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#12 - Systemizing Success: Sara Loretta on Tech Optimization & Workflow Mastery
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#12 - Systemizing Success: Sara Loretta on Tech Optimization & Workflow Mastery
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Speaker
Blaine
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Speaker
Ramon Berrios
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Speaker
Sara Loretta
Sara Loretta, a tech optimization expert and certified Notion consultant, reveals how businesses can transform through systemized workflows and culture development. This episode uncovers her journey from nonprofit tech to freelance mastery, detailing how she helps companies scale efficiently by reengineering tech stacks, enhancing culture, and streamlining operations.
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“We take you behind the wheel with the world's best creators, marketers, and professionals who have cracked the code on how to profit through content.”
“She was also the 10th US notion consultant, so she's been doing the workflow thing for a while, and I think it's something that's not talked about enough in terms of processes for creators, agencies, et cetera.”
“By the time I left, we had just everything automated and systemized, and we went from owing the city almost 100 grand a year because reporting was wrong to being one of the top performing organizations in the city because of the work that I did.”
“everyone's replaceable, and it just is what it is when we are building businesses or building products, yes, we are emotionally attached to that. But at the end of the day, if you want to take a sabbatical, if you up and decide one day, hey, I'm done, I don't want to work here anymore, the company's still going to move forward and we have to build businesses with that in mind. A lot of people just don't do that.”
“But VAs are still valuable. So what's the perfect setup? I guess between setting up a workflow that's complemented, where do vas add value? Where do tools add value?”
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What's going on? Uploading today I'm very excited for this episode to dive into all things workflow with Sarah Loretta from systems, and I've had the chance to meet Sarah. When I met her, she was showing me tools left and right, and she's just a tool adopter and implementer master. So we're going to have a lot to talk about. She was also the 10th US notion consultant, so she's been doing the workflow thing for a while, and I think it's something that's not talked about enough in terms of processes for creators, agencies, et cetera. So Sarah, I'll kick it over to you. Tell us a little bit more about your specific mastery and what it is that you're up to today with systems.
Yeah, just to talk to your point really quickly for those listening, Ramon and I got together over breakfast. What was it, like two or three weeks ago? And I just kept opening my laptop. Look at this tool, look at this tool. And I left our breakfast and I was like, oh my God. He probably thinks that I am just the most overwhelmed because I'm so tech obsessed. I've always been that person. So a little bit about my journey. I think it's interesting when we look at our careers, especially as entrepreneurs and founders, most of the time, things come full circle.
So I actually was in the nonprofit space for almost ten years and doing business development and compliance. I built my first ever database in Microsoft access and SQL and learned SQL as a 19 year old sitting as a little assistant just because I was tired of paper. I mean, this organization I worked at, we had 14 filing cabinets packed to the brim of paper documents and it just, oh, the millennial and the forward thinking person. I was like, I will drown in this role if I have to open up another freaking filing cabinet. So I was doing all that. I fell really in love with just how technology can really move companies forward. I mean, seeing this organization that was 30 years old. That was in archaic times.
By the time I left, we had just everything automated and systemized, and we went from owing the city almost 100 grand a year because reporting was wrong to being one of the top performing organizations in the city because of the work that I did. But I will say I didn't know I could freelance and do so. You know, I, like everyone else, had a blog and had kind of started YouTube. And I was like, well, I can't find another. Like, I was interviewing at all these tech companies here in Austin and they were like, you wear too many hats. You're going to be bored. We, and I couldn't get a job, and it was so frustrating. And so, like every other woman or first freelance role, I started building websites and I did branding and I did video, and I got into the other organizations in town, but I kept hitting clients who wanted a logo and they wanted all this visual stuff done, but couldn't tell me their pricing, couldn't tell me how they operated.
And within a year of working with me, they were shutting down. And for a long time, I went through this weird cycle where I was like, am I the problem? Am I the reason that these companies are failing? And what I started to recognize in conversations was, no, they needed business development. You don't need a logo. You need business development. You need workflows, and you need to understand. And this is kind of a spicy take I have, but everyone's replaceable, and it just is what it is when we are building businesses or building products, yes, we are emotionally attached to that. But at the end of the day, if you want to take a sabbatical, if you up and decide one day, hey, I'm done, I don't want to work here anymore, the company's still going to move forward and we have to build businesses with that in mind. A lot of people just don't do that.
And so I had tapped back into kind of what I had done at this nonprofit and started doing business development with clients and around the time, filmed a YouTube video of how I use notion to run my agency. I was kind of the first person to talk about having a design business and using notion for it. That video popped off. Notion came to me a couple of months later, and I then became the 10th certified notion consultant in the US. And it's 2024, and I think there's like less than 60 of us in the entire world, which is wild. But I started to see the same thing recently in the last 14 months where clients come to me they find me in the notion directory or they find me on YouTube for notion content. But notion is not the solution. And so I actually spend more time doing full tech stack reworks culture development because again, too, this remote world, this async world we live in, there's no such thing as company culture anymore.
It's slack culture. It's, oh, I guess I'm going to voice note you at two in the morning because, well, that's my time zone and that's when I work. And so I do a lot of culture development with teams. Yeah. And then I make content on the Internet and, I don't know, hang out with my dogs.
Yeah, I love your content. That's how we found you. So what does it mean, Sarah, to implement tech into a business? Are these businesses like that that had no tech? Just businesses that have tech, but they just see optimization in some areas and they don't have the time to figure that out. And what does your assessment look like when you're sort of figuring out where to implement solutions?
Yeah, so it's interesting. I get clients, honestly, from all walks of life. I kind of dump them into three buckets.
Right?
So we've got the freelancer who has some contractors, they're doing 150K plus a year, but they kind of fell into a tech stack and a process that some business coach or some person on the Internet told them to run their freelancer business. And what I find in that bucket is the teams that I work with, the freelancers I work with have no personality on the back end. They're just doing things because they were told that that's how you do it and it's kind of worked, but they're like, I'm not scaling. It's kind of more work. And it's so fascinating because in that bucket, I've also become the offboarding girl. Every single client I work with does not have an offboarding process. They have no way to collect testimonials or feedback. They're not doing client reviews or looking at ways to improve.
They're just in the cycle of go, go. So that's kind of the first bucket. Then we've got the teams that they've got ten ish to 50 ish employees. They've been rocking and rolling for a while, but they somehow can't scale or they don't have the right chart in order to scale. Like, I do a lot of chart work with teams, too, of why do you have six vas? We can automate some of this, and you can reduce your spend. Right. The piece of that, too, is in that bucket. A lot of times companies are either overspending on tech or not spending appropriately.
And so a great example, spending five grand a year on HubSpot when they're not even using half the features. Right? So what other platforms can we put them on? And then I have my enterprise clients who seem like they have it all together and they just want to burn it completely down. And this is where a lot of the culture comes in, is because you have this massive disconnect between the CEO and the low level assistant coming in to support projects. And there's no true line of succession, there's no communication plans. They're kind of just going through the motions, but also, no one knows what the other person does. I have that client right now where they're a team of 200 and they have assistants skipping over managers and going to the CEO in slack, and it's just complete chaos. And so within that, what we do, I have modeled my business very closely to Google Sprint models. If you guys have read sprints, that book kind of honestly changed my business and my outlook.
So I start out with a full tech audit. We have very deep dive conversations with every department of a company to say, hey, how do you work? How does marketing work compared to how does the creative team work or whatever? And then we break down a tech stack for every single department, what they need, we find where the overlaps are that an entire team can utilize a tool. Then we go into the culture piece. So what is the internal expectations of working with a remote async team versus what is the external expectations? So if you have clients, if you have customers, what are we doing to make that experience the best that it absolutely can be? A great example is like, how many clicks does it take to get an invoice paid in a contract signed? What are we doing to reduce how many emails they're getting during onboarding? Those are just some examples. And then we go into the training model and kind of this, like, who is handling this internally? Right? Because I don't do long term support. Most of the time I do for my enterprise clients, but most of the time people can't afford that on a monthly retainer, especially if they're lower level. And so I actually come in and I'm like, okay, who is going to be your tech? You, because it's not you, right? Everybody has the best intentions, but that's not what your role is. And so do we need to hire somebody that is a tech VA, is your current VA going to be promoted into an ops role.
And so I look at that and provide all the SoPs, the training videos, all that stuff, and it's usually like a 90 day to six month contract on average with me. So that's a lot of information, but I think it's important.
No, for sure. It certainly is. I mean, there's so many verticals within a business, and I want to sort of double click into a specific example that we could use here, especially in the creative or content operations. So let's say a professional who handles content for an organization is listening to this podcast. Creative operations are tricky because there's certainly, just like everything else, there's certainly things you should delegate and there's things you should not delegate.
Right.
We, Blaine and I, have been through this with the podcast. There's all this hype right now in ghostwriters, et. And, you know, it's a hit or miss. Like, sure, I understand why a ghostwriter might be needed, but if it's a person that doesn't understand anything about you and your business, you're outsourcing the one thing you should not be outsourcing, and then you're doing the operations. You should have had a reverse. You should have outsourced the operations so you can focus on the content side of things. So what are some examples, or, I guess, tips for anyone who is looking to optimize their content operations? I know this might vary, whether it's a company of one to ten employees versus 20 to 50, et cetera, but if you can just share anything there, when it comes to operations, yeah.
I'm kind of an asshole because I don't think you should just outsource. I think you need to put yourself in every role and understand exactly what it entails to get the work done. And then think about outsourcing, because I get so many people, I hear this all the time. Oh, I'm just not good at content. Oh, I'm just not good at this. And it's like, are you not good at it? Or do you not want to take the time to learn who your audience is, right. And figure out the content that they actually want and that you enjoy making? And I know that that is a very off the cusp. What's the word I'm thinking of? Just, like, perspective.
