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CEO School with Suneera Madhani

Suneera Madhani

Less than 2% of female founders ever break 1M in revenue. We’re on a mission to change that. Welcome to CEO School. I'm your host, Suneera Madhani, and each week, you’ll learn from incredible mentors who’ve made it to the 2% club and women well on their way. But first, a few class rules. Grab your seat because we’re here to get sh*t done. We’re one team, one dream. And we believe that we deserve to have it all because nothing bad happens when women make more money. You’re a real business now. Class is officially in session.

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Today · 59 min
CEO Week Live Panel B: AI Agents, AI Twins & Everything in Between
Remember Suneera’s Momager? The agent running the school emails, swim bags, and math tests? It's one of five in the AI C-Suite you take home from AI Day, the same agents she runs two companies (and her household) on. Guest Gemma Bonham-Carter is coming too! Nov. 3. Get your ticket: https://bit.ly/join-ai-day --Welcome back to the CEO School Podcast!In this episode, Suneera Madhani hosts round two of The Table, a live studio conversation with three of the sharpest women in their industries. This time, the topic was AI, and the guests were Tiffany Pantozzi of Sync, Andrea Palacio of Crewless, and Gemma Bonham-Carter of AI All Stars. One of them earned her seat when her AI employee pitched this very podcast, closed the booking, and never once looped in the human behind it. Together they unpack the stat keeping women behind: adopting AI less often while facing replacement three times more, and turn it into a plan: build the brain before the bots, start with one tool a week, and protect the two things AI can’t touch, your taste and your close. This is your permission slip and the roadmap that women founders have been waiting for to stop fearing AI and start running it.Time Stamps:(00:00) Round two of The Table, live in Orlando(01:37) Why AI is the conversation women can't skip(02:30) Guest 1: Tiffany on Sync and keeping the human element(06:05) The AI employee that pitched its founder to Suneera(08:12) Guest 2: Andrea's collapse, the comeback, and ChatGPT(10:28) Guest 3: Gemma on seeing AI's leverage from day one(15:30) The stat: adopting less, getting replaced more(21:47) Build the brain before you build the bots(27:11) The fear, the six guys, and why inaction loses(33:57) What AI can't replace: your taste and your close(40:07) The AI-twin debate: Suneera pushes back(54:42) One tool a week so you never feel behindConnect with our Guests here:Tiffany PantozziInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiffanypantozzi/Website: https://tiffanypantozzi.com/Andrea PalacioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreapalacio/Website: https://runcrewless.comGemma Bonham-CarterInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/gemma.bonhamcarter/Website: https://gemmabonhamcarter.com/---------------------------------------AI can duplicate your systems; it can't duplicate the room. The Millionaire Founders Club is where women scaling past $1M trade the real playbooks (like the ones on this table) in person and in community. Apply here: https://bit.ly/MFCApplication---Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We're on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement.Watch and listen to us at:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-schoolTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschoolLearn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/.---------------------------------------SOCIAL Hashtags:#CEOSchool #FemaleFounders #WomenInBusiness #WomenEntrepreneurs #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #AIforBusiness #AITools #WomenInAI #AIforEntrepreneurs #Delegation #FutureOfWork #WomenInSTEM
October 21 · 51 min
CEO Week Live Panel A: Exits, Valuations, and All Things MONEY
The panel's one demand: know your numbers cold. Suneera's AI C-Suite gives you five agents, including a CFO that puts revenue, cash, and margins on your desk every morning. Start here: https://bit.ly/AI-C-Suite --- Welcome back to CEO School! In this energizing live episode, Suneera Madhani celebrates her birthday in true CEO School fashion—with an in-studio audience of dynamic female founders and a power panel of women experts who don't shy away from discussing the real stories behind the money, exits, and deals that shape entrepreneurial journeys. Joined by Michelle Taylor, financial advisor at GFG Solutions, legal powerhouse Gwen Griggs, and private equity and talent expert Vivian Gonzalez, the conversation tears down the taboos around wealth creation, exit strategies, and what really happens before, during, and after a business sale. From common misconceptions about exits and the emotional side of selling a business, to the must-know details about valuation and building generational wealth, this episode is a candid, unfiltered look at how women can, and should, think bigger about money and their long-term business goals. Whether you're bootstrapping your business, eyeing your first million, or simply curious about the exit landscape, this episode promises behind-the-scenes insights and honest advice that every founder should hear. Pull up a seat for conversations you won't hear anywhere else! Time Stamps: (00:00) A live birthday episode with powerhouse female founders (03:28) Meet the exit table: lawyer, wealth advisor, recruiter (09:15) What every founder misses before the exit moment (11:04) Why a full sale isn't your only exit (15:13) The myth that your business is too small to sell (20:59) Know your valuation like you know home comps (25:28) Asking AI for your industry's multiples, live on air (30:29) The deals where private equity takes advantage (32:50) Why 70 to 80% of founders regret selling (36:45) The "good enough" number is smaller than you think (42:15) Suneera reveals her $10 million first-exit take-home (48:43) Revenue is vanity, profit is sanity Connect With Michelle Taylor: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/women_in_wealth/ Website: https://womeninwealth.co/ Connect With Gwen Griggs: Website: https://www.advoslegal.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/griggsgwen/ Connect With Vivian Gonzalez: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivian-gonzalez-5671783/ Website: https://www.parkcapitalsearch.com/ Share this with your business bestie! ------------------------------------------- The women at this table are all in the room with us at the Millionaire Founders Club. That's the caliber. We close the year together in Miami this December. There is still a spot for you: https://bit.ly/MFCApplication --- Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We’re on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Watch and listen to us at: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-school TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/. -------------------------------------- SOCIAL Hashtags: #CEOSchool #FemaleFounders #WomenInBusiness #WomenEntrepreneurs #BusinessPodcast #ExitStrategy #BusinessValuation
October 14 · 48 min
How Her AI Agent Landed Her on The CEO School Podcast
