28 Entrepreneurs Explain the CEO Hack That Makes Them Successful

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28 Entrepreneurs Explain the CEO Hack That Makes
Them Successful
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• As an entrepreneur, you have that gadget, habit,
  app or a book that makes your work easier,
  motivates you to do more and thats what we refer
  to as a CEO Hack. It helps you achieve maximum
  productivity and stick to your goals regardless
  of the hurdles we face as entrepreneurs. For
  instance, it could be a pro tip on managing
  employees to make the workplace a conducive
  environment for everyone. Maybe its an app that
  you have which helps you plan and execute tasks
  on time. It could also be a book that you read
  and it brings ideas your way on how to scale your
  business. The list goes on. You can check our CEO
  Hacks and different entrepreneurs CEO Hacks
  below where we have insightful responses.

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• 1- Engaging in creative marketing
• The reason weve reached our level of success is
  because we like to deliver experiences along with
  our products. One of our opening activations was,
  if a customer spent enough money on alcohol
  in-app, we sent a bartender out to their home to
  make drinks for them for an hour. Marketing is
  the best investment you can make when starting a
  business, and the more inventive you are with it,
  youll see a customer base come in fast.

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• 2- Checking out the competitors websites
• I have a habit of always checking out the
  competitors websites. I like to do so to see
  what theyre doing to be successful that our
  company may be missing. Whether its a more
  user-friendly website or a new social media
  strategy theyve implemented, successful CEOs
  can always take a tip or two from others in their
  industry.

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• 3- Morning Pages
• I'd consider myself a productivity junkie and
  have tried dozens of different techniques (ie,
  Inbox Zero, Getting Things Done, Eisenhower
  Decision Matrix, etc.) but few have made as big
  of a difference in my professional and personal
  life as Morning Pages. Morning Pages is a
  technique invented by Julia Cameron Live and
  described in her book The Artist's Way to help
  unlock people's creativity. The premise is quite
  simple write 3 pages per day, no matter how long
  it takes, and do this daily. What I've noticed is
  that not only do some of my most lucid and
  creative thoughts come out during that time, but
  I'm also more clear, focused and present for the
  remainder of the day!

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• 4- The Lean Startup
• The Lean Startup How Today's Entrepreneurs Use
  Continuous Innovation to Create Radically
  Successful Businesses by Eric Ries has been key
  for driving how we organize our operations to
  fight the market uncertainty of an early-stage
  startup. Ries gives great advice when it comes to
  starting your own business. He makes you feel
  more confident in your decision-making and it's a
  great guide for any new entrepreneurs entering
  the field.

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• 6- Teams
• Teams to collaborate with my employees.
  Especially while working remote, this software
  has been the perfect tool to keep our momentum
  going. We can share files easily, chat instantly,
  and collaborate on projects effortlessly. I think
  this software is what has given us continued
  success and Id recommend anyone entering the
  business world to utilize this as much as
  possible.

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• 7- Jogging
• Every morning I wake up very early and go out
  for a quick jog. It helps me wake up but also
  collect my thoughts and reflect on the previous
  day. Over the years I have learnt that
  self-reflection is necessary for identifying your
  weak spots and figuring out how to improve them.
  Since my schedule is rather packed, the only time
  I can focus on myself is early morning when
  everybody else is still sleeping and the streets
  are quiet. Another benefit of jogging in the
  morning is the energy level I have at work.
  Working out helps me shake my muscles and prepare
  myself for a long day at the office. I sometimes
  spend 12 hours sitting behind a desk which is why
  I absolutely need my active morning routine.

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• 7- Jogging
• Every morning I wake up very early and go out
  for a quick jog. It helps me wake up but also
  collect my thoughts and reflect on the previous
  day. Over the years I have learnt that
  self-reflection is necessary for identifying your
  weak spots and figuring out how to improve them.
  Since my schedule is rather packed, the only time
  I can focus on myself is early morning when
  everybody else is still sleeping and the streets
  are quiet. Another benefit of jogging in the
  morning is the energy level I have at work.
  Working out helps me shake my muscles and prepare
  myself for a long day at the office. I sometimes
  spend 12 hours sitting behind a desk which is why
  I absolutely need my active morning routine.

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• 8- Delegation
• It's actually something that I struggled with
  for a VERY long time and something that held back
  my own personal success for almost a decade. I
  had the classic gung ho and I can do it all
  mindset and it took me an eternity to realize
  that my lack of delegation and recruiting was
  killing the growth of each and every business I
  started. When I started delegating, I started
  dominating, so that has to be my 1 CEO hack.

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• 9- Single-tasking
• As a CEO, I find it critical to get the most out
  of my hours. In the beginning, I used to
  multitask quite often. I thought that I was
  saving more time by doing so, but that wasn't the
  case. After I started doing one task at a time,
  my focus got better, and so did the job done. I
  realized that one hour of work dedicated to a
  single assignment is more valuable than three
  hours of multitasking. The world we live in is
  obsessed with getting more things done, and our
  attention span is getting alarmingly low. With
  single-tasking, it can be a bit difficult for you
  to focus on one thing only for a more extended
  period. However, you will see that it is far less
  stressful and more productive in the long run.

