The CEO Help Desk from Run Like Clockwork

What do you do when you have a team member resistant to Clockworking? This question comes up much more often than we ever anticipated within our Accelerator group, so we figured we'd cover it here on the podcast in addition to the new module training within our program. Three clues to know if this episode is for you: You've decided to Clockwork your business but have a team member resistant to it. You ask "how long does the Clockwork program take" instead of realizing Clockwork isn't a task you add to your plate but actually becomes a part of your culture and a way of thinking. You find yourself in a cycle of hiring + firing. Remember, just because you've always done it that way doesn't mean you should continue. In this episode of the Run Like Clockwork Podcast, Adrienne shares 3 tips to either get your team member onboard or get clear on if they're no longer a good fit for your company: Make a list of all the benefits of Clockworking the business for your team member. Adrienne gives 3 really amazing examples to get your list started. Also, listen to the interview episode where Mike Michalowicz's team member, Kelsey, shares how she Clockworked herself from personal assistant to President! Communicate the benefits to your team member and have a conversation with them to hear their concerns and address them one on one. If you've done the first 2 steps, then you must clearly communicate your company culture of Clockwork and make a decision if the team member is a good fit for your company as it moves forward and grows. So whether you're helping a team member get onboard with the Clockwork culture of your company, getting out of the hiring + firing cycle, or getting clarity on if/when to let that team member go, we hope this episode helps you! Let's continue the conversation over in our new free Run Like Clockwork Community! Let us know if this is something you're currently experiencing and if you've tried these tips!

Metrics, spreadsheets, and data - oh my! Metrics may feel like one of the most adult aspects of your business. My guess is, either you're naturally inclined towards spreadsheets + analytics… or it's a struggle bus because you're more of a creative visionary. Metrics are vital in order to know where you are heading and understand when you've reached your target. Lead metrics, like a GPS, provide you with a perspective of what your performance will be in the future. Lag metrics give you an insight into your past performance, like looking in a rearview mirror. In this Team Takeover episode of the Run Like Clockwork Podcast, Laurie + Tyler dig into metrics and answer the most common questions we get inside our Clockwork Accelerator program. Laurie is a lead coach within the Clockwork Accelerator program and Tyler is a finance + metrics expert who helped Adrienne (his wife) develop the Clockwork systems + methodologies. Both geek out about metrics, so you're in great hands! Questions they answer in this episode: "If I'm the sort of business owner whose brain operates more creatively rather than with numbers, (ie Bookkeeping was probably the first thing outsourced), how can I keep my dashboard easy and simple to maintain but still give me the information I need to grow?" "What if my QBR is more qualitative rather than quantitative?" Example: Fun music lessons or compassionate therapy "Is it a good idea for everyone on the team to see the dashboard or is it just for the owner only?" "How often should I check or update my metrics?" "Is there such a thing as too much data?" If you have questions not addressed on this episode, drop your questions over on Instagram @rlclockwork and we will either answer them there or in an upcoming episode. If you're looking for more in-depth support with your metrics and setting up efficiency systems within your business, then check out our Clockwork Accelerator program. Just getting started and want to talk more about clockworking your business with like-minded business owners? Then join our free Run Like Clockwork Community! Our Clockwork Community group is a space for people who are all working towards the same goal (Clockworking your business) to come together, share ideas of what's working and not working, cheer each other on when things get tough, and hold your feet to the fire when you want to give up. The Clockwork Community group is a peer-led, collaborative experience and we'd love to have you be a part of the conversation! Click here to join the Free Clockwork Community!

Exciting news! In light of everything going on in the world, between the pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, and economic uncertainty, what feels more important than ever before is community. I've wrestled with the idea of creating a Facebook community for a while because I wanted to make sure our team had the capacity to support and hold the energetic space for a community, but now I've felt this push - It's time. Let's do it! Join our new, free Clockwork Community! What the Clockwork Community is for: For Clockworkers with the common goal of creating efficiency within your team + business A space for peers to come together and discuss clockworking A safe place to share ideas + what is/not working for you so you're not doing it alone A space to cheer each other on + hold each other accountable While our RLC team will not be doing 1 on 1 support + feedback like you would get in one of our paid programs, we will lead, engage, and do live q+a sessions within the free Clockwork Community. The free Clockwork Community on Monday, June 15th and we're having a welcome party! Request to join now + then on Monday we'll let everyone in! I hope you'll join us!

One of the common hiring concerns we get from our Clockworking clients is that they worry hiring might blow out their 'expenses' category when also following Profit First. On this episode of the Run Like Clockwork Podcast, Emily + Laurie from Team RLC share how Clockworking and Profit First can absolutely coexist when hiring. In fact, not only can they coexist, they can be a dynamic duo to make hiring efficient and profitable. In this episode they cover: Actionable steps for how to leverage the Clockworking principles of time tracking for hiring. How to use metrics to inform your hiring decision. How to utilize Profit First accounts for hiring + training. Why contractors should be deducted first before finding your "Real Revenue" when doing your Profit First distributions. Once you've identified who to hire or how to rebalance your existing team, the next key step to removing yourself as the bottleneck is effective delegation + communication with your team. We have a free resource to help you do just that! Grab our 4 Tips to Efficient Communication + Delegation at www.runlikeclockwork.com/4-tips We'd love to hear how you are implementing Clockwork + Profit First within your business and hiring process! Tag us on Instagram @rlclockwork

Are you fighting for your limitations? You're probably saying "Of course not, Adrienne! That would be ridiculous." I know, I know. To our logical, high-achieving, goal driven brains fighting for a limitation is not a smart move. Yet it's a question worth considering. If you're listening to this podcast, I know you are a business owner who has big goals... and you also know that you desperately need to change the way you do business if you want to continue to grow — because right now you are maxed out in terms of your time + energy. You would love to be able to free yourself up to focus on the more valuable projects...and maybe even hire some support to help you out, but you're: Unclear on what YOU should actually spend your time doing as CEO… Maxed out and don't have more time to pour into the business — or figuring out how to improve the business... Afraid you can't afford to hire someone no or ever... Not sure what position to hire for next… and uncertain what that person would do, even if you *could* find them because the future seems so uncertain now... Nervous because you've been burned before — and right now you feel like it's just easier to do it all yourself! I talk to so many business owners who want a change... but "don't feel ready" or "don't know where to start." Maybe they don't think they're ready for Clockwork because: They're afraid they don't have time to implement — because they're so busy working in their business, they don't have time to work on it. They don't have a huge budget or struggle with cash flow problems — so they're always waiting for the "next big project" to be able to afford to invest in their business. They don't want to lead a big team, or they're worried about making the wrong hiring decisions — so they've inadvertently created a revenue cap for their business and struggle to grow past it. The truth is, what's really behind this feeling of being "not ready" is that they don't trust themselves to make the right decisions that will allow them to grow and scale. So back to my original question: "Are you fighting for your limitations... or truly open to new ways of doing things for better results? Aurthur Ashe said "Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." Taking action starts with your mindset. I'm a super strategic and tactical process person, but I also know that your mindset will make or break your success. So let me ask you: Who do you want to become as a CEO and business owner? Ex: I am a person who is resourceful with my time, money, and team. Ok, good. Now what do you need to do/think NOW to be like that person now? Ex: Become resourceful with my time now: 3T Become resourceful with my money: identify wasted time = $ (Amanda Bond screenshot on Kickoff sales page breaks down how minutes of trimmed time accounted for hundreds of dollars saved a year - super bite-sized) Become resourceful with my team: capture systems There are tactical processes that we teach within our Accelerator. It's VERY robust and produces incredible results for our clients. If that feels too much and adds to the mind drama of overwhelm, then consider joining Kickoff. We created it for that exact reason: to help you START. You will get the tools to move your forward towards operational efficiency, even if you have no time, money, or team. Quick, sustainable WINS. You want Momentum? That momentum begins with a KICK of motion. runlikeclockwork.com/kickoff

