

Cubicle to CEO
Ellen Yin
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 24, 2021 • 50min
95. How She Got 22 Million Views On YouTube THIS YEAR
Dzung is giving away a free copy of her Honeysuckle cookbook! Join our Cubicle to CEO Community Facebook Group and comment on the giveaway post what your favorite recipe to cook is! You definitely don't want to miss out on winning this collection of delicious recipes!If content is king, then food is queen on this talented YouTuber’s channel. Here to talk about her journey to 1 million subscribers and beyond is content creator and author of The Honeysuckle Cookbook, Dzung Lewis!After getting her degree and pursuing an unfulfilling career in finance, Dzung was actually laid off from her job as an analyst, but that ended up being a blessing in disguise. Dzung and her then boyfriend (now husband) dove headfirst into YouTube in 2009. By combining her love of cooking and his creative passion for production, they launched Honeysuckle, a channel with hundreds of mouthwatering recipes and high quality food content that have racked up over 22 million views this year alone.Dzung is dishing out all the insight about how to win with the YouTube algorithm, the ways she generates revenue as a content creator, and how you can drive traffic to your videos even when you don’t have an audience yet. If you’ve been curious to learn more about YouTube as a marketing platform for your business, then this episode is sure to satisfy your craving.Connect with Dzung:
Honeysuckle YouTube Channel
@honeysuckle
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----- FREE RESOURCES:Service-based entrepreneurs, are you tired of being on the content hamster wheel + hustling for more followers without more income? I created a FREE, on-demand training just for you on how to use my step-by-step client attraction system to create your first $10K month, WITHOUT a large audience or complicated marketing strategies! Claim your bonus gift by watching now: ellenyin.com/getclients Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 17, 2021 • 44min
94. How To Make 2-4X More Money Per Client (and Save $10K+ In Taxes)
Join our next Paid to Create 3 Day LIVE Challenge: ellenyin.com/paidtocreateIf taxes make you want to cry, today’s guest is going to be your new best friend. Here to share how she saves her clients a minimum of $10,000 in taxes per year through overlooked deductions is tax strategist Jessica Smith, founder & CEO of Tax Savvy Jessica. After having her business as a side hustle for almost a decade, Jessica realized how much her ‘stable job’ was holding her back from the potential of her own company. She joined our Cubicle to CEO membership and within a year of implementing our Consistent Clients Cashflow System, had reached her first $10K month and took the leap from full-time employee to going full-time in her business and hiring her own employee! Stick around to hear 3 things all business owners need to do to prepare for tax season, her #1 tax saving vehicle you should consider, and how she changed her service structure to earn 2-4x more per client and scale her business to consistent $15K months!Connect with Jessica:
www.taxsavvyjessica.com
@taxsavvyjessica
Check out her 'Top 10 Quickbooks Online Mistakes' freebie available in our Cubicle to CEO Community Facebook Group!
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May 10, 2021 • 52min
93. How To Turn The Information In Your Head Into A System That You Can Outsource
You definitely will not need to play this on 2x speed because today’s guest is packing as much knowledge as possible into every second of this episode! Here to tell us how implementing systems took her from working in a grocery store to growing and managing a team for her thriving agency, is Say Gabriel! After a lifetime of knowing that writing and communication was her calling, Say created the career of her dreams through her digital agency - Anansi Content - and quickly scaled it to 6 figures in just two years. The turning point for her was when she started creating and implementing systems in every area of her business. You all better have your pen and paper at the ready because listening to Say had me excited to start drawing out flow charts!Stay tuned in to hear the two expectations to get rid of when you’re hiring, the thought processes you can walk yourself through to determine which parts of your business to outsource first, and how to simplify systems so they aren’t as scary and will actually work!Connect with Say:
Get to know Say!
