Systemize Your Success Podcast

🎙 In this episode, I share how I’ve taken the chaos of managing dozens of DNS records, SSL certificates, and email settings across multiple providers for my websites. I simplified it all into one, non‑techie‑friendly dashboard using Cloudflare. I walk you through how I now spin up subdomains, connect tools like my CRM, and handle DKIM and DNS changes in minutes instead of hours – often with one‑click integrations. You’ll hear how Cloudflare has saved me hundreds of pounds a year on SSL, dramatically improved my sites’ speed and security, and virtually eliminated the stress of “I’ve broken the website” moments. If you’re an entrepreneur or business owner who hates technical faff but needs reliable, fast, secure websites, this will show you a simple way to centralise and systemise all your DNS and domain management. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Centralise All Your DNS: Save time and reduce stress by pointing all of your domains’ nameservers to Cloudflare. All your DNS changes can be made in one simple, consistent dashboard, instead of having to remember how to do it across several hosting panels. 💡 Security and Potential For Cost Savings: Cloudflare bundles free SSL, DDoS protection, proxy-based IP masking, and other security tools that many hosts charge for, meaning there is the potential to both harden your sites and reduce recurring costs each year. 💡 Website Speed Improvements Directly Impacts Sales: Faster load times via Cloudflare’s CDN and caching reduce friction for visitors, which meaningfully boosts conversions and revenue. BEST MOMENTS 00:24  - 💬 “  I  have no affiliation with them, but I want to share it today, because it is awesome.”  06:34  - 💬 “  You only have one login and one dashboard to deal with. That is absolutely priceless.” 10:45  - 💬 “  The website loads faster, and you get more sales as a result.” 11:43  - 💬 “   It will take you less than five minutes to put a website from where it currently is onto here.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Intro: Using Cloudflare for website management 01:00 Simplification and time saving 06:30 Cost savings and security 10:49 Performance and reliability enhancements VALUABLE RESOURCES Go to sys.academy/tools to check out how amazing Cloudflare is yourself - also check out other cool tools and apps that we use and recommend. LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙 In this episode, I share why I’m no longer excited about replacing whole teams with AI and instead, focus on building AI‑augmented teams that get better results, faster, without blowing the payroll budget. I’ll walk you through how I “hire and train” AI like a new team member using Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), templates, and examples, and why treating AI like a search engine is the fastest way to get mediocre outcomes. You’ll hear why I’ve moved my own workflows from ChatGPT to Claude, how I’m using projects, skills, and autonomous agents to amplify what my existing team can do, and a simple first experiment you can run today with one role or process. If you want to turn your current staff into an AI‑powered, higher‑level team instead of trying to replace them, this episode is for you. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Stop Chasing Full Replacement of Your Team With AI: For most businesses, particularly small businesses, an AI‑augmented team beats the fantasy of firing everyone and letting AI run the show.   💡 Train AI Like a New Hire: The more SOPs, examples, and context you give your AI, the more consistent, on‑brand work it can deliver without you.   💡 Pick ONE Core AI Platform: Go deep on a single tool and master it. Explore and be persistent. Understand its strengths, limits, and integrations. Only use other AI tools if your chosen platform fails for certain tasks. 💡 Make Your Team the AI Owners, Not the Victims: When your team helps design and direct how AI is used, it stops feeling like a threat and becomes a tool that enables them to escape the grind and lean into higher‑value work that quickly moves the needle.  💡 Start Today, With One Process: Get one of your team members to choose a single role or task, upload everything into a project, and let your team member and AI co‑design a better workflow. Do this with each team member. BEST MOMENTS 02:06  - 💬 “   (With AI) the opportunities of possibilities are massive, but so is that learning curve and that is putting off a lot of people.”  05:44 - 💬 “  I'm now dedicated to learning Claude and mastering it and only using other tools if Claude fails.” 13:08  - 💬 “  The future is not AI or humans. The future is AI augmented by humans.” 13:15 - 💬 “  We get far more done at a far higher level than we could ever think was possible before, without having to blow our budgets on amazing consultants and stuff.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Into: Training AI for consistency 02:20 Use AI to support - not replace 05:19 Exploring different AI tools 09:28 Human AI collaboration VALUABLE RESOURCES Get free access to our DIDACT Framework—here's the link to our best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates: https://sys.academy/guides  LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙In this episode, I sit down with Dave Nyss, founder of Real Learning. Together, we explore how “red energy loops” of stress, overthinking and self‑doubt quietly drain your business, how to spot the blind spots and mental filters that keep you stuck, and how to recondition your brain so you can operate more from flow, peace and unconscious brilliance while still growing a profitable business. We discuss recognising anxiety as a signal that something needs adjusting, designing your business around your zone of genius, and ditching the grind. KEY TAKEAWAYS  💡 Design for Flow, Not Grind: Flow is that state where work feels light, focused and almost effortless  - like following a trusted sat nav rather than fighting your way through fog. Instead of glorifying grind, notice the type of work, clients, schedule, environment that make you feel calm, clear and absorbed, and deliberately build more of your business to match those - then, flow becomes your default, not an accident. 💡 Debug Your Thinking Like Software: When you feel stressed, stuck, or are overthinking, don’t override it and push through - pause and “debug” the situation by asking which belief or assumption is making this feel hard – rewrite your mental code. 💡 Fix Your Brain’s Filters: Your brain constantly filters and deletes information it thinks isn’t important, based on past experience and beliefs. In business, that means you literally cannot see opportunities or solutions that don’t fit your current story. When everything feels hard, assume your filters are working against you and ask, “What possibility am I automatically ruling out here?” BEST MOMENTS  04:35 - 💬 “ We can actually achieve a lot more by doing a lot less.” — Dave Nyss 19:02 - 💬 “ I focus on what is the missing piece? What is making it hard?” — Dave Nyss 22:16 - 💬 “ People say ‘I've got imposter syndrome’ - Why not get rid of it? ...you can get rid of anything.” — Dave Nyss 35:13 - 💬 “ So much in business is wrapped around this we cannot fail mentality, which, for most people, just causes us to limit ourselves and do what is safe.” — Dave Nyss 36:88 - 💬 “ It should all be fun. If you could literally live by that mantra with regard to business, then you'll end up inevitably being in your zone of genius. Because the things that you find the easiest, the most fun, are typically the things you're best at.” — Steve Day TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Intro: “ Supporting Business Growth & Wellbeing” 07:30 Blind spots and unconscious brilliance 18:33 Practical techniques 30:01 Spotting what you are really good at VALUABLE RESOURCES Join our private, focused, and supportive community designed for freedom-driven entrepreneurs at https://join.sys.academy/ LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST  Website: http://www.reallearning.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davenyss/ ABOUT THE GUEST  Dave Nyss is the founder of Real Learning and creator of the Always Thrive Framework, helping high-performing leaders reach peak performance while building stress-resilient, purpose-led businesses. With 15+ years of coaching experience and his background as Projects Director at a FTSE 250 tech company, Dave blends strategic clarity with intuitive insight to support ambitious founders and senior leaders. His work helps them turn stress into a useful signal, unlock sustainable high performance, and grow in a way that aligns with their values. LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙 In this episode, I sit down with Tarra Stubbins, CEO of Take It Easy Group. She went from being a roadie to becoming Mick Jagger´s personal assistant. We unpack what it really means for your business when you get high‑level support at an early stage. We also dig into the difference between a task‑based VA and a strategic EA, why an EA can be your most important first hire, and how the right support pulls you out of the day‑to‑day so you can think, lead, and create at a higher level. If, like me, you’re at the stage where you need to delegate ownership of areas of your business rather than just tasks, this episode shows you what to look for, what to avoid, and how to set goals your systems and team can sustain. KEY TAKEAWAYS  💡 Hire an EA Early: A true executive assistant should be your first strategic hire if you want to grow fast, get out of the weeds and into CEO‑level work. 💡 Set Goals Your Business Can Actually Support: Ambition is great, but if your systems, capacity, and team can’t realistically handle the targets you set, those “big goals” will break your business instead of growing it. 💡 Systems Enable, Not Stifle, Creativity: Guardrails, workflows, and AI free you to spend more time in your real zone of genius. BEST MOMENTS  07:46 - 💬 “ Understand the operational systems behind the business so you can run faster.” — Tarra Stubbins 10:07 - 💬 “ There's something missing in the ability for me to actually execute the level I want to now. It's like I'm holding myself back.” — Steve Day 14:27 - 💬 “ If you hire an executive assistant first as your first hire, whether it's part-time or even full-time, it's your most strategic move.” — Tarra Stubbins 24:39 - 💬 “ It doesn't matter what my morning routine is, it matters what works for you and your schedule and your goals in this season of life that you're in right now.” — Tarra Stubbins TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Intro: Ever thought about hiring an EA? 09:32 EA vs. VA 15:49 Setting the Right Goals 24:50 Redefining Success & Impact VALUABLE RESOURCES Get free access to our DIDACT and Recruit Right frameworks—here's the link to our best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates: https://sys.academy/guides LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST  Website: https://www.takeiteasygroup.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarrastubbins ABOUT THE GUEST  Tarra Stubbins is the visionary founder and CEO of two multi-million-dollar service-based organisations, built entirely through her dedication to goal-setting and unwavering determination despite having no formal business background. With over two decades of diverse experience, she has managed the lives of and worked alongside legendary musicians like Mick Jagger and Drake and high-profile CEOs such as Richard Branson. Known for her no-nonsense, purpose-driven approach, Tarra specialises in empowering individuals to achieve their personal and professional goals. She transforms daily lives by eliminating ineffective multitasking habits and introducing proven techniques utilised by the world's most successful people. Passionate about helping others unleash their inner potential, Tarra continues to inspire countless individuals to live the lives they've always dreamed of LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙 In this episode, I share how and why we’ve built a simple, structured feedback system into our meetings to make sure that even the most timid team members feel safe giving honest, constructive feedback - and yes, even to me as the business owner. I’ll walk you through our meeting scoring, the Meeting CHAIR guide, and the pre‑written feedback scripts we use to keep feedback objective, future‑focused, and consistent across the whole team. You’ll hear how this system has improved punctuality, reduced meeting chaos, and helped us overcome cultural barriers that normally make it hard to “challenge the boss.” If you want a team that actually tells you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear, this is for you. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡Why Empower Your Staff to Make You Better: Everybody, including “the boss”, needs feedback to help them to improve the way they work. So, empowering your staff to break free of social norms and provide direct feedback on how you are performing is very effective. 💡Systemise Feedback: Don’t rely on casually inviting “honest feedback”. If you do, you´ll never receive any. Build structured feedback into your business – I share how my meeting chairing process does this and how it is changing my company’s culture for the better. 💡Give Meeting Chairs a Clear Playbook That Includes Feedback: Use a Meeting CHAIR guide, scoring, and pre‑written feedback scripts so anyone can run efficient, on‑time meetings that improve how each team member performs. BEST MOMENTS 00:27 - 💬 “   My staff are now feeling empowered to give me the essential feedback that I need to improve as a member of the team.”  03:13  - 💬 “  The feedback is meant to be generic. It's meant to be future-focused, and therefore I'm actually thinking - I actually need to do this. I need to change my behaviour.” 10:03 - 💬 “   It's the systemized approach to doing this that has allowed this to actually happen and make a difference in the business.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Intro: Empowering Staff Through Feedback 01:00 Why Bosses Also Need Feedback 04:40 The Meeting CHAIR Guide and Scripted Feedback Messages 07:10 Normalising ‘Challenging the Boss’ VALUABLE RESOURCES Join our Community so you can learn more about how to empower your staff and build a business that doesn't rely on you as the business owner: https://join.sys.academy/ LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙 In this episode, I sit down with Tamara Munoz, a Fractional COO specialist and founder of Behind the Screens. Together, we explore how to get high-level operational support before you can justify appointing a full-time COO, and what it really looks like to extract yourself from the day-to-day while still running a lean, human-centric business that supports your goals of being present for family and living with purpose and peace. If, like Steve, you want a fractional operations manager, somebody to be your “second brain” and basically do all of the essential stuff that you just wish you didn't have to do, this episode is for you. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡Small Businesses Need COOs Too: You don’t need a big team to be a “real” CEO: even a lean, lifestyle-focused business benefits hugely from fractional COO support. 💡Hire Fractional Brains, Not Just Fractional Hands: At a certain stage, another assistant isn’t the answer. A fractional COO becomes your “2nd brain” - they turn your vision into contracts, systems and hires that fuel growth while you continue to steer your business. 💡You Decide What ‘Big Enough’ Is: Top‑line growth that crushes your profit or your nervous system is fake success. Define what presence, peace, and security look like for you, then only scale in ways that protect all three. BEST MOMENTS  01:04 - 💬 “ I can grow my business without losing control, without breaking the bank, and also to do it without breaking my lifestyle goals of living with more presence, purpose and peace.” - Steve Day 15:35 - 💬 “ I call it CEO extraction. We gotta get you out of the trenches. We walk them through this whole framework.” - Tamara Munoz 26:18 - 💬 “ Then make decisions based on, okay, we are fully optimised, and we're nearing capacity. What's our next step?” - Tamara Munoz TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Intro: Getting operational support 11:45 Defining what success will look like 24:50 Scaling a company with a fractional COO 34:36 Finding peace and presence VALUABLE RESOURCES Get free access to our DIDACT and Recruit Right frameworks—here's the link to our best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates: https://sys.academy/guides LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST  Website https://behindthescreens.biz IG PAGE: https://www.instagram.com/behindthescreens.biz IG Profile: https://www.instagram.com/tamaramunozwhilden ABOUT THE GUEST  Tamara Munoz is a Fractional COO for leading online businesses and founder of Behind the Screens, partnering with growth-minded CEOs to build calm, effective operations. After running high-stakes, 24/7 operations for brands like Disney and Starbucks, she saw firsthand how traditional corporate systems burn people out—and became determined to prove you can protect both people and performance. Today, Tamara leads a 22-person team, helping founders get out of the trenches, close operational gaps, and reclaim their time without sacrificing growth. A first-generation American, she now finds joy in travelling and cooking with her husband and three young children. LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙 In this episode, I dig into what it really takes to build a business that no longer depends on you for every answer, every decision, and every tiny task. I start with the mindset shift from “I’ll just work harder” to “how do I turn my vision into operational flow?” I walk you through how to get what’s in your head into systems, often using affordable virtual assistants to build and improve them for you, so your team can actually use them. Including my “you should only ever answer a question once” philosophy. You’ll hear how to delegate in a way that creates systemisation assets, not just quick fixes, why this lets even non‑superstar team members perform at a high level, and how the same skills of documentation and process mapping are exactly what you need to unlock AI, automation, and even more freedom in your business. