Everyone talks about systems, but most business owners never actually build them. They stay stuck doing everything themselves because creating documentation feels like a waste of time when there’s real work to be done. Colby Davis used to think the same way until he realized that without systems, he’d never be able to scale Davis Painting.
His approach was simple: every time he did something twice, he documented it. If he was training someone on how to prep a room, he wrote down the steps while he was showing them. If he was walking a customer through the process, he recorded the key points. Over time, these notes turned into checklists, which turned into training modules, which turned into a system anyone could follow.
The goal wasn’t to make everything robotic. The goal was to capture what good looks like so the company could replicate it consistently. That way, customers got the same high-quality experience no matter which crew showed up. New hires could get up to speed faster. And Colby could step back from day-to-day execution without worrying that things would fall apart.
One of his favorite systems is the pre-job checklist. Before any crew leaves for a site, they go through a simple list: tools loaded, materials verified, customer contacted to confirm timing, job site details reviewed. It takes five minutes, but it eliminates so many problems that used to cost the company time and money.
Systems aren’t sexy, but they’re the difference between a business that depends entirely on the owner and one that can grow and thrive independently. Colby will take boring and scalable over chaotic and heroic any day.