The Modern CEO Podcast

Hello, my friend. Today's podcast episode is going to be a little bit different.  As you may have noticed, we've made the transition from the Modern CEO Podcast to the Right On Time Podcast recently. There were a few reasons for this change, and one of them is that I wanted to start touching on current events -- those topics that are affecting our lives and our businesses. I think you can guess wh...

Do you feel as though you deserve your success? If you're like 70% of us, you probably feel as though you're a bit of a fraud . No matter how many awards … how much praise … and how many opportunities you're offered … there seems to always be a little voice in your head telling you that you don't deserve it. That little voice wants you to believe that you've made it as far as you have based on luc...

Setting yourself up to live your best life in the new year isn't something reserved for New Year's Eve -- if you want the best chance of reaching your personal and professional goals after the ball drops, you need to start planning much earlier. Think JULY. Well, for me it was July. ;)  If that seems daunting, have no fear! -- I'm here to tell you about some specific resources that you can use to...

When it comes to hiring, choosing the perfect candidate isn't the happy ending. It's actually closer to a great first step.   Because after the hiring phase is over, that's when you need to step up with LEADERSHIP.   The How to Clone Yourself process isn't just about finding the right person to handle the right tasks in your business. It's also about onboarding them effectively and empowering them...

When you're looking to hire a new partner-in-crime for your business, you need to do more than just write the perfect job listing and choose the most promising resumes. You need to ROCK the interview process by not only asking the right questions, but giving the right answers. That's right, it's actually a two-way street!  The hiring process can be a grueling trial full of potential pitfalls. Beli...

If you've been a part of our world for a while, you know that I used to have a VERY different lifestyle.   That's right - I lived the CORPORATE life.   I did the whole nine yards: 14 hour days, locked up in an office, travel, feeling WAY too much stress about everything that came across my desk. So much stress, I thought I was having stress related chest pains. (Turns out it was just a garlic alle...

In our Planathon Group - oh yes, our annual Planathon is coming soon!!! - one of the questions that recently came up is the question of: how do I know if it is time to hire.  I'm coming at you from Addis Ababa Ethiopia and sharing: 4 signs that it might be time for you to hire.  First, we'll go back in time to 2011 when I made my first hire in my business. Then we'll slowly journey back to present...

If you've been following my How to Clone Yourself series, then this is the ultimate episode that you do NOT want to miss! Today, we're finally going to get deep into the nitty-gritty of putting together your systems. The systems that will make it feel as though you're running your business with a team of your very own clones! Let me tell you: putting strong, well-planned systems into place in your...

Are you ready for the next step in our How to Clone Yourself series? Because I am SO excited to help you build on the skills revealed in the first five episodes of this series! You're going to want to take some notes, because this episode digs even deeper into one of my all-time favorite topics: systems.  Systems are what allow me to run my multi-city boudoir photography business in America from m...

Even more than hiring, even more than outsourcing, what is the most vital thing that you can do to simplify your day-to-day workload and streamline your business processes? Design and implement intuitive systems. Systems are an underpraised cornerstone of successful businesses, but you observe them in action each and every day. Every time you visit a Starbucks, your barista takes a series of steps...

Effective CEOs tend to spend about 11% of their work time improving systems and strategies. Why is that? Because setting up systems can help you DRASTICALLY cut down on wasted time and give your productivity an enormous boost. It also helps cut down on frustration -- and boredom! Setting up systems early helped my boudoir photography business to thrive, and made it easier to expand it into multipl...

Pablo Picasso said: "Art is the elimination of the unnecessary." What's unnecessary in your life right now? What keeps you from doing the things that you need to do? Marie Kondo created a phenomenon with the idea of simplifying, getting rid of clutter, and stripping down to necessities and the things that bring you joy. People have been talking about Kondo-ing their homes and their relationships....

