The 5-Minute Strategist

From Strategy to Action: The Launch of The Remodel Podcast

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Important Update: The 5-Minute Strategist Is Evolving

After 100 quick strategic questions designed to help you think differently, I'm launching something new.

Introducing The reModel — conversations with experienced founders and operators who've actually executed the strategic and operational shifts you've been thinking about.

Why the change?

The 5-Minute Strategist helped you ask better questions. The reModel shows you how to actually execute when your business is still running and everything's on fire.

What You Get:

The reModel (Public Feed):

10-minute curated episodes every Thursday with strategic highlights and key insights from practitioners who've done the work.

The Founder's Feed (Free Private Podcast):

Full 60+ minute unfiltered conversations with:

Actual costs and mistakes
Tactical execution details
Controversial takes that don't make the polished version
The tangents that reveal how someone actually thinks
Everything nobody posts on LinkedIn

Next Steps:

Keep this feed if you want to revisit The 5-Minute Strategist episodes
Subscribe to The reModel

First episode launches January 8th.

If The 5-Minute Strategist helped you think strategically, The reModel shows you how to execute.

About The reModel:

Host Diane Mayor (fractional COO, former investment banker) sits down with founders and operators who've rebuilt businesses while they were still running. Advanced strategies. Real execution. For founders ready for what's next.

Your Small Why

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

If all you want to do once you hit that big revenue goal you're chasing is shut the business down, that doesn't seem like the best use of the time, money, and energy it will take for you to get there.

Takeaways:

Building a sustainable business requires balancing financial success with personal fulfillment and energy.
Recognizing personal motivations for starting a business is crucial for long-term perseverance.
Aligning your business goals with your core values avoids friction in daily operations.
Embracing change as an opportunity helps entrepreneurs adapt and innovate despite market fluctuations.
Continuous learning and personal development keep entrepreneurs engaged and prevent burnout over time.
Setting operational and personal growth goals alongside revenue targets ensures a fulfilling business journey.

The Most Underutilized System In Most Small Businesses

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In the words of Inigo Montoya, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." When you realize your CRM is a system, not a software, it becomes infinitely more valuable.

Takeaways:

A CRM should encompass the entire customer journey, not just email marketing.
It's essential to track all connections with potential leads, regardless of source.
Many businesses overlook the data their CRM can provide beyond simple email engagement.
Using a simple system like Google Sheets can be more effective than complex software.
Understanding customer lifetime value is crucial for refining your CRM strategy.
Most existing CRM systems fail to capture the full range of customer interactions.

Can You See The Future?

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

SMART goals might be key to achieving results but they can also make you play small by limiting you to what feels attainable in a year. As you head for 2025, it's time to dream big before you set smaller goals.

Takeaways:

Setting a long-term vision for your business is crucial for motivating your team.
Focus on expansive thinking for long-term success rather than just short-term revenue.
Your vision should excite everyone in your business, not just focus on financial goals.
Explore what opportunities excite you and align with your clients' needs for 2025.
Ask yourself if your current goals are keeping you in your comfort zone.
A compelling vision makes it easier to engage with your daily work and plans.

Color Coded Clarity

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

It's easy to get lost in the chase for your next business goal, only to reach it and wake up to find yourself feeling unfulfilled because you forgot to allow for personal growth alongside the business growth.

Takeaways:

It's essential to align your daily actions with your long-term vision and personal goals.
Personal development should not be a neglected item on your to-do list; prioritize it.
Color coding your calendar can visually reveal whether business or personal goals dominate.
Reflect on your personal growth goals and evaluate how they contribute to your well-being.
Work-life balance involves both time management and focus on personal development.
Don't forget the reasons you started your business; they should guide your current actions.

Impact Driven Business

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

We know we make an impact with our clients, but how can we make a bigger impact with our business even if we don't have the financial means right now?

Takeaways:

As entrepreneurs, we must consider how our core values influence our business impact.
Finding a balance between financial success and making a positive impact is essential.
We can create an impact without solely relying on financial contributions to causes.
Our values remain consistent, allowing us to pivot our impact as we grow.
Social responsibility can manifest in practices that enhance sustainability within our business.
Engaging our community can amplify our efforts to make a difference in the world.

My Unsuccessful Hiatus

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

If we all became our own bosses to make our own rules and if we all know rest is essential to our performance, why is it so hard for us to escape the need to push or push through? And Q4 is this feeling on steroids!

Takeaways:

Taking a break can often lead to unexpected workload, as seen during my hiatus.
Many self-imposed deadlines in small businesses can create unnecessary pressure to perform.
It's crucial to assess the actual consequences of missing a goal by year-end.
Burnout often starts subtly, revealing itself when you lose excitement for your work.
Prioritizing work-life balance is essential for sustaining passion and joy in your business.
Ask yourself how your current work-life balance will influence your success in 2025.

The Scariest Point In the Customer Journey

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In a marketplace full of funnels, the business that thinks about what happens beyond the funnel wins the repeat business and raving fans competition.

Is Your Business In Or Out Of Flow

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

You bank account is not an indicator of how much available cash you have in your business. Treating as such is going to have scary consqeuences down the line.

Takeaways:

Keep a close eye on your cash flow, especially during the high-spending Q4 season.
Understand your current cash flow situation to ensure you can cover essential expenses.
Plan for both personal and business expenses during the holiday season to avoid cash shortages.
Assess your spending habits in Q4 to maintain liquidity for necessary investments next year.
Establish a budget that accounts for both expected income and potential expenses in Q4.
Create a strategy to maximize cash flow and ensure financial security for 2025.

The Do As I Say Not As I Do Leadership Style Dilemma

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Takeaways:

Effective leadership involves empowering your team to make decisions and take risks without constant oversight.
Self-assessment of your leadership style can reveal strengths and weaknesses, particularly under stress.
Creating a safe environment for your team encourages experimentation and innovation, fostering resilience.
Communication of the reasons behind changes is crucial for team buy-in and adaptability.
Consider how your presence impacts creativity in meetings; leaders should inspire openness and safety.
Model the behaviors you want to see in your team to nurture flexibility and responsiveness.

All Or Nothing Marketing

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Marketing feels like an all-or-nothing kind of game for a small business. The reality it's an effectiveness game and the only way to win is to know your numbers.

Takeaways:

In marketing, it's crucial to focus on specific strategies rather than trying to do everything at once.
Determine clear marketing goals, such as brand awareness or lead generation, to guide your efforts.
Use data-driven insights from key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the effectiveness of your marketing strategies.
Contextualize KPI data with qualitative insights from customer feedback to better interpret results.
Tracking and analyzing marketing data over time helps identify trends and improvements in your strategies.
Avoid comparing your business metrics to others without considering the unique context and progress of your own efforts.

The Planning Question You Need To Ask Before You Start Q4

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Your exit strategy touches every part of your business and every decision you make. Still, so many entrepreneurs ignore it to build how they feel in the moment not realizing that their opportunities are limited by this lack of planning.

Takeaways:

The podcast emphasizes the importance of having a clear exit strategy for your business.
It's crucial to decide on your exit plan early, as it affects your business decisions.
An exit strategy is not a decision you can make quickly or on a whim.
Consider whether you aim to grow your business or optimize it based on your exit plan.
The episode highlights three common exit strategies: closing, selling, or transferring ownership.
Evaluate how your exit strategy impacts specific goals for the upcoming business quarter.

Do You Need More Revenue or More Profit?

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

It's a bit of a business chicken and egg - you need revenue to have profit and you need profit to be able to invest to generate more revenue. But you also need to prioritize or you'll lose out on both.

The Next Level

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Much liker gamers can lose entire days to chasing the next level, business owners can waste time, money and energy chasing a level they were never ready for to begin with.

Get Back On Track When It Feels Like All Is Lost

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

When you feel off track in your business, you need to change course quickly and effectively before we've gone too far. But in the swirl of panic or the blahs of burnout, it can be hard to figure out how.

