379: Strategic Planning Series Part 1 of 2

It’s become an annual tradition to share our Strategic Planning Series with our listeners, and there is no better time to do it than right now, on the cusp of a new year. Dr. Sabrina Starling hosts this two-part series that begins with this episode. She is “The Business Psychologist” and the author of the international bestselling series, How to Hire the Best, and The 4 Week Vacation book. In today’s episode, Dr. Sabrina shines a spotlight on your $10,000 an hour activities for these last couple of weeks of 2025. Utilizing your time in $10,000 an hour activities only comes through thoughtful reflection and planning, and we are here to help! Be sure you’ve downloaded the accompanying resources here. Let’s get started!Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production. Show Highlights:A common flaw shared by most business ownersThe time between Christmas and New Year’s Day is valuable; don’t waste it!Bolster your resilience with reflection AND celebration.Evaluate your 2025: What have you experienced?Your happiness depends upon your mindset.The Gift to Yourself Exercise: How this exercise brings peace of mindThe value of journaling by hand Resources:Get your Strategic Planning Workbook now! Click here.Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call with us today! Master your time and profit! Give us 20 minutes of your time, take the Better Business Better Life Assessment, and receive a free paperback copy of my book, The 4 Week Vacation®️.Join the Tap the Potential Community on Mighty Networks: www.tapthepotential.com/group  Mentioned in this episode:Better Business Better Life!Working harder and not getting paid? Feeling behind? Is your family tired of you being too busy to spend time with them? You deserve better! With Tap the Potential, we’ll show you exactly what to prioritize in your business to finally take your life back without sacrificing growth. 95% of our clients achieve our promised result of more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever. You can have this. Join us inside the Better Business, Better Life Program. Go to http://TapThePotential.com and book your call today!

What tasks in your business, when completed, make other tasks easier or unnecessary? Those are your $10,000 an hour activities, and they should be at the top of your daily to-do list. By prioritizing these tasks each day, you can stop working at a set time, leave the office, and prevent work from spilling over into your personal life. Join Dr. Sabrina Starling as she reveals the foundational principles that allow her to work less and still accomplish her goals in a growing business. In this training, you’ll discover the mindset, systems, and foundation to take your life back from your business. Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production. Show Highlights:Our clients are accomplishing unbelievable things within the first 30 days of signing up with us!Your first step: Download the Chart of $10,000 an Hour Activities here.Identify the wins and successes you want to experience in the next 1-2 years. Being emotionally present is the greatest gift to give another person.Dr. Sabrina looks back 20 years to the powerful question, “What do I want?”Limits force innovation and creativity. Be effective, not busy. Slim Starling’s entrepreneurial success in the 1950sSad statistics about today’s business owners and their livesSpeaking, presenting, writing blog posts, podcasting, and writing booksThe power of consistency led to Dr. Sabrina’s TEDx talk: From Burnout to Balance80/20 principle: 20% of our efforts are responsible for 80% of our resultsUsing the Chart of $10,000 an Hour Activities as a powerful delegation tool for your teamDon’t delude yourself about the extra busyness you’re doing in your business!Let your A-players spread their wings and grow! They want more opportunities!Your next step? Take the Better Business Better Life Assessment!Resources:Download your Chart of $10,000 an Hour Activities now!Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call with us today! Master your time and profit! Give us 20 minutes of your time, take the Better Business Better Life Assessment, and receive a free paperback copy of my book, The 4 Week Vacation®️.Join the Tap the Potential Community on Mighty Networks: www.tapthepotential.com/group. Mentioned in this episode:Better Business Better Life!Working harder and not getting paid? Feeling behind? Is your family tired of you being too busy to spend time with them? You deserve better! With Tap the Potential, we’ll show you exactly what to prioritize in your business to finally take your life back without sacrificing growth. 95% of our clients achieve our promised result of more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever. You can have this. Join us inside the Better Business, Better Life Program. Go to http://TapThePotential.com and book your call today!

