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.
Are you feeling like you've hit a plateau in your journey to build and scale your business?
Are you wondering what secret sauce you need to discover in order to push through?
Then this is the Right on Time episode for you. (Warning: I just might blow your mind!)
Do you feel like you've already tried all the things without seeing the results you want? Do you feel like you're too busy working in your business to work ON your business?
Believe me, I get it!
The problem actually starts with your best intentions.
We constantly learn about new techniques, approaches, and software that promise to make our businesses leaner, meaner, and more profitable. Yes, it's EXHILARATING to imagine totally revamping our businesses and making them feel shiny and new. It's exciting to come up with a dozen new offers that our clients are sure to fall in love with. And who isn't thrilled by the idea of a total rebrand??
But this constant reinvention is part of the reason why so many Modern CEOs struggle to move forward.
Look — what works for Madonna doesn't necessarily work for everyone!
And chronic reinvention has a lot of hidden downsides that can slow down your growth.
If you want to make the RIGHT changes to your business, you need to step back and understand the bigger picture — that's an important part of your role as a Modern CEO. You need that bigger-picture clarity in order to implement the changes that will TRULY take your business where you want it to go, instead of quick fixes that don't really move the needle.
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights
00:46 Struggling to hit the next stage?
02:00 The bigger picture
04:02 Chronic reinvention
05:55 Negative effects of constant change
09:27 Boring isn't bad!
10:02 The rocking chair & the keyboard
11:38 Why ISN'T your business boring?
14:17 The problem with business advice
17:00 Make the best decisions for your business
17:25 The Modern CEO Way
18:02 Case study: Three Boudoir & Amber McCue
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
I am a huge fan of businesses (especially small ones!) that seek to do something different... and create something better.
One of the perks of running my online coaching business is that I can do it anywhere — over the past two years I've moved multiple times, including to Ethiopia!
But not every business has been able to handle the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns with ease.
Trust me, I know!
Say what you will about the pandemic, but it created a big opportunity (and often necessity) for businesses to really look at their models, processes, and systems... and turn them into something COMPLETELY different.
Over the past year, we've had to make a LOT of changes in the way we run our photography business, Three Boudoir. As you can imagine, boudoir photography during a pandemic looks VERY different, in terms of the process and logistics!
But we made it work.
While we had to completely shut down for four months, we actually GREW the business over the last eight. During our shutdown, we took time to make plans (you know I love planning!) about how we were going to come out of that shutdown stronger and fiercer than ever.
But while many of us have made amazing changes in our businesses, it hasn't been all kittens and roses — many modern CEOs are feeling tired, stuck, and uncertain.
The fact is that there is no one simple solution or change that is GUARANTEED to give your business a pandemic glow-up.
There is no one-size-fits-all Golden Ticket.
But there ARE a few universal truths that, when embraced, can help you figure out the best solutions for growing and scaling YOUR unique, amazing business!
(Yes, even in a pandemic.)
Even if you're just getting started today, you are right on time!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights
00:37 A little bit of catch-up!
02:55 My big Forbes news!
04:04 Forbes Next 1000 & Three Boudoir
06:01 Modern CEO survey results
08:25 Look at how all things come together
10:17 Case study: Operation Streamline
13:11 The dream of the one simple change
14:41 Setting the rules & aligning with values
15:46 What's missing in the market
17:28 Look at the business as a whole
18:46 Embrace your differences!
21:14 What do you want to create?
21:54 Personalization is the way to go
23:43 The next few weeks
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
Three Boudoir
Forbes Next 1000
Does it ever seem like you're just shouting into a marketplace full of a zillion people doing exactly what you're doing?
Do you feel like your message is getting lost in all that noise?
Maybe… you need to lower your voice to a whisper.
That's the advice given by my favorite sales guru, Colin Boyd, the creator of the Sell from Stage Academy and the author of the Sell With Story guide.