But I think that outsourcing is so heavily shoved down people's throats, and it's like, I don't know what I need. I've been freelancing six years, and I'm finally hiring somebody for the first time because I wanted to get into the flow. And even now, thinking about content, right. All you hear online is hire an editor, hire an editor, hire an editor. Okay, well, why? Why do I need to hire an editor when really I need somebody to strategize with me? And I actually, I'm hiring a YouTube strategist right now because I'm pivoting and it's like, okay, I can do the SEO. I've learned that. But I don't want to spend my time there. So I've put in the work, and now I've recognized people do this better than me.
But I think in terms of that also, you don't always have to outsource, too. There are incredible tools out there that replace now people that you would naturally hire out. Right. If we think about cast magic, right? Hiring somebody to repurpose, you don't actually need that anymore. And like, yeah, you could, but in different ways. Right? You could use cast magic, repurpose your content, but then have somebody to engage with it online and push it in different ways, but not sitting here hiring someone to cut down a four hour video into a 30 minutes segment and hopefully they cut it the right way. Right? That's just my opinion. I don't know.
Content is a tricky one, too, because everyone's always like, more, and I'm over here like, damn. One video I filmed in 2020 still lands me a 15K client twice a year. It's all about quality. It's really not. Who's the race to the top? It's really not.
And the impact of a strategist is underrated. Right. If we talk about impact versus time invested from a person, that you could outsource something to short editing the video, et cetera, you're like, this is a really time consuming process, but what is the impact that drives compared to someone who has spent the time to analyze and see the data into what works and what doesn't and helps you find those insights faster? It's such a big impact. So you mentioned you land these clients from YouTube. How much has creating content been a factor of success for your.
Know, I have. I have creator guilt all the time because I'm like, I see the return, but I don't have the time to be consistent, to scale the return. Right. So I've been really fortunate that the first ever notion video I ever put out still gets me leads, still lands me clients. It got me the certification. Right. So I very much see the impact, but I also see the negative side of it because I get a lot of people, notion is sexy, right? It is very much a high performing keyword right now. And so it's this double edged sword of, yeah, if I did more, yeah, it'd be really good.
I just hit three K subs on YouTube, which is like wild to think about, even though I have almost 750,000 channel views and I'm in this place where I'm doing fifty K a year on my channel and I don't even have ten K subs. And so for me, I see the benefit of it. Like, dang, I could do ten times more. But at the same time, because notion is such a buzzword and a keyword, it's very hard to leave this niche now that I'm in it. And I've recognized like, oh, trying to do other content or do this does not even remotely perform the way that notion does, which is incredibly infuriating for me because I'm not just notion, right? I do other things. I'm also the first certified paper form expert, which is in the world. I'm the first one, which is really cool. So I also do paper form content.
But I think the other thing about it is I get a lot of leads from it that people are like, ooh, notion, ooh, notion, and they are so not ready for it. Right. You should not be paying a consultant. I charge about 15K for my projects, minimum. And if you have never even downloaded a template, you should not be reaching out to me. So I think content has its perks and its negatives, but you have to be able to ride the wave, and ride the wave strategically the way that you need to.
So for the people that are listening that might be curious on what specifically does a platform consultant entail and to be part of one of these programs, I think you mentioned as well when we met that you even do implementations of ClickUp.
Yeah, I do.
So what does that look like? What does it mean to be a ClickUp, for example, consultant partner? And what does that integration look like?
Yeah, I'm definitely not a ClickUp verified user whatsoever. I am doing my first official build with a team of 300 and it is very overwhelming. I kind of just fell into it. So I think this is a great example of why even if you are riding the wave of something that is trendy, you need to be tech agnostic and you need to stay up with the times. Every morning I am on product hunt with my cup of coffee, seeing what is launching, seeing what's going. I love debated tests, but not everybody's like that right. But I think when it comes to project management tools, everything is transferable. All you have to know is the little bits and bobs that make a platform what the platform is.
And so, for instance, with the ClickUp build that I'm doing, this CEO hired me kind of out of nowhere. It was my first ten K project. I landed without a sales call. It was very stressful. I never even heard of this company. And I had a ten k payment in my bank account. I thought it was fraud. And that was when I was like, oh, I'm not doing the product heist thing anymore.
I'm taking the ability to just book me off my website. So with that one, the client hired me and they just kept honing in, we hate ClickUp, we hate slack. We hate ClickUp, we hate slack. We're kind of playing with notion. So they hired me for notion. Well, I spent our 1st 60 days of the project straight researching tools, because I'm like, if they have this many employees, it's this expensive of a tech spend. I mean, God, the numbers are insane that they are paying even as enterprise customers. And so how can we kind of ease the CEO's mind, but while also trickling down the chart and making everyone's life still easy to do their job.
And so I spent 60 days just flat out just researching and having demo calls and just doing all of this work. And then for some reason I happened to go into their ClickUp account for something and I realized the whole thing was just built wrong. And so they have spent all this time and energy, and I spent all this time and energy realizing that they had the right tool all along. It just wasn't built correctly. And what's wild to me is they were paying a ClickUp specialist monthly for ad hoc support. And even I got on the phone with this guy and I was like, I don't understand how you are getting the money that you are and the build is this bad. Every call I've been on in the last six months, we find something that I didn't have access to. I mean, that's how bad the ClickUp account was.
And so in doing that, I was like, I can easily build this. Google is my friend, YouTube University. All I need to know is yes and no. What can this do? What can it do? But the biggest and hardest thing for me is content or platform switching, honestly, and remembering like, oh, I can do command blocks in notion, can't do them in ClickUp, right? I can export this in this way, but I can't do it over here. And so I actually started building out a little cheat sheet of each tool and what's possible on each. So that way I don't have to go into chat GPT and be like, how do I do this? How do I write this formula? And I can just easily, when I'm on a sales call or a strategy call verbatim, just drop and say, this platform is going to work for you, or this one isn't. Yeah, it's been fun. And I have another client that we're completely rebuilding a Google workspace, which is really fun.
I haven't played with Google workspace in a while, but yeah, notion is really about 40% of my business at this point, which is kind of wild because it's my number one lead gen, but people end up not being on it.
For sure, and it's a daunting one as well. But so is every platform, and there's a learning curve. And I'm curious, have you done projects with audio, specifically audio, media, content, workflow, implementation, organization, et cetera?
Yeah. So I've worked with a couple of people who do content like that. That's their number one lead Gen. I've worked with some podcast agencies who manage people's podcasts and all of that, building out workflows. And then there is a food influencer here in Austin. Well, I hate using the word influencer because Jane has also written like four books. She has multiple businesses. She's not just like posting cute online, right? But that's what she got known for.
So her business, she's known as Taste of. She's, she's like the OG in Austin who breaks know where to go and what to do and whatever. And she hired me last year because basically she was finally hiring a content team and needed a specific workflow to hand off every element of a production of, let's say, whether they're just going somewhere or it was a partnership. And so from ideation to scheduling what time they're going to go record at this location, scripting all of that, going into editing and audio. And Jane still handles captions and voiceovers, and so there's so many articulately finite details with her. And so we built out this full workflow. We did it in notion because she has very extensive notion account already. And basically utilizing this was right around the time notion automations dropped.
And so we built this really cool workflow that auto triggers the next person in that flow when something's marked as complete. And when I say I have noticed two to three times increase in the amount of content they're even doing now because they have this. And alongside of that, we also built this cool workflow for her to easily work with her VA to decide if partnerships are good or not, which I think is that's the pre work, right? You've got to decide how you're going to move forward and kind of building out more of a CRM that leads into this content pipeline. It was probably my favorite project that I've ever done, and I don't normally work with influencer content driven brands because I'm like, I have no idea what you all do. Make a tweet. I don't know. I don't even remotely do the amount of content that they do. And the whole production was just overwhelming, I will say, I think if people saw her back end, I think people would have a lot more respect for people who do content full time.
I really do.
So I don't know, Sarah, kind of, on that note, one thing that you mentioned was kind of the overlap between VAS and all these processes you're setting up. I think earlier you alluded to seeing several instances where maybe people have way too many VAs in their workflow. So where do you see, especially with all the SaaS tools that are coming out, all the AI tools that are coming out, that take SAS one step further and start creating different sort of outputs and stuff like that? But VAs are still valuable. So what's the perfect setup? I guess between setting up a workflow that's complemented, where do vas add value? Where do tools add value? How do you think about building out processes like that?
Yeah, I mean, I can speak specifically to where I'm at in my business because my onboarding, to be totally honest with you, I don't touch onboarding. It's one click to send an email to a client after a sales call, and the entire thing is completely automated. For me, I have contracts auto generated, I have stripe payment links automated. I don't do anything once I get on the call. But then for me, where my biggest pain point is is a great example. January, I onboarded twelve clients. I have 17 active clients right now, and I'm a team of one. I do it all myself, right? So it's like, yeah, I can automate onboarding, but then when it comes to actually scheduling out when I'm going to get the work done, it's so nice to be able to have somebody as a springboard to say, hey, Sarah, like, you think you can get this done on Friday? But you're on the castmagic uploading podcast.
You're recording have. You're traveling three days next month for a, like, we need to pinpoint where things get plugged in, and that's something that AI really can't do. I think maybe in a year or two, maybe it'll transition that way. But I also think there is validity in having a warm body for things that are non repetitive, non monotonous work to be able to excel your workflow. When I was interviewing these vas, I had a couple of people ask me, well, have you ever audited your time? And I'm like, I don't even know what that means. What do you mean, audit my time? I just do the work. I don't know. And so I think bringing different perspectives, vas can definitely do that.
