Play is transformative.  And it's essential for our personal and professional growth that we take regular breaks to play. I know from personal experience that when I incorporated more play and whitespace into my life, my business increased exponentially.  I had more “million dollar” ideas, bigger business growth, came up with better strategies, strengthened my relationships, and found a deeper connection with myself. On today's episode of the Run Like Clockwork podcast, I'm joined by Shannon Claire, an international branding photographer who has worked with entrepreneurs all over the globe, creating unforgettable brands and marketing campaigns that *actually* get attention. We discuss: how playfulness fosters creativity, innovation, and problem-solving skills. the misconception that constant work will lead to success why breaks are essential for sustainable growth why capturing transformational experiences makes for the best photos PLUS, we announce that Shannon will be offering a limited number of mini-branding shoots while at camp! It is normally thousands of dollars to work with her, but for Camp Clockwork, you have the opportunity to get in front of her lens for a whopping 3 figure investment! (lol) You'll receive 10-15 fully edited photos that are ready for all of your marketing needs. If you’re ready to get out of your rut, out of your comfort zone, and into a new level for your business (and yourself), you’ve GOT to get yourself to Camp Clockwork! www.campclockwork.com

Are you struggling to free up time, increase efficiency, and reduce key person dependency in your business? In this episode, Adrienne Dorison interviews Alexis Kingsbury, the founder of AirManual, about his journey to creating his solution to those issues.  Alexis discusses the challenges he faced with traditional process documentation methods and how Air Manual was born out of the need for a tool that makes it easy for teams to create and follow processes.  This conversation explores: The challenges of organizing digital workspaces and the benefits of using AirManual. Setting realistic expectations for finding information and improving client onboarding. Delegating hard tasks and making better decisions. How to support team members and create an incredible workplace. Clockwork and AirManual are partnering to provide a one-of-a-kind online masterclass that will guide you from feeling stuck in your operations to achieving life-changing freedom.  So… join us Wednesday, May 8th @ 10 am Eastern for our free webinar "Clunky to Clockwork: How to Make it Easy For Your Team To Do Things The Way You Want Them Done", and get our blueprint for scalable success. In this training you’ll learn how to: Unlock Efficiency: Discover how the "weakest link in the chain" method can resolve your most pressing inefficiencies. Empower Your Team: Learn empowering techniques and tools that foster autonomy and reduce micromanagement. Blueprint to Freedom: Step-by-step guidance on making your business self-sustaining for growth without constant oversight. Achieve Life-Changing Results: Hear real success stories from businesses that have been transformation. Get Immediate Impact: Leave with actionable knowledge and resources for quick, valuable changes. To find out more and secure your space, head to airmanual.link/clockwork

This is our final episode in the Clockwork Book Club, and today we are talking to the Author of  “Clockwork, Revised and Expanded: Design Your Business to Run Itself”… Mike Michalowicz! In this episode, we discuss: What Mike wishes everyone knew about Clockwork The biggest updates to the system since the first edition of the book Why people resist the Four-Week vacation, and how to combat that! Every time we talk to Mike we always glean some new insights, and this episode is no different! You can share your reflections with us over on Instagram --> ⁠@rlclockwork⁠ If you don't have your copy of the book yet, you can grab a ⁠physical, kindle, or audible version here.⁠

Welcome to our breakdown of Chapter 13 of Clockwork, Revised and Expanded: Design Your Business to Run Itself. In this episode, we discuss: Why we encounter pushback How Design can be just as taxing as Doing work Why you need to show up more when building trust  We suggest that you read the chapter and then come listen to this episode covering pages 237-250. If you would like access to our FREE Study and Discussion Guides, and the ability to binge the podcast instead of waiting for weekly episode drops, you can opt into a private feed here → http://www.runlikeclockwork.com/bookclub You can share your reflections with us over on Instagram --> ⁠@rlclockwork⁠ If you don't have your copy of the book yet, you can grab a physical, kindle, or audible version here.⁠

Welcome to our breakdown of Chapter 12 of Clockwork, Revised and Expanded: Design Your Business to Run Itself. In this episode, we discuss our takes on Roberto’s story! We suggest that you read the chapter and then come listen to this episode covering pages 227-236. If you would like access to our FREE Study and Discussion Guides, and the ability to binge the podcast instead of waiting for weekly episode drops, you can opt into a private feed here → http://www.runlikeclockwork.com/bookclub You can share your reflections with us over on Instagram --> ⁠@rlclockwork⁠ If you don't have your copy of the book yet, you can grab a physical, kindle, or audible version here.⁠  

Welcome to our breakdown of Chapter 11 of Clockwork, Revised and Expanded: Design Your Business to Run Itself. In this episode, we discuss: How key metrics help you determine the health of your business What to feature on a high-level dashboard The ACDC bottleneck framework We suggest that you read the chapter and then come listen to this episode covering pages 200-226. If you would like access to our FREE Study and Discussion Guides, and the ability to binge the podcast instead of waiting for weekly episode drops, you can opt into a private feed here → http://www.runlikeclockwork.com/bookclub You can share your reflections with us over on Instagram --> ⁠@rlclockwork⁠ If you don't have your copy of the book yet, you can grab a ⁠physical, kindle, or audible version here.⁠

Welcome to our breakdown of Chapter 10 of Clockwork, Revised and Expanded: Design Your Business to Run Itself. In this episode, we discuss: How key metrics help you determine the health of your business What to feature on a high-level dashboard The ACDC bottleneck framework We suggest that you read the chapter and then come listen to this episode covering pages 172-199. If you would like access to our FREE Study and Discussion Guides, and the ability to binge the podcast instead of waiting for weekly episode drops, you can opt into a private feed here → http://www.runlikeclockwork.com/bookclub You can share your reflections with us over on Instagram --> ⁠@rlclockwork⁠ If you don't have your copy of the book yet, you can grab a ⁠physical, kindle, or audible version here.⁠

Welcome to our breakdown of Chapter 9 of Clockwork, Revised and Expanded: Design Your Business to Run Itself. In this episode, we discuss: How to complete a Job Trait Analysis Hiring for strengths instead of skills Using Clockwork as a retention tool on your team We suggest that you read the chapter and then come listen to this episode covering pages 149-171. If you would like access to our FREE Study and Discussion Guides, and the ability to binge the podcast instead of waiting for weekly episode drops, you can opt into a private feed here → http://www.runlikeclockwork.com/bookclub You can share your reflections with us over on Instagram --> ⁠@rlclockwork⁠ If you don't have your copy of the book yet, you can grab a ⁠physical, kindle, or audible version here.

