
Cubicle to CEO
We ask founders the business questions you can't Google. Cubicle to CEO® brings you weekly "behind the business" case-study interviews with leading entrepreneurs and CEOs who share a specific growth strategy they've successfully tested, how they implemented it, and what the results (and revenue) were. Host Ellen Yin also shares transparent insights about her own journey bootstrapping a media company from a $300 freelance project into millions in revenue.
Latest episodes

Jun 14, 2023 • 21min
Bonus #24: 3 Strategies That Landed Us At The Top Of Course Affiliate Leaderboards
Let us know your favorite affiliate tip by DMing us @missellenyin and @cubicletoceo!Access the transcript of this episode HERE: https://otter.ai/u/ZtinxQicMrBidtlK_66JOsDMxeY?utm_source=copy_url What's your signature CEO style? Take the quiz: ellenyin.com/quizIf you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Sign up for our text notifications at ellenyin.com/superfan so you can be the first to know when a new case study has dropped!
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo so we can repost you.
Follow (+) our show for new episodes every Monday & Wednesday
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 12, 2023 • 54min
198. Word Of Mouth At Scale: Empowering Students As Affiliates Grew Her Course To $2M/Year
This affiliate marketing focused episode with Molly Keyser rounds out the final installment in our word-of-mouth and referral marketing mini series.After spending years building a successful photography business, Molly packaged her knowledge into a digital course educating other photographers, and scaled that one course to $2M/year. 10% of total sales were driven by her own students who became affiliates for the course, an impressive feat uncovered in today’s case study where Molly walks us through her process for equipping and motivating her student affiliates - 50 in total - to promote the course on her behalf. Keep listening if you want to tap into the power of word-of-mouth marketing at scale through affiliates!View the transcript for this episode at: https://otter.ai/u/ALK_sdGxw2G670C4u5KukCStAKo?utm_source=copy_urlThank you to our sponsors:
Successful Ads Club brings their A-Team to power your business's growth! Try your first month today for just $37 at www.ellenyin.com/sac
Create a swoon-worthy brand with the WorkPlay method! Book an inquiry call at www.workplaybranding.com + mention Cubicle to CEO sent you to receive a fast action bonus worth $1,500.
Connect with Molly:
www.freedomcreator.co
Instagram: @mollymkeyser
TikTok: @mollykeyser
https://www.youtube.com/mollykeyser
Iconic business leaders all have their own unique genius. Take this quick 10 question quiz to uncover your specific CEO style advantage: https://ellenyin.com/quizIf you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Sign up for our text notifications at ellenyin.com/superfan so you can be the first to know when a new case study has dropped!
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo
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Jun 7, 2023 • 15min
Bonus #23: 5 Ways To Find Quality Referral Partners (Outside of Existing Clients)
Listen to the details of our bundle launch in "My Q4 2021 Income Report, Breakdown of Our 7 Revenue Streams & Launch Numbers": https://cubicletoceo.buzzsprout.com/820498/9887908-my-q4-2021-income-report-breakdown-of-our-7-revenue-streams-launch-numbers Access the transcript of this episode HERE: https://otter.ai/u/TCrjgTcqwOY-p6OV0aPsDA8fMm8?utm_source=copy_url What's your signature CEO style? Take the quiz: ellenyin.com/quizIf you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Sign up for our text notifications at ellenyin.com/superfan so you can be the first to know when a new case study has dropped!
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo so we can repost you.
Follow (+) our show for new episodes every Monday & Wednesday
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 5, 2023 • 52min
197. She Walked Away From 17K Followers + Made 40% More Revenue With This Referral Strategy
Today’s episode is the second installment in our word-of-mouth and referral marketing podcast series, this time featuring guest Sara McCabe. As a leadership and operations consultant who helps her clients build better leaders, stronger teams, and more efficient businesses, Sara put her own advice to the test by choosing to walk away from her TikTok account she had built up to 17K followers, and focus instead on generating referrals through past and current clients.This strategic decision resulted in a remarkable 40% increase in revenue, referrals now driving 90% of her sales, and an extra $46,550 in her pocket over the course of last year. What may surprise you most is why she doesn’t incentivize referrals from her clients with monetary kickbacks, and what she has found to work better instead.This hot take and more are uncovered in today’s case study on leveraging the power of word of mouth referrals from your existing clients.View the transcript for this episode at: https://otter.ai/u/XSHeOuNlCIFL_hqsbsc-yM7ShwU?utm_source=copy_urlThank you to our sponsors:
If you’re a writer or aspiring writer, visit www.burgeondesignandeditorial.com or follow Tiffany on Instagram @burgeondesignandeditorial to learn more about Tiffany’s services! Mention you were sent by Cubicle to CEO to save 20% on any editing or book coaching services, no code needed.
Create a swoon-worthy brand with the WorkPlay method! Book an inquiry call at www.workplaybranding.com + mention Cubicle to CEO sent you to receive a fast action bonus worth $1,500.