But I also think it's important to not just hire a va. Right. When I was putting together this job description and thinking about where do I want to take my business? I know very clearly that the person I'm hiring as a va right now, by the end of the year, will be an accounts coordinator or will know some more involved with projects. Right. And I think that's something to think about, too, is, yes, you can hire a contractor short term to just rip a band aid and do something really quick and kind of figure things out. But you should also be thinking about the longevity of your team and where you want to go and just take it step by step.
What's a good exercise for someone to evaluate themselves? I find myself in this position where I'm like, okay, I can go with a strategist. I can go with the VA in the ops. And I'm like, maybe I should need to take a step back. Write down the full job description of what each person would do over the six months. What would we expect back? And so, actually, this answer might be really helpful for me as I think through this. What is a good exercise to evaluate which direction you should go?
Yeah, I wish I had an answer, but I can tell you my experience. I've been sharing this more and more, and people are like, please make a video on this. So I think I need to. So I went through a period personally where I was firing clients more than I was launching them, and I was not happy with my client base whatsoever. Honestly, I cried a lot. There was a lot of like, hey, we're taking this to court kind of things. I went through about a year in my business where I was like, I just don't want to do this. Anymore.
And in that time, I've always done client reviews. So after the end of every project, I sit down and I look at what skills did I learn? What red flags were there in the client? Did I charge what I said I was going to? What skills did I learn? What do I want to keep exploring? So, great example, ClickUp, right? I never want to do a ClickUp build ever again. I will hire a ClickUp person if I get hired for ClickUp, right? I will bring somebody in because I'm just like, I don't want to do this. But I kept seeing red flag after red flag after red flag. And I also do EmDR therapy personally for childhood trauma and whatever. And I went to my therapist and I started talking about my business, and she said, sarah, you came here for a different reason. I respect you, I hear you, but you need to, I think, go see somebody and do talk therapy for your business. And I'm like, see a business what? Like, okay.
And so I started seeing a business therapist last summer, and we literally sat down with all of these reviews and all of my frustrations. Last summer, I made the most money I ever did, and I was horribly miserable in my business. I was like, I'm burning this shit down. I'm done. I'm out. And so I sat with this business therapist, and we looked at all of these things, and what we realized is, one, I was not working with the right people. So very specifically, like, the red flags, I am not a handholder. I am not an emotional person.
And so if you've never hired a contractor, if you've never worked in this kind of capacity, we are not going to get along, because it's not my job to educate you that I am not your employee. It is not my job to talk to you. Twenty four seven. I am not your assistant. The other thing is, I realized with freelancers and kind of that emotional ownership of a business, I'm not emotionally attached to my business. I could shut it down tomorrow and not blink an eye. It's just a thing I'm doing, right? It's just a way I'm making money. And I just don't work well with those personalities.
So what we did is we completely shifted my audience base and who I'm saying yes to projects to, and completely changed my outlook on my business, made things better. I'm happier. So that was like, the first thing. But also in that time, I was like, God, I hate the work. I just kept saying, I'm so resentful. I love the money. I don't want to do the project. So maybe I should hire a projects assistant to come in and do notion and do these things.
And I couldn't find the right person, and it was because I didn't like the work that I was saying yes to. And so all of that kind of happened in like a 90 day span in my business. And what I realized once I shifted was I actually do love the work because I'm finally working with the right clients. And so I don't actually need to hire a project's assistant. I need somebody who can optimize my time and so I can spend more time with the clients that I love instead of feeling this constant shift and pull and sitting here going, fuck, I got to go do this project. It was due a week ago or whatever. So that's what I would say is I would honestly really have an honest conversation. Look at your skill set.
Look at where is your energy, if that's the right word. I'm so not into the earthly crap, but manifesting, I would seriously look at where are you spending the majority of your energy? Are you actually enjoying where that energy is? And if not, why is it that you're not good at the work is that it's hard for you and you are frustrated because you don't have time to do better at it and then honestly find somebody that you trust to have conversations with. I don't trust business coaches. I will never hire one ever again. You could not pay me a million dollars to work with a business coach. Business therapists, however, changed the game for me. Honestly, I wouldn't be freelancing right now if I wouldn't have done that last summer.
Yeah. So hire number one is the business therapist.
Yeah.
So my girlfriend doesn't have to hear me speak these mental debates out loud every day. But I think one of the most important things you mentioned there, I think, is, like, what gives you energy and what takes energy away. You have to just know that yourself before you even know what to delegate. It gets challenging sometimes when what you're great or good at is what also takes energy. That has happened to me sometimes where I'm like, I'm really good at that, but I don't like it. But shit, it's like the one thing I'm really good at, too. And so that's a really tough one. And I guess that's why where business therapists can come in.
Well, you know what else is really interesting? So I got coffee with a friend yesterday, and she was telling know she's expanding our team, I think she has four employees now. And she goes, I feel like we hired the right people, but I don't know, there was, like, just things that weren't right. And so she had her whole team take the Myers Briggs assessment, take, I think, the enneagram and some know, personality quiz, and she plugged them into chat GPT and said, what role, what tasks fit these personalities best? She said she just did little tiny tweaks. And her team is the best productive, smooth sailing environment that she's ever curated. And she's been in business, I think, ten years, so something to think about too. Maybe plug in if you're. I don't know. I'm an intj, so I'm natural, like leader, but I want to be left alone.
I love building relationships, but that drains me, right? I am on calls all day, every day. I love it. But it also is the most draining thing to do. So how do you build relationships and not be exhausted at the end of the day? I don't know.
I think that's a great place to start for anyone who's listening. Let's start with a team audit, take the information, plug it into chat GPT and see how to rework the roles. I love that Sarah. As we wrap up here, for anyone who's listening and wants to learn more, see your content, dive deeper into workflow, all that sort of stuff, where can we connect with you?
Yeah, so I am the Sarah Loretta on every platform. I'm very fortunate that I have a name like Sarah Loretta. It is actually my full name, which people just totally are like, what? That's so cool. I'm like, I know I picked it, but, yeah, I'm the Sarah Loretta. Twitter is honestly where I hang out. That's where all my friends are. I love Twitter with all my. And Sarah has no h, by the way.
For those listening, please spell my name correctly. And then the last thing my agency site is systems is spelled without an e because I like to make things more difficult. So systems club is where you can find templates and resources and videos and work with me one on one if you want to. And, yeah, that's where I'm at.
Sweet. Thanks so much for coming on uploading.
Thank you, Sarah.
Thanks for having me, guys.
Also generated
More from this recording
💬 Keywords
Tech audit, tech stack optimization, remote async team, culture development, training model, internal tech training, content operations, quality over quantity, content strategist, creator guilt, scaling content, Notion content, Paperform, platform consultant, ClickUp consultant, tech trends, project management, Google Workspace, podcast agencies workflow, food influencer content strategy, virtual assistants, business therapy, personality assessments, team productivity, team role audit, content monetization, systems expert, workflow optimization, tech obsessed, systems club website.
💡 Speaker bios
Sara Loretta's boundless enthusiasm for technology is as much a staple of her identity as her entrepreneurial drive. Over a recent breakfast with a colleague, Ramon, Sara couldn't resist the urge to repeatedly dive into demonstrations on her laptop, showcasing an array of tools that captured her fascination. This episode was a candid glimpse into Sara's essence; a tech-obsessed innovator whose fervor can be both overwhelming and infectious.
Her journey as an entrepreneur is a testament to her technological passion, embodying the spirit of innovation that drives the creation and growth of new ventures. With a career marked by a pattern of coming full circle, Sara exemplifies how a deep immersion in the tools of her trade can fuel a founder's journey towards business actualization, ultimately shaping the industry with her forward-thinking mindset.
ℹ️ Introduction
[Podcast Intro Music Fading In]
Welcome back to "Uploading..." where we dive into the minds of the top creators, marketers, and systems experts, uncovering the secrets to profiting through content. In today’s episode titled "Sara Loretta," we’re thrilled to welcome a tech and workflow optimization guru who’s transforming the digital workspace.
Join us as we unravel Sara’s strategic approach to conducting full tech audits for companies, diving deep into the needs of each department, and ensuring every tool used is leveraged to its fullest potential. We’ll explore her focus on cultivating company culture, particularly within remote and asynchronous teams, to exceed both internal and client expectations.
Discover how she emphasizes the importance of training and understanding roles internally before ever looking to outsource, and the impact of this on content operations. Sara reveals the challenge of balancing the pursuit of quality with the pressures of content creation, sharing her personal struggle with creator guilt and the consistent delivery of value.
We'll delve into her expertise as a platform consultant and a partner with ClickUp, while she discusses the overwhelming nature of managing large-scale projects and the necessity to stay on top of ever-evolving tech trends. Sara will also recount a vital learning experience with Notion projects and rectifying misguided ClickUp setups.
Moreover, Sara’s insight into the world of Virtual Assistants (VAs) will challenge your preconceptions about automation and AI, and she'll stress the strategic significance of plotting a long-term role for VAs in your evolving business landscape.
Ramon Berrios joins the conversation, seeking Sara's wisdom in crafting detailed job descriptions that truly align with his business's trajectory. Sara isn't shy about sharing her journey through business therapy, redefining her client base, and aligning her work with her passion—an insightful discussion for anyone feeling misaligned in their career.
And as we close, Sara provides actionable advice on how to energize your team by aligning roles with personalities and conducting a thorough team audit—ensuring the right people are in the right places.
Our guest is not only a tech lover with a unique name she proudly places across all platforms but also the founder of Systems Club—a vibrant hub for resources, templates, and personalized consulting services. And yes, it's intentionally misspelled for that extra touch of uniqueness!
So buckle up and prepare for a deep dive into the world of tech optimization and content operations with our esteemed guest, Sara Loretta—here on "Uploading..."
