The Layer Effect

The reasons why your business systems don’t work as you grow and scale your business.

I present you with the layer effect: adding system after system as your business grows. It’s not your fault; it happens (to everyone), and here is why.You’re already being everything to everyone, so the only way is to get more efficient at how you do things and continually improve and streamline. The biggest thing we all want is more time. And whilst it’s not a magic bullet, it can get you some.

When you start a business, you have a few bits of software, but mainly the ones you are used to using (Apple or Google).

• Email 

• Word 

• A digital calendar (or paper diary) 

• A virtual meeting tool

You then realise that it would be easier to be more productive or efficient if you had more tools in your business. 

After a few posts on LinkedIn or Business Facebook groups, you now need a call booking system to save time on arranging meetings, so you introduce Calendly. Calendly will save you lots of time and energy. 

You now need to stop saving everything on your desktop (it’s full, and you can’t find anything), so figure out that you need to add Google Drive to the mix. Google Drive will make you more organised, and you can share documents with clients, which will definitely save you some time.

You go to a networking event, and a fellow business owner who is a few years ahead of you says Trello saves their sanity and brings everything together in one place. 

And then (this feels like the scene from Dude, where’s my car…) A bit of time passes by, and now there are new things you need to look at.

You need to sign up for QuickBooks because your new accountant says you must use it to keep track of all your invoices and expenses. Those Word document invoices won’t cut it anymore. 

Toggl makes an entrance because you are spending way more time on client work than you are billing for, so you need to rein it in and see where you are going wrong. You feel like you definitely should be making more money than you are, something else to fill up your brain space. But Toggl will help. 

Incomes Docusign to help you look more professional—but the real reason is that you got ripped off and now have a contract and proposal in place (created in Word and saved), and the contract needs to be signed digitally. 

Then you say…How do I keep track of all my tasks?

You realise that you are forgetting things and not chasing stuff up, and you still feel stressed and have no time.

So, let’s make it more complicated and add Click Up to better track stuff. Everyone says that Click Up is really good for keeping track of all my tasks.

But wait…another question…How can I use AI to help my business?

Everyone is talking about the Motion App. Ads follow you like hungry toddlers, and this will definitely solve all your problems.

But no, you feel all the business systems, tools and apps are not working. 

Nothing links together, and you are ££ down every month for the privilege. 

So you buy a nice notebook and scrap the tech because it’s “all rubbish” and you’re not good with that stuff anyway. You knew it was all just a big waste of time. 

Does it sound familiar? I present you with the layer effect. 

Make it stand out

Adding system after system without considering the bigger picture, plotting systems against your customer (and business) journey, and what you actually need. 

It’s not your fault, it just happens as the business naturally progresses and time goes on.  

Here is what you need to do:

1. Take some time out to look at your business and all the things you need to do within it

2. Then look at your customer journey and plot what you need to do there

3. Evaluate all of your systems, tools and apps and decide if they solve your problem, if they link together and if it’s worth the cost

4. Research into business systems that solve multiple problems - something like an all-in-one system.

If you are ready to take a step back, invest in your business, and let someone guide you through this process, then I am here to help.

I can look at your business with you. We can determine what’s going on and tidy it up by implementing relevant and solid systems (and processes). 

Working with me can help you: 

• Be more organised 

• Having more time 

• Making more profit

• Have a business you love on your terms

Send me an email or book a no pressure virtual coffee to chat. 

Not ready for that? Free or low cost help:

1. Let’s connect on LinkedIn 

2. Sign up to be pen pals (see footer)

3. Buy my book

4. Resources page