2025 Strategic Business Planning Guide

Key Takeaways:

Power Quarter Planning

• Identify your strongest performing quarter
• Plan major launches around your peak energy periods
• Example quote: "I want you to choose your most powerful quarter. So have a think about when you know you'll show up the strongest."

Content Strategy Alignment

• Focus on content types that play to your strengths (video, writing, speaking)
• Choose platforms where you feel most authentic
• Identify core topics that convert well

Offer Stack Review

• Evaluate current offerings: keep, ditch, or tweak
• Look for gaps in revenue streams
• Consider new opportunities for 2025

Systems & Support

• Assess need for:
• Automation
• Delegation
• Team support (VA, strategic help, branding)
• Tech systems

Non-Negotiables for 2025

• Set firm commitments
• Create implementation timelines
• Book monthly CEO days for planning

Revenue Planning

• Set realistic quarterly targets
• Break down monthly revenue goals
• Analyze if current offers can meet targets

Implementation Tips:

• Allow flexibility in plans
• Spend 30 minutes weekly reviewing progress
• Focus on one major initiative per quarter
• Don't try to change everything at once

Notable Quote: "Without implementation you're really just journaling. So we need to make sure that there is implementation going on and that you're not just doing all these great grand plans, got these great ideas, you're writing it all down and it stays in a book."

Contact Information: Instagram: Mills_Gray Services: Three-tiered structure focusing on:

• Stacked off strategy
• Client magnet method
• CEO systems framework

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"Today's episode is your kind of non-bullshit 2025 planning guide. And I feel like it's one that you might actually use." - Mills Gray

In this Boxing Day special, Mills breaks down a practical and honest approach to business planning for 2025. Moving beyond traditional goal-setting exercises, she offers a three-part framework for meaningful reflection and planning that serves real business owners.

• A realistic approach to year-end review and planning
• Three-part framework for business evaluation:

1. Celebrating Real Wins
2. Honest Reality Check
3. Energy Audit

• Revenue milestones and growth
• Client success stories
• Personal growth moments including:
• Saying no to non-ideal clients
• Raising prices confidently
• Implementing automation
• Maintaining content consistency
• Setting boundaries
• Overcoming imposter syndrome

• Identifying soul-draining activities
• Evaluating marketing tactics that didn't work
• Time allocation analysis
• Content engagement review
• Client feedback patterns
• Areas of over-complication
• Unused tools and subscriptions audit

• Actual working patterns
• Peak performance times
• Seasonal patterns
• Client work energy assessment
• Content creation flow
• Sales conversion analysis
• Financial deep dive

Stay tuned for the strategic planning episode releasing on January 2nd, 2025!

• Weekly podcast episodes throughout the year
• Three-step series completion
• 12 Days of CEO Magic series
• Consistent content delivery

Share your thoughts and planning insights with Mills on social media Tag Mills in your stories for a reshare

or visit her website www.millsgray.com

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"Having the strategies is one thing, but implementing it are two very different things, my friends." - Mills Gray

In this candid follow-up to the "12 Days of CEO Magic" series, Mills reflects on the impact of sharing her business frameworks and discusses why having strategies alone isn't enough for success. Through real client examples and authentic insights, she explores the crucial difference between knowing what to do and actually implementing it effectively.

• Reflection on the success and impact of the "12 Days of CEO Magic" series
• The importance of implementation over just collecting strategies
• Real-world case study of client Kat's transformation
• Discussion of key business frameworks including:
• Act Offer Strategy
• Client Magnet Method
• CEO Systems
• Spider Web Content Strategy

• The power of having both support and strategy in business growth
• Why real-time problem solving and accountability matter
• How customization of frameworks leads to better results
• The importance of celebrating small wins in business

For listeners ready to move from strategy to implementation, connect with Mills on social media: @Mills_Gray or www.millsgray.com

Stay tuned for special episodes coming out on Boxing Day and January 2nd, 2024!

DM Mills on Instagram: @Mills_Gray Message: "I'm ready to work with you Mills"

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Episode 12 of 12 Days of CEO Magic: Your 2025 Strategic Success Blueprint

Learn how to create a business that doesn't stop when you do through strategic systems implementation, automation, and proper frameworks.

