The Balanced CEO with Simone

Built to Scale: How Systems and Leadership Unlock Sustainable Growth

Most founders assume their business slows down because of external forces—the economy, competition, or the rapid rise of AI. That’s rarely the real reason. In this episode, we unpack the two internal factors that quietly cap growth in otherwise successful businesses: systems architecture and leadership. If you’ve built real traction but feel stuck, overextended, or more involved in the business than you want to be, this conversation is for you. You’ll learn: * What systems architecture actually means in practice * Why sales, finance, operations, and delivery must work together * Where breakdowns in onboarding and client experience hurt long-term growth * How leadership patterns turn founders into bottlenecks * How to design a business that scales without burning you out This isn’t about hustling harder or chasing the next tool. It’s about building a business that’s designed to grow, with clarity, structure, and calm.

A Different Way to Set Goals for 2026

As we look toward 2026, many of us are thinking about goals—what we want to achieve, change, or create next. But what if the reason past goals didn’t stick wasn’t a lack of discipline or strategy? In this episode, I walk you through a different way of approaching goal setting—one rooted in identity, values, and holistic wealth, not pressure or perfection. We explore: * Why many goals fail within the first 90 days * The difference between process goals and outcome goals * How identity shifts make goals easier to sustain * Why setting too many goals creates overwhelm and self-sabotage * How tools like the Wheel of Life can reveal what actually matters * The power of choosing one guiding word for the year This episode is less about tactics—and more about self-leadership. If you’ve ever set goals you didn’t follow through on, or felt disconnected from what you thought you wanted, this conversation will help you slow down, reflect, and reset with intention. At the end of the episode, I’ll share my personal guiding word for 2026, and invite you to discover yours.

The Key Ingredients to Startup Success

In this episode, we dive deep into the key ingredients to startup success with Susie Ippolito, a brand strategist and creative nonfiction writer who’s passionate about helping thought leaders and solopreneurs stand out in a crowded marketplace. We uncover the importance of laying a strong foundation before jumping into marketing, how positioning builds brand confidence, and the pitfalls many small businesses face when they rush into growth strategies without a plan. Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your brand, Susie’s insights will help you build a strategy that’s clear, authentic, and ready for sustainable growth. About Susie Ippolito Susie Ippolito is a brand strategist and creative nonfiction writer who helps thought leaders and solopreneurs stand out in crowded markets. With a background spanning digital marketing, SaaS, high-end lifestyle brands, and more, Susie combines creativity and strategy to position businesses for long-term success. It is her goal to help every client she works with achieve greater visibility, make a stronger impact, and experience sustainable growth. Key Points Covered: 1. Susie’s Journey from Makeup to Brand Strategy Susie shares her unconventional path, starting as a makeup artist in New York City before moving into brand strategy. Her experiences taught her the value of authenticity and understanding the core of what makes a business stand out. 2. The Importance of Strategy Before Marketing Susie emphasizes that many businesses waste money on marketing because they haven’t established a solid strategy first. She breaks down why positioning—understanding your target market, competitive landscape, and brand voice—is the foundation for any successful business. 3. Positioning as Brand Confidence According to Susie, positioning is like a brand's confidence. It’s built on knowledge and a clear understanding of your market, much like an athlete’s confident stance. Without it, businesses struggle to communicate their value and compete effectively. 4. Common Marketing Pitfalls Many startups rush into hiring social media managers or building websites without validating their ideas first. Susie advises testing concepts cheaply and quickly to avoid costly mistakes. 5. Authenticity and Ethical Marketing Susie stresses the importance of aligning growth and sales strategies with your brand’s authentic voice. She shares her own approach, which focuses on genuine connections rather than following cookie-cutter sales funnels. 6. The Role of AI in Brand Strategy Susie introduces her AI-powered tool, "The One," designed to help small and medium-sized businesses develop comprehensive brand strategies quickly and affordably. This tool provides key elements like customer segments, brand voice, and competitive analysis, empowering businesses to communicate effectively. 7. Avoiding Quick-Fix Promises Social media is full of misleading messages promising quick success. Susie advocates for ethical marketing and encourages businesses to focus on their own authentic goals rather than chasing unrealistic promises. Connect with Susie Ippolito Website: SIBrands.co [https://simonecr.com/SIBrands.co] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susie-ippolito/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/susie-ippolito/] Additional Resources Do you want weekly tips on marketing, finance, and personal growth? Subscribe to the Balanced CEO community: https://freedomsun.co/balancedceopodcast [https://freedomsun.co/balancedceopodcast]. This is a free membership where you can focus on your personal and financial growth. Sign up for the Balanced CEO Community Here: https://freedomsun.co/balancedceopodcast [https://freedomsun.co/balancedceopodcast] Website: https://freedomsun.co/ [https://freedomsun.co/] Instagram: @simone.liv.cr [https://www.instagram.com/simone.liv.cr/]

