The New Age CEO Podcast

2. Intentionally Moving through the Four Stages of Business

What stage of business are you actually in, and are you building in alignment with that stage? In this episode of The CEO Shift Podcast, Anna Nichols breaks down the four stages of business development and why so many founders stay stuck trying to force strategies that don’t match where they are in their journey. From solopreneur beginnings to stepping fully into the CEO role, this conversation explores the structural, emotional, and leadership shifts required to build a purposeful, profitable, and sustainable business. Anna shares why entrepreneurship isn’t just about sales, marketing, or mindset alone, it’s about learning how all of the pieces work together while evolving your identity as a leader along the way. This episode is a powerful reminder that business growth happens in stages, and the more intentionally you move through them, the more clarity, confidence, and sustainability you create for the long term. If you’ve been feeling scattered, stuck, or unsure of your next step, this episode will help you understand where you are, what your business needs now, and how to move forward with intention. In This Episode: * Business development happens in stages, and each stage requires different skills, structures, and leadership capacities. * Your business can only grow sustainably when the foundational cycles and activities of your current stage are complete. * Entrepreneurship requires more than just one focus area like sales or energetics — long-term success comes from integrating vision, structure, marketing, finance, systems, leadership, and team. * Your role as a founder evolves as your business evolves, and stepping into the CEO identity requires intentional growth. * The speed at which you move through business stages depends on factors like resources, self-awareness, leadership maturity, and support. * Building a business intentionally creates more clarity and sustainability than constantly chasing strategies or “shiny objects.” * Purpose-driven businesses require both practical business strategy and alignment with your deeper mission. Resources: Learn more about the Spiritual Business Incubator: https://spiritualbusinessincubator.circle.so/about [https://spiritualbusinessincubator.circle.so/about] Purchase my book here! https://www.amazon.com/dp/1966346050/ [https://www.amazon.com/dp/1966346050/] Podcast website: https://spiritualbusinessincubator.circle.so/newageceopodcast [https://spiritualbusinessincubator.circle.so/newageceopodcast] View the full show notes for this episode: https://spiritualbusinessincubator.circle.so/episode2 [https://spiritualbusinessincubator.circle.so/episode2] Interactive Human Design Chart: https://spiritualbusinessincubator.circle.so/hdchart [https://spiritualbusinessincubator.circle.so/hdchart] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annanicholsmba [https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamannanichols] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annanicholsmba [https://www.instagram.com/annanicholsmba] Connect with Anna Nichols: Instagram: @iamannanichols [https://www.instagram.com/iamannanichols/] (https://www.instagram.com/iamannanichols/ [https://www.instagram.com/iamannanichols/])

1. Evolving from Solopreneur to New Age CEO

After 168 episodes of Design and Align Your Business, this new chapter begins with a deeper conversation about leadership, alignment, and what it truly means to build a business in the new age. Welcome to “The New Age CEO Podcast.” In this first episode, Anna Nichols shares the evolution of the Spiritual Business Incubator and the identity shift that came with moving from solopreneur into the role of founder and CEO. This conversation weaves together practical business strategy, Human Design, energetics, leadership, business planning, astrology, and the realities of building a mission-driven company designed for long-term impact. This episode speaks directly to entrepreneurs who know they are here to create something meaningful, not quick wins, not empty visibility, and not businesses built entirely around hustle and overextension. Anna shares the deeper responsibility that comes with holding a vision, building sustainable structures, leading a team, and allowing yourself to be seen at a bigger level. She also breaks down the core responsibilities of a “New Age CEO” and why leadership in this era of entrepreneurship requires both strategy and self-awareness. Inside the episode: * The identity shifts that happen as businesses evolve * Why alignment alone is not enough to sustain a business * The transition from doing everything yourself to leading a company * Human Design, astrology, and energetics as business tools * The role of business planning in building long-term sustainability * What legacy-driven entrepreneurship actually requires * Leadership, visibility, decision-making, and capacity expansion * The five responsibilities of a New Age CEO If your business feels like it’s asking you to grow into a new level of leadership, this conversation will meet you there. Resources: Learn more about the Spiritual Business Incubator: https://spiritualbusinessincubator.circle.so/about [https://spiritualbusinessincubator.circle.so/about] Purchase my book here! https://www.amazon.com/dp/1966346050/ [https://www.amazon.com/dp/1966346050/] Podcast website: https://spiritualbusinessincubator.circle.so/newageceopodcast [https://spiritualbusinessincubator.circle.so/newageceopodcast] View the full show notes for this episode: https://spiritualbusinessincubator.circle.so/episode1 [https://spiritualbusinessincubator.circle.so/episode1] Interactive Human Design Chart: https://spiritualbusinessincubator.circle.so/hdchart [https://spiritualbusinessincubator.circle.so/hdchart] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamannanichols [https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamannanichols] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annanicholsmba [https://www.instagram.com/annanicholsmba] Connect with Anna Nichols: Instagram: @iamannanichols [https://www.instagram.com/iamannanichols/] (https://www.instagram.com/iamannanichols/ [https://www.instagram.com/iamannanichols/])

