Engineering Calmer Agencies & Consulting Firms: Calm is the New KPI

Coordination Offload System: Ship Projects Without You in the Middle (with Tanya Moushi)

After 11 years, Tanya’s business hums. She's got warm leads, proven offers, talented contractors. And yet… projects that should take two weeks stretch to two months because she’s the translator between client and designer. In this live diagnosis, we map a transition from “Tanya-as-critical-path” to a productized, reliable service with automated coordination, a structured client-feedback loop, and clear handoffs. We also unpack the fear behind delegating client trust - and why productizing increases value rather than commoditizing it.What You’ll LearnHow to design a Coordination Offload System so delivery runs without you in the middleA simple, automated client-feedback flywheel (template email + form + status trigger)Why productizing raises reliability and margin without lowering priceWhere to add a copywriter or coordinator—and where automation beats headcountA tiny, 90-minute action that can save 3–4 hours every month (and unstick cash flow)Connect with TanyaConnect with Tanya on LinkedInCheck out Moushi & Co (00:00) - Introduction: The Bottleneck Dilemma (00:47) - Meet Tanya Moushi: The Expertise Trap (01:39) - Identifying the Bottleneck (04:24) - Strategizing the Transition (08:08) - Implementing Systematic Solutions (40:03) - Conclusion: Creating Reliable Systems Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here

Calm isn't an App: Culture, Autonomy, and the Myth of Productivity (with Kacie Brennell)

Meetings don’t equal management—most of the time, they’re just control theater. Freelance project manager Kacie Brennell joins Susan to unpack how autonomy—not attendance—drives real outcomes. They dig into async accountability, why tools fail without culture shifts, and how perfectionism + codependency quietly sabotage calm. If you’ve ever looked up from a day of calls with a longer to-do list, this one’s for you.What you’ll learnHow to shift from presence-driven management to outcome-driven autonomyThe simple async cadence: owner → outcome → deadline → 3-bullet updateWhy software alone won’t save you (and what culture change must come first)Spotting perfectionism and codependency at work—and what to model insteadHow to use efficiency to create margin (and then actually keep it)Practical scripts for moving “quick calls” into written, visible decisionsConnect with KacieConnect with Kacie on LinkedIn (00:00) - Introduction: The Myth of Meetings (00:55) - Guest Introduction: Kacie Brenell (01:13) - The Importance of Autonomy in Work (03:16) - Challenges and Solutions in Modern Work Culture (05:50) - The Role of Technology and Tools (42:38) - Conclusion: Embracing CALM Management Check out the SOP Swap at ProcessDriven

The Most Human Metric in Operations: Layla Pomper’s Death List KPI

What if your most important KPI wasn’t about revenue, leads, or efficiency—but about people? In this episode, operations strategist Layla Pomper shares the story of her Death List KPI: a surprisingly human metric born out of emergency planning that reshaped her entire approach to resilience.What started as a morbid exercise—writing down who her partner should call if she died—became a powerful reframe. It forced Layla to measure not just internal systems, but the strength of her external relationships. The result? A business that’s not only operationally sound, but relationally resilient.What You’ll LearnWhy a Death List KPI matters more than a perfectly documented SOP.How to structure your own list by category: legal, financial, operational, technical.The role of community as real business infrastructure.Why operators in particular need a stronger “village.”How one metric can cascade into redesigning your business model, marketing, and personal priorities.Learn More About Layla PomperCheck out ProcessDriven on LinkedInCheck out ProcessDriven on YoutubeProcessDriven.co (00:00) - Introduction: The Importance of a Death List (00:38) - Layla Pomper's Realization and Shift (01:43) - Defining the Death List (02:53) - Building a Resilient Business Community (05:08) - Implementing the Death List in Business Operations (35:29) - Conclusion: The Power of Community Check out the SOP Swap at ProcessDriven

The Expertise Trap: When Your Signature Skill Becomes Your Biggest Bottleneck with Jeremy Enns

When your signature skill is the thing clients line up for, it’s easy to accidentally build a beautiful trap. In this live diagnosis, Jeremy Enns, the founder of Podcast Marketing Academy, shares how his rave-review podcast audits started running his weeks (and energy) into the ground. We focus on Business Design and Margin Mindset to keep the magic intact while redesigning delivery so results scale and burnout doesn’t. Think: fewer audits, higher prices, phased delivery, and using your audit as a kickoff to a year-long, calm growth arc.What You’ll LearnWhy splitting “the thinking” across multiple people weakens synthesis - and what to do insteadA calm way to productize deep expertise: shorter delivery, phased implementation, clearer prioritizationHow to reframe audits from one heavy drop to a year-long outcomes programPricing and packaging tweaks that filter for fit and reduce overwhelmUsing “show, don’t tell” proof (full audit shares/teardowns) to communicate outsized valueLearn More About Jeremy EnnsConnect with Jeremy on LinkedInJeremy’s site: podcastmarketingacademy.comFree Podcast Marketing Audit: podcastmarketingacademy.com/auditNewsletter — Scrappy Podcasting: podcastmarketingacademy.com/scrappy-podcasting-newsletter (00:00) - Introduction: The Dream and the Trap (00:56) - Case Study: Jeremy's Podcast Audit Process (05:53) - Challenges and Solutions: Scaling Expertise (23:50) - Communicating Unique Value (27:55) - Structuring Value Delivery (35:09) - Optimizing Business Design Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here

Frameworks as a System: Scale Your Ideas Without Reinventing the Wheel

If you've been sharing the same ideas for years but still feel like you're reinventing the wheel every time you explain them, this episode is for you. Susan sits down with Melanie Deziel, creator of the IRON Framework, to explore how to transform raw, unstructured ideas into scalable, repeatable frameworks. Go behind the scenes of the Calmer Framework’s evolution, explore why naming comes last, and show how frameworks can become the backbone of your services, content, and operations. Whether you’re trying to clarify your IP or reduce your mental load, this episode will help you treat your ideas like infrastructure.What You’ll Learn:Why lack of structure - not lack of clarity - is holding your IP backThe four components of Mel’s IRON Framework for turning ideas into frameworksHow systematizing your thinking creates business leverage and marginThe difference between creativity and reinventionWhy framework development is more collaborative than you thinkLearn More About Melanie Deziel: Melanie Deziel is a keynote speaker, author of The Content Fuel Framework, and the founder of StoryFuel. She helps entrepreneurs and organizations transform their ideas into scalable content and IP.Website: https://www.melaniedeziel.comFramework Development Cheat SheetLinkedIn: Melanie DezielLearn More About Susan Boles + Beyond Margins:Website: https://www.beyondmargins.comLinkedin: Susan Boles (00:00) - Introduction: The Problem with Unstructured Ideas (01:19) - Frameworks as a System (02:29) - The Importance of Consistent Messaging (20:36) - The Evolution of Frameworks (24:33) - Collaborative Framework Development (31:13) - Implementing and Scaling Frameworks Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here