In this post, we’re going to talk about 5 top secret hacks you can do to become a better CEO of your brand.

Become the CEO of your Brand

But first off, what even comes to your mind when I say CEO?

Do you think to yourself: Being a photographer doesn’t mean I’m a CEO, or that maybe you don’t think you run a streamlined business enough to be considered a CEO, or that you don’t have a big enough business to be considered a CEO, or any other limiting belief running through your mind?

What even is a CEO? A CEO is considered the chief executive officer and is the face and founder of the company who is in charge of making all the decisions.

If I’m being honest, these are things that I’ve personally adapted within the last few years that have made a huge difference in the way I show up for myself, the role I play in my business, and the outcome of what my business has looked like.

Be decisive

Make decisions and make moves!

Listen, this is coming from probably one of the most indecisive people (myself) ever. Just ask my husband Trent – I am horrible. So this took some adjusting for me to start implementing, and I still struggle from this a little bit.

But the more you can just make a decision, run with it, and make it happen.. the bigger waves of impact you’re going to create.

Because when you get stuck in overwhelm or uncertainty of what direction to go, that’s when you don’t take any action at all.

Done is better than perfect

My motto has always been “done is better than perfect” (which my husband cringes at because he is a perfectionist) but it works for me and motivates me to get things done and make things happen.

I don’t strive for perfection, I never really have if I’m being honest.

I think this is one of the biggest secret mindset hacks that has helped me be able to make things happen. Because you’ve just gotta make decisions to make moves and can streamline it and perfect it later.

If you’re waiting for things to be perfect, you’ll never do it!

If you’re scared to make decisions because you’re scared you will fail, or they won’t turn out the way you want them to, know that sometimes the best things in life whether it be opportunities or lessons, come from failures.

SO the absolute worst thing that could happen is it doesn’t turn out the way you want and you learn something from it and move forward.

Being an entrepreneur is not a linear journey, and being okay with failure kind of just comes with the territory!

So my advice to you, is to make decisions, make moves, and be decisive with the best you’re given in that moment

Allow yourself to be the visionary

So that you can create and achieve bigger things in your business, being the visionary allows you to be the driver behind your brand.

If you’re anything like me, I’m a big dreamer and have big ideas but integrating things is where I struggle. Once I acknowledged that, that’s when I was able to make big changes in the way I was running my business.

For example, a few years ago I was stuck in the middle of a year photographing 30 weddings while also being in 8 weddings that year, along with bachelorette parties, showers, all the things. 

I was freaking busy. I was also in the process of creating my first digital course (which admittedly took me way too long to launch).

And I remember it was a beautiful ordinary day in October the week before my launch, and I just hit a freaking wall. I had a melt down, I was overworked, burnt out, all the things.

Don’t get me wrong I was SO freaking proud of what I had accomplished.. but not proud in the way it was executed on my end.

But hey, you can’t always get things perfect at the right time, right? What’s the fun in that?!

Making a change

While at the time it kind of sucked for me for a minute there, I love that that happened to me.

It allowed me to realize something needed to change in my approach.

It also made me realize that I like to be the dreamer. I am a dreamer through and through, so coming up with ideas is not something I fall short on (just as my team!) and I was able to expand my team with the most AMAZING women who are doing things that they are absolute experts in or just enjoy doing the tasks they are integrating from my brands vision.

So figure out what role you want to play in your business that works really well for your personality type and the way you’re most efficient in your work.

Know your seasons of consuming + creating

As a visionary + CEO in your business, it’s up to you what role you want to play.

But for me, I love to be the visionary + creator behind my brand. And I personally love bouncing ideas back and forth with my team because honestly I’m just one person and they all have better ideas than me sometimes! So putting our brains together is really powerful because they’re geniuses.

But I think it’s important to note for yourself and for the sake of preventing burnout to know if you are in a season of consuming or a season of creating.

For me personally, I like to create more than I consume. But I’m also a sucker for learning and an education junkie, so I have to always ask myself what season am I in right now? 

What do I need right now? Am I in a season of needing growth and to fill a growth gap? Or am I in a season that I need to create and fill an implementation gap?

Over-consuming

There was a season a couple years ago where I was consuming, consuming, consuming everyday.

What was everyone else on social media up to?

What’s the new trends I should be trying?

Should I get a re-brand for the heck of it because I’m bored and I like other people’s branding more?

And I would get in my head of comparing myself to others and then imposter syndrome would sink in, etc.

And at the end of my days I would sit back, look at my desk and think: What did I even get done today? I was “working” all day… but nothing really got accomplished.

And that’s when I realized I need to be creating more than I’m consuming. When I tell you that made the biggest difference in my productivity…

Something I started doing was the big 3 which I’ve talked about before. I have 3 big tasks that need to be priority to get done each day. This is in order to help me feel like it was a productive day. And then I focus on getting those 3 big tasks done. Once those are done I can work on and focus on other smaller things.

