Hands-Off CEO

Are agency owners feeling trapped by their own success? In this insightful episode, Mandi Ellefson explores how CEOs can scale their consulting agencies to new heights. Drawing from her experience with thousands of agency CEOs, Mandi breaks down critical elements for exponential growth. This episode is packed with actionable insights, including:

• Setting Ambitious Growth Goals [00:01:46]
  Discover why basing future success on past performance limits potential, and how to set more expansive targets.
• Investing Ahead of Growth [00:04:23]
  Learn why investing in your company's growth before you have the cash flow is crucial for rapid scaling.
• Repositioning Your Offer for Higher Fees [00:06:58]
  Uncover strategies for creating irresistible offers that allow you to dramatically increase your fees, illustrated by Mark's success story of increasing fees by 600%.
• Breaking the Cycle of Unprofitable Growth [00:09:39]
  Explore why simply bringing on more clients with your current model won't solve underlying profitability issues.
• Making Strategic Investments [00:11:33]
  Understand the importance of making calculated investments in your business, even when it feels uncomfortable.
• Learning from Mistakes [00:13:24]
  Hear Mandi's personal anecdote about the costly mistake of trying to solve the wrong problems instead of seeking support.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn how you can transform your agency into a scalable, profitable powerhouse. If you're ready to see exponential growth, this episode is your roadmap to success.

Mandi invites you to reach out for more information on scaling your business [00:15:31], and mentions her new book 'The Hands-Off CEO' [00:15:54]. With insights to help you rethink your approach to growth in 2024-2025, this episode is essential for ambitious agency owners.

Resources: 

Mandi Ellefson on LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook

Hands-Off CEO – Executive Briefing

Are you a 7-figure agency owner feeling trapped by your own success? In this eye-opening episode, Mandi Ellefson reveals how top CEOs are scaling to $10 million and beyond by stepping away from day-to-day operations.

Drawing from her extensive experience consulting with over 1000 agency CEOs, Mandi breaks down the critical stages of scaling and the mindset shifts necessary for exponential growth. This episode is packed with actionable insights, including:

• The Three Stages of Scaling from $1M to $10M [00:55]

Discover the unique challenges at each growth stage, from the chaotic $1M-$3M phase to the "rinse and repeat" $5M-$10M level.

• Developing Leaders Who Drive Growth [05:28]

Learn why investing in your team's growth is crucial for sustainable scaling and how to avoid the pitfalls of outgrowing your leadership.

• Creating the Right Offers for Scale [09:40]

Uncover strategies for designing premium offerings that attract ideal clients willing to pay significantly more for your expertise.

• Building Systems for Consistent Delivery [11:11]

Explore how to create scalable processes that deliver bold outcomes without your constant involvement, allowing your business to grow beyond you.

• Real-World Success Stories [14:41]

Hear inspiring examples of CEOs who have implemented these strategies, including one who tripled their pricing and company size after attending a Hands-Off CEO retreat.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn how you can transform your agency into a scalable, profitable powerhouse that runs and grows without you. If you're ready to join the top 1% of consulting agencies seeing exponential growth, this episode is your roadmap to success.

Mandi also shares details about the upcoming Hands-Off CEO Retreat [16:14], where you can experience these transformational strategies firsthand. With limited spots available, act fast to secure your place among elite agency owners who are scaling to 8-figures and beyond.

Resources: 

Mandi Ellefson on LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook

Hands-Off CEO – Executive Briefing

If you're like most entrepreneurs, you already know that the journey to success is a long and arduous one. You've poured in your sweat, tears, and countless sleepless nights to get where you are today. But despite all your hard work and dedication, there comes a time when you hit a roadblock and find yourself unable to grow any further. 

You become the bottleneck of your own growth. 

This is exactly what Ricardo Perez, CEO of OneRhythm, encountered while running his agency. But he didn't let this setback defeat him. Instead, he took charge of the situation and found a way to scale his consulting agency in a better way. 

And now, he's sharing his insights to overcome the same obstacle and achieve the success you know is possible. 

The conversation touched on insightful topics like: 

• Importance of having an Irresistible Offer [03:11]

Learn why having an irresistible offer is critical to success in today's highly competitive business environment to attract world-class clients and top talent. How Ricardo’s team is able to deliver exceptional million dollar services that are 90% repeatable and process driven. Proof that it’s possible!

• Refining the companies you work with to command higher fees [08:02]

Discover how refining the companies you work with impacts the overall size of engagement and the fees you can command for your services.