Welcome to our breakdown of Chapter 8 of Clockwork, Revised and Expanded: Design Your Business to Run Itself. In this episode, we discuss: How to get systems out of your head Why we don’t believe in written SOPs The value of continuous improvement We suggest that you read the chapter and then come listen to this episode covering pages 128-148. If you would like access to our FREE Study and Discussion Guides, and the ability to binge the podcast instead of waiting for weekly episode drops, you can opt into a private feed here → http://www.runlikeclockwork.com/bookclub You can share your reflections with us over on Instagram --> ⁠@rlclockwork⁠ If you don't have your copy of the book yet, you can grab a ⁠physical, kindle, or audible version here.⁠

Welcome to our breakdown of Chapter 7 of Clockwork, Revised and Expanded: Design Your Business to Run Itself. In this episode, we discuss: Our top tips and takeaways to avoid the sunk cost fallacy How to complete the 4T exercise Why you really don't want to clone yourself We suggest that you read the chapter and then come listen to this episode covering pages 116-127. If you would like access to our FREE Study and Discussion Guides, and the ability to binge the podcast instead of waiting for weekly episode drops, you can opt into a private feed here → http://www.runlikeclockwork.com/bookclub You can share your reflections with us over on Instagram --> ⁠@rlclockwork⁠ If you don't have your copy of the book yet, you can grab a ⁠physical, kindle, or audible version here.⁠  

Welcome to our breakdown of Chapter 6 of Clockwork, Revised and Expanded: Design Your Business to Run Itself. In this episode, we discuss: Why this is a throttle, not a switch Deciding vs. Delegating The Design Trap We suggest that you read the chapter and then come listen to this episode covering pages 85-115. If you would like access to our FREE Study and Discussion Guides, and the ability to binge the podcast instead of waiting for weekly episode drops, you can opt into a private feed here → http://www.runlikeclockwork.com/bookclub You can share your reflections with us over on Instagram --> ⁠@rlclockwork⁠ If you don't have your copy of the book yet, you can grab a ⁠physical, kindle, or audible version here.⁠

Welcome to our breakdown of Chapter 5 of Clockwork, Revised and Expanded: Design Your Business to Run Itself. In this episode, we discuss: Differences between the QBR and Primary Roles Directly vs. Indirectly serving the QBR Completing the sticky note exercise We suggest that you read the chapter and then come listen to this episode covering pages 71-84 If you would like access to our FREE Study and Discussion Guides, and the ability to binge the podcast instead of waiting for weekly episode drops, you can opt in to a private feed here → http://www.runlikeclockwork.com/bookclub You can share your reflections with us over on Instagram --> ⁠@rlclockwork⁠ If you don't have your copy of the book yet, you can grab a ⁠physical, kindle, or audible version here.⁠

Welcome to our breakdown of Chapter 4 of Clockwork, Revised and Expanded: Design Your Business to Run Itself. In this episode, we discuss: The story behind why it’s called the QBR Why we love the Savannah Bananas How the QBR relates to the Big Promise We suggest that you read the chapter and then come listen to this episode covering pages 54-70 If you would like access to our FREE Study and Discussion Guides, and the ability to binge the podcast instead of waiting for weekly episode drops, you can opt into a private feed here → http://www.runlikeclockwork.com/bookclub You can share your reflections with us over on Instagram --> ⁠@rlclockwork⁠ If you don't have your copy of the book yet, you can grab a ⁠physical, kindle, or audible version here.

Welcome to our breakdown of Chapter 3 of Clockwork, Revised and Expanded: Design Your Business to Run Itself. In this episode, we discuss: Why you need to protect your reputation above all. Declaring your Big BANG How to find your Big Promise We suggest that you read the chapter and then come listen to this episode covering pages 41-53 If you would like access to our FREE Study and Discussion Guides, and the ability to binge the podcast instead of waiting for weekly episode drops, you can opt in to a private feed here → http://www.runlikeclockwork.com/bookclub You can share your reflections with us over on Instagram --> ⁠@rlclockwork⁠ If you don't have your copy of the book yet, you can grab a ⁠physical, kindle, or audible version here.

Welcome to our breakdown of Chapter 2 of Clockwork, Revised and Expanded: Design Your Business to Run Itself. In this episode, we discuss: How to do less to achieve more The value in narrowing your niche. Completing the Crush/Cringe Analysis We suggest that you read the chapter and then come listen to this episode covering pages 25-40. If you would like access to our FREE Study and Discussion Guides, and the ability to binge the podcast instead of waiting for weekly episode drops, you can opt in to a private feed here → http://www.runlikeclockwork.com/bookclub You can share your reflections with us over on Instagram --> ⁠@rlclockwork⁠ If you don't have your copy of the book yet, you can grab a ⁠physical, kindle, or audible version here.⁠  

Welcome to our breakdown of the Introduction and Chapter 1 of Clockwork, Revised and Expanded: Design Your Business to Run Itself. In this episode, we discuss: Your #1 job as an entrepreneur Productivity vs. efficiency Growing vs. scaling We suggest that you read the chapter and then come listen to this episode covering pages xvii - 24. If you would like access to our FREE Study and Discussion Guides, and the ability to binge the podcast instead of waiting for weekly episode drops, you can opt in to a private feed here → http://www.runlikeclockwork.com/bookclub You can share your reflections with us over on Instagram --> ⁠@rlclockwork⁠ If you don't have your copy of the book yet, you can grab a ⁠physical, kindle, or audible version here.⁠  

Welcome to The Clockwork Book Club! After 6+ years and two iterations of the book, we thought we were way past due to bring a book club to the podcast! Over the next 14 episodes, we're diving into each chapter of the book, breaking down our biggest takeaways, and sharing more insights from behind the scenes of Clockworking. Here's how we recommend following along: Find an accountability group Read along with us chapter by chapter Grab our FREE Study and Discussion Guides by opting into a private feed here. We can't wait to see how Clockwork will transform your life and business! You can share your reflections with us over on Instagram -->⁠ ⁠@rlclockwork⁠⁠ Reminder, for this book club we are using the Revised and Expanded edition of Clockwork. If you don't have your copy of the book yet, you can grab a ⁠physical, kindle, or audible version here.⁠⁠  

At the start of 2023 we never could have predicted that we would have shut the doors to our seven figure program and would have completely switched business models… but here we are, and we have some lessons to share with you! Whether you’re on the verge of “burning it all to the ground”, or are just looking to add a new revenue stream to your business, you’ll definitely glean some new perspective from this episode   We talk about: Change is scary, especially for your team. The less time you have to market 2 offers, the better! Done is better than perfect. Preselling is your best friend. Prepare to build a new audience. Hindsight is always 20/20, and there are always things we would do differently with the information we have now… but since we don’t have a time machine the next best thing we can do is share what we learned with you!   You can visit www.runlikeclockwork.com to learn more about us.  

