100 episodes
Systemize Your Success Podcast Dr Steve Day
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- Business
Dr Steve Day from the systems and outsourcing University reveals evey app, hack and trick he’s used to outsource the entire day to day running of his businesses. You’ll discover how to transform your work from a time-sapping, energy draining grind into something you enjoy doing each day. You’ll learn about letting go, trusting other people to do your work, about virtual assistants, outsourcing, managing a remote team, using apps and technology, creating systems, and stopping your business being reliant on superstar employees that are hard to find and even harder to keep hold of.
You shouldn’t have to do all the work yourself, even if you’re on a tight budget. The sooner you outsource your work, the sooner you can focus on leading your company and doing the stuff that only you can do to make your business a success. Steve openly shares his wins, losses and lessons from creating affordable, practical systems that anyone can use. If you’re a business owner who wants to have more time to focus on doing the important stuff, then you’re gonna love this podcast. No nonsense practical advice, inspiring interviews and unbiased reviews of all the things you need to create any awesome business that you can be proud of. Steve has deconstructed the dark-art of creating sophisticated business systems into a simple step-by-step method that anyone can follow. Hit subscribe and get ready to transform the way you work.
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SYS 178: Business Automation Secrets: My Proven Strategies for Avoiding Time-Wasting Mistakes
🎙 In this episode of the Systemize Your Success podcast, Dr. Steve Day delves into business automation secrets. He discusses the benefits and drawbacks of automating tasks, emphasising the importance of proper planning and involvement in the automation process.
Steve shares valuable insights and lessons learned from automating various aspects of his business over the past seven years. He provides practical tips for business owners and managers on when to automate, how to approach automation, and the significance of process mapping in creating effective automations.
He also highlights five key tips for future-proofing automation, including the importance of documentation, organisation, and standardised naming conventions.
This episode teaches listeners valuable knowledge on optimising automation processes to scale their businesses efficiently and effectively.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Automating the right tasks in your business can be a huge time saver, but it's not without its drawbacks. It's essential to ensure that the process is well-established before automating to avoid automating something that is broken.
Before automating a task, it is crucial to do it manually with a human first to test the process, understand the time-saving potential, and gather data on the efficiency of automation.
Involving staff in the automation process can increase morale, motivation, and skill development. It also allows for a more seamless transition and understanding of the automated processes within the organisation.
Process mapping is a valuable skill for business owners and managers to visually represent workflows, tasks, and handovers clearly and understandably. It helps in communicating automation requirements effectively.
Standardising naming conventions for tags, custom fields, and automation, organising them into folders, adding notes to explain triggers and actions, and using unique identifiers can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of automation in the long run.
BEST MOMENTS
01:09 - 💬 “Setting up automation takes a huge amount of time. And if we don't have the process absolutely nailed before we automate it, then we end up automating something that's broken.”
02:09 - 💬 “Having that data originally, or to begin with, about the actual time saving you're gonna get is important.”
13:59 - 💬 “Mastering process mapping before you start building out automations is the most valuable thing I think a manager or business owner can do.”
17:02 - 💬 “Put notes on everything that isn't absolutely obvious. The more notes you put on, the easier it will be for you and for other people to understand what you've built.”
25:42 - 💬 “Standardizing the way that you name everything, whether it's automations, tags, or custom fields, means that you can group things together easily.”
TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW
00:00 Setting up automation saves time and money.
04:03 Automation is time-consuming but visually powerful.
10:52 Automate and document to ensure future-proofing.
13:28 Master process mapping before implementing automations. Standardise.
18:31 Group automations in folders for better organisation.
20:51 Automate triggers and note source and destination.
25:52 Using tags to trigger automated actions in Zapier.
28:04 Use unique identifiers for stable automations.
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Website: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com
Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42
ABOUT THE HOST
Steve used to be a slave to his business, but moving to Sweden in 2015 forced him to change how he worked. He switched to running his businesses remotely. After totally nailing this concept, he spent his time helping other small business owners do the same. Steve has been investing in pro -
SYS 177: How I Stopped Being a Bottleneck in My Own Business: A Guide to Freedom and Growth
🎙 This episode discusses the challenges small business owners face. Due to their involvement in all decision-making processes, they act as the bottlenecks in their businesses.
Steve Day shares his experience of transitioning from task-based delegation to systemising processes to empower his team to work autonomously.