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Turn Vision into Operational Flow: Don’t aim to get better at “doing more”; focus on translating the ideas in your head into simple, documented systems so other people can execute without you in the loop 💡 Use Virtual Assistants to Build Your Systems for You: Don’t try to design and document every process yourself; train affordable virtual assistants to interview you and your team, capture how work is really done, and turn that knowledge into living systems and SOPs that keep improving over time. 💡 Answer Each Question Only Once: Create reusable assets, as you go, not one‑off answers to questions. Any task that might be repeated should be documented as it’s delegated, e.g. via a quick recording, screen share, or written steps. The work those up into full systems. 💡 Clear Systems Are the Foundation for Automation and AI: Clear process maps, triggers, and decision points are the raw material for automation and AI - without this operational clarity, no tool will reliably deliver freedom or scale. BEST MOMENTS 01:14 - 💬 “  Start building freedom into the way your business works.”  03:23 - 💬 “ You don´t even need to do it all yourself, you can actually train affordable virtual assistants to do this kind of work (building systems) for you.” 10:59 - 💬 “  This is about having better systems so you can actually still function at a decent level with B players or even C players in the business, if you have to.” 14:38 - 💬 “  Put words like wanting people to be systems thinkers, to love the idea of documentation in your job postings allow you to attract the right type of assistant into your business.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Intro: “Creating Freedom Through Systems” 05:18 “Streamlining Systems for Continuous Improvement” 07:35 “Effective, Reproducible Delegation Systems” 10:49 “Power of Effective Systems” 17:56 “Impact Beyond Individuals: Generational Change” VALUABLE RESOURCES Check out my new website copy I’ve been talking about in this episode at www.systemsandoutsourcing.com LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙 In this episode, I share my incredibly frustrating experience of recruitment, including hiring my replacement as an intern, recruiting for my various companies, and running a recruitment agency.  A journey that took me from hating recruitment to building an AI-powered, VA-driven system that finally makes hiring simple, objective, and repeatable. You’ll see why traditional recruitment is so slow and draining for business owners. I explain why my fully systemized recruitment process ignores CVs, how it removes early-stage gut-feeling errors, and instead uses standardised applications and AI-supported screening to objectively filter candidates down to a high-quality shortlist.  Whether you’re hiring your first virtual assistant or growing a small remote team, this episode is for you. It is the first step towards replacing guesswork with a clear, step-by-step process that will finally enable you to turn recruitment into a strength in your business. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡Stop Trusting CVs and Gut Feel: AI‑polished CVs and “she seems nice” interviews are a terrible basis for judging who can actually do the work. 💡Use Test Tasks As An Initial Filter: Use structured applications, test tasks, and clear scoring to filter candidates. Reserve your human judgment for the final interview stage. 💡Own Your Recruitment System: When agencies control your hiring, you stay dependent, delay firing, and tolerate mediocre performance. 💡Make Hiring Easy to Run Without You: When a VA can run the entire process, you can mostly remove yourself and your management team from the equation. Creating a near-frictionless hiring process ensures you get the right people into the right places quickly - particularly important during periods of high growth. BEST MOMENTS 00:31 - 💬 “ There was no way of comparing like for like. It was purely down to my gut feeling about who should replace me in my role.”  05:17 - 💬 “You can waste huge amounts of time on taking someone through a recruiting process and interviewing them and even hiring them, only to find out they can't actually do everything they said they could do.” 07:47 - 💬 “I  believe a business owner can easily do the recruitment better than anybody else.” 11:17 - 💬 “You need your company to stand out from every other job advert out there. To be the one that's different, the one that actually speaks to that person.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Intro: “Hating Recruitment to Perfecting It” 06:44 Avoid Overreliance on Recruitment Agencies 08:32 AI-Powered Recruitment Made Easy 12:12 Streamlined Hiring Process Workshop VALUABLE RESOURCES If recruitment currently feels slow, hit‑and‑miss, and painful, this is your next step. Register for our Recruit Right Workshop at sys.academy/recruit LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙Have you ever had a great business idea stuck in your head, but struggled to turn it into something your team could actually build and execute? In today's episode, we discussed the game-changing skill of process mapping—how to transform visionary concepts into systematic, executable workflows that truly drive your company forward. I shared proven methods and frameworks, and broke down simple, standardised approaches anyone can use to visualise and communicate their ideas, whether for automations, AI, or human-driven processes. We explored the steps for mapping out sequences, triggers, accountability, and how to bridge process maps into actionable task delegation, making your systems not just clear but operational. I also reflected on years spent helping entrepreneurs unlock these tools, including personal stories with clients who finally saw their ideas come to life. So if you're ready to stop bottlenecking your business and start systemising your success, keep listening for practical steps and inspiration! KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡Learn The One Powerful Skill Every Visionary Leader Needs: Your real leverage as a leader is learning the skill of turning messy ideas in your head into clear, step‑by‑step flows others can execute. Then, actually delegating. 💡Process Maps Make Ideas Valuable: Until a vision is mapped, tested, and run by others, it’s just an idea with zero value to your clients or company. 💡Standardise How You Map: Use one simple, shared mapping standard so anyone in your team can “read the map” and build or run the system without you. Then, turn those process maps into task‑management flows that assign owners, deadlines and checklists so you can watch your ideas happen in real time. BEST MOMENTS 01:24 - 💬 “ They either get dragged into the weeds of doing it all themselves, or they get frustrated that other people just don't understand.”  06:41 - 💬 “I'll literally just interview them and pull out the entire process from them, step by step, and map it out in a very standardised way.” 07:09 - 💬 “There's a very small set of rules and very small set of symbols you need on your process map to map out 95% of any business process. You don't need all the bells and whistles.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Intro: “Systematic Idea Visualisation Skills” 02:21 Using processing maps 04:37 Identifying key systems 08:25 Bridging process mapping across to task management VALUABLE RESOURCES To help you systemise your business and live with more purpose, presence, and peace, join our Community at https://join.sys.academy/ LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙In this episode, I introduce a game-changing free AI speech-to-text app that’s designed to save you hours each year. If you’re someone who prefers talking over typing or wants to work more efficiently, you’ll find this episode packed with practical insights. I share real-world examples of how this tool transforms daily tasks—like collaborating with team members or managing emails—turning minutes saved each day into a whopping 40+ hours a year. Whether you want to boost productivity, reduce mental clutter, or simply reclaim time for what matters most, this episode gives you the inside scoop on a tool that truly delivers on its promise. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡Talk Instead of Typing to Think Faster and Lead Better: Talking instead of typing lets you capture ideas in real time, stay in flow, and hand your team clear, structured outputs without spending hours at the keyboard. 💡Instantly Add Voice Input to Any Workflow: Typeless brings high‑quality voice‑to‑text capability to any app – even tools like Asana that don’t have built‑in dictation. 💡Tiny Time Wins Compound Big: Shaving just a few seconds off each message by talking instead of typing quickly becomes 10 minutes a day, which adds up to over 40 hours a year you get back for leading, thinking and growing the business. BEST MOMENTS 00:36 - 💬 “I quite enjoy typing, but it's slow. I like to get stuff out of my brain without having to structure it and think about it.” 01:19 - 💬 “Sometimes it's lost in translation, sometimes I miss bits because I'm sort of trying to type and think at the same time - this app sort of gets rid of all of those hassles.” 02:00 - 💬 “I save a few seconds each and every time I do this - every 10 minutes you save each day adds up to 40 hours over the course of a year.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00.00 Intro: “Streamlined Voice-to-Text Productivity” 01:00 Why talk instead of type 02:30 Get started with the AI Speech-to-Text App for free VALUABLE RESOURCES Ready to swap slow typing for fast, clear voice‑to‑text in any app?  Get a $5 credit for Typeless Pro, use my link from https://sys.academy/tools LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙Documenting what you do in an operation manual (OM) or SOP is fundamentally the easiest way to ensure somebody else reliably gets stuff done in your business, without your involvement. The challenge is that most small businesses have literally hundreds of tasks which need to be documented, and that itself can become quite overwhelming and quite disjointed, disorganised, and messy.  If you're not careful, before long, you can be in a total pickle as to what has been documented, what has not and what needs to be reviewed, etc. So, having a simple system to manage the creation and updating of your Operation Manuals, your Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), or whatever you call them in your business, is essential.  Today, I talk about how we do this in our business. It's super simple to set up - by the end of this episode, you'll be able to create something similar. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡Updating Process Documentation Cannot be Avoided: Documenting and updating your Operation Manuals and Standard Operating Procedures never ends. As technology, regulations, and customer needs change, how your business does things also has to change; otherwise, you become inefficient. 💡Use an Operations Manual (OM) Pipeline to Free Yourself from Admin: You and your team's key experts need to focus on the work that actually makes money and drives innovation in your business. An efficient OM Pipeline ensures you don't get caught up in admin tasks. 💡Make the System Teach Itself: Use a single OM Pipeline Task Template that explains every step so even a new hire can run the process without hand‑holding. I explain exactly how I use a task manager app to do that. BEST MOMENTS 02:26 - 💬 “This is a job or task that's never going to end. As long as my business exists, as long as technology doesn't stop, which it won't do, then the way that we actually do the work in our business is going to keep changing.”  03:42 - 💬 “This process is about freeing you as the business owner and also your key staff to keep focusing on doing the high-value work, the work that actually generates either revenue or innovation in your company.” 09:00 - 💬 “This means it doesn't interrupt work. It's not lost and then forgotten about, and it's also put into place. So, when the operation manual creator has time to create this, they can go away and do it.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Intro: “Managing Operation Manuals or SOPs” 03:42 How to build an Operations Manual Pipeline 07:02 The Perfect Process Pipeline Methodology 11:32 Operation Manual Creation and Update Process VALUABLE RESOURCES Join Our Community at https://join.sys.academy/ and start building a business that actually works for you! Also, get free access to our DIDACT Framework now—here's the link to our best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates: https://sys.academy/guides LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙 If they were giving out awards for procrastination and avoidance of admin tasks, I would win hands down, out of pretty much anybody I know. Whether it's chasing people up, responding to emails, checking my messages, or just basically doing those admin things that just back up and just annoy the hell outta you. That is where I really, really struggle. That was until I did one thing, which I am going to share with you today. Something that has been totally transformative. It's super simple and requires no advanced techniques, apps, or technology. This simple technique will help you, as a business owner, be far more productive. Especially if you're like me and you've either got ADHD, or you just struggle with getting that annoying admin stuff done. This simple framework has totally transformed the way I approach admin. It holds me accountable for doing it, but it is my team that actually makes it happen.  KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡Turn Inbox Avoidance and Guilt into a Daily Win: Assign someone to handle your inbox. Every day, do a  15‑minute comms check‑in with them to cover anything that requires a decision. This quickly stops the constant background stress of ignored emails and messages. 💡Stay Accountable and Productive: Responding to emails, etc., is still ultimately your responsibility. However, someone else can easily respond to the routine things that don´t require a direct decision from you. They can assist with the rest and help keep you accountable. 💡 Build a Unified Inbox System: Combine human review, appropriate AI, a well-trained and fully enabled VA with a short daily meeting, to turn your comms admin into one simple, repeatable process. Use Steve´s free guide to get it done. BEST MOMENTS 02:12 - 💬 “What I did was simple, but it has transformed the amount of stuff I actually get done.”  04:09 - 💬 “I no longer feel this ever-increasing amount of stress from things just building up and building up and my task list getting longer and longer.” 04:46 - 💬 “I'm pulled back in, if I've got somebody there to keep me accountable, somebody is actually forcing me to basically focus on what I should be doing, I can be highly productive.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Intro: “Conquering Admin Procrastination” 01:40 Leverage VAs and Automation 02:30 15 Minutes Focused Comms Meetings 04:19 Unified Inbox Management System VALUABLE RESOURCES Get free access to our Unified Inbox Management System Framework now—here's the link to our best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates: https://sys.academy/guides LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙 This morning, I spent a couple of hours automating a task that takes about an hour a week to do. That means going forward, we're gonna save about 50 hours a year. That's pretty cool. However, my reflection on this was not so good. Why was I the one who A, spotted this needed to be done, and B, ended up doing the automation myself? It's something I fall back into sometimes. And what I wanna talk about today is the frameworks I have put in place that should be working in my business. That needed a bit of reminding with my staff. I wanna explain what that framework is, how you can implement it in your business to ensure that your team are optimizing their tasks. And also, how to use events like this as opportunities to reinforce great behaviours and install a culture of continual improvement and systemisation within your business. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Stop Being the Only Optimizer: If you’re the one spotting and fixing broken processes, your growth is capped. As the leader, your real job is to build a team and culture where everyone is always looking for better, faster, simpler ways to work. 💡 Optimize with EASE™: Get your team using a simple lens for every recurring task – Eliminate, Automate, Streamline, Enable. Ask: Do we need this? Can a robot do it? How can we make it smoother? And how do we document it so others can run it without me? 💡 Use a Simple Rule for Automation: If a task takes more than 1 hour a week, which is 50 hours a year, it’s highly likely to be worth automating. Even a few hours invested to build the automation usually pays back quickly and then keeps paying off, year after year. 💡 Make Improvement a Habit, Not a One-Off: Every month, use the EASE™ technique to optimize at least one task on your team’s board so everyone regularly reviews their own work, eliminates low‑value tasks, and finds automation and streamlining opportunities. BEST MOMENTS 04:13 - 💬 “If those people (you delegate to) aren't really mindful of what they're doing, and asking if there are opportunities for this to be either eliminated, automated or streamlined, they can end up just doing things like a robot.”  10:24 - 💬 “I've got to be sure that actually, it's not just cheap and easier and more effective just to get a human to do it, and it's not automating for the sake of automating.”  12:56 - 💬 “We eliminate, we automatically streamline, and we enable, and you can get your own copy of this so you can implement this in your business.