Situation
Our client’s day was packed with tasks, habits, and reporting processes that had accumulated over the years. While these responsibilities were perceived as important to running the business, they left little time or mental bandwidth for the truly important work — thinking strategically, developing new ideas, and focusing on growth. The to-do list had become a barrier. Our first step was to get clarity on everything filling their day so we could find a better way forward.
Solution
We introduced one of our favorite mantras: Eliminate, Automate, Delegate.
We began with Eliminate, combing through the daily responsibilities with the goal of identifying tasks that added little value or were simply no longer necessary. As with many of our clients, several of these tasks had originated in response to issues from years past but had continued out of habit. One example was a daily financial report that took 15 minutes to pull and review each morning. When we asked about its purpose, it traced back to a problem that hadn’t occurred in years. The task remained only because “we’ve always done it.” We identified two or three of these routine time-sucks and eliminated them from the daily and weekly workflow.
Next came Automate. We quickly pinpointed two weekly reports and a daily process that were prime candidates for automation. Using Zapier scripts, we set up systems that not only saved time but also reduced the risk of human error that occasionally cropped up. These automations brought consistency and accuracy, freeing up even more time.
Finally, we focused on Delegate. Our client had long subscribed to the belief that “if you want something done right, do it yourself.” We challenged that mindset by identifying key weekly and monthly responsibilities that could and should be handled by team members. We helped document the purpose and process for each, then facilitated the handoff and training. We also checked in with those taking over the tasks, ensuring they were confident, capable, and delivering. This gave the leader peace of mind and the freedom to focus on what only they could do.
Outcome
Together, these shifts freed up 6–8 hours per week for the business leader — time that was quickly reinvested into working on the business rather than in it. One of the most meaningful changes was the ripple effect: the client led their managers through the same Eliminate, Automate, Delegate process, and those managers did the same with their teams. The result was a more efficient, more empowered, and more future-focused organization — all because the leader finally had time for the right stuff.
The organization estimated they saved 5,500 hours in the first calendar year by implementing this simple process, which equated to $412,500.
