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.
How do you build and scale multiple businesses without running the risk of overwhelm and burnout?
It's definitely not easy, and more likely than not you WILL deal with some level of overwhelm at many points along your journey… but the steps you take to deal with it will make all the difference.
My guest for this week's episode of the Right on Time Podcast is Angela Henderson, owner of not one, but TWO successful businesses!
If there's anyone who knows about the dangers of stress and burnout, it's Angela.
And she is NOT afraid to let it all hang out!
Yes, this episode of the Right on Time podcast GOES there. We dig deep into the good, the bad, and the ugly of being an entrepreneur and running a booming business.
And it gets real.
We talk about the strategies that Angela used to build her two thriving businesses. We talk about why we need to let go of the things that no longer bring us joy. And we talk about how to build a business made out of bricks, instead of hay or sticks — and how to prioritize which bricks to put in place first!
From mindset to strategy to accountability, Angela shares some juicy tips that'll have you reaching for your notebook!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
00:28 Intro
02:28 Meet Angela Henderson
04:35 Finlay & Me
09:42 Angela Henderson Consulting
09:51 Overwhelm & bullying
11:40 'Are You Okay' Day & reaching out
13:33 Diagnosing mental health issues
14:42 Self care & seeking help
16:34 The secret to having 2 successful businesses!
18:03 Be mindful of money & effort
18:20 Pandemic impact & foundation
21:36 Prioritizing the bricks you put in place
24:14 Openness, mindset & taking responsibility
29:16 "We get to choose"
30:09 Personal accountability & checking yourself
33:50 What is right on time right now?
36:44 Workshop & partnerships example
42:47 Join us for The Planathon!
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
Angela Henderson
https://www.angelahenderson.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1322586367762977
Instagram: @angelahendersonconsulting
Did you know that the online course market has been exploding over the last few years?
More people than ever are open and eager to invest in learning from the comfort of their own couch — and smart business owners are learning how to create offers that can't be ignored.
My guest for this episode is the incredible Gemma Bonham-Carter, who helps her clients simplify the heck out of growing an online course business and create email and funnel strategies for daaaaays!
Gemma has a ton of experience in creating digital programs, both live launches and evergreen offers — and she's not shy about sharing what works… and what doesn't.
Here's the skinny:
You do NOT need to have your course created to start selling it.
You do NOT need to have mastered the ins and outs of a fancy teaching platform to run your first course.
Your LIVE launches will always have a greater conversion rate than your evergreen offers.
"There's a lot of noise in the online space… you need to craft offers that are truly irresistible and really highly sellable," Gemma says. "There's some things that people need to be doing to make sure that theirs stand out in the marketplace."
If you've been thinking about creating an online course, you will definitely want to hear Gemma share the lessons she's learned (and taught her own clients!) and find out your best next steps!
(Bonus: Gemma shares some mind-blowing examples of ways to make your offer completely irresistible!!)
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
01:32 Meet Gemma!
02:59 Gemma's life philosophy
04:54 Multiple revenue streams
07:17 Getting into real estate
09:32 Knowing *everything* in your business
10:44 Gemma's online business
11:49 First steps to creating your online course
14:59 Bakery online course story
16:52 Launch without a teaching platform
19:05 Strategy sessions
20:42 Gemma's first evergreen course
26:07 Most successful evergreen funnel
28:54 Evergreen v live conversion rates
32:13 Scheduling your year
34:25 How many people should you serve?
35:04 What do you need to know right now?
36:54 How to make your offer irresistible
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
Gemma Bonham-Carter
https://gemmabonhamcarter.com/class
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-passive-project/id1470482672
Instagram: @gemma.bonhamcarter
Are you working towards a big, shiny, amazing goal this year?
Or is there a change that you've been wanting to make in your life… but you're just not sure how to move from 'dream' to 'reality'?
Then you're going to want to meet Andrea Owen!
Andrea is a brilliant life coach who helps individuals and companies succeed, thrive, and empower themselves — and she's written three books on how to own your strength and feel amazing while doing it!
Andrea's latest book, Make Some Noise: Speak Your Mind and Own Your Strength (um, a must-read!) is a personal development manifesto designed to help women find their voice, zero in on their goals, and make some serious changes in order to live a life that's in alignment with their dreams and values.
In other words, it's the perfect bedtime reading for the Modern CEO.
