Show notes
Oct 9, 2024
In this Q&A episode of ScaleUp Radio, Granger Forson sits down with Sam and Matt, the founders of Made by Studio, to discuss their inspiring journey towards implementing a four-day work week, without compromising on productivity or pay. They share their strategies for enhancing efficiency, building capacity, and managing waste within their business, all while maintaining a strong team culture.
Key Takeaways:
- Data Tracking and Measurement: The importance of tracking and measuring data across all business elements. Sam and Matt emphasise that you can't improve what you don't measure. They started with time tracking on jobs and gradually expanded to include operations and financial management, using automation to gain quick insights into business performance.
- Capacity Building and Process Improvement: The team at Made by Studio has developed systems that free up time for creative work. By documenting business processes in a resource hub, they reduce knowledge bottlenecks, enabling team autonomy. Additionally, they implemented software like Dext for invoicing and created a proposal template that has dramatically reduced the time spent on administrative tasks.
- Four-Day Work Week Implementation: Two years ago, Made by Studio transitioned to a four-day work week while maintaining 100% pay for 80% time. They achieve this by setting clear expectations, maintaining regular team check-ins, and fostering a strong, collaborative work culture.
- Client Management and Scope Creep: The founders share their approach to managing client expectations, which includes setting clear project timelines and using signed proposals to manage scope creep. They frame their client relationships as long-term collaborations, ensuring a shared understanding and future project opportunities.
- Automation Tools and Techniques: Sam and Matt reveal how they've harnessed tools like make.com to automate many of their business processes. This includes integrating software tools for CRM, invoicing, and financial reporting, significantly reducing the time spent on manual tasks.
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Sam & Matt can be found here:
Matt Wheeler - linkedin.com/in/mattmultiplied
https://twitter.com/mattmultiplied
Sam Taylor - linkedin.com/in/samtayl-r