114. Software for Small Business: The Systems Every Entrepreneur Needs

Speaker A: Welcome to the Go Get Great Podcast, the perfect spot for aspiring entrepreneurs and ambitious small business owners. I'm Brittany, your host, an online marketing strategist and mom of five. Here you'll discover how to start or scale your small business with practical marketing and business strategies that even the busiest entrepreneurs can implement. But we don't just stop at business insight because we know that what you do when you're not wearing your entrepreneur hat is just as important to the success of your business. As a fellow mom, I understand the importance of having a space for real talk where we share the relatable, messy moments of balancing motherhood and a business. So let's dive in and start your journey from good to great. Welcome back to another episode of the Go Get Great podcast. I have a couple guests today, so apologies if you hear baby noises, but I'm also joined by Amy, owner of the business management company. And I'm really excited about today's topic because I feel like systems really don't get the spotlight that they deserve. So Amy is a system specialist. She's here to chat with us today about what systems you should have for your business, how to know when you need them, if you don't have them, or when they need upgrading, uh, so that we can all scale to, hopefully, six figures, which is what she specializes in helping her clients with. So, good morning and welcome. Amy, how are you?

Speaker B: Hi. Uh, thanks, Brittany. Thanks so much for having me on. I'm doing great, and it's nice to be able to chat. I know you've been on my podcast before, and I know you help with my own business, so it's nice to actually be on and chat further. So, yeah, I'm excited to be here.

Speaker A: Awesome. Um, I am so excited to have you. But for those who don't know you, can you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit more about what you do?

Speaker B: Yeah, absolutely. So my name is Amy Sussex, and I'm the owner of the business management company, and we help businesses behind the scenes getting their business organized, helping with, like, the operations systems, and also helping with managing their teams. Because a lot of times what happens is people start a business, they have all the excitement, all the ideas. It's really working. And then what happens from there is they don't know how to actually organize your business, and everything's in, like, a thousand different places or it's all stored in their head.

Speaker A: In their head?

Speaker B: Yeah, from, um, there. The other piece is, like, once it's organized, as people are growing a team, they don't actually know how to manage or lead their team. And so that's also the piece that we come in and we help with like okay, let's have those team meetings, have those frequent conversations because people don't even think about that because they're like getting the product out there and getting the service out there and not really thinking about how everyone can work together as a cohesive team to continue to like grow and scale the business too.

Speaker A: Mhm, for sure. And I feel like a lot of people listen to that and they're like, oh, well, you know, I don't really have a very big team, you know, I don't need to worry about that. But even as a solopreneur, systems can make or break a business. Uh, because there are what help you go on vacation, if you're taking time away, take mat leave and just like in general have peace of mind that you're not forgetting things. And it took me probably a couple years of being in business to realize that. I'm like, no, I've got a really good memory, it's fine. And it was for a while. But the longer you have your business, the bigger it gets, the more complex it is, the more there is to remember. And that's when things start slipping through the cracks.

Speaker B: Absolutely. And even as moms, you know, like you're trying to remember it all, you've got everything stuffed in your head between what's happening with family, what's happening with, you know, maybe you and your spouse going on a date night or something. And then in addition you've got all the other things that happen in business. And especially if you're a service based business and you work with clients one on one or like in a group setting, you're retaining all of that information as well too. And eventually you get to capacity where you're like, oh crap. You start to blend things together. So if you don't actually have things written down in the spot organized, it can kind of get a little wild. So yeah, definitely.

Speaker A: Oh for sure. There's like a huge invisible mental load for parenthood. And I think people are starting to talk about that a little bit more. But what they're not talking about is the invisible mental load of running a, uh, business. Because as solopreneurs, like our brains are going 247 even when we're not working, or at least mine is. I don't know whether other people can shut it off when they close their computer, but I can't.

Speaker B: No. And it's funny enough, we are just talking that like we can't. Because even I'm going on vacation and I'm like, I'm bringing my computer. But the also way m I'm looking at it is like that's a choice. I'm actually, I'm excited to like yes. Most people are like, oh, you shouldn't be working on vacation. But I get to choose this. I actually get to choose when I want to open my laptop. I get to choose when I want to work, where. When I was in corporate before, I would have had to ask for time off. I would have been stressed about having to go back to work because what did I miss? What's happening for this? Like, hey, cool, I'm gone away. I still get to work a little bit. But you know what's also more important is I get to in the morning bring my kids to school. I get to pick some kids up from school. We have a child home sick. I get to actually hang out with them and not have to go ask to leave work and make up the time. So there's all these other time freedoms in a sense. It's not really, it's. You have a choice. That really happens when you are like an entrepreneur and especially as a solo entrepreneur. Yes, I get it because we're wearing all the hats and they can feel um, overwhelming because you don't know. I, I need you to think of marketing, I need to think of sales, I need to think of customer service, I need to think of the admin side of things. And so really I feel like if you have like a system, whether using ClickUp or Trello or Asana or like whatever type of project management tool that you like to use, really having folders set up in those departments because then it helps you compartmentalize. Like okay, admin, what are all the tasks that need to get done? Client service, what's all the things that need to get done? Because then again, you're not having to spoil that in your head of like all the processes you have to do. You actually have it in a safe place that you know it's there. And you can continue to like rinse and repeat the work that you do.

