10 Myths About Building Business Systems That Are Costing You Time and Money
Your beliefs about systems are hurting your business.
I can almost guarantee this is true for 99% of business owners. Maybe you think that you’re just not a “systems person” because you’re not an organized, Type A neat-freak.
Or that your business is too unique/specialized to systemize.
Or maybe you’re just overwhelmed because you think systems are too complicated and you have to organize everything in one go and who has the time?!
Whatever your beliefs are about systems, I bet you an oat milk matcha latte they’re keeping you from having the business you want.
So, today, I’m going to do my best to help you bust through some of those myths so you can see a) just how important systems are for building a profitable, sustainable business, and b) that it’s not as complicated as you may think.
Let’s dive in.
Myth #1: You need fancy or expensive software.
A lot of people equate systems with software. And that’s not their fault.
Software brands are all competing for your business, and they all have a vested interest in making you believe that you need THEIR SPECIFIC TOOL.
The right software can be helpful, sure, but there are two rules of thumb I like to use:
Understand your business needs and outline your processes or systems before choosing software (rather than choosing fancy software and then molding your business processes to fit the tool), and
Keep it simple. Combine tools wherever possible (e.g. using work management software like SmartSuite that allows you to do project management, documentation, CRM, etc. in one tool).
Depending on your business, Google Docs and the free Asana plan might work perfectly well for you! (That’s exactly what I used when I worked with a $750k+ media company.)
The point is, software can support your systems, but it’s not the software that makes the system.
You can have zero fancy/paid software and still have a streamlined, organized, and systemized business. And you can have all the fancy software and have a chaotic and messy business.
Myth #2: Only big businesses benefit from systems.
Literally the entire reason my business exists/I do the work I do is to bust this myth. My passion is helping small businesses and teams realize the freedom that systems provide, especially with a small team.
Let me ask you a question: When’s the last time you took time off?
I mean, like, REAL time off. Away from your computer, no work, sittin’ on a beach sippin’ margs in the sun? (Or, if you’re me, staycationing to work on your garden and perfect your homemade yogurt recipe.)
Can you even remember?
That’s why systems are important for every size business. Freedom.
To spend more time with loved ones, focus on your health, not be a slave to *the grind*, to spend your days how you want to spend them.
Myth #3: Setting up systems takes too much time.
Look, creating systems is an investment. Depending on whether you go DIY or DFY or something in between, it can require time and/or money.
But you don’t have to spend hours and hours creating systems for everything. Start with one small process. Next time you do the process, record how you do it. Even just 15 minutes here and there can add up.
Just like with any investment, you have to play the long game. You might not see the benefits in the moment, but it’ll pay dividends in the future.
Myth #4: Systems feel cold and remove personal touch from the business.
For service-based businesses, especially, I hear this concern of not wanting to come across as cold/impersonal/robotic in client interactions, like invoicing, sending a proposal, or following up on prep work the client hasn’t completed.
And it can come across as robotic if you use basic templates. But if you customize those templates or write your own to reflect your voice, then it’s no different from you sitting down and writing out each individual email.
Well, it is different. It’s different in that it frees up time for you to give personalized attention to your clients where it matters most.
Myth #5: You need to be tech-savvy to implement business systems.
We kind of covered this in Myth #1, but in case I didn’t make it clear enough: your software does not have to be complicated.
You can use simple tech tools that you’re familiar with. Or, when it’s in the budget, you can pay someone to help you. There are specialists for almost every software out there. Many of them offer do-it-yourself (they give you the plan/strategy, you implement yourself) done-with-you (guided courses/coaching), or done-for-you (full implementation) options.
But for now, work with what works for you. You can always get fancy later if you want/need to.
Myth #6: Business systems are set in stone once created.
I think this is a perfectionist mentality.
People who believe this myth often avoid getting started because they think they have to get it exactly right or they need to build the perfect system that’s going to support their business at 7 figures (even if they’ve just hit $100k).
As an entrepreneur/business owner, you’re always building, breaking down, and rebuilding. If you’ve ever changed your offers or pivoted industries, you know what I’m talking about.
It’s the same with your systems. They’re always going to evolve with your business needs.
I built a project management system for one of my clients last year, and this year we’re completely overhauling it.
Why?
Because the team has grown, the business has grown, the offers have evolved, and we’ve learned a lot in all that change. So we’re applying what we’ve learned to meet the new needs of the team and company.
Your first pass at a system may (read: should) be scrappy. The goal is just to get a repeatable process in place. You can always make it more sophisticated later.
Myth#7: Business systems stifle creativity/aren’t for creatives.
Au contraire.
Have you ever gotten to the end of a long workday and thought, “I really need to write that email to go out tomorrow, but my brain is fried.”
(Or swap email with blog post, YouTube video script, Instagram caption – whatever creative activities you do in your business.)
What if you had systems in place that cut the time you spend on administrative, customer service, team/project management, etc. by 15 hours a week. Wouldn’t that allow you more time and mental space to do your creative work?
I would argue that creatives are some of the business owners who could benefit the most from systems.
Myth #8: You have to systemize everything at once.
This is a similar perfectionist mindset to Myth #6. It’s this idea that you have to systemize everything all at once and do it right the first time.
But that’s not how it works.
You can start small – just create one process. One SOP. One system at a time.
Then another. Then another.
Each one is an improvement, a little less chaos and a little more calm and control.
Myth #9: My business is too unique for systems.
I hate to break it to you, but… no it’s not.
I’ve worked with software services companies that solve complex enterprise software problems for big-name brands that you know.
They don’t have productized services that follow the exact same formula every time. And if that’s true of your business, too, you can still create a system or framework for how you work with clients.
If you’ve read the book Traction or Systemology, these are perfect examples. Both books include frameworks for managing/systemizing a business that can be applied to all different types of industries.
You don’t have to have a product or productized service to benefit from systems. The core principles of systemization are adaptable to nearly any business model or industry.
Myth #10: My customers will hate it/me if I don’t message them personally.
Similar to Myth #4, I would bet my bottom dollar that you’re the only person thinking this.
Most people aren’t going to think twice about getting an automated email from you, especially if it’s personalized (including their unique information) and customized to fit your brand/voice.
Systems can help you build trust with your customers by providing a consistent and reliable experience. That’s what they’ll be thinking about. Not whether you personally hit “send” on an email.
Systems are the key to a sustainable business.
They can free up your time for more creative tasks, allow you the freedom and flexibility to take time off (which we should all do more often), and create a reliable and consistent experience for your customers.
Systems don’t have to be complicated, and you don’t have to be a tech guru or even a “systems person” to create them. You can start small by documenting just one process and build on your systems over time.
There’s zero downside and virtually unlimited upside. So what are you waiting for? Start building!