He provides insights on mapping out processes, setting clear timelines for decision-making, and holding oneself accountable to the same standards as the team.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Running a small business can lead to being the bottleneck that hinders progress.
Delegating tasks on a task-by-task basis can be inefficient and time-consuming.
Systemising processes and creating guidelines can empower staff to function autonomously.
Formalising processes and setting strict guidelines can improve efficiency and predictability.
Holding oneself accountable to guidelines set for the team can lead to increased productivity and efficiency.
BEST MOMENTS
00:00 - 💬 “If, like me, you run a small business, you've no doubt experienced that feeling of being the bottleneck, of the reason your business isn't progressing as fast as it should be, or just the ball around your business's leg, so to speak.
02:36 - 💬 “The more sophisticated these systems became, the less I got involved in making things go slowly because it wasn't me they were waiting for. Because it’s already documented how things should be done without my involvement.
04:25 - 💬 “But if you had some more strict guidelines about when things would be done and when you would get that back, it would make it easier for you as the staff member to be able to plan.
13:21 - 💬 “That will allow their team to run more efficiently, more productively, get more done in a timely fashion, in a more predictable way, without being overloaded or overwhelmed because things come back at unexpected times.
TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW
00:00 Small business owners must empower staff decisively.
04:31 Setting strict guidelines is crucial for efficiency.
07:52 Formalizing processes and adherence to policies is crucial.
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Website: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com
Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42
ABOUT THE HOST
Steve used to be a slave to his business, but moving to Sweden in 2015 forced him to change how he worked. He switched to running his businesses remotely. After totally nailing this concept, he spent his time helping other small business owners do the same. Steve has been investing in property since 2002, has a degree in computing, and worked as a doctor in the NHS before quitting to focus full-time on sharing his systems and outsourcing methodology with the world. He now lives in Sweden and runs his UK-based businesses remotely with the help of his team of Filipino and UK-based Virtual Assistants.
Most business owners feel overwhelmed because they don’t know how to create systems or get the right help.
Our systems and outsourcing Courses and coaching programme will help you automate your business and work effectively with affordable virtual assistants. That way, you will stop feeling overwhelmed and start making more money. -
SYS 176: The Art of Closing Deals: Secrets to Success with Selling - Interview with Matthew Elwell, Author of Open with a Close
🎙 Discover the art of closing deals in this insightful conversation between Steve Day and Matthew Elwell, the director of the Elite Closing Academy.
Matt, a sales trainer and coach, shares his expertise in transforming the sales process and helping business owners achieve quick wins and growth.
The episode also discusses the importance of generating leads through marketing and converting them into sales-qualified leads through human interaction.
Overall, the episode provides valuable insights and practical strategies for improving sales processes and achieving business success.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
💡 Focus on Generating Opportunities: Invest time and energy in generating opportunities through marketing. Then, follow up with human interaction to convert leads into sales-qualified leads.
💡 Start with the End in Mind: When engaging with potential clients, focus on understanding their desired results before diving into the details of your product or service.
💡 Utilize Written Proposals: Create written proposals to simplify complex information, stimulate conversation, and provide potential clients with a professional and structured experience.
💡 Professionalism and Consistency: Professional, consistent, and exceeding expectations in your sales process can significantly impact the buying experience and increase conversion rates.
💡 Define Success Across Multiple Areas: Success is not just about business achievements but also about being a loving individual, serving others, contributing to nature, teaching, and maintaining strong relationships with family.
BEST MOMENTS
09:08 - 💬 “A lead is a human being. A business is a person. Businesses have groups of people in it. And I think never lose sight of that because behind the lead is a person that has feelings that might be having a bad time in their life, in their business. And you're serving overcome that problem or challenge or pain.” - Matthew Elwell
32:37 - 💬 “Being confident, structured, focused, organised, all of these things should not be underestimated in professional salespeople.” - Matthew Elwell
36:20 - 💬 “You are meant to be easy to buy from. And I think for anybody listening to this, it's just worth asking yourself for a moment- if you were going to buy from yourself right now, what would the experience be like? And as it is now, what kind of process do you have in place? Because hope's not a strategy. Winging it is not a strategy.” - Matthew Elwell
TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW
00:00 Grateful for the book that changed my perspective.
07:16 Training session emphasised maximising client outreach efficiency.
10:09 Evaluate existing email recipients before seeking new opportunities.
11:59 Don't miss out on business opportunities.
16:51 Understand client vision before explaining complexities.
20:43 Written proposals are like a good restaurant.