Speaker A: Mhm, absolutely. And it makes it so much easier too when you are ready to have a team, whether you're hiring like someone to actually work with you or whether you're just outsourcing to independent contractors because you still have to onboard them, they still need to understand who you are, what you do, how you do it. Otherwise the quality of work you're getting back from them isn't going to be

Speaker B: worth what you're paying for 100%. And here's the other piece. I've even realized I'm like, I need myself in my own business. So just so you guys know, like we like, I help businesses with that but like I also have to catch myself and like when I'm doing my own business too because I brought on other team members, contractors to help my business, which has been amazing. But I'm like again I had stuff thrown in my head. I didn't have like processes in place. So like I'm now working backwards, doing what I help people with, getting all that stuff that set up because my business grew really quickly, which was like amazing. But you know, I should have expected it, but also didn't expect it to grow. So it makes the same sense too. So I think, mhm. I'm now playing catch up in my own business. So I just want you to know, anyone that's listening. If you are a solo entrepreneur and you're looking to grow your team, you know, start to do those things in place. And if you also are somebody who has a small team and you're starting to grow more like write those things down as you're doing them. Because I'm in the thick of it right now. Like okay, what's the process for this? Where does this connect? So and it's also taking that time because I also think what happened too is like I wasn't actually setting the time aside to really do that in my own business. I'm always saying the time aside for clients. I'm really helping support clients. But we always as, ah, you know, put our business last. Yeah, last thing. It's like family client work and uh, oh, wait a minute, my own business, right. So I really had to catch myself and schedule in time. I'm like, no, I want to figure this piece out of my business. I'm going to put the time and place because by me dedicating this time and putting that structure in, it's only going to help it to get better. It's only going to help now when I'm onboarding other people and I'm not going to have to like be fixing it and like scrambling and then again people feel like, oh, she hired you. Like what does she hire me for? Because I'm not actually doing anything right now.

Speaker A: So yeah, for sure. Yeah. Uh, so for, I think most of the people listening are probably solopreneurs or like very small teams. So I'm, I'm going to make the assumption that they may have some systems in place, but they also may not. So can you talk us through kind of the process of how you decide what systems work? Well, to get started either from the very beginning or maybe to transition from a system that's not working for you right now?

Speaker B: Yeah, absolutely. So I typically um, I, I love ClickUp. I know it can be a bit of a learning curve for people, but I think it also depends on your goals. So if you are planning on, you know, continue to be a solo entrepreneur or having like a smaller team, then yes, maybe something like Asana makes more sense. However, I find with clients ClickUp because you can have folders you can communicate between the team and stuff like that. So really it's with the end goal in mind.

Speaker A: Mhm.

Speaker B: Factoring in like your systems and stuff like that. Because then what I've had clients do is they built up a system and then they've maxed what they can do and that now they're having to like add something else and they wanted to zap and it gets super complicated. So I think really starting with what um, system makes the most sense for like where you're wanting to go. And the other piece too is if something isn't working listening to that. So I'm going to give an example with my website. So I have my website on one platform. It's been sitting with me for like the past year and a half. I'm like, I want like I can do the updates on it, but I'm like, I want to be hiring out people to do the updates. And the platform that I use, not a lot of people actually know how to do it because it's a newer platform. I actually switch to Squarespace because then that way I don't want to be hands on in my business all the time. And this is a platform that many people use. So if I want to hire that part out, I can actually hire that credit. Plus I know how to use Squarespace too if I ever wanted to go in and do my own edits. So I think it's also choosing platforms that you know that you're not going to have to be spending a thousand hours on like YouTube, googling or on chat all the time. Like how do you. So you're going to want something that's more like user friendly or that you know other people are using that you can ask questions, like ask questions and forums and stuff like that. Right. I think that. And really listen to your gut because when your systems aren't in place and you're not feeling good about it. Behind the scenes, it's really hard to grow on scale and it's really hard to put yourself out there because it's hard to market because you're like, oh, if I have this influx of people come in and my systems are in place, like then what happens? Outbreaks. And that's actually happening with one of my clients right now that she's hired me because she has this beautiful m vision to have, you know, these group programs and all these people coming in. But she's like, when the people come, I don't have anything in place to make sure that they're having a really good client experience. So it's really like mapping out the client journey, um, as well that we do too. So the other piece is everything can be customizable. Right. And so I'm just thinking too like, yes, I talk about ClickUp and I love ClickUp and I love like the capabilities in it and the way to communicate. And ClickUp is almost actually replacing Slack now because they had in there. You can leave voice notes and stuff like that in there as well too. Mhm. There's another client that I had who uses Zoho and she uses it for her CRM and everything. And so for her it doesn't really make sense because she has a team of 20 people.

Speaker A: Mhm.

Speaker B: They, there's projects. So it makes sense for us to be like integrating that. So I also think it's like maybe look at the platform that you're using. Is there extensions into that platform that would be add on as well? So then that way it's not a huge learning curve for you and your team too.

Speaker A: Mhm. Totally makes sense.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker A: And I like that you gave some examples of different platforms that people can use. I've heard of one other one too. I think it's called airtable. Do you have any experience with that?

