The Organised CEO Podcast

Feeling capped despite consistent revenue and happy clients? You're not alone. In this episode, I break down the three hidden time leaks that keep successful founders trapped in reactive mode instead of scaling strategically. We'll explore why your communication systems, social media habits, and delegation approaches might be working against you - plus the nervous system science behind why being "always on" prevents the strategic thinking required for growth. You'll walk away with my proven Structure → Systems → Scale framework and practical steps to plug your biggest leaks immediately. Perfect for ambitious founders ready to stop being essential to everything and start focusing on what only they can do. Book your free Freedom-First Roadmap Call here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YsOE-H1gnkSnDvDTbpUmXLpixgLwDrGq17E2PFTsT6U/edit?usp=sharing 

Welcome to the very first episode of The CEO Move - your weekly strategic hit for founders ready to stop being essential to everything. This week's focus: King of Cups energy. Stop being the emotional mop, start being the strategic anchor. In this episode, I break down your weekly moves through my Organised CEO Method: Structure: Stop firefighting and focus on foundations Systems: Set up now what creates capacity later Scale: Grow by deepening what already works If you've been feeling like the business therapist - constantly managing everyone's emotions and crises - this is your roadmap to step back and lead with clarity instead of "feeling all over the shop". Want the daily action plan? Check out this week's CEO Planner Carousel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOVndIzDAmA/?img_index=1 Ready to stop being essential to everything? Book your free Freedom-First Business Roadmap call → https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YsOE-H1gnkSnDvDTbpUmXLpixgLwDrGq17E2PFTsT6U/edit?usp=sharing 

Relentless. That’s the word a founder used to describe her weeks, and it hit me right in the gut, because I’ve been there too. If your business feels like constant admin, scattered focus, and guilt every time you log off, this episode will show you why it’s happening, and what to do about it. I’ll share the shift that changed everything for me as my son started school: moving from being the operating system to building one that actually holds me. You’ll hear real client stories of delegation, burnout recovery, and the hidden costs of being “essential to everything.” You’ll walk away knowing: Why your weeks feel so heavy (it’s not just workload). The pattern most high-capacity founders miss. How to create a business rhythm that gives you freedom, not fire-fighting. 🎧 Tune in, and let’s make relentless a thing of the past. 👉 Free 30-min Time Freedom Audit calls are open now: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YsOE-H1gnkSnDvDTbpUmXLpixgLwDrGq17E2PFTsT6U/edit?usp=sharing 

Book your free Time Freedom Audit call here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YsOE-H1gnkSnDvDTbpUmXLpixgLwDrGq17E2PFTsT6U/edit?usp=sharing  If you’re planning your next 90 days the same way you planned the last, you’re about to repeat the same cycle: overbooked calendar, scattered focus, and another quarter that leaves you exhausted instead of accomplished. Most founders make the same mistake: they plan like they have unlimited time and perfect circumstances. Real CEOs plan with strategy and reality. In this episode of The Organised CEO, I share my 6-part CEO Planning Process - the exact framework I use inside my Make It Happen Collective retreats to help ambitious founders create 90 days of momentum without burning out. You’ll learn: How to reflect like a CEO (and why most founders skip this critical step) The 7 Pillars Diagnostic that reveals your hidden bottlenecks Why aligning your 12-month goals matters more than adding new ones The secret to setting a quarterly theme that filters every decision How to actually execute your plan with the 30-60-90 method The mindset shift that turns plans into reality (instead of day-30 failures) By the end of this episode, you’ll know how to design a 90-day plan that works with your real life, not against it, so you can reclaim time, reduce overwhelm, and finish the year with strategic momentum. 👉 Ready to go deeper? Book your CEO Operating Audit here: https://hollybray.com/audit 

Feeling scattered despite your success? Making hundreds of micro-decisions daily but never having space for the strategic thinking that transforms your business? You're not alone. In this episode, I'm sharing the one protected hour that changes everything - CEO Thinking Time. This isn't another productivity hack. It's about creating space for the pattern recognition moments that only happen when you step away from reactive mode. You'll learn: Why decision fatigue keeps you scattered (and how to break the cycle) The exact framework for strategic thinking sessions that actually work How to protect this time when everything feels urgent Real examples of breakthrough moments that happen in this space If you're successful but exhausted, making money but feeling overwhelmed, this episode shows you how to reclaim your role as the strategic visionary in your business. Ready to stop feeling scattered? Book your CEO Operating Audit at https://hollybray.com/audit  to identify what's blocking your strategic clarity.

