Systems Simplified

Michèle Hecken is an executive coach, serial entrepreneur, author, and speaker. She has over 25 years of experience running Alpha Translations Canada Inc., a global translation company she started when she was 23. Michèle has also been a member of the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) for more than a decade. She successfully scaled her company before offboarding herself and selling it in 2019. In this episode: Michael E. Gerber coined the phrase "work on your business, not in it," but what does this actually mean? Many entrepreneurs structure businesses around their skills, leaving little room for freedom and a work-life balance. So how can you create the life and business you desire? Michèle Hecken has developed a proprietary offboarding process that reaches beyond mere task delegation. The approach begins by permitting yourself to relinquish your responsibilities. Fully offboarding yourself entails developing a vision for your life and business by discovering your passions, examining the status quo to implement company-wide change, providing executives with authority, accountability, and responsibility, and optimizing profits. Tune in to this episode of Systems Simplified as Adi Klevit interviews executive coach and serial entrepreneur Michèle Hecken about offboarding yourself from your business. Michèle speaks about her motivation for launching a business at age 23, how to customize processes to align with business goals, and her step-by-step offboarding process.

David Nilssen is the Co-founder and CEO of DOXA, which helps small to mid-sized organizations build highly-skilled global teams with the goal of scaling. David is also a member of the board of directors for Guidant Financial and Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO). He hosts The Future Is Borderless podcast, where he features top thought leaders from around the world. David's mission is to help entrepreneurs create the life they want through business success. In this episode: When David Nilssen wanted to scale DOXA quickly, he looked offshore to access new talent pools and help the business grow. But transitioning from fully in-person to a mixed environment and eventually entirely remote came with its share of challenges. How did David and his team make the shift? A critical part of hiring offshore talent in a remote work environment is clarifying your processes and ensuring your team is well cared for. Straightforward processes can help you hire, onboard, communicate, and build company culture while avoiding major obstacles. Tune in to learn more about how DOXA's processes helped David execute major business renovations. In this episode of Systems Simplified, Adi Klevit is joined by David Nilssen, the Co-founder and CEO of DOXA, to talk about processes when hiring offshore talent and building culture in a remote environment. David discusses common mistakes entrepreneurs make when hiring offshore, the benefits of a borderless team, and how to utilize processes that help your team thrive.

Byron McFarland is a Succession and Equity Compensation Strategist at The McFarland Group, a consulting firm that attracts, rewards, and retains talent through performance equity and ownership succession. In his role, he guides entrepreneurs on transferring ownership and control to achieve total time freedom and financial independence. Before his 18 years at The McFarland Group, Byron was the Managing Director of McFarland & Associates, where he recruited, trained, and coached advisors, executives, and entrepreneurs. In this episode: Selling a company to an investor is the traditional business acquisition method. However, these transactions are often reserved for companies with exponential growth, and entrepreneurs have limited control over the process. Conversely, transferring a business to internal management enhances its value and allows owners to maintain a legacy. So how can you plan and execute the process of relinquishing control of your organization? According to Byron McFarland, developing a structured agreement for appointing new ownership takes approximately three to seven years. Byron has established a planning process involving three fundamental components: people, property, and commitments. The initial phase addresses buyer concerns and expectations and seller goals, needs, and required resources. When evaluating a company ownership transfer, assessing its value, considering potential investments, and reducing risk by surrendering liabilities and shareholder agreements is essential. Join Adi Klevit in this episode of Systems Simplified as she talks with Byron McFarland, Succession and Equity Compensation Strategist at The McFarland Group, about transferring business ownership to internal management. Byron explains the impact of a business transfer on process documentation, why entrepreneurs sell their businesses to management teams, and the importance of anticipating risks during the planning process.