• Talk about results [11:49]

Understand the difference it makes when you focus on talking about results and projections with new clients to generate more engagement instead of talking about what they will spend on your services.

• Essential factors for scaling a consulting agency [24:27]

Explore the critical factors for scaling your consulting agency with maximum profitability.

• Don’t be a bottleneck, delegate [32:30]

Hear out Ricardo Perez's spot-on advice, that all consulting agency CEOs should learn from and take into consideration for scaling their business as a true Hands-Off CEO. 

Key Quotes:

• Focus on Results: “We focus on what they're going to get, not what they're going to spend. And I think that's a huge part of how when you look at it that way, and you focus on those results; then it's less about nickel and diming on what your professional fees are.” [12:08]

• Letting Go: “To the extent that you are the bottleneck and to the extent that that is something that you feel can't change, then you need to rethink that. You really think that that thing is that there's no way that anyone else can do what I do. You can't; you have to let go of that.” [32:42]

Resources: 

Ricardo Perez on LinkedIn

OneRhythm

Mandi Ellefson on LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook

Hands-Off CEO – Executive Briefing

Two and a half years tend to be the sweet spot where consulting agencies come knocking on Hands-Off CEO’s door. Usually, those two and a half years are the point when CEOs can feel like they are stuck in a never-ending cycle of hard work and stress that is preventing their growth.

But there's a better way to scale your company while avoiding those stagnant periods and growth plateaus.

Don't fall into the trap of getting ready to get ready. In this solo episode, I'm here to guide you through the steps of preventing and overcoming any obstacles preventing your growth. Let's break free from the cycle of stagnant growth and take back control of your business growth.

Some key ideas in this episode are:

• What is holding you back as a CEO? [01:04]

Learn what is the number 1 thing that's actually keeping you, the CEO, stuck in the day-to-day, even when you have hired a trusted team to support you.

• What are the 2 reasons for a Growth Plateau? [03:54]

Understand the two main reasons for growth plateaus and how they can lead to stress, lower profits, and an unhealthy work-life balance.

• Maximize your growth to make 2024 your best year ever [11:08]

Discover what you need to focus on next to make 2024 your best year ever and how having an inspiring vision is critical to scaling your company and encouraging you and others to take massive action. 

Key Quotes:

• The Right Mindset: “Whenever you're trying to create a new change, you must have the right mindset, system, and approach. If you focus on the mindset, you could get further because your mindset will. When you are fully stepping into your vision, you're saying: ‘I'm willing to do whatever it takes. This is my vision. I'm standing in my future right now.’ Then what happens is that you are open to a whole new set of actions that you were not able to see and have access to before.” [06:07]

• Getting Ready to Get Ready: “One of the things that I see a lot of times, and our teams see this with our clients, is there's a lot of getting ready to get ready. And this is definitely something that once our clients are in our community and ecosystem, they are transforming just simply by really taking a stand for the growth that they're creating and taking actions aligned with that.” [04:52]

Resources: 

Mandi Ellefson on LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook

Hands-Off CEO – Executive Briefing

When managing a consulting agency, there's always a constant feeling that our current methods for measuring profitability just aren't giving us the whole story.

Marcel Petitpas, CEO and Co-Founder of Parakeeto, experienced this very issue while running his own agency. Luckily, he didn't just sit back and accept the status quo. Instead, he set out to find a better way. 

Get ready to discover what he did to streamline their operations and reporting systems to improve profitability. He found a better way to help agencies double their profits and simplify their operations by providing the financial insights that Ops leaders need to make informed decisions. 

The conversation touched on insightful topics like: 

• Power of tracking operations data [09:15]

Learn why tracking data from your operations is much simpler and more valuable to make decisions on for capacity, hiring, and profitability than the financial data you get from your accountant.

• What metrics do you need? [16:54]

Discover which metrics you need to track to get a clear picture of your performance if you use value-based pricing or T&M.

• A deeper understanding of your P&L and operational metrics [21:02]

Exploring the 3 pieces of operational metrics to track gives you many more insights than just your P&L. 

• Automated utilization and capacity management [24:56]

Find out the issues agencies and consultancies encounter when tracking capacity and utilization. And you can implement a much simpler way to track utilization immediately.
Streamline your business with a tool for tracking the operational metrics [30:48]

Learn how to maximize the efficiency of your business by implementing a powerful tool for tracking your operational metrics. Streamline your processes and easily make data-driven decisions, leaving no room for guesswork or wasted effort. 