When Only The Best Ideas Will Do

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Chasing squirrels is fine as long as you don't chase on into a dead end or a disaster. So how do you measure your success as a squirrel hunter?

Short Cut to A Creative Break

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Our brains would explode if we had to deeply analyze every decision we need to make daily so we create little short cut to help us get there more quickly and with less energy. But sometimes those shortcuts are leading you up the garden path.

Get In The Know

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Online business has become its own little bubble and it can be easy to forget there's a whole world out there that impacts us. And that can lead to some less than fun surprises you might not be prepared for.

Your Prospects Vote For Your Pricing With Their Wallets

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 08:30:00 +0000

Without looking at your competitors, you have no information about your current market position to inform your pricing strategy. That's a data point that is readily available and you're wasting it

Same Same But Different

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

There is nothing new in the world but there can be different. Let's expand our definition of creativity in business.

Are You Keeping As Much Money As You Can?

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 09:40:00 +0000

We're an industry that prides ourselves on our sales and marketing metrics but that is only half the picture. If you're not measuring your operations, all that revenue could be dripping out the door and you're left with nothing in your pocket at the end of the day.

Sell Them What They Want

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Just because you have the best idea for the thing your people really need, doesn't mean they'll want it and if they don't want it they won't buy.

Your 5-Year Evolution

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Summer is a classic time for entrepreneur brains, free of the day to day grind, to come up with a miliion new small ideas. Imagine if you used that mental capacity to come up with one really big one instead.

Is The Problem Fixable Or Fireable?

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Being able to assess where you have a skills gap or an attitude problem is a key skill for a small business leader. As your business grows, skills gaps are to be expected but attitude problems cannot be tolerated.

You Have To Take A Risk, Not Risk It All

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

While Plan B might have felt like a lack of commitment when you were starting, not thinking through the risk in your established business is just irresponsible.

Not All Tech Is Created Equal… Or For You!

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Software, apps and tech solutions run our online business and with more coming on the market daily, the marketing hype and affiliate fee driven advices is powerful. Make sure the you are investing in what your business needs and not just keeping up with the Joneses.

When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Stay On Track

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 11:10:00 +0000

We should be pretty good at facing challenges as entreprenuers as they come with the territory. Unfortunately we're not great at being proactive about thinking through our behavior in the face of a challenge and that can lead us off course

You Gotta Spend Money To Make Money Is Only Part Of The Story

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Being cost efficient doesn't meant you cut your costs to the bone and struggle on. It means you get better at assessing where to spend

Invisible or Incredible - They'll Decide

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In a marketplace packed full of other businesses selling similar services to yours, how do you stand out? Not just to stop the scroll but to win the business

Diversify Your Offers For the Long Term

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Long term success means a resilient business and resilience comes from diversifying how you can make money so that if one drops the others catch it.

Is Your Business Future Proof?

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The only thing more certain (and immediate) that death and taxes is change. And yet we always seem to be surprised when it happens and scrambling to adapt.

Do This First To Reach Your Goals

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

No matter how focused your goals are, if your implementation isn't just as focused, you'll waste time, money and energy.

Setting Anti-Shiny-Object Goals

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Even smart goals can be silly when you set to many of them. Select fewer squirrel-proof goals and focus in one them to get further faster.

Your Numbers Will Tell You A Story If You Know How To Listen

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Reviewing your financials should be more that than the revenue goals you set in the past. Understanding the drivers of your financials will help you make better strategic decisions for the future.

It's A System! But does it work?

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Whether you like systems or think you hate them, you're using them day in and day out in your life and in your business so you might as well make them the most helpful systems you can.

Unlocking Your Team's Potential

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

A successful team is measured not only by their performance or hitting of goals and targets but in the way they did it.

Not All Feedback Is Created Equal

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 12:30:00 +0000

We spend a lot of time working out how to market to people who might one day pay us. We need to spend at least as much time understanding how the people who have paid us experience those offers.

Are Your Offers Internally and Externally Aligned

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 08:40:00 +0000

It's not enough to evaluate your current offers on their profitability alone. That only show us if they work externally. We need to consider if they work internally as well.

Create A Leadership Development Plan For Yourself

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

If you're the same leader you were at the end of last year you might need to try something new. As your business evolves, you, its leader, need to evolve as well.

Joy Is A Success Marker

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

If you're feeling burnt out and overwhelmed, you might need to focus more on joy in the second half of the year. It's easier than you think as you need surprisingly little joy each day to make you feel fulfilled and satisfied at work.

Half Year Business Baseline

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

A mid-year business review is not just comparing your revenue number with half your revenue goal. Let's start with the baseline check up and go deeper from there.

Designing For Scale

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Designing any new offer in your business needs to start with the end in mind to ensure that what you build can withstand the growth you're planning.

Did You Budget For That?

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

A budget is a strategic tool that helps you manage your whole business but it doesn't need to be as complex as you think it does.

Unreasonable Customer Experience

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Surprise and delight is such a newb strategy for your customer experience or journey. If you've not added anything since then, now's the time.

Introducing A Little Controlled Fun

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

When CEOs get bored they start breaking things or chasing new ideas in the name of fun. What if instead, we introduced a little controlled fun with a passion project.

Stress And The CEO

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Stress is a constant companion for the small business CEO and we can stop seeing it for what it really is - a symptom of something that challenging.

It's Not What You Say

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 09:40:00 +0000

No matter how clear and concise you are or how pretty your slide deck is or how many times you repeat yourself, you'll be wasting your breath if you don't start you communication strategy like this.

Steamlining Your Processes Is A Path To Fun

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The problem with steamlining processs is that it sounds hard and dull and the pay off is boring old efficiency and cost saving. That's because you've been only been taught part of the streamlining process.

Build A Goldilocks Pricing Strategy

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 09:15:00 +0000

In a world of value stacks, charge your worth and just raise your prices, it's little wonder that the average small business owner is terrified of making the wrong move in pricing their offers. We need fewer slogans and more strategy

We're Failing At Work-Life Balance

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The number one reason I hear small business owners give for starting a business is freedom or flexibility. So if it is so important, why are we so bad at it?

Balancing Emotion and Objectivity in Business Decisions

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

When you feel torn between what you deserately want to do and what you know is the right move for your business, there are some simple check in you can use to make a strategic decision for you and the business.

Evolution Beat Reinvention In Small Businesses

Fri, 31 May 2024 11:45:00 +0000

Don't throw your business baby out with the bathwater because you got bored, had a fun idea or felt like burnout was creeping in.

Any Team Can Be A Proactive Team

Thu, 30 May 2024 11:40:00 +0000

Feeling like you're constantly being pulled into the details or being asked questions by your team? This is a you problem, not a team problem.

Is Your CEO Compensation Strategically Thought Out Or The Leftover Scraps?

Wed, 29 May 2024 09:20:00 +0000

When a team member is paid fairly and incentivized based on performance, that team member is motivated to show up and hit those long-term goals. When they are not, that team member gets frustrated and angry and stops going the extra mile.

You, the CEO, are THAT team member.

Sometimes To Go Far, You Have To Go Slower Than You'd Like

Tue, 28 May 2024 10:10:00 +0000

If your business is not ready for your goals, you risk your reputation, your team and your own peace of mind by pushing it too far too soon.

Your Robot Sidekicks

Fri, 24 May 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Remember when ChatGPT was just fun novelty tool? How things have changed! But did you go along for the ride or strategically integrate AI in your business?

Your Ideas Don't Make You Innovative

Thu, 23 May 2024 08:00:00 +0000

It's hard to find a small business owner who doesn't have tons of ideas every day. So why is there so little innovation?

As The Team Pendulum Swings Back Make Sure It Doesn't Hit You In the Business

Wed, 22 May 2024 09:30:00 +0000

The trend right now is to go back to solopreneuring. But the outsourcing that requires has some risks that are often ignored in the time, cost saving and flexibility benefits.