It has come to our attention that some of y’all think we are kidding…or even worse, you think that we’re using false urgency by saying “doors are closing” when in fact they’ll be open again soon. But that is not the case. This is not a marketing tactic. Our business model is changing.   The doors will be closing and NEVER reopening for the Clockwork Accelerator. This is the last time we’ll be accepting new students to work directly with us to clockwork their business.   Friday, September 29th, the doors close FOR.EV.ER. And I’m not just saying that. For those of you who have been wanting to work with myself and my Run Like Clockwork Team to get your business clockworked, this is officially your last week to enroll! Ready to join? Visit www.clockworkaccelerator.com and use code WOW20% for 20% off the cost of enrollment. Need to chat with someone about it first? You can book a call with Gio from our team here: https://calendly.com/giovanni-rlc/30min

What would your life look like if you could take the entire summer off to RV around the country with your partner? Does that goal feel within reach, or totally out of the realm of possibility? For Nicole Bandes, owner of Virtual A Team, being able to take that time off was a non-negotiable. Despite owning a business that supports clients in delegation and project management, Nicole still found herself stuck in the weeds.    It’s a hard truth, but even the most systems-minded people still sometimes need a framework like Clockwork to use as a jumping off point., hence why she found herself in the Accelerator, clockworking her virtual assistant business.   As of recording, Nicole was 2-weeks out from a 9-week vacation and she has lots of tips to share in this episode about how to make that your reality, too!   Want to learn more about Nicole? Check her out at virtualateam.com.   If you know Clockworking your business with our support is the next step for you, join us in the Clockwork Accelerator! Need to talk to Gio from our team to get a few more details? Book a call with him here!  

Every month Team RLC nominates and votes on which of our incredible clients will win the coveted “Clockie” award. It’s something we started to recognize the hard work of our students, because we know how challenging it can be to build new habits and respect the new boundaries that Clockworking can bring. We’ve even designed a custom trophy for them, that’s how serious we take it! On today’s episode Emily interviews Chris Vazquez, owner of SoundLife Music Academy and guitarist in Air Supply. Due to the nature of when most people are looking to take music lessons, many people think that this is an impossible business model to Clockwork, but Chris is here to prove that all wrong! He shares a ton of  insights on what it’s like to build a sustainable music school while also maintaining a rich and wonderful life outside of it…   And shares some cool stories from his touring days!   Want to learn more about Chris? Check him out on Instagram @cvazquezguitar, or at SoundLife Music Academy.   If you know Clockworking your business with our support is the next step for you, join us in the Clockwork Accelerator! Need to talk to Gio from our team to get a few more details? Book a call with him here!

We’re back with some big news… It’s the end of an era. If you've listened to any of our past podcast episodes on vision or gone through any of our programs you know that we believe in creating a vision that has three phases. The idea is to create milestones for each phase that will signal when it’s time to move onto the next.  Ideally you’re always building a strong foundation for your future phases, and recently, we’ve hit some milestones that indicate it’s time for us to move to the next phase of our vision. We want to turn Clockwork into a household name, the “Energy Star Rating” of small business, and in order to do that…  We are closing our accelerator program this October. Why? What does this mean? What about our clients? That’s exactly what we’re talking about in this episode of the podcast! If you have questions after listening, or want to chat about Accelerator, you can visit www.clockworkaccelerator.com to learn more and book a call.

After countless requests, team meetings, and middle of the night stress sessions… The timing is finally right for us to introduce Clockwork Certified Partners.  Today on the podcast, Adrienne and Emily pull back the curtain on the long road to this announcement, and what future partners can expect. They cover: What will it mean to "get certified" Why it took you so long to be ready to offer this How will it differ from the Accelerator program Who is and isn't a good fit for certification   If you've been wanting to use the Clockwork System with your clients be sure to give this one a listen, and also sign up for the waitlist/application at www.getclockworkcertified.com. One more quick announcement… The RLC Podcast is going to be taking a short hiatus after this episode! Not for long, and we will definitely be back with a fresh and exciting way for you to listen. In the meantime, our “cousin” podcast, Dear Work Wives, officially launches on April 18th! You can listen wherever you get your podcasts, and submit a story at www.dearworkwives.com to be featured! Follow us on Instagram here to stay up to date on all things Clockwork.

“You cannot Clockwork as a leader if you’re unwilling to change.”   Donna Lim from Sooter Consulting joined us in 2019 for a live event and began her Clockwork journey.   Like everything else in business, the process had its ups and downs, but after losing two managers in a year, and with her goal of being semi-retired in the next 5 years creeping up on her, she knew it was time to take it a little more seriously and join us again.   As a recent winner of our coveted Clockie award, she joins Adrienne on this episode to get candid about the self-reflection, personal growth, and tough conversations required for her to keep moving toward that goal.    Her best advice?   Come into the community of Clockworkers! I tried it on my own. It wasn't working. I am amazed at how many times I go to a call specifically with a question in mind going, "how could I have ever tried to do this by myself?".   We’re so grateful to have Donna as part of our community.   If you know Clockworking your business with our community is the next step for you, join us in the Clockwork Accelerator, now! Need to talk to Gio from our team to get a few more details? Book a call with him here!

Building systems might not sound like the most exciting way to grow your business, but it’s definitely the most efficient! Why? That’s what Adrienne and Emily are talking about today! They cover: Why you need to take advantage of this low hanging fruit How to involve your whole team in this process How your current systems are keeping you small   Plus, they’re joined by a live audience who have some good tidbits to share themselves!   If you know Clockworking your business with our support is the next step for you, join us in the Clockwork Accelerator, now! Need to talk to Gio from our team to get a few more details? Book a call with him here!   Want to grow your business this year? Grab our free training, 6 Ways To Grow Your Business here!  

