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Ever feel like you're constantly tweaking your business but nothing quite clicks? Like you're a plant that's outgrown its pot but you keep trying to make it work anyway?

You're not alone. And more importantly, there's a reason why all that surface-level fixing isn't working.

In this conversation with Jessica Sato, we dig into why successful entrepreneurs hit this wall—and what actually needs to happen to break through it. Jessica works with impact-driven female entrepreneurs who've built something good, but know there's something bigger calling them forward.

This isn't about another rebrand or website refresh. It's about the deep work that most people skip because it feels too slow, too introspective, or too "nice to have." But here's what Jessica and I both learned the hard way: you can't shortcut this process.

We talk about the moment you realize your current container is too small, why "good enough" can be the enemy of extraordinary, and how to find that through line that connects everything you've built into something cohesive and compelling.

If you've been in business for 5+ years and something feels off—even if you can't put your finger on what—this conversation will give you language for what you're experiencing and a path forward that doesn't involve starting over.

On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:

• The accidental TEDx discovery that shifted Jessica's entire approach to helping entrepreneurs find their big ideas

• Why your "expertise overwhelm" is actually the problem—and the umbrella framework that cuts through the confusion

• The two unmistakable signs you've outgrown your current business model (hint: one involves a lot of frustrated tweaking)

• The root-bound plant analogy that explains why no amount of "window dressing" will fix a foundational misalignment

• Why successful entrepreneurs resist the deep work that would actually solve their problems (spoiler: it's not what you think)

• The difference between copywriters and messaging strategists—and why working with the wrong one keeps you stuck

• Rachel's honest breakdown of her two major business evolutions and what triggered each shift

• The "good enough" trap that keeps mid-stage entrepreneurs from doing the work that would unlock their next level

• How Jessica's Egypt retreat idea emerged from a dream and why discomfort might be exactly what your business needs

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @racheal.cook
• TikTok: @rachealcookmba
• LinkedIn: @rachealcook
• YouTube: @the_ceo_collective
• Website: The CEO Collective

Subscribe & Review:

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What if everything you've been told about raising your rates is backwards?

Amy Hayes, founder of The Global Creator, spent a decade building a design business that runs almost entirely on referrals—and she's never touched social media marketing for her client work. In this conversation, she reveals why most creatives are focusing on all the wrong things when trying to command premium prices.

You'll discover why that expensive camera or fancy software isn't what's keeping you from high-end clients. Amy breaks down the real difference between high-end and high-touch services, and why the latter matters more than you think. She also shares her unconventional approach to client boundaries—one that actually strengthens relationships instead of creating friction.

If you've ever felt trapped in the feast-or-famine cycle, constantly chasing new clients, or wondered why your perfectly polished portfolio isn't attracting the clients you want, this episode will shift how you think about service-based business entirely. Amy's insights on the relationship-first approach might just save you years of spinning your wheels on strategies that don't actually move the needle.

In This Episode:

• Why accumulating more skills and certifications won't fix your client pipeline problems

• The "self-concept" shift that transforms how clients perceive and treat you

• How Amy built a decade-long business without social media marketing (and why referrals don't actually "dry up")

• The counterintuitive approach to client boundaries that creates stronger relationships, not weaker ones

• Why high-end services require high-touch experiences—and what most people get wrong about this

• The real reason clients become demanding (hint: it's not about your pricing)

• How to price projects with built-in margins for creativity and collaboration

• Why saying yes to smaller projects from existing clients can be your most profitable decision

• The energy shift from "creative gun for hire" to strategic partner that changes everything

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @racheal.cook
• TikTok: @rachealcookmba
• LinkedIn: @rachealcook
• YouTube: @the_ceo_collective
• Website: The CEO Collective

Subscribe & Review:

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

🎤 Thanks for listening! I'll see you next week!

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I've been thinking a lot about why so many of us are running on empty, and this conversation with Amanda Miller Littlejohn gave me language for something I've been feeling for years. We're not just tired—we're operating from a fundamentally broken blueprint about what makes life worth living.

Amanda's new book, The Rest Revolution, cuts through all the productivity hacks and time management systems to get to the real issue: we've been taught to measure our worth by our output. And frankly, it's killing us. What struck me most about our conversation wasn't just her story of severe burnout after having her third child during the pandemic (while not taking maternity leave), but how she traced this pattern all the way back to childhood.

This isn't another "work-life balance" conversation. Amanda challenges the entire framework of ambition in our post-pandemic world. She's a sought-after executive coach, brand strategist, and now Rosalyn Carter Mental Health Journalism Fellow whose work has appeared in the Washington Post and Forbes. But more than that, she's someone who hit the wall hard and found a different way forward.