What does "making noise" look like? It can be anything from setting kind but firm boundaries, to discovering and following your truth, to learning how to speak up and speak out. Check out the episode to learn how to identify and challenge your own inner critic, move along the path of change, and shake off the harmful beliefs of hustle culture!
While you're at it, order a copy of Andrea's latest book, Make Some Noise: Speak Your Mind and Own Your Strength!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
00:01 Meet Andrea Owen
03:25 Stepping into writing & speaking
04:55 Make Some Noise
08:36 The Big Leap
11:10 The inner critic
14:56 Internal work & external work
17:19 Body, appearance & age
23:10 Moving toward the path of change
25:59 Hustle culture
28:30 Pandemic, priorities & values
34:53 What guidance does Andrea give right now?
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
Andrea Owen
https://www.amazon.com/Andrea-Owen/e/B00F6MJ3NC%3F
Instagram: @heyandreaowen
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-big-leap-gay-hendricks
How do you set yourself up for growth and success from the very start of your business?
You have to learn to let go of a LOT of things!
(If you've already been in the game for a while, remember — you can have a fresh start any time you want!)
Online Business Manager extraordinaire Sarah Noked helps entrepreneurs and online service professionals plan and implement the systems that help them achieve (and exceed!) their goals.
I LOVE talking to Sarah, because as an OBM, she has some amazing insights into all aspects of growing a business online — from hiring to scaling to creating effective systems.
Our conversation was genuine, real, and we covered it alllll.
One thing Sarah shared that stood out to me is that many of her clients bump up against mindset challenges.
Even if you offer an amazing service and have an engaged audience, your mindset can still hold you back from taking the steps you need to take in order to scale with less stress.
"I find a lot of the time, my clients don't really recognize the importance of having a manager in place to manage whole parts of systems in their business," Sarah says. "I don't know where I would be without my OBM on my team… I find people have a lot of money mindset issues, almost like 'Am I deserving of this team member? Am I deserving to have a successfully scaled business that is supported by the right people in the right seats?'"
My friend, I'm here to tell you right now, you are 100% deserving of that business!
So, let's get you on the road to growth!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
00:08 About Sarah Noked
01:28 Meet Sarah!
03:06 Running a business with kids
04:33 When & what to delegate
06:49 Communication is key!
07:49 Hiring in a virtual environment
11:29 Scaling definition
12:30 Mindset issues
14:38 Prioritizing growth
17:27 Zones of genius
18:42 Your first system!
22:26 Your second system!
25:04 Your third system!
28:28 Growing long-term
31:24 Company culture
32:45 Sarah's business model
36:39 OBM hiring tips
I did say we covered it all, didn't I?!!
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
Sarah Noked
Instagram: @sarahnoked
Like a lot of people, I've taken a bit of time this year to really think about my content… and I decided to do a bit of a revamp!
(You know I love to keep things fresh!)
I did some organizing. I did some reworking. I took some pizza breaks. And then I did some finetuning. And at the end of it all, I'm SO thrilled to be able to offer a new experience called The Modern CEO.
This program takes everything you need to know from my past programs and bundles it up into a fabulously comprehensive package covering everything from leadership to client success.
As you can probably guess, my team and I are very happy with it.
But just because an offer is amazing, that doesn't mean that the enrollment process will be smooth sailing!
Among other things, we had to deal with the new iOS changes that have greatly affected the impact of digital advertising.
It took a little bit of fail-proofing, but we made it work! Want to learn how? You're going to have to hit play, my friend!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
00:31 Grab a cup of coffee!
03:34 Keeping things fresh
04:57 Introducing The Modern CEO
06:15 Program evolutions & lessons
07:37 3 core books
09:42 Enrollment behind-the-scenes
13:50 Fail-proofing your business
15:41 Road trip!
21:00 Build in vacation time
23:57 Streamlining
26:04 How can it be easier?
27:20 Coming up on the new season!
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
Hey there, if you are selling something or have a change that you wanna create an impact with your community and with your audience, this is the Right On Time Minisode for you.
I learned about this philosophy and this principle back when I was working in organizational change management. This is the idea of what's in it for me?
When we are trying to create change in large groups or in organizations, one of the things we wanna think about is of course what is relevant and why do we want this change for the greater good, but also how does this change benefit individuals?