Many people are talking about what to do if your business + sales are completely tanking right now. But what about the flip side? What if you are actually experiencing explosive growth? On this week's episode of the Run Like Clockwork podcast, I want to address what you need to do to keep up with fast growth and high demand. I have 5 quick tips on what to do if your business is growing too quickly right now. Know where your time is going. Transfer, automate + trust. Capture systems + hire. Know your costs. Deliver with excellence + determine client capacity. I explain these 5 tips in more depth + give actionable steps on this episode. I also give an example of a business owner whose side business is now scaling too quickly and how these efficiency principals are vital for profitable growth right now. If navigating + leveraging quick growth is something you are struggling with and want support around, I'd like to invite you to join our Clockwork Accelerator. www.runlikeclockwork.com/vacation "The best marketing you can do is delivering with excellence." You are also invited to a free training Mike Michalowicz + I (Adrienne Dorison) are doing called GET LEAN: creating efficiency in your business during inefficient times on Monday, May 18th at 3pm ET. In this training, we'll cover . . . The 5 stages of navigating a recession. Mike's block control method for getting shit done. A quick hack for shifting your mindset, even when things are tough. The Pareto method you can use to chop your workload in half. Plus we'll do some LIVE coaching w/ some attendees! No one can afford to remain bulky in their business, regardless if business is slow or coming in fast, so join us for this free training and steal our best efficiency tools for your business. This works for ANY business, in ANY industry, at ANY revenue level!

"Many businesses are getting temporary relief for longterm agony." The biggest challenge we face is knowing what our biggest challenge is. As a result most businesses stay stuck in a pattern of 2 steps forward and 3 steps back. On this episode of the Run Like Clockwork Podcast, Mike + Adrienne talk about Mike's newest book, Fix This Next. Mike has spent the past five years researching the "DNA" of all companies. Within every business he has discovered a Business Hierarchy of Needs — a specific sequence of things that must be done for a business to grow properly and permanently. Tune in as Mike + Adrienne discuss the simple method that helps you identify which of your company's Core Needs are not currently being satisfied + determine which one of these is the vital need, and fix it next. With that vital need resolved and your business moving forward, repeat the process to grow even more. Business growth only happens when you do the right things… at the right time. This book will show you exactly how to do it. As always, the discussion is lively, thought provoking, and actionable! Make sure to grab your copy of Fix This Next along with Mike's bonus tools here. You can also join Mike + Adrienne for a free training: Get Lean: how to create efficiency in your business during inefficient times on Monday, May 18th @3pm ET. No one can afford to remain bulky in their business, regardless of the economic state, so join us for this free training and steal our best efficiency tools for your business. See you there!

In every new season in our life + business, it's important to reevaluate efficiency. Time tracking is a great tool for understanding where you can improve your efficiency. Last week we talked about creating efficiency in this new season and how, likely, efficiency in this season will look differently than it did in the past. In this episode I discuss: How often we do time tracking as a team The difference between time tracking and taking action on it. How we use the tracking review to improve efficiency using the 4 Ts How each team member reflects and reviews their time tracking results What I do as the business owner to give feedback to the team Our biggest takeaways from our Q2 time tracking while taking into account the current pandemic Even though everything feels far from normal right now, I want to encourage you to time track with your team right now. It is the perfect time to take a snapshot of what's going on, where you can improve, where inefficiencies are happening and then do a review as a team. Keep us posted if you do time tracking. We'd love to hear how it goes for you! Join us for a free training: Your Next Move: 5 Steps to Complete Clarity on What Your Business Needs Right Now on Wed, April 29th @4pm ET. This training is dedicated to helping you discover Your Next Move in your business — no matter what happens next.

Needless to say, this is a very different and potentially challenging season for all of us. In this episode, I share what efficiency looks like in this new season for me and the Run Like Clockwork team and give you some food for thought of what you can do to reevaluate potential shifts you can make towards better efficiency. A big component of clockworking is this idea of continuous improvement. It doesn't serve us to do something just because "we've always done it that way." These past few weeks, we are taking a relook at everything in our business to evaluate what is and isn't still working in this season. I'd encourage you to do the same. Three examples of things that were working in the past but are now not efficient: Batching calls to now 1-2 calls per day Transferring tasks that other team members can do easier in this season Additional team meetings I want to remind you that this is not a normal season. I want you to be empathetic of that for yourself and your team members as well as make smart pivots in your business and efficiency habits. What can you give yourself permission to change right now to reduce frustration? I'd love to hear what some of those micro and macro changes are that you're making in this new season. Connect with us on Instagram @rlclockwork

It's one thing for the CEO to clockwork themselves out of the business to take a 4 week vacation, but how about team members? Is it possible for them to take a 4 week vacation? Adrienne interviewed Mike Michalowicz on a previous episode and he mentioned Kelsey as an integral part of his team. Listen here. We knew we had to have Kelsey on the podcast! This week Kelsey shares how she went from a part-time personal assistant on Mike's team to now being president of his company. She shares how she clockworked herself out of her position, allowing her to take 8 weeks off in 2019. She shares: -How she prepared the team for her 8 week vacation and the mindset she needed to step away. -How she used her time while away. -The benefits the team experienced from her being unreachable for 8 weeks. -What she did and didn't put back on her plate when she returned. -Their next company goal is to clockwork all team members to the place they can take a 4 week vacation and what steps they must take to make it happen. -How task management and role management is a constant cycle. -The biggest growth Kelsey experienced through the process of clockworking herself out. -How Kelsey & Mike balance their roles as a CEO and President/Operations Manager. Kelsey's best time to other team members who are clockworking: Let go of control. It's impossible to grow if everything has to go through you. Ready to start handing things off with more trust + confidence? Steal our 4 top tips for efficient communication + delegation to transform your team + maximize your efficiency! Click here to grab the tips!