[Podcast Intro Music Fades Out]
📚 Timestamped overview
00:00 Transitioned from automating systems, improving city performance, to freelancing success, facing challenges with tech companies and clients' lack of clarity.
04:37 Transitioned from nonprofit to business development, gained recognition through YouTube and became a consultant for notion implementation. Now focuses on tech stack and culture development.
09:01 Tech audit, departmental tech stack, culture, client experience, training model, tech support planning.
11:14 Discussion about the need for ghostwriters and content operations optimization.
15:50 YouTuber reaches 3K subscribers, struggles to move beyond niche content.
20:12 Summary: Using Google and YouTube to learn platform capabilities and building a cheat sheet for different tools. Working on rebuilding a Google workspace.
22:58 Created efficient workflows, increased content output, and developed a CRM for influencer content.
24:49 Business owner automates onboarding, but struggles with workload management.
28:17 Reflects on client reviews, learning, red flags, and seeking therapeutic support for business challenges. Mentions aversion to ClickUp projects and decision to hire dedicated personnel for it.
33:08 Friend expanded team by assessing personalities for optimal roles, resulting in increased productivity and smooth environment.
34:43 Sarah Loretta, active on Twitter.
📚 Timestamped overview
00:00 Transitioned from city debt to successful freelance.
04:37 Found success with Notion leading tech consultant.
09:01 Conducting thorough tech audits and optimizing processes.
11:14 Consider outsourcing operations to focus on content.
15:50 YouTube success, niche struggle, and diverse content.
20:12 Using Google and YouTube to learn efficiently.
22:58 Innovative workflow leads to increased content production.
24:49 Business automation, but still needs scheduling help.
28:17 Reflecting on project outcomes, seeking therapeutic advice.
33:08 Friend used personality tests to improve productivity.
34:43 Sarah Loretta, known on all platforms.
❓ Questions
How does Sara Loretta’s comprehensive tech audit benefit companies, and what are the most common overlaps in tools she finds across different departments?
Can you elaborate on how Sara addresses the culture aspects within remote asynchronous teams to improve both client and customer experiences?
Why does Sara emphasize understanding each role within a company before considering outsourcing, and how does this relate to training internal tech personnel?
In what ways does optimizing content operations differ when involving team members rather than outsourcing roles, according to Sara?
Sara talked about her creator guilt, especially concerning consistency and scaling returns. Could you explore strategies that content creators can use to manage similar challenges?
As someone who is successful with Notion content yet wary of being pigeonholed, what advice would Sara give to other creators who face the risk of being typecast for their success with a particular platform or tool?
What are some pitfalls businesses face when outsourcing their tech needs, as seen from Sara's experience with the company that had ClickUp implemented incorrectly?
How does Sara Loretta balance the need to stay tech agnostic with the demands of being closely associated with tools like Notion and ClickUp in her consulting work?
Sara Loretta discusses the importance of virtual assistants for non-repetitive tasks and the limitations of AI. Can you delve into future predictions for the roles of human vs. AI in content operations?
Sara suggests reworking team roles based on personality assessments for improved productivity. Could you provide an example of how this has been successfully implemented in a business setting?
❇️ Key topics and bullets
Sure, here's an organized sequence of topics and related sub-topics based on the information provided:
Tech Audit and Optimization
Conducting detailed conversations with each department to understand tech needs.
Identifying tool overlaps for team utilization.
Focusing on technology that supports remote, asynchronous teams.
Cultural Development for Teams
Addressing internal and external expectations.
Improving client and customer experience through cultural adjustments.
Training and Role Comprehension
Importance of understanding each role before outsourcing.
Providing support for identifying and training internal tech personnel.
Content Operations Management
Emphasizing involvement in roles before considering outsourcing.
Impact of tools and the importance of quality over quantity.
The role of content strategists in maintaining content quality.
Sara Loretta's Personal Experiences
Discussing creator guilt related to content consistency and scalability.
Success and challenges with Notion content.
Being pigeonholed by the Notion platform and expertise in Paperform.
Consultancy and Platform Expertise
Sara's role as a platform consultant and ClickUp partner.
Involvement in ClickUp implementations and integrations.
The importance of staying tech-agnostic and updated with tech trends.
Challenges in Current Projects
Working with large teams and handling overwhelming scales.
Rebuilding a Google Workspace and correcting a misconfigured ClickUp account.
Notion's significant proportion of business operations.
Content Workflow Implementations
Implementations for various clients including podcast agencies and food influencers.
Processes like ideation, scheduling, scripting, editing, and automation.
Utilization of Virtual Assistants (VAs)
Advocating for VAs to do non-repetitive, creative work that AI cannot perform effectively.
Planning for the long-term role of VAs in business evolution.
Self-Reflection and Business Therapy
Sara's personal journey of audience and project re-alignment.
Benefits of business therapy over coaching.
Reflecting on energy flow and finding fulfilling work.
Team Productivity and Dynamics
Advice on role evaluations and detailed job descriptions.
Reworking team roles based on personality assessments for better productivity.
Conducting team audits and aligning roles with individual strengths.
Sarah Loretta's Professional Background
Transition from nonprofit business development into tech and workflow optimization.
Expertise in tech stack optimization and remote work dynamics.
Working with a range of clients from freelancers to enterprise teams.
Online Presence and Offerings
Consistent use of real name across all platforms.
Preference for Twitter and operation of a unique website, Systems Club.
Offering templates, resources, videos, and one-on-one work through her site.
The Nature of "Uploading..." Podcast
Thanking Sarah for her participation.
The podcast's aim to provide insights on profiting through content from various professionals.
🎬 Reel script
Welcome to "Uploading!," the go-to podcast for content profit mastery. Today, we unpacked the digital toolbox with systems wizard Sara Loretta, diving into the power of a fine-tuned tech stack and the secret sauce to remote team culture. Sara enlightened us on the art of internal training before you outsource, and the gold mine that lies in content operations optimization. Stuck in the Notion niche, yet thriving as a platform consultant, Sara's stories are a must-hear for creators yearning for consistency and scale without losing the passion. If you're navigating the tech terrain or sculpting your team's future, join us for a journey into maximizing productivity and fulfillment with Sara’s visionary insights. Tune in, upgrade, and upload your success with us. Sara Loretta, sharing the tech pulse that beats behind every successful project. Keep your ears perked and your notepads ready – because this episode was a game-changer!
🔑 7 Key Themes
Tech Stack Optimization
Remote Team Culture Development
Content Operations Efficiency
Role of Outsourcing and Tools
Platform Consultant Expertise
Virtual Assistant Utilization
Personal Fulfillment in Business
Short Blurb
E82: Dive into the dynamic world of tech stacks and workflow optimization with our special guest Sara Loretta on today's episode of "Uploading..."! Sara brings her tech obsession and systems expertise to the table, sharing valuable insights from initiating full tech audits to embracing the culture of remote teams.
In this conversation, we peel back the layers on interacting with tech tools and optimizing operations for content creators and companies alike. Whether you're a solo freelancer or part of a sprawling enterprise, Sara's strategic mind will guide you through the complexities of tech, culture, and remote work dynamics.
What you'll discover in today’s episode:
The necessity of conducting a thorough tech audit across departments to streamline tool usage
How to cultivate a remote async culture that caters to both internal and external expectations
Insider tips on training your team and recognizing when (and what) to outsource
The role of strategists in balancing quality over quantity in content operations
Strategies for using platforms like Notion and ClickUp to enhance your content workflows and business processes
Fun fact: Sara Loretta loves the uniqueness of her name so much that you can find her by the same moniker across every social platform she inhabits!
As we draw this episode to a close, we're excited to have shared Sara's journey from a nonprofit professional to a tech and workflow optimization wizard. Her hands-on experience with various tools and projects shines a light on the art of refining tech stacks and amplifying productivity.
Now it's your turn to upload some knowledge into your routine! Head over to your favorite podcast platform, tap play on E82 with Sara Loretta, and take the first step towards transforming your business's technical landscape. Don't just listen, implement and watch your content, and your business reaches new heights!
Interview Breakdown
In today's insightful conversation with Sara Loretta, a systems optimization connoisseur, we delve into her comprehensive approach to tech audits, remote team culture, and content operations. Discover how this tech enthusiast utilizes her unique methodologies to elevate businesses and overcome personal challenges within the industry.
Today, we'll cover:
Sara's holistic tech audit strategy and its significance in streamlining business tools.
The cultural elements of managing a remote, asynchronous team and enhancing client experiences.
Her training model for internal team empowerment before considering external outsourcing solutions.
The balance between outsourcing and maintaining quality in content operations as advised by Sara.
Sara's personal journey with creator guilt, the success and pigeonhole effect of her Notion content, and the transition to finding fulfillment in her professional life.
This episode is a deep dive into the mechanics of tech systems and the importance of aligning them with company culture and personal fulfillment.
Short Recap
In this episode, Sara Loretta shares her comprehensive approach to tech optimization in businesses, highlighting her journey from tech audits, culture tailoring for remote teams, and streamlining content operations, to her pivotal role as a systems expert. She unveils the intricacies of choosing quality tools, the significance of internal training over outsourcing, and the personal fulfillment that comes from aligning work with one's energy and strengths.
🎠 Social Carousel
Slide 1: Cover Slide
"10 Tips Every Tech Optimizer Needs to Know"
Slide 2: Full Audit
Understand team needs and tool overlap to streamline your tech stack.
Slide 3: Culture Matters
Embrace remote async dynamics to boost client and internal team satisfaction.
Slide 4: Proper Training
Know roles well before outsourcing; train and support your tech personnel.
Slide 5: Content Ops
Being hands-on initially can lead to smarter, more efficient outsourcing later.
Slide 6: Quality Focus
Choose strategic quality over mass output for content with lasting impact.
