The complete 50-system operations checklist for small businesses approaching $1M. Organized by category with priority markers.
You're doing $300K-$800K in revenue. Things are working, but only because you're holding it all together with duct tape and willpower.
You answer every question. You remember every deadline. You catch every mistake -- usually at 11pm on a Sunday. The business runs because you run it. Manually. Every single day.
That's not a business. That's a job you built for yourself. And it won't get you to $1M.
The difference between businesses that stall at $500K and businesses that blow past $1M isn't talent, hustle, or a better product. It's systems. Documented, repeatable, runs-without-you systems.
This is the complete checklist. Fifty systems across eight categories. Some you need tomorrow. Some can wait. All of them need to exist before you cross seven figures -- or you'll cross it and immediately wish you hadn't.
How to Use This Checklist
Don't try to build all 50 systems this quarter. You'll burn out and nothing will get done.
Instead:
- Read through the full list and check off what you already have
- Focus on the "Start here" items first -- these are the 10 systems that cause the most damage when missing
- Build one system per week -- that's 50 systems in a year, which is realistic
- Document as you go -- a system that isn't written down isn't a system (see our guide on SOPs that people actually follow)
A system doesn't need to be complicated. A checklist in a Google Doc counts. A Loom video walkthrough counts. A Zapier automation definitely counts. What matters is that someone other than you can execute it and get the same result.
1. Sales & Client Acquisition (8 Systems)
Without sales systems, revenue depends on the founder's memory and energy. That's a ceiling you'll hit fast.
1. CRM with pipeline stages [Start here]
Every lead, opportunity, and deal tracked in one place with defined stages (lead > qualified > proposal > negotiation > closed). If your pipeline lives in your head or a spreadsheet, you're losing deals. Period. For a deeper dive, read our CRM implementation guide.
2. Lead capture and tracking [Start here]
Every inbound inquiry -- website form, email, referral, DM -- lands in the same system within 24 hours. No lead should fall through the cracks because it came in on a channel you forgot to check.
3. Proposal and quote templates
Standardized templates with your pricing, scope, terms, and timeline. You should be able to send a professional proposal in under 30 minutes, not spend half a day crafting each one from scratch.
4. Pricing structure documentation
Your pricing model, rate card, discount policies, and deal approval thresholds -- all written down. When you hire your first salesperson, they need to know what they can offer without calling you.
5. Sales follow-up sequences
Defined touchpoints after initial contact. Day 1, day 3, day 7, day 14. Whether automated (email sequences) or manual (task reminders), follow-up should be systematic, not based on whether you remembered.
6. Referral tracking system
Know where every client came from. Track who referred whom. Thank referral sources consistently. The businesses that grow fastest almost always have a referral engine -- but only if they track it.
7. Contract and agreement templates
Master service agreements, project-specific SOWs, NDAs. Reviewed by a lawyer once, then templatized so you're not rewriting legal language for every deal.
8. Lost deal analysis process [Nice to have]
When you lose a deal, record why. Price? Timing? Competitor? After 20-30 data points, you'll see patterns that change how you sell.
2. Client Onboarding (6 Systems)
The first 14 days of a client relationship set the tone for everything that follows. A chaotic onboarding signals that delivery will be chaotic too. For a full deep-dive on automating this, check our client onboarding automation guide.
9. Welcome sequence and kickoff process [Start here]
A defined series of steps from signed contract to project kickoff: welcome email, intake form, kickoff call scheduling, introductions. Every client gets the same professional experience.
10. Client intake form
A standardized questionnaire that captures everything you need to start work: business details, goals, access credentials, key contacts, communication preferences. Collect it all upfront, not piecemeal over the first three weeks.
11. Access and credentials management
A documented process for collecting logins, granting system access, and storing credentials securely. Not a Slack message that says "here's the password." A proper system using a password manager or secure vault.
12. Expectations document
A one-pager that spells out: what you'll deliver, when, how communication works, what you need from the client, response time expectations, and what's not included. Prevents 90% of scope creep arguments.
13. Internal handoff process [Start here]
When sales closes a deal, how does the delivery team get the context? A documented handoff prevents the delivery team from asking the client questions that sales already answered.
14. Client folder and workspace setup [Nice to have]
Templatized project folder structure, tool provisioning, and workspace setup. Whether it's Google Drive folders, a ClickUp project, or a Notion workspace -- it should be the same structure every time.
