The Ops Authority

It’s difficult to thrive when you feel inefficient and overwhelmed. That’s where systems come in. But what does a system look like? How can it help you grow and scale your business?

In this episode, we’re going behind the scenes of my business. My right-hand operations superstar Esther Littlefield shares what systems we have in place, what steps make up those systems, and how systems can fail. 

If you consistently perform the same tasks over and over, it’s time to get those tasks into a system. Let’s get started in systemizing your business so you can grow your business and increase your profits. 

  Esther’s Role within The Ops Authority Business

Esther and I have worked together for several years, and she manages and implements many things in my business. She leads Morningstar Media Services, a business that focuses on launching and maintaining podcasts. However, she started as my VA. Esther is my person and is truly an extension of me.

  All About Systems What a System Is

A system is a group of things that are all working together to accomplish one particular outcome. A system involves multiple people, steps, and processes to get one objective accomplished.

We’re not talking about tech tools here; we’re talking about step-by-step workflows, procedures, and processes. 

Why You Need Business Systems In Order to Scale

Your business started with a passion, and you were likely doing everything. Over time, you may start to feel tired, and you need systems for the repeatable tasks in your business. This also allows you to start delegating some of your processes and focusing on what you do best.

Systems allow you to step out of the day-to-day operations and into a leadership role, where you can pursue your vision.

  Why CEOs Delay Creating Systems

The big drawback is that creating systems takes extra time on the front end. You also may think, “No one can take this over. I’ll always do this thing.” So you don’t create a system.

CEOs also fear outsourcing. Handing tasks over to someone else takes trust.

  Behind the Scenes of The Ops Authority’s Systems

Esther and I chat about the systems that we have within my business. Here are some of the things we have systems for inside The Ops Authority:

• Content (blog, podcast, social media, sending weekly emails)
• Lead generation
• Growing my email list
• Launch Plans
• SOPs

If your business has an online presence, your business is dependent on content and marketing. Help yourself by creating a system about the way you deliver content. 

One of Our Systems: Blog Posts

1. I have a writer, Abby from Write Solutions, who writes my blog posts.
   • She gathers information, writes the content, then attaches the written blog post to our Trello card.
2. Esther creates + uploads.
   • Esther’s team creates the graphics and also uploads, formats, and schedules the post in WordPress.
   • Esther’s team schedules the social media posts.
3. Abby writes the corresponding email about the blog post and gets that content to Esther, who distributes it to my email list.

This process seems like a few short steps, but it takes up considerable time.

We use Trello, which tracks the entire workflow for every blog post. The blogpost card has a checklist for every phase. We also use Voxer to ask and answer questions and to communicate changes. 

Remember that we can create systems, but sometimes people run late or miss a deadline. It’s very important to have a good project manager who you know and trust who can keep the system moving. 

 

Weaknesses in the Process

If one early step falls behind, the rest of the process is at risk for missing the pre-established deadlines. People also go on vacation or get sick. One person missing out on their work can cause a breakdown in the plan. The solution? Work ahead by batching the work you do. 

Next, we talk about another system that we have in place inside The Ops Authority: this podcast! Esther’s team manages this process, so she shares

  Esther’s Podcast Production System

This is a high-level overview of the 7-8 phases of a podcast production process. This example is for someone who wants to make podcasting their primary content marketing arm of their business.

 

1. Create audio (scheduled, prepped, recorded, edited)
2. Write copy (show notes, blog post or summary, social media)
3. Create graphics
4. Upload recording to the podcast host (example: Libsyn)
5. Upload recording to WordPress
6. Schedule and promote social media content
7. Follow-up with guests (if you have an interview show)
8. Optional: If you have an interview show, you may need an admin to handle a lot of the scheduling pre-interview and to deal with the communication with the guests.

Each of these phases in the system have multiple steps within them. Most of Esther’s podcasts that she manages have 60-70 items on the Trello checklist for each episode.

 

How to Create Your System if You Don’t Have a Team

Not everyone has a team, but you can still create a system for the repeatable processes in your business. Spend time writing down what you want your systems to look like. 

Also, you can grab this free podcast workflow checklist Esther created for you if you need help getting your podcast process organized. 

Start with a checklist of what is involved, and then save up so you can have people support you.

You can do hard things, but doing repeatable tasks prevents you from leading your business and reaching your vision.

Esther reminded us that if you don’t have someone to manage a process for you, you are the manager of that process. Keep in mind that you need to set aside time to manage whatever systems you have in place.

 

Another System: Launch Plans

I have two programs I launch: A-Team Accelerator and the Director of Operations Certification Program. Instead of re-inventing the wheel every time, Esther and I have a repeatable launch plan process. 

Esther sets up a Trello board outlining what is included in each launch. Then she makes a copy of that board for future launches. After a launch, Esther and I reflect on what worked and what didn’t. Esther has the Trello boards organized by what tasks must happen four weeks out, three weeks out, etc.

Are You Ready to Scale Your Business?

Join the waitlist for the A-Team program, which is perfect for female entrepreneurs who are ready to work with more ease and get systems in place in their own businesses.

