The Level #113

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Welcome back to The Level —  

I've talked about why so many experienced consultants feel unstable even when demand is real.

This week, I want to slow things down.

Because the answer isn’t “do more.”
It’s “stop carrying what the business should be holding for you.”

If you’ve been feeling stretched, scattered, or heavier than your revenue justifies, this is where I’d start.

Expert Insight of the Week

“Where there is no system, there is chaos.”
— W. Edwards Deming

Most founders hear this and think about manufacturing or corporate operations. But Deming was really talking about cognitive load.

When there’s no system, you become the system.
Every decision runs through your head. Every follow-up relies on memory. Every exception requires effort.

That works for a while. Until the business grows just enough that the chaos starts charging interest.

This Week’s Shift:

Stop Adding. Start Clarifying.

If I could give consultants one system-building move that reliably produces relief and momentum, it would be this:

Create revenue clarity in your tech and sales stack.

Most people skip this step because it feels basic. Or unglamorous. Or “I’ll deal with that later.”

But here’s what I’ve learned after rebuilding hundreds of businesses:

You can’t build leverage on top of confusion.

Most founders are bleeding energy and money through tools they barely think about anymore.

Subscriptions bought during hopeful phases.
Platforms layered on top of each other.
Systems that promised automation but quietly created more work.

So instead of adding anything new, pause here.

I call this a Revenue Clarity Audit.

It’s not complicated.
And it works because it restores agency fast.

Start by writing down every tool you pay for monthly.

CRM. Email. Scheduling. Proposals. Payment processors. Automation tools. Everything.

Then ask one grounding question for each:

“What role does this play in generating, supporting, or protecting revenue?”

Not “Do I like it?”
Not “Was this recommended?”
Not “Did I already pay for it?”

Revenue.

What most people discover is surprisingly consistent:

• A small number of tools actually drive sales and retention
• Several tools duplicate effort or fragment attention
• A handful exist purely out of habit

That awareness alone often frees up cash, time, and mental space within days.

But the bigger shift is psychological.

When you know what actually matters, you stop chasing fixes.
You start building intentionally.

That’s how systems begin.

Why This Matters

When systems are unclear, founders compensate with effort.

More manual follow-ups.
More checking dashboards.
More holding things in their head “just in case.”

That’s when people start thinking they need:

• A bigger team

• Better discipline

• More hustle

But the real issue is structural.

You don’t need a full team to feel supported.
You need systems that can run without constant supervision.

Without that foundation, every growth move increases fragility instead of stability.

And trying to patch it alone often leads to more tools, more noise, and more exhaustion.

This isn’t about working harder.
It’s about building something that can hold you.

The Invitation

This is exactly how we work inside the MRR Accelerator.

We don’t start with massive overhauls.
We start by helping founders see clearly what’s actually driving revenue, what’s draining them, and what to systematize first.

One system at a time.
Built for real life.
With continuity and support.

Because your business should work for you — not require constant vigilance.

→ Your Next Move

You don’t need a free afternoon or a spreadsheet marathon.

Do this calmly:

1. List every recurring tool or subscription

2. Note what stage of the client journey it supports, if any

3. Circle anything you can’t clearly justify

4. Cancel or pause one tool that doesn’t earn its place

5. Notice how much quieter your brain feels afterward

If you want a place to put this thinking so your brain doesn’t have to hold it, I’ve created a simple one-page Notion doc you can copy.

You don’t need to be “a Notion person.”
This isn’t a setup project.

It’s just a calm container to walk through the Revenue Clarity Audit at your own pace

To building something that finally feels solid,

 - Amanda

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