Actions are better than words

Tue, 21 May 2024 08:00:00 +0000

How do you transform the core values that you so lovingly came up with into a useful framework for your team and business?

Let's think about it

Mon, 20 May 2024 08:00:00 +0000

We are not born thinking. We learn how to think and what to think about for the people and world around us. But we rarely takethe time to think about how we could think better in our business.

This Is Also Your Job

Fri, 17 May 2024 09:05:00 +0000

When you think about your contribution to the financial success of your business, do you automatically think sales and marketing and maybe amazing delivery to your clients? If so, you're missing a key piece of the puzzle.

It's Not All About the Money, Money, Money…

Thu, 16 May 2024 09:45:00 +0000

CEOing is hard so we need to find as many ways to motivate ourselves as we can so that when one fails another steps in.

Your Strategy Is Not About Drawing a Straightline

Wed, 15 May 2024 11:15:00 +0000

If you want a strategy that compunds your results from each move you have to pay attention to the connections and these are far from linear

Leading A Team Is A Bit Like Bowling

Tue, 14 May 2024 10:50:00 +0000

We all want a team that can work without needing us…just as ling as they do everything exactly like we would have and don't make any mistakes in the process. Time for a reality check

The Evolution of The CEO

Mon, 13 May 2024 11:05:00 +0000

Considering the many faces of a CEO and the numerous factors that will influence the future of business, what skills and qualities will you need to develop to lead effectively in the next5 to 10 years?

You Can Go Your Own Way But Do This First

Fri, 10 May 2024 08:00:00 +0000

We've been taught that we need to keep our eyes on the prize, stay in our own lane and keep our eyes on our own work. But what if that is hurting you more than it's helping?

Risky Business

Thu, 09 May 2024 08:00:00 +0000

There's a whole lot of risk in your business and choosing to ignore it and just stay positive is not a great strategy.

Style It Out

Wed, 08 May 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Your style and strategy can either work together to push you toward your goals or grate on each other until everyone in the business is exhausted.

The Must-Haves v the Nice-To-Haves

Tue, 07 May 2024 08:00:00 +0000

When you're aiming for sustainable growth, it's not enough just to chase new customers. You have to protect the customers you have and your reputation.

It's The Little Things

Mon, 06 May 2024 08:00:00 +0000

We spend a lot of time in our business trying to maximize things like revenue and profit and time off. But what if we've over-maximized and it's holding us back?

All By Yourself

Fri, 03 May 2024 08:00:00 +0000

It's lonely at the top but you know where it's also lonely? On your remote team. And that loneliness could have a direct impact on your bottom line

Two Wins And A Fail

Thu, 02 May 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The customer might not always be right but even, when they are wrong, their friends will still believe them and make buying decisions accordingly

Going Round In Circles

Wed, 01 May 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Green is the new black and customers are voting for more sustainable businesses and offers with their wallets and this applies to online businesses too.

When Everything Hurts Try This

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The key to doing the right things for your business lies in the feedback you get from it. Without feedback, you'll be left disappointed in your profit line.

It's About Damn Time

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Flexibility is great but have you ever tried to schedule a meeting across 3 or more timezones? Timezones aren't going any where so we need to adapt our business to minimize the impact.

Show Me The PROOOOOFIT!

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 10:45:00 +0000

Does your strategy mean you need to make a profit right now or is there something more important?

The Culture That Cultivate Creativity

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

To create sustainable success, your business needs a team with the inventiveness of Apple, creativity of Google and Innovation of Meta

Not Everyone Will Agree

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Some people will love what you say and some people won't and that's okay. You just have to start the conversation

The Only Constant Is That Nothing Is Constant

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

As small business owners, we know that the only constant in our world is change and we can either be reactive to that or proactive about it.

Heads Or Tails?

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 09:15:00 +0000

If you're flying by the seat of your pants, you should expect the next speed bump coming down the corner to knock you off course. So you need to get better at predicting and adapting to the future.

Failure Is An Option

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Failure is inevitable in your business. You've already encountered it. And it's coming again. You would plan for anything else that's certain in your business, so why not failure?

It's Always Mindset - Except When It's Not.

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Sometimes, no matter how much you believe in yourself or how much work you've done on your mindset, your business is going to face issues that can't be solved without real practical solutions.

The Story Of A Monk In An App

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

You've probably heard that stories sell and they do initially. But after that initial sale, no one wants to hear your story, it's all about them.

Early Bird Gets The Worm

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

This is not about that morning routine that starts at 5am that certain types of entrepreneurs wear like a badge of honor. This one actually makes a difference.

Be Ready Before You Hire

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

We've all heard "hire before you're ready" but the reality is that you need to be ready before you hire – YOU, not the business.

The Art Of Reflection

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The art of strategic reflection leads to to insights and decisions that move the needle on your goals.

Is It Worth It?

Sat, 13 Apr 2024 11:30:00 +0000

We're not talking about a work-life balance dream. We're talking about strategically making sure that you take care of yourself so that you can take care of your business.

Get In the Loop

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Gathering data about the processes in your business is not about checking off a metrics box. It's step one in creating valuable information for your strategic decisions.

Out Of Sight, Top Of Mind

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

What might you miss with your remote team because you don't even have the visual cues to tell you that something's off?

We Will Now Point Out Your Nearest Exits

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 09:15:00 +0000

This is your opportunity to ensure that your business that you have poured so much time, money, energy, and love into can thrive if you're not there.

Should You Shake Up Your Business Side to Side or Up and Down?

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Diversifying your business is all about opening new doors to let in more revenue. But your business has to be ready to walk through that door.

When You Go Rogue, They Get Low

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 08:45:00 +0000

As the face of the business, you may think that you have the power to make sales decisions on the fly without consultation. But when you go rogue, who suffers?

Reimagining Reflection

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Traditional reflection asks what happened. Strategic reflection asks why.

The Other Sometimes Forgotten Role Of A CEO

Sat, 06 Apr 2024 10:30:00 +0000

It's easy to be so focused on leading our team towards our goals that we forget about another key part of our role as CEO that also drives those business results.

Why Business Goals and Customer Success Are Mutually Dependent

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

We can create a cycle where they succeed, it feeds the business, we help them succeed moreand it feeds the business more. Our business goals and their success are mutually dependent.

Setting Strong Foundations For Scale

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The goal is not just to grow. The goal is to have scalable and sustainable growth that means you make more profit and that's good for long-term success.

Decoding the Profitability Puzzle

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

One of the keys to finding this balance is your strategy. It's not about increasing your sales or cutting costs in isolation but looking at how these actions align with your long term business goals.

How To Win Contractors And Influence Your Team

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

You're walking a fine line where you want to make sure that your team aremeeting your business needs without stepping over the line and trying to manage a contractor as if they were an employee.

Assessing Your Strategy for the New Quarter

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

What if you went into this new quarter with a more strategic outlook than you've had in previous quarters. What would that change about how you show up and what you prioritize?

Unlocking Your Business' Potential Through Deeper Reflection

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Take reflection to the next level—not just looking at the surface of your decisions, but understanding the foundational principles that guide your business's success.

Crafting Your Leadership Philosophy

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Energy management is more than just getting through the day; it's about maximizing your productivity and maintaining a high level of performance.

Balancing Competing Interests For Sustainable growth

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Balance is not a static activity. To physically balance, your body has to actively keep you in balanceby constantly adjusting. In the same way,balance in your business requires active attention.

The Reality of Unconscious Bias In Decision Making

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Unconscious bias is not only about fairness but also about making the decisions that are the best for your business.

Balancing Long-Term Vision with Short-Term Adaptability

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The goal is to create a strategy that allows for flexibility within the framework. The strategy creates the boundaries and the flexibility happens within those boundaries.

