Stay ConnectedYou started this business to lead. Somewhere along the way, the business started leading you instead.
The Modern CEO Podcast with Amber McCue is where that stops, and growth gets a plan. Real strategy, sustainable systems, and the kind of leadership conversations that help you step fully into your role as the CEO your business needs.
Your season of growth is already underway. You’re right on time.
One thing that I absolutely LOVE about the programs and experiences that I offer through ambermccue.com is that I'm able to work with other Modern CEOs, hear about what they're doing, and share my own insights.
As people have been saying since the start of the pandemic, we are ALL in this together — and learning from the experiences of other Modern CEOs is absolutely crucial!
Which brings me to the latest episode of the Right on Time podcast.
This is the second of a 2-part reflection series looking back on the milestones, lessons learned, and strategic shifts of 2021. If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, I recommend checking it out here!
In the last episode, I shared the importance of flexibility and adaptability when it comes to setting your business goals and coming up with personalized KPIs that really help you track your progress along the way.
This episode is about the importance of being OPEN to new ways of thinking, doing, and working — whether they're brought on by external factors or by our own bodies.
I talk about how I implemented focus groups and used client feedback to make changes to a program that I've offered for the past 8 years… and created a new, first-class experience for Modern CEOs.
I break down two case studies that demonstrate how 2021 shifted the way that I run BOTH of my businesses — and exactly why these changes made sense.
And I share a personal health discovery that has altered the way that I approach work altogether.
Yes, this episode gets a little personal… but I think it's important that we share these kinds of experiences!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
00:49 Our focus group initiative & changes
04:28 Adapting to client needs (without forgetting ours)
05:42 My 2022 planning
08:00 Revenue & profitability
10:07 Case study: Three Boudoir
11:32 Case study: ambermccue.com
12:59 Migraine story & my health update
20:09 Impact on business & life
23:19 Share your experiences
24:29 Team meetings
26:15 Rolling into 2022!
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
https://freshlyimplemented.com
Since the start of 2022, I've spent some time reflecting on the last year… and I think I'm ready to share my thoughts.
Because let me tell you, my friend, there were a LOT of milestones and lessons to be learned in 2021 — and I know I'm not the only one who had to make some changes!
As Covid-19 surges continue to lead to lockdowns and restrictions in many areas, plenty of business owners have had to DRAMATICALLY shift their business models… or even come up with entirely new revenue streams.
But even apart from these huge shifts caused by the pandemic (which I definitely experienced with my boudoir photography business, Three Boudoir), 2021 threw Modern CEOs a few extra curveballs — including the iOS 14 update that made it harder than ever before to reach your audience through online ads.
(So if you were wondering why your campaigns last year didn't perform as expected, you can blame Apple for that!)
As Modern CEOs, we need to be CLEAR on our goals — and this means knowing when to take a step back and change our game plan. We need to observe changes in the market and adapt our strategies, so that our businesses can continue to grow and flourish… and that's exactly what I did.
In this 2-part behind-the-scenes series, I share the 2021 lessons and strategy shifts that changed the way that I do business — and how to set smart goals that will make 2022 your best year yet!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
00:01 Intro
01:16 My 2021
04:48 Keep your goal cards close
06:01 Switching up your goals
07:24 Choosing the right goals
08:57 Case study: ambermccue.com
14:19 Dealing with the iOS update
17:02 Conversion, message strength & value
18:57 3-week road trip story
20:52 Winter photo ritual & Planathon
24:54 What we consider when making shifts
26:29 To be continued!
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
Have you been thinking about shaking things up when it comes to your business? Maybe planning to add a new income stream — or start a new business entirely?
Your business is a living thing, not something that is set in stone. If there is something that you want to experiment with in order to make your business more diverse, more profitable, more aligned or more fun, then I'm here to tell you: go for it!
When it comes to our businesses, we are absolutely allowed to change our minds and layer in new elements — or switch it up entirely.
If you've been playing around with an idea for a new revenue stream, side hustle, or second business, you'll DEFINITELY want to listen to this week's episode of the Right on Time Podcast!
In this episode, ads specialist and Soul Fueled Life founder Shay Jordan-Hrobsky returns to give an update on her new business venture, the Christmas Road — and she is giving listeners a little behind-the-scenes peek at what goes into launching a second business (while in the busy season of her first)!
I also break down my approach to adding a possible new revenue stream to my own photography business, Three Boudoir!
