Promote Yourself to CEO | Small Business Strategy for Women Entrepreneurs

• Too Many Decisions, Not Enough Clarity

  Send us a textYou know that feeling when you open your closet and somehow have nothing to wear—even though it's packed full? That's what running your business feels like right now. Not because you lack options, but because you have too many of them.Fresh off our CEO Retreats, I've been hearing the same thing from small business owners across the country: they're stuck. Not on client work—they're confident there. But on the CEO-level decisions that could make or break their next year. The ones about pricing, team, strategy. The decisions they keep putting off because "what if I'm wrong?"Here's what nobody talks about: this isn't a confidence problem. It's not an effort problem. It's decision fatigue, and it's eating up your cognitive capacity before you even get to the decisions that matter. Every morning you're starting with a tank of mental fuel, and by the time you need to make the big call, you're running on empty.In this episode, I'm breaking down why wait-and-see mode is costing you more than you realize, what Steve Jobs and Barack Obama understood about preserving brain power, and the one tool that's going to help you cut through the noise: your CEO decision matrix. If you've been spinning your wheels on a decision you know you need to make, this one's for you.In This Episode:Why small business owners feel economic shifts first—and what that reality means for the decisions sitting on your desk right now that you've been avoidingThe cognitive capacity trap: I'm breaking down how your morning routine, chronic illness, or last night's sleep actually determines how much decision-making power you have today (and why this changes everything)What prolific leaders do differently when it comes to preserving mental energy for strategic decisions—it's not about working harder, and the examples might surprise youThe real cost of "wait and see" mode—I'm sharing what I've witnessed happen when small business owners delay tough conversations about team, pricing, or strategy, and why your options shrink instead of expandHow too many options create paralysis—your packed closet explains exactly what's happening in your business, and once you see this pattern, you can't unsee itThe CEO Decision Matrix framework: I'm walking you through the filtering system that uses your vision and values to help you make tough calls faster and with more confidenceConnect 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!

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• Organize Your Digital Clutter with Tracy Hoth

  Send us a textYou know that sinking feeling when a client asks for "that document we worked on last month" and you have absolutely no idea where you saved it? Or when you're paying your team to sit idle while you frantically search through folders trying to find the resources they need?If you've ever felt like the organized, professional front you present to the world is hiding a complete digital disaster behind the scenes, this episode is for you. Tracy Hoth, professional organizer turned business coach, reveals why most entrepreneurs struggle with organization (hint: it's not because you're "naturally messy") and shares her surprisingly simple system that works whether you're a solopreneur or managing a team.This isn't about buying fancy software or overhauling your entire business overnight. Tracy breaks down the exact five-folder system she uses with clients to eliminate the constant search-and-rescue missions that are quietly draining your productivity and confidence. She also shares the "wonderful one" concept that could save you hours every week and the maintenance habit that takes less than five minutes but keeps everything running smoothly.Ready to stop being the bottleneck in your own business? Tracy's practical approach might just be the missing piece that transforms your behind-the-scenes chaos into a well-oiled machine.In This Episode:• The "Monica's Closet" phenomenon — Why most business owners look perfectly organized on the outside while drowning in digital chaos behind the scenes• Tracy's five essential business folders — The stupidly simple filing system that works for Google Drive, Canva, email, and every other platform you use daily• The hidden cost of disorganization — How being unable to find files is masquerading as "bad time management" and costing you money in team productivity• The "wonderful one" rule — Why choosing a single hub for everything eliminates decision fatigue and stops files from multiplying across devices• SPASM method revealed — Tracy's 17-year-old organizing process that works for physical spaces, digital files, and even overwhelmed brains• The maintenance secret — The simple habit-stacking technique that keeps your system running without constant overhauls (spoiler: it ties to something you already do)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!

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• Finding Your Big Business Idea with Jessica Sato