Speaker B: Yes. So I funny enough use Air Table with like my podcast, um, as well. Um, I. That's. To be honest, that's the only experience I have. I'm a very visual person, so I find visual and organizing. So if I can't put things in like holders and stuff like that. So to be honest, I find it a bit more confusing to use. But I know other people like love it and scare by it. But I like being able to organize by lists and I like being able to like view a calendar and I like being able to like add um, in a document if I need to and actually look like a document where like I can do those Things and click up. I can't do those things in airtable. Or at least maybe you can. I just don't know how to do them. So yeah, for sure.

Speaker A: No, that makes a lot of sense. And like that's one of the reasons why I like Asana, because I can color code things, I can put them in columns more so than folders. But like I can see endless format, I can see it in calendar format. So like depending on the project that I'm working on, I need to look at information in different ways and I find that, you know, pen and paper can't do that. So that was one of the reasons why I eventually transitioned into systems because I was just struggling and like rewriting things too many times in different ways because I needed the information to look different depending on the project. So that was one of like the signs for me that I was ready for systems. Yeah. But I'm sure there are others too. So you mentioned one you want to outsource and you can't because people don't know. Um, are there any other kind of symptoms or, or like things that people can look at and be like, oh, you know what I'm experiencing that maybe it is time for me to kind of go down this road.

Speaker B: Well, even like just what you were saying with like pen and paper.

Speaker A: Mhm.

Speaker B: Like yes, we have stuff in our head, but yes, you are writing stuff on pen and paper. Like it's creating more time and effort now because you're having to translate whatever you have written down into like a system as well. So this. And it's hard to communicate because like your team member can't come. Yes, I do have myself a job. No, but yeah, things like they can't come now and see like what's written on your desk. Right. So I think really making sure you have it in um, like a spot like that. And then the other piece too is you want to have visibility like how you're saying you like to look at different lists or calendar. So some people communicate with their team by email, by Google Drive, which yes, that's, that's great. And I know that that's like one way to start. But here's the thing, why I think it's really good to have a project management tool is because it gives you visibility on your business and on your team. If you aren't using something like Asana, ClickUp, Trello, whatever, you can't see the overarching things that are happening in your business and who's doing what on your team and then you're like, okay, maybe I can start to delegate this. Or you know what, I see that there's a gap coming up that I, maybe I want to put in a sale here. I want to do this. You can actually make strategic decisions in your business because you have visibility on like what's actually happening.

Speaker A: Mhm. No. Yeah, and that's true. And that's huge too. Um, even that's why I like the calendar view for social media. Be like, oh, okay, you know, I don't have post plan for like these three days or oh, you know, I really wanted to do this like pop up special, but oh, I'm also prepping for like a launch right now and I can't fit in both. So like better not do that. Uh, whereas when I'm just jotting things down on paper, you're right. You tend to, I tend to overestimate what I can accomplish in any given period of time.

Speaker B: Definitely. And then I think too it helps with like having things in a system. So if you do decide to start to hire somebody to hire a piece of it out, you've kind of already got it there. So then they have the history of it. They're like, oh, okay, I can see, you know, for the past three months this is how she used to post on social media, or this is the frequency of her podcast, or these are the number of clients that she has, or this is the uh, one she does a specific offer. So like they can start to piece parts of your business together as well too. So again, depending on who you're hiring out for, they can see some of the history as well. And that's the beauty of hiring people too. Like having contractors in your business is you're hiring them for their support so they have ideas, they have expertise and they can see the gaps that are missing your business too. Like with you, Brittany, coming on, you're like, do you have SEO for this? Do you have this? I was like, I have none of those things set up. Right. But like, I'm so in the thick of like doing client work but also trying to grow my own business that I'm missing those key pieces. But by you coming in, you're able to like help and navigate and see those things and so that just makes a difference too.

Speaker A: Mhm. I do have to say that you're probably one of our easier clients to onboard because you actually had the systems in place. So then I'm like, okay, cool. And I'm going to need passwords and like branding materials and you're like, yep, here's the link. And I'm like, oh, my goodness, this is awesome. Awesome. Usually we're like, running around being like, okay, we're putting this stuff in place for the clients, which is fine. We don't mind helping with that. But, like, you know, delays the onboarding process for them. And they're like, how come we haven't started? Be like, well, because I don't have the stuff that I need to get going yet. So, you know, one foot in front of the other here.

Speaker B: Yes, definitely. Well, and I think even so for, like, my podcast, because there was so many moving pieces. So I know how I said, like, I didn't always have everything in place. I definitely did that because I was like, uh, there's so as you know, with hosting podcasts, there's so many moving parts. I was like, I've had my own checklist in place. I had like, what goes where, what goes in which platform. So that's definitely one thing I think that I actually, like, had set up also. I'm glad that that worked when I was onboarding you guys too.

Speaker A: Yeah, for sure. And I think that's the other thing that kind of entrepreneurs don't realize when they're like, oh, I'm going to start this project is they don't realize how complex projects are and how many moving pieces there are. So then they, they drop the ball in certain areas or don't realize. So, like, I know when I was like, oh, I'm going to create a course.

Speaker B: It'll be great.

Speaker A: I can make money anytime. People can just purchase the course whenever. But then I was like, cool, well, now I need a system to host the course. And that system needs to talk to, like, my email marketing system, because that's how they're going to get the login details. And then, you know, anytime you need to update or change any of it, you're like, okay, well, where's all this information live? How is it all connected? And that's really where systems, um, kind of come into place. And I feel like there's things, like, different types of systems that can support businesses in different ways. So it's not just a case of using airtable, um, or Asana, which is like one type of system. But then there's things like Dubsado, which is CRMs, and then there's like email marketing systems. And you kind of need more than one to have a successful business.

