Podcast Summary: The BossBabe Podcast – Episode 474: The CEO Mindset Shift: How to Stop Thinking Like a Freelancer and Start Thinking Like a Founder

Host: Natalie Ellis
Release Date: July 31, 2025
Podcast: The BossBabe Podcast
Community: Over 4.2 million followers empowering women entrepreneurs to build Freedom-Based Businesses™

Introduction: Business or Just a Demanding Job?

Natalie Ellis opens the episode by posing a critical question every entrepreneur faces: "Are you running a business, or did you accidentally just build yourself a really demanding job?" (00:00). She emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between a true business and a solo-driven, exhausting endeavor. While acknowledging the success and autonomy of solopreneurs, Natalie stresses that regardless of team size, adopting a founder's mindset is essential for long-term freedom and sustainability.

The Founder vs. Freelancer Mindset

Natalie delves into the core distinction between freelancers and founders. She clarifies that this shift is not about hierarchy or team size but fundamentally about how one thinks and operates.

• Freelancer Mindset:
  Focused on execution and the immediate task at hand. Questions revolve around increasing client load, fitting more into the calendar, and raising hourly rates. Income is directly tied to the amount of work one can physically handle, leading to growth limited by personal capacity.
  Notable Quote:
  "If your business cannot run without you, if you can't unplug for a week without the wheels completely falling off, that's not scalable and that is definitely not freedom." (04:30)

• Founder Mindset:
  Oriented towards building systems, designing outcomes, and creating scalable solutions that do not solely rely on the founder's constant input. Questions involve how to achieve results without being directly involved in every step, developing repeatable processes, and building business assets.
  Notable Quote:
  "Founders don't just think about how to make more, they think about how to build something that is actually repeatable, predictable, and sustainable." (02:10)

Identifying Dependency: Is Your Business Built on You?

Natalie challenges listeners to introspect on whether their business operations are overly reliant on their constant presence. She warns against the illusion of freedom that often masks a demanding, inescapable workload.

• Key Point:
  If taking time off would cause your business to halt, it indicates a dependency on your constant involvement, undermining the very freedom entrepreneurship seeks to provide.

Five Tactical Shifts to Adopt the Founder Mindset

Natalie outlines five actionable shifts that entrepreneurs can implement to transition from a freelancer to a founder mindset, enhancing scalability and freedom.

1. Shift from Doing to Delegating

   • Action Steps:
     Identify tasks that drain energy and do not require your unique expertise. Delegate to virtual assistants, utilize AI tools, or implement software solutions.
     Notable Quote:
     "If you're doing everything yourself, you are holding your business back." (07:15)
   • Example:
     Managing emails with an AI tool to free up time for strategic activities.

2. Shift from Selling Time to Selling Outcomes

   • Action Steps:
     Reframe your offers to focus on the transformation and results you provide rather than the hours spent. Develop frameworks, templates, or self-paced content that can deliver consistent outcomes.
     Notable Quote:
     "You are not your hours, you are your IP." (09:45)
   • Example:
     Transitioning from one-on-one coaching to group programs or signature methods.

3. Shift from Hustle to Systems

   • Action Steps:
     Develop simple, repeatable processes for recurring tasks such as lead generation, client onboarding, and product launches. Document procedures using tools like ClickUp, Notion, or Trello.
     Notable Quote:
     "Busyness is a sign your business is missing structure." (11:30)
   • Example:
     Creating standard operating procedures (SOPs) for onboarding new clients.

4. Shift from Income to Profit

   • Action Steps:
     Focus on profitability by tracking expenses, optimizing profit margins, and evaluating the return on investment (ROI) for various business activities. Prioritize high-margin offers and reduce unnecessary costs.
     Notable Quote:
     "Revenue is a vanity metric. Profit is the real flex." (13:20)
   • Example:
     Identifying the most profitable service and scaling it while minimizing overheads.

5. Shift from Busyness to Leadership

   • Action Steps:
     Embrace leadership by setting boundaries, making high-leverage decisions, and leading with vision. Focus on strategic planning and personal well-being rather than constant activity.
     Notable Quote:
     "Leadership is about focus, not frenzy." (15:00)
   • Example:
     Setting clear boundaries for work hours to ensure time for rest and creativity.

Unlocking Freedom and Sustainability

Natalie illustrates the transformative benefits of adopting a founder mindset, painting a vivid picture of a business that runs smoothly without constant personal oversight. This shift leads to:

• Reclaimed Time and Energy:
  Allows founders to focus on high-impact activities and enjoy personal time without business disruptions.

• Consistent and High-Quality Delivery:
  Systems and processes ensure reliable outcomes, independent of the founder's daily fluctuations.

• Building Real Wealth:
  Emphasizes profit over mere revenue, fostering long-term sustainability and financial stability.

• Work-Life Balance:
  Enables entrepreneurs, especially those balancing family life, to pursue their ambitions without sacrificing personal well-being.
  Notable Quote:
  "You're building with systems, with support, with sustainability. You're not having to choose between being present with your family and being successful in business." (16:50)

Conclusion: Take Action Towards the Founder Mindset

Natalie encourages listeners to implement at least one of the outlined shifts to start moving towards a founder mindset. She emphasizes that transformation is gradual and manageable, urging entrepreneurs to begin where they are and build upon each small change.

• Call to Action:
  Choose one tactical shift from the episode and take the first step towards integrating it into your business. Share your progress to receive support and accountability from the community.

• Final Thoughts:
  "Freedom isn't necessarily going to come from working harder. It's going to come from thinking differently." (17:25)

Note: The closing segments of the episode, including promotions and giveaways, are omitted from this summary to focus solely on the core content and actionable insights provided by Natalie Ellis.