Are you struggling to raise your prices because you are afraid of losing clients? You are not alone! In this episode, Melissa Kay and Dr. Sabrina Starling explore specific strategies to increase your rates while keeping your best clients satisfied confidently. You’ll learn the mindset shifts that make price increases feel natural and justified, how to communicate price charges without losing trust, and proven strategies business owners use to raise rates and grow profits. Stop leaving money on the table and start charging what you’re worth—without fear. Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production. Show Highlights:Mindset shifts around price increases that protect your margins AND your teamSteps to establish a framework for regular price increases:Work with your ideal clients only.Understand the 80/20 rule.Keep clients who realize and appreciate the value of your services.75% of our clients stay with us for 3+ years!Focusing on what your top clients need and what they appreciate about your businessTying your price increase to the value you are delivering to the top 20% of your customersIdentify your top clients before spending your marketing dollars! Outcomes you can expect from implementing the Tap the Potential SolutionAdvice to keep your business from consuming more of your lifeConfidence to charge appropriatelyMaking your business uniqueReady to raise your prices with proven strategies that will make your business sustainably profitable? Help is available! We have a tool, the Better Business Better Life Assessment, that provides step-by-step guidance.Resources:Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call with us today! Master your time and profit! Give us 20 minutes of your time, take the Better Business Better Life Assessment, and receive a free paperback copy of my book, The 4 Week Vacation®️.Join the Tap the Potential Community on Mighty Networks: www.tapthepotential.com/group. Mentioned in this episode:Better Business Better Life!Working harder and not getting paid? Feeling behind? Is your family tired of you being too busy to spend time with them? You deserve better! With Tap the Potential, we’ll show you exactly what to prioritize in your business to finally take your life back without sacrificing growth. 95% of our clients achieve our promised result of more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever. You can have this. Join us inside the Better Business, Better Life Program. Go to http://TapThePotential.com and book your call today!

Are you feeling pulled in a hundred different directions and wondering why nothing seems to move your business forward? It’s not about doing more, it’s about doing the right ONE thing. In this episode, we are diving into how narrowing your focus can accelerate results, reduce overwhelm, and simplify decision-making. Melissa Kay and Dr. Sabrina Starling will help you identify the one thing that will create the biggest impact in your business, understand why multitasking and busywork stall growth, and share a simple strategy to stay focused and maintain momentum. If you’re ready to finally make real progress without the chaos, this episode is your clarity breakthrough!Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production. Show Highlights:The power of the ONE thingA breakdown of your project load and productivityYour desire to over-accomplish affects your entire team.Identify your “one domino” that needs to fall.How context-switching affects youMelissa’s tips for being strategic about your timeFinding power in giving yourself the space you need to complete a projectOur plan for helping business owners plan a The 4 Week Vacation®️ Tips for identifying your ONE thing that makes everything else easier or unnecessaryHelp is available! We have a tool, the Better Business Better Life Assessment, that provides step-by-step guidance.Resources:Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call with us today! Master your time and profit! Give us 20 minutes of your time, take the Better Business Better Life Assessment, and receive a free paperback copy of my book, The 4 Week Vacation®️.Join the Tap the Potential Community on Mighty Networks: www.tapthepotential.com/group. Mentioned in this episode:Better Business Better Life!Working harder and not getting paid? Feeling behind? Is your family tired of you being too busy to spend time with them? You deserve better! With Tap the Potential, we’ll show you exactly what to prioritize in your business to finally take your life back without sacrificing growth. 95% of our clients achieve our promised result of more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever. You can have this. Join us inside the Better Business, Better Life Program. Go to http://TapThePotential.com and book your call today!

