it? Today I'm joined by money mindset coach Laura Cook, who's here to help you offer and earn what you're worth.
Join Laura for her Master Your Money Mindset Challenge!
Follow Racheal on Facebook and learn why entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so hard!
Don't forget to see Racheal on Instagram!
You’ve got more ideas than you know what to do with. But which idea is the RIGHT idea? Today, I’m sharing a simple and strategic framework that will help you filter your ideas so you can choose the ONE that you’ll focus on for the next 90 days.
We heart-centered entrepreneurs love what we do. But ask us to do marketing, and we'll feel sleazy. If you’ve felt resistant to marketing – you’re in for a treat. Today, we’re not talking about marketing. We’re diving deep into the science of resonance.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if your calendar, workshops, and programs filled quickly with clients you ADORE working with, AND you knew EXACTLY what to offer your community? It’s actually easier than you might think to make this dream come true…
You’ve probably done about a million goal-setting exercises. But there’s a problem: most goal-setting focuses on GETTING...which leads to feelings of “not enough.” Today – we’re NOT doing goal setting.
Entrepreneurs are idea machines! But too many ideas can end up holding you back from creating a business and life you really love Here's how you can start narrowing your focus on the ideas that will move you forward!
Truthfully, you don’t have to sacrifice your health, family, happiness, or spirit to have a successful thriving business. You just need some flexible systems that give you just enough support to stay on track AND to evolve as you do!
Maybe your workday starts with 30 minutes of “getting organized”, weeding through emails and poking around Facebook. If so, you could be wasting over 120 hours every year! If you’re ready to take back your day, you’re gonna love today’s challenge!
It’s reality check time:: Are you any closer to your dreams than you were 1 week ago? 1 month ago? 1 year ago? Not quite? It’s time to master the art of FOCUS!
Your business is NOT an emergency! It's time to pump the brakes on the never-ending to-do list. Listen in for the 4-part framework I use to approach my business tasks mindfully, and with perfect prioritization.
If you’re a heart-centered entrepreneur… you started your business because you wanted to share your passion with the world! But are you really doing what you love? Or are you finding yourself up to your eyeballs doing WORK?
You Get Laser Focus, Turbocharged Productivity, and Bigger Results FASTER with The Fired Up & Focused Challenge.
You’ll get excited about your business again – because you’ll kiss stress and busywork goodbye. You’ll be doing the right things … at the right time … the right way.
Visit firedupandfocused.com ASAP to participate in the LIVE Challenge and get YOUR invitation to join the Facebook Group!
Tami was spinning her wheels trying to figure out how to really get her business as a yoga teacher/life coach/self-care advocate off the ground. With the right Q&A, Tami got the help she needed to take off, and the insight into her unique brand.
Imagine putting hours into creating an online membership program – only to launch and only earn $60 in that first month. Catherine Middlebrooks shares how she recovered from such a rough start to 5-figure freedom.
Imagine going from working with 40 private clients, 6 days a week to streamlining your entire business so you can work just 3 ½ days a week so you can finally have your dream business with your dream lifestyle to match.
Recently, I did a free training along with my operations manager and my community manager to talk about a topic that I think is just so incredibly important for any entrepreneur:: Are You The Employee, The Manager, or The CEO?
With so many tasks - great and small - necessary to run a business, we entrepreneurs can end up spending just as much time on the little things as on the big picture.
In this episode, I share the Entrepreneur Scorecard, so that you can learn how to track your time in your business, put a value metric on the to-dos in your business, and move forward with a plan to spend more time on the $10,000 an hour type work!
Listen in to learn::
➳ The key differences between working in your own business as The Employee, The Manager, and The CEO (and how not knowing this difference is keeping you stuck in a rut!)
➳ How to make the shift from employee to CEO - even if you're just getting started and don't have a team to support you.
➳ Why the most successful CEOs prioritize stepping out of the day-to-day of their business to dream big and plan the next stage of their business growth
I'm so excited that my team is joining me for this live mini-training because they will share the real behind-the-scenes of how it's not always easy for me to stay in the role of CEO!
Want to join me for the CEO Retreat in DC? All the details and registration are here: http://www.rachealcook.com/ceo-retreat/
Enjoy!
Racheal
It's no secret that I'm an AVID reader... so today I thought it would be fun to share my 5 MUST READ books for entrepreneurs (and I'm giving them away to one lucky person)!
http://www.rachealcook.com/books-every-entrepreneur-should-read/
Nearly 20,000 entrepreneurs have participated in the Fired Up & Focused challenge over the years. I’ve noticed that one of the biggest struggles for most entrepreneurs isn’t that they don’t have amazing ideas to grow their businesses… it’s that they don’t have the TIME to work on the big picture!
I get it.
The day to day of running any business is full of things to do. Working with clients. Answering emails. Posting on social media. But all these tasks that fill most of our work days fall under the category of IN your business.
What about working ON your business? Do you have time to…
- Write that book that you’ve been thinking about for years?
- Create the group or online program that synthesizes everything you’ve learned working with your clients… and finally allow you to scale beyond your 1×1 work?
- Implement the systems in your business that would automate or allow you to easily outsource everything from attracting new clients to making regular consistent sales of your products, programs, or services?
You know that these big picture ideas would be game changers in your business… suddenly you’d open up new revenue streams, reach and serve more people, and finally be working smarter.
But how do you get more dedicated time to work ON the big picture?
Here are 3 upgrades to help you build more CEO time into your business.
Last week I dove in with a pretty epic episode about the 6 lessons I have learned on this journey to becoming a multiple six-figure CEO of my business.
