Promote Yourself to CEO | Small Business Strategy for Women Entrepreneurs

In your business, you have to constantly make big decisions. Who’s going to be your coach or mentor? Who should you hire to join your team? What resources should you use to help run your company? How (and where) will you market your business? It can get overwhelming! So you want to only spend time and money where there’s a return on your investment. In this episode, I cover the five key ways to ensure you’re getting the most out of every business investment you make. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 2:09 - I reveal why relying on your feelings can sometimes lead you astray in making business decisions. 3:45 - Tip #1 is one of the biggest things that ensures you’re not signing up for something or hiring someone who isn’t the right fit for you. 9:40 - People often get stuck in their journey because they don’t follow tip #2. Even I’ve been guilty of it recently, and I tell you how. 12:30 - So many of us have a hard time with the third tip. I discuss how I’ve seen this inside The CEO Collective. 19:23 - What’s a good rule to follow whenever you’re learning or getting advice from others? Some of my best business breakthroughs have come as a result of this tip. 23:20 - By following this final tip, you establish the ability to create your own economy. I explain what I mean by that and how I’ve benefited from it. 29:26 - To wrap the show, I quickly recap the five ways to make your business investments worth your time, energy, and money. Show Links The CEO Collective Racheal on Instagram Leave a review on iTunes

After setting a revenue goal for your business, the next question on your mind might be, “How do I actually reach my goal?” If that’s you, then you’ll love this episode! In it, I dive even deeper into the actual math behind your revenue goal using real numbers to help you determine what to sell, at what price point, and to how many clients or customers. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 3:26 - I explain why figuring out how to hit your revenue goals can get a little tricky, especially if you follow so-called guru advice. 10:11 - You have to understand your sales conversion rate which varies based on what you’re selling, to who, and at what price point. 12:26 - What kind of sales call conversion rate do I see among people, even those without much sales experience? 14:53 - Let’s take a look at conversion rates of some other popular promotional methods. 22:56 - How do I know that the price point advice too many “gurus” give to entrepreneurs isn’t necessarily based on any real data? 27:39 - I discuss the biggest problems I see with offering a one-session service and my minimum price point recommendation for your signature offer. 31:39 - Here’s how building a baseline revenue with a higher-end offer can help you grow your income down the line, without sacrificing your time or salary. 34:55 - Remember this about each product, program, or service you create for your business. Show Links Get Paid Calculator Racheal on Instagram Leave a review on iTunes

There’s a tale that’s rarely told in the business world. It’s a tale of two companies. Both make seven figures annually. But the business owners behind them receive a vastly different amount of money as actual take-home pay. What happens once money comes into a business? Where does it go from there? The lack of real disclosure on this in online entrepreneurial circles has led to lots of people focusing solely on revenue goals, not their business’ actual profitability. So in this episode, I break it all down, talk some numbers, and tell you exactly what it means to have a six-figure take home income, not just a six-figure business. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 3:29 - How much time do you have to invest in your business? Here’s how to take a look at your situation to see what works best for you. 7:16 - How much energy do you have available to you? And what do you need to do to maintain it? 9:48 - Instead of pulling a revenue goal out of thin air, ask yourself this question. I reveal the right way to come up with your number and a free resource you can use. 14:28 - I briefly mention why defaulting to your last salary as your revenue goal won’t work. 15:55 - I talk about what goes into running a business, how to use that information to reverse engineer your target, and a super simple way to figure out your revenue goal. 23:46 - Setting aside a little bit of your profits every month really starts to change the game and your perspective. I break down some percentages in detail. 31:08 - I look at the math behind a $100,000 annual revenue goal and how much you really need to earn to make that your take-home pay. 36:27 - How much tax are you going to pay at this point? This is where you’ll want to get yourself a good CPA. 39:10 - Before wrapping up, I go over the biggest piece of misinformation about growing a bigger business. It stops many from setting a higher revenue goal. Show Links Get Paid Calculator Profit First by Mike Michalowicz Racheal on Instagram Leave a review on iTunes  