Suneera mentioned the AI C-suite she runs her companies on. The VIP Experience is where those five agents get installed in yours, live, with your real numbers. Get them here: https://bit.ly/CEOWeekVIP Welcome back to the CEO School Podcast! Today, Suneera sits down with Andrea Palacio, the AI and automation strategist behind Crewless, who spent four years running an e-commerce business from a 42-foot catamaran before buying a landscaping company that nearly broke her. Five days after closing, the seller took their money and disappeared. Within two months the team dropped from twelve people to two, her husband was cutting lawns in the Florida heat, and Andrea was locked in the bathroom crying while her babies waited outside the door. What she built next changed the math. One AI receptionist, one automated follow-up system, and a $750,000 offer she turned down because the business no longer needed her in it. She walks through what to automate first, the question that tells you whether a task needs you at all, why most founders end up with AI slop instead of results, and the agent that pitched her onto this show without her writing a single word. Let's get into it! Andrea paid for the best coaches in the world because learning through your own time and energy is the most expensive way to learn. Time Stamps: (00:00) Meet the AI strategist who ran a company crewless (03:16) Four years at sea with zero sailing experience (05:55) The boring business that went from twelve employees to two (07:04) Crying in the bathroom while both kids waited outside (12:33) The AI receptionist that stopped customers from canceling (13:34) Turning down $750,000 because the company ran itself (14:55) The one question that decides what gets automated (19:51) Why most AI content comes out as slop (24:33) The four Cs of where CEO time belongs (37:37) Deploying agents that work around the clock (40:45) The AI agent that booked her on this show (49:15) The free book written for CEO School listeners Connect With Andrea Palacio: https://www.instagram.com/andreapalacio/ https://theonepercentway.com Share this with a founder who swears she'll automate it all right after this one busy season. ---------------------------------------- MFC is where women scaling past seven figures get the shortcut from founders who already built it: https://bit.ly/MFCApplication --- Less than 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We’re on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Watch and listen to us at: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-school TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/. ------------------------------------- SOCIAL Hashtags: #CEOSchool #WomenInBusiness #FemaleFounders #FounderToCEO #MillionDollarBusiness #WomenEntrepreneurs #AIForBusiness #AIAutomation #AIAgents #ClaudeCode #BusinessSystems #TimeAudit
October 7 · 27 min
The 5 AI agents every CEO needs
Skip the months of trial and error it takes to create AI agents. Suneera built her AI C-Suite around her own companies and frameworks, and it's ready to upload into your business. CEO Week has wrapped, but you can still get the full C-Suite, all 5 live-call replays and a live AI implementation session with her. Get the CEO Week VIP Experience: https://bit.ly/CEOWeekVIP -- Welcome back to the CEO School Podcast. In this episode, Suneera shares how she runs two companies, Worth AI and CEO School, with five AI agents that gave her 12 hours back last week alone. She walks through each one: an inbox triage agent that briefs her every morning, a Voice Bible trained on six years of her content, a real-time finance dashboard she can question like a CFO, a calendar agent that enforces her boundaries, and a mom chief of staff that handles school emails, meal plans and travel. This is AI through a CEO lens. The goal is building agents that work like employees, and prompting alone won't get you there. If AI still feels like your team's job, this episode makes the case that it starts with you. Time Stamps: (00:00) Why AI is an employee, not a prompt (01:38) Why the CEO has to become the AI expert first (03:05) How five agents won back 12 hours in weeks (05:31) Agent 1: The inbox triage agent that guards attention (08:37) The morning briefing that replaced opening the inbox (09:41) Agent 2: Building a Voice Bible from six years of content (11:27) How a story bank trains AI to sound like you (15:28) Agent 3: The real-time finance dashboard and AI CFO (19:47) Agent 4: The calendar agent that enforces your boundaries (23:45) Agent 5: A mom chief of staff for school, meals, travel (27:44) Learning to build agents instead of just prompting (29:17) Which agent will you build first? Tell Suneera Share this with a founder who still opens her inbox before her coffee. -------------------------------------------- Five agents can give you 12 hours back. What you do with those hours depends on who's in the room with you. The Millionaire Founders Club is where 7- and 8-figure founders compare playbooks, AI ones included. Apply here: https://bit.ly/MFCApplication --- Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We’re on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Watch and listen to us at: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-school TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/. ---------------------------------------- SOCIAL Hashtags: #CEOSchool #SuneeraMadhani #WomenInBusiness #FemaleFounder #FounderToCEO #AIForBusiness #AIAgents #ClaudeAI #ChiefOfStaff #CEOProductivity #ScaleYourBusiness #WomenWhoLead
September 30 · 54 min
How To Get A Man To Do Anything You Want - with Monica Yates
The CEO Accelerator just got upgraded. You still get the full CEO OS, including the 6-Hour CEO day from this episode. Now, as you go through each module, you also build your own AI CEO Advisor, trained on my frameworks and your business. Join before Friday, Oct 2 at midnight ET and save $500. https://accelerator.theceoschool.com/join-now --- Welcome back to the CEO School Podcast! Why can the most capable women run a company but not sit on their own couch for 10 minutes? Monica Yates, trauma healer, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Her, and founder of a multimillion-dollar business, grew up believing being a woman was the bad end of the stick. This week she joins Suneera to get honest about the girl boss era, hyper-independence, and why so many high-performing women wear burnout as a badge of honor. You'll hear why mindset work only gets you 20% of the way, why nervous system tools are still a Band-Aid, and why we'll justify the designer shoes before we'll hire help. Then it gets practical: the do-nothing test, the 5-minute parked-car reset, the 6-hour CEO day, and the one sentence that gets him to plan the date. If you've ever felt guilty for resting, this one is for you. Time Stamps: (00:00) Why wanting to be claimed felt like weakness to her (01:00) Meet Monica Yates, who women call after trying everything (03:20) Growing up believing being a woman was the bad deal (05:57) Why herbs failed and energetics brought her period back (08:47) Mindset is only 20%, here's where the other 80% lives (13:02) The girl boss era taught us to lead like men (20:07) Why high-performing women refuse to ask for help (24:44) Why YSL shoes are easier to justify than a housekeeper (27:25) The do-nothing test that exposes your stuck nervous system (37:15) Real rest for women who can't skip the office (40:10) Inside the 6-Hour CEO day: only 2 hours external (49:26) How to ask for a date without making him feel like he's failing ---------------------------------------------- Monica said it best: "We are not made to be alone." Women start more businesses than ever, and too many end up running them solo. Millionaire Founders Club is where you stop figuring it out alone and build next to women who are doing it too. Apply here: https://bit.ly/MFCApplication Connect with our Monica at: Website: https://monicayateshealth.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/monicayateshealth/ Soft & Ambitious program: https://monicayateshealth.com/pages/soft-and-ambitious Share this with a founder who can't brush her teeth without checking her email. --- Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We're on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Watch and listen to us at: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-school TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/. ----------------------------------------- SOCIAL Hashtags: #CEOSchool #SuneeraMadhani #FemaleFounder #WomenInBusiness #WomenEntrepreneurs #CEOMindset #Burnout #NervousSystemHealing #FeminineEnergy #WorkingMoms #BecomingHer #MonicaYates #TraumaHealer
