Promote Yourself to CEO | Small Business Strategy for Women Entrepreneurs

You’re doing all the right things in your business. You have a great offer and clients you adore. Yet, you’ve hit a ceiling in your business. You can’t figure out why or break through it no matter how hard you try. If this feels familiar, then in this episode you’ll learn the three big shifts you need to make to get you and your business unstuck and back into growth mode. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 4:29 - Are you spending much of your time doing $10 p/h activities in your business? For big shift #1, I go over what $10, $100, $1,000, and $10,000 hourly tasks look like. 12:28 - Many clients hit another plateau when they refuse to make the second big mindset shift. Here’s how doing so can pay dividends. 15:05 - I reveal another challenge I often see among entrepreneurs (myself included), even when they’ve previously overcome the second mindset hurdle. 17:46 - Where was my focus when I hit this business plateau? It took me a long time to admit this to myself. 22:20 - I discuss the final shift needed and reveal an exercise I frequently do to help me get out of my own way. 26:14 - To wrap the show, I recap the three shifts to think about if you’re feeling stuck and unsure about how to move the needle in your business. Show Links The CEO CollectiveCEO Planner“Are You Making CEO Level Work a Priority?” 80/20 Sales and Marketingby Perry MarshallRacheal on Instagram Leave a review on iTunesAre you running your business… or is your business running you? It’s time to get your business in order so you can step into your role as a confident, in control CEO! Join Racheal Cook for this free 4-part training series May 20th-24th to sustainably scale your business with more ease and less stress. RSVP at http://www.theceocollective.com/success

A lot of us entrepreneurs have seen (and heard) from our parents and others that success requires a lot of hard work and long hours. I used to be frustrated with the whole “work smarter, not harder” concept because I saw my entrepreneurial parents embrace the hustle. I thought to gain success, you had to do anything and everything and work 80-100 hour weeks. But you eventually reach a point where you just can’t work any harder! So how do you get to that next level of success? Working harder for it clearly isn’t the answer. You need to shift the way you think about your relationship with work. So in today’s episode, I talk about six lessons that will have you working smarter instead. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 3:48 - When you do this, you get an exponentially higher return on your time and energy. So what’s lesson #1 and how have I practiced it in my business? 7:12 - What does the E in CEO not stand for? I learned this lesson the hard way! 11:46 - You’ve probably heard this phrase before, and there is some truth to it. I’ve had to follow this lesson whenever my business crossed another threshold. 17:03 - Many entrepreneurs, especially creative ones, find lesson #4 challenging to implement. But not doing so can eventually sabotage you. 20:41 - Don’t love the idea of going into debt to invest back into your business? Here’s what I did early on in my business for lesson #5. 25:32 - You can’t implement the final lesson through Google. You’ll face rites of passage in your business when you want this in your corner instead. Mentioned in 6 Lessons to Work Smarter, Not Harder The CEO CollectiveInstagramTikTok Rate and review on Apple Podcasts Are you running your business… or is your business running you? It’s time to get your business in order so you can step into your role as a confident, in control CEO! Join Racheal Cook for this free 4-part training series May 20th-24th to sustainably scale your business with more ease and less stress. RSVP at http://www.theceocollective.com/success

