Streamlining and Systemizing Your Business In 4 Steps

Building out a more streamlined and systemized business might sound like a difficult or overwhelming thing to do, especially when you’re not even sure where to start.  But it is a necessary evil that needs to be addressed at some point in your business.

You probably hear this all the time, that if you want to grow and scale your business, you need to have effective systems in place.  While that’s absolutely true, I would argue that if you are looking to grow and scale and that’s the first time you’re thinking about systematizing your business, you’ve missed the boat.

NEWSFLASH: The longer you wait to put systems into place in your business, the bigger headache it is going to be!

Streamlining and systematizing your business should happen at all stages of growth.  I can’t stress how vitally important it is to take the time to organize your processes.  I tell all my clients that they will enjoy their day to day so much more if they take the time to have it set up properly.  And most importantly you won’t get bogged down in the B.S. parts of your business that you hate doing - did someone say BURNOUT!!!!

Let me break it down into 4 simple to follow steps so you can have your business streamlined and systematized in no time.  If after learning and trying to implement these steps you still seem too overwhelmed, try working with someone like me - an operations expert - to help you tackle it!

Audit Your Systems

Audits can help you to assess the state of your business and ensure that operations are as streamlined as possible. It’s important to audit your systems and find the gaps then continue on from there. 

Make sure you understand any problems you find within your workflow. Biggest gaps are usually pertaining to your business' leaky pipes - where money comes in & out of the business.There could be multiple factors, for example, human error, lack of skill, lack of understanding of the accounting system, lack of sufficient financial information, or even God forbid, theft.

It’s important for problems to be analyzed when they are still relatively harmless. I’ve seen businesses who skip the foundation steps and jump right into growing only having to go back after burn out has hit and the damage is already being done.

Build An Effective Team

Having an effective team in place can take many  tasks off of your plate and fill in any gaps so you, the CEO, can keep your genius flowing.

Each business is different and requires specific care in how it is cultivated. That starts by asking the hard questions about what you don't have and need, not what looks good.

You definitely want to make sure the people you pull on board are in it for the long haul and know how to be amazing team players. Think strategically about how the roles will fit together so that you can not only optimize for the hire, but also optimize for the business. 

If you are having trouble finding someone to fit a role, go ahead and ask other people who they are working with and who they know that might do what you are looking for. Sometimes those job search engines get flooded and it’s hard to weed out the best in a sea of people. What better way to get what you are looking for than going straight to a source. Old school practices are still the best way to go in my opinion for certain things.

Once you have your team in place, be transparent and express your needs effectively. Being transparent with your team and communicating your needs allows  you to refocus your priorities as they take on responsibilities that you no longer need to worry about.

And most importantly, don’t forget to show your team that you value them!

Map Out Your Long Term Plan And Vision

When you first decided to get your business rolling, I’m sure you had a vision of what it would be and where you wanted it to go. However, have you really looked at your vision in the long-term? A long-term business vision helps you decide whether your actions help to propel your organization closer to its ultimate goals, has no impact (good or bad) on the future of your business, or benefits the business just for one day, impeding the ability to achieve long-term goals.

Obviously, you want your actions to be moving you forward to the reward of hitting all those goals. A great way to get there is by mapping out your long term plan. A strategic road map is a visualization of what actions are needed to help your company achieve its long-term goals for success.  A well-designed strategic road map is like a GPS for your business. It not only tells you where you are and the quickest way to get to your destination, it can even shorten the route as less time is wasted with team members trying to figure out things on the go.

You’re  in it for the long-haul, so you want to understand how your action plan moves you towards your long-term vision for your business growth.⁠⁠

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Continually Create And Improve SOP’s For Growth

SOPs should be ever-evolving! You should be revisiting these documents often to make sure they're still relevant and up-to-date.⁠⁠ Always keep in mind when updating and creating new SOP’s on how they can help train your current and future team. 

I know SOPs seem boring, but you know what’s more boring?  Sitting with a new employee and trying to explain to them something that you can do in your sleep.  Or answering simple questions over and over again when it can be written down and referenced in an SOP.

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Take the time to step back and evaluate your business so you won’t have to do it at a more crucial time.  I swear, it will be worth it!