Systems Simplified

Jay Bartot is the Co-founder and CEO of Zeitworks, an AI-powered business process intelligence platform that provides enterprises with the data-driven insights and tools they need to improve and transform their business process operations continuously. Zeitworks uses advanced machine learning and other technology to automatically discover and measure business processes to help unlock broken processes, identify bottlenecks, and make teams happier and more efficient.

Jay has over 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur and innovator. He has experience developing data and machine learning applications for a variety of verticals, including e-commerce, online advertising, travel, medical informatics, and consumer video creation.

How can you use data to improve your business processes? Can data improve your team's productivity and overall company performance?

If you have many business systems and processes, it can be challenging to measure and evaluate their efficiency over time. It can also be difficult to identify variances in behavior and productivity across your team. The solution, according to Jay Bartot, lies in data analysis. Data helps to provide transparency throughout your organization and also helps you identify your best performers, fix deviations, and ensure continuous process improvement.

In this episode of the Systems Simplified podcast, Adi Klevit interviews Jay Bartot, the Co-founder and CEO of Zeitworks, about the relationship between data, analytics, and processes. Jay discusses the benefits of continuous process improvement, explains how to determine the usefulness of the data you generate, and talks about using data analytics to improve business processes.

Hilary Key is the Founder, President, and CEO of Art Steps, a school that teaches thousands of students classical, realistic drawing and painting skills. In 2020, with the sudden onset of the quarantine, Art Steps Online was born. She has been in business for 22 years and owns three Art Steps locations in Orange County, California.

Before Art Steps opened its oft-requested third location, Hilary's dream of forming a non-profit organization became a reality, and she started Bright Artists in 2015. After attending Fullerton College and the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts, Hilary received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis on conceptual and abstract painting and performance art in 1998 from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Can you use systems and processes to avoid chaos? Can systems and processes create order in your business?

According to Hilary Key, a business is an organization made up of people and systems. It is critical that you keep it organized in order to grow and thrive. Systems and processes create order, prevent chaos, and drive success. Hilary's advice is to start by using simple strategies like checklists and begin to develop a culture of accountability. She successfully implemented these types of strategies to scale her own business.

In this episode of the Systems Simplified podcast, Adi Klevit interviews Hilary Key, the Founder, President, and CEO of Art Steps, about the systems and processes she used to scale and diversify her business. Hilary explains why systems are important to creatives, shares her tips for ensuring that systems are followed, and talks about her future business plans.

Cameron Bell is a Partner at Fairmont Capital Partners, a lower-market private equity firm focusing on tech-enabled B2B companies with revenues between $1 million and $30 million. They work with founder and family-owned businesses to help them build, grow, and exit through strategic partnerships and capital structuring. As a serial entrepreneur and investor, Cameron's first business was a bootstrapped SaaS startup, one of his former businesses was awarded Startup of the Year in 2020, and he was also a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year in 2020.

If you want to sell and exit your company, what can you do to make it attractive to private equity firms? How can you increase your company's valuation?

As your business grows, there are a number of metrics you can look at to determine whether or not the business is profitable enough to entice investors. These factors include a strong customer base, solid profits, and efficient systems and processes. Evaluating those aspects can be beneficial in taking your business to the next level and determining if you can sell your company or acquire private equity funding to scale your business.

Cameron Bell, a Partner at Fairmont Capital Partners, joins Adi Klevit in this episode of the Systems Simplified podcast to discuss the systems and processes for identifying investment-worthy companies. Cameron talks about his firm's ideal clients, the systems they implement in a new business, and the biggest challenge they face working with founder-owned companies.

Mike Krass is the Owner and Founder of MKG Marketing, the world's premier marketing agency for cybersecurity vendors. He focuses on helping businesses grow their sales pipeline through SEO, digital ads, and analytic programs. Mike founded MKG Marketing in 2011. He embraces a people-first philosophy, promotes strong work-life integration, and holds his employees and clients accountable.

Should you document all your business processes and procedures? Which criteria can you use to evaluate the need to create a system or standard operating procedure (SOP)?