These are lessons that I see a lot of my peers and clients learning as they start making that transition from being a high five-figure entrepreneur to hitting six-figures and then trending towards multiple six-figures.
$150,000-$200,000 is a professional salary that replaces a lot of our former corporate salaries and then some. And that's really exciting, right?
But there are a few mindset shifts we need to go through in order to accomplish that.
Most of us start this business because we want to do work we love with people we love and be well-paid for it.
But when you break down the hours, you realize you might be getting to spend 50% of your time doing the actual work that you love and the rest of the time is spent running a business.
What happens to a lot of us is we start off doing all the things in our business and we get to a point where we just cannot grow.
We create this ceiling in how much we can grow our business. We max out on clients, then we max out on our prices, and then what are we to do? Where do we go next?
Here's a few mindset shifts that six-figure CEOs know that a lot of entrepreneurs who are struggling to hit that six-figure mark haven't embraced yet.
Do you get frustrated when people say that you need to work smarter not harder? This is one of those concepts that used to frustrate me so much. I was raised by entrepreneurial parents who worked so incredibly hard to grow their business.
The idea of hard work was drilled into me from such a young age that it was essential to have a strong work ethic. We have been taught with the idea that to create success, to have a successful career, to build a successful business, you have to work hard.
However, some point we've all looked up to a hardworking man or women and noticed they only were able to reach a certain level.
BUT, at some point working harder creates a bottleneck in your business. It creates this area where you can no longer grow, and you limit, you put a ceiling on how much growth you can experience in your business.
We all have the same 168 hours a week, and there is just a point where working more is not the answer.
How do you get to that next level in your business?
Do you feel like you're on track for your 2018 goals?
This is such a challenging time of year. Especially if you are like me, summer is upon us. If you have children and schools are being let out. Our schedules are being shaken up.
Things start to slow down and as an entrepreneur it can be one of those times where if you're not paying attention, then you might find yourself in that summer slow down where suddenly your business takes a back seat for the next two or three months.
By the time fall rolls around and you're ready to really go after those goals you've lost out on this amazing opportunity in front of you to just make it happen.
I know that for myself, sometimes those goals that you set at the beginning of the year shift. Sometimes you write down something at the beginning of the year and it changes as you go through the next few months.
I've already experienced this in my own business. So every time I get to June I go through this process that I call a mid year review.
I think it's so important every once in awhile to just press pause, take a little time off. Take a little CEO date for yourself and check in with your business to see if you are on track to achieve your big goals.
This is a process I take myself through and I take my clients through because it is so important to just press pause and actually reflect on your progress so far.
If you don't take time to get strategic then you can lose several months of momentum.
Let me know if this sounds familiar to you. Have you ever said:
I'm not ready to take that step.
I'm not ready to sign up to work with a coach.
I'm not ready to put my website out there.
I'm not ready to do a Facebook Live.
I'm not ready to charge that much.
I'm not ready to attract that type of client.
I know I've had every single one of those thoughts. Here's what I just want to share with you if you have been letting the "I'm not ready" run the show.
"I'm not ready" is just your brain trying to keep you playing small and safe.Saying "I'm not ready, I'm not ready to charge. I'm not ready to do a huge rebrand of my website. I'm not ready to work with a business coach. I'm not ready to hire a virtual assistant".
If that is the default that you're going to is "I'm not ready yet", that is a fear-based response.
Over the last few weeks I have been sharing the Path to Predictable Profits, it has been an epic seven part Facebook Live series. It's been so much fun to share these lessons with you, things that will help you to grow your business to getting that consistent $5,000 a month or that consistent $10,000 a month.
After we covered all of that, now it's time for an Ask Me Anything!
Listen in as we cover:- "I'm interested to know more about how you mesh in-person trainings with online business. We do both and it's not always easy!" Answer at 4:30
- "I would love tips to fill retreats and in-person events." Answer at 10:30
- "As a locally based business with a 1x1 offering, I'm still struggling to figure out where to put more energy to build my practice. Where should I put my focus to get more peeps in the door?" Answer at 15:27
- "Do you constantly monitor your analytics to see where you can make improvements? What processes do you have in place to make sure your ideal clients have a smooth process from prospect to buyer?" Answer at 20:08
- "I'm very new to starting my own business. My biggest hurdle is knowing how to best seek out quality clients. I'm still employed in my 8-5 job and many of those clients would be great clients for my business. However, I feel that would be a conflict of interest. I need income until my business is stable, where else should I look for quality clients?" Answer at 27:33
- "Do you have a resource to help me create my signature offering?" Answer at 33:37
- "How did you know it was the right time to switch from The Yogipreneur to Racheal Cook MBA and how did you navigate that?" Answer at 40:11
Listen in as we cover:
- How do you create a model calendar or a 90 day plan when time can be so unpredictable? (answer at 1:10)
- What is your process of creating content upgrades as DIYer? (answer at 8:27)
- How do you deliver your content once you've created it? (answer at 11:20)
- What are some strategies when you're tired, feeling distant with your business and just don't feel like selling or promoting anything? (answer at 15:33)
- What are your tips for writing a great sales page for an online course? (answer at 26:16)
- What are your tips for growing your tribe or warming up a new audience? (answer at 29:25)
- Is the CEO retreat only for coaches? (answer at 32:25)
- What are your tips for time management? Where do I even begin with prioritizing tasks? (answer at 35:02)
- I started a blog a few years ago and I have neglected it a bit since. Do you recommend picking up where I left off or scrapping it and starting fresh? (answer at 38:26)
Us entrepreneurs - we are idea generating machines.