You're drowning in your own success and you don't even realise it. If you can't take a sick day without three fires starting, or you're lying awake thinking about everything that could go wrong - this episode will change everything. This week's energy is PERFECT for building systems that actually work. I'm breaking down exactly why you're still the glue holding everything together in your six-figure business, and the one strategic shift that creates space to breathe instead of constantly react. Plus: The 'Quick Question' Audit that shows you exactly where you're bleeding time and energy, how to create your first Decision Document, and why this Friday starts 'systems season' - perfect timing for September's opportunities. I pulled the Knight of Swords for this week's energy, and the message couldn't be clearer: stop overthinking and start implementing. You know what needs to be done. Ready to stop being the system and start HAVING systems? This is your Monday clarity cut when everything else feels urgent and nothing feels clear.  

What happens when you can't show up for your business? If taking one sick day means everything falls apart, you're not running a business - you're being run by it. In this episode, I walk you through the five-question Sick-Day Test that reveals exactly where your business would break if you stepped away. Plus, you'll discover how to build a business operating system that works whether you're there or not. You'll learn: The 5 critical questions that expose your business bottlenecks Why being "essential" to everything is actually expensive burnout waiting to happen My Structure → Systems → Scale framework for building resilient operations Real client transformation: how one founder went from panic to peace in 30 days 3 actions you can take this week to start building systems that hold your business If everything feels urgent and nothing feels clear, this episode will shift you from being the bottleneck in your business to becoming the CEO who finally has systems that make sense. Perfect for visionary founders who are done holding it all together with willpower alone. Ready to diagnose exactly where your business would break? Book your CEO Operating Audit at https://hollybray.com/audit 

This week's cosmic intel for successful founders: Mercury goes direct + Venus-Jupiter conjunction = perfect timing to stop choosing urgency over alignment. In this episode, I break down what's happening in the skies, how it affects your business decisions, and give you your exact strategic priorities for the week. Plus, I pull the Four of Wands and reveal what it means for your foundation. If you're a high-capacity founder who's built something successful but feels trapped by your own success, this is your weekly dose of clarity. Topics covered: This week's astrological influences and what they mean for business Your 3 strategic priorities (not 47!) Why Mercury direct in Leo means confident communication The Four of Wands message about celebrating what you've built How to trust what you already know instead of looking for proof Grab the visual guide to this week's priorities: https://www.instagram.com/p/DNNo3detDeo/?img_index=1  Want this personalised? DM me FOCUS on Instagram for a 15-minute focus call.  

Ever open your laptop and think "Where do I even start?" with 47 tabs open and your brain running on dial-up internet? This feeling means one thing: you've become the bottleneck in your own business. In this episode, I break down why everything feels urgent when you're the bottleneck, and give you the exact first step to start building a business operating system that actually works. You'll discover: Why urgency isn't a time management problem (it's structural) The real reason your to-do list gets longer, not shorter My simple framework to identify where you're the single point of failure A real client example: from £18/hour to £85/hour strategy If you're tired of bouncing between fires and ready to build systems that hold your business, this episode shows you exactly where to start. Next step: Book your CEO Operating Audit at https://hollybray.com/audit or DM me "AUDIT" on Instagram.

Content note: This episode mentions mental health, burnout, chronic illness, and briefly references the high suicide rates in the veterinary profession. Does it feel like all the business advice out there just doesn’t work for you? If you’ve tried the tips - 5 a.m. mornings, batching, delegation - and ended up exhausted or convinced there’s something wrong with you, this episode will feel like a breath of fresh air. In this episode of The Organised CEO, we talk about: • Why most business advice is written for people with predictable energy, simple lives and lots of support • What to do when your reality looks very different - chronic illness, ADHD, parenting, trauma or just a life that doesn’t run on neat routines • Two client stories showing how designing a business around your reality changes everything You’ll leave this episode knowing that the problem isn’t your discipline or effort. It’s that you’ve been trying to make strategies work that were never designed for the way you live and work. I’ll walk you through how to start building a business operating system that finally fits. If traditional advice has always felt like trying to squeeze yourself into someone else’s life, this one’s for you. Book your CEO Operating Audit: https://hollybray.com/audit  Download your free Profitable Hour Template: https://hollybray.com/   