The trick? You have to whisper the right words into the right ears!
Here's the thing: if you want your webinar (or any lead generation creation) to really resonate with your audience, you need to change what you talk about — and how you talk about it.
"What I realized was my course wasn't the problem. It was how I was talking about my course. No one cares about my course, all they care about is their problems," Colin says. "You shouldn't obsess about your product. You have to obsess about the problem."
Let me repeat that for the people in the back: no one cares about your course.
They only care about their problem.
So, that's the hook you need to use to get them engaged. Figure out the right words, aim them at the right ears, and you'll be practically printing money!
In the latest episode of the Right on Time podcast, Colin spills some pretty mind-blowing secrets about listening to what your audience REALLY wants and how to turn a run-of-the-mill webinar into a sales powerhouse through the magic of infusion selling.
If you just asked "what the heck is infusion selling?!", then you NEED to hit play right now! It's a game-changer!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights
01:47 Meet Colin Boyd
02:21 Selling from the stage
05:46 Numbers & conversion rates
09:16 "Why isn't this selling??"
12:06 Getting people to connect
15:09 Sales as service
16:53 You gotta commit!
21:11 How micro-decisions work
24:34 Engagement & infusion selling
26:52 Transitioning to the pitch
28:14 Listening to our audiences
31:02 The 3 questions your audience is asking
32:54 Obsess about the problem, not the product
34:40 Final guidance
36:14 Free training > ambermccue.com/colin
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
Colin Boyd
Instagram: @colinboyd
Training
About Colin Boyd
Colin Boyd has spent the last 8 years in coaching, corporate training, and keynote speaking around the world, enabling people to become the best version of themselves. He helps speakers, coaches, and consultants increase their influence and leverage their passion into a successful business.
Highlights:
[0:11] "Running a business is the greatest personal development journey you will ever go on"
[0:29] Identifying areas in your business that you need to improve on
[0:45] "You need to leverage the strengths that you have right now and marry your business model design up and your team building up with who you are and where you are right now"
[1:06] Aligning your business to where you want to be
[1:18] How to approach things to improve on in your business
[2:08] "When I'm in busy season, sometimes I get quiet and less communicative proactively with my team. Is that great? No. That's not necessarily great. Can I do better? Yes."
[2:40] Hiring someone with the mindset that complements yours
[3:53] "We cannot predict the future. What we can do is we can plan for today and we can plan for where you are going."
[4:08] African Proverb that you can apply to your business development
[4:22] Design your business strategy with where you are and where you are going in mind
[4:37] Embracing and acknowledging your business quirks
Highlights:
[00:26] "It's incredibly important that we look closely at our numbers and we look closely at our financials as we are growing our businesses."
[00:48] "Take a look at your financials daily -- what's coming in and what's coming out"
[01:13] "You might look at your numbers differently at different seasons."
[01:57] Strategy on how to determine and manage your profit
[02:20] What is a profit margin
[02:45] How to track your profitability for the year 2021
[03:13] "What gets measured, gets done. Gets our focus. Gets our attention."
[03:31] Difference between the sales number and revenue
[04:19] Ways to augment your money review using simple tools
[04:41] How looking at your revenue provides momentum
[05:02] "Everytime a sale comes, we're doing the happy dance."
[05:19] Should you track your expenses individually?
[06:39] "Having your eyes on this is gonna fuel you and give you so much more awareness around your financials."
[06:55] When to do your financial review
I have a very special guest for you in this episode. I'm chatting with the one … the only … Joanna Tiger, my incredible business partner in my boudoir photography business, Three Boudoir!
Joanna is an amazing businesswoman (and an amazing woman, period). Together, we built Three Boudoir up from a spark of an idea to a multi-city, scaled-up photography business, to an empowerment empire with online and in-person services and resources (throughout the middle of a pandemic, no less).
Throughout our years together, we have taught each other so much about partnership, success, and how to co-run a business effectively and compassionately.