Key Quotes:

• Revenue and Profits: “You want to keep at least 50% of every dollar that you are responsible for earning from a client. If you get to keep less than 50%, it's going to be really hard to be profitable because usually you're going to spend another 30 on overhead.” [35:45]

• Average Cost Per Hour: “The way to lower your average cost per hour is to standardize what you do, create better documentation, create better processes so that you can lower the level of judgment that's required, which generally lowers the level of experience that's required, which generally allows you to access lower cost labor to do more of the work on a client engagement. ” [37:03]

Resources: 

Marcel Petitpas on LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

Parakeeto - Agency Profitability Toolkit

Mandi Ellefson on LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook

Hands-Off CEO – Executive Briefing

Have you ever thought about looking at agencies from a new perspective? Get ready to discover the concept of the "Alt Agencies" - where specialization and specific outcomes for niche clients are favored over the traditional agency model. Our Guest Greg Hickman shares his journey on how to deliver a repeatable sales and onboarding process. 

The conversation touched insightful topics like: 

• Power of productizing services [04:56]

Understanding the concept of "productizing" services, which involves packaging a repeatable service with fixed problem-solving, turnaround time, and price. Discover the benefits of standardizing packages and systemizing processes to scale a business effectively.

• Importance of specializing and finding a niche [06:50]

Find out the challenges and benefits of specializing in a specific area, what realization can working nights and weekends bring you and ultimately understanding how to divorce your time from your income.

• Role of webinar funnels in scaling a business [08:26]

How focusing on webinar funnels and becoming experts in that area changed the game for Greg’s agency and what are some common plateaus experienced by many service providers.

• Evolving agency model and additional revenue streams [15:58]

Exploring the term of “Alt Agency” and discussing the changing landscape of agency models, such as tech-enabled, strategy-focused, or platform discipline-focused agencies. 

Key Quotes:

• Unique Skills: “If you can position yourself as the engine builder, you can charge a premium. You're more valued because you know how to do this unique thing. And that is kind of how I see how we were able to make the shift to only working on the stuff that we enjoyed. And that was, I think, the true value to the client.” [12:53]

• Understanding Nuances:: ”Nobody understands that a person who's at 3K a month and a million a year could actually be experiencing the exact same thing and need almost the exact same solution. But there's still these little nuanced differences. It's fascinating to me. We're a unique breed.”  [34:15]

Greg Hickman on LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube 

Alt Agency - Free Training

Mandi Ellefson on LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook

Hands-Off CEO – Executive Briefing

Did you ever think about the importance of effective account management on scaling your business? If not, prepare for these gems! In this episode Taylor McMaster, founder of Dot and Company, tells her story and how she helps digital marketing agencies with achieving full-service client account management.

Here are the essential insights from our riveting conversation with Taylor- feel free to have a powerful read through these most impactful lessons.

• Important Correlation between Sales and Account Management [07:22]

Find out why sales and handovers are essential to successful account management, and when to introduce your account manager to the client during the sales process. The imperative of changing the narrative from “I” to “my team”.

• Powerful Communication [12:35]

Establishing a clear communication cadence and a thorough onboarding process for successful account management. Know who on the team is responsible for what. Different things which you can learn from each new client or a sales call.

• Using Questions in Training [17:33]

How far you can go in allowing your team to ask you questions, until they start thinking like you. Being in control of the training process and what needs to happen without your involvement. 

• Key Characteristics of an Account Manager [26:34]

Know if someone is generally a good fit for this role. The list of red flags and the required skills to make sure someone grows in this position and becomes amazing in it.

Key Quotes:

• The Power of Questions: “I think the best thing that we can do as CEOs is prepare our team as much as possible, but give them the space to ask questions, not letting them get scared to ask questions.” [16:02]

• Constant Optimization: “People forget that business is a game of optimization. We need to continuously be optimizing something that works, just because we did a great job. Well, can we optimize this so that next time it's easier and better and more efficient? Training your team to think like that, I think, is super important.” [22:14]

Taylor McMaster on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube 

Dot & Co. - Onboarding Checklist

Mandi Ellefson on LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook

Hands-Off CEO – Executive Briefing

Are you ready to take your marketing strategy to new heights? We have a treat for you! Our latest podcast episode features the  marketing expert, author, and speaker John Jantsch, owner of Duct Tape Marketing. Get ready to fuel your success with these game-changing insights!