 

Key Quotes from the Episode:

• “When you’re ready to have a true partner in business, they will feel like family.” - Natalie Gingrich
• “A ‘system’ in business has multiple steps, multiple people, multiple deadlines that come together to create the final outcome.” - Natalie Gingrich
• “When you start to see repeatable tasks in your business, that’s the perfect time to start putting systems in place.”  - Natalie Gingrich
• “For any process in your business, it’s important to take the time to sit down and document the process as you would like it to take place.” - Esther Littlefield
• “The theme for creating a system is that it’s repeatable and you’re going to outsource pieces of it.”  - Natalie Gingrich
• “We can dream of a complete book of SOPs but start with the tasks you repetitively do in your business and the processes that have multiple hands in them.” - Natalie Gingrich

 

Weekly Ops Activity

Take a content process and make an itemized system. Bonus points if you put your new system into your favorite project management tool. 

 

Previous Episodes Mentioned

• Episode 7: Behind the Scenes with Boss Mom with Dana Malstaff and Amy Lockrin
• Episode 8: Three Productivity Hacks You Haven’t Thought Of 
• Episode 9: How to Find the Right Project Management Tool with Cadri Cunningham

 

Connect with Esther Littlefield

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram

 

Esther Littlefield is the founder and CEO of Morningstar Media Services. At Morningstar Media, she serves business owners with their content management and marketing, specializing in podcast management. In addition, Esther is also a writer at EstherLittlefield.com and host of the Christian Woman Leadership Podcast.

Never satisfied to do just ONE thing, she stays busy as a wife, mom, and entrepreneur. Esther uses her passion for details to help her clients reach their goals and shine online. 

Esther combines her background as a social worker, network marketer, and blogger to help others achieve their goals in their business. As a task-oriented perfectionist, she’s able to break down all the little details to accomplish a project. Most importantly, her desire is to help others achieve their dreams, and she will work hard to help make that happen.

Connect with Me:

• Website
• Private Facebook Community
• Facebook Page
• Instagram

This episode was originally published on theopsauthority.com/podcast/11

Do you feel sluggish in your day-to-day work life? Are you curious if you use your time wisely? Are you ready to run a more profitable business? Every small business owner has limited time and desires success, so here's how you can inventory your productivity and maximize your time.

If you feel like you're in a work slump and you're unsure how to get out, start by assessing your productivity. Let's take a look at how you're using your time. In this episode, you'll learn how to assess how you spend your work hours and how to make small tweaks so you stay focused on your goals. If you're ready for tough love and wise strategy, tune in.

Productivity vs. Hustle

Your day should be designed to fit you. There's no specific formula of how your day "should" look. Remember that your productive day will look different from others. Instead, examine your work-day patterns.

Productivity doesn't mean every second is filled with a business task.

When every minute is occupied, that's hustle and it's not what I want for you. Hustling leads to frustration, burnout, and overwhelm.

There will be times of seasonal hustle, e.g. a launch or putting out a new product. However, hustling should not be your norm because it is unsustainable for long periods of time.

How to Know If You're Intentionally Productive

If you feel sluggish or unproductive, audit your time. Record what you do in your business for three to five days. How?

1. Grab this download, created just for you.
2. Set a timer for 60 minutes.
3. When the timer goes off, record what you did for the last hour.
4. Hit repeat on your timer.
5. Continue this process of recording what you do 60 minutes at a time throughout your workday.

Once you've tracked your time for three to five days, ask yourself:

• What category does each task belong to, e.g. meeting, creation, scrolling, personal?
• What strategic objective does this task fall under?
• Where do I see patterns?
• When do I attack tasks I put off?
• Does where I spend my time match my #1 priority?

Follow These Suggestions to Maximize Your Productivity

As I've tracked and tweaked how I spend my time, here are a few best practices to make your workday even more productive:

• Think through if you want to batch your days or do you like your current system.
• Block off one or two "Get It Done Days" per month. Batch administrative activities.
• If you find yourself switching back and forth between communicating with clients through email, Voxer, or calls, stop the madness by creating an expectations document for your clients that outlines when you're available and through which platform. Another option is to set aside time each day for returning messages.
• Set up a time each day to housework, e.g. putting away the dishes or throwing in a load of laundry.
• Hire help for housework if you have the revenue to do it.
• Train your family to help you with housework.
• Spend time documenting what you do every day.

Weekly Ops Activity

1. Download your time tracker document here and start tracking your time
2. Share a screenshot of your tracker on the Weekly Ops Activity thread on Friday!

Previous Episodes Mentioned:

Episode 5: The Seven Pillars to Your Business Strategy with Andrea Layne

Episode 8: Three Productivity Hacks You Haven't Thought Of

Episode 9: How to Find the Right Project Management Tool with Cadri Cunningham

Key Quotes from the Episode:

"Take the time to do the audit."

Connect with Me:

Website

Private Facebook Community

Facebook Page

Instagram

This episode was originally published on theopsauthority.com/podcast/10

Do you feel sluggish in your day-to-day work life? Are you curious if you use your time wisely? Are you ready to run a more profitable business? Every small business owner has limited time and desires success, so here’s how you can inventory your productivity and maximize your time.

 

If you feel like you’re in a work slump and you’re unsure how to get out, start by assessing your productivity. Let’s take a look at how you’re using your time. In this episode, you’ll learn how to assess how you spend your work hours and how to make small tweaks so you stay focused on your goals. If you’re ready for tough love and wise strategy, tune in.

