From Accidental CEO to Intentional Leader: Calculating Risk, Celebrating Wins & Staying Focused
In this real and raw episode, Tom and Adam peel back the curtain on the behind-the-scenes journey of creating a podcast as accidental CEOs—and why it’s okay to still be figuring things out after 130+ episodes. They dive deep into the mindset shifts needed to thrive as a business owner, why calculated risk is essential, and how to balance commitment with joy in your business.
This episode is your reminder that success isn't about perfection—it's about progress, persistence, and perspective.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
🎙 The Imperfect Journey of Entrepreneurship
- Starting a podcast was never part of the original plan—yet here they are, still evolving with every episode.
- Entrepreneurship isn't about having all the answers; it's about showing up, trying, failing, and improving along the way.
📊 Why Accidental CEOs Fixate on Results
- Many new entrepreneurs focus only on outcomes—30, 60, 90-day results—without embracing the learning curve.
- The truth: You can’t achieve greatness without calculated risk and unwavering commitment.
💡 The CEO Mindset: Commitment, Effort, Obsession
- Success demands more than interest—it requires obsession-level commitment.
- Dabbling doesn’t build empires. You’re either all in or you’re in the way.
❌ The Saboteur of Avoidance
- Avoiding failure is a form of self-sabotage.
- If you don’t try, you've already failed. Failing forward is key to leadership and growth.
👥 Building a Culture That Accepts Failure
- As you grow a team, your role evolves to include modeling how to fail and recover with grace.
- Failing should be baked into your culture—it’s how learning and innovation happen.
🔄 Start–Stop–Continue: A 90-Day Business Reset
- Simple exercise: Every 90 days, assess what you need to stop, start, and continue doing.
- Helps reframe your priorities and create intentional business planning.
🏆 Celebrate Your Wins (Seriously!)
- Too many business owners forget to enjoy their success.
- Take time to reflect, appreciate, and actually live the life you’ve worked hard to build.
🔍 The Power of Perspective
- You may not notice your own growth because you're too close to it.
- Like seeing a child grow—others notice it more. Step back and reflect on your timeline.
🎯 Focus on the ONE Thing
- The most powerful change? Pick one thing and go all in for 12 months.
- Mastery, authority, and results come from focused, consistent execution.
🛠 Tools & Techniques Mentioned:
- Start–Stop–Continue Exercise (every 90 days)
- Retrospective Timeline Analysis for measuring progress
- Accidental CEO Workshop: 90-minute business clarity session
🙌 Final Thought:
“You have to suck in order to have success. And if you never give yourself the chance to acknowledge what’s going right, what’s going wrong will always feel heavier.”
🎟️ Want More?
Join Tom and Adam in their next Accidental CEO Workshop — a 90-minute experience to uncover what's working, what's not, and what you need help with. Collaborate with other entrepreneurs and leave with a custom action plan.
👉 Register now at : https://atomicbusinesscoaching.online/accidental-ceo-workshop