Sustainability For The Win-Win

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Clients are more informed and concerned about sustainability than ever before and they are paying attention to how we as online businesses align with their values around it.

The Power of Trust

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

We talk a lot in the small business space about know, like, and trust but we don't spend nearly as much time talking about trust in terms of our leadership and our team.

Questions for the Curious Leader

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Curiosity might have killed the cat but it built business empires too.

The Balance of Personal And Business Goals

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Work-life balance is not simply a matter of time spent at work versus v outside of work. It's also about balancing who you are as a small business leader and an individual.

Managing Your Energy For High Performance

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Energy management is more than just getting through the day; it's about maximizing your productivity and maintaining a high level of performance.

How To Mix Short Term Trends With Long Term Strategy For A Competitive Edge

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Trends can be fleeting but have a massive impact so understanding how to use them to strategic advantage means you capitalize on the growth without losing your way.

What Are You Avoiding In Your Business Right Now?

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Are you ready to regain focus, drive, and clarity in your business? It's time to close those mental tabs and streamline your path to success.

Integrating New Offerings into Your Strategic Framework

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Ensuring your new offers align with your existing strategy ensure you're creating them to movetowards your goals not simply as a fun distraction.

Crafting Your Ultimate Team

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Whether it's a lean team of a couple of people or you're building an agency, your team strategy is key to your success.

Crafting a Reflective Practice To Go From Hindsight to Foresight

Sun, 17 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Transform hindsight into foresight with strategic questions that bridge the gap.

The Art Of Celebration For CEOs

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Celebrating these personal milestones is a vital element of a healthy work-life balance because you're not just the face of a business, you're a human too.

Choose Your Strategic Initiatives Wisely

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Strategic initiatives are not just any projects; they are the game changers and require careful thought because they can redirect your business' path.

Spotting Strategic Pivots In Your Business

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Think of a pivot as a calculated shift in your strategy. It's not a completely new directionbut rather a slight turn on the same axis that is your core business.

Success Measures For Small Business That Aren't Money

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Small business CEOs have a multifaceted view of success and all of these things need to be tracked to grow your business sustainably.

Your Cash Flow Strategy Is Key to Sustainable Business Growth

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Cashflow might seem like a fancy term that you chat about with your accountant. But without a steady flow of cash into your business you will go under, even if you seem profitable on paper.

Creating A Data Strategy To Deal With Information Overwhelm

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

If you can prioritize your data so that the most impactful information rises to the top, that data is going to tell you a story of how you can grow your business.

Strategic Insights, Opportunities and Missteps, oh my!

Sun, 10 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Build a strategic view of your past week, upcoming week and your business as a whole by going beyond those questions of what worked well, what didn't go so well, what's on deck for next week.

Turn Loneliness Into A Strategic Asset

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

We all know that it's lonely at the top and there are ways to avoid it but I want to challenge you to see how you can make that loneliness work for you.

The Buried Treasure In Your Business Strategy

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

A fundamental aspect of a successful strategy is that it unlocks hidden value that's already within your organization. Here's how to create those gains without additional costs.

How To Focus When All You Want to Do Is Innovate

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

New ideas are great but without focused execution, they have no real value. We need to balance innovation with focus to have all the creative ideas, ground them in practicality, and align them with our business goals.

The Simplify to Amplify Strategy

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

It seems logical that to make more we need to sell more and to sell more we need more things to sell. The reality is the more offers we have, the more we confuse our client and team and ultimately decrease our bottom line.

Small Business Means Big Stakes For Decisions

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Every decision we make has the potential to have a significant impact on our business. And, when everything is high stakes, you need to have a strategic process.

Is Your Business Set Up For Sustainable Growth Or Just Chasing Fast Results?

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

What you chase informs your decisions and actions. If you're always chasing a short-term high like a revenue number, you'll make short-term decisions that might get you short-term growth if you never stop chasing. That is not sustainable.

How To Go Beyond "What Worked" and "What Didn't" To Create A More Strategic Reflection Practice

Sun, 03 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In the fast-paced small business world, taking that moment to reflect feels like a luxury but reflection is essential for growth and innovation. However, the real power lies in going beyond the surface level questions you've been taught to use.

The Chief Expectation Officer

Sat, 02 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

From the internal pressures of your personal ambitions, business goals, and responsibility for your team to the external expectations from clients and a public image, you could be forgiven for considering yourself the Chief Expectations Officer in your business.

Ready to get strategic about your Profits + Paydays - read the series

To Plan The Work, Work Your Strategy

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

A plan might help you get things done but it won't grow your business as fast as you'd like.

Ready to get strategic about your Profits + Paydays - read the series

Welcome To The 5-Minute Strategist

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 17:30:00 +0000

Welcome to the podcast for small business leaders who are pressed for time but hungry for growth.

Each episode is like a shot of espresso for your business strategy — in just five minutes, we tackle one big question that gets the gears turning and sparks new ideas for growth, innovation, and leadership.

Listen to it while brewing your morning coffee and come away ready to take on the business world.

Think of it as a daily micro-masterclass in the art of business strategy.

Goodbye Coffee and Converse, Hello New Show

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

After 3.5 years and 255 episodes, here are 3 lessons my journey can teach you about business

In This Episode

The network lesson
The consistency lesson
The leadership lesson

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/255

One Question Could Change Your Business

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

In this information-soaked business environment, you don’t need more answers you need more questions to find your own answers.

In This Episode

Why you need to more questions not more info
What stops us asking the right questions for our business
How to get started with something new

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/254

How to Look Back To Move Forward

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

It’s time to get comfortable with the idea that the business’ growth needs the same focus as personal growth. And the good news is you already have this skill

In This Episode

Why surface-level reflection is not enough
How to debrief on your business
What to try right now

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/253

Why Good Problems Are Still A Problem In Your Business

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Overwhelm is an entrepreneur's natural state of being but, unchecked, it can stop your progress whether the overwhelm is from good things or not-so-good things.

In This Episode

Good and bad overwhelm
Why we struggle with overwhelm
The one thing you can do to move past overwhelm

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/252

Do You Need More Time Or More Intention

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

There will never be enough time for everything in our lives and businesses so we need to find a different solution.

In This Episode

How small increments make big impacts
How the time crunch wins
The secret is out

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/251

Why a Selfish Strategy Is Just Good Business

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

You impact the strategy of your business but it has an impact on you too. If that’s good or bad comes down to two key elements.

In This Episode

The downside of ignoring the personal elements of strategy
Why leftovers are not enough
The one thing you need to remember

Links

Join Profit+paydays the weekly email series for coaches, consultants, and service providers whose paydays have been a bit more 'wah wah' (sad tuba) than 'cha-ching.' Learn how to boost your profits to keep your paydays flowing even during months with lower sales or unexpected expenses.

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/250

The 5 Critical Questions Your Strategy Must Answer

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

All strategies are not created equal. Make sure yours is clear and effective by answering these 5 questions.

In This Episode

The 5 questions your strategy needs to answer
How to apply these at the departmental level
How to use these questions to make a difference in your business right now

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/249

You Need A Business Strategy In 2024

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Your business strategy is a key piece of the successful business puzzle. But it is not the same as your annual plan. Here’s why you need to add one or improve yours.

In This Episode

What is a strategy v a plan
Why you need a strategy
What to do right now

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/248

How To Use Small Steps To Make Big Moves In Your Business In 2024

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Big goals are common at this time of year but those big goals often turn into overwhelm, frustration, and burnout by year’s end. What if you tried something different in 2024?

In This Episode

Rethinking the concept of consistency
A 2-minute rule to help you make progress
A 2-minute rule to help you create mental space and reduce stress

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/247

4 Quick Questions to Evaluate Any Idea In 2024

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

We’re about to enter “word of the year” season and if you don’t want to be distracted by shiny objects or frantic squirrels, you need a framework to evaluate ideas quickly and efficiently.