Peeling Back Layers with Identity Shifts and Timeless Truths

In this episode, we dive into a transformative approach to personal growth, covering everything from shifting your identity to embracing timeless truths for success and fulfillment with Larisa Makuch, the CEO and founder of Abundance Academy and Canada’s leading abundance mentor. She brings a wealth of knowledge from her diverse professional background and shares actionable insights from her journey as an author, speaker, and mentor. If you’ve ever felt stuck in old patterns or unsure how to align with your goals, this episode is for you.   About Larisa Makuch Larisa Makuch is the CEO and founder of Abundance Academy and Canada’s leading abundance mentor. She empowers professional women to achieve their dreams with clarity, confidence, and conviction. Larisa is the author of “Stop Procrastinating Your Life Away: Discover the Secrets to More Time, Money, and Freedom” and a sought-after speaker. Her expertise spans personal finance, sales, and corporate management, and she now helps women double their income while positively impacting the world.   Key Points Covered: 1. Peeling Back the Layers of Growth Larisa explains her philosophy of personal transformation as peeling back layers, like an onion, to uncover deeper truths about yourself. This process is about committing to honest self-reflection and going beyond surface-level efforts.   2. Awareness and Curiosity as Tools for Change She highlights that awareness is the first step to meaningful change. Observing your habits, thoughts, and behaviors without judgment helps create clarity and allows you to make intentional decisions.   3. The Power of Identity Shifts Larisa shares how embodying the identity of the person you aspire to become can lead to lasting change. Acting “as if” aligns your behaviors with your goals, creating a ripple effect that reinforces the transformation.   4. Separating Stories from Facts She talks about how to gain clarity by distinguishing emotional stories from neutral facts. By removing emotional weight, you can see situations more clearly and make better decisions.   5. Breaking Free from Victimhood and Scarcity Larisa identifies common traps, like blaming or feeling powerless, and explains how to shift out of them. She also addresses the importance of clear goals and commitment to overcome scarcity thinking.   6. Defining Success and Wealth Holistically For Larisa, success is moving purposefully toward meaningful goals, and wealth is about feeling aligned across all areas of life—health, relationships, finances, and personal joy.   Connect with Larisa Makuch Website: myabundanceacademy.ca [https://simonecr.com/myabundanceacademy.ca] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larisa-makuch/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/larisa-makuch/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myabundanceacademy/ [https://www.instagram.com/myabundanceacademy/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MyAbundanceAcademy [https://www.youtube.com/@MyAbundanceAcademy] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myabundanceacademy [https://www.facebook.com/myabundanceacademy] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@larisamakuch528 [https://www.tiktok.com/@larisamakuch528]   Additional Resources Do you want weekly tips on marketing, finance, and personal growth? Subscribe to the Balanced CEO community: https://freedomsun.co/balancedceopodcast [https://freedomsun.co/balancedceopodcast]. This is a free membership where you can focus on your personal and financial growth.   Sign up for the Balanced CEO Community Here: https://freedomsun.co/balancedceopodcast [https://freedomsun.co/balancedceopodcast]   Website: https://freedomsun.co/ [https://freedomsun.co/] Instagram: @simone.liv.cr [https://www.instagram.com/simone.liv.cr/]

Redefining Success: How Resilience and Reinvention Lead to Balance

In this episode, we dive deep into a journey of resilience, self-discovery, and bold reinvention with Susana Serrano-Davey, a seasoned CFO, entrepreneur, and mentor. From being a high school dropout to climbing the corporate ladder and later founding a successful business, Susana shares how she transformed burnout and challenges into opportunities for growth. We talk about the lessons she’s learned along the way, from managing her inner critic to redefining success and wealth on her own terms. If you’re looking for inspiration and actionable insights to create balance and fulfillment in your life and career, this episode is for you. About Susana Serrano-Davey Susana Serrano-Davey is a highly experienced CFO, entrepreneur, and mentor with over 20 years of international experience. Known for her collaborative and approachable leadership style, Susana has reached the C-suite, founded and sold a successful business, and now guides professionals and entrepreneurs toward greater confidence, satisfaction, and well-being in their careers. Tune in to hear Susana’s inspiring story and practical advice on building a life and career you truly love. Key Points Covered: 1. Resilience and Reinvention Susana shares her inspiring journey from dropping out of high school to becoming a CFO and entrepreneur. Her story shows that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself and turn life’s challenges into opportunities. 2. Career Evolution and Entrepreneurship She talks about building and selling her own accounting business, and how stepping out of her comfort zone helped her discover her true calling in mentoring and leadership development. 3. The Importance of Work-Life Balance Through personal experiences, including a near-death health scare, Susana learned to prioritize her well-being. She now encourages others to set boundaries and align their work with their values to avoid burnout. 4. Overcoming the Inner Critic Susana explains how she identified and managed her inner critic using tools like NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming). By fostering self-awareness and practicing self-compassion, she learned to silence self-doubt and gain clarity. 5. Redefining Success and Wealth For Susana, success is about feeling proud and engaged in what you do, while wealth is the freedom to live authentically and pursue what matters most. 6. Self-Discovery and Second Acts She highlights the importance of seeing your skills as tools for new opportunities, whether it’s transitioning to a new career, starting a business, or simply creating more balance in your life. Connect with Susana Serrano-Davey Website: www.serranodavey.com [https://simonecr.com/www.serranodavey.com] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susana-serrano-davey-51117811/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/susana-serrano-davey-51117811/] Additional Resources Do you want weekly tips on marketing, finance, and personal growth? Subscribe to the Balanced CEO community: https://freedomsun.co/balancedceopodcast [https://freedomsun.co/balancedceopodcast]. This is a free membership where you can focus on your personal and financial growth. Sign up for the Balanced CEO Community Here: https://freedomsun.co/balancedceopodcast [https://freedomsun.co/balancedceopodcast] Website: https://freedomsun.co/ [https://freedomsun.co/] Instagram: @simone.liv.cr [https://www.instagram.com/simone.liv.cr/]