• Business Foundation Systems:Tech stack essentials
• Customer journey mapping
• Future-proof planning
• Team preparation
• Bottleneck removal
• Client Experience Systems:Automated onboarding
• Communication flows
• Payment systems
• Service delivery
• Client satisfaction
• Growth & Scale Systems:Monthly CEO planning
• Content repurposing
• Automation setup
• Lead generation flows
• Team expansion prep

• Being the business bottleneck
• Lack of clear systems
• Reactive vs proactive approach
• Unable to handle sudden growth
• Business dependent on owner

Client Transformation:

• Before: Missing school events, constant voice notes, no presence
• After: Clear boundaries, automated responses, structured planning
• Result: Present in life while business runs smoothly

• Working 10 till 3
• Clear boundaries
• Systems running smoothly
• Time for strategic thinking
• Everything gets done

1. Write down your perfect day vision
2. Assess if you could handle 20 new clients
3. Traffic light your current systems:

• 🟢 Green: Love and using
• 🟡 Yellow: Unsure about
• 🔴 Red: Not using/unnecessary

"None of us started a business to replace a job that just pays worse." "Small little changes make massive differences."

• 3 months: Basic implementation
• 6 months: Refinement and habit formation
• Ongoing: High cash month sustainability

• Accounting systems
• Calendar management
• Email platforms
• Payment processing
• Client onboarding
• Lead generation

• Instagram: @Mills_Gray
• DM for one-on-one opportunities
• Three and six-month programs available
• www.millsgray.com

"Imagine what it would look like to work with me. This is free - imagine what we could do together."

Ready to implement? DM Mills "I'm fucking ready" to discuss one-on-one support!

Would you like me to:

1. Add more system examples?
2. Include implementation timeline?
3. Develop system audit template?
4. Add more success metrics?

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Episode 11 of 12 Days of CEO Magic: Your 2025 Strategic Success Blueprint

Learn how to transform desperate "spots available" posts into a strategic selling system that creates natural buying momentum and attracts ideal clients.

• Buying Momentum Creation:Value stacking
• Social proof integration
• Problem-solution alignment
• Desire building
• Case study integration
• Sales Message Strategy:Clear value articulation
• Benefit focus
• Transformation showcase
• Objection prevention
• Price positioning
• Conversion System:Follow-up framework
• Payment options
• Onboarding process
• Client experience design
• Buyer's remorse prevention

• Random selling without strategy
• Discounting when nervous
• Taking wrong-fit clients
• Missing natural buying moments
• No follow-up system
• Hoping instead of selling

• Regular client win sharing
• Clear calls to action
• Behind-the-scenes value
• Trust building content
• Buying confidence creation

1. What's your current conversion rate?
2. Are you following up systematically?
3. Do you have clear buying pathways?
4. How many touchpoints before purchase?
5. Are you selling strategically or randomly?

Review your last 3 sales attempts:

1. What worked?
2. What felt off/icky?
3. Note client objections
4. Identify conversion points
5. Create strategic sequence

"No one likes being sold to, everyone loves buying." "Praying and hoping is not a strategy."

• Desperate "spots available" posts
• Random discount offers
• Scarcity-based selling
• Fix-me-quick clients
• Lack of follow-up

• Instagram: @Mills_Gray
• Share your sales strategy wins
• Get feedback on your approach
• www.millsgray.com

Day 12: The CEO Systems Framework - The glue that holds your business together

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Episode 10 of 12 Days of CEO Magic: Your 2025 Strategic Success Blueprint

Learn how to transform a dying email list into a revenue generator with the Strategic Nurture System, consistently generating 20-40% of monthly revenue from email marketing.