The most important question you need to be thinking about right now: What is your opportunity? Continuing to do everything in your business is … EXPENSIVE. Efficiency is all about understanding how to use your resources (time, money, labor, etc.) more effectively so that you can use LESS and get the SAME or BETTER results. That's no longer a luxury, that's essential to stay in business over the next 3-12 months. You need to be looking at your business with a critical eye and clarifying where you can cut back without losing revenue. This will help you increase your profit margins and overtime can increase revenue overall as you divert the resources you ARE using into the right places. That's efficiency. That's clockworking. NOW is the time to be fixing the cracks in your foundation so that you can make it through this + be even stronger on the other side of it. On this week's Run Like Clockwork episode (taken from a live training + Q+A session), I share 5 tips for being EFFICIENT during these uncertain times + market: Use you data/metrics. Create a plan. Trash, trim + transfer things off your plate. Stop multitasking. Take some downtime. I explained these tips in more depth on this livestream as well as took questions from small business owners just like you. I answered questions like… Should I stop making investments in my business right now? What should I do if I have an upcoming promotion? Should we continue to sell? Are certain industries seeing more of a "slow-down" than others right now? How can I serve my audience + community more? I had to send my team home, and can't keep up with business, how do I communicate with my clients? Why we're still enrolling for our RLC Accelerator program. What's your best advice for a small business owner in danger of shutting down? + more! If you have questions not addressed on this episode, drop your questions over on Instagram @rlclockwork and we will either answer them there or in an upcoming episode. Reminder: none of us predicted this, and none of us have experienced anything like it, but we get to choose how we're going to react and respond as a business owner to it all. It's our responsibility to keep our businesses' afloat through this challenging time, and I believe you can do it. Experiences like this form the foundation of our strength. If you're interested in receiving our support with creating more efficiency in your business right now, we've just opened up an extended 12 part payment plan for our Run Like Clockwork Accelerator program. This is the best way for us to support you in becoming ultra-efficient in this uncertain economy. Our highest priority is to help keep as many small business owners in business through this challenging time. Our April cohort starts Monday, March 30th, 2020!

Guess who's back?! Back again! Yasssss! I'm back and had a delicious, completely unplugged 4-week Bae-cation (when you take time off to have/take care of your baby ;) ). Not only did I NOT check in even once (often tempting), the Run Like Clockwork team took the business through cart close, onboarding and serving new Accelerator students, and hiring + onboarding a new team member. I guess you could say the business + team ran like clockwork. :D Today on the Run Like Clockwork Podcast, I'm back along with the entire RLC team to share our biggest takeaways and wins during my 4-week bae-cation as well as ask me questions about how my role will look moving forward as I still nurture a tiny human + lead the Clockwork company. Get ultra-efficient with us! I'll be hosting a FREE training next Tuesday, March 24th at 4 pm ET: I'll be showing you how to use our ultimate efficiency tool for your business -- your Queen Bee Role -- and if you do nothing else during this uncertain time -- implement THIS for more efficiency! You can sign up here.

DITCH the job titles. I know, it sounds radical and can feel rebellious, but trust us on this one - it's the thing to do! When you shift from job titles and degree labels and instead focus on strengths - GAME CHANGER. You've probably had many job titles in your life and likely have a degree (or two). But what do you really do? What are you really great at? What is the common thread between all your titles? THAT is your strength. It's the same thing when hiring. When you hire for strengths, you get the best of your team member. And major perk? They tend to love working in your company lightyears more because they're working in their zone of genius, doing what they love most. Win win! In this episode of the Run Like Clockwork Podcast, Emily shares: How we write job descriptions and hire based on strengths The benefits of "User Manuals" for your team Personality tests we use as a team How to cultivate team communication around strengths What do you look for when hiring? Connect with us over on Instagram and let us know any of your best hiring practices! (@rlclockwork) Pop over here to grab our free Clockwork Quickstart Guide + free training that will help you as you start clockworking your business: runlikeclockwork.com/quickstart Subscribe, rate + review this podcast so that more entrepreneurs can benefit from the power of clockworking their business!

We often hear that people think clockworking is going to be too hard // too time consuming // too much change // no one else can do it like I can // insert whatever excuse here. You can either have excuses or you can have success. In this Team Takeover episode of the Run Like Clockwork Podcast, Emily is here to dispel the most common falsehoods about Clockworking. This is what we wish you knew about Clockwork from the inside of a business that IS clockworked, and WASN'T a year ago. Clockwork myths dispelled today: It's too time consuming It's too hard It's too much change (my team will rebel) It won't work for my business No one can do it like me I don't want to take a 4 week vacation I hope that addressing these myths helped clear up some of your own questions. And if any of these questions resonated with you or sparked more, nuanced questions for your business specifically, you may want to consider joining our Run Like Clockwork Accelerator where we can answer all your questions and provide specific feedback to your business. Enrollment for our April cohort closes soon.

What's that saying "straight from the horse's mouth"? That's what you get in this episode! You're here because you know the value of designing a business that runs like clockwork and want to start or continue clockworking your business. Today you get to hear straight from the team's mouth 5 Top Tips to apply as you clockwork. Be confident in your clockworking and do not turn your back on this decision. Maintain open connection + conversations within your team. Make it a habit (to dig deeper into habits, check out the Atomic Habits for Clockworking episode) Cultivate a culture of efficiency, being open to creative ideas and having each other's backs. Trust the process Connect with us over on Instagram and let us know what other benefits you came up with of clockworking from your team members perspective! (@rlclockwork) Pop over here to grab our free Clockwork Quickstart Guide + free training that will help you as you start clockworking your business: runlikeclockwork.com/quickstart Subscribe, rate + review this podcast so that more entrepreneurs can benefit from the power of clockworking their business!

We did it! Adrienne had her baby Kit and took her 4 week "vacation"...and Team RLC held down the fort! Phew! On this special "Team Takeover" episode, Emily, Laurie and Erica share how the 4-week vacation went for the team. The team shares WINS that happened on the backend: Hired Gabbi Closed a cart without Adrienne Enrolled new students Made big decisions on our own System Improvements & upgrades - team collaborations What didn't go so well: Nothing major happened that couldn't be dealt with by us! - Minor: emailed to wrong list a couple of times but kicked us into gear that there is a system failure here to be fixed. Some strategy decisions just had to be made, with the realization that we might have to change things when she came back No access to permissions to update Clickup Each team member shares their biggest learnings. Overall, BIGGEST lesson is that we truly are not creating oxygen, so it is ok to make a decision with the information we have and keep moving forward. On a 4-week vacation you can expect problems. You're actually looking for problems because it gives you and your team clarity on what needs to be fixed when you return and gives your team a chance to flex their decision making muscles. Does your 2020 business plan include a 4-week vacation (or do you want it to)? Not sure where to start clockworking your business + team to run itself when you step away? Great! Grab our Clockwork Quickstart Guide + Business Bottleneck training to get moving in the right direction.

The definition of "clockworking" is to design a business + team that runs itself. In order to do that, as the business owner, you need to empower your team to take responsibility for the outcome and anonymity in their decision-making. On this episode of the Run Like Clockwork Podcast, Erica + Emily discuss 4 things to NOT to do to your team when clockworking your business: What NOT to do: Insert yourself into things you've already removed yourself from. Believe that you are the only one that's capable of doing the job the best. Don't completely disengage from the team Expect your team to read your mind. What TO DO: Share the vision for team buy-in. When you communicate the WHY, give context to the what. Know & communicate what a WIN looks like. Get your team input on the process. Delegate the outcome, not the exact process you've always done things. Ready to get started clockworking your team + business? Your first step is grabbing the Clockwork Quick-Start Guide that includes a bonus "Find Your Bottleneck" training.

Which goal would you prefer to pursue? -To be a business owner who takes a 4 week vacation Or -To become a CEO who runs their business as efficiently and responsibly as possible. Do you hear that subtle shift between the performance goal and identity goal? The goal of Clockwork is not just the 4 week vacation, which is a performance goal. #operationvacation But ultimately, help business owners become a CEO who is efficient in all areas of business. #identityshift Your habits and the habits of your team are a huge part of that identity goal. At Run Like Clockwork, we believe that you can't succeed at clockworking your business until doing the work associated with that change becomes an automatic habit. In this episode of the Run Like Clockwork Podcast, Emily covers the following aspects of habits for clockworking: Performance vs Identity goal/habit How to create habit feedback loops that serve you and your team Trash, Trim & Transfer Cue & Cravings for Clockwork 4 things you can do to make habit formation easy "Motivation rarely is enough to carry you all the way through to the formation of a habit. You need more than just motivation to make a habit really stick." Ready for the first steps in Clockworking your business? We've got you covered! Grab our free Clockwork Quickstart Guide and get a bonus training with it, too.