 

Productivity vs. Hustle

Your day should be designed to fit you. There’s no specific formula of how your day “should” look. Remember that your productive day will look different from others. Instead, examine your work-day patterns.

 

Productivity doesn’t mean every second is filled with a business task.

 

When every minute is occupied, that’s hustle and it’s not what I want for you. Hustling leads to frustration, burnout, and overwhelm. 

 

There will be times of seasonal hustle, e.g. a launch or putting out a new product. However, hustling should not be your norm because it is unsustainable for long periods of time. 

 

How to Know If You’re Intentionally Productive

If you feel sluggish or unproductive, audit your time. Record what you do in your business for three to five days. How?

1. Grab this download, created just for you.
2. Set a timer for 60 minutes.
3. When the timer goes off, record what you did for the last hour.
4. Hit repeat on your timer. 
5. Continue this process of recording what you do 60 minutes at a time throughout your workday.

 

Once you’ve tracked your time for three to five days, ask yourself:

• What category does each task belong to, e.g. meeting, creation, scrolling, personal?
• What strategic objective does this task fall under?
• Where do I see patterns?
• When do I attack tasks I put off?
• Does where I spend my time match my #1 priority?

 

Follow These Suggestions to Maximize Your Productivity

As I’ve tracked and tweaked how I spend my time, here are a few best practices to make your workday even more productive:

 

• Think through if you want to batch your days or do you like your current system.
• Block off one or two “Get It Done Days” per month. Batch administrative activities. 
• If you find yourself switching back and forth between communicating with clients through email, Voxer, or calls, stop the madness by creating an expectations document for your clients that outlines when you’re available and through which platform. Another option is to set aside time each day for returning messages.
• Set up a time each day to housework, e.g. putting away the dishes or throwing in a load of laundry.
• Hire help for housework if you have the revenue to do it.
• Train your family to help you with housework.
• Spend time documenting what you do every day.

 

Weekly Ops Activity

1. Download your time tracker document here and start tracking your time
2. Share a screenshot of your tracker on the Weekly Ops Activity thread on Friday!

Previous Episodes Mentioned:

Episode 5: The Seven Pillars to Your Business Strategy with Andrea Layne

Episode 8: Three Productivity Hacks You Haven’t Thought Of

Episode 9: How to Find the Right Project Management Tool with Cadri Cunningham

 

Key Quotes from the Episode:

“Take the time to do the audit.”

 

Connect with Me:

Website

Private Facebook Community

Facebook Page

Instagram

 

This episode was originally published on theopsauthority.com/podcast/10

How can you find the right project management tool for your business? What should you look for? What questions do you need to ask before investing money and time into a system? How does the way you think impact the tool you need?

In this episode, certified DOO and founder of Simplified Ops Collective Cadri Cunningham and I talk through what a project management system is, why you need one, and how to pick the right one for you. We share our favorite tools and break down the pros and cons of the top four options in the marketplace.

What is a Project Management Tool?

A project management tool helps you create accountability for yourself, oversight for your projects and tasks, and show you the accomplishments you've had in your business.

Project management tools differ from note-taking tools. With a note-taking tool like a Google Doc or Evernote, you can't track, be held accountable, or share tasks with a team.

Why These Tools are Important

These tools allow you to:

1. Track deadlines
2. Connect daily actions to your vision
3. Provide understanding of all the steps in your project
4. Outline who owns each task

A system needs to work for those who use it. Don't go with the shiny new tool. Use what works for you or else it's ineffective.

Questions to Help You Choose the Right Tool for You Questions a DOO Will Ask

1. Which project management tool do you use?
2. Do you really use it?
3. Who keeps up with the information in the tool? In other words, who "owns" the tool?
4. Why do you use it?

Questions to Ask Yourself

1. Is your current tool working for you? Do you check it everyday?
2. If it doesn't work for you, what features are missing? What is complicated about your current system?
   • To-do list people are often linear thinkers.
   • Board view people are often visual thinkers.
   • If you're unsure where you land, ask yourself how you plan your child's birthday party. Whatever process you use in "real life" will be similar to how you think about your business.
3. Do you prefer a to-do list or board view?
4. Do you like a calendar view for tasks?
5. Do you like a simple system or a more involved system?
6. Is there a specific project management tool designed for your industry? (Interior designers, attorneys, and home-schoolers have their own tools.)
7. What document storage program tool do you use and does it integrate with your project management tool?
8. Do you use a lot of processes and workflows? Do you like your tasks to move from left to right (visual thinker) or top to bottom (linear thinker)?
9. Do you have a lot of repeated tasks? Does the project management tool allow for that?
10. Do you need a tool with automation features?
11. What does your budget look like for systems and tools?

Questions to Ask if You Work with a Team

1. How many people do you need to communicate with?
2. Do you need to be able to track time within the project management tool?
3. How much are you doing together within the tool?

Project Management Tool Options

There are a variety of options for project management tools. We share some of our favorites and the pros and cons of various tools.

Natalie and Cadri's Top Picks

I default to Trello because I've used it for so long. However, I'm also interested in Teamwork because of the messaging capability and task management features. It also has a CRM. ClickUp also has my interest because it can show you all your projects at one time.

