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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
164 episodes
Do Politics Belong in Business? Why Values Can’t Stay Private
Do politics belong in business or is that the wrong question entirely?In this episode of The Opt-In Podcast, Melissa Franks reframes the conversation away from parties, candidates, and debate, and toward what actually matters: v...
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31:52
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New Year, New Distractions: Why Reinvention Is Killing Execution
January has a way of convincing business owners that something is wrong.You come back from a break, look at your business with fresh eyes, and suddenly everything feels off. The offers feel stale. The strategy feels tired. The urge to ch...
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36:28
Your Business Isn’t Failing — It’s Growing Up (Why Instability Is a Signal, Not a Problem)
If your business feels harder right now, even though nothing is technically “wrong”, this episode is for you.In this week’s episode of The Opt-In Podcast, Melissa breaks down why instability is often a sign of growth, not fai...
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22:01
Why Q1 Falls Apart (Even With a Good Plan)
If January already feels heavier than you expected, it’s not because you didn’t plan well, it’s because most plans break once execution begins.Every year, founders enter January with clear goals, only to find themselves back in the weeds...
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34:52
How to Break a Business Plateau in 2026: A 30-Day Reset for Real Growth
If your business hit a plateau in 2025, you’re not failing, your business just outgrew its systems. In this New Year episode, Melissa breaks down why plateaus happen, how to diagnose them, and the exact steps to reset your business for growth i...
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32:47
Three Years of Opting In: Lessons, Evolution, and the Power of Persistence
In this special anniversary episode, host Melissa Franks celebrates three years of The Opt In Podcast, a journey that began as a mission to mentor women navigating corporate life and has since evolved into a platform for small business o...
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25:48
AI Won’t Save Your Business, It Will Save Your Time: How to Use AI the Right Way in 2026
AI has exploded in the business world, and most founders are still confused about how to actually use it. In this episode, Melissa breaks down what AI is good at, where it completely falls apart, and how small business owners can integ...
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39:53
Your 2026 Survival Plan: The Small Business Guide to Planning in Uncertain Times
As 2025 wraps, many business owners are feeling the wobble, slower demand, rising costs, and uncertainty about what 2026 will look like. In this episode, Melissa explains why the economy feels off, why small businesses feel the impact more inte...
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30:54
The Truth About Organizational Hierarchy No One Tells Small Business Owners
In this episode, Melissa breaks down one of the most misunderstood concepts in small business growth: organizational design. If you’ve ever wondered why your team feels stretched thin, why certain roles aren’t “working out,” or why it’s ...
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27:48
End-of-Year Employee Check-In: How to Evaluate, Compensate, and Retain Your Team Before
It’s the end of the year, do you know how your employees are really performing? In this episode, host Melissa Franks walks you through exactly what business owners should be doing in the final stretch of the year to evaluate their team, ...
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32:46
Your Business Holiday Survival Guide: 10 Things Every Entrepreneur Needs Before Year-End
In this episode of The Opt-In Podcast, host Melissa Franks shares her Holiday Season Survival Guide for Business Owners. A practical, heartfelt, and sometimes hilarious look at how to stay sane, strategic, and successful ...
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31:28
Stop Being the Smartest Person in the Room: Why You Must Hire People Better Than You
Have you ever hesitated to hire someone who knows more than you… because it felt risky or intimidating? In this episode, Melissa breaks down why not hiring up is one of the fastest ways to cap your business growth and why your job as a...
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28:24
The Tariff Tangle: What Political Moves Mean for Business Owners
In this special post-election episode of The Opt-In Podcast, host Melissa Franks steps away from her usual business strategy deep dives to unpack the real-time ripple effects of America’s shifting political landscape an...
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25:18
Budget Like a Boss: The Annual Planning Framework Every Business Needs
In this episode, host Melissa Franks tackles a topic she’s never covered before: how to create an annual budget that actually works for you. Whether you’re a five-figure startup or a nine-figure company, Melissa breaks down why ev...
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34:25
10 Hard-Earned Lessons from My First Two Years in Business
In this episode host Melissa Franks takes you behind the scenes of her entrepreneurial journey. From losing her job and starting over as a single mom with no plan, to building a thriving seven-figure company in just two years.Meli...
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37:26
Stop Chasing the Wrong Client: Busting the Biggest ICA Myths in Business
Most small business owners have been taught to obsess over their “Ideal Client Avatar”. To name them, write their life story, and plaster their face on a mood board.But what if everything you’ve been taught about your ICA is… wrong?<...
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28:08
How to Lead Through Chaos Without Losing Your Mind (or Your Business)
In today’s episode of The Opt-In Podcast, I’m taking inspiration from the unexpected king of business advice: Tom Hanks.His mantra, “This too shall pass” became my lifeline during one of the darkest moments of my...
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31:58
5 Ways to Build a Truly Diverse Hiring Practice
Does everyone you interview look like you, sound like you, and maybe even want to be you? If so, it’s time to rethink your hiring approach.In this episode of the Opt-In Podcast, Melissa Franks takes a candid look at why diversit...
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29:39
Breaking Through the Plateau: 4 Critical Levers to Unlock Business Growth
Every business owner eventually faces it: the dreaded plateau. Sales stop climbing, growth stalls, and suddenly you’re left wondering what went wrong. In this episode of the Opt-In Podcast, Melissa Franks breaks down the truth about bu...
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28:30
Your Personal Brand Is Showing: Why Public Behavior Impacts Your Business
This week on The Opt-In Podcast, Melissa Franks unpacks a rarely discussed—but vitally important—topic: how your personal behavior in public spaces can deeply affect your business or employment. Whether you're a business owner o...
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30:35
The Reset: What I Changed to Grow Without Burning Out
In this candid solo episode, Melissa Franks opens the curtain on a deeply personal and strategic recalibration she made in both life and business. As the fourth quarter looms, a season that often demands more from entrepreneurs, Melissa shares ...
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27:57
Why Q4 Actually Starts in September: My Best Tips for Ending the Year Strong
Fourth quarter isn’t just October through December—it starts now. In this episode, Melissa Franks breaks down why the most successful businesses treat September as the true kickoff to Q4 and how you can use this mindset to set yourself up for a...
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27:57
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
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