Cubicle to CEO

Ellen Yin
  • 5.0 (566)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Semiweekly

We ask founders the business questions you can't Google. Cubicle to CEO® brings you weekly "behind the business" case-study interviews with leading entrepreneurs and CEOs who share a specific growth strategy they've successfully tested, how they implemented it, and what the results (and revenue) were. Host Ellen Yin also shares transparent insights about her own journey bootstrapping a media company from a $300 freelance project into millions in revenue.

  1. 1d ago

    Bonus: The Collaboration Stacking Strategy That Generated $800K Without Social Media

    A former architect turned marketing strategist, Hope Trory swapped blueprints for business systems, but her collaborative thinking stayed the same. As founder of HOPEWORKSDESIGN, she built her signature ACE Framework around a simple bet: social media hustle isn't the only path to visibility. Instead, she leans into podcast guesting, workshops, and what she calls "collaboration stacking."  That approach helped one architecture client generate more than $800K in new revenue opportunities without a single ad campaign. In this episode, Hope breaks down what collaboration stacking actually looks like, why it beats treating partnerships as one-off wins, and the alternative visibility strategies available to anyone exhausted by constant content creation. Connect with Hope: https://hopeworksdesign.com www.linkedin.com/in/hopetrory https://summit.hopeworksdesign.com/collab-map Loving our bonus content and want more Cubicle to CEO in your ears? Join us every Monday on our subscriber-only premium feed for case study–style interviews with successful entrepreneurs debriefing their real-time growth experiments and results. Subscribe to get insider access to what's actually been working for businesses in the last 3-18 months: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you. ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Bonus: The Collaboration Stacking Strategy That Generated $800K Without Social Media

  2. 3d ago

    350. Licensing Your Service IP to Create 5-Figure Cash Injections + New Distribution Channels In Your Business

    This is a free preview of a paid episode (38 min), exclusively available on our subscriber-only premium feed. Become a premium subscriber to tune into the full episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Questions about our premium podcast subscription? Send us a DM ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo Lyrik Fryer once got a licensing check so large her bank had to split it into three payments — proof your IP can be packaged up as a lucrative asset other businesses will pay to use. Lyrik is the co-founder and CEO of WorkPlay Branding, whose flagship $497/month content system sold directly to clients is also licensed out to agencies and authors. Through this, she has figured out how to sell her IP at full price while also turning it into a branding and major distribution play. In our full-length interview available exclusively to our premium subscribers (click here to join for only $17/month), Lyrik breaks down her most unexpected licensing deal yet: how author Selena Soo bundled a WorkPlay shoot into her book launch, turning her self-published book into a USA Today bestseller and generating $166K in total revenue. Licensing isn't just an extra revenue stream, it's a distribution army you don't have to spend advertising dollars on. Connect with Lyrik: https://workplaybranding.com/ IG: @workplaybranding IG: @lyrik.fryer If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you. ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    350. Licensing Your Service IP to Create 5-Figure Cash Injections + New Distribution Channels In Your Business

  3. Jul 22

    Bonus: The Highest-ROI Referral Engine For Local Service Providers

    Emily Kim moved to Boston knowing no one. A single thoughtful post in a local Facebook group of 40,000 members led to 22 coffee chats and $10,000+ in closed business later, in-person networking is still her go-to growth strategy for local service providers. A former Apple software engineer, Emily left tech to build two in-person businesses from scratch, including a brand photography business with 300+ clients. Now a business and marketing strategist, she teaches service providers how to get known and hired locally instead of chasing content creation. In this episode, Emily breaks down what made that first post work, how her coffee-chat network still sends her referrals from a city she no longer lives in, and why leaving the house to talk to people beats posting online for highest-ROI marketing.  Connect with Emily: Freebie mentioned: Local Networking Guide: https://go.emilykim.co/ceo  ⁠⁠Website: www.emilykim.co ⁠ ⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilykim.co Loving our bonus content and want more Cubicle to CEO in your ears? Join us every Monday on our subscriber-only premium feed for case study–style interviews with successful entrepreneurs debriefing their real-time growth experiments and results. Subscribe to get insider access to what's actually been working for businesses in the last 3-18 months: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you. ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Bonus: The Highest-ROI Referral Engine For Local Service Providers