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 “Empowering Teams for Optimization” 06:04 “Streamlining Repetitive Tasks” 08:49 “Eliminate, Automate, Leverage AI” 11:13 “Optimizing Tasks Through Automation” VALUABLE RESOURCES Get free access to our Optimize With EASE™ Framework now—here's the link to our best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates: https://sys.academy/guides LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙Today, I interview Andee Hart, the host of She Sells Differently and an ethical sales coach with 17 years of experience working in corporate sales and running her own businesses. Her approach is service-driven, starting every sales conversation not with “How am I going to close this deal?” but with “How can I help this person?” Then, the sale becomes effortless and enjoyable—a real win-win. KEY TAKEAWAYS  💡 Sell from A Place of Service: Sales get easy when the goal of every conversation is to understand and help the person in front of you, rather than “close the deal.”  💡 Only Work with the Right Clients: Saying “no” to clients that are a poor fit for what you offer protects your energy, avoids disappointment for them, builds trust, referrals, and your long‑term reputation. 💡 Launch Early: Perfectionism stalls growth. Put viable offers into the world, label them honestly as beta or founder’s rounds, and ask for structured feedback. That real‑world input is what takes a 60% product to 100% faster than building in isolation. 💡 Design Culture That Rewards Integrity: Whether in a big sales team or a small business, when rewards and recognition favour long-term customer success rather than this month’s quota, your team naturally chooses right‑fit, ethical solutions. BEST MOMENTS  06:27 - 💬 “It’s not asking for money, it’s providing them with value.” — Andee Hart 13:22 - 💬 “Face-to-face selling is very different from written communication - your messaging matters even more.” — Andee Hart 25:31 - 💬 “Only accept the right clients into your business - every wrong client you accept is a massive drain on energy, resources, and time.” — Steve Day TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Intro: “Authentic, Service-Oriented Selling Insights” 04:02 Overcoming Sales Discomfort 17:30 Automating Sales Processes 32:34 Sales Culture 41:36 Launching and Improving Products VALUABLE RESOURCES  Andee Hart’s List of Sales Tools for Entrepreneurs: https://andeehart.com/salestools LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andeehart/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andeehart/ Hart Design Co Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/hartdesignco/ ABOUT THE GUEST  Andee Hart is an energetic entrepreneur, sales strategist, and host of the She Sells Differently podcast. After turning her candle-making side hustle, Hart Design Co., into a thriving wholesale and retail business, she left her corporate sales career to pursue entrepreneurship full-time. Today, Andee empowers entrepreneurs to overcome sales anxiety and grow their businesses with integrity, grace, and confidence LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙 If you're considering hiring a remote worker from the Philippines, or you already have a Filipino team, this episode is a must-listen. I interview Nicolas Bivero, who’s spent over a decade helping companies build teams in the Philippines. I’m also a long‑time advocate—my entire team is based there. We dig into the real‑world pros and cons of Filipino remote teams: the cultural differences you need to adapt to, and how those differences can become a huge advantage for your business. If you want to get more from your Filipino team, or you’re wondering how this could work in your company, keep listening to hear exactly how we make this work in practice. KEY TAKEAWAYS  💡 Treat Remote Hires as Core Team Members, Not Cheap Labour: If you see Filipino hires as “warm bodies” to throw tasks at, you’ll fail. Treat them as a true extension of your core team with proper onboarding, involvement, and long-term investment, and they repay you with commitment, quality, and stability. 💡 Lean into Cultural Strengths—and Manage the Gaps: Filipinos’ warmth, empathy and team-first mindset make them brilliant for customer-facing and collaborative roles. But that same desire to please can mean they say “yes” when they should push back. As a leader, you must explicitly invite disagreement, make it safe to say “no,” and coach for direct communication. 💡 Use Global Talent to Fill Dream Roles: Because Filipino talent is more affordable and more readily available, you can create roles you’d never have the budget for if you only hired in your local country. Use remote hires to accelerate growth. BEST MOMENTS  15:30 - 💬 “If you go in there with the mindset of 'we're going to do this the German way,’ you're going to fail.” — Nicolas 29:30 - 💬 “There are massive cost benefits for hiring from the Philippines, because the cost of living is significantly lower than in many countries.” — Steve 34:42 - 💬 “In Germany, there are half a million people retiring every year. There are not enough young people coming in to actually replace all those roles.” — Nicolas TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Hiring Remote Workers 15:41 Adapting to Cultural Differences 29:00 Filling Skill Gaps Affordably VALUABLE RESOURCES  Our flagship Recruit Right Framework: https://sys.academy/guides LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST  Website: https://penbrothers.com/ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolasbivero/ ABOUT THE GUEST  Over the last 10 years,  Penbrothers has been built in the Philippines with the mission to help start-ups and SME drive growth, reduce operational costs, and optimise staffing efficiency. Penbrothers achieves this by building tailored remote teams and aligning the recruitment process to the needs of each client. By building teams in the Philippines, our clients leverage the deep, highly skilled labour pool, enabling them to scale smarter and improve their bottom line. LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙Today I’m joined by Dr Carrie Graham, who has a PhD in adult and workplace learning. We share a similar mission: helping business owners reduce stress by getting what’s in their heads into the heads of their team so they can do the work effectively and efficiently. Carrie brings an academic and highly practical approach to building training that actually works—engaging people so they complete it, understand it, and implement it. This isn’t about boring PowerPoints; it’s the opposite - it’s about using stories and smart instructional design. KEY TAKEAWAYS  💡 Design Training Around Real People: Stop building training to cover everything in your head. Focus on who’s doing the work – their job, opinion and how they have to work and live their lives. This gets their attention—what you teach lands fully, is remembered and drives better performance. 💡 Build Confidence, Not Just Knowledge: Information isn’t enough. Use small wins, feedback, and reviews to move people from “I understand this” to “I’m confidently doing it.” 💡 Use Questions and Silence as Tools: Ask better questions, then shut up. The quiet moments are where people process, connect dots, and ask for clarification. 💡 Use the Right Stories So Lessons Stick: People remember what they learn when the story feels like their world - relatable stories tie emotion to ideas, so they stick and get applied. BEST MOMENTS 00:40 - 💬 “How to communicate in a way that engages people, so they actually do the training and then implement it because they've understood it .” — Steve Day 07:09 - 💬 “When you make the content about the user, you've automatically grabbed their attention.” — Dr Carrie Graham 09:39 - 💬 “Once they get it, the goal is to not stop - help them apply … build their confidence.” — Dr Carrie Graham 42:05 - 💬 “Document everything - every step that you take. ” — Dr Carrie Graham 58:39 - 💬 “Success to me is a point when I have peace… peace of mind and peace about the work that I'm doing and the people that I'm helping, and peace in my home, so I can be my true self.” — Dr Carrie Graham TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Intro—Organizational Training and Culture Expert 05:30 Tailoring training to your audience 35:38 The ERA method 50:43 “Effective Training Boosts Productivity” VALUABLE RESOURCES Dr Carrie Graham's Training Assessment: https://www.drcarriegraham.com/take-training-assessment-quiz LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcarriegraham/ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@drcarriegraham ABOUT THE GUEST Dr Carrie Graham has spent 25+ years helping small business owners build high-performing teams without corporate-sized budgets—her ERA Training Method has delivered 90% improvement in training outcomes for entrepreneurs who need results fast. LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙 Today I’m taking you behind the scenes to share our formula for creating high‑performance job titles and opening paragraphs that actually get clicked. It’s based on a detailed analysis of over 60 job postings that generated 22,000 clicks over three years. We’ve posted more than 200 ads over eight years, but this three‑year window is where we’ve got solid stats. As you can see, I’ve had a lot of practice and now have the data that shows this job ad writing formula actually works. Today, I’m going to walk you through how we created this formula and exactly what it is, so you can start using it. Including how we used ChatGPT to run the statistical analysis that turned our guesswork into something genuinely useful for us, our clients, and you.  KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Write From Human to Human, Not Corporate to Crowd: The best-performing ads have titles and especially opening paragraphs written “from human to human.” They are warm, conversational, and clearly from a real person to one individual, not a faceless corporation. 💡 Use a Simple, Energetic Title Formula:  High-performing titles combine an attention-grabbing hook, a clear role name, tangible benefits, and a quick credibility cue, all delivered with energy and urgency. 💡 Lead With What They Want, Not What You Want: Ads that focus on what the candidate wants - benefits, purpose, belonging – consistently beat ads that simply list what the company needs or demands from them. 💡 Picture One Ideal Person When You Write: Imagine one ideal person whom you want to attract and write directly to them. That naturally pulls your tone, structure, and content in the right direction. BEST MOMENTS 03:40 - 💬 “With AI, it can be so much quicker, much more insightful, and you can actually have a conversation and get the AI to do some analysis based on whatever you want.” 09:28 - 💬 “Recruitment—it´s just marketing.”  13:38 - 💬 “Job seekers don't owe you their time, so you have to earn it fast.” 19:19 - 💬 “It's super important that the first line, or a couple of lines of that job advert, are written with intent, not just left to be whatever a HR manual says you should put into a job advert. This is like real estate, prime real estate for your advert.” 29:25 - 💬 “The job advert that speaks to the person in terms of what they want rather than what you want as the company will win every single time.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 “Job Posting Success Formula” 03:31 “AI-Powered Real-Time Insights” 07:00 Job Ad Click-Through Analysis 10:25 “Human-Centred Job Post Introductions” 18:29 “Effective Job Ad Writing Formula” 20:44 “Human Touch in Greetings” 26:56 “Targeted Writing for Hiring” 29:38 “Speak Human to Win Talent” VALUABLE RESOURCES Our Best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates—For Our Job Advert Formula: https://sys.academy/guides LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙Deciding where to put my effort into systems, automation, or AI is a critical decision as a small business owner. With limited time, energy, and team capacity, I’ve definitely gone down the wrong path before and spent months improving systems that didn’t give me the return I hoped for. My clients often tell me they’re struggling with the same thing: they know they need better systems, but they don’t know which one to fix first. In this episode, I share a simple five-point scoring system that helps you objectively compare your most important revenue-generating systems. I’ll walk you through the five metrics, show how they combine into a clear impact score, and use a real client example so you can confidently decide where to focus your systemisation, automation, and AI efforts next. KEY TAKEAWAYS  💡Quickly Identify Your Highest Impact Systems: Instead of guessing what to fix next, use Steve´s simple Autopilot Index to compare your core revenue systems and see, clearly, which one to improve first to generate the biggest ROI.  💡 Spot and Address Dangerous Key‑Person Dependencies: Learn to identify systems or processes that live solely in the head of one employee and how to put in place documentation, etc., to ensure that you are not left vulnerable should they suddenly leave. 💡 Track Progress Towards an Autopilot Business: The Autopilot Index enables you to see how “autonomous” each system actually is, right now. As well as providing a practical, monitorable target so you can move each system from improvised or manual towards optimised and largely self‑running.  💡Aim for Optimised, Not Perfect: You don’t need 100% automation. Making 80% of your processes clear and not dependent on the founder or a key individual is good enough to put most of your business on autopilot and give you back your time. BEST MOMENTS 03:14 - 💬 “This will give you a list of maybe five to seven critical systems that allow you to generate money within your business. Now the challenge is, which of those to focus on first?”  14:46  - 💬 “Certain parts of my business are totally automated. So, therefore, I can give those 100% - I don't have to look at those again, unless something critical changes.” 16:51 - 💬 “That's like the highest level of key person dependency - There is no fallback plan because no one else knows how to do it.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Autopilot Index Scoring System Overview 05:54 “Key Person Dependency Impact” 08:06 “Short vs. Long-Term Goals” 13:04 “Building Sustained Sales Systems” 17:23 Business System Optimisation Insights 20:34 “Autopilot Index for Optimisation” VALUABLE RESOURCES SYS 153: My Journey to Maximising Profitability Using the Core Revenue Flow Framework LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙 Today, I want to talk about one of the most overlooked yet critical roles in creating a business that is truly sustainable, scalable and ultimately saleable. If you're trying to build a business to give you more freedom or to live with more presence, purpose, and peace, this episode is an absolute must-listen. Please stick around to the end, because I want to walk through the entire position agreement for this role and give specifics about what you should be looking for in the type of person, but also what their key core responsibilities or key results areas should be, and the kind of metrics that you can actually use to evaluate their performance.  Finding the right person for this role is the first step, but they also need a process for creating the systems in your business. I'll cover that in a future episode. So please do hit subscribe to make sure you don't miss that. KEY TAKEAWAYS  💡 Design Your Business for Autopilot: Don’t aim to “work harder;” aim to build an Autopilot Architect role that designs the systems, automations, and AI so your business runs without you piloting every action. 💡 Turn Chaos into a Click‑and‑Run Machine: Your Autopilot Architect’s core job is to capture how work really happens, turn it into simple, documented workflows, then drive team adoption so the business runs smoothly without you as the bottleneck and adapt it all to new tools, systems, regulations and norms as they emerge. 💡 Hire for Mindset, Not Job Title: You won’t find “Autopilot Architect” on a CV; look instead for someone who loves process mapping, is curious about how things work, communicates clearly, and takes ownership of continuous improvement. BEST MOMENTS  01:26 - 💬 “ Business owners don't have time to spend documenting everything, creating fancy process maps, putting it into task management software and creating operation manuals.”  08:49 - 💬 “This role, the autopilot architect, is absolutely critical to every other part of the business.” 16:45 - 💬 “ Make sure they (automation documents) are totally understandable by anybody looking at them, regardless of whether that person had any involvement in building it in the first place.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Intro: “Autopilot Architect: Business Systems” 02:55 The impact an Autopilot Architect has on a business  10:27 Responsibilities 18:42 Core competencies and skills VALUABLE RESOURCES Get a copy of my Autopilot Architect Position Agreement here: https://sys.academy/guides LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙Phenomenal leaders of great companies inspire those around them to take action. Today's episode with Jevon Wooden is all about that. We discuss how small business owners can step into the kind of leadership that motivates their teams, attracts the right clients, keeps them energised instead of burning out, and builds a business that serves them today and creates impact for generations to come. Jevon is an Army veteran. He's also the recipient of a Bronze Star. He's the author of two great business books and is an inspirational leader with great stories to tell. I believe you will genuinely enjoy listening to today's interview as much as I did recording it. KEY TAKEAWAYS   💡 Shift From Operator to Leader: Your business won’t scale if you stay the doer of everything. Stepping into leadership means focusing on vision, strategy, and revenue-generating work, not getting involved in every task. 💡 Use Systems to Free Yourself Up: Applying a simple filter - what to delegate, delete, delay, and automate - helps you build a business that runs through systems and people, not your personal heroics.  