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The Business You Really Want

The Business You Really Want

Written by: Gwen Bortner & Tonya Kubo
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About this listen

Are you feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or uncertain about how to grow your business without sacrificing what matters most to you? Welcome to The Business You Really Want: the show for women who are ready to build a sustainable, fulfilling business aligned with their values. Join Gwen Bortner, a seasoned business advisor with over 35 years of cross-industry experience in operations, and Tonya Kubo, marketing strategist and online community builder, as they share their unique, holistic approach to entrepreneurial success. Each episode is packed with practical strategies, real-life examples, and empowering insights to help you navigate the challenges of running a values-driven business. Leverage your strengths, optimize your operations, and create a business that lights you up and allows you to make a meaningful impact. Subscribe to the show and make sure to stay in touch at TheBusinessYouReallyWant.com, where we share our favorite business-building resources and updates on upcoming events designed to support you on your entrepreneurial journey.

Copyright 2025 | Gwen Bortner
Careers Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership Personal Success
Episodes
  • Strategy Vs. Tactics: How To Spot The Sparkly
    Jan 27 2026

    Most CEOs don’t have a motivation problem — they have an alignment problem. And nothing derails alignment faster than sparkly tactics that feel productive but don’t actually move the business forward.


    In this episode, Gwen Bortner and Tonya Kubo dig into the real difference between strategy and tactics, why entrepreneurs so often confuse the two, and how to avoid being seduced by the “new, shiny thing” everyone else seems to be doing. Learn how to focus on real strategy, define your constraints, and spot the signs of a non-productive, "sparkly tactic."

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    37 mins
  • When You Do Everything “Right”… and It Still Flops
    Jan 20 2026

    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 sometimes even their calling. In this episode, Gwen and Tonya unpack what’s really happening in that uncomfortable gap between effort and results. Together, they break down the three places you must examine when diagnosing a disappointing outcome:

    • Your plan – Was it strategic or just a bundle of tactics? Were your assumptions sound?
    • The environment – What shifted around you that you couldn’t have predicted or controlled?
    • Your execution – Did the work actually get done the way you believe it did?

    Everything referenced inside this episode:

    Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke

    Strategic Email Series – Sign up for Gwen’s weekly “one really good question” email


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    36 mins
  • Sustainable Success As A Consultant With Ashlee Berghoff
    Jan 13 2026

    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 from doing everything herself to building a team of fractional COOs and operations managers, and how becoming a parent forced her to rethink her time, energy, and definition of success. Together, she and Gwen dig into the emotional side of operations, from accountability without shame to learning how to work with your own motivations (including gold-star brains!).

    In this episode, you’ll discover:

    • How Ashlee recognized the business she built wasn’t aligned with the life she wanted
    • The mindset shifts required to stop overworking and design a calmer rhythm
    • Why constraining her time actually helped her do better deep work
    • How she uses idea lists, capacity triggers, and clear constraints to stay on track
    • What it looks like to grow sustainably—even when opportunities abound

    If you’re a consultant, strategist, or service provider looking to grow without drowning, this conversation is filled with wisdom, practical systems, and honest reflection on what sustainable success requires.

    Links and Mentions

    Connect with Ashlee (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleeberghoff/)

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    42 mins
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