Connect with Sara:
https://www.saracmccabe.com
@saramccabeconsulting
@dobusinesscasual
Iconic business leaders all have their own unique genius. Take this quick 10 question quiz to uncover your specific CEO style advantage: https://ellenyin.com/quizIf you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Sign up for our text notifications at ellenyin.com/superfan so you can be the first to know when a new case study has dropped!
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 31, 2023 • 10min
Bonus #22: The Easiest Way To Get More Glowing Reviews
To enter our giveaway celebrating our upcoming 200th episode: 1) Leave a positive rating or review for our show at https://ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo2) Submit a screenshot of that rating (+ a voice memo question for our 200th episode Q+A) at https://ellenyin.com/200Access the transcript of this episode HERE: https://otter.ai/u/VpmKxS28ea0KcIZ8iwG2xFWIPSM?utm_source=copy_url What's your signature CEO style? Take the quiz: ellenyin.com/quizIf you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Sign up for our text notifications at ellenyin.com/superfan so you can be the first to know when a new case study has dropped!
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo so we can repost you.
Follow (+) our show for new episodes every Monday & Wednesday
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 29, 2023 • 57min
196. Repurposing Client Results: Building A Million Dollar Business From This 3 Step Testimonial Strategy
Enter to win a $200 shopping spree with your small business of choice + submit a question to be featured in our upcoming 200th episode of the podcast: ellenyin.com/200This interview kicks off a 3 episode series centered on growing your revenue through referral and word of mouth marketing. Our first guest is Amanda Walker, host of the Best Damn Coach podcast and a master performance coach, who went from making $623 paychecks as a high school teacher to building a million dollar coaching business helping service-based entrepreneurs 10X their client results so they can grow their impact and profit. Research shows that the #1 way qualified leads make decisions is based on word-of-mouth referrals and customer references, yet many service providers are drowning so much in client delivery that they often miss the opportunity to capture and “sprinkle client results like confetti in everything you do,” as Amanda would say.Her case study examines the 3 specific ways she started leveraging and repurposing client results to attract more than $1 million in coaching contracts, with no audience, website, or even social media to begin with. Amanda also explains the difference between informal and formal testimonials and why shifting toward informal testimonials will help you build greater trust with your audience. Keep listening to hear how you can make the most of this underutilized, low-cost marketing strategy.View the transcript for this episode at: https://otter.ai/u/_ng3vvI3UPmcZYGmOg8kDkPXrzU?utm_source=copy_urlThank you to our sponsors:
If you’re a writer or aspiring writer, visit www.burgeondesignandeditorial.com or follow Tiffany on Instagram @burgeondesignandeditorial to learn more about Tiffany’s services! Mention you were sent by Cubicle to CEO to save 20% on any editing or book coaching services, no code needed.
Swap out your ineffective questions that lead to close-ended responses with Dr. Kristine Medyanik's prompts and questions that build trust by downloading your digital copy of the Curiosity Based Leadership booklet for only $9: ellenyin.com/curiositybooklet. This booklet is a must-have for every CEO!
Stand out from other coaches without spending $1 on marketing in Amanda Walker's FREE masterclass: www.amanda-walker.com/masterclass
Connect with Amanda:
www.amanda-walker.com
Instagram: @awalkmyway
Iconic business leaders all have their own unique genius. Take this quick 10 question quiz to uncover your specific CEO style advantage: https://ellenyin.com/quizIf you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Sign up for our text notifications at ellenyin.com/superfan so you can be the first to know when a new case study has dropped!
Post a screenshot &...
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 24, 2023 • 8min
Bonus #21: Use This 2 Sentence Email Follow-Up When You’re Ghosted By A Potential Client
Tell us how this magic 2 sentence email has helped you get responses from potential clients on Instagram @missellenyin and @cubicletoceo!Listen to Bonus #9: STOP Ending Your Emails With This Conversation Killer: https://cubicletoceo.buzzsprout.com/820498/12347654-bonus-9-stop-ending-your-emails-with-this-conversation-killerAccess the transcript of this episode HERE: https://otter.ai/u/oHZ8EHW2N-tocKDEnTWLg1nujsQ?utm_source=copy_url What's your signature CEO style? Take the quiz: ellenyin.com/quizIf you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Sign up for our text notifications at ellenyin.com/superfan so you can be the first to know when a new case study has dropped!
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo so we can repost you.
Follow (+) our show for new episodes every Monday & Wednesday
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 22, 2023 • 1h 2min
195. Solopreneur to Thriving Team: How Hiring Interns Increased Business Revenue By 45% In 5 Months
All entrepreneurs eventually hit a ceiling in scaling their business alone that starts them down the path of exploring, when and how do I start hiring? Today’s guest brings a unique perspective to the hiring process, leveraging internships to build her team. Heather Brown is a full-time blogger, podcast host of Healthy with Heather Brown, ebook author, and educator behind the brand My Life Well Loved, reaching more than 1 million women a year through her content.Heather’s case study documents how she took her blogging business from solopreneurship to thriving team, resulting in a remarkable 45% increase in revenue within the first five months of hiring help; a net increase of $35,000 in profit from an initial $5,000 investment.Keep listening to hear Heather’s experience on why paying for support pays off.View the transcript for this episode at: https://otter.ai/u/r9q1fNsPqH4WT9e5e3omiY13iy8?utm_source=copy_urlThank you to our sponsors:
If you’re a writer or aspiring writer, visit www.burgeondesignandeditorial.com or follow Tiffany on Instagram @burgeondesignandeditorial to learn more about Tiffany’s services! Mention you were sent by Cubicle to CEO to save 20% on any editing or book coaching services, no code needed.
