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Opt In
Do I have to be friends with my co workers to get ahead? Should I take the promotion even if I hate the job? Is my salary big enough or am I getting screwed? Do I have to choose between having a family and having a career? I've been laid off now what do I do? I'm Melissa Franks, and I've spent the last 25 years building my corporate career and a family to along the way, there have been bumps and bruises and some epic going down in flames of glory moments. My journey up the corporate ladder found me forging new ground without a safety net. Through my real life stories, experiences, and special guests on the show, I take the mystery out of how to succeed in the corporate world. I'm going to spill all the tea about how decisions are really made, how to tell who the hidden influencers are, and how to realize your full potential while enjoying the process at the same time. Each week, we will dive into a topic where I will share the good, the bad, and the ugly of my experiences and what we can all learn from them. You will walk away each week with a clear set of next steps to take action and improve your circumstances. We are going to speak frankly and freely about when it's time to opt in or to opt out. Opt In is a place where you can come to get practical, actionable advice to propel your career and your life in the direction you want. Work with me: www.melissafranks.com/offers
Episodes
142 episodes
Are You the Bottleneck? How to Build a Team That Runs Without You
If your business collapses the moment you go on vacation, you don’t have leaders—you have helpers. In this episode of the Opt-In Podcast, Melissa Franks, your On Call COO, unpacks the hard truth about bottlenecks in small businesses an...
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35:17
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The Habits That Make or Break CEOs: How to Unlock Sustainable Growth
What separates the CEO who scales from the CEO who stalls?Spoiler: it’s not strategy—it’s habits.In this episode of The Opt-In Podcast, Melissa Franks, your on-call COO, pulls back the curtain on the daily practice...
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41:31
Scaling Your Business Without Breaking It: 4 Steps to Stabilize Growth
Is your business growing—but instead of celebrating, you feel like you’re drowning? If sales are pouring in but your systems, team, and sanity can’t keep up, you’re not alone. Growth can feel messy, chaotic, and overwhelming—but it doesn’t have...
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34:13
Gen Z in the Workforce: Mentors, Not Myths
Gen Z is stepping into the workforce—and the conversation about them is louder than ever. Are they ready? Or is the real question whether we’re ready to welcome them?In this episode, Melissa shares the behind-the-scenes story of...
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37:25
CEO Energy vs. Employee Energy: Are You Leading or Just Doing?
In this episode, Melissa challenges business owners to take an honest look at how they show up in their businesses. Are you bringing CEO energy—strategic, intentional, and future-focused—or are you operating with employee energy—reactive, task-...
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32:25
Stop Doing It All: The Hidden Cost of DIY in a Scaling Business
Are you still the one writing SOPs in your multi-six or seven-figure business? Then this episode is your wake-up call.Melissa returns with a no-holds-barred look at the true cost of doing everything yourself—especially once you’re no lon...
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32:36
The Smart Way to Return from Vacation Without Wreaking Havoc on Your Business
In this second episode of the summer vacation series, Melissa tackles what most business owners don’t plan for—how to re-enter your business after time away. Melissa walks you through exactly how to avoid chaos, confusion, an...
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25:12
How to Unplug: The Business Owner’s Guide to Guilt-Free Vacation
Are you dreaming of a real vacation—but worried your business will fall apart without you? In this episode, Melissa shares her tried-and-true method for actually stepping away from your business without stress, guilt, o...
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24:03
Stop Saying Yes to Bad Revenue: The Real Cost of Misaligned Work
Have you ever taken on a project just because the money was good—even though your gut said "no"? You're not alone. In this episode, Melissa breaks down the high price of bad revenue and why saying “yes” to misaligned op...
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37:23
Make CEO-Level Decisions Faster: The Filters That Create Forward Momentum
In today’s episode, Melissa breaks down one of the most misunderstood pieces of business advice: “Wealth loves speed.” But what does that really mean for CEOs and business owners making decisions in real time? Spoiler: it’s n...
