The Decisive CEO: How to Build Trust Without Slowing Down [The CEO Types Series]

I'm kicking off my four-part series on the four CEO types, and we're starting with the one I know very well: the Decisive CEO.

If you're the kind of leader who makes high-stakes decisions fast, holds your standards without flinching, and doesn't waste time dragging dead offers into the ground… you're in the right place.

I'm breaking down why your speed, intensity, and directness are not problems to "fix"—they're competitive advantages.

But I'm also sharing the one place where decisiveness can backfire: when your momentum outruns trust.

We'll talk about how to build trust infrastructure (without becoming "softer" or handholding people one-by-one) so your leadership lands, your clients feel supported, and your business grows faster without draining you.

Timeline Highlights

[00:00] - I introduce the four-part CEO types series and why most business advice only works for two "popular" operator styles

[02:38] - The Decisive CEO profile: fast decisions, strong pricing energy, and bold leadership—plus the "you're too much" conditioning

[04:22] - Core wiring: task-oriented + fast-paced (and why that's an asset, not a liability)

[08:23] - Why decisive leaders win: quick decisions, no dead-offer loyalty, strong boundaries, and results-driven thinking

[13:31] - How Decisive CEOs naturally make more money: aligned pricing, strong qualification, boundaries, quick pivots, and clear messaging

[22:47] - The biggest blind spot: hype-first marketing (and how decisiveness can accidentally override buyer readiness)

[32:01] - The solution: build trust infrastructure that creates connection automatically—without turning into a "hey girl bestie" brand

[35:21] - Practical trust assets: credibility-driven content, pre-sale sequences, onboarding that creates safety, and clearer expectations

[39:35] - Your game plan: design offers for experience (not just outcomes), demonstrate expertise, automate trust-building, protect your energy, and build for the life you want

Top Quotes

• "Your intensity is a huge asset for your business."

• "You do not have to soften yourself… but what you do have to do is build systems."

• "Protect your energy like it's a business asset because it is."

• "You should not be working with people who drain you or make you resent your business."

• "Your decisiveness and your directness is an asset, not a liability."

Links & Resources

• CEO Type Quiz: lauraschoenfeld.com/quiz

• DM me on Instagram: @laura.schoenfeld

• Mentioned interview: Lindsey Lusson

If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast, leave a quick rating and review, and share it with a friend who's also a fast-moving, high-standards kind of CEO.

And if you're a Decisive CEO, come DM me on Instagram! I'd genuinely love to hear what clicked for you.