AMA: Where Do I Need Systems in My Business?

Episode 59 transcript: AMA: Where Do I Need Systems in my Business?

Hey there, and welcome to episode 59 of your fun and profitable online business. This is the podcast that helps you build a business that feels as good as it looks, with simple systems and ideas that actually make your life easier. I’m Wendy Muzzy, a certified money coach, online business strategist, and I help women entrepreneurs create fun and profitable online businesses that are built with systems and designed for joy, without over-complicating everything behind the scenes. Today, we’re on our very first Ask Me Anything question, which I’m so excited about. They didn’t leave their name, so we’re just going to roll with it. But the question is, how do I figure out where I need systems? And I love this question because most people just think they need more. But what they actually need is the right system in the right place. So today, we’re going to break this down really simple in a practical way that you can walk away knowing exactly where to put your focus. All right, let’s get to it. Now, I want to be clear here. You don’t need systems all the time in all the places. And you don’t need to spend a month systematizing everything that you can possibly think of. We’re not talking about complicated air table bases. And we’re not talking about a dashboard for every project you start. Unless that really lights you up. In which case, let’s talk. I’m totally in that camp. But for most women I talk to, systems have started to feel like another thing to build. or another thing to figure out or another way to get more distant from their people or another place they’re doing it wrong. And that’s not the point, not at all. Systems are not about doing it right. I use air quotes as I say that. They’re about reducing friction. That’s it. That’s the whole game here. A system is simply something that makes repeated action easier for you. That’s the definition I want you to hold on to. Not overcomplicated, Not tech-heavy, not overwhelming. Just, does this make it easier the next time I do it? Because without a system, you end up in what I call decision fatigue loop. You sit down to work and think, what should I do today? Where did I put that thing last? How do I do this? What did I do last time? And it makes it feel really, really hard. Suddenly, we’ve spent 30 minutes thinking instead of moving. And that’s the part that makes business sometimes feel really heavy. It’s not the work itself. It’s the friction around the work. Okay, so now that we’ve talked about what systems are and we’re on the same page, I want to make this really practical. Now, if you’re wondering where you need systems, here’s exactly how to figure it out. Step one, look for friction. We’re not talking failure, just friction. This is the biggest shift. You’re not looking for what’s broken. You’re looking for what feels annoying. Where do you hesitate? Where do you procrastinate? Where do you think, I just don’t feel like doing this today? That’s your clue. Let me give you a real word example. Podcasting for me. No, it’s not this part of it, the recording, but it was the setup. We live in a small house. It’s not technically tiny, but it definitely keeps us honest about our space. And every time I wanted to record, it involved getting the microphone, setting it up, adjusting it, all before I began even talking. Now, it wasn’t hard, but it was just enough friction for me to put it off. So instead of trying to be more disciplined and just making it happen, we change the system. We attach the microphone to a chair with a few pieces of equipment. Super easy. I don’t have to go hunt it down. I don’t have to go find it. I just have to just plug it in, sit down and plug it in. Super, super easy. And now it’s always ready. There’s no setup. There’s no extra steps. And recording is really easy. I love this part of it. Step two, ask yourself, what would make this easier next time? That’s the question. It’s not what tool should you use? What tech should you get? What is everyone else doing? No, it’s just what would make this easier for me next time? Second example, laundry. Now, I don’t do laundry often, but when I did, here’s how it always play out. I’d start a load, I’d put the laundry detergent, everything would be great, but then I’d forget to move it to the dryer every single time. And if you’ve ever smelled forgotten laundry, you know, that’s not the vibe anyone wants. So I had a few options. I thought through I could set an alarm, or I could buy a clean and dirty sign for the door, or I could check certain times of the day if there was laundry in there. But the solution we laid it on, super simple. The washroom light is on, there’s laundry in the washer. That’s it. Our laundry room is right in the middle of the house. So everyone knew what it meant. They’d walk past it. Okay, there’s laundry that needs to put in the dryer. Now we’ve been using the system for years now and a second load of laundry hasn’t been needed since. It’s been amazing. Step three, focus on your repeated actions. Now, systems are most valuable when something happens regularly, whether it’s daily, weekly, or monthly. If you’re doing something every once in a while, you probably don’t need to think about a system there. They shine in places where you do it over and over again. This could be content creation, maybe client onboarding, sending your weekly newsletter, or just time working on your business, what we call CEO hour around here.Anywhere you’re repeating yourself, there’s an opportunity for a system. Step four, maybe this is more of a tip, but let’s call it step four. Keep it simple. Seriously, keep it super simple. It does not need to be fancy. Some of the best systems my clients have involve sticky notes or checklist or templates or just default decisions they make in those friction points. The goal here is ease, not impressiveness. Step five, build as you go. Now, what I mean by this is we’re not building everything all at once. People are very surprised when I tell them, you don’t need to create these 16 systems today. They need to create them as the friction or their problem shows up. That’s the difference here. You’re not building a whole systems library. You’re solving real life things in real time. Now imagine this for a second. You sit down to work on Monday morning. Instead of thinking, what should I do today? You already know. Instead of wondering, where’s that thing? You can instantly find it. And instead of thinking, I just don’t really want to do this. It just feels easier to start. That’s what systems give you. Not rigidity, not structure for the sake of structure, not distance from your people, but space. More energy, more momentum, more follow-through. And honestly, a whole lot more fun. Because when things are easier, you actually want to do them. You want to make them happen. You want to see them grow. You’re not spinning. You’re grounded and moving forward. All right, here’s your action step for this week. I want you to identify one point of friction in your business, just one, and ask yourself, what would make this easier next time? Then implement the simplest possible solution. Not the perfect one. You can always revise it later. I want you to pick the simplest one and make it happen. All right. Today we talked about what systems actually are, which is something that makes repeated action easier. How to identify where you need them. Look for those friction points or those annoyance points. And how to create them in a way that actually supports you and what you need. Remember, you don’t need a ton of systems. You just need the right ones and the right places that matter. This episode got your wheels turning. I’d love to invite you to join us at CEO Hour. It’s my free weekly coworking space where you can actually implement the things we talk about on here. You can go sign up at wendymuzzy.com/CEO. And if you have a question you’d love for me to answer in the podcast, go submit it at wendymuzzy.com/ask. And who knows, you might be featured on the next episode. All right, until next time, happy setting up your systems.