What if your burnout isn't about how much you're doing... but about what it's costing you to still be the one doing everything? In this episode, we're unpacking the real cost of being essential to everything in your business - and spoiler alert: it's probably way more than you think. I'm breaking down the three hidden costs you're paying: the emotional toll (decision fatigue, resentment, guilt), the physical impact (sleep issues, chronic stress, burnout), and the massive financial cost (like the client who lost £15,000 in opportunities because she was too proud to pay £100 for tech support). Plus, we're diving into the psychology behind why we cling to being needed everywhere - and what becomes possible when you finally let go. If you're ready to stop being essential to everything and start being essential to the right things, this episode is your wake-up call. Links mentioned: CEO Operating Audit: https://abranchofholly.com/audit  Free Profitable Hour Framework: https://hollybray.kit.com/hour  

Feeling overwhelmed and essential to everything in your business? You're not alone. In this episode, I reveal the ONE question that will transform how you think about delegation, systems, and your role as CEO. If you're drowning in daily operations while strategic decisions wait, this framework will help you identify what actually needs YOUR brain versus what just needs someone's hands. In this episode, you'll discover: The simple question that separates CEO work from busy work Why being "essential to everything" is actually hurting your business growth Real examples of what to keep vs. what to delegate immediately How to break free from the bottleneck trap that's keeping you stuck Perfect for: Overwhelmed founders, solopreneurs ready to scale, and CEOs who can't step away without chaos. Featured: CEO Operating System framework, delegation strategies, and business systems for sustainable growth. Ready to stop being essential to everything and start being essential to the RIGHT things? This episode shows you exactly how. ... Ready to identify what's essential vs. what's stuck? Book your CEO Operating Audit: https://abranchofholly.com/audit  Get the free Profitable Hour Framework mentioned in this episode: https://hollybray.kit.com/hour   

Welcome to The Organised CEO era! In this milestone episode, I'm breaking down exactly why traditional productivity advice keeps you trapped as the bottleneck in your own business, and introducing the CEO Operating System that changes everything. This isn't about colour-coded calendars or perfect morning routines. This is about building a business that runs WITH you leading it, not you holding it all together. What you'll discover: Why "fake organised" productivity advice is keeping you stuck The 7-pillar CEO Operating System that eliminates overwhelm Real client transformations (from 60-hour weeks to 35 hours with 40% revenue increase) My complete offer suite designed to take you from chaos to clarity to systems mastery If you're tired of being essential to everything and ready to start being essential to the right things, this episode shows you exactly how. Ready to get started? CEO Operating Audit: Get clarity on your biggest bottlenecks in 90 minutes: https://abranchofholly.com/audit  CEO Studio: 3-month private mentorship to co-build your operating system (DM me on Instagram) Make It Happen Collective: Group program with community support and accountability: https://abranchofholly.com/collective  This is your invitation to stop being the system and start building it.

In this vulnerable and strategic episode, I share why I walked away from a decade of brand recognition and completely rebranded my business. If you've ever felt like you're operating at a level your current structures can't support, this story will challenge everything you think you know about business evolution. I dive deep into the moment I realised my brand no longer fit who I'd become, the difference between structural problems and surface fixes, and why sometimes the scariest thing isn't failing - it's succeeding so much that you outgrow everything you thought you were supposed to be. Key topics covered: The client call that changed everything (and why it terrified me) How to know when you've outgrown your business container The CEO Operating System that transforms chaos into clarity Why most people rebrand for the wrong reasons The real cost of staying in containers that no longer fit How to evolve your business without starting from scratch This isn't just a rebrand story - it's a blueprint for anyone ready to stop being essential to everything and start being essential to the right things.

Are you overwhelmed not because you're doing too much, but because you're essential to everything, everywhere? In this episode, I reveal the 4 hidden signs that you're the bottleneck in your own business - and why this isn't a time management problem, it's an energetic structure problem. You'll discover why you can never actually finish your work, why delegation keeps bouncing back to you, and how to transform from being energetically essential to everything into being strategically essential to the right things. I share my personal story of working every Sunday while 8 months pregnant, and how I built systems that allowed me to take 5 months of maternity leave (twice!) without my business falling apart. If you're tired of being the person everything runs through, this episode will show you exactly how to build a business that flows instead of drains. Ready to stop being the bottleneck in your business? Book your CEO Operating Audit and discover exactly where you're essential vs. where you need systems. DM Holly "AUDIT" on Instagram or visit the link: https://abranchofholly.com/audit  

