Yes, Even Your Tiny Idea / Lean Startup / Saturday Trip to HomeGoods Needs an Operational Mindset

Your work will get bigger! That’s the point, right? You’re building something because you want it to grow. And when it does, the difference between scaling smoothly and spiraling into chaos comes down to one thing: operations.

If you’ve ever joined a company where ops and systems were an afterthought, you know how painful it is. Those first weeks — when you should be focused on getting your bearings and diving into meaningful work — are instead wasted wading through mystery Google Docs, searching old email threads, and asking five different people for the same login. It’s like being sent to poke around in someone else’s attic for an item you’ve never even seen before: demoralizing, time-sucking, and confounding.

Founders and creatives are brilliant at dreaming up ideas and making them real (awe-inspiring for chronic over-thinkers, hi). But documentation, process, system design — these don’t always feel urgent next to the rush of a new idea. I once had a founder tell me with a straight face that their small business didn’t need anyone working on or overseeing their operations. As if the place would just run itself on charm, vibes, and that initial momentum? Babe, no. Even a two-person team — even roommates — need an operational mindset. Otherwise you’re not running a business. You’re just winging it.

Here’s the truth: what makes your vision possible in the long run is the boring stuff! Documenting, organizing, building processes.

The good news? Setting all of this up can be easy! Especially if you start early. Lightweight, beginner-friendly tools exist (many are free at the single-seat level), and even the most basic systems can save you — and your future hires — hours of frustration later. A little effort now is an investment in making everything easier when the growth you’re working toward inevitably arrives.