In today's fast-paced world, time is everything, and we understand that. That's why we've condensed the best highlights from our conversation with John, ensuring you get the most valuable information without wasting a second. Let's dive right into it!

• The Duct Tape Marketing Methodology and Licensing Program [02:15]:

Say goodbye to random tactics and hello to strategic genius! John unveils the game-changing Duct Tape Marketing methodology, putting strategy front and center. 

• The Fractional CMO System [07:38]:

Ready to conquer the challenge of scaling your business without sacrificing profitability? Say hello to working with multiple clients while maintaining a stellar profit margin of 60-70%. By offering a well-defined package, pricing structure, and system, you can achieve scalability, delegate tasks, and drive vertical growth.

• The Changing Landscape of Marketing and the Importance of the Customer Journey [14:26]:

The marketing world is in a constant state of flux, and you need to stay one step ahead. John and I dig deep into the changing landscape of marketing and emphasize the importance of the customer journey.

Key Quotes:

• The Evolution of Marketing: "The thing that's changed the most that I don't think people pay enough attention to is the way people buy. That's why I spend so much time talking about the customer journey."

• Scaling Your Agency: "By having this repeatable system that you can actually train and delegate and quite frankly, get work done that doesn't have to be done by you anymore. Is how you actually effectively scale vertically, which is what people are trying to do, but struggle with so much."

John Jantsch on LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Duct Tape Marketing

Mandi Ellefson on LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook

Hands-Off CEO – Executive Briefing

As entrepreneurs, we often feel the pressure to sacrifice our personal lives to achieve business success. But is it possible to have both? In this episode, a CEO who was able to maintain a work-life balance is taking me through his iterative process of reaching that sweet spot. We will be discussing the keys to maintaining work-life balance while scaling your business, including tips on setting boundaries, prioritizing self-care, and delegating responsibilities. We'll also explore how to adapt your approach to balance as your business evolves. 

Wally Waldron is the founder and CEO of Exitology, a company that helps blue-collar and industrial businesses to optimize their resources and achieve up to 33% annual growth without any extra cost. After observing many business owners locked in their own firms Wally founded Exitology to aid in the liberation of entrepreneurs and provide them the ability to explore other interests. Waldron has generated dramatic growth in several enterprises across a number of industries with his passion and knowledge.

You’ll hear Wally and me discuss these key ideas:

[03:54] Client's Business Soars with Eight-Figure Blueprint

With the aid of a growth strategy program, a client was able to meet their revenue target of $20 million in 9 months while preserving and increasing their profit margins. With the assistance of its growth strategist, the company hopes to hit $30 million in revenue.

[08:23] How to Find the Right Partner for Business Growth

The company provides wealth management, tax optimization, and reinvestment choices. Before engaging in discussion, they extend invitations to their presentations and provide readers with a copy of the book "Exitology" to learn more about their offerings. For a long-term growth journey, selecting the correct partner is crucial.

[12:00] Overcoming Impostor Syndrome: Blueprinting Success Together

A discussion of imposter syndrome and the development of a strategy for working with industrial, manufacturing, and construction enterprises. In the process, trust and language are crucial.

[15:11] Transformative Business Offers Legacy-Building Potential

Helping blue collar business owners unlock potential & pass on legacy while creating value & impact through improved communication.

[17:56] CEO discusses scaling a successful business culture

CEO discusses benefits of team and culture, and how they contribute to successful business scaling efforts.

[24:55] Maximizing Team Building with Kolbe Index

Team building strategy of using Kolbe scores to align with accountability charts, creating breathing room for CEOs to focus on long-term vision and mentor team members towards proper time frames emphasized.

[28:32] Working Smarter, Not Harder: Lessons for Entrepreneurs

To be successful in business, one must trust the process, work smarter not harder, stay focused, and get out of places where one is not successful. The importance of delegating tasks and not getting pulled into the wrong areas of the business is emphasized. 

[37:57] Unlocking Business Success Through Mindset Shifts

Identifying a potential mindset issue and seeking appropriate help can benefit those feeling stuck in their business or personal lives.

[43:55] The Importance of Developing Strong Leaders

Leadership is essential but often lacking in blue collar industries, as shown by stories of conflicts and lack of trust leading to serious consequences.

[46:29] Navigating Company Acquisitions: Lessons in Leadership

Consultancy helps grow businesses, assists in transition bridges and works according to the client’s asks. Good and bad leadership affects the business post-acquisition.