💡 Empower Your Workforce: People work best when they go beyond completing tasks and grow into confident owners of their role. To get there, define what “failure” really means, give them a safe box to experiment in, consistently remind them of their strengths, review regularly and treat every error as an opportunity to improve. BEST MOMENTS  05:57 - 💬 “One of the hardest shifts I think is actually transitioning from the person that's making it all happen, the person's doing it all, to actually being the leader of the business.” — Steve Day 17:44 - 💬 “I want you to operate as your best self - you can't do that if you are always fearful of making a mistake.” — Jevon Wooden 25:35 - 💬 “People confuse being busy with being purposeful. When you get busy, you burn out. If you're purposeful, you can continue to go, go, go .” — Jevon Wooden 28:16 - 💬 “ Storytelling is literally everything to me - People remember stories, they don't remember facts - Facts tell, but stories sell.” — Jevon Wooden TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00: Intro: “ New Lease on Life” 06:37: Delegate, delete, automate 18:39: Vision, ikigai, avoid burnout 27:12: Leveraging storytelling VALUABLE RESOURCES Our Best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates—For Our flagship DIDACT Framework: https://sys.academy/guides LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST Website: https://brightmindcg.com ⁠Jevon’s Linktree: ⁠https://linktr.ee/jevonspeaks ABOUT THE GUEST  Jevon Wooden is a sought-after speaker and business coach who has helped hundreds of small business owners design a life and business they don't need a vacation from. His insights have been featured in major publications like Forbes, Fast Company, and Entrepreneur. LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙I loved chatting with fellow systems and productivity coach Barry Cryan. When two industry experts independently come up with similar strategies to help people, you can be sure that they work in practice. Barry, who is the CEO and founder of Do More Better, shares his best insights. Today, you will learn how to get more done without relying on quick-fix hacks that don´t take you far. Barry explains how real mindset shifts build the skills you need to achieve momentum and sustain it, regardless of the type of business you run. Don’t miss his closing takeaway - it’s one of the best I’ve heard and something I stand by 100%. KEY TAKEAWAYS  💡 Clarify Success and Work Backwards: Get specific about what you want—then reverse engineer the steps and systems to make it real. 💡 Use Systems to Beat Overwhelm: Don’t rely on willpower. Offload mental clutter and decision fatigue into trustworthy routines and external “second brains.” 💡Filter the Noise and Empower Others: When you stop being constantly available and put systems in place, your team or clients learn to solve more for themselves—fostering their growth while winning back your own time. Filter the noise from your life. 💡 Don’t Wait: Lasting success comes from acting like your 10.0 version today. Empower yourself and those around you to thrive, right now. BEST MOMENTS  00:26 - 💬 “When you hear two industry experts saying we've both independently come up with similar strategies. It shows you that this stuff actually works.” — Steve Day 05:37 - 💬 “It's amazing what systems and structures will do for us. We can get significantly more out of ourselves.” — Barry Cryan 25:41 - 💬 “It doesn't matter what the business is. There is a better way - you can do it. And sometimes little simple changes make the biggest difference.” — Barry Cryan TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Intro: Productivity Insights with Barry Cryan 05:51 Clarity and specificity 15:41 Mindset and personal growth 26:03 How to improve focus VALUABLE RESOURCES Our Best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates—For Our flagship DIDACT Framework: https://sys.academy/guides LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST Website: https://www.barrycryan.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cryanbarry/ ABOUT THE GUEST Barry Cryan is a High Performance Productivity Coach serving 6- and 7-figure entrepreneurs. His LinkedIn tagline: “Helping founders scale faster & work less” — hinting at the ethos of optimising productivity, not just pushing harder. He blends a personal story of burnout, health struggles, and transformation with coaching credentials. LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙AI is transforming how we work in our business, but the journey hasn’t always been smooth. We’ve faced plenty of challenges and found that, in some cases, trying to use AI to boost efficiency has actually made some tasks take longer than before. Recently, I had a major mindset shift when I discovered a blind spot that had been preventing both my team and me from fully benefiting from AI. Today, I want to share this realisation with you—because it might be the bottleneck that’s also holding your team back from quicker, better results with AI. KEY TAKEAWAYS  💡Let Go to Move Forward: Trust both your people and your AI. Think of AI as a new team member, train it well and support it by giving it what it needs and retraining until it gets things right. Set the rules, then let it do its thing and watch your free time and results increase. 💡 Learn as You Launch: Deploy new tools or team members quickly, collect feedback, and keep tuning. You only discover what works by doing - waiting gets you nowhere. 💡 Fail Fast, Fix Faster: If something or someone isn’t working out, don’t prolong the pain. Make necessary changes based on experience and keep improving your system. 💡 Let the Numbers Lead: Judge success using real metrics, e.g. email open rates or website traffic, stop being led by your gut feelings. The numbers don´t lie. BEST MOMENTS  04:12 - 💬 “ When we're creating AI agents to do work, it's just the same as delegating. The same fears, the same reservations, the same micromanagement behaviours can actually get into play, here.”  08:15 - 💬 “The challenge for my marketing assistant, now, is that she's not allowed to review anything that the AI does. She's got to delegate properly and let the AI do its thing.” 12:07  - 💬 “I sacked the old GPT. I literally just deleted it, just like you would, if you sack a member of staff…and created a new GPT to solve that problem.” 14:28  - 💬 “This will be a continuous iterative improvement, going forward.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00.00 Intro: AI Mindset Shift Challenges 01:41 Why AI can become a time suck – the error most businesses make. 05:38 Treat AI like a new employee – delegate, monitor and retrain. 10:15 Checking results and tweaking. LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙Today's episode is about designing a life and a business that gives you true freedom. It's about creating assets, wealth and the stability that allows you to have the life you want. I connect with Julie Talbot, a true digital nomad and founder of Brick by Brick Property Group. She is a mentor and coach who helps people create businesses that offer true freedom. Julie shares how her business enables her, her kids and her husband to explore the world and experience living on every continent This episode will help you reimagine what’s possible and start building a life and business that gives you more freedom, flexibility, and purpose than you can imagine. KEY TAKEAWAYS  💡Rethink Your Path to Freedom: You don’t have to wait for financial freedom before pursuing time or location freedom. 💡Leverage Technology for Freedom: Embrace the tools, processes, tech and business models, e.g. AI and automation, that enable you to manage your business from anywhere and free up more time for what matters.  💡Align with Your Superpowers: Double down on your unique strengths and passions; when your business aligns with what makes you come alive, you’ll find greater motivation and success. BEST MOMENTS  04:31 - 💬 “I am mentoring and guiding people who want to run a property business, but with location freedom baked in from the start.” — Julie Talbot 22.42 - 💬 “ We can live in the way that we want to, if we choose to, if we choose to design our lives that way.” — Julie Talbot 35:45  - 💬 “Figure out what you actually want from the business, what will make you happy, what you're actually good at, what you're going to stick at, and which type of business  fits that, not the other way around.” — Steve Day TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Intro: “Designing a Life of Freedom” 03:34 Running a property business remotely. 15:23 Living a nomadic lifestyle with kids. 33:15 Aligning your business with your passion 46:03 The Freedom and Success Mindset VALUABLE RESOURCES  From Dr Steve Day: Free access to our Recruit Right Hiring and DIDACT Frameworks here: https://sys.academy/guides From Julie Talbot: 3 Steps to Location Freedom: ⁠https://bit.ly/3simplestepstofreedom⁠ LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julierosetalbot/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julie.talbot.359 ABOUT THE GUEST Julie is an active UK property investor, strategist, and freedom seeker, reshaping how to grow and manage a UK property business by putting time and location freedom first. With a background in business design and process management, Julie helps expats and nomads make strategic choices that unlock time and location freedom so that they can scale or manage their UK property ventures, from wherever they are or want to be in the world.  LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙Letting people go or sacking people is pretty rubbish as a business owner. It can make you feel terrible inside. It does for me anyway. And today I want to talk about the latest time I´ve had to let somebody go, the reasons behind that decision, and how, actually, I feel pretty good about it, even though it was literally just two minutes ago that I did it.  I thought I'd record this episode while it's on my mind. I'm in the moment, so I can share what I'm feeling right now, how this has changed dramatically from previous times that I've had to let people go, and what I feel going forward—this has taught me about hiring and firing.  KEY TAKEAWAYS  💡 Don´t Be Afraid to Let People Go Quickly: Use each new employee´s probation period properly. Review performance objectively and, even if you like them personally, don’t hang on to anyone who isn’t the right fit. Delaying tough decisions makes things harder for everyone. 💡 Prepare Well and Be Upfront: Think through what you’re going to say. Be honest, clear, and kind when sharing the news, and explain why they do not meet your business's needs. This helps everyone know where they stand and shows respect for the person, while enabling you to keep your business moving forward. 💡 Right Person, Right Role: Strong skills and a good attitude matter, but so does matching expertise to job requirements. Hire for the role you need filled now, don´t compromise and inadvertently hire someone with potential who needs lots of training up. 💡 Learn From the Experience: Every time you have to let someone go, whether that is at the end of their probationary period or later, pause and review why things did not work out. Use what you learn to change how you hire and run things in the future. BEST MOMENTS  00:01 - 💬 “ Letting people go or sacking people is pretty rubbish. As a business owner, it can make you feel terrible inside. It does for me anyway.”  02:24  - 💬 “I´ve learned that hanging on to people just because you like them isn't a good recipe for running a business, and what happens is it eventually just starts eroding away at you as a leader.” 10:11 - 💬 “ Do it quickly, do it fairly, do it concisely, don't drag it out, or just hang on for a few weeks hoping for the best.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Managing the emotional aspect of letting someone go 03:33 Preparing, being clear and showing respect 06:11 Explaining your decision 09:08 Recruiting in a way that minimises the need to sack people LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙In this episode of Systemize Your Success, I sit down with Jeff Tilley from muncly.com. He helps people to implement CRMs for sales and customer service and is a true expert in his field.  If you’re thinking about using a CRM or wondering what else you should be doing with your CRM, then listen to this episode before you invest and avoid making the common mistakes Jeff outlines. We also discuss AI, how it's affecting the workforce, the myths, the hype, the scaremongering and what we're seeing day to day on the work floor.  KEY TAKEAWAYS  💡Strategic Planning Precedes Automation: Before adopting digital tools, clarify what you want to achieve. A thoughtful plan rooted in your business goals helps prevent wasted time and buying systems you don´t need yet. 💡A CRM Won´t Automatically Solve Problems: A CRM is a smart, centralised contact and communication hub that helps your business manage and nurture customer relationships at scale - but it’s only valuable if you have the right processes and people to use it. 💡Don’t Overlook Simple, Effective Tools: Sometimes the best productivity systems are low-tech, e.g., notebooks and voice recorders are powerful for capturing ideas, reflection, and organising your work. BEST MOMENTS  10:19 - 💬 “You have to invest your time to educate yourself. And you can save a bit of your time by hiring somebody like me.” — Jeff Tilley 20:04 - 💬 “There are many good apps out there …. picking them for the right reasons, with a very clear intention and plan of what you hope to get out of it, that is more important than the actual app itself.” — Steve Day 46:03 - 💬 “I use a CRM because it has lots of these other apps which I was already using, and it allowed me to consolidate them into a single platform.” — Steve Day TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 07:04 Planning is essential when introducing tech 17:55 The challenges of implementing CRMs and tech 20:02 Debate about the role of AI 42:30 When to use a CRM 53:03 Defining success LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST Website: ⁠https://muncly.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtihonov/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tilley_live/ ABOUT THE GUEST Jeff is the Founder and CEO of Muncly, described as a boutique Salesforce consultancy helping small and medium-sized businesses streamline their processes through tailored CRM and automation solutions. Jeff combines sales, tech, and systems-thinking to offer clients structured workflows, process documentation, and efficiently implemented technology—precisely the kind of systems-driven delegation mindset your audience appreciates. LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙In this episode, I reveal the single most powerful question you can ask your team to transform day-to-day problems into lasting systems and always up-to-date solutions. I share how a simple query from my comms assistant about a client subscription turned into a brilliant opportunity to create a permanent, self-updating knowledgebase - a resource that saves time, prevents repeated issues, and empowers staff to think like system builders.  If you want your team to stop bringing you problems and start bringing you solutions, this episode will show you how to shift their mindset, and yours, toward true systems thinking. KEY TAKEAWAYS  💡The One Question That Changes Everything: Asking “What do we need to put in place, so you never have to ask me this question again?” develops staff into proactive problem-solvers, future-proofs your business and improves efficiency. 💡Create Living Knowledge Bases: Every time a question arises, build or add to an existing resource, e.g. an internal FAQ database that captures the solution and answer everyone can reference in the future. Build a system so it never has to be asked again. 💡System Thinking = Freedom: When your team takes ownership of system creation, you reclaim time, reduce bottlenecks, and free yourself to focus on your visionary work. 💡Embed Ownership Into Roles: Assign responsibility for maintaining and updating these resources within position agreements and task matrices to ensure long-term consistency and future-proof the system resource. BEST MOMENTS 02:46 - 💬 “ I don't want to be somebody who is giving answers to questions. I want somebody who is there to solve big problems… I want to be the person who is leading the business and being the visionary.”  06:10 - 💬 “Can you see how amazing it would be if you sat in a meeting and someone came to you like that? They’re not bringing you the problem - they’re bringing you the solution.” 06:55 - 💬 “ That is a proper systems way of thinking. It's not about constraining people into systems. It's about empowering people.” 11:29 - 💬 “ We've created this incredible future-proofing system that covers every scenario that exists today, but also that may exist in the future, i.e. new products and services.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 The Challenge and the Question That Solves It 04:20 Training Staff in Systems Thinking  06:29 Creating a Culture of Problem-Solving 07:40 Equipping Staff to Create Value 09:29 Future Proofing Your Systems 11:48 Conclusion VALUABLE RESOURCES For our ‘Ideas Over Issues Framework’, here's Our Best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates: https://sys.academy/guides Systemize Your Success Academy: https://join.sys.academy/ LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙As a small business owner you are always juggling multiple roles whilst leading a tiny team, so you can’t just step back and hope someone else picks up the slack - there isn’t anyone!. In this episode, I share clear frameworks you can start using today to build a strong team that is resourceful and confident enough to do more than just go through the motions and complete their to-do lists.  If you want to stop being the person your staff runs to with every problem and turn them into people who spot issues early and come to you quickly with suggested solutions, this episode is for you. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡Leadership Starts with Self-Reflection: The performance of your staff often mirrors your ability to lead. Recognising where your own systems, expectations, or communication may be at fault is the first step to creating meaningful change. 💡Go Beyond the To-Do List: Real progress happens when you make time for growth, encourage your team to bring solutions to you rather than problems and support them in keeping up with the latest innovations. 💡Trust, Confidence & Feedback: Regular 1 on 1 meetings are gold. They open up honest communication and build mutual trust; this empowers people to constructively push back when they see something going wrong and take the initiative. 