Using the generic advice found all over YouTube and websites to build business processes will take you hours to implement. But if you follow the tactics in this guide, you can create process for any part of your business in just 35 minutes or less.

I know this because, unlike the so-called business gurus discussing processes online, I’m an actual process consultant and CEO. And create process is easy than you can think.

For the past seven years, I’ve specialized in this work, helping over 1,400 small businessesto create process for their operations.

I’ll break everything down into six steps, but first, let’s review the traditional approach people used to create processes—so you can spot the difference.

And, of course, you can’t poke fun at traditional business consultants without using a bad PowerPoint template with clip art.

The Traditional Approach to Create Processes

Step 1: Making a Diagram

Don’t start by diagramming everything your business does.

You’ll often hear about value stream mapping or a business model canvas. No matter the method, it’s usually a big-picture, convoluted, one-time exercise—something you’ll create, forget about, and eventually shove in a drawer.

Step 2: Zooming Into Every Single Step

The next step in the corporate approach is to zoom in, pick a section of your value stream map, and outline every single step involved.

This typically involves whiteboarding software with overly complex icons that claim to have specific meanings—but just end up overwhelming you.

From my experience, small businesses have anywhere from 200 to 500 processes.

Once you’ve spent time learning how to Process Map and have created your Process Map, you’ll have a complicated diagram that no one (except you) understands.

But that’s okay, because in the next step, you’ll sit down at your keyboard and start typing out detailed instructions for everything you just mapped out.

Step 3: Don’t Create Large Work Instructions

But don’t worry—this isn’t just a simple copy-and-paste exercise. This is where you start creating work instructions.

These instructions break down, step by step, everything you need to do to complete a process.

For example, let’s say your process is sending an invoice.
Your work instruction will outline every single click, every document to open, and every review step needed to send that invoice.

In the traditional approach, work instructions often end up being 15 to 30 pages long. Writing just one can take 90 minutes to 3 hours, and since you have hundreds of processes in your business, that’s an insane amount of time spent on documentation.

See the problem?

Once you’ve documented your process in such detail that you consider it your Mona Lisa, try a simple test:

Could a Small Child Follow Your Work Instructions?

Your goal when you create process is to make the instructions so clear that even a five-year-old could complete the task.If they fail—which is normal—your instructions are too complex and need to be revised to create good process.

You’ll keep refining your work instructions until anyone can follow them. Only then can you finally move on and get back to your actual job.

The Traditional Approach Isn’t Wrong—But It’s Not Practical

At a basic level, this is exactly what consulting firms do for Fortune 100 companies.
It’s what MBA programs still teach today.

And that’s why many business gurus treat this method like it’s revolutionary—because it’s the same thing they learned in their MBA program back in the ‘80s.

But here’s the thing…

We are not in an MBA program.
We’re in the real world.

Most businesses today are small businesses—like yours, like mine.
We don’t have time to waste.

So while the traditional approach may be what you read in textbooks, it’s not what actually works in real-world businesses.

It’s time to stop treating it like it does.

What’s the Better Way to Create Process?

Step 1: Pick a “Needy” Area in Your Business

Yes, I know—I said this would be simpler.

To identify a needy area, you could go through a 32-step prioritization exercise that starts with—

Wait.

Did I get you?

Did you actually believe we had a 32-step exercise for this?
Come on.

We’re keeping things simple.

Just pick a needy area in your business.

By “needy,” I mean something that is clearly valuable—but is currently a giant pain.

It’s something that hurts right now, yet you know it could generate huge value if it were fixed.

Some common examples include:
Onboarding
Delivering your service
Sales conversations before onboarding
Content marketing

Basically, choose something valuable that isn’t quite working and is frustrating to deal with.

This is where small businesses have an advantage.

In a corporate environment, you’d need a 30-step process just to identify a needy area.

But if you’re a small team operator, you can probably name the biggest pain point in your business in 30 seconds flat.

Here’s a polished and structured version of your content while keeping it engaging and clear:

Step 2: Pick the “Needy” Activity

At this stage, you take the system you identified in Step 1 and start breaking it down into actual actions that make it work.

Let’s say our system is about delivering trophies for a sign shop.

What actions make this system work?

✔ Ordering the parts
✔ Designing the plaque
✔ Engraving the plaque
✔ Assembling the pieces
✔ Packaging and shipping the order

Each of these is an activity within our system.

Now, Prioritize the Pain Points.

Look at the activities and ask yourself:

👉 Which one is the biggest pain?
👉 Which one has the most potential to improve efficiency or profits?

For our trophy shop example, let’s say ordering materials is the biggest headache.
It’s painful, it slows everything down, and if we can fix it, it will dramatically improve the whole operation.

So, for Step 2, we focus on ordering materials.

Step 3: Clarify Actions (Define Tasks)

Now that we’ve identified the biggest pain point, it’s time to clarify what actually needs to be done.

Think of Tasks as answering three questions: What, When and Who ?
✔ What is happening?
✔ When is it happening?
✔ Who is responsible for it?

