Drinking Champagne on a Beer Budget

Author

Jon Matzner
October 01, 2023

One question that keeps popping up in my interactions with business owners is,

"Why bother with all this rigmarole (systems, processes, tech, etc)?

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I’m busy enough, and I don’t need more shit to do…

Why not just hire someone who knows what the hell they're doing?" they say.

“Who not How!” they say.

Well, sit down.

We need to have a chat.

It's a fair question.

After all, the alternative to the rigmarole seems simple: hire skilled, experienced professionals and let them work their magic.

It's tempting to think,

"If I hire a super experienced executive assistant, why would I need to invest in training, software, or processes?"

If you have got that skrilla, by all means, go ahead and pay for high-cost talent (DO you have any idea what an experienced assistant costs in southern California?!?)

But let's face it—most of us aren't operating with an unlimited budget.

And that's where systems come into play - and that’s the WHOLE POINT.

Systems: Your Bridge to Affordability

I’m not a venture cap guy - and so I’ve never had enough money.

Ever.

As a result, I’ve had to figure out how to get champagne outputs, on a beer budget.

There might be a day when I don’t have to do this, but probably not.

How do I do this?

SYSTEMS.

A simple example:

Option 1: 

Hire a $120,000 a year executive assistant + benefits.

Saves me time with minimal instruction or input.

Proactive.

Quits after 9 months, because they really want to be an Instagrammer.

Great idea - BUT WHO HAS THAT MUCH MONEY TO SPEND ON THIS?

Not me.

Option 2: 

Set up systems that allow you to hire an assistant at a tenth of that $140,000.

That's $14,000 for similar—if not identical—outputs. That’s the idea of One Click Assistant - and the idea of my whole SMB philosophy.

Systems and processes serve as the bridge between costly, high-end labor and budget-friendly, global talent.

Systems enable you to keep your costs under control WHILE maintaining a level of quality.

It's Not Just About Costs

"But aren't you compromising on quality?" you might ask.

The answer is a resounding "No."

A well-crafted system or process isn't about cutting corners; it's about predictably generating an “output” - regardless of the skill level of the individual within the company.

When you invest in training, in software for accountability, and in processes that streamline tasks, you're setting up a structure that anyone can step into and be effective.

The Essence of the Entire Business

If your strategy aligns with mine—focused on lean spending without compromising quality—systems are non-negotiable.

They are the glue that holds the business together, creating an environment where high-quality work can be produced consistently, regardless of who's pressing the buttons.

The SYSTEM rules all.

There are all sorts of additional downstream additional benefits (flexibility, scalability) - but it is super important to emphasize - if you have a pile of money to spend on talent, you don’t need to do any of this.

Yallah Habibi,

Jon

Ways I Can Help You:

Vivaldi: Awesome Twitter content in 90 minutes a month, for $1,000 (Just opened waitlist - will close soon)

One Click Assistant: Operating System for How to Use a Remote Assistant Well

Passage of the Week:

Colin Powell’s 13 Rules for Leadership:

1.     It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning. This rule reflects an attitude and not a prediction. I have always tried to keep my confidence and optimism up, no matter how difficult the situation. Things will get better. You will make them better.

2.    Get mad, then get over it. I’ve worked hard over the years to make sure that when I get mad, I get over it quickly and never lose control of myself.

3.    Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it. Accept that your position was faulty, not your ego. Loyalty is disagreeing strongly, and loyalty is executing faithfully.

4.    It can be done! Don’t surround yourself with instant skeptics. At the same time, don’t shut out skeptics and colleagues who give you solid counterviews.

5.    Be careful what you choose. You may get it. Don’t rush into things.

6.    Don't let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision. Superior leadership is often a matter of superb instinct. Often, the factual analysis alone will indicate the right choice. More often, your judgment will be needed to select from the best courses of action.

7.    You can't make someone else's choices. You shouldn't let someone else make yours. Since ultimate responsibility is yours, make sure the choice is yours and you are not responding to the pressure and desire of others.

8.    Check small things. Success ultimately rests on small things, lots of small things. Leaders have to have a feel for small things—a feel for what is going on in the depths of an organization where small things reside. The followers, the troops, live in a world of small things. Leaders must find ways, formal and informal, to get visibility into that world.

9.    Share credit. People need recognition and a sense of worth as much as they need food and water. Share the credit, take the blame, and quietly find out and fix things that went wrong. Whenever you place the cause of one of your actions outside yourself, it’s an excuse and not a reason.

10. Remain calm. Be kind. In the “heat of the battle”—whether military or corporate—kindness, like calmness, reassures followers and holds their confidence. Kindness connects you with other human beings in a bond of mutual respect. If you care for your followers and show them kindness, they will recognize and care for you.

11.  Have a vision. Be demanding. Purpose is the destination of a vision. It energizes that vision, gives it force and drive. It should be positive and powerful and serve the better angels of an organization.

12. Don't take counsel of your fears or naysayers. Fear is a normal human emotion. It is not in itself a killer. We can learn to be aware when fear grips us and can train to operate through and in spite of our fear. If, on the other hand, we don’t understand that fear is normal and has to be controlled and overcome, it will paralyze us and stop us in our tracks. We will no longer think clearly or analyze rationally. We prepare for it and control it; we never let it control us. If it does, we cannot lead.

13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. Perpetual optimism, believing in yourself, believing in your purpose, believing you will prevail, and demonstrating passion and confidence is a force multiplier. If you believe and have prepared your followers, the followers will believe.

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