3. Service Delivery (8 Systems)
This is where most of your time goes. It's also where the most operational leverage hides.
15. Project management system [Start here]
Every active project tracked in one tool with clear tasks, owners, and deadlines. Not email threads. Not "I'll remember." A project management tool that gives you a dashboard of everything in flight.
16. Quality assurance process [Start here]
Before anything goes to a client, someone reviews it. A QA checklist specific to your deliverables that catches the mistakes that erode trust. This doesn't need to be elaborate -- even a simple peer review process works.
17. Status update cadence
Clients should never have to ask "what's the status?" Define when and how you communicate progress. Weekly email updates, bi-weekly calls, real-time dashboard -- pick one and stick to it.
18. Deliverable templates
Standardized templates for every recurring deliverable. Reports, designs, documents, presentations -- anything you produce more than twice should have a template. This cuts production time and ensures consistency.
19. Scope change process
When a client asks for something outside the original scope, how do you handle it? A defined process: document the request, assess impact, provide a change order, get approval. No more "sure, we can add that" followed by silent resentment.
20. Client feedback collection
Structured check-ins or surveys at project milestones and completion. Not "how are things going?" but specific questions that surface problems early and generate testimonials when things go well.
21. Project retrospective process [Nice to have]
After each project or major milestone, a 30-minute debrief: what went well, what didn't, what changes for next time. The fastest way to compound operational improvement.
22. Capacity planning system
Know how much work your team can handle before you sell more. Track utilization rates, project timelines, and resource allocation. Overbooking is one of the fastest ways to destroy client relationships and burn out your team.
4. Team & HR (7 Systems)
You can survive without HR systems at 3 people. At 8-10, their absence starts causing real problems -- turnover, confusion, legal risk.
23. Hiring process [Start here]
A documented workflow: job description template, where to post, screening criteria, interview questions, evaluation scorecard, offer letter template. When you need to hire fast (and you will), scrambling to figure out your process costs weeks.
24. Employee onboarding checklist
Day 1, Week 1, Month 1 checklists. Equipment setup, tool access, introductions, training schedule, first assignments. A new hire should never sit idle wondering what to do. Our guide on employee onboarding automation walks through building this step by step.
25. Role documentation and org chart
Every role has a written description of responsibilities, decision authority, and who they report to. Even at 5 people, this prevents the "I thought that was your job" conversations.
26. Performance review process [Nice to have]
Structured check-ins (quarterly is ideal for small teams) with clear expectations, feedback, and development goals. Doesn't need to be formal -- a consistent one-on-one format works.
27. Time tracking system
Know where time goes. Not for micromanagement -- for understanding profitability by client, project, and service line. If you bill hourly, this is non-negotiable. If you bill flat-rate, it's how you find out which clients are eating your margins.
28. PTO and leave policy
Written policy: how much time off, how to request it, blackout periods, approval process. An employee handbook doesn't need to be 50 pages. Start with the policies that cause confusion when they're missing.
29. Compensation and benefits structure [Nice to have]
Pay bands, bonus criteria, benefits overview. When your first hire asks "how do raises work here?" you should have an answer that isn't "uh, let me think about it."
5. Financial (8 Systems)
Cash flow kills more small businesses than bad products. Financial systems aren't exciting, but they're the difference between growing profitably and growing into a crisis.
30. Invoicing process [Start here]
Standardized invoices sent on a consistent schedule with clear payment terms. Automated where possible. Late or inconsistent invoicing is free money you're leaving on the table.
31. Accounts receivable tracking and collections
A system for tracking who owes you money, when it's due, and automated reminders at 3, 7, 14, and 30 days overdue. Read our accounts receivable automation guide for the exact workflows.
32. Accounts payable process
How vendor invoices are received, approved, and paid. Even if it's simple now, documenting this prevents duplicate payments and missed bills as transaction volume grows.
33. Monthly bookkeeping and reconciliation [Start here]
Books closed and reconciled by the 15th of each month. Cash, credit cards, bank accounts -- all matched. If you're not reconciling monthly, you have no idea how the business is actually performing.
34. Budget and forecast
An annual budget broken into monthly targets for revenue and expenses. Updated quarterly with actuals. You don't need a CFO for this -- a well-structured spreadsheet works fine at this stage.