A common complaint or fear we hear from owners regularly is — "I'm super excited and invested in clockworking my business… my team just doesn't seem to care as much. How do I get them to care as much as me?" We get it! When it's not your business, inherently the stakes aren't as high. While Adrienne is on her 4 week vacation/maternity leave, Emily & Laurie do a Team Takeover episode and share 3 ways that you can get your team to care more about the business. Share the vision for your company with the team. Be bold, open, and share your biggest dreams, and explain how each team member will fit into that. Clockworking is a revolution!!! This doesn't just benefit the boss… it benefits our society! Want more practical examples? Check out Episode 28: Mike's Best 4-week Vacation Tips. Have an open and honest conversation about what owning a business is like for your life, and how it impacts you and your life. Adrienne + Tyler demonstrate this beautifully in episode 26: 3 Lessons from a Week-long Vacation Excited to get started clockworking and get your team on board too? Grab our Clockwork Quickstart Guide! It has links to resources that will benefit you + your team so you can start designing a business + team that runs itself!

Here's a juicy episode for you! I'm answering ALL your questions, rapidfire! Questions I answer on this episode: How can I start implementing Clockworking with new hires from the very beginning? When hiring someone new -- how long should it take to get them fully integrated + into a fully 'delegated' state? What do you do when you want to fire almost everyone? How do I support my team with hitting income company income goals? How do I deal with team members making client facing mistakes? Do you have any advice for protecting design time and preventing it from devolving into other other D's (doing, deciding, delegating)? I hope that me answering these questions helped clear up some of your own questions. And if any of these questions resonated with you or sparked more, nuanced questions for your business specifically, you may want to consider joining our Run Like Clockwork Accelerator where we can answer all your questions and provide specific feedback to your business. I plan to do more of these rapidfire Q + A episodes so if you have other questions, share them with us on Instagram @rlclockwork.

"We first make habits, and then our habits make us." John Dryden There's no doubt that habits play a huge role in the success (or failure) of a business. While we all live by habits, some habits are more intentional than others. Today I'm sharing 5 habits I have developed that help me stay efficient AND productive. My top 5 habits are: review my projects / PM system daily end of day standup time blocking remove distractions create your personal non-negotiables Hopefully you can take one, some, or all of these and start testing and applying them to your business. I can guarantee you that if you stay consistent on them, they will help you be more efficient and productive in your business. I'd love to hear how it's going for you if you try any of these! Tag us on Instagram @rlclockwork ! We would love to hear which one you try or if there are other habits that are working for you that we should know about!

This episode is super special because, not only am I sharing incredible WINS of Clockwork Rockstars + how they did it, I'm doing it with my lead team member, Emily! Since one of Emily's Clockwork hats is coaching within our Accelerator program, I thought who better to join me to shout out some of our incredible students and hopefully inspire you as you kick off the New Year in your business! Since our Run Like Clockwork QBR (Queen Bee Role) is keeping our students accountable, we've integrated badges into the Clockwork Accelerator program that our students can collect throughout the program and earn rewards. Think Girl/Boy Scouts badges for your business. How cool is that?! The badges that some of our Clockwork Rockstars earned that we highlight are: ACDC Rockstar Systems Snatcher Graduate 2 Week Vacation Converts Like It's Hot We share these wins with you so you know it happens incrementally over time + it is possible. These business owners came into our Accelerator program less than 6 months ago and are already experiencing so many wins! Qualities that helped these students have incredible wins (+ will help you too): open to new ideas do the work, show up on calls, ask questions take advantage of every resource presented to them ask for things that they need focus on implementing If you're interested in joining us within our Run Like Clockwork Accelerator, we would love to support you this year in designing a business + team that runs itself! You can find all the details here.

Wow! With 2020 (and a new decade!) HERE, I thought it would be perfect timing to talk about the power of big thinking and designing your 2020 plan. I know many business owners struggle with making time for the visionary pieces of the business. If you're like so many of our clients and entrepreneurs we talk with, you're a high achiever and pride yourself with being a "hard worker." That can be one of the reasons that it's challenging for you to get out of the Doing aspect of your business and step more into the Design aspect and highest value activities as the visionary. On this episode I share why thinking of yourself as a super visionary as well as valuing that side is vital for leading as the captain of your ship. I go into more detail on being the captain of your ship and Doing vs Designing in my free Find Your Business Bottleneck workshop and Quickstart Guide - my gift to you. The reason you may be avoiding design time is that it often has delayed gratification, so it may be more challenging for you initially because DOING involves more instant gratification which you're likely addicted to! We're biased towards quick wins. Often the visionary, strategy + longer term higher level leadership work we need to be doing doesn't come with quick wins. Some tips for making sure you have design time planned in: block off the time ON THE CALENDAR for "designing" share with your team to keep accountable step away from the computer do something that inspires you If you're interested in joining us within our Run Like Clockwork Accelerator, we would love to support you this year in designing a business + team that runs itself! You can find all the details here. Happy New Year + decade!

I thought this would be the perfect time of year to talk about the idea of balance vs. presence. I've never been a fan of balance personally, it just doesn't make much sense to me and always leaves us feeling guilty or split between our worlds. Even the idea of the word balance makes us feel like things should also be split EQUALLY in terms of time in order to be balanced, but that's just one measure. I think more importantly we want to think about our presence during those times. Because otherwise we're constantly somewhere else in our minds anyway. I also share my concept of making "minimum payments" in certain areas of your life during different seasons versus trying to do it all and balance it all. Our goal + focus shouldn't be to create balance with all the things going on in our lives, that's misleading, but rather start prioritizing and focusing on being present. There's no upside in feeling bad about being at work or with family. I have a shirt that says -- wherever you are, be there -- and that really sums up this idea completely. YOU are responsible for your thoughts though so it takes time + attention + intention to even have the awareness that you're not present and then snap back to the moment. This won't be easy and it won't happen overnight, but it will also be an energy saver for you as it takes a lot of energy to mentally be in 2 places at once. Some quick tips to be more present: Identify the moment you're currently in. Listen more closely. Be okay with not knowing everything. Reduce the distractions. Remove yourself from the digital world. Happy holidays + we're wishing you a season of PRESENCE over anything else.

As we continue preparing for our own 4-week "vacation" we're taking you behind the scenes again this week to share the nitty gritty logistics of HOW this will all work. What are the rules for this maternity leave / vacation? How will the team handle things on the day-to-day while Adrienne is away? Will they be able to reach out if they need something? What happens to your clients during this time? How do you handle areas of the business that feel confidential? Adrienne is diving into all your questions about her upcoming maternity leave and give you the inside scoop on how a 4-week vacation should work, why it's not going to go perfectly, and what to do once you return to make things run without you, in perpetuity. Share with us on Instagram if you've got other 'behind the scenes' questions that you'd love for us to answer on an upcoming episode!

