Promote Yourself to CEO | Small Business Strategy for Women Entrepreneurs

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Do you often have to throw your 90-day business plan out of the window because events come up that throw a wrench in the works?

Over the past few years, pandemics, social justice movements, and wars have made the world feel more chaotic than ever. And that impacts you as a small business owner, as do the things just going on in your personal life.

So, how do you bridge that gap between your quarterly plans and yearly goals? In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn how to take your goals for the next year and turn them into an achievable plan. I’ll teach you the difference between process and project goals, the critical systems you need to make it all work, and examples of where you might need to shore up your business.

On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:

5:19 - What type of goals are you setting for your business? There’s a difference between process goals and project goals.

10:43 - Many small business owners are doing project goals they think will grow their business. Ask yourself these two questions when it comes to your goals.

15:00 - Is your business leaking anywhere? Do an audit to see where you need to plug the gaps.

22:35 - Make sure you have these three systems dialed in for all your offers so that you (and your team) succeed without burnout.

26:50 - What can happen if you don’t implement these systems in your business before adding new things?

29:54 - Here’s an example of a project versus process goal within my business. It enables me to take this next step with The CEO Collective I’ve been working on behind the scenes.

Mentioned in How to Bridge the Gap Between Your 90-Day and 12-Month Plans

• Plan Your Best Year Ever Challenge
• 90-Day CEO Operating System
• The CEO Collective
• Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
• Rate and review on Apple Podcasts

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @racheal.cook
• TikTok: @rachealcookmba
• LinkedIn: @rachealcook
• YouTube: @the_ceo_collective
• Website: The CEO Collective

Subscribe & Review:

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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Are you running your business on a wing and a prayer? Meaning, you don’t have a plan for what to do next in your business?

Andrea Bentschneider has been a leading expert genealogist in Germany for almost 20 years. She’s been featured on international TV shows and is a sought-after guest on German media.

But when she first joined The CEO Collective, her business and marketing strategy was winging it. She didn’t have consistent demand for her services, so she would have to hire and let go staff as demand went up and down, respectively. And she ended up in the feast and famine cycle because of it.

Things have turned around for Andrea now, but how? Today on the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, we continue our entrepreneurial poverty and hustle culture series.

In this episode, Andrea will share how being clear on how you’re going to market your business, and being consistent with it, is a complete game changer. You’ll shift from reacting all the time to knowing what the right next steps are so you can move your business forward.

On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:

1:19 - What are some signs that you’re winging it instead of being proactive in your business?

6:05 - Andrea talks about how long she’s been in business and what it looked like prior to joining The CEO Collective.

10:53 - Andrea explains what she found inside the membership that she couldn’t find elsewhere.

15:03 - What’s the one gap that still exists in Andrea’s marketing? She also reveals the answer to a question I answered that finalized her decision to join.

17:40 - Andrea has had some major media coverage as she’s gotten more proactive this year. She discusses some big visibility opportunities that started showing up for her.

21:00 - What were some of the little things Andrea did to help her land marketing opportunities?

27:35 - Here’s the one question Andrea asks herself whenever she’s hesitating about doing something. She also shares what she’d say to anyone considering joining.

Mentioned in Going From Reactive to Proactive In Your Business with Andrea Bentschneider

• Beyond History
• The CEO Retreat
• The CEO Collective
• Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
• Rate and review on Apple Podcasts

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @racheal.cook
• TikTok: @rachealcookmba
• LinkedIn: @rachealcook
• YouTube: @the_ceo_collective
• Website: The CEO Collective

Subscribe & Review:

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!

Send us a text

Decision-making during uncertain times can make or break your business. When stress levels rise, our natural decision-making abilities become compromised, pushing us into either reactive choices or complete avoidance—both potentially devastating for long-term success.
The entrepreneurs who navigate turbulent periods most effectively aren't those making the quickest decisions, but those making thoughtful, aligned ones. This episode walks you through creating your own decision-making framework based on the 90-Day CEO Operating System, providing a structured approach to evaluate opportunities and challenges without falling prey to panic-driven reactions.
Your decision-making matrix should start with your vision—what's your core business model, who do you serve, and what impact do you want to create? Even when you can't see years ahead, clarity about your 12-month goals provides essential context. From there, every potential decision should be filtered through alignment questions: Does this fit your existing offers? Does it serve your current clients' evolving needs? Does it leverage your established marketing and sales systems rather than forcing you to build entirely new ones?
During economic uncertainty, clients naturally seek safety and security. Smart entrepreneurs anticipate these shifts by creating risk-reversal options—perhaps offering satisfaction guarantees, bite-sized entry offers, or more flexible payment terms. But these adaptations must still align with your core strengths, brand identity, and team capacity.
Perhaps most vital is filtering decisions through your values. If "life before business" matters to you, will a potential change respect that boundary? Will it move you closer to your personal definition of success, not just financial targets? By creating and consistently using a comprehensive decision matrix, you'll navigate even the most challenging times with greater confidence and clarity.
What decision has been weighing on your mind lately? Try applying this framework and share what insights emerge. Your thoughtful decision-making now will position your business for sustainable success regardless of external circumstances.

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @racheal.cook
• TikTok: @rachealcookmba
• LinkedIn: @rachealcook
• YouTube: @the_ceo_collective
• Website: The CEO Collective

Subscribe & Review:

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!

Send us a text

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

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @racheal.cook
• TikTok: @rachealcookmba
• LinkedIn: @rachealcook
• YouTube: @the_ceo_collective
• Website: The CEO Collective

Subscribe & Review:

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!

Say YES! to a full year of business mastery inside The CEO Collective.

Ready to fully implement and integrate our proven 90 Day CEO Operating System into your business?

During this live Open House, Racheal and our incredible mentor team will share an in-depth look at the experience working directly with us inside The CEO Collective and answer your biggest questions about taking the next step with us towards being a fully supported CEO.
Watch the video version on-demand.
Apply to The CEO Collective.

The CEO Collective is a 12-month immersive mentorship meets mastermind experience for women entrepreneurs who are ready to sustainably scale and step into the role of CEO. Applications are currently open for the next cohort until Friday February 23rd, 2024!

>>> Click Here to Apply