If you've ever felt like you're supposed to be grateful for being overwhelmed, this episode will shift something in you.

Show Notes

• The childhood origins of overwork - How being rewarded for effort and achievement creates adults who don't know they have limits

• Back-burnering vs. front-burnering - Why we systematically deprioritize health, hobbies, and key relationships for things that "matter" financially

• The breaking point pattern - How burnout manifests when we either get physically sick or lose someone and have no space to grieve

• Machine mindset vs. human needs - Why "I can't afford to take my foot off the gas" is a lie that keeps us trapped

• The village we've lost - How hyper-capitalism destroyed the natural support systems our grandparents had

• Friend-making in your 40s - Amanda's practical approach to "proposing" to potential best friends and showing up consistently

• The three P's of friendship - Proximity, positivity, and frequency (why adult friendships require intentional effort)

• Redefining the measuring stick - Moving from productivity-based worth to relationships, joy, and health as success metrics

• Why this all becomes urgent in your 40s - How decades of bad habits finally catch up and force a reckoning with what actually matters

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @racheal.cook
• TikTok: @rachealcookmba
• LinkedIn: @rachealcook
• YouTube: @the_ceo_collective
• Website: The CEO Collective

Subscribe & Review:

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

🎤 Thanks for listening! I'll see you next week!

Send us a text

When you’re running a business day to day, your to-do list is full with answering emails, posting on social media, working with clients, etc.

Many women entrepreneurs spend so much time working in their business that they don’t have the time to work on big picture, game-changing stuff like writing the book they’ve thought of for years or creating that next-level program that brings everything together.

In this episode, I share my favorite time management tips to help you build more CEO time into your business so that you can finally open up new revenue streams, reach more people, and work smarter instead of harder.

On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:

4:29 - The answer is, “No.” I discuss how money mindset mentor Denise Duffield-Thomas decided to use tip #1 to stop this time and energy infiltrator.

7:21 - If you’ve been sitting on big dreams for years due to lack of time, I reveal the honest truth in tip #2.

9:33 - What’s my absolute favorite strategy to help you design your week around what matters to you most?

11:54 - You can work on the big picture of your business in 20 hours a week. I discuss how, even if you’re still working a job or taking care of young kids.

16:03 - I talk about this third and final big time management tip all the time! It’s one of my favorite things to do.

Show Links

• Fired Up & Focused Challenge
• “How a Model Calendar Helps Me Work Just 25 Hours a Week!”
• “A Mamapreneur’s Guide to Finding Childcare (Without Breaking the Bank)”
• The CEO Planner
• “How a CEO Date Keeps Me Focused Each Week”
• Racheal on Instagram an

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @racheal.cook
• TikTok: @rachealcookmba
• LinkedIn: @rachealcook
• YouTube: @the_ceo_collective
• Website: The CEO Collective

Subscribe & Review:

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

🎤 Thanks for listening! I'll see you next week!

Send us a text

As a new entrepreneur, you feel inclined to say yes to everything. But as your business grows and those yeses pile up, they become overwhelming to the point where they prevent you from doing the necessary CEO level work you need to focus on.

In today’s episode, I share the top three boundaries that’ll give you the confidence to say no so that you can concentrate on the work you’re truly here to do.

On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:

2:59 - Having clear boundaries doesn’t get talked about much in business circles. Why is having clear boundaries in place so crucial as a CEO?

8:07 - I discuss the different types of clear boundaries you need to place in your business, starting with your calendar.

15:31 - What’s one reason why people get drained and feel tired when working with clients? I talk about the most important thing you can do about it.

21:57 - I reveal how I handle emergencies (on both my end and a client’s) and requests for meet-ups to ensure I protect my time and energy.

27:29 - Constant communication can become an energy drain too. What do you need to look at when setting boundaries around people contacting you?

37:28 - While email is my go-to business communication channel, I reveal how I handle questions and messages through other channels.

42:17 - What do you do when people just want to pick your brain? It’s easy to get sucked into this thinking it’ll lead to a client relationship!

45:46 - Having these clear client boundaries in a scheduling policy will nip problems like last-minute cancellations in the bud quickly.

50:45 - This client boundary challenge is something I see a lot in service providers who are good at a lot of things.

Show Links

• Fired Up & Focused Challenge
• Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
• “How a Model Calendar Helps Me Work Just 25 Hours a Week!”
• The CEO Planner

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @racheal.cook
• TikTok: @rachealcookmba
• LinkedIn: @rachealcook
• YouTube: @the_ceo_collective
• Website: The CEO Collective

Subscribe & Review:

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

🎤 Thanks for listening! I'll see you next week!