In your business, you have to constantly make big decisions. Who’s going to be your coach or mentor? Who should you hire to join your team? What resources should you use to help run your company? How (and where) will you market your business? It can get overwhelming! So you want to only spend time and money where there’s a return on your investment. In this episode, I cover the five key ways to ensure you’re getting the most out of every business investment you make. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 2:09 - I reveal why relying on your feelings can sometimes lead you astray in making business decisions. 3:45 - Tip #1 is one of the biggest things that ensures you’re not signing up for something or hiring someone who isn’t the right fit for you. 9:40 - People often get stuck in their journey because they don’t follow tip #2. Even I’ve been guilty of it recently, and I tell you how. 12:30 - So many of us have a hard time with the third tip. I discuss how I’ve seen this inside The CEO Collective. 19:23 - What’s a good rule to follow whenever you’re learning or getting advice from others? Some of my best business breakthroughs have come as a result of this tip. 23:20 - By following this final tip, you establish the ability to create your own economy. I explain what I mean by that and how I’ve benefited from it. 29:26 - To wrap the show, I quickly recap the five ways to make your business investments worth your time, energy, and money. Show Links The CEO CollectiveRacheal on Instagram Leave a review on iTunesAre you running your business… or is your business running you? It’s time to get your business in order so you can step into your role as a confident, in control CEO! Join Racheal Cook for this free 4-part training series May 20th-24th to sustainably scale your business with more ease and less stress. RSVP at http://www.theceocollective.com/success

After setting a revenue goal for your business, the next question on your mind might be, “How do I actually reach my goal?” If that’s you, then you’ll love this episode! In it, I dive even deeper into the actual math behind your revenue goal using real numbers to help you determine what to sell, at what price point, and to how many clients or customers. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 3:26 - I explain why figuring out how to hit your revenue goals can get a little tricky, especially if you follow so-called guru advice. 10:11 - You have to understand your sales conversion rate which varies based on what you’re selling, to who, and at what price point. 12:26 - What kind of sales call conversion rate do I see among people, even those without much sales experience? 14:53 - Let’s take a look at conversion rates of some other popular promotional methods. 22:56 - How do I know that the price point advice too many “gurus” give to entrepreneurs isn’t necessarily based on any real data? 27:39 - I discuss the biggest problems I see with offering a one-session service and my minimum price point recommendation for your signature offer. 31:39 - Here’s how building a baseline revenue with a higher-end offer can help you grow your income down the line, without sacrificing your time or salary. 34:55 - Remember this about each product, program, or service you create for your business. Show Links Get Paid CalculatorRacheal on Instagram Leave a review on iTunesAre you running your business… or is your business running you? It’s time to get your business in order so you can step into your role as a confident, in control CEO! Join Racheal Cook for this free 4-part training series May 20th-24th to sustainably scale your business with more ease and less stress. RSVP at http://www.theceocollective.com/success

There’s a tale that’s rarely told in the business world. It’s a tale of two companies. Both make seven figures annually. But the business owners behind them receive a vastly different amount of money as actual take-home pay. What happens once money comes into a business? Where does it go from there? The lack of real disclosure on this in online entrepreneurial circles has led to lots of people focusing solely on revenue goals, not their business’ actual profitability. So in this episode, I break it all down, talk some numbers, and tell you exactly what it means to have a six-figure take home income, not just a six-figure business. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 3:29 - How much time do you have to invest in your business? Here’s how to take a look at your situation to see what works best for you. 7:16 - How much energy do you have available to you? And what do you need to do to maintain it? 9:48 - Instead of pulling a revenue goal out of thin air, ask yourself this question. I reveal the right way to come up with your number and a free resource you can use. 14:28 - I briefly mention why defaulting to your last salary as your revenue goal won’t work. 15:55 - I talk about what goes into running a business, how to use that information to reverse engineer your target, and a super simple way to figure out your revenue goal. 23:46 - Setting aside a little bit of your profits every month really starts to change the game and your perspective. I break down some percentages in detail. 31:08 - I look at the math behind a $100,000 annual revenue goal and how much you really need to earn to make that your take-home pay. 36:27 - How much tax are you going to pay at this point? This is where you’ll want to get yourself a good CPA. 39:10 - Before wrapping up, I go over the biggest piece of misinformation about growing a bigger business. It stops many from setting a higher revenue goal. Show Links Get Paid Calculator Profit Firstby Mike MichalowiczRacheal on InstagramAre you running your business… or is your business running you? It’s time to get your business in order so you can step into your role as a confident, in control CEO! Join Racheal Cook for this free 4-part training series May 20th-24th to sustainably scale your business with more ease and less stress. RSVP at http://www.theceocollective.com/success

