the back end:
Systems & Operations for Service Providers
This blog is about the back end of running a business. Not the highlight reel, the actual machinery. What to document first, when automation is worth building and when it's just more software to maintain, how to hand something off so it stays handed off, and what tends to break when a business outgrows the way it was originally built.
Business Strategy
How to document SOPs for a growing team
Mindset
How to scale a service business without burning out
Popular Stories
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hey, I’m Bre
I build the back end that keeps a business running when its owner steps away from it. CRI build the back end that keeps a business running when its owner steps away from it. CRM setups, client journeys that don't need babysitting, SOPs people actually follow, and automations that quietly handle the things you've been doing by hand at 11pm.
I spent five years as a virtual assistant before starting Tended Sprout, which is a generous way of saying I learned this by cleaning up a lot of other people's back ends first. Somewhere in there I stopped fixing tasks and started fixing the systems underneath them.
I'm based in Peoria, Illinois, where I also pour craft beer at Bust'd Brewing and participate in many local organizations. Outside of work you'll find me walking my dog, losing an hour in a thrift store, or eating chips and queso with people I like.
What’s Slowing Down Your Business? (Spoiler: It’s Not Lack of Motivation)
If you're showing up every day, doing the work, and still feel stuck, motivation isn't the issue — your systems are. This post breaks down why Standard Operating Procedures are the fix overwhelmed solopreneurs and service providers actually need, plus the five tasks to document first (client onboarding, content creation, inquiries, invoicing, and newsletters) so you can delegate with confidence and finally step away without everything falling apart.
The 5 Business Tasks You Should Document First (Hint: You’re Already Doing Them)
You don't need to overhaul your entire business to start systemizing it — you just need to document what you're already doing. This post walks through the five tasks nearly every service provider handles on repeat (client onboarding, content creation, inquiry responses, invoicing, and newsletters) and shows you exactly what to include in each SOP, so delegating stops feeling impossible and starts feeling like the obvious next step.