Hands-Off CEO
They said getting started was the hardest part, but no one told you how hard it is to scale a custom service business. It’s time for your team to step up, but your clients want YOU. Discover how to scale to 7 figures and beyond by freeing up time and getting your team to run whole parts of the company so you can focus on scaling profits. That means more income, more time with your family, and more ability to make impact in the community and beyond. This is the Hands OFF CEO Podcast with Mandi Ellefson.
Episodes
In this episode of the Hands-Off CEO Podcast, Mandi Ellefson talks with Kristie Plantinga, founder of Place Digital. Kristie helps agencies and service providers simplify their marketing and attract clients with content that actually converts.
Together, they dig into why so many agencies struggle with marketing that feels scattered and how to build a simple, repeatable system that brings in the right leads without burning you out. F...
If you’ve tried EOS but growth still feels flat, exhausting, or like you’re just spinning your wheels, this podcast explains why.
EOS is a powerful framework, but it’s not designed to fix weak positioning, underpriced offers, or a sales process that drags. And until those pieces are solved, no amount of L10s or accountability charts will create real scale.
In this episode, you’ll see why firms plateau when they “systematize struggle”...
In this episode of the Hands-Off CEO Podcast, Mandi Ellefson talks with Jody Sutter, founder of The Sutter Company. Jody has helped agencies of all sizes simplify their business development and win clients without burning out or chasing the wrong opportunities.
Together, they dig into why most agencies overcomplicate growth and how to make business development simple, repeatable, and effective. From positioning that actually attract...
In this episode of the Hands-Off CEO Podcast, Mandi Ellefson talks with Sharon Toerek, founder of Toerek Law and host of The Innovative Agency. Sharon is an attorney who’s spent years helping agencies protect their businesses, get paid faster, and turn their ideas into valuable assets.
Together, they dive into the hidden risks that hold agencies back and the simple legal moves that can unlock more profit, protection, and long-term v...
In this episode of the Hands-Off CEO Podcast, Mandi Ellefson welcomes back Michael Zipursky, CEO of Consulting Success. Michael has worked with thousands of consultants worldwide, helping them build more profitable, scalable, and freedom-filled businesses.
Together, they dive into the radical shifts happening in the consulting space. From AI disruption to global uncertainty and how these changes are creating a clear divide between f...
If you're stuck at capacity, pricing too low, and feel like growth means burnout — this video shows you a smarter path to scale.
In this episode, Mandi Ellefson shares how two consulting firms 2X’d their prices and 6X’d their profits without hiring or hustling harder.
They didn’t need a bigger team — they needed a better offer.
This strategy helped them reposition around outcomes, simplify delivery, and close premium deals wit...
Are you the one holding your agency together — and holding it back?
If you’ve hired a team, built some systems, and delegated tasks… but you still can’t step away without things stalling — you're not scaling, you're surviving.
In this video, Mandi Ellefson breaks down why founders become the bottleneck in their agency’s growth — even when it looks like they’re doing everything right — and how to fix it.
You’ll learn:
✅ The real reason ...
Your $20K proposal isn’t failing because of the price — it’s failing because your consulting firm’s value proposition isn’t landing. And ironically? The same clients who ghost your $20K pitch might eagerly say “yes” to $100K — if you position it the right way.
In this video, Mandi Ellefson shares the agency positioning strategy that helped one firm move from stalled $30K deals to consistently closing $100K+ engagements — with the sa...
Still stuck trying to sell $20K projects… while your competitors are landing $100K+ deals?
In this video, Mandi Ellefson breaks down the 4 strategic shifts consulting agency CEOs are using to close premium, high-trust engagements — without chasing leads, discounting your fees, or getting stuck in the weeds of delivery.
If you’re delivering great results but getting ghosted, undercut, or passed over for bigger firms… this will cha...
Trying to sell $20K projects — but clients keep ghosting, lowballing, or dragging their feet?
This video breaks down 4 powerful shifts that will help you close $100K+ consulting deals with confidence — without chasing leads, discounting your fees, or working more hours.
Mandi Ellefson (founder of Hands-Off CEO) shares the exact mindset, offer, and positioning strategies top consulting and agency owners are using to consistently close...
In this episode, Mandi Ellefson reveals why you don’t need to search for "clients with bigger budgets" - they’re already right in front of you! Discover how to inspire existing clients to unlock budgets they didn’t even know they had.
