Playbooks - Power Unleashed - Episode 202

 Have you ever had one of those days where you're putting out fires that shouldn't even exist? Emails are missed, client work is delayed, and chaos, lots of chaos. Fortunately that chaos is fixable and today we're going to cover how by building out what every strong service business needs. Clarity, consistency, and yes, a business playbook. 

So let's tame that chaos and build a playbook that works for you. Welcome to episode 202.

Good day and welcome to the Budding Entrepreneur Podcast.

I'm your host Randy Bridges. In each episode we dive into practical business strategies that you can put to work in your business right away. We also focus on inspiring stories from leaders who are shaking and making things happen in their industry. 

It's all about giving you the tools and insights to take you and your business to the next level. So get comfortable and let's jump right in. 

All right, all right, we are on episode 202 of the podcast and today is Friday June 6th 2025. 

In this episode we're continuing our four-part service best practices series with an episode titled Playbooks Power Unleashed. This episode is all about mapping core functions and why too many businesses get this part completely backwards. Here's what we're going to cover. 

Why core functions are the backbone of a scalable business. How to identify the right functions to map. What to document first and why it's probably not what you think.

And a dead simple exercise to jumpstart the process. Now we mentioned mapping core functions, but what exactly do we mean by the term core functions? Core functions are the repeatable processes that drive value in your business. They're not random tasks. 

These are the engines driving your business. They aren't one-off tasks like answering emails. They're the repeatable processes like client onboarding or order fulfillment that define how you deliver your value.

We're talking about things like onboarding a new client, issuing an invoice, fulfilling a service, handling a support request. And the twist is kind of like this. Most people try to document everything at once and I gotta tell you that's a recipe for burnout. 

Instead let's focus on what I call pressure points. A pressure point is any function where you have to step in constantly. You get repeated questions from your team. 

Mistakes are starting to happen more often and you're the only one who knows how it works. Start there. Focus on one function, one bottleneck, one win. 

That's how you make this happen. So let me give you a real-world example. One of my coaching clients runs a growing web design agency. 

His team kept tripping over client onboarding. They missed emails, there were misaligned expectations, there were even some double-booked kickoff calls. Now this might sound familiar to you if you found yourself in this. 

Don't be surprised, right? So what we did is we sat down and mapped out the core functions of their onboarding. From sales handoff to project kickoff. Nothing fancy. 

We just used sticky notes on a board and a shared Google Doc. Within a week they had a written process. Within a month his team was executing it without him. 

Client satisfaction scores jumped, his personal stress dropped, and here's the kicker. He got his Fridays back. He hadn't had a Friday off in years and now he was able to take not just part of the day off, the whole day, and occasionally turn it into full three-day weekends. 

That's the power of mapping. It builds the foundation for consistency and freedom in your business. Now you might think, Randy I barely have time to run my business. 

Lord knows I already understand that. But documenting one pressure point now saves you hours later. Start small, you'll see big wins. 

As I said in episode one of this podcast, it's about real tools and strategies. This isn't theory. This is about traction, progress, and breathing room. 

That being said, let's be honest. Most people start with what's easiest. It's our natural inclination. 

It's the easy things that are good to get out of the way first. And so they'll document what they already feel comfortable with. That's fine. 

The problem is it doesn't move the needle for the business. You have to ask yourself, what's that one task in your business that you dread explaining over and over. That becomes your starting point. 

And when you document that one task, especially the one that you dread explaining, you're not just saving time. You're empowering your team to handle it without you. You know that task that always leads to a 30-minute phone call? The things that your VA keeps messing up? That service fulfillment process that only you can do air quotes right? Those are the places we're documenting unlocks real freedom, especially for you. 

It's not about writing a manual for everything you do. It's about removing yourself from the places that hold you back. Let's do a simple mapping exercise, something that you can do today. 

I challenge you to map one, just one, pressure point this week. It might take 15 minutes and it could save you hours down the road. So grab a sheet of paper and if you want to feel fancy, grab your whiteboard. 

List out your core business activities. Sales, delivery, admin, marketing, customer support. Those are the most common. 

Under each one, jot down the one task that you handle the most. Of those tasks, circle the one that creates the most friction for you. That's where you start. 

Then what you do is you give it a name and then you break it into five to seven steps. Again, it's a starting point. Then, and this is the key, test it with someone else. 

Hand those steps to a team member or even a friend and ask them to follow it exactly and tell you where they get stuck. That feedback is gold for refining your process. That's how you refine. 

That's how you scale. That's how you start getting your life back. So let's recap what we covered today. 

Don't document everything. Start with your pressure points. Your core functions are the systems behind how you deliver value. 

Focus on bottlenecks that cause repeated issues or suck up your time and use a simple mapping exercise to break the cycle. This is how you begin building a business that can scale without breaking you. Now next week we're digging deeper into your playbook. 

Not just what to map, but how to write playbooks your team will actually use. If you've ever created SOPs that no one followed or templates that sat unused, episode 203 is going to be for you. One thing though, bring your mapped process from today to next week's episode. 

We'll talk about how you can turn it into a playbook your team will love. Until then, keep building smarter.

That's it for this episode. 

I hope you picked up some valuable insights and maybe even sparked a few new ideas. If you want to keep the conversation going or maybe even explore partnerships, don't hesitate to reach out. And hey, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this with someone who needs to hear it. 

The steps you take today could be the start of something big tomorrow. For The Budding Entrepreneur, I wish you the best in your health, your wealth, your business, your family, everything about you. Take care and we'll see you back here next week.