From chaos to clarity in your business

Ange Dove (00:01)
Okay, welcome to the You're the Boss podcast show. Today I have a guest with me, Scott Abbott, and he’s going to be talking about the importance of systems in your business. We’re just so excited to talk about this because it’s one of my passions as well, and I think it’s really important in business. So Scott, welcome to the show.

Scott Abbott (00:24)
Hello Ange, thanks for having me. Good to be here with you.

Ange Dove (00:29)
You’re welcome. So Scott, just introduce yourself. Tell us who you are, what it is that you do, and why you do what you do.

Scott Abbott (00:37)
Yeah, so I’m Scott Abbott, founder and CEO of BossUp Coaching Solutions and Academy.

BossUp stands for “Business Operating System,” and we provide solutions, resources, guidebooks, tools, and support for both coaches and companies that run on our system. The academy is an online learning platform — almost like a university in the cloud — with forums, peer groups, mentoring, and hundreds of hours of training materials.

I live in Central Indiana — go Hoosiers! I’ve been in systems and technology for over 40 years. It’s my purpose and passion because while I love people, I believe we become better humans when we have good systems in our lives.

Ange Dove (01:59)
I agree so much with that. Life becomes so much easier when everybody knows what they’re supposed to be doing.

Scott Abbott (02:08)
As counterintuitive as it sounds, the more systemized you are, the more freedom you actually have. Discipline equals freedom. We can definitely unpack that today.

Ange Dove (02:21)
Yes, exactly. When I first started my business, I hired the wrong people because I thought you could train anyone to do anything. But over time I realised people have natural strengths.

Some people are naturally process-driven. Others are naturally sales-driven. A great salesperson isn’t always going to be great at organizing systems. Once I started hiring people based on their strengths, everything changed. My life became easier.

And then when you add systems into the mix so everyone knows what they’re doing, it changes everything again. The more systems you have, the less time you spend stuck in the business and the more time you can spend working on the business.

What’s your take on that?

Scott Abbott (04:01)
One hundred percent. We all learn that lesson the hard way.

When I started my first company, I hired friends, family, bartenders — people I simply liked. But over time you realize you need alignment, not just likability.

That said, I also believe in hiring people who may not be there yet but who have the right character and values. Then it becomes our responsibility to teach them the skills, systems, and discipline they need.

We use what we call the “Four Cs” of hiring: competency, character, commitment, and core values. Jim Collins talks about “right people, right seat.” Sometimes you have the wrong person in the right seat, or the right person in the wrong seat. Good systems help you figure that out.

Ange Dove (05:59)
Yeah, because sometimes they just weren’t right for that role in the first place.

Scott Abbott (06:02)
Exactly. Good companies understand this is part of the process. Sometimes people outgrow a role, and sometimes the role simply isn’t the right fit. Systems help everyone recognize that fairly and honestly.

Ange Dove (06:45)
So what would you suggest for somebody starting a business and making that very first hire?

Scott Abbott (07:00)
First, understand the economics. Can you afford them? Will there be a return on investment?

Second, have clarity around the role before they even start. In my book BossUp Moments, I talk about three key roles founders must play: architect, builder, and custodian.

As the architect, you design the vision and blueprint.
As the builder, you create the processes and structure.
As the custodian, you create an environment where people can thrive.

And honestly, when making your first hire, it’s important to be humble enough to admit what you don’t know.

Ange Dove (08:25)
I love that line you said earlier — “You’re perfect on your resume.”

Scott Abbott (08:33)
Exactly. And if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.

That’s why systems matter so much. Especially when you’re small and cash flow is tight, hiring can’t just be about whether someone is your buddy. It has to be about alignment, effort, and production.

Ange Dove (09:33)
I also think you shouldn’t hire someone just like you. If you’re already the visionary, you don’t need another visionary — you need someone who balances you out.

For example, I’m very big-picture focused, so I need detailed people on my team or we’ll be all over the place.