Example: Tasks for Ordering Materials

📌 Task 1: Check all upcoming orders ✅ (What? Checking orders. When? Daily. Who? Warehouse manager.)
📌 Task 2: Call suppliers to confirm availability ✅ (What? Calling suppliers. When? Weekly. Who? Purchasing officer.)
📌 Task 3: Track shipment statuses ✅ (What? Tracking shipments. When? Ongoing. Who? Logistics team.)
📌 Task 4: Inspect received materials for shortages or defects ✅ (What? Inspecting materials. When? Upon arrival. Who? Quality control.)

Each Task is a concrete action assigned to someone.

💡 Pro Tip: Write down as many Tasks as possible. You’ll need them for Step 4.

At this point, our process is starting to take shape, because Tasks are where process come to life.

Step 4: Start Delegation (Assign Ownership)

🎉 Congratulations! You’ve now create process—and yes, it really is that simple.

But here’s the catch:

Having a system doesn’t mean your business can run without you.

And that’s a problem.

If you are the only one running the system, it’s like having a Netflix account and refusing to share the password. It works, but it’s not the best way to do things.

Time to Share the Load

At this step, we assign responsibility to someone on our team.

You can delegate at two levels:

✔ Assign a system to a team member (e.g., Order Management System → Purchasing Manager)
✔ Assign a process to a team member (e.g., Supplier Communication → Logistics Coordinator)

If you have a junior team, you might not want to delegate an entire system. Instead, delegate just one process at a time.

Connecting This to Business Jargon

In formal business terms, this step is called creating roles.
Each system or process should have clear ownership, so that responsibility is spread out instead of falling only on you.

Next Steps is to automate & Optimize.

Once you’ve delegated, you’re on your way to freeing yourself from operational chaos and making your business more scalable and efficient.

Here’s your content refined for clarity, engagement, and impact:

What If I Don’t Have a Team?

Congratulations! 🎉 Your team now consists of two people:
✅ You today
✅ You in the future

Make future you happier by following this step yourself.

Step 5: Assigning Ownership (Even If It’s Just You)

When we assign ownership, we’re defining three key responsibilities:

1️⃣ Getting tasks done – The assigned person ensures all tasks in the system are completed.
2️⃣ Improving the system – They don’t just keep it running; they refine and optimize it over time.
3️⃣ Handling mistakes – If something goes wrong, they take responsibility for fixing it.

At first, this assigned person might just be you, but by doing this, you’ll be setting up a structure that can be handed off later.

Task Delegation vs. Area Delegation

Let’s break this down with a metaphor.

Imagine your business systems as babies.

Option 1: Hiring a Babysitter (Task Delegation)

If you delegate only tasks, it’s like hiring a babysitter.
✔ They’ll do the bare minimum.
✔ They’ll keep things moving while you’re away.
✔ But when you return, everything is exactly the same as before.

This is fine if you’re using freelancers or VAs, but it doesn’t help your business grow.

Option 2: Hiring a Mentor (Area Delegation)

If you delegate areas, it’s like giving your child a mentor.
✔ They take responsibility for long-term growth.
✔ They make improvements without you micromanaging.
✔ They ensure that when you check back in months or years later, things are better than before.

This is what separates true business owners from people stuck in endless task delegation. Create process ! Great process !

Step 6: Document the Process (SOPs & Systems)

Now that ownership is assigned, it’s time to capture how we do what we do.

This is where Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) come in. But let’s keep it simple.

Your SOPs could include:
📌 Templates – Pre-written emails, reports, or scripts.
📌 Work Instructions – Detailed steps for recurring tasks.
📌 Video Walkthroughs – Quick screen recordings of how you complete a task.
📌 Software & AI Tools – Automations that help speed up work.

💡 Why Do This?
If the person in charge gets sick, quits, or disappears, your system won’t collapse—because everything is documented.

Systemizing in Just 35 Minutes? Yes!

Let’s break down the time commitment:

⏳ Step 1: Identify the system – 5 minutes
⏳ Step 2: Pick the needy activity – 5 minutes
⏳ Step 3: Define tasks – 10 minutes
⏳ Step 4: Assign ownership – 5 minutes
⏳ Step 5: Document the process – 10 minutes

That’s 35 minutes total to systemize one area of your business.

Now, here’s the real magic.

✅ If fixing one system saves you 30 minutes a week, you break even in a week.
✅ The next week, you save 30 more minutes—and reinvest that time in fixing another process.
✅ Keep repeating this, and in six months, your business will be unrecognizable.

Meanwhile, the traditional business owners will still be stuck making their fancy process maps. Create great enterprise culture. It will help you to create great process.

The 12-Minute SOP Method

Earlier, we mentioned 15-30 page work instructions.

How do you write those in 15 minutes or less?

I’ve taught this method to over 2,000 companies, and my personal average for an SOP using this framework is 12 minutes.

But don’t take my word for it—try it yourself.

And remember… Enjoy the Process!