🔹 The importance of questioning assumptions in business

🔹 How unchecked assumptions can block major breakthroughs

🔹 A personal story of learning to listen and adapt

🔹 Five common assumptions that may be holding your business back

🔹 Actionable steps to challenge and test assumptions

"Hi there, I'm Amanda Bedell, your Business Chaos Sorter! Thanks for joining me on this episode of Ask Amanda on Her First Million. Today, we're tackling a crucial aspect of business efficiency—why questioning assumptions can unlock breakthroughs you never saw coming."

Amanda shares a powerful story from when she ran a food manufacturing business.

🗣️ “Thanksgiving—hands down the biggest three days in a baker's life. We were anticipating our biggest sales day ever. But then, a frustrated baker came to me and said, ‘Why are you moving everything around so much? It’s hard for us to get started when we don’t know where anything is.’”

This moment was a wake-up call. She realized that despite her best efforts to optimize production, she had ignored critical input from her team.

💡 Lesson learned?

"I fixated on finding the perfect way—when in reality, I was the bottleneck. When I finally stepped back and empowered my team, we came up with a solution I would have never found on my own!"

Amanda breaks down five common assumptions that can stall progress:

1️⃣ "We've always done it this way."

• Just because something worked before doesn’t mean it’s the best way now.
• “Challenge this by asking: ‘Is there a better way?’”

2️⃣ "It worked before, so it’ll work now."

• Markets change, technology evolves, and customer needs shift.
• “Encourage your team to re-evaluate old methods against today’s reality.”

3️⃣ "It’s too complicated to change."

• Change can feel overwhelming, but ignoring it is riskier.
• "Look at the long-term gains instead of just the immediate disruption."

4️⃣ "Our team can’t handle the change."

• People resist change when they don’t understand its purpose.
• “The key is to involve them early, provide training, and support their growth.”

5️⃣ "We can’t afford to experiment."

• Testing new ideas doesn’t have to be expensive.
• "Start with small, low-risk experiments to learn what really works."

Amanda shares practical ways to test your business assumptions:

🔹 Ask better questions: “What would happen if my assumption was wrong?”

🔹 Gather real data: “Numbers don’t lie—use analytics to validate your beliefs.”

🔹 Seek outside perspectives: "Talk to your customers, employees, and mentors."

🔹 Experiment & adapt: “Try something different and see what happens. Small tests can lead to big wins.”

"Business breakthroughs are often hidden behind what seems obvious. If we stop questioning, we stop growing. So keep questioning, keep evolving, and I’ll catch you on the flip side!"

📌 If you found this episode valuable, share it with a fellow entrepreneur and hit that subscribe button!

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Her First Million Podcast Outro

Her First Million...

Welcome back to Her First Million Podcast!

Today, we’re diving deep into leadership, accountability, and how to stop feeling like you're babysitting your team.

I sat down with Erik Berglund, a leadership expert who has cracked the code on getting people to actually do their jobs—without micromanaging.

If you’ve ever felt like you have to remind, nudge, or straight-up do things yourself because your team isn’t stepping up, this episode is for you. Erik shares five game-changing accountability questions that will help you build a culture where your people own their work—and you can actually breathe. 🙌

💡 The Three Ways People Fail at Work

Let’s keep it real—there are only three ways someone can mess up in business:

1. They don’t do it at all.
2. They do it late.
3. They do it badly.

That’s it! Yet, as leaders, we act like the possibilities are endless and waste time overthinking. Erik says the trick is knowing exactly what to say when people drop the ball—and that brings us to his five magic questions.

💡 The 5 Accountability Questions You Need

Next time someone on your team doesn’t deliver, instead of getting frustrated, ask:

1. Can we talk about that? (Because getting their buy-in first avoids defensiveness.)
2. When did you realize you weren’t going to get it done? (This helps pinpoint where things went wrong.)
3. Why do you think that happened? (A little self-reflection never hurt anyone.)
4. What can you do differently next time? (Boom. Growth mindset.)
5. Can you go finish it now? (Because, yes, they still have to do the thing!)