Can you take a day off without mentally running through your to-do list? Go on holiday without checking if everything's okay? Enjoy family time without part of your brain managing work decisions? If you're successful but can never truly disconnect - even when you're physically away from work - this episode is for you. Here's what you'll discover: Why you still feel "on" even during downtime The real reason your brain never stops managing business decisions How to finally be present at your kid's recital without thinking about client emails Why everything still depends on your approval (even with a team) The secret to building a business that doesn't need you to mentally manage it 24/7 The truth? You don't need better boundaries. You need to stop being the mental manager of everything. Your issue isn't taking time off - it's being able to truly switch off and be present when you do. Ready to stop being the mental manager of everything? Start with my free framework: The Profitable Hour - one focused hour that protects what matters most, even in a messy season. Get it at here: https://hollybray.kit.com/hour Want to go deeper? Book a 90-minute CEO Operating Audit where I'll show you exactly where you're accidentally essential vs where you're truly needed. Only 4 spots left this month. Details here: https://abranchofholly.com/audit  Connect with me: >> Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abranchofholly  >> Website: https://abranchofholly.com/   

When your planning system stops working, it's not because you're broken - it's because you've grown. In this episode, I'm sharing why productive systems fail, the concept of "soft structure," and how I rebuilt my rhythm when everything felt too rigid. Plus, I'm introducing The Profitable Hour - the framework that saved my sanity and business when traditional productivity advice stopped working. If you're successful but exhausted, or feeling resistance to systems that used to work, this episode is for you. LINKS: 📥 Get The Profitable Hour framework: https://hollybray.kit.com/hour  🔍 Ready for deeper support? Book a CEO Operating Audit: https://abranchofholly.com/audit 

Tired of colour-coded plans that fall apart by Wednesday? You're not behind - you're building on a system that was never designed to hold you. In this episode, systems strategist Holly Bray reveals why your perfect Sunday night plans only work when you're at 100%, and how to shift from planning harder to building smarter. Discover the "Capacity Gap" that's keeping high-achieving business owners in survival mode, learn the 3-step system reset that stops you from carrying everything in your head, and find out how to design a business that breathes with your real life - not your ideal week. If you're exhausted despite doing all the "right" things, this episode will show you how to build structure that supports your decisions, delivery, and downtime without depending on your best day to function. Book your 90 In 90 reset here: https://abranchofholly.com/90in90   #BusinessSystems #EntrepreneurBurnout #CapacityPlanning #SustainableGrowth #BusinessStrategy #ProductivityMindset #OperatingSystems #HighAchieverStruggles #BusinessFoundation #EnergyManagement #StrategicPlanning #BusinessAutomation #WorkLifeIntegration #EntrepreneurMindset #SystemsThinking #BusinessEfficiency #ScalableStructure #BusinessOperations #EntrepreneurWellbeing #SmartPlanning

In this powerful episode of the Busy to Boss podcast, Holly Bray gets honest about the quiet burnout behind the scenes of “successful” businesses, and the myth that ease and strategy can’t coexist. She breaks down the five hidden tensions keeping high-capacity creatives stuck in cycles of hustle, guilt, and fragmentation, and introduces a new rhythm rooted in clarity, capacity, and systems that actually support your life. Whether you’re scaling fast or spiralling quietly, this is your permission to stop building for your highest-energy self and start structuring your business for who you are right now. Holly also introduces her 90 in 90 Intensive - a done-with-you planning session designed to help you reset your strategy and move into the next quarter with sustainable momentum. If you’re ready to lead with ease (and still get results), this episode is your blueprint. Book your 90 In 90 Intensive here: https://abranchofholly.com/90in90 

What happens when your business can’t run without you - and your life demands you step back? In this episode, I’m sharing the story behind my shift from overwhelmed coach to OBM and systems strategist. It’s raw, grounded, and honest - the exact moment I knew I couldn’t keep building a business that only worked when I was at 100%. You’ll hear how I went from willpower to rhythm, from burnout to breathing room, and why building a business that holds you isn’t a luxury, it’s a lifeline. If you’re ready to create more spaciousness, clarity, and sustainable growth - not by hustling harder, but by creating a system that evolves with you - this one’s for you. 🎧 Plus: I’m sharing details about my brand-new offer, the 90 in 90 Intensive - a powerful reset designed to help you map your next 90 days with clarity, ease, and momentum. 👉 Book your 90 in 90 Intensive here: https://abranchofholly.com/90in90