• Value Strategy:Welcome sequence that connects
• Regular value drops
• Client story integration
• Problem-solution content
• Behind-the-scenes glimpses
• Relationship Building:Personality injection ('Mills-isms')
• Consistent communication
• Community building
• Two-way engagement
• Trust development
• Strategic Sales Integration:Natural buying triggers
• Offer awareness
• Social proof inclusion
• Clear call-to-actions
• Follow-up framework

• Building lists but rarely emailing
• Only showing up to sell
• Missing strategic nurture sequence
• Inconsistent messaging
• Lack of personality
• Poor relationship building

Before:

• 300 person list
• 12% open rate
• Sporadic emails
• Fear of bothering subscribers

After Implementation:

• List grew to nearly 7,000
• 30-40% average open rate
• £5,000 in sales
• Genuine relationships built

• Monday: Value/Teaching
• Wednesday: Client Success Story
• Friday: Behind-the-scenes/Personal Story

1. Open email platform
2. Check last 5 emails
3. Rate for:

• Value given
• Personality shown
• Clear next steps

1. Plan next 4 weeks of emails

"Your email isn't just about a numbers game, it's about a relationship opportunity." "It takes on average eight follow-ups for somebody to say yes."

1. Current email open rate?
2. Last email sent date?
3. Welcome sequence existence?
4. Unsubscribe rate check?
5. Natural offer integration?

• Instagram: @Mills_Gray
• Share email marketing struggles
• Engage for points toward strategy session

Day 11: The Natural Sales Framework

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Episode 9 of 12 Days of CEO Magic: Your 2025 Strategic Success Blueprint

Learn how being boldly authentic in your marketing attracts dream clients while naturally repelling wrong-fit prospects.

• Client Identity Clarity:Who lights you up?
• What's their energy like?
• Key qualities they possess
• Red flag identification
• Where they hang out
• Clear Communication:Use their exact language
• Share your boundaries
• State personality traits
• Show ambition markers
• Own your expertise
• Strategic Positioning:Platform selection
• Content alignment
• Offer structure
• Pricing strategy
• Value articulation

• Using corporate language
• Avoiding personality
• Trying to include everyone
• Watering down messaging
• Being afraid to repel

Personal Transformation:

• Before: Professional, corporate language
• After: "Ambitious, driven AF humans ready to level up"
• Result: Attracted highest-paying client

1. Does your content clearly state who you serve?
2. Were your last 5 clients dream clients?
3. Are you stating who you don't work with?
4. Is your messaging attracting or convincing?
5. Could anyone benefit from your offer? (Red flag if yes!)

"Trying to appeal to everyone usually means you're attracting no one." "The more specific you are about who you want to work with, the more magnetic your marketing becomes."

1. Review last 5 posts
2. Circle generic language
3. Note specificity opportunities
4. Draft one bold post
5. Tag Mills in your content

• Constant price questioning
• Needing to convince
• Non-implementers
• Energy vampires
• Universal appeal

• Instagram: @Mills_Gray
• Share your ideal client description
• Get feedback on your bold post

Day 10: The Nurture System - Keeping Your Email List Alive and Buying

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Episode 8 of 12 Days of CEO Magic: Your 2025 Strategic Success Blueprint

Learn how to transform basic testimonials into powerful client journey stories that sell your offers for you through strategic social proof.

• Capture System:Win celebration prompts
• Journey documentation
• Progress tracking
• Regular check-ins
• Systematic collection
• Content Creation:Before and after stories
• Progress milestones
• Specific results
• Client journey mapping
• Transformation details
• Strategic Sharing:Platform-specific formats
• Timeframe clarity
• Problem-solution matching
• Objection addressing
• Journey showcasing

• Generic "she was great" testimonials
• Missing journey details
• Waiting until the end to capture success
• Not leveraging small wins
• No systematic gathering process
• Letting powerful moments slip away

Don't just say "Made X amount" Include:

• Starting point
• Initial struggles
• Changes made
• Emotional journey
• Next steps

1. When was the last time you actively collected a testimonial?
2. Do your testimonials show specific transformations?
3. Are you capturing client wins in the moment?
4. Do case studies show clear before/after scenarios?
5. Would your ideal client see themselves in your social proof?

1. Open your messages
2. Find last three client wins
3. Create a success story bank (Google Doc)
4. Set up regular check-in prompts
5. Start documenting journeys

"Every client win is a future client buying." "A strategically captured client journey sells your offer for you."