Chris Manley is the Co-founder and CEO of Engenius, a design agency helping businesses drive more sales and revenue with a website and online presence. He has been boosting sales through web design and digital marketing since 2000. Chris is also the Founder, President, and CEO of Rebuild Upstate, a nonprofit that repairs low-income families' homes. In this episode: Every entrepreneur understands the importance of systems for operational consistency and streamlined business processes. But for service-based companies, systems are indispensable for client communication and management. So what procedures can you integrate to provide best-in-class services to your clients? Chris Manley develops processes for every aspect of client management. Case in point, his 184-step website design method is refined consistently by team members to produce high-quality products customized for each client's needs. Additionally, Chris has set company-wide expectations for quick client communication by having team members on-call to receive requests within minutes. Tune in to this episode of Systems Simplified as Adi Klevit hosts Chris Manley, Co-founder and CEO of Engenius, to talk about systematizing a business for client management. Chris explains the importance of thorough systems, the benefits of his 184-step website design process, and how he builds systems for client proposals and communication.

Judy Weber is an entrepreneur, Christian business coach, and scaling strategist working exclusively with high-achieving Christian women. She teaches women entrepreneurs business strategies from a Biblical perspective to help them step into their CEO roles with confidence, calm, and certainty. As a former corporate and trial attorney and C-suite executive, Judy helps female CEOs scale their businesses to six and seven figures using the proven Joyful Scaling Method™. In this episode: Faith plays a vital role in business as entrepreneurs must believe in their expertise, mission, and purpose to scale effectively. So how can you develop faith-driven systems to expand your impact? Strategic business coach Judy Weber has developed a proprietary methodology for scaling any company that incorporates faith into every aspect of the process. She emphasizes three strategies for business optimization: scaling, operations, and profit. Prepare your methods, targeted messaging, and marketing to structure your company for growth. You must also refine your team, processes, and profit margins to develop a forecasting approach. Tune in to this episode of Systems Simplified as Adi Klevit sits down with Christian business coach Judy Weber to talk about scaling a company through faith. Judy explains the Joyful Scaling Method™, the importance of embracing and applying your talents, and her client retention strategies.

Tetiana Tasyts is the Founder of Flash, which offers online English courses to anyone who speaks Russian, including very young children. After growing up in Ukraine, she began studying English to create opportunities for herself. Tetiana started her career as a teacher before becoming a translator and then founded Flash, which had 32 branches in Ukraine before the war, so now she offers it online. In this episode: Launching a business can be overwhelming, and knowing where to begin is often difficult. But with a vision and precise systems, anyone can own an impactful business. Today's guest shares how administering strategic processes can help you start and grow a company and overcome obstacles along the way. After launching an English school in Ukraine, Tetiana Tasyts struggled to generate revenue. She joined consulting programs to help her implement business processes, including KPI development and financial planning. Consequently, Tetiana gained business insights and skills, increased visibility, and hired a team of top leaders to manage the company. Within four days of everything being shut down due to COVID, she managed to transition her 3,000 students to online learning and has continued her business in and outside of Ukraine since the war began. Join Adi Klevit in today's episode of Systems Simplified as she chats with Tetiana Tasyts, Founder of Flash, about starting and scaling a company with sound processes. Tetiana also shares how she became a teacher and English translator, her vision for Flash, and the value of systems in solving business problems.

Dr. Pascal Nguyen is the Owner and Dentist at PJN Dental, which provides holistic dental care. As the only practice that treats the entire body through mouth health, PJN Dental redefines dentistry through restorative care. As a Biological Medical Dentist (BMD) and a Certified Naturopathic Doctor (CND), Dr. Pascal is known for being an integrative dentist who has worked to reinvent holistic healthcare. In this episode: Most dental practices are small, family-owned businesses that have used the same approach for many years. But in today's fast-paced business environment, carefully documented procedures are integral for promoting structure and a thriving culture. Having integrated and organized his businesses for growth, Dr. Pascal Nguyen advocates for consistent, goal-based systems and processes. By implementing and documenting these procedures, his business operations are no longer solely dependent upon him. To ensure your employees follow through, Dr. Pascal recommends informing your team of the importance of these systems to cultivate motivation and support. Join Adi Klevit in this episode of Systems Simplified as she hosts Dr. Pascal Nguyen, Owner and Dentist at PJN Dental, to discuss the role of processes and systems in dentistry. Dr. Pascal explains the definition of a Biological Medical Dentist, how he integrated his practices for growth, and the importance of procedures in holistic dentistry.