Cadri prefers Asana because she loves to-do lists and the clean interface. She can also organize by task and it offers a calendar view. She also loves SubCast because of the to-do list capability.

Pros and Cons of the Top Project Management Tools Trello

• It's good when you have just a few projects, and it allows you to track workflows.
• It's visually stimulating, you can get lost if you don't set it up well, and there's no calendar piece.

Asana

• It offers a clean interface, to-do list and board views, and the free version is perfect for most organizations.
• You can only have a limited number of people on your team and you can't see timelines.

Teamwork

• It allows client and team communication.
• It can get pricey and doesn't have automation functionality.

ClickUp

• It offers a lot of features at a low price point and integrates with lots of systems.
• It seems bulky and the multitude of features makes it overwhelming.

Weekly Ops Activity

Post the tool of your choice and let me know if this episode spurred you to assess the tool you're currently using. Share with us inside the Ops Insiders Facebook Group.

Not a part of the group yet? Join at theopsinsiders.com.

Connect with Cadri Cunningham

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Cadri wants to live in a world where creating our ideal day isn't just an idea, and spending time in activities that give us life is the norm. As a Certified Director of Operations and the CEO of Simplified Ops. Collective, a Business Operations and Team Hiring Agency, Cadri partners with small business owners that are ready to get back their time and love for their business by leaving behind the workload overwhelm by providing high-level marketing strategy, business planning, team hiring and onboarding, operations management, and providing actionable steps toward accomplishing the big ideas and projects with a team working in their zone of genius.

Previous Episodes Mentioned

Episode 3: The Essentials of Your Business Foundation

Episode 4: The Core of Your Business: Your Mission, Vision, and Values

Episode 5: The Seven Pillars to Your Business Strategy

Episode 8: Three Productivity Hacks You Haven't Thought Of

Key Quotes from the Episode:

"The best project management tool is the tool you actually use."

Connect with Me:

Website

Private Facebook Community

Facebook Page

Instagram

This episode was originally published on theopsauthority.com/podcast/9

How can you find the right project management tool for your business? What should you look for? What questions do you need to ask before investing money and time into a system? How does the way you think impact the tool you need? 

 

In this episode, certified DOO and founder of Simplified Ops Collective Cadri Cunningham and I talk through what a project management system is, why you need one, and how to pick the right one for you. We share our favorite tools and break down the pros and cons of the top four options in the marketplace. 

 

What is a Project Management Tool?

A project management tool helps you create accountability for yourself, oversight for your projects and tasks, and show you the accomplishments you’ve had in your business. 

 

Project management tools differ from note-taking tools. With a note-taking tool like a Google Doc or Evernote, you can’t track, be held accountable, or share tasks with a team. 

Why These Tools are Important

These tools allow you to:

1. Track deadlines
2. Connect daily actions to your vision
3. Provide understanding of all the steps in your project
4. Outline who owns each task

 

A system needs to work for those who use it. Don’t go with the shiny new tool. Use what works for you or else it’s ineffective.

 

Questions to Help You Choose the Right Tool for You Questions a DOO Will Ask

1. Which project management tool do you use?
2. Do you really use it?
3. Who keeps up with the information in the tool? In other words, who “owns” the tool?
4. Why do you use it?

 

Questions to Ask Yourself

1. Is your current tool working for you? Do you check it everyday?
2. If it doesn’t work for you, what features are missing? What is complicated about your current system?
   • To-do list people are often linear thinkers.
   • Board view people are often visual thinkers.
   • If you’re unsure where you land, ask yourself how you plan your child’s birthday party. Whatever process you use in “real life” will be similar to how you think about your business.
3. Do you prefer a to-do list or board view? 
4. Do you like a calendar view for tasks?
5. Do you like a simple system or a more involved system?
6. Is there a specific project management tool designed for your industry? (Interior designers, attorneys, and home-schoolers have their own tools.)
7. What document storage program tool do you use and does it integrate with your project management tool?
8. Do you use a lot of processes and workflows? Do you like your tasks to move from left to right (visual thinker) or top to bottom (linear thinker)?
9. Do you have a lot of repeated tasks? Does the project management tool allow for that?
10. Do you need a tool with automation features? 
11. What does your budget look like for systems and tools?

 

Questions to Ask if You Work with a Team

1. How many people do you need to communicate with?
2. Do you need to be able to track time within the project management tool?
3. How much are you doing together within the tool? 

 

Project Management Tool Options

There are a variety of options for project management tools. We share some of our favorites and the pros and cons of various tools.

Natalie and Cadri’s Top Picks

I default to Trello because I’ve used it for so long. However, I’m also interested in Teamwork because of the messaging capability and task management features. It also has a CRM. ClickUp also has my interest because it can show you all your projects at one time.

 

Cadri prefers Asana because she loves to-do lists and the clean interface. She can also organize by task and it offers a calendar view. She also loves SubCast because of the to-do list capability.

 

Pros and Cons of the Top Project Management Tools Trello

• It’s good when you have just a few projects, and it allows you to track workflows. 
• It’s visually stimulating, you can get lost if you don’t set it up well, and there’s no calendar piece.