Because we all know how easy it is to get sucked into our inboxes. Scrolling through all the social medias. Getting distracted by our favorite Netflix show while we’re editing. (If this is you, I’m callin’ you out because I used to do this too! I realized all I was getting done was watching an entire series of 13 reasons why. When I should have been getting shiz done!)

Surround yourself with support

This all starts with you and your own self leadership! How are you creating space to support yourself and your dreams?

How are you prioritizing your mind, body, and soul? But, also how are you protecting your mind, body, and soul?

Because as we know, being an entrepreneur makes it so freaking easy to run ourselves to the ground. That can happen so easily if we don’t surround ourselves with support.

What I mean by that is how you’re supporting yourself, but also the support you surround your business with. Because while yes, you are a superwoman, you don’t HAVE to do it all on your own.

I personally find that when I’m trying to do everything on my own, that’s when I fail miserably because I just run myself to the ground.

So support in your business could look like hiring a business manager, a social media manager, a photo editor, any area in your business that you get bogged down really easily in or you either don’t necessarily enjoy doing, or you aren’t the best at doing.

Support personally

Support could also look like getting help in your personal life. Asking for support from your partner or family, wherever you feel you need some extra support that you could ask in your personal life – don’t be afraid to do that! We cannot do it all on our own. So know that it is okay to ask for help.

Support can be anything you need it to be! Listen, I’m a new mom and I luckily have never been one who struggled with asking for help.

But I do remember shortly after having Hazel being very sleep deprived. I was having a really hard time breastfeeding. She wouldn’t latch, she wasn’t eating. I felt like the one job I had as a mother I couldn’t even do (with raging hormones). Not to mention I was averaging maybe 2 hours of sleep in a 24 period time. Yeah I needed some help.

One day I looked at Trent and said, “We need to go to a lactation specialist right now.”

We packed up, we went, we had to go back a few more times until we got the hang of it, Hazel latched, and we were golden. Pretty much smooth sailing from there and I felt like a new woman.

And since I had that support of a road block I was facing, I was able to get through it with support. As well as become better in every area of my life because of it.

Being a mom, a wife, a Christian, a friend, daughter, sister, business owner.. I certainly can’t do it without support in every area of my life!

Stay in your lane

Stop getting distracted from all the other things happening around you. Don’t get shiny object syndrome! Focus on your own brand’s mission, stay true to your brand, and stay in your lane.

The more you worry about what everyone else is doing, the less you’re moving forward.

Staying in your own lane for me roots back to having confidence in who I am as a business owner and knowing my identity in Christ. The more you can be rooted in your brand mission and know what special gift you have to offer the world, the easier it’s going to be to stay in your lane.

Again, easier said than done ESPECIALLY if you haven’t taken the time to lay out that solid foundation.

I help my students walk through and create their brand and business foundation all the time. When I tell you it is game changing for them… it is!

I mean we’ve all heard about the importance of knowing it and doing it. But sometimes it takes doing it again every once in a while.

Your branding will change

We’re human, we’re entrepreneurs, we’ve going to evolve and pivot over time, therefore, your brand might change a little bit!

And if you don’t build that solid foundation, you won’t be able to build a solid business from it. You won’t be clear in a marketing strategy, writing compelling copy, or what to post on social media… All because you don’t even have clarity on the direction you want. 

So by having a solid foundation, it will help you be able to stay in your lane much easier!

Also, other entrepreneurs who are grounded in their mission aren’t looking as closely at what other people are doing and get imposter syndrome. Note how I say “as much” because remember, we’re only human.

But, it’s much easier to go confidently in the direction you know you were meant to go when you have those solid foundations.

Staying in your lane could also mean sticking with doing what you’re good at. Allow others to help you with their expertise so you don’t run yourself to burn out!

Finally, show up as a CEO

For yourself, for your team, for your audience!

YOU ARE DOING AMAZING WORK whether you feel like it or not. Whether you feel like you have your shiz together or not – if your working in alignment with your purpose and God-given calling, whatever that looks like, you are doing amazing.

Have confidence and faith in yourself that you can make an impact on people’s lives with the gifts you have to offer others. Because I can promise you – they are truly a gift to people.

So to recap:

1. Be decisive
2. Allow yourself to be the visionary
3. Know your seasons of consuming + creating
4. Surround yourself with support
5. Stay in your lane
6. Show up as a CEO

At the end of the day, no matter where you’re at in your business journey or level.. you are the CEO of your brand and it’s time you start treating yourself like one!

I really hope these CEO secret hacks were helpful for you today!

Check out more Gold Biz Podcast episodes here!