Promote Yourself to CEO | Small Business Strategy for Women Entrepreneurs

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Run Your Quarter Like a CEO Jan 06, 2022

Show notes

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.

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Avoid Blowing Up Your Business--3 Key Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make When Scaling Dec 09, 2021

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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

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The Truth About Scaling Your Business Dec 02, 2021

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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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How Gratitude Helps You Build Your Business Connections & Community with Shannon Siriano Greenwood Nov 25, 2021

Show notes

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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How to See Content as Assets in Your Business Arsenal with Stacey Harris Nov 18, 2021

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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

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Keys to Aligning Your Marketing, Brand, and Overall Business Vision in 2022 with Beth Gebhard Nov 11, 2021

Show notes

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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Do You Have a Month by Month Profit Plan for 2022? Nov 05, 2021

Show notes

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.

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How to Set Goals You Can Actually Follow Through On? Nov 04, 2021

Show notes

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.

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Is Your Business by Default or by Design? Nov 03, 2021

Show notes

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

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If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

🎤 Thanks for listening! I'll see you next week!

What Does Your Dream 2022 Look Like? Nov 02, 2021

Show notes

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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If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

🎤 Thanks for listening! I'll see you next week!

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