Send us a text

My entrepreneurial dad taught me that you have to fire yourself from every other position in your business. But when you first start your business, you have to wear so many hats: customer service, bookkeeper, tech person, assistant, and so on. So it can be quite challenging to let go of some of the roles as you grow your business and your team.

Today kicks off a new podcast series that discusses how you can become more productive and focuses as a CEO. And in this episode, I talk about how to redefine your role as CEO of your business so you don’t become the bottleneck that holds everything up.

On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:

3:56 - Why is it so difficult to let go of the other roles and stay in your CEO lane as your business grows?

7:07 - Founder of Spanx, Sara Blakely, gave insight on how she had to learn to get out of her own way.

12:05 - You being the bottleneck in your business has this unintended consequence as well.

13:06 - How can you start redefining your role as CEO? I reveal the first thing I did and some red flags that signal you’re getting in the way.

17:29 - I discuss the role of the traditional CEO in defining their business’s vision. I also share my favorite exercise to get clarity on your business’s vision.

22:00 - CEOs also have a responsibility to set the culture for the company. I talk about one of the values I’ve had for my business since the beginning.

26:36 - What’s the difference between how corporate CEOs go about creating the strategic plan for their business vs. small business CEOs?

28:49 - I discuss how running a small business team contrasts with running a large company team and how that’s reflected in my business.

31:53 - This final role-playing piece for CEOs is one of the most difficult. It’s the one thing you can’t outsource.

38:35 - Where do you need to put your time, energy, and attention so that you can focus on generating business growth and results? To get clear on this, here are some questions to ask yourself.

48:44 - I share how the avenues where I focus my time, energy, and attention on show up in my business every week and month.

56:15 - How do I divide up my time between doing all the things I’m focused on in my business?

Mentioned In This Episode

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @racheal.cook
• TikTok: @rachealcookmba
• LinkedIn: @rachealcook
• YouTube: @the_ceo_collective
• Website: The CEO Collective

Subscribe & Review:

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

🎤 Thanks for listening! I'll see you next week!

Send us a text

Are you investing time, energy, and money into your business but not always seeing the return? You're not alone—and it's time we have a real conversation about how to actually get results from those big decisions.

In this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO, Racheal Cook breaks down 5 essential strategies to make the most of every investment—whether you're hiring, signing up for a program, attending an event, or investing in a rebrand.

You’ll learn how to:

✅ Make smarter decisions BEFORE you spend a dollar
✅ Follow through (even when life gets in the way)
✅ Avoid ghosting your growth by leaning in and asking for help
✅ Take what works and leave what doesn’t—with confidence
✅ Build your own business ecosystem through real relationships

If you've ever felt disappointed by a course, coaching program, team member, or service provider—or just want to be more intentional with your resources—this episode is packed with honest insights and practical advice to help you stop wasting money and start getting results.

This isn’t just about ROI—it’s about stepping fully into your CEO role.

🎧 Press play now to learn how to turn every investment into real momentum in your business.

👇 Then DM Racheal on Instagram @racheal.cook and let her know: Which of the five strategies will you be focusing on first?

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @racheal.cook
• TikTok: @rachealcookmba
• LinkedIn: @rachealcook
• YouTube: @the_ceo_collective
• Website: The CEO Collective

Subscribe & Review:

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

🎤 Thanks for listening! I'll see you next week!

Send us a text

After setting a revenue goal for your business, the next question on your mind might be, “How do I actually reach my goal?” If that’s you, then you’ll love this episode! In it, I dive even deeper into the actual math behind your revenue goal using real numbers to help you determine what to sell, at what price point, and to how many clients or customers.

On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:

3:26 - I explain why figuring out how to hit your revenue goals can get a little tricky, especially if you follow so-called guru advice.

10:11 - You have to understand your sales conversion rate which varies based on what you’re selling, to who, and at what price point.

12:26 - What kind of sales call conversion rate do I see among people, even those without much sales experience?

14:53 - Let’s take a look at conversion rates of some other popular promotional methods.

22:56 - How do I know that the price point advice too many “gurus” give to entrepreneurs isn’t necessarily based on any real data?

27:39 - I discuss the biggest problems I see with offering a one-session service and my minimum price point recommendation for your signature offer.

31:39 - Here’s how building a baseline revenue with a higher-end offer can help you grow your income down the line, without sacrificing your time or salary.

34:55 - Remember this about each product, program, or service you create for your business.

Show Links

• Get Paid Calculator
• Racheal on Instagram
• Leave a review on iTunes

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @racheal.cook
• TikTok: @rachealcookmba
• LinkedIn: @rachealcook
• YouTube: @the_ceo_collective
• Website: The CEO Collective

Subscribe & Review:

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

🎤 Thanks for listening! I'll see you next week!