Order of Operations
Every morning, I load up my three little ones with their backpacks, zip up their coats, help little feet find their shoes, and pile my kids into the car for school drop-off. And every morning, on my way home, I pass the same construction site. It is a massive plot of land that will eventually become the new elementary, middle, and high school my children will be zoned for in a few short years.
When the project first started, it was nothing more than a piece of land with a sign that said “Home of three new schools.”Just dirt. Just potential. Just a vision.
Now, months later, cranes, excavators, and teams of people are moving with intention. They are digging deep into the earth, clearing space, leveling the ground, and laying the groundwork for the earliest stages of a foundation. I watch it transform little by little, day by day. Every time I pass it, I feel both excitement and curiosity about what it will become for my children.
I also feel a sense of clarity, because that construction site represents everything I know to be true about building systems within a business.
Systems Always Matter, but They Only Work When Built in the Right Order
People often come to me feeling frustrated because their systems feel complicated, clunky, or chaotic. They have tried templates, new software, tools that promised quick fixes, and strategies that looked good on paper. They have bought courses and downloaded freebies, hoping something would finally make everything click.
Here is the truth:
Systems cannot help you if the order of operations is wrong.
Systems cannot function if your foundation is unstable.
Systems cannot scale if they are built on top of overwhelm.
The construction site makes this so clear:
They cannot install windows before there are walls.
They cannot build walls before the foundation is set.
They cannot bring in classrooms or gym floors before the structural steel is secure.
Every step is intentional. Every phase is necessary. Every slow moment is part of ensuring the outcome lasts. Your business is no different.
The Foundation Comes First Every Time
Before a business can experience the peace, confidence, and stability that streamlined systems bring, several things must be in place:
clarity around how the business operates
documented workflows anyone can follow
consistent people processes
expectations that are clearly communicated
a client experience that is no longer dependent on memory
Without these pieces, you are building on loose dirt. And here is something that most leaders often overlook…
Sometimes You Must Undo Work Before You Can Move Forward
Just like construction, there are moments when crews need to:
dig something back up
re-level the ground
move something that was already placed
adjust what someone else installed
slow down to fix what is not aligned
That does not mean the project is going backward. It means the project is being built correctly.
Inside a business, this looks like:
rewriting an SOP
removing a tool that was added too soon
reorganizing how the team works
re-creating the client journey
reordering a process that was built out of sequence
taking the time to redefine expectations for a team member
clarifying your vision
This takes time. Intentional time.
But when you give yourself permission to fix the foundation, your business shifts from:
Overwhelm to oversight
Reacting to anticipating
Chaos to clarity
That is when systems finally start to support you rather than exhaust you.
The Mom in Me Sees Emotion. The COO in Me Sees Precision.
Every time I drive by that site, I imagine my kids walking those halls someday. I picture their friendships, their classrooms, their laughter, and the teachers who will pour into them.
I also see the precision behind the progress. I see sequencing, roles, accountability, structure, and phases that cannot be skipped. It reminds me of the work I do for founders. I reduce overwhelm by creating order. I rebuild foundations that will last. I repair what is not aligned so that what is working can finally shine. Systems are not simply software or automations.
They are the building blocks behind your growth.
If Your Business Feels Like It Is Still in the Dirt Stage, You Are Exactly Where You Should Be
Growth happens in layers. It happens in phases. It happens during the unglamorous parts that most people never see. When the foundation is right, everything else becomes possible. That is what I help leaders build through Out of the Box Ops. Clear, concise, and consistent people and systems operations that give leaders sustainable support and long-lasting clarity. Your business deserves to stand strong, not just today, but for years to come.