The Modern CEO Podcast

If you've been following my How to Clone Yourself series, then this is the ultimate episode that you do NOT want to miss!

Today, we're finally going to get deep into the nitty-gritty of putting together your systems. The systems that will make it feel as though you're running your business with a team of your very own clones!

Let me tell you: putting strong, well-planned systems into place in your business leads to a LOT of benefits! It boosts your productivity like crazy. It cuts down on the time needed to complete your repeatable tasks. And it makes it SO MUCH EASIER to train new staff.

Where do you want to focus your system-building efforts?

In the areas that make your business money.

In the areas where you can WOW your customers.

In the areas that can lead to the biggest improvements in your personal and professional life.

Let's get started!

In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:

• How much time and effort you'll save by investing a little time in preparing systems in your business!
• The three major pieces that you need to include in your operations playbook
• The crucial questions you must answer in order to build out an amazingly effective process
• How building systems can actually make it easier to scale your business!

Listen below!Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play and Stitcher!

Highlights:

02:24 We need more of you in the world … without you DOING more!

03:41 What brings money into your business?

05:54 "When you invest time in preparing, you accelerate time to implement more than 70 percent"

06:49 "Having strong, intentional systems will help you do repeatable tasks faster"

08:06 Prioritization is an important aspect of developing your systems

08:17 The three chapters of your operations playbook

11:32 What you need to consider when building out a process

13:43 Case Study: Three Boudoir

16:08 "The simplicity of a checklist is so powerful when it comes to system documentation"

17:08 How to use Google to help you develop your own systems

19:56 The 'How,' 'What,' and 'Where' of your operations playbook!

21:45 How systems ultimately support the scaling of your business

Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCueMentioned in this episode:

• The Get Efficient Prioritization Matrix
• How to Clone Yourself

Are you ready for the next step in our How to Clone Yourself series? Because I am SO excited to help you build on the skills revealed in the first five episodes of this series!

You're going to want to take some notes, because this episode digs even deeper into one of my all-time favorite topics: systems.

Systems are what allow me to run my multi-city boudoir photography business in America from my new home in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Systems are what let me run my worldwide consulting business while still enjoying a ton of awesome quality time with my husband and my girls.

If they can do all of that for ME, then just imagine what they can do for YOU!

There are a lot of misconceptions out there about systems … what they can do, what they SHOULD do, and who should be kept in mind when they are designed. I'm here to help you ditch those preconceived notions and implement radically effective systems that will not only boost your productivity and lessen your stress, but also increase your profits!

In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:

• Why systems are a front-office activity, not just a back-office one
• How to approach your business and personal systems with a customer-centric mindset -- and why that is SO important
• How well-designed systems can impact both your bottom AND top line
• A case study that illustrates the awesome power of a customer-centric approach to systems!

I want you to have all of the free time that you deserve AND all of the profits that you've worked so hard for -- and systems can help you get there!

Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue

Highlights:

• 01:40 [+1.20] Thinking about systems incorrectly limits their possibilities!
• 03:32 [+1.20] "Personal systems help you find increased happiness and experience more joy in your life"
• 05:02 [+1.20] "You are not going to boil the ocean … we can start one cup or one drop at a time and still have a big impact"
• 05:31 [+1.20] Create a positive experience for customers through systems
• 06:27 [+1.20] "Improve your systems related to your client experience and you'll have a positive impact on your profit margin"
• 08:22 [+1.20] How to bake the customer lifecycle into the planning of your systems
• 00:52 [+1.20 + 9:14] Case study: Three Boudoir
• 09:04 [+1.20 + 9:14] "Think about your customer: what are they going through? What are they experiencing? ... And how can you show up to support them?"

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Get Efficient Prioritization Matrix
• Three Boudoir

Even more than hiring, even more than outsourcing, what is the most vital thing that you can do to simplify your day-to-day workload and streamline your business processes?

Design and implement intuitive systems.

Systems are an underpraised cornerstone of successful businesses, but you observe them in action each and every day.

Every time you visit a Starbucks, your barista takes a series of steps to make sure that the right drink gets to the right person at the right time.

Every time you make a reservation at a restaurant, the staff use a system to make sure that the right number of seats are saved for the right person at the right time.

Every time you order a product online … every time you make an appointment for a haircut …

It's systems all the way!

Are you ready to create your own killer systems and enjoy incredible levels of efficiency?