Mike Krass faced challenges running his business when his team grew to five employees. He realized that he needed well-documented systems and processes to ensure that his clients received consistent service. Using three key questions to decide which processes to document, Mike helped to improve his team's productivity and quality of work. He joins Adi Klevit to share his insights.

In this episode of the Systems Simplified podcast, Adi Klevit is joined by Mike Krass, the Owner and Founder of MKG Marketing, to discuss how to know which processes and procedures to document. They also discuss the benefits of documenting systems and the value of regular reviews of documented processes.

Jerry Fetta is the Co-founder and CEO of Wealth DynamX, a full-service, national, cloud-based wealth creation firm. He helps thousands of clients across the US build wealth. His passion is to provide financial education to families and individuals so they can become solvent and achieve greater financial freedom. Jerry is also the author of The Blueprint To Financial Freedom.

Many people start a business with the goal of gaining financial freedom. To achieve that, you need systems and processes to build business freedom, which translates into financial freedom. What does this entail?

To gain financial literacy and find a clear pathway to financial freedom, Jerry Fetta studied and learned from the most successful investors. Through this process, he devised a sequence of actions that investors can use to achieve financial independence, keep their finances organized, and grow their wealth. He now advises business owners looking for financial freedom to start with their end goal in mind. Jerry joins us today to share his insights.

In this episode of the Systems Simplified podcast, Adi Klevit interviews Jerry Fetta, the Founder and CEO of Wealth DynamX, about systems and strategies for achieving financial freedom. Jerry talks about his blueprint for building financial independence, tips for reducing debt and taxes payable, and shares a case study from one of his clients.

Robert Delavan is the Founder of Delavan Realty Inc., a real estate brokerage company, and Delavan Property Management Inc., a property management company for residential, commercial, and industrial properties throughout the Portland area. Through his 15 years of experience in finance, real estate management, and investments, Robert is able to analyze the value of every potential real estate transaction. He is committed to providing hands-on service with the ability to foresee expensive pitfalls and management issues when analyzing a property. Robert is also the Founder of Delavan Contracting Services, ROI Tax, ROI Marketing, and Admin by Design.

Building a successful business requires moving many pieces, from finding customers, dealing with contractors, and handling finances, to managing employees. What drives excellence is how well you execute all these processes.

When Robert Delavan started his own company, he focused on creating standard operating procedures and hiring employees with the right mindset for success. Over time, he helped develop his employees' talents to add more value to his business. He also perfected existing processes on a continuous basis to improve his company's level of efficiency and to scale.

In this episode of the Systems Simplified podcast, Adi Klevit is joined by Robert Delavan, the Founder of Delavan Realty Inc. and Delavan Property Management Inc., to discuss how to use processes to scale a business. They also talk about the right mentality for success, the need for standard operating procedures, and the benefits of continuous process improvement. Stay tuned!

Wendy Lieber is the Co-founder and CEO of ContentBacon, an inbound marketing company that helps build brands that people know, like, and trust. ContentBacon's client intake process helps them learn about their clients' industry, customers, prospects, opportunities, and brand personality to develop unique content to create more awareness and grow their businesses. Wendy is also a board member of the Entrepreneurs' Organization.

To grow and scale your business, you need customers. Lead generation is critical in building an audience interested in what you have to offer, and when done correctly, it can produce tremendous ROI for your business.

Content marketing is a great way to grow an audience and keep them engaged. There are many channels companies can leverage to attract and communicate with their audience, share their unique story, and help differentiate their brand from other players in the industry. However, it is essential that you identify your ideal customers, understand their needs, and provide products that meet those needs. Wendy Lieber, an experienced content strategist, explains that an efficient content strategy consists of scalable processes and systems that others can learn from and replicate to achieve growth. So how can you create an effective content strategy?

Wendy Lieber, the Co-founder and CEO of ContentBacon, joins Adi Klevit in this episode of the Systems Simplified podcast to talk about systems and processes for creating an efficient content strategy. Wendy discusses tips for growing an audience, creating and sharing content on various platforms, and working with a content management company.