Mandi shows exactly how to transform your business from charging $5K per month on 3-month engagements to commanding $90K for a 90-day ROI builder offer. This is how our clients are building breathtakin...
In this insightful solo episode of Hands-Off CEO, Mandi Ellefson shares critical insights from her extensive experience working with thousands of consulting companies over the past 12 years. She reveals the four key strategies that distinguish thriving consulting firms from those struggling to scale.
Drawing from real-world examples and case studies, Mandi breaks down how successful consultancies are adapting to market chan...
In this episode of Hands-Off CEO, Mandi Ellefson interviews Liz Elting, author of “Dream Big and Win” and founder of TransPerfect, which she built into the world’s largest language solutions company. Starting from an NYU dorm room at age 26, Liz shares her journey of scaling a business while maintaining exceptional service quality.
Liz discusses how she transformed her company by implementing innovative strategies to empowe...
How Digital Agency Increased Profits by Doing Less - with Ralph Burns and Ryan Hodges of Tier 11 - E112How Digital Agency Increased Profits by Doing Less - with Ralph Burns and Ryan Hodges of Tier 11 - E112In this strategic conversation, Mandi interviews Ralph Burns and Ryan Hodges of Tier 11, a digital marketing agency managing over $105M in annual ad spend. They discuss their journey of transforming from a chaotic 70-per...
Are you playing it too safe with your agency's growth? In this thought-provoking episode, Mandi Ellefson challenges agency owners to think bigger about transformation. Drawing from her experience helping agencies scale, Mandi explains why staying "safe" might be the riskiest strategy in today's market. This episode explores:
- Fear of Business Transformation [00:00:00] Learn why many successful agency owners resist making...
Are agency owners feeling trapped by their own success? In this insightful episode, Mandi Ellefson explores how CEOs can scale their consulting agencies to new heights. Drawing from her experience with thousands of agency CEOs, Mandi breaks down critical elements for exponential growth. This episode is packed with actionable insights, including:
- Setting Ambitious Growth Goals [00:01:46]
Discover why basing future suc...
Are you a 7-figure agency owner feeling trapped by your own success? In this eye-opening episode, Mandi Ellefson reveals how top CEOs are scaling to $10 million and beyond by stepping away from day-to-day operations.
Drawing from her extensive experience consulting with over 1000 agency CEOs, Mandi breaks down the critical stages of scaling and the mindset shifts necessary for exponential growth. This episode is packed with...
If you're like most entrepreneurs, you already know that the journey to success is a long and arduous one. You've poured in your sweat, tears, and countless sleepless nights to get where you are today. But despite all your hard work and dedication, there comes a time when you hit a roadblock and find yourself unable to grow any further.
You become the bottleneck of your own growth.
This is exactly what Ricardo Pere...
Two and a half years tend to be the sweet spot where consulting agencies come knocking on Hands-Off CEO’s door. Usually, those two and a half years are the point when CEOs can feel like they are stuck in a never-ending cycle of hard work and stress that is preventing their growth.
But there's a better way to scale your company while avoiding those stagnant periods and growth plateaus.
Don't fall into the trap of gett...
When managing a consulting agency, there's always a constant feeling that our current methods for measuring profitability just aren't giving us the whole story.
Marcel Petitpas, CEO and Co-Founder of Parakeeto, experienced this very issue while running his own agency. Luckily, he didn't just sit back and accept the status quo. Instead, he set out to find a better way.
Get ready to discover what he did to streamline ...
Popular Podcasts
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
The heart was always off-limits to surgeons. Cutting into it spelled instant death for the patient. That is, until a ragtag group of doctors scattered across the Midwest and Texas decided to throw out the rule book. Working in makeshift laboratories and home garages, using medical devices made from scavenged machine parts and beer tubes, these men and women invented the field of open heart surgery. Odds are, someone you know is alive because of them. So why has history left them behind? Presented by Chris Pine, CARDIAC COWBOYS tells the gripping true story behind the birth of heart surgery, and the young, Greatest Generation doctors who made it happen. For years, they competed and feuded, racing to be the first, the best, and the most prolific. Some appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, operated on kings and advised presidents. Others ended up disgraced, penniless, and convicted of felonies. Together, they ignited a revolution in medicine, and changed the world.
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.