The 5-Minute Strategist

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.

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.

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.

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

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 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 worl...

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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 d...

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 diane...

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

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...

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

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 thos...

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...

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 p...

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

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

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