When You Do Everything “Right”… and It Still Flops
Every CEO knows the sting of doing everything right – following the plan, staying consistent, putting in the work – only to watch the results fall painfully flat. When that happens, most leaders spiral into self-blame, questioning their strategy, their work ethic, and...
Sustainable Success As A Consultant With Ashlee Berghoff
Operations strategist Ashlee Berghoff, founder of Smooth Operator, joins Gwen Bortner to talk about the evolution from independent consultant to agency owner—and what it took to make her business sustainable as her life and family grew. Ashlee shares how she shifted...
Sustainable Success As A Maker With Abigail McMurray
Is the relentless pressure to scale up suffocating your entrepreneurial spirit? Gwen Bortner and Tonya Kubo challenge the “bigger is better” narrative, diving deep into why strategically staying small might be your greatest competitive advantage. In this...
Sustainable Success At Scale With Nicole Serena
Consultant-turned-agency-owner Nicole Serena joins Gwen Bortner to talk about her journey from a one-woman consulting practice to leading a thriving healthcare operations agency. Nicole pulls back the curtain on the early days—juggling every client, deadline, and...
Sustainable Success As Podcasters With Tonya Kubo
Is the relentless pressure to scale up suffocating your entrepreneurial spirit? Gwen Bortner and Tonya Kubo challenge the “bigger is better” narrative, diving deep into why strategically staying small might be your greatest competitive advantage. In this...
I'm Gwen Bortner, and I've spent 40 years turning chaotic businesses into well-oiled machines across 47 industries. Now, my team and I work with women entrepreneurs to build sustainable, fulfilling businesses aligned with their values.