The Clockwork baby countdown is ON and Adrienne is taking you behind the scenes this week into her own 4-week maternity leave / vacation preparation. And the first question we've got to dig into for all the mama's out there is … WHY a 4-week maternity leave?! For some of you, taking 4-weeks away would be a dream, and for others, you feel it's not enough. And in this episode Adrienne shares a behind the scenes look at her own decision to take 4 weeks away once the newest Clockwork baby arrives. She shares: why she picked 4-weeks? what will happen after those 4-weeks? Her additional plans in case she wants more time off how much time she'll spend in the business once she returns And … what she'll do with the baby! Whether you're prepping for a maternity leave, a 4-week vacation … or just clockworking the business so you can be better prepared for the future, this episode will give you ideas and insights on why 4-weeks in the minimum you need to step away for. Share with us on Instagram if you've got other 'behind the scenes' questions that you'd love for us to answer on an upcoming episode!

As Adrienne prepares for her upcoming maternity leave, she asked Mike for his best 4-week vacation advice. Since he's been on 2 already and about to take his 3rd in December, he's learned a lot about how to physically and emotionally prepare for 4 weeks away from the business. Mike shares about his own challenges + experiences, what he wishes he would have differently as well as: how to get your brain to finally shut off, the need to become a super-visionary, why you need to watch-out for your ego when you go on vacation, and why damage to the business while you're gone is a GOOD thing! Whether you're ready to take your 4-week vacation soon, or you've got a year to plan --- this episode will be a game changer for you to start thinking about and implementing NOW as your prepare for your own Clockwork operation vacation!

Generosity is one of our core values at RLC and one of my personal core values too. It's something that we've baked into our culture and into our company and I know many of our current and past clients are also motivated by generosity and value it deeply and end up incorporating giving into their culture and business models too. There are 3 ways to give: Money -- give money to a cause you care about. Work this into your business model so that it's not an afterthought that you never have money for, but rather a part of the pricing + financial model! If you can't give 10%, start with 1%. This is about building a HABIT. It will be much harder to give away $100,000 once you make a $1Million if you've never given away anything before, believe me! Start small with stretching that muscle and habit. Expertise -- give of your strengths / expertise to a non-profit organization that may need it! We have a scholarship fund and application process where we award non-profit founders with access to our Accelerator program -- non-profits operate just like businesses, with way smaller operating budgets and they need operations support -- so that's one way we can give back and create a ripple effect with our impact. Time -- give your time in service of their cause. Giving your time will help you feel more connected to the cause as you see the impact right away. It also creates tons of perspective on how much you currently have and helps you increase your own gratitude. Have open hands -- we often feel that if we don't hold on tightly to our money, it will slip away, but when you open your hands and give it allows even more to flow back to you. You allow the dollars to leave and the freedom to enter. Pick one of these 3 ways of baking generosity into your own business and get started! Set goals for yourself of how you're going to incorporate the other ways in the future. Start with the one that feels easiest + most accessible right now, and then build from there! Share with us on Instagram what you're going to start with, we can't wait to hear how you decide to bring more generosity to the culture through this exercise!

Tyler and I just got back from a week-long babymoon -- that's a vacation before your baby arrives if you're new to the lingo like me. And I thought it would be fun to have him on and share what our biggest takeaways from this trip were as it relates to clockworking our own business. When I'm not around, the team challenges themselves to be more resourceful and autonomous (proud mama) — sometimes you need to leave to give them the confidence they need. Team actually feels the interruptions just as much as you do sometimes — they got so much accomplished while I was gone because they weren't stuck in the deciding distractions all day long back and forth — that's a huge inefficiency, whether it's because you're the one getting asked the questions or the one who can't make decisions without someone else. So because they felt the confidence to keep moving forward and make decisions in their areas, it allowed them to more efficient and productive without me! I was able to be fully present this trip versus worrying and thinking about the business the entire time. Time away always exposes the weaknesses and that's the only way we can improve! Schedule your 1-week vacation NOW and let us know on IG (@rlclockwork) what your biggest takeaway from this episode was!

I was chatting with a long-time client this past week and she was sharing with me some of the decisions she was making around where the team was spending their time, if they're going to continue with some big projects and and how they're testing different things for the future to maximize their ROI. And while this may seem like your run of the mill coaching call there was something she's doing very differently this year than she has in the past because of clockwork. She's looking at the true cost of things in the business and making decisions from there versus blindly. Their company does a lot of content marketing — as many of us do — and one of the things they've been working to understand is the true cost of a free blog post. That's right — the COST of a free blog post. And it's not FREE. Their team calculated how much time it's spending them to write, edit, and then format each blog post — and then was able to calculate the cost by multiplying each team member's hourly rate by their time spent and adding it all up. On average ~ $300 per blog post. Not cheap. That's at least $1200/month we're talking and sometimes double that depending on how many posts they have planned. Now that's not the end of the equation though...it would be easy to just say — well, that costs too much let's stop doing it. But we do content marketing for a reason — to connect with our community and eventually create sales. So, they now need to make sure they can track the conversion metrics related to this blog post to see how much each blog post is actually WORTH to them. How much does it earn them over time so that we can make a better decision. Turns out — they're best blog posts have earned them over $30,000 over time by turning those readers into digital course purchasers at the end of the post. And we have another client who has earned multiple 6 figures from one blog post alone. But on average — each post is generating $500 — so we can still make the decision that this is a good investment. Spend $300, earn $500. But again...they don't stop there — because I want them to also analyze if there are other more profitable ways to earn that $500 that may be worth investing more of their resources in. Limited resources means constantly making decisions on where to spend that time, money and energy to get the MOST results out of it. THIS is the value of knowing your true costs, your real metrics and then being able to make better business decisions from there. I know we've been talking about free content here, but the same rules apply for your products, your programs, and everything else your business does. You need to have clear metrics of what the true cost is — including team time which most people leave out when doing their Profit/ Loss statement on a launch for example — oh we spent $20,000 on ads and made $50,000 — but if you also spent another $20,000 on team time developing assets + resources or delivering the program or answering customer support responses, we need to add that cost in to really know if something is profitable or not a good use of our resources. If you're constantly asking yourself "hey, where did all that money we made go!?" or not feeling very confident when making decisions about what to trash and what to hold on to in the business...then we've got to get a better handle on where your time is going, where the teams time is going, and what each project truly COSTS you, so that we can calculate the real profitability and make better and more efficient decisions. This is where you can get efficient much more quickly + confidently, and then be able to double-down + pour resources onto the things that are working well...creating even faster growth opportunities too. If you haven't done a 4D time tracking exercise yet — I encourage you and the team to start there! This data and the metrics you can be tracking alongside of it are invaluable to your business! Grab your time tracking sheet here. If this was helpful for you — share this episode with a CEO friend! They'll thank you later + tag us on instagram!