You’ve seen the hype about small business and entrepreneurial success out there. It’s unreal! Not a day goes by when I don’t see photos of fancy cars, vacations, oodles of cash, and the typical success catch phrases that come with them on my social media. Here’s the conundrum, though: when your business crosses into the territory of making seven or eight figures, it can quickly become less about doing what you love and more about grinding things out as an entrepreneur to meet demand. So does bigger actually mean better for you? Or is big enough... enough? In today’s episode, I talk about why I believe in creating a big enough business to create an actual business and life you love. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 5:54 - I discuss what it was like growing up around entrepreneurs, and the surprising information I recently learned from my mother. 8:16 - Why should you beware of creating a business that grows too fast? I tell you what I’ve seen from businesses that experienced hyper growth. 10:02 - I retell a parable about a CEO and a fisherman that illustrates my point. 12:47 - I describe the time I was at a crossroads when I first heard the parable and the realization I came to after some reflection. 15:30 - The big questions I want you to ask about your revenue goals, and defining a Big Enough Business, the kind that loves you back. 17:10 - An early lesson in my business that serves as an example of why NOT to model your version of success after someone else. 20:05 - An example of what my "Big Enough Business" looks like and why it serves me in creating a business and life I love. 23:55 - How being intentional allows me to succeed without sacrificing my life and without causing me to be in a constant state of emergency in my business. 25:20 - How a big enough business allows you to live in your business sweet spot, and stop dreading Monday morning. 27:50 - How a big enough business and building a business and life you love will mean you must know your non-negotiables. 29:40 - Does focusing on a big enough business, mean you lack ambition? 34:00 - The questions I want you to ask to define your big enough business. Show Links The CEO CollectiveRacheal on Instagram Leave a review on iTunesAre you running your business… or is your business running you? It’s time to get your business in order so you can step into your role as a confident, in control CEO! Join Racheal Cook for this free 4-part training series May 20th-24th to sustainably scale your business with more ease and less stress. RSVP at http://www.theceocollective.com/success

Visibility is scary. It’s one of the reasons why so many female entrepreneurs don’t seek out more of it for their business. Yet, it’s also the thing that’ll grow your business. So how can you feel more confident and empowered in the spotlight? In this episode, I talk with my friend Erica Courdae, a CEO Collective mentor and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consultant, about what it’s been like to have more visibility than ever before and how you can more confidently embrace greater visibility for your business and message. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 5:54 - What kind of visibility journey has Erica gone on? She talks about her roller coaster ride since 2018 and the dilemma she faced in 2020. 11:51 - Erica used to say yes to every opportunity. Now a bit more discerning about what she takes on, she discusses the key pieces that helped her handle the demand for her time. 15:21 - What does it take to get your message out into the world? We reveal why consistency is key to gaining and handling greater visibility. 17:26 - Having this missing piece really makes things easier when you find yourself suddenly confronted with more demands for your time. 23:25 - How has Erica navigated exposure to larger audiences with people who may vehemently disagree with her message? 31:59 - There’s a difference between visibility for yourself as an individual and visibility for your message. 40:50 - To wrap up, I go over a couple of key points I want to make sure you take away from this episode. Show Links Pause on the Play The Four Agreementsby Don Miguel Ruiz “CEO Confession: The Darkside of Visibility with MegAnne Ford”Racheal onInstagramandTikTok Leave a review on iTunesAre you running your business… or is your business running you? It’s time to get your business in order so you can step into your role as a confident, in control CEO! Join Racheal Cook for this free 4-part training series May 20th-24th to sustainably scale your business with more ease and less stress. RSVP at http://www.theceocollective.com/success

