Single Source of Truth
Design business and key processes to have one place information lives. Multiple, conflicting data sources waste time and create errors. Frustration results. We have to know what is true to trust it.

Begin with the End in Mind
Begining with the end in mind sets a clear target. Know what your target is. Stay focused on it. Only then can you hit a bullseye. A defined outcome focuses our effort and prevents drift.

It also prevents ‘scope creep’. Ask: is this what the agreement (contract, spec) called for. If not, kick it out! When options appear, ask if they move closer to the goal. If not, discard them. This keeps workflows lean and focused.

It also enables review. Compare the result to the initial target. Adjust inputs as needed. The cycle repeats, endlessly.

Rule-Based Automation + Triggers
Believe it or not, documenting how you do business is often one of the most difficult stages. Why do I say that? Because most small businesses have very little written down and documented. Everything lives in the head. The countless rules that govern your business are second nature — to you! Our challenge is to pry them out of y. Then we combine them into rules a computer can follow. Rule-based automation allows ut to handle the known. AI handles the unknown, the dynamic and unpredictable.

Attention is Scarce
Time and focus are the most limited resources in business. Processes and tools must be designed to protect attention, not consume it.

If Something is Free, You Are the Product
“Free” software usually monetizes your data or attention. Always calculate the real cost before embedding it into your operations.

Humans Stay Essential
Automation does not remove humans. It frees people from tedious tasks so they can apply judgment, empathy, and creativity where machines cannot.

APIs Over Manual Workarounds
If two tools cannot connect directly, the first question is: is there an API (Application Programming Interface)? Workarounds are temporary, APIs are durable.

Measure ROI, Not Activity
It is not about how many automations or integrations exist. It is about the return on investment (ROI) they create in time, money, and reduced risk.

Default to Simplicity
Complexity compounds quickly. The simplest process that works is the right one until scale demands more.

Document Once, Share Everywhere
Every decision, workflow, and rule should be documented once and reused across the organization. This reinforces the single source of truth principle.

Automate the Core, Manage the Edtes
Repetitive, high-volume processes should be automated. Exceptions to the rule, challenging customer moments, employee decisions, and leadership direction must stay human. We don’t believe in automating out our humanity.

Security is Not Optional
Small businesses are often the weakest link in the IT chain. Security practices—encryption, access controls, backups—must be built into every automation and integration.

Bias Toward Integration
Adding a new tool without integration creates silos.** . Favor systems that connect, share data, and scale with the business.

Decisions Before Tools
Tools should follow clear business decisions, not precede them. The question is “What outcome do we need?” not “What can this app do?”

Future-Proof with Flexibility
No system lasts forever. Build workflows with modularity so that a tool can be swapped without breaking the entire business process.

Continuous Improvement, Not One-Time Projects
Automation and integration are not “done.” They require iteration, measurement, and constant adjustment to stay valuable.

** Be on the watch for ‘silos’

In business management, “silos” means groups, departments, or systems that operate in isolation.

• Information silo: Data is stored in one place and not shared across the organization.
• Functional silo: Teams focus only on their own goals, with little coordination across departments.
• Cultural silo: A mindset where employees protect their own territory instead of collaborating.

The problem: silos block communication, duplicate work, slow decisions, and cause inconsistent customer or employee experiences. The opposite of silos is integration—shared systems, open communication, and cross-functional collaboration.

I don’t spend an awful lot of time trying to turn it into an artistic production, and it shows. But my focus and my goal is to provide content that can be of value to small business owners and managers. I could spend a lot of time trying to make a website pretty, but that’s not my goal. My goal is to provide the viewing public information of significant value, and I use AI to generate some of the content. And again, I make no apology for that. I could spend hours writing what AI can produce in seconds, but I give it the input and the guidance, and I spend significant amounts of time revising and editing. Again, it’s a goal to provide value to the consumer, not to provide accolades for myself.