We constantly hear about Machine Learning and the impending dominance of Artificial Intelligence in decision-making, often touted to be faster and more efficient. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves; it’s going to be many years before that vision becomes reality.
Until then, our focus should be empowering founders with the correct information. We need to build a founder-centric system that places founders at the heart of the action, providing them with well-organized and normalized data. Not just any data but the kind that enables learning and informed decision-making.
I recently read a blog post from a fantastic entrepreneur discussing his expectations of founders. The article explains that to succeed, a founder must be obsessed with their business, constantly immersed in its every detail. This obsession, the author argues, is not just beneficial but essential for driving a company forward.
If you are one of those obsessed founders, this guide is tailored just for you.
Staying Ahead and Managing Productivity
People often ask me how I stay ahead of the curve, remain well-informed about everything happening in the business, and focus only on the essential elements without getting lost in endless updates and discussions. They wonder how I maintain such high productivity levels and help project managers or other founders achieve the same.
The Answer: A Founder-Centric System
The answer is straightforward and is thoroughly analyzed in this article. All diagrams and examples are directly captured from our system, demonstrating how we have built an environment that places the human at the center. This system continuously feeds founders or clients with all the necessary information to “feel” the business and make informed decisions.
The Founder-Centric System
The Evolution from OSS to BSS
Back in my consulting days, we used to refer to these systems as Operation Support Systems (OSS). These systems worked in tandem with Business Support Systems (BSS). By definition, OSS focuses on the business’s internal operations, ensuring everything runs smoothly, while BSS deals with customer-facing activities and ensuring the company meets its strategic objectives.
Simplifying the Complex
In essence, we have developed a system that places us at the center of our micro-universe, ensuring we are always informed and capable of making the best decisions for our business. This approach enhances productivity and ensures that we remain deeply connected to the pulse of our operations, allowing us to drive success through informed strategic actions.
One solution fits all #not.
It is not the same solution for all stakeholders. Most of the time, we need to build 2-3 different variants (we call them modes) internally.
What if the founder doesn’t want to do so? What if they don’t like a Founder-Centric System? What if he prefers to live the myth of the startup? What if it’s overwhelming for him, and he prefers to stay disconnected? In general, we don’t suggest founders be disconnected from the business without having a feeling or an overview of how the company runs. We have three different levels of you being in the center of your universe. We gave them creative names. Here they come:
“Eagle Eye” Mode: This mode gives founders a high-level overview, offering only the most vital information daily. It is ideal for those who prefer to stay informed without getting bogged down in details. Think of it as a helicopter view, where you can see the big picture without the noise. It is ideal for busy founders working in multiple startups or having a daily endeavor.
“Pulse Check” Mode: This mode is designed for founders who want a deeper understanding of their business’s daily operations. It offers comprehensive reports and insights, ensuring a solid grasp of the company’s progress without being overwhelmed. This mode is ideal for project managers running multiple projects simultaneously or founders with many operational activities and is also suitable for line managers.
“In the Trenches” Mode: For the hands-on founder who wants to immerse in the day-to-day operations fully. This mode provides real-time updates and exhaustive (yet only important) reports on every aspect of the business, ensuring no detail is missed. It is ideal for project managers or founders who want to be opinionated and informed.
In an organization, we need to implement all three modes. It’s just that different people or organizational positions will use each of them. But if, for example, the Project manager or product manager is not the “owner” of the “in the trenches” mode, then the company is running blind and very inefficiently.
Let’s Talk About THE System
The goal of a system like this is to ensure:
Independent Operation
People can work autonomously without the founder becoming a bottleneck. This independence enhances efficiency and workflow.
Peak Productivity
A highly productive system translates to faster delivery times and higher profit margins.
Informed Founder
The founder remains aware of activities and results without constantly seeking updates from subordinates, reducing stress and boosting employee morale.
Robust Risk Management
Activities are transparent and well-documented, minimizing unnecessary liabilities and enhancing overall accountability.
Proactive Leadership
The founder or project manager stays informed, enabling timely task delegation and proactive decision-making.
The Prerequisites of THE System
For the system to function effectively, several prerequisites must be met:
Don’t skip the Initial and Incremental Setup
Dedicate time to set up the system properly from the beginning. Skipping this step, even for small or short-term projects, often results in more excellent time expenditure later.
Implement all Integrated Systems.
