Escaping Overwhelm: Systems for Service Business Mums
- (Admin) The Thrivology Company
- May 28, 2024
- 9 min read
Escaping the Overwhelm: Carlene Nisbett's Practical Blueprint for Simple, Sanity-Saving Systems in Your Service Business (Especially for Busy Mums!)
Alright lovely, let’s have a real heart-to-heart, shall we? If you’re a female entrepreneur running a service-based business, especially if you’re juggling that with the beautiful, brilliant chaos of motherhood, chances are you know the feeling of overwhelm intimately. It’s that sensation of being pulled in a million directions at once, where your to-do list seems to breed overnight, & the thought of adding one more thing feels like it might just tip you over the edge. Sound familiar? Thought so!
As a CEO, a PhD researcher, & a mum to four amazing (and very energetic!) children – not to mention our two lively Miniature Pinschers, Cappuccino & Espresso, who add their own unique spice to the mix – I get it. I live it. I’ve seen so many incredible women, brimming with talent & passion, get bogged down not by a lack of skill, but by a lack of simple, supportive structures in their business. They’re drowning in the day-to-day, with no headspace left to think strategically, let alone breathe.
But here’s what I’ve learned, through my own rollercoaster journey from corporate life at places like Apple to building Femmeprenista, & through guiding countless entrepreneurs: the secret to escaping that overwhelm & building true, sustainable momentum isn’t found in complicated, enterprise-level systems that require a degree in astrophysics to manage. Oh no. It’s in embracing radically simple, repeatable systems. It's about taking ownership of your operational efficiency, one practical step at a time. & that’s exactly what we’re going to explore – a blueprint for sanity, simplicity, & serious progress.
Ditch the Drama: Why Simple Systems Are Your Superpower
I remember early in my entrepreneurial journey, long before the current Femmeprenista structure, I fell into the trap of thinking that "more complex" somehow equalled "more professional." I recall spending weeks trying to implement an all-singing, all-dancing CRM system that a consultant swore would revolutionise my (then much smaller) business. The reality? It was so convoluted that just figuring out how to log a new contact felt like a monumental task. Instead of saving me time, it became a source of procrastination & frankly, a bit of a daily dread. My brain, already juggling a young family & business building, just couldn’t cope with the cognitive load. I was trying to schedule out my social media on Hootsuite, but it felt like another job!
That experience, & many like it (both my own & those of women I’ve coached), solidified a core belief for me: complicated systems are the enemy of consistency, especially when life is full. When a system is clunky or difficult to use, we avoid it. And when we avoid our systems, tasks pile up, opportunities slip through the cracks, & that familiar feeling of overwhelm comes crashing back in.
The truth is, as a busy CEO & mother, simple, lean systems are the bedrock of a sustainable and scalable service business. They allow for consistency even when you’re navigating school holidays (all 12-13 weeks of them!), unexpected sick days, or, in my current case, the delightful unpredictability that comes with a new baby & a toddler while also pursuing a PhD. Just last month, I spent a whole day trying to automate my social media, only to realise I was overcomplicating it – that was not a fun day. Now I schedule those out to make time for my toddler. Simple systems aren't a compromise; they’re a strategic advantage. They free up your precious mental energy, allowing you to focus on what you do best: serving your clients & growing your business. Honestly, I feel it comes down to being able to create a business that truly supports your life, a principle we deeply value here at Femmeprenista Female Entrepreneur Support.
I’ll be honest, even I slip up! Just last week, I was so focused on prepping for a PhD supervision meeting that I completely forgot to send out invoices – then I was wondering why things felt tight that week! But catching myself, I quickly course-corrected. It’s about the awareness and the swift action, not about aiming for impossible perfection.
What I want you to remember as we explore this topic is that taking the time to simplify your business operations is not just about streamlining tasks, it's also an act of prioritising your own wellbeing & strategically focusing on tasks that free up time for more strategic thinking.
Finding Your Focus: Pinpoint Your 2-3 Core Operational Pillars
So, where do you start with creating these sanity-saving systems? Instead of trying to systemise everything at once (hello again, overwhelm!), I want you to pinpoint just 2-3 critical operational pillars in your service business. These are the absolute non-negotiables, the workflows that, if streamlined, would make the biggest positive impact on your efficiency & peace of mind.
Think about the typical journey of your client or the core rhythm of your service delivery. For most service-based entrepreneurs, these pillars often include:
Client Inquiry & Onboarding: How do potential clients find you, inquire, get their questions answered, & what’s the process for welcoming them once they say ‘yes’? This might involve initial contact forms, discovery calls, proposal sending, contract signing, & initial payment.
Service Delivery & Communication: How do you actually deliver your amazing service? What are the key touchpoints, communication methods, & processes involved in doing what you do best for your clients? This could be scheduling sessions, sharing resources, progress check-ins, & managing client files.
Follow-Up & Offboarding (including Testimonials): What happens when a project or service period ends? How do you gather feedback, request testimonials, & potentially nurture them towards future work or referrals?
I recently worked with a brilliant entrepreneur, let’s call her Sarah. She’s an incredible graphic designer, but she was completely swamped. Every new inquiry felt like reinventing the wheel. We sat down, & she realised her biggest bottleneck was the initial inquiry & onboarding. Sarah, an entrepreneur in the early stages of building a foundation for her business, had her client conversion rate increase by 15% after implementing the changes. We mapped out a super-simple workflow: a clear contact form on her website feeding into a templated email response with her service guide & a link to book a discovery call. For onboarding, we created a checklist & a welcome pack template. Just streamlining that one pillar gave her back 5 hours each week & made her feel infinitely more in control.