Matt Schwartz is the Founder and Executive Director at Constructive, a leading nonprofit social impact branding and web design agency that helps ambitious nonprofits, foundations, and education organizations solve the world's most pressing challenges. With 27 years of experience as a designer, brand strategist, and writer for the social impact sector, Matt helps Constructive's teams create processes and practices to elevate brand value. He also contributes to the nonprofit design space by serving on the leadership team for the NY chapter of The Communications Network and writes, speaks, mentors, and conducts workshops. In this episode: Strategic systems are the foundation of any service-based design company. Developing proprietary processes maximizes value for clients and allows you to scale at a rate that suits your needs. So what are the best methods for structuring your business? Since Matt Schwartz works closely with various organizations, understanding how to manage multiple work streams, teams, and client goals is integral to his success. He says that human processes are essential to managing these components effectively, so you have to relay knowledge to internal teams throughout the organization. Project reviews, cross-disciplinary meetings, and documentation can ensure optimal communication, predictability, and consistency. In this episode of Systems Simplified, Adi Klevit speaks with Matt Schwartz, Founder and Executive Director at Constructive, about integrating systems for seamless business operations. Matt shares the importance of transferring knowledge between internal teams, how Constructive's systems impact its culture, and how he creates value for his clients through consistent processes.

Maria Pokrovskaya is the Co-founder and CEO of Artclever, an award-winning EdTech (educational technology) company helping creative professionals from 23 countries start or upscale a career. As an architecture professor, she founded Artclever to make architecture and interior design courses available globally. Maria is also a member of the international research program Moving Boundaries and is active in other professional organizations. In this episode: Today's talent market is becoming increasingly competitive, and businesses struggle to acquire qualified employees at affordable rates. Conversely, the lack of practical education hinders candidates' abilities to obtain the necessary credentials to enter the workforce. So what systems can you implement to solve these pressing issues? Maria Pokrovskaya has built her business around a fractional recruiting model that employs short-term decentralized talent. Artclever has implemented a strategic system that provides educational opportunities and career development to job seekers in the architecture space. This creates a valuable talent pool that companies can leverage to meet their hiring needs. Maria encourages you to capitalize on this model to optimize and scale your business. Co-founder and CEO of Artclever, Maria Pokrovskaya, joins Adi Klevit in today's episode of Systems Simplified to discuss the fractional hiring business model. Maria also shares how she dismantles cultural barriers through her international firm, the benefits of fractional talent, and how she built and scaled Artclever.

Nicole Hamilton is the Founder of Homeownering, a company that provides home financing options. After a career in technology, she founded Homeownering to make complex real estate financing decisions easy for people to understand. As a mortgage loan originator, Nicole has a deep understanding of all aspects of housing finance, including the lifecycles of buying, refinancing, home equity loans, and home sales. In this episode: Launching a company and gaining recognition is a challenge in and of itself. But without the proper systems and processes in place, it can be difficult to sustain the business. So how can you optimize your company to provide top-notch services to customers? Nicole Hamilton emphasizes the importance of goal-setting. Implementing quarterly goals allows you to outline a direction for your company and prioritize daily tasks accordingly. Mishaps are common in business operations, so it's essential to incorporate estimated time periods into each task to manage those setbacks effectively while propelling your company forward. Tune in to this episode of Systems Simplified as Adi Klevit sits down with Nicole Hamilton, Founder of Homeownering, to talk about implementing strategic processes for entrepreneurial success. Nicole shares her prioritization methodology, the value of a business press release, and how she formed partnerships to generate press for her company.