- Collaboration Tools: Use Google Docs for document collaboration.
- Security Measures: Implement LastPass for password management and security.
- Communication Channels: Set up group emails for each task and project.
- Real-Time Communication: Utilize Slack with channels for:
- Internal discussions
- Third-party communications
- Real-time Notifications
- Automation: Employ Zapier for various automation tasks.
- Website Monitoring: Use UptimeRobot to monitor website performance and downtime. Murphy’s law dictates that your system will fail at the worst possible moment, so stay informed to handle issues promptly.
Respect the Rules.
Follow document ownership rules, naming conventions, and proper file location protocols in Google Drive.
Train everybody on the Process.
Ensure everyone understands the processes. A well-designed process is useless if nobody knows how to use it.
The Actors of THE System
Three main stakeholders generate information or engage with the system:
- Tech Backbone / Machines and Systems: This includes client-facing technologies like websites, servers, and social media platforms.
- Current Clients: Clients need to interact with the system regarding ongoing projects.
- Potential Clients: Prospects contact you for new opportunities, valuable inquiries, or, sometimes, to waste time. 😊
The Benefits
The founder receives the necessary information without having to react impulsively. Detailed information is provided to each stakeholder at the level at which they need to take action.
This system instills confidence in the founder, enabling them to run the business smoothly without surprises. It also reduces the burden on subordinates, saving them from the overhead of constant updates and awkward moments.
Establishing such a system creates an efficient, transparent, and productive environment that empowers everyone involved and keeps the business running seamlessly.
We don’t want the founder to react, just to be informed. The same and more detailed information goes to each stakeholder at the level they need to act upon.
E-commerce Orders
Receiving a notification for each order serves several critical functions, each enhancing the business in unique ways:
Problem Detection
Instant notifications are like an early warning system, helping you catch and address issues as soon as they arise. For instance, real-time alerts ensure you’re on top of the situation if there’s a sudden inventory shortfall, a payment hiccup, or an order discrepancy. This proactive approach can prevent minor issues from escalating into major problems, maintaining the smooth operation of your business.
Psychological Uplift
There’s a unique thrill to seeing your products fly off the virtual shelves. Each notification is a small celebration, a signal that your hard work resonates with customers. It’s like watching your freshly baked bread sell out at a bustling market—each ping on Slack brings a sense of accomplishment and motivation, reminding you that your beloved products are in demand.
Simple notification messages on each order, yet, so insightful
Feeling the Pulse
Notifications also help you feel your business’s heartbeat. They provide insights into the average basket value, reveal which discounts and coupons are most effective, and highlight customer preferences. This continuous flow of information gives you a tangible sense of what’s happening in your store, helping you make informed decisions and better understand your customers’ needs.
Notifications when your site is going down.
By integrating website monitoring services and real-time downtime notifications, you can enhance your site’s reliability, protect your revenue, and maintain a strong reputation among your customers.
Immediate Action
Real-time notifications enable you to act swiftly, reducing the duration of any downtime. The faster you know about the issue, the quicker you can deploy your team to fix it.
Maintain Customer Trust
Rapid response to site outages shows customers that you are committed to providing a reliable service, helping to maintain their trust and loyalty.
Prevent Revenue Loss
Every minute your site is down can result in lost sales, especially during peak times or special promotions. Notifications allow you to address the issue before it significantly impacts your revenue. Or worst case, stop paying for ads if you have an issue that cannot be resolved within a few minutes
Google Alerts
Google Alerts is a free online tool that allows users to monitor the web for new content. Setting up specific keywords or phrases allows you to receive email notifications whenever Google indexes new pages that match your selected criteria. This service helps you stay updated on topics of interest, competitors, industry news, and more. It’s he modern clipping news but without buying the newspapers 😉
References, References, References
An article on a topic of your interest could be food for thought, giving you the basis of a business idea, pushing you to new directions and be aware of what’s happening in the word around you.
Monitor Your Online Presence
By setting up alerts for your brand name, you can monitor what is being said about your company online. This helps you manage your online reputation and respond quickly to any mentions, whether they are positive or negative.
Competitive Intelligence
Google Alerts can help you monitor your competitors by notifying you of their latest activities, news, and mentions. This information can be valuable for strategic planning and staying ahead in your industry.