Speaker B: Yes, absolutely. And you're right, because especially too, like, there's different factors. So with, like, having a CRM like Dubsado or Honeybook, it's allowing you to know. Okay. I'm very much like. I can't even say the word carpenter.

Speaker A: Compartmentalize.

Speaker B: Thank you.

Speaker A: You're welcome.

Speaker B: My words aren't working for me this morning, but very much so. I'm like, I know when I go into Dubsado, this is where I'm doing, like, my invoicing, my contracts, the proposals, the onboarding form, like, all of it. And I know that that's all. And, like, any leads that are coming in, any, like, past projects are all living in there. And it's really helpful for me to see that as well too.

Speaker A: So tell me, what system, what all systems do you use in your business as a system specialist?

Speaker B: Yeah, so Dubsado is definitely one. I love that. As, like my CRM M. I use, um, ClickUp, obviously. I've been talking about ClickUp and I love ClickUp. I use Slack. But interesting enough, I'm actually looking to transition Slack into ClickUp because the fact that there's channels now that you can direct message, you can actually do the voice notes and you can do video recording. So I use loom right now to send, like, video recordings that I'm actually looking at eliminating Loom because ClickUp has that capability as well too. Oh, that's cool. To record videos. So, yeah. And then I use Fathom. Fathom has been like the biggest game changer for me because it goes in, it records all of my, um, the calls, whether it's a discovery connection call or whether it's like a client call. And then it's so like, what actions you need, what the summary is. So one of the cool things I actually was able to do was because I record all of my discovery connection calls, I went in, I asked Fathom, what are the common pain points? What are the common, like, themes that are happening throughout each of these calls that I've had? And then I now have a database of like, client, um, language pain point. So when I'm doing my marketing and when I'm doing, like, my offer, I now have that drawn. So like, Fathom has been the other piece that I love with Fathom too, is it now has like an Ask Fathom anything. So it has, like, it will scan all of my calls so I can be like, what is my methodology? What are common terms I'm using? What are common things that I'm doing? So then that way, again, it's pulling that and it's like helping me with that too. Um, I use Riverside for my Podcast, Um, I use AI, I use chat, I use Claude. But a lot of times it's more like, here's my thought, like, help me like streamline my own thought with like a process kind of thing. So I do that. Um, what other tools do I use? Those I think are like the really big ones that have like helped me with like organize and time management for sure.

Speaker A: Mhm. I love that. That makes a lot of sense. Um, and we use, we use similar tools, so I also use Dubsado. I use Asana instead of ClickUp. Um, uh, and then like I have my podcasting platforms and my um, course platform that hosts all of my course stuff. Another one that I use, and it's I guess not necessarily a system, but something that I like to mention for entrepreneurs because it really does help with time management is I use a website called Toggl.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker A: To help me track my time because that's not something that I can do in some of my other systems.

Speaker B: Can um, you not do that in Asana?

Speaker A: I probably could, I guess, if I set myself up as a project. But I like, I like to track my own, like how much time I spend doing my projects as well, outside of just my client stuff. But I should look into that. I'm not paying for Toggle, so it hasn't been a big deal. But that was going to kind of be my next question. So I know a lot of entrepreneurs are like, okay, well learning one system is one thing. But now you just mentioned like six different things that you use that I would then need to go out and learn, but then also pay for. So do you have any advice for entrepreneurs that are kind of up against that? You know, is it worth the time to learn how to do it and the investment to do it? Because there's a learning curve, definitely.

Speaker B: And I also think it's like starting simple. I just didn't go and like add all these things because one, overwhelming. And two, I was trying to be like mindful of budget because as you're growing, um, you want to be like mindful of that. But also to be honest too, I've done a lot of work on like mindset and money. So I also knew that like I wanted these things and systems in place and these tools because of where I'm going. And so obviously for me it was like, I'm making these investments because these investments are in my business to help my business continue to grow. Um, so really what I started off with was, um, what did I start off with? So I didn't okay, I'll use my podcast. For example. I was doing everything on Zoom. I didn't get Riverside until last year because I was doing everything manually. Zoom was free. I have a Mac, so I was using Imovie and Zoom, and I was doing that all on my own until eventually I was like, I no longer have the time and the capacity to be doing this. So I hired out an editor and I hired out you guys. And so. And then I switched over to Riverside, and now I'm paying. I think it's 40amonth. But, like, I did free for two years in my podcast before, I was like, okay, now I want to actually, like, pay and make the investments in it. I just got Fathom in November, so. Because before, I was doing everything through Zoom, and I was doing everything, like, I was having Zoom send me, like, the recording and, like, the summary, but it was missing a lot of stuff. So then I was like, okay, you know what? Like, no, Susie didn't say this comment. That was actually me that said this comment kind of thing, right? So Now I pay 30amonth for Fathom, but it has saved me so much time because the other piece was I wasn't working smart enough because I was going back in and, like, reviewing stuff where now with Fathom, I can just, like, click on the conversation. It'll bring me right to that spot in the video to watch. So again, that's something that I just introduced. Um, I've been using ClickUp for a while, but I also knew I needed to have it to organize my own business as well as organizing clients. Um, and then I've always had, like, a website, I think. Um, and you don't have to, but it was just a piece of. So I used to have a wellness business, and that was, like, the first thing I ever invested in was, like, a wellness business, because it actually made me feel like a legit business. You can be a legit business without having a website. But that was, like, a core piece for me. So it just. For me, I wanted a place for people to land if I'm going out, meeting people, connecting with people. Um, and then Dubsado I have had for, like, a couple years now because, again, I felt like things were getting lost and I wanted people to, like, sign contracts. But you know what, if you have the Google Workspace, people can sign. You would have to pay for it, but people can sign, like, contracts and do that as well, too, right inside Google Workspace. So it's, I think, exploring a bit of, like, what are you currently paying for that maybe already has the capability to do stuff. And then the other piece is, what are you paying for that? Like, maybe might make sense down the road to switch. Because one of the reasons why I don't use Google and I use Dubsado is because I want to, I send my invoices through there, I want to send proposals through there. I don't want to be sending everything through like Canva and stuff like that. And I can set it up so like everything's automated. I didn't have it where it was automated before, so I was paying the lower package fee. So that's the other piece too, is like, look at the systems you're paying for. Is there maybe like a lower option that you can start paying with and then bump up from there? So even ClickUp, I started on the free version when I got ClickUp and then eventually as I've continued, I've started to add more in. So I think that's the other piece too, is like, you don't have to start with, like, I'm paying for the top of everything. Like, you can start with the free version and let it grow with you.

