About Building Systems
As a solopreneur, building up systems that take work off your shoulders are very important, because it allows to be more efficient and productive.
Solopreneurs often operate alone on the core of their business, this is why it’s crucial to build systems that do some of the other work for you. There are two types of systems you can build: Software automation and human power.
Leverage Automation
In this digital age, you don't have to do everything manually. Automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks can save you substantial time. Email marketing, social media posting, invoice generation, and even some aspects of customer service can be automated. Here are the tools I use myself:
E-Mail Marketing → Loops
Twitter/X Posts → Typefully
Helpdesk → Help Scout
Productivity → Notion
Calendar → Cron
Meeting Planer → Cal.com
Most of the tasks I do in the tools above are not done manually. Usually, I only enter my data once, and everything else will be done for me automatically. No manual posting on Twitter (now X), no need for sending this newsletter manually (it’s now the 1st of August and you get it on the 5th), task lists that remind me once they need to be done, and automatic meeting scheduling. As you can see, most of the administrative work is done by technology. I can focus on creation. And this is what I do and what helps me to be so much more efficient.
Outsourcing and Delegation
Sourcing certain tasks out to other professionals can be time-saving and release stress. If you focus on your best skills only and delegate tasks from areas where you are not good to other people, you will experience a massive boost in productivity and business success. Also, you end up happier because you only do what you love and are good at. As a solopreneur, the concept of your company normally is that you are alone. Additionally, from a legal perspective. This means you also should not just hire people in your company and that's it. Don’t hire them as part of your team, rather look for contractors or freelancers, that you can plug into your processes when and where needed. As an example, if you are a designer and can’t code, but your project requires code, search for a temporary freelance developer that works on contract- or project-base.
Book Recommendations
The Company of One (Paul Jarvis)
The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business (Elaine Pofeldt)
Wrap-up
As you can see, there are many ways you can automate the processes of your business. Using technology to leverage your efficiency and get help from professional contractors can not just boost, but also evolve your company.