Ryan Redding is a business consultant, marketing strategist, and the Founder and CEO of DP Marketing Services, a full-service agency specializing in websites, SEO, PPC, social media, and reputation management for tier-two businesses. DP Marketing Services provides digital marketing solutions for HVAC, plumbing, and other home services companies so they can produce quality leads and generate higher profits.

Ryan has experience working in multiple industries and market sectors. He is the Owner of Hippie Cow, LLC, a web design and SEO agency for small businesses. He was previously the Acting Director of the Center for Technology Commercialization at Oklahoma State University and is the host of the Blue Collar CEO podcast.

What does it take to have an effective marketing strategy? If you don't have your operations systems in place, marketing won't be an adequate driver for more business. What do you need to know to make sure you're optimizing your marketing strategy?

Having spent many years in the marketing profession, Ryan Redding knows that operations are the key drivers of ROI. All functions of a company have to work together in a system for the business to thrive. Marketing can create awareness and drive leads, but your company's operations must convert those leads into paying customers. All the marketing your company does will only make a difference if you have the proper system in place to handle those leads.

In this episode of the Systems Simplified podcast, Adi Klevit interviews Ryan Redding, the Founder and CEO of DP Marketing Services, to talk about the five most common marketing myths and why having the proper operations system in place is vital. Ryan explains why marketing does not solve all business problems, why the human element is essential when creating a marketing strategy, and how marketing is a systemized process where many components work together.

Julia Barbaro is a Certified Life and Marriage Coach. After witnessing the power of coaching, she was inspired to give back and help others. As a married mother of six home-schooled children, Julia has the tools to motivate couples and their families to set goals, seek out their soul purpose, and envision what they want out of life.

To teach children decision-making skills and about the different paths they can take in life, Julia authored two children's books, The Cannolis Exploded! and A Gelato Blast! She hosts The Julia & Gino Show with her husband, where they discuss marriage, family, and business. She is also an integral part of the operation of her husband Gino's business ventures, including Jake & Gino and the Rand family of companies.

What does it take to create a happy and successful life? How can you overcome worry, know what's important, and create a balanced life that works well for you?

Married for 24 years with six children, a coaching career, and as a businesswoman, Julia Barbaro knows that life comes with its challenges. Success and happiness come from learning how to handle the various obstacles that come up daily in both your personal and professional life. When this happens, Julia starts by defining her core values and goals and then determining what is most important to her. In her business life, she happily works alongside her husband by understanding that there is no competition between them. They focus on their strengths, stay in their lanes, and help each other with their weaknesses. As a coach, Julia advises people to take one step at a time without worrying about doing everything at once. She also encourages people to take responsibility, be kind to each other, and surround themselves with positive and encouraging people.

In this episode of the Systems Simplified podcast, Adi Klevit is joined by Julia Barbaro, a Certified Life and Marriage Coach, to talk about how to create a happy and successful life. Julia discusses the systems she implemented to balance her life, overcome worry and her fear of public speaking, and her tips for working with your spouse.

Midori Verity is the CEO of Fuel to Fire, an invite-only accountability group for driven female entrepreneurs and leaders focused on big goals. As a serial entrepreneur with three decades of vetted experience, Midori knows what it takes to start, grow, and rapidly scale a business with ease.

Are you struggling to do everything inside your business? Are you feeling burned out? How can you stay afloat and reach your goals?

As an experienced entrepreneur, mentor, and coach, Midori Verity knows that the secret is to start by staying in your zone of genius. Figure out what you excel at, what you love to do, focus on your talents, and delegate the rest to others so you can stay laser-focused on your goals. Building a business that aligns with your personal mission statement and core values helps you and your employees remain clear on where the company is going. Creating an efficient system and framework will guide and accelerate you towards your objectives. Midori says that by adding an accountability group of like-minded people to your repertoire, you will get the extra support you need to elevate your business and get the results your want.

In this episode of the Systems Simplified podcast, Adi Klevit is joined by Midori Verity, the CEO of Fuel to Fire, to discuss how accountability groups help entrepreneurs scale their businesses. Midori talks about the challenges she faced building her first company, the components of a personal mission statement, and the value and many benefits of accountability groups.