In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:

• How well-planned systems DRASTICALLY improve the way that your business runs
• The difference between intentional systems and organic systems
• How to map out the 5 key elements of every effective system

Listen below and discover how much easier running your business can be!Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play and Stitcher!

Highlights:

03:26 "At its core, a fully-functioning business is basically a set of systems and processes"

04:48 Build your systems the way you'd build a city

06:52 What do systems and processes represent and what can they do for your business?

07:52 "Talking about systems is just another way of looking at scaling your operation and getting you more freedom"

8:39 Case study: Building a system out of chaos

10:76 The difference between intentional and organic systems

13:17 "The power of systems is that a few tweaks can have tremendous impact"

15:42 "Systems are a form of cloning and they're going to help you accelerate your results"

15:57 The 5 key parts of a good system

Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCueMentioned in this episode:

• Duct Tape Marketing: The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide by John Jantsch
• Clone Yourself
• The Get Efficient Prioritization Matrix

Effective CEOs tend to spend about 11% of their work time improving systems and strategies.

Why is that?

Because setting up systems can help you DRASTICALLY cut down on wasted time and give your productivity an enormous boost. It also helps cut down on frustration -- and boredom!

Setting up systems early helped my boudoir photography business to thrive, and made it easier to expand it into multiple cities -- it's also helped me to continue to run the business even after my big move to Ethiopia!

If setting up systems can do all of that for my business, imagine what it can do for yours!

Or -- even better -- don't just imagine! Get started today and find out!

In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:

• Why systems are the secret weapon used by smart CEOs to improve productivity, reduce waste, and make life 1000% easier
• Why it's important that your systems are adaptable and evolve alongside your business
• The first steps you need to take in order to build amazingly effective systems
• The all-time greatest tool to figure out your most valuable activities and areas of focus -- and what you should never do again!

Listen below and get ready to LOVE running your business!Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play and Stitcher!

Highlights:03:10 The third step in how to clone yourself: What to STOP doing

05:34 The four key reasons why I can run a business in America from Africa

06:56 "My strengths don't require me to be on-site and in person"

08:52 "When we transfer ownership, not just task management, we're growing a team of leaders"

09:29 "Effective CEOs tend to spend about 11% of their work time improving systems and strategies"

10:23 How can systems help you in your own business?

11:33 Spend your energy on your visionary role and on serving your clients!

14:16 "Sometimes, we have to make investments in our business and in our lives for the sake of long-term growth and vision"

17:24 The Get Efficient Prioritization Matrix

25:06 "Your time and your energy are your two most important resources"

Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCueMentioned in this episode:

• Clone Yourself
• E-Myth Mastery: The Seven Essential Disciplines for Building a World-Class Company by Michael E. Gerber
• The Get Efficient Prioritization Matrix

Pablo Picasso said: "Art is the elimination of the unnecessary."

What's unnecessary in your life right now? What keeps you from doing the things that you need to do?

Marie Kondo created a phenomenon with the idea of simplifying, getting rid of clutter, and stripping down to necessities and the things that bring you joy. People have been talking about Kondo-ing their homes and their relationships.

What about Kondo-ing your business practices and processes?

As the CEO of your small business, you may feel compelled to do ALL OF THE THINGS. I'm sorry, my friend, but it's just not possible to take on all of those roles yourself and still give 100% in your most important role!

Believe me, I tried!

Now, instead of doing ALL OF THE THINGS, I focus my energies on my most important contributions to my business with the help of my trusty Must-Do list … and it's been paying off like crazy!

Stop trying to do it all and start walking that CEO walk like a rockstar!

In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:

• My two top tips for building your own Must-Do list
• The simple assessment that will pinpoint your own personal strengths -- and how you can use them to bolster your business
• The secret to staying on track for your Must-Do goals -- and how your family and team can help!

Listen below and start really living as the CEO of your life and business!Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play and Stitcher!

Highlights:05:48 Pablo Picasso: "Art is the elimination of the unnecessary"

08:05 "What do you REALLY need to be doing?"

09:24 "We think we need to do so much more than we actually do."

10:07 How I figured out that I was on the hamster wheel

11:50 How to write your Must-Do list

14:10 Don't just set goals, work toward them -- and be held accountable!

16:40 "Are you focused on picking up $1 and $5 bills?"

17:57 The two key aspects of building your Must-Do list

20:54 "Leading in your business and your life takes time, energy, and heart"

25:06 Have you done your StrengthFinders assessment? Where are you strong?

