How to Build Strong Processes for Business Growth

It took me 14 years to learn how to create a scalable business. I’ll teach you in 5 minutes: 1. 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲 Every business has one. It’s the weak link that can break everything. → Find processes without backups. → Look for tasks that rely on one person. → Check for tools or systems with no alternatives. Awareness is the first step. 2. 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 Spread the load. Don’t let one person hold all the keys. → Cross-train your team. → Rotate tasks regularly. → Document procedures. Resilience comes from redundancy. 3. 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 Systems are your safety net. They keep everything running smoothly. → Standardize processes. → Automate repetitive tasks. → Use project management tools. Systems reduce dependency on any single point. 4. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘂𝗽 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 Be prepared for the unexpected. Have a Plan B. → Test your backups. → Create backup plans. → Backup data regularly. A good backup plan is your business insurance. 5. 𝗙𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 Never stop improving. A stagnant business is a failing business. → Embrace change. → Encourage feedback. → Regularly review processes. Continuous improvement keeps your systems strong. 6. 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 Your team is your greatest asset. Keep them sharp. → Offer regular training. → Encourage learning and growth. → Promote professional development. A skilled team can handle any challenge. 7. 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 Use tech to your advantage. It’s a powerful tool. → Use cloud solutions. → Use reliable software. → Stay updated with tech trends. Technology can minimize single points of failure. 8. 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 Keep an eye on your systems. Regular checks prevent issues. → Conduct regular audits. → Adjust strategies based on data. → Track key performance indicators. Proactive monitoring keeps your business running smoothly. 9. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 Effective communication is key. Keep everyone in the loop. → Use collaboration tools. → Hold regular team meetings. → Foster open communication. Good communication can prevent many failures. 10. 𝗕𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁 Stay agile. Be ready to change direction if needed. → Watch market trends. → Be open to new ideas. → Adapt quickly to changes. Agility helps you stay ahead. That's it! — Like this post? Please let me know what you thought in the comments below. Also, click on my profile 👉 Jesse and subscribe to The Agency CEO Newsletter for weekly tips on scaling your agency. Ps. Want help implementing? DM me "Scale" to learn more.

If your team is missing deadlines or you feel like you’re constantly putting out fires, it’s time to fix your systems. Scaling a business is tough, but without solid systems, it’s almost impossible.  This is a straightforward guide to developing systems that can help your team scale efficiently. First, document everything. Start by writing down every process and procedure in your business. Use tools like Notion or Confluence to create a comprehensive knowledge base. This makes sure everyone on your team has access to the information they need and keeps everyone on the same page. Next, use advanced project management tools. Platforms like Monday or ClickUp can be customized to fit your specific needs, keeping projects on track and your team coordinated. Connect these tools with your CRM systems to streamline workflows and keep communication smooth across departments. Automation is your friend. Identify tasks that are repetitive and can be automated. Use platforms like UiPath or Blue Prism to handle these tasks, freeing up your team to focus on higher-value activities. Clear communication is critical. Set up a unified strategy that includes both asynchronous and real-time tools. Use Slack for immediate communication and Loom for updates that can be watched at any time. Regular check-ins and clear communication reduce misunderstandings and keep everyone aligned. Creating a culture that is always improving. Regular retrospectives and feedback loops with frameworks like Kaizen or Six Sigma can significantly improve your processes. Encourage your team to provide feedback and suggest improvements. This boosts efficiency and encourages a sense of ownership and engagement among team members. Role definitions need to be crystal clear. Develop a competency matrix to define roles and responsibilities clearly. This helps identify skill gaps and create targeted training programs, making sure everyone knows their part and performs it effectively. Training and development should be a priority. Create a learning and development plan using platforms like LinkedIn Learning or Coursera. Encourage cross-functional training to build a team capable of adapting to new challenges. Data-driven decision-making is key. Regularly review KPIs and adjust strategies based on data insights to stay on the right path. Streamline your onboarding process. Develop a comprehensive program that includes interactive modules, mentorship, and milestone-based assessments. This way, new hires integrate smoothly and contribute effectively from day one. Finally, promote collaboration. Use platforms like Miro or MURAL for brainstorming and project planning sessions. You need an environment where ideas can be freely exchanged and innovation thrives. You don’t need to change everything overnight. Start with one or two key areas and build from there.