We see opportunities everywhere. We discover new solutions to old problems. On a daily basis we're inspired to create something new that could change the world.
Our biggest strength is can also be our biggest weakness. Those new ideas all too easily become shiny objects that hold us back from gaining the momentum we need to build a profitable, sustainable business.
I'm so excited for today's show because the last few weeks for Uncomplicate Your Business, I have been sharing a lot about how you can design the life you love while you grow your dream business.
This is something that I feel like we leave out of the whole business building equation. We end up finding ourselves completely burned out, realizing that we haven't been taking care of our health, we haven't been spending quality time with our families, we haven't been having a life as we grow our business because we feel like we just have to hustle, hustle, hustle nonstop instead of finding that balance.
The last few weeks, we've been talking about how you can design your dream life while you grow your business. Today is an ask me anything, an ask me anything about how I manage to find that balance.
After working with hundreds of heart-centered entrepreneurs… I’ve seen a pattern that many of us buy into {that’s actually setting us up for insane amounts of stress and anxiety in our businesses}.
While we all want to create a business and life we love, I see many of us DELAYING the life we love because we believe that FIRST we’ve gotta work our fingers to the bone to create a successful business.
The result?
Burnout.
Resentment.
And a nagging feeling that we aren’t ENOUGH.
Even if you absolutely love the work that you’re doing and adore your clients… if you’re life is all work and no play, it’s only a matter of time before you hit a limit to how much success, happiness, and freedom you’ll really be able to experience in your biz.
As a recovering workaholic, this is a pattern I know all too well.
Today, I’m getting a little controversial by saying MORE HUSTLE isn’t the answer to sustainable business growth.
Here’s the challenge and the issue that I really have with this hustle mentality. First of all, we don’t all have 12-18 hours a day to work. We just don’t.
For so many of us, there are other things that require our time and our attention. The idea that you could work 12-18 hours a day, like some sort of machine, is just not realistic.
Have you ever had that moment where you think you’re doing the right things to grow your business...but you feel like a kid wearing your mom’s high heels, pretending to be a grown-up?
This is a pretty prevalent way to feel for most business owners especially in your first few years in business. We're surrounded by all the incredible success stories of $10,000 months and 6-figure launches... but when we don't see the same results using the same strategies, we wonder what we're doing wrong.
It comes down to this one simple question:: Is your business ready for growth?
I have been working on today's podcast episode for so many months now. I've been thinking about it and planning it and now I'm just so excited to share this new strategy that I've been developing to help you plan your best week ever.
But before I dive into it, this week's content is based on something I have been using in my business and it's actually something I started developing because I realized a lot of my private clients were struggling with very specific things in their business.
What I started to see over and over again as I had conversations with them and sessions with them was the biggest reason they were struggling in these areas of business was because talking with me was the only time during their week that they had those things front and center in their mind.
The rest of the week it was really easy to forget about their big priorities. About what they needed to be focused on in their business. This is something that I understand. I get it.
If you don't have a strategy, a system, a tool to help you keep your biggest priorities in front of you all the time, it's really easy to forget them. It's really easy to push them to the side.
Ready? Let's dive in.
New Year is when we all dream big dreams and make big plans for our lives and business… but then LIFE gets in the way and that little list of dreams and goals is covered by all the other to-dos clamoring for your attention. You need more than a post it of goals… you need a real plan to say NO to shiny objects and YES to strategic action steps that move you closer to your dream business and life each and every day.
Get Fired Up & Focused When You Plan Your Best Year Ever!
In just 5 days… I’ll walk you through a strategic planning process to help you design your year ahead. You’ll walk away with real clarity and an action plan you can start implementing immediately!
New Year is when we all dream big dreams and make big plans for our lives and business… but then LIFE gets in the way and that little list of dreams and goals is covered by all the other to-dos clamoring for your attention. You need more than a post it of goals… you need a real plan to say NO to shiny objects and YES to strategic action steps that move you closer to your dream business and life each and every day.
Get Fired Up & Focused When You Plan Your Best Year Ever!
In just 5 days… I’ll walk you through a strategic planning process to help you design your year ahead. You’ll walk away with real clarity and an action plan you can start implementing immediately!
New Year is when we all dream big dreams and make big plans for our lives and business… but then LIFE gets in the way and that little list of dreams and goals is covered by all the other to-dos clamoring for your attention. You need more than a post it of goals… you need a real plan to say NO to shiny objects and YES to strategic action steps that move you closer to your dream business and life each and every day.
Get Fired Up & Focused When You Plan Your Best Year Ever!
In just 5 days… I’ll walk you through a strategic planning process to help you design your year ahead. You’ll walk away with real clarity and an action plan you can start implementing immediately!
Today, we're talking about why this mindset of waiting until you're successful, might be holding you back from creating that success in your business.
"When I'm successful, then I'll ... "
This is a question that really shook things up for me, because it showed me where I was holding myself back in my business and in my life.
And it can be one of those chicken, egg situations, right? You know you want up level your habits, and your team, and you technology, and your brand, but you need the clients and the cashflow, right? It can feel very tricky.
But it can also feel tricky when there's areas of your life you want to upgrade. Maybe you want to upgrade your home, or your car, or your office space, or go on vacation. But you feel like "I have to wait until I'm successful to do that. First I've got to put in all the long hours and all the hard work, right?"
Well, maybe not.
New Year is when we all dream big dreams and make big plans for our lives and business… but then LIFE gets in the way and that little list of dreams and goals is covered by all the other to-dos clamoring for your attention. You need more than a post it of goals… you need a real plan to say NO to shiny objects and YES to strategic action steps that move you closer to your dream business and life each and every day.
