As a seven-figure CEO, I know a few things about hitting that first $1 million. They include:
- Be smart with your time
- Think big
- Surround yourself with other 7 figure CEOs
I recently sold a business in the financial services industry that I loved so that I could help other women become 7 figure CEOs while also living their best lives.
So many people have this perception that success in business only comes with complete and total sacrifice. You know what I’m talking about, right? Forgoing holidays with your family. Missing the kids’ soccer games. Not taking care of your body. Eating pizza at 10 p.m. as you put the finishing touches on a proposal.
NOT WORTH IT.
If you’re aiming to be a 7 figure CEO and are doing these things, something’s missing. I know because I hit seven figures without these sacrifices and am empowering other women to do the same.
Be Smart with Your Time
Have you ever left a meeting, a movie, or a catch-up with an “energy vampire” and thought, “Wow, I wish I had the last hour or two of my life back?”
Apply this thinking to your business. How many activities have you done today that were either unnecessary or easily done by someone else? Here’s a few samples that SO many women experience:
- Taking a call from your mom in the middle of your workday
- Sitting on a call with a prospect for 20 minutes who you knew wasn’t right for your business before you even got on the call
- Spending an hour cleaning (a $25/hour task) when you could have spent that hour on client work (a $250/hour task)
When you really start thinking through how you spend your time during the day, you will get your time back—hours of it. And with increased time comes increased productivity—definitely worth exploring.
However, to get your time back, you need to:
- Establish core values
- Time and color block your calendar
- Make a list of your time sucks
- Decide which of those time sucks you can ditch or hire someone else to do
The Vixens that have done this are seeing incredible results. Interested? Read more about these time-saving hacks here.
Think Big
In March, we had our first The Vixen Mastermind retreat. It was incredible in so many ways—inspiring, uplifting, motivational, spiritual—it was awesome.
But I have to say, I’m continually surprised by how low women will set the income ceiling for themselves.
I have been in rooms with dozens of talented, hard-working, brilliant women who are innovators in their fields and when I ask them about their revenue goals for the year, they either don’t know or aim too low.
Ladies, your idea for your business is big, right? And you have confidence in that, right? Why don’t your revenue goals match? Why do you aim so low?
Don’t worry. You’re not alone in this challenge. Women everywhere are doing the same.
Some of it is social conditioning—as women, we are raised NOT to ask for exactly what we want because it might be too selfish. Some of it relates back to Imposter Syndrome, which I’ll talk about later this month.
Whatever the reason, during these retreats, when we get to the bottom of the revenue number that our Vixens really want, they often feel guilty about saying, “Yes, I want to make $1 million this year.”
Thinking big in terms of revenue may feel a little uncomfortable at first, but you won’t get big—you won’t live the life that you want to live—if you don’t think big. So when it comes to revenue, think, “The sky is the limit!”
(Interested in one of these retreats or devoting a year to yourself and moving toward the life that you want to live? Check out The Vixen Mastermind here.)
Surround Yourself with Other 7 Figure CEOs
One of the greatest benefits of being a female business owner, at least from a Vixen point of view, is the community that comes with it. In fact, I’m not sure that I would have become a seven-figure CEO without the support of other strong, supportive women who had done the same.
I’m sure you’ve heard the idea that you’re the average of five people that you spend the most time with, right?
If you are working toward becoming a seven-figure CEO, choose those five people VERY carefully.
These ladies need to have a similar growth and money mindset as you.
They also need to have the same level of accountability as you. If they say that they’re going to focus on marketing in March by doing three things, do they get those three things done?
These are just a few things that I’ve learned as a 7 figure CEO. What do other successful female business owners have to say?
Inspirational Female Business Owner Quotes
These women below are internationally recognized for their innovations in and contributions to business and innovation. Here’s a collection of their best business quotes.
“Growth and comfort do not coexist.” — Ginni Rometty, first female CEO of IBM
“Do what you love and success will follow. Passion is the fuel behind a successful career.” — Meg Whitman, former eBay CEO
“Is it reckless? Maybe. But what do dreams know of boundaries?” — Amelia Earhart
“It’s okay to admit what you don’t know. It’s okay to ask for help. And it’s more than okay to listen to the people you lead- in fact, it’s essential.” – Mary Barra, chair and CEO of GM
“Do not be afraid to make decisions. Do not be afraid to make mistakes.” – Carly Fiorina, former CEO, HP
“So often people are working hard at the wrong thing. Working on the right thing is probably more important than working hard.” — Caterina Fake, co-founder of Flickr and Hunch
Interested in working toward your first $1 million? Join us Thursday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. CST for a complimentary event on how to heal your money mindset.