Host (Jerry Kenney)
We’re continuing to add really high-quality companies, which is great. Welcome to the NextGen call. This week is especially fun for me because I get to introduce someone I’ve known for several years. She’s a high-speed professional and truly impressive. She founded and runs her own company, Beyond the Chaos, where she serves as the Chief Eradicating Officer. She’s an operational specialist, a go-to speaker, and a published author. Her newest book is Your Business Is Holding You Hostage, which she’ll talk about herself.
We also work out at the same gym, so that’s how we’ve gotten to know each other. We talk shop sometimes, and I’ve noticed that many of the issues I see when visiting growing companies—especially once they reach a certain size—are around owners losing visibility and control. That’s when business systems and processes become critical, and that’s exactly Susan’s specialty. Her team works with companies in many ways to install systems, improve business systems, and help owners and managers step back so they can work on the business instead of being consumed by it.
Susan, you have the floor. Welcome.
Susan
Hi everyone, it’s great to see you. Once I start sharing my slides, I won’t be able to see faces, so Jerry, please interrupt me if there are questions. I’m happy to take them throughout. Jerry and I have talked about doing this for a while, so I’m excited to share three ways to remove chaos from your small business.
I started Beyond the Chaos in 2016, originally thinking I’d stay solo. That lasted about three months before I began building a team we call our “chaos killers.” We help small businesses simplify their business systems and manage projects, all with the goal of serving the owner. Whether that means taking a vacation, having dinner with family, or growing the business, we want to give owners their time back through systemization. Small businesses are our jam.
Many of you may feel like your business is running you instead of the other way around, which often means business systems are missing or unclear. I’ve heard owners brag about not taking a vacation in 20 years, and that’s actually not a good thing. Vacations are healthy, and they also show whether your business can run without you. Other signs of chaos include drowning in tasks, being buried under success, and frustration everywhere—owners, teams, clients. That’s when it’s time to look at operations.
All businesses face similar operational challenges regardless of industry. Many small businesses see processes or software as bureaucracy, but that’s not what this is. Structure allows us to repeat success and avoid costly disorganization, which is the true purpose of business systems. Today we’ll talk about systemization, project management, and interruption management. I’ll also share a free operations audit at the end.
Systemization is about moving from chaos to smooth flow. I once worked with an accounting team struggling with payroll—late, wrong, confusing, and time-consuming. They had documented everything in a 20-page document, which was overwhelming. We helped streamline it into a two-page checklist and a reusable spreadsheet template. It saved two hours every payroll run. That’s the difference between documenting and systemizing.
You need business systems to repeat success, stop reinventing the wheel, and delegate effectively. You can’t delegate what lives only in your head. Systems also let owners work on the business instead of reacting inside it. Long-term, systemization increases business value. If everything depends on the owner, the business can’t be sold or passed down successfully.
We worked with a burned-out business owner who had systems mostly in video form. Video is a great first step, but written systems are easier to update. We embedded ourselves as a fractional COO and helped systemize everything. She stepped back, recovered, returned energized, and is now selling her business—something that wasn’t possible before.
When deciding what to systemize, start with bottlenecks. It’s usually the owner. Other good candidates are tasks you hate, tasks you’re bad at, or processes that feel messy, inefficient, or expensive. AI can’t fix chaos—you need business systems first, then automation. Also, question processes are done “because we’ve always done it that way.”
I challenge you to write down one task that only you can do right now. That’s your first systemization target—even if you keep doing it. I had to systemize myself to teach others how to think and ask the right questions. Once I did, I no longer had to do those tasks.
Policies are rules and non-negotiables. Procedures are checklists. Processes are written explanations. Whenever possible, aim for procedures because they’re easier to follow and automate. Every business should have systems for sales, invoicing, payroll, opening and closing projects, and offboarding team members. Offboarding is critical to protect access and security.
Software influences the process, but it doesn’t replace it. You need clarity before automation. Once processes are documented, compliance matters. Owners must model behavior, enforce systems, and blame processes—not people—when things go wrong. Systems should evolve and improve over time, with input from the team. Designate a process owner to keep them updated.
Project management is our second chaos-reduction method. Email is not a project management tool. Use real tools like Teamwork, Monday, or ClickUp. Every project needs its own space, clear deadlines, and one responsible person. Proposals must clearly define scope, budget, and timeline to set expectations.
Build timelines backward from the due date, communicate changes early, and keep everyone aligned. Changes will happen—don’t let them derail delivery. An unfinished project has no value.
Manage yourself as a project too. Plan your day ahead of time. Make sure your to-do list is realistic. If you’re constantly interrupted, your operations need tuning.
Interruption management is critical. I worked with software leaders who were constantly interrupted. We introduced daily office hours, which reduced interruptions and restored focus. You control your schedule. Use your calendar intentionally—block personal priorities first, then business focus time, then breaks.
Email is the biggest interruption. Check it at set times. Respond, file, flag, delete, or discard junk—those are your only options. Inbox zero should be the goal. Use scheduled sends and auto-responses to set boundaries.
To recap, the three ways to control chaos are systemization, project management, and interruption management. I’m sharing a free operations audit to help you identify where to start, and I’m happy to answer questions.
Host (Jerry)
I want to reinforce what Susan said—these are living, breathing systems. After-action reviews are powerful, especially during slower periods, to continuously improve processes.
Susan
Absolutely. We do after-action reviews for every project, no exceptions. They directly influence our internal processes.
Participant (Josh Cooper)
When it comes to project management, people often hide behind email. Tools like Monday.com helped us move away from that and become more efficient and transparent.