Get Fired Up & Focused When You Plan Your Best Year Ever!
In just 5 days… I’ll walk you through a strategic planning process to help you design your year ahead. You’ll walk away with real clarity and an action plan you can start implementing immediately!
New Year is when we all dream big dreams and make big plans for our lives and business… but then LIFE gets in the way and that little list of dreams and goals is covered by all the other to-dos clamoring for your attention. You need more than a post it of goals… you need a real plan to say NO to shiny objects and YES to strategic action steps that move you closer to your dream business and life each and every day.
Get Fired Up & Focused When You Plan Your Best Year Ever!
In just 5 days… I’ll walk you through a strategic planning process to help you design your year ahead. You’ll walk away with real clarity and an action plan you can start implementing immediately!
Like most children of the 80s and 90s, I was raised with a generation of girls who were told that we could grow up to have it all.
We could go to college. Break through the glass ceilings in corporate America. Bring home the bacon and fry in up in the pan.
We could achieve ANYTHING. And so we did.
More women than ever before are graduating college, scooping up Master’s degrees, and becoming doctors, lawyers, and professionals. We have incredible women in powerful positions, sharing how we can Lean In to become leaders, executives, and CEOs in our industries.
And yet, despite all of the progress women have made in the workplace over the last few decades, it’s simply not enough.
http://www.rachealcook.com/what-is-your-definition-of-success/
There’s something funny that happens when you’re on the path of self-realization + personal development.
It doesn’t matter how many personality tests + assessments you take;
How many personal development, spirituality, and self-help books you read;
Or even which Abraham Hicks Law of Attraction CD you have playing in your car;
There’s still a blind spot that prevents us from fully seeing ourselves and recognizing the special something that we alone have to offer the world.
And that special something – it’s essential for smart savvy solopreneurs to stand out from the crowd!
Sadly, what makes us the most unique is usually something that we can’t easily recognize in ourselves. It comes so effortlessly that we brush it off. Surely if it was this easy, everyone can do this, right?
So because we can’t see this secret sauce, we look outside ourselves to experts and gurus to give us all the answers… only to realize that their cookie-cutter plans just don’t align with how we really want to do business.
We hear that we should be everywhere.
We should be on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Last year it was Periscoping and Blabbing… and now we should be on Facebook Live!
We stress over blogging every week… no let’s make that a vlog… what if we make it a podcast!
And we also need to write a book. And we need to be speaking and attending all these conferences and events all around the world because networking is essential.
Then we need to be hosting webinars… having free clarity sessions… asking for referrals… doing all the things to build our business.
It’s overwhelming isn’t it?
One of the biggest challenges we face as entrepreneurs is simply understanding what strategies are the right ones to grow our unique businesses.
Without this clarity and focus in your marketing, it’s nearly impossible to gain real momentum in your business — adding more tips and tricks and tactics simply dilutes all the effort you put into a marketing strategy.
That’s right - adding MORE will often cannibalize the results of everything else you are working on.
It’s official ya’ll… we’re down to the last 90 Days of 2017! Are you winding down or ramping up?
For some of us, we’ve already decided that 2017 is pretty much over. The holidays are just around the corner, we’re taking the kids to all their activities… it’s just easier to go with the flow than to focus on your big goals.
But in today’s episode of Uncomplicate Your Business, I wanna talk about why NOW is the perfect time to start ramping up and laying the foundation for 2018 in these last 90 Days. Today I’m sharing how you can use the last 90 Days of 2017 to really set yourself up for success in 2018.
Our topic today is all about what a capsule wardrobe can teach you about creating more ease and less stress in your business.
If you have been following me for a while, you might know that I am really, really passionate about simplifying my life, around keeping things simple; everything to how I prep our food to how we run our routines as a family to how we live a very minimalist lifestyle and that has also included a capsule wardrobe.
I want to share with you guys some lessons that I have learned in having a capsule wardrobe and how it really, really translates to your business.
If you guys are similar to me, I know for many, many years I would open the door to my closet, look at hangars and shelves full of clothes and still say to myself, “Oh, my gosh. I’m so overwhelmed. I have nothing to wear.”
I would want to get ready to go out for a date night or simply just wanting something that wasn’t yoga pants to put on and go out into the world and I would find myself getting upset, getting frustrated, feeling overwhelmed.
Then starts the negative self-talk spiral. “I’m too fat. Nothing fits me. Everything looks terrible.” You start to feel like you have no control and it starts with something as simple as your closet.
Over the past few years, one of the things that I’ve been doing in my own life has been embracing the concept of a capsule wardrobe.
Are you running your business or is your business running you?
This is all about do you feel like you’re flying by the seat of your pants just to keep up with this crazy monster you’ve created called Your Business. If the answer is,
“Yeah, I’m feeling like I’m flying by the seat of my pants. I’m just trying to play catch up on everything from my inbox to my marketing to all the things that I’m trying to do in my business.”
Then you’re going to love what I have to talk about for today’s episode of the Uncomplicate Your Business Show.
Today we're breaking it all down and talking about the numbers. We're going to talk about exactly what it means to have a six figure business.
If you happen to catch last week's episode on a big enough business then maybe you went through the process I shared with you to figure out what size your big enough business is and there were really two parts to determining the size of your big enough business.
This is the business. It is a perfect size for you so that you can enjoy your life right now. This is a jumping off point. It doesn't mean your big business can't grow.
And in last week's episode, I talked a lot about the growth trajectory my big business has gone as I've grown as an entrepreneur as I've transitioned different life stages and things have kind of shifted and evolved for me personally.
