My Journey to 10X Leadership: Rethinking Systems, AI, and Resilience

Hey everyone,

I've been on quite a ride lately, and I want to share some profound insights and personal experiences with you. It all started when I joined a book club (yes, I'm that person now) and we dove into "10X Is Easier Than 2X." This book has been transforming my perspective on leadership, growth, and delegation in ways I never expected.

The "Oops" of Overeager Delegation

Early in my leadership journey, I was that boss who thought delegation was the answer to everything. I'd hand out tasks like party favors, without providing context, tools, or support. The result? Confusion, missed deadlines, and mediocre outcomes. It was a hard but necessary lesson.

The AI Adventure Begins

Two years ago, I decided to bring AI into our world. Exciting, right? But our existing systems were as ready for AI as I am for a marathon after the holidays. So, we did something drastic: we crashed all our existing processes and started from scratch.

We spent months rebuilding our systems, creating clear workflows, setting explicit expectations, and building robust accountability structures. It wasn't glamorous, but it was essential.

With this new foundation, integrating AI was like adding rocket fuel to a well-oiled machine. We applied it to data management, analysis, and customer service. The result? Increased efficiency, happier customers, and a team freed up to focus on creative and strategic work.

Delegation 2.0: This Time, It's Personal

Armed with clear systems and AI support, I revisited delegation. This time, instead of just handing off tasks, I was empowering my team. They had the tools, knowledge, and clarity to truly own their roles. Watching them take initiative and excel was incredibly rewarding.

When Life Throws You a Curveball

Now, I want to share something deeply personal. Earlier this year, our world was turned upside down when my husband fell seriously ill. It forced us to reevaluate everything – our priorities, our work, our entire life.

We made some tough decisions:

1. Drastically downsize our company
2. Focus only on work that truly made us happy
3. Aim for 150 days off a year (we're not quite there yet, but it's our goal)
4. Drop 80% of our clients that weren't aligning with our new life (GULP!)

These changes were terrifying, especially letting go of so many clients. But they were necessary for our new reality.

The Unexpected Gift of Preparation

When we were building these systems and integrating AI, we never imagined they would become crucial in helping us navigate a personal crisis. But that's the beauty of creating a solid foundation – it doesn't just help you grow, it helps you adapt, no matter what life throws your way.

Our robust systems and strategic use of AI allowed us to scale down without losing the essence of our business. We maintained quality and efficiency, even with a much smaller team and client base. It gave us the flexibility to prioritize what truly matters while keeping the business running smoothly.

A New Chapter

Today, our company is smaller but focused on the work we love. We have the flexibility to prioritize health and family. And I have the incredible opportunity to share our journey with you all, hoping that our experience can help and inspire others.

The 10X Mindset: Building Resilience

This experience has reinforced the importance of the 10X mindset. It's not just about thinking bigger – it's about being willing to tear things down and rebuild them stronger. It's about creating systems that don't just support your current goals, but also provide resilience in the face of unexpected challenges.



When we embrace the 10X mindset – when we think bigger, build smarter systems, and leverage tools like AI – we're not just preparing for success. We're creating the ability to weather any storm and adapt to whatever life throws our way.

Here's to the journey ahead, to building businesses that are not just profitable but flexible and resilient, and to the power of preparation in the face of uncertainty.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Have you had any wild delegation stories or AI adventures of your own? Or perhaps you've faced unexpected challenges that tested your business's resilience?

#10XMindset #LeadershipLessons #AIAdventures #BusinessResilience #AdaptiveGrowth