September 23 · 49 min
How to Handle Crisis Management with PR Expert Megan Paquin
Megan built an agency that kept running while she was out for surgery; that is the job. The CEO Accelerator is officially open, now with an AI layer that turns our CEO playbooks and your real numbers into your custom operating system. Enroll before October 2 and get $500. → https://bit.ly/TheCEOAccelerator -- Your reputation is the one asset you cannot buy back, and most founders only start thinking about it after it is already on fire. This week on the CEO School Podcast, Suneera sits down with Megan Paquin, the crisis and reputation strategist that Fortune 100 brands and Supreme Court cases call on during the worst week of their lives. Megan breaks down how to build reputational equity before you ever need it: claim your owned media, run the PESO model in the right order, and stop pouring money into paid ads before the rest is working. She and Suneera get honest about the relationship habit costing women founders deals they never see coming, and what it actually takes to build a business that keeps moving when you step away. If visibility and trust are on your 2026 list, start here. ----------------------------------------------------------- Time Stamps: (00:00) Meet Megan Paquin, the crisis call top-tier CEOs make (04:40) From MGM and hotels to running crisis PR (07:15) What actually counts as a crisis for your business (09:05) The wildest reputation messes a crisis pro has managed (13:35) Building your PR Swiss Army knife of specialists (18:58) Why chasing Forbes can miss your real buyer (19:56) What a crisis expert does in the first hour (21:42) Claim every profile and build reputational equity early (24:53) How women burn bridges and pay for it later (34:04) The PESO model and why owned media comes first (39:05) The 3 reputation mistakes most founders make under pressure (41:24) Stepping into CEO mode so business runs without you Connect with Megan: Website: https://paquinpr.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paquinpr/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megpaquinapr/ Share this with a founder who swears a crisis will never come knocking. Megan is one of our Millionaire Founders Club members, and she said it best: the room "makes you feel a lot less alone and a lot more capable." If you are a 7-figure CEO ready for that table, apply to the MFC here: https://bit.ly/MFCApplication --- Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We’re on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Watch and listen to us at: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-school TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/. ----------------------------------------------------- #CEOSchool #FemaleFounders #WomenInBusiness #WomenEntrepreneurs #FounderToCEO #WomenWhoLead #BusinessPodcast #PublicRelations #CrisisManagement #ReputationManagement #PRStrategy #OwnedMedia
September 16 · 1 hr 23 min
How To Think Like A Billionaire with Elena Cardone
Elena became the CEO in her head before the proof ever arrived. CEO Week is where you build the operating system to back it up: 5 FREE days of live training to get you out of the execution seat and into the role. Save your seat: https://accelerator.theceoschool.com/ceo-week Welcome back to CEO School! In this powerful and deeply inspiring episode, Suneera Madhani sits down with billionaire entrepreneur, mother, and visionary leader Elena Cardone for a candid conversation about mindset, partnership, success, and the journey from founder to CEO. Elena Cardone built a billion-dollar empire alongside Grant, raised two self-determined daughters, and did it by deciding who she was long before the bank account caught up. She hands Suneera the actual mechanics: how to assume the beingness of the CEO you're becoming, why your reactive brain keeps rerunning old survival decisions, and the be-do-have order most founders get backward. We also get into the rules that protect an empire: why you stop venting about your partner and your team, how "one team, sky is black" keeps a marriage and a company aligned, and how to raise kids who own their own choices. Grab a pen. This one moves fast and hits identity, money, and motherhood in the same breath. Time Stamps: (00:00) Sitting down with a rare billion-dollar powerhouse (05:27) Punk rock, loss, and leaving New Orleans behind (11:35) Marrying at 30 and unlearning "I need no one" (15:04) Why old survival decisions secretly still run you (24:19) Surviving 2008 by turning marriage into one team (27:23) "Sky is black": having your partner's back publicly (31:45) Redefining success beyond your own accomplishments (37:56) Be, Do, Have: living from your future self now (47:47) The three freedoms every founder is really chasing (51:45) Why you stop venting about your partner and team (58:35) Firing fast and making decisions like a CEO (1:10:36) Raising self-determined kids who own their choices Share this with a founder who's still waiting for her bank account to give her permission to act like a CEO. Connect with Elena at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elenacardone/ Website: https://elenacardone.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenacardone/ ----------------------------------------------- Elena built 10X Ladies because women kept getting left out of the rooms where the real bonding happens. That's exactly why the Millionaire Founders Club exists: a high-proximity room of 7-to-8-figure women who get the whole picture, not just the P&L. Apply: https://bit.ly/MFCApplication --- Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We're on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Watch and listen to us at: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-school TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/. ---------------------------------------------- SOCIAL Hashtags:#CEOSchool #FounderToCEO #FemaleFounders #WomenInBusiness #WomenEntrepreneurs #The2PercentClub #ElenaCardone #BuildAnEmpire #BeDoHave #CEOMindset #WomenWhoScale #OneTeamOneDream
September 16 · 49 min
Stop Choosing Between Work and Life with Millionaire Mother Cait Scudder