Let's dive into how to reduce your stress to dollar ratio in your business.
This is a concept that has completely transformed the way I approach my business everything from how I market my business how I run my business behind the scenes.
For every single offering that you have you have to be aware of the fact that there is a level of stress associated with it.
Today, we’re talking about why a big enough business is the key to designing a life and business you love.
As an entrepreneur who teaches other entrepreneurs how to design a lifestyle business, I have to say that I see a lot of hype. Not a day goes by when my Facebook newsfeed doesn’t include some variation of:
- “Reach and make millions,”
- “Don’t let your small business make you small minded,”
- “How I made seven figures in 10 months and you can to.”
As someone behind the scenes, with my own clients and my business BFFs, my colleagues and peers; I know that what we see on social media and on people’s fancy websites, it is just part of the picture.
We talk all about the end results. You know, those dollar dollar bills. We might get a glimpse into their real lifestyle, which of course, is complete with fancy, lavish vacations and expensive cars.
It’s so easy to believe that bigger is better, that a six, seven or eight figure business equals finally having that freedom that we’re all seeking. But here’s the problem...
Today, we’re talking about how to much information can be keeping you stuck and overwhelmed. Let’s dive in.
It’s no secret that I am a complete lifelong student. Nothing makes me happier than learning something new. Learning just excites me. My favorite time of year is back to school.
A bouquet of fresh pencils and a brand new clean notebook is my love language. You will find my nose in a book any day of the week. But, too much information could actually be one of the biggest reasons why so many entrepreneurs are kind of stuck in this entrepreneurial purgatory where they’re not making any progress in their business.
This really hit home for me not too long ago. I was having a conversation with an incredibly smart woman who had a brilliant idea for her business. This is somebody who is highly educated.
She has all the advanced degrees, she has all the certifications and that desire to learn. That predisposition to educating herself first had followed her into her business. But it was actually at her detriment.
There’s a strong entrepreneurial culture of hustling 24/7. As if we can just work ourselves nonstop. The truth is, I really think this is setting up so many entrepreneurs on the fast track to burnout.
When I look at the statistics that 80% of new businesses shut down within the first few years, I really feel like I have some strong support on this one.
Here’s the challenge and the issue that I really have with this hustle mentality. First of all, we don’t all have 12-18 hours a day to work. We just don’t.
For so many of us, there are other things that require our time and our attention. The idea that you could work 12-18 hours a day, like some sort of machine, is just not realistic.
When it comes to working with new team members, I tend to hear from people is they feel like they hired a great person, but then a month or two into that working relationship, they just tell me, "It is not working. I don't know what's going on".
And on the other end of that relationship, chances are the person they just hired is sitting there going, "This person doesn't communicate very well. I don't know what they really actually want from me."
So today's conversation is so incredibly important. It's all about setting expectations and having clear communication.
Today, we are continuing The Dream Team series and we're talking with my team about what you need to know when you're getting ready to hire your dream team.
You've already determined from the last episode, that it's time to bring some support into your business. Now, you have to figure out, where do you find the right fit, so that you don't waste a ton of time, energy, and money trying to figure out the right person to be helping you behind the scenes.
I have to say, this is one area that we do pretty darn well. Most of my team has been with me for years. Amber has been working behind the scenes with me for five or six years now and Katie and Lane for a little over three almost four years. That's pretty unusual, especially in this online business space.
Do you need real support behind the scenes in your business? Maybe the idea of hiring a team has been a little overwhelming or you're just not sure if you're ready to bring some people in behind the scenes.
Having a team in place really makes my life as an entrepreneur much, much easier. It allows me to focus on the high-impact activities that are both going to reach more people, serve more people, and help me to continue grow the business.
Today my team is joining me to help share some insight into what they see behind the scenes in my own business and many other businesses to answer the question, are you ready for the dream team?
I have some important questions to ask you today.
- Do you ever wish that you didn't have to deal with money?
- Have you ever had a hard time quoting a price to a potential client?
- Or, have you ever struggled to say, "hey, I need you to pay me" now?
These are common challenges that a lot of entrepreneurs face, but we don't seem to talk about it a whole lot. That's why I wanted to introduce you to my dear friend and Money Mindset Mentor, Denise Duffield-Thomas.
Denise is somebody who just inspires me, I've absolutely loved watching her business over the last five or so years, because not only has she really started an important conversation around Money Mindset for women entrepreneurs.
I hope you enjoy this incredibly insightful conversation with Denise about making your money work for you, around money mindset, and around how less really can help you earn more.
Let's dive in.
If this is the first episode you've ever listened to of the Uncomplicate Your Business Podcast, one, I hope you absolutely love it, and two, I hope you listen in to the previous three episodes because I have been talking with some incredible women entrepreneurs about their entrepreneurial journey.
What makes this summer series different is we are not talking about the highlight reel. We're not talking about how they went from being bankrupt to being a millionaire seemingly overnight.
We are talking the real journey, the hard decisions, the sleepless nights, the frustrations when you want to just throw your laptop out the window, because this is the reality of being an entrepreneur.
I feel like so many entrepreneurs in those first few years would just hang in there and really figure it out for themselves if they knew that the hype that you hear, the highlight reel stories that are out there, those are the exception, not the rule.
For every 100 entrepreneurs, there might be one you have that zero to six figures overnight or zero to seven figures in a year story. For the vast majority of entrepreneurs, that's just not the case. That doesn't mean you did anything wrong. It means there is a lot that goes into being an entrepreneur.
It's going to take some work. It's going to take some clarity. It's going to take being willing to show up even when it gets hard.