Slide 7: Tech Agnostic
Stay current with trends to ensure flexibility in project management tools.
Slide 8: Business Therapy
Seek to understand personal energy and adjust your client base for fulfillment.
Slide 9: Role Audits
Use personality assessments to align team roles with individual strengths.
Slide 10: Constant Learning
Keep updating your skills to maintain an edge as a tech and workflow expert.
Slide 11: CTA
"Level up your tech stack by connecting with Sara Loretta. Follow @UploadingPodcast for more insights!"
New Idea
Idea #1: Embracing Tech Agnosticism in Project Management
Sara Loretta discusses the importance of being tech agnostic when it comes to project management, incorporating a strategy that is not wedded to any particular tool but rather focused on the best solution for the task at hand. This concept is supported by the following evidence:
Full Tech Audits Across Departments: By starting with comprehensive tech audits, Sara engages every department to understand their unique needs. This approach prevents the pigeonholing effect of becoming too reliant on a single tool and promotes a more holistic and adaptable tech culture within organizations.
Rebuilding Incorrectly Implemented Tools: Sara's experience with a client who had incorrectly set up their ClickUp account, despite professional assistance, demonstrates the risk of specialization without proper understanding. By being tech agnostic, she can objectively analyze and rectify these mistakes, ensuring the right tools are used effectively.
Workflow Optimization for Diverse Clients: Sara's work with varied entities, from podcast agencies to food influencers, involves tailoring content workflows using tools like Notion. Her ability to adapt the tech stack to the specific needs of her clients, rather than pushing a one-size-fits-all solution, exemplifies the flexibility and effectiveness of a tech-agnostic approach.
1 Key Learning
Optimize Tech and Workflows for Sustainable Business Growth
Sara Loretta underscores the importance of conducting thorough tech audits and understanding each role in a company before rushing into outsourcing. This ensures that technology is being used effectively and that internal talent is being developed, fostering sustainable business growth.
Embrace a tech-agnostic approach when integrating and managing projects, ensuring that you are always utilizing the best tools for your specific needs. This mentality prioritizes sustainability and scalability, steering clear of relying on a single tool or platform.
Systemize to Thrive, Not Just Survive
Creating a cohesive tech stack and investing in workflow optimization can transform an overwhelming workload into an efficient and enjoyable process. Sara's methodical approach to analyzing and revamping business processes helps companies flourish in an increasingly remote and asynchronous work environment.
By paying close attention to the synergy between technology, culture, and training, businesses can shift from surviving to thriving. The results are improved productivity, a better client and customer experience, and a team more in tune with the business's long-term objectives.
💎 Maxims
Here are the maxims to live by, inspired by the concepts explored in the "Uploading..." podcast episode featuring Sara Loretta:
Conduct a Full Tech Audit: Regularly assess your tech stack to ensure it aligns with each department's needs and eliminates redundancies.
Cultivate a Strong Culture: Foster a positive internal and external culture that supports remote asynchronous teams and enhances client/customer experiences.
Invest in Employee Training: Fully understand each role's significance in your company before outsourcing and provide effective training for internal tech personnel.
Be Involved Before You Outsource: Deeply understand and be a part of content operations to identify the necessity and readiness for outsourcing tasks.
Prioritize Quality in Content Operations: Focus on high-quality output and the strategic impact of your content rather than the quantity produced.
Balance Creator Commitment with Scale: Acknowledge the pressure of content consistency, but focus on scaling returns without compromising quality.
Avoid Pigeonholing Your Expertise: Diversify your skills to avoid being overly associated with a single platform or tool, even if it's popular like Notion.
Stay Tech Agnostic: Remain adaptable by staying informed of tech trends and be willing to use different project management tools that fit the project's needs.
Diligently Research Before Implementation: Thoroughly research tools and platforms before implementation, as errors can be costly and time-consuming to fix.
Invest in Long-Term VA Relationships: Hire virtual assistants not just for the short-term but with a consideration of their evolving role in your business.
Understand Energy Expenditure in Work: Reflect on what tasks energize you and what drains you, and adjust your work to maximize personal well-being and productivity.
Seek Business Therapy for Fulfillment: If you're unhappy with your work direction, consider business therapy to help identify and shift towards fulfilling projects and audiences.
Base Team Roles on Strengths: Regularly reassess your team's roles and tasks based on individual strengths and personality assessments to boost team productivity.
Conduct a Comprehensive Team Audit: Periodically perform an audit of team roles and adapt them to maximize individual strengths and overall team synergy.
Opt for Unique Branding: Choose unique naming and branding for your platforms, like "systems club" without an "e", to stand out and be memorable.
Share Knowledge Generously: Offer valuable resources, templates, and guidance via websites or social platforms to benefit your audience and establish expertise.
Engage Meaningfully on Preferred Platforms: Find and actively use the social media platform that resonates with you, like Twitter for Sara Loretta, for thought leadership and community engagement.
Following these maxims can guide individuals and businesses toward more strategic, efficient, and fulfilling work practices, as gleaned from Sara Loretta's experience and expertise shared in the podcast episode.
Hustle Thread
Tweet 1:
Sara Loretta faced a huge project.
Tools misused, tech chaos rampant.
But she powered through.
Now, she's a systems wizard,
Transforming companies with skill.
Here's her electrifying journey: ⚡️
Tweet 2:
Meet Sara Loretta (@SaraSystemsGuru), tech audit master and workflow optimizer.
She salvaged a tech maze, streamlining complex operations.
It's a story of triumph and tech.
Tweet 3:
Sara's adventure begins with a daunting task.
A company's ClickUp a tangled mess,
Despite specialist investments.
Tweet 4:
Unfazed, Sara embarked on a tech odyssey.
Collaborating with 300+ teams,
She dissected, audited, and overhauled.
Untangling knots, aligning tools.
Her motto: Culture and tech, hand in hand.
Tweet 5:
Amidst chaos, Sara found her groove with Notion.
Content ops, workflows, all fine-tuned.
Yet, she remained adaptable,
Not pigeonholed by one platform's fame.
Tweet 6:
Sara's genius wasn't just tech mastery.
It was also culture—building remote, cohesive teams.
Integrating strategy with tools, she empowered.
Here's how she reshaped companies:
Tweet 7:
But Sara's not just about optimization.
She faced creator's guilt, the scale game tough.
Learning from therapy, she shifted gears,
Found balance, curated her clientele.
Tweet 8:
Today, Sara consults with her unique expertise.
From Google to Notion, navigating tech trends.
Her success a testament:
Quality and strategy over sheer quantity.
Tweet 9:
Sara's journey from tech stress to systems success,
Shows that with the right mindset and method,
You can master change and drive innovation.
She inspires: Align tech with your vision.
🧿 Viral Breakdown & CTA
Feeling overwhelmed by your tech stack?
SIMPLIFY 🔄
Cut through the chaos with actionable tips you can use NOW.
Sara Loretta, tech and systems wizard, cracks the code for you.
Need a blueprint to clean up your digital mess?
Why is an optimized tech stack vital for your business?
3 CRUCIAL STEPS:
Audit Your Tools.
Cultivate Your Culture.
Amp Up Training.
Dive in…
~~
AUDIT YOUR TOOLS
Imagine a toolkit so cluttered, you can't find the hammer. That's your tech stack without an audit. Sara Loretta begins with a complete tech audit for an eye-opening revelation. Departments overlap with tools; redundancies drain resources. By drilling down into each team's needs, you can streamline operations, bolster efficiency, and cut costs. The key? Conversation. Talk to your teams, understand their processes, and tailor your stack to serve, not hinder.
CULTIVATE YOUR CULTURE
A great tech stack without the right culture is like a Ferrari without wheels. It's impressive but going nowhere. Loretta emphasizes culture, particularly for remote async teams, to enhance internal and external experiences. Align your team with clear expectations and communication practices that reflect your values. When your culture thrives, client satisfaction skyrockets. It's all about building an environment where your tech tools and team can collectively shine.
AMP UP TRAINING
The secret sauce to tech proficiency? In-house training. Before outsourcing, Sara insists on knowing the ins and outs of each role. This ensures you develop robust in-house expertise. Invest in training your team to master the tools and processes they'll use every day. It's not just about filling immediate gaps; it's about future-proofing your workflow and securing a high level of quality in your work output.
Take the first step towards a seamless operation. Tune into "Uploading..." to absorb more wisdom from pros like Sara Loretta. Learn how to elevate your content game and scale with confidence. Visit DTC Pod for insights direct from the minds of accomplished Founders and Operators across diverse industries.
Uploading... Titles
Sara Loretta, Systems Maven - Revolutionizing Tech Ops: Inside the Workflow Warrior’s Toolkit
Sara Loretta, Tech Strategist - Notion to Domination: Crafting Content that Converts
Sara Loretta, Workflow Optimizer - ClickUp Chaos to Clarity: Secrets of a Systems Architect
Sara Loretta, Platform Consultant - The Art of Tech Alchemy: Turning Chaos into Gold with Sara Loretta
Sara Loretta, Content Dynamo - Behind the Scenes of Viral Content: A Masterclass in Digital Efficiency
Sara Loretta, Process Guru - Tech Stacks & Team Hacks: Building a Remote Empire with Sara Loretta
Sara Loretta, Optimization Expert - From Google Workspace Woes to Workflow Wins with Sara Loretta
Twitter Post 1
Embracing your quirks can make your brand stand out.
Sara Loretta
She ditched the "e" in system for her website (systemsclub), crafting a signature identity that's hard to forget.
Mindsets
Everyone looking to improve their project management and optimize their content operations, this one's for you:
💭 Switch from a tool-centric to a strategy-centric approach. Tools come and go, but a sound strategy is eternal. Invest your energy into creating workflows and systems that can adapt to various tools rather than being solely dependent on a specific software. This shift will ensure your projects are sustainable even when technology evolves.