Hence, the name what's in it for me? We put ourselves in the position of the individual and we think through what is in it for that person. Why is this change that we're creating for the broader community good for the individual as well? The same thing applies when we are creating our sales and our marketing conversations.
We wanna put ourselves in the space of that individual. We wanna think like they're thinking, we wanna step into that person's shoes and we wanna think, what's in it for you? What's in it for me? What's in it for the person that we're speaking to? Because this is what matters.
Yes, we are tied to creating change for the broader community and for the greater good but we wanna tie it back to what is happening for the individual. Because it doesn't mean that the individual is only thinking about what's in it for me and only cares about themselves, though, when we're making rapid decisions every day our brain goes to space where we're thinking, how's this gonna work for me?
What's going to change for me? Why do I need this? Why do I want this?
We go through these quick assessments and when you can clearly communicate to someone, yes, what's in it for the greater good, but what's in it for you as an individual as well, we can make decisions much faster. And when we're thinking about why clients buy from you, this is a critical thing to think through.
Let me know if you resonate with this, what's in it for me strategy or what has also sometimes turned as the WIFM, W-I-F-M for a quick abbreviation to throw a little jargon in there. And assess your marketing materials, assess the way you are connecting with your audience.
Are you sharing enough about what is in it for the individual you are speaking to? Or are you thinking too high-level, too big picture?
If not, let's bring it down. Let's bring it back to what is good for the person you are speaking to, how you're serving them, how you're helping them, how you're helping them move past problems faster.
It's you're WIFM.
Highlights:
[00:12] Philosophy and principle in organizational change management.
[00:21] What's in it for me?
[00:33] "What is relevant and why do we want this change for the greater good, but also how does this change benefit individuals?"
[00:56] "The same thing applies when we are creating our sales and our marketing conversations.
[01:18] What matters
[01:26] "Tie it back to what is happening for the individual"
[01:49] Quick assessments
[01:52] To make faster decisions
[02:11] What's in it for me strategy - WIFM
[02:29] "Are you sharing enough about what is in it for the individual you are speaking to? Or are you thinking too high-level, too big picture?"
Do you consider yourself an entrepreneur or a modern CEO?
(No, this isn't a trick question!)
Both entrepreneurs and modern CEOs are running their own businesses. Both entrepreneurs and modern CEOs are in positions of leadership over their teams. But there are a few important differences.
Modern CEOs are embracing a different way of leading and doing business. Some of them, you may already be doing. Some of them… just might take you by surprise!
Modern CEOs aren't tied down to a specific location — they have the freedom to live and work from wherever they want.
Modern CEOs define what it means to win in their business.
Modern CEOs carve out time to see the big picture in their business… and zero in on exactly what they need to build on next in order to move their business forward.
Because, importantly, the modern CEO mindset is focused on growth and opportunity.
This means being able to look at a misstep or mistake and see it as a valuable lesson that you can use to drive growth. It means having a definite vision for what you want to create… but being agile enough to adapt to what's going on in the market. It means being savvy about digital marketing so that you're reaching your people where they are… with the messaging they need to hear. And this means knowing when to pull in the experts, rather than doing All The Things yourself.
And the best part is — no matter what stage you're at in your business, from start-up to scale-up, you can elevate into the role of modern CEO.
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
00:56 What is a modern CEO?
02:29 Set up for success as a modern CEO
03:21 Flipping the pancake
05:11 Vision + adaptability
07:38 Digital marketing
08:52 Bring in the experts!
11:37 Take responsibility for your numbers
16:55 The holistic view
18:12 Design your life
19:55 The Modern CEO Way
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 Way
http://ambermccue.com/modernceo
Business Brilliant: Surprising Lessons from the Greatest Self-Made Business Icons by Lewis Schiff
https://www.amazon.com/Business-Brilliant-Surprising-Greatest-Self-Made/dp/0062253506
I have some real talk for you right now.
And it may sound far-fetched and you may feel just a little bit of resistance to hearing it, but here it comes: People making 10x more than you… aren't working 10x harder.
I know that goes against the Instagram 'Hustle' mindset you're so used to seeing. It goes against everything your parents said about working as hard as you can. It goes against the societal belief that you have to be actively working and busy all… the… time… in order to be deserving of wealth.
But it's 100% true.
