Past Projects

Background

A specialty interior design firm used email and Dropbox to manage project files. Each designer had their own system for storing contracts, proposals, material specs, and vendor quotes. It worked when they were small.

When the number of clients increased:
• Some projects started running over budget
• A few clients were questioning invoices
• One or two designers were duplicating work
• A few were ordering the wrong versions of materials

No one was being careless.

But processes that worked when they were small did not scale with their growth.

Once we mapped out the entire project lifecycle we found that:
• Accounting was sending some vendors outdated pricing sheets
• A few clients were being billed based on old scopes
• Vendor restocking and reordering fees were adding up
• and more.

All these things were silently eroding profits.

Among other things, we standardized file storage, created shared sign-off checklists, and documented several internal SOPs. As a result, not only did waste get cut and efficiency increase – but the firm was able to recoup over 10% in annual margin—without hiring more staff or raising prices. Just better systems.

Documentation doesn’t just fix issues—it reveals them.

This is a profit story, not just a productivity one – it’s about how documenting a process can increase profits without chasing more sales.

The moral here is : You Don’t Need More Hustle—You Need Better Systems

Faced with the task of hiring a replacement, the firm realized something troubling:

The way they did business was poorly documented.

No intake checklist.
No case prep sequence.
No shared system for communication or follow-ups.

This had never been a problem when they only had two attorneys and a light caseload.

But now they had a third.
The workload was growing.
And documenting processes was on no one’s priority list.

We came in and mapped their full client intake and case setup process.
We created checklists, templates, an onboarding program, and a repeatable workflow, all designed to scale with their growth.

The results?
• Onboarded a new paralegal in under a week
• Cut client intake time by 40%
• Cut case prep time by 25% per file

Here’s the truth most small firms don’t hear:

Scaling systems is the silent growth lever.

Yes, growth brings complexity.

But complexity is manageable—if your operations scale with you.

Structure isn’t the enemy of speed or client care.

It’s what enables both—without burning out your team or yourself.

What would happen if your most experienced team member left tomorrow?

Each job got done—but how it got done was different every time.

• Some crews weren’t logging hours the same way.
• Some change orders were still being handled by text (or were verbal only).
• One crew kept forgetting to label scrap materials properly, leading to waste.
• The team struggled to connect billing, job reports, and field decisions in real time.

They looked like random and unrelated issues – but one thing they had in common: these were all profit leaks!

What We DidWe were invited in by the company to map the entire project lifecycle, from bid to close out, and document the actual decision points happening on-site and in the office.

Once we did this, we saw clear patterns which guided us as we built a strategic system of SOPs that resulted in:

• Launching jobs more consistently.
• Tying change orders directly to billing.
• Tracking labor and expenses in real time.

These weren’t just checklists—they were connected workflows designed to prevent profit leaks.

The Results

• Owner spent 30% less time in the field.
• Change order revenue increased by 18%.
• Margins improved by 12% due to better labor tracking.
• Job costing became more accurate.
• Some crews became interchangeable—without sacrificing quality.

Skilled teams and strong demand aren’t enough – process is what turns growth into profit.