35. Profitability tracking by client or project
Know which clients and services make you money and which ones don't. Many businesses discover that 20-30% of their clients are actually unprofitable. You can't fix what you can't see.
36. Payroll system
Automated payroll with tax withholding, direct deposit, and compliance. This is not optional and should never be manual. Tools like Gusto or Rippling handle this for a few hundred a month.
37. Expense management and approval [Nice to have]
A defined process for submitting, approving, and categorizing business expenses. Credit card receipts, reimbursements, vendor payments -- all flowing into your books cleanly.
6. Technology (6 Systems)
Your tools should make operations easier, not create more confusion. At the pre-$1M stage, the goal is simplicity and reliability, not a bloated tech stack. We wrote a full guide on auditing your tech stack if this section hits close to home.
38. Tech stack documentation
A master list of every tool your business uses: what it does, who has access, what it costs, and who owns it. You'd be amazed how many businesses are paying for tools nobody uses.
39. Data backup and recovery process [Start here]
Automated backups of critical business data: client files, financial records, project data. Know where your data lives and how you'd recover it if something failed. Test this at least annually.
40. Password and access management
A password manager (1Password, LastPass, Bitwarden) with shared vaults for team credentials. Not a Google Doc of passwords. Not "the same password for everything."
41. Tool access provisioning and deprovisioning
A checklist for granting tool access when someone joins and revoking it when they leave. Former employees with active logins is a security and liability problem.
42. IT support process [Nice to have]
Who do people contact when something breaks? Even if the answer is "the founder," document common fixes for recurring issues. Wi-Fi not working, printer jammed, can't access a tool -- quick reference saves time.
43. Security policy [Nice to have]
Basic security practices: two-factor authentication required, acceptable use policy, device security standards. Doesn't need to be enterprise-grade. Needs to exist.
7. Communication (4 Systems)
Most operational problems are really communication problems wearing a disguise. Fix communication and half your other issues resolve on their own.
44. Internal communication protocol [Start here]
Where do different types of communication go? Urgent issues in Slack. Project updates in the project tool. Big decisions in email or meetings. Without this, everything ends up in DMs and important context gets lost.
45. Meeting cadence and structure
Which recurring meetings exist, who attends, and what the agenda format looks like. At minimum: a weekly team sync and weekly or bi-weekly one-on-ones. Every meeting should have an agenda and end with clear action items.
46. Escalation path
When something goes wrong -- client complaint, missed deadline, team conflict -- who handles it and how? A simple escalation matrix prevents paralysis and ensures problems get to the right person fast.
47. External communication standards [Nice to have]
Email response time targets, client communication tone and format, social media guidelines. Consistency in how your business communicates builds trust.
8. Reporting & KPIs (3 Systems)
You can't improve what you don't measure. But you also can't drown in dashboards. Three systems. That's it.
48. KPI dashboard [Start here]
A single view of the 5-8 metrics that matter most to your business. Revenue, pipeline, utilization, client satisfaction, cash balance, project margins. Reviewed weekly. If building it feels overwhelming, start with a spreadsheet that takes 15 minutes to update each Monday.
49. Weekly operations review
A 30-minute weekly meeting (or async review) where leadership looks at the KPI dashboard, flags blockers, and makes decisions. Not a status update meeting -- a decision-making meeting.
50. Monthly business review [Nice to have]
A deeper monthly review: financial performance, client health, team capacity, strategic progress. This becomes critical as you approach $1M and beyond. At $300K it's helpful. At $800K it's essential.
The 10 "Start Here" Systems
If reading a 50-item checklist feels paralyzing, here's your shortlist. Build these first. They cover the most ground and prevent the most expensive problems:
| # |
System |
Category |
Why It's Critical |
| 1 |
CRM with pipeline stages |
Sales |
You're losing deals you don't know about |
| 2 |
Lead capture and tracking |
Sales |
Leads are falling through the cracks |
| 9 |
Welcome sequence and kickoff |
Onboarding |
First impressions set client expectations |
| 13 |
Internal handoff process |
Onboarding |
Context loss between sales and delivery kills quality |
| 15 |
Project management system |
Delivery |
No visibility = no accountability |
| 16 |
Quality assurance process |
Delivery |
Mistakes erode client trust fast |
| 23 |
Hiring process |
Team |
Bad hires cost 3-6 months of salary |
| 30 |
Invoicing process |
Financial |
You can't grow if you don't get paid on time |
| 33 |
Monthly bookkeeping |
Financial |
Flying blind on financials is how businesses die |
| 39 |
Data backup and recovery |
Technology |
One data loss event can shut you down |
| 44 |
Internal comms protocol |
Communication |
Most "operations problems" are communication problems |
| 48 |
KPI dashboard |
Reporting |
You're guessing instead of deciding |
That's 12, not 10. Consider it a bonus. Every single one of these should be in place within the next 90 days.