22:34 Simplify complex bathroom design proposal for discussion.
31:45 Professional salespeople improve buyer communication and attractiveness.
34:33 Emphasizing professionalism, consistency, and exceeding expectations leads to success.
36:33 Be easy to buy from. Create processes.
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Website: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com
Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42
GUEST RESOURCES
Website: http://www.eliteclosingacademy.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/eliteclosingacademy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattelitecloser
Open With A Close - THE TWELVE POINT GUIDE TO CLOSING MORE SALES: https://eliteclosingacademy.com/owac
ABOUT THE GUEST
Matt Elwell, Director of the Elite Closing Academy, Sales Trainer & Coach, Author of ‘Open With A Close’ and Public Speaker. Matt is currently on a mission to change how the wo -
SYS 175: How I Avoid Distractions: Time Blocking for Strategic Delegation
🎙 Dr. Steve Day discusses the importance of prioritising tasks and managing time effectively within a team.
By following structured processes and rules, teams can avoid distractions, focus on high-priority work, and involve the right people in discussions at the appropriate times.
Steve's insights provide practical strategies for enhancing productivity and achieving business success.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
💡 Prioritizing work and setting clear policies and procedures are crucial for efficiency and productivity.
💡 Having designated times for specific tasks, such as clearing inboxes and scheduling work, helps you stay focused on high-priority tasks.
💡 Implementing time blocking for different tasks, like meetings, admin work, and deep work, can improve efficiency.
💡 Involving the right people at the right time for discussions and decision-making helps avoid wasting time and resources.
💡 Setting exceptions to rules, like having a Dream 100 list for special cases, allows for flexibility while maintaining a standard way of doing things.
BEST MOMENTS
01:41 - 💬 “Keeping yourself and your team working on the right tasks, the highest priority tasks at any given time, is really important for getting stuff done, being efficient, increasing productivity, all those great things that we want in business.”
08:14 - 💬 “Time blocking is an incredibly powerful thing. Blocking for meetings is pretty obvious. You're going to block that time because you're in a meeting.”
12:07 - 💬 “Having a policy for clearing inboxes, having a policy for urgency of tasks, having designated times throughout the week in order to discuss the right things with the right people, and also being strict on this, and using things like time blocking as well to improve people's efficiency overall.”
TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW
00:00 Prioritize tasks, maintain focus, and avoid distractions.
04:37 Weekly meetings prioritise work and discuss procedures.
08:15 Schedule time for tasks and prioritise projects.
11:39 Implementing policies and time management for productivity.
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Website: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com
Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42
ABOUT THE HOST
Steve used to be a slave to his business, but when he moved to Sweden in 2015, he was forced to change how he worked. He switched to running his businesses remotely. After totally nailing this concept, he spent his time helping other small business owners do the same. Steve has been investing in property since 2002, has a degree in computing, and worked as a doctor in the NHS before quitting to focus full-time on sharing his systems and outsourcing methodology with the world. He now lives in Sweden and runs his UK-based businesses remotely with the help of his team of Filipino and UK-based Virtual Assistants.
Most business owners are overwhelmed because they don’t know how to create systems or get the right help.
Our systems and outsourcing Courses and coaching programme will help you automate your business and work effectively with affordable virtual assistants. That way, you will stop feeling overwhelmed and start making more money. -
SYS 174: HR Lessons: When to Fire Fast for Long-term Business Success
🎙 Dr. Steve Day discusses the challenges small business owners face when hiring new employees who do not meet expectations.
Drawing from personal experiences and a recent coaching call with a client, Steve delves into the importance of recognising early signs of underperformance and taking decisive action. He emphasises the need to assess whether a new hire is the right fit culturally, skill-wise, and attitude-wise and provides insights on handling the situation effectively.
Steve highlights the significance of making tough decisions early on to ensure the overall productivity and morale of the team. Through practical advice and real-life examples, this episode offers valuable guidance on managing employee performance issues in a small business setting.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
💡 Hiring the right fit is crucial for the success of a business.
💡 Address performance issues early on and provide clear feedback and expectations.
💡 Making decisions based on evidence and taking action promptly is important.
💡 Building a team with complementary strengths leads to overall success.
💡 Letting go of underperforming employees benefits the company and the individual in the long run.
BEST MOMENTS
01:32 - 💬 “When we take on somebody new, there's this period, we call it the probationary period, but it's this honeymoon period if you like when you are really feeling each other out, like they're looking to you to say, like, is this somewhere I want to work?”