And have a TON of fun doing it!
And now? We are sharing ALL of the secrets!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Listen below!
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
00:12 [+ ~4:00] Welcome to our special guest!
02:52 [+ ~4:00] Make Fridays your time of reflection!
03:57 [+ ~4:00] Three Boudoir - from scale-up to shutdown to scale-up again
08:12 [+ ~4:00] The bigger the vision, the better!
08:57 [+ ~4:00] Back to work in a COVID world
12:45 [+ ~4:00] "There are things that aren't ironed out, but we have so much confidence and so much clarity in what it is that we do."
14:23 [+ ~4:00] Don't get dragged down by perfection: "Just do it. We'll figure it out as we go."
15:58 [+ ~4:00] With a fantastic team, you can do ANYTHING
17:18 [+ ~4:00] You don't always have to make a decision 'right now'
21:42 [+ ~4:00] The #1 reason Three Boudoir took off
24:52 [+ ~4:00] How to *effectively* deal with nerves … and kill it regardless!
26:47 [+ ~4:00] "We have to take care of the human side, otherwise what is business for?"
28:48 [+ ~4:00] "Surround yourself with people who support and empower you"
29:53 [+ ~4:00] Know your energy levels
32:16 [+ ~4:00] You are worth it, and you are Right on Time!
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
If you've been following me for a while, you know much I value a great plan!
(That's why I hold a Planathon every year!)
I've always considered intention to be a major aspect of any successful plan.
That's why, each year, I set a new overarching intention for my life and business. I use that intention to guide the steps I take and to shape how I SHOW UP -- in business and life.
And with the change and confusion and overwhelm that has come up for so many of us this past year, I've been thinking about intention-setting more than ever!
That's why I asked my friend Missy Campbell to join me on the latest episode of the Right On Time Podcast.
Let me tell you -- Missy is a MASTER of manifesting and intention-setting.
This woman has made me believe in magic!
Missy incorporates intention-setting into every step of her business, and with great results. Her deliberate and thoughtful approach has left her full of incredible wisdom regarding adaptability, adjustment, and knowing when to take things step-by-step … and when you need to SPRINT!
She's one of the most fascinating people I know, and we had an amazing conversation about intention-setting, resilience, and how to narrow your social focus when it comes to your business (did I mention she's also a social media genius??)
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
0:22 Introducing my guest, the great Missy Campbell!
6:39 The awesome power of manifesting (x3!)
8:26 "You just decide, and then it happens"
9:52 "Once you take the first step, you're there"
10:22 Sustainable manifesting
11:59 The 'Genie Effect'
13:12 Don't underestimate the power of paper
15:12 "As you set your intention and sustainably take steps, there is an evolution where maybe the thing you're walking toward changes"
16:30 The big three: problem-solving, speaking & writing clearly
18:22 The homeschooling renaissance of 2020
23:52 Everything is possible!
25:12 Build simplicity into your strategies in order to accelerate growth
27:49 "Picture yourself in a year. One year from now: who am I? Where am I? And just start walking toward it"
28:02 Find your social focus when it comes to growing your business
30:31 "We have the plan, we set the intention, we get in action and execute, then results follow"
32:17 Is now the time to consider changing the way you run your business?
33:02 "It is okay to always be learning"
33:19 Give yourself two minutes to feel overwhelmed -- and then find a solution
36:00 "When the whole world flips upside down, obviously we have to flip upside down, too"
40:12 Fluidity and adaptability will be your biggest gifts as a Modern CEO
41:48 Have an ongoing problem? Create a system!
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
Are you a naturally gifted public speaker?
If so, congratulations on your superpower! (And it IS a superpower, believe me!)
Speaking can be nervewracking for many people. (There's a reason why public speaking is rated as the #1 phobia!). But it's also an essential skill for anyone building an online business that includes webinars, masterminds, or video marketing.
