You may have heard me talk about systems before. I think part of the reason I didn’t like systems in the past was because I wasn’t a big fan of structure—probably because I wasn’t the biggest fan of school. But stay with me for a second. As I started climbing the ranks into upper management, I began to see how important systems and structure are. Here’s the thing, though they’re much easier to appreciate when you’re doing something you love or even just like.

When I worked at Checkers, I ran a pretty good restaurant. We would consistently go back and forth between being number one and number two in the company—not just in sales but across the board. But you know what I hated? The checklist. I thought it was monotonous. I figured my routine had me covered. But the truth is, it didn’t. No matter how good you are, you’ll always miss something without a checklist.

Fast forward to today, running my own business and teaching students in The Ground Up Academy, I stress the importance of having a checklist and using it consistently. It’s not just about going through the motions—it’s about understanding why each step matters. There are certain things that must be in order for everything to work like you want it to.

Every time you step onto an airplane, you don’t realize that the pilot has just gone through a checklist. How do you safely get to your vacation spot, visit family, or travel for business? That checklist plays a huge role in making it happen.

If you’re already big on checklists, keep it up. I applaud you for it. But if you’re not, start today. It could change everything for you. It brings structure to your business and ensures that the people who come after you are set up for success. The ultimate goal is to build a business that can run without you, and that level of detail is critical to making it happen.

God Bless The Entrepreneur.