80/20 - The Key to Process Documentation

How to Document Core Processes Without Losing Your Mind

Hey there Visionaries 👋

Let me tell you a little secret: every time I hear someone say “we just figure it out as we go,” a tiny part of me dies inside. Not because I don't love a good entrepreneurial spirit (trust me, I do), but because I know there’s a better way. A saner, smoother, more sustainable way. One that doesn’t involve putting out the same fires over and over again. But instead, a way that leads to FREEDOM!

That better way? Documenting your core processes.

Before you roll your eyes and imagine hours of typing to fill a dusty SOP binder that no one will ever open again, stick with me! I’m about to show you how to make process documentation not only practical — but powerful. And I promise, it won’t be boring. 💁‍♀️

Why Documenting Core Processes Is a Game-Changer

Think of your business like a beautiful cake (because who doesn’t love cake?). Your processes are the recipe. Without the recipe written down, you're hoping the next baker remembers your grandma's secret technique... and that’s risky. Documenting processes creates consistency, empowers your team, and frees up your brain to do the big, visionary work.

But here's where most people get stuck: Where do I even start?

Enter: The Pareto Principle (a.k.a. the 80/20 Rule)

This is one of my favorite coaching tools, and it applies perfectly here.

🔑 80% of your results come from 20% of your effort.That means you don’t need to document everything — just the 20% of your processes that drive 80% of your results.

Start by asking:

• What do we do over and over again?

• What tasks are most critical to delivering our product or service?

• Where do mistakes or bottlenecks happen the most?

Start there. That’s your 20%. These are the processes that deserve the VIP treatment.

How to Document Like a Pro (Even If You’re Not One)

Let me walk you through the steps I use with my clients:

1. Identify Your Core Processes: Start with the 6–10 high-level processes that keep the lights on: Sales, Marketing, Operations, Finance, HR, Customer Experience, etc.

   
   

2. Choose ONE Process to Start: Pick the one that’s most painful or most repeated. This gets you the biggest return, fastest.

   
   

3. Keep It High-Level (At First): Use the 80/20 mindset again — capture the major steps, not every mouse click.

   
   

4. Document Visually if Possible: Flowcharts, checklists, screenshots — whatever helps your team follow it with ease. If you want to go next-level…

   
   

5. Use a Tool Like Playbook Builder or Trainual: Seriously, if you’re stuck in Google Docs hell, Playbook Builder or Trainual will change your life. It lets you turn your processes into interactive, trainable playbooks your team will actually use. (And no, they didn’t pay me to say that — I just really love tools that make process easy.)

   
   

   My favorite has to be Playbook Builder because they have this awesome AI tool that auto-generates processes for 12 industries, allowing you to easily personalize the processes to fit your company! Talk about process made easy!

   
   

6. Make It Live + Breathable: Processes aren’t stone tablets. Schedule regular reviews to update and improve them.

   
   

7. Train Your Team (and Trust Them!): Once the process is in place, empower your team to own it. This builds confidence and creates consistency across the board.

   
   

Stuck? Let’s Get You Unstuck 💡

Goal: Don’t aim for perfection, aim for progress — one powerful process at a time.

📌 Final Thought: Documenting your core processes isn’t about slowing down. It’s about speeding up — sustainably. Because when your team knows what “done right” looks like, you get to stop micromanaging and start scaling!

And honestly, isn’t that the dream?

—

With clarity + courage,

Lisa