We are using EOS® to prepare our business for an exit in three years, but our core processes are currently undocumented or reside entirely in our heads. How do we tackle process documentation without getting bogged down in manual writing?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Buyers pay a premium for systems, not heroes. If your business depends on the tribal knowledge of a few key employees, it is not exit ready. To document your processes efficiently, use the EOS® three step process: Document, Simplify, and Package. Start by identifying the six to ten core processes that drive your business, such as your HR process, marketing process, sales process, and operations process. Do not write a massive, hundred page manual that no one will ever read. Instead, aim for the twenty eighty rule. Document the major steps of each process at a high level, capturing twenty percent of the steps that yield eighty percent of the results. This is where you can leverage AI tools. Have your team record a quick video of themselves performing a task, then use AI to transcribe and draft the initial standard operating procedure. Once documented, your leadership team must simplify them to remove redundancies. Finally, package them so they are easily accessible. When your core processes are documented and followed by all, your business becomes a turnkey asset that can operate without you, which is exactly what a buyer is looking for.