anansicontent.com
@sayanansi
Facebook
LinkedIn
YouTube
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May 3, 2021 • 52min
92. How To Get A 100% Response Rate On Your Emails & Build A Word Of Mouth Army
How are you building customer relationships in your business? Most businesses default to sending a coffee as a way to add personal touch, but the real key to connection is just making your customer feel like there is a human in your business that recognizes that they are human as well - not just another number.Today’s CEO built a global company on the core value of connection, helping businesses strengthen the relationships that they have with their customers. Matt Barnett is the official ‘Papa Bear’ of Bonjoro, a product used to provide a unique and personalized approach to engaging directly with customers through video messages. And they’re not stopping there. Bonjoro is available in 27 languages and continues to innovate the customer experience space with new tools that automate processes, but never relationships. If you’re seeking insight on how to turn your customers into loyal brand evangelists and build a thriving affiliate program, then Matt’s your guy. Listen in to hear how personal video introductions helped Matt get a 100% response rate on his emails, how he scaled Bonjoro from 0 to 40,000 users in just 3 years entirely by word of mouth, and what it’s like to lead a business with a remote team spread across more than 5 countries.Connect with Matt:
ellenyin.com/bonjoro
@bonjoroapp
LinkedIn
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Apr 26, 2021 • 47min
91. The Reality of Making $250,654 In 90 Days & My First Six Figure Month (Q1 2021 Income Report)
Hey fellow book lovers! Want to know the must-read books written BY female entrepreneurs FOR female entrepreneurs? Check out the 12 Books Every Female Founder/Entrepreneur/CEO Should Read, curated by me & Suzanne Vetillart (CEO of Boma Jewelry)!We are back at it again, friends! I can’t believe we are on our third year of talking about how much money we make and sharing it with the world. You guys have made it known how the transparency of our numbers, and our willingness to talk about this typically ‘taboo’ topic, has been beneficial for you guys to hear. So as long as you guys are loving it, I plan to keep sharing all of it with you!A lot has happened in this last quarter and I think hearing all of the highs and lows of my business in the past 90 days will show you the actions you need to take sometimes as an entrepreneur with a growth mindset! It can be difficult to have to consciously make decisions knowing you won’t see the same growth that you’re used to seeing. But when it comes to revitalizing the backend health of your business, those are the moves you have to make in order to create a business that will be sustainable and scalable for years to come.Stick around to hear how my role as CEO has changed, why we had to reevaluate our Facebook ad strategy, and how I had my highest revenue generating and lowest profit generating numbers come from the same month. Let’s dive on into this, shall we?Enjoy these income reports & want to catch up on previous ones? Check them out below!
Q1 Business Review & Income Report
How I made $120,458.70 In 3 Months (Q2 2020 Income Report)
How I Made $209,264 in 90 Days (Q3 2020 Income Report)
How I Made $560,348 in 2020 (Q4 Income Report)
Read my Six Figures in Six Months Case Study
If you enjoyed today's episode, please:
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Apr 19, 2021 • 48min
90. Not Just a Buzzword: How To Be A Truly Sustainable Business
View the Cubicle to CEO X Boma Book List of our top 12 must-read books written BY AND FOR women in business: https://www.ellenyin.com/blog/12-books-every-female-founder-entrepreneur-ceo-should-readIf you want to shop Boma’s beautiful selection of handmade pieces, you can go to bomajewelry.com and use the code “READERS” at checkout to save 15%.Over the last few years, companies everywhere have been making a conscious effort to implement sustainability into their business models, but I feel that few have done it with the long-term vision and intentionality of one of my favorite brands, Boma. Boma is a handmade, ethical jewelry brand paving the way for social purpose corporations that believe in the triple bottom line: people, planet, and profits.Today I have the honor of talking with my friend, factory owner, and CEO of Boma, Suzanne Vetillart, to get her perspective on what building a truly sustainable business looks like beyond the walls of manufacturing and product creation. After spending her post-grad years working in architecture and becoming a mom of four, Suzanne realized she needed a change of pace in her career. She returned to the family-owned jewelry business her parents founded and stepped into the role of CEO.My conversation with Suzanne left me thinking about how so many social-impact businesses overlook how they can give back internally, starting with their own company footprint and people. It’s challenged me to rethink “sustainability” as just another buzzword, and I know you’ll be inspired by Suzanne’s wisdom to implement changes in your business too. Keep listening to hear the refreshing reason why Suzanne WANTS Boma to be copied by other companies, how leaders can promote sustainability in their teams and culture, ways to innovate, and why we need more diverse examples of what a CEO looks like.Connect with Suzanne:
www.bomajewelry.com
Use code 'READERS' for 15% off!