How often do you say the words “we’re all on the same team” in your business? It used to be a staple in my lexicon, even though it seemed to convey exactly what I meant. Then recently at our team retreat, while discussing how to continue navigating the inevitable interpersonal challenges that come up on a team of this size we landed on a metaphor that felt more in alignment with how we operate. The business is a scale… and we’re just trying to keep it in balance. Sometimes that means people will be on opposite sides… and that is OK.   Growing a business is going to come with challenges, preparing for them so they don’t take you out along the way is part of the work we do here at Clockwork. If you’re focused on growing your business and are looking for more resources to make sure you don’t break it, join us for our FREE training on March 28th.  Register now at www.dontbreakyourbusiness.com.  

You’ve got big goals — but do you have the systems and policies in place to support them?    Everyone wants to go “viral” these days, but is your business prepared to capitalize on the opportunity if you did?    That’s the topic of this week's podcast… what you actually need to watch out for if you're hoping to reach those big goals you have for the business.   You need to learn how to spot the weak spots in your business now, so that you can deliver with excellence when you do. Prep for the growth you want — without breaking the business! If that sounds overwhelming right now, don’t worry! We’re hosting a FREE live training on March 28th to walk you through this entire process   Together, in this free online training event, we will… Identify which of the four growth bottleneck you’re currently experiencing Explore Doing vs. Dreaming: identify your goals — and what might be holding you back from achieving them. Map out exactly what would be needed to make that goal happen in your business — with live coaching to get it done! And prioritize how to start solving any gaps + inefficiencies you might discover. Go to www.dontbreakyourbusiness.com now to register!

Despite how desperately we all wish it were true… you aren’t one magic hire away from solving all the problems in your business.   But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hire anyone, especially if you’re looking to grow your business this year!   In this episode Adrienne and Emily are joined by a live audience on zoom to dive deep into all things building, leading and mentoring a team through growth, like: The top 4 challenges that come with a team The S-Curve concept Addressing challenging situations   Plus answer they answer a few listener questions. Wish you could have joined us live? Don’t worry, we’re recording part 3 live on March 23rd at 1pm Eastern. Click here to add our final part in this series to your calendar!   Want to grow your business this year? Grab our free training, 6 Ways To Grow Your Business here!   Ready to talk to Gio from our team about joining Clockwork? Book a call with him here!   And keep your eye out for a special announcement on next week’s episode!  

We are not creating oxygen! You’ve heard it before, you love it, and hopefully you live it… But if you aren’t quite living into those words just yet, maybe that’s because you need to listen to this episode. In this episode, Adrienne shares: Why she lives by this motto What it means in the day-to-day life of a clockworked business How you can adopt this into your business now! You can join in this conversation with us anytime over on Instagram → @rlclockwork Or if you want to work with us find more ease in your business, check out the Clockwork Accelerator → www.clockworkaccelerator.com

As Mike and I were looking for the most efficient organizations on the 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 relation 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, and because nature knows best, we stole the idea   We call it the Queen Bee Role.  Adopting this one concept can change everything.    So that’s why we’re revisiting this episode again.We should talk about this every day, to be honest.   Want to chat more about it? Come share your thoughts with us on Instagram → @rlclockwork   Want to learn more about the work we do?Clockwork Accelerator → www.clockworkaccelerator.com

Many of our conversations with our clients these days are centered around how to grow and scale their businesses while still remaining as lean as possible.    In order to grow, there are three major shifts you’re going to have to focus on, and today we are talking about the first one: your leadership.   In this episode, Adrienne and Emily are joined by a live zoom audience to talk about why you need to focus on your leadership skills, and what kind of obstacles you might need to overcome along the way, from the perspective of both the business owner and a team member. They also share insights and answer questions from the live listeners.  As you’re listening ask yourself these questions:  Is your leadership growing at the same rate as your business? What's been the most challenging thing for you as a leader?  What leadership skill are you focusing on growing? If you want to participate in the conversation for part two, our next live recording is February 23rd at 1pm ET. Click here to add the event to your calendar. Enjoyed this format? We definitely want to know! Come share your thoughts with us on IG Clockwork Instagram → @rlclockwork   Want to learn more about the work we do? Clockwork Accelerator → www.clockworkaccelerator.com  

We’ve got a brand new format for the RLC Podcast today, Clockworkers, and we can’t wait to hear what you think about it. We’re sharing 3 recent “big news” stories, and breaking down just how applicable they are to small business owners. (Spoiler alert… they aren’t at all) Too often we see entrepreneurs model their decisions on the dangerous or impractical  actions of larger corporations. But we want to make sure you’re focused on running your business with efficiency at all times, and not getting bogged down worrying about made up trends like “quiet hiring”. On this episode Adrienne and Emily discuss: “Resenteeism” and why it’s not a thing “Quiet hiring” and how it’s actually rebalancing your team The big layoffs and why you should never do it this way… Enjoyed this format? We definitely want to know! Come share your thoughts with us on IG Clockwork Instagram → @rlclockwork Want to learn more about the work we do? Clockwork Accelerator → www.clockworkaccelerator.com

We’ve reached our 200th episode!    Now, that is a milestone worth celebrating, and what better way than reflecting on all of the wins that got us to this point. In this episode, Adrienne is joined by the entire Run Like Clockwork team to share, reflect and celebrate a handful of our most impactful wins over the past four years.    As a thank you to all of you, we're celebrating 200 episodes by giving away 5 copies of Clockwork Revised and Expanded! To enter our random draw all you have to do is leave us a podcast review, and send us an email at [email protected] with a screenshot of it.    If you've already left us a review, just share that with us!   We'll be choosing 5 random people who email us by Tuesday, February 7th at 5pm ET.     Enjoyed this episode? Listen to Nathan Foeller’s episode here: https://www.runlikeclockwork.com/podcast/ep196 Check out Brenda’s story here: https://www.runlikeclockwork.com/podcast/ep161   Want to learn more about the work we do?Clockwork Accelerator → www.clockworkaccelerator.comClockwork Instagram → @rlclockwork