  You’ve seen the hype about small business and entrepreneurial success out there. It’s unreal! Not a day goes by when I don’t see photos of fancy cars, vacations, oodles of cash, and the typical success catch phrases that come with them on my social media. Here’s the conundrum, though: when your business crosses into the territory of making seven or eight figures, it can quickly become less about doing what you love and more about grinding things out as an entrepreneur to meet demand.  So does bigger actually mean better for you? Or is big enough... enough? In today’s episode, I talk about why I believe in creating a big enough business to create an actual business and life you love. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 5:54 - I discuss what it was like growing up around entrepreneurs, and the surprising information I recently learned from my mother. 8:16 - Why should you beware of creating a business that grows too fast? I tell you what I’ve seen from businesses that experienced hyper growth. 10:02 - I retell a parable about a CEO and a fisherman that illustrates my point. 12:47 - I describe the time I was at a crossroads when I first heard the parable and the realization I came to after some reflection. 15:30 - The big questions I want you to ask about your revenue goals, and defining a Big Enough Business, the kind that loves you back. 17:10 - An early lesson in my business that serves as an example of why NOT to model your version of success after someone else. 20:05 - An example of what my "Big Enough Business" looks like and why it serves me in creating a business and life I love. 23:55 - How being intentional allows me to succeed without sacrificing my life and without causing me to be in a constant state of emergency in my business. 25:20 - How a big enough business allows you to live in your business sweet spot, and stop dreading Monday morning. 27:50 - How a big enough business and building a business and life you love will mean you must know your non-negotiables.  29:40 - Does focusing on a big enough business, mean you lack ambition?  34:00 - The questions I want you to ask to define your big enough business. Show Links The CEO Collective Racheal on Instagram Leave a review on iTunes

Visibility is scary. It’s one of the reasons why so many female entrepreneurs don’t seek out more of it for their business. Yet, it’s also the thing that’ll grow your business. So how can you feel more confident and empowered in the spotlight? In this episode, I talk with my friend Erica Courdae, a CEO Collective mentor and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consultant, about what it’s been like to have more visibility than ever before and how you can more confidently embrace greater visibility for your business and message. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 5:54 - What kind of visibility journey has Erica gone on? She talks about her roller coaster ride since 2018 and the dilemma she faced in 2020. 11:51 - Erica used to say yes to every opportunity. Now a bit more discerning about what she takes on, she discusses the key pieces that helped her handle the demand for her time. 15:21 - What does it take to get your message out into the world? We reveal why consistency is key to gaining and handling greater visibility. 17:26 - Having this missing piece really makes things easier when you find yourself suddenly confronted with more demands for your time. 23:25 - How has Erica navigated exposure to larger audiences with people who may vehemently disagree with her message? 31:59 - There’s a difference between visibility for yourself as an individual and visibility for your message. 40:50 - To wrap up, I go over a couple of key points I want to make sure you take away from this episode.   Show Links Pause on the Play The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz “CEO Confession: The Darkside of Visibility with MegAnne Ford” Racheal on Instagram and TikTok Leave a review on iTunes

Do you think you’re attracting new people to your business through social media? The social media platforms that have been around for a while used to be that way. These days, though, fewer people see your content on most social media. So what is social media good for? Most of it now works best for nurturing your existing audience. But in this episode, I talk about my experiment with TikTok and reveal what I look for when leveraging it to attract brand new people to my business. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 2:36 - I discuss the social media landscape that existed when I first started my business and the magic space you need to best leverage a new platform. 5:15 - What happens when you miss your window of opportunity on a social media platform? 8:20 - I reveal my hypothesis about what makes TikTok different and get into how I decided to play around with it. 16:38 - I’m committing to six months of posting to TikTok five times a week as my goal. What’s my secret to staying consistent on this (or any other) platform? 19:17 - How is my experiment going? I share what I did and what has happened in the two and a half months since I started (as of this recording). 27:02 - I disclose some of my videos that took off and reveal what I’ve learned so far using the platform. It makes me feel even more confident in my TikTok hypothesis. 34:49 - What platform can you use to help you amplify your message? (It doesn’t have to be TikTok!) And why is passive marketing online a myth? Show Links Marketing Strategy Intensive ConnieGoogleQueen on TikTok Racheal on Instagram and TikTok Be Kind Coaching