I ❤️“process” It’s a dirty word in growth companies, but when process is done right it can produce killer results. The allergic reaction most people have to process is understandable… It’s added friction in getting shit done. “We’re a startup, we’re supposed to be nimble!” Totally agree with you, startup guy… but you’re also not supposed to miss critical details, or leave important folks out of the loop. This can lead to big blowups down the road that could have been avoided. The problem is that most processes are too rigid too early. They bluntly enforce arbitrary rules that make sense when writing them down on paper, but in practice they create more harm than good. A great process is dynamic. It starts small and grows over time in complexity and rigidity, based on the needs of the business. You can do this by separating “core needs” from “optimizations” Core needs: Define the objective of the process, and the problem it’s aiming to solve. It’s important that this is well aligned with the folks that will participate, and the value that the process will deliver. It should be built so 80%+ of the time, the core need is solved for. For example, we built a Deal Review Group at Circle. Its objective is to loop in key stakeholders around new types of partnerships we want to pursue, and align on whether or not this is a good deal for the company. Reps get value by bringing deals to DRG by minimizing potential surprises as they’re trying to close. Stuff can still fall through the cracks, but we have a forum to get everyone in a room and align. It’s what we need right now. Optimizations: This is where process tends to go off the rails. People get fired up and try to mirror exactly how it is done at scaled, successful companies. “We can have a robust decision framework, a 4 level approval structure, and we obviously have to get a new system!” Easy tiger… let's work towards that over time. Focus on what is minimally viable to solve for the core needs. Optimizations can come along the way as they’re warranted. As you’re building the process, identify optimizations and try to defer them if possible. Process is never “set it and forget it”. As the owner of the process, it's your objective to constantly assess how much structure is enough. Get feedback, pay attention to sentiment and vibe, measure the tangible benefits that your process is creating ———— I share ideas and learnings I wish I understood from my first 10 years in tech and business. Ring my bell 🔔 so you don’t miss future posts!

There's no magic bullet that propelled our business from $10 million to $100 million over 7 years. No big unlock.  No single strategic business decision. The primary driver of our growth has been a commitment to executing "the basics" very well over time. Here are 14 of those basics:  1. Giving our team a reason (beyond simply a paycheck) to spend their career with you. 2. Giving our business a compelling Purpose (why we exist) and Values that guide our actions in pursuit of our Purpose. 3. Defining success clearly across every role type. 4. Designing processes that will drive incremental improvements in the KPIs we need to drive. 5. Coaching to those processes often and with consistency. 6. Setting organization-wide goals and translating them into specific and measurable goals for both teams and individuals. 7. Fostering a high-accountability environment by incorporating weekly 1-on-1s and performance evaluations. 8. Recognizing people for doing great things—often and publicly. 9. Bringing core functions and mission-critical competencies in-house. 10. Outsourcing everything else. 11. Knowing your business model then sticking to it. 12. Refusing to give in to the temptation to chase shiny things or say "yes" to work that isn't in our model. 13. Adopting a mindset of continuous improvement. 14. Never accepting "good enough" and constantly challenging the organization to do better—even on the small things. If you're trying to grow your business, execute on the basics consistently over time. Focus on continuous improvement. Growth will follow. 

After running a business for over 20 years, I like to share important insights from time to time. When people hear the word “business process”, their eyes often glaze over. It’s not a riveting subject, yet it’s indispensable.  To support and accelerate any business process, you need technology. It allows multiple people to work together harmoniously, ensures the process is followed, and leads to a quicker, more accurate business solution. Without proper business processes, it would be impossible for a team to achieve much of anything, consistently. Processes can be written or non-written. With smaller teams, they typically are not written. Once the team has worked together for some time, the process evolves and is organically understood by all members. But to leverage technology to improve your team’s output, the first thing that must happen is to clearly identify and write down the process. Without a clear understanding of how you are working together, with the roles defined, the workflow defined, and the outcomes defined, your introduction of technology will fail.  Or at least, it won’t work that well.  In these situations, typically the technology or application is blamed, and the team throws it out and tries another. Do find someone who has experience identifying and documenting processes. Because not everyone does this well. It takes someone with a head for process, and attention to often mind-numbing detail! If you document the process (roles, workflow, outcomes), then it is ready for an application(s) to support and automate the process.  When this is done, we start to call this a ‘system’. At this point, with smaller teams, you can start to modify the process and the supporting application to achieve a more streamlined workflow and better, faster outcomes. (Larger companies take a different approach, with the re-engineering of the process occurring first, before the technology is introduced.) Doing this is a step in the digital transformation effort that every company should focus on, whether big or small, so they aren’t left behind. This helped us at SPK to scale up and serve our clients much more efficiently. If I had to give away one golden nugget of operating a business, this would be a key one. #smallmediumbusiness #SPKandAssociates #DevOps