People making 10x more than you aren't working 10x harder. And "busy" is not the badge of honor that everyone thinks it is.
All of the leaders and modern CEOs that I admire have time and space for themselves and the people they care about, because they build that space into their business. Vacations… evenings… maybe even a spa afternoon here or there.
And you can too.
There is a design that goes into leading and growing a business like yours, in a way that allows you to have financial success and time freedom.
Yes, you will still have moments of hustle — launch preparation, seasonal rushes, putting out the occasional fire. But your hustle should never be 24/7, no matter what those slick pink Insta posts tell you!
No-grinding, balance-creating, super-successful modern CEOs just do things differently — and we can learn a lot from their choices.
And guess what: you can learn three of their lessons right here, right now!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
01:42 Who do you admire?
03:05 Seasons of hustle
03:40 Three Boudoir + ambermccue.com
04:48 Business Brilliant
06:22 Lesson #1
08:39 Lesson #2
12:05 Lesson #3
15:22 Recap
16:32 The Modern CEO Way
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 Way
http://ambermccue.com/modernceo
Business Brilliant: Surprising Lessons from the Greatest Self-Made Business Icons by Lewis Schiff
https://www.amazon.com/Business-Brilliant-Surprising-Greatest-Self-Made/dp/0062253506
What Sets Successful CEOs Apart
Welcome to this Right On Time Minisode.
For this episode, where we are talking about some practices I am implementing right now around gratitude, and expanding my money mindset. Because, about a month ago, I recognized that I had some scarcity stuff coming up. We're experiencing growth in the business. Things are going well. We're reinvesting in the business, and I identified, still, some scarcity, some lacks, some reactions, when I was like, ooh, are we going to do that? Ah, ah, ah, I'm not sure.
So I picked up a book... Actually, first up, I implemented an approach, where I am writing down my goals for the year, every single day for 30 days, to see what comes up, to step into that, to remind my subconscious, and to reprogram my thoughts around the goals that I'm working towards in case there's any scarcity around that.
And there is, I can confirm. But I'm getting better. It's getting a little bit more comfortable, and I'm seeing the way forward a little bit more clearly every day.
The second thing I am doing every day is I am writing down 10 things I am grateful for and why.
This comes from a practice recommended in the book, "The Magic" by Rhonda Byrne. Actually, my hairstylist recommended it. She had it on her station, at her space, when I was getting my hair cut, and we just had a lovely conversation, and I mentioned something she's like, "Actually, I'm reading about it right now. Check this out."
So I immediately picked up the book. I'm really enjoying the gratitude practices that Rhonda recommends in the book. So I've been writing down, every day, for the last week, 10 things I am grateful for. And not just what I'm grateful for, but also the why. Why am I grateful for it?
I am grateful for great weather because it perks up my energy, I feel better all around, and I can be outside, right? One simple example. It's simple, the weather, great weather. Nothing big is happening there, but you can capture everything on these gratitude lists.
The second thing I am doing every day is I am recognizing, I have this in a place where I can see it and read it frequently, that the gift of health is keeping me alive. And interestingly, I had a little bit of a reaction to this one, like, yes, yes, it's true. The gift of health is keeping me alive, but I have chronic migraines that I'm dealing with. I've got a headache almost every day, not quite every day, and they're going down, they're going down, but it prompts nausea. It prompts all sorts of things for me. So reading this, I'm like, all right, I'm gonna read it because I am indeed grateful for the gift of health that is keeping me alive. And, I will take a little bit more of that. So we're gonna keep it going.
The other thing that I am doing every night, as a part of the recommendations in this book, to expand our capacity for abundance, and to increase our gratitude. And there, of course, all sorts of benefits for our health, for our life that comes with a gratitude practice, is at the end of each day, I'm holding a rock, and I am saying the thing I am most grateful for from the day. The thing that I'm most grateful for from the day, and just saying, thank you, thank you, thank you for whatever that thing may be.
And lastly, the thing that I am doing is, I wrote on a $100 bill, I wrote on and $100 bill, on this sticker. I didn't actually write on the $100 bill, that I am thankful for all of the money I have been given in my life. Not just that I'm receiving right now, but all the money I have ever received. I am thankful for that. And in the book, Rhonda prompts you to think through all the things that you are grateful for, or that you've ever received, right? That you are grateful for, like the shoes that I didn't have to buy when I was a kid, the house that I had over my head when I was a kid, the Mercury Grand Marquis, a very big car that my parents gave me to drive to school and back when I was a kid.