Do you think you’re attracting new people to your business through social media? The social media platforms that have been around for a while used to be that way. These days, though, fewer people see your content on most social media. So what is social media good for? Most of it now works best for nurturing your existing audience. But in this episode, I talk about my experiment with TikTok and reveal what I look for when leveraging it to attract brand new people to my business. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 2:36 - I discuss the social media landscape that existed when I first started my business and the magic space you need to best leverage a new platform. 5:15 - What happens when you miss your window of opportunity on a social media platform? 8:20 - I reveal my hypothesis about what makes TikTok different and get into how I decided to play around with it. 16:38 - I’m committing to six months of posting to TikTok five times a week as my goal. What’s my secret to staying consistent on this (or any other) platform? 19:17 - How is my experiment going? I share what I did and what has happened in the two and a half months since I started (as of this recording). 27:02 - I disclose some of my videos that took off and reveal what I’ve learned so far using the platform. It makes me feel even more confident in my TikTok hypothesis. 34:49 - What platform can you use to help you amplify your message? (It doesn’t have to be TikTok!) And why is passive marketing online a myth? Show Links Marketing Strategy IntensiveConnieGoogleQueen on TikTokInstagramandTikTokAre you running your business… or is your business running you? It’s time to get your business in order so you can step into your role as a confident, in control CEO! Join Racheal Cook for this free 4-part training series May 20th-24th to sustainably scale your business with more ease and less stress. RSVP at http://www.theceocollective.com/success

You know you must get in front of more potential clients to grow your business. So you make plans to get more visible, whether it’s through interviews or guest blog posts or videos or whatever. Yet, you feel this anxiety creep up at the thought of getting more visibility. So what do you do when the concept of putting yourself out there more feels scary and intimidating? In this episode, I dive into how to prepare yourself for more visibility (even if you feel like you’re not ready) so that more opportunities show up more quickly for you and your business. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 2:57 - Let’s start with the easiest place to set yourself up for success. Ensure these are ready to go before you start the process of increasing visibility. 7:40 - How do I pitch myself? I give an example of how I have everything prepared before an interview and how you can do the same. 10:33 - I make a pitching recommendation that helps if you’re already feeling nervous about putting yourself out there. 12:26 - How do you pitch yourself cold to someone? Follow this process to get the most success out of it. 13:59 - How can you prepare yourself for the mindset challenges that come with more visibility? I discuss my biggest worry about the first attract marketing method I used and how I got over it. 19:19 - I encourage you to do this if you want your visibility strategy to involve video but you feel really self-conscious about it. 24:03 - There’s a dark side to visibility, and it can feel scary for women in particular. What can you do about it? 27:36 - When you pitch yourself and gain visibility, you’re going to get people rejecting you. Here’s the approach I take when that happens. Show Links Marketing Strategy Intensive “How to Go Pitch Yourself with Angie Trueblood” “From Not Ready Yet to Ready for Next Level Visibility with Nicole Otchy” “CEO Confession: The Darkside of Visibility with MegAnne Ford” “Patriarchy Stress Disorder with Dr. Valerie Rein” Need to write a bio? Use this. - Alexandra Franzen Yet another way t Are you running your business… or is your business running you? It’s time to get your business in order so you can step into your role as a confident, in control CEO! Join Racheal Cook for this free 4-part training series May 20th-24th to sustainably scale your business with more ease and less stress. RSVP at http://www.theceocollective.com/success