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• 10- Repurposing content
• For me and my clients I have been successful
  repurposing content by Turning a series of
  articles, blog postings or newsletters into a
  book or ebook. Turning each chapter of a
  book/e-book into a series of articles, blog
  postings or newsletters. Turning every piece of
  content into a tweet. Share links to the content
  on all your social media platforms. Finding
  like-minded groups with a newsletter or website
  to do a swap and share content with each other¹s
  audiences. I have also turned articles into
  infographics and talks that have been videod that
  I have been able to share over social media and
  on my site. Once you have a piece you are happy
  with it makes a lot of sense to get as much
  mileage out of it as possible.

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• 11- Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)
• The biggest game-changer for me was finding a
  system that I could use to manage the day-to-day
  of my business and still innovate within it. I
  was introduced to the Entrepreneurial Operating
  System (EOS) in EOS Traction by Gino Wickman. It
  walked through the six main components of high
  functioning organizations, the philosophy behind
  them and how to execute on each piece. The suite
  of books also helped me identify, and lean into,
  my God given talents instead of getting bogged
  down in the daily minutiae.

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• It was so impactful, I almost immediately hired
  an EOS Implementor and rolled it out to our
  entire organization. Since that roll out, we
  redefined our goals and mission, restructured our
  team from the ground up and created clear systems
  of communication for every member of our
  organization. The biggest difference personally,
  is that I've embraced the role of innovator and
  let go of some of the things I once felt pressure
  to hold onto.

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• 12- 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
• I always go back to the 7 Habits of Highly
  Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. It's a
  business classic, and even though it was written
  before the age of smart devices, I love the
  concept of mapping out long-term goals and
  planning our weeks and days to fulfill those
  goals. It's true that you will be most effective
  if you are a master of your time and priorities.
  It's also important to remember that success is
  not only defined by our business profits.

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• 13- True Open Door Policy
• Open Door Policy. They say come see me with any
  problem you have. But what if you are the
  problem? What if you are making mistakes? A true
  open-door policy is one that allows employees to
  point out your short-comings and when you are
  being detrimental to the success of the
  organization. I have always created a culture
  where everyone feels comfortable to point out
  when I am wrong, in fact, I encourage it. I would
  much rather someone tell me when I am about to
  steer into an iceberg rather than sink to the
  bottom.

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• 14- Arranging employee getaways
• My strategy as a CEO is to maintain a balance
  between hectic workdays leisure trips. I
  personally believe this increases employee
  productivity and motivates them to perform
  better. Also, the best part about these getaways
  is that everyone from the highest-ranking
  employee to lowest ranking individuals is made a
  part of this. This allows them to interact apart
  from the work-life and bond with one another. In
  the long run, this shrinks the employee turnover
  rate and lowers absenteeism this is an
  achievement for me!

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• 15- Taking power naps
• I would say that my favorite or best hack to be
  productive throughout the day is taking a power
  nap during work. Success is directly connected to
  productivity and naps are among the best ways to
  ensure productivity. I feel fresh and recharged
  after a nap of more or less 20 minutes on almost
  every working day. I am not at all productive
  when my mind and body is exhausted, and I have
  found nothing as effective as a nap to refresh
  and recharge your energy. I would suggest
  everyone give your brain little rest at work.

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• 16- I'm always observing!
• As a CEO, I don't just read about the latest
  trends strategies, I like to experience them
  from the eyes of the consumer so we can improve
  our products and content. For example, I'll join
  someone's membership to observe how the backend
  user experience is set-up and be inspired to try
  new ideas for platform navigation, membership
  features, etc.

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• Or I'll buy someone's product just to go through
  their whole purchasing process and observe what
  their sales funnel looks like. Do they try to
  upsell me? When? If it works, why? I'm looking at
  what makes me click, buy, feel excited, or feel
  confused so we can apply what's relevant to
  improving our own sales pages or process. I also
  learn so much from the post-buying experience.
  What kinds of communication do I receive from the
  company after purchase? How is the product
  delivered? It's my favorite way to learn quickly
  and apply what's relevant to our own business
  and, as an added bonus, support my fellow small
  business owners/peers by being their customer.
  Collaboration over the competition, always.

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• 17-30-minute morning routine
• The one habit that I think makes me more
  successful is having a fixed morning routine I do
  when I wake up that excites, motivates, and
  energizes me. To start the day, I go through my
  version of The Miracle Morning (by Hal Elrod). I
  have a 30-minute routine of brushing my teeth,
  washing my face, journaling, exercise, and
  meditation I do every weekday to wake up. This
  morning routine has been key in preparing me to
  be productive and maximize work output each
  workday.

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• 18- Having conversations
• The habit of having conversations with strangers
  and almost anyone I meet, it doesn't matter if
  it's on the street in a cafe at a business event.
  This goes beyond just simple networking since
  usually I don't know the person or where's the
  conversation going to lead. It might be a new
  business opportunity or finding an unorthodox
  technique from another industry that I can apply
  in my own business.