Today, we are wrapping up this entire interview series talking to Catherine Middlebrooks of brb yoga. There are so many nuggets that she is about to share that I really hope you catch as we go through this conversation. I'll share with you this, Catherine has absolutely blown me away.
Let's dive in!
In the last episode of this series, episode 54, with Worthy and Well founder Casey Berglund, we walked through her journey of fusing all of these interests, yoga, mindfulness, nutrition, health coaching, into one brand Worthy and Well and where that has led her today on a cross-country trip across Canada.
Now, we're going to have a conversation with Casey's business BFF, Veronica Grant. This is one of my favorite things, seeing my students find each other and really cheer each other on. What I love about Veronica, without giving it away, is how she really learned to listen to the people that she's serving, to figure out the right next step for her and her business.
You ready? Let's dive in.
Today, I am so excited to kick off this very special summer series of interviews to inspire you as you go through the entrepreneurial journey. Especially if you're maybe still in those early stages you're still in year one or two or three.
Not too long ago, I was having a little Skype date with my dear friend and client Casey Berglund who is just incredible as you're going to hear in our conversation.
We were catching up and we were saying, "I can't believe it's been a couple of years now that we've known each other," and that I've seen these incredible changes in her business and these tweaks and pivots she's taken along the way that now she is so incredibly happy and fulfilled and excited about her business.
But it didn't happen overnight, it took some work. It took really rolling up her sleeves, and it took making some hard decisions doing hard things is a big part of this journey.
What she said to me after we had this little catch up date, I was so excited about what she's been up to in her big cross-country road trip. She's going to tell you all about in our conversation, but what really came to mind and what she said was,
"I wish I would have heard more stories about this journey and not the highlights but really the hard moments, the hard decisions the times where you really have to lean into the challenge and you lean in with so much faith that you can make it happen.
That would have helped me so much more. More people need to hear about what we just talked about this journey over the first few years."
That's what this series is. Casey is of course the person who came up with this great idea as we were checking in with each other a few months ago, so I'm so excited to kick off with Casey Berglund. I hope you enjoy this conversation.
Let's dive in.
Understanding these natural seasons of your business can really set you up for success and help you to take off running in the fall.
For many entrepreneurs, especially us mamapreneurs, us working moms who are juggling kids who are off on their spring break or summer break, summer can bring a dip in new clients and revenue.
Whether we're just juggling our own family during that time, or it's a time of year where our own students and clients are off on vacation and they're not thinking about coming in to see us or to work with us, it can feel really easy to slip into those lazy days of summer.
I want you to know that the summer slowdown is a perfect time to build your business.
About six months ago, in December of 2016, I had an episode that was all about how to do a year in review and set yourself up for success in the new year.
The truth is, it feels like New Year’s gets all the glory, that’s when everybody is dreaming big and they’re setting smart goals, but by June chances are your goals, your priorities, things going on in your business, might have changed.
I want you to know that this is totally normal.
When you are a solopreneur or you’re running a small business where you are the one in charge of pretty much everything going on, things can shift pretty quickly.
A goal that you might have set in January might not be a priority anymore.There might be a new opportunity you decided to go for, there might be a new product or program or service you decided to create. Things can change very quickly when we’re running these small businesses.
Today I wanted to take time today to walk you through a process that I do around this time of year - a mid-year review.
This is such an important piece of the entrepreneurship puzzle and I don’t think it’s talked about enough. We are in a current entrepreneurial culture right now that seems to worship the hustle, the badge of honor that comes with saying, “I work 12 hours a day,” or 16 hours a day. “I’m putting in 80-100 hour weeks.”
But, I shared some statistics recently in a new master class called Break Free from the Feast or Famine Cycle.
One of the things that really shakes me is that despite the rate of people starting new small businesses, 80% of those small businesses will close their doors within the first 18 months.
The survival rate beyond that is abysmal. It’s terrible. Most people simply are not making sustainability a part of the conversation when they are starting their business and running their business.
After being at this for nearly a decade on my own, I’m here to tell you that if you’re in your business for the long haul:
Sustainability is just as important as profitability.
Are you still struggling with a dramatic ebb and flow of clients and cashflow? A business trapped in the feast or famine zone is not designed for growth!
I wanted to share with you today a little bit about how we manage to plan the business around our family, because this is our focus.
It hasn’t been an accident.
But I have to say that looking back over it, I could give you a lot more perspective now on what worked, what didn’t work, and how I continue to move forward as the mom of three little people.
My little people now, the twins, Julie and Alex, are seven. They’re going into second grade this year. It’s really exciting. My littlest guy, Mitchell, is four. He’ll be going into preschool next year. It’s been quite an adventure having these little people.
I hope this will help anybody, not just mom entrepreneurs, but dad entrepreneurs, too.
Want more balance in your life & biz? Make space for what matters!
Thankfully, you don’t have to sacrifice your health, family, happiness, or spirit to have a successful thriving business and happy family.
And it all starts by understanding the true meaning of BALANCE.
Too often, we find ourselves scrolling through the insta-perfect photos of other mamapreneurs who seem to have it all together. Their homes are Pinterest perfect. Surely their gluten-free vegan dinners are delish. And their fitspo photos? Really – who looks that perfect when you’re supposed to be sweaty?
It’s so easy to forget these photos are just a snapshot, a one-second peek into their lives. And that one-second peek? It’s an illusion of balance.
Balance is a VERB.
Too often we believe that if we just find that one time management trick, we’ll finally break the code to achieving balance. We’ll have the right ratio of work to family to health. And life will magically be happily ever after.
Balance is challenging!