Speaker A: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense and that's really good to know. Um, and I feel like, I hope most businesses start in that order, that they're not just like, okay, we're gonna go out by like HubSpot.

Speaker B: It's all good.

Speaker A: Um, yeah, I hope entrepreneurs aren't going out and buying like HubSpot, which is supposedly an all in one CRM that I've heard some other business owners talk about. But I looked into it and it's like thousands and thousands of dollars a month.

Speaker B: I was like, no, it's not that. And also I've seen, um, people using like, go high level, which again, like, I know people love that. I think again, it goes back to like, what is your goal? And also knowing that it's okay to change platforms. Like, so I know in the past, like, I've had clients that have got Kajabi because they love Kajabi and they want the all in one platform, but then they no longer offering a course, so. Or they're no longer having a community. So for them it doesn't make sense to keep paying, you know, $200 a month or whatever it is and they're wanting to switch to something like Squarespace where they're paying like $40 a month. So like also knowing too, like, you can set something up, but, uh, you're allowed to change your mind and it's okay. To change your mind as you continue to grow and evolve with your business too. And you know, I'm in a season of scaling and that's been like my, my vision for my business since I started it. But like that doesn't have to be yours and that's okay too. So I think it's really knowing like what's in your heart and what you're wanting to do and then you can choose systems based on that because you can get all these fancy bells and whistles systems. But like at the end of the day, if it doesn't make sense for you and you're not going to have like a bigger team or whatever, like that's okay too. You need to work with like what makes the most sense for you and your vision.

Speaker A: Mhm. I'm so glad you mentioned that because I feel like I'm definitely in a season now where I'm reevaluating a lot of my expenses and my systems. And it's not because I don't want my business to scale. I do. I just can't have it scale at an unsustainable pace right now knowing that I have small children and more children on the way. And it almost feels like I'm failing in my business because I'm like, well, I don't need this anymore. Even though, you know, I've spent, huh, hundreds and thousands of dollars paying for a system up to this point. Sometimes I've had experts come in and set things up for me and I'm just like, I don't need this right now. I know I'll need it eventually. But it's like, how do you rationalize kind of maintaining all of those costs when you know, for me my, my revenue is lower than it was when I set up all the systems. So it's like, wow, this hurts a lot more than it know like last year.

Speaker B: Well, and you're right too. And you got to look at that, right? Look at what your revenue is, but also look at the season of life that you're in, you know, so like a lot of these things. So my kids are 8 and then my youngest, me turning 4 soon. So like, yes, I'm still in the thick of parenting, but I'm not in the thick of like newborn to 4 or 5 years old. Right. I'm starting to get more of that like time freedom and that ah, flexibility to be able to like, like use these systems and the things in my business. So I think it's like you bring up a really good point. It's like notice the season that you're in. And that's part of what we've talked about too, is like being an entrepreneur and having a business is you have that freedom, you have that flexibility to make those choices. And if, you know, letting some systems go right now because it's not making sense, you're not utilizing them, you're paying for them, but it's not making sense to keep paying for them, is there like a freer version that you could be using right now to help minimize the cost? Because this is the season that you're in and knowing that, you know, what, two years from now, three years from now, you might not go back to that system, but like, you have it from like a different perspective and like, maybe your business has evolved from then too. Like, I know when I started this operations business three years ago, like, I'm not doing a lot of the same offers that I was doing, you know, before either. So like, knowing that you're going to continue to evolve and your business will all evolve too. But yeah, I think you bring up like, I think it's so hard because we get so stuck in like seeing what everyone else is doing online and seeing like, this is what we should be doing or this is how we should be growing our business. But like, really it's embracing and having that gratitude for like, that I get to choose what I want to do, I get to choose how I the clients I want to work with. I get to choose how I want my business to run. And growing a small family is like, we love them, but it's exhausting. Right. So like that's the piece. And it's like we're working in between nap times, we're working in the middle of the night when they're up, we're working in the morning. But it's also sustaining your energy too, because you also don't want to be burning out because you're trying to maintain this business that just isn't working for what you're doing.

