4 Questions To Help You Make CEO Level Decisions
Today, I want to talk about something that needs to be talked about –decision making. Let’s harken back to this morning for me. We wake up, the internet's not working. Matt’s trying to work from home, he’s troubleshooting things. It's annoying, it's frustrating for both of us because we need the internet for our jobs. I had a lot to get done today, so in the heat of trying to figure all of that out, I was having to make decisions and adjustments. So I adjusted my work to meet me where I'm at today. I made decisions.
And you know what? Odds are, you might be in this chapter, too. So let’s dive into the conversation I feel deeply needs to happen today: how to make CEO level decisions. You know how I know it's time to have this conversation? Because these are conversations I'm having with my clients. These are conversations that are coming up in my networking groups.
Making Decisions As A Business Owner
When people come to me with business problems, more often than not, the thing they're really asking is, I don't really know what to do next, Kelsey. But it doesn't come across that way it comes across. Should I get on Etsy? Should I figure out a strategy for TikTok? Do I need to be more active in stories? My reels aren't working, the training audios not working. I need to have a CRM client management software. I need a project management software.
More often than not, that’s the type of conversations I'm having with people. But what I think they really mean at their core, if they're honest with themselves, is that they don't know how to make that next decision that leads to that next step in business.
So my goal today is to help you create a filter system or a process to make these decisions. Because at the end of the day, I think being a business owner is not only proving that people can pay you for your product or service. But it's also this next level of confidence and thinking and realization that you are the true captain of the ship, no one is going to come and save you. You have to save you. But that's also a beautiful opportunity.
I don't want this to come across as discouraging and it shouldn't make you feel anxious. If anything, it should give you the peace and confidence to know that all that you need lies within you. It may just be that you don't know how to tap into that yet. And that's okay.
4 Questions To Help You Make CEO Level Decisions
So I've listed out a couple of core questions that I think are really important to ask if you're in this pre decision making process. Here's what that pre decision period can look like for your business. Maybe you don't have the number of leads that you would like to have coming in the door. Or your sales aren't how they've been historically. Or you have so many clients coming in the door, you're working all hours of the night and you don't have time to work on improving the process. These are all indicators it’s time to make some decisions. You can see a theme with those examples.
If the waters are calm, things are coming in, you can handle all of them. You have a beautiful work life balance, you have the appropriate number of sales coming in that are dream clients and you're able to execute on a product or service and they're happy, you're happy. The team's doing rock solid, you're making the money you want then maybe this isn't the episode for you.
But for all of us other hot mess expresses come gather because I'm going to give you the tools you need to be able to make CEO level decisions and the questions to ask yourself before every decision.
Is This An Ego ‘Yes’?
One question I've been floating around this topic is this potential opportunity you might have in your business –maybe you get asked to speak at something or you get asked to present or you get asked to come on a podcast. The number one question I want you to ask yourself when an opportunity presents itself is –is this an ego?
This is tough because I have totally fallen victim time and again into those ego yeses. Now I'm going to tell you something. Once the bills are paid, the proof of concept in the business world is exactly what it sounds like. You invent something, you test it out, you make sure it works. The same happens in business, especially when you're starting. You have to prove that your idea solves a problem for people and people pay you for it. When you're starting as an entrepreneur, all of us go through that chapter. And it's important. As you grow and make more revenue, as you have more visibility, and more people are reaching out for your products or services, I have experienced, at least for myself, and also my clients, those opportunities continue to come up more and more. But it can be so distracting.
Because sometimes the right answer for those opportunities is ‘Not right now’. Even if it feels good, even if it validates what you were trying so hard to prove into the world. Regardless of all of that, there may be a scenario where this is your ego trying to say yes, and it's not a hell yes.
So what is a hell yes? A hell yes, should be something that aligns with your core values. It should be something that at a pit of the stomach level feels exciting, and maybe even a little scary. It should also be something that future you would definitely say yes to. I think it's important to have this filter. And this is why this is the first point I'm making. Because again, the more that you are growing and scaling and you're more visible, you're talking about your stuff, you're networking, you're coming to community events, you're coming to my Get Shit Done Club, you're showing up, you're doing the thing, you talk about the thing, the more you do that, the more people pay attention. And those opportunities will come.
So you need to learn how to say yes to the right ones that are going to help grow you in the direction you want to go. And how do you say no to things that sound cool, but long term aren't going to get you where you want to be?
I have an example of this. Now I do want to say, I believe in what these people are doing, But I was approached a while ago for a really unique opportunity to build a coaching program. And my ego was all about it. I was so honored that I was thought of to even be in the room. We were masterminding together on how we would build it together, we were going to do a profit sharing thing. All of us were going to coach in different styles, it was going to be a collective with some certifications.
And I finally had the aha moment when I realized on an ethical level, I don't feel I'm in a place where I can tell someone how to be a business coach. Even now, even though my business has grown substantially since that moment, I still feel like I'm learning some things. And I don't feel on a core level that it's appropriate for me to charge for that service. I'm not there yet. There's still things I want to master before I can turn back and help someone in that way. So even though my ego was all about it, it felt good. Seeing my name on a website was going to be so cool. Being alongside these people who I really respect was going to be just such an honor. I enjoyed our time together.