Take a moment now: what are the 2-3 core processes that keep your service business running? Don’t overthink it. Simplicity is key.
Make Tech Your Friend: Simple Tools for Smart Automation (Hello, Fusion!)
Now, I know the word "tech" can sometimes bring on a cold sweat. Many of us didn’t start our businesses to become IT experts! But here’s the good news: you don’t need to. The goal is to leverage accessible, user-friendly technology to automate & simplify these core processes you've identified. We're talking about tools that work for you, not tools that become another job to manage.
Think about tools for:
• Scheduling:Online schedulers (like Calendly or Acuity) can eliminate the endless back-and-forth emails trying to find a meeting time. If you want to take this even further, consider integrating Acuity & Google Calendar so that any new meetings get automatically added to all your accounts.
• Client Communication:Simple project management tools (like Trello or Asana, even a shared Google Doc for some!) can keep client communication & deliverables organised. Use Google Docs to keep all information shared with the client so that both parties can check back to the same information during communication!
• Invoicing & Payments:Tools like Stripe, PayPal, or accounting software with invoicing features can automate payment collection. It can be useful to integrate these tools so that invoices are automatically sent upon booking, increasing both efficiency & customer communication.
• Email Management:Using email templates for common responses, or even simple email marketing platforms for newsletters & follow-ups. Consider integrating templates into your booking process to further streamline your customer communication.
& this is where we can start to introduce the concept of what we at Femmeprenista call 'Fusion' – the strategic & practical integration of AI. Don't panic! I’m not talking about needing to understand complex algorithms. I’m talking about how even simple AI tools can become your virtual assistant, helping with tasks like:
• Drafting initial email responses: AI can help you craft polite, professional replies to common inquiries.
• Summarising meeting notes: Some tools can help you quickly get the key takeaways from a recorded call.
• Repurposing content: AI can assist in turning a blog post into social media snippets or vice versa.
For instance, when my youngest was just a tiny baby, & I was deep in PhD research alongside running the business, finding time for anything extra was a real challenge. My partner, who’s actually doing his PhD in generative AI, showed me some incredibly simple AI tools that could help draft initial social media post ideas based on a blog I’d written. It wasn't about replacing my voice, but about giving me a starting point when my brain felt fried. That’s the essence of working smarter, not just harder – using tech to reclaim precious time & mental energy. These principles of creating efficient systems & strategically using AI are core to how we help entrepreneurs achieve real momentum, as outlined in our Business Flourish Framework.
Systems as Self-Care: Creating Space to Breathe & Grow
This might sound a bit unconventional, but I truly believe that implementing simple, effective systems is an profound act of self-care. Think about it: when your operations are clunky & chaotic, you bear the brunt of that chaos. It eats into your time, your energy, & your ability to be present – both in your business & with your family. I know that feeling of trying to be fully engaged with my toddler daughter while half my brain is still wrestling with an invoicing issue. It’s exhausting.
When you create streamlined workflows, you’re essentially giving yourself the gift of mental space.
• You reduce decision fatigue because the "how" of many tasks is already defined.
• You minimise stress because you’re not constantly firefighting or worrying about things falling through the cracks.
• You create pockets of time to actually think strategically about your business, rather than just reacting to its immediate demands.
• You build a foundation that allows your business to achieve true, sustainable momentum & a sense of operational flow, where things just work more smoothly.
This isn’t just about business efficiency; it’s about prioritising your well-being, ensuring your business energises rather than drains you. It’s about creating the capacity to show up as the best version of yourself – as a CEO, as a mother, as a partner, as you. It’s about transforming that feeling of being constantly reactive into one of calm, confident control. Honestly, for me, systemising your work is simply self-care for Female Entrepreneurs.
Ditch Perfection, Embrace Progress: Your First Small Step to System Sanity
If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by the idea of implementing even simple systems, take a deep breath. The most important thing is to start small & embrace an iterative approach. This isn't about overhauling your entire business overnight or aiming for some mythical "perfect" setup that doesn't actually exist.
Remember, this journey is about taking ownership & making consistent, smart progress. It’s about focusing your energy on what will make the biggest difference right now.
So, what’s one small, actionable step you can take today? Here’s a checklist to get you started:
Choose ONE pillar: From the 2-3 core processes you identified earlier, pick just one to focus on first. Maybe it’s your client onboarding, or how you manage inquiries.
Map it out (simply!): Grab a piece of paper or open a new document. What are the essential steps involved in that one process right now? Don't get bogged down in tiny details.
Identify ONE pain point: Where does this process feel clunky, stressful, or time-consuming?
Brainstorm ONE simple improvement: Could a template, a checklist, or a simple tech tool make that one pain point a little easier?
That’s it. Your first step. It might feel tiny, but small, consistent actions are what build incredible momentum. It’s far better to implement one imperfect system that you actually use, than to dream of a perfect, all-encompassing system that never sees the light of day.
Escaping the overwhelm in your service business is absolutely possible, lovely. It starts with a commitment to simplicity, a focus on what truly matters, & the courage to take that first small step. You have the power to create a business that not only thrives financially but also supports your sanity & allows you to be fully present in your life.
Carlene Nisbett
Founder & CEO, Femmeprenista (Coach, Mentor, Speaker)
Wife, Mother of four, Business Owner, PhD Researcher, Pet mom, Plant mom, 5'0" tall Passionate Multitasker & Wine Lover, You get the drift
P.S. This workbook is just the beginning!
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We'd love to welcome you!
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