With Halloween just days away, at first, I panicked when I realized we didn't have any candy for all the cute little neighborhood trick or treaters...and then put my big girl panties on and headed to Costco (mistake #1). We needed a bunch of other things too that people should never buy in bulk, like greek yogurt, and almond milk, spinach...so this wasn't just a candy only trip. Finally made it to the Halloween candy section and Costco really went all out...I mean the smallest bag still costs $20 and has over 300 pieces in it, I don't think we have more than 15 kids in the neighborhood, but obviously we need to be prepared, so we'll get it. I always wanted to be the "cool house"...you know the one where they give out the best candy (Reeses, not Smarties)....but never even dreamed of a life where I could be the BEST HOUSE...you know the one that gives out the full-size candy bars. Well, thanks to Costco, that's me this year. But...that's where the happy part of this story ends… I should have known better, never open the Halloween candy before Halloween...because once it's open, it's basically begging you to eat it. And now I have full-size candy bars (and remember, Reese's not Smarties) staring at me everytime I open the pantry...which is A LOT because additional reminder, 7.5 months pregnant. All that to say...I truly understand why the fun-size bar was created. No one needs these full-size bars in their house, or given to their kids. They created fun-size candy bars for a reason -- sometimes we shouldn't eat the whole thing. The same thing is true for Clockwork...but up until NOW we've been giving you full-size bars and if you're anything like me this week, you've learned your lesson and you're sticking with fun-size from now on. For the first time ever, we're offering a fun-size version of our Clockwork Accelerator program, and it's called Clockwork Kickoff. So, now you can take a bite + get tonssss of the goodness of Clockworking your business, without feeling overwhelmed, overstuffed and regretful as you near the end...just like that fun-size candy bar. A few weeks ago when we closed enrollment for our Run Like Clockwork Accelerator program, many of you reached saying you want to clockwork the business, but you didn't feel quite ready. You felt you didn't have the team, time, or money to start clockworking just yet. In fact, you told me you were looking for first steps to get you started with Clockworking now, until you're ready for the full thang! I think that's smart, you wanted the fun-size. So, we created it over the past few weeks for you. Clockwork Kickoff -- how to start clockworking your business, even if you have no team members, no time, no extra money, and no clue how to hire yet! So, what do you get when you join Clockwork Kickoff? Instant lifetime access to the training — no waiting for the next start date, and you can revisit the information any time you want to grow your business, dial in your efficiency, or make a new hire. 8 bite-sized lessons to get you clarity and into action — we've made them short, actionable, and easy to implement because we know you're pressed for time. Lesson 1: Start Here! Lesson 2: The 4 Types of Work Lesson 3: Moving Towards Your Ideal Lesson 4: Time Tracking Analysis Lesson 5: The 4D Debrief (Part 1 + 2) Lesson 6: 6. The Fastest Path to ROI Lesson 7: Your Action Plan Lesson 8: Do THIS Next! Our tricked-out tracking spreadsheets to make data collection 100x easier Action based assignments with worksheets to get you results fast! PLUS -- when you join before Thurs. Oct 31st at 11:59pm EST, you'll also get: BONUS: exact schedule of how to go through this program successfully BONUS: 2 LIVE Q+A coaching calls to get all your questions answered! That's right, LIVE feedback and coaching from our Run Like Clockwork team to make sure you're on the right track as you implement these first steps. This is a bonus we won't be offering in the future, so snatch it up this week! Investment: $497 If money, time, or small/no team was what was standing in your way before, NOW is your chance to take action on Clockworking your business in a more bite-sized way! Join us in Clockwork Kickoff here >> runlikeclockwork.com/kickoff

Why most CEO's never see the ROI of time tracking -- they don't finish the final step! Just by doing the time tracking exercise, and the debrief process, you can EASILY recover an hour or more a day THIS WEEK -- BUT, that doesn't happen magically, you've got to have the data, you've got to be relentless with the value of your time, and then most importantly you've got to be really intentional with the actions you take with that newly recovered time otherwise it won't result in any ROI. Most CEO's are disappointed when they do time tracking because they don't follow it through with this final step and never get an ROI from the process. After doing this work myself and working with hundreds of clients -- what I know to be true is there are 3 things that will happen with that newly recovered time...so, let's make sure we are choosing which one is most important for us personally! There's no right or wrong -- it's just what's right for you. You can just let it disappear again (which is the most likely), because it's our natural default. If you're a doer, a high achiever, your default is going to be to take that recovered time and just fill it without thinking with more doing. But this doesn't come from an intentional place. This will not grow the business, and becomes a cyclical trap. You can funnel that recovered time towards a more VALUABLE work type or work activity. If we've trashed + trimmed to recover time, it means you've freed up time that we can now spend on a higher value doing or something higher value like delegating or design time. Being intentional is what's key here. If you're intentional and spend this recovered time in a more valuable place, it will create ROI for the business. You can use that recovered time to do less...if you're in need of more personal time, more free time, more family time, more time for a new business, etc -- you can just take this time back for yourself. It will also likely grow the business even without DOING more because you'll have more mental space and be more refreshed when you do spend time in the business. The key is to not let #1 happen -- the unintentional time filler -- but instead intentionally choose option #2 or #3. And how do you intentionally choose it? Think about what your goals are for the business. Think about what you personally need. Think about what would be a more valuable use of your time in the business. And then… Actually BLOCK IT OFF on the calendar. That's right, each week you're going to start blocking this recovered time off on your calendar and write in what you're doing during those blocks. Whether it's an hour or 20 hours. If you don't protect it, it will get filled up with something less important. If you don't block it off, you'll forget to spend it in that intentional way, someone will pull you into a meeting or you'll get sucked into something you've previously trashed...it's not because you're a bad person or have poor work ethic -- it's because this is what's most natural for us and we have to build habits to keep that time moving in the right direction. Some helpful links for you: Grab your time tracking sheet here. Listen to the time tracking episode here. Listen to the time tracking debrief here. Listen to the clockwork delegation episode here. Share with us over on instagram and let me know what you're doing with your extra hours this week! (@rlclockwork).

Now that we've tracked our time (get started here if you haven't yet), it's time to actually dig into this data. It's not useful to just track it without taking the next step to analyze it and then take some appropriate actions. We've developed a super simple step-by-step debrief for you to work through + review after you've tracked your time so that you can actually USE that data to improve the future + how you're using your time. Remember, this is DATA -- so we've got to actually look at it closely and make different decisions on how we spend this time in the future if we want our day to day to look any differently. Collecting data isn't useful on it's own...we have to DO something with it! Here's how we debrief: Trash Trim Treasure What types of tasks? How many hours? Do we currently have someone or is this a gap? Transfer If you have someone on the team you can transfer to, follow our delegation principles -- listen to this episode! If there's a gap -- use it to create a job description Calculate -- how much time did I get back? AND -- what am I going to do with that time? Get out a post-it and write "is this something I need to be doing?" and stick it to your computer...this isn't a one and done activity, we want to train your brain to start looking for things you can trash, trim, + transfer all the time -- but in order for that to happen, we have to keep it top of mind! Hence, the post-it. I'd love to hear your biggest time tracking takeaway -- share with us on IG @rlclockwork! Here's what some of our clients' biggest takeaways were this week... OMG it's literally insane. I probably only tracked 75% of my context switches and it's already nuts back and forth. My time tracking is crazy. I could fill pages and pages. So many distractions and interruptions even if i say do not disturb. it may never be the right time to capture a "typical" week. But as imperfect as it was, my time tracking has already given me LOTS of valuable insight about how I personally can be much more efficient with my time. Takeaway: how much stuff I do that someone else should be doing. Takeaway - We will never stop improving and I need to capture more systems to effectively transfer tasks! My biggest takeaway? For the first time since we started the company and have been consistently time tracking for a year -- I feel like I'm not DOING that much. WOOHOO! And I share this because -- it takes time! But it's totally possible with the right intention + action. Time to go debrief your data! Grab your time tracking sheet here. Listen to the time tracking episode here. Listen to the clockwork delegation episode here.