Key Quote:

"If you're feeling stuck or things are not moving in the direction that you thought they needed to in your business and stuff like that, it's worth going through...am I stuck in a mindset trap or have I painted myself into some sort of mindset corner or something like that? And even further, if you find that the answer is yes, then seek the help that is appropriate for you at that time."

Resources:

Wally Waldron on LinkedIn

Exitology

Mandi Ellefson on LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook
Hands-Off CEO – Executive Briefing

What do you do when your business hits a ceiling and struggles to scale? In this episode of Hands-Off CEO, Jeff Ennis tells me how he transformed his company's operations, revamped his mindset, and added more value to his clients. From expanding their services, hiring the right team, standardizing their processes, to automating their systems, Jeff shares how he has doubled profits and reduced the number of jobs in his business from 250 to 25, all while working towards serving only 10% of their current clients. Jeff also reveals what he learned from taking part in the Hands-Off CEO program and how it has helped him become a growth partner that adds millions of dollars in profit to his client companies.

Jeff Ennis is the CEO of a specialized construction surveying company based in Canada. He has over 25 years of experience in civil engineering and land surveying, and he has managed to turn his company around in just one year, doubling its workforce and winning a million-dollar project.

You’ll hear Jeff and me discuss these key ideas:

• Jeff's company provides heavy civil sector surveying services that are a hybrid between civil engineering and land surveying. The unique nature of these services makes it difficult to scale the business. [01:40]
• Jeff's company has added value by offering other services such as drone surveying. “That's just come from us thinking bigger and showing up differently,” Jeff tells me. [03:07]
• “We charge a higher dollar value and we usually get the work because we're more economical than somebody else,” Jeff remarks, “but we're way more profitable because of how productive we are and how efficient we are on site. So that's what it's all about. We're providing really good value.” They also try to stay away from hourly work and focus on providing more value for their clients. [07:05]
• Your client’s success ultimately makes you more successful. This is why Jeff focuses on nurturing a long-term relationship with his clients by helping them to be more efficient and profitable. “We're making them more efficient and profitable. …That's another big mindset: nurture your clients. Don't just look at the one transaction, look at them as being lifetime clients. In our case, we can do that, which is great because as they scale, we're going to help them get successful. They're going to get more successful and they're going to keep making us more successful. So, it's a whole loop.” [07:21]
• The CEO's job is to create the vision for the company and manage the team while delegating other tasks to others. [10:46]
• Hiring Lisa, a skilled operations manager, helped standardize the sales process and elevated the company’s communication systems. Lisa helped with capacity issues and created systems and standard operating procedures. She also helped Jeff's wife to see herself as the CFO of the company, and they are working on creating SOPs to delegate her tasks. “You get that person in here to bring order to that chaos, and that changes everything,” Jeff tells me. [12:05]
• The Kolbe score was used to find an operations manager that complemented Jeff's strengths and weaknesses. In addition, their project management system allows the company to hire staff from anywhere in Canada and operate from anywhere. [18:47]
• Jeff’s company has expanded from being a surveying company to being a growth partner that adds millions of dollars of profit to its client companies by providing a turnkey solution for automating construction sites and a construction survey technician program. They have also partnered with a distributor of equipment and developed an apprenticeship program that can rapidly train surveyors. They’re moving through the Hands-Off CEO exits, the last exit being finding additional profit streams. [26:30]
• The company is looking to reduce the number of projects it takes on per year while focusing on more significant and more meaningful projects. Jeff reduced the number of jobs in his business from 250 to 25, with the goal of working with only 10% of the clients they currently have. This has already led to a doubling of profits and made scaling easier. By simplifying their business model and focusing on high lifetime client value, they have fewer moving parts and less liability. [33:26]
• Jeff's biggest mindset shift was realizing that he couldn't do everything himself and that there were many things he could delegate or automate. [36:52]
• Being around like-minded people, coaches, and mentors can help reset your mindset and pick you up when things go wrong. [38:13]

KEY QUOTE:

“We're showing up in these meetings differently, going after the big long-term projects with the big clients and not being afraid to do that. So, we did that successfully. We beat out every other company in our area to get this work with one of the biggest clients from one of the biggest developers. So that's very exciting. That's just come from us thinking bigger and showing up differently.” - Jeff Ennis

Resources

Jeff Ennis on LinkedIn
Okanagan Survey & Design

Mandi Ellefson on LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook
Hands-Off CEO