@bomajewelry
If you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo so I can repost you.
Leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe for new episodes every Monday
----- FREE RESOURCES:Service-based entrepreneurs, are you tired of being on the content hamster wheel + hustling for more followers without more income? I created a FREE, on-demand training just for you on how to use my step-by-step client attraction system to create your first $10K month, WITHOUT a large audience or complicated marketing strategies! Claim your bonus gift by watching now: ellenyin.com/getclients Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 12, 2021 • 46min
89. Making $10K Months After Leaving Corporate America
Want even more Cubicle to CEO insight, extra resources, and a network of growing entrepreneurs just like yourself? Join our Cubicle to CEO Community Facebook Group to get access to it all!Today is super exciting because we have our very first returning guest on the show! After nearly 2 years, I could not be more thrilled to welcome back a friend, student, and now $10K month earner, Lesa Banks.Lesa is a former Fortune 500 marketing executive who decided to hang up her slacks after 13 years in corporate America so she could work in her PJs from home, founding her own brand, Pajama Marketer. A mom with two young sons, Lesa helps other moms make MORE money while spending LESS time away from their families. She was actually one of the very first students in my membership, Cubicle to CEO, and used our Consistent Clients Cashflow System we teach in our program to generate multiple $10K months! Now in the third year of her entrepreneurial journey, she recently launched a course about Pinterest marketing (check the show notes for a special coupon code just for our community) and runs a marketing agency with her husband, Rick, providing high quality but affordable marketing services to small businesses! If you want to get to know Lesa, or catch up on the growth she’s experienced since the last time she was behind the mic in episode #6 on our podcast, then definitely stick around. We will be chatting about the roadblocks that come with making a huge career transition, the exact breakdown of how she achieved her $10K months, and the key things all small businesses need to know about social media marketing - including one small tweak that will make a HUGE impact on how your customers perceive your brand online.Connect with Lesa:
pajamamarketer.com
rblbmarketing.com
@pajamamarketer
Pinterest
Pinning for Business Course
$20 off for Cubicle to CEO Members!
If you enjoyed today's episode, please:
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Apr 5, 2021 • 53min
88. Scrappy Ways To Build a Business When You’re Starting From Scratch
Want even more Cubicle to CEO insight, extra resources, and a network of growing entrepreneurs just like yourself? Join our Cubicle to CEO Community Facebook Group to get access to it all!If you’re looking for scrappy strategies to grow your business, you came to the right place. Today’s guest knows what it means to use what she has right in front of her, and turn it into something remarkable. Jess Ekstrom is the founder of Headbands of Hope as well as Bright Pages, the creator of Mic Drop Workshop (a program for women who want to become paid keynote speakers - I’m a student and love it!), and author of Chasing the Bright Side.Headbands of Hope has been featured on national TV and worn by celebrities like Kelsea Ballerini & Khloe Kardashian, but more importantly, they’ve donated over 600,000 headbands to children with illnesses with their buy one give one model, reaching every single children's hospital in America and 22 countries.Even more impressive? Jess started this company in 2012 from her dorm room as a 19 year old college student and had to get super creative with launching a product line and spreading the word on a nonexistent budget and social presence. Now after writing a book, creating a course, and launching a new business in the midst of the pandemic, Jess is sharing how she used what she had to make what she wanted, the reasons why you should (or shouldn’t) keep trying to build your business, and why you don’t want to be a Cheesecake Factory speaker (don’t worry you’ll get what I mean after listening). By the way, Jess is generously gifting our podcast community a one month subscription to her online journaling product, Bright Pages! Use the code “ELLEN” at checkout to redeem your free month! You can pick your prompt pathway based on what you want to currently achieve and then receive daily guided journal prompts designed to help you get clarity on what you want to do! Head to brightpages.com, create a free account, pick your prompt pathway, and then use my code “ELLEN” at checkout - this isn’t a sponsored plug, just an awesome gift from Jess to our listeners! Connect with Jess:
