Scaling Made Simple: How Smart Systemization Can Transform Your Business
Scaling Made Simple: How Smart Systemization Can Transform Your Business
In running a small business, it’s easy to get bogged down in the details, focusing on day-to-day tasks rather than building something scalable. But the truth is, scale comes from getting organized, creating efficient processes, and keeping things clear for everyone involved. This article covers simple, powerful ways to start building a systemized business. These approaches aren't just for big companies—they’re for business owners who want to grow smarter and stop relying on their own presence to get things done.
Let’s go through each lesson so you can start implementing them right away.
Positive Constraints: Commit to Forced Action
Ever struggle to get everything done? It happens. But what if you could create conditions that force you to complete tasks that help grow your business? That’s exactly what “positive constraints” do—they set up situations where you’re held accountable and compelled to follow through.
One example: hosting a workshop or conference where attendees expect high-quality material. With the pressure of a committed audience, you’re forced to show up fully prepared. I experienced this firsthand when organizing a business systems summit. I set up the event with 30 industry experts who shared their processes for everything from sales to HR. This wasn’t just about learning for me but committing to organizing and showcasing real, actionable systems for business growth.
The Takeaway: As a small business owner, look for opportunities to create positive constraints that motivate action. Whether it’s a live presentation, sharing a new product demo, or even setting a launch date for your latest service—these small pressures can drive big outcomes.
Document and Deploy: Create Swipeable Systems
Every business has systems, whether they’re documented or not. Systems are just collections of processes—your process for onboarding clients, your routine for checking inventory, or your way of answering inquiries. Yet, many small business owners fail to document these methods. Without clear systems, you become the business’s only point of knowledge, meaning everything depends on you.
The summit I organized involved experts who documented their own business systems. This way, attendees didn’t just hear about effective processes; they received a set of 40 documented systems they could adapt and implement. You don’t have to create something new from scratch—just start documenting what you already do. With even a simple, written outline, anyone on your team can learn and follow your methods.
The Takeaway: Start with one or two critical processes in your business and write them down. Keep it simple. Bullet points and brief descriptions are enough to get started. As your business grows, so will these systems. Over time, you can refine them, but you must have them to scale successfully.
Two Roles for System Success: Knowledge Worker and Extractor
Building a system involves two types of people: the knowledge worker and the extractor. The knowledge worker is the person who performs the task and knows it well, while the extractor captures and documents the steps, creating an instructional resource. This pairing is essential because asking a knowledge worker to both perform and document their tasks often leads to poor results—they’re busy and may not think like an outsider.
For instance, we used GoPros and mobile recordings to capture fieldwork at a company cleaning gutters. This let us see the exact steps workers took in real time. An extractor can then watch this footage, document the process, and refine it with additional questions to clarify any steps. This approach leads to accurate, clear documentation without adding extra work for your team.
The Takeaway: Delegate documentation to an extractor who can observe and document a knowledge worker’s actions. This simple method allows you to capture detailed processes without overwhelming your team.
Keep It Simple: Start with Bullet Points, Refine Over Time
Documentation doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, starting with simple bullet points will often yield the best results. When we built our systems, we realized that the initial version didn’t need to be perfect—it just needed to cover the basics. Over time, as the system was used, we refined it. Each iteration captured more detail, questions were answered, and tasks became more predictable.
For example, we started with a simple outline of our invoicing system, listing just the basic steps. When a new team member tried it, any confusion they encountered prompted adjustments. Eventually, we added more depth, but only as necessary.
The Takeaway: Start small with your documentation. Don’t aim for perfection on the first try. Instead, focus on a usable draft that gets refined through practice.
Use the Right Tools: Capture and Record
Recording is essential. Whether you use screen-capture software, a mobile phone, or a digital camera, make it easy to capture each task in real-time. Screen-capture tools are particularly helpful for documenting digital processes like client communications or invoicing.
At our business, we use various tools to capture processes. Programs like Zoom, Snagit, and GoPro record tasks for later documentation. By simply watching a process, an extractor can record necessary steps and clarify the process with the knowledge worker.
The Takeaway: Find a simple, reliable tool that works for your team and record essential processes as they happen. Then, use these recordings as the foundation of your documentation.
The Power of Versioning: Evolve Systems Through Use
A system doesn’t have to be perfect on its first pass. In fact, creating too-detailed instructions too early can waste time, as initial processes often change. Instead, start with a basic version and evolve it as team members use and refine it.
For instance, after we wrote a system for handling customer inquiries, we tested it. When team members encountered issues or had questions, we updated the system to account for these challenges. This evolution strengthened the system, making it resilient, clear, and much easier to follow.
The Takeaway: Treat each system as a living document. Let it evolve naturally with feedback and experience to improve it over time.
Creating Accountability: Avoid Single Person Dependency
In small businesses, it’s common for critical knowledge to reside with one person, often the owner. This dependency becomes risky if the key person isn’t available. To avoid single-person dependency, assign two people to every system: the primary owner (the knowledge worker) and a secondary owner.
To test this, we ask a second team member to run through each documented system. If they struggle, it indicates gaps, and the primary owner updates the process. By ensuring two people can perform each task, we safeguard the business’s continuity.
The Takeaway: Assign a secondary person to learn each system. This reduces dependency on one person and makes it easier to delegate tasks when necessary.
Think Long-Term: Building Resilient Systems
A business without systems will struggle to scale. Systems free up time, let you focus on higher-level tasks, and make it easier to bring in help. System-building isn’t just a big-company approach; it’s a practical method for any small business looking to grow and operate efficiently.
From documenting tasks to refining systems, each step frees you from daily operations and gives you a resilient, scalable business structure. It might take some time, but each documented system brings you closer to a business that runs efficiently, consistently, and without your constant oversight.
Final Thought: Start Simple, but Start Now
Systems may seem complex, but starting small will take you further than you think. Begin with bullet points and simple checklists. Use tools to capture real-time actions. Delegate documentation to an extractor. Test each system with a secondary owner. Each step will bring your business closer to a scalable, resilient future.
For small business owners and solopreneurs, systematizing processes isn’t just about organization—it’s about building a business that can grow beyond you, one that can operate smoothly, scale effortlessly, and give you back the time to lead and innovate.
