🏗️ Crisis-proof systems

The Progress Report | March 4, 2025

When the last time you asked yourself, “Is entrepreneurship supposed to feel this hard?” 

For most of us, that question comes up weekly (if not daily).

The breaking points—late nights, cash flow scares, missed vacations—aren't signs you're failing. They're the reasons people stick with 9-5s they hate.

(and, they’re what set you apart)

Today, we're exploring resilience through the story of an entrepreneur who built a thriving business while managing chronic illness—and the approach that made it possible.

PS: if you’re a fan of hustle culture, you’re going to hate this one. 🫶

WEEKLY INSIGHT

When Marie Poulin built her business, Notion Mastery, she faced the same challenge as every other entrepreneur: limited resources. But in her case, the scarcest resource wasn't capital. It was energy.

Chronic health issues meant some days brought nothing but pain, fatigue and brain fog.

Rather than “hustling harder,” she took a counterintuitive approach. She designed systems that could carry her business forward even when she couldn't. 

This resulted in her (now infamous) custom Notion workspaces—productized infrastructure that keeps momentum building, even through inevitable low periods.

Poulin initially built these systems for herself, but they became her business. By creating systems that could operate without constant human intervention, Poulin built a six-figure company. 

We’ll save the “create for just one person” talk for a future issue, because it’s worth exploring on its own. For today, the important lesson is this:

Resilience isn't about superhuman endurance. It's about creating systems that can withstand pressure, even when you can't.

INTENT TO ACTION

Automate a fail-safe for one critical business process:

1. Identify your most vulnerable workflow—one that currently stops completely when you can't work (client communications, content scheduling, invoice follow-ups)

2. Map the trigger-action sequence that this process follows. For example: “When a client books a call → send confirmation → add to calendar → prepare materials → send reminder”

3. Automate it using software or no-code tools:

   • Use Zapier to connect essential apps and create automated workflows

   • Set up IFTTT for simpler trigger-based automations

   • Try Make for more complex scenarios with conditional logic

4. Build in redundancy by creating a notification system that alerts you only when human intervention is needed.

For example: A simple automation could:

1. Monitor your inbox for new client inquiries

2. Send a personalized response with your availability

3. Create a task in your project management system

4. Alert you only when action is required

CLOSING THOUGHT

If you disappeared tomorrow, would your business survive the week?

For most entrepreneurs, the answer is a sobering “no.” Your business isn't just dependent on you—it's trapped by you.

This exercise isn't about efficiency. It's about creating a business that can exist without you constantly propping it up. 

The most resilient (and successful) entrepreneurs don't just work in their business; they build systems that could run without them.

Next week, we'll explore the gnawing feeling that you’re spending your time working on the wrong thing (and more importantly, if that feeling’s right). 

See you then.

YOUR WEEKLY CHALLENGE

Identify your most frequent “I don't have time for this right now” task. That's your first automation candidate. 

Document exactly what happens each time you do it, and voilà—you have a blueprint for building a system that works without you.