Just the physical act of balancing tells you everything you need to know. Try something as simple as standing on one foot. Many people can’t balance on one foot for long without starting to wobble and reaching for some support!
After working with hundreds of heart-centered entrepreneurs… I’ve seen a pattern that many of us buy into {that’s actually setting us up for insane amounts of stress and anxiety in our businesses}.
While we all want to create a business and life we love, I see many of us DELAYING the life we love because we believe that FIRST we’ve gotta work our fingers to the bone to create a successful business.
Turns out – you can live a life you love. RIGHT NOW.
And the best part?
When you start living a life that you LOVE – your business will instantly up-level to support it!
Today I’m walking you through the essentials of a free coaching call that converts into paying clients.
So many people hesitate to get on the phone with potential clients because they are afraid of being seen as ‘pushy’ or ‘salesy’ when in reality for anyone offering higher-end services, a real conversation is essential to booking new clients.
Ready? Let's get started!
Now onto the third installment of the Get More Clients series! In this post, I’m getting into the simplest, easiest way you can start filling your client docket. In fact – this is EXACTLY the process I used to book $10K within my first 2 weeks back after a year long maternity leave.
Solopreneurs often themselves in this position where we’re doing everything we can think of to grow our business - we’re checking all of the marketing items off the list - but it’s just not delivering enough paying clients.
I know that 99% of the time, there is likely a missing piece of the profit-generating puzzle. There’s a disconnect between you and your potential clients that’s preventing them from taking that next step towards working with you.
Listen in today and we'll cover the top three reasons you're not getting clients in your business.
I hear from people every week who are dreaming about their dream business but struggling with the reality of starting from scratch, with no website, no email list, and nothing to offer but their time.
What do you do when you're building your dream business but need revenue, stat?
And while I’m uber-committed to sharing a more organic, mindful, and sustainable approach to business – one that steers clear from the sleazy Build a Six-Figure Biz in 30 Days noise – sometimes you need cash flow. NOW.
The fastest path to cash is working 1×1 with clients.
Selena Soo discusses using publicity principles to land your next podcast so you can reach bigger audiences {and the steps to get you there!}
Get the transcript and show notes at:
rachealcook.com/episode39
We often think that online businesses are all about high tech... but for those who are the most successful, high touch is their secret to success.
If you're the CEO of your business... it's time to step into your role as the Boss Lady. Unapologetically. Cause Boss Ladies get it done.
Six months ago, Tami Hackbarth began what she called the 100 Women Project. Hear how she gained insight and validated her biz with this brilliant and brave adventure!
One of the most popular questions around each new year, and each 5-year milestone, I'm answering what I would do if I were starting my business from scratch in 2017!
In this minisode, Racheal pauses to acknowledge the drama in the world today and how smart entrepreneurs can keep their eyes on the prize and minimize distraction.
Are you still struggling with a dramatic ebb and flow of clients and cashflow? A business trapped in the feast or famine zone is not designed for growth!
Does it suddenly feel like your new business isn't growing? Today I'm sharing three areas of focus that can help your biz transition to a whole new level.
Are you focused on the right strategies to grow your business? From your offerings to your marketing, it all depends on which stage of business you're in.
Is shiny object syndrome holding you back in your biz? Learn my top 3 strategies to help you consolidate your ideas, prioritize, and stick to your plan!
Creating an action plan for your small business can feel overwhelming. This post breaks down three specific ways to help you rethink goal setting for good.
We’re in the home stretch of 2016, so it’s natural to be looking ahead. But before you make even one new resolution for your biz, it's best to press pause, look backward, and do your Year in Review.
More and more working women are stepping away from the corporate ladder, and instead blazing their own path into entrepreneurship. How can you make sure to achieve all the success you want while working for yourself?
In this episode, Racheal shares a very special email and invitation she received from fan Shannon Siriano Greenwood to attend an annual Thank You Party, and the surprising impact that gratitude practices can have in your business!
For every single offering that you have, there is an amount of time, energy, and complexity that you commit to in order to bring that offering to your clients. Putting it simply? A degree of stress is involved. By understanding your Stress to Dollar Ratio, you can better prioritize your offerings, market you business, and lay the groundwork to provide more value with less stress.
In this episode of Uncomplicate Your Business, I'm sharing my year long journey {it's almost complete!} to a huge rebrand, why it was so darn expensive, and my top 5 lessons that you can take away without spending a penny.
We're back! And the Get Fired Up & Focused Podcast is getting a makeover. In this episode, I'm kicking things off with a peek behind the scenes of this podcast evolution into Uncomplicate Your Business and sharing what's coming in this weekly podcast!
It's so exciting and bittersweet that you've wrapped up The Fired Up & Focused Challenge. I know you've experienced a TON of growth, not only in your productivity and biz skills, but in flexing those CEO muscles!
Just because the challenge is over, doesn't mean that growth stops.
Consider this challenge the launching pad. And I'm here and ready to help you take your biz to new levels in the coming months {and years}!
As you float down from your Fired Up & Focused high…
:: Your final challenge! What was the BEST a-ha-OMGosh moment of the Challenge, for you? What surprised you the most? Come and share it with the official Fired Up & Focused Challenge Facebook Group; join us at firedupandfocused.com.
:: Send me feedback {lovebombs welcome too!} so others can know what to expect from the Fired Up & Focused Challenge!
:: And finally, if you haven't yet, please take a minute to rate and review the Podcast. I've heard it makes a difference in iTunes, but more importantly, it means a lot to me whenever I hear from you. Thanks for listening!
