As the founder of Mirror Group, a data analysis consulting firm for nonprofits and foundations, Dr. Mindelyn Anderson found herself wearing too many hats. After six and a half years building her Washington DC-based evaluation, learning, and strategy consulting firm to eight full-time employees, she was still handling numerous operational tasks that prevented her from focusing on her zone of genius
“I had to realize that I’m not a systems person,” explains Mindelyn, despite being someone who “dreams in spreadsheets” and considers them her “love language.” Her team was delivering exceptional service making data “meaningful, accessible, and actionable” for philanthropic clients, but backend operations were consuming her time and energy.
The Systems Awakening: Finding the Right Framework
The turning point came when Kiva, Mirror Group’s fractional Director of Operations, introduced SYSTEMology after discovering it through her Online Business Manager association.
“When SYSTEMology came out, it was actually one of the book club reads… It just made sense to me more than other things made sense to me in the same space,” she explains. After a strategy intensive that revealed Mindelyn was doing “a whole lot” of operational tasks, they identified 20 key systems that needed documentation to allow these responsibilities to be delegated effectively.
“When I read through the book, it was like, ‘Oh gosh, this is how I felt,'” shares Mindelyn. “I’m not alone in this.” The SYSTEMology approach spoke directly to her challenges in a way that previous systems frameworks hadn’t.
Implementation: Creating a Systems-Driven Culture
Mirror Group’s systems implementation journey included:
- Identifying a natural Systems Champion from within the existing team—someone who “already has the brain of a system” and was “already one to give feedback proactively improve processes”
- Allocating dedicated time (5-10 hours weekly) for the Systems Champion to engage with the framework
- Prioritizing 20 initial systems to document, focusing first on those that would free up Mindelyn’s time and improve team efficiency
- Creating SOPs and videos for critical client flows, administrative tasks, and employee onboarding processes
- Establishing feedback loops that allowed newly onboarded team members to contribute improvements to the documented systems
- Setting up processes to help with vendor selection and onboarding, looking specifically for partners who “speak systems language”
Measurable Impact: Freedom Through Structure
The implementation of systems has transformed Mirror Group’s operations. When onboarding a new finance and accounting vendor, Mindelyn was able to provide clear SOPs and videos for processes like running payroll and managing 401K allocations. “It’s night and day,” she notes, “being able to articulate that clearly, having gone through the SYSTEMology process and having those resources.”
New employee onboarding became smoother and more consistent, with new hires providing valuable feedback that was immediately incorporated into the processes. “The newly onboarded employee would go even smoother,” Mindelyn explains, because their Systems Champion was already implementing that feedback.
Most importantly, Mindelyn gained back valuable time. During an intensive session with Kiva, they quantified the time savings: “When she literally was like, this much of your time will be freed every month, every week—what would you do with that time? It’s just like solidifying the decision we already made.”
Key Lessons for Business Owners
- Start early with systems: “Do this early. I know it seems like a big investment and right now you need to sell and right now you need to deliver, but if you don’t want to continue working really long days and nights…it’s going to lead to so much more freedom for yourself and for your team.”
- Be transparent about your current processes: “Be honest in what you share so that they have a full understanding and they want to literally partner and collaborate with you on building something greater.”
- Focus on mindset readiness: “You have to read the book, see yourself in the pages…there’s a certain mindset you do need to have as a business owner to partner well in implementing this process.”
- Prioritize systems even when they aren’t “sexy”: “Operations is not sexy. It’s not sales. It’s not marketing…but it’s the necessary backbone of your business that if you ignore it, you are limiting yourself in the growth, the impact, the potential that you and your business can have.”
- Build on what works: “How do we work with what you have and make it better? I think that is one of the things that can make this process less scary.”
The journey to systemization is a necessary rite of passage for business owners who dream of building “a profitable enterprise that works without you,” as Kiva emphasizes. For Mirror Group, embracing systems has allowed them to level up and focus on more valuable problems instead of repetitive daily minutiae.
“There’s so much more you can do as a business owner when you’re in your zone of genius, adding value to your business the way that only you uniquely can,” Mindelyn reflects.
Ready to Systemize and Scale Your Consulting Business?
Feeling bogged down by operational chaos in your consulting practice? It’s time to regain control. Discover how SYSTEMology can help you implement streamlined systems and documented processes that free up your time and create room for growth. Visit the Business Systems Accelerator to kickstart your journey toward a more scalable and stress-free business.