In This Episode

Why this time of year is dangerous for your business
The 4 questions you need to ask
What this looks like in a real-life example

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/246

It's Not Just Business, It’s Personal

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Personalization is a key theme for 2024 but needs to cover both the customer journey and the CEO experience.

In This Episode

How to make every client feel like your only client
Automating personalisation from discovery to purchase
The strategic decision you need to make about your business

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/245

The Power Of Other People

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Collaborations might be having a moment with social media reach at all-time lows but they are the most tried and tested way of growing your business

In This Episode

Why collaborations are trending
Collaborations everyone can try in 2024
Finding collaboration partners
What you need to be a valuable collaboration partner
How to get invited to collaborate again

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/244

The Simple Secret To Sustainable Success

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Creating complexity is easy, but delivering the same results more simply how you create sustainable success

In This Episode

Why you should have simplification on your plan for 2024
How to figure out if you need to simplify
What to ask to figure out where and how to simplify

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/243

The Friends Over Funnels Approach To LinkedIn With Miranda VonFricken

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

If you've always thought of LinkedIn as a little stuffy, too corporate, or not the most social of the social medias, you need to hear this

Miranda VonFricken walks you through why she loves LinkedIn the most and how she leverages it for relationship marketing, not lead generation.

Key Takeaway

Treat LinkedIn just like your other social media platforms - engage with other people’s posts, share those selfies, and show up as you.

We talk about

The vibe on LinkedIn right now
What not to do on LinkedIn
Creating LinkedIn shows
Do this first - make your top pop!
The bare minimum for getting results

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/241

5 Things Black Friday Can Teach You About Business That Aren’t Sales And Marketing

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

If you can just step back from the marketing and watch how people behave, it's like a free masterclass in business principles.

In This Episode

How your buying behavior affects your business
Where you need to consider seasonality more
Why customer acquisition impacts customer retention and referrals
How one thing you’re ignoring can have a significant impact on your decisions
Why Black Friday is a masterclass every CEO should take

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/141

The Business of Thinking About Business with Cat Paterson

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

How you think is influenced by every part of your life and it influences every part of your life so maybe it’s time to rethink what you think

Cat Paterson walks you through why what and how you think can pave a pathway to success or keep you stuck in place in life and business.

Key Takeaway

Belief systems are just thoughts that we keep on thinking again and again.

We talk about

What are thinking patterns
What are the building blocks of our thinking patterns
How can we change our thinking patterns
How can we leverage collective thinking patterns in our teams
How to prepare your team to change the way they think

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources, and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/240

Beware Of The End Of Year Hype

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

This time of year can be filled with opportunity or filled with bad decisions - you choose.

In This Episode

The decision you need to make now to save yourself time and money down the line
The decision only you can (and must) make before someone make its for you
How to listen to yourself instead of the hype

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/239

Stop Planning For Perfection

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Make planning a useful tool for 2024 not a simple box check exercise.

In This Episode

Why planning is so important
Why just choosing a number is bad for business
The real secret sauce behind planning
The key thing to remember as you build your plan

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/238

How To Create A Plan for 2024 in 10 minutes

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Build your plan by taking 10 minutes to answer a few questions.

In This Episode

Why you need a sh*tty first draft plan
8 Key areas you need to cover in your plan
How to involve your team

Links

To get expert insights on your strategies for 2024, join us at the MAKE MORE | KEEP MORE (audio) summit (dropping October 30th)

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/237

How To Improve Your Plan With External Insights

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Sometimes we can get tunnel vision in our excitement about a new idea for next year and getting an objective perspective can help you turn a good idea into a great one.

In This Episode

Why you need to get external input on your planning process
Why your team is only part of the picture
Where to source this input
The key thing to remember with this (and any) advice you get

Links

To listen to 15 experts share their strategies for 2024, click here to join the MAKE MORE|KEEP MORE (audio) summit dropping October 30th.

We've got sales strategies and marketing strategies to make you more money and team and operations strategies to help you keep more money in 2024.

Or to read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/236

How To Reduce Or Mitigate The Uncertainty In Planning

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 08:30:00 +0000

Plans are usually wrong but they are still essential tools to focus your business and team in the right direction for the coming year.

In This Episode

What to do now to reduce uncertainty in your plan
How to get better at uncertainty
Moving from guesstimates to estimates
The 2 x 2 rule
What you as the CEO need to start doing now to prepare

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/235

Ready to go deeper with your planning process for 2024? Listen to the Planning Prep Party here

How To Overcome Your Fear Of Planning

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 08:30:00 +0000

Different aspects of creating a plan trigger different fears so let’s find out how to face and counteract them.

In This Episode

Why planning sparks fear in the entrepreneurial soul
The 5 big fears people have around planning
How to counteract your fear of planning

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/234

How To Go From Idea To Plan

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 08:00:00 +0000

New ideas are exciting and addictive so we need to balance them with a practical process so that only the best ones get through.

In This Episode

The biggest mistake I see in small business planning
3 criteria to use to evaluate any idea
5 key considerations that every idea needs to meet
What to do if the answer is yes, no or maybe
What to next with the good ideas

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/233

Why Free Value Is Costing You Customers with Chloé Nwangwu

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 08:00:00 +0000

What if the problem isn’t you being consistent or leveraging your visibility opportunities but a systemic problem working against you?

Chloé Nwangwu walks you through visibility biases that may impact you and your brand and what you need to do to counter them.

Key Takeaway

The value of our free work is calculated differently by the audience in ways they and we are unaware of, and “free” costs us dearly down the line if we do not use it strategically.

We talk about

What traditional branding and marketing advice gets wrong
Visibility biases and the impact on the brand and business
How to assess if this is happening to you
Why free value can end up costing you customers - even if it works for someone else
Using behavior transformation to craft a path to monetary compensation

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources, and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/232

Your Why Is Not Your Vision (Or Your Mission)

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 08:00:00 +0000

There is a massive focus on your why in entrepreneurland but your vision and mission are as important…and not the same thing.

In This Episode

Understanding your why, vision, and mission
Why each is important in your business
How they evolve over time
How do you use all three with your team
Including them in your planning process

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/231

How To Take A Break From Your Business With Alyson Caffrey

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Whether you have a life change coming up, need a break for a passion project, or just want an alternative to burning it all down, a sabbatical might be just what you need.

Alyson Caffrey walks you through preparing your business to run without you for a week, a month, a quarter, you decide.

Key Takeaway

Even if you think you’ll never take a sabbatical from your business, chances are that circumstances outside your control may force one on you in the future. It is better to prepare and not need the break than to need a break and not be prepared for it.

We talk about

Your sabbatical personality type
What to prepare before you take your sabbatical and do on sabbatical
How to come back after your sabbatical to maximize the effect
What on earth to tell your clients before you head out
What Alyson left out of the book that she still wants people to know

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources, and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/230

3 Lessons For Podcasters From 3 Years As A Podcaster

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +0000

3/3 - After three years of podcasting, these are the things I wish more podcasters knew or spoke about.

(Part 3 of 3 - Coffee + Converse is turning 3 and we’re celebrating with 3 episodes)

In This Episode

The one thing you think you can’t do with your show
The one thing you need to plan in advance that you’re not even thinking about
The one thing you need more the longer you go

Links

To carry on the convo - slide into my DMs HERE

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/229

How To Be A Great Podcast Guest From 100+ Guest Interviews

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +0000

2/3 - After 3 years and 100+ guest interviews, here’s what I look for in a great podcast guest.

(Part 2 of 3 - Coffee + Converse is turning 3 and we’re celebrating with 3 episodes)

In This Episode

The one thing your pitch needs to stand out
The one I wish guests would stop doing
The one thing most guests don’t consider about their episode that impacts their whole business

Links

To carry on the convo - slide into my DMs HERE

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/228

3 Lessons For Your Business From 3 Years Of Consistency

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +0000

1/3 - This one is for my business owners who’ve been told that consistency is key. After 3 years of consistency, here’s what I’ve learned.