So much time in my mind was going to this thing that I ultimately said it's not for me. And that is when I knew there is a difference between your ego saying yes to something and your business mind saying yes to something. Even though on paper, and for a lot of reasons, it was a cool opportunity, it was not the right time, and I stand firm in that decision. And I just want to give you that gift that you should be able to make those decisions confidently.
So, is it an ego ‘yes’? Or hell yes? That's the first layer of the filter. If it passes that test, then I encourage you to throw it through the second layer of this filter,
2. Is This Short Term or Long Term?
So in the first filter, I was talking a lot about opportunities coming to you. But now I think this second filter or question applies to a lot of overall business decisions. So often, if things are not working, we don't want to do the messy work of picking apart what we've historically done and making it better. We instead look forward and we're like, Oh, what if there is an app or a tech or a project management software, or a microphone or a camera or some kind of thing I can invest in that quick fix for what I'm searching for?
I think we look for solutions like that, when the better question is, long term, where do I want to go? And is that solution I'm looking at today really gonna get me there?
I'm gonna give you an example. I have had this podcast now for almost three years. I have not missed a week, despite chaos happening. I am committed to being here. Before I started the podcast, one of my hang ups preventing me from doing it was that I don't have a team to edit it. Now I have a team to edit it. I don't have the right microphone. I Googled what microphone to get. My audio guy literally just emailed me an even better one. My video isn't optimized but I will get there. All that to say, I let the tech and those short term possible solutions prevent me from taking action.
I believe the whole short term long term conversation can be explained in the gym world, too. If you want to build muscle or strength and you go and work out –maybe it's the best workout of your life– but if we just go do it one time versus consistently going over a period of time, where are you going to see better results?
We have to apply the same mindset to our business, especially when it comes to decisions. So that way, when opportunities come, when solutions come, when ads run on Instagram that seem enticing that might be quote unquote beneficial to the business. We can be hyper aware and confident that we're saying yes to these things, these solutions for the right reasons. And they're appropriate for where we want to take our business.
So I'm a big fan of long term solutions. And sometimes the answer is not very sexy, sometimes a Google Doc, step by step guide is more powerful than a brand new Asana board for your business. It just depends where you're at and where you want to go.
3. Am I Too Comfy?
Filter number three. You've already run it through the ego versus hell yes filter and you've run it through the short term versus long term filter. The third filter to ask yourself is, am I too comfy?
If you really want to grow, and I mean really want to grow, we need to be aware of what it takes to get there, which means what has worked today, what you've done today, the work you have committed to already is not the same stuff that's gonna get you to where you want to go.
If you want to be a hairstylist who makes a great income, working minimal hours, serving your ideal clientele, that's doable. And that doesn't take a ginormous CEO growth mindset. I would argue to get there, you can just stick to your repetition. Continue to show up consistently, be aware of your target market, continue to attract more of those people who take good care of your people, rinse and repeat.
But if you are super comfortable, and you really want to grow, it's going to take you getting uncomfortable to really get there. I am uncomfy right now. I am changing things internally, I am slimming down my offerings, I am increasing my prices, there's a lot happening on the back end of my business, that is making me feel really uncomfortable. That's how I know I'm making those great CEO level decisions.
Because we have to put ourselves in the position of making those scary, bold moves. No one's going to do it for us. That is the biggest difference between being an employee for someone else and an employee for yourself, a business owner.
I think a lot of businesses can be beautiful, they can be fulfilling, they can still be your own business, but the level of growth is stunted when you don't make this mindset shift. And that shift again, is if I really want to grow that means reaching further than I have before trying new things seeking out support I haven't sought after before and getting uncomfortable. That means stepping away from the chair. Eventually, that means really, reaching out for new things that you otherwise wouldn't have. That means learning new skills. That means working on your leadership and your delegation.
So are you too comfortable? And are you ready to be uncomfortable? If you're not ready, maybe now's not that time for that next level of growth. Maybe that's the time we look internally and we focus on optimizing things in house.
When we're talking about the CEO level decisions, another important question to ask is, am I searching for someone to tell me what to do? The majority of my clients start off needing this type of support, an idea comes to mind, maybe they want to launch a podcast, maybe they want to hire a new person, or potentially fire someone, and they look to me for the end all be all decision making. In the beginning, I will ProCon things with them. But towards the end, I encourage them to take the wheels off the tricycle and really get ready to be uncomfortable, and also eventually stable, because they're doing it themselves on a bicycle. I imagine that's how growth happens in business. It's like we lean on these things, the support system around us to kind of get it up and running.
But ultimately, the top business owners, the people you and I follow, and admire, sure they have advisors, they have people to get feedback from, but at the end of the day, they're not looking for someone else to tell them what to do. They're looking internally, and they know exactly what to do. That is the biggest mindset shift between being a business owner or entrepreneur and a CEO in my mind.