  4. Jul 20

    349. Should You License Someone Else’s IP Instead of Building From Scratch? The Strategy That Generated $80,378 In Year One

    This is a free preview of a paid episode (45 min), exclusively available on our subscriber-only premium feed. Become a premium subscriber to tune into the full episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Questions about our premium podcast subscription? Send us a DM ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo ⁠ Léa Jeanmougin licensed someone else's proven course instead of building her own and turned it into $80,378.90 in year-one revenue. Kicking off our new series on intellectual property (IP), Léa opens up about what it looks like to bet on someone else's proven offer instead of creating your own. With zero money down and a royalty rate that started at 20% and eased down to 16% as her revenue climbed, Léa leaned on partner campaigns to grow her monthly recurring revenue from $2,868 to $10,563. That income became her launchpad into brick and mortar, funding a rent-to-own deal on a 14-room inn in Quebec — also without a traditional down payment. Léa proves that the fastest way to revenue isn't always building from scratch. Connect with Léa: Listen to Léa's last episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5a3OODb45NJ1y3cIlFlpXy?si=fOkdQV7CQeqwF8ho8aaw1A https://www.agencia-atlantica.com/en https://www.instagram.com/lea.jeanmougin  https://www.linkedin.com/in/leajeanmougin/ If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you. ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    349. Should You License Someone Else’s IP Instead of Building From Scratch? The Strategy That Generated $80,378 In Year One

  5. Jul 15

    Bonus: Are You Exposing Your IP? Hidden Risks Every Creator & Coach Building AI Tools Needs To Know

    Most creators sharing AI tools with their audience are unaware they’re vulnerable to two big risks: giving unlimited access to anyone who wants it, and feeding their expertise into a learning model shared with millions of other users. Kelly Sinclair is on a mission to fix both problems. Kelly Sinclair is a brand and marketing strategist turned "accidental" AI tech co-founder of wAIv by Gravia Studio, a platform for expertise-based creators who want to build and share AI tools while protecting the IP they took years to build. In this episode, Kelly unpacks what's actually happening when creators unknowingly expose their IP through popular AI-building tools, why she builds "bot squads" instead of one all-purpose bot, and how creators with existing Custom GPTs can migrate them to something more secure without starting from scratch. Connect with Kelly: Special gift for Cubicle to CEO listeners! Download the AI Product Playbook for FREE: https://graviastudio.com/ceo. The AI Product Playbook walks you through designing your first expert-backed AI product in about 20 minutes. Built on your methodology. Ready to gate and sell. ⁠https://waiv-ai.com https://instagram.com/kelly_makes_waiv https://instagram.com/joinwaiv https://www.youtube.com/@waiv-ai Loving our bonus content and want more Cubicle to CEO in your ears? Join us every Monday on our subscriber-only premium feed for case study–style interviews with successful entrepreneurs debriefing their real-time growth experiments and results. Subscribe to get insider access to what's actually been working for businesses in the last 3-18 months: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you. ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Bonus: Are You Exposing Your IP? Hidden Risks Every Creator & Coach Building AI Tools Needs To Know

  6. Jul 13

    348. She Allocates 75% Of Her Business Profits To Private Money Lending For Double Digit Returns

    This is a free preview of a paid episode (43 min), exclusively available on our subscriber-only premium feed. Become a premium subscriber to tune into the full episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Questions about our premium podcast subscription? Send us a DM ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo Industrial real estate investing without the tenants or toilets? That's the wealth vehicle private money lending offers, and it's how Yasha Wells, co-founder and General Partner at Blueprint Industrial Capital, puts her business profits to work without running a second business. Wrapping up our series on Revenue → Returns (How My Money Makes Me Money), Yasha breaks down this money multiplier and how she lends directly to real estate operators for double digit returns while someone else does the work. She walks us through how to vet an operator's track record, the one non-negotiable that protects her money if a deal goes south, and the red flags that make her walk away from an opportunity. Connect with Yasha: Get Your Free Copy of 'If I Had $50K to Invest… Here’s Exactly Where I’d Put It': https://blueprintindustrialcapital.myflodesk.com/cubical-to-ceo https://blueprintindustrialcapital.com/yashalinks/ https://blueprintindustrialcapital.com/ IG: @yashawells YT: https://www.youtube.com/@YashaWells LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yashawells/ If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you. ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    348. She Allocates 75% Of Her Business Profits To Private Money Lending For Double Digit Returns