And, what's more, you need to master more than just the skill of public speaking.
You need to master speaking to SELL.
(That's a WHOLE OTHER skill set!)
Learning how to speak in order to sell rather than just entertain can help you boost your webinar revenues from $5000 to $25,000... or even more!
Can you imagine how life changing that would be?
Luckily, I have a very good friend who is not only a GENIUS at speaking to sell, but has also developed a course designed to help ANYONE learn how to effectively build an incredible income through webinars and masterminds.
So, of COURSE I invited him onto the podcast!!
This week, I'm joined by the one and only Colin Boyd, the brains (and charm) behind the How to Speak and Sell on Virtual Stages program!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Listen below!
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
You are right on time.
Highlights:
02:40 Introducing our guest, Colin Boyd!
06:38 The similarities between offline stages and online stages
08:40 The importance of energy management in online spaces
11:12 The neuroscience of vulnerability and preparation
13:57 What's your speaking goal? Sharp sell, soft sell, or no sell?
20:54 Infusion selling: tell them a story
23:26 "The main purpose of a signature story that sells is to share your story in a way that your audience forgets that they're listening to your story, and they see themselves"
28:32 The balance between speaking to entertain and speaking to sell
31:10 "You dial in one good signature talk, and your entire life can change"
32:15 Nail down your signature story…or four
34:37 The #1 thing you need to keep in mind when developing your signature story
36:36 "Your audience doesn't need all of the how-to…what they need is a greater level of commitment"
40:46 Construct your frameworks and create clarity of focus!
43:47 Avoid "death by webinar"
45:41 "Most people either get claps, or they get clients"
48:29 How to Speak and Sell on Virtual Stages
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
And we... are… BACK!
It's been a minute since our last episode!
As you know, we are living in some (shall we say?) interesting times. And this has dramatically changed the way that a lot of us show up for our business -- me included!!
Quarantine can be crazy, my friends, especially when I've just moved into my sixth and final house of 2020!
I love adventure, but 2020 isn't exactly what I had in mind. Looking back on the last few months has been a little bit of an eye-opener for me.
I've realized a few things about my productivity. Some of these things are obvious in hindsight, like the importance of having an office to myself (no more working from the kitchen table while the kids run around)!
But I've also been thinking a lot about how crucial the foundational aspects of my business are when it comes to keeping myself moving forward.
That's right -- I'm talking about vision.
Your vision for your business is more than just a nice statement. Your vision should help guide the way that you show up for your clients and team. It should help guide you in deciding your next steps to take, or what you should be focusing on.
Let me put it this way: your vision is kind of a big deal!
In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:
Listen below!
Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!
Highlights:
1:00 It's been a minute -- here's why!
03:12 What does your workspace look like these days?
06:10 "We have got to give ourselves grace as we are navigating completely uncharted territories"
06:42 How are you showing up in this new world, for your team, clients, and business?
08:02 The Three Ds you need to increase your productivity
10:38 Ask yourself: "If I were starting my business from scratch, what would I have done differently?"
12:52 Should you experiment and learn, or build a bridge to fast income?
14:12 Push back against false lessons you may have been taught!
16:04 The importance of your vision to your planning
18:12 "Keep showing up. Keep taking action. Keep reflecting on where you are and where you are going."
22:09 Know yourself -- and know how you work BEST
26:42 In this day and age, we're all content producers (but also still ourselves!)
27:55 "Keep showing up in whatever way feels right and aligned and authentic for you."
Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue
Mentioned in this episode:
Highlights:
00:06 "You need a new way to plan."
00:19 Register for the Planathon at theplanathon.com
00:30 The 3 things that you need to include in your plans
01:20 Importance of the readiness element if your business was put on hold due to the current circumstances
01:32 Adjustments in Amber's photography business
02:17 Which elements are you going to update in your plan?
02:37 "We need to update our plans but we also need to think about a new way to plan that is ready for this new environment."
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