You know you must get in front of more potential clients to grow your business. So you make plans to get more visible, whether it’s through interviews or guest blog posts or videos or whatever. Yet, you feel this anxiety creep up at the thought of getting more visibility. So what do you do when the concept of putting yourself out there more feels scary and intimidating? In this episode, I dive into how to prepare yourself for more visibility (even if you feel like you’re not ready) so that more opportunities show up more quickly for you and your business. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 2:57 - Let’s start with the easiest place to set yourself up for success. Ensure these are ready to go before you start the process of increasing visibility. 7:40 - How do I pitch myself? I give an example of how I have everything prepared before an interview and how you can do the same. 10:33 - I make a pitching recommendation that helps if you’re already feeling nervous about putting yourself out there. 12:26 - How do you pitch yourself cold to someone? Follow this process to get the most success out of it. 13:59 - How can you prepare yourself for the mindset challenges that come with more visibility? I discuss my biggest worry about the first attract marketing method I used and how I got over it. 19:19 - I encourage you to do this if you want your visibility strategy to involve video but you feel really self-conscious about it. 24:03 - There’s a dark side to visibility, and it can feel scary for women in particular. What can you do about it? 27:36 - When you pitch yourself and gain visibility, you’re going to get people rejecting you. Here’s the approach I take when that happens. Show Links Marketing Strategy Intensive “How to Go Pitch Yourself with Angie Trueblood” “From Not Ready Yet to Ready for Next Level Visibility with Nicole Otchy” “CEO Confession: The Darkside of Visibility with MegAnne Ford” “Patriarchy Stress Disorder with Dr. Valerie Rein” Need to write a bio? Use this. - Alexandra Franzen Yet another way to write your bio. - Alexandra Franzen Racheal on Instagram Leave a review on iTunes  

You spend so much time posting on social media or writing blog posts or sending newsletters to your email list. But no matter what you do (or how much), your marketing just. isn’t. working! You’re not seeing results in the form of new, paying clients. Today, I kick off a new series all about marketing that converts. In this first episode, I dive into the top three reasons why your marketing isn’t converting and how you can fix it. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 3:10 - Do you only hear crickets when you get your message in front of people? I reveal two reasons why you might be making mistake #1. 7:26 - Fixing the first mistake involves doing something that the current marketing ecosystem ignores. 9:41 - Do you have a plan in place to prevent mistake #2? Here’s how to make sure you do. 15:17 - Mistake #3 is a big one and the basis for my upcoming marketing strategy intensive. It’s where I see gaps in people’s marketing strategy. 19:36 - I clarify attract marketing and discuss the pros and cons of the three primary attract strategies. 29:30 - Where should you begin with attract marketing strategies? I reveal where I always start.   Show Links Marketing Strategy Intensive “How 100 Conversations Can Transform Your Business with Tami Hackbarth” “How 100 Conversations Helped Mado Hesselink Find Her Dream Clients” Racheal on Instagram Leave a review on iTunes

Imagine you’re watching a movie about two solo entrepreneurs: One is so excited about her business but finds herself spinning her wheels. She has an amazing vision for growing her business but goes from one idea to the next because instant success eludes her. The other also loves the idea of growing her business. But instead of constantly changing course while trying everything under the sun, she takes the slow and steady approach and inevitably reaches her goals with the framework and consistency advocated inside The CEO Collective. So in this tale of two entrepreneurs, which one do you want to be? Tune in as I discuss why what you’ve done over the previous few months has resulted in the business you have now. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 4:57 - What’s the real problem for women entrepreneurs struggling to get clients? I see this so often! 10:58 - My mindset shift during my TikTok experiment thus far demonstrates why giving yourself enough time to try out strategies is so important. 15:44 - Here’s another example of how this struggle plays out for a lot of entrepreneurs. 19:36 - Are you a podcaster struggling to pitch yourself to others for interviews? I reveal what I’ve discovered in my ten years of podcasting. 23:21 - Find out why you’ll never have to worry about bothering people with your offers again, as long as you adopt this shift in perspective. 27:50 - Hiring a coach to hold you accountable isn’t going to do this for you. Show Links The CEO Collective The CEO 90-Day Planner The CEO Retreat Uncommonly More Racheal on Instagram Leave a review on iTunes