“I can’t Clockwork my business because if I’m not working there is no business”.   If that’s a thought that has run through your head, this is your episode!   Julie is joined by Darcy O’Daniel, Executive Director of Noteable Progressions, and recent recipient of our Clockie award!   After starting her business by accident in 2011 (a family friend needed support), Darcy was able to grow her practice enough to leave her full time job and fully commit to the business in just one year.  And the growth just kept coming.   After reading Clockwork in 2018 she convinced herself, like most service based entrepreneurs, that while it was nice in theory there would be no way to fully implement this in her business because all of the actual services depended on her. However, in Spring of 2021 after her husband had unexpectedly lost her job, it became more apparent that Clockworking was not a “some day” thing anymore… it needed to happen NOW for the security of the business and her family.In this episode Darcy shares: Why she no longer wants to have all the answers The struggle of leaninging into continuous improvement How clockworking has has helped her grow the business while doing less   Want to learn more about the work we do?Clockwork Accelerator → www.clockworkaccelerator.comClockwork Instagram → @rlclockwork   Want to learn more about Darcy?   After developing an early love for music, Darcy knew she wanted it to be a part of her career path. She hated performing (still does!) and didn’t feel that being a music teacher was right for her. When she had the opportunity to go to a presentation about a music therapy program at an adult day center, she knew she had found her future profession!    Darcy has completed advanced training in Neurologic Music Therapy and Sprouting Melodies. Her areas of specialty are early childhood, older adults, and neurologic music therapy. Her model of practice focuses on community music therapy, working with people in context with social and cultural factors and serving as a forum for advocacy and community awareness. In addition to supervising the team of music therapists at Noteable Progressions, Darcy is an active presenter providing workshops and in-service opportunities to teach and support agencies and families to use music purposefully in the centers, classrooms, and homes.    Find her here: https://www.instagram.com/noteableprogressions/ https://www.noteableprogressions.com

Motivational speaker Jim Rohn says that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. Why?  The law of averages.   At the end of the day, a successful clockworked business is dependent on upholding a culture of efficiency, and that starts with you.   To show up as the leader you want to be, you need to be intentional with who you spend your time with.    In this episode, Emily asks Adrienne about the 5 people she spends the most time with, and how that influences her leadership style here at Run Like Clockwork. As always, this is an open book conversation about the realities of life being a wife, mom, and entrepreneur, and how the different seasons of life can (and will) impact them all.  We encourage you to listen to this episode and then take inventory of the 5 people you’re spending the most time with. Are they helping propel you forward?Do they balance you out in the ways you need?Or are they keeping you stuck at your current level? Ready to introduce a new top 5 person to the mix? The Accelerator community may be the perfect fitClockwork Accelerator → www.clockworkaccelerator.comClockwork Instagram → @rlclockwork

I have 2 questions I need you to answer...   1- Is one of your goals for 2023 to grow and scale your business? 2- Do you know the most efficient way to make that happen?For many people, the answers are “Yes!”, then “…. No?”   And that’s why we turned our live training from December 2022 into this podcast, the info was just too good for it not to have a place on the pod! In this episode Adrienne summaraizes her research on the 6 strategies you can use to grow your business, ranked most to least efficient.Plus ideas to allocate your budget to make it all happen.So if you are looking to grow your business by even 1% but aren’t sure the best way, give this one a listen, and then let us know which of the 6 you’re trying!Clockwork Accelerator → www.clockworkaccelerator.comClockwork Instagram → @rlclockwork

Do you want your business to be better?I don’t know a single person who would ever say no to that question… so assuming you said yes, this is the podcast episode for you. Today Emily is joined by recent Clockie winner Nathan Foeller of Minuteman Press of Stroudsburg.We’re eager to share this episode because Nathan represents a niche of our Clockwork students that have been underrepresented on the podcast… manufacturing, in-person services, and franchises.    And he also has a lot of valuable insights to share in this episode about how to make Clockworking work for your business, including: Getting your team on board when they don’t typically work at a computer How to continue evolving in your own role as the CEO + leader of the company The positive impact focusing on efficiency will have on your revenue and profit margins   In Nathan’s own words, “I can’t even put into words fully the difference this has made in our business, and I hope that everybody out there listening gets to experience the same thing we’ve been able to.”   If you want to learn more about how to work with us to Clockwork your business too, visit www.clockworkaccelerator.com Nathan lives in Northeast PA with his wife, Laura and their three daughters.  What initially started as some graphic design for his church turned into a side business that eventually led to buying a failing local print shop (a Minuteman Press franchise).     Over the next nine years, they acquired three other local printing companies and rolled them into the business.  They’ve now grown to a team of seven and the business has become very successful.   You can learn more about the amazing services Nathan and his team are offering at mmpstroudsburg.com and at rafflesforless.com   Connect with Run Like Clockwork on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/rlclockwork

I can’t believe we are at the last episode of 2022!   Right now Team RLC is taking two glorious weeks completely unplugged to rest and recharge.   I know offering this type of break isn't always possible, but in today's episode I want to encourage everyone to reflect on what improvements you want to make to your culture in 2023.   This is a conversation we are all incredibly passionate about, because having a strong culture is a  crucial aspect to a business that wants to run like clockwork.   In this episode, Emily asks you to reflect on what your business look like today: Do you want to invest in additional support for your team like DEI or Enneagram How do you want to build rewards + recognition into your systems Is your culture still in alignment with your values? After listening to the episode we challenge you to connect with us on Instagram (@rlclokwork) to share what improvements you are committing to! Be real, what do you want to change about your culture?   If you want to learn more about the work we do here at Run Like Clockwork, visit www.clockworkaccelerator.com  

We're finishing this year strong with a mini-series on everything you need to do to get yourself ready for 2023!   One of the most important meetings we have all year at RLC is our annual planning meeting.   In this episode Adrienne + Emily break down the key things you need to include when you’re planning your year, including: Reflections from the last year Check in with your values and visions Make sure you’re still focusing on your Big Promise, QBR and current bottleneck Goals for each department Internal goals for the culture of your team What resources you need to make these goals a reality   If you think WE might be a resource that can help you in 2023, visit clockworkaccelerator.com to learn more about how we can work together!   Connect with us on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/rlclockwork

We're finishing this year strong with a mini-series on everything you need to do to get yourself ready for 2023! Today is all about financial forecasting... and our resident expert Tyler joins Emily to break it down simply.   They cover: What forecasting is exactly The simplest way to evaluate your data What this process looks like in the day to day How people use forecasting to make decisions The common mistakes people make Forecasting is one of the most powerful tools you’ll have in your arsenal when it comes to maximizing your efficiency, As Tyler shares, it doesn’t have to be complicated or take a ton of time, but the data it provides makes it so much easier to make decisions! If you're craving more freedom from your business, the time to join the accelerator is now! Visit clockworkaccelerator.com for more info!   Connect with us on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/rlclockwork

