After five years of running my systems consulting business full-time, I made the bold move to take on a 9-to-5 and transform my company into a side hustle. But I didn't just wing it. I strategically downsized, streamlined, and systematized everything to make it work on half the time.

In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on exactly how I went from working 20-25 hours a week in my business to just 10-12 hours, all while maintaining my retainer clients and taking on new projects. I break down my two main priorities: streamlining my sales systems and optimizing my delivery processes – plus share the specific systems that made it possible.

You'll hear about my game-changing pricing model that eliminated project scope creep, how I'm using AI tools like Poppy AI to streamline delivery, and why I put waitlists on all my offers. Plus, I get real about the mental health side of stepping back from the online business world and why unfollowing half my feed was the best decision I made.

This isn't your typical "hustle harder" advice. My approach is refreshingly honest about working with what you've got, making quick decisions based on experience, and cutting out all the noise that doesn't move the needle. Whether you're trying to scale down like me or scale up while working full-time, this episode is packed with actionable insights you can implement immediately.

The best part? I admit I'm still figuring it out as I go – and that's exactly what makes this so valuable. Real talk from someone who's actually walking the walk.

Resources from this episode:

Toggle - Time tracking tool I use to monitor my weekly hours
Poppy AI - AI tool I use for project management and delivery,
Watch my walkthrough video here!
Affiliate code: SYSTEMSWITHSAM for $25 off!
Claude - AI chat tool integrated within Poppy AI

Connect with Sam:

Website: https://www.systemswithsam.com/services
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/systemswithsam/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samwhiz/

Consciousness Compilation — Bernardo Kastrup, Iain McGilchrist, Donald Hoffman, and Rupert Sheldrake

The Weekend University

Introduction

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