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29:43
8 Signs It’s Time to Hire a Fractional COO (and How to Find the Right One)
In this episode, Melissa dives deep into one of the most common (and crucial) questions she gets asked:How do I know when it's time to hire a fractional COO?From being the bottleneck in your business to feeling scared to scale, Me...
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33:17
Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Personal Brand—Even If You’re a Private Person
In this episode, Melissa gets real about the power—and necessity—of building a personal brand, whether you're climbing the corporate ladder or scaling your own business. Sharing personal stories from her first corporate training at 22 to landin...
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29:06
Summer-Proof Your Business: 7 Ways to Prep Your Team for a Strong Season
In this episode, Melissa shares seven actionable ways to get your business—and your team—ready for the summer months. Whether summer is a busy season or a slow one for your business, the way you prepare can make all the difference in performanc...
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29:23
Lonely at the Top: Protecting Your Mental Health as a CEO
In the final episode of our Mental Health Awareness Month series, Melissa gets real about a topic that too often goes unspoken: the loneliness of leadership. Whether you're a CEO, business owner, or leader navigating your way through the pressu...
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27:59
Leading with Empathy: How to Build Trust, Boost Retention, and Support Mental Health at Work
In this episode, Melissa, continues a deep dive into mental health awareness throughout May. In today’s episode, we tackle one of my all-time favorite leadership topics: leading with empathy. This is the conversation no one’s...
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29:22
From Hustle to Health: Breaking Free from Burnout Culture
Today, Melissa continues and we’re continuing our Mental Health Awareness Month series with a hard look at hustle culture—and its hidden costs. In this episode, we dive into:✅ The “invisible load” entrepreneurs carry—a...
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27:15
Resilience in Real Time: How I Showed Up When Life Hit Hard
This week, Melissa brings you behind the scenes of one of the hardest (and most unexpectedly pivotal) weeks she’s faced — a raw, unfiltered look at what it really means to juggle personal loss, business growth, client demands, and once-in-a-lif...
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26:43
How to Handle Customer Complaints with Grace (and Protect Your Brand)
Have you ever opened your inbox to find a customer complaint that instantly spiked your blood pressure? If you're in business, it's not a matter of if but when it will happen. In this episode of the Opt-In Podcast, Melissa walks you through how...
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31:12
Project Management Tools Demystified: Pick the Right One for Your Business
Is your inbox overflowing? Are you losing track of tasks, deadlines, or team updates? Whether you're solo or managing a growing team, this episode is your go-to guide for choosing the right project management tool to reduce chaos and reclaim co...
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32:35
10 Real-World Strategies to Prepare Your Business for Uncertainty
Uncertainty is the only certainty in business—and the past week proved that in spades. From escalating tariffs to market chaos, small business owners are feeling the pressure. In this episode, Melissa unpacks 10 concrete strategies to help your...
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27:39
8 Smart Strategies to Sustain Your Business Growth
Is your business growing faster than you expected? Congratulations! But now what? In this episode, Melissa shares eight crucial lessons to help business owners navigate rapid growth without crashing and burning. Drawing from her exp...
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39:45
The Power (and Problem) of Accountability: Why It Matters More Than You Think
In this episode, Melissa tackles the hot topic of accountability—what it is, why it's essential, and how its absence can have a ripple effect from the highest levels of government to your neighborhood school drop-off line.Using a current...
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33:23
From Rock Bottom to Predictable Growth: My Journey to a Thriving Business
What does it really take to go from “no revenue and no plan” to a thriving, predictable, and growing business? In this reflective solo episode, Melissa opens up about the first quarter of 2025 and the intense, behind-the-scenes journey that got...
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27:42
10 Things Every Business Owner Needs to Know
Are you thinking about starting a business? Already running one but unsure what to do next? In this episode, Melissa spills the tea on 10 things every business owner should know to grow faster, avoid costly mistakes, and make better decisions.<...
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32:07
Why Women in Leadership Make the World Better
In this episode, Melissa dives deep into the significance of International Women's Day and why we can’t let it be ignored. Melissa shares her personal experiences as a woman navigating corporate leadership, the impact of Diversity, Equity, and ...
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29:53