Episode 154: How to Step into the Role of CEO in your Business with Manali Sontakke

Are you ready to scale your business, but are still running it as a one-woman show? It’s time to step into the role of CEO. In this episode of The Brand Strategy Podcast, Manali Sontakke joins us to discuss her transition to going full-time in her photography business, to then pivoting her role into a CEO. Listen in as she shares the resources, steps, and lessons that have helped her to grow as her own CEO in the last year. Start looking at your business with a long-term vision. Where do you see yourself in your business in 3-5 year? Becoming the CEO in your Business Becoming a CEO doesn’t come naturally to most of us. We’re often so focused on getting the day to day tasks done, that we don’t think through what running a business like a CEO can offer us. While there are many different approaches to becoming a CEO, guided resources and practices can be extremely helpful. In this episode, Manali shares about her favorite business book, Traction by Gino Whitman. Traction helps you to better understand how to make decisions and get a handle on your business. She also discusses the importance of planning and scheduling. With the help of The Productivity Zone by Alexandra to help with quarterly planning, and batch scheduling to help balance her weeks, she’s found a way to stay on track and successful. Know Your Why  It’s easy to get started in your business and be months or even years into it before you begin to question why you’re doing it all. Set aside time to deep dive into understanding your vision for your business and why you want to do what you do. Own your strengths There is no one that does business like you. Why? Because there is no one exactly like you. You’ve developed your own personal strengths and skills in your business and that’s what you should be focused on. Everything else can be outsourced and delegated when the time is right. Take an Emotional Step Out of Big Business Decisions You heard that right. Your emotions aren’t what drives your business. As Bonnie has shared time and time again, you need to prioritize data over drama when it comes to your business. Making a decision in your business purely based on emotion can lead to disappointment; and a lot of it. Take time to review, research, and reflect on any big decision in your business to make sure it’s right based on facts. It’s Time to Take on the CEO Role Now that you’ve heard the experiences that Manali had in becoming the CEO of her business, it’s time for you to take on the role of CEO in your business. Start by creating a loose schedule. While you should be planning out what you’re going to be working on, know that as a business owner, anything can pop up and need immediate attention. Outsource the things that begin to fall off your priorities. You’ll begin to notice what takes priority in your tasks and work—everything else should be passed off to someone else. Continue to look at how you’re running your business and find what you can ...