 

Asana

• It offers a clean interface, to-do list and board views, and the free version is perfect for most organizations.
• You can only have a limited number of people on your team and you can’t see timelines.

 

Teamwork

• It allows client and team communication.
• It can get pricey and doesn’t have automation functionality.

 

ClickUp

• It offers a lot of features at a low price point and integrates with lots of systems.
• It seems bulky and the multitude of features makes it overwhelming. 

Weekly Ops Activity

Post the tool of your choice and let me know if this episode spurred you to assess the tool you’re currently using. Share with us inside the Ops Insiders Facebook Group. 

 

Not a part of the group yet? Join at theopsinsiders.com.

Connect with Cadri Cunningham

Website

Facebook

Instagram

 

Cadri wants to live in a world where creating our ideal day isn't just an idea, and spending time in activities that give us life is the norm. As a Certified Director of Operations and the CEO of Simplified Ops. Collective, a Business Operations and Team Hiring Agency, Cadri partners with small business owners that are ready to get back their time and love for their business by leaving behind the workload overwhelm by providing high-level marketing strategy, business planning, team hiring and onboarding, operations management, and providing actionable steps toward accomplishing the big ideas and projects with a team working in their zone of genius. 

Previous Episodes Mentioned

Episode 3: The Essentials of Your Business Foundation

Episode 4: The Core of Your Business: Your Mission, Vision, and Values

Episode 5: The Seven Pillars to Your Business Strategy

Episode 8: Three Productivity Hacks You Haven’t Thought Of

Key Quotes from the Episode:

“The best project management tool is the tool you actually use.”

 

Connect with Me:

Website

Private Facebook Community

Facebook Page

Instagram

 

This episode was originally published on theopsauthority.com/podcast/9

Would you like to be more productive in your business and finally get that long to-do list checked off? Or maybe you want shorter work days or less stressful (and more profitable) launches. If that's you, listen up.

Today we're talking all about productivity. But this won't be what you're expecting… or what you always hear about on this topic.

While productivity doesn't necessarily fall inside the realm of operations, planning for it does. Yes, plan for productivity… you heard that right.

Productivity doesn't just happen. It's always purposeful, which is why a plan is needed. We're going to talk about a few things you can do to create a productive culture for your business.

Creating a plan for what you're going to do takes the emotion out of deciding what to do when you sit down to work. Plus, it allows you to get straight to work and to delegate with confidence.

"There are two things that are contagious in business: productivity and success." This is what I want for you: productivity that leads to a leaner business, shorter workdays, and larger launches.

3 Productivity Hacks: Create an Ideal Week for You

Your ideal week is a visual map of how you will use your time throughout a week. It should include both personal and professional obligations… oh and some white space too.

How are you going to create your ideal week?

1. Create a new calendar in Google Calendar.
   1. List those priorities out
   2. Give each priority a color
2. Know what your priorities are in this season of life.
3. Add in your top priorities on the calendar first.
4. Now add in your work time. Optional: theme your days based on what you want to focus on each day of the week.
5. Get granular and block off times for the key activities in your business. Caveat: don't fall into the temptation to remove your personal activities from your calendar to make space for work.
6. Now look at the color distribution on your calendar. Are you leaving enough white space? Because things are going to come up and things will take longer than you expect
7. Print it out and/or update your scheduling software (i.e. Acuity/Calendly).
8. Share you calendar with your team!
9. Use the calendar and recalibrate as needed.

Create Your Business Hub

So what exactly is a Business Hub? Well, it's a centralized place for all things business. It's no secret that to run your business efficiently, a hub with important info or commonly requested items is a time saver.

But deeper than that, it allows you to have one place where these items live so when a new team member joins, there's less strain on you to find or spend hours digging.

So what should be included on your Business Hub? There are some basics that I recommend such as your bio, important links, testimonials, branding information, your MVV, and legal docs like website policies or contract agreements.

To make this super easy for you, I've created a template for you that you can easily copy and use for yourself! Go to theopsauthority.com/businesshub to grab it for yourself. This is a Trello board, but if you prefer another tool, you can use the Trello template as an example and create your own in your favorite tool.

Create Your SOPs

SOPs stands for Standard Operating Procedures. This acronym gets tossed around a lot in the growing and scaling business world. And that's for a reason. As a new business, your focus should be, or is likely, on revenue and visibility.

But after you get your footing and shift to scaling, your operations will soon take over. That's why documenting your processes is absolutely essential. It will help you scale your business by working smarter, not harder.

You might be wondering where to start with SOPs. These are processes, workflows, or systems that you use to get your work done. Most often they involve administrative activities and have several tasks linked together to reach the outcome.

So how do you get started? Here's a plan:

1. Determine the 1-3 processes that you'd like to outsource when the time (and finances) allow. Some examples are email management, sending invoices, and content creation.
2. Record your process. You can write them out in a list format or a video using something like Loom. Don't let perfectionism slow you down because these will be updated over time.
3. Put your processes in your Business Hub.

As a recap, you'll want to carve out some time and complete these three things: create an ideal week calendar in Google Calendar, complete the Business Hub, and start your SOPs with 1-3 processes you want to outsource.

Weekly Ops Activity

Complete your Ideal Week and share a screenshot in the Ops Insiders!