29:04 "As you build your Must-Do list, consider the things you must do with your CEO hat on"

Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCueMentioned in this episode:

• Clone Yourself
• Chillpreneur: The New Rules for Creating Success, Freedom, and Abundance on Your Terms by Denise Duffield Thomas
• CliftonStrengths (Formerly Strengthfinders)

Did you know that, on average, only 2 hours and 53 minutes of an 8-hour workday are actually productive?

That sounds crazy, right?

What does this mean for your own productivity? Where is your time going -- and how can you optimize it to best serve your business??

Time management is a significant factor in my How to Clone Yourself program and in my upcoming book on the topic. By shifting the way that you spend your time, you can create maximum impact while working fewer hours -- leaving you more time to spend with friends and loved ones.

Sound amazing? Let's get started!

In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:

• How to achieve the same impact of your 50+ hour workweek in 40 hours or less
• The 'slow-down-to-speed-up' concept -- and what it means for your own productivity
• A simple tactic for taking control of your time and making every second count!

Listen below and learn how to maximize your time for amazing productivity AND necessary downtime!Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play and Stitcher!

Highlights:02:28 "One part leverage, one part how you manage your time, and one part focus"

05:56 Everything happens right-on-time -- even if it's totally unexpected!

08:51 "We've got to understand: where is our time going? How much time do we actually have to be productive and get stuff done?"

09:50 "My goal for you is to get under the 40-hour work week mark"

11:38 The 'slow-down-to-speed-up' concept

11:51 The importance of being intentional in managing your day

13:03 "When you work more than 40 hours a week, you don't actually get 40 hours of productivity"

17:23 "What I want for you is to be able to focus on high-impact activities -- your $100 bills"

18:29 Your first step: Complete your own time inventory

Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCueMentioned in this episode:- Clone Yourself

What far could you take your business if you had an army of clones?

This isn't a sci-fi hypothetical question -- this is a very real way to grow your business. And I want to teach you how. No creepy laboratory required!

My idea of cloning myself can be traced back, years ago, to a time when I was in the middle of a very challenging situation. I was in college when I had my firstborn, and ended up bringing her to my classes. I had a full course load and a newborn baby.

People thought I was crazy!

But I managed … even thrived!

And in doing so, I learned some valuable lessons about how to prioritize all of the different aspects of my life, how to set up time-saving systems … and how to ask for help.

Women, especially, struggle with asking for help. You know that ideal of the 'superwoman'? Able to juggle home, work, and self-care effortlessly (while looking amazing all the while)?

Yeah … in reality, that superwoman is getting support from all sides. And that's a GOOD thing!

Asking for help is NOT giving up. Asking for help is NOT failure.

Asking for help is a great way to boost your productivity, strengthen your business, and make fabulous connections. What's important is WHO you ask -- and what you ask them to do.

In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:

• How to get more done … in MUCH less time!
• Why you should sidestep the micromanagement trap -- and what you'll gain from letting go!
• How to focus on the things that DESERVE your energy -- and how to figure out what they are!

Listen below and prepare for phenomenal productivity!Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play and Stitcher!

Highlights:

06:20 How I thrived at college, even with a newborn baby girl!

08:22 "Deciding to delegate -- and letting the person you choose do their job well -- is an entirely different story"

09:52 The myths that hold us back from growth!

11:39 "I know I wanted to have a creative outlet where I could bring business and creativity together"

14:20 How we leveraged the How to Clone Yourself methodology to scale and grow

15:40 "You know there is more opportunity out there for you!"

16:31 "You are the CEO of your business. You are the CEO of your life!"

17:10 Think ahead for your future -- short term and long term

17:56 The four parts to the Clone Yourself process

Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCueMentioned in this episode:- How to Clone Yourself

You make countless decisions every day.

Whether you should have a cup of coffee in the morning. How you should decide on setting your pricing. Whether to bundle your services or not. Whether to outsource. Whose family to visit for Thanksgiving. Whether to take up yoga or pilates. Whether to have a kid … or another one. Whether to reach for a smoothie or that giant chocolate chip cookie. Where you should go on vacation. How far you should go to lock down that client. What you should have for dinner.

We spend SO MUCH of our time making decisions both big and small! With all of that pressure, it is super easy to fall victim to a dreaded condition -- decision-making fatigue!

When you're dealing with decision-making fatigue, the smallest decisions can seem impossible -- even choosing what to make for dinner can bring you to a standstill. Believe me, I've been there!

