Promote Yourself to CEO | Small Business Strategy for Women Entrepreneurs

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Growing Your Business When You Need to Take a Step Back with Dr. Lisa Griffith Jun 22, 2023

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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

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How a Mid-Year Review Can Help You Achieve Your Goals Jun 01, 2023

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“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.

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Bonus! 5 Small Business Mentors Reveal What's Working Right Now May 16, 2023

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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/

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The 90 Day CEO Operating System Masterclass May 01, 2023

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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.

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How to Get Yourself Ready to Hit High-Growth Mode In Your Business Feb 23, 2023

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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

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Want to Scale Your Business As a Franchise? Get the Scoop with The Scout Guide Dec 29, 2022

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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 Guide

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Why Referrals Are STILL the Gold Standard Dec 22, 2022

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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.

Mentioned in Why Referrals Are STILL the Gold Standard

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Power of Strategic Collaborations for Business Growth with Danielle Wiebe Dec 15, 2022

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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

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Why Underpricing (and Overdelivering) Is Creating Business Burnout Dec 08, 2022

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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

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How the Current Hustle Culture Creates Entrepreneurial Poverty for Women Dec 01, 2022

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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

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