How to Create the Perfect CEO Day

I’ve only recently heard about CEO days… I know… where have I been living 😂. But if like me you’ve never heard of them, here’s a how it works:

As a female entrepreneur, carving out time to reflect and strategise away from daily distractions can be your secret weapon for success.

Spending a CEO day in the serene environment of a nice hotel/café (or even at home if you get your house to yourself) can offer the perfect backdrop for deep reflection and forward planning.

I recently decided to create my own day at home. And I worked through the brilliant book Your best Year yet – which I have to admit I bought back in 2022 and forgot about it. But then another photographer I follow recommended it – so clearly I went to try and buy it again😂.

How I did it…

I started off doing some yoga and meditation (I just chose something from YouTube) and then thought I’d have a nice (?!?) cold shower to really get me moving.

Then with a nice cuppa (in a fancy china cup) I sat down with the book to answer the 10 questions. It takes about 3 hour but was well worth the time. I think in future I’ll probably do it quarterly – just keep me on track (and would definitely think about doing it with someone else too). Doing it every year feels like the temptation might be to just forget about it!

Anyway, it made me think about how it’s so easy to put things off.

I needed this day to make plans and actually look at what I’ve achieved over the last year, what worked and what didn’t and importantly where I want to concentrate this year.

But if I was somewhere like a hotel or pretty café, I think it would be a brilliant idea to get some photos done at the same time (in fact for my next one I’m going to do exactly that!)

Here’s how you could shape this day to work out both your personal and business aspirations.

Morning: Set the Tone

Begin your day in a setting that inspires tranquillity and focus.

Mindful Start: Perhaps have a meditation session to clear your mind or see if the hotel offers yoga etc. This helps in setting intentions for the day – it’s about self-care.

Nourishing Breakfast: Maybe enjoy a healthy breakfast at the hotel (or treat yourself to something that makes you happy). Choose foods that boost cognitive function and energy levels to sustain you throughout the day.

Mid-Morning: Vision and Goals

With a calm mind and nourished body, dive into the core of your CEO day—planning for the future.

If like me you plan on following the book, then set aside 3 hours to work through all the questions.

Otherwise you could try Vision Mapping: Start by envisioning where you want to be in the next five to ten years, both personally and professionally. Use tools like vision boards or mind maps to visualize these goals.

Strategic Objectives: Break down your vision into actionable objectives. What steps do you need to take this year, this quarter, or this month to move closer to your goals?

Early Afternoon: Brand Photoshoot

A brand photoshoot could be a great addition to your CEO day, allowing you to manifest the entrepreneur you are becoming visually.

Prepare Your Look: Choose outfits that reflect both your personal style and your business brand. The setting of a nice hotel provides a variety of elegant backdrops for diverse shots.

Photography Goals: Identify key themes and messages you want to capture. Discuss these with your photographer to ensure the photos reflect your future aspirations. Maybe create a shot list to share on the day?

Capture Your Vision: Let the shoot be a creative expression of where you see yourself and your business going. Enjoy the process and use this as a time to embody the future you.

Plus it’s an idea opportunity to get lots of b-roll video too (or take a look at this eBook).

Late Afternoon: Reflective

Post-photoshoot, maybe it’s time for some pampering? Self care isn’t just about having an occasional bath with candles and a good book… treat yourself to a professional massage or facial? Maybe go and use the swimming pool and steam room and sit with the ideas that you came up with in the morning?

By now you’ve probably got lot of ideas of how to go forward this year, so take some time to think about them. How are you feeling now?

How to Create the Perfect CEO Day

A CEO day is a powerful tool for female entrepreneurs to disconnect from the every day, dream big, and plan with precision. By spending this time in a setting that nurtures your well-being and sparks your creativity, you set the stage for future success.

You could even consider doing this quarterly as part of THE CONTENT CLUB.

And when you’re ready, here are three other ways that I can help you:

1) Visit my blog for tips on VISIBILITY.

Every week I discuss strategies to improve your visibility, get over your fear of visibility and my latest shoots.  Read more on the blog

2) Plan a bespoke photoshoot.

We can plan a shoot based on what you actually need (read all about it) or you could join me at a Branding Day Photoshoot.

3) Join ‘Visibility School’.

Visibility school is a membership group where you get 12 months of photoshoots, a fab little Facebook group and lots of bonus content too (new for 2024 members) . Read about Visibility School