  Send us a textEver feel like you're constantly tweaking your business but nothing quite clicks? Like you're a plant that's outgrown its pot but you keep trying to make it work anyway?You're not alone. And more importantly, there's a reason why all that surface-level fixing isn't working.In this conversation with Jessica Sato, we dig into why successful entrepreneurs hit this wall—and what actually needs to happen to break through it. Jessica works with impact-driven female entrepreneurs who've built something good, but know there's something bigger calling them forward.This isn't about another rebrand or website refresh. It's about the deep work that most people skip because it feels too slow, too introspective, or too "nice to have." But here's what Jessica and I both learned the hard way: you can't shortcut this process.We talk about the moment you realize your current container is too small, why "good enough" can be the enemy of extraordinary, and how to find that through line that connects everything you've built into something cohesive and compelling.If you've been in business for 5+ years and something feels off—even if you can't put your finger on what—this conversation will give you language for what you're experiencing and a path forward that doesn't involve starting over.On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:• The accidental TEDx discovery that shifted Jessica's entire approach to helping entrepreneurs find their big ideas• Why your "expertise overwhelm" is actually the problem—and the umbrella framework that cuts through the confusion• The two unmistakable signs you've outgrown your current business model (hint: one involves a lot of frustrated tweaking)• The root-bound plant analogy that explains why no amount of "window dressing" will fix a foundational misalignment• Why successful entrepreneurs resist the deep work that would actually solve their problems (spoiler: it's not what you think)• The difference between copywriters and messaging strategists—and why working with the wrong one keeps you stuck• Rachel's honest breakdown of her two major business evolutions and what triggered each shift• The "good enough" trap that keeps mid-stage entrepreneurs from doing the work that would unlock their next level• How Jessica's Egypt retreat idea emerged from a dream and why discomfort might be exactly what your business needsConnect 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!

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• Amy Hayes Proves Referrals Beat Social Media Marketing

  Send us a textShow Notes: How to Build Premium Services Without the Premium HeadachesWhat if everything you've been told about raising your rates is backwards?Amy Hayes, founder of The Global Creator, spent a decade building a design business that runs almost entirely on referrals—and she's never touched social media marketing for her client work. In this conversation, she reveals why most creatives are focusing on all the wrong things when trying to command premium prices.You'll discover why that expensive camera or fancy software isn't what's keeping you from high-end clients. Amy breaks down the real difference between high-end and high-touch services, and why the latter matters more than you think. She also shares her unconventional approach to client boundaries—one that actually strengthens relationships instead of creating friction.If you've ever felt trapped in the feast-or-famine cycle, constantly chasing new clients, or wondered why your perfectly polished portfolio isn't attracting the clients you want, this episode will shift how you think about service-based business entirely. Amy's insights on the relationship-first approach might just save you years of spinning your wheels on strategies that don't actually move the needle.In This Episode:• Why accumulating more skills and certifications won't fix your client pipeline problems• The "self-concept" shift that transforms how clients perceive and treat you• How Amy built a decade-long business without social media marketing (and why referrals don't actually "dry up")• The counterintuitive approach to client boundaries that creates stronger relationships, not weaker ones• Why high-end services require high-touch experiences—and what most people get wrong about this• The real reason clients become demanding (hint: it's not about your pricing)• How to price projects with built-in margins for creativity and collaboration• Why saying yes to smaller projects from existing clients can be your most profitable decision• The energy shift from "creative gun for hire" to strategic partner that changes everythingConnect 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!

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• Burnout Solutions Beyond Productivity with Amanda Miller Littlejohn

  Send us a textWhy Your Burnout Isn't a Time Management ProblemI've been thinking a lot about why so many of us are running on empty, and this conversation with Amanda Miller Littlejohn gave me language for something I've been feeling for years. We're not just tired—we're operating from a fundamentally broken blueprint about what makes life worth living.Amanda's new book, The Rest Revolution, cuts through all the productivity hacks and time management systems to get to the real issue: we've been taught to measure our worth by our output. And frankly, it's killing us. What struck me most about our conversation wasn't just her story of severe burnout after having her third child during the pandemic (while not taking maternity leave), but how she traced this pattern all the way back to childhood.This isn't another "work-life balance" conversation. Amanda challenges the entire framework of ambition in our post-pandemic world. She's a sought-after executive coach, brand strategist, and now Rosalyn Carter Mental Health Journalism Fellow whose work has appeared in the Washington Post and Forbes. But more than that, she's someone who hit the wall hard and found a different way forward.If you've ever felt like you're supposed to be grateful for being overwhelmed, this episode will shift something in you.Show Notes• The childhood origins of overwork - How being rewarded for effort and achievement creates adults who don't know they have limits• Back-burnering vs. front-burnering - Why we systematically deprioritize health, hobbies, and key relationships for things that "matter" financially• The breaking point pattern - How burnout manifests when we either get physically sick or lose someone and have no space to grieve• Machine mindset vs. human needs - Why "I can't afford to take my foot off the gas" is a lie that keeps us trapped• The village we've lost - How hyper-capitalism destroyed the natural support systems our grandparents had• Friend-making in your 40s - Amanda's practical approach to "proposing" to potential best friends and showing up consistently• The three P's of friendship - Proximity, positivity, and frequency (why adult friendships require intentional effort)• Redefining the measuring stick - Moving from productivity-based worth to relationships, joy, and health as success metrics• Why this all becomes urgent in your 40s - How decades of bad habits finally catch up and force a reckoning with what actually mattersConnect 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!

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