Content Curation
Alerts can help you discover new articles, blog posts, and research papers on topics of interest. This can be particularly useful for content curation, ensuring you always have fresh and relevant material to share with your audience.
Global Perspective
Google Alerts pull references from various locations around the globe, giving you a broad perspective on the topics you are interested in. This diversity of sources can provide a more comprehensive understanding of global trends and opinions.
Still didn’t try it? Why wait? Start today adding your first alertAlerts from Ahrefs Rank Tracker
It is a powerful tool designed to help you monitor the performance of your website’s keywords in search engine results pages (SERPs). By adding your domain and target keywords, you can track their rankings over time, see how they fluctuate, and get detailed reports on their performance. This tool also allows you to compare your rankings with your competitors, providing a comprehensive view of your SEO efforts.
Alerts in high fluctuation of keywords
Instead of manually checking your keyword rankings, Ahrefs Rank Tracker automates this process, saving you significant time and effort. It continuously monitors your keywords and sends you regular updates, so you don’t have to do it yourself.
If you wonder why your keywords can give you some heart attacks beyond any expectation, here are the top 2 reasons:
Algorithm Updates
Search engines like Google frequently update their algorithms to improve the accuracy and relevance of search results. These updates can significantly impact keyword rankings, causing high fluctuations as the search engine recalibrates and reindexes websites. Algorithm changes can affect how keywords are evaluated and ranked, leading to sudden and sometimes drastic shifts in positions.
Competitive Actions
Competitors’ SEO activities can cause keyword rankings to fluctuate. If a competitor launches a new SEO campaign, publishes high-quality content, or acquires valuable backlinks, their improved SEO performance can push your rankings down. Conversely, if a competitor’s website faces penalties or issues, your keywords might rise in rankings. The competitive landscape is dynamic, with ongoing changes impacting your keyword stability.
Ahrefs site audit alerts
Ahrefs Site Audit is a comprehensive tool that analyzes your website’s health and identifies technical SEO issues. It crawls your site like a search engine and provides detailed reports on factors affecting your site’s performance and visibility. This tool examines site structure, content quality, loading speed, and more, giving you actionable insights to optimize your website for better search engine rankings.
By utilizing Ahrefs Site Audit alerts, you can get a glimpse and also to:
- Identify and fix technical SEO issues that hinder your site’s performance.
- Enhance user experience by improving site speed and mobile optimization.
- Boost search engine rankings through technical optimization.
- Prevent penalties by addressing potentially harmful issues.
- Monitor your site’s SEO health with ongoing updates.
User Feedback
If I had to select the one thing that will make my company succeed, it would be Getting Feedback. Feedback allows me to understand better and address my audience, match market demand, and ensure that my resources are allocated effectively to impactful initiatives. What kind of feedback can you get?
- Comments on social media posts
- Comments on social media ads
- Feedback on the consumption of your content posts
- Feedback on your pieces of training, webinars or other training materials
- Feedback on your playbooks or ebooks.
Why Getting Alerts on Customer Feedback is Paramount:
- Audience Understanding: Real-time feedback alerts help you grasp what your audience truly wants and needs. This insight allows you to tailor your offerings and communication strategies accordingly.
- Demand Matching: Feedback indicates whether your products or services align with current market demands. It enables you to adjust and innovate based on what customers are saying.
- Resource Allocation: Knowing how customers feel about different aspects of your business helps you prioritize where to invest your time and money. This ensures that your efforts are directed toward areas with the most significant impact.
Form submissions
Receiving alerts and notifications about how your engagement points are performing on your website(s) is crucial. These real-time updates allow you to draw insightful conclusions, such as quickly assess the following:
- Effectiveness of Digital Assets: Are your content pieces hitting the mark? Are people downloading your e-books, whitepapers, or other resources?
- Funnel Efficiency: Is your sales funnel functioning smoothly? Are clients progressing through it as expected?
- Audience Preferences: What does your audience gravitate towards? What type of content or products are they most interested in?
- Conversion Rates: How effective is your website at turning visitors into customers? Are your conversion rates meeting your goals?
Build this system around you, the Founder-Centric System, and I bet your efficiency and confidence level will skyrocket.
Enjoy
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Theodore has 20 years of experience running successful and profitable software products. In his free time, he coaches and consults startups. His career includes managerial posts for companies in the UK and abroad, and he has significant skills in intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship.
