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Everyday Effectiveness | Biz Ops Exposed

Gwen Bortner

Gwen Bortner is a no-nonsense Operational Strategist and Business Advisor with an intuitive coaching mindset. She helps visionary female entrepreneurs achieve their most ambitious goals without the stress and overwhelm of trying to do it all on their own. Her approach comes from the belief that personal and professional success looks different for everyone, and most business owners waste time and energy trying to conform to outside expectations and definitions of success. From finance to IT, and small business operations to academia, Gwen has seen cookie-cutter strategies put organizations on the fast track to frustration, burnout, and eventually failure. Problem-solving is her zone of genius, and Gwen can quickly discern the root cause of issues, simplify systems and processes, then create the most direct path to any given solution.

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Gwen and Tonya are shown together sitting at Gwen's dining room table. Microphones in front of them, Gwen has her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and Tonya's chin-length curly slat-and-pepper hair is as tame as it'll ever be. Both women wear glasses
Featured Post

Have you experienced true accountability?

— When it comes to business success, accountability is often touted as a key ingredient. But most of what passes for accountability isn't true accountability at all. True accountability isn't about being reliable, or simply checking off tasks. It's a two-way street that involves reporting to someone who genuinely cares about your results and is invested in your success. This person isn't just passively receiving updates; they're actively engaged in examining your progress, offering feedback,...

2 days ago • 2 min read
Gwen and Tonya are shown together sitting at Gwen's dining room table. Microphones in front of them, Gwen has her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and Tonya's chin-length curly slat-and-pepper hair is as tame as it'll ever be. Both women wear glasses

— I've got a question for you: Are you tackling your business problems in the right order? In my years of advising entrepreneurs, I've noticed success isn’t just about identifying the right problems. It’s about addressing them in the correct sequence. Solving issues in the wrong order can lead to wasted time, money, and energy. I once worked with a client who was constantly hiring and firing team members, convinced they had a "people problem." But when we dug deeper, we discovered that...

9 days ago • 1 min read
Gwen and Tonya are shown together sitting at Gwen's dining room table. Microphones in front of them, Gwen has her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and Tonya's chin-length curly slat-and-pepper hair is as tame as it'll ever be. Both women wear glasses

— As an entrepreneur, you've likely heard the advice “You need better systems!” countless times or maybe you’re the one scolding yourself for a lack of system. I bet you've even invested in fancy project management software or hired consultants to create standard operating procedures (SOPs). But what if I told you that you already have systems in place — whether you realize it or not? That's right. Those daily habits and routines you perform without thinking? Those are your systems. And some...

16 days ago • 1 min read
Gwen and Tonya are shown together sitting at Gwen's dining room table. Microphones in front of them, Gwen has her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and Tonya's chin-length curly slat-and-pepper hair is as tame as it'll ever be. Both women wear glasses

— Launching a podcast has been a dream of mine for several years but until recently, it seemed impossible to pull off. Lucky for me, Tonya has years of experience with podcast launches, marketing and hosting (she even co-hosted a cooking show sponsored by a local farm over a decade ago). When Tonya laid out her marketing plan for the show, I trusted her to know what she was talking about. However, when she told me that much of the initial excitement for the show would come from our existing...

20 days ago • 2 min read
Gwen and Tonya are shown together sitting at Gwen's dining room table. Microphones in front of them, Gwen has her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and Tonya's chin-length curly salt-and-pepper hair is as tame as it'll ever be. Both women wear glasses

— The Truth About Managing People in Your Business As a business owner, you know that your team can make or break your success. But here's a hard truth many entrepreneurs struggle to face: The people who helped you build your business may not be the ones to help you scale it. In the latest episode of The Business You Really Want, co-host Tonya Kubo and I discuss making the most of your human resources — whether you're a solopreneur or leading a growing team. Here are just a few insights from...

23 days ago • 1 min read
Gwen and Tonya are shown together sitting at Gwen's dining room table. Microphones in front of them, Gwen has her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and Tonya's chin-length curly salt-and-pepper hair is as tame as it'll ever be. Both women wear glasses

— Do you find yourself avoiding your financial reports like the plague? You wouldn’t be the first. And I doubt you’d even be the last. (So much so that Tonya Kubo, my chief marketing officer and podcast co-host, predicts this week’s episode will be the least popular of all time) But what if I told you that confronting your finances could be the key to reaching sustainable success and building the business you really want? In The Business You Really Want today, Tonya and I plunge into the...

30 days ago • 1 min read
How to delegate and scale your business

— As a CEO, you've likely heard that delegation is crucial for growth. But here's the truth: most of us are doing it wrong. We're creating more stress, not less, by misunderstanding what real delegation looks like. Delegation is a skill. Few people are born naturals. But the good news is skills can be learned. Today, on the podcast, co-host Tonya Kubo and I are teaching what we’ve seen work.. Here’s what we cover: Why "just hand it off" rarely works The multi-phase process of effective...

about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Episode 3 of The Business You Really Want

— Have you ever felt like you're chasing a business goal that looks impressive on paper but leaves you feeling exhausted and unfulfilled? You're not alone. In today’s episode of The Business You Really Want, Tonya and I challenge the conventional wisdom around goal-setting. But we don’t leave you in the dark. We also cover how to set goals you'll actually achieve (and enjoy pursuing). We share the story of a brilliant attorney who thought she wanted to be a top litigator until she realized...

about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Rarely is a quick solution a root-cause solution

— You've tried everything to grow your business: increasing sales, streamlining processes, even burning the midnight oil. But something still feels off. What if the real problem isn't where you think it is? In the latest episode of The Business You Really Want, Tonya Kubo and I reveal what’s often misunderstood when entrepreneurs think about business operations. Here's a taste of what you'll discover: Why the symptom and root cause of a problem may not be the same thing The five key functions...

about 2 months ago • 1 min read
An image of Gwen in her teal cardigan and black ruched top is shown next to a quote from her stating, "What I fear is that some of these people who burn down their business to start over go right down the exact same path."

— You've seen the headlines. Another successful entrepreneur confesses to burning out and starting over. They talk about laying off their entire team, shutting down their thriving business, and rising from the ashes like a phoenix. It's dramatic. It's inspiring. And it's becoming alarmingly common. But what if I told you there's another way? As a business advisor with nearly 40 years of experience across more than 40 industries, I've seen countless entrepreneurs face overwhelming challenges....

about 2 months ago • 1 min read