Gwen Bortner is a business advisor who provides outside perspective and unwavering accountability. She’s also the one to ask the hard questions others won't. After four decades of working across 47+ industries, Gwen has learned that marketing and sales have built-in feedback loops — you know quickly if they're working. But the behind-the-scenes engine that runs your business? That's where the blind spots live. That's where successful businesses secretly start breaking down, even when everything looks fine from the outside. Gwen's monthly newsletter provides tips to help you identify bottlenecks others miss so you can build a business that performs well without consuming your life.
Reader — Sometimes our business grows in directions we didn't intend. What aspect of your current business model exists more by accident than by design? Is it serving your long-term vision? I’d love to hear what comes up for you, so let me know! I read and respond to every email personally. Speak soon, Gwen
Reader — Business owners often confuse being busy with being productive. What's one activity you regularly engage in that feels productive, but might actually be a sneaky form of procrastination? I’d love to hear what comes up for you, so let me know! I read and respond to every email personally. Speak soon, Gwen
Reader — Many entrepreneurs struggle to maintain consistent support systems as their business evolves. Who provides your most valuable outside perspective? How could you better leverage that relationship? I’d love to hear what comes up for you, so let me know! I read and respond to every email personally. Speak soon, Gwen
Reader — Knowing what things are no longer serving us, and therefore we need to stop, can be as or more important than figuring out what new things we need to be doing. What is one thing that, if stopped, would actually be an overall benefit? (Hint: if you find yourself immediately thinking of something and then your stomach slightly clenches, chances are, that’s the answer.) I’d love to hear what comes up for you, so let me know! I read and respond to every email. Speak soon, Gwen
Reader — As you read this, I’m leading Savvy Syndicate, our client-only retreat in California’s Amador County. Stepping away to think deeply (with a small, mighty group) is one of the fastest ways to realign your business with what actually matters. A theme we’re digging into this week: accountability that energizes rather than exhausts. That’s exactly what my Weekly Course of Action (WCA) process is designed to do. It helps leaders and teams create sustainable follow-through without adding...
Reader — Many business owners struggle to distinguish between investment and expense – an investment, of course, being something with a rate of return that exceeds its cost, while an expense is a cost of doing business. What recent business purchase are you justifying as an investment that might actually be an unnecessary expense? Or what expense have you been avoiding that might actually be an investment? Think about it – and let me know what comes up. I’d love to hear from you (and give you...
Reader — It is so easy to assume that "everybody knows about..." fill in the blank. But rarely have our marketing efforts truly been that well managed or wide spread. What is one aspect of your business that you feel everyone knows about but you could easily talk about more? For me, turns out the answer was, “What I actually do”! So in case you don’t know, I’m a business advisor who provides outside perspective and real accountability, and asks the hard questions other people won’t. What do...
Reader — This week’s question is one I find myself asking people with a team: are you sure you have the right person in the right place? The truth is, good people and the right fit are not necessarily the same thing. As our businesses transform over time, roles change along with the associated skills and behaviors. Has loyalty led you to keep working with good people who are no longer a right fit for the job/role they are filling? Who would you hire if you were filling each position for the...
Reader — A quick reminder of what we’re doing here, since these Thursday emails are new: instead of sending you more information (because frankly, you’re past that), I’m sending you one REALLY good question to help you get you into your CEO brain, challenge your assumptions, and break through confusion and indecision. My question for you this week is: are you delegating things you shouldn’t? Common wisdom says that we should delegate or outsource all lower-level tasks. But there are often a...
Reader — I’ve been working on a project recently behind the scenes that has helped me to fully appreciate the value of really good questions. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve always been a fan of good questions. One of the reasons I adore having Tonya on my team is because she’s full of them. And my clients often say the same about me. But what I’ve come to appreciate recently is how a really good question at the right time can change everything about how you think and feel about your business. With...