Speaker A: Mhm. For sure. Yeah. And I think that that's a lot of, it's a lot of the things that people don't talk about and they don't think about. They're like, oh, well, you know, I needed this before, I'll need this in the future. But you don't necessarily need it now. And there's like a level of fluctuation that comes with growing a business.

Speaker B: Yes.

Speaker A: Um, and people kind of, I think more people just kind of need to talk about that and have that be more Common knowledge that, yeah, things change, people switch, new tech becomes available. And like, all of these things, there's so many factors. So that's why one of the things that I've stopped doing is like, buying lifetime memberships to things. Unless it's like a super big savings, like, if I'll make that money back within like a year or a year and a half, then okay, sure. But I pay for most of my systems monthly. And I know that not everyone recommends that because it costs more money in the long run. But then it also gives me freedom and peace of mind to know that if things change in six months, nine months, whatever, I'm not tied into this and I haven't spent a lot of money on it.

Speaker B: Yeah, absolutely. I think that's a really good point. And again, if it's something that you're using all the time and then you have the cash flow to be investing, like, for like a year, whatever, then that makes sense. But I think as you're growing your business and evolving your business, there's nothing wrong with month to month. And like I said before, like, so, for example, even I used to use Planoli as like a scheduler in my business. I used it in my wellness business. And then when I switched operations, I didn't have anything. And then two months ago, uh, actually three months ago, I started with Planole. I use it for a month. And I was like, I actually don't like this. Why am I paying for this? So, like, again, you might go back to a system you used to use and you're like, I don't want to do that. I just want to post, like, organically myself. Right. So, um, yeah, I know there's no, like, simple answer. And business isn't easy. And I think that's the hard part, the part that people need to realize. Like, I did a post on Threads the other day, so I was like, I was so stressed out. I'm like, I want to talk to someone who's. I'm trying to grow an agency. So I'm like, uh, I want to talk to someone who's like, grown an agency. Because right now I might need to burn down my business. But I think I just need to hire a mentor right now. Someone who's been where I want to go. And I think that's the other piece too, is like, you can, like, look at mentorship. You can look at, like, I know we're both a monarch. You know, there's other communities out there and maybe you don't have the funds right? Now to join a community, listen to people's podcasts. Like, I, uh, before I actually joined any communities, I listen to podcasts all the time because I would go for a walk and I'd be like, oh my God, what am I doing? I'm stressed out. Who am I? What am I? Literally like, all the crimes. Uh, so I would put on Chris and Lori Harder's podcast and I would listen to that and be like, okay, they are just normal people, they're multi millionaires, but they're just normal people that like just figured it out as they went too. Right. So I think that it was like, there is free stuff out there to support you.

Speaker A: Mhm. Yeah, that's a really great point as well. Um, and I think too, if you get a new system and you want to DIY it, go ahead and try. And then if you have the capacity to invest in help, then that's always a great way to go. But you can figure it out as you go. Like maybe just implement one or two things at a time and then kind of build the system up slowly. Like, I've been using dubsado for a few years and I've talked to Amy about having her do this for me because now I'm at the point where I just don't want to do it, even though I know how. But I had to go and learn slowly. So the first thing I set up was just my calendar so that people could click on a link and book with me and I didn't have to manually email back and forth about my availability. And then after that, I think I set up my contracts and my proposals. But I didn't do it all at once. I did it over the span of probably 6 to 12 months. Do it slowly. I'd watch a YouTube video of things that I didn't know how to do, or even the tutorials that come from the Dubsado themselves or whatever. There are resources out there and if you are on a budget, you can learn how to do it yourself. Just like, don't go in and inspect that. You're gonna purchase a new system and have it set up in seven days. Because that's what leads to burnout, that's what causes problems.

Speaker B: Absolutely. And the other piece too is you can do trades like you'd never know. Like ask somebody, are they open to like a trade? So like, when I first started my Walmart business, like I mentioned, I wanted a website. I didn't have the funds for the website. I reached out to like this marketing company. I was like, can you give me a website?

Speaker A: Can I pay half?

Speaker B: The other half? I can massage you. Yeah. So like, think outside of the box too, right? Like, I know, yes, invest and you can hire somebody so you can learn on YouTube. But if you feel like you're getting stuck, like, there's so many people, like, ask if they're willing to like, do a trade. Like, you teach me this and I'll do this for you if that's something that you're interested in doing too.

Speaker A: Mhm. Yeah, that's definitely another great option for entrepreneurs that are getting started. Um, kind of a little bit of a shift in topic, but something that I really wanted to mention today is, um, the comparison game. And I know that's a little bit more mindset piece, but it actually really does factor into, um, systems. Because what people don't realize is that you are playing the comparison game with someone's business that you cannot see. You don't know how many people they have on staff, who their independent contractors are, and you don't know what systems they have in place behind the scenes that giving them the bandwidth to do all of these things that you're seeing. And people ask me a lot. Oh, how do you do everything that you do? You're like, okay, well, technically I am a solopreneur, but like, I have had copywriters work with me from time to time. Grayson does all of my podcasts. I have systems set up in place so that when I sit down to work, I'm not spending three hours going, okay, what was I working on last week when I was here? You know, I've got it all documented in Asana in Dubsado. My invoices are all sent automatically for me now. My calendar is automatically. So when I sit down and work, I'm working on my client work or I'm working on my own marketing projects. And that's why I can be in more places than other people, because I have systems 100%.