The New Age CEO Podcast - Trailer

Welcome to The New Age CEO Podcast with Anna Nichols — founder and CEO of the Spiritual Business Incubator — where we explore what it really takes to build a purposeful, profitable, and sustainable business in the new age. This podcast is for mission-driven entrepreneurs, coaches, healers, creatives, and visionary founders who know they’re here to build something bigger than themselves. Inside each episode, Anna blends practical business strategy with Human Design, energetics, leadership, spirituality, nervous system work, wealth consciousness, and aligned entrepreneurship to help you grow a business that supports both your mission and your life. You’ll hear honest conversations about the journey from solopreneur to CEO, building aligned offers and sustainable systems, scaling without losing yourself, leadership in the new paradigm of business, and creating legacy-level impact through your work. From strategic planning and sales to Human Design, Gene Keys, astrology, and energetic alignment, this podcast bridges the practical and the spiritual in a grounded, actionable way. If you’re ready to stop forcing outdated business models and start building a company that feels deeply aligned with who you are, The New Age CEO Podcast will help you step fully into your role as the leader your business needs next. Connect with Anna Nichols: Instagram: @iamannanichols [https://www.instagram.com/iamannanichols/] (https://www.instagram.com/iamannanichols/ [https://www.instagram.com/iamannanichols/])

168. End of An Era: From Two to Team and Beyond!

In this final episode of The Design and Align Your Business Podcast as we know it, Anna shares the heart behind this intentional ending and the bigger vision that’s unfolding next. This is a conversation about honoring what has been, trusting what is changing, and making space for the next level of your mission. Anna reflects on the growth of the Spiritual Business Incubator, the evolution from doing it all herself to leading a team, and what it means to build something with both alignment and intention. If you’re in a season of transition, expansion, or deeper clarity around what you’re here to create, this episode will speak right to you. In this episode: * Why Anna is intentionally closing this chapter of the podcast * The evolution from two people to a growing team * What it looks like to step fully into the CEO role * Why aligned business needs both soul and structure * What’s coming next for the podcast and the Incubator Resources: Learn more about the Spiritual Business Incubator: https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com [https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/incubator-mastermind] Purchase my book here! https://www.amazon.com/dp/1966346050/ [https://www.amazon.com/dp/1966346050/] View the full show notes for this episode: https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/blog/episode168 [https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/blog/episode168] Get the Aligned Biz Quiz here! https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hd-quiz [https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hd-quiz] Ready to design your business around your Human Design? Book a 1:1 Human Design for Business Reading: www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hdreading [https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hdreading] Learn more about your Human Design with the 64 Gates Library https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hdlibrary [https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hdlibrary] Get your personalized Entrepreneur by Design HD Report: https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/business-report [https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/business-report] Interactive Human Design Chart: https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hdchart [https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hdchart] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamannanichols [https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamannanichols] Instagram: @iamannanichols (https://www.instagram.com/iamannanichols) Design Your Aligned Business PDF Guide: https://iamannanichols.ck.page/aligned_biz_guide [https://iamannanichols.ck.page/aligned_biz_guide] Connect with Anna Nichols: Instagram: @iamannanichols [https://www.instagram.com/iamannanichols/] (https://www.instagram.com/iamannanichols/ [https://www.instagram.com/iamannanichols/])

167. Building the Right Business and What I Learned from Researching Human Design on YouTube

You have to ask: Am I actually building the right business? So many mission-driven entrepreneurs start their businesses because they want to help people. They feel the calling to heal, teach, guide, or support others in some meaningful way. But what often gets skipped is the intentional process of designing the business itself, the structure, the model, and the role you are meant to play inside of it. In this episode, I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at a big evolution happening with the Spiritual Business Incubator and how it led me back to one of the most important questions every entrepreneur must answer. We talk about the intersection of Human Design and real business strategy, and why building a sustainable, profitable business requires more than just choosing a service to offer. If you’ve ever felt stuck, misaligned, or like the business you’re building looks good on paper but doesn’t fully light you up… this conversation will open a new way of thinking. Because the truth is: when your Human Design, your business model, and the market you serve are aligned, everything changes. In This Episode * Why many entrepreneurs accidentally build the wrong business for their Human Design * The difference between choosing a service to offer and intentionally designing a business * How practical business planning and Human Design work together to create sustainable success * The real reason so many people feel stuck or outgrow their business models * Why your role in your business (CEO, teacher, creator, guide) matters just as much as the work you do The question that can unlock your next level of clarity and alignment Resources: Learn more about the Spiritual Business Incubator: https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com [https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/incubator-mastermind] Purchase my book here! https://www.amazon.com/dp/1966346050/ [https://www.amazon.com/dp/1966346050/] View the full show notes for this episode: https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/blog/episode167 [https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/blog/episode167] Get the Aligned Biz Quiz here! https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hd-quiz [https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hd-quiz] Ready to design your business around your Human Design? Book a 1:1 Human Design for Business Reading: www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hdreading [https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hdreading] Learn more about your Human Design with the 64 Gates Library https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hdlibrary [https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hdlibrary] Get your personalized Entrepreneur by Design HD Report: https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/business-report [https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/business-report] Interactive Human Design Chart: https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hdchart [https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hdchart] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamannanichols [https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamannanichols] Instagram: @iamannanichols (https://www.instagram.com/iamannanichols) Design Your Aligned Business PDF Guide: https://iamannanichols.ck.page/aligned_biz_guide [https://iamannanichols.ck.page/aligned_biz_guide] Connect with Anna Nichols: Instagram: @iamannanichols [https://www.instagram.com/iamannanichols/] (https://www.instagram.com/iamannanichols/ [https://www.instagram.com/iamannanichols/])