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• The trick to focus on talking to many people,
  since the play is about volume the majority of
  conversations will not yield fruit other than
  just a pleasant conversation, but you don't know
  which ones will bring you value, so just talk to
  people, it's that simple, just make it a habit.
  By doing this along the way I also have greatly
  improved my conversational skills, confidence,
  and charisma.

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• 19- Honeybook
• As CEOs of service-based businesses, it's
  important to envision what we want our clients
  experience to look like from start to finish.
  Honeybook, a client management software (CMS), is
  one of my favorite resources for client
  onboarding. It has been an absolute lifesaver. So
  much so that I dont know how I ran my business
  before, without it. The entire process,
  onboarding, contracts, listings are there to help
  automate and simplify my service-based business.
  It reduces what would be a 20 hour week into 4
  hours.

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• 20- Clocify
• Resources for time management are crucially
  important for us. I use various remote tools to
  manage my time and activities so I'm 100
  dedicated to the right thing. Clocify is a great
  tool to use, but you can also use your
  collaboration apps for the best results. If
  you're often on the run, make sure your
  smartwatch/phone is always there to remind you of
  important tasks. Remember to also take notes all
  the time.

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• 21- Two hacks
• My CEO hack is my habit of direct communication.
  Chain of command takes time and does not always
  reap desirable results. Having free-flowing
  communication channels throughout the company at
  every level brings in the best results. The other
  habit that I promote amongst my employees is to
  have a to-do list. Having the work of the day
  charted outcomes in handy and ensures
  productivity. A precise to-do list sets
  achievable targets and gives greater job
  satisfaction.

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• 22- Thinking in my downtime
• I have to solve lots of complex problems in my
  line of work. Sometimes the solution is not
  obvious when Im sitting at my desk. I find that
  I do my best thinking when Im away from the
  office. So when Im walking my dog or going for a
  jog in the park, I allow my thoughts to come to
  me naturally. I carry a little notepad and pen
  with me at all times so if I have a great idea I
  can jot it down.

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• 23- Blinkist
• Reading books has always been a part of my
  growing as an entrepreneur, but while getting
  busy building a company I started looking at a
  growing pile of books on my desk with longing.
  And then Blinkist came to the rescue. Blinkist is
  an app that delivers 15-minute-read summaries of
  the best non-fiction books out there. As an
  entrepreneur, you get a wide choice of books on
  productivity and time management, motivation and
  inspiration, leadership, money and investments,
  psychology, or work-life balance. So I get the
  essence of brilliant books within just minutes of
  reading or listening to audiobooks. Well done,
  Blinkist.

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• 24- Watching YouTube videos
• I know that doesn't sound right, but during the
  lockdown, I found so many inspirational people
  from actors to leaders in business to spiritual
  leaders and people within my industry. My feed
  now is full of videos I derive much-needed
  inspiration and ideas from. These people have
  been through so many different things and
  listening to them and gaining wisdom has been
  such an inspiration for me. I have videos playing
  in the background all day while I work now and I
  have never been more positive.

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• 26- The Speed of TrustL by Stephen Covey
• Before I became a successful CEO, there is just
  one book that really inspired and pushed me to
  become one successful businessman. This book is
  entitled The Speed of TrustL The One That
  Changes Everything by Stephen Covey. What I love
  about this book is that it tells us that speed is
  everything for any business. It is understood
  that you should build your company at full speed
  without vomiting any major mistakes. However,
  everything becomes so much easier with trust.

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• 27- Listening to podcasts while walking
• The combination between audio and physical light
  activity makes the information stick better and
  gives me an extra boost of energy. I listen to
  entrepreneurship, marketing and tech podcasts and
  I noticed an improvement in my decisions and
  mental health. It's a good practice to schedule
  10-15 mins listen walks in-between work sessions.
  When you're managing a team there is no shortage
  of meetings and decision-making. It helps to have
  a clear mind while in the process.

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• 27- Listening to podcasts while walking
• The combination between audio and physical light
  activity makes the information stick better and
  gives me an extra boost of energy. I listen to
  entrepreneurship, marketing and tech podcasts and
  I noticed an improvement in my decisions and
  mental health. It's a good practice to schedule
  10-15 mins listen walks in-between work sessions.
  When you're managing a team there is no shortage
  of meetings and decision-making. It helps to have
  a clear mind while in the process.

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• 28- 15 hack
• The first business hack I learned is something I
  still use to this day. Its called the 15 hack.
  Whatever you are doing, be it marketing, customer
  acquisition quota, or even customer communication
  implement the 15. If you are marketing to a
  certain demographic or age group expand it by
  15 what you feel is applicable. If you have a
  goal of 10 new clientele contracts per month,
  dont stop at 10, add an extra 15 or acquire 2
  extra clients.

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• If a customer has even the slightest issue with a
  service you offered, resolve it first and then
  offer them a 15 voucher on their next service! I
  live and die by this rule, and whenever I set a
  business standard to the market average, I
  implement my 15 hack with haste and without
  delay.