Systems With Sonja

Sonja Caison

Systems with Sonja helps women business owners build the systems behind their businesses so growth doesn't depend on them doing everything themselves. Hosted by Sonja Caison, the show shares practical business systems, real-world lessons, and conversations with entrepreneurs about building businesses that can grow, operate, and thrive beyond the owner.

  1. 2d ago

    Commercial Real Estate: I Was Told I Couldn't Afford It. I Bought the Building Anyway.

    I was told I couldn't afford commercial real estate. I bought the building anyway! In this video, I share how I went from renting office space to owning a commercial building for my residential cleaning business—and the systems, relationships, and financial preparation that helped me get there.Buying commercial property wasn't easy. I faced setbacks, learned from deals that fell through, navigated zoning requirements, and figured out commercial financing. If you're a small business owner considering buying a building, growing your business, or making a major investment, I hope my experience helps you think differently about what's possible.**WHAT YOU'LL LEARN**- How I decided to stop renting and pursue commercial property ownership- Why you should be careful about whose advice you take- How I built a relationship with my banker and prepared financially- How I used LoopNet to find properties that met my business needs- What failed real estate deals taught me about zoning and due diligence- Why relationships in your local business community matter- How preparation helped me move forward even when I was afraid**VIDEO CHAPTERS**00:00 The decision that changed everything00:26 Introduction00:43 From Renting to Owning01:38 The Naysayer02:03 Finding the Right Banker02:54 Searching for the Right Property04:17 Lessons from Failed Deals04:39 Getting Ready to Buy05:33 Building Community Relationships07:58 The Results & Call to Action**ABOUT SYSTEMS WITH SONJA**I'm Sonja Caison, a business owner with more than 20 years of experience building and growing a residential cleaning company. Through Systems with Sonja, I share practical lessons to help women business owners build better systems, strengthen their businesses, and create more freedom without everything depending on them.My philosophy is simple: build the right systems, relationships, and processes so you can make smarter decisions and grow with confidence.**LET'S CONNECT!**🌐 Visit: https://systemswithsonja.org📺 Subscribe to Systems with Sonja for more practical business systems, growth strategies, and lessons from real business ownership.💬 **QUESTION FOR YOU:** Have you ever been told you couldn't do something in your business? How did you respond? Share your experience in the comments!If you're a woman business owner in the DMV area, visit my website to learn more about the Systems with Sonja Roundtable, where women come together to learn, connect, and build stronger businesses.#commercialrealestate #smallbusiness #SystemsWithSonja

  2. Nov 3

    How EOS Helps You Scale Your Business Without Doing Everything Yourself| Rose Price

    How can EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System) help you build a business that doesn't depend on you for every decision? In this episode of Systems with Sonja, Rose Price of VLP Financial Advisors shares lessons on EOS, business systems, accountability, delegation, and scaling a business.Rose discusses the leadership and operational changes that supported her firm's growth from approximately $40 million to $1.3 billion in assets under management. We explore how business owners can create clearer expectations, empower employees, improve meetings, use technology effectively, and stop being the bottleneck in their own businesses.**In this episode, we discuss:**- What EOS is and how it brings structure to a business- How accountability charts and regular meetings help teams stay focused- Why delegating work doesn't mean giving up accountability- How to establish clear expectations for employees- How technology can help businesses work more efficiently- Why letting go of control is essential to scaling- How to spend less time doing everything and more time leading your business**Rose's recommended book:** *Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business* by Gino Wickman. Learn more about the Entrepreneurial Operating System and the tools discussed in this conversation.### Join the Systems with Sonja RoundtableReady to put better systems into practice in your business? Join us on **November 17** for the Systems with Sonja Roundtable, where women business owners learn from one another and work toward building stronger businesses through practical systems.Register at https://systemswithsonja.orgSubscribe to **Systems with Sonja** for practical conversations about business systems, operational efficiency, delegation, and building a business that gives you more freedom.#eos #businesssystems #SystemsWithSonja00:00 Introduction01:10 Meet Rose & VLP Financial Advisors03:17 What is EOS?04:27 Hiring an EOS Implementer06:28 Level 10 Meetings & Key Indicators08:41 Overcoming Resistance to Change10:57 Delegation & Accountability13:02 Systems & Processes for Growth19:35 Value-Based Hiring22:32 Letting Go: Delegate & Elevate26:20 Advice for Scaling Businesses28:28 The Biggest Misconception About Scaling28:56 Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up