You can have it all, but not while you're the one answering every question and fixing every problem. CEO Week is 5 free days of live training where Suneera hands you the playbooks, the growth strategies, and the full AI C-suite to build a business that runs without you. Save your free seat: ⁠https://accelerator.theceoschool.com/ceo-week -- How does every mom become a millionaire? Cait Scudder built a seven-figure business through three pregnancies, with a fourth baby on the way, and she did it by refusing the rule that says ambition and motherhood have to compete. This week she joins Suneera to get honest about mom guilt, the trade-offs you don't see coming, and the moment she stopped shrinking her ambition to make everyone else comfortable.If you've ever cried in a hotel room missing your kids while chasing the work that lights you up, this one is for you. You'll hear why the guilt isn't a flaw to fix, how to build your business around what you actually want instead of what looks impressive, and the reframe that lets you have it all without doing it all.Time Stamps: (01:24) Meet Cait Scudder and the Millionaire Mother brand (04:26) From Bali laptop dreams to a coaching business (07:45) Pregnant, terrified, and sure the business would stall (09:23) Crossing seven figures the year she became a mom (11:12) The birth story that rewired how she works (14:46) The sacred third between grinding and giving up (17:58) The mom guilt talk that refuses to gaslight you (20:18) The camera analogy that reframes every hard trade-off (25:15) Giving yourself permission to want success for YOU (27:25) Trading the martyr operating system for the matriarch (38:54) Why corporate America still fails working mothers (44:38) Reverse-engineering the business your real life wantsConnect with Cait:Website: ⁠https://themillionairemother.com/⁠Born for Both Book: ⁠https://bornforboth.com/⁠Instagram: ⁠@themillionairemother⁠ / ⁠https://www.instagram.com/themillionairemother/⁠Share this with a mama who thinks she needs permission to want it all for herself.--------------------------------------------------- Cait's advice for building something big: resource yourself with a village. The Millionaire Founders Club is that village for founders; the room where seven- and eight-figure women scale together. Come find yours. Apply here: ⁠https://bit.ly/MFCApplication⁠---Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We're on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement.Watch and listen to us at:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-schoolTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschoolLearn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/.----------------------------------------------SOCIAL Hashtags:#CEOSchool #FounderToCEO #FemaleFounders #WomenInBusiness #WomenEntrepreneurs #The2PercentClub #ElenaCardone #BuildAnEmpire #BeDoHave #CEOMindset #WomenWhoScale #OneTeamOneDream
September 9 · 50 min
Stop Choosing Between Work and Life with Millionaire Mother Cait Scudder
You can have it all, but not while you're the one answering every question and fixing every problem. CEO Week is 5 free days of live training where Suneera hands you the playbooks, the growth strategies, and the full AI C-suite to build a business that runs without you. Save your free seat: https://accelerator.theceoschool.com/ceo-week -- How does every mom become a millionaire? Cait Scudder built a seven-figure business through three pregnancies, with a fourth baby on the way, and she did it by refusing the rule that says ambition and motherhood have to compete. This week she joins Suneera to get honest about mom guilt, the trade-offs you don't see coming, and the moment she stopped shrinking her ambition to make everyone else comfortable. If you've ever cried in a hotel room missing your kids while chasing the work that lights you up, this one is for you. You'll hear why the guilt isn't a flaw to fix, how to build your business around what you actually want instead of what looks impressive, and the reframe that lets you have it all without doing it all. Time Stamps: (01:24) Meet Cait Scudder and the Millionaire Mother brand (04:26) From Bali laptop dreams to a coaching business (07:45) Pregnant, terrified, and sure the business would stall (09:23) Crossing seven figures the year she became a mom (11:12) The birth story that rewired how she works (14:46) The sacred third between grinding and giving up (17:58) The mom guilt talk that refuses to gaslight you (20:18) The camera analogy that reframes every hard trade-off (25:15) Giving yourself permission to want success for YOU (27:25) Trading the martyr operating system for the matriarch (38:54) Why corporate America still fails working mothers (44:38) Reverse-engineering the business your real life wants Connect with Cait Website: https://themillionairemother.com/ Born for Both Book: https://bornforboth.com/ Instagram: @themillionairemother / https://www.instagram.com/themillionairemother/ Share this with a mama who thinks she needs permission to want it all for herself. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cait's advice for building something big: resource yourself with a village. The Millionaire Founders Club is that village for founders; the room where seven- and eight-figure women scale together. Come find yours. Apply here: https://bit.ly/MFCApplication --- Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We’re on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Watch and listen to us at: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-school TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOCIAL Hashtags: #CEOSchool #WomenInBusiness #FemaleFounders #WomenEntrepreneurs #WomenWhoLead #MillionaireMother #AmbitiousMoms #MomGuilt #WorkingMom #MotherhoodAndAmbition #FounderMom #HaveItAll
September 2 · 37 min
How to Scale Beyond 7 Figures in Business
Ready to actually make the shift instead of just nodding along? Suneera is hosting CEO Week: a FREE five-day workshop where she'll walk you through four pillars of her CEO Operating System and hand you the playbooks (plus her entire AI C-suite) to plug straight into your business. Be one of the first in the room, and go VIP for the deeper AI sessions. Register here: https://accelerator.theceoschool.com/ceo-week -- Welcome back to CEO School! In this solo episode, Suneera tells the story of the day the business crossed eight figures. She thought she'd feel unstoppable, but instead, she felt trapped. She was the founder who built the whole thing, walking in every morning to firefight for 400 people and realizing she'd become the reason it couldn't grow. And she learned it the hard way: the skills that get you to a million are not the skills that get you to ten. This is the operating system she used to scale Stax to a billion dollars and CEO School right alongside it: her 6P framework for going from founder to CEO. Power, product, pitch, people, profit, process. Six systems, each one a skill you can learn, and your business only ever grows as far as your weakest one. If you're capped, doing all the work, and more hustle keeps landing you back where you started, consider this your personal playbook. Grab a pen and let's go! Time Stamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:00) The day eight figures started to feel like a trap (02:53) Founder mode: The Tuesday that runs you ragged (05:31) Power: Lead the day before it leads you (10:00) Product: The clarity everything downstream depends on (14:30) Pitch: One clear message for the right buyer (18:37) People: Hire owners who own the outcome (23:18) Profit: Revenue is vanity, profit is sanity (25:45) Process: Build the machine that runs without you (31:38) Your business grows only as your weakest pillar (34:10) CEO Week: five free days to make the shift Share this with a founder who's playing whack-a-mole all day and calling it leadership. ------------------------------------------------------------- Suneera said it straight: No one can scale alone. The Millionaire Founders Club is the room where we build together: application-only, curated for women building at +7 figures, operating at the same level, and ready to scale. A few spots are left for new members at the MFC Retreat in New York. Apply before September 7 to join us. https://bit.ly/MFCApplication --- Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We're on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Connect with our Guest at: Website: https://technologymatch.