💭 View your tech stack like a team member, not just a set of tools. Just as you would with a new hire, take the time to understand each tool's role, strengths, and weaknesses. This perspective helps you maximize the technology you invest in and ensures better integration into your team’s existing dynamics.
💭 Redefine the role of VAs in your business. Rather than seeing virtual assistants as temporary solutions for immediate tasks, consider how they can be integrated into your long-term vision. Planning for their growth alongside your business’s evolution not only increases their value to your team but can also lead to higher job satisfaction and retention rates.
For more insights on optimizing your project management and crafting effective content strategies, tune in to our latest episode with Sara Loretta on "Uploading..." She dives deep into her experiences as a tech and workflow specialist, sharing actionable advice to revolutionize how you think about and use technology in your business.
And remember, if you're looking to revamp your business processes or simply seeking inspiration for a more efficient remote work culture, explore more content from "Uploading..." where we blend expertise with practical tips to help you profit through content. 🚀
P.S. Curious about Sara's expertise? Visit her unique (sans "e") systems club website for templates and resources that could streamline your productivity today.
Future State, 6 reasons post
Within just six months, Sara Loretta has transformed a struggling tech schema into a sleek, automated engine, boosting productivity by 300% across various organizations. From disjointed tech stacks to synergetic systems, she remapped the trajectory of remote work dynamics and content operations, leading to an increased satisfaction rating amongst clients and their teams. But to truly harness the potential of strategic tech implementation, further enhancements are needed.
BACKGROUND:
Embrace the WFO (Workflow Optimization) revolution.
Tech stacks must evolve from being a mishmash of applications to a tightly integrated suite that propels a business forward.
Sharpening the focus on workflow optimization can streamline operations, enhancing not just internal team efficiency but also the end-user experience.
Old Workflow State:
Disconnected tech tools
Uncertain remote team dynamics
Inconsistent content operations
Overwhelming tool overlaps
Underutilized internal capabilities
Neglected long-term VA planning
New Workflow State:
Unified tech ecosystem
Streamlined remote async culture
Optimized, strategy-led content operations
Precise tool usage with zero overlap
Enhanced internal tech expertise
Strategic VA role development
Sara's consultancy has sparked remarkable change, yet the zenith of workflow efficiency remains unclaimed. Adopting new practices can unlock unparalleled productivity and satisfaction.
Here are my 6 recommendations for achieving optimal workflow state:
Conduct a granular tech audit semiannually to ensure every tool is necessary and fully leveraged, minimizing tool overlap and maximizing utility.
Develop a bespoke training framework that scales internal competencies before considering outsourcing, integrating an ongoing tech education program.
Utilize personality assessments to align team roles with individual strengths, fostering productivity and job satisfaction.
Establish a holistic content strategy approach that measures quality over quantity, with a content strategist driving the vision.
Implement structured processes for evaluating and integrating VAs into your business model, with an emphasis on their evolving roles in the company.
Engage in regular business therapy sessions to maintain alignment with personal and organizational values and ensure fulfilling client engagements.
The promise of WFO is within reach. With the right approaches, any organization can elevate from good to exceptional.
P.S.
What additional strategies do you think could further augment workflow optimization?
Do you see the potential for technology to revolutionize your own business operations, and how might you apply Sara's insights to your situation?
Workbook
Title: Uploading... Optimizing Business with Sara Loretta: A Companion Workbook
Introduction:
This companion workbook is designed to accompany the "Uploading..." podcast episode featuring systems expert Sara Loretta. As you listen to the episode, this workbook will provide you with a structured way to digest the information, implement Sara's strategies, and optimize your own business processes involving technology and remote team management.
Section 1: Tech Audit & Stack Optimization
Audit Checklist: Create a detailed checklist to conduct a full tech audit within your company, covering every department. Questions should uncover the tech needs, overlaps, and redundancies.
Department Summary: Sheet for summarizing the technology used by each department and recommendations for consolidation.
Section 2: Remote Team Culture Assessment
Async Culture Evaluation: Evaluate your company's internal and external expectations for asynchronous communication with clients and customers.
Action Plan: Template to develop an action plan for improving remote team culture and client/customer experience.
Section 3: Training Model Development
Role Analysis: Worksheet to detail each role within your company and its importance before considering outsourcing.
Training Plan: Create a structured plan for identifying and training internal tech personnel, ensuring comprehensive knowledge sharing.
Section 4: Content Operations Optimization
Content Workflow: Using insights from Sara Loretta's discussion on content operations, outline the workflow stages for ideation, scheduling, scripting, editing, and automation. Apply this to either a Notion or ClickUp framework based on your preference.
Tool Impact Analysis: Reflect on the tools currently used for content operations and their effects on quality output.
Section 5: Understanding Outsourcing and Creator Guilt
Outsourcing Impact Worksheet: Analyze the impact of outsourcing specific roles and tasks in your content operations.
Guilt and Consistency Reflection: Space to acknowledge your feelings around creator guilt, consistency, and strategies for scaling returns.
Section 6: Platform Specialization and Consultancy
ClickUp & Notion Deep-Dive: Instructions for accessing Sara's expert insights on these platforms and setting up an initial template/system for each.
Consultant Partner Benefits: Pros and cons list to help decide if a consultant partner relationship would be advantageous for your business.
Section 7: Staying Tech Agnostic & Trend-focused
Tech Trend Tracker: Create a system to stay up to date with the latest in project management and tech trends, ensuring agility in your operations.
Tool Research Log: Track research performed on new tools, including time spent and results or findings.
Section 8: Personal and Team Energy Management
Energy Audit: Guide on conducting an energy audit for yourself and your team members, focusing on what tasks give energy and which deplete it.
Team Role Restructure: Workbook section to help rework roles based on individual strengths and personality assessments.
Section 9: Business Therapy and Audience Shifting
Reflective Journal Prompts: Guided questions to help reflect on personal satisfaction with client base and steps towards business therapy insights.
Audience Evolution Plan: Strategies and planning sheets to help you transition to a new audience or client base with authenticity.
Conclusion:
Implementing Sara Loretta's advice and strategies will help you optimize your business operations. As you complete this workbook, reflect on the changes you’ve made and their impact on your company's productivity, culture, and content quality.
How to Use This Workbook:
Listen to the podcast episode featuring Sara Loretta.
Pause and reflect on each section of the episode as prompted in the workbook.
Complete the exercises and implement changes in your business.
Use the insights from this workbook to enhance your notes and understanding of the concepts discussed in the episode.
Appendix:
Additional resources and templates from Sara Loretta's Systems Club website.
Links to further reading on Google Sprint models and ClickUp/Notion optimization.
Contact information for Sara Loretta for one-on-one consultations.
(Note: Always provide proper credit and permissions for any directly used content from the podcast or Sara Loretta’s intellectual property.)
Tweet thread on learnings
Tweet 1:
Just unpacked a goldmine of insights from systems expert, Sara Loretta on our "Uploading..." podcast. She's orchestrating tech symphonies for businesses big & small, and her tech stack strategies are next-level! A thread on optimizing content operations & the power of knowing your tech:👇
Tweet 2:
The Art of the Tech Audit 🖥️
Sara kicks off with a full tech audit for companies, ensuring that overlaps in tools across departments are identified – it's like tech tidying meets strategic efficiency. Every piece of software needs a purpose, or it's just digital clutter.
Tweet 3:
Syncing Culture with Tech 🤝
It's not just about the cool tools! Sara dives into the cultural fabric of remote async teams, tweaking both internal dynamics and customer interactions. The goal? A team that thrives asynchronously and a customer who feels always connected.
Tweet 4:
Inside the Training Model 🎓
Understanding roles before outsourcing is critical. Sara stresses on internal training - it's the bridge from tech potential to tech proficiency. The result? A robust team that can wield tech like a wizard's wand.
Tweet 5:
Strategy Over Tools: The Content Operations Mantra 🛠️🚀
Optimizing content ops starts with involvement, not just delegation. Sara's narrative is clear: the right strategist beats an arsenal of tools any day. It's about crafting quality, not piling up quantity.
Tweet 6:
Creator's Guilt vs. Strategy Struggle 😓✊
Even system experts face the creator's guilt - consistent content creation's tough. Sara's candid about juggling the need for regularity with the ambition to scale, shining a spotlight on the creative conundrum.
Tweet 7:
The Notion of Notion Success 🗒️
Sara's Notion content is a hit, but with success comes the pigeonhole trap. Still, she flies beyond it, showcasing her Paperform prowess, illustrating how expertise transcends platforms.
Tweet 8:
Facing Goliath: The 300-Person Project Challenge 🧗♀️
In the tech world, bigger isn't always merrier. Sara's tackling a project with a team of 300, feeling dwarfed by its scale - a real-life David vs. Goliath, but with workflows and widgets.
Tweet 9:
Agility in Tech Trends: The Business Evolution 🌿
Staying tech agnostic is the trick to avoid being a one-trick pony in project management. Sara harps on the tune of versatility - today’s hot tech may be tomorrow’s leftover lunch.
Tweet 10:
AI vs. Humanity: The VA Dilemma 🤖❤️
VAs should be more than just short-term task-tacklers. Sara's stance is firm: AI doesn't cut it for nuanced tasks. And planning for VAs' long-term roles is planning for your business's maturity.
Tweet 11:
Unleashing Positive Energy: The Business Therapy Pill 💡💊
Sapped by the wrong clientele? Sara shows us the window to realignment - finding work that resonates. Her 'business therapy' isn't a buzzword. It's about recharging your professional heartbeat.
Tweet 12:
Team Chemistry: Personality Powered Productivity 🧪🔋
It's a wrap with a revelation: a team audit can unlock individual superpowers. Sara's call to arms? Align roles with personalities, transforming the workplace into a powerhouse of tailored talents.