You spend so much time posting on social media or writing blog posts or sending newsletters to your email list. But no matter what you do (or how much), your marketing just. isn’t. working! You’re not seeing results in the form of new, paying clients. Today, I kick off a new series all about marketing that converts. In this first episode, I dive into the top three reasons why your marketing isn’t converting and how you can fix it. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 3:10 - Do you only hear crickets when you get your message in front of people? I reveal two reasons why you might be making mistake #1. 7:26 - Fixing the first mistake involves doing something that the current marketing ecosystem ignores. 9:41 - Do you have a plan in place to prevent mistake #2? Here’s how to make sure you do. 15:17 - Mistake #3 is a big one and the basis for my upcoming marketing strategy intensive. It’s where I see gaps in people’s marketing strategy. 19:36 - I clarify attract marketing and discuss the pros and cons of the three primary attract strategies. 29:30 - Where should you begin with attract marketing strategies? I reveal where I always start. Show Links Marketing Strategy Intensive “How 100 Conversations Can Transform Your Business with Tami Hackbarth” “How 100 Conversations Helped Mado Hesselink Find Her Dream Clients”Racheal on Instagram Leave a review on iTunesAre you running your business… or is your business running you? It’s time to get your business in order so you can step into your role as a confident, in control CEO! Join Racheal Cook for this free 4-part training series May 20th-24th to sustainably scale your business with more ease and less stress. RSVP at http://www.theceocollective.com/success

Imagine you’re watching a movie about two solo entrepreneurs: One is so excited about her business but finds herself spinning her wheels. She has an amazing vision for growing her business but goes from one idea to the next because instant success eludes her. The other also loves the idea of growing her business. But instead of constantly changing course while trying everything under the sun, she takes the slow and steady approach and inevitably reaches her goals with the framework and consistency advocated inside The CEO Collective. So in this tale of two entrepreneurs, which one do you want to be? Tune in as I discuss why what you’ve done over the previous few months has resulted in the business you have now. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 4:57 - What’s the real problem for women entrepreneurs struggling to get clients? I see this so often! 10:58 - My mindset shift during my TikTok experiment thus far demonstrates why giving yourself enough time to try out strategies is so important. 15:44 - Here’s another example of how this struggle plays out for a lot of entrepreneurs. 19:36 - Are you a podcaster struggling to pitch yourself to others for interviews? I reveal what I’ve discovered in my ten years of podcasting. 23:21 - Find out why you’ll never have to worry about bothering people with your offers again, as long as you adopt this shift in perspective. 27:50 - Hiring a coach to hold you accountable isn’t going to do this for you. Show Links The CEO CollectiveThe CEO 90-Day PlannerThe CEO RetreatUncommonly MoreRacheal on Instagram Leave a review on iTunesAre you running your business… or is your business running you? It’s time to get your business in order so you can step into your role as a confident, in control CEO! Join Racheal Cook for this free 4-part training series May 20th-24th to sustainably scale your business with more ease and less stress. RSVP at http://www.theceocollective.com/success

I’m a business growth strategist who’s revealing the truth about scaling your business, so this episode series may have surprised you. But I want your eyes wide open when you go into business growth mode. It’s not just about making more sales; you also need to scale your team, customer experience, and infrastructure behind the scenes so your business doesn’t implode. In this final installment, I break down some key things for you to start thinking about to be more strategic and sustainable when you’re ready to go into high growth business mode. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 3:57 - Which mode allows me to have the lifestyle I want? Being more strategic and intentional while looking towards business growth. 7:26 - Women entrepreneurs tend not to step into leadership in their finances. You can’t allocate resources or make smart decisions otherwise. 11:42 - Keep it simple, upgrade as you go, have perspective, and stop comparing yourself to others. Here’s a particularly helpful recommendation for both new and experienced entrepreneurs. 16:14 - Marketing is one area where I see people get overwhelmed. Some personal examples of how I use my own system to prevent this from happening to me. 20:07 - Slow down. Things take time. We tend to overestimate how much we can accomplish weekly or monthly, yet underestimate our amount of productivity in a year. 25:08 - The biggest disconnect I’ve noticed between entrepreneurs and other small business owners. What the former tend to do. 27:03 - Here’s something not talked about often enough behind the scenes, particularly for female business owners. Having a team of support, both professionally and personally. 30:54 - Growth isn’t linear, and that’s okay. Some pointers on handling plateaus and explosive periods of growth. Show Links The CEO Collective The Ultimate Business Growth ChecklistThe CEO Retreat “What Is Your Role as CEO?”episodeAre you running your business… or is your business running you? It’s time to get your business in order so you can step into your role as a confident, in control CEO! Join Racheal Cook for this free 4-part training series May 20th-24th to sustainably scale your business with more ease and less stress. RSVP at http://www.theceocollective.com/success

