Why your Business will Never Thrive Without Systems and Processes

As a business owner, have you ever felt like you’re constantly trying to keep up with the demands of your business? Do you find yourself overwhelmed, stressed, and on the edge of burnout? Trust me, I’ve been there too. But here’s the thing: there’s a secret sauce to success that can transform your business and bring back the joy and sanity you’ve been craving. It’s called systems and processes.

You see, systems and processes are not just trendy management words; they are the invisible hands that keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes. And if you’re not incorporating them into your business, well, it’s time to wake up and do it!

When we run our businesses & lives as if we have to reinvent the wheel every day, we can burn out really fast – or at least end up so overwhelmed & stressed that our body sends us signs. Ignoring those will make our body shut us down sooner or later. Whether it’s a cold, an injury, or anxiety – our body knows when things aren’t going smoothly and sets up an alarm system.

Instead of waiting for that alarm to go off, why not create a well-oiled machine that anticipates problems before they arise?

By implementing systems and processes tailored to your business and way of operating, you can reclaim control, and set yourself up for success.

Now, I know what you might be thinking. Why do I need systems and processes if I only have a small business? Can’t I just go with the flow and handle things as they come? Well, my friend, that’s a recipe for disaster. Without systems and processes, you’re essentially flying blind, relying on luck to keep your business afloat. And trust me, luck has a funny way of running out when you need it the most.

In this blog post, we’re going to dive deep into the importance of systems and processes in your business. We’ll explore where in your business these systems and processes are needed, when is time to implement them, and I will let you know exactly which tools you will need and where to find them!

Systems vs Processes

First of all, let’s talk about the difference between systems vs processes as these terms are often used interchangeably, but they actually refer to different components that work together harmoniously.

Systems are the overall structure and organization that keeps everything running smoothly in your business. Imagine it as the big picture that sets the direction for your entire operation. Business Systems bring together different processes and components, creating a framework that ensures everything works together seamlessly.

Processes, on the other hand, are the specific, step-by-step procedures and actions that take place within a system. Business processes can be documented workflows, standard operating procedures (SOPs), checklists, or any other method that outlines the specific actions required to complete a task or achieve a desired result. They provide operational guidelines and instructions that ensure tasks are carried out efficiently and consistently.

In essence, systems define the overall structure and strategic direction of your business, while processes outline the detailed steps and actions necessary to implement that structure effectively.

Why are Systems and Processes important?

Without a solid foundation of systems and processes in your business, you’re setting yourself up for unnecessary stress, mistakes, and missed opportunities. So, why do you need systems and processes in your business? Let me break it down for you.

 

• Systems and processes help business owners to bring the necessary structure into their business which will also help them to gain more freedom.
• Systems and processes can be a part of automatisation, but don’t have to be
• There is always an upfront time & energy (or financial) investment needed to build systems, but when choosing the right ones, will help to save a lot of energy & time in the long-term (=goal)
• Without systems and processes, the risk of making mistakes or letting things slip through is getting bigger, the more your business grows
  The risk for burnout, overwhelm, stress & anxiety is increasing just as much
• Systems and processes help you to get rid of the “I have to remember xyz”, so it creates more space in your mind for other things.

Where in your business are systems and processes primarily needed?

Depending on your type of business, these areas in your business are a good starting point (in no particular order):

• Goal Setting, Planning, Strategic Growth
• Lead Generation, CRM, Sales
• Customer Service, Onboarding, etc.
• Financial Planning, Payroll, Accounting, etc.
• Content Creation, Content Planning & Scheduling
• Marketing & Advertisement
• Team Structure, Team Goals, Hiring & Training of new employees

There are other / more areas that can be systematised, but these are the most important to start with.

When is it time to build systems?

You need to start building systems when any of the 4 indicators listed below are valid for you.

Think of which area in your business ( or life ) could need the most support right now.
These are the indicators:

CONSISTING REVENUE

Depending on your business this can vary a bit:

1| For any e-commerce, SaaS, productised services, or other product-based businesses, Systems are inevitable to start with.

2| For Service-Businesses a first good indication that it’s time to create systems is, when you had the first 3 months of consistent revenue of 3-5x of your highest program/item you sell.

The reason is, that you need time & energy plus the financial foundation to implement systems.

WHEN YOU HIRE A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT FOR THE FIRST TIME

If you have hired your first team member or VA then it is time to think about creating some workflows. Not only for yourself but your new team member will appreciate following a workflow rather than spending a lot of time each and every time they repeat a task thinking about how they did it last time

IF YOU ARE BOOKED OUT

If you are a service-based business and you are booked out, then that’s the perfect time to

a) think about raising your prices and

b) taking time to implement systems & processes before taking on the next client.

Create some space before booking yourself out again and start to implement workflows & systems step by step.

GETTING OVERWHELMED

Feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or simply can’t keep up with handling all the ins and outs of your business? No matter how far you’ve come, even if you just started out, create simple systems and solutions to support yourself, taking care of the most overwhelming things such as booking calls, planning tasks, etc.

What tools do you need & How to find them?

Let’s take a look at the different tasks involved in your business and explore the different tools you’ll need to carry out each one successfully.

Goal Setting, Planning, Project Management, etc.

• Google Calendar, Calendar Notebook, or any Calendar app
• Trello, ClickUp, Asana, Monday, or similar
• Goal Planner, Productivity Planner, etc.

Content Creation, Social Media Scheduling

• Canva, AdobeSpark etc.
  Buffer, SocialBee, MeetEdgar, etc.
• Trello, Asana, ClickUp etc. (for a content database)

Financial Planning, Payroll, etc.

• Deel, Gusto, Pilot, PapayaGlobal etc
• Wave, Quickbooks.

Depending on the features you need & the countries you need to be covered

Hiring, Onboarding & Training

• Trainual, ChiefOnboarding, Evernote, Note
• Trello, ClickUp, Asana, Monday, or similar (they are quite versatile)
• Goal Planner, Productivity Planner, etc

Lead Gen, Sales, CRM, etc.

• 17hats, HoneyBooks, Dubsado, Bonsai, etc.
• Pipedrive, Freshsales
• Trello, Asana, ClickUp, etc

Depending on your needs, features you like to include, and budget

Marketing, Advertisement, etc.

• Trello, Asana, etc.
• Monday.com, CoSchedule, Hubspot, etc.
• TeamWork, ClickUp

So by now, you have learned why it is important to have systems and processes in your business (and your life) when you need to create them, and the tools that you might require for it.

If you would like to learn more about taking action and creating the systems and processes step by step, and how to implement those systems without losing your mind, download my Systems 101 – Starters Guide here!

If you have any questions or would like to add more information on this topic, feel free to drop a comment below, would love to hear your thoughts!

Are you ready to implement systems and processes in your business?