Join us for the full download on our episode with @SaraLoretta, "Sara Loretta: The Symphony of Systems" on "Uploading...", and hear how she creates harmony in the cacophony of content chaos. #UploadingPodcast #TechOptimization #SystemsExpert
Youtube Description
Maximizing Your Podcast Agency Workflow with Sara Loretta – A Deep Dive Into Efficient Content Creation
Streamline Your Podcast Agency Now and Watch Your Operations Soar: https://app.uploadingpodcast.com/contentoptimization
In this episode of "Uploading...", we're unpacking the mastery of workflow optimization with the one-and-only Sara Loretta. For anyone looking to amplify the productivity and content operations within their podcast agency, this session is crammed with experience-based insights that are ready to transform your business from the inside out.
Mastering Content Operations: We'll kick things off by dissecting how Sara orchestrates full tech audits to streamline and optimize content operations. If you're tangled in the web of too many tools, this segment will be your compass to consolidation and clarity.
Remote Async Team Dynamics: Next, delve into the nuances of managing a remote async team. Understand the essential culture components that drive both internal teamwork and external customer encounters to revolutionize the way you handle remote collaborations.
Training Models for In-House Efficiency: Gain from Sara's shrewd perspective on training and the value of understanding roles before outsourcing. She'll introduce you to a framework that nurtures internal talent and leverages it for unparalleled tech efficiency.
Outsourcing vs. Strategy Impact: Engage with the critical dialogue around the effects of outsourcing on content quality. Sara underlines a strategist's role in maintaining quality over quantity – a must-listen for those managing outsourced creatives.
Overcoming Creator Guilt: Sara bares her struggle with creator guilt, addressing the challenge of balancing content consistency against scaling success. This is a stark look at a creator's psyche that many can relate to – and learn how to overcome.
The ClickUp Consultant Chronicles: Navigate the tricky waters of platform consultancy as Sara shares her real-world experiences with being a ClickUp consultant partner, including the surprises and setbacks involved with project implementations and integrations.
VA Utilization and AI Limitations: Discover Sara's take on employing virtual assistants for innovative, non-monotonous tasks, and get a handle on the tasks that AI hasn't quite mastered yet, ensuring you place human brilliance where it really counts.
Tech Obsession and Workflow Wizardry: At the heart of the episode, you'll be exposed to Sara's tech-obsessed approach to problem-solving. See how a pro like Sara tackles massive projects like rehauling Google Workspace or tailoring sophisticated tools such as Notion for diverse client needs.
Real Business Therapy Insights: End the session with thought-provoking conversations on business therapy versus business coaching, and why sometimes, the answer to finding fulfillment in your work lies much deeper than a simple change in strategy or audience.
For aspirants of agency growth, content creators, and tech-stack savants, this podcast episode with Sara Loretta encapsulates a treasure trove of operational wisdom. You'll learn not just how to supercharge your productivity, but also how to align your business practices with your intrinsic values and energies.
Whether you're a freelancer struggling with workflow management, a growing team in need of direction, or an enterprise seeking to refine offboarding and communication processes – this episode will provide actionable insights that could define the future trajectory of your podcast agency. Don't miss the opportunity to absorb knowledge from a systems maestro and transform the essence of your content operations today.
📚 Timestamped overview
00:00 Transitioned to freelance after automating and systemizing a city organization, struggled to find job, started freelancing in web design, branding, and video.
04:37 Transitioned from design to consulting due to viral notion video. Now focus on tech and culture dev for remote work.
09:01 Conducts tech audit, assesses tech stack, culture expectations, training model, and tech support.
11:14 Concerns about ghostwriters and optimizing content operations. Importance of not outsourcing personal understanding.
15:50 YouTuber celebrates reaching 3K subs, struggles with niche.
20:12 Summary: Learning and managing tech tools for work efficiency and client projects.
22:58 Created efficient workflows for content creation and partnerships, leading to increased productivity.
24:49 Business owner automates onboarding and contracts, handles workload alone but seeks assistance for scheduling.
28:17 Reflecting on client projects, learning new skills, identifying red flags, considering future directions. Seeking therapy for business-related stress.
33:08 Friend used personality tests to improve team dynamics and productivity.
34:43 Sarah Loretta, active on Twitter.
📚 Timestamped overview
00:00 Transition from job to successful freelance work.
04:37 Transitioned from nonprofit work to tech consultancy.
09:01 Tech audit, stack analysis, culture, training, support.
11:14 Ghostwriters can be hit or miss. Outsourcing content may not be ideal.
15:50 YouTube success, struggle with content variety.
20:12 Using tools to simplify platform switching and customization.
22:58 Enhanced content workflows drive improved productivity and respect.
24:49 Automated onboarding, but need help with scheduling.
28:17 Reflective client reviews, seeking personal growth.
33:08 Friend used personality tests to optimize team.
34:43 Sarah Loretta, I am everywhere, especially Twitter.
📚 Timestamped overview
00:00 Achieved automation, freelancing, frustration with job search, client challenges.
04:37 Individual became a certified Notion consultant, helping clients with tech stacks and culture development.
09:01 Audit tech, department needs, culture, training, support.
11:14 Concerns about using ghostwriters for content operations.
15:50 YouTuber feeling frustrated with niche success, wants to diversify content.
20:12 Exploring tools, adapting platforms, building cheat sheet for work efficiency.
22:58 Created efficient content and partnership workflows. Increased output. Overcame unfamiliarity with influencer content creation.
24:49 Business owner automates onboarding, struggles with workload and scheduling.
28:17 Reflecting on client reviews and personal growth, deciding to delegate ClickUp projects, seeking talk therapy for business.
33:08 Friend expanded team using personality assessments for task allocation, resulting in improved productivity.
34:43 Sarah Loretta enjoys using Twitter with her unique name.
📚 Timestamped overview
00:00 Transitioned to freelance, faced challenges but persevered.
04:37 Pioneered business development with Notion, tech consulting.
09:01 Conducting tech audit, optimizing processes, and training.
11:14 Outsourcing content operations: hit or miss?
15:50 YouTube success, struggle to diversify content.
20:12 Utilizing Google and YouTube for platform building.
22:58 Automated workflow increases content production, streamlines partnerships.
24:49 Automated onboarding, managerial support for scheduling.
28:17 Reflective client reviews; therapy leads to revelation.
33:08 Friend used personality assessments to optimize team.
34:43 Sarah Loretta: My full name, no h.
Short Blurb
E97: Dive deep into the world of tech optimization and remote work dynamics with our expert guest, Sara Loretta, as we uncover the secrets to streamlining your business's tech stack and fostering a flourishing remote culture. Sara brings her wealth of experience in tech obsession and systems innovation to the table, providing actionable insights for freelancers and businesses of all sizes.
In today's eye-opening discussion, we'll explore:
Conducting a comprehensive tech audit to maximize your company's efficiency
Developing a training model to elevate your team's tech fluency before considering outsourcing
The transformative power of a content strategist in optimizing operations
Insights on balancing content creation with consistency and scalability
Navigating the intricacies of collaboration tools and platform consulting partnerships
With Sara's unique perspective on tech agnosticism and the need for adaptive change in project management, listeners are in for a trove of valuable takeaways.
A fun fact from this episode: Sara Loretta deposits her personality into her digital presence, right down to her social media and her uniquely spelled website, system(s) club — minus an 'e' to stand out in the vast online universe!
As we wrap up another enlightening conversation on Uploading..., let Sara's journey embolden you to re-evaluate your tech and team dynamics for unparalleled productivity and fulfillment.
Don't forget to tune in to this game-changing episode and subscribe to our podcast, where we continuously bring in top creators, marketers, and professionals to help you harness content for profits. Listen now and start uploading your success with insights from the forward-thinking Sara Loretta!
Interview Breakdown
In this insightful interview with tech and workflow optimization specialist Sara Loretta, we explore the depth of enhancing company operations through targeted tech audits and culture development. Sara opens up about the personal and professional growth aspects she's navigated in her journey to create profitable and effective systems for businesses of all sizes.
Today, we'll cover:
How Sara Loretta conducts full tech audits to streamline a company's tech stack and optimize remote team dynamics.
Sara's approach to internal training and the pivotal role it plays before considering outsourcing talent.
The intricate balance of content operations, the role of content strategists, and Sara's personal battle with creator guilt.
Insights into Sara's expertise with Notion and ClickUp, and the challenges of consulting on large-scale projects.
The significance of long-term planning for virtual assistants, the value of a business therapist, and Sara's advice on finding fulfillment in work.
Tune in for an episode filled with actionable strategies and heartfelt advice from a tech specialist passionate about elevating businesses through smart systems.
Interview Breakdown
In this episode, we dive deep into tech optimization and role evaluation strategies with systems expert Sara Loretta. Through an intimate discussion, we uncover how Sara's comprehensive approach to tech and workflows is reshaping how businesses operate in today's digital landscape.
Today, we'll cover:
The significance of conducting a full tech audit in understanding and streamlining a company's tech stack.
How fostering a specific culture can enhance remote teams and client experiences while managing expectations.
Tips on training and nurturing internal tech talent before considering external outsourcing solutions.
Sara Loretta's personal journey with content creation, her battle with consistency, and the challenges of scaling returns.
Strategies for evaluating roles within your business, the importance of long-term virtual assistant planning, and the benefits of a team audit.
This episode promises a treasure trove of insights for anyone looking to refine their business through smart technology and effective team management.
Interview Breakdown
In this enlightening episode with Sara Loretta, we dive deep into the world of tech optimization and workflow mastery. Sara shares her comprehensive approach to enhancing team dynamics and client experiences across various industries using her tech-savvy expertise.