💡The Power of Frameworks: Tools like the Default Diary, Ideas Over Issues, and Task Matrix provide structure, clarity, and consistency. People think independently and prioritise effectively. 💡Creating Momentum For Projects: Breaking big projects into clear, phased milestones creates momentum, measurable wins, and keeps your team motivated and productive. BEST MOMENTS 00:01 - 💬 “ Small business owners need every single person in our team to perform as A players. We haven't got room for slack.”  08:19 - 💬 “They (my staff) need somebody to lead them, not just to lead the business forward.” 13:50 - 💬 “ Basic admin stuff, do it when you're in that carb coma after lunch. Let the mornings be free for the creative, the powerful, the inspiring work.” 24:21 - 💬 “ Trust works both ways. We need to trust them when they push back.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00.00 Balancing your multiple roles with leadership 11:10 Tried and tested management frameworks 18:10 The most effective project management framework 24:15 How to build trust and confidence through one-on-one meetings 31:04 Creating continuous improvement VALUABLE RESOURCES For our ‘Ideas Over Issues Framework’ and ‘Communication and Escalation Policy’, here's Our Best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates: https://sys.academy/guides Systemize Your Success Academy: https://join.sys.academy/ LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙 In this episode, I sit down with Kirsten Graham, a direct competitor who also specialises in helping entrepreneurs to systemise their work and achieve freedom using virtual assistants and smart business systems. We compare our approaches, provide practical strategies and share hard-won lessons for hiring, onboarding and leading remote teams. I believe this is one of my best interviews in terms of value for you. You are listening to two passionate industry experts discuss, in depth, how they help people to create freedom in their businesses! KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Train Before You Trust: Kirsten hires people using the paid intern model. All hires are fully trained before they are trusted to work directly with clients.  💡 Stop Hiring on Hope: The “hire and hope” approach doesn´t work. Bringing someone on board without clear systems or expectations sets everyone up for frustration and failure. 💡 Be Careful with AI: Only adopt an AI solution if there’s a clear business case. Will it save time, generate revenue, or deliver meaningful value for your business? If you can’t answer “yes,” it’s best to skip the implementation. BEST MOMENTS 02:41 - 💬 “We really believe you lead people, you manage tasks - you manage tasks through systems and project management software.” — Kirsten 21:26 - 💬 “AI can help you. It's a tool. It shouldn't do your job for you.” — Kirsten  46:29 - 💬 “We have the same set of rules whether someone's based in the Philippines, South Africa, or they're in the UK, or Sweden, it doesn't matter to me.” — Steve TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Streamlining Onboarding and Collaboration 07:16 Training VAs through a paid internship 10:15 Strong systems eliminate frustration 22:10 Where AI fits in 34:40 How systems set everyone up for success 49:00 The mindset shift from “hiring help” to “building assets” VALUABLE RESOURCES From Steve Day:  Free access to our flagship RECRUIT RIGHT FRAMEWORK Free access to our flagship DIDACT FRAMEWORK From Kirsten Graham: Double Your Income with a Marketing VA: https://outsourcingforbosses.com/ LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST Website: https://sixfigurebusinesscoaching.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstengrahamsfbc/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@sixfigurebusinesscoaching Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SixFigureBusinessCoaching Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kirsten.graham.3517 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sfbizcoaching/ ABOUT THE GUEST Kirsten Graham is the Co-CEO of Six Figure Business Coaching. She helps small business owners reclaim their time and increase visibility by using video marketing, podcast guesting, and smart outsourcing. She shows entrepreneurs how to build authority, attract quality leads, and put the right systems in place so they can grow their income without burning out. LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙 In this episode, I reveal how every new hire presents a golden opportunity to refine and strengthen your business systems. I share what I’ve been doing this week with a new team member and how using their “fresh eyes” has helped me identify weak spots, improve our onboarding process, and reinforce a culture of continuous systems improvement. Whether you’re onboarding someone new or delegating a process to an existing employee, this episode shows you how to turn those moments into powerful catalysts for smoother operations, higher productivity, and stronger team engagement. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Onboarding Is a Systems Improvement Goldmine: Every new employee sees your business from a fresh point of view. They easily spot the unclear instructions and process flaws your team has learned to work around and stopped noticing.  💡 Seek Immediate Feedback: Ask detailed questions in the moment, instead of weeks later. This uncovers the real causes of confusion, bottlenecks, or inefficiencies in your systems. 💡 Adopt a Non-Judgmental Mindset: Frame mistakes and misunderstandings as system flaws, not people problems. This builds trust, encourages openness, and turns new hires into your co-designers. From the start, you are priming them for continual improvement and efficiency. 💡 Document and Simplify: As you get feedback, refine your instructions step by step. Remove ambiguity until every action is crystal clear for anyone who joins you or takes on new tasks, in the future. BEST MOMENTS 01:30 - 💬 “ The impression people get of you as a business in their first few days and weeks can change the whole landscape about how they approach the work with you; how successful they are.”  05:27 - 💬 “ Take full responsibility for them not understanding exactly what you meant in the onboarding instructions.” 11:50 - 💬 “ If nothing else comes out of this, it means that I have now got this person into a mindset of systems improvement, of being part of the solution, not the problem.” 12:46 - 💬 “ Ask them the deep questions, ask them the feelings they had, figure out what went wrong, why they didn’t do it exactly the way you thought.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Why onboarding is your best opportunity to improve systems 01:23 How first impressions shape employee engagement and retention 02:11 Using a new hire’s feedback to uncover hidden flaws 04:05 Turning onboarding mistakes into systems improvements 05:29 The power of empathy and responsibility in system design 08:16 Creating a culture of open feedback and continuous refinement 10:19 How clarity drives confidence, productivity, and loyalty VALUABLE RESOURCES Free access to our flagship RECRUIT RIGHT FRAMEWORK LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙 Artificial Intelligence is here to stay, and I see it becoming as essential to small business owners as the internet itself. In this episode, I share a clear strategy for upskilling my existing team—not only to keep them competitive and relevant, but to help them become highly valuable, AI-focused experts who drive a systems-based, highly efficient business. By embracing and adopting AI in our daily practices, we can become more efficient, productive, and profitable. Listen now and learn how to upskill your team, stay ahead of the curve, and future-proof your business!  KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡AI Is Essential For Business Survival: Companies that embrace and adopt AI will become more efficient, productive, and profitable, giving them a massive competitive advantage over those that do not. 💡The Risk of Obsolescence: If staff members are not embracing and using AI in their daily practice, they risk becoming obsolete, as others can achieve the same work to a higher standard in a tenth of the time using AI. 💡Upskill to Stay Competitive: Instead of replacing team members, business owners should focus on upskilling their existing staff to become ‘AI-savvy employees’ who can use their expertise to apply AI to their existing roles. 💡Shift to an AI-Driven System: Encourage team members to think about how they can use AI to replace themselves in their current role, effectively transforming their job into a new role as an AI developer or maintenance person. BEST MOMENTS 00:36 - 💬 “ I don't believe that small business owners are having the conversations they need to with their staff about their training and learning about AI.”  00:49 - 💬 “If your staff members aren't embracing AI, if they're not using it in the daily practice, then they're going to be obsolete.” 06:28 - 💬 “ It's not about going out and hiring and training new people all the time. It's about moving your existing team into different roles where you feel their skillset and their aptitude would be applied more.” 11:49 - 💬 “I believe the motivation needs to come from them, from within. They need to see that if they don't do this for themselves, they will become irrelevant.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00.00 The Growing Importance of AI 03:20 Encouraging Staff To Embrace AI 05:44 Benefits For Business Owners 06:45 The Future of Workplace Skills 08:55 AI as an Extension of Business Systems 10:00 “AI Opportunities and Systems Mindset” 11:29 “Empower Teams to Skill Up with AI” LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙I share a wild anecdote about a live job candidate blatantly using AI to answer interview questions and dive into the new reality of recruitment. I explain how AI is changing the game, with some applicants attempting to cheat the system, and how you can fight back by becoming more “savvy”. I discuss my strategies, including the use of advanced software like ‘Teslify’ (which tracks mouse movements, second screens, and AI use) and my ‘RecruitRight’ hiring system. If you’re ready to learn how to use video interviews, objective assessment prompts, and avoid wasting time on ‘AI drones’ that will only create problems later on, make sure you don’t miss this one!  KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡The New Recruitment Challenge: Candidates are now blatantly using AI during live and recorded interviews to generate ‘slick’ answers, forcing recruiters to become much more vigilant. 💡The Danger of AI Cheating: Candidates who score highly by using AI often “fall flat” in live interviews and lack the necessary experience or expertise to solve problems and deal with exceptions once hired. 💡Leverage AI to Fight AI: You can use advanced software like ‘Teslify’ (which tracks mouse movements, screens, and AI use) or even basic tools like ‘Grammarly Pro’ and custom ‘ChatGPT’ prompts to detect and score AI-generated responses. BEST MOMENTS 00:09 - 💬 “In a live interview, an applicant was sitting typing the questions that she was being asked and then putting those into AI, and she was obviously reading off the screen what the AI was telling her to respond to the questions. This is the state of recruitment at the moment.” 16:36 - 💬 “We need to be savvy when we are now recruiting more than ever. I think if you're using a recruitment agent, I would be asking them very specific questions about how they are ensuring that the candidates they get through are not using AI.” 23:40 - 💬 “Make sure you always, always do live interviews and on those live interviews, ask the person not to touch their keyboard, ask them to look at the camera throughout, and ask them not to read anything off a screen.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 AI's Impact on Recruitment Integrity 05:53 Efficient Recruitment App for Hiring 09:29 AI-Enhanced Interview Assessments Challenges 11:48 AI Tool ‘Teslify’ Enhances Recruitment Process 14:35 AI-Enhanced Interview Evaluation 17:32 Recruitment Strategy: AI Assessment Tools 23:16 Be Mindful and Savvy when Hiring 24:10 “Authenticity Encourages Transparency” VALUABLE RESOURCES Free access to our flagship RECRUIT RIGHT FRAMEWORK LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙 In this episode of Systemize Your Success, I sit down with Curtis McCullom, a transformational coach and expert in neuro-linguistic programming (NLP). Together, we explore the often-unseen mental blockages that can hinder personal and professional growth. Tune in to this episode of the podcast to hear the full conversation and discover practical strategies you can start applying today! KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡Acknowledge Your Challenges: Recognising and admitting that there are mental blockages or challenges is the first step towards personal growth and transformation. 💡Ask the Right Questions: Instead of focusing on “why” questions that reinforce negative beliefs, shift to “what” and “how” questions.  💡Clear Old Baggage Before New Growth: It's essential to release old behaviours and beliefs before trying to implement new ones. BEST MOMENTS 00:05 - 💬 “Those blind spots or those things that are just holding you back, that are self-sabotaging you without you even knowing.” —  Steve 18:06 - 💬 “A feeling is an emotion that wants to communicate with us and leave. The challenge is that most of us try to abort the communication.” —  Curtis 35:22 - 💬 “If I give you value, I deserve to have value given back to me in a form of something that's going to move my life forward.” —  Curtis TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:39 Introduction to Curtis McCullom 05:42 Reprogramming Mindsets for Growth 24:27 Alignment and Vision Before Action 28:04 Negative Money Programming Blocks Success 32:26 “Freedom vs. Wealth Conflict” 45:18 Neuroplasticity and Emotional Growth 49:27 “Episode Notes and Resources” VALUABLE RESOURCES The L.G.E.T. Mindset™: https://lget.bespokehumanpotentialcoaching.com/home From Anxious to Aligned: The Anxiety Reframe Kit: https://anxietyreframe.bespokehpc.com/home Discover & Align: 60-Minute Breakthrough: https://valuesdiscovery.bespokehpc.com/home LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST Website: http://www.bespokehumanpotentialcoaching.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtis-mccullom-transformational-coach/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@curtismccullom Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BespokeHumanPotential Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/curtis.mccullom.BHPC/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curtis.mccullom/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/curtisBmccullom TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@curtismccullom ABOUT THE GUEST Curtis McCullom is a Human Potential Coach who helps small business owners and entrepreneurs eliminate the mindset blind spots holding them back—so they can unlock more income, confidence, and freedom. Using his LGET Mindset™ framework, he guides clients through powerful, lasting transformation. LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙 Today, I’m joined by Mark Aylward—entrepreneur turned business coach—who helps people rediscover their purpose and create meaningful work. We discuss self-accountability, alignment, and having honest conversations with yourself to move beyond dissatisfaction. Plus, Mark shares his free “Find Your True Purpose” workbook to help high-performing men regain confidence. Success isn’t a destination—it’s an ongoing journey of growth and clarity. Tune in and take the first step toward redefining success on your own terms. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Self-Reflection and Accountability: Recognising the need for an honest conversation with oneself is crucial for personal growth. Allocating quiet time to reflect on one's values, desires, and motivations can lead to greater clarity and alignment in life. 💡Embrace Change and Take Baby Steps: Change can be daunting, but starting with small, manageable steps is essential. Engaging in practices like meditation, visualisation, or breathwork can help individuals ease into new routines and foster personal development. 💡The Importance of Forgiveness: Self-forgiveness is vital when facing setbacks or challenges. Acknowledging that everyone has off days and allowing oneself to move past mistakes can help maintain momentum in personal growth. BEST MOMENTS 10:42 - 💬 “If you haven't got a guiding star, if you haven't got a reason why, or even understand, asking yourself those questions, then it can be a bit difficult to keep going.” —  Steve 29:34 - 💬 “If you have a set of rules, and you go, OK, if I live by those rules, then I am fully aligned. Then it just becomes a function of, OK, I'm going to do this now. Is that aligned with my rules? Yes or no? If it's not, don't do it.” —  Mark 35:25 - 💬 “That's what success looks like to me, the ability to help as many people as possible move from a place that's not satisfying to a place where they're perhaps also serving the world.” —  Mark TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Exploring Success and Purpose 02:21 Introducing Mark Aylward 08:27 Finding Your True Purpose: Beyond the Paycheck 10:55 How to Access Free Resources 15:33 The Journey to Self-Improvement 19:34 Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone 25:28 Taking Back Control of Your Life VALUABLE RESOURCES Our Trusted Tools, Apps, and Services (For Go High Level (GHL) Affiliate Link): https://sys.academy/tools LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST Website: https://www.7pillarsglobal.com/join LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aylwardmark/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maylward ABOUT THE GUEST Mark Aylward is an entrepreneur and business growth strategist with 30+ years of experience. He helps business owners and high-level professionals build freedom-focused businesses through his “7 Pillars” framework. He's also a podcast host, speaker, and mentor focused on simplifying structures and moving from high effort to high leverage. LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙 In this episode, I sit down with Lasada Pippen—a former computer engineer who traded coding for coaching and has since become a powerful motivational speaker. Lasada shares his journey of leaving behind a stable engineering career to follow his true calling, along with the lessons he’s learned about living with purpose, presence, and freedom. We also dive into his C4 framework for powerful communication—clarity, conciseness, compelling delivery, and confidence—so you can learn how to connect more effectively in any setting. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Identify Obstacles and Opportunities: To move forward, it's essential to identify first the obstacles that are holding you back and the opportunities that lie ahead. Understanding both is crucial for making informed decisions. 💡 Make a Decision and Commit: Once you've identified your goals and fears, the next step is to make a firm decision to pursue your desired path. This involves "burning the boats," or eliminating any options to retreat, which helps maintain focus and commitment. 💡 Live with Purpose: Success is defined as living a life of purpose rather than mere existence. Engaging in activities that you love, are good at, and would do for free can lead to a more fulfilling life. BEST MOMENTS 03:19 - 💬 “I want to make sure that I pursued everything that I believe I was supposed to have and pursued everything that I thought was worth going after.” — Lasada 03:39 - 💬 “I inspire people to be their absolute best and to believe that they can do anything that they feel that they should have in life.” — Lasada 04:56 - 💬 “Whatever level we are at in the world, in business, in life, in success, there's always the next level to attain to, and there's some barrier that's holding us back from getting there.” — Steve 32:08 - 💬 “It has to have clear communication. Nobody should leave a conversation asking, 'Mm-mm, I wonder what they meant by this particular phrase'. ” — Lasada TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 “Maximal Impact: Break Comfort Zones” 11:24 “Embracing Change: A New Path” 19:24 “Creating a Culture of Trust and Purpose in Leadership” 29:28 “The C4 Communication Framework” VALUABLE RESOURCES Lasada Pippen Coaching: https://www.lasadapippen.com/coaching LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST Website: https://www.lasadapippen.com/home LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lasada-pippen-keynote Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lasadapippen/ ABOUT THE GUEST Lasada “LP” Pippen is a former computer engineer turned powerhouse keynote & motivational team building speaker who helps organisations & professionals break barriers and elevate their impact. He channels inspiring storytelling to ignite purpose, perseverance, and dynamic results. His signature keynote, The Climb, equips audiences with the mindset and tools to rise higher—personally and professionally. LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙 In this episode, I dive into the sometimes frustrating but absolutely essential world of Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). I share a true story from one of my coaching clients, whose email got hacked while they were on holiday—a reminder of just how disruptive (and even legally risky) weak security can be. I break down what 2FA is, how it actually works, and offer simple, practical steps for setting it up on different platforms, with a strong focus on email and password managers. By the end, you’ll be inspired to run a quick security check on your own accounts and switch on 2FA wherever possible—helping you stay safer online and giving you greater peace of mind. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Importance of Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Implementing 2FA is crucial for securing email accounts and other sensitive applications, as it adds an extra layer of protection against unauthorised access. 💡 Simple Setup Process: Setting up 2FA is straightforward, especially on platforms like Google. Users can enable it through their account settings, and businesses can enforce it for employees using Google Workspace. 💡 Risks of Not Using 2FA: Without 2FA, businesses are at significant risk of email hacks, which can lead to phishing attacks and potential legal implications if clients are affected. 💡 Regular Audits and Checks: It's essential for business owners to regularly audit who has access to sensitive information and ensure that 2FA is enabled on all critical accounts, including personal ones. 💡 Encouragement to Share Knowledge: Sharing the importance of 2FA with others, including non-business owners, can help protect more individuals from phishing attacks and enhance overall security in the digital landscape. BEST MOMENTS 01:40 - 💬 “It is so simple to do this, but yet so many business owners are at huge risk because they don't put some simple steps into place.” 04:57 - 💬 “It may be a little bit annoying having to do this, but if you look at the consequence of not having this, of getting your accounts hacked...it's not only embarrassing but potentially, I imagine, you could also have some legal implications as well. ” 07:25 - 💬 “Please make sure that those people also use 2FA to protect their business and stop all these horrible phishing things going off and actually causing mayhem in the world.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Importance of two-factor authentication (2FA) for business security. 01:24 Client's email account got hacked, causing business issues. 02:17 2FA adds an extra layer of security to your accounts. 03:20 Enforce 2FA for all employees in Google Workspace. 07:09 Ensure 2FA is enabled on all personal and business accounts. LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙 In this episode, I share an inspiring story about my client, Sarah—someone whose struggles will feel familiar to many entrepreneurs trying to lead their teams. I explain how shifting from being a ‘people manager’ to a ‘systems manager’ can make a huge difference, helping teams become more productive, motivated, and satisfied at work.  KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡Shift from People Management to Systems Management: Transitioning from being solely a people manager to a systems manager can significantly enhance team productivity and motivation. 💡Documenting Systems is Essential: Every business has systems, whether formally documented or not. Creating clear, standardised processes helps team members understand their roles and responsibilities, reducing confusion and increasing efficiency. 💡Encourage Problem-Solving: Implementing systems allows team members to become better problem solvers. Providing guidance on how to approach challenges and escalate issues fosters independence and confidence within the team. 💡Focus on Personal Development: By freeing up time from managing tasks, leaders can concentrate on coaching and developing their team members as individuals. This personal attention can lead to higher job satisfaction and improved performance. 💡 Positive Feedback and Recognition: Establishing clear systems enables managers to provide consistent positive feedback, which boosts morale and encourages a culture of excellence. BEST MOMENTS 01:35 - 💬 “Every business has systems, whether you like it or not, or even know it or not.” 04:00 - 💬 “Your team will benefit from more personal growth because you're actually attending to their needs as an individual rather than as a worker or a cog in the whole system.” 05:09 - 💬 “Is it a people problem or is it actually that I haven't told them what they need to do, how to do it well,  what good looks like, how to know done is done, and give them a way of actually overcoming the challenges they're going to meet along the way.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Standardise Processes for Business Efficiency 05:23 Implementing Problem-Solving Systems 07:16 Identify if issues are people problems or systems problems. VALUABLE RESOURCES Systemize Your Success Academy: https://join.sys.academy/ LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙 What happens when key team members move on, and how do you make sure your business doesn’t skip a beat? Steve walks you through his simple four-step process—planning ahead, uncovering the knowledge and capacity already in your team, systemising it all, and rolling out new systems in a way that your people actually support.  KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Importance of Systemisation: Establishing formalised systems in a business is crucial to ensure continuity and efficiency, especially when key individuals leave. This helps maintain high service levels and reduces the owner's involvement in day-to-day operations. 💡 Four-Stage Process: The systemisation process consists of four main stages: Planning, Capacity and Knowledge Identification, Implementation, and Launch. Each stage is essential for successfully documenting and standardising business processes. 💡 Capacity Assessment: Assess the existing team's capacity and skills to implement the systemisation process. If necessary, hire a dedicated systems implementer to ensure the project receives the attention it needs without disrupting daily operations. BEST MOMENTS [05:40] The importance of planning - 💬 “Failing to plan in this example is planning to fail.” [06:01] Initial successes maintain motivation during systemisation - 💬 “We need early wins. We need quick wins. We need wins that actually feel good to you at the beginning of this process.” [11:26] The potential pitfalls of not having dedicated resources - 💬 “If you rely on the people who are doing the work to do all these things for you, you're probably going to get disappointed.” [15:10] Techniques for managing recurring processes in a business - 💬 “The perfect process pipelines technique is used for pretty much any system within the business where it's a recurring process.” [24:12] Promoting the benefits of systemisation - 💬 “If we can actually get people on board with the idea of systemisation, of using systems, and do it from a position of benefits rather than fear, then I think it's a much better way of doing it.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Empowering Teams for Business Success 03:58 Four-Step Systemisation Process 10:59 “Effective Systemisation Strategies” 18:58 Business Visibility Through Process Pipelines 22:22 Effective Delegation Through Role Definition 24:03 Systemisation Process for Business Success VALUABLE RESOURCES Systemize Your Success Academy: https://join.sys.academy/ Our Best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates—For our DIDACT Method Framework: https://sys.academy/guides Links to previous episodes mentioned: Core Revenue Flow: My Journey to Maximizing Profitability Using the Core Revenue Flow Framework Perfect Process Pipelines: From Chaos to Clarity: How Perfect Process Pipelines Transformed My Business Operations Business Outsourcing: How I Stopped Doing Everything Myself—and Outsourced to My First Virtual Assistant LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙 Feeling buried under endless admin and wondering how you’ll ever grow your business? In this episode of Systemize Your Success, I reveal how solopreneurs and small business owners can escape the overwhelm by outsourcing smarter and building simple yet powerful systems.  If you’ve ever wished you had more time to focus on the work that really moves the needle, this episode is your blueprint. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Spot the Time-Wasters: Track what you actually do each day and flag the tasks that drain your time. Those are the first jobs to delegate. 💡 Build Your Systemisation Plan: Write down the tasks you repeat daily, weekly, or monthly—and note how long each one takes. This makes it crystal clear what can be passed on to an assistant. 💡 Hire with Purpose: Don’t just hire “help.” Match tasks to skillsets and personality traits so you bring on the right person who thrives where you need support most. 💡 Train Once, Use Forever: Use screen recordings to capture your processes in action. These simple videos become your training library—saving you hours of one-on-one explanations. 💡 Make it Visual: Set up a task board using tools like Asana or Trello. Organise jobs by frequency and link your training videos so your assistant knows exactly what to do, when to do it, and how to get it right. BEST MOMENTS [02:26] How freedom turns into a trap for entrepreneurs  - 💬 “After all, that's why they started their business, to have freedom, but they found that business has now taken away that freedom.” [04:09] Start systemising early (without overcomplicating it) - 💬 “I think the earlier you can do this, the better. Because we're not here talking about, OK, we're going to create a complex system that maps out our entire sales process.” [07:36] Delegation done right, every time - 💬 “We need a really structured way to do this to make sure that when we offload stuff, it's done right first time, every time, and you're confident that is happening.” [15:31] The simple formula for hiring your first assistant - 💬 “Doing this simple process, planning a little bit ahead, recording some videos, and then putting them onto a task board is how you can make this experience of hiring your first assistant work like an absolute dream and get you that result you want of freeing your time.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 “Why You Need an Assistant” 06:35 Effective Delegation Process Steps 09:16 Task Delegation Strategy Guide 11:12 Streamlined Hiring for Task Delegation 15:25 “Streamline Hiring with Sys Academy” VALUABLE RESOURCES Systemize Your Success Academy: https://join.sys.academy/ For ScreenPal—Our Trusted Tools, Apps, and Services: https://sys.academy/tools Free access to our flagship RECRUIT RIGHT Framework: http://bit.ly/sys-10 Free access to our flagship DIDACT Framework: https://bit.ly/sys-006  LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

🎙 In this episode, I dive into the crucial topic of taking genuine time off as a business owner. While currently on holiday with my family in Manchester, I share my personal experiences and the six key techniques and systems I've implemented over the years to ensure I can truly disconnect from work and enjoy quality time with my loved ones. Join me as I offer practical advice to help you achieve the freedom you desire in your business. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Consistent Marketing Systems: Establish a reliable system for marketing activities to ensure that your business continues to engage with clients even when you're on holiday. This can include scheduling content in advance or delegating tasks to team members. 💡 Effective Communication Management: Utilise a communications manager to filter and manage incoming messages across various platforms. This allows you to disconnect from your business while ensuring that urgent matters are escalated appropriately. 💡 Client Support Systems: Create a comprehensive FAQ and knowledge base for clients to access information independently. This reduces the need for direct communication and allows clients to find answers to their questions without your immediate involvement. 💡 Sales Management Automation: Implement systems that allow for the nurturing of leads and onboarding of new clients without your direct oversight. This can include decision trees and automated processes that guide potential clients through the sales journey. 💡 Proactive Time Management: Plan your schedule well in advance to avoid stress during holiday periods. Identify times of the year when you want to take time off and ensure that your business activities are aligned with those periods to maintain a healthy work-life balance. BEST MOMENTS 00:07 - 💬 “Do you disconnect entirely from your business so you can focus on your family, so you reconnect with them? Or are you actually worried half the time about what your staff are up to or what your clients are thinking?” 07:54 - 💬 “I let my clients know that I'm going to go on holiday and I'm very open and transparent about it. And I let them know how to contact the team in my absence.” 10:13 - 💬 “I set things up and make sure they feel supported, even when I'm not actually there.” 17:05 - 💬 “It's all these things in place. It's having good systems. It's having a marketing system. It's having a sales progression system.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Systemise Marketing for Consistency 04:26 Effective FAQ and Sales Management 06:49 Automating Tasks With Decision Trees 11:29 Balancing Work and Family Timing 13:18 “Balancing Work While on Leave” 17:42 Disconnecting for True Relaxation VALUABLE RESOURCES Our Best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates—For Our DIDACT Method Framework: https://sys.academy/guides Systemize Your Success Academy: https://join.sys.academy/ LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙 In this episode of Systemize Your Success, I share a real-life experience from our business as we welcomed a new marketing assistant. Join me as I explore how to navigate the hiring process, reduce stress, and empower new hires to take ownership of their roles while enhancing our overall systems. I emphasise that it’s okay for processes to be a work in progress and that bringing in new team members can actually provide valuable opportunities for improvement.  KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Delegation Doesn't Have to Be Perfect: When hiring a new team member, it's important to recognise that the tasks being handed over may not be fully polished or documented. Accepting this reality can help reduce stress and facilitate a smoother transition. 💡 Support During Transition is Crucial: New hires may require hands-on support and guidance as they take on their responsibilities. Engaging in real-time conversations and providing immediate feedback can help them acclimate and feel more confident in their roles. 💡 Encourage Ownership and Improvement: Allowing new team members to take on tasks that are still in development can foster a sense of ownership. This encourages them to make improvements and feel more invested in the processes they are working on. 