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyacoxturrell/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyaturrell/ Watch and listen to us at: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-school TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/. ---------------------------------------------------------------- SOCIAL Hashtags:#CEOSchool #FounderToCEO #WomenInBusiness #FemaleFounders #WomenEntrepreneurs #ScaleYourBusiness #SmallBusinessGrowth #Foundermode #CEOMindset #BusinessSystems #ProfitFirst #WomenWhoLead
August 26 · 32 min
Lessons from the Jungle - How to Leave Your Business on Vacation
Lions don't own the jungle alone; they run in a pride. The Millionaire Founders Club is that room: application-only, built for fearless, seven-figure women operating at the same level and ready to move together. We're opening 30 spots for new members at the MFC Retreat in New York. Apply to see if you're a fit. https://bit.ly/MFCApplication -- How do you actually go OOO without your business falling apart? In this episode of the CEO School Podcast, entrepreneur and CEO Suneera Madhani shares powerful leadership and business lessons from spending three weeks completely unplugged in Africa and discovering that her businesses could continue thriving without her. Suneera breaks down three unforgettable leadership lessons inspired by the African wilderness: what a lion, an elephant, and a leopard named Dai Dai teach every CEO about building a business (and a life) that can actually hold. Lions rest 20 hours a day and still own the jungle. Elephants move slowly and carry the force to knock down anything in their path. And Dai Dai spent a whole evening stalking one zebra with perfect patience and total precision. Three animals. Three rules for leading without burning out. If you're an entrepreneur trying to transition from founder to CEO, build scalable business systems, improve your leadership mindset, prevent burnout, and create a company that can operate without your constant involvement, this episode is for you. Time Stamps: (00:00) The Triumphant Return (04:59) Your Vision Should Keep Evolving (06:39) Three Weeks Unplugged in Africa (07:50) Building a Business That Runs Without You (09:50) Returning to Tanzania With Family (13:45) Business Lessons From the African Wilderness (14:21) Lesson #1: Build a Business That Lets You Rest (15:35) The Lion Lesson: Rest and Still Rule the Jungle (17:20) The Elephant Lesson: Slow Down Without Losing Power (20:28) The Leopard Lesson: Focus Before You Strike (25:10) Bringing the Lessons Back Into Business (26:20) Why Fall Is the Season to Accelerate (27:20) Millionaire Founders Club NYC Retreat (28:18) The New AI-Powered Founder to CEO Accelerator (31:19) Rest, Focus & Rule Your Jungle Because your next level doesn't require you to chase everything. Sometimes it requires you to rest like the lion, move like the elephant, and focus like the leopard. Share this with the founder who hasn't taken a real vacation in years. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Suneera left for Africa for three weeks and came back to a business that never missed a beat. Her CEO Operating System made that possible. If yours can't run without you for a week, let alone three, that's your sign to become a CEO. Take the FREE quiz and find out exactly where you're still running your business instead of leading it: https://bit.ly/FounderOrCEOQuiz --- Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We're on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Watch and listen to us at: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-school TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/. ------------------------------------------------------------------
August 19 · 53 min
How to Build a Sales Machine That Closes Without You
Tonya said it best: "You've curated this community where you can see every possibility and be inspired in any direction." That's the Millionaire Founders Club. And this October, we're taking that to NYC for our fall retreat. Only 20 spots open for new members. Apply here: https://bit.ly/MFCApplication Welcome back to CEO School! In today's inspiring episode, Suneera Madhani sits down with powerhouse entrepreneur Tonya Turrell, founder and CEO of Technology Match. With nearly 30 years of experience revolutionizing how technology is bought and sold, Tonya shares the highs, lows, and pivotal moments of her journey, including building and selling two companies, landing on the Inc. 5000 and Female Founder 250 lists, and overcoming bankruptcy. We dive deep into her story of resilience, the challenges and advantages of being a woman in tech, scaling with AI, and her game-changing insights into building successful sales machines. Plus, hear how Tonya prioritized family and freedom after her first business exit, embracing worldschooling with her kids for five years. Get ready for actionable advice, honest conversations, and a behind-the-scenes look at building businesses (and lives) on your own terms. Time Stamps: (00:00) Meet Tonya Turrell: Two-Time Founder and Inc. 5000 CEO (04:00) AOL Came Calling, and She Said Yes With No Contract Signed (10:39) Losing 80% of Her Revenue the Week Before Christmas (12:50) She Shut Down on a Friday and Launched Again on Monday (13:43) How a Team of 6 Outperformed a Team of 60 (16:00) Making the Inc. 5000 and Selling the Company Anyway (19:04) Pulling the Kids From School and Worldschooling for 5 Years (27:03) No Pretty Privilege in Tech: What Sexism Actually Looks Like (32:12) You're Not Too Much. You're Just Too Much for Them (39:44) How to Break Out of Founder-Led Sales and Build a Real Engine (43:52) Same Leads, Two Clients: One at 0%, One at 50% (49:12) What Happened When She Finally Stepped Into the CEO Seat Share this with a founder who is still closing every deal herself. This episode is the wake-up call she needs. Connect with Tonya Website: https://technologymatch.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyacoxturrell/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyaturrell/ ------------------------------------------------------ Tonya's biggest unlock this year was finally putting on her CEO hat, and new business ideas immediately followed. If this episode hit close to home, it's time to find out in which areas you are still operating like a founder. Take the quiz: https://bit.ly/FounderOrCEOQuiz---Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We're on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Watch and listen to us at: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-school TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/.