Scott Abbott (10:15)
Exactly. Visionaries especially need systems because otherwise we get distracted. Good systems hold us accountable.

And honestly, a lot of founders think starting a business means freedom from accountability. It’s actually the opposite.

Ange Dove (10:54)
Absolutely. Systems also help staff morale.

I remember a situation where something went wrong in my business. Instead of blaming the staff member, we looked at the system itself and realised something had been missed in the process.

Rather than blame her, we asked her to improve the system. That gave her ownership and accountability instead of fear.

Scott Abbott (12:23)
Amen. That’s exactly right.

Systems shouldn’t become rigid rules that never change. Good systems evolve. If 80–90% of your operations are systemized, you have the freedom to adapt when things inevitably go wrong.

That’s what creates long-term stability and growth.

Ange Dove (13:40)
So when we spoke before, you mentioned that if you want a business to grow, you have to actually run it like a business — not just a one-person operation forever.

Can you talk about that mindset shift from solopreneur to business owner?

Scott Abbott (14:08)
Absolutely. We believe businesses grow through stages, just like humans do.

Some people are perfectly happy staying solo and earning a comfortable income — and that’s okay. But if you do want to grow, you need systems because growth without systems creates chaos.

You also need to accept that making money is part of the equation. Healthy growth requires structure, planning, and intentionality.

Ange Dove (16:28)
I think one mistake I made was believing I had to grow simply for the sake of growth, without asking myself what I actually wanted my life to look like.

Scott Abbott (17:09)
Exactly. You don’t need every detail figured out, but you do need direction.

I believe in “planned serendipity.” If you stay focused, systemized, and consistent, opportunities naturally appear along the way.

That’s how my first web company evolved. We started by building websites, and a few years later we were building multimillion-dollar enterprise systems for huge corporations. I never planned that in the beginning.

Ange Dove (21:08)
Technology has definitely forced businesses to pivot constantly. And now with AI, things are changing faster than ever.

How do you see AI fitting into business today?

Scott Abbott (21:41)
AI is a powerful tool, but it’s a double-edged sword.

I actually studied AI and machine learning back in 1989. It’s been around a long time, but tools like ChatGPT brought it into the mainstream.

The biggest thing I tell people is this:
You lead AI. Don’t let AI lead you.

AI should be an assistant or a co-pilot — not the final authority. It can amplify your intelligence and productivity, especially for startups and solopreneurs, but human oversight still matters enormously.

Ange Dove (25:19)
I completely agree. I use AI agents in my business and love them because they help so much. But you still need human eyes on everything.

Scott Abbott (26:20)
Exactly. AI can save enormous amounts of time, but you still need judgment, responsibility, and accountability.

At the end of the day, systems matter because they help you stay intentional instead of reactive.

Ange Dove (36:52)
So Scott, where can people find you, join your academy, and get your books?

Scott Abbott (37:00)
You can find me on all the socials under Scott Abbott ABC — architect, builder, custodian.

My personal website is:
ScottAbbottABC.com

For BossUp Coaching and the Academy, go to:
BossUp.coach

And all of my books are available on Amazon worldwide.

Ange Dove (38:15)
Brilliant. I’ll put all the links below so everyone can check out what Scott is doing.

Scott, thank you so much for being here today. It’s been fascinating talking with you.

Scott Abbott (38:31)
Before I go, can I ask you a question?

Ange Dove (38:41)
Of course.

Scott Abbott (38:56)
What’s your theme or mantra for this year?

Ange Dove (39:01)
Mine would simply be: Just do it.

Don’t overthink everything. You can think all day long and nothing happens. Just take action.

I used to be such a perfectionist, but now I believe if something is 80% ready, get it out there.

Scott Abbott (39:10)
I love that. Progress over perfection.

Ange Dove (39:22)
Exactly.

Scott Abbott (39:26)
Thanks again for having me on the show, Ange.

Ange Dove (39:29)
Thank you so much, Scott.