💡 Identify Opportunities for Process Improvement: When handing over tasks, it's a chance to evaluate existing processes. If a new hire struggles to complete a task independently, it indicates that the process may need refinement for clarity and efficiency. 💡 Communicate Expectations Early: It's essential to have discussions about delegation and task handover well before a new hire starts. Setting clear expectations can help existing team members understand their role in the transition and alleviate any pressure they may feel about needing to have everything ready. BEST MOMENTS 00:01 - 💬 “When you make the decision to hire somebody new, it's typically because you have too much going on in the business.” 02:14 - 💬 “I want my team to focus on areas that they feel are their zone of genius. I want people to love the work they do. So wherever I can, I try to create roles that fit their personality, their strengths, and avoid them having to do work which lies in their areas of weakness.” 05:51 - 💬 “Holding back because you feel it's not quite polished enough is actually counterproductive.” 10:40 - 💬 “Often when we create guides or processes or documentation for our tasks, we forget how much we know. We forget all the stuff that we've spent years or decades on actually developing and learning.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 “Effective Transitioning for New Hires” 06:38 “Embrace Imperfection When Delegating” 08:46 Empowering New Hires through Collaboration VALUABLE RESOURCES Our Best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates—For Our DIDACT Method Framework: https://sys.academy/guides LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙 In this episode, I share a transformative journey I undertook with one of my clients, whom I'll refer to as John. John was overwhelmed by the demands of his clients, constantly interrupted by calls and messages, which left him struggling to find time for deep work. I discuss the strategies we implemented to help him set clear boundaries while still providing exceptional service.  KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Balancing Availability and Deep Work: Service-based business owners often struggle to provide high levels of client availability without sacrificing their ability to focus on deep work. It's essential to set boundaries to manage client expectations while still being responsive. 💡Implementing a Call Answering Service: Transitioning to a call answering service can help filter urgent calls from non-urgent ones, allowing business owners to focus on their work without constant interruptions. This service can also set clear expectations for when clients can expect a callback. 💡 Using Separate Communication Channels: Establishing a dedicated communication channel, such as Slack or a separate WhatsApp for urgent matters, can help business owners avoid distractions from non-urgent emails and messages, ensuring they only see what requires immediate attention. 💡 Email Management: Having an assistant manage emails can significantly reduce distractions. By filtering and prioritising emails, business owners can focus on essential tasks and avoid getting bogged down by less critical communications. 💡 Setting Clear Expectations: Clearly communicating response times and availability to clients helps manage their expectations. By informing clients about when they can expect a response, business owners can maintain high service levels while protecting their time for deep work. BEST MOMENTS 00:01 - 💬 “If you run a service-based business and you want to stand out with your availability to your clients, that you are there to help them when they need it and respond in a really timely fashion to the problems that might come up...it can be really hard to get the balance right.” 02:11 - 💬 “He didn't have the headspace or the time set aside during the week because he was too open and available. Now he was really struggling with this because he wanted to have the highest level of availability for his clients so they felt supported.” 08:13 - 💬 “If you explain to your clients, this is my communication policy, this is the timescale I'm going to get back to you...if you set those clear expectations, people know what to expect.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Balancing Client Access and Work Efficiency 06:13 Streamline Notifications; Delegate Email Management 07:12 Efficient Task and Time Management VALUABLE RESOURCES To access our Internal Communications Policy, go to: https://sys.academy/guides LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙 In this episode, I dive into the often chaotic experience of onboarding new team members and share the advanced onboarding process I've developed over the years.  I reflect on my journey from a disorganised onboarding approach to a streamlined, documented process that ensures new hires have everything they need from day one.  Join me as I walk you through the steps to make your onboarding experience smooth and effective, ultimately leading to a more engaged and productive team. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Advanced Onboarding Process: Developing a structured onboarding process with over 40 individual tasks can significantly streamline the integration of new team members, reducing stress for both the new hire and existing staff. 💡 Pre-Hiring Preparation: Start preparing for a new hire before the recruitment process begins by documenting necessary access, software licenses, and permissions. This proactive approach helps ensure a smoother onboarding experience. 💡 Standardisation and Flexibility: Creating a standardised onboarding process allows for consistency across different roles while still being flexible enough to accommodate specific needs for each position. 💡 Documentation is Key: Keeping detailed records of access log sheets and onboarding procedures enables team members to handle the onboarding process independently. 💡 Seamless Experience for New Hires: Ensuring that new employees have all the necessary tools, access, and training from day one fosters a positive impression of the company, increasing the likelihood of long-term retention.  BEST MOMENTS 00:01 - 💬 “When us small business owners decide to hire a new person for our team, it's typically because we're at capacity or over capacity.” 00:59 - 💬 “Our Advanced Onboarding is a process I developed since day one of my business, and I'm continually iteratively improving it. It's how we've just onboarded our latest team member. And despite us not having an operations manager at the moment, our team was able to pull together and complete all the activities in time for this person to start work.” 08:44 - 💬 “By having that time before we start hiring and start thinking about this stuff, it means that we're preparing ahead of schedule." 10:46 - 💬 “If we can get that feeling inside of us from day one, the chance of them actually sticking around is going to be far higher, and that for you as a business owner is absolutely priceless.” 14:19 - 💬 “The key to making this work seamlessly is understanding how all of your apps integrate together, how each of those needs to be set up, when they need to be set up, how to train people on doing them.” VALUABLE RESOURCES Systemize Your Success Academy: https://join.sys.academy/ LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙 In this episode, I dive into the importance of having a clear internal communication standards document for your business. I share my recent experience while on holiday, which highlighted the chaos that can ensue when communication protocols are unclear. I discuss the updates we've made to our communication standards, emphasising the need for succinct guidelines that eliminate confusion and streamline conversations.  You'll learn about the different channels we use for communication, how to document messages effectively, and the urgency levels we apply to ensure timely responses. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Importance of Communication Standards: Establishing a written standard for internal communication is crucial to avoid chaos and ensure that conversations are organised and effective.  💡 Clear Guidelines for Escalation: The updated communication standards document outlines specific guidelines on how and when to escalate issues based on their urgency, ensuring that critical matters are addressed promptly while non-urgent issues can wait for appropriate meetings. 💡 Centralised Documentation: All messages related to tasks should be documented in a task management app (like Asana) to maintain a clear audit trail.  💡 Best Practices for Effective Communication: Key practices include using video or screen sharing for clarity, tagging recipients in task comments, providing direct links to relevant materials, and utilising the "Ideas Over Issues" framework to encourage proactive problem-solving. 💡 Checklist for Communication: A final checklist ensures that messages are documented correctly, recipients are notified through the right channels, and all relevant information is included.  BEST MOMENTS 00:01 - 💬 “When you don't use a written standard for how people should communicate within your business, it can lead to total chaos.” 03:18 - 💬 “We give very clear guidelines so there's no grey area, so people know exactly when and how to escalate about what urgency means.” 10:04 - 💬 “There are three levels of urgency we have here. So firstly, we have the critical stuff. This is like absolutely needs response, you know, within minutes or hours that same day, absolutely, definitely. And this is the kind of stuff that's maybe blocking really important work, or there are deadlines coming up that we need to you know, deliver on or it's client impact or something is like majorly wrong and it's absolutely critical.” 20:22 - 💬 “By doing those six things every single time, it means that all the communication within your business is far more efficient.” VALUABLE RESOURCES Our Best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates: https://sys.academy/guides Links to other podcast episodes mentioned: - The Holy Trinity of Company Meetings - My Latest Tips on Using Video to Revolutionize Communication and Boost Productivity - The Framework That Reveals Your Team’s Thought Process—And Prevents Wasted Work LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙 In this episode, I had the pleasure of welcoming back Annabel Kaye to dive deep into the complex world of AI and copyright. We explored the murky waters of ownership when it comes to content generated by AI, discussing who really holds the copyright—the entrepreneur, the AI, or the programmer behind the bot.  KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 When using AI to generate content, the ownership of copyright can be ambiguous. If the content is entirely created by AI, it may not be owned by the user, as AI is not a legal entity. This raises questions about who holds the copyright. 💡 To establish copyright, there must be significant human input in the creation process. If a user merely makes minor edits to AI-generated content, they may not have sufficient input to claim copyright. 💡 Keeping detailed records of drafts and the creative process is crucial.  This documentation can serve as evidence of ownership and the extent of human contribution, which is essential in copyright disputes. 💡 When hiring virtual assistants or outsourcing work, it is vital to have clear agreements regarding data protection and copyright assignment. This includes ensuring that any work produced is stored properly and that sensitive data is handled securely. 💡 While AI can assist in content creation, it is not infallible. Users should implement checks and balances to verify the accuracy of AI-generated content, as AI can produce incorrect or misleading information. BEST MOMENTS 00:01 - 💬 "When you use AI to repurpose, create, or improve content, who owns the copyright for the work that's produced?" — Steve Day 02:05 - 💬 "The problem with AI and copyright for most entrepreneurs is most entrepreneurs have got very shaky grasp of copyright when it doesn't involve AI." — Annabel Kaye 04:55 - 💬 "If you are generating stuff 100% on bots, and it's part of your brand, it's part of your IP, it's part of your content, and someone else copies it, you can't say you can't use that stuff because you didn't own it." — Annabel Kaye 10:53 - 💬 "If you're doing stuff that's intellectually important, keep a record." — Annabel Kaye VALUABLE RESOURCES Our Trusted Tools, Apps, and Services (KoffeeKlatch Affiliate Link): https://sys.academy/tools LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KoffeeKlatch ABOUT THE GUEST Annabel Kaye is the founder and director of KoffeeKlatch, which provides legal contracts and GDPR support for businesses that outsource to freelancers. With over 40 years of experience in employment law and HR consultancy, Annabel deeply understands the complexities of managing virtual teams and the legal frameworks that support them. LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙 In this episode, I dive deep into my journey of overcoming the resistance I faced in attracting new clients to my coaching business. For years, I relied heavily on referrals, which felt comfortable, but I realised that my reluctance to put myself out there was holding me back.  I share how I took a step back to focus on refining my courses and creating a product I could truly be proud of, rather than just pushing for sales.  KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Resistance to Selling: Many entrepreneurs experience resistance when it comes to attracting new clients, often due to feelings of inadequacy about their offerings or fear of not being able to provide the same level of support to new clients as they do to existing ones. 💡 Importance of Product Quality: A key realisation is that the quality and presentation of the product or service being offered can significantly impact an entrepreneur's willingness to sell.  💡 Focus on Improvement: Instead of pushing for sales, it can be more beneficial to focus on improving the product or service.  💡 Trusting Your Instincts: Entrepreneurs should trust their instincts about their products and services. If something feels off or not good enough, it’s essential to address those concerns. 💡 Long-Term Vision Over Short-Term Gains: Building a product that one is proud of may take time and effort, but it can lead to more sustainable success.  BEST MOMENTS 00:09 - 💬 “When it comes to actually going out and finding new people and attracting them into my world, I find that there's a huge resistance and I really struggle with this. It's held me and my business back.” 05:13 - 💬 “I realised that I was embarrassed or I wasn't proud of how my courses were structured, how they were presented, how they were a little bit complicated. There wasn't a clear client journey for people to go through.” 13:15 - 💬 “If you're in this place of resistance, if something's not feeling right, go deep. Figure out what it is and trust yourself.” 14:13 - 💬 “Maybe it's not about selling more. Maybe it's about actually doubling down on building something you're proud to sell so it sells itself.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Overcoming Client Acquisition Resistance 04:36 Business Growth Resistance Insight 08:14 Streamlining Services with AI Integration 12:49 Believe and Commit to Succeed 13:43 Sell What You Believe In LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙 In this episode of Systemize Your Success, I share a real-life example that highlights the importance of effective communication within a team. I recount a situation where a staff member, despite doing the necessary checks on our e-commerce software, failed to communicate her findings clearly, which left me feeling frustrated and led to unnecessary extra work on my part.  I delve into how this experience reinforced the need for the ‘Ideas Over Issues’ Framework, which encourages team members to articulate problems, outline their thought processes, and seek input from others. By the end of our discussion, I was able to praise her for her initiative and use this as a teaching moment to emphasise the value of clear communication.  Join me as I explore how a simple shift in communication can transform perceptions and enhance productivity in the workplace. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Importance of Communication: Effective communication is crucial in the workplace. A simple lack of communication can lead to misunderstandings about performance and initiative, as demonstrated in the example where a staff member failed to convey the steps they had taken. 💡 ‘Ideas Over Issues’ Framework: This framework encourages individuals to present problems along with their thought processes and the actions they have taken. By stating the issue, outlining the intended following action, and detailing what has already been done, it fosters more transparent communication and understanding. 💡 Recognising Initiative: Leaders should encourage employees to think beyond documented tasks and take initiative. When they do so, it can lead to positive outcomes, but they must communicate their efforts to avoid misinterpretation of their work. 💡 Feedback and Coaching: Providing constructive feedback and coaching can help improve employee performance. Reinforcing the use of frameworks like Ideas Over Issues can empower staff to communicate more effectively in the future. 💡 Time Management: Miscommunication can lead to unnecessary work and wasted time. By ensuring that team members communicate their actions and findings, managers can save time and focus on more critical tasks, ultimately enhancing productivity. BEST MOMENTS 02:22 - 💬 “It was not about this person underperforming. It was about a simple lack of communication that made it appear that they hadn't.” 05:27 - 💬 “That simple omission, as in not documenting what she'd done, meant that I got a negative feeling about it rather than a really positive feeling about it.” 06:32 - 💬 “The Ideas Over Issues framework is when we state the problem, state the intended next action, state what you've already done or thought about it, and then request any further input.” VALUABLE RESOURCES Our Best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates: https://sys.academy/guides LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.