August 19 · 18 min
Steal the Decision Framework the Best CEOs Use with Suneera Madhani
You just spent 17 minutes learning why the decision you keep avoiding is the one that will take you to the next level. The MFC Fall Retreat in New York is that decision. Get in the room with women building at the level you're working toward, and who will hold you accountable for actually moving. 👉 https://bit.ly/MFCApplication --Every successful entrepreneur eventually realizes one truth:Avoidance is costing you more than failure ever will.In this episode of CEO School, entrepreneur and founder Suneera Madhani breaks down why founders stay stuck; not because they lack strategy, but because they're avoiding the conversations, decisions, and uncomfortable actions that create real business growth.Whether you're avoiding firing an employee, raising your prices, asking for help, making a difficult leadership decision, or finally launching the business you've been dreaming about, this episode will help you identify what's really holding you back.You'll discover: ✔ Why avoidance drains your mental energy ✔ The psychology behind procrastination and perfectionism ✔ How fear keeps entrepreneurs stuck ✔ Why CEOs are paid to make decisions (not perfect ones) ✔ Five common areas founders avoid, and how to overcome them ✔ A simple framework for making faster, better business decisions If you're building a business, leading a team, or growing as a founder, this conversation will challenge you to stop waiting and start leading.Follow for weekly conversations helping entrepreneurs build profitable businesses, stronger leadership skills, and lives designed with intention. Time Stamps: (00:00) Why Avoidance Is Costing Your Business More Than You Think (02:28) The Hidden Energy Tax Every Founder Pays (04:37) Name the Fear That's Really Holding You Back (07:57) Why Decisions Create Momentum (Not Perfection) (10:19) CEOs Get Paid to Decide, Not to Wait (10:49) 5 Things Founders Avoid Most (11:15) 1. Difficult Conversations With Your Team (12:20) 2. Raising Your Prices With Confidence (13:21) 3. Letting Go of What's No Longer Serving You (13:51) 4. Asking for Help Isn't Weakness (14:26) 5. Investing in Your Own Growth (15:11) The 5-Step Framework to Stop Avoiding and Start Leading (17:00) Your Next Level Starts With One Decision Share this with a founder who has a pile of decisions sitting on her desk right now. ------------------------------------------------ If the decision you've been avoiding is what to do next with your business, start here. Take the free Founder or CEO Quiz to get clarity on where you are and what move comes next. 👉 https://bit.ly/FounderOrCEOQuiz --- Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We’re on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Connect with our Guest at:Website: https://technologymatch.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyacoxturrell/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyaturrell/ Watch and listen to us at:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-schoolTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/ -----------------------------------------------
August 5 · 1 hr 13 min
One Billion, One Family: The Case for Building It Together
Are you operating like a founder or leading like a CEO? Take the quiz, find out where you stand, and get a custom workbook to start fixing the area that's holding you back. → bit.ly/FounderOrCEOQuiz Welcome back to the CEO School Podcast! This week, we flipped the script. Lisa Morel puts Suneera in the hot seat... and takes you all the way back. The immigrant household in Dallas. The sticker gun that taught her care scales. Getting laughed out of the room at 25. And the family dinner where her dad asked the question that built everything: why not you? Then we get into the part nobody prepares you for: building a billion-dollar company with her brother Sal, and doing it without torching the relationship. Suneera shares her approach to dividing and conquering, staying out of each other's lanes, and having the conversation you're avoiding before it hardens into resentment. If you've ever been told "never go into business with family," consider this your permission slip to do it right. Because less than 2% of women founders ever cross a million, and nobody should have to make that climb alone. No one’s journey is perfect, especially in family business; but with humble courage, clarity, and intentional communication, you can create something truly lasting. Time Stamps: (00:00) The co-founder rule that protects a billion-dollar partnership (01:04) Plot twist - Suneera takes the hot seat (01:44) The immigrant household that was secretly an MBA (08:21) The sticker-gun lesson: why care in the small things scales (10:47) Eldest daughter, first to college - the weight of expectations (16:00) How Fattmerchant started: the problem she couldn't unsee (18:59) Laughed out of the room at 25 (21:06) The family-dinner question: "Why not you?" (24:18) $5M in year one to a billion-dollar exit — the receipts (26:36) Building with your brother: divide, conquer, trust the outcome (33:12) The third-founder move that breaks the stalemate (44:28) The tab-keeping trap: how resentment actually starts (53:37) Her real relationship to money, and the fear underneath it (1:04:25) Lisa's playbook: run the business like a business, the family like a family Connect with Lisa at: Website: https://www.openwithlisamorel.com/ Share this with your favorite co-founders! -------------------------------------------------------------- As Suneera said, entrepreneurship is too hard to do alone, and the best thing she has is partners who care as much as she does. If you're a 7- or 8-figure woman founder who's done climbing solo, this is THE table: a vetted room of women CEOs who refuse to play small. Pull up a seat: https://bit.ly/MFCApplication --- Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We’re on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Watch and listen to us at: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/ Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money Website: ⁠https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-schooll TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/. ------------------------------------------------------ SOCIAL Hashtags: #CEOSchool #SuneeraMadhani #WomenFounders #FemaleFounders #FounderToCEO #WomenInBusiness #EntrepreneurMindset #FamilyBusiness #SiblingCofounders #BuildingWithFamily #GenerationalWealth #CoFounderGoals #ImmigrantFamily
July 29 · 47 min
Build to Sell: A Private Equity Insider's Hiring and Exit Playbook
PE introductions, C-suite connections, companies exiting because of one conversation; that's what happens inside the MFC. We're opening spots for ambitious women at the 7-figure mark who are ready to be in the room where the best deals happen. Apply here: https://bit.ly/MFCApplication -- Welcome back to the CEO School podcast! In today's episode, our host Suneera Madhani sits down with powerhouse executive and proud Latina mom, Vivian Gonzalez. With nearly 30 years in executive search—20 of which were spent deep in private equity—Vivian brings a wealth of insider knowledge on scaling companies, strategic exits, and the art of assembling world-class leadership teams. Together, they dive into the realities of selling to private equity, what it takes to build truly exitable enterprises, and the unique challenges and opportunities for women in the male-dominated world of finance and leadership. Plus, Vivian shares actionable insights on retention, hiring, and the mindset shifts women founders need to unlock the next level of growth. Whether you're building your first company or preparing for a big exit, this episode is packed with must-know strategies and inspiration for ambitious women in business. Time Stamps: (00:00) Introducing Vivian Gonzalez: 30 Years Placing C-Suite Talent in PE-Backed Companies (05:20) From Law School Dropout to Running a Firm at 25 (07:44) Private Equity 