Today on the podcast we’re joined by our August “Clockie” winners Efren and Yuri to talk all about what it’s been like to Clockwork their appliance business.    After starting in a storage unit without any AC or restrooms and growing to a bloated team of 12, they are now operating a lean and efficient team of 5, and have navigated all of the challenges those changes have brought.   They were nominated because of their perseverance as they’ve Clockworked their business, and their willingness to keep trying new things until they find the system or framework that works best for their business.    Efren started Frontline Appliances in 2016 to serve customers by providing affordable refurbished appliances matched with reliable service, and was later joined in the business by his partner Yuri.  Since enrolling in the Accelerator program in 2021 they have clarified their vision, drastically increased their efficiency, and maintained their revenue. And the best part? They’ve increased profits, employee pay, and their wages at the same time!. In their words “this is not to say times are always great as we’ve learned that Clockworking is continuous but we could not imagine NOT Clockworking our business!”    You can learn more about how to work with us to Clockwork your business, including the new offers we’ve created,  at www.clockworkaccelerator.com

2022 is coming to a close, and my goodness do we have some big reflections to share with you.   It has been a year full of big wins… from a new Clockwork baby to a new Clockwork book, we’ve had a lot to celebrate, but we’ve also learned a few big (and painful) lessons the hard way.   On this episode Adrienne and Emily share: The results of the market research we conducted this Fall and how we’ve used it to create new offers. The biggest pain point our clients have that we were barely talking about, and how that caused our rebrand to miss the mark. How getting too comfortable with our results almost made us miss the warning signs that it was time to mix it up.   Transparency is key in this conversation!If you want to hear more about our ups and downs, you’re invited to our live State of the Union call on December 6th @ 4pm ET.  We’ll also be sharing 6 ways you can grow your business in 2023!If you’re on our email list you’ll be getting all the info, and if not, you can sign up here

Celebrating small wins can create big changes Acknowledging small wins sparks the reward circuits of our brains and releases chemicals that give us a feeling of pride and happiness. On the flip side, not celebrating wins leaves us feeling depleted and apathetic and unable to recognize our successes. This is a habit feedback loop, and in this episode, Emily and Julie talk about a simple, science-backed strategy you can use to break the habits that aren’t serving you and build shiny new ones that fill your cup! And, because we always practice what we preach, they share a few of the wins our clients are celebrating to inspire you to pay attention to the types of wins you’re experiencing too! After listening we challenge you to find us on Instagram (@rlclockwork) and send us a DM with the wins you're celebrating this week.

Today, Julie is joined by Clockie winner, Eden Houghtaling, Lead Business Advisor and Owner of PinPoint Business Solutions.Eden was nominated for the Clockie after being put through the wringer with a tough team member loss right after a hire for a different role. “Instead of wallowing or throwing in the towel, Eden used that as an opportunity to take a step back, assess how to fill that gap, and has propelled herself forward by relying on her clockworking skills.”   Eden’s story is a fabulous example of how taking imperfect action and focusing more resources on having the right person in the right seat in your business can be the difference maker.   Most importantly she talks about the transformation that vulnerable and open communication has had on her company culture since focusing on Clockwork.    You can learn more about the work we do with our clients at www.clockworkaccelerator.com

You can be intentional about taking rest, or your body will tell you when you have to rest, but there is no way of avoiding it.  Rest is part of the work. It allows us to recharge, rejuvenate and relax. In this episode, Julie talks about: How to model rest for your team The different forms of rest (it doesn’t have to be a vacation!) The important role rest plays in team culture and staff retention  If the notion of rest feels like a lot to you and you maybe don't feel like you can even give your team the time to rest or you aren't sure how to foster a culture that can include it, we would love to work with you. Apply for our accelerator program clockworkaccelerator.com. 

Do you ever feel like your business is ruining your life?   Ela did, and she almost abandoned it all together because of it. Until Clockwork showed her there really is another way to do things that doesn’t completely deplete you as a business owner.  In this episode Ela shares with Julie - Why Clockworking allowed her to keep her business open - The deconditioning her organization did to really reach that next level of success - The radical trust she has been able to build in herself + team to be able to keep growing Ela Thier is a producer and writer, known for Tomorrow Ever After (2016), Foreign Letters (2012) and A Summer Rain (2009). She is the founder of The Independent Film School where she helps screenwriters and filmmakers create the work that they’ll be remembered for.

In Clockwork we preach how the most critical role for the CEO is to set and drive the vision for the company. In order to do that you need to be really intentional with how you show up inside your business so your vision can become a reality Leadership is not about being the best.  Leadership is about making everyone else better.   You’ve probably risen to leadership because you’re pretty awesome!  Which IS awesome, but you don’t want to be the best at all the things.  In fact, the way you fully step into leadership is to help others become better.   In this episode Julie and Adrienne talk about all the different ways you can show up for your team and business, and how Adrienne has adapted the way she shows up during various seasons of her life.   Here are some reflection questions to mull over after listening to the episode: What does making others better look like for you?  For your team?  How do you think it might feel?For you? For your team? How might that benefit your business? Your culture? 

We LOVE it when our Clockworking business leaders include their team in the process because we know how much more efficient it is to have us walk their team through the implementation of these frameworks rather than have to act like a go-between (aka bottleneck).    Team members are often the closest ones to the actual problems inside your business, and can generally help you create the most efficient solutions… as long as they are empowered to make changes. In this episode, Julie talks with Nicole Kuyten, the communications coordinator at Bio AG Consultants and Distributors and a recent Clockie winner about how clockworking has transformed her day-to-day life. They cover: The key characteristic of a clockworking team member Why everyone should actually want to feel replaceable in the business How she has been able to spearhead the clockworking efforts at the company with such success   If you’re ready to invest the resources in your team to bring more ease and joy into their roles, visit clockworkaccelerator.com

The more connected we can be, the harder it has become to disconnect, and after 30 years of everyone being hyper focused on productivity, hustle culture has become a different type of pandemic.   But the tides are changing, and the stats are undeniable that the workforce is demanding change.  72% of polled Americans would consider leaving a company to find a more inclusive culture. Today on the podcast, Julie and Emily talk about 10 very clear signs that there is a storm brewing in your culture.  If you aren't loving the way your company feels these days, visit clockworkaccelerator.com to learn more about how implementing Clockwork can completely turn your company culture around at 