• Wait until project end for testimonials
• Share generic praise without details
• Miss documenting small wins
• Forget to address common objections
• Leave wins uncaptured

Create a system for:

• Regular win check-ins
• Journey documentation
• Progress tracking
• Success story banking
• Strategic sharing

• Instagram: @Mills_Gray
• Share your social proof aha moment
• Get feedback on your system
• www.millsgray.com

Day 9: Intentional Client Attraction - How to Call in Your Driven AF Clients

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Episode 7 of 12 Days of CEO Magic: Your 2025 Strategic Success Blueprint

Learn how to transform one piece of content into multiple assets, creating a month's worth of content in just one hour using the content repurposing machine.

• Core Content Creation:Choose primary platform
• Create long-form content
• Focus on quality over quantity
• Include multiple teaching points
• Content Pillars:Problem-specific content
• Transformation content
• Authority-driven content
• Strategic Breakdown:Extract key quotes
• Pull out teaching points
• Identify story elements
• Note actionable tips

• 3 carousel posts for Instagram
• 5 story prompts
• Blog post for SEO
• Facebook group live
• Email sequence
• Multiple DM conversation starters
• Cross-platform promotion

• Daily creation from scratch
• Not maximizing best performers
• Time spent on low-engagement content
• Missing repurposing opportunities
• Burnout from constant creation

Before:

• Overwhelmed with content creation
• Burning out
• Unclear strategy
• Inconsistent results

After Implementation:

• One weekly podcast as core content
• Strategic breakdown system
• Multi-platform adaptation
• Immediate ROI
• Better work-life balance
• Increased engagement

1. How many pieces are created from scratch vs repurposed?
2. Have you fully leveraged your best performing content?
3. Are you batching content or creating daily?
4. Do you have a content bank?
5. When did you last repurpose a past high performer?

1. Find your last piece of long-form content
2. List all:

• Quotes
• Teaching points
• Stories
• Tips

1. Create new content from each element

"It's not about creating more content, it's about getting more mileage from the content you've created." "We want to make it easy peasy lemon squeezy."

• Facebook Group: 4,700+ members
• Email List: Nearly 7,000
• Instagram: Almost 8,000 followers

• Instagram: @Mills_Gray
• Share your content creation struggles
• Get personalized solutions
• www.millsgray.com
• 
  

Day 8: Strategic Social Proof - Turning Client Wins into Magnetic Marketing

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Episode 6 of 12 Days of CEO Magic: Your 2025 Strategic Success Blueprint

Learn how to build your business around your energy instead of forcing your energy around your business - creating sustainable success without burnout.

• Energy Mapping:Track peak performance times
• Identify natural rhythms
• Notice creativity patterns
• Document recovery needs
• Consider cycle tracking
• Strategic Scheduling:One week on, one week off client calls
• Content creation during peak energy
• Admin during lower energy periods
• Time allocation framework (⅓ content, ⅓ selling, ⅓ serving)
• Boundary Setting:Clear working hours
• Non-negotiable rest periods
• Aligned launch timing
• Saying no to energy drains
• 
  

"Working against your energy is like driving with the handbrake on - you can move, but it's a struggle."

Before:

• Reactive to client demands
• Exhausted from poor scheduling
• Resentful of business demands
• Struggling with boundaries

After Implementation:

• Clear working hours
• Strategic content creation
• High-energy client calls
• Recovery days after events
• Better engagement
• Increased revenue
• Sellout events

1. When did you last feel truly energized delivering your offer?
2. Where are your calendar energy drains?
3. Which clients light you up vs drain you? (List characteristics)
4. Are peak energy hours matched to high-value tasks?
5. Where are you saying yes when you want to say no?

Rate your calendar appointments:

• 🔴 Energy drain
• 🟡 Neutral
• 💚 Energy giving Action: Move red appointments to better times

"Your energy is literally your most valuable business asset." "Managing your time is good, but managing your energy is better."

• Working when energy is lowest
• Forcing other people's schedules
• Creating content when burnt out
• Launching at wrong times
• Ignoring energy signals

Mills' Content Creation Win:

• Aligned with energy
• 12 episodes recorded in 24 hours
• Complete project in 48 hours
• Driven by genuine excitement

• Instagram: @Mills_Gray
• Share your biggest energy drain
• Get personalized solutions
• www.millsgray.com

Day 7: The Content Repurposing Machine - Creating More Impact with Less Effort

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