Remember that outfit you bought because it looked amazing on someone else? The one still hanging in your closet with the tags on? Yeah, business systems can be like that too.
Here's the thing about systems: they're like clothes. The best ones fit you perfectly, match your style, and make you feel like your best self. The wrong ones? They keep you fidgeting all day, wondering why you can't make them work.
The Problem with "Perfect" Systems
You've probably heard it before. "Use this project management tool – it changed my life!" Or "This scheduling system is the answer to everything!" So you try them. And try them. And try them again.
But something always feels off.
That's because most business systems are built for someone else's business. Someone else's brain. Someone else's way of working.
Your Business Has a Fingerprint
Think about how you work when everything's flowing smoothly. Those golden days when clients are happy, work feels effortless, and you actually finish on time.
What made those days different?
Chances are, you weren't fighting against your natural habits. You weren't forcing yourself into someone else's routine. You were just... working. In your own way.
That's your business fingerprint. It's unique to you.
Finding Your Natural Systems
Here's how to start building systems that actually work for you:
- Watch Yourself Work Instead of starting with new tools, watch how you naturally handle tasks. What's your first instinct when organizing information? How do you prefer to communicate with clients?
- Notice Your Patterns Maybe you think better with paper and pen. Perhaps you process information better visually. These aren't flaws – they're clues to your perfect system.
- Build Around Your Strengths If you hate complicated tools, don't force yourself to use them. If you love checklists, make them central to your process. Your resistance to certain systems isn't laziness – it's your intuition talking.
The Permission Slip You Needed
You don't have to use Trello just because everyone else does. You don't need complex automation if simple works better for you. You don't have to schedule calls back-to-back if you know you need breathing room.
Your systems should support your natural work style, not fight against it.
Start Small, Start Simple
Begin with one area where you're struggling. Maybe it's client onboarding. Or content planning. Or inbox management.
Ask yourself:
- How would I handle this if no one told me how?
- What feels most natural to me?
- What actually helps me get work done?
Then build from there.
The Real Secret to Systems That Stick
The most effective business systems aren't the fanciest or the most popular. They're the ones you'll actually use because they feel right.
They're the ones that make you think, "Finally! This makes sense!"
Because here's the truth: Your systems will work the way you want them to when they reflect you – your style, your habits, your way of thinking.
Just like that perfect outfit that makes you feel unstoppable, the right systems should feel like they were made for you.
Because they were.
