What to Automate First: A Guide for Overwhelmed Founders

Why Founders Struggle with What to Automate

If you’re like most founders, you know you should automate - but the “what” and “when” often feel unclear. You’re juggling tools, emails, tasks, and team needs - and the last thing you want is another tech rabbit hole.
Let’s cut through the noise. This guide will help you identify the right things to automate first - so you can reclaim your time and scale without chaos.

Step 1: Start With Repetition, Not Complexity

The first place to look is not your most complex process - it’s your most repetitive one.
Ask yourself:

• What do I do at least 5x a week?
• What do I hate doing but know exactly how to do?
• What does my team ping me for constantly?

Examples:

• New client onboarding emails
• Social media scheduling
• Recurring internal reports

These are low-hanging fruit: simple to document, easy to hand off or automate, and powerful to remove from your plate.

Step 2: Automate the Hand-Offs, Not the Decisions

A common trap? Trying to automate judgment before structure.
Start by automating transfers of data, not the decision-making itself. For instance:

• Sync leads from your form to your CRM
• Route client requests to the right person automatically
• Organize files based on naming rules

These give you quick wins without risking quality.

Step 3: Use the 3D Filter: Do, Delegate, or Delete

Before automating anything, ask:

• Do: Is this something I should keep doing - and if so, can it be automated?
• Delegate: Is it something someone else can do better or faster?
• Delete: Is it still necessary?

Automation isn't always the answer. Sometimes, the most strategic move is to stop doing it altogether.

Step 4: Test With One Workflow, Not Ten

Choose a single process to start with. Keep it visible. Iterate weekly.

• Example: Automate your scheduling with a tool like Calendly or Cal.com
• Track how much time it saves, how it improves clarity, or how it reduces emails

The goal? Build your automation confidence before expanding to larger systems.

Step 5: Don’t Automate Alone

If your business is growing, your automation needs will too. But that doesn’t mean you need to figure it all out yourself.

• Consider a 90-minute Automation Audit Call (yes, I offer this — and you’ll walk away with a real roadmap)
• Read the method behind all this in my book, Automate to Lead
• Or start with my free 5-step automation checklist

Conclusion: Start Small. Scale Smart.

Automation is not about doing everything faster — it’s about doing the right things with less friction.
When you start by automating the right tasks — the repetitive, the data-heavy, the distracting — you create breathing room. That’s the space you need to lead.

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💡 Want help choosing what to automate first? Book a 1:1 Automation Audit Call
📘 Or explore the full method in my book, Automate to Lead
📥 Download the free 5-Step Automation Checklist

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