It's time tracking week y'all! Every single quarter we have our team and our clients track their time so that we can see where your most valuable resource is actually going. It's the data we need to make improvements! One of the most important pieces of clockworking your business + removing yourself from the day-to-day operations starts with a 4D time tracking analysis. I know, I know...not the sexiest thing to add to your week, but it will 1000% be worth it for a few reasons. This is DATA! Just like the financial data you rely on to run your business, you need data on where your time is going too. We can use this data to figure out who your next hire needs to be, how much time you need them for each week, and you'll have a complete list of tasks you want them to be responsible for to use in the job description. You'll be able to get time back THIS WEEK just by following today's steps. In this episode, Adrienne shares the 3T's you'll apply once you have your time tracking completed, and she reveals the 4th "T" that didn't even make the book, but is going to change your perspective on everything you do in the day. If you want to use our time tracking sheet that we share with all of our clients, you can grab that here. Share with me over on instagram and let me know what you're 3T'ing this week! (@adriennedorison, @rlclockwork).

Two common bottlenecks to ROI that we help clients identify through the Clockwork Accelerator are: Are you solving the wrong problem? Are you solving too many problems all at once? Both of these deplete efficiency and result in misallocated funds.💸 The reason I love helping my clients identify these bottlenecks is because they get immediate ROI on joining the Clockwork Accelerator and reap long term rewards.💥 I gave a mini-training here on how to know WHICH problem to solve in your business to maximize results with minimal efforts! I also answered a lot of great questions about the Clockwork Accelerator. If you're still on the fence, watch the LIVE and drop your question in the comments or in a DM 🙌🏽🙌🏼🙌🏾 Don't let the risk of inaction keep you from a great ROI + a business + team that runs like clockwork! Enrollment for the Clockwork Accelerator closes TONIGHT Sept 30th at 11:59pm PST ⏰ runlikeclockwork.com/vacation

In this episode, we're counting down the top 5 reasons you need to start Clockworking your business NOW! It's time to stop putting this on the backburner, for oh so many reasons, but let's talk about the big ones. It's the most responsible thing you can do as a business owner. Scaling chaos is a bad idea. Your 2020 outcomes depend on it. "We do not rise to the level of our goals, we fall to the level of our systems." -- James Clear You're losing money every day you don't. Time is your most valuable resource. Whether you decide to do this on your own, or go on this journey with us -- JUST START NOW. And if you're interested in getting the support you need to get clockworked, our Run Like Clockwork Accelerator program is open NOW for enrollment. You can go here for all the details: runlikeclockwork.com/vacation

Efficiency is all about doing LESS, but getting better results. Which means we have to understand what are the RIGHT things to keep doing versus just continuing to do everything and add bloat to the business. As Mike and I were looking for most efficient organizations on planet...we found bees. Everything they do + the very way they operate takes EFFICIENCY into the equation. They do many different things to leverage efficiency, but most importantly…is their understanding of their resource use in relationship to their highest priority goal. The goal of a bee colony is to survive — that's nature, right? They've used this principle to identify the SINGLE most important activity inside their colony...we call this the Queen Bee Role. This concept has changed our clients entire approach to business. It's allowed them to lean down, to do less, to spend less money + resources, all while getting BETTER results. For some, it's even saved their businesses just by identifying what it was + therefore being able to shift things to protect it. ONE SHIFT. ONE CONCEPT. KNOWING YOUR QBR. The QBR is the single most important activity inside your business, but it's different for all businesses, and we're going to help you find yours on next weeks QBR webinar -- it's free and I want you to join us. runlikeclockwork.com/qbr We're offering this masterclass at different times so you can find what works best for you. But don't miss this -- because your companies long-term survival depends on it!

This episode is going to be a little different than our usual as today we're going to talk about your THOUGHTS and mindset around Clockworking your business and the traps we see that hold CEO's back from designing the Clockwork business that runs itself. So if you've loved the IDEA of Clockworking but still can't wrap your head around how YOU are going to get there...this episode is going to be such good food for thought for you! Let's talk about the 5 invisible bottlenecks that are holding you back from becoming a CLOCKWORK CEO... The "I know this" trap "I'm the only one who can do this" / no one can do this as well as me "Growing a team is going to be MORE work for me." "I can make more money if I don't hire anyone." "We just don't have the time right now to set up the systems, we'll do it next year…" These are just SOME of the thoughts and limiting beliefs we see CEO's sharing all the time that are holding them back from Clockworking...there's more, but hopefully this opened up your awareness even just a little bit to see where YOU are stopping YOU. Join us for our FREE live Post It Note challenge next week where we'll be helping you assess whether or not your business can survive without you at this point, and we'll show you your exact next steps if not. It's the ultimate litmus test that every CEO needs to take! >> runlikeclockwork.com/challenge

One of the most important pieces of clockworking your business + removing yourself from the day-to-day operations starts with a 4D time tracking analysis. I know, I know...not the sexiest thing to add to your week, but it will 1000% be worth it for a few reasons. This is DATA! Just like the financial data you rely on to run your business, you need data on where your time is going too. We can use this data to figure out who your next hire needs to be, how much time you need them for each week, and you'll have a complete list of tasks you want them to be responsible for to use in the job description. You'll be able to get time back THIS WEEK just by following today's steps. In this episode, Adrienne shares the 3T's you'll apply once you have your time tracking completed, and she reveals the 4th "T" that didn't even make the book, but is going to change your perspective on everything you do in the day. If you want to use our time tracking sheet that we share with all of our clients, you can grab that here. Share with me over on instagram and let me know what you're 3T'ing this week! (@adriennedorison, @rlclockwork).

One of the most common questions we get is..."but how do I get my team to care about my 4-week vacation?!" NEWSFLASH: YOU DON'T! Instead of thinking about how Clockwork benefits you as the owner, you must flip the script and start thinking about the benefits of implementing the clockwork process from your team members' perspective. In this episode, Adrienne shares her list of her TOP 4 benefits to the team, and then encourages you to keep brainstorming + then share with your team. It's your job to get them enrolled in the Clockwork vision, and that starts with you understanding how it will benefit them! Connect with me over on instagram and let me know what other benefits you came up with of clockworking from your team members perspective! (@adriennedorison, @rlclockwork) Pop over here to grab our free Clockwork quickstart guide + other free resources that will help you as you start clockworking your business: runlikeclockwork.com/kit Subscribe, rate + review this podcast so that more entrepreneurs can benefit from the power of clockworking their business!

