Description:
Donna Dubay, a certified Director of Operations and Business Growth Strategist, joins the show to discuss the importance of operations in small businesses. She explains that while marketing and front-end activities are important, it is equally crucial to focus on the back-end operations to ensure the smooth running of the business. Donna emphasizes the need for a clear vision, measurable goals, and a well-defined team to achieve success. She also highlights the importance of work-life balance and taking time for personal well-being.
Key Takeaways:
- Operations in small businesses are often overlooked but are crucial for success.
- Having a clear vision and measurable goals is essential for growth.
- Building the right team and delegating tasks can help alleviate the burden on the business owner.
- Prioritizing work-life balance and personal well-being is necessary to avoid burnout.
Donna Dube
Donna Dube is a certified Director of Operations, business growth strategist and host of the CEO Amplify podcast. She works with established online service based business owners who are ready to make a bigger impact and maximize their profit.
Donna is passionate about helping business owners work smarter not harder, escape the hustle and grind culture, and go from stressed out to confident CEO. With several years of experience in project planning and strategic growth planning with 6- & 7-figure businesses, she has seen the momentum that can happen in a business when the CEO leverages their time, talent and tactics.
THE MEAT OF IT!
- Introduction to Donna Dube
- Role as a Certified Director of Operations and Business Growth Strategist.
- Helping leaders with time, talent, and tactics management.
- The Concept of CEO Score
- Calculating the CEO score based on annual revenue and work weeks.
- Assigning dollar values to growth-level tasks.
- Setting and Achieving Goals
- The importance of having a strategy for 12-month and 90-day goals.
- Breaking down goals for practical implementation.
- Effective Planning and Tracking
- Using the ‘CEO Pulse Check' 90-day planner.
- Delegating metric tracking and goal monitoring.
- Task and Time Management Strategies
- Emphasizing the need for strategic prioritization.
- Utilizing the Eisenhower matrix for task classification.
- Allocating Time for CEO-Level Tasks
- Importance of dedicating time for high-level activities.
- Integrating these tasks into a regular schedule.
- Defining Roles and Responsibilities
- The role of a CEO in a podcasting context.
- Clear documentation and task delegation.
- Balancing Professional and Personal Interests
- Finding joy in professional work and personal crafts.
- Scheduling time for CEO tasks and personal interests.
- Delegation and Team Building
- Identifying tasks to delegate based on CEO skillset.
- Creating clear job descriptions for hiring.
- Optimizing Team Performance
- Assessing if team members are in the right roles.
- Understanding team members' strengths and areas for growth.
- Maintaining Work-Life Balance
- Encouraging CEOs to allocate time for personal interests.
- Trial and error in finding the right balance.
- Perception vs. Reality in Business
- Discussing the disparity between online portrayals and real business challenges.
- Building the Right Team
- The importance of building a team that complements the CEO's skills.
- Example of implementing SEO and analytics in business.
- Staying True to Your Business Vision
- The importance of a clear business vision to avoid distractions.
- Aligning projects and team efforts with the business vision.
Click to See Episode Chapters and Timestamp
| Timestamp | Summary |
| 0:00:17 | Introduction to the episode and guest, Donna Dubay |
| 0:00:59 | Donna explains her role as a certified director of operations |
| 0:04:39 | Donna's journey from being an ICU nurse to working in online businesses |
| 0:06:25 | Reasons for becoming an entrepreneur: freedom and flexibility |
| 0:07:55 | Challenges of being an entrepreneur and the importance of mindset |
| 0:09:41 | The value of networking and finding support within online communities |
| 0:10:02 | The mindset that problems are solvable and seeking help |
| 0:11:06 | The reality behind the “perfect” image of entrepreneurship |
| 0:12:16 | Common issues in the back end of businesses: lack of clear vision |
| 0:12:44 | The importance of aligning tasks, projects, and team with the business vision |
| 0:12:44 | Importance of aligning tasks and projects with vision |
| 0:13:23 | Avoiding distractions and shiny objects |
| 0:14:12 | Specializing in a clear vision for business success |
| 0:15:01 | Keeping the vision front and center |
| 0:16:11 | Setting measurable goals and tracking progress |
| 0:17:45 | Assigning team members to track important metrics |
| 0:18:46 | Checking return on investment for implemented strategies |
| 0:19:48 | Delegating tasks to team members for efficiency |
| 0:21:53 | Balancing work and personal life to avoid burnout |
| 0:23:29 | Prioritizing self-care and personal obligations in the calendar |
| 0:25:35 | Introduction to the Eisenhower matrix for task prioritization |
| 0:26:47 | Importance of balancing craft and CEO level tasks |
| 0:28:28 | Using the CEO score to determine time allocation |
| 0:29:28 | Importance of variety and passion projects |
| 0:33:09 | Keeping the business “brilliantly boring” |
| 0:34:17 | Having a passion project outside of the business |
| 0:35:00 | Example of using music as a passion project |
| 0:36:48 | Challenges and benefits of building a team |
| 0:37:54 | Importance of clear job descriptions and values when hiring |
| [0:38:19] | Importance of having the right people in the right seats |
| [0:39:00] | Roles evolving and changing over time |
| [0:41:41] | Examples of roles changing and evolving |
| [0:43:03] | Working with online businesses and visionary leaders |
| [0:44:01] | Helping leaders avoid burnout and prioritize tasks |
| [0:45:29] | Clearly defining boundaries and roles within a team |
| [0:45:50] | Donna's website and contact information |
| [0:46:49] | Thanking Donna for joining the podcast |
| [0:47:19] | Sponsor message from Unified Web Design |
| [0:47:45] | Conclusion and contact information for the podcast |
Check out these related Episodes:
- Episode 143: Colin Sanburg – From Red to Black: The Importance of Financial Literacy
- Episode 139: Jonathan Green – Leveraging AI for Business Success and Entrepreneurial Insights
- Episode 79: Cristina Samoila – She Shares Her Secrets to Growing a Business Faster & ‘BEEing’ More Productive
Web Developer, WordPress & JavaScript Nerd at Unified Web Design, LLC
Matt is the Founder & Web Designer at Unified Web Design, Owner of UnifiedPlugins.com, blogger at MattLevenhagen.com ( who else would be? 😉 ) AND host of this amazing podcast, The Builders!
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