CEO doesn’t mean Chief Everything Officer! When we start our businesses, it’s a one-woman show. We are the marketing team, the sales department, and the bookkeeper. We are used to rolling up our sleeves and just figuring it all out! But as the saying goes “What got you here won’t get you there!” Continuing to be the Chief Everything Officer will not only make you the bottleneck in your business but will create a ceiling that limits your growth potential. In this live training, we’ll share the top mindset shifts and CEO habits that our CEOs embraced as they said yes to building a more sustainable business, 90 days at a time. 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

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

Entrepreneurs earning 10x more aren’t working 10x harder. They are working smarter. Hustle culture has many small business owners convinced that if only they could just do MORE, that their business results would explode. This mindset has trapped many in the weeds of their business, constantly looking for the next silver bullet tip or trick that will explode their growth. After a year or two – they are burned out and stressed out. In this live training, we are walking through our research backed and client proven 90 Day CEO Operating System®️ growth framework for more ease and less stress in your business. 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

For one week only, we are sharing the live 90 Day CEO Sustainable Success Series with you here on the podcast! For small business owners ready to grow – what comes first – growth at all costs or stabilize then scale? It’s easy to believe that more revenue solves all business problems. But growth at all costs creates more chaos and leaves the business owner feeling out of control. Research shows that small businesses fail to grow when the business owner feels out of control. In the first live training, we are diving deep into the research behind the sustainable scale stack – a set of proven tools that help business owners regain control over their business. 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

When you hear of businesses blowing up overnight, you get the glamorized version. You see the celebrity entrepreneurs online living the high life. They’re taking luxury vacations, driving fancy cars, and talking about how their business makes six, seven, eight (or more) figures. But here’s what they’re not telling you. Their business isn’t sustainable because things are constantly breaking behind the scenes. They feel stressed out due to all the fires they have to constantly put out. So how about we take a different approach? In this next segment of the “Truth About Scaling” series, I talk about the three mistakes I often see entrepreneurs make that cause problems when it comes to scaling your business. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 4:29 - How do you know if you’re making this first mistake? Here are the warning signs. 11:52 - I reveal how I’ve fallen into the trap of mistake #1 myself and how you can avoid doing the same. 14:54 - Hiring is another area in your business where you may be making this same mistake. 21:28 - This third area where people make the first mistake is a big pet peeve of mine (and another one I’ve done myself). 25:10 - How did I reverse track on making this mistake when I shifted my approach to The CEO Collective? 32:25 - Too many startup entrepreneurs don’t realize this about cash flow in their business. 35:44 - I discuss mistake #2 and the problem that it won’t fix for you. 41:42 - Where do you really need to get honest about your business? Here are the three markets that you need to be testing. 45:58 - The third mistake and why doing the opposite will save your scaling business. 52:30 - Too much humanity has gone out of business, so I reveal what I’m doing to help bring it back. 58:26 - To end the show, I quickly recap the three mistakes. Mentioned in 3 Common Mistakes That Can Cause Your Scaling Business to Implode The CEO Collective The CEO Collective Free Resources 90 Day CEO Planner Racheal on Instagram and TikTok Rate and review on Apple Podcasts Are you running your business… or is your business running you? It’s time to get your business in order so you can step into your role as a confident, in control CEO! Join Racheal Cook for this free 4-part training series May 20th-24th to sustainably scale your business with more ease and less stress. RSVP at http://www.theceocollective.com/success

