A Real-Life Shift: What Changed When One Client Got Operational Support
I’ve worked with a lot of women who are brilliant at what they do: coaches, consultants, and creatives building businesses that are making money and making impact. But behind the scenes? It’s a completely different story.
They’re holding everything together. Not because they want to, but because there isn’t enough structure in place for anyone else to step in. And that’s where things start to feel hard, fast.
Let me tell you about one of those women. For the sake of privacy, we’ll call her “S.”
When S Came to Me
S’s business was growing steadily. She had a waitlist, a supportive audience, and a small but mighty team. From the outside, everything looked great.
But behind the scenes? She was:
- Reviewing every single deliverable
- Managing all internal communication
- Tracking client progress in her head
- Juggling a mix of Google Docs, emails, and notes on her phone
And she was TIRED. Not because she wasn’t capable, but because her business had outgrown her ability to run it solo.
What She Thought She Needed
S originally reached out saying she wanted “just a little support”. Someone to help her stay on top of things and make sure deadlines weren’t slipping through the cracks.
What she actually needed was someone to step into the operations with her. To look at what was happening, what wasn’t, and how her business could run more smoothly with less of her being involved in every step.
That’s exactly what we did together.
The Process We Followed
Here’s how we broke things down:
Step 1: Audit and Observe
We started with a full walk-through of her current systems (or lack thereof). I paid close attention to where her time was going, what tools she was using, and which processes felt overly manual.
Within the first two weeks, I saw the patterns:
- Everything required her approval
- Her team wasn’t clear on priorities
- There were no set systems for recurring work
She didn’t need more hours in the day…she needed systems to help her team help her.
Step 2: Clean Up and Centralize
We chose ClickUp as her central hub. I built out:
- A shared client delivery pipeline
- Recurring tasks with clear timelines
- SOPs for everything she was doing more than once
- Visibility dashboards so she could see progress at a glance
I also set up client communication templates, automated parts of her onboarding, and created a weekly workflow her team could follow without asking her 10 questions.
Step 3: Step Back and Let It Run
Once everything was built, I managed the day-to-day for her. She focused on clients, visibility, and content…what she actually wanted to be doing.
Her feedback after two months?
“I feel like I can finally think again. I don’t wake up already behind.”
That’s what operational support is supposed to do. Not just take tasks off your plate—but make space for your brain to breathe.
What Changed (Without Hiring More People)
Here’s what shifted for S:
- Before: Constantly approving client work
After: Team follows a documented process with checkpoints built in - Before: “I’ll just do it, it’s quicker”
After: Clear delegation and hand-off points - Before: Scattered systems and confusion
After: Everything lives in ClickUp with templates and timelines - Before: Resentment and decision fatigue
After: Time for strategy, reflection, and rest
She didn’t hire a new VA. She didn’t add another project manager. She brought in one person (me) to build systems that supported her growth.
Why This Matters
When things are running behind the scenes, you show up differently. You lead differently. You finally have the breathing room to make decisions from alignment, not panic.
You shouldn’t have to hustle harder just to maintain what you’ve already built. There’s a better way. And you don’t have to do it alone.
→ My OBM retainer gives you real operational support—not just task help. If your business is growing and you’re craving more structure and sanity, let’s talk. Learn more about the retainer here.