I’m a business growth strategist who’s revealing the truth about scaling your business, so this episode series may have surprised you. But I want your eyes wide open when you go into business growth mode. It’s not just about making more sales; you also need to scale your team, customer experience, and infrastructure behind the scenes so your business doesn’t implode. In this final installment, I break down some key things for you to start thinking about to be more strategic and sustainable when you’re ready to go into high growth business mode. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 3:57 - Which mode allows me to have the lifestyle I want? Being more strategic and intentional while looking towards business growth. 7:26 - Women entrepreneurs tend not to step into leadership in their finances. You can’t allocate resources or make smart decisions otherwise. 11:42 - Keep it simple, upgrade as you go, have perspective, and stop comparing yourself to others. Here’s a particularly helpful recommendation for both new and experienced entrepreneurs. 16:14 - Marketing is one area where I see people get overwhelmed. Some personal examples of how I use my own system to prevent this from happening to me. 20:07 - Slow down. Things take time. We tend to overestimate how much we can accomplish weekly or monthly, yet underestimate our amount of productivity in a year. 25:08 - The biggest disconnect I’ve noticed between entrepreneurs and other small business owners. What the former tend to do. 27:03 - Here’s something not talked about often enough behind the scenes, particularly for female business owners. Having a team of support, both professionally and personally. 30:54 - Growth isn’t linear, and that’s okay. Some pointers on handling plateaus and explosive periods of growth. Show Links The CEO Collective The Ultimate Business Growth Checklist The CEO Retreat “What Is Your Role as CEO?” episode

When you hear of businesses blowing up overnight, you get the glamorized version. You see the celebrity entrepreneurs online living the high life. They’re taking luxury vacations, driving fancy cars, and talking about how their business makes six, seven, eight (or more) figures. But here’s what they’re not telling you. Their business isn’t sustainable because things are constantly breaking behind the scenes. They feel stressed out due to all the fires they have to constantly put out. So how about we take a different approach? In this next segment of the “Truth About Scaling” series, I talk about the three mistakes I often see entrepreneurs make that cause problems when it comes to scaling your business. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 4:29 - How do you know if you’re making this first mistake? Here are the warning signs. 11:52 - I reveal how I’ve fallen into the trap of mistake #1 myself and how you can avoid doing the same. 14:54 - Hiring is another area in your business where you may be making this same mistake. 21:28 - This third area where people make the first mistake is a big pet peeve of mine (and another one I’ve done myself). 25:10 - How did I reverse track on making this mistake when I shifted my approach to The CEO Collective? 32:25 - Too many startup entrepreneurs don’t realize this about cash flow in their business. 35:44 - I discuss mistake #2 and the problem that it won’t fix for you. 41:42 - Where do you really need to get honest about your business? Here are the three markets that you need to be testing. 45:58 - The third mistake and why doing the opposite will save your scaling business. 52:30 - Too much humanity has gone out of business, so I reveal what I’m doing to help bring it back. 58:26 - To end the show, I quickly recap the three mistakes. Mentioned in 3 Common Mistakes That Can Cause Your Scaling Business to Implode   The CEO Collective The CEO Collective Free Resources 90 Day CEO Planner Racheal on Instagram and TikTok Rate and review on Apple Podcasts  

Just because you know something isn’t the same as experiencing it. As a CEO, you undergo rites of passage as you progress through your business, especially if you want a successful and sustainable one. In this episode, I share some of the lessons I’ve learned the hard way so you can see a little further ahead on your path, mitigate some of these challenges early on, or just have a more realistic view of what you’re up against. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 3:46 - Lesson one: you cannot do this on your way to sustainable business success. 8:03 - I get angry when I see how too many others fail to implement this lesson. You won’t have a dream business team with this mindset. 16:03 - What will you struggle with when you attain success, and why? The third surprising lesson I learned. 23:16 - Lesson four: the more your business grows, the less and less you’ll find yourself seeking this. 30:55 - The biggest celebrity influencer entrepreneurs make it seem like marketing solves all business problems. Here’s why it isn’t the answer. 33:17 - Lesson six is the best lesson of all. So how do I apply it in my business? 38:33 - We’re idea machines as entrepreneurs. But we need to take more heed of this lesson and beware who we listen to. I explain why. 45:15 - Surprise! I reveal a bonus lesson to wrap the show. Mentioned in 7 Lessons I Learned On My Way to a Sustainable Business The CEO Collective 90 Day CEO Planner Racheal on Instagram and TikTok Rate and review on Apple Podcasts