Just because you know something isn’t the same as experiencing it. As a CEO, you undergo rites of passage as you progress through your business, especially if you want a successful and sustainable one. In this episode, I share some of the lessons I’ve learned the hard way so you can see a little further ahead on your path, mitigate some of these challenges early on, or just have a more realistic view of what you’re up against. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 3:46 - Lesson one: you cannot do this on your way to sustainable business success. 8:03 - I get angry when I see how too many others fail to implement this lesson. You won’t have a dream business team with this mindset. 16:03 - What will you struggle with when you attain success, and why? The third surprising lesson I learned. 23:16 - Lesson four: the more your business grows, the less and less you’ll find yourself seeking this. 30:55 - The biggest celebrity influencer entrepreneurs make it seem like marketing solves all business problems. Here’s why it isn’t the answer. 33:17 - Lesson six is the best lesson of all. So how do I apply it in my business? 38:33 - We’re idea machines as entrepreneurs. But we need to take more heed of this lesson and beware who we listen to. I explain why. 45:15 - Surprise! I reveal a bonus lesson to wrap the show. Mentioned in 7 Lessons I Learned On My Way to a Sustainable Business The CEO Collective90 Day CEO PlannerInstagramandTikTok Rate and review on Apple PodcastsAre you running your business… or is your business running you? It’s time to get your business in order so you can step into your role as a confident, in control CEO! Join Racheal Cook for this free 4-part training series May 20th-24th to sustainably scale your business with more ease and less stress. RSVP at http://www.theceocollective.com/success

This week, I went live on Instagram to share a little Rach Rant that I knew I needed to share with you on the podcast. I've been hearing from so many small business owners who are looking for real support but when they bring their legitimate business challenges to the so called experts - they are told that the reason they are stuck is mindset. Mindset it important! But there are very real challenges that we all are facing that impact our small businesses. If 2023 was a challenging year, then listen in! On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 00:00 Rachel Cook challenges mindset struggles for small businesses. 03:09 Challenges faced by women micro business owners. 06:56 Limited availability drives up costs for working families. 11:35 Global pressures can't be offset by mindset. 13:11 Consumer behavior shifts impacting small business owners. 18:45 Get proactive with marketing to boost sales. 20:19 Be wary of misleading marketing messages on social media. Are you running your business… or is your business running you? It’s time to get your business in order so you can step into your role as a confident, in control CEO! Join Racheal Cook for this free 4-part training series May 20th-24th to sustainably scale your business with more ease and less stress. RSVP at http://www.theceocollective.com/success

Scaling is the name of the business game online, or so it would seem. So often we hear about people having seven-figure launches or seven-figure months (or even days). But there’s something that really doesn’t get talked about regarding these eye-popping figures that you need to know. Beyond just making more money, what does it really mean to scale your business? Is it possible to double, triple (or more) your business in just a year or two? Scaling just for the sake of it can be detrimental to your business. So I wanted to do a new series to talk about the truth behind scaling. In this first episode, I talk about everything you need to consider before you press the “scale” button on your business. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 3:16 - What’s the difference between growth and scale? These words get used interchangeably a lot but aren’t exactly the same. 8:41 - Too many people go after scale at all costs and put their business into unstable territory. I reveal one of the biggest red flags that expose this. 14:26 - Beware of the well-known celebrity influencers you follow who teach you this. Here’s the real truth behind their success. 19:47 - What’s another potential “hidden” cash eater in your business? A lot of celebrity influencers like to use this one to bring in sales and clients. 22:48 - I discuss what I personally aim for when scaling my business that makes it easier for me to plan ahead. 26:37 - The last few years have seen the fragility of so many businesses. Some had to get really creative and have a solid but flexible infrastructure to survive. 29:18 - What should you focus on this month? Believe me, it’ll make it seven times easier to do business if you stick to this one thing. Mentioned in What You Don’t Know About Scaling Your Business Will Kill It Business Growth ChecklistInstagramandTikTokAre you running your business… or is your business running you? It’s time to get your business in order so you can step into your role as a confident, in control CEO! Join Racheal Cook for this free 4-part training series May 20th-24th to sustainably scale your business with more ease and less stress. RSVP at http://www.theceocollective.com/success