Did you know that, on average, only 2 hours and 53 minutes of an 8-hour workday are actually productive? That sounds crazy, right?  What does this mean for your own productivity? Where is your time going -- and how can you optimize it to best serve your business?? Time management is a significant factor in my How to Clone Yourself program and in my upcoming book on the topic.  By shifting the way...

What far could you take your business if you had an army of clones? This isn't a sci-fi hypothetical question -- this is a very real way to grow your business. And I want to teach you how. No creepy laboratory required! My idea of cloning myself can be traced back, years ago, to a time when I was in the middle of a very challenging situation. I was in college when I had my firstborn, and ended up...

You make countless decisions every day. Whether you should have a cup of coffee in the morning. How you should decide on setting your pricing. Whether to bundle your services or not. Whether to outsource. Whose family to visit for Thanksgiving. Whether to take up yoga or pilates. Whether to have a kid … or another one. Whether to reach for a smoothie or that giant chocolate chip cookie. Where you...

If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be? What if you could change five things? Ten things? What if you could be a completely different person in the way that you approach your family… or your fitness… or your business? What if you could be a whole new you ? We all change naturally as time goes by -- it's inevitable. But how often do we mindfully and intentionally shift the...

Are you sabotaging your chances of success without even realizing it? This week's episode is all about learning to let go of your attachment mindset. You may have an attachment mindset if you find yourself latching onto situations, ideas, or outcomes SO TIGHTLY that you close yourself off to all other possibilities. Maybe it's the idea of a new job, a process you want to implement in your business...

Move over, smoking, gambling, and over-eating ice cream -- procrastination may be the most common vice in the world! There are a lot of reasons why people procrastinate: fear, laziness, anxiety, complacency, insecurity … the list goes on. Not only is procrastination something that I hear about from a LOT of my clients, but it's something that I used to be guilty of myself! That's right, my friend....

Do you ever feel as though you're just on a treadmill or spinning your wheels? Like you're constantly working but don't seem to be making any solid progress? Hustle for hustle's sake won't do anything for you or your business. It's time to get intentional! Focusing your activity in truly productive ways is a lot easier when you're able to cut through the hustle-related anxiety. And I have just the...

What are you going to do this year that challenges you? That forces you to grow and change a little bit? That proves to you that you're capable of more than you thought you were? Just a little bit of pushing outside of your comfort zone can MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. That goes for your life AND your business! Making things happen doesn't have to be daunting. In fact, my friend, it can be a lot of fun!  ...

On my podcast, I don't just talk about business. I talk about life. As a small business owner or entrepreneur, the two tend to have very blurred lines, am I right? What you want for your life and for your family happens through the business that you create -- and how you run that business. A better business means a BETTER LIFE. It means more freedom, more profit, less worry, and more fun! And does...

Have you lost focus on your focus? We all start out with great intentions for our businesses, but often get a little lost along the way. It's okay -- that's totally normal! Maybe we get excited about other options, maybe we get a little burnt out, maybe we feel pulled in a million different directions, or maybe we just deal with a LOT OF jet lag (guilty as charged!) What's important is that we mas...

Did you know that entrepreneurs are generally happier than the average person? People who feel as though they have chosen their own paths tend to be more content with their lives. Makes total sense, right? And it isn't just about the destination at the end of that path -- it's about the journey itself, my friend! A lot of people approach their business (and their life in general) with the idea tha...

Do you ever wonder why we feel so refreshed and ready to start a project on January 1st? Or, for that matter, on the first of the month or on a Monday? How about after a job change, birthday, or anniversary? Or even after a long weekend? It's a little thing called the Fresh Start Effect! (Yes, it's actually a real thing!) At times like these, it's common to feel an awesome surge of momentum. That...

Aaaand we're back!   That's right, I'm finally settled in my brand new home in Ethiopia!    And let me tell you, it's been quite a year!   The past ten months or so have taught me a lot of lessons that are SO important for both life and business, including: The importance of adaptability The virtue of patience The value of making peace with unpredictability How to surrender and BE PRESENT!   The m...