"If you think you’re leading the same workforce that you were in February 2020, with the same mindset, mentality, desires, and priorities… you’re nuts!” - Scott Sonenshein   91% of millennials will stay in their job for less than three years and 73% of candidates are passive job seekers, which means there are more high-quality applicants looking for new opportunities than ever! The key is knowing where to find them, and how to communicate that you are the right fit for them!In this episode Emily covers: How to write a clear job posting  The key to an application that works Where to actually find these top applicants   The hiring process doesn’t have to feel overwhelming or intimidating.  The key is being clear about what you need and speaking directly to the people who are the best fit to work with you. And if you need support to figure that out visit clockworkaccelerator.com

“I can’t Clockwork, my business is too new/established/small/big/unique/structured…”Sound familiar?    I’m sure you’ve thought something similar about your own business, or role.  That it is too something to clockwork.   Every business is unquestionably on its own journey, AND, that doesn’t mean it can’t be Clockworked exactly where it is right now.    Emily recently sat down with Caroline Somer of Somer Design to learn more about her experience clockworking her 13-year-old business.   They talk about: Why Emily nominated Caroline for the Clockie award The challenges and rewards of employing an international team How to navigate the rollercoaster of solving a Delivery bottleneck.    About Caroline + Somer Design:   Somer design has grown from a single freelancer to a full-service agency offering a range of brand, web, design, and marketing services.  They help purpose-driven business owners find clarity and confidence in their brand, drive traffic to their website, engage with their target audience, and build authority.    To learn more about Somer Design visit: https://www.somerdesign.co.uk/ Sign up here for their next training A Straight Talking Guide to Digital Marketing   Ready to Clockwork with us? Visit www.clockworkaccelerator.com to learn more. 

I'm sure some of you out there can relate that there are a certain set of challenges that come with trying to run a business with a partner. Whether it’s a platonic or romantic partnership, having two captains for your ship can add an extra layer of complexity to your Clockworking.  This week on the podcast Adrienne is joined by her Co-founder (who also happens to be her husband), Tyler to discuss all the ups and downs of running a business and growing their family together.  Nothing is off the table in this candid conversation about: How they’ve struggled to release control. What their day-to-day lives look like now with 2 kids. The impact clockworking can have on a CEO’s creativity. And most importantly… what they now know is possible for the future of the business.  Tyler and Adrienne aren’t an anomaly.  These are the typical types of results our students get when they put their all into Clockworking the business. 

It’s no secret that the more choices you have to make, the more it wears on your brain, and after the last few years we’ve all had… I don’t know many people who aren’t feeling the effects of decision fatigue.    In this episode, we share: Four main symptoms you may be experiencing The psychological effects of not addressing it now Our top three solutions for combating decision fatigue Ready to kick decision fatigue to the curb and free up some brain space for things that matter? Join us at the Delegate to Accelerate Bootcamp to learn how to delegate anything off your plate for good!

Freedom or control… what do you want more?   Because you can’t have full freedom and full control.   Too often people either want freedom from their business, but can’t let go of the control… or completely abdicate from the business and are frustrated by the (lack of) results.    On this episode Adrienne and Emily share one of the most important mindset shifts our CEO’s need to make when they are preparing to Clockwork their business.    So, where do you fall on the Freedom/Control spectrum? If you’re looking for support to move down the line towards more freedom or more control definitely join us at our Delegate to Accelerate Bootcamp! Go to www.clockworkbootcamp.com for all the details.  We get started September 19th!

The revised and expanded edition of Clockwork is out today! Clockworking is an iterative process, and after years of working with our clients and learning the best ways to implement these systems, it became apparent that the content in the book needed to be updated to reflect the most efficient ways to Clockwork.  This has been a long time in the making for us, and we are thrilled that old and new readers alike will get to experience the true transformations that are possible In this episode Adrienne and Mike go deep on:  Why the  revised and expanded edition has over 60% new content Why each and every chapter of the new book has a clear way to engage your teams What the process is like writing a revised edition of a book, and what you can expect whether you’ve read the first book or not (because this is a completely different book!)   Remember, clockworking is not about extracting you from the business so the business doesn't need you. It's allowing you to find where you fit within the business, so you can design it to run itself.  But you need to take the first step.  You can grab Clockwork Revised and Expanded: Design your Business to Run Itself here, or wherever books are sold.

There are a lot of really fun reasons to clockwork, like vacations, retirement, and parental leave.   And those are the types of reasons that you can anticipate.    You plan for them, practice your systems, and make sure all of your ducks are in a row… for a lot of people it can actually be very neat and tidy.   And then, on the other side, there are really serious, unplanned, and scary reasons too.    In this week's episode, Dave Jereb, owner of Move About Therapy, gets candid about the realities of Clockworking in his industry, and how fortunate he was to have already started the process when crisis struck his family.  Not only is Dave an incredible leader inside his own business, but he shows up and supports our Clockwork community with such enthusiasm and commitment, and it’s for this reason that he was recently awarded as our Clockie of the month! Be sure to pay extra close attention to this episode, because Dave is full of incredible insights you can apply to your business as you implement the clockwork systems. And if you want to learn more, you can check us out at www.clockworkaccelerator.com

Today we want to talk about one of the clockwork traps we need everyone to watch out for - the 3T Trap.   When we talk about clockworking we often focus on the leader's role - how we can move them closer to their ideal 4D mix and remove them as the bottleneck.    And that IS true, but we have to be careful not to turn someone else into the bottleneck in the process.   In this episode of the Run Like Clockwork Podcast, Emily and Gabbi: Briefly explain the 3Ts  Share more about why we must reverse engineer this process in order to do it responsibly Talk about Gabbi's story of becoming the tech bottleneck on our own team! Even with the best of intentions this often happens slowly, so you don't realize it's happening until it's too late.    Successfully “3Ting” is essential to clockworking though, so if you need a little extra guidance on how to rebalance the tasks on your team, check out www.clockworkaccelerator.com to learn more!