  3. Oct 27

    4 Things I Had to Get Tough About to Grow a 7-Figure Business

    Growing a business taught me that sometimes you have to get tougher.Not tougher with people—tougher about your boundaries, your time, your money, and the decisions you make. After more than 20 years of owning my business, I've learned that putting systems in place can take emotion out of situations that used to be difficult for me. In this episode of Systems with Sonja, I share 4 areas where I had to get tougher: • Getting paid • Managing employees • Protecting my time • Asking better questions The goal isn't to become less caring. It's to create systems and boundaries that allow you to make better decisions—and actually enjoy being a business owner.I share practical lessons from 20+ years of building systems in my own business—so you can spend less time managing chaos and more time running your business. **Are you in the DMV?** Join our monthly roundtable and work on your business alongside other women entrepreneurs. It's free, but registration is required.👉 Register: www.systemswithsonja.orgWant help putting systems in place in your own business? I offer one-on-one consulting through BackOffice COO. Find me at BackOfficeCOO.com.Subscribe to Systems with Sonja for more practical business systems tips.

  4. Oct 20

    How Knowing My Numbers Helped Me Build a 7-Figure Business

    You can be busy, have plenty of customers, and still not make the profit you want. Knowing your numbers can change how you grow your business.After more than 20 years of building a seven-figure residential cleaning business, I’m sharing how understanding revenue, expenses, profit, and pricing helps you make smarter business decisions.In this video, you’ll learn how to start working with your numbers, set revenue goals, and calculate how many customers you need to reach them.📺Subscribe for upcoming YouTube Live sessions:- October 28 - How Many Customers Do You Really Need?- November 11 - Build the Right SystemTurn on notifications so you don’t miss a live session!In the DMV area? Join Women Who Scale. Connect with women entrepreneurs and learn practical ways to build systems that help your business grow.Register at https://systemswithsonja.org#SmallBusiness #BusinessFinances #PricingStrategy #WomenEntrepreneurs

  5. Oct 13

    I Fell Down the Stairs… and Realized I Was the System

    What happens to your business if you can't work tomorrow? or What Happens When You Take a Month Off From Your Business?I learned that lesson the hard way—literally—when I fell down a flight of stairs during a sales call at a customer's home.At the time, I was doing EVERYTHING: sales, inspections, training, managing customers, and managing employees.That moment made me realize something important:**I wasn't just running the business. I was the system.**In this episode of Systems with Sonja, I share how I started building systems that allowed my team to make decisions, onboard new employees, handle customer questions, and even replace a manager without starting from scratch.We’ll talk about:• Customer systems• Hiring and onboarding systems• Documenting decisions• Delegating authority• Manager and owner playbooks• Reducing owner dependency• Creating a business that can operate without youAnd here's the bigger question:**Could you take a month off from your business and know exactly what would happen?**If the answer is no, it may be time to look at where YOU are still the system.👉 **Resource: Owner Dependency Audit** — use it to identify the areas of your business that still depend on you. What happens to your business if you can't work tomorrow? or What Happens When You Take a Month Off From Your Business?I learned that lesson the hard way—literally—when I fell down a flight of stairs during a sales call at a customer's home.At the time, I was doing EVERYTHING: sales, inspections, training, managing customers, and managing employees.That moment made me realize something important:**I wasn't just running the business. I was the system.**In this episode of Systems with Sonja, I share how I started building systems that allowed my team to make decisions, onboard new employees, handle customer questions, and even replace a manager without starting from scratch.We’ll talk about:• Customer systems• Hiring and onboarding systems• Documenting decisions• Delegating authority• Manager and owner playbooks• Reducing owner dependency• Creating a business that can operate without youAnd here's the bigger question:**Could you take a month off from your business and know exactly what would happen?**If the answer is no, it may be time to look at where YOU are still the system.👉 **Resource: Owner Dependency Audit** — use it to identify the areas of your business that still depend on you. https://payhip.com/SystemswithSonja Are you in the DMV area?Join us for our Women Who Scale Roundtable, held on the 3rd Tuesday of every month.Come connect with other women business owners, share what you're working on, and learn how to build systems that help your business scale.👉 Learn more: www.systemswithsonja.orgSubscribe to Systems with Sonja for more real-world conversations about building businesses that don't require the owner to do everything.#SystemsWithSonja #BusinessSystems #OwnerDependency #SmallBusiness #BusinessOwner #Entrepreneurship00:00 The Stair Story01:08 Customer Systems02:22 Hiring & Onboarding03:52 Delegating Decisions06:07 The Exit Plan06:45 Wrap Up & Subscribe

