It’s exceedingly rare to work for someone who pours into you, aspires for you to carry on their vision, and who you genuinely love working for. For Nicole Milone, she had that dream mentorship with Debbie Peterson, the Founder of Money Counts, Inc. When she unexpectedly passed away in 2023, Nicole became CEO of the company overnight, and was forced to make huge leaps as a leader while mourning a mentor who had become a friend. In this episode, Nicole shares her story of how she stepped into her new role, her advice on leadership and succession planning, and how she took the company to new heights.
As business owners, burnout is a feeling we know all too well. Our friend and fellow business owner, Julie Bee, wrote Burned: How Business Owners Can Overcome Burnout and Fuel Success to give you practical strategies to overcome burnout, integrate work and life, and achieve sustainable success. Grab your copy of Burned today to Burn Bright, Not Out—because your business and well-being deserve both.
As the passionate Chief Wealth Advisor of Solaris, Nicole Milone brings a refreshing blend of experience and empathy to the world of personal finance. Nicole’s gift lies in her ability to transform complex financial concepts into clear, actionable plans. She doesn’t just manage money; she nurtures dreams, helping clients build wealth in a way that aligns with their deepest values and aspirations. For Nicole, true financial success means creating a life rich in both experiences and resources.
Some key takeaways from this episode include:
Nicole’s story of unexpectedly inheriting a business while facing heartbreaking loss
Her advice for preparing your successor to take over your business
Why emotional intelligence was a core skill Nicole needed to charge forward
The importance of outsourcing tasks that aren’t your strengths
The biggest challenges and surprises of becoming a CEO overnight
Working with an estate planning attorney to put together a succession plan
For years, our group of business besties have been meeting up for dinner and drinks to talk about the ins, outs, wins, and struggles of running a business. Now, we’d love for you to pull up a seat at the table and join us at Breaking Even Better, the podcast where we share the lessons we’ve learned (sometimes the hard way!) and how you can apply them to your own business.
Meet Your Co-Hosts:
Carolina Aponte, Fractional CFO, Founder & CEO of Caja Holdings, an accounting and fractional CFO firm
Brenda Harris, Founder & CEO of BPN Staffing Solutions, a premier healthcare staffing agency; and The Lab Look, a medical apparel company
Trish Saemann, Marketing Consultant, Fractional CMO, and Owner of GoBeyond SEO, a boutique digital marketing agency
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