Khalil and Martin kick off a new series on building business function charts—starting with the foundational step: mapping your workflows. Using a real-world example from Martin’s sprinkler company, they walk through how to visualize your business processes, identify bottlenecks, and turn chaos into clarity. By learning to map how work actually flows through your operations, contractors and small business owners can improve communication, streamline execution, and lay the groundwork for scalable systems.

What You’ll Learn

The difference between org charts and function charts—and why both matter
How to map workflows that clearly show how work moves through your business
Why visualizing processes helps you manage better and reduce confusion
How tools like Kanban boards and AI can simplify workflow design
Practical steps to turn mapped workflows into functional business systems

Time Stamps

00:54 - Episode Intro
02:20 -Understanding Business Function Charts
03:12 -Real-World Workflow Example: Sprinkler Company
17:54 -Job Scheduling and Preparation
19:49 -Execution and Completion
23:08 -Creating Workflows with AI

Snippets from the Episode

“Everyone has workflows. Work is flowing through your business if you’re in business. But just like you said, the visual is so helpful for understanding where things actually are.” — Khalil
“When we had the sprinkler company, we literally had a Kanban table before software existed. Every job was a packet that moved from one step to the next. You could walk in and see exactly where everything was.” — Martin
“You can spend an hour with AI and map out your entire workflow—then clearly see what your business actually does.” — Khalil
“You should be using AI in this capacity. It’s a thought partner—it helps you think through your processes, not just write emails.” — Khalil

Key Takeaways

Map Before You Manage – You can’t improve what you can’t see.
Visualize Workflows – Kanban systems make progress visible and predictable.
Leverage AI – Use tools like Claude or ChatGPT to build, test, and refine workflows.
Clarify Functions – Define what your business actually does, not just who does it.
Lay the Foundation – Workflow clarity is the first step to scalable systems and future function charts.

Resources

280 - Mapping Your Workflows with AI: A Guide to Business Function Charts

The Cash Flow Contractor

AI Interview Questions to Clarify Workflow

The AI-powered Podcast Player