In this conversation, we tackle affiliate marketing, outsourcing, and why you should never, ever be afraid to switch up your business model…
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Highlights:
02:33 Welcome back Shay Jordan-Hrobsky! 03:41 Christmas Road update 05:23 Feel free to switch it up! 07:41 Announcing The New Nude! 08:18 Case study: Christmas Road 12:49 Case study: Three Boudoir 13:50 Reset & reflect 14:42 Give yourself grace & release 17:06 Slow running 18:21 Hallmark movies 21:15 2022 strategy 22:34 Organizing affiliate links
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
Shay Jordan-Hrobsky
This week's episode of the Right on Time podcast is all about the benjamins!
My guest, Mel Abraham, is the best-selling author of The Entrepreneur's Solution: The Modern Millionaire's Path to More Profit, Fans & Freedom and the founder of Business Breakthrough Academy and Thoughtpreneur Academy.
If that weren't impressive enough, Mel accomplished it all as a single, full-time father.
And it wasn't easy!
After seeing a portrait drawn by his 6-year-old son which pictured him standing in front of two computer screens and talking into two phones, Mel knew that he had to make some serious changes… and find a balance between profits and presence.
Mel made a BIG shift in both the way that he worked and how his money worked for him, tapping into new types of income that required less of his time and energy — an approach that paid off in 2019 when he stepped away from his business to focus on his health after a cancer diagnosis.
Mel is now a leading expert in building affluence through entrepreneurship, creating more wealth with less sweat, and achieving peace of mind through financial liberation.
In this conversation, we dive into how to get money to work harder for you than you worked for it, how to build a business model around your book that'll 10x its revenue, and why "freedom" shouldn't be your #1 source of motivation as you build your business.
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
01:28 Meet Mel Abraham
04:07 Mel's journey
06:55 Mel's cancer diagnosis
08:14 His most valuable lessons
11:22 Creating cash flow to feed freedom
13:08 Five stages of income
17:22 Residual income & publishing
19:25 Importance of your financial machine
19:53 How to prioritize
24:15 Financial planning & finish lines
28:47 Finish line & microloans story
32:07 Wrap-up
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
Mel Abraham
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-affluent-entrepreneur-show/id955356128
https://www.facebook.com/mel.abraham
https://www.youtube.com/c/melabraham
https://www.amazon.com/Mel-H.-Abraham/e/B00S1PSVXE%3F
Twitter: @melabraham9
Instagram: @melabraham9
What do math and marketing have in common?
They're two superpowers belonging to my friend and client, Michelle Williams!
Michelle is a full-time math educator and entrepreneur who helps math teachers working with struggling learners create math intervention plans, close learning gaps, and increase student achievement through her membership, The IgnitED Teacher.
Inspired by the huge shifts in education that came up during the pandemic, Michelle launched her first online program in October of 2020.
Over the course of just ONE year, Michelle's membership grew from 5 members... to 65!!
Michelle is creating big impact not only for her clients, but for their students as well. This amazing growth is due not only to Michelle's program content, but to her digital marketing approach which focuses on growing her visibility and delivering MAJOR value to her audience.
Michelle isn't afraid to try new things — from embedding video in her emails to sharing her expertise in Reels, she is constantly tweaking her strategy to deliver the best results.
In this conversation, we cover how to stay focused on the juiciest $100 bills, the key steps she took to build up her visibility, and how she worked through her Instagram apathy and made Reels work for her!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
02:45 Meet Michelle Williams
04:38 The Modern CEO
06:15 Michelle's unique membership
07:45 Building confidence
09:08 Key steps to grow visibility
12:00 The membership journey
14:49 How Michelle stayed in the game
16:10 Listening to feedback
18:40 Slow down to speed up!
20:23 BombBomb
21:45 Assessing & adapting
24:03 Instagram & Reels
26:01 Leadership traits
26:59 Future intentions & goals
28:50 Union work
30:13 10 years from now
31:27 Prioritizing & getting into action
35:09 Final thoughts
37:27 $100 bills & TikTok
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
The Modern CEO
https://ambermccue.com/themodernceo
Fresh Start Workbook
Michelle Williams
https://www.facebook.com/theignitedteach
https://www.youtube.com/theignitedteacher
Twitter: @theignitEDteach
Instagram: @theignitedteach
BombBomb
Are there things that you truly want to achieve in your life or in your business but, for some reason, you find yourself resistant to taking the actual steps needed to make them happen??
That resistance likely stems from limiting beliefs lurking deep within your brain — beliefs that you may have developed back in childhood.
Are you going to let the beliefs of a 4-year-old determine how you run your business?
I didn't think so!
