How To Build A Business That Runs Without You

This week my family and I are spending time together at the beach.  We arrived on Saturday in the midst of a tropical storm.  

That night, the wind reached levels that literally shook the house.  I woke up to my bed shaking itself across the floor, and water spraying in through the window.  

I could have been upset.  MY BEACH VACAY WAS BEING RAINED OUT.  But instead, I sat up in the morning, woke my husband up and said "let's go get a waffle somewhere".  

You see, , I am fully committed to being present in the moment this week with my family.  And I'll ask you... how present are you being?

This week, we’re dismantling the toxic myth that being busy is what makes you successful.

I want to let you in on something i learned 4 years ago (tbh i wished i realized this sooner…)

Don’t measure success by how full your calendar is.

Measure it by how unnecessary you are.

Because here’s the truth:

If your business can’t run without you, you haven’t built a company.
You’ve built yourself a very demanding job.

Freedom isn’t built through more hustle.

It’s built through systems that make you replaceable by design.

So today, I’m giving you a full behind-the-scenes breakdown of the framework I use - in both business and life - to get more off my plate and step fully into my role as architect, not operator. I learned it from my mentor and now I'm passing it along to you.

It's called the SAD SYSTEM™:  Stop. Automate. Delegate.

So let’s dive in…

(P.S. at first glance you might think this email only applies if you have employees or contractors already - but keep reading - i’ll share with you how you can and should implement my SAD framework even if you are still working your 9-5 or aren’t even making money in your business yet).  

1. STOP: Audit, Eliminate, Reclaim

Most productivity advice skips this part.
But before you hire or automate, you have to ask: Does this task need to exist at all?
Stopping is the most overlooked and the most powerful step in scaling your time.

Here’s how I use it:

Ask yourself these four questions about every repeating task you are doing:

• Is this task truly necessary - or just something I’ve always done out of habit?

• Does this align with my current season and business priorities?

• What’s the cost of continuing this - in time, energy, or mental load?

• How would it feel to stop doing this completely?

When I asked myself these questions, I realized I was spending hours on things like manually reviewing low-leverage emails, “checking in” with my team when they didn’t need it, and maintaining outdated systems that no longer served us.

So I stopped. 
This single move freed up hours each week - time I now spend on vision, innovation, and white space.

Action Step:
1. Make a list of everything you’ve done in the past 7 days (if you still have a 9-5 include this as well as the business you are working on)
2. Put a line through anything that isn’t revenue-driving, value-creating, or deeply fulfilling.
^ That’s your stop list hun! 

2. AUTOMATE: Systemize the Repetitive

The next step?
We are gonna make tech do the heavy lifting.

If something happens the same way more than once - it should be automated.
I always ask myself:

Is this task repetitive or recurring?
Does it require creative input - or could a workflow handle it?
What would I gain in time or energy if this were automated?

Favorite Tools I Use to Automate:

→ Slack Integrations: these are my fav things right now

• Sales alerts from Stripe so I know instantly when we get a new customer and the team / automation can trigger the onboarding

• Customer service tickets piped into a team Slack channel

• Content deadlines from Notion posted automatically to relevant channels

→ ManyChat (for Social Sales):

• I auto-qualify leads and guide them through a funnel in the DMs

• I deliver freebies automatically

• Answer FAQs so my team isn’t repeating themselves every day (I don’t have this turned on right now as it’s not super relevant to my business but I wanted to share as it’s great for a lot of businesses).

3. DELEGATE: Train Once, Let Go Forever 

The real power move I’ve discovered in life and business is letting go - intentionally.

And the key to delegation that actually works? Knowing what to delegate, to whom, and how.

Sounds simple - but actually it’s where most people go wrong so I wanted to share the framework I use.

To help me delegate I use the A, B, C Task System, and it’s based on the principle that not all tasks carry the same weight and importance, and therefore you should no longer try and do them all. 

This task system has helped me carve out time for what matters most both in my life and my business.

Let me walk you through it - because I promise, it will make your days feel less chaotic and a whole lot more meaningful. And if there is just one thing you take from this email - it should be this. 

What Are A, B, and C Tasks?

• A Tasks: 
  The most important tasks - these are your non-negotiables. They’re the things only you can do and that have the biggest impact.

• B Tasks: 
  Important but not urgent tasks that can be scheduled or handled later.

• C Tasks: 
  Low-priority tasks that can be delegated or skipped entirely without much consequence.

Why the ABC Task System Works

This task system works because it creates clarity. It helps you focus on what truly matters - whether that’s time with your baby, a big project at work, or simply enjoying your day.

It’s about:

Protecting your A tasks
Planning your B tasks
Delegating or skipping your C tasks. 

You’ll not only get more done, but you’ll also feel more in control and less burned out.

The beauty of this system is that it’s flexible. As your life and priorities shift, your A, B, and C tasks will shift too and that’s okay. What matters is that you’re intentional about how you spend your time, so you can focus on what truly matters most.

4. Review & Refine Quarterly

Every 90 days (sometimes it’s actually 180 days), I zoom out and ask:

• What STILL depends on me that shouldn’t?

• What’s working, and what’s a bottleneck?

• What systems need tightening?

• Where have I been the bottleneck and how can I replace myself?

I treat my calendar like prime real estate - if a task wants in, it has to earn its spot.

This isn’t just about getting time back.

It’s about becoming the kind of CEO who leads through systems, not sacrifice.

Joanne ⚡

📌 Instagram Account I'm Obsessing Over

📌   Recipe I'm Trying Out This Week

📌  Current Book Read

Do You Want More of These Systems?

If you’ve been reading this and thinking, “I’m so ready to stop operating and actually start scaling,” - then the MESSY MIDDLE Mastermind  might be exactly what’s next.

This is for women who are at six and seven figures and know they’re ready to step into the next level - not just fin ancially, but mentally and structurally too. 

It’s for the ones who are done with being the bottleneck, tired of building alone, and ready to create a business that runs without them in the weeds.

If you’re ready to:

• Build a scalable offer that doesn’t require your constant presence

• Step fully into your role as visionary and CEO  not just team manager and task juggler

• Learn the systems, mindset, and marketing strategy that actually move the needle 

• Surround yourself with other brilliant, high-performing women who get it

Then this is your next move:

Add your name to the waitlist here. When your name hits the top, you’ll be personally invited to apply. 

Spots are offered first-come, first-served and when they’re gone, they’re gone.

Let’s build the version of your business that’s not just successful - but scalable.