What Building These Systems Actually Looks Like
Let's be honest about the time commitment. Each system takes 2-4 hours to build initially. Some take less. A few (like your CRM setup or project management system) might take a full day.
That's roughly 100-200 hours of total buildout work for all 50 systems.
Here's the math that makes it worth it:
- Without systems: You spend 10-15 hours/week on work that systems would handle. That's 500-750 hours per year.
- With systems: You spend 2-3 hours/week maintaining them. That's 100-150 hours per year.
- Net savings: 400-600 hours per year. Every year. Compounding.
The businesses that hit $1M aren't doing 10x more work. They're doing the same work with 10x less friction.
For a detailed breakdown of what to automate first and how, our process automation guide for small businesses walks through the exact playbook.
The Real Reason This Matters
Here's what nobody tells you about the $300K-$1M journey: the bottleneck is almost never sales. It's operations.
You can sell more. You will sell more. But if you sell into a business that has no systems, you just create more chaos. More clients means more balls to juggle. More team members means more coordination. More revenue means more financial complexity.
Systems don't limit growth. They enable it.
Every business that successfully scales past $1M has these systems in place -- maybe not all 50, but certainly the critical ones. The ones who fail to scale almost always have the same story: "We grew too fast and everything broke." Translation: we grew without systems and couldn't handle the load.
Build the systems now. While it's manageable. While the pain of not having them is annoying rather than catastrophic.
The scaling operations playbook covers what specifically breaks at each growth stage -- pair it with this checklist and you'll know exactly what to build and when.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to build all 50 systems?
Plan for 6-12 months if you're doing it yourself alongside running the business. Building one system per week is a realistic pace. Start with the 10 "Start Here" systems and you'll have the most critical ones done in 2-3 months. The remaining 40 can be built incrementally as the need becomes acute.
Do I need special tools or software to implement these systems?
No. Most of these systems can start as a Google Doc, checklist, or spreadsheet. The system matters more than the tool. Once a system is working manually, then consider upgrading to purpose-built software. Many businesses waste thousands on tools before they even know what their process should look like. See our automation tools guide for recommendations once you're ready.
What if I'm a solopreneur with no team?
You still need about 30 of these 50 systems. Skip the team-specific ones (hiring, onboarding, PTO, performance reviews) and focus on sales, delivery, financial, and technology systems. Building them now means they're ready when you hire, instead of scrambling to create them under pressure.
How do I know which systems are the highest priority for my specific business?
Run through the checklist and ask yourself two questions for each item: "Has the lack of this system caused a problem in the last 90 days?" and "Would this system save me more than 2 hours per month?" If the answer to either question is yes, it's high priority. You can also run a formal operations audit to identify your biggest gaps systematically.
Should I build these systems myself or hire someone?
Build the first 10-15 yourself. You need to understand your own operations before anyone else can systematize them. After that, consider bringing in help for the more complex systems (financial operations, technology infrastructure, automation). An operations consultant can often build in a week what takes a founder a month, because they've done it dozens of times before.
What's the biggest mistake businesses make with operations systems?
Over-engineering. Building a 47-step process for something that needs 5 steps. Buying enterprise software for a 6-person team. Creating documentation so detailed that nobody reads it. Start simple. A system that's 80% complete and actually gets used beats a perfect system that lives in a drawer. You can always iterate.
Ready to Build Your Systems?
If looking at this checklist made your stomach drop a little, that's normal. The gap between where you are and where you need to be can feel overwhelming.
Two options:
DIY it. Bookmark this page, block time on your calendar each week, and work through the list systematically. Everything here is buildable by a competent business owner.
Get help. We build these exact systems for businesses in the $300K-$3M range. Book a free operations assessment and we'll identify which of these 50 systems will move the needle fastest for your specific business.
Either way, the worst thing you can do is nothing. Every week without systems is another week of unnecessary chaos.
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