The Modern CEO Podcast

You had a great launch. Clients signed. Revenue is booked. Then, two weeks later, cash feels tight. Nothing went wrong, but it sure didn't feel fine. Here's what we need to know as business owners: profitable businesses can still have cash flow problems. They're not the same thing. In this episode, we're breaking down the difference between a timing problem and a profitability problem, why growth...

You're making more than ever, yet somehow it still feels tight. You're not alone, and there are a few tweaks you can make to get a handle on this. In this episode, we're tracing exactly where money disappears as a business grows: the subscriptions you forgot about, the contractor costs that crept up, the expenses that started feeling "normal" but really aren't. Plus, how to spot your own money lea...

You hit six or seven figures and expected to feel the shift. More revenue, more breathing room, right? Wrong. Instead, the money felt like it just... disappeared somewhere between the invoice and your bank account. Sound familiar? In this episode, we're talking about the invisible revenue leaks draining profit from businesses that should feel more financially solid than they do. From unpaid "invis...

This isn't an episode about pushing harder, powering through, or finally finding your motivation. If you've been told you just need more discipline to get your big project done, this is the opposite of that. I'm walking you through the exact approach I use when something feels massive, and I have no idea where to begin — the easy-to-hard method. I'll show you how it actually looks in real life, us...

This isn't an episode about which apps to download. It's about what it actually looks like to build a communication system that works - across time zones, across roles, across a business that's always moving.   Amber, Joanna, and Lilly have run their company without internal email for years. In this episode, they break down how they've set up Slack to function as a central hub for everything: team...

This episode isn't about communication theory. It's not a framework you have to go home and figure out how to apply. This is us, mid-work, showing you the exact words we use when something goes sideways — when creative feedback is vague, when a deadline is at risk, when someone's overwhelmed and needs the team to jump in. It started with a message from someone in our community after the last episo...

Jacqueline Snyder — fashion designer, founder of The Product Boss, and advisor to over 100,000 product-based business owners — joins Amber for a conversation that starts with five words: Everything is breaking, nothing is working. That was 2025. The fires were literally burning around Jacqueline's LA home. The tariffs were wrecking her community. And she was up through the night building webinars...

Working with family sounds like either a dream or a disaster. This episode is proof it can be the former — but only when the foundation is right. Amber sits down with her oldest daughter, Lilly McCue (Director of Operations and Marketing Operations at Amber McCue), and longtime business partner Joanna Tiger for a candid conversation about what it actually looks like to build a business alongside t...

70 to 85 percent of AI projects fail to meet expectations. And after spending the last year pressure testing AI inside my own business, I think I know why: people automate before they know what good looks like. In this episode of the Right on Time podcast, I'm pulling back the curtain on the AI Clone Team I've been building in real time. These are named AI specialists, each with a specific role in...

Your team already knows your meetings aren't working. They've known for weeks, maybe months. In this episode, I'm sharing how to redesign your meetings into decision-making machines so every person leaves with clarity, action steps, and deadlines. We cover how to right-size your meeting cadence, the rolling agenda method, why moving fast means you need more structure (not less), and how building r...

Your clients don't care about your process. They care about how working with you makes them feel. And in a world where AI can generate, automate, and replicate almost everything, that feeling is the one thing that cannot be copied. In this episode, Amber gets into what it actually means to be an experience-driven business and how to design one, whether you're fully virtual, product-based, service-...

Are you dangerously close to becoming the bottleneck in your own business? Recorded while walking through Zagreb (because I was literally about to become the bottleneck myself), this episode breaks down how to tell if you're holding up your own progress and what to do about it. What We Cover: → The signs you're becoming the bottleneck (hint: it's because you care too much, not too little) → The $1...

What happens when you ask AI to give you brutally honest feedback about how you lead, decide, and show up in your business? You get a CEO Reality Check that helps you stop spinning, start integrating, and lead with way more clarity. In this video, I'm walking you through how I built my Reality Check Folder inside ChatGPT (or Claude), which includes: The prompt that gave me feedback was so accurate...