This week, I went live on Instagram to share a little Rach Rant that I knew I needed to share with you on the podcast. I've been hearing from so many small business owners who are looking for real support but when they bring their legitimate business challenges to the so called experts - they are told that the reason they are stuck is mindset.Mindset it important! But there are very real challenges that we all are facing that impact our small businesses. If 2023 was a challenging year, then listen in!On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:00:00 Rachel Cook challenges mindset struggles for small businesses.03:09 Challenges faced by women micro business owners.06:56 Limited availability drives up costs for working families.11:35 Global pressures can't be offset by mindset.13:11 Consumer behavior shifts impacting small business owners.18:45 Get proactive with marketing to boost sales.20:19 Be wary of misleading marketing messages on social media.

Scaling is the name of the business game online, or so it would seem. So often we hear about people having seven-figure launches or seven-figure months (or even days). But there’s something that really doesn’t get talked about regarding these eye-popping figures that you need to know. Beyond just making more money, what does it really mean to scale your business? Is it possible to double, triple (or more) your business in just a year or two? Scaling just for the sake of it can be detrimental to your business. So I wanted to do a new series to talk about the truth behind scaling. In this first episode, I talk about everything you need to consider before you press the “scale” button on your business. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 3:16 - What’s the difference between growth and scale? These words get used interchangeably a lot but aren’t exactly the same. 8:41 - Too many people go after scale at all costs and put their business into unstable territory. I reveal one of the biggest red flags that expose this. 14:26 - Beware of the well-known celebrity influencers you follow who teach you this. Here’s the real truth behind their success. 19:47 - What’s another potential “hidden” cash eater in your business? A lot of celebrity influencers like to use this one to bring in sales and clients. 22:48 - I discuss what I personally aim for when scaling my business that makes it easier for me to plan ahead. 26:37 - The last few years have seen the fragility of so many businesses. Some had to get really creative and have a solid but flexible infrastructure to survive. 29:18 - What should you focus on this month? Believe me, it’ll make it seven times easier to do business if you stick to this one thing. Mentioned in What You Don’t Know About Scaling Your Business Will Kill It Business Growth Checklist Racheal on Instagram and TikTok Rate and review on Apple Podcasts

As soon as you get up, the dog is already begging to be let outside. The kids don’t want to get ready for school, so you have to practically drag them out of bed. Your partner is wondering where the hell this or that is while you’re trying to get ready yourself for the day. And you’re still just barely awake in all this and haven’t had your coffee yet! Are your mornings crazy like this? Let’s do something about that! High performance CEOs know how to manage their day and conserve their energy to get the results they want in life and business. So in this last installment of the “Run Your Business Like a CEO” series, I talk about three surprisingly key things to running your day like a CEO, based on my own experience. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 7:54 - A great day truly starts the night before. I used to never be a great sleeper (and even failed at it, according to my FitBit), so here’s how I fixed that. 15:48 - Morning routines can be so different from person to person. As an introvert who likes the quiet, here’s what I do and don’t do. 20:00 - What else can you consider to keep your days running smoothly? Pay attention to these things. 23:00 - I reveal what I do to simplify decision-making regarding my wardrobe, self-care, and home essentials. 26:45 - What’s sucking away your time? I discuss the happy accident that helped me truly relax. 28:27 - I used to feel resistant to morning and nighttime routines. Are you in the same boat?   Mentioned in Run Your Day Like a CEO FitBit Calm Grove Collaborative “From Not Ready Yet to Ready for Next Level Visibility with Stylist Nicole Otchy” Racheal on Instagram and TikTok Rate and review on Apple Podcasts