My guest for this week's episode of the Right on Time podcast is here to break down where these thoughts come from, why we hold onto them… and how to replace them with something more constructive and nourishing.
Stephanie Synclair is a coach, consultant, and spiritual teacher. She is the host of The School of Quantum Living Podcast and author of Shut Up and Do the Work: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Creating Massive Success. She also sells loose leaf tea under her La Rue 1680 brand — which has been featured on Oprah, The Today Show, The Drew Barrymore Show, and more!
WHEW!
Stephanie believes that wealth is sacred… and she LOVES working with women to help them achieve their biggest, baddest financial dreams while remaining in spiritual alignment. She helps her clients through 'subconscious reprogramming' — uncovering the limiting beliefs beneath the surface that shape the way we feel about money, success, and our own capabilities, and then healing them.
Mind. Blown.
This conversation goes deep into the science and philosophy of what keeps us from building wealth and success, and offers some incredible insights into how to heal your mindset around money and business.
You'll definitely want to grab a pen and notebook before hitting play!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
Intro/outro.mp4 file
00:01 Intro
00:02 Meet Stephanie Synclair
03:20 La Rue 1680
05:01 Where does real wealth come from?
07:30 Subconscious reprogramming & epigenetics
11:01 Gestation & unconscious inheritance
14:24 Environment & unconscious thought
17:08 Reprogramming & "truth"
19:20 Reprogramming techniques
22:49 Back to basics books
26:56 Learn to see & embrace deeper things
31:45 Stepping into your next level
34:48 Pandemic shift
37:51 La Rue 1680 & publicity
52:04 Outro
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
Have you ever worked with a business coach?
And have you ever thought about becoming a coach yourself?
Even if you're not interested in starting a full-on coaching business, learning the skills used by effective coaches can provide a MAJOR upgrade to your business — and even your personal life!
The strengths and strategies developed through coaching can be leveraged in MANY different areas of your life, not only with your clients, but with your family and team members.
I definitely use coaching strategies with my kids to help them adapt their behaviors and get a few steps closer to their goals!
The great thing about coaching skills is that they can be woven throughout so many of the things that we're already doing in our businesses, especially as Modern CEOs. But what sort of training makes sense for you? Is there a difference between coaching and consulting? And do you need to get a license to become a coach??
I know you have a LOTTA questions!
...and I also know just the person to answer them!
Through her business, Coach with Clarity, Lee Chaix McDonough helps business coaches tap into a deeper, more aligned form of coaching, offer incredible value to their clients, and build amazing businesses.
I've wanted to interview Lee for a long time, so this is a very special episode!
Lee brings a unique and valuable perspective and skillset to the coaching industry, as she is also a therapist. She offers her clients guidance in the roles of coach, therapist, AND consultant — talk about a triple threat!
In this conversation, we dive DEEP into the benefits of coach training, how to offer the greatest value to your clients, why taking action can be so freakin' hard — and how to get more comfortable with change.
In my latest podcast episode, you'll learn:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
02:17 Meet Lee Chaix McDonough!
06:03 What Lee's business looks like today
07:15 Coaching v. consulting
08:50 Amber's consulting story
11:23 Caring for clients in different roles
12:40 Different types of listening
14:08 Enhancing your skills
17:19 Implementing change
19:20 Coaching is people management
20:22 Training & certification
23:01 Benefits of coaching skills
24:10 Coaching v. therapy
27:25 Coaching certification experience
32:40 Why Lee offers certification
37:20 Showing up in alignment
39:33 Where to learn more!
41:02 Takeaway
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
https://www.coachwithclarity.com
https://www.facebook.com/coachwithclarity
Instagram: @coachwithclarity
You may not have trouble growing your mailing list… but how are you doing when it comes to keeping your audience (and keeping them engaged)?
Tamika Auwai is the fabulous CEO of Orisha Creative, a content marketing agency specializing in nurture marketing — and let me tell you, they are the EXPERTS in their niche!
Tamika works with coaches, mentors, and teachers to ensure their content creation is aligned with their nurturing goals and optimized to deliver a big impact.
What does this mean? It means they pre-sell more programs and book more clients, without having to churn out endless amounts of content.
Getting off the content creation treadmill? Um, yes please!
Tamika believes in purpose-driven nurture marketing — and Orisha Creative's signature Nurture Matrix is designed to help entrepreneurs nail down their goals and messaging. That means that every piece of marketing they create is designed specifically to help them drive engagement (and build revenue)!
As business owners, we tend to spend a lot of time creating content for lead generation and less time working on nurturing our existing audience.