Key Quotes from the Episode:

"There are two things that are contagious in business: productivity and success."

"Make sure that YOU are represented on this calendar."

Connect with Me:

Website

Private Facebook Community

Facebook Page

Instagram

This episode was originally published on theopsauthority.com/podcast/8

Would you like to be more productive in your business and finally get that long to-do list checked off? Or maybe you want shorter work days or less stressful (and more profitable) launches. If that’s you, listen up.

 

Today we’re talking all about productivity. But this won’t be what you’re expecting… or what you always hear about on this topic. 

 

While productivity doesn’t necessarily fall inside the realm of operations, planning for it does. Yes, plan for productivity… you heard that right. 

 

Productivity doesn’t just happen. It’s always purposeful, which is why a plan is needed. We’re going to talk about a few things you can do to create a productive culture for your business.

 

Creating a plan for what you’re going to do takes the emotion out of deciding what to do when you sit down to work. Plus, it allows you to get straight to work and to delegate with confidence.

 

“There are two things that are contagious in business: productivity and success.” This is what I want for you: productivity that leads to a leaner business, shorter workdays, and larger launches.

 

3 Productivity Hacks:
Create an Ideal Week for You

Your ideal week is a visual map of how you will use your time throughout a week. It should include both personal and professional obligations… oh and some white space too.

 

How are you going to create your ideal week?

1. Create a new calendar in Google Calendar.
   1. List those priorities out
   2. Give each priority a color
2. Know what your priorities are in this season of life.
3. Add in your top priorities on the calendar first.
4. Now add in your work time. Optional: theme your days based on what you want to focus on each day of the week.
5. Get granular and block off times for the key activities in your business. Caveat: don’t fall into the temptation to remove your personal activities from your calendar to make space for work.
6. Now look at the color distribution on your calendar. Are you leaving enough white space? Because things are going to come up and things will take longer than you expect
7. Print it out and/or update your scheduling software (i.e. Acuity/Calendly).
8. Share you calendar with your team!
9. Use the calendar and recalibrate as needed.

 

Create Your Business Hub

So what exactly is a Business Hub? Well, it’s a centralized place for all things business. It’s no secret that to run your business efficiently, a hub with important info or commonly requested items is a time saver. 

 

But deeper than that, it allows you to have one place where these items live so when a new team member joins, there's less strain on you to find or spend hours digging.

 

So what should be included on your Business Hub? There are some basics that I recommend such as your bio, important links, testimonials, branding information, your MVV, and legal docs like website policies or contract agreements.

 

To make this super easy for you, I’ve created a template for you that you can easily copy and use for yourself! Go to theopsauthority.com/businesshub to grab it for yourself. This is a Trello board, but if you prefer another tool, you can use the Trello template as an example and create your own in your favorite tool.

 

Create Your SOPs

SOPs stands for Standard Operating Procedures. This acronym gets tossed around a lot in the growing and scaling business world. And that’s for a reason. As a new business, your focus should be, or is likely, on revenue and visibility. 

 

But after you get your footing and shift to scaling, your operations will soon take over. That’s why documenting your processes is absolutely essential. It will help you scale your business by working smarter, not harder.

 

You might be wondering where to start with SOPs. These are processes, workflows, or systems that you use to get your work done. Most often they involve administrative activities and have several tasks linked together to reach the outcome. 

 

So how do you get started? Here’s a plan: 

1. Determine the 1-3 processes that you’d like to outsource when the time (and finances) allow. Some examples are email management, sending invoices, and content creation.
2. Record your process. You can write them out in a list format or a video using something like Loom. Don’t let perfectionism slow you down because these will be updated over time.
3. Put your processes in your Business Hub.

 

As a recap, you’ll want to carve out some time and complete these three things: create an ideal week calendar in Google Calendar, complete the Business Hub, and start your SOPs with 1-3 processes you want to outsource.

 

Weekly Ops Activity

Complete your Ideal Week and share a screenshot in the Ops Insiders!

 

Key Quotes from the Episode:

“There are two things that are contagious in business: productivity and success.”

“Make sure that YOU are represented on this calendar.”

 

Connect with Me:

Website

Private Facebook Community

Facebook Page

Instagram

 

This episode was originally published on theopsauthority.com/podcast/8

From the perspective of the CEO, what is it like to be supported by a Director of Operations? Why do you need a DOO? What are the first action items a DOO will handle in your business?

In this episode, I visit with Dana Malstaff, CEO of Boss Mom, and Amy Lockrin, Dana's DOO and CEO of The Operations House, about what the CEO-DOO relationship looks like. We pull back the curtain on how these two roles work together and why you need a DOO in your life.

If you've ever wondered what a DOO can do for you, listen to this transparent and honest conversation with Dana and Amy.

How the CEO & DOO Roles Work at Boss Mom How Dana + Amy Connected

Dana started Boss Mom in 2015 after she'd had a baby and was starting her own business. She literally wrote the book on moms in entrepreneurship, "Boss Mom." Then she started the Boss Mom community. Since then, she's launched a podcast with a million downloads and has written two more books.

Amy joined the Boss Mom program and went to a Boss Mom retreat. She felt pulled to Dana's leadership. While at the retreat, she talked to Dana about her future and joining her team. Amy has served as Dana's DOO for the past two years.