As a CEO, you’ve got many potential distractions in your business. Answering emails or other ongoing administrative work can keep your attention off the tasks that’ll actually move your company forward. Then by the end of the week, you’ve made little (if any) progress on the tasks that do drive business growth and success. In this episode, I talk about how you can run your week as a CEO with five top strategies that help you skillfully manage your time and energy while prioritizing those higher-value tasks that move the needle. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 5:01 - What is a model calendar, and how do you use one? I talk about how I created my model calendar and really dig into the details of how I use it now. 21:57 - If you have other people on your team, here’s something else you should consider doing to protect your time and energy. 26:33 - What’s the second most important strategy to run your week like a CEO? I do this for my business every Monday morning. 39:46 - I’m pretty ruthless when I implement the third strategy. And it certainly helps with client appointments and business boundaries when I do this. 41:37 - I often get asked why I included these couple of questions in The CEO Planner. What are they, and why did I? 45:03 - The CEO Score comes in handy when it comes to sticking to the weekly plan you just mapped out. Here’s a breakdown of what it’s all about. 57:26 - The last strategy is built right into the planner as this series of questions so you can make better decisions and nip any recurring problems in the bud. 1:02:58 - To wrap up, I quickly recap all five top things to do to run your week like a CEO. Mentioned in Run Your Week Like a CEO The CEO Collective The CEO Planner Fired Up & Focused Challenge “How a model calendar helps me work just 25 hours a week!” “What Is Your Role as CEO?” CEO Date Checklist “How to Track Your Productivity With an Entrepreneur Scorecard” Racheal on

I go on CEO dates with myself. Once every month (as well as on a weekly basis), I take some time to check in on my business and ensure I’m continuing the progress toward the goals I’ve set. This is how I create business plans that I follow through on and adapt as circumstances arise. And in this episode, I discuss how you too can build in self-accountability so that your plan isn’t just another document you’ll never open again. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 2:59 - I talk about my monthly CEO date and dive into my check-in process. 7:48 - What kinds of questions can you ask yourself as you look back on the previous month? 11:28 - I reveal another reason why I absolutely love working with The CEO Planner. 14:15 - What are the consequences of not tracking and documenting things in your business on a consistent basis? 20:07 - Your business metrics and revenue help you predict your company’s future. I reveal how I check on mine every month without obsessing over them. 27:20 - What if you discover that you’ve fallen behind (even way behind) on your projected goals? Here’s how I handle it. 32:24 - One of the most crucial things you need to do with your team while setting your top business priorities for the next month. 34:10 - What’s the last thing I do at the end of my monthly CEO date? Mentioned in Run Your Month Like a CEO Plan Your Best Year Ever Challenge The CEO Collective The CEO Retreat The CEO Planner Racheal on Instagram and TikTok Rate and review on Apple Podcasts

Every new year feels like a new chance to go after the big, audacious goals of your dreams. But as recent years have shown, you need to have adaptable plans for your business so that it can have the flexibility it needs while still getting the results you want. That’s why I love running my quarter through 90-day plans. Today, I talk about how to actually dig in and start creating these plans for your own business. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO: 3:34 - Why go for 90-day plans? Entrepreneurs love setting big, ambitious goals, but it can be overwhelming. 7:27 - How do you break down big goals into more manageable chunks to fit your time, energy, and resources? You can make your best guess, or do this instead. 11:24 - As an example, I quickly walk through how you can launch a new group program within a year (or sooner). 16:03 - How do you actually create your first 90-day plan? I dig into it and discuss the kind of goals you want to focus on during this process. 19:50 - Start the process by looking over your sales and marketing with this 5-part marketing strategy framework. 27:01 - Most people think of this part of the framework when they think of marketing and can get it confused with the first step. I reveal why it’s different and necessary. 34:08 - What’s next after you have your systems in place? I discuss the difference between process vs. project goals and breaking them down in your 90-day plan. 38:38 - Asking yourself these questions as you work through your plan can really help ensure you avoid major challenges. 42:50 - I talk about fine-tuning your plan throughout the quarter without burning yourself out. Mentioned in Run Your Quarter Like a CEO Plan Your Best Year Ever Challenge The CEO Collective The CEO Retreat The CEO Planner Get Paid Calculator Racheal on Instagram and TikTok