Are you struggling to get your team focused and aligned, but are left wondering why the results aren’t what they should be? In this episode, we delve into how simply being fully present as a leader can transform your team, decision-making, and business outcomes. You’ll learn why presence is the secret weapon behind high-performing teams; how your mindset as a leader shapes focus, collaboration, and results; and simple strategies to show up fully without burning out. If you’re looking for a leadership approach that drives clarity, accountability, and measurable growth, this episode is your roadmap. Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production. Show Highlights:Dr. Sabrina’s eye-opening realizations about mindset and being fully presentFear causes us to operate with a scarcity mindset.We MUST celebrate our wins and successes!Tuning into what I need right now and learning to be my biggest advocateIntentionality in being fully present daily, with yourself and othersChasing peace instead of the next goalWhat are we modeling for our children?Being fully present to get results from your team membersChasing goals vs. enjoying and savoring what has been accomplished (Setting aside time for rest is essential!)Do you need a constant reminder to be fully present? DM Dr. Sabrina on social media and ask for your “Work supports life, not the other way around” stickers. The power of being fully present begins with managing your time. Find clarity and learn to focus on your $10,000 an hour activities with our free resource, the Chart of $10,000 An Hour Activities.Dr. Sabrina’s gold nugget about being fully present: “Live with no regrets. Regret-proof your life.”Resources:Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call with us today! Master your time and profit! Give us 20 minutes of your time, take the Better Business Better Life Assessment, and receive a free paperback copy of my book, The 4 Week Vacation®️.Join the Tap the Potential Community on Mighty Networks: www.tapthepotential.com/group. Mentioned in this episode:Better Business Better Life!Working harder and not getting paid? Feeling behind? Is your family tired of you being too busy to spend time with them? You deserve better! With Tap the Potential, we’ll show you exactly what to prioritize in your business to finally take your life back without sacrificing growth. 95% of our clients achieve our promised result of more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever. You can have this. Join us inside the Better Business, Better Life Program. Go to http://TapThePotential.com and book your call today!

Are you feeling drained, distracted, or stuck in overthinking mode? Before you blame your workload, take a look at your screen time. You might find the problem there. In this episode, we are exploring how constant scrolling impacts your focus, creativity, and peace of mind—and what to do about it. You’ll discover why screen time quietly sabotages your mindset and energy, a simple and science-backed reset that only takes a few minutes, and how breathing and mindfulness help you refocus and show up as your best self. If you’re ready to break free from distraction and reclaim your calm, this episode is your permission to pause. Join Melissa Kay and Dr. Sabrina Starling now!Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production. Show Highlights:Confront the harsh reality of your screen time.Dr. Sabrina’s personal example of the screen time/mindset connectionUsing AI in ways that innovate and enhance our creativityDifferent brain activities, besides mindless scrolling, produce innovation and creativity.Breathwork is required for optimal brain function. (Deep breaths AND spaces for pauses)Tuning in to peaceRewiring your brain, even though it takes thousands of repetitionsSet a goal, such as cutting your screen time in half over the next week, and fill your time with activities that bring you fulfillment.Need a FREE sticker (or two) for your phone to remind you about your time? Drop a message/email to Dr. Sabrina with your address. Melissa’s challenge to be intentional and take time for breathingTake our assessment and learn what to focus on to make more money and have more free time. Click here. Resources:Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call with us today! Master your time and profit! Give us 20 minutes of your time, take the Better Business Better Life Assessment, and receive a free paperback copy of my book, The 4 Week Vacation®️.Join the Tap the Potential Community on Mighty Networks: www.tapthepotential.com/group.Mentioned in this episode:Better Business Better Life!Working harder and not getting paid? Feeling behind? Is your family tired of you being too busy to spend time with them? You deserve better! With Tap the Potential, we’ll show you exactly what to prioritize in your business to finally take your life back without sacrificing growth. 95% of our clients achieve our promised result of more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever. You can have this. Join us inside the Better Business, Better Life Program. Go to http://TapThePotential.com and book your call today!