The heart-centered entrepreneur’s dilemma:: How do you let people know how awesome you are without coming off like an arrogant, egotistical, megalomanic? Love your community, and THEY will let EVERYONE know!
So most business "gurus" say that you should stair-step your offerings so that people gradually buy into bigger more high value services/programs. Your time and your people’s time is worth more than that! Today is all about helping your dream peeps put a ring on it by delivering an amazing IFO {Irresistible Free Offer}.
We modern entrepreneurs are often uncomfortable with traditional marketing tactics. Even after understanding the psychology behind why scarcity + urgency work, these strategies may not resonate with you. Resonance is key. Today’s challenge will help you find your Entrepreneur Sweet Spot Theme: YOUR key to resonating with your perfect-for-you audience and dream clients.
I’m taking you straight to an inspiration of mine today, someone who cuts to the chase on making marketing a MINDFUL + ETHICAL conversation between you and your community. The best part? You’re probably well-practiced in mindful marketing and may not even know it!
I know you entrepreneurs have tons of new ideas swimming around... and trying to figure out the RIGHT idea to start with can feel overwhelming. Paralyzing even. That's why I'm giving you a simple framework to figure out which idea is the RIGHT idea for right now!
This challenge is an introduction to The Business Sweet Spot Method {which we dive DEEP into inside CBD}. The questions may seem simple enough - but it's the nuances of each core element of your Business Sweet Spot that help you stand out from your peers! A hobby is 100% about YOU... but if you're gonna be in business, it's 100% about the unique value YOU OFFER to your peeps!
Sometimes, our successes in business stack so high that we prepare ourselves for a fall, and an irrational fear of failure can grip us so hard that we end up sabotaging ourselves. With the right mindset of always being open to opportunity, success, and the light your work is bringing into the world, you can prevent upper limits from ever overshadowing your accomplishments!
Today's challenge is one of my absolute FAVORITES that has made a huge impact on my own relationship with money. The first step to creating a CEO mindset around money doesn't have to be painful, shaming, or overwhelming. It can start with awareness, gratitude, and an incredibly simple daily practice.
If you want to create more ease and less stress in your business, you'll love today's perspective on living into your painted picture without stressing over all-or-nothing goal setting.
Now that you're FIRED UP about your biz... it's time to get LASER FOCUSED. Us entrepreneurs... we are idea machines. But when you're not wearing your CEO hat, you can spin out into idea overload and getting distracted by shiny new ideas at every turn. If you want to create a profitable + sustainable business, it's time to focus your attention to the ideas that will help your business move in the direction of your dreams.
Are you running your biz…or is your biz running you? I know LOTS of entrepreneurs resist creating systems because they feel like they need more flexibility…but the truth is when there aren’t systems to support you, you get in your own way. You become the bottleneck, and your biz starts to run you. Learn what systems you can create NOW to streamline and simplify your biz.
How EASY is it to work with you? Are you asking peeps to jump through a million hoops to book an appointment? Do you find yourself chasing after clients so you can get paid? Are you on top of how many sessions clients have left or when their next payment is due? You can duct-tape it all together -- or you can upgrade your client experience.
Email isn't the sexiest topic - BUT it's an essential element to any modern business {and the FIRST thing you can outsource!} This challenge is all about streamlining your inbox + simplifying your follow-up process.
This generation is bombarded with the idea of “having it all;” then we {especially women} are hit with shame over thinking we can! I’m here to tell you, if you create a vision of your work/life balance and your ideal day, you can set yourself up for exactly the success you want!
Savasana has been called the most important pose in yoga. Pure relaxation that allows you to soak up all the benefits of your practice. Turns out... it's good for your biz too! Isn't it nice knowing that relaxation is so powerful? One of my favorite pieces of homework to give my private clients is to take a business savasana. A day AWAY from your biz. It might sound completely counter intuitive - but the truth is your brain needs a break! If you are in "biz mode" 24/7 - you will slow down. Your work won't reflect your best. And soon... you'll be on the road to burnout.
We as a culture need to eradicate the notion that long hours = badge of honor. The truth is, working 80+ hours a week rarely leads to doing your best work. And if you're not taking the time to nurture other important areas of your life, what are you really working FOR?
Is there a direct correlation between your environment and FEELING like a successful CEO of your biz? I think so! This challenge draws from my yoga practice, and helps you make your work time and workspace work FOR you!
Do you find yourself putting off the tasks and projects you KNOW would move your biz forward? This crazy simple strategy that can help you get HUGE results in very short periods of time. Remember - working SMARTER isn’t about being busy for the sake of being busy! It’s about getting into the zone where you get your best work done more efficiently!
This is one of my favorite strategies for reigning in the overwhelm. So simple and so powerful! There are 2 parts to this challenge - make sure you do BOTH {just a warning 'cause the first part is known to make some anxious, but the second part brings sweet sweet relief!}
We’re kicking things off with my favorite framework to help you shift from busy worker bee to QUEEN bee {aka CEO} in your biz. This simple shift is the key designing a biz that works FOR YOU {instead of you slaving away for your biz!}
Ever wish a productivity expert would swoop in and help you create more ease and less stress in your biz?
How about if a life coach would give you a {loving} kick in the pants when you’re procrastinating and can’t seem to get yourself into action?
And then a business strategist could help you design your business completely around your desired lifestyle… and with an action plan that turns your To-Do list into an It’s DONE list?
You Get Laser Focus, Turbocharged Productivity, and Bigger Results FASTER with The Fired Up & Focused Challenge.
You’ll get excited about your business again – because you’ll kiss stress and busywork goodbye. You’ll be doing the right things … at the right time … the right way.