🎙 In this episode of Systemize Your Success, I share a powerful success story from my business journey, highlighting how I leveraged a fantastic course from Pat Flynn's Smart Passive Income to enhance my podcast. Faced with the challenge of limited time to implement new strategies, I delegated the task to my virtual assistant, who took the initiative to upskill and apply the knowledge gained from the course.    The results have been remarkable, with our podcast downloads nearly doubling in just a couple of months. I discuss the importance of outsourcing and delegation, and how empowering my team to take ownership of their learning has not only improved our podcast but also boosted my confidence in our content creation process.    Stick around to the end for a special link to access the framework my assistant developed, which can help you elevate your podcasting efforts! KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Outsourcing for Efficiency: Delegating tasks to virtual assistants or team members can free up time for business owners to focus on strategic activities, allowing them to implement knowledge gained from courses or resources without the burden of doing it all themselves. 💡 Utilising Existing Resources: Leveraging courses and training from trusted sources, such as industry leaders, can provide valuable insights and frameworks that can be directly applied to improve business operations, such as enhancing podcast performance. 💡 Continuous Improvement: Regularly auditing and assessing the effectiveness of implemented strategies is crucial. This not only helps in tracking progress but also reinforces the value of training and development efforts. 💡 Encouraging Staff Development: Investing in the training of team members not only enhances their skill sets but also increases their engagement and motivation, ultimately leading to better business outcomes. 💡 Measuring Impact: Creating reports to evaluate the results of implemented strategies helps in understanding the effectiveness of training and encourages team members to continue seeking improvement and innovation in their roles. BEST MOMENTS 00:11 - 💬 “The challenge that I face and most business owners I speak to face is not the lack of knowledge, it's the lack of time to implement that knowledge.” 03:48 - 💬 “And that is what delegation is all about. It's about getting other people to do the stuff that you really want to do, but just don't find the time to do.” 07:49 - 💬 “If you aren't currently struggling to get all the stuff you wish you could do in your business done, then find an influencer, find a course, a thought leader, find somebody who you know, like and trust already.” 09:04 - 💬 “Training is one of the most important ways for you to A, build up your skill set in your team and B, make sure that you are getting the biggest value you possibly can from those people.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Podcast Improvement with Smart Passive Income 06:36 Outsourcing Content 07:17 Delegating Training for Business Growth 10:36 “Initiate Team Course Implementation” VALUABLE RESOURCES Our Best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates: https://sys.academy/guides LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve used to be a slave to his business, but moving to Sweden in 2015 forced him to change how he worked. He switched to running his businesses remotely. After totally nailing this concept, he spent his time helping other small business owners do the same. Steve has been investing in property since 2002, has a degree in computing, and worked as a doctor in the NHS before quitting to focus full-time on sharing his systems and outsourcing methodology with the world. He now lives in Sweden and runs his UK-based businesses remotely with the help of his team of Filipino and UK-based Virtual Assistants.   Most business owners feel overwhelmed because they don’t know how to create systems or get the right help.   Our systems and outsourcing Courses and coaching programme will help you automate your business and work effectively with affordable virtual assistants. That way, you will stop feeling overwhelmed and start making more money.

🎙 In this episode of Systemize Your Success, I share a personal experience that one of our community members faced when two of her virtual assistants unexpectedly disappeared. It was a stark reminder of the challenges we all encounter in managing remote teams.    I delve into the importance of building strong relationships with our team members, emphasising the need to hire based on shared values and to create an environment where trust and communication thrive. I discuss practical steps for onboarding, providing feedback, and fostering connections among team members, all aimed at minimising the impact of sudden departures.    By the end of the episode, I hope to equip you with actionable strategies to not only retain your team but also to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and motivated to contribute. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Hiring Based on Values: When hiring virtual assistants or employees, prioritise aligning their core values and work ethic with your business's values. This alignment can help prevent future issues and create a more cohesive work environment. 💡 Effective Onboarding: A professional onboarding process sets a positive tone for new hires. Ensuring they have everything they need from day one can foster a sense of belonging and commitment to the business. 💡 Regular One-on-One Meetings: Conducting weekly one-on-one meetings fosters open communication, allowing employees to share their thoughts and concerns. This practice helps build trust and provides insights into any challenges they may be facing. 💡 Daily Stand-Up Meetings: Implementing daily stand-up meetings encourages team members to share their daily goals and challenges. This fosters connection among remote workers, helping to combat feelings of isolation and build a supportive team culture. 💡 Facilitating Peer Relationships: Encourage collaboration among team members on projects. By allowing them to work together independently, you help them build relationships that can enhance loyalty and commitment to the team and the business. BEST MOMENTS 00:36 - 💬 “People will come and go. There are things we can do before people arrive, while they're there, and after they've gone to minimise the impact on us as a business and also our personal feelings behind it as well.” 01:55 - 💬 “Her question was, what can I do next time to make sure this minimises the chance of this happening again? Rather than putting blame on either herself or actually on the person, it's actually thinking forward.” 05:21 - 💬 “We just want to actually feel like we're making a difference. So when we give people the opportunity to do that, it can make them more loyal to us as a business.” 10:07 - 💬 “That's what most good employees want to hear. They want to actually improve, they want to know that they are actually making a difference, they want to know that their jobs are safe as well, they want to feel secure.” 14:02 - 💬 “It's super important in my opinion to try to connect your remote team members together to work to start building a relationship between each other.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Building Trust Beyond Transactions 03:50 Align, Onboard, Invest for Success 09:06 “Valuable Weekly Staff Check-Ins” 12:31 Trust-Building Through Collaboration 15:46 Building a Loyal Team Environment 16:56 Ensuring Work Continuity Steps VALUABLE RESOURCES Free access to our flagship RECRUIT RIGHT Framework Free access to our flagship DIDACT Framework LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve used to be a slave to his business, but moving to Sweden in 2015 forced him to change how he worked. He switched to running his businesses remotely. After totally nailing this concept, he spent his time helping other small business owners do the same. Steve has been investing in property since 2002, has a degree in computing, and worked as a doctor in the NHS before quitting to focus full-time on sharing his systems and outsourcing methodology with the world. He now lives in Sweden and runs his UK-based businesses remotely with the help of his team of Filipino and UK-based Virtual Assistants.   Most business owners feel overwhelmed because they don’t know how to create systems or get the right help.   Our systems and outsourcing Courses and coaching programme will help you automate your business and work effectively with affordable virtual assistants. That way, you will stop feeling overwhelmed and start making more money.

🎙 In this episode of Systemize Your Success, I dive into a common frustration many business owners face: team members bringing problems without proposing solutions. Over the years, I've developed a framework called the ‘Ideas Over Issues’ Framework, which has transformed how my staff approaches challenges. I share the importance of empowering employees to think critically and take ownership of their actions, rather than relying on me for answers.    By implementing this framework, we’ve improved the efficiency of our meetings and fostered a culture of proactive problem-solving. I also provide a real-life example from a recent meeting to illustrate how this approach works in practice. Plus, I offer a free downloadable resource to help you integrate this framework into your own business.    Join me as we explore how to cultivate a team of independent thinkers who can drive your business forward! KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Empower Staff to Think Independently: Encourage team members to come up with their own solutions rather than just presenting problems. This fosters a culture of critical thinking and accountability. 💡 Implement the ‘Ideas Over Issues Framework’: Use a structured approach where team members present issues along with potential solutions and any relevant checks they have performed. This streamlines meetings and enhances productivity. 💡 Encourage Ownership of Actions: When discussing proposed solutions, managers should guide team members to take responsibility for their actions without taking over the decision-making process. This helps build confidence and independence. 💡 Provide Constructive Feedback: If a proposed solution raises concerns, managers should ask for deeper analysis rather than simply rejecting the idea. This encourages further thought and refinement of solutions. 💡 Utilise Real-Life Examples: Sharing specific instances of how the framework has been successfully applied can illustrate its effectiveness and motivate team members to adopt the approach in their own problem-solving efforts. BEST MOMENTS 02:24 - 💬 “If the culture in the business is simply to bring that problem to the table and expect somebody else to answer it, it's super inefficient and it's totally unscalable.” 04:24 - 💬 “We can empower and train our staff to become those great thinkers, those great solvers of problems, the people that are the most valuable in the business.” 06:03 - 💬 “The idea of the 'Ideas Over Issues' framework is to give people a mechanism to force them to actually think of the next step before they bring an issue.” 10:31 - 💬 “Even if it wasn't a great solution in the end, we still encourage them by actually complimenting them on taking action and coming up with a solution themselves and actually pushing it forward without having that total certainty it was going to work.” TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Empower Teams to Solve Problems 05:58 “Ideas Over Issues for Solutions” 07:15 “Efficient Problem-Solving Framework” 13:20 Framework Download for Business Improvement VALUABLE RESOURCES Our Best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates: https://sys.academy/guides LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve used to be a slave to his business, but moving to Sweden in 2015 forced him to change how he worked. He switched to running his businesses remotely. After totally nailing this concept, he spent his time helping other small business owners do the same. Steve has been investing in property since 2002, has a degree in computing, and worked as a doctor in the NHS before quitting to focus full-time on sharing his systems and outsourcing methodology with the world. He now lives in Sweden and runs his UK-based businesses remotely with the help of his team of Filipino and UK-based Virtual Assistants.   Most business owners feel overwhelmed because they don’t know how to create systems or get the right help.   Our systems and outsourcing Courses and coaching programme will help you automate your business and work effectively with affordable virtual assistants. That way, you will stop feeling overwhelmed and start making more money.

🎙 In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Scott Anderson, a mental therapist and serial entrepreneur who has navigated the challenging waters of burnout himself. As someone who has also faced the pressures of entrepreneurship, I resonated deeply with Scott's insights on the common struggles we face, including stress, exhaustion, and the feeling of being trapped in our work.    Scott shared his journey of recovery and the powerful techniques he now uses to help others break free from the vicious cycles of burnout. We explored the importance of recognising our role in our burnout, the necessity of finding joy in our lives, and how to reclaim our time for the things we love.    This conversation was not only enlightening but also filled with hope, as Scott emphasised that life beyond burnout can be incredibly fulfilling. I genuinely enjoyed our discussion and believe it will resonate with anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed in their entrepreneurial journey. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡 Understanding Burnout: Burnout is often self-inflicted, stemming from the pressures and expectations that entrepreneurs place on themselves. Recognising that one is contributing to their burnout is a crucial first step in recovery. 💡 Energy Recovery Techniques: Instead of postponing recovery until vacations or weekends, it's essential to address stress in the moment. Techniques like the R&R method can help individuals acknowledge and release stress immediately, promoting better energy management. 💡 Identifying What You Love: Entrepreneurs often neglect their passions and interests in pursuit of success. Implementing a “Guiding Principle System” can help individuals rediscover what they love and integrate those activities into their lives, leading to a more fulfilling existence. 💡 Focus on Superpowers: Many entrepreneurs spend excessive time on tasks that others could do better or faster. By identifying and concentrating on their unique strengths or “superpowers,” they can achieve greater impact in less time, allowing for a healthier work-life balance. 💡 Community Support: Engaging with a community of like-minded individuals can provide encouragement and hope. Sharing experiences and challenges with others who understand the journey can help break the isolation often felt during recovery from burnout. BEST MOMENTS 00:01 - 💬 “Worry, stress, and ultimately burnout are unfortunately pretty common with us entrepreneurs.” — Steve Day 04:33 - 💬 “The reason that I do it is that I damn near died of my own burnout.” — Scott Anderson 13:34 - 💬 “The World Health Organization says that burnout is, literally defined as unsustained and unrelieved extreme stress.” — Scott Anderson 15:53 - 💬 “Burnout is actually addiction. The dopamine kick we get from the overwork, from that status of feeling like “The person I am is the person who works harder than anyone else I know. That's who I am. That's the status I've created for myself.”, and that becomes addictive.” — Steve Day 20:51 - 💬 “We have to be able to learn how to relax and really more than that, to just very briefly and gently be with the stress that we're feeling.”  — Scott Anderson 43:44 - 💬 “Success, I think really means to be able to be useful.”  — Scott Anderson TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Overcoming Entrepreneurial Burnout 04:05 Escaping Burnout: A Personal Revelation 07:39 Balancing Work and Family Pressures 11:22 “Success Mindset Limits and Growth” 16:07 Addictive Self-Status and Change 18:56 Chemistry of Success and Stress 23:42 Rethinking Work through True North 28:09 Mindfulness Discovery: Simple Stress Awareness 30:33 Releasing Stress for Burnout Relief 32:53 ADHD: Managing Hyperfocus Challenges 36:06 Life Beyond Burnout: Unimaginably Better 40:49 Creative AI Applications in Business 43:14 “Sharing Wisdom for a Fulfilled Life” VALUABLE RESOURCES Steve Day: Free access to our flagship DIDACT Framework Scott Anderson: The Burnout Breakthrough Process: www.burnoutbreakthrough.com Burnout Breakthrough Fast Fix Call: https://fastfixcall.com LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST Website: https://doubledareyou.us/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottandersonms/ ABOUT THE GUEST Scott Anderson is the founder and CEO of Doubledare Executive Coaching and Consulting and is a licensed mental health therapist. He has been featured in both Forbes and Entrepreneur Magazines, and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and high-performance executives break through painful plateaus and achieve even higher levels of success and fulfilment at work and at home. LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve used to be a slave to his business, but moving to Sweden in 2015 forced him to change how he worked. He switched to running his businesses remotely. After totally nailing this concept, he spent his time helping other small business owners do the same. Steve has been investing in property since 2002, has a degree in computing, and worked as a doctor in the NHS before quitting to focus full-time on sharing his systems and outsourcing methodology with the world. He now lives in Sweden and runs his UK-based businesses remotely with the help of his team of Filipino and UK-based Virtual Assistants.   Most business owners feel overwhelmed because they don’t know how to create systems or get the right help.   Our systems and outsourcing Courses and coaching programme will help you automate your business and work effectively with affordable virtual assistants. That way, you will stop feeling overwhelmed and start making more money.