Are you frustrated by the constant turnover that costs you your best people? In this episode, we are revealing the simple action you can take to inspire loyalty and keep your top team members engaged. Dr. Sabrina Starling and Melissa Kay team up with Kaitlyn Beaver to each share their #1 leadership habit that makes A-players want to stay, how small and consistent actions build long-term team loyalty, and the simple shift you can start practicing today. Don’t let your best people slip away! Hear from each of our experts about their top leadership habits essential to creating a culture where A-players stick around and thrive!Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.&nbsp;Show Highlights:Retaining A-players by having consistent check-ins to ask about their wins, challenges, and goalsGiving A-players autonomy to see their new ideas as opportunities to flourish&nbsp;Have A-players “Take that idea and run with it!”A-players understand the sweet spot of your business and how to drive profitability.Show up calm and settled so your team feels safe and supported.Actions to take to support your A-players in sticking aroundThe value in regular one-to-one meetings with your team membersResults from our clients: more freedom, more time off, 4-week vacations, more owners’ pay, more business profit, and more peace of mindBook a call with us today!Resources:Join our upcoming Leadership Bootcamp to build a self-managing team of people who own their roles. Find out more by clicking the link.For more information about The Coach Approach or to join us in the next round, click the link!&nbsp;Don’t wait! Download your Strategic Planning Guide and 2025 Tap the Potential Strategic Planner today!Want to know the best attracting and recruiting strategies for small businesses? We can help! Learn more about our How to Hire the Best course.Retain, grow, and deeply engage your A-players with the Dream Manager Program! The best way to create buy-in from your team members for your vision is to identify how your vision supports them in achieving their dreams. Enroll today!Become an employer of choice to attract the A-players you want on your team! We are now enrolling for the How to Hire the Best course. Sign up today!Sign up for the free A-Player Development Plan/Mini-Course. Track your A-players’ development and retain your A-players!Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call with us today!&nbsp;Get your copy of A Guide To Talking To Your Team About Profit!Master your time and profit! Give us 20 minutes of your time, take the Better Business Better Life<a href="https://tapthepotential.com/assessment" rel="noopener noreferrer"

Are you tired of pushing your team to hit goals, only to see mediocre results, increased frustration, and burnout? In this episode of Profit by Design, we are breaking down what really makes A-players different, and how you can build a team that thrives AND delivers. Join Melissa Kay and Dr. Sabrina Starling as they talk with Kaitlyn Beaver, the How to Hire the Best Strategist at Tap the Potential. You’ll discover the three traits A-players have that fuel results without burnout, how to spot (and keep) top talent in your business, and the simple shifts you can make so your team performs at its best. If you are ready for a team that consistently meets (and exceeds) your goals without drama and exhaustion, this episode is for you!Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.&nbsp;Show Highlights:Three traits of A-players that allow them to deliver results - without burnout:A-players are intrinsically motivated.A-players always want to grow.&nbsp;A-players are full of ideas.Kaitlyn’s example of having a revolutionary vision in a pivotal, game-changing momentA team working from its strengths energizes everyone.Feedback from business owners about spotting top talent (A-players)A-players know when they are working from their zone of genius and strengths.Download your Chart of $10,000 an Hour Activities here!The importance of role-modeling for your A-playersA-players show up differently when they know what results they are responsible for.Highlights of the 4 Week Vacation Promise in the Better Business Better Life Program, which includes the How to Hire the Best courseAI can serve the sweet spot of your business; we can teach you how!Book a call with us today!Resources:Join our upcoming Leadership Bootcamp to build a self-managing team of people who own their roles. Find out more by clicking the link.For more information about The Coach Approach or to join us in the next round, click the link!&nbsp;Don’t wait! Download your Strategic Planning Guide and 2025 Tap the Potential Strategic Planner today!Want to know the best attracting and recruiting strategies for small businesses? We can help! Learn more about our How to Hire the Best course.Retain, grow, and deeply engage your A-players with the Dream Manager Program! The best way to create buy-in from your team members for your vision is to identify how your vision supports them in achieving their dreams. Enroll today!Become an employer of choice to attract the A-players you want on your team! We are now enrolling for the How to Hire the Best course. Sign up today!Sign up for the free A-Player Development Plan/Mini-Course. Track your A-players’ development and retain your A-players!Ready to take your life back from your business?...

