Hey, I’m Beth, Fractional CMO, founder, and brand builder. With over a decade experience growing brands across the UK and US—including founding my own multi-million £ startup —I understand the highs and lows of building a business. I created Bold Moves to cut through the noise and deliver battle-tested, no-BS strategies for growth from wisdom earned, not taught.

Ready? Let’s go!

Lessons in Prioritisation: Insights from The Diplomat

Imagine this: You’re juggling an international crisis, political agendas, and personal challenges, all while needing to deliver results. That’s the world of Kate Wyler in Netflix's The Diplomat.

In one pivotal scene, Kate is faced with competing demands: should she prioritise managing a volatile foreign ally, negotiating with her own government, or handling her increasingly tense marriage? Each choice has massive stakes. What sets her apart is her ability to focus on the action that will have the most significant impact: resolving the international crisis first.

Her story holds valuable lessons for us as business leaders, especially when the stakes are high and resources are limited.

1. Focus on the Core Objective

Kate’s ability to zero in on the crisis that most impacts her mission teaches us a simple truth: not all goals are created equal. You must focus on the one thing that will make the biggest impact.

💡 Tip: For your business in 2025, ask yourself: What’s the single biggest win you need to achieve this year? Let that goal guide your priorities.

2. Manage Stakeholders Effectively

Kate’s diplomacy skills are a masterclass in managing competing interests. She knows how to balance demands and ensure alignment, even under pressure.

💡 Tip: Identify your key stakeholders—investors, team members, or customers—and map their expectations. Clear communication can help turn them into advocates for your vision.

3. Adapt to the Unexpected

When an unexpected twist derails her plans, Kate pivots quickly, showing that flexibility is critical to success.

💡 Tip: Build agility into your strategy. Regularly reassess priorities and be prepared to shift gears when opportunities or challenges arise.

Agility isn’t about constant change; it’s about knowing when to adapt. Here are the key moments when reassessing priorities can be critical:

TL;DR for Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

Core Idea: Essentialism is about focusing only on what truly matters, eliminating distractions, and channelling your energy into the few things that make the biggest impact. It’s the disciplined art of "less but better."

Key Principles:

1. Prioritise Ruthlessly:

   • You can’t do everything. Identify your most essential goals and focus on those.

   • Ask, “What is the one thing I can do that will make the biggest impact?”

2. Say No with Confidence:

   • Protect your time and energy by learning to decline non-essential tasks and commitments.

3. Cut Out the Noise:

   • Remove activities, habits, and distractions that don’t align with your core objectives.

4. Do One Thing at a Time:

   • Multitasking reduces effectiveness. Focus deeply on a single priority for better results.

5. Protect Time for What Matters:

   • Build space in your schedule for reflection, planning, and rest. These are crucial for clarity and long-term success.

A Story to Bring It Home

Meet Sarah, a founder of a fast-growing direct-to-consumer brand. Her team had just secured funding, and the possibilities seemed endless. One of the most exciting opportunities? Expanding into a brand-new customer segment with huge market potential. Sarah’s marketing team was ready to dive in, crafting campaigns tailored to this shiny new audience.

But as we dug into the data, a different story emerged.

It turned out that their core customer segment—the audience that had driven their success so far—was experiencing significant churn. Loyal customers were slipping away, impacting revenue and undermining the lifetime value of each customer.

Chasing the new customer segment would mean diverting resources from solving this core issue. The allure of expansion was tempting, but the reality was clear: focusing on retention within their best-performing customer segment would deliver:

• Faster Results: Tackling churn would yield improvements within weeks, rather than months.

• Greater Impact: Reducing churn would create a more significant and sustainable lift in revenue.

• Efficient Execution: Fixing retention issues required fewer resources and could be implemented almost immediately.

By redirecting the team’s energy to improving the core customer experience, we introduced initiatives like a loyalty programme, personalised post-purchase communication, and improved onboarding. Within three months, churn dropped by 20%, revenue climbed by 40%, and customer lifetime value surged.

The lesson here? Sometimes the fastest path to growth isn’t finding new customers—it’s taking better care of the ones you already have. Expansion is exciting, but focusing on your foundation is often the boldest move you can make.

Free Resources to Kickstart 2025

To celebrate the launch, I’ve created two resources to help you get started:

1️⃣ 6 Essential Notion Templates Every Founder Needs
2️⃣ The Bold Growth Playbook: 5 Strategies to Scale Your Business

Relevant News: What’s Happening in Business?

1. The 2025 Work Trends to Watch
A new report from the Financial Times highlights key trends shaping workplaces, including AI integration, the importance of empathy in leadership, and solutions for tackling hybrid work loneliness.
(Read the full article)

2. Buckle Up: Bosses Ready for a Bumpy Ride in 2025
According to The Times, UK businesses are gearing up for challenges in sectors like hospitality, insurance, and electric vehicles. Infrastructure investment, especially in renewable energy, is seen as critical for resilience.
(Read the full article)

What’s Your Bold Move?

Reply to this email and tell me: What bold move are you making this week? I’d love to hear from you, and who knows—your story might inspire a future edition (with your permission, of course).

Stay Bold, Stay Brilliant

Building a business is hard, but you don’t have to go it alone. Bold Moves is here to help you navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and build something extraordinary.

Know another founder or leader who could use some clarity and fresh inspiration? Forward this email and invite them to join the Bold Moves community.

Let’s make moves,
Beth

» Next week, we’ll be diving into Bryan Johnson’s new Don’t Die Netflix documentary and what this teaches us about bold marketing.

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• Check out my Fractional CMO service here.

• Got questions or a topic you’d love me to cover? Email me at [email protected]

Disclaimer: I share advice from my own experience. Every business is unique, so tailor these ideas to fit your needs.