(Part 1 of 3 - Coffee + Converse is turning 3 and we’re celebrating with 3 episodes)

In This Episode

My surprising discovery about getting consistent
What to do when you’re bored - hint: don’t burn it all down
And the one area that you need to be strategically consistent and you’re probably not

Links

To carry on the convo - slide into my DMs HERE

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/227

How To Craft A Strategy To Make Money And Keep Money In Your Business

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +0000

If your strategy only covers sales and marketing, you have a sales and marketing plan, not a business strategy.

Key Takeaway

An effective strategy is dynamic and evolving. And comprehensive. It's about ensuring that every part of your business is aligned and moving toward your goal.

In This Episode

The myth of sales and marketing
Redefining how you think about strategy
Picking the right strategy for the right phase of your business
How to build a comprehensive strategy
Your leadership role in implementing the strategy

Links

Click here to run your own DIY Diagnostic as the first step in your strategy build.

How To Create A Video Strategy Even If You Don't Want To Do Video With Elise Darma

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Whether you’re an experienced TikTok creator or you’re secretly hoping that text-based Threads mean the death of video, this expert deep dive into video for business is for you.

Elise Darma walks you through why video is a powerful tool and how to use it in a way that works for you whether you’re excited to be on camera or not.

Key Takeaway

Worry less about going viral and reaching 100k strangers and more about getting in front of 100 or 1000 of your exact potential clients.

We talk about

What’s working in video right now
The surprising behind the scenes of Elise’s video set up
Repurposing videos, podcast,s and blogs and whether you should
B-roll, posit it reminders and visual cues for the elder millennial
What’s next in video

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/225

Behind The Scenes of Building Teams With Eman Zabi

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +0000

This is the reality check and confidence boost all entrepreneurs need before they start hiring or hiring again

Eman Zabi walks you through what it’s really like to build a team from scratch, grow the team and then do it all again while still leading the first team and business.

Key Takeaway

Hiring is not the free time that is marketed to you. That is the long-term benefit of the time, energy, and money you need to spend first to earn it.

We talk about

The secret reality of building a team that doesn’t feature in the marketing posts
How to test for what you need by building it into your recruitment process
Growing your team members with your business
Overhiring and fast firing
The unsexy self-care that CEOs need to do their job

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/224

How To Remove Launch Stress With A Pre-Launch Strategy With Brenna McGowan

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +0000

If you’re planning to join in the fall launch season frenzy, and the stress is starting to creep in, this episode is for you. And if you're not, this works for evergreen too

Brenna McGowan walks you through why you need a pre-lauch strategy and what it should include to bring you a successful and unstressy launch.

Key Takeaway

A prelaunch sells the outcome in such a way that when you talk about your process it is clear it’s the only solution.

We talk about

The purpose of a pre-launch strategy
What you need to have in place first
The type of content you should be sharing - it’s not the usual “give value” advice
Some great examples from the real world
How evergreen business models can still benefit from the strategy

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/223

3 Questions To Ask Yourself Right Now To Banish Q4 Burnout

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Forget Christmas in July, we need to focus on feeling those summer vibes in December instead. Keeping the good vibes going by asking yourself these three questions.

In This Episode

The reason feel burnout by year-end
The three questions to ask yourself about your business
How to keep the good vibes flowing

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/222

F*** Manifesting And Do This Instead With Frenchie Ferenczi

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 08:00:00 +0000

If you’re writing out I am a successful CEO of a growing small business 15 times daily, it might get you in the mood to grow your business but it’s probably not enough

Frenchie Ferenczi walks you through why manifesting won’t get you results and what real business strategies will help you hit those goals

Key Takeaway

There’s nothing wrong with manifesting or creating a vision board or having a big dream for the future, but the business world is not an if you dream it, it will come kind of place.

We talk about

The F*** Manifesting philosophy
What to do alongside or instead of manifesting
Your real why versus your noble why
What you need to do first even if you get it wrong
Staying close to the money

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/221

How To Hire Like A Professional With Candice Elliott

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Whether you’re hiring your first team member or your tenth, getting it wrong is an expensive mistake to make so no wonder we all get a little overwhelmed and nervous.

Candice Elliot walks you through hiring for your small business like an HR professional to increase your chances of a great fit and decrease your chances of a costly mistake.

Key Takeaway

Hiring is a series of decisions that need to be made beginning way before the job description gets written.

We talk about

When to get HR support for your business
Best practices for hiring
The first person you should hire - hint: it’s probably not a VA
Why hiring is a spectrum or journey
How to manage values, culture and skills fit

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/220

Ready to get strategic about your Profits + Paydays - read the series

Building Accessibility Into Your Customer Journey with Caitlin of Caitie Means Business

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Creating accessibility in your business and funnel can seem daunting as you try to do all the things which often ends up being none of the things.

Caitlin walks you through how to think about accessibility beyond a checklist and build it into your full customer journey starting at the very first encounter.

Key Takeaway

When we talk about impact, we tend to think in terms of big gestures or results in the future but making small changes to make your business more accessible will impact someone right now.

We talk about

The legal conversation and the human perspective on accessibility
How to embed accessibility in your business beyond a checklist
Where to get started on the journey
The surprising place we should be asking about accessibility that we’re probably not
Caitlin’s favorite soapbox item - alt text

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/219

Ready to get strategic about your Profits + Paydays - read the series

How To Stand Out As A Human In A Sea Of AI Content with Lyndsay Cambridge and Martin Huntbach

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 08:00:00 +0000

On one side they say AI will save you hours, on the other that the machines are taking over. As a small business owner creating content, how do you use and protect yourself from AI?

Lyndsay and Martin walk you through how to think about content marketing for your business in the AI age including the pro, cons, pitfalls, and surprising use cases.

Key Takeaway

Content has traditionally been all about helping you succeed in business by getting you clients but that is only one part of the journey. Content can also help your clients be successful working with you.

We talk about

Why content marketing should not stop at the sale
How they are using ChatGPT at Jammy Digital
What to do about your content being “stolen” by AI
How to use AI ethically in creating content
How to stand out in a sea of AI content

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/218

Ready to get strategic about your Profits + Paydays - read the series

Find Your Marketing Personality Type® With Brit Kolo

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Have you ever heard someone say, “Just do (insert latest trend here). It works for me” and you thought, “Um heck no!”? This is your permission slip to skip it.

Brit Kolo walks you through how to create a marketing strategy that feels good for you using your MBTI personality type.

Key Takeaway

The real trick is to find what works for you and then trust it for long enough to let it actually work.

We talk about

Why we need to know our marketing personality type
How MBTI categorizes types and the four tribes
How marketing matches your personality type by tribe
The golden rule of marketing regardless of test or tool

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/217

Ready to get strategic about your Profits + Paydays - read the series

The Missing Metric In Your Business

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 08:00:00 +0000

If what gets measured gets managed, means what gets missed goes unnoticed - usually until it’s too late.

In This Episode

The metric you need but probably don’t track
Lagging v leading indicators
The challenges with this metric
And why you should measure it anyway

Links

Ready for a deeper dive into this critical topic for your business? Click here for The Key People Indicator podcast

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/216

Ready to get strategic about your Profits + Paydays - read the series

How Coaching And Certifications Have Changed With Laura Wieck

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 08:00:00 +0000

If you interact with your clients, coaching skills could be the secret superpower of your customer experience.

Laura Wieck walks you through why coaching skills and frameworks could make you a better service provider and when you might need to add a certification.

Key Takeaway

Coaching skills improve the nuances of communication and connection so it’s not just professional coaches who could benefit from learning them.

We talk about

The difference between coach, consultant and mentor
How to use consent in any role
The line between coaching and therapy
Why everyone needs coaching skills
Whether or not you need a coaching certification

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/215

Building An Anti-Social Strategy With Holly Haynes

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 08:00:00 +0000

If you think social media is either all or nothing, what happens when your account goes missing for no reason?

