Promote Yourself to CEO | Small Business Strategy for Women Entrepreneurs

Are you staying ahead of the marketing shifts that affect your business?

Trends come and go--like Myspace, which was once all the rage, but isn’t even in the marketing conversation anymore. What once was effective becomes less so, like you’re seeing on certain social media platforms.

But if you wait too late to get ahead of the shifts and change your approach, you’ll find yourself struggling to get your business back on track. So what can you do now?

Getting in front of other people’s audiences is one of my favorite ways to create more visibility for myself and my clients. Not through cold pitching, though, but building relationships and creating collaborative partnerships. And today as we continue our conversation on visibility in your business, I have the perfect expert to talk about collabs on the show!

In this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO, my friend Jordan Gill is back to talk about how you can leverage collaborations in your business. You’ll learn about ways in which you can form these partnerships, how to ensure you make it beneficial for both sides, and what the future of collaborations might look like soon.

On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:

9:53 - What was the thought process behind Jordan’s creation of Ready Set Collab?

14:41 - I talk about my own experience with collaborations vs. hiring a PR team to pitch for me.

17:05 - What are the different kinds of collabs you can engage in as a CEO? Jordan discusses a few.

22:17 - Jordan talks about how to sustain your energy over the long haul when doing collaborations for the first time.

27:52 - There’s one big thing that most people miss when going after collabs. Jordan reveals what it is.

29:40 - What is coming next in the world of collaborations, and what should you pay attention to?

34:29 - What about using AI tools like ChatGPT for collabs? Jordan shares how she and her Ready Set Collab members use it.

Mentioned in How to Use Collaborations to Help Your Business Thrive in Uncertain Times

• Ready Set Collab waitlist
• Jordan’s VIP program, Done In a Day™
• “How to Profit from VIP Days with Jordan Gill” episode
• Mistakes That Made Me podcast
• The Get Paid podcast
• 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!

The world of marketing and sales is shifting. Some of the strategies you’ve used may not be as effective as they used to be (or work at all anymore).

But one thing does remain the same: visibility. One of your biggest jobs as CEO is getting the word out about your offers, products, programs, and services. And giving yourself a little experiment or challenge can help you get more eyeballs on your business.

CEO Collective member Megan Gersch is incredible at getting visibility! She ran a challenge for herself on Tik Tok, and what started as a goal of 100 turned into over 262 potential clients, which sparked a lot of momentum for her bold brand and website design company for creatives.

In this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO, we kick off a new podcast series about visibility for small businesses. Today, you’ll hear Megan describe her experiment and learn about how doing a similar challenge can help you gain visibility and insight into what your potential clients are actively looking for.

On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:

6:28 - What is Megan’s approach when helping people create a brand that stands out? She reveals the common mistake too many make with their branding.

10:32 - Megan talks about her experiment with doing website design reviews on Tik Tok. What were the two biggest issues she found?

15:39 - Megan discusses the impact of her experiment on her business and how she feels about using it as a promotional technique.

20:22 - Megan shares how she got visibility through two other avenues and why Tik Tok has been such a great strategy for her business.

25:40 - The amount of creative business assets you need can be a challenge. How does Megan’s VIP day strategy help you launch in days instead of months?

28:55 - What has it been like for Megan inside of The CEO Collective? How has she and her business benefited and changed?

Mentioned in How a Visibility Experiment Can Help Jumpstart or Grow Your Business with Megan Gersch

• Megan’s website and Tik Tok
• Help a Reporter Out (HARO)
• Terkel
• “How 100 Conversations Can Transform Your Business with Tami Hackbarth”
• “How 100 Conversations Helped Mado Hesselink Find Her Dream Clients”
• 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!

If you had maternity leave or a health emergency requiring you to be away from your business for a couple of months, could your business handle it? Could it even survive?

Let’s say, for instance, that you’re a chiropractor who injures her wrist and can’t work on clients for 12 more weeks. That’s where Dr. Lisa Griffith (my chiropractor, client, and friend for the last three years) found herself...and that happened after she’d taken a 12-week maternity leave from her practice the previous year.

But not only did her business make it through, it’s growing! So how did she do it, especially as an entrepreneur who has to work face-to-face and be hands on (quite literally) with her clients?

Today on the show, Dr. Lisa talks about how she transitioned into having her own practice, grew her team, and continued to grow her business despite the maternity leave and the injury necessitating time away.

In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn many insights into how you can continue to grow your business and keep it running when you need to step away from someone who’s done it twice in back-to-back years. You’ll also discover how to communicate big changes in your business to your clients in ways that’ll get them excited and an example of layering support in your business for when you need time off.

On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:

6:12 - How did Dr. Lisa and I get connected, and what was going on in her practice at the time?

10:57 - Dr. Lisa did something smart with her practice that also served as kind of a full circle moment.

12:48 - How did Dr. Lisa arrange things for maternity leave in her practice for her second pregnancy?

16:20 - Entrepreneurs sometimes fear people won’t follow them when they move. Dr. Lisa discusses how she got clients to move along with her brand.

20:48 - What is coverage in the health care world, and how did Dr. Lisa utilize it for her business while on her maternity leave?