Swap out your ineffective questions that lead to close-ended responses with Dr. Kristine Medyanik's prompts and questions that build trust by downloading your digital copy of the Curiosity Based Leadership booklet for only $9: ellenyin.com/curiositybooklet. This booklet is a must-have for every CEO!
Try the #1 all-in-one E-commerce platform: Shopify! Sign up for a one dollar per month trial period at shopify.com/cubicle
Connect with Heather:
https://www.mylifewellloved.com/
Instagram: @mylifewellloved
Team Building Course: https://www.mylifewellloved.com/product/team-building-for-solopreneur-mamas-course-workbook/ **USE CODE 'CEO' for 15% OFF**
Daily Schedule freebie: https://www.mylifewellloved.com/product/daily-schedule-for-families/
Healthy with Heather Brown Podcast: https://www.mylifewellloved.com/podcast/
Iconic business leaders all have their own unique genius. Take this quick 10 question quiz to uncover your specific CEO style advantage: https://ellenyin.com/quizIf you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Sign up for our text notifications at ellenyin.com/superfan so you can be the first to know when a new case study has dropped!
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 17, 2023 • 22min
Bonus #20: 3 Strategies That Grew Our Podcast To 70K Monthly Downloads
Email podcast@ellenyin.com with the subject line "CASTBOX REFERRAL" for an introduction to our Castbox ad rep!3 Underrated Tips for Becoming a Paid Speaker Episode: https://cubicletoceo.buzzsprout.com/820498/12111286-bonus-4-how-do-i-become-a-paid-speaker-3-underrated-tipsSave 30% discount on your annual Mic Check Society membership (monthly payment plans are available) by going to micchecksociety.com and entering the code CEO at checkout.Access the transcript of this episode HERE: https://otter.ai/u/aHL14qOcMgJMmx7ZEPvtLttcsTY?utm_source=copy_url What's your signature CEO style? Take the quiz: ellenyin.com/quizIf you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Sign up for our text notifications at ellenyin.com/superfan so you can be the first to know when a new case study has dropped!
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo so we can repost you.
Follow (+) our show for new episodes every Monday & Wednesday
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 15, 2023 • 56min
194. 70K to 350K Monthly Downloads In 1 Year: 3 Strategies For Explosive Podcast Growth
Today’s case study is a masterclass in audience growth and retention for any content creator, but pay extra attention if you’re a fellow podcaster. Les Alfred, podcast host & founder of Balanced Black Girl, joins us on the mic to divulge the juicy details behind her podcast’s meteoric rise from 70,000 to now 350,000 monthly downloads - an impressive 5X growth in one year. Balanced Black Girl is an online wellness community and podcast focused on mind-body health, habits, spacious productivity, financial wellness, and self-care. Amassing more than 7 million downloads and 1,500 5-star reviews since the show’s launch in 2018, Les is a podcasting powerhouse who prefers sustainable strategies for listener growth over quick hacks. She'll be sharing how she keeps listeners coming back week after week, her weekly content plan for creating highly shareable social media posts to promote each episode, and how she activates listeners to put into practice what they hear on her show. View the transcript for this episode at: https://otter.ai/u/dEpaq7T30WBWdPPWrkMW3G1zY9w?utm_source=copy_urlThank you to our sponsors:
If you’re a writer or aspiring writer, visit www.burgeondesignandeditorial.com or follow Tiffany on Instagram @burgeondesignandeditorial to learn more about Tiffany’s services! Mention you were sent by Cubicle to CEO to save 20% on any editing or book coaching services, no code needed.
Swap out your ineffective questions that lead to close-ended responses with Dr. Kristine Medyanik's prompts and questions that build trust by downloading your digital copy of the Curiosity Based Leadership booklet for only $9: ellenyin.com/curiositybooklet. This booklet is a must-have for every CEO!
Connect with Les:
https://www.balancedblackgirl.com
Intimacy In Friendships Episode: https://bit.ly/3VTfsQ4
Start the 'Reframing The Reset' Series: https://bit.ly/3MiynjW
Instagram: @balancedblackgirlpodcast
Instagram: @balancedles
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BalancedBlackGirl/
Hear more about SEO from our friend Elise Armitage in this episode: https://bit.ly/3VV6i5rIconic business leaders all have their own unique genius. Take this quick 10 question quiz to uncover your specific CEO style advantage: https://ellenyin.com/quizIf you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Sign up for our text notifications at
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices