What if the biggest risk to your business… is you? In this powerful episode, Emma talks with Rachel Pereyra, founder of Mastermind Business Services and expert fractional COO, about what it really means to lead like a CEO. Rachel shares how she helps founders shift from reactive operators to strategic leaders by first protecting the business from burnout and chaos—often caused by the founder themselves. From uncovering how your own mindset may be sabotaging growth to building operations that support freedom (not control), this conversation goes far beyond systems and into the heart of sustainable business. If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in the weeds, overbooked, or unsure how to scale without breaking everything, this episode offers real, actionable guidance and a serious mindset reset.
Listen in as Emma and Rachel discuss:
- How to protect your business from your own burnout and blind spots
- The mindset shift from “doing it all” to leading a high-performing team
- How to expand capacity without over-hiring or over-working your team
And much, much more!
How to Protect Your Business From Your Own Burnout and Blind Spots
Rachel shares that one of her core roles as a fractional COO is to “protect the business from the founder.” That means helping leaders recognize when they’re unintentionally working against their own goals—whether it’s refusing to delegate, staying stuck in the weeds, or ignoring burnout. She encourages founders to regularly create white space on their calendars to think strategically and assess whether their daily actions align with their long-term vision. Without that space, burnout creeps in, and blind spots can quietly derail momentum.
The Mindset Shift From “Doing It All” to Leading a High-Performing Team
Many founders feel they have to do everything themselves, either because they don’t trust others to do it “right,” or because they find value in being needed. But Rachel emphasizes that true leadership is about empowering your team to own their roles. She encourages a shift toward hiring people who are better than you at what they do and trusting them to carry your vision forward. When you can let go of perfectionism and embrace collaboration, your business becomes more resilient, and more scalable.
How to Expand Capacity Without Over-Hiring or Over-Working Your Team
Rather than hiring reactively or burning out your team, Rachel recommends a data-driven approach to understanding capacity. That starts with time tracking: gather real data on how long things actually take, and use that to evaluate where team members are at or over capacity. She also suggests involving your team in conversations about scope and workload, and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency through clearer processes, better tooling, or smarter client load balancing. Sustainable growth comes from optimizing what you already have before adding more.
Connect with Rachel:
Book a one-off strategy session for a quick hit of strategy and advice: https://calendly.com/mastermindbusinessservices/consulting-ama
Connect with Ninety Five Media:
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