25:10 - Dr. Lisa talks about what she's been able to work on now that she’s pulled back on her overall hours.

28:16 - What has been Dr. Lisa’s experience with The CEO Retreat and the 90-Day plan?

Mentioned in Growing Your Business When You Need to Take a Step Back with Dr. Lisa Griffith

• Dr. Lisa Griffith’s website and Instagram
• Jane app
• The CEO Retreat
• 90-Day CEO Operating System
• 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!

“What questions do I ask myself in a review? What do I do when I sit down to check my progress? How do I adjust my plan?”

We’re almost at the midway point of the year which is the perfect time to do a review of your business. But not everybody knows where to start when it comes to doing a review, and these are the types of questions I get when working with clients.

What if you’re not sure if you’re on track with your goals? Don’t worry! With my framework, you can figure out whether or not you’re still on pace to meet your goals for the year.

In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, I walk you through a mid-year review. You’ll learn the questions you need to ask yourself to help you determine what is and isn’t working in your business and how you can start planning for the second half of the year.

On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:

5:00 - Look at each goal you set at the start of the year and ask yourself these questions. I discuss a couple of mine.

10:39 - What goal am I not currently on track to reach? Here’s one I’ve been struggling with lately.

14:42 - The next step in the mid-year review process involves digging a little deeper with a month-by-month review. Answer these key questions.

25:22 - What has worked so far this year? (And what has flopped? I reveal why something going wrong isn’t always because you did something wrong).

33:28 - Your leading and lagging metrics are two of the most important things in your business to wrap your head around.

36:10 - Is there a gap in your revenue at this mid-way point? If so, here’s what you can do.

38:17 - Plan for the rest of the year with these four questions to ask about each month remaining.

44:22 - So many entrepreneurs struggle because they overcomplicate this! To wrap up, I offer this one final piece of insight.

Mentioned in How a Mid-Year Review Can Help You Achieve Your Goals

• Mid-Year Review Workbook
• The CEO Collective
• The CEO Retreat
• 90-Day CEO Operating System
• The CEO Planner
• Plan Your Best Year Ever Challenge
• 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!

The rumors are true - the world of entrepreneurship and small business is rapidly changing. And what may have worked in 2016 or even 2020 is no longer as effective. 

Join the mentors of The CEO Collective for this discussion about what we are currently seeing in the world of small business, including:

• The 'popular' tactics are constantly changing, but we see entrepreneurs getting exhausted trying to constantly keep up. That's why we focus on proven best practices for small businesses!
• How perfectionism rears it's ugly head especially during more stressful times when we start to doubt ourselves and our core business strategy.
• Why the mentality of 'set it and forget it' does not work long term when those tactics stop working. Passive income, funnels, and automate everything leaves out the HUMANITY of business.
• Business grows at the speed of relationships - we all believe that building those relationships are key to the long term success for small businesses.
• Remember that business is cyclical and trends come and go - there's always an opportunity to ride the wave in popularity but what do small businesses do when those stop working?
• Why the 'overnight success' myth is really distracting small business owners from the time it really takes to build a successful business.
• Why we dive deep into nuance and context when considering what will or won't work for small business owners

Want to learn more and apply to the next cohort of The CEO Collective? Get all the details about how you can work with our team at https://theceocollective.com/apply/ 

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!

If you're already crossing that big $100K milestone and looking at $250K, $500K, and beyond, you need different information and advice than the businesses that are brand new, but the more you grow, the less public information you're going to find.

If you're ready to break through to your business's next level of success, join me for today's masterclass, The 90-Day CEO Operating System.

This system is designed to help you put the infrastructure in place to sustainably scale your business without sacrificing your life, your health, or your family.

Find the slides for this masterclass at http://www.theceocollective.com/training.

Apply Now for The CEO Collective at https://theceocollective.com/apply.

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!

For the last 15 years, I’ve seen so many people come and go. I’ve seen so many people start out with dreams and ambitions, only to burn themselves out and take years to recover from the impact.

But you know in your heart and soul that you’re meant to be an entrepreneur. And I want you to have long-term success, instead of sacrificing it with a short-term view. It’s why I wanted to create this “Truth About Scaling” podcast series.

So now, that brings me to the final installment. In this episode, I break down some final key things to consider and implement when you’re ready to shift into high-growth business mode.

On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:

5:58 - Are you ignoring or passing off parts of your business that you don’t understand? I discuss why that’s a mistake.

11:39 - You need to understand these indicators to know whether or not your marketing is working in your business.

14:05 - What’s another area where women entrepreneurs play small because they’re not considering it at all?

17:23 - Keep it simple, keep it sane, and keep it strategic. I reveal the trap entrepreneurs often fall into that only complicates their business.

24:01 - What common habit have I seen over the years from women entrepreneurs that holds them back? Inside The CEO Collective, we know this happens and are prepared for it.

28:25 - If you don’t allow your business to develop these two important pieces before attempting to scale, then you’ll end up in a cycle of catastrophic growth.

35:02 - I reveal one of the biggest disconnects I see between business owners and why you need your own CEO support team.

40:05 - Personal success teams are another crucially important aspect to being a CEO with sustainable business growth.

