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7 Reasons

Why Entrepreneurs Need Business Systems

Do you feel like you’re working super hard but not making a lot of progress? 

Do you have dreams to scale up but don’t know how? 

Are you unclear about some fundamentals on your small business, like how much profit you make each month? 

And—perhaps most importantly—do you feel like you have no time for anything fun? 

If any of these rings a bell, you might need to evaluate your business systems. 

Why? 

Systems are what help entrepreneurs thrive, grow, and love their work. 

I dove into this topic on episode 6 of the Determined AF podcast. You can check out the full thing or read on here for some key takeaways about what business systems are and 7 reasons every entrepreneur needs them. 

What Are Business Systems? 

On some level, you totally get what a system is. 

But it’s always helpful to have an official definition. So, systems are “a set of things working together as part of a mechanism, or an interconnecting network. An organized framework of method.” 

Based on this, some key features of systems are:  

  • Multiple things working together—i.e., a single action you take for your small business is not a system. 
  • Interconnecting network—i.e., everything is tied together. 
  • Organized framework—i.e., it doesn’t just happen by chance!

Systems are what allow you to grow and scale quicker because you’ve thoughtfully planned and organized for what to do. 

Where to Apply Systems to Your Business

Knowing the definition of systems, do you feel like you have any? 

Or, if you do have a system in place, is it working for you? Is it bringing you closer to your goals? 

Last question—are you using business systems everywhere you can? Because there are a lot of places in your small business where a system is essential for success: 

  • Your schedule and calendar (read about my top 5 tips for mastering your schedule!).
  • Event management or product launch. 
  • Client management and communications. 
  • Social media management. 
  • Business acquisition. 

The list goes on. There are many places in your business to apply systems. 

And, doing so, will reap a number of amazing benefits for your entrepreneurial journey. More on that below. 

“If you're looking to grow, scale, or automate your business, then having your systems in place in a written manner - something that can then be duplicatable - is seriously key.”

7 Reasons You Need Business Systems

You understand what a system is and that it can be applied to many parts of your business. 

But many of you might be thinking, “Yeah, but that’s not me. That’s not how my brain works.” You may struggle to naturally develop or keep up with systems. 

The good news is that there are tools, resources, and options that you can grab and plug into your business (I have a ton of them on my site!). The key here is that you’re convinced of the importance of having a business system and then you can find what works for you. 

So, here are 7 reasons every entrepreneur needs systems for their business.

1. Systems Reduce Stress

Having an intentional, clear, and written-down plan will reduce so much stress in your life. Instead of trying to manage everything in your head or always wondering what to do, a system simplifies decision-making and minimizes stress.

2. Systems Help You Be Flexible

It might be a little counter-intuitive, but having a formal system allows you to be more flexible in life. 

Everything in life and business is a journey that’s meant to pivot and change. And your system can set you up for just that. 

For example, in my calendaring system, I always leave a few blocks of time for random things that come up. So, if someone asks me to meet up for happy hour, I can either do it in one of those blocks of time or schedule it for another day. But if I just haphazardly managed my schedule with no system, it would be hard to be flexible like that.

3. Systems Help With Goal-Setting

You’re an ambitious entrepreneur so I know you have goals. But do you know if you’re reaching them? Do you know the steps to get there? 

Systems help you clarify your goals, make a plan to reach them, and offer a way to track progress. Without a business system, you don’t know where you are.

4. Systems Allow You to Have Fun

For people who are not naturally drawn to systems, you may have a hard time seeing them as “fun.”

Let me give you an example. Next year I’m going to take my son for college campus tours. If I forgo my system and just wing it, it could get stressful cramming it all in. But I have a system and a plan for it to spread it out over summer and spring break. This allows us to see all the campuses we want to and plan to have some fun doing it. No stress, more good times with my son!

5. Systems Minimize Risk

When you intentionally plan and prepare for something, you can anticipate and mitigate risks better. You’re equipped for what’s ahead and know how to avoid disasters by changing course when needed.

6. Systems Help You Excel

Say you have a big event or product launch—something really important to your business. Without a system, you may not be able to get everything done in time to a high standard.

But, with a clearly planned strategy and system, you have time to get your marketing collateral, sponsor money, content creation, and everything else you need to do done to the best of your ability.

7. Systems Help You Make Business Decisions

Do you know where your leads come from? Do you know the revenue you get from them? Do you know the exact profits you make each month?

And I don’t mean guesses or assumptions—do you actually know the cold, hard facts? 

If you don’t, you can’t make sound business decisions. So, you need a system to ensure you are collecting the right data and information to drive those decisions. 

There's a system for how you can plan a live launch. There is a system for how you can plan an event. There is a system for how you can plan your goals and the path toward achieving them. And, often times, these are simple worksheets that you can just work backwards.

Simply put, systems matter for your business.

And if you’re stuck on where to get started, you’re in the right place! You can listen to the full episode on Determined AF to learn more about systems that keep me on track. I’d also love for you to consider joining my Aligned Strategy Program where we work together one on one to create the right system for you.

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**Disclosure** This post may contain affiliate links and they are at no additional cost to you, though I may earn a small commission. Don't worry, I only recommend products or services that I have tried or believe would be of great value to you! All opinions expressed are those of my own!

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