Promote Yourself to CEO | Small Business Strategy for Women Entrepreneurs

Latest Episodes:

Avoid Hustle and Burnout With the Hidden Money In Your Business Aug 26, 2021

Show notes

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

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From Struggling to Selling Out Offers: A Case Study with Leesa Klich Aug 24, 2021

Show notes

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.

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Your Profit Road Map for More Sales & a Truly Sustainable Business Aug 19, 2021

Show notes

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?

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Increasing Profit and Decreasing Burnout: A Case Study with Sarah Young Aug 17, 2021

Show notes

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.

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Why Underpricing (and Overdelivering) Is Creating Business Burnout Aug 12, 2021

Show notes

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

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How the Current Hustle Culture Creates Entrepreneurial Poverty for Women Aug 05, 2021

Show notes

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

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!

CEO Level Boundaries with Heather Chauvin Jul 29, 2021

Show notes

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

Heather Chauvin
Dying to Be a Good Mother by Heather Chauvin
Heather on Instagram
Mom Is In Control podcast
Join The CEO Collective waitlist
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!

Recharging Your Human Battery with Dr. Crystal Frazee Jul 22, 2021

Show notes

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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Defining and Eliminating Burn Out with Melissa Marasia Jul 15, 2021

Show notes

“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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Patriarchy Stress Disorder with Dr. Valerie Rein Jul 08, 2021

Show notes

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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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!