335 | The Essential Systems & Processes For Success With John McClain

357 | Recruiting High-Performers & Making A-Player Hires With Laura Couvillon

What You'll Discover In This Episode:

  • How Not Having Systems Almost Cost John His Business 
  • What Version 1.0 Of His Processes Looked Like 
  • How John Documents His Processes & Delegates Diligently Now 
  • The Three Phases & 18 Steps He And His Team Rely On 
  • Johnā€™s 3-Step Process For Creating Essential SOPs 
  • So Much More!

John McClain is the CEO & Creative Director of John McClain Design, a successful business by almost anyoneā€™s standards. Early on in his entrepreneurial journey though, John almost lost it all.

He had an awful situation with a client. He had no systems, no processes and no organization at the time. He didnā€™t even have a written agreement with the client for that matter. All he had was a handshake and a smile which set him up for a disaster. The client had taken advantage of John but he wasnā€™t aware of it and was just flying off the cuff getting the project done. Then, suddenly it all blew up in Johnā€™s face. 

John got a call from the client saying, ā€œI am going to sue you for everything you have.ā€ As a baby designer who had limited resources and wasnā€™t worth much yet, John still had to hire an attorney and figure out what to do about this scary situation. It ended with the client getting as many items as possible that had been ordered for the project. John had to deliver the items with an armed security guard and the clientā€™s attorney present. Once the drop-off was complete, John pulled over to the side of the road and cried like a baby because he had just been through the most terrifying ordeal of his life and was now free of it. On the two-hour drive, Johnā€™s tears dried up and he had his come to Jesus moment. He told himself he would never let this happen again and came to the realization that he had no systems and processes in place to prevent being taken advantage of by clients. 

That was a huge turning point for John. He then made it his mission to create systems and processes for all the minutiae that happen between the first time a potential client contacts him to when the project is fully complete. He was eager to grow his business and this time, he wanted to get it right! He honed all the detailed steps and documented them before bringing more people on so everything could easily be replicated.

In this episode of the Small Business Straight Talk Podcast, I sit down with John McClain to dive into creating systems and processes for your business so you can gain peace of mind knowing that every project will run like a well-designed machine and attain greater success.

Episode Links & Resources:

About Guest:

John is a multi-faceted leader in the interior design industry and proudly serves in his field as an interior designer, product designer, author, business coach, and podcast host.

As the CEO and Creative Director of his internationally acclaimed award-winning interior design firm, John McClain Design, his interior design and home furnishings creations have been featured by numerous shelter publications and television networks including Elle DĆ©cor, Traditional Home, HGTV, CBS, and NBC. John is also a contributor to outlets such as Martha Stewart Living, Interior Design magazine, The Wall Street Journal, & House Beautiful. As a product designer, John has created distinctive home furnishings that have not only garnered awards but have made numerous television appearances in their own right.

Johnā€™s coffee table book, The Designer Within: A Professional Guide to A Well-Styled Home, features homes designed in his signature ā€œComfortable Chicā€ aesthetic alongside helpful design tips and processes. John and launched an online education & business coaching program, Design Success Academy, where he instructs and coaches interior designers on best business practices. He continues these lessons on his growing podcast, The Designer Within.

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Amber De La Garza

About the author

Amber De La Garza is The Productivity Specialist! Amber helps small business owners maximize profits, reduce stress, and make time for what matters most by improving their time management and elevating their productivity! Amber is a sought after coach, trainer, speaker, writer, host of the Small Business Straight Talk Podcast, and creator of Leverage LabĀ®.

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