Create a Custom Business System to Stay Organized

Everything in a business system starts with organization. 

File organization, to be exact.

Efficiently organizing your business is the building block for streamlined, well-working systems. 

And systems save you time, energy, and even money. 

For example, when delegating or hiring, you don't have to waste time answering commonly asked questions. You also don’t have to waste time searching for files. Your business has more potential for growth - which means more sales. 

Well-organized files create efficient systems that allow you to stop working 24-7 or shorten your workday. 

Put simply, you can run your business instead of your business running you.

In this article, we’re talking about:

1. How to organize your business files
2. What systems are (quick definitions)
3. Business organization systems 101
4. Types of organization and storage processes that should be happening in any system (with examples)
5. My Organize the Chaos Workshop if you want guidance as you get started organizing your files

What’s a Business System?

If you’ve been hanging around me long enough, you know that I can’t stop talking about systems. 

My experience, and that of the women I’ve worked with, has shown me that having good systems solves multiple problems.  #worklifebalance

At the same time, our business grows. We have time and energy to travel, rest, or spend quality time with loved ones. 

Definitions of a System:

• According to Forbes, a system is a documented or routine procedure to accomplish business goals. 
• I believe it’s a pathway that makes your time more efficient and nurtures a higher quality of life. 

Here’s more about creating a business system.

There are even self-care and stress relief systems for busy entrepreneurs (yes, that’s a thing).

A Strategy for a Custom Storage and Organization System

A Place for Everything and Everything in Its Place. 

Not to go all Mary Poppins on you, but it’s basically like that.

However, the approach here is streamlined and efficient, making it easier to manage a “big, scary organization project.”  

It works like this:

• Store files on the platforms you use most
• Maximize a platform’s storage by importing similar files from elsewhere
• Create a master organization “hub” by using a user-friendly database platform. You can store, organize, and link to anything from the hub. 

Store and Organize in the Platforms You Use Most

Your system is the range of platforms, apps, or tools you use to create, store, or organize business files and data. 

Since you probably have hundreds or thousands of files scattered in multiple places, this is about strategically identifying your most used platforms and organizing files within them. 

Don’t get me wrong - you can use any platform you want! The basic principle is to maximize a select handful of platforms to simplify and streamline. 

Say you use Canva as much as I do to create visual files. Not only do I make them in Canva, but I can also store and organize them there. 

That’s not all, though. 

I can store and organize brand assets like headers, logos, headshots, and palettes. I can store branded templates like slideshows, blog graphics, videos, and workbooks.

Centralizing File Organization by Creating a Master “Hub”

You can coordinate Canva files with files from other platforms. This consolidates and keeps everything in one place.

I’ve organized workflows and many “moving parts” of my business in (the free) Airtable.

Examples of my moving parts are:

• Blogs (everything to do with them)
• Products and services in a table that links to files  internally or externally
• ALL the links . . . like, from everywhere
• Marketing research
• Email campaigns, newsletters, funnels
• Ideas, notes, planning

Because I’m able to keep all of these things organized in one place, my productivity has increased immensely. So has my peace of mind.

Systems that Need Organizing

We’ve discussed identifying the best places to store and organize your files. 

Now, let’s cover examples of broader systems in your business that need organizing.

• General Organization/Storing System (HUB)
• Research Systems
• Long Form Content Systems
• Products and Services Systems
• Social Media Marketing Systems
• Email Marketing Systems
• Website Systems
• Community Building Systems
• Bookkeeping Systems
• ETC.

Certain types of storing and organizing should be happening in each system. 

In the earlier example, I discussed files you could store and organize in Canva. I also described using Canva to store visual media you’ve stored in other places. Doing this would make Canva your “go-to” for most (if not all!) of your visual media. It’s the visual media “spoke” to your central hub.

Since you’ll have a few “spokes,” you’ll need to organize them differently. 

You’ll need to look for patterns in using them and what files are there. For example, maybe you like to store your YouTube files in YouTube - not in Canva. But everything else is in Canva. This would affect how you choose to organize in Canva. 

The main priority in any platform is organizing a system’s files to complement your needs and workflows. 

The basic takeaway is to look at the platforms in terms of the “systems” you use most. 

30 Minutes to Start Organizing Your Business

The Organize the Chaos Workshop can help you start to organize your business. 

The 30-minute workshop goes deeper into the strategy laid out here. It covers mindsets and key frameworks like habits and time management (Exactly when will you chip away at organizing?)

If you want to organize a business system, you gotta organize that system’s files. 

Learn about or get the Workshop.