How to Design a Business That Actually Runs

Business thinking about technology decisions. Before building anything, figure out what you actually need and whether building is even the right answer.

Where to Start

Different situations call for different starting points.

Something feels broken, but I'm not sure what

Start with When Spreadsheets Break to identify the warning signs that your current tools have become a liability.

Data is scattered and nobody trusts the numbers

Start with Single Source of Truth to understand what it costs when the same data lives in five places.

Growth is creating chaos instead of success

Start with Scaling Without Chaos to understand why hiring more people to manage the mess just adds to the mess.

Weighing custom software against off-the-shelf

Start with Build vs Buy for a framework to think through the trade-offs.

All Strategy Topics

The thinking that comes before building. Each guide tackles a specific decision or diagnostic, with enough depth to inform your next conversation.

Diagnosing the Problem

Start here when something feels wrong but the solution is not obvious.

When Spreadsheets Break

The warning signs that your current tools have become a liability.

Single Source of Truth

What it costs when the same data lives in five places.

Scaling Without Chaos

Why growth multiplies the mess until you fix the underlying systems.

Evaluating Options

Once you know something needs to change, these guides help you think through the trade-offs.

Build vs Buy

A framework for deciding between custom software and off-the-shelf tools.

Own vs Rent

SaaS convenience vs ownership control. When each makes sense.

Digital Sovereignty

Platform dependency as business risk. Why core operations need controlled infrastructure.

Vertical Integration

Five SaaS tools connected by Zapier means five points of failure.

Strategic Readiness Assessment

Evaluate your current position across core strategy areas. Select the statement that best describes your situation in each category.

Where Does Your Business Stand?

Data & System Ownership Select one

Our data is scattered across SaaS tools we don't control

We export data periodically but have no central system

We have a central database but still rely on external tools

We own our core operational data and can switch tools freely

Tooling & Workflows Select one

We run everything on spreadsheets and email

We use off-the-shelf tools that don't quite fit our processes

We've customised some tools but still work around limitations

Our tools are purpose-built to match how we actually work

Single Source of Truth Select one

We have multiple versions of key data with frequent conflicts

One person is responsible for keeping data in sync manually

Most data lives in one place but some processes are separate

All operational data flows from a single authoritative source

Scaling Readiness Select one

More work means more stress—we can't grow without burning out

Growth requires hiring more people for the same tasks

Some processes scale well, others still need manual effort

Our systems handle increased volume without proportional effort

Operational Visibility Select one

We don't know project status without asking someone

Status updates require checking multiple places

We have dashboards but they require manual updates

Real-time dashboards show exactly where everything stands

Score

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Complete the assessment

Related Sections

Strategy connects to the operational and technical work that follows.

Systems: The operational processes software supports. The "what we build" to Strategy's "why and when."
Development: Technical implementation. How we actually build the software.
Design: Dashboards, interfaces, and making business information visible.

Think it through together

Thirty minutes to talk through your situation. No pitch, just clarity about what might help.

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Development

Systems