Today’s episode is all about systems, and not just systems, but identifying who on your team can support you in getting systems in place. Hint: you, the business owner, don’t need to do it; you need a “systems champion.” Dr. Sabrina Starling hosts her friend and colleague, David Jenyns, for today’s discussion. This is David’s fourth time on Profit by Design, and we are always thrilled to hear his practical wisdom for small business owners. Join us!David Jenyns is an experienced entrepreneur who sold the Melbourne Cricket Grounds in his early 20s and founded Melbourne SEO Services. He systematized himself out of that business in 2016 and founded SYSTEMology to help business owners implement systems to scale their businesses. Today, he supports a growing community of certified Systemologists, delivers workshops and keynote addresses, hosts a podcast, and is on a mission to free business owners worldwide from the daily operations of their businesses. He is the author of SYSTEMology and Systems Champion. The entire scope of David’s work aligns seamlessly with our philosophy that your sustainably profitable business should support your life and free up your time—-and systems are the biggest key to making that happen.&nbsp;Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.&nbsp;Show Highlights:Business owners in a changing landscape with new technologiesHuge effects from the arrival of ChatGPT&nbsp;Leveraging AI and becoming more efficient with our timeThe need for systems, ”documented habits”Systems focusing on “the sweet spot” of your businessOne of the most important roles in your business: a systems championDavid’s process of collecting and analyzing data and patterns for his second book, with the help of AISecret sauce? Combining AI with strategy and systems.Key characteristics of systems championsAI tools have put things within reach for even junior team membersThe career path in your business for a systems championAn overview of David’s second book, Systems Champion (a playbook for a systems champion to follow)Two key pieces to getting your life back from a growing business: hiring A-players and putting systems in placeThe key results to be expected from a systems-driven businessResources:Connect with David Jenyns: Website, LinkedIn, SYSTEMology book, and Systems Champion bookJoin our upcoming Leadership Bootcamp to build a self-managing team of people who own their roles. Find out more by clicking the link.For more information about The...

In today’s show, Dr. Sabrina Starling visits with Sara Nay of Duct Tape Marketing. These two entrepreneurs are highly aligned in their passion for work that supports life, rather than the other way around. Sara discusses her book, which is full of strategy, not just marketing tactics, along with an understanding of the value of relationships. If your marketing strategy needs an overhaul, this show is for you. Join us!&nbsp;Sara Nay is the CEO of Duct Tape Marketing, where she helps small businesses turn their marketing strategies into scalable systems that their teams can actually execute. Since 2010, she’s worked with thousands of business owners and fractional CMOs, blending big-picture strategy with scalable operations. A passionate trainer at heart, Sara’s mission is to empower others to lead from their zone of genius and build marketing teams that can actually get the work done. Sara is also the author of Unchained: Breaking Free of Broken Marketing Models, with the mission to help small businesses reclaim ownership of their marketing, rather than renting it.&nbsp;Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.&nbsp;Show Highlights:Sara’s inspiration to write Unchained as a way to help others have control over their marketing strategySara’s “Aha moment” that changed her role at work and how Duct Tape Marketing works with clients with fractional CMOsThe Business Strategy PyramidIdentifying your growth priorities and execution calendar for the next few monthsA strategy-first approach to marketingTaking advantage of AI as a support that frees up time and increases valueAsk, “What tasks need to be done by humans, and what by AI?”The Ideal Client Deep Dive Worksheet (found in Sara’s book, Unchained)Connecting with people on a human/emotional level to build trustBuilding trust with our ideal clients: marketing with know, like, and trust; sales with try and buy; customer experience with repeat and referTrue growth: How it really happens through a focus on the customer experience&nbsp;What a business owner can gain by reading Unchained, your road map for a clear path forwardResources:Connect with Sara Nay: Duct Tape Marketing, LinkedIn, and Unchained*Free resources from Sara’s book: Marketing Ownership Audit, Ideal Client Deep Dive Worksheet, From Copy to Culture: Messaging Alignment Guide, and the<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1N0eFKck9l-Fgn_HeuQUGLOnkA2WHqYop/copy"...