Speaker B: And you bring up such a good point because again, we kind of get stuck in life that comparison. And I just had that with a client who's trying to build the course and she's like, this person's sending an email twice a week and they're posting four times a day on social media and they're going to sense. And I was like, did you know that this person one has been in business for 10 years also, um, did you know that this person has three people on their team? I know that because I'm one of the people on their team. So I was like, yes, they're doing this. And I'm like, they have like, this is all mapped out and planned like months in advance. So. And then they magnitude it to other people. So I'm like, you're comparing yourself with someone who has support and who has help, but who also as the funds to be paying somebody and like people to be doing these things too, and also have the funds for all these systems. I'm like, you're just getting started. So like recognize that like you're doing amazing for where you're at. But like you're, you're not comparing apples to apples with this.

Speaker A: Mhm. For sure. And I think that that's kind of like the other piece of systems that people don't always realize. Like, you hear the expressions of systems set you free, but like, until you actually put them in place for your business, you really don't have context to understand how that works. But I would spend so many hours going in and updating invoices, changing the numbers, changing the date, whatever, whatever, just to get paid like hours and hours every month. And that was finally why I was like, you know what? I'm going to pay $45 a month for Dubsado and I'm going to get back three to four hours a month of my own time. That makes sense. But until you kind of can step back and picture it from that perspective, okay, well, this is the financial investment in this. But what am I getting back? Not only was it no longer a case of Brittany having to remember that I got to invoice this client on the 3rd and this one on the 17th, and it did it for me. And then I got more time to then work on other projects. And yeah, you just, you really don't understand it until you actually do it. And then you're like, oh my God, why didn't I do this sooner?

Speaker B: 100%. And that's even like what I was saying with my podcast before is like I was doing everything in Zoom. I was also sending out a form manually for people doing so. So once I like added Riverside in and then added like, obviously it was different than I added into support too. But like even talking to like Riverside, I was like, oh my God, like it does it automatically for me. I was like, I. This was like I was saving hours of time. And then I even used Dubsado for m people to book in their podcast. I was mainly doing it with people and then I was in the form. So I was like, even with Dubsado, I Was like, now they can book in their time. I have them fill the form. So I've got all that information there. I'm not sifting through emails, I'm not going all this back and forth with everything. I was like, this saves me so much time and energy at the end of the day too.

Speaker A: Mhm. For sure. Yeah, yeah. And I just want people to really be aware of that, mostly because of the comparison game, but also because it just, it. It is such a weight off your shoulders, especially when you are a solo printer, to put some of these things in place. Now one thing that I do want to mention too is it's great to have all these systems, but if every system works in isolation, then you still have a lot of manual stuff that you're doing. So one of the things that really helped me was using toggl tracking my time be like, okay, I'm actually spending this many hours on this project, well, I'd rather, you know, not. And then I'll put a system in place. But then I would put systems in place and then realize that I needed that information in more than one location. And then you need to put, put additional systems in, in essence on top of that so that the systems talk to each other. So I don't know whether you use Zapier.

Speaker B: I assume I do use that and do some of that more. So I've helped clients with that. I've been doing some of that more within my own business. But the one piece I want to share about that is automation is great until it doesn't work. It's all tech until it doesn't work. So I know a lot of times like I'm going to compare this to like marketing and money. So a lot of times in Marketing, what's your Q1 point? Have that plan money. They're like, okay, do your money dates and stuff like that. I say do your automation because I want you to be checking like at least every three months that everything is set up and working how it's supposed to work because it's great. Until it doesn't work and then think that something's working because a lot of times people set it and forget it. M and that's not helpful because now you think that it's working and it's not working and you're losing clients and you're losing time and energy. And then it's also how your business is being portrayed now out into the world and like there's things you possibly could be missing because you didn't take that 30 minutes every three months or every two months and went and checked to make sure that the system was actually working properly. Mhm.

Speaker A: Oh. And it for sure 100% happens. Uh, I've had that happen to me a few different times where I was like, okay, people fill out the lead capture form in Wix and then Zapier sends the information to Omnisend which triggers the, the email sequence for it and they're getting what they want. And then all of a sudden you get an email from someone going, oh, I downloaded this and it didn't work. And then you're like, oh, that's weird. And I mean, don't get me wrong, sometimes it is user error, yes, but sometimes it is systems too. And then you go back and check and like in my case it was uh, between four and six weeks that they hadn't been triggering properly. So then I had to like manually go back in like hundreds of emails, email addresses that have been added to my list that didn't get the freebies that they were supposed to to get. And then I had to trigger the sequence. And then also because it's me, I also sent an apology email be like, hey, I'm so sorry. Like I just, I really didn't realize that this wasn't working. Here's the information you ask where, you know, like please forgive me kind of thing. And I was like, at least in that case it was just a freebie. But also it's a bad experience. So now those people are less likely to take advantage of the CTA at the end of the email sequence, you know, because they didn't get what they wanted four weeks ago when they wanted it.