It’s one thing to have the right people on your team. But do you have them in the right roles?Assessment tools like StrengthsFinder (now officially called CliftonStrengths®) can help you not just learn more about yourself and your team members but also give you the information you need to help put them in a better position for success. Specifically, StrengthsFinder helps you discover your top talents so you can maximize your personal and professional potential.CEO Collective member La Tondra Murray has over a decade of experience with CliftonStrengths® and uses it as part of her strengths-based leadership coaching to help established entrepreneurs create business results with a lean team. She’s helped more than a thousand individuals and over 40 teams (including my own) in assessing their talent, work-life integration, and emerging leadership.In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn about how using the CliftonStrengths® assessment tool can help you truly set your team members up for success. La Tondra will teach you how each of the four domains of StrengthsFinder can express itself in your role as leader, and you’ll even get a peek into what she discovered about me and members of my business team.On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:6:14 - How did La Tondra first start working with strengths-based leadership as a powerful piece of her work?10:32 - La Tondra explains what strengths are (specific to the CliftonStrengths assessment).13:01 - La Tondra reveals what stands out to her the most when looking at others using their leadership strengths.17:04 - What does La Tondra look for when assessing how members of a business team work together?22:37 - La Tondra discusses what StrengthsFinder isn’t, the importance of all types of strengths, and pivoting from one domain to another.28:07 - What are the four domains of the CliftonStrengths assessment, and how can they show up in leadership?38:12 - La Tondra talks about her delightful discovery as a CEO Collective member for the last six months.Mentioned in How to Leverage StrengthsFinder to Be a Better Team Leader In Your Business with La Tondra MurrayLa Tondra MurrayWhat’s Your CEO Style? QuizStrengthsFinder/CliftonStrengths® Online Talent AssessmentThe CEO CollectiveRacheal on Instagram and TikTokRate and review on Apple Podcasts

You have all kinds of personality assessment tools available to use. You’ve probably even taken some of the tests like Myers-Briggs, StrengthFinders, or the Enneagram.But what about a tool that can help you assess and build your team in the best way possible? That’s where the Kolbe A™ Index comes in! It’s a tool that small business owners can use to understand their natural instincts in problem-solving and decision-making.So, how does it work, and how can you implement it for yourself and your team? Kendra Tillman is a former client and founder of StrongHer.Me Coaching & Consulting specializes in using this system so that you understand your natural strengths as well as those of your employees. And she’s here to tell you how!A system like this is essential when building a strong company culture. In this continuation of our culture series on the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, you’ll learn how the Kolbe system works and how to use it to build, support, and lead a better business team. On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:8:02 - I originally took the Kolbe test in 2005 and still have the printout. How did Kendra first start working with this assessment system?13:01 - Kendra explains what you can use Kolbe for as an entrepreneur who’s growing a business and leading a team.16:39 - When you first get your Kolbe report, you see all these numbers, colors, and other information. What does it all mean?21:35 - Kendra discusses how you can use the system to hire people or figure out who on your existing team needs to come in and support you.28:46 - What do you need to pay special attention to when using Kolbe to evaluate potential hires for a spot on your business team?31:53 - Kendra demonstrates how this assessment system can change the dynamics within a team.34:55 - How does following the results of your Kolbe assessment affect the energy you put into your business? Kendra uses my Quick Start strength as an example.About Kendra TillmanKendra Tillman is the founder of StrongHer.Me Coaching & Consulting. Her company’s mission empowers rising women leaders to RECLAIM their authentic voice, OWN their leadership potential, and ACTIVATE the courage to live their calling.StrongHer.me‘Activate Your A’ Mini SessionMentioned in How the Kolbe A™ Index Helps You Better Support and Lead Your Business Team with Kendra TillmanKolbe A™ IndexThe CEO CollectiveRacheal on Instagram and TikTokRate and review on Apple Podcasts