Tiny Tweaks, Big Payoff: 4 System Shifts for a Smoother Business

04/22/25 • 6 min

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Here's What I Learned: Ditching Biz-as-Usual for Values, Freedom, and Doing It Your Way

In today's episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on four small (but mighty) systems tweaks that have made my business feel smoother, calmer, and way more me. These aren’t shiny new tools or complicated funnels. I’m talking about simple shifts that helped me stop fighting my own energy and start designing a business backend that supports the way I actually work.

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Follow me on Instagram at @jackihayes_obm

Credits:

Intro and Outro Music: Atomic by Alex-Productions |https://onsound.eu/

Music promoted byhttps://www.free-stock-music.com

Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0)

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

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What next?

Follow Here's What I Learned on your favorite podcast player
Leave a review so the podcast is seen by more people like you
Share this episode with a friend

Say hi!

Follow me on Instagram at @jackihayes_obm

Credits:

Intro and Outro Music: Atomic by Alex-Productions |https://onsound.eu/

Music promoted byhttps://www.free-stock-music.com

Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0)

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Previous Episode

Reimagining HR for Small Businesses with Kirsten Ziegler

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What happens when an HR pro leaves the corporate grind to build a business rooted in ethics, empathy, and real talk? In this episode, I sit down with Kirsten Ziegler, an HR consultant who’s rewriting the rules of people management for small business owners. From navigating the difference between contractors and employees (without a legal headache) to building better hiring practices from the inside out, Kirsten breaks it all down in a way that’s clear, calm, and incredibly helpful.

Plus: Kirsten’s sharing a free job description template that’s as practical as it is thoughtful.

Whether you're building your first team or cleaning up some messy legacy systems, this conversation is here to remind you: HR doesn’t have to feel heavy—it can feel human.

Topics:

Transitioning from Corporate to Entrepreneurship (3:35)
The Role of HR in Small Businesses (7:54)
Navigating Contractor vs. Employee Relationships (10:42)
Hiring Practices and Avoiding Bias (19:01)

You can find Kirsten at:

Website: kdzhrconsulting.com

LinkedIn: /in/kirsten-zeigler-humanresources/

Mentioned in the episode:

Job Description Template

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Before You Go—Grab Your Free Tech Audit Workbook!

Ever wonder if the tools you're using are actually the right ones for your business? Not just what’s popular, but what truly fits how you work?

That’s exactly what the Tech Audit Workbook helps you figure out. A straightforward way to assess your tech stack, spot what’s working (and what’s not), and make sure your tools are supporting your business—not adding extra steps.

It’s free, it’s easy to use, and it’ll help you make more intentional tech choices. Grab your copy now and give your tools a refresh!

Download the Tech Audit Workbook here →jackihayes.co/freebies

Credits:

Intro and Outro Music: Atomic by Alex-Productions |https://onsound.eu/

Music promoted byhttps://www.free-stock-music.com

Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0)

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Next Episode

Designing a Better Business with ChatGPT (Without Losing Your Voice or Values)

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I’m sharing how I’ve been using ChatGPT as a judgment-free, burnout-aware sounding board. Not to write content or automate my business systems, but to help me think clearer and make values-aligned decisions without spiraling into overthinking or dumping thousands on a coach every time I hit a fork in the road.

I’ll walk you through how I use it like a meditation app for my business brain:

to process decisions about capacity
to evaluate offers based on energy, not just income
and to support my long-term vision without sacrificing sanity or smutty romantasy breaks.

This one’s for the solopreneurs who love a good DIY session but still want it to feel like collaboration. If you're redesigning your services, restructuring your client journey, or trying to decide whether to scale back or double down—this method might help you hold space for big decisions without getting stuck.

Mentioned in the episode:

Quick Boost Support Pass - A focused 60-minute call to untangle one tricky piece of how you work with clients. Before, during, or after the project. Your pick. We’ll dig into what’s going wrong, and you’ll walk away with a clear plan to fix it—plus any tools, templates, or resources I think will help. (No fluff. No tech soup.)

What next?

Follow Here's What I Learned on your favorite podcast player
Leave a review so the podcast is seen by more people like you
Share this episode with a friend

Say hi!

Follow me on Instagram at @jackihayes_obm

Credits:

Intro and Outro Music: Atomic by Alex-Productions |https://onsound.eu/

Music promoted byhttps://www.free-stock-music.com

Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0)

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Here's What I Learned: Ditching Biz-as-Usual for Values, Freedom, and Doing It Your Way - Tiny Tweaks, Big Payoff: 4 System Shifts for a Smoother Business

Transcript

Jacki Hayes 00:00

Hey there. Welcome to Here's What I Learned. I'm Jacki Hayes, a system strategist, unapologetic, smutty romantasy, lover, Dungeons and Dragons geek and your no-BS Guide to building a business that works for you. This is the place where we swap stories, share lessons, and get real about the highs and lows of creating a life and business that actually feels good. No cookie cutter advice here, just honest conversations about what's working what's not, and how to rewrite th