Did you ever have a conversation with someone and think you're both talking about the same thing, but pretty soon it's clear that you're not? Well, today I'm going to be talking about the term CEO because that tends to happen sometimes with that term. Let's get to it.

It's time for the Becoming a Profitable CEO podcast and it's all about providing you with the tools to succeed on this ever-evolving business-building journey. My mission is to make sure you know you are not alone, that it is possible and that you, yes YOU, CAN do this. You matter, the world is a better place for having you in it, and your voice is needed!

I’m Teresa Cleveland and I believe we can all make a difference and that having a successful online business is one of the best, most effective ways to do that.

Let’s get to it!

Hey, how's it going? I am so glad you're here. I have been looking forward to this episode because I really want to talk about this term CEO. Let me set the frame today, as my good friend Bob Burg says in his and John David Mann's book The GoGo-Giver Giver Influencer. It just means I want to let you know where I'm coming from when I use that term so that we're both talking about the same thing.

Look, I know many people bristle at the term. I've done some research on it because, let's face it, the name of my business at one point was The Purposeful CEO. And the name of this podcast is Becoming a Profitable CEO.

As I was doing that, I was in groups and I talk with different people. I called colleagues of mine and just different people that I came in contact with. So I know it can be a loaded term for for some people. And some of the things that I heard were, "Oh my gosh, that's so corporate and I left corporate in my dust." "I don't want anything to do with corporate or anything that reminds me of it."

I totally understand that. I would also venture to say that likely what they didn't like about corporate was the culture. Right?The people that they worked with, the people that they worked for, company policies, company politics and things of that nature, or maybe a combo of some or all of those. And I mean, I'm right there with you on that, if that's you, because I've had some really unpleasant experiences myself.

The good news is that now you get to create your own culture. I get to create my own culture. So we create our businesses the way that we want them to run, as well as the environment that we work in. And we get to set the tone. Right? We get to set the tone for those that we attract into our businesses, either as clients or as team members. We get to create it all. And that, for me, has been one of the greatest gifts of owning my business.

What I will also say about corporate is that there are many fundamental processes and procedures within the corporate structure that are very beneficial to running a business. And that's why, regardless of the culture and other things within a business, why so many of them are successful, they apply fundamental elements to their business structure that allows them to become successful, more profitable.

Spoiler alert. We're going to be looking at some of those throughout the lifetime of this podcast as well. What I want to help you do is pull out the parts of it that are going to help you become more successful, more quickly.

I also want to touch on this other thing that I heard, and that was "I just don't think of myself as a CEO." That's OK. If that's you, that's OK. Because when I talk about being the CEO of my business, a lot of it is about the way that I look at my business today and the way that I see my role in it.

I definitely look at things differently now than I did when I first started over 12 years ago. I shied away from the CEO title as well back then. Because who was I to call myself that? It's been a journey for sure, and the growth that has occurred along the way has been tremendous. So if you don't want to call yourself a CEO right now, that's OK.

As I look back, there are just so many hats that we wear from the time that we start our businesses. There's so much to learn. Right? What's the best platform to build my site on? Where do I find customers? What software do I need? How much should I charge? Do I need a separate bank account? And all of the other decisions we have to make. And sometimes it seems like just as soon as we feel like we're getting our footing and a good rhythm together, an algorithm changes, the market changes, a pandemic hits, or one of the many other hiccups that we deal with.

I just want to assure you that as we get to the other side of these things that we come up against, we become stronger and wiser. We gain this experience that enables us to make better, more informed decisions. Those decisions for us, for the people we serve and those who eventually come alongside us and support our business. Our mindset shifts as we mature as business owners.

So I just want to offer this to you. Don't be surprised when it happens to you. I won't be, but I will surely celebrate with you when you do. In the meantime, we'll be here week after week, sharing ways to help you become a more profitable CEO or a more profitable business owner, if that's what's more comfortable for you right now.

Thanks for tuning in to another episode of Becoming a Profitable CEO. I'll be back next week but in the meantime, let's continue the conversation. Head on over to our Facebook Group at GrowthStrategiesCafe.com/Facebook and share your take on today's episode.