👀 Why Leaders End Up Babysitting Their Team

Amanda shared a personal story from her bakery days (spoiler alert: she was unknowingly undermining her own staff by stepping in too much). We talked about how leaders often create their own chaos by overstepping, instead of letting people figure things out and take ownership.

💡 How to Fix It

• Stop reminding people—let them fail (gasp!) and learn from it.
• Give feedback in a way that builds trust, not fear.
• Ask your team how they want to be held accountable. (Seriously, just ask. It makes a huge difference!)

💬 “Accountability feels like persecution to someone who’s never been held accountable before.” – Erik Berglund

💬 “If you always step in to fix the problem, your team learns they never really have to finish the job.” – Amanda Bedell

💬 “We’ve conditioned people to operate a certain way in our businesses, and it’s up to us to shift that conditioning if it’s not working.” – Amanda Bedell

🚀 Books to Check Out:

• Coaching Salespeople into Sales Champions: A Tactical Playbook for Managers and Executives

🚀 Ever feel like the secret to success in business isn’t one-size-fits-all? 🤔

As ambitious women, we've paved our way in a world primarily designed for and by men. But at what cost? From adopting strategies that don't align with who we are, to feeling the burnout from playing roles that don't fit—enough is enough! 💥

🌟 Join your Business Chaos Sorter Amanda Bedell for a LIVE conversation with Hepsie Goodin, a leadership and marketing consultant on a mission to revolutionize business with the "feminine economy." Learn how to STOP working like a man and START thriving with sustainable leadership strategies. 🌺

Hepises top reads are:

Brené Brown's Dare to Lead: https://brenebrown.com/book/dare-to-lead/

Jennifer Armburst's A Proposal for a Feminine Economy: https://sister.is/selling/the-proposals

👉 Follow Hespsie Goddin at https://www.instagram.com/hepsiegoddin/

And for those of you ready to make your first or next MILLION, jump into the HER FIRST MILLION 5-Day Focus - https://5-dayfocus.com/go

Where I show you the proven steps and the exact framework to build a business reaching 7-figures consistently.

So if you’ve been in business for at least 3 years. You may have hit the wall... or, you’re like me, in my bakery business, hitting $2MM annually but working ALL THE TIME!!

... Or, if you're around the $500K a year with dreams of what that $1M business looks like on you.

All you have to do is follow the proven steps. And I’m going to show you - for free.

Just give me 60 minutes a day for 5 days and you’ll walk away with a seven-figure framework you can use now and into the future.

This is a total immersive educational experience on Zoom; interacting with me in real time.

Experience connection in a room filled with like-minded people excited to help each other collaborate and grow.

And, the only way it gets done is with unwavering accountability. You’ll have simple, achievable steps each day that will keep you going on this goal...

...so that at the end of the 5 days, you’re not only inspired and supported but have taken massive action that will be felt for months, if not years to come.

Click here to enroll today: https://5-dayfocus.com/go

Your future awaits. I can’t wait to see you on Day 1.

And, if you like what you hear…

Please remember to subscribe and hit that notification button to stay in the loop on the next episode of HER FIRST MILLION.

Until next time, here’s to your success.

Website ☞ www.herfirstmillion.show / www.BusinessChaosSorter.com

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YouTube ☞ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2sOgkpTvF3wFuE4l8UoR1Q

Instagram ☞ https://instagram.com/bizchaostocalm?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ

LinkedIn ☞

Want More Amanda:

Business Planning Mastery: The Ultimate Guide to Real Business Results

Use my simple Strategic Plan template and learn the exact formula that helped me grow my retail business from $389k to over $2.2 million annually.

https://simple-strategic-plan.com/go

Her First Million 5-Day Focus

Give Me Just 60-Minutes A Day...

