Chris Ronzio, founder and CEO of Trainual and author of The Business Playbook, refers to himself as a serial entrepreneur—someone who repeats the behavior of starting things. Looking at his track record, it’s hard to argue with him. Ronzio started his first real business at 14 years old. He developed that business, a video production company for sports events, for 12 years across all 50 states before selling it in his 20s.
Through the trials and errors of that first company, Ronzio learned how important it was to create consistent results. How could he deliver at the same level regardless of the sports event and venue? By having a process.
“That became my obsession—process and operations,” Ronzio says. This obsession began to develop into actual methods, and Ronzio started consulting on it. He wanted to bring efficiency into companies.
“You need to be able to do more with less,” he says. “Efficiency is a forced behavior in a real scrappy startup.”
Around this time, Ronzio picked up the phrase “operations manual” from the book The E Myth: Why Most Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It. However, he didn’t love the phrase since it seemed too technical. Instead, he found that his clients responded well to the word “playbook.”
As he developed his playbook method, Ronzio founded Trainual, a SaaS platform for small businesses to onboard, train and scale more effectively.
“I started Trainual the software before writing the book because I wanted to put it to the test,” Ronzio explains. “I wanted to make sure that this isn’t just something that dozens of my consulting companies are doing. It’s something that thousands of businesses are doing right.”
The “why” of a business playbook
Most entrepreneurs want to innovate. Ronzio explains that many entrepreneurs run into danger when they stop creating and get stuck doing the same tasks over and over. At that point, he says it’s best to find a way to delegate that task and move on to the next challenge.
“If you want a business of one person, you don’t need a playbook. If you want a company that can run without you, and you want to be able to leverage the minds and talents of other people, then you need to be able to pass things down to them,” Ronzio says. “The playbook really is about empowering other people and creating leverage so that you can build a business that’s bigger than just you.”
As an entrepreneur, Ronzio says the job is continually finding new problems. A playbook allows entrepreneurs to pass on their vision and specific tasks to others while freeing up their time to develop new ideas and explore new solutions.
What goes into a business playbook
There are four key components to a playbook:
Profile
This section outlines the foundation of the business, including its mission, values, products, services, target customers, competitors and company story. It serves as the foundation for the rest of the playbook.
People
The focus here is on the individuals who make up the organization, including their roles, responsibilities, backgrounds and organizational structure. By clearly defining who does what, the playbook fosters accountability and collaboration within the team.
Policies
These rules and guidelines govern how the business operates, covering everything from employee conduct to customer interactions. The playbook documenting these policies ensures consistency and clarity across the organization.
Process
This section outlines the step-by-step procedures for carrying out various tasks and activities within the business. The playbook streamlines operations and improves efficiency by codifying best practices and standardizing workflows.
When to create your business playbook
Ronzio’s vision is simple: Every business should have a playbook. More than just a manual, the playbook should be a living document that evolves with the company, eventually writing itself through the collective efforts of its team.
But not every company is ready to create a playbook. Ronzio says that the key is to wait until you’ve achieved consistency in your operations.
“Don’t write down the recipe until it tastes good,” he says. In other words, wait until you have established reliable processes and are consistently achieving desired outcomes before formalizing them in a playbook. To figure this out, Ronzio recommends having measurables.
“You should measure what you’re doing,” Ronzio says. “If you’re not keeping score, you don’t know who’s winning, you know?” He points out that your company should have some maturity and perform at a high level before you consider breaking down your playbook.
At the core of Ronzio’s philosophy is his belief in the power of process. From his early days running a video production company to his current role as CEO of Trainual, he knows firsthand how well-defined processes can transform chaos into consistency.
“Complicated things come with instructions,” he says. “Your car has a user’s manual; your appliances have an owner’s manual. Why doesn’t your business? The playbook is that internal guide on how everything’s supposed to work. And if you don’t define that, then how can you hold anyone accountable in the business?”
By embracing the power of process and empowering others, entrepreneurs can build businesses that are not only successful but also sustainable and scalable in the long run.
3 ways to build a business playbook
Clarify your vision
Start by mapping out your big aspirations. What does success look like for you and your company? Having a clear vision is the first step toward building a playbook that aligns with your goals.
Audit current roles and responsibilities
Take a snapshot of your team’s current roles and responsibilities. Understand who does what in your business to optimize processes effectively.
Delegate and empower your team
Identify three tasks you can delegate in the next quarter. Freeing up your time allows you to focus on high-impact activities and foster a culture of empowerment within your team.
This article appears in the September/October 2024 issue of SUCCESS® magazine. Photo courtesy of Nic Pachunka at Trainual.