The interesting piece about this is it's a choice. You don't have to do that. You could still have a business, you could even have a team, you could make multiple six, multiple seven figures and still operate as a small business, but not truly tap into that CEO mindset and probably still have some success.
But if you're wanting that deep level of growth, if you're wanting to really leave an impact, scale beyond where you're at today, I think that shift is important to happen. And I think a big question is, are you confident making those decisions? Or do you know how to come to a place where you can make that decision? It could look like gathering data and that's something you could outsource. It could look like asking mentors or a coach. It could look like being a part of a mastermind and getting feedback from other people who are in a similar chapter of business.
It’s super important for us to recognize that be all end all decisions have to come from us, and also to come from a place of confidence and clarity of where you're taking the business.
4. Who Can You Run Your Decisions By?
The last filter I want to encourage you to add to your toolkit is who can you run this idea, this potential decision, this fork in the road? Who can you run it by? Does that person have a proven track record? So often, when we're starting a business, we get a lot of solicited and unsolicited advice from friends, family, clients, and business besties.
But as you're walking further down this road of growth, as your team is growing, as you're scaling, as you're adding more offerings and services, and you're building this empire, you should get real picky on who you share your potential ideas with, not because people can steal them. Sure someone could copy exactly what I do. If I told them my exact business plan, someone could go do it, but they're not me. And I feel confident in that.
However, if you're seeking advice from people who maybe don't have a business or they haven't walked down as far as you have, or they don't have experience that is different than yours, they may not be the best person to seek advice from.
I've noticed that the further down the road I get, the more revenue I bring in in this business and the more impact I have in helping others, the pickier and pickier and pickier I am in getting business advice from people. I got real choosy on who I seek advice from. Now it's people who are much further down the road. And I'm specific.
I mentioned having that mastermind with some friends who run networking groups. They're also coaches. So I asked a lot of advice questions around their groups, because quite frankly, you're getting a little preview of what's under the hood. But their groups are bigger than mine. They're more successful. They bring in more revenue, they pay themselves consistently. So I want to learn how to do that. So I asked for their advice.
They're now on the consulting side, I have a little bit more experience in that world. So they asked my advice there, I'm able to take hey, this person has this specific skill set and in this area, they are further down the road for me and I can hyper focus the questions I send to that person so that way I get the answers I need that pertain to that specific part of business. And then on the consulting side, I reach out to people who are further down the road in consulting. For podcasting, I reach out to people who are further down the road in podcasting.
So you start to build this arsenal of your own essentially board of directors who provide advice but they have to have track records. Essentially, what this is really getting at the core, is building that confidence muscle within yourself to really step into the CEO level that you want. But it's not for everyone –and that's okay.
If you're someone who has a nail salon, and you absolutely love doing nails and you can never picture roles where you're not at least seeing a couple clients a week. And yes, you have a team and you're growing your team. But if you can never see yourself stepping away from that client work, then be okay with that, be at peace with that work within the confines that you have. Maybe that means your CEO days are limited because you only have so much capacity. Maybe that means having a manager who steps in when you are doing client work.
Feeling Confidence In Your Decisions
There are so many ways to run a business and no one size fits all. There's no perfect solution that's going to land in your lap and save the day. I encourage you to use these filters, as you're having to make tough decisions as you're having to make pivots. As you're having to decide if something is for you or not, I want you to feel confident in those decisions. And that comes from you. Just because you haven't uncovered it yet, doesn't mean it's not there, it just means it's a new baby muscle that needs to be grown.
A lot of us don't get into entrepreneurship because we want to be a CEO. A lot of us get into it because we love the work we do and that grows beyond our capacity to do it by ourselves. So we grow a team. And then all of a sudden, we realize, Wow, I'm not just Kelsey, a business coach. I'm also Kelsey, a CEO. There's some things maybe I don't know, and I want to get better at and I want to be a better leader and delegate better and communicate more clearly, and grow beyond what I can do by myself. And I think that comes from applying all these filters.
I also think a lot of it is making great decisions and then executing on them. Because if you make the right decisions, they should be easy to execute. They should make a lot of sense. And ultimately, they shouldn't distract you. Whether it's a distraction because you're scared or a distraction because it's exciting and shiny, you should just feel confident on the path that you're walking on.
Hopefully this was a golden nugget for you and will help you in achieving your business goals. Just remember, you're not alone. It's important to have the right kind of community and the people who are going where you want to go. That may mean losing some people who got you to this place –and that's okay. You can peacefully release them. So I encourage you to use this to help you make more confident decisions at the CEO level that your business is meeting.
The best place to really hammer home that confidence, find that internal strength in yourself is at my upcoming retreat! I firmly believe in the work that I do. I also think this specific topic is much better served deeply at the level of my CEO Business Retreat in March 2024. You still have time to join us! We would love to have a conversation with you. I co host it with my friend Karina, who is a mental performance coach and a yoga teacher. And we really tap into the confidence, the peace, the clarity, all of the things that help you be a better business owner and it starts and ends with you. So if that sounds interesting to you, we would love to have you!
www.trueadventurecollective.com/business-retreat