So what are all of those things that you've ever received that have money, that led to you having something, and being taken care of?
And it could be vacations, it could be necessities, it could be anything across the board, but all of the money I've been given in my life, I am thankful for. And I'm looking at that several times a day, 'cause this is just near me, by me, as I sit and work, and while we talk. And Rhonda actually recommended you put this on a $1 bill. That felt pretty comfortable. I didn't have a $1 bill. I happened to only have a 100 in my wallet. I sometimes keep a $100 bill in my wallet. And, so I put it on the hundred, and that made me feel a certain way.
Am I really news? Like, am really gonna leave this out. Should I use this for something? Do I need to use this for something? So, all sorts of questions came up that I just tucked aside, and I'm going with it. So, that is next to me. I wanted to share this with you today in this minisode, in case you have identified that you are coming up against some blocks, some scarcity, some limits, even if they are just in our head, right?
Around the abundance that is coming to you and the growth that you are experiencing, or will be experiencing in your business. Even just writing down my goals every day, which is where this journey started 15 days ago, has been expansive. I'm settling into that. And now I'm layering in these gratitude practices, and I'm finding all sorts of stuff is bubbling up.
So you've got to let me know if you try this, what comes up for you as well? Let me know, because business, growing a business, and growing in our life is strategic, and it is tactical, and there are specific things that we do to grow our businesses.
And, there are all sorts of other stuff that is coming with us as we grow the businesses that we picked up along the way in our life, that we picked up as kids, that we picked up in college, we picked up all of these ideas of what is and what should be. But part of what will happen as we are growing businesses, is we're gonna have to unpack some of that. We're gonna have to identify what doesn't serve us or support us in our growth and on our journey anymore, and we're gonna have to put some new practices in place. So, these are a few new practices to test out.
Check out "The Magic" if you are curious about the rest of the gratitude practices. I'm only a week or so in, and there are 30 days of gratitude practices that build in the book, "The Magic".
So, let me know if any of this resonates for you, or if you grab the book and you decide to go on this journey as well, because, my friend, we are in this together, and I'm so excited for everything you are creating.
You are Right On Time!
Highlights:
0:18 Scarcity stuff coming up
0:42 First step: Implementing an approach
1:18 Second step: 10 things
1:26 "The Magic" by Rhonda Byrne
2:00 Why am I grateful for?
2:27 Third step: recognizing the why
3:27 Fourth Step: holding a rock
3:51 Fifth Step: the $100 bill
6:19 Layering gratitude practices
7:10 Identifying and new practices to test out
7:35 30 days of gratitude practices
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
I don't know about you, but I LOVE a fresh start.
There's something magical about that feeling of a clean slate.
Whether it's January 1st, coming back from a vacation, or even just a Monday, I love the feeling of exciting potential that a fresh start gives.
But can I let you in on a secret? You can have a fresh start any time you choose.
Just close your eyes and point to a date on the calendar! Fresh start on a Tuesday? On your birthday? On your dog's birthday? Whatever you choose, you will be right on time.
So now that we've covered the WHEN of your fresh start, let's dig into the WHAT.
Wanting a fresh start doesn't have to mean committing to a drastic new course of action or implementing an entirely new system. You don't need to reinvent your business. You don't need to burn it all down and start over from scratch — and you shouldn't! You've built some great things that you can regularly improve upon!
Step away from the lighter and choose a different path.
I want you to take a step back from your business and look at it honestly.
What is working for you? What isn't working? And why not?
How about this: can you tweak a process and make your business just 5% more efficient this month?
Can you make a critical shift that reduces your feelings of stress or burnout, even just a little?
Is there something in your business that you added years ago… but may be holding you back now?
Your fresh start could be just around the corner!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
00:52 Casual Friday & birthday fun
02:28 A fresh start
03:45 Regular improvement
04:12 Don't burn it all down!
05:40 Overwhelm
06:55 Case study: Airbnb & VRBO
09:26 Case study: Three Boudoir
12:38 Shift your perspective
14:33 Where to begin with your fresh start
17:30 Back down to start-up
19:02 How do you know your business stage?
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
Modern CEO Must Do List
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