And Over The 5 Days, You'll Walk Away With A 7-Figure Framework

And, More Importantly, You'll Know How to Use It To Calm the Chaos Of Growth So Revenues & Profits Soar

https://5-dayfocus.com/go

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/bizchaostocalm

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/amanda.bedell.14

Linked In:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandabedell/

Website:

https://bccbusinessconsulting.com/

It’s a moving target; settle in.

I just wrapped up a Her First Million 5-Day Focus session and I wanted to share some key insights with you.

As we scale our businesses, it can be scary. We’ve done things the same way for years - some for decades.

The good news is that you’ve made a decision.

The best news is now is the opportunity to learn and grow and create something amazing!

For tonight, I encourage you to reflect on this week.

What did you hear — what is the theme underneath the dialogue from your staff, your partner, your colleagues, your vendors...

For me, I’ll spend the weekend reflecting on what it means to "settle in" to this life of consistent action.

Clarity, focus, and consistent action are the backbone of 'Her First Million' 5-Day Focus.

Mentioned in this episode:

Her First Million Podcast Intro

Her First Million Podcast Outro

Today, I had an incredible chat with Lorena Tomasini, co-founder of a mother-daughter team specializing in life and health insurance.

She’s also the host of the 12-Minute Talks Podcast, where she gets straight to the point with valuable info for entrepreneurs.

Trust me, you’re going to love this conversation!

1. Insurance Without the Overwhelm

Let’s face it—insurance can feel like a headache. Lorena simplified it:

• Group plans aren’t your only option, and the Affordable Care Act makes individual insurance surprisingly accessible.
• "If offering group insurance feels impossible, consider stipends—it’s a practical way to keep employees happy and covered." – Lorena

2. Employee Benefits: Timing Is Everything

When should you start offering benefits?

Lorena explained it’s not about how many employees you have—it’s about your financial readiness.

• "The size of your team doesn’t matter as much as your ability to fit benefits into your budget. Even small businesses can find creative solutions." – Lorena

3. Protecting the Boss (That’s You!)

As a business owner, your health is your business. Lorena shared how critical illness policies and life insurance can protect your income if life throws you a curveball.

• "Insurance is something you buy and hope you never use, but it’s peace of mind that’s worth every penny." – Lorena

• "When I had cancer during the pandemic, I realized just how important it is for business owners to safeguard their financial future." – Amanda

4. Business Partnerships: Plan for the Unexpected

Ever thought about what happens if your business partner can no longer work? Lorena explained how life insurance ensures the business stays afloat.

• "If something happens to your partner, do you want their spouse stepping in and making decisions? Probably not. That’s where life insurance comes in." – Lorena

Lorena opened my eyes to new ways business owners can protect their teams and themselves without breaking the bank. When I ran my bakery, I wish I’d known about options like stipends or ICHRA plans instead of stressing over expensive group insurance.

And for all you entrepreneurs out there, don’t forget to think about your own health and well-being too! Your business only thrives if you do.

• Focusmate: A virtual coworking tool to help you stay accountable and crush your to-do list.
• Taskade: Perfect for mind mapping, organizing projects, and keeping your team on the same page.

Are you ready to hit your first or next million?

Join my Five-Day Focus Challenge, where I’ll walk you through the exact steps to build a thriving, seven-figure business. It’s free, it’s immersive, and it’s a game-changer. Just 60 minutes a day—what have you got to lose? Sign up here!

Want More Amanda:

Business Planning Mastery: The...

Want More Amanda:

Her First Million 5-Day Focus

Give Me Just 60-Minutes A Day...

And Over The 5 Days, You'll Walk Away With A 7-Figure Framework

And, More Importantly, You'll Know How to Use It To Calm the Chaos Of Growth So Revenues & Profits Soar

https://5-dayfocus.com/go

Business Planning Mastery: The Ultimate Guide to Real Business Results

Use my simple Strategic Plan template and learn the exact formula that helped me grow my retail business from $389k to over $2.2 million annually.

https://simple-strategic-plan.com/go

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/bizchaostocalm

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/amanda.bedell.14

Linked In:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandabedell/

Website

https://bccbusinessconsulting.com/

Yesterday, my mother asked, "do you have an off button"?!