17:05 - 💬 “If you fire fast, then you've got an opportunity to find somebody else who does shine in that role, who you do gel with.”
18:47 - 💬 “If somebody is hungry for work, if somebody has abilities, if somebody is a good fit culturally and on a value space, it will show from day one.”
19:21 - 💬 “If you don't have something to balance any negatives, that's a real positive to balance negatives, then it's all leaning one way and inevitably, I think that's destined to failure.”
TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW
00:00 Evaluating potential hires for compatibility and performance.
03:30 Struggling employee performance, unsure about next steps.
07:08 Reflect on onboarding, admitting failure, and impact.
10:55 Employee value and connection are crucial for employers.
17:21 Build a team with complementary superpowers for success.
18:31 Look for balance when evaluating people.
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Website: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com
Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42
ABOUT THE HOST
Steve used to be a slave to his business, but when he moved to Sweden in 2015, he was forced to change how he worked. He switched to running his businesses remotely. After totally nailing this concept, he spent his time helping other small business owners do the same. Steve has been investing in property since 2002, has a degree in computing, and worked as a doctor in the NHS before quitting to focus full-time on sharing his systems and outsourcing methodology with the world. He now lives in Sweden and runs his UK-based businesses remotely with the help of his team of Filipino and UK-based Virtual Assistants.
Most business owners are overwhelmed because they don’t know how to create systems or get the right help.
Our systems and outsourcing Courses and coaching programme will help you automate your business and work effectively with affordable virtual assistants. That way, you will stop feeling overwhelmed and start making more money. -
SYS 173: My Journey to AI-Enhanced Copywriting: Cutting Costs without Cutting Corners
🎙 Dr. Steve Day discusses the journey of integrating AI copywriting tools into his content creation process.
He shares the successes and challenges faced along the way, emphasising the importance of perseverance and continuous improvement when implementing new technologies. Through trial and error, he demonstrates how refining prompts and training the AI can lead to efficient and authentic content generation.
The episode serves as a valuable insight into leveraging technology to enhance productivity and deliver quality messaging in a scalable manner.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
💡 Utilize AI tools for copywriting: Steve highlights the benefits of using AI tools for copywriting, showcasing how it can streamline the content creation process and save time.
💡 Expect a learning curve: Whether implementing AI or new systems, it's crucial to understand that success may not come immediately. Persistence and iterative improvements are key to mastering new tools.
💡 Invest in upskilling: To maximise the benefits of AI tools, it's essential to invest time in learning how they work and upskilling yourself or your team to utilise them effectively.
💡 Systemize processes: Steve emphasises the importance of systemising processes, such as content creation, to ensure efficiency and scalability in business operations.
💡 Don't quit too soon: When faced with hurdles or challenges, it's important not to give up too soon. Instead, continue to iterate, improve, and adapt until the desired results are achieved.
BEST MOMENTS
02:35 - 💬 “Being able to multiply what I do requires we have a method in place that is scalable.”
08:44 - 💬 “Whether you choose to go down the human route or the AI route, don't expect it to go well immediately.”
10:10 - 💬 “This is just a system for creating content that happens to utilise AI and my virtual assistant to do all the work for me, and I just approve and let go.”
13:36 - 💬 “If you are dabbling in the world of AI or automation or streamlines, whatever it is you're doing is just don't quit too soon.”
TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW
00:00 AI helps produce content efficiently for scalability.
03:25 Efficiently automate content creation using AI technology.
09:40 AI and virtual assistants streamline content creation.
12:49 Persists in AI and automation, and results take time.
14:39 Encouraging message to share and review podcast.
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Website: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com
Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42
ABOUT THE HOST
Steve used to be a slave to his business, but when he moved to Sweden in 2015, he was forced to change how he worked. He switched to running his businesses remotely. After totally nailing this concept, he spent his time helping other small business owners do the same. Steve has been investing in property since 2002, has a degree in computing, and worked as a doctor in the NHS before quitting to focus full-time on sharing his systems and outsourcing methodology with the world. He now lives in Sweden and runs his UK-based businesses remotely with the help of his team of Filipino and UK-based Virtual Assistants.
Most business owners are overwhelmed because they don’t know how to create systems or get the right help.
Our systems and outsourcing Courses and coaching programme will help you automate your business and work effectively with affordable virtual assistants. That way, you will stop feeling overwhelmed and start making more money.