Why Your Business Still Depends On You (And How to Fix It)

Welcome to the course. In three minutes you'll see why you're stuck and the road map out.

Start here3 min read

In 60 seconds

Your business depends on you because you're its best problem-solver. Your team has learned to bring every problem to you.
The fix is capturing how your business already runs.
SYSTEMology gets you there in 7 stages, with one short lesson for each.

Hi, it's Dave. Welcome.

If you're here, I'm guessing your business looks like a success from the outside. Clients like you. They come back and they refer their friends.

On the inside it's a different story. You're working long hours. You can't step away for more than a day or two before things slip. Every decision lands on your desk.

I've been there. I ran a digital agency for over ten years, working 60-70 hours a week. I was the cog in the middle holding the whole machine together. (I'm also a recovering control freak. You're in good company.)

Why you're the bottleneck

Business owners are great problem-solvers. Something breaks and you fix it. Your team learns you'll always save the day. So they bring you the next problem, you get even better at fixing things and they get even more dependent on you.

Working harder just makes you a faster bottleneck.

The way out is systems. A system is a series of steps that when followed, create a consistent outcome.

The road map

This course follows the 7 stages from my book, one lesson each:

Define: find the critical few systems that run your business.
Assign: decide who captures them (hint: not you).
Extract: get the know-how out of people's heads, fast, with AI.
Organise: give your systems one home.
Integrate: get your team following them.
Scale: remove key person dependency, starting with you.
Optimise: track a few numbers and keep improving.

A final lesson covers AI and your next 90 days.

The aim of the game is complete business reliability. That means a business that runs without you, where working in it is your choice.

One word of warning. Systems don't pay off overnight. The wins lag a little, then they stack. Stick with it.

Do this now (10 minutes)

Take the Owner Dependency Score and note your score.
Finish this sentence: "If I took three months off tomorrow, the first thing to break would be ___."
Keep that sentence somewhere you'll see it. It's your reason for doing this course.

Want a wider read? The Systems Strength Test scores your business across 9 areas in a few minutes.

Real-world example

A few years ago an email arrived at 7am from Michael E. Gerber's wife. Michael (author of The E-Myth) wanted my help launching his new book: 60-plus hours a week for about three months. Two years earlier I'd have had to say no. This time I said yes, because my business ran without me. The book hit Amazon Best Seller within 24 hours of launch. Opportunities don't arrive on schedule. Systems make sure you're free when they do.

Let's get into it. I'll catch you in the next lesson.