#763: Escaping Operational Chaos: How to Build Processes That Actually Get Used with Joel Perso

Episode Overview In this episode of the John Kitchens Coach Podcast, John Kitchens is joined by Joel Perso for Part 2 of the Conquering Operational Chaos Power Hour series—focused on one of the most misunderstood (and avoided) skills in real estate leadership: building processes that actually scale. Too many agents say they want systems… but don't know where to start, overcomplicate the work, or never follow through. John and Joel break process-building down to the fundamentals—showing how simple, repeatable processes are the difference between being self-employed and becoming a true business owner. This episode is a back-to-basics masterclass on creating clarity, consistency, delegation, and leverage—without drowning in SOPs or overengineering your business. Key Topics Covered Why Processes Are the Gateway to Freedom The difference between being self-employed and owning a business Why you can never escape a business that only lives in your head How processes create leverage, delegation, and trust Systems vs. Processes (Finally Explained Simply) How a "system" is the outcome, and processes are the steps that make it work Real estate examples: listing marketing systems vs. individual processes Why language matters less than consistency inside your organization Where to Start When Everything Feels Messy How to identify your core processes by business function Why you should start with what happens most often—or hurts most when it breaks The danger of trying to document everything at once The Process of Building Processes Breaking workflows into simple, manageable steps Involving the people who actually do the work Choosing simplicity over perfection when documenting How reviewing processes exposes inefficiencies automatically Checklists Over Complexity Why checklists outperform long SOPs Lessons from The Checklist Manifesto How to link checklists to training videos and SOPs for execution Why 80% coverage is more than enough to launch Making Processes Actually Get Used Why SOPs "die on the shelf" How to connect processes to daily, weekly, and quarterly activities Using activity checklists to bring systems into real life Assigning ownership by role, not by person Prioritizing Processes as a Solo Agent or Team Why lead generation and marketing processes should come first Removing decision fatigue from your daily schedule Standardizing buyer and seller experiences before scaling Improving conversion by doing the same thing every time Leadership, Cadence & Avoiding Burnout How much time leaders should realistically spend building systems When process-building becomes urgent vs. incremental Making "systems time" sustainable for high-D and high-I personalities Progress over perfection as the operating principle Resources & Mentions Process (EOS Series) – Gino Wickman The Business Playbook – Chris Ronzio The Goal – Eliyahu Goldratt The Checklist Manifesto – Atul Gawande Trainual – SOP and training documentation platform Scribe – AI-powered SOP builder CoachKitchens.ai – AI coaching and leadership support Joel Perso Activity Checklist (Email Joel for access) Final Takeaway You don't need more hustle—you need fewer decisions. Processes remove guesswork, create consistency, and give leaders back their time and mental bandwidth. Start simple. Document what you already do. Build checklists before SOPs. And remember: a process that handles 80% of situations is far better than a perfect system that never gets used. Operational clarity isn't sexy—but it's the foundation of freedom. "You can't escape a business that only lives in your head." – Joel Perso Connect with Us: Instagram: @johnkitchenscoachLinkedIn: @johnkitchenscoachFacebook: @johnkitchenscoach If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a review. Stay tuned for more insights and strategies from the top minds. See you next time! 🔥