April 11, 2024
In 2016, I was stuck operating a service business working 70-hour weeks.
In 2023, that business did 5x the revenue with only 1 employee and I spent virtually 0 hours on it.
It took a lot of learning, reading, and trial and error to get there.
As I think back at what helped me the most, it was implementing these 5 steps in my business:
- Highly Leveraged CRM
First, I clarified what I wanted the customer journey to look like. Then, I made sure our CRM was set up to facilitate this process. From inbound leads to delivery, and feedback surveys.
- Automation
This was a game-changer. By taking repetitive and time-consuming tasks off my plate, I was able to create time.
Tasks like follow-ups, onboarding, and invoice creation that used to take up hours each week got streamlined and fully automated.
- Delegation
Next came systemizing and delegating responsibilities — The manual processes that could not (or shouldn't) be automated.
This step ensured that essential tasks like responding to client inquiries were not overlooked.
Here’s How:
- List all of the things that have to get done
- Clarify who owns each of these manual tasks
- Label each as a daily, weekly, or monthly process
- Define what done/success looks like for each process
Delegation is an art form. But it becomes a lot easier to do when you’ve defined what done looks like.
- Weekly Scorecard
Implementing this gave me the ability to quickly see what was happening.
It allowed me to maintain a pulse on the business no matter where I was and helped with quick decision-making.
Here’s How:
- Identify 7-15 important metrics
- Make this a weekly process with clear ownership
- Automate an email every week when the scorecard metrics are uploaded
- Quarterly Meetings
The final piece of the puzzle was setting up a meeting cadence to go deeper into company operations.
This was a time to step back, review, reflect, and realign with the team on what mattered most.
Quarterly worked for us, but every 6 - 12 weeks can also work.
And in case you're thinking "But my business is complex", let me clarify that this business was far from simple. It was an environmental testing company that involved laboratories, sampling, and reporting. So believe me, systemizing and automating are always possible.
If you want to grow your business, these 5 steps will be critical to remove yourself from operations so you can focus on growth.
See you all next Thursday 👋
PS. Whenever you're ready... Here are three ways I can help you systemize & automate operations:
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