  7. Jul 6

    347. Does the Stock Market Beat Reinvesting in Your Business? Turning Active Income Into Passive Income

    This is a free preview of a paid episode (57 min), exclusively available on our subscriber-only premium feed. Become a premium subscriber to tune into the full episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Questions about our premium podcast subscription? Send us a DM ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo Reinvesting all your profits back into your own business can feel like the safest bet, but Nat Bullen offers a different perspective on why owning shares of other companies via the stock market is actually a more reliable investment. Nat is a coach, investor, and owner of Unapologetic Wealth, where she helps women in business make more money in their business and build wealth outside of it. Continuing our series on Revenue → Returns (How My Business Money Makes Me Money), Nat lays out her simple stock market playbook: a SEP IRA, a Roth IRA, and one brokerage account, funded on a regular basis instead of trying to time the market. Her argument is simple — the business you're pouring everything into can't be the only plan. At some point, your money needs to start working without you. Connect with Nat: Stock Market 101 Masterclass: https://unapologeticwealth.thrivecart.com/stock-market-101-masterclass/ http://www.unapologeticwealth.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ladylyricist06/ Birthright Podcast: https://unapologeticwealth.thrivecart.com/birthright-private-podcast/ IG: @unapologeticwealth If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you. ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    347. Does the Stock Market Beat Reinvesting in Your Business? Turning Active Income Into Passive Income

  8. Jun 29

    346. Using Business Profits to Invest In Real Estate: How Thanks for Visiting Made $100K+ Revenue and Increased Property Value by 1M+ Before Opening Day

    This is a free preview of a paid episode (47 min), exclusively available on our subscriber-only premium feed. Become a premium subscriber to tune into the full episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Questions about our premium podcast subscription? Send us a DM ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo Before a single guest checked in, they'd already generated six figures on their most recent real estate investment. Sarah Karakaian and Annette Grant are the co-founders of Thanks for Visiting, podcast hosts with 3M+ downloads, and the creators of Strategic Host, a coaching program with 1,000+ members collectively generating $4M+ in monthly short-term rental revenue. Continuing our series on Revenue → Returns (How My Business Money Makes Me Money), we’re exploring real estate as a money multiplier outside of your business. In this week’s case study, Sarah and Annette pull back the curtain on Rich Hollow Retreat: a 134-acre glamping destination in Ohio's Hocking Hills they're developing using TFV’s business profits. They walk us through how they structured this real estate deal and found the capital for the down payment, the creative way they generated six figures in revenue before welcoming a single guest, and the strategic moves that increased this $1.5M investment to a valuation of $2.5M while still in development. Listen to our last episode with Sarah and Annette: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0noGe3GlDDhLf5ZkDBaZKx?si=IvSewakkTCqpQdsoZjLpDg Connect with Thanks For Visiting: ⁠https://thanksforvisiting.com⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ThanksForVisiting⁠ IG: ⁠@thanksforvisiting_⁠ IG: @richhallowretreat If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you. ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    346. Using Business Profits to Invest In Real Estate: How Thanks for Visiting Made $100K+ Revenue and Increased Property Value by 1M+ Before Opening Day
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5
out of 5
566 Ratings

About

We ask founders the business questions you can't Google. Cubicle to CEO® brings you weekly "behind the business" case-study interviews with leading entrepreneurs and CEOs who share a specific growth strategy they've successfully tested, how they implemented it, and what the results (and revenue) were. Host Ellen Yin also shares transparent insights about her own journey bootstrapping a media company from a $300 freelance project into millions in revenue.

Information

  • Creator
    Ellen Yin
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    453
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Ellen Yin Media LLC
  • Show Website
    Cubicle to CEO