What It's Like to Work With Me
So, what actually happens when we work together to get your systems in order?
You bring the "there has to be a better way to do this" readiness. I bring the questions, the sorting, the mapping, and (if you want it) the build.
You know the feeling: everything technically gets done, but only because you're holding it all together. You already have systems. (A system is just how a piece of work gets from 'this should be done' to 'done'.) Yours probably run on memory, an email inbox or two, post-it notes, and prayers. Let's give your systems somewhere better to live.
1. You show me the real situation
A short questionnaire, then a 60-minute Systems Scan call. I want you to walk me through the real version of what's going on: what happens when you book a new client, who does what and when, the chaos of onboarding a new employee, everything that has to happen for you to get any visibility.
Nothing written down? Believe it or not, that's a fairly common place for my clients to start, and I happen to enjoy process mapping.
2. We find the problem underneath the problem
For instance, while "my team asks me for everything" might look like a staffing issue, it's usually a documentation problem and that's super fixable.
One bookkeeping firm had communication scattered across three apps, files all over the place, and staff that needed constant hand-holding. After some discussion, I moved all of it into Microsoft Teams, which they were already paying for, and wrote checklists and SOPs for the recurring work.
Sometimes the fix is fewer tools. Sometimes it's removing a step that shouldn't exist at all: client info retyped into a CRM and a spreadsheet gets cut, not automated.
3. You get tangible next steps, not just vibes
After the call, you get a report with a short summary of your biggest bottlenecks, the two or three changes worth making first, and what I'd do next. Take that and run, or keep going and get me to do it for you.
No pressure to pick a larger DFY package on the spot, and I'll tell you honestly if you're done for now.
"I will be moving forward with ALL of the suggestions she gave me because I can see their clear value."
- Kelsey W., Fox & Pen Editing
4. We give the work somewhere to live
Are we moving forward? Great! Now comes building!
A small nonprofit's action items were living in Slack threads, and keeping up with who was supposed to do what and when was becoming a fulltime job in itself. I built an Asana setup with reusable templates, named owners and due dates, and automatic updates back to Slack. A Slack message can now become a task the moment it comes up instead of languishing in limbo.
Less 'who is supposed to take care of that?' More 'it's there and it's yours' visibility.
"This was an eye-opening experience that radically shifted how I approached operations within our small nonprofit."
- Ilyasah
5. You can actually use it
I don't toss your new setup at you and tell you godspeed. The goal is for you to open it every morning and know exactly where things go. Depending on the package, you get written instructions, templates, and support while you settle in.
My finish line: If you or your assistant went on vacation tomorrow, someone else could pick up exactly where they left off.
Quick answers...
Do I have to switch software? Not by default. I'm system-agnostic and work in: Airtable, Asana, ClickUp, Honeybook, Make, Moxie, Slack, Trello, Zapier, and more... but I'd rather cut a subscription than add one.
Will everything be automated? Nope. We streamline and cut first, then automate only the predictable things you're comfortable with.
How much of my time will it take? Enough to explain how things really work and to approve changes. We will agree upfront what I need and when.
Can I stop after the Systems Scan? Of course! It's not an audition for a bigger purchase.