Today’s Guest, Renee Kelly
Renee Kelly started Lime Therapy as an occupational therapy service, growing it into a multidisciplinary allied health practice that provides clinic-based and community-based intervention through private and government contracts. She emphasizes embedding the company’s unique DNA, called “The Lime Way,” directly into their systems, a philosophy that proved critical in their recent successful acquisition.
Interview Takeaways:
1. Structure Drives Freedom
Systems create space for the human element and more meaningful interactions by handling routine tasks consistently. This is counter to the common misconception that systems are impersonal and take away the human aspect. By capturing the “magic” of the business and ensuring the standard is communicated, systems prevent errors and provide a foundation for consistent quality across the team. For Lime Therapy, systems ensured their services were delivered with the same depth and quality, regardless of which therapist provided the care.
2. Leadership Matters Most
The business owner is not the person who should be documenting or driving system implementation. You must find a “Systems Champion” or the magical unicorn within your team to lead the systemization effort. For Renee, who is not a systems person, finding Caleb, the Systems Champion, was essential to drive the internal momentum. This allowed the team to adopt the systems quickly and efficiently, maintaining integrity without relying on the owner’s constant presence.
3. Start Now, Systemize What You Do
Don’t wait for the perfect time or try to systemize what you want to do; start now by systemizing what you are currently doing every day to gain immediate momentum. Renee’s practical advice is to start with the important aspects of your role and what you are doing every day. Trying to wait until everything is “perfect” will prevent the process from ever starting. This approach allows the business to move quickly and simplifies daily tasks.
4. Systemized Value Fuels Acquisition
Systems are the key non-financial asset that maintains and increases the business’s value, making the company “buyable”. For an acquirer (like Gen Share), the existence of comprehensive systems provides the confidence that the business can run successfully without the founder’s knowledge or reliance. Renee’s ability to show the acquirers that Lime Therapy’s DNA was woven into the systems allowed for a successful acquisition focused on generational ownership by the existing team.
5. Systems are Not Policies
Systems are fundamentally different from policies and procedures, which often just serve as necessary reference points for compliance or contracts. Systems built using the SYSTEMology framework are practical and applicable, providing a clear methodology for operations. Unlike off-the-shelf templates used merely for compliance, real systems are living, breathing tools that the team uses every day to guide their work and ensure consistent quality across all products and services.
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About The Show
Business Processes Simplified
We interview industry experts and have them share their best small business systems and processes. This is the quickest, easiest and most efficient way to build a systems centered business.