I Slowed Down Last Year. Here's What Happened Life came in hot. Moves, family shifts, tech hiccups, and surprise detours. In this episode, Amber shares a raw, reflective look at what really happened behind the scenes in 2025, and how it's shaping everything she's doing (and not doing) in 2026. She's also sharing a gift to help you stay focused in 2026.  Comment RISE, and we'll send it your way. 🔗...

Running a business should mean freedom, but what happens when you finally step away from it? I took a 7-day trip deep into Kenya's Savannah to find out. No laptop. No client calls. Just me, my team, and a test of everything we've built. Did I pass the Vacation Test this time? Let's unpack what happened, the unexpected and the surprisingly smooth moments, plus how you can prepare your business to r...

Could your business survive without you for a week? Could YOU survive without checking in? In this episode, I take The Vacation Test—a three-part challenge designed to reveal if your business is truly set up for freedom. The rules? No work calls. No "just checking in" texts. No scrambling to catch up when you get back. I thought I had this in the bag… but what happened on my trip to Marrakesh migh...

Can your business pass The Vacation Test? If stepping away for a week (or more!) feels impossible without chaos erupting, this episode is a must-watch. I'm breaking down why vacations actually grow your business (yes, really!), the three-question test that reveals if your business is truly set up for freedom, and the exact steps to make sure you can unplug without the stress. Don't forget to like,...

Google is out here doing the most—and you're probably not even using half of what it can do. These five AI tools inside Google Suite will blow your mind and save you hours. Inbox zero in five minutes (yes, really) Scheduling meetings with one click (no back-and-forth nonsense) AI workflow productive hacks that keep you on track Best AI apps built right into Google (no extra downloads) The sneaky n...

Ever feel like you're running on fumes and, instead of a superwoman cape, you're wearing a frayed "I'm fine" sign? Feeling burnt out but still trying to power through like a WiFi signal that only works when you stand on one leg in the corner of your kitchen? In this episode, we dive deep into burnout recovery, how to prevent burnout before it knocks you flat, and the sneaky signs of emotional burn...

Ready to take control of your day, eliminate chaos, and actually get the important stuff done? Tune into today's episode, where I spill the secrets to getting more done without losing your sanity. From entrepreneur productivity tips to time management skills that work, we're covering it all.  Say goodbye to distractions, spinning your wheels, and guilt about protecting your time.

In this episode, I'm diving deep into a topic that's been a total game-changer for my productivity: time blocking. But not just any old time blocking—I'm talking about a flexible, realistic, let's-make-this-work-for-real-life kind of approach. We're covering: Why deep work is 5x more productive than multitasking (science says so!) How Parkinson's Law explains why you're taking too long to finish t...

In this podcast episode, Amber McCue takes us behind the scenes of her goal-setting process for 2025, blending her entrepreneurial insights with the realities of solo parenting. She emphasizes a practical, flexible approach to planning that allows for both personal and professional growth, even amidst the chaos of life as a solo parent. Amber doesn't lock herself into rigid, year-long plans. Inste...

This podcast episode dives into practical strategies for goal setting and planning to maximize success. It acknowledges that life gets chaotic (hello, orthodontist appointments and surprise projects) and offers three steps to stay on track: Don't max out your calendar: Fill only 60–80% of your available time to allow for unexpected detours and magic moments. Schedule CEO time: Dedicate 20 minutes...

Amber McCue shares her tried-and-true strategy for turning your big, audacious yearly goals into manageable, bite-sized action steps. She introduces her 90-day and 6-week planning methods, detailing how these approaches help avoid overwhelm, maintain focus, and create momentum throughout the year. By breaking down goals into smaller, actionable steps and prioritizing milestones, listeners can achi...

This podcast episode introduces a practical, flexible framework to prioritize tasks and achieve your goals more effectively. Using a four-box grid, you can evaluate various approaches based on ease and impact to identify the best starting points for your specific goals. Whether you're chasing the "fastest path to cash," deciding where to focus your marketing efforts, or mapping out your priorities...