Clockworking is a lifelong practice, so like any major lifestyle changes or habits you are working on developing, it’s only natural that there will be ebbs and flows as you implement it.  In this episode Emily talks about the three most common reasons our clients feel like they stall out on their progress:  “I don’t have enough time in the day” “I can’t do it perfectly so I’m not doing it at all” “I keep getting distracted by a million little fires”   She also covers 3 simple ways to jumpstart after an extended break. Most importantly, if you’re experiencing a lull, remember to give yourself grace.    This is to be expected, it happens almost like clockwork ;)    The key is to seek out the support you need to push through these seasons.  And if that’s us, you can learn more at www.clockworkaccelerator.com

Sometimes (a lot of the time) it’s the small tweaks to a system that make the biggest impact.    But sometimes knowing that there are endless things you could be doing to improve your business is more overwhelming than your actual workload. This is why we are so focused on continuous improvement here at Run Like Clockwork.  The mindset shift from “everything must be perfect” to “done is better than perfect” has been instrumental in the success of our clients.     In this episode of the Run Like Clockwork Podcast, Emily is joined by Clockworker Ruth Newman, who shares her experience clockworking her architecture firm of over 14 years, and the ups and downs that managing her international team has experienced.It’s a really honest conversation about the realities of entrepreneurship.   If you are looking to learn more about how to work with us like Ruth, visit www.clockworkaccelerator.com

She’s back, folks!After a 13 week maternity leave Adrienne is plugged back into Team Run Like Clockwork and she’s ready to share all the details about what it’s really like to be unplugged from the business for that long. She’s joined by Emily in this episode, and they cover everything, like: What her new role will look like now that she’s back Advice she would give to the 2017 version of herself The unexpectedly hard part about being gone that long  And the singl   The lessons and takeaways we share in this episode are just further proof why the 4-Week Vacation is always going to be a cornerstone of the Clockwork system. It is vital to the health of your business, yourself, and your team. Visit clockworkaccelerator.com to get started preparing for yours.   And if you have more questions about what this process was like, let us know on instagram @rlclockwork

Mistakes happen all the time.But unfortunately, the culture around admitting your mistakes can be highly problematic. People are afraid of being vulnerable. They are worried that admitting they made a mistake will weaken their position at a company, or undermine their authority. We need to reframe mistakes as a necessary part of the process because they are unavoidable. In this episode Gabbi and Julie talk about the top reasons why making mistakes is more than just “ok”, it’s absolutely necessary, like: We need to make them so we can learn and grow They are an opportunity to improve or create systems They foster teamwork and community Shifting your culture can be hard work, which is why it's a huge focus of the work we do here at Run Like Clockwork. Want to learn more about how? clockworkaccelerator.com

Today we wanted to record an episode specifically for all the team members, so if you have a team be sure to share this one with them. As you know, we are obsessed with continuous improvement here at Run Like Clockwork, and that doesn’t just refer to our systems… we are also focused on improving ourselves!We are responsible for our own growth… which for a lot of team members can oscillate between feeling both super exciting and super daunting.  In this episode, Julie, Gabbi, and Emily share more about our favorite growth tips and strategies and provide some insight into the good, bad, and super uncomfortable parts of our own personal journeys.   We also cover the S Curve, which we learned about in Whitney Johnson's book Build an A-Team, which is one of our favorite concepts to teach to our clients. If you’re struggling with your own growth, or have team members who you know aren’t tapping into their own strength, this episode can help provide a clearer path to finding it!

The first module in our program asks the question "What are the qualities of the leader you want to become"?We’ve been collecting the responses to this question for years and the answers are fascinating. You can be confident in the mechanics of running your business, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg.  You need to have the leadership skills to back it up. In this episode, Emily and Julie analyze the data to uncover the top 5 most common qualities our Clockwork students shared in the responses to this question of their implementation exercise.Does your current leadership style align with your values and goals for the company? What qualities would you put on your list? If the answer isn’t quite what you want it to be and you need a little support, you can learn more about how to work with us at www.clockworkaccelerator.com

What does “going all in” look like to you? When you do go “all in,” how long do you maintain that level of focus and dedication? Are you in it for a quick result or do you embrace the process?   This week’s guest on the Run Like Clockwork podcast, Maleeka Hollaway, is an excellent example of going ALL IN on Clockworking and embracing the process as a long-term solution. Maleeka is the CEO of The OMG (The Official Maleeka Group), a thriving PR agency. When she joined the Clockwork Accelerator program just 4 months ago, she jumped in the deep-end and her team followed her lead. On this episode, Maleek talks with Emily of Team RLC about going all in + embracing the process of Clockwork.   Topics Emily + Maleeka also cover: Clockworking to maintain a certain quality of life The value of having a team who’s all in, too The mindset shift needed to remove yourself from a company with your name in the title The power of embracing the process Slowing down to identify the gaps and improve Hiring and integrating the new team members into the Clockwork process   If you’ve been telling yourself you don’t have time to Clockwork, or that you can’t remove yourself from your company because you are the name/face of it, or you struggle to embrace the process and maintain sustained momentum, then we know you will find a ton of value from hearing Maleeka’s Clockwork experience!   We would love to hear what resonated most with you! Tag us on Instagram @rlclockwork + @the_omg_llc   And as always, we’re continuing the conversation over in our free Run Like Clockwork Community! We’d love to hear your Clockwork questions!   JOIN THE CONVERSATION INSIDE THE COMMUNITY

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!

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

Why did Mike write Clockwork? Simple...same reason he writes all his books, he found a problem in his own life + business, realized it was something that was plaguing others, and then dove deep to find experts that could help solve it. In this episode Mike shares the personal story behind what prompted Clockwork for him...and yes, it all started with a vacation.     The Run Like Clockwork podcast will take you beyond the book with tips, insights + strategies, and if you’re interested in more free resources or joining our programs, you can learn more at runlikeclockwork.com.

After Adrienne revealed her big challenge of “MM imposter syndrome” in the last episode, she knew that meant stretching herself immediately and giving a full episode on who Adrienne is, what background qualifies her to talk about operational efficiency, how she left the corporate world, and even what she likes to do in her spare time. Tune into this episode to get an inside glimpse into the side of the Clockwork partnership that you may not know just yet!     The Run Like Clockwork podcast will take you beyond the book with tips, insights + strategies, and if you’re interested in more free resources or joining our programs, you can learn more at runlikeclockwork.com.

Whether you’re currently clockworking your business, thinking about it, or just like to hear our voices :) this podcast is meant to be a resource for you to create a business that runs like clockwork. Clockwork is about personal freedom, business growth, + scaling with excellence...and while YES we dangle the carrot of the 4 week vacation in the book, that’s really just to get you OUT for long enough to see what doesn’t operate well without you still.     Everything we do + share will come through the lens of operational efficiency + excellence (something that no one is talking about in the small business space). We created Run Like Clockwork to provide a SIMPLE + implementable solution ..that actually worked.     This show will take you beyond the book with tips, insights + strategies, and if you’re interested in more free resources or joining our programs, you can learn more at runlikeclockwork.com.