101: What It Is, What It Isn't, and Why It Got a Bad Rap (12:17) The Gender Gap in PE: 15% on Deal Teams, 2% as Operating Partners (13:45) Vivian's Rule: No Woman on Your Deal Team? No Introduction. (19:49) No Is a Gift: How Rejection Builds Better Founders (23:50) What PE Buyers Actually Grade You On: Retention, Scalability, and Letting Go (25:50) The Mindset Shift: If the Business Can't Run Without You, It's Not Sellable (28:00) "I Can't Afford to Hire"... Here's How to Think About It Instead (33:47) The $1M, $5M, and $10M Inflection Points And What Breaks at Each One (39:17) The Case Study Hiring Method That Removes Risk and Gets You to Yes (44:19) The 30/60/90 Framework: Why Hires Fail Without It (46:00) — Where to Find Vivian and the MFC Follow Vivian and discover her ventures: Instagram: @viviangonzales.parkcapital LinkedIn: Vivian Gonzales Remember, every "no" is just a step closer to your "yes". Keep building businesses that create wealth and impact! -------------------------------------------------------------------- Vivian just told you the business that can't run without you isn't sellable. The 6P quiz will show you exactly which pillar is holding you back. Take it, get your weakest area, and get the custom workbook to fix it → https://bit.ly/FounderOrCEOQuiz --- Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We're on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Watch and listen to us at: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-school TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/. ------------------------------------------------------------------ SOCIAL Hashtags: #PrivateEquity #ExitStrategy #WomenInBusiness #FemaleFounders #WomenInLeadership #FounderToCEO #CSuiteRecruitment #BusinessGrowth #CustomerRetention #HiringStrategy
July 22 · 12 min
Stop Ghosting, Start Leading: The Cost of Avoiding Hard Talks in Business
The avoidance patterns we broke down today show up in your business too, and our Founder or CEO quiz will tell you exactly where. Uncover your weakest area and get a custom workbook to strengthen it → https://bit.ly/FounderOrCEOQuiz In today's solo episode, Suneera takes a direct and honest look at one of the biggest challenges holding women back in business and life: our collective fear of direct conversations. From ghosting and gossip to building stories in our heads, Suneera unpacks the patterns of avoidance that can undermine relationships, leadership, and personal growth. Through practical lessons and personal insights, she'll show you how embracing direct yet kind communication is the key to true leadership and lasting success. It's time to pick up the phone, have the tough conversations, and build a reputation and relationships that stand the test of time. Let's dive in! Time Stamps: (01:00) Cold open: we are terrified of direct conversations (02:18) Lesson 1: Leaders pick up the phone, not the voice note (03:40) Lesson 2: Giving direct feedback without the 12 disclaimers (04:11) Feedback is just data; it's not a verdict on your worth (04:56) Lesson 3: "It's you and me against the problem" (06:19) How to stop the story before resentment builds (07:22) Lesson 4: Stop living in zero or 100 (08:09) Why women's reactions cost them trust and relationships (09:33) Lesson 5: Your reputation outlasts every disagreement (10:55) Zero to scorched earth: that's ego, not strength (11:27) The PSA: build the muscle for direct, kind conversations Share this with a founder who's been writing the text, then deleting it, then writing it again. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your network is only as strong as your ability to protect it. The women inside MFC have already learned that. Come have the real conversations with us → https://bit.ly/MFCApplication --- Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We’re on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Watch and listen to us at: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-school TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOCIAL Hashtags: #leadership #directconversations #feedback #communication #conflictresolution #emotionalintelligence #womeninbusiness #avoidance #givingfeedback #receivingfeedback #businessrelationships #problemsolving #winwinmindset #assumption #ghosting #gossip #triangulation #personalgrowth #professionalboundaries #reputation #integrity #emotionalregulation #mentorship #teamdynamics #empathy #networkoverlap #peoplepleasing #burningbridges #ceoschool
July 15 · 42 min
Give Your Money a Job: How Women Founders Build Wealth
You can't build wealth on a business that falls apart the second you step back. The Founder-to-CEO Shift guide is the free first step out of the founder trap → https://bit.ly/FounderToCEOGuide Welcome back to CEO School! In today's episode, we sit down with Michelle Taylor: licensed wealth manager, founder of Women In Wealth, and host of the Talk Wealthy To Me podcast. Michelle shares her inspiring journey from entrepreneurial pivots and personal financial struggles to building a thriving practice focused on advising women business owners about wealth. We dive deep into the realities of juggling business and family, why your business shouldn't be your only retirement plan, and how women can shift their money mindset. Plus, we'll break down practical strategies for putting your money to work, discuss the importance of building a strong advisory team, and explore where and how wealthy women are investing for long-term growth. Whether you're a founder or just getting started on your wealth journey, Michelle brings honest advice, sharp insight, and a much-needed perspective on investing in your business (and yourself). Grab a notepad, because this episode is packed with actionable wisdom you won't want to miss! Time Stamps: (01:00) Selling Everything to Move to Italy (Then Pivoting) (05:54) Leukemia at 17 & Why Health Is the First Wealth (07:41) The Louboutin Product, IVF & Picking the Real Baby (09:57) Why She Built Women in Wealth (15:33) Bet on Yourself: Your Business Is the Home Run (17:02) Where Founders Waste Money (And Where to Put It Instead) (20:37) Stop Sitting on Cash: Give Your Money a Job (24:24) The Pie: Allocating by Age, Goals & Risk (27:39 ) "Mailbox Money": Replacing Your Income With Real Estate (29:56) Angel Bets & Why "When I'm Ready" Is a Trap (32:54) Swing Big: The Baseball Rule of Risk (39:42) Fire the CPA Who Says No (40:30) Tax Moves That Don't Lock Up Your Cash Share this with a founder whose money is asleep on the couch. Connect With Michelle: Website: https://womeninwealth.co/ Instagram: @itschelletaylor -------------------------------------------------------------- The honest money conversations only happen with women who get it. That room has a name. The Millionaire Founders Club has a few spots left → https://bit.ly/MFCApplication --- Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We’re on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Watch and listen to us at: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceo-school TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/. -------------------------------------------------------------- SOCIAL Hashtags: #WealthManagement #WomenAndWealth #BusinessOwners #FemaleFounders #Entrepreneurship #BuildingWealth #FinancialLiteracy #MoneyMindset #PassiveIncome #Investing #TaxStrategy
July 8 · 13 min
How I Escaped the Founder Trap (and Built a Billion-Dollar Company)