Making a decision isn't a simple matter of weighing pros and cons (although that's a good strategy). The truth is, there are a lot of important factors that go into making great decisions, including your mindset, timing, and technique!

In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:

• Why you should make your decisions from a place of power, instead of a place of fatigue -- and why that is a gamechanger!
• How to identify when you should hold off on making decisions -- and when to go full speed ahead!
• How to develop an amazingly effective decision-making framework that works for your life and business!

Highlights:

04:35 The consequences of decision-making fatigue!

6:30 "It's okay not to decide right now -- that's a decision, too!"

9:00 "What's for Dinner?" case study

14:46 If you don't have an answer, you don't need to ignore the question

16:56 "You're slowing down so you can decide to speed up later"

17:22 "Should we move halfway around the world?" case study

22:42 Are your decisions in alignment with what you want and who you want to be?

24:42 The 'Prioritize Everything' framework

24:51 "What's the 'big kahuna' thing that you do not want to lose sight of?"

27:28 The importance of values alignment in decision-making for hiring

30:42 "What in the world gets your attention right now?"

32:22 Leave a 20% margin of time for magic to happen!

33:42 You're full of ideas -- should you pursue them all?

24:23 "Keep your eye on your goals as you're thinking about if you should pursue a business idea"

25:25 Create your own million-dollar parking lot!

Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCueMentioned in this episode:- ambermccue.com/prioritize

If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?

What if you could change five things? Ten things?

What if you could be a completely different person in the way that you approach your family… or your fitness… or your business?

What if you could be a whole new you?

We all change naturally as time goes by -- it's inevitable. But how often do we mindfully and intentionally shift the way that we show up in our relationships and professional life?

Change can be painful, but it's far more painful to stay in a place (or state of mind) that doesn't fulfil you!

Best of all: making a big transformation doesn't need to be a long and uncomfortable process!

In my latest podcast episode, you'll discover:

• How to manifest significant change -- without causing a massive shock to the system!
• One quick and easy method of creating a new mindset in minutes
• Why it is so important to engage your support network in your transformation
• How to benefit not only from the end result of your change, but from the entire journey!

Listen below and get ready to create the new you! Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play and Stitcher!

Highlights: 01:29 What change are YOU looking to make?

03:02 What's more painful than change?

04:05 Step #1: The simplest way to kickstart your transformation!

07:35 Step #2: Build your team of leaders

10:20 "Absolutely everything is right-on-time … because you can't be late for your destiny"

13:00 "Find that joy in the journey"

16:00 Make 're-imagine' your 2019 mantra!

17:55 Get ready to join the Power-Up Collective!

19:07 When your life is full, so are your ideas

20:50 One of my most powerful recent experiences -- and what it taught me

24:50 Big change comes from the micro-moves that you choose to make

Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue Mentioned in this episode: - Clone Yourself

- Power-Up Collective

Are you sabotaging your chances of success without even realizing it?

This week's episode is all about learning to let go of your attachment mindset.

You may have an attachment mindset if you find yourself latching onto situations, ideas, or outcomes SO TIGHTLY that you close yourself off to all other possibilities.

Maybe it's the idea of a new job, a process you want to implement in your business, or a house that you're looking to buy. We all tend to set our hearts on specific outcomes--it's totally human.

Here's the thing, though:

If you're locked onto one specific idea or outcome to the point where you won't even CONSIDER alternatives, you could easily be robbing yourself of some of your most amazing or unexpected opportunities...and shutting down the possibility of real growth or expansion.

Don't worry, my friend. You CAN shift your attachment mindset and learn how to surrender to all of the amazing potential that life has to offer! (And it isn't even that hard!)In my latest podcast episode, I share:

• How your inner voice of envy can stop you from fully experiencing everything that is MEANT to happen in your own life
• How attachment can close off the possibility for new and amazing things to grow
• Why it's impossible to control the outcome of your intentions -- and how that isn't necessarily a bad thing!

Listen below and get ready to let go!Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play and Stitcher!

Highlights:02:53 Be open to being *present*, not just ambitious!

03:44 Shift into a place of surrender & quiet that inner envy

12:57 "The first step is shifting your mindset from attachment to being detached"

13:47 Attachment vs. Detachment

14:50 What does it mean to be attached?

19:00 "Ask yourself: is this an attached way of thinking or am I surrendering?"

Thank you for listening! Want more information and tips? Bookmark ambermccue.com/blog and follow Amber on Instagram: @AmberMcCue