  6. Oct 13

    Stop Asking Me! I Realized My Business Was Too Dependent on Me

    For a long time, I thought being available to answer questions was simply part of being the owner.But what happens when every question, decision, and problem keeps coming back to you?Or when you're a solopreneur and you're constantly trying to remember how you did something last time, where you saved it, or what steps you took?You don't just have a team—or a business—you have a business that depends on you. In this episode of Systems with Sonja, I share what I learned about documenting processes, creating clear expectations, and giving your team the information and authority they need to handle more without you.And if you're a solopreneur, these same principles can help you get your own processes out of your head and into a system.Because the goal isn't to make yourself unnecessary.It's to make yourself less necessary for the things that don't require you.🚨 BUSINESS BUILDER LIVE — OCTOBER 14Join me for the first Systems with Sonja Business Builder Live on YouTube.October 14 • 5:45 AMWe're going to work ON your business, not just talk about it.Bring your notebook and your business. Let's build.Are you in the DMV area and want to work on your business with other women entrepreneurs?Systems with Sonja meets the third Tuesday of every month.👉 Register: systemswithsonja.orgSubscribe to Systems with Sonja so you don't miss the next episode or live session.

  7. Oct 13

    Your Bank Is More Than a Place to Keep Your Money | Systems Tuesday

    Most entrepreneurs think of their bank as simply a place to deposit money. In reality, your banking relationship is one of the most important business systems you can build.In this episode of Systems Tuesday, I share lessons from my own entrepreneurial journey and explain why choosing the right banking partner can support your growth, improve your financial systems, and help your business scale.Join the Women Who Scale Roundtable📅 Third Tuesday of every month🕐 1:00 PM – 3:00 PMRegister at:https://www.womenwhoscale.orgSubscribe for weekly Systems Tuesday videos covering business systems, financial foundations, operations, and growth strategies for women entrepreneurs.

  8. Oct 7

    She Works Full-Time AND Runs a Business: The Systems That Make It Possible

    What if you're working a full-time job—but you're also trying to build a business?How do you find the time, get clients, follow up, stay organized, and build systems when you're already busy?In this episode of Systems with Sonja, I sit down with Natasha Apau, Founder & Operations Partner of Organize Mayhem, to talk about how she uses systems, AI, and automation to build her business while working full-time. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 — She Works Full-Time AND Runs a Business 03:21 — Time Management While Working Full-Time 04:56 — Sales & Marketing System 07:48 — Post-Sale Automation Systems 11:49 — Customer Relationship Systems 16:00 — Financial Metrics & CEO Dashboard 19:34 — Rapid Fire & Wrap-Up We talk about: Building a business while working full-timeTime blocking and protecting your timeNatasha's 20-minute networking systemUsing LinkedIn and Threads to build relationshipsUsing Claude as a sales coachHow HoneyBook supports leads, follow-up, and onboardingUsing Google Apps Script to automate parts of the backendUsing ClickUp for projects, time tracking, and follow-upBuilding a CEO Dashboard to understand what's happening in the businessWhat to automate—and where a human still needs to be involvedWhy understanding your business comes before trying to automate everything FREE RESOURCE Want to understand the technology we discussed in this episode?I've created a FREE Technology Glossary to help you follow along.It explains the tools Natasha discusses—including Claude, HoneyBook, Google Apps Script, Google Sheets, Google Drive, Gemini, ClickUp, LinkedIn, Threads, Calendly, the CEO Dashboard, and automation. 👉 Get the FREE Technology Glossary:https://payhip.com/SystemswithSonja CONNECT WITH NATASHANatasha ApauFounder & Operations Partner, Organize Mayhem 🌐 Website: www.organizemayhem.com 💼 LinkedIn: company/organize-mayhem/ ▶️ YouTube: @OrganizeMayhem 🧵 Threads: @organizemayhem 📱 Instagram: @organizemayhemwww.youtube.com/@UCzcP8NHGdoj04hVWkxeYI7w ABOUT SYSTEMS WITH SONJASystems with Sonja is about the people, processes, and systems behind businesses that want to grow without everything continuing to depend on the owner.Because the goal isn't to build a business that needs you for everything.The goal is to build a business that doesn't need you for every little thing.Subscribe to Systems with Sonja for conversations, ideas, and practical systems for women business owners.

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About

Systems with Sonja helps women business owners build the systems behind their businesses so growth doesn't depend on them doing everything themselves. Hosted by Sonja Caison, the show shares practical business systems, real-world lessons, and conversations with entrepreneurs about building businesses that can grow, operate, and thrive beyond the owner.

Information

  • Creator
    Sonja Caison
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Sonja Caison
  • Show Website
    Systems With Sonja