The first step out of the founder trap is free. Get the Founder-to-CEO Shift guide → https://theceoschool.com/ Welcome back to CEO School! In today’s solo episode, Suneera Madhani shares the pivotal moment when her ambition outgrew her systems—and how that breakthrough became the foundation for building businesses that don’t depend on her every move. From the high of a Fast Company feature to the low of realizing she’d become the bottleneck, Suneera Madhani walks us through the lessons she learned transitioning from founder to CEO. Tune in for practical tools, the must-have 6P framework for sustainable growth, and an invitation to break free from founder burnout with systems that actually set you up for true freedom and scale. If you’re ready to audit your business, embody your CEO self, and set your sights higher, this episode is for you! Time Stamps: (00:00) Facing overwhelming demand (04:16) Harnessing Inner Leadership Power (09:45) Building an Inclusive Business Accelerator (12:40) Using AI to streamline CEO tasks Send this to a founder who's still doing everything herself and wondering why she's stuck. ------------------------------------------------------------- When the strategy that got you here stops working, the next level is about the room you're in. The Millionaire Founders Club has a few spots left. Apply today: https://bit.ly/MFCApplication --- Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We’re on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Watch and listen to us at: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast//id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/ ------------------------------------------------- SOCIAL Hashtags: #self image #mindset #femaleentrepreneurs #confidence #style #environment #personalgrowth,#ambition #fear #emotions #overcomingfear #selfconcept #transformation #selfworth #provingenergy #ambitionwithease #playfulness #selfcare #fashion #bookrecommendations
July 2 · 43 min
Self-Image As a Business Strategy: The Framework Every CEO Needs
The inner work underneath your strategy is what scales it, and it's exactly what we cover in Module 1 of the CEO Accelerator Certification. See how it works: https://accelerator.theceoschool.com/join-now Welcome back to CEO School! In today's episode, we're joined by Tonya Leigh, founder of the School of Self Image and host of the podcast “School of Self-Image .” Tonya takes us through her inspiring journey from a critical care nurse and single mom in the deep South to becoming a food and wine writer in France, transforming her life by reimagining who she could be. We dive into Tonya's unique framework for self-image, which centers on mindset, style, and environment, and how these pillars empower women, especially high-achieving entrepreneurs, to design a life they love. Get ready for an important conversation on overcoming fear, the true currency of change, and actionable steps to step confidently into your highest self. Time Stamps: (00:00) Introduction: Tonya Leigh and the Art of Becoming (03:18) The one word that rewrote an entire life (08:51) The fear wasn't failing... it was not knowing how (10:32) The worst thing that can happen is a feeling (14:54) When she decided to french-kiss life (17:00) The strategy that built it is the strategy capping it (23:57) The thought ladder: how to shift a thought without lying to yourself (27:07) Dress to impress yourself, not the room (30:35) The three-nail-color rule for founders with no time (33:47) Beauty standards built to keep you chasing (34:44) Define beauty so it includes you (37:57) Your environment is shaping you. Audit it! (39:55) The bookshelf swap that changed everything (41:37) Where to find Tonya and her programs Share this with a founder who treats self-image like a soft skill. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- When the strategy that got you here stops working, the next level is about the room you're in. The Millionaire Founders Club has a few spots left. Apply today: https://bit.ly/MFCApplication --- Follow Tonya and discover her ventures: Instagram: @tonyaleigh Website: https://schoolofselfimage.com/ Her free Elegant Success Framework: https://schoolofselfimage.com/success --- Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We’re on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Watch and listen to us at: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast//id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/ --------------------------------------------------------------------- SOCIAL Hashtags: #selfimage #mindset #femaleentrepreneurs #confidence #style #environment #personalgrowth #ambition #fear #emotions #overcomingfear #selfconcept #transformation #selfworth #provingenergy #ambitionwithease #playfulness #selfcare #fashion #bookrecommendations
June 24 · 1 hr 3 min
The Power Couple Origin Story: From The Poker Table to The Boardroom
We've proven you can have it all, and we've built the framework that makes it possible: The CEO Accelerator. Six pillars, live calls with Suneera, and your own plug-and-play CEO Operating System. Apply now: https://accelerator.theceoschool.com/join-now *** Welcome to a very special episode of CEO School, in honor of Father's Day. On this episode of CEO School, Suneera sat down with her husband, Fazail Madhani, for a candid conversation about their journey as entrepreneurs, partners, and parents. They talk about building businesses from the ground up, navigating failures together, what it means to truly support each other's ambitions, and how we make family our foundation. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to balance entrepreneurship with marriage and parenting, or if you need a reminder that you really can have it all with the right mindset and support, this episode is a must-listen. From humble beginnings and entrepreneurial struggles to scaling multi-million-dollar businesses and raising a family together, they share the highs, lows, and real-life lessons behind their “one team, one dream” philosophy. Whether you're seeking insights on building a supportive partnership, balancing family and ambition, or just want a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to thrive together as entrepreneurs and parents, this episode is packed with wisdom, vulnerability, and plenty of fun. Don’t miss this intimate look into the Madhani family's dynamic and the values that drive their success, both at work and at home. Time Stamps: (00:07) Born in Tanzania, raised to never make excuses (07:57) How they met, and who was playing footsies at the poker table? (12:35) Failing together before making it together (19:17) What Faisal actually signed up for when marrying Suneera (27:41) How he describes his wife when someone asks what she does (32:01) The not-so-pretty side of being married to a CEO (45:18) The moment that showed her what real partnership means (48:33) Why they refuse to believe women can't have it all (49:36) Parenting as two CEOs: what they protect, what they teach, and what they refuse to sacrifice (58:31) The moment he never told her he was proud of (59:31) The Sunny nobody sees online, and what 18 years comes down to Share this with a founder who thinks having it all means doing it alone. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- You don't have to figure out the next level alone; that's what the room is for. Our Millionaire Founders Club has a few spots left. Apply today: https://bit.ly/MFCApplication --- Only 2% of female founders ever break $1 million in revenue. We’re on a mission to change that. Subscribe to the CEO School and join the movement. Watch and listen to us at: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast//id1525261018 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06KIvFFJP0yJv67N9ugigU YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/CEOSchoolPodcast/?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about CEO School because nothing bad ever happens when women make more money: Website: https://theceoschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceoschool/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theceoschool Learn more about how Suneera Madhani is paving the way for powerhouse female CEOs like you to take center stage, not just in your industries but in your whole life. Website: https://suneeramadhani.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneeramadhani/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneeramadhani/ This episode was produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------

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