Speaker B: But I think the fact that you sent an email like apologizing, I think that's because volumes too, because again, you're humanizing like, hey, business isn't perfect, we make mistakes, things don't always work. But you're like, hey, sorry about that, like here's this. And I think that's something to be said too. A lot of times people can kind of like hide in their cocoon or like it didn't happen right. But like pulling it out. And I think like so many people are drawn to that authenticity of like, hey, you're a real person at the end of the day and you're a person actually wants to help me too.

Speaker A: Mhm, that's true. And you know, sometimes I wish more people did that. Be like, hey, I understand that it doesn't work, but like if I reach out to you and tell you something's broken. It's not because I'm trying to be mean. It's because I genuinely wanted something and then didn't get access to what I was looking for. And not only do I want to be nice and give you a heads up so you can fix it before this happens to someone else, but like, I would still like that thing.

Speaker B: Please. 100%. Yes.

Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. Awesome. Okay. So, I mean, we've talked quite a lot about, you know, how to know when you need systems, what systems you need, kind of how to get started with them, um, like the cost trade off. Is there anything that we haven't discussed that you think is really important for people to know? Because I'm not the systems expert.

Speaker B: I think at the end of the day it's like everything is like irritable and fixable. So like, just give it a try. And if you're something that you're like feeling called to try, go ahead, try it. And if you don't like it, that's okay, you're allowed to change. But I think at the end of the day, um, yeah, everything's big. Figure out about Louis Folio kind of thing. Right. And yes, may break, but like, there's always a solution to fix things. So I know a lot of times people get really intimidated by like tech and systems and stuff like that, but just know we're all figuring this out, like as best you are. We're just a couple more steps ahead of you kind of thing. Right.

Speaker A: So yeah, for sure. So I do have one kind of wrap up question that just popped into my head. So the systems that we've been talking about today, obviously I am nowhere near six figures in my business business. But I do know that you work with businesses that are. Are they the same systems that they use to scale to six figures or is there a kind of a certain point where you need to reevaluate and switch from like solopreneur systems to big team, big goal systems.

Speaker B: So really good question. And so obviously I haven't been inside scoop, so I just want all the listeners to know that, uh, no matter if you're just starting, you're a couple years in your, like, like five years in. Just because someone's making six figures doesn't mean their business is all figured out as well too. So a lot of times, um, I'm coming in because they are apt. They are at capacity and they have no visibility on their team. So they don't actually have a product management tool in place. Or maybe they don't like so I'll give you a couple examples. Like one client I had, um, they were communicating back and forth through text message with their team. I was like, no, no, no, no, no, we're doing. So we implemented Slack and they make multiple. Multiple six figures. Wow. Yes. Another client had no project management, so they had no visibility on their team. So everyone had stuff in their email, they had stuff in the Google Drive, they were sending links and then they were like recreating documents. There was like five different versions of this document that lived. They also made seven figures. So just so you know, like, everyone's figuring it out as they go, which is all part of being in business. But just. Yeah, there might be a business that you really look up to. They might not have figured out. I don't know if it's fair enough. Like they don't always have it figured out either too. Right. They're figuring out as they go. So.

Speaker A: Hm.

Speaker B: I know you talked about like that whole comparison thing too. Right. So, um, yeah. So to answer the question of like at least starting with something, I think is key because then as you continue to grow, because what happened is these people didn't start with anything and it wasn't working, so they were still keeping stuff in their head, keeping stuff in their email. So at least if you start really honestly, having some type of project management tool in place really helps as you continue to grow and scale.

Speaker A: Mhm. Okay, awesome. I love that. And you know, it's nice to hear that the businesses making the kind of money I would like to make are probably in similar situations. I mean, different. But similar, similar situations of the things that I am learning and trying to figure out and implement and test and all of that. So yeah, that is really nice to know. All right, well, thank you so much for joining me on the Go Get Great podcast today. I feel like I learned so much and I hope that the listeners did as well. I know you shared some incredibly value information and as we were talking, uh, before we hit record, it's not necessarily about learning things, it's about taking action. So if you are wanting to do it yourself or you're looking for some help, how can they get a hold of you, Amy? Because you're going to know way better than me.

Speaker B: Oh, amazing. Thank you so much. So, yeah, I'm on Instagram at Sussex or you can head to my website, the Business Management Co. Um, I also have a podcast as well too that Brittany was on. So it's called beyond your, uh, podcast that you're more than welcome to listen to. But yeah, the best way to reach me would be through, um, Instagram at Amy Sussex.

Speaker A: Okay, perfect. And I will link that all in the show notes for you as well. All right, so thank you guys for listening and we will see you next week on the Go Get Great Podcast.

Speaker B: Thank you so much for having me.

Speaker A: Thank you so much for tuning in to today's episode of Go Get Great. I hope that you found some inspiration and practical tips to help you take your life and business from good to great. If you enjoyed today's episode, please make sure to leave a review and subscribe so you never miss an episode. We've got so much more valuable content and amazing guests coming your way. And don't forget to follow us on social media for marketing tips and all. A whole lot of relatable mom content. You can find us on Instagram at, ah, Brittany Miller Socials and at, uh, BrittanyNMiller. And if you're ready to elevate your marketing game, I would love to work with you. Whether you need help with social media strategy, email marketing, or growing a podcast of your own, Britney Miller Socials is here to support you every step of the way. Visit my website at, um, www.BrittanyMillerSocials CA to learn more about how we can work together. Thanks again for listening. Until next time, keep going, keep growing and Go Get Great.