The Hands-Off CEO Blog

Most Ops Issues are Created in the Sales Process – E93

Most Ops Issues are Created in the Sales Process

  There is a big misconception around operations, sales, and marketing and how they all intersect. Mandi Ellefson debunks some of these misconceptions and discusses how operations and sales impact scalability in a consulting agency.   Key Ideas: Most approaches to scaling a consulting agency are actually more applicable to scaling a general company – they don’t account for the…

How to Get Your Team to OWN It! Delegating Ownership – E92

Delegating ownership frees up time for CEOs so they can focus on the business. Mandi Ellefson talks about the right way to let go of your business and hand the reins over to capable leaders, and how this helps you actually work on growing the business.   Key Ideas: The challenge with delegating ownership is that if you don’t scale…

Vulnerable Share About Success in Business and Your Family – E91

What defining moments or milestones have happened to you along the way towards your current level of success? Mandi Ellefson shares her story as she discusses milestones that people typically experience in their business journey, and how to identify and address common challenges. Key Ideas: Very few business women ever reach 7 figures in their company.  “Whenever there’s a certain…

Growth Lessons from the Ice Bath and Retreat Breakdown – E90

How can you succeed while doing less? Focusing on the present may allow you to create more value. Mandi Ellefson describes her Wim Hof ice bath meditation experience as she shares tips on overcoming fear.  Key Ideas: Taking deep breaths to center yourself grounds you in the present and helps you see past your fear. Mandi describes how she was…

The Integrity of Scaling – E89

Mandi Ellefson is discussing why popular scaling advice is terrible for consulting agencies. She shares insights about marketing, systems, and what you should actually do to scale. You’ll hear Mandi talk about: “Do you really want to systematize and accelerate a process that’s just getting okay and mediocre results?” Mandi shares a story about a company that grew from referrals,…

How to Drive Rapid Hands-off Growth – E88

I share how leaders can drive rapid growth in their company beyond themselves in this solo episode of Hands-Off CEO.   You’ll hear me talk about: Convincing someone to do something: they have to want to do it, and money isn’t the most reliable incentive. [1:32] The food chain of passion. “If you don’t have a lot of passion, then…

Q4 Is the Buying Season – E87

What do you need to put in place to generate cash flow? Are you ready to hire the right people to support your growth? Mandi Ellefson discusses how to take advantage of the buying season to increase business growth. She advises CEOs to get out from under day-to-day operations, freeing up time for more strategic planning. Key Ideas: Quarter 4…

Hiring an Executive Assistant – E85

Increase your productivity without the strain? Yes, please! Executive assistants can make it happen. Mandi Ellefson shares how she cut 20 hours off her work week by hiring an executive assistant, and why every CEO should have one. Key Ideas: Trends are changing in the staffing industry, Mandi claims. Recently, it hasn’t been as competitive as it has in the…

Scale Your Agency with Ice Cold Leads – E84

Reach your ideal prospects wherever they hang out – via LinkedIn or cold email or any other channel – and scale your consulting agency. Mandi Ellefson shares the five variables that make cold outreach work in this solo episode of Hands-Off CEO. Key Ideas: Use direct outreach to make money quickly if you’re in a bind and need to bring…

Your 3 Roles as a CEO – E83

What does your job look like when you start working on the business instead of working in it? Mandi Ellefson describes the three main roles that CEOs assume to maximize both their time in the business and the earning potential of the whole company in this solo episode of Hands-Off CEO. Key Ideas: A CEO is responsible for providing vision,…