jessekstrom.com
brightpages.com
IG: @jess_ekstrom
Twitter: @jess_ekstrom
LinkedIn
Facebook
If you enjoyed today's episode, please:
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Mar 29, 2021 • 21min
87. 5 Responses For When People Ask To Pick Your Brain For Free
This episode is brought to you by our friends at Honeybook! Sign up for a 7 day free trial and lock in your 50% first year discount with Ellen's favorite client management system software: http://share.honeybook.com/ellenI am back with another short and sweet solo episode. This one is going to be focused on a hot topic that is something you either have been guilty of doing yourself, or it really really irks you. We are going to be talking about the age old question "Hey, can I pick your brain?". We've all been there, either on the receiving end or perhaps sent that message yourself. Someone actually asked me how to address this kind of message in our monthly CEO calls for my membership, which made me realize that this is something I'm sure a lot of you are curious about as well. And if you have sent that message, don't beat yourself up about it , most of the time people who ask that come from a place of really good intention. The issue is a lack of understanding of what you are actually asking for when you send this message, and that's exactly what we are going to go over today, as well as why you need to set these boundaries, and how to answer this question in a kind but firm way.Want get all of these responses as a PDF download to keep in your back pocket? Join our Cubicle to CEO Community Facebook Group to get access to this free resource!Enjoy these income reports & want to catch up on previous ones? Check them out below!
How I Made $560,348 in 2020 (Q4 Income Report)
How I Made $209,264 in 90 Days (Q3 2020 Income Report)
How I Made $120,458.70 In 3 Months (Q2 2020 Income Report)
Q1 Business Review & Income Report
Read my Six Figures in Six Months Case Study
If you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo so I can repost you.
Leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts
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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 22, 2021 • 37min
86. How To Charge More: From $250 Projects to Landing $7500 Clients in 1 year
Play BINGO with us! Go to @cubicletoceo to learn how you can win a $100 Amazon Gift Card for while playing a game of our Podcast BINGO!Have you heard? We’re on a mission to help 500 female entrepreneurs who work with clients make their first $10,000 month this year through our 12 month membership (we like to call it more of a mentorship), Cubicle to CEO! Today’s guest is going in our $10K Hall of Fame as one of those 500 women, and we wanted to celebrate her on the show for reaching that milestone of her first $10K month - all with less than 500 Instagram followers! This is proof you can scale your business with a small audience!Meet April Ray, a web designer and marketing strategist who creates websites that turn visitors into customers. This wife and mom of two little ones lives on a cattle farm in Kentucky and joined Cubicle to CEO when she was six weeks postpartum with a business that felt stagnant.In her first 30 days with us, she made back her entire annual investment. Today, April shares with us what gave her the confidence to go from charging $250 for a website to landing $7500 website clients, how empowering her clients through a simple strategy you can implement immediately has not only boosted retention but also created a recurring revenue stream, and how scaling down her service offerings actually allowed her to scale up her revenue to $10K months in just one year!You’ll also want to take notes on her best tips for how your website should flow to convert visitors into customers, and the key elements to focus on with your website if you’re just starting out! Connect with April:
aprilraycreative.com
Brand Your Business In 30 Minutes!
@aprilmichelle9
April Ray Creative Facebook Page
If you enjoyed today's episode, please:
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