You're always going going going... even when you were sick." She knows the answer.

I found out I had cancer during the pandemic and lived with my parents while I went through treatment.

She watched me continue to work with clients, get an MBA, and pass the CliftonStrengths certification while I took trips back and forth from the hospital for nearly two years.

As Sir Francis Brown said, "In order for light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present."

Those times in the hospital when it felt like my body had betrayed me, I dreamed of the business I have now. I dreamed of the mountains I hiked and the runs I take now.

I feel so blessed that I get to live this life. So much so that I wake up at 4am every day without an alarm, including today, energized and ready to go because I'm...

... OBSESSED with staying healthy in my mind

... OBSESSED with my physical wellness and moving my body

... OBSESSED with helping people build their passions into legitimate businesses that make money so they don't go broke like I did the first time.

What Are You Energized By?

Every single meeting with a business owner brings me pure joy and light because I feel like I belong.

You, too, obsess over your business.

You're always thinking about how you can be better and do better—solving problems and working through challenges.

You're My People.

And please remember, no matter the challenge or the feelings of defeat or darkness at the moment, and whether we're talking about a fight with our partner, the hardest business decision you've ever made, or the next step at 8,000 ft on the top of a mountain, bringing in the gift of light; a crack of a smile even through tears, and watch the bad melt it all away.

Unlock the secrets to changing the sales game with Amanda's friend, the incredible Connie Whitman! 🚀

In this live broadcast, Connie shares her invaluable insights and strategies to help you succeed without feeling gross or salesy.

In the interview, Amanda and Connie discuss several ways to increase sales for a growing company, including the subconscious biases we carry to every prospect meeting, why understanding our communication "superpowers" is so important, what different communication styles are there, and why communication knowledge can increase sales and grow our businesses.

Connie promised a link to her short Communication Style Assessment (CSA) here... drum roll please...

here it is: https://changingthesalesgame.com

📈 Whether you're a seasoned sales pro or just starting your journey, this is a must-watch interview!

Thank you for watching and remember to subscribe and hit that notification button so you don't miss the next episode of HER FIRST MILLION.

Until next time, here's to your success!

Join my new Profit Acceleration Workshop - how to create the same amount of profit as a $1MM company with just 25% of the revenue.

In addition, you'll learn 12 strategies you can implement on your own to increase your profit including:

how to increase your lead flow every month

grow your current sales volume

how to effectively market your business

how to get your website more productive

how to use joint ventures or affiliates to quickly jumpstart sales

https://businesschaossorter.com/webinar

Mentioned in this episode:

Her First Million Podcast Intro

Her First Million Podcast Outro

Welcome to HER FIRST MILLION with Amanda Bedell, your go-to resource for unlocking financial success and mastering the art of business chaos.

In this episode, Amanda shares invaluable insights gleaned from a recent client call, diving into financial struggles and the pathway to prosperity.

Join Amanda as she shifts your mindset from scarcity to abundance.

Learn how to navigate challenges with a consciousness of solutions and embrace the fundamental principle: process is key.

Discover the secrets to achieving your financial goals by aligning your daily actions with your long-term aspirations.

Amanda reveals the Plan-Do-Check-Adjust method, a simple yet powerful strategy for driving massive results through incremental changes.

But that's not all! Amanda unveils her coveted Cash Flow Tracker, a game-changing tool for gaining a 365-degree view of your financial landscape.

Learn how to take control of your cash flow, make informed decisions, and sleep soundly knowing your financial future is secure.

Ready to take the first step towards your Gazillion-dollar goal?

Join Amanda and her community of ambitious entrepreneurs for the HER FIRST MILLION 5-Day Focus. Don't miss out on this opportunity to access exclusive tips and tools that will propel you toward financial freedom.

Enroll today https://5-dayfocus.com/go

Website ☞