Holly Haynes walks you through why not relying on social media should be the goal and how to create a strategy that works for you in today’s attention-starved world

Key Takeaway

Social media should be the invitation not the party of your business.

We talk about

Losing your Instagram account TWICE and starting from scratch
What an Anti-social strategy looks like
The core pillars you need to build your own anti-social strategy
Whether attitudes to social are changing

Links

Click here to expand your contingency plan beyond your social media (mini podcast)

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/214

The Myth Of Too Much To Do

Thu, 25 May 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Your overwhelm isn’t coming from your to-do list. The burnout isn’t coming from your workload. You need better responsibility management, not time management

In This Episode

Your real job description - hint: it’s not CEO
Understanding your real responsibilities
The dangers of not managing ALL your responsibilities

Links

Click here to get your Responsibility Score

To listen to the Suite Spot Strategy podcast, click here

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/213

Building A Thought Leadership Ecosystem With Eva Jannotta

Thu, 18 May 2023 08:00:00 +0000

If you’re reading other people’s content thinking, “Yeah but…”, there’s a thought leadership idea ready to be nurtured and sent out into the world.

Eva Jannotta walks you through why thought leadership is essential, how it fits into your business, and how to develop your own thought leadership ecosystem

Key Takeaway

Thought leadership is not a one-and-done, quick-win type of strategy. The power and the strength of thought leadership are in its cumulative impact.

We talk about

What exactly is and isn’t thought leadership
How thought leadership differs from and works with content marketing
Where thought leadership fits into your business
The phases of thought leadership
Measuring the effectiveness of your thought leadership

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/212

How To Get Your Business Priorities Straight

Thu, 11 May 2023 08:00:00 +0000

One of the most difficult questions I ask entrepreneurs is, “What is your priority? And does your behavior match it?”

In This Episode

The problem with priorities
How to find your priority
Why this will benefit you, the business, and your team

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/211

We Need To Talk About Work-Life Balance

Thu, 04 May 2023 08:00:00 +0000

When you have a never-ending to-do list, it’s easy to have a never ending workday too

In This Episode

How work and life boundaries blur for entrepreneurs
How rituals can help
Building your own rituals to contain work

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/210

How To Refocus On The Things That Help Your Business Grow

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Feeling busy but unproductive? It's time to shift your attention, even if it's difficult.

In This Episode

With limited time and money resources, where small businesses need to focus on for growth
Examples of how you can apply this to your business - including one you probably won’t like
How to use my favorite tool to get you started in minutes

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/209

Find Your Next Profitable Idea With Sankeetha Selvarajha

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Lurking in your notebook somewhere could be your most profitable idea yet. But with all those ideas, how do you pick the right one?

Sankeetha Selvarajah walks you through how to evaluate all the ideas lurking in your notebooks as well as your latest shiny objects to pick the profitable one.

Key Takeaway

Just because you have a great idea, it doesn’t mean you need to implement it right away - you can pursue it as a hobby, sell it or save it for later.

We talk about

The problem with entrepreneurs’ ideas
The first filter that your idea needs to pass through before you invest time or money in it
The seven steps to evaluate your ideas
The one cost everyone forgets to factor in
What to do when you’ve selected your idea (hint: it’s not just launch it)
Sankeetha’s lifestyle boundary for her business
The worst cookie-cutter advice Sankeetha’s been given on her business

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/208

Rediscovering Your Dream Business with Teresa Heath-Wareing

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 08:00:00 +0000

We’re great at dreaming big when we start our businesses but when was the last time you sat back and asked yourself if that was still your dream?

Teresa Heath-Wareing walks you through defining your own version of success, what to do when that dream doesn’t match your successful (bill-paying) business, and how to plot a course toward it.

Key Takeaway

Enjoying where you are in the journey makes you more resilient when you’re knocked off course.

We talk about

Defining your dream business
How to navigate pivoting when your dream changes
How to take everyone on the journey with you
What knocks us off the dream wagon
The key to staying on course for your dream however long it takes
Teresa’s lifestyle boundary for her business
The worst cookie-cutter advice Teresa’s been given on her lifestyle business

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/207

How To Close Sales Faster Using Customer Insights With Melissa Harstine

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 08:00:00 +0000

We know we need to sell them what they want and then give them what they need but is your message telling them what they want to hear to buy?

Melissa Harstine walks you through how to use customer insights in your business to get you more of the right clients and reduce your conversion friction and time

Key Takeaway

People will reveal things they didn’t even know they were thinking in a conversation in response to questions you might not have thought to ask before.

We talk about

What exactly customer insights are and why you should be gathering them
Who to interview, how many to ask, and how to get them excited to chat
What to ask to get the information you really need
Why “why didn’t you buy” surveys don’t work
When it’s time to switch from DIY to a done-for-you service
Melissa’s lifestyle boundary for her business
The worst cookie-cutter advice Melissa’s been given on her lifestyle business

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/206

Creating And Cultivating A Culture For Growth

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Did you carefully design and curate your current team culture or did you just get lucky? Do you have a plan to maintain it or are you just hoping for the best?

Key Takeaway

Your company culture has a direct impact on the people who have a direct impact on your business. Your team delivers your business results, interacts with your customers, and supports you. So it has a direct impact on your ability to grow.

In This Episode

Why you should care about cultivating culture even if you think yours is already great
The stats that demonstrate the impact of culture on your ability to grow
What Girlworld can teach you about creating and cultivating culture in your business

Links

Get started on creating and cultivating your own team culture with the Culture Kickstart mini podcast at dianemayor.com/culture

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/205

The Conflict And Compassion Of Boundaries with Krista Resnick

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Boundaries tie us all in knots from unwanted Slack pings to awkward moments in our personal lives but what if there was a different way?

Krista Resnick walks you through how to set, hold and negotiate your boundaries without reverting to a people-pleasing good girl.

Key Takeaway

Your boundaries are not a set of rules for you to set for others. They require you to pull up those big girl pants and have a conversation but that doesn’t mean they have to create conflict.

We talk about

Why do we struggle to set boundaries
Some common dream boundary examples and tactics to help us get started
Is it a boundary or an ultimatum
How to state a boundary that doesn't invite debate
Setting boundaries with ourselves

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/204

Creative Ways To Think About Your Business From An Artpreneur With Miriam Schulman

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000

If business is feeling a little bit boring, we got the new angle you’ve been looking for from movies to your underwear drawer.

Miriam Schulman shows you how thinking like a creative might just be what you need to unlock your business even if you don’t think you’re creative at all.

Key Takeaway

If you’re stuck in your business, check what assumptions you’re making about your client.

We talk about

Creating a customer journey like an artist
How Pretty Woman (yes, the movie) demonstrates where we tend to get stuck in our business and what to do instead
Pricing lessons from your underwear drawer

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/203

5 Ways to Grow Your Business That Aren’t Marketing

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000

We tend to default to marketing as the solution to growth in our businesses but there are some alternatives

Key Takeaway

Someone can always out-market and outspend you. Focus instead on your competitive advantage

In This Episode

The entrepreneurial marketing cycle
5 ways you could grow your business based on what big businesses do
Which strategy to focus on

Links

Build your competitive advantage with the Culture Kickstart mini podcast at dianemayor.com/refresh

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/202

Creating Your Million Dollar Offer By Focusing On A World-Class Solution With Nida Leard

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Are you really providing the best solution and best experience for your clients right now? Even if you’re convinced your offer is perfect, wouldn’t you rather be sure?

Nida Leard walks you through finding the right problem, brainstorming the best solutions, and the challenges and metrics along the way.

Key Takeaway

Charging premium prices is about asking what would the richest person pay to solve this problem instantly and then asking what would your offer need to include to be worth that.