How Dana Felt Once She Had a DOO

Dana says that Amy brings two wins to the table:

1. She takes all Dana's ideas then organizes and delegates them. She tells Dana, "Here are all the things you're not doing anymore."
2. Amy is Dana's "Brain Activator." Dana loves to hop on a call or Vox with Amy and share all her ideas. Then Amy asks strategic questions about those ideas. Dana is thankful she isn't the only "thinker" in her business because Amy can see the big picture and handle the details. It helps Dana that her creative ideas go into a logical space.

What Amy Did First in Dana's Business

Amy started out as a trial employee before coming on regularly, which is a good way to know if that person is a fit. She mapped out all the offers of Dana's business on one page. Amy also looked at Dana's structure.

Amy says her job is to see where Dana is coming from, what she wants the business to become, and to hold her accountable to that.

Summarizing What a DOO Does

Amy provides structure to the team: what they're doing and who should perform each task. Amy is there to be a strategic sounding board and ask, "Does this make sense?" A good DOO understands human nature to leverage everyone's skills and talents.

A DOO will meet the CEO where she is. You want to find someone you're comfortable with, who gets your jokes and your energy.

How to Determine if You Need a DOO in Your Business

It depends on what kind of business you want and what you're trying to build. As soon as you have more than one team member or if you're launching a product or service, Dana believes you need someone to manage the team/launch.

A DOO helps you understand your goals and stay on task. The DOO will help the CEO spend her time in the right place. As the CEO, you need to spend the time your DOO is saving you on what brings in revenue

Sharing Financial Information with the DOO

Dana and Amy have budget calls every other week because both parties need to know where the money is going, where they want it to go, and to see what products are most successful.

You must be completely honest in your business so your DOO can set up the right processes. If you're ready to open up your financials to someone else, you're ready to have a DOO.

Why You Need a DOO in Your Business

Form relationships with those that complement you. Find someone who helps you finish. You need someone in your business who can make it happen and manage it when you need to step away.

Connect with Dana and Amy

Dana Malstaff is the CEO and Founder of Boss Mom. She is a mother, author, speaker, business strategist, podcaster, blind spot reducer, and movement maker. She launched the Boss Mom brand with her first book Boss Mom: The Ultimate Guide to Raising a Business & Nurturing Your Family Like a Pro in 2015 and has turned the brand into an international movement.

Now she has over 20,000 students in various courses and an organically grown Facebook group of over 40k that helps women all over the world raise their businesses and babies at the same time. She believes that we need to show our children that doing what we love can be financially viable.

Amy Lockrin is the CEO and Head Integrator of The Operations House, an Integration and Implementation Agency for small business owners that are ready to thrive in their business and leave behind the overwhelm of "to-do's." She and her team make things happen in your business so you can go back to being creative through project management, back end "clean-ups", launches, and strategic planning sessions.

Other Ways to Connect with Me:

Website

Private Facebook Community

Facebook Page

Instagram

Key Quotes from the Episode:

"A really good Director of Operations … is able to see the big picture of my business." - Dana Malstaff

"You need somebody outside of yourself that you trust to make really good decisions." - Dana Malstaff

"A good director of operations helps ensure that the CEO isn't the bottleneck that keeps the business from moving forward." - Dana Malstaff

"You have to have somebody you trust." - Dana Malstaff

"You can't do it alone." - Dana Malstaff

This episode was originally published on theopsauthority.com/podcast/7

From the perspective of the CEO, what is it like to be supported by a Director of Operations? Why do you need a DOO? What are the first action items a DOO will handle in your business?

 

In this episode, I visit with Dana Malstaff, CEO of Boss Mom, and Amy Lockrin, Dana’s DOO and CEO of The Operations House, about what the CEO-DOO relationship looks like. We pull back the curtain on how these two roles work together and why you need a DOO in your life. 

If you’ve ever wondered what a DOO can do for you, listen to this transparent and honest conversation with Dana and Amy. 

  How the CEO & DOO Roles Work at Boss Mom How Dana + Amy Connected

Dana started Boss Mom in 2015 after she’d had a baby and was starting her own business. She literally wrote the book on moms in entrepreneurship, “Boss Mom.” Then she started the Boss Mom community. Since then, she’s launched a podcast with a million downloads and has written two more books. 

Amy joined the Boss Mom program and went to a Boss Mom retreat. She felt pulled to Dana’s leadership. While at the retreat, she talked to Dana about her future and joining her team. Amy has served as Dana’s DOO for the past two years. 

  How Dana Felt Once She Had a DOO

Dana says that Amy brings two wins to the table:

1. She takes all Dana’s ideas then organizes and delegates them. She tells Dana, “Here are all the things you’re not doing anymore.”
2. Amy is Dana’s “Brain Activator.” Dana loves to hop on a call or Vox with Amy and share all her ideas. Then Amy asks strategic questions about those ideas. Dana is thankful she isn’t the only “thinker” in her business because Amy can see the big picture and handle the details. It helps Dana that her creative ideas go into a logical space.

  What Amy Did First in Dana’s Business

Amy started out as a trial employee before coming on regularly, which is a good way to know if that person is a fit. She mapped out all the offers of Dana’s business on one page. Amy also looked at Dana’s structure.