This week we're talking all about how to delegate more successfully to your team members. Adrienne talks through the IPO framework and then shares some quick delegation tips to get you started on the right path! The actions that are keeping you safe are also the ones that's keeping you stuck. And you're effectively maintaining CONTROL at the expense of FREEDOM. It's safe right now to keep everything you're doing on your plate... Keep managing your calendar so no one messes up your schedule. Keep people out of your inbox so that you can respond the way you want. Keep doing the client-work yourself so that no one makes a mistake. Keeping these things on your plate, don't move you towards a different future, they keep you where you are...which is fine if you're fine to stay there, just make that choice consciously + intentionally if so. Here's some quick tips on how to start handing things over to team members with a little more trust + confidence...even if you're a control freak. Start with the right tasks! → low-stakes → simple → easy to capture You don't want to start handing over things to team members that are what we call 'high-stakes'. A much better approach is to hand over things that are lower stakes tasks, responsibilities, + decisions. Start with things that are easier for you to capture + hand over, things that are simple. Delegate properly using the IPO approach! → Information (what information do they need to accomplish this) → Permission (hand over permission to make decisions) → Outcome (what is the outcome / success criteria you're looking to achieve) Delegating will be less risky if you tell them where they're actually going + what success looks like, give them permission to be autonomous + give them the resources they need to get there. Have them submit an EOD stand-up! → what did you do today? → what obstacles / concerns did you run up against? → do you need my help with anything? → what will you be focused on tomorrow? At the end of the day, especially during the training/onboarding period, have them submit a daily stand-up to give you information about what's going on, where they're struggling or need more information to effectively do the job, open the line of communication in case they need help, and help them get better at priority-setting by asking them to get clear on next-day focus. You don't need to ask them for this -- communicate this once at the beginning of the working relationship + have them send you the responses daily. Adjust your expectations! → YOU have to be part of the process if you want them to be successful in their role. → you can hire the best people, but you'll always be disappointed if you never take the time to share about YOUR business + needs. → baby step it every day and you'll get where you want to be — DON'T TAKE IT BACK ON YOURSELF, take the time to improve the process + relationship! Do this + not only will you trust people more to take over some of the DOING that's falling on your plate, but you'll end up with a WHOLE LOT MORE free time as well. HAPPY DELEGATING! Connect with me over on instagram and let me know how your delegation went this week @adriennedorison, @rlclockwork! Pop over here to grab our free Clockwork quickstart guide + other free resources that will help you as you start clockworking your business: runlikeclockwork.com/kit Subscribe, rate + review this podcast so that more entrepreneurs can benefit from the power of clockworking their business!

Deciding is one the of most energetically + neurologically taxing things that we can do, yet as business-owners we end up doing it ALL DAY LONG not just for ourselves, but for other people on our team too. Of course they're passing decisions off to you...decision-making is exhausting, and you keep doing it, so why not!? But in this episode we cover the 3 main reasons they are NOT making decisions in their role and how to use this filter to think through what they need to be more autonomous in their decision-making in the future. Connect with me over on instagram and let me know if there's anything you want me to cover on the podcast! @adriennedorison, @rlclockwork. Pop over here to grab our free Clockwork quickstart guide + other free resources that will help you as you start clockworking your business: runlikeclockwork.com/kit Subscribe, rate + review this podcast so that more entrepreneurs can benefit from the power of clockworking their business!

BIG Clockwork update! I'm pregnant y'all! We're going to be taking you behind the scenes as we baby-proof and Clockwork our own business over the next 7 months. Business + babies has been something I've been a huge advocate for since the inception of Clockwork as I know so many women are afraid of bringing a child into the equation for fear of what it may do to the business. I want to use this process to show you that you CAN have both and that Clockwork is the perfect tool to give yourself the space you need when baby arrives, while still allowing the business to run + grow without you being there. This isn't about just putting everything on hold when baby joins you, it's all about how to make sure things KEEP GOING even when you're sleep deprived, breastfeeding constantly and confused about what day it is. Connect with me over on instagram and let me know if there's anything you want me to cover as we go through this baby-proofing series! @adriennedorison, @rlclockwork. Pop over here to grab our free Clockwork quickstart guide + other free resources that will help you as you start clockworking your business: runlikeclockwork.com/kit Subscribe, rate + review this podcast so that more entrepreneurs can benefit from the power of clockworking their business!

Why many people don't even get started with clockworking? Because of the fear of pushback from the team. In this episode, Mike shares why he never calls his team members "employees", how to get your team onboard with clockworking your business, and what to do when there is pushback. Pop over here to grab our free Clockwork quickstart guide + other free resources that will help you as you start clockworking your business: runlikeclockwork.com/kit Subscribe, rate + review this podcast so that more entrepreneurs can benefit from the power of clockworking their business!

"But what if I'm the only one who can do this?" This is one of the most common questions we get when working with clients on clockworking their businesses. I get it, it often feels like no one else will ever be able to take over certain pieces of the business because they'll never be able to do it as well as you. But in this episode I'm going to offer you a simple solution and shift for this that will start immediately removing YOU as the bottleneck to the business growth. Pop over here to grab our free Clockwork quickstart guide + other free resources that will help you as you start clockworking your business: runlikeclockwork.com/kit Subscribe, rate + review this podcast so that more entrepreneurs can benefit from the power of clockworking their business!

Today we're talking about this big mistake I see most small business owners make when it comes to hiring new team members. Making this mistake costs you money, it costs you earning potential, and as you continue to do it for each additional hire...it shrinks your margins FAST. Take a screenshot during this episode + tag us on social media (@rlclockwork) so that you can use that public accountability to take action on this! Share any hiring aha's you have after you listen! Subscribe, rate + review this podcast so that more entrepreneurs can benefit from the power of Clockworking their business!

In this episode, Mike's giving you an inside look at his 4 week vacation...one of the most important parts? ACTUALLY COMMITTING TO IT by writing it into the book. We have our clients make this commitment publicly too because you're WAYY more likely to follow-through and not just leave this till ' someday'. Mike shares the good the bad + the needs improvement of his 4 week vacation challenge on this episode. Here's the thing...the 4 week vacation isn't about YOU + it's not about getting it perfect, it's about seeing what can run without you, how the team can totally step up to the plate, where you need some hobbies :) and how to make improvements when you return! Take a screenshot during this episode, commit to your 4 week vacation date + tag us on social media (@rlclockwork) so that you can use that public accountability to make this a reality! If you want a personal push -- we're hosting a 1.5 day workshop in Seattle on April 30th + May 1st -- and we'd love to have you there! You can register at www.runlikeclockwork.com/seattle or feel free to email us if you've got any questions! [email protected]

In this episode, Mike share the MOST IMPORTANT CONCEPT from the book + our process… the QBR, the Queen Bee Role. If you get nothing else right, do this! This will impact how you design your business like clockwork more than anything -- so listen in + Mike can help you nail it! If you're ready to fast-track your clockworking journey, the Clockwork Core online training program is officially OPEN -- you can learn more + register here: runlikeclockwork.com/join

But will clockworking work for my business?! We get this question a lot. Y'all must think you're real special. In this episode, Adrienne will share who clockworking is really for, what types of business models + industries this will work best for, and how it might look differently for one business versus another. She even gives you some homework...it's going to require a long walk in nature, and for you to get crystal clear on what you truly WANT your life + business to look like...without self-judgement. If you're ready to fast-track your clockworking journey, the Clockwork Core online training program is officially OPEN -- you can learn more + register here: runlikeclockwork.com/join

In this episode, Adrienne shares what the new verb she made up, "clockworking," your business even means, why the vacation is just a carrot + not really the point of it, and how to get started clockworking your business, plus the mindset you'll need to adopt to be successful. She even shares a super tip on how to recoup 15 days this year of your time with one simple shift. She's also shamelessly asking you for podcast reviews! Hook a sister up with an iTunes review if you're tuning in. Make sure to join the FREE training Adrienne mentioned: www.runlikeclockwork.com/bottleneck Grab the book if you haven't read it yet: www.runlikeclockwork.com/book And if you're ready to start time tracking -- you can grab the spreadsheet we use with all our clients here for free: www.runlikeclockwork.com/take-the-4d-challenge