In the online business world, we love perfection.
The perfect launch plan. The perfect client system. The perfect onboarding experience.
But the thing is… operations are never fully done.
Whether you’re a coach, consultant, or service provider, the systems that keep your business running are always in motion. And if you wait until everything is “perfect” before showing it to the world, you’ll never move forward.
As an Online Business Manager and Operations Strategist, I’ve seen too many entrepreneurs hold themselves (and their teams) back because they’re scared to test new workflows or automations that might not work perfectly the first time.
Spoiler: that’s exactly how you get stuck.
Your business evolves, and so should your operations. What worked six months ago may not work today, and that’s normal.
As you grow, the number of clients, projects, and tools you’re managing will increase. That means your systems need to be flexible, not flawless.
A big part of being an OBM or operations lead is being comfortable with iteration. You test, tweak, learn, and test again. You don’t need to overhaul everything at once. Sometimes, you just need to fix one small thing that saves your team hours every week.
The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is progress.
When people think of “operations,” they imagine structure, order, and precision. And yes, all of that is true. But behind every streamlined system is a series of experiments that probably failed before they worked.
Automation workflows that didn’t trigger correctly.
Project management boards that became too cluttered.
Onboarding sequences that confused more than they helped.
And yet, that’s how we refine things. Every “oops” moment gives you data. Data that makes your next version better.
When I create or audit systems for clients, I always tell them: We’re going to test this, not just trust it. That’s how you catch gaps before they grow into problems.
Here’s something I wish more founders and OBMs embraced: you can share the process while you’re still figuring it out.
Whether it’s on your blog, newsletter, or social media, show people what you’re testing. Share what worked and what didn’t. Talk about the tools you’re exploring, the automations you’re tweaking, or the lessons you’re learning from managing a growing remote team.
This kind of transparency builds trust. It reminds your audience that business is human and that even the “organized ones” are constantly optimizing.
When you let yourself be “in progress” publicly, two things happen:
You connect with your audience on a deeper level.
You give yourself permission to learn out loud instead of waiting to be perfect behind the scenes.
For some people, progress is automating 60% of their admin work.
For others, it’s finally getting their team to use ClickUp consistently.
Don’t compare your behind-the-scenes work to someone else’s polished front-end systems. You don’t know how many messy tests they went through to get there.
What matters is that you keep refining and that you give yourself credit for every improvement, no matter how small.
Not every “experiment” is harmless. You don’t want to test an automation that accidentally emails your entire list twice or messes up a client deliverable.
Here’s how to test smart:
Experimentation doesn’t have to equal chaos. It’s about curiosity paired with structure.
Even the best OBMs and ops pros are constantly adjusting their systems. Tools update. Team structures change. Client needs evolve.
So instead of chasing “perfect,” focus on creating processes that can adapt. The best systems are living, breathing things flexible enough to grow with you.
When you embrace the mindset that operations are always in progress, you give yourself and your team the freedom to improve continuously without guilt.
Perfection is overrated. Progress is sustainable.
As an operations pro, I’ve learned that testing, failing, and improving are part of the rhythm of business. The more you allow yourself to be seen in progress, the more human, relatable, and trustworthy your brand becomes.
So stop waiting for everything to be flawless before you share it.
Document what you’re learning. Tweak your systems. Automate what you can.
And remember: the people who are growing the fastest aren’t the ones who have everything figured out, they’re the ones who are willing to figure it out in public.
