Why systems are critical for your business

Ange Dove (00:02)
Okay, good day everyone. I’m really excited to introduce the next episode of You’re the Boss Podcast Show. Today I have with me Alan Lazaros, and he’s going to be talking about helping you set up your business with systems.

Before I introduce Alan properly, let me explain a little about who he is. At age two, Alan’s birth father passed away in a car accident. Then at age 26, after getting into a near-fatal car accident himself, he began to question everything. That’s when he discovered what had been missing all those years—self-improvement, personal development, and personal growth.

So that’s what Alan is all about, and he’s here to share that with us today. Alan, welcome to the show.

Alan Lazaros (00:56)
Thank you so much for having me. I don’t take it lightly at all to be here. I believe what you pay attention to changes your future tremendously. There are two things we can control: what we pay attention to, and what we say, think, do, feel, and believe—and they’re deeply connected.

So thank you for having me. It’s an absolute honor, and I’m very grateful.

Ange Dove (01:24)
Thank you for saying that—and thank you for coming on. I completely agree.

So Alan, before we dive in, can you share a bit more about who you are, your background, and what you’re doing today?

Alan Lazaros (01:47)
Absolutely. I’m 37 now, and I like to call myself Alan Version 3.7—I’m a computer engineer, so I think in upgrades.

There are three major experiences that shaped me. I was born in 1988 in Massachusetts. In 1991, my birth father tragically passed away in a car accident. I was only about two and a half, so while it impacted me, it affected my family even more.

I later had a stepfather and grew up in what looked like a great life externally—boats, ski trips, all the material things—but internally, it was very volatile. By age 14, my stepfather left, my sister moved out, and we became estranged from much of our family.

Looking back, I essentially lost three families by the time I was 14. That shaped me deeply. My response was to become a high achiever—straight A’s, engineering school, strong career in tech. By my mid-20s, I was earning close to $200K a year.

Then at 26, I got into a near-fatal car accident. That moment changed everything. It became my wake-up call—a second chance my father never had. I realized I wasn’t reaching my full potential.

So I made a promise: I would dedicate my life to reaching my full potential and helping others do the same. That’s when I discovered personal development.

Today, I run Next Level University, with over 2,000 podcast episodes, a global audience, and a growing team. But it all started with that realization—I was capable of more.

Ange Dove (11:09)
So you were given a second chance. Tell me about Next Level University—how did it start and what does it do?

Alan Lazaros (11:19)
After the accident, I started a company focused on teaching what school doesn’t—habits, mindset, communication, relationships, health, and personal growth.

We’re taught academics, but not how to live. So Next Level University exists to fill that gap. We help people reach their full potential through coaching, community, and content.

At its core, it’s the education we never got.

Ange Dove (13:15)
Yes, school doesn’t really teach you how to live life. And when you start a business, personal growth becomes essential.

So let’s talk about systems in business—what they are, why they matter, and how you use them.

Alan Lazaros (15:07)
At a high level, systems are about creating consistent outcomes.

I break it down simply:
Inputs → Outputs → Measure → Adjust

It’s a continuous loop. You define your goal, reverse engineer the inputs, measure results, and adjust.

Without systems, you don’t have consistency. Without consistency, you don’t get momentum. And without momentum, businesses struggle to succeed.

Ange Dove (17:17)
That makes sense. So how do you implement systems in your business?

Alan Lazaros (17:28)
We currently have 18 departments and 22 team members.

We run biweekly team huddles where we assess each department using a simple system:

• Green = doing well

• Yellow = neutral

• Red = needs attention

We also track:

• Most important win

• Most important improvement

Each department has a DRI—Directly Responsible Individual—so accountability is clear.

Everything is organized in a central dashboard, with transparency across the core team.

Ange Dove (22:25)
When I first started my business, I had no idea what I was doing. I made every mistake—especially hiring the wrong people.

One of the biggest lessons I learned was building systems so that everything is clear and repeatable. It also removes blame—you fix the system instead of blaming the person.

Alan Lazaros (24:29)
Exactly. Systems allow you to improve without triggering people’s egos.

But here’s the truth: sometimes it is the person.

You need the right person, in the right role, with the right system.

That’s where core values come in.

Alan Lazaros (28:00)
Our core values are:

• Humility (I know that I don’t know)

• Work ethic (show up, grow up, no excuses)

• Self-improvement (always getting better)

If someone scores high in all three, they’re a great fit. If not, they won’t last.

And I avoid two types of people entirely:

1. Entitled individuals

2. People who put others down

Those traits will destroy a team.

Ange Dove (31:50)
Yes—hiring the wrong people makes everything harder. Hiring the right ones changes everything.

Alan Lazaros (33:02)
Exactly. And here’s a key insight:

People can look great on paper and in interviews—but what matters is who they are when no one is watching.

My test is simple:
Can this person show up and do the work without needing recognition?

That’s who I want on my team.

Ange Dove (34:44)
That’s so powerful. Hiring right and building systems are absolutely critical.

Any final advice for listeners?

Alan Lazaros (35:09)
Don’t be naive.

You need to be discerning. Not judgmental—but observant.

Business is hard. It’s competitive. And not everyone wants to see you succeed.

So if you’re going to build something, commit to learning, growing, and making smart decisions.

Ange Dove (36:53)
Know what you don’t know—and learn it.

Hiring the right people and building systems will save you years of struggle.

Alan, thank you so much for sharing your insights today.

Where can people find you?

Alan Lazaros (38:57)
You can visit nextleveluniverse.com or listen to Next Level University on any podcast platform.

We release daily episodes focused on small, consistent improvements—helping you grow 0.1% every day.

If it resonates, we have communities, coaching, and more.

Ange Dove (40:25)
Fantastic. I’ll include links so people can check it out.

Thank you again, Alan—it’s been a pleasure.

Alan Lazaros (41:02)
The pleasure is all mine. Thank you so much for having me.

Ange Dove (41:06)
And thank you everyone for listening to You’re the Boss Podcast Show. Don’t forget to follow, like, and subscribe.

See you next time.