Today, we'll cover:
Sara's inclusive tech audit approach and its significant impact on companywide efficiency.
The art of balancing remote asynchronous team cultures with internal and external expectations.
How fostering an understanding of roles and effective training optimizes outsourcing strategies.
The vitality of a content strategist and the nuanced role of tools in elevating content quality.
Sara's journey through becoming a tech-agnostic consultant and the personal challenges of staying consistent in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Tune in for a masterclass in tech and workflow optimization that will leave you rethinking how you structure your own systems and content operations.
Interview Breakdown
In this episode, we explore the intricate world of tech optimization and workflow mastery with Sara Loretta, whose knack for systemizing processes has helped numerous businesses thrive in the digital space. Sara’s unique perspective and extensive experience make for an insightful and enriching discussion on enhancing productivity and content operations.
Today, we'll cover:
How Sara Loretta conducts thorough tech audits to streamline company operations and tool utilization.
The significance of reinforcing company culture and remote team dynamics for superior client experiences.
The necessity of understanding and training internal tech talent before considering the outsourcing option.
Sara's personal journey through creator guilt, content creation struggles, and finding sustainability in her work.
Practical advice on managing tech trends, the benefits of business therapy, and optimizing team roles for productivity gains.
Interview Breakdown
In today’s episode, we sit down with systems expert Sara Loretta to explore the intricate world of tech stack optimization and workflow enhancement. Discover valuable insights as we delve into the art of merging technology with human talent to elevate team performance and client experiences.
Today, we'll cover:
The strategic approach Sara takes in conducting full tech audits to streamline company operations
How Sara balances tech tools with cultivating a productive culture for remote asynchronous teams
The vital role of understanding internal roles before outsourcing and the process of reinforcing tech personnel
Sara's personal struggle with content creation consistency and the significance of being a strategist in content operations
Insights on long-term virtual assistant engagements and reshaping team roles through personality assessments for better productivity
Join us as we upload a wealth of knowledge on leveraging technology to its full potential, all from the dynamic perspective of Sara Loretta.
Short Recap
In this episode, Sara Loretta unpacks her comprehensive approach to optimizing tech stacks and workflows, enhancing the overall culture for remote teams, and improving client experiences. She dives into the nuances of tech audits, the significance of specialized training, strategic content operations, and the thoughtful integration of tools like Notion and ClickUp to scale and streamline business processes.
Short Recap
In this episode, Sara Loretta unpacks her systematic approach to tech audits and culture development in companies, weaving in personal anecdotes of overcoming creator guilt and the challenges of being pigeonholed. It's a deep dive into the nuances of tech stacks, the critical role of internal training, and leveraging systems for optimizing content operations, all brought to life with Sara's unique blend of expertise and experience.
Short Recap
In this episode, Sara Loretta unpacks her comprehensive approach to tech audits and remote team culture enhancement, driving businesses towards streamlined operations and optimal content workflow. Discover her expert strategies on tech stack needs, training models, and the pivotal role of personal energy in finding project fulfillment for both individuals and large-scale teams.
Short Recap
In this episode, Sara Loretta unpacks the intricacies of conducting a comprehensive tech audit to streamline company processes, emphasizing the delicate balance between culture and technology in remote, asynchronous work environments. She shares her journey in optimizing content operations, the role of strategists in maintaining quality over quantity, and the necessity of personal energy audits for finding work that truly fulfills.
Short Recap
On this episode of "Uploading...", systems expert Sara Loretta dives deep into the world of tech audits and culture development, sharing her strategic approach to optimizing tech stacks and workflows within remote teams, while enhancing client and customer experiences. From discussing the impact of quality content operations and the challenges of platform specialization to advocating for the well-being of businesses through team audits and role adaptations, Sara imparts invaluable insights for any business looking to navigate the complexities of tech integration and workforce dynamics effectively.
Short Recap
In this episode, Sara Loretta unpacks her systematic approach to revolutionizing tech and workflow processes for companies, underlining the critical balance of culture, training, and tech optimization for remote teams. She distills her experiences and expertise into actionable insights, offering listeners a blueprint for enhancing their content operations and team efficiency using her unique tech-agnostic strategies.
Short Recap
In this episode, Sara Loretta unpacks her systematic approach to tech audits, optimizing remote work culture, and streamlining content operations across various industries, sharing her unique expertise in tech and workflow optimization. She dives into the personal journey that led her to emphasize team dynamics and the crucial role of staying tech-agnostic to ensure that businesses not only survive but thrive in the digital age.
Short Recap
In this instalment, Sara Loretta unpacks her comprehensive approach to tech audits and culture refinement, which helps companies streamline their tech stacks and enhance their remote work dynamics. It's a masterclass in marrying strategy and systems, aimed at ensuring businesses profit through optimized content operations and smart hiring, indispensable for anyone looking to scale effectively.
New Idea
Idea #2: Embracing Tech Agnosticism
Adopt a tech-agnostic approach to stay adaptable and tailored in your digital processes, exemplified by:
Comprehensive Tech Audits: Perform complete evaluations of your tech stack, as Sara does with each department, to ensure software and tools align with overarching company goals, avoiding redundancy and promoting synergy.
Continuous Learning: Remain informed about ever-evolving tech trends. Sara Loretta stresses the necessity of staying current with new tools, which reinforces her ability to provide the most effective solutions without bias toward specific platforms.
Versatile Problem-Solving: As demonstrated by Sara's pivot from Notion to rectify a poorly configured ClickUp setup, being tech-agnostic allows for flexible problem-solving strategies that prioritize client needs over platform loyalty.
New Idea
Idea #4: Tech Agnosticism in Workflow Optimization
Embrace tech agnosticism to ensure adaptability and efficient workflow management within your business, through:
Comprehensive Tech Audits: Sara Loretta demonstrates this concept by engaging in full tech audits for companies, evaluating the tech stacks across all departments. This holistic approach helps identify the most effective tools, independent of brand loyalty or trends, to serve the team's collective needs.
Focusing on Custom Implementation Over Trends: As Sara rebuilt a client's Google Workspace and addressed the incorrect setup of the ClickUp account, she showcased tech agnosticism by prioritizing the bespoke needs of a business rather than the popularity or perceived superiority of a tool. Her approach exemplifies how an unbiased perspective towards technology can lead to more tailored, effective business solutions.
Continuous Education on Tech Evolution: Sara emphasizes the necessity of staying current with technological advancements, highlighting how an agnostic attitude towards tech — not married to any one platform — can empower businesses to pivot and adopt new tools as they emerge, thus maintaining an edge in efficiency and productivity.
New Idea
Idea #2: The Strategic Importance of Internal Capacity Building
Foster growth and sustainability by cultivating internal expertise before outsourcing, supported by:
In-depth Role Understanding: Sara guides companies through a training model that mandates an understanding of each position within the organization. This knowledge foundation proves crucial before considering outsourcing, ensuring informed decisions regarding which tasks can be efficiently managed internally versus those that need external expertise.
Identifying and Training Tech Personnel: Evidence of this strategic focus is found in Sara's support for her clients in pinpointing potential tech personnel within their ranks. By equipping these team members with the necessary skills and knowledge, businesses can handle tech-related tasks in-house, which enhances the long-term resilience and adaptability of the team.
Not Just Outsourcing but Optimizing: During her conversation, Sara underscores the potential pitfalls of outsourcing prematurely, notably the loss of quality control and understanding of the nuances of each role. By prioritizing internal capacity building, companies can maintain standards of excellence and cultivate a strong sense of ownership and accountability within their teams.
Simplify
Sure, here's a simpler version of the episode summary for "Uploading…", featuring guest Sara Loretta:
Sara checks companies' technology to see what they need and how to avoid using too many similar tools.
She works on making sure teams that don’t work in the same place have good culture and customer relationships.
Sara believes in teaching people inside the company about technology before hiring outsiders, helping them pick and teach the right tech people.
The hosts talk about making content creation smoother by really knowing each job before getting help from outside.
Sara talks about hiring outsiders to help with creating content. She believes in making sure things are done well, not just a lot, and having a good plan.
She feels bad sometimes because she knows her content is important, but it's hard to keep making it and make more money.
Sara has done well with her work on Notion but doesn't want to only be known for that. She also knows a lot about Paperform.
She helps companies use a tool called ClickUp, although she's not officially recognized by ClickUp.
Sara is working with a big team of 300 people and it’s a lot to handle.
She stays current with tech trends and doesn't stick to just one way of managing projects.
Sara discovered a company’s account with ClickUp was set up wrong after they paid someone else to do it.
She’s fixing up a Google Workspace for a client and says Notion is a big part of her work.
She’s helped with setting up work for podcast companies and a food person, making sure their content goes from idea to finished product using Notion.
Sara believes in hiring virtual assistants for interesting tasks, not just repetitive ones that a machine could do.
It’s good to plan for a virtual assistant's long-term role in your business, not just hire them for a quick job.
Ramon asks for advice on making job descriptions to help his business.
Sara shares her past unhappiness with her work, how business therapy helped her, and the need to switch the kind of work and clients she had to be happier.
She suggests looking at what brings you energy at work and what doesn't, and maybe getting advice from a business therapist.
Understanding what each person is good at in a team is key to assigning roles.
The episode wraps up suggesting businesses should check what everyone is good at and make job roles match.
Sara Loretta is a systems expert who used to work with nonprofits and is now into tech and making work processes better.
She helps a variety of clients with tech, training, and improving how teams talk to each other.
She uses a method called Google Sprint to see how businesses use their tech and how to make it better.
Sara likes her unique name and uses it everywhere online.
She's a fan of Twitter and has a website called "systems club" (on purpose without the "e").
On her website, she offers guides, videos, and personal help.
The hosts say thank you to Sara for being on the show.
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