45:15 - It’s easy to look at marketing material out there and think that growth is linear. But is it really?

Mentioned in How to Get Yourself Ready to Hit High-Growth Mode In Your Business

• The CEO Collective
• CEO Retreat
• Business Growth Checklist
•  90-Day CEO Operating System
•  Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
• 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!

Business franchises are everywhere! You see several in the form of fast food chains whenever and wherever you get off the interstate. And while I’ve talked about scaling your business on the show before, I haven’t gone deep into more traditional ways to do it like this.

Today, I’ve invited The Scout Guide co-founders Susie Matheson and Christy Ford onto the podcast. They’ve built an enterprise that showcases small businesses nationwide for people in their own cities, with the help of over 70 local entrepreneurs. In this episode, you’ll hear some incredible takeaways as they talk about their journey, which you can learn from even if you’re not interested in turning your business into a franchise.

On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:

1:22 - I give a short introduction to The Scout Guide. It actually started near my town of Richmond, VA.

8:29 - How did Susie and Christy come up with the idea for The Scout Guide? Listen as they describe exactly what it is they do.

11:20 - A lot of people think of traditional print advertising as dead. Why has The Scout Guide turned that idea on its head, and how does it complement social media marketing?

20:18 - The Scout Guide is also a resource (and source of inspiration) for small business entrepreneurs across the country. Christy and Susie explain how.

23:43 - Why did the co-founders decide to pursue a franchise model instead of doing everything themselves?

28:22 - Susie and Christy discuss some considerations when making the jump from owning a single business to forming a franchise.

33:03 - The key to making a franchise work is what also makes it easier to sell your business down the line.

37:11 - What did the co-founders struggle with as they launched their franchise? They talk about getting clear on your long-term vision and setting yourself up for success.

43:21 - What’s next on the horizon for The Scout Guide? Christy and Susie reveal their ultimate goal.

• Get Paid Calculator
• The Scout Guide
• Become a Scout Guide Franchisee
• Racheal on Instagram and '>

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!

Social media and online marketing and content creation strategies are wonderful and I use them. But... business grows at the speed of relationships. If you’ve heard it’s impossible to scale a referral-based business or that you shouldn’t rely on referrals for your business, then tune in as me and my Operations Director Amber Kinney expose these myths.

Amber can certainly vouch for this promotional strategy as she’s built her business entirely on referrals. So we have a conversation about how referrals are here to stay, can serve as one of the best things you do for your business, and cover five key strategies to think about so your business can become referrable.

On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:

6:23 - Amber briefly discusses a little bit about her business.

9:29 - Is it sustainable to only have a referral-based business? Amber shares her thoughts on the matter.

12:21 - Growing too fast has its consequences. Amber reveals two must-have components for a referrable AND scalable business.

17:07 - How does Amber get referrals? It’s such a simple, casual process.

18:48 - With referrals, a lot of the heavy lifting in vetting both sides (the client and the CEO) is done for you. We discuss the reasons why.

22:46 - Why do some people really struggle with referrals? It’s tied to the transactional feeling of relationships that lack buildup.

27:04 - We talk about how we’ve networked, made connections, and built relationships as introverts to stay on top of our game.

32:28 - Amber offers some final advice to wrap up the interview.

34:23 - I end the episode with a quick summary of the five key things Amber and I talked about regarding building a more referral-based business.

Mentioned in Why Referrals Are STILL the Gold Standard

• Plan Your Best Year Ever 5-Day Challenge
• The AK Collective
• Racheal on Instagram and TikTok
• Leave a review on iTunes

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!

One of the biggest things you need to plan for your business in the coming new year is marketing; how are you going to get more visibility? I’m a bit biased because I love using podcast interviews as a marketing tool. But how do you get started with pitching yourself for podcast interviews, especially if you don’t have a team to help you?

Luckily, Danielle Weibe, the founder of the Business Babes Collective, knows how and is here to share it with us as my special guest today! She’s doing something that’s so accessible for many people.

In this episode, she talks about how she’s able to consistently land more interviews, opportunities, and visibility for her business by pitching really, really smartly.

On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:

8:21 - What is the Business Babes Collective, and how did Danielle get started in business?

14:50 - Danielle and I talk about why it takes an abundance mentality and a strategic approach to make collaborations work effectively.

19:34 - How does Danielle define collaborations vs. partnerships, and how does she increase her chances of creating them for her business?

24:30 - I reveal the red flags I often see when others try to pitch themselves as a guest on my show. What did Danielle do differently to get my attention?

28:18 - Too many treat business relationship building like speed dating. Danielle discusses how being pleasantly persistent over quite some time secured a collaboration.

33:22 - Sometimes, you have to get creative to secure a collab. Also, be careful not to fall into this trap when on the receiving end of opportunities.

35:00 - What is Danielle’s process for finding the right people to work with? She goes through it, step-by-step.

39:05 - I add my own tip that works especially well if you’re a beginner or trying to collaborate with someone with a bigger audience. 

• Get Paid Calculator
• Business Babes Collective
• Business Babes Collective on Instagram
• Danielle on Instagram
• Racheal on Instagram and

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!