"When you are focused on the top of the funnel and focused on lead gen, and you don't have anything intentional going on from a nurture perspective, you're essentially creating a leaky bucket in your business," Tamika explains.
Want to stop your warm prospects from falling right out of your leaky bucket — and instead lead them further along their buyer's journey? You're going to want to listen to the latest episode of the Right on Time podcast!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
02:23 Meet Tamika Auwai!
04:22 Where "Orisha" came from
06:25 Tamika's approach to nurture marketing
09:05 Being of service to our people
11:57 Understanding what ideal clients need
13:20 Three Boudoir belief gap example
16:15 Gathering & digging into the data
20:00 The Nurture Matrix process
21:10 The art & science of marketing
22:28 What goes into the Nurture Matrix
26:20 Nurture Matrix results
29:06 Launch v. active enrollment campaign
31:35 Lead gen v. nurture
35:49 New parent sleep coach
37:30 The myth of the freebie-seekers
39:00 12 core nurture themes
39:51 Nurture Opportunity Scorecard
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
Orisha Creative
https://www.orishacreative.com
https://nurturematrix.com/scorecard
https://www.facebook.com/orishacreative
Instagram: @orishacreative
Are the marketing techniques you used three years ago not getting you the same results today?
Changes in the digital landscape have created new challenges for Modern CEOs trying to connect with their audiences. If you want to create (or continue to create!) amazing impact going forward, you're going to have to evolve!
My incredible guest for this week's episode of the Right on Time podcast is Digital Marketing Strategist Emily Hirsh.
Emily is the CEO and founder of Hirsh Marketing, an agency that combines strategy and execution with killer creative, and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs EXPLODE their profits!
I'm not gonna lie, Emily is kind of a big deal!
Hirsh Marketing works with some major names, including Mel Robbins and Krista Mashore, and the agency has generated $107 MILLION in revenue through digital ads.
Emily and her team are adept at evolving to fit the marketing landscape so that they can continue to deliver huge value to their clients — and Emily was more than happy to share some amazing, actionable insights during our interview!
In this episode, we keep it REAL and tackle everything from how to manage a rockstar marketing agency, to exactly what goes on behind the scenes of big launches, to her top tips for online business owners trying to own their space in the era of the content creator!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
00:28 Meet Emily Hirsh!
00:57 Embracing minimalism
03:38 Managing big teams & accounts
05:20 Starbucks story
06:26 Emily's journey
08:35 Working with big clients
10:50 Emily's approach to marketing
12:35 Get sexy with your marketing!
15:19 Niching down
17:41 Working on launches
19:52 Changes in the market
22:37 Tips for small business owners
25:14 Passive income
27:51 Reality of online business & #1 tip
30:29 Foundation & sustainability
31:25 What is right on time for Emily?
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
Emily Hirsh
https://www.hirshmarketing.com
Instagram: @emilyhirsh
As you may know, there has been a bit of a shake-up in the world of digital advertising lately!
Changes made by Apple via its recent iOS update have had a ripple effect across the digital landscape… and these changes have had an impact on the way that Facebook ads have been able to perform.
My good friend Shay Hrobsky is a genius when it comes to paid advertising and social media marketing for small and medium-sized businesses, so she's the perfect person to explain exactly what the heck is going on — and how to shift the way you show up in front of your audience!
"It's been a bit of an adjustment... I've also noticed that it's really making you move to get more connected with your clients, with yourself, with who you want to talk to," Shay says. "Connecting with the client, connecting with the messaging, with the purpose, and really honing in on that."
In this episode of the Right on Time podcast, Shay and I dive DEEP into the practical, actionable tips you need to know in order to rock your advertising game, including how to balance cost-per-lead and earnings-per-leads and what you need to be mindful of when it comes to the digital ad landscape right now and in the near future.
We also talk about how to keep yourself grounded and on track while building your business!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Bonus: you'll get the lowdown on The Planathon, if you're not already counting down the days until this year's event!
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
00:28 Meet Shay Hrobsky
03:18 What's going on with Facebook ads??
05:32 Cost-per-lead & patience
08:45 Free opt-in case study
11:40 The Planathon
12:42 The current ad landscape
15:20 Cost-per-lead case study
16:21 Earnings-per-lead
17:59 Shay's latest project
20:58 Reaching out for help
24:29 Affiliate sales & brand partnerships
26:20 Leveraging while expanding
28:36 Daily tracking & prioritization
34:55 We're on a journey together
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
Shay Hrobsky
https://www.soulfueledlife.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayjordan1
Instagram & Twitter: @shayhrobsky
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