We talk about

The challenges of finding a world class solution
How to pick the problem you’re going to solve
Asking the right questions of the right people before you start
The metric to use to assess your current offer
A walkthrough of a start to finish best in class offer

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/201

3 Business Lessons I’ve Learned From 200 Episodes That You Can Apply Right Noi

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 08:00:00 +0000

If running your business is like a self-development class, hosting a podcast is the AP version.

In This Episode

3 lessons you can apply to your business right now
A bonus lesson if you’re pitching a podcast (or anything else) in 2023
A gift for my budding podcasters

Links

To grab the guide to all my podcast tech, go to dianemayor.com/podcast-tech. No opt in required

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/200

The Secret To Effective Delegation That No One Talks About

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 08:00:00 +0000

If you’ve got a team or have plans to hire one, please don’t miss this key step or it will cost you time and money.

Key Takeaway

Delegation is a two way street. It’s as much about what your team need as it is about what you need to get off your plate.

In This Episode

What Game of Throne can teach you about delegation
The 4 levels of delegation
The missing ingredient that will keep you at level 1

Links

If you think this may be impacting your growth, let’s make a plan to change it. Book a growth call at dianemayor.com/growth

To grab read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/199

The Math and Mindset Of Making Money with Tara Newman

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 08:00:00 +0000

If you’ve ever looked at your bank account and wondered where the cash has gone, maybe it’s a math problem, not a mindset one.

Tara Newman walks you through her math-over-mindset approach to paying ourselves for the work we do without worrying about the tax man or the bills either.

Key Takeaway

Being a millionaire doesn’t require a 7 figure business but it does require getting comfortable with the math of your business first.

We talk about

When is money about math versus mindset
Why money is always the “new level new devil” culprit
The reason we can figure out the complexity of marketing but get stumped by spreadsheets
The money key performance indicator (KPI) your business needs to monitor
The personal finance impact on business finances

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/198

How To Regroup If January Wasn’t All New Year New You

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 08:00:00 +0000

It’s not enough to keep on fighting when things feel tough. Sometimes you need to change how you fight for those goals.

Key Takeaway

Sometimes it’s hard because you’re making it hard but it’s only one month down.

In This Episode

The advice I needed to hear to kick start February
How to implement this in your business
Why you need to hear this advice even if you’ve had the best January ever

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/197

The Sticky Floors And Glass Ceilings Of Women In Business With Erica Rooney

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Glass ceilings are not just for the shoulder-padded power-suited women of 80’s offices. We’ve brought them with us into our small businesses too.

Erica Rooney walks you through how sticky floors hold us back, glass ceilings keep us down, and what we can do as one tiny cog in the machine to take back control.

Key Takeaway

Once you spot the sticky floor or glass ceiling, you can never unsee it but that is only the first step in dismantling them.

We talk about

What exactly is a sticky floor
Glass ceilings in business - not just for corporate
How unconscious bias set up the glass ceilings and how we perpetuate them
How can we take back control
The sticky floors of leadership in small businesses
Erica’s lifestyle boundary for her business
The worst cookie-cutter advice Erica’s been given on her lifestyle business

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/196

The Money Is In The Fulfilment With Celia Arias

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 08:00:00 +0000

If you’ve only been focused on your marketing, you’re missing a huge growth opportunity in the slightly less sexy systems in the rest of your business.

Celia Arias walks you through when you need to scale or grow your business and how to do that in the best way for you instead of diving into the latest trendy business model.

Key Takeaway

Your internal systems are as important a component of your business growth as your more flashy external ones like marketing.

We talk about

Where popular growth advice goes wrong
How to balance your focus between marketing and fulfilment
Whether you’re growing or scaling and why it matters
The fundamentals even established business owners miss

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/195

Biohacking Your Brain And Business With Tanessa Shears

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 08:00:00 +0000

If the New Year didn’t create a whole new you overnight, here are some more realistic strategies for you to try to optimize your brain for business.

Tanessa Shear walks you through why you need to consider your health as a priority for your business, the strategies you can start implementing today, and the popular self-care rituals that don’t really help

Key Takeaway

Your brain is the biggest asset in your business because optimizing brain health means better concentration, productivity, and creativity.

We talk about

The number one change you need to make today
How to use tech and data to optimize your health
3 indicators of chronic stress
Realtime, recovery and resiliency strategies to deal with stress
What to optimize once stress is under control

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/194

The 5 Pillars Of Sustainable Grow(Th) To Seven Figures And Beyond

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 08:00:00 +0000

When growth is on the agenda, most entrepreneurs miss at least 2 of the pillars. Check out numbers 2 and 5).

Key Takeaway

Most entrepreneurs' mouths say GROW but their actions are all about the GO.

In This Episode

How most entrepreneurs try to grow their business
The 4 pillars to grow your business
The final pillar that multiplies the others

Links

Ready for growth? Sign up for the Growth series at dianemayor.com/2023 or take the shortcut with a call at dianemayor.com/growth

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/193

Why No One Is Motivated By Your Goal And What To Try Instead

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 08:00:00 +0000

You’re excited about your big business goals for 2023 but that won’t get anyone else to work toward them. Try this instead for 2023

Key Takeaway

No one care about your 2x revenue or 10x profit, not even you

In This Episode

Who do we try to motivate with our goals
Why it backfires
What to try for 2023 - thank me this time next year :)

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/192

Boundaries Work Better From A Place Of Yes

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 08:00:00 +0000

If you feel (or are made to feel) selfish for setting and holding boundaries at work or at home, try this instead.

Key Takeaway

Boundaries are about the opportunity, not the no.

In This Episode

Going from a place of no to a place of yes
How to apply this with yourself and others
How to bring it back into your business

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/191

Talking Fast And Slow - The Easy Framework For Better Communication

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Nothing creates frustration quicker than a clash in communication styles. Practice using this model over the holidays and watch your business relationships transform in 2023

Key Takeaway

If you need someone to do something for you, you need to ask in the way they want to hear it.

In This Episode

The simple 4 quadrant communication framework for work and home
Why communication style is a simple route to better relationships
How to adjust your style without changing your whole personality

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/190

The One Thing That Uplevels Your Plan To A Powerful Business Tool

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Make planning a useful tool for 2023, not a high-level box-check exercise.

Key Takeaway

If your plan is a high-level number with some product split maybe divided by month or launch, you’re missing the point of the exercise.

In This Episode

Why high-level planning will hurt you in 2023
What you need to do instead
How to uplevel your plan with an example

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/189

Making December Work For You By Design Not Default

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 08:00:00 +0000

If you’re slowing down for December, ask yourself if you defaulted to that or if you designed it that way. They are not the same thing.

Key Takeaway

However you decide to December in your business, make sure it’s a conscious business decision.

In This Episode

What you decide in December should impact your 2023 plans
What to do if you’ve still got a big goal or project to hit for year-end
The best use of your time if you’ve hit those big goals and checked off your big projects
A bonus tip that will make you money in 2023
The one thing you need to add whichever December you’re having.

Links

To read the transcript or explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/188

How To Embrace Imperfection For Bigger Impact And More Profit With Kylie Hodges

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 08:00:00 +0000

In the entrepreneur world, we can wear perfectionism as a badge of honor but our “high standards” are keeping us from big impact and big profit.

Kylie Hodges walks you through spotting, confronting, and taming your perfectionist side so that you can get out of your own way.

Key Takeaway

Perfectionism is not about doing things perfectly but feeling we need to be perfect to be valued.

We talk about

What perfectionism is and is not
The symptoms of perfectionism that we might miss
Where perfectionism is lurking in our businesses
How to stop perfectionism stopping us from creating an impact or results
What you can do in the next 10 minutes to make a real difference
Kylie’s lifestyle boundary for her business
The worst cookie-cutter advice Kylie’s been given on her lifestyle business

Links

To read the transcript, grab the resources and explore other episodes go to dianemayor.com/187