Amy says her job is to see where Dana is coming from, what she wants the business to become, and to hold her accountable to that.

  Summarizing What a DOO Does

Amy provides structure to the team: what they’re doing and who should perform each task. Amy is there to be a strategic sounding board and ask, “Does this make sense?” A good DOO understands human nature to leverage everyone’s skills and talents.

A DOO will meet the CEO where she is. You want to find someone you’re comfortable with, who gets your jokes and your energy.

  How to Determine if You Need a DOO in Your Business

It depends on what kind of business you want and what you're trying to build. As soon as you have more than one team member or if you’re launching a product or service, Dana believes you need someone to manage the team/launch.

A DOO helps you understand your goals and stay on task. The DOO will help the CEO spend her time in the right place. As the CEO, you need to spend the time your DOO is saving you on what brings in revenue

  Sharing Financial Information with the DOO

Dana and Amy have budget calls every other week because both parties need to know where the money is going, where they want it to go, and to see what products are most successful.

You must be completely honest in your business so your DOO can set up the right processes. If you’re ready to open up your financials to someone else, you’re ready to have a DOO.

  Why You Need a DOO in Your Business

Form relationships with those that complement you. Find someone who helps you finish. You need someone in your business who can make it happen and manage it when you need to step away.

  Connect with Dana and Amy

Dana Malstaff is the CEO and Founder of Boss Mom. She is a mother, author, speaker, business strategist, podcaster, blind spot reducer, and movement maker. She launched the Boss Mom brand with her first book Boss Mom: The Ultimate Guide to Raising a Business & Nurturing Your Family Like a Pro in 2015 and has turned the brand into an international movement.

Now she has over 20,000 students in various courses and an organically grown Facebook group of over 40k that helps women all over the world raise their businesses and babies at the same time. She believes that we need to show our children that doing what we love can be financially viable.

 

Amy Lockrin is the CEO and Head Integrator of The Operations House, an Integration and Implementation Agency for small business owners that are ready to thrive in their business and leave behind the overwhelm of "to-do's." She and her team make things happen in your business so you can go back to being creative through project management, back end "clean-ups", launches, and strategic planning sessions.

Other Ways to Connect with Me:

Website

Private Facebook Community

Facebook Page

Instagram

  Key Quotes from the Episode:

“A really good Director of Operations … is able to see the big picture of my business.” - Dana Malstaff

“You need somebody outside of yourself that you trust to make really good decisions.” - Dana Malstaff

“A good director of operations helps ensure that the CEO isn’t the bottleneck that keeps the business from moving forward.” - Dana Malstaff

“You have to have somebody you trust.” - Dana Malstaff

“You can’t do it alone.” - Dana Malstaff

 

 

This episode was originally published on theopsauthority.com/podcast/7

How can you measure the effectiveness of your business? And how do you create these measurements? In this episode, you'll learn what a KPI is and how to establish KPIs for the most important areas in your small business. There's no need to be overwhelmed by setting KPIs because I'll show you how to do it in five easy steps.

What is a KPI?

KPI is an ominous acronym that makes you feel like, "I'll come back to that later." A KPI is a Key Performance Indicator. It's a measured value, which measures how effective your organization or business is in achieving its goals.

KPIs are so great because they provide you and your team with feedback on exactly how you're doing, they allow you to cast a vision, and they measure how you're attaining what you set out to do.

How to Establish a KPI for Your Business

1. Start with your vision. What is the vision you have for your business? You'll want to have a 6-12 month vision and a 3-year vision. Your vision should be big and defines success for you in the next 12 - 36 months. Put your vision on paper. Want to learn more about vision? Go here.
2. What is the goal this year that you'll focus on that gets you closer to your vision?
3. Rank the seven strategic objectives. Then determine your top three to four.
4. Create a metric that ties back to your vision. For example, if visibility is one of your top strategic objectives, ask yourself, "What am I doing from a visibility perspective to help me reach my vision?" Every metric must tie back to a strategic objective.
5. Ask yourself these questions:
   1. "If I was to succeed with ______, what would the outcome be?
   2. "How will I measure this?"
   3. "Who's responsible for it?"

You may pull a lot of metrics, but not all are worthy of being called a KPI. You should have between three and five KPIs. You may pull metrics for 30 areas, but you'll have a limited number of KPIs.

You may need to pull data daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly to determine if you're reaching your KPIs.

Examples of KPIs for the Different Pillars

1. Financial Steadiness: revenue, profit, operating expenses, customer lifetime value
2. Visibility: conversion percentage, cost per lead, site visits, number of subscribers
3. Product Creation + Refinement: sales rate, average order value
4. Operational Excellence: ROI
5. Team Growth: task completion rate, on-time percentage, employee turnover
6. Customer Experience: net promoter score, retention rates

Previous Episodes Mentioned

Ep. 4: The Core of Business: Mission, Vision, Values

Ep. 5: The Seven Pillars to Your Business Strategy

Key Quotes from the Episode:

"KPIs are metrics that will measure how effective your business is achieving its goals."

"Every KPI is a metric, but not every metric is a KPI."

Connect with Me:

Website

Private Facebook Community

Facebook Page

Instagram

This episode was originally published on theopsauthority.com/podcast/6