Ep 5: Better Questions, Better Workflow - Mia Goodwin
Summary
A busy day doesn’t always mean we’ve made meaningful progress. As entrepreneurs, we can spend hours responding to messages, handling administrative tasks, and reacting to whatever comes next without stopping to ask whether that work is moving us toward what matters most.
In this episode of the Holritz Business Design Podcast, I’m joined by Mia Goodwin, who brings her experience in manufacturing and biomedical engineering to her work with Chattanooga Tourism Co. We explore how asking better questions can help business owners develop a more efficient, intentional workflow.
Our conversation comes back to two questions: What are my success markers? And how is my workflow supporting my effort to achieve those success markers efficiently and effectively? From email habits to regular reflection, we discuss practical ways to connect the work we do each day with the outcomes we actually want.
Key Takeaways
1. What are my success markers?
Before choosing a tool or reorganizing your calendar, get clear about what you’re trying to accomplish. A success marker gives you something specific to work toward and a way to decide which activities deserve your attention.
That starts with the bigger picture. For me, workflow is a means to more freedom and flexibility. I want to serve my clients well and grow my business while leaving room for relationships, travel, and the things I enjoy. The way I manage email, organize files, and structure my schedule should support that goal.
Those broader priorities also need to translate into daily decisions. Mia uses the example of setting out to work on a sales plan. When an email arrives, having that priority already established helps her decide whether the message needs attention now or can wait. Without a clear focus, it’s easy to spend the day moving between tasks and feel as though nothing is getting finished.
Ask what meaningful progress would look like today or this week. That might be completing a proposal, following up with potential clients, or finishing a project within the time you’ve set aside. Then consider how that outcome supports the business and life you want to build.
The goal is to give your time a clear purpose. When you know what success looks like, you have a better basis for deciding what to do, what to defer, and where to set boundaries.
2. How is my workflow supporting my effort to achieve those success markers efficiently and effectively?
Once you’ve defined success, step back and examine how you’re working. Are your routines helping you reach those outcomes? Where are you spending more time or energy than necessary? And what keeps creating frustration?
Mia points out that a useful tool only helps when you understand the problem it needs to solve. A new app might be impressive, but choosing it without first identifying the need can leave you with another thing to manage. Start with the obstacle, then decide whether a different habit, a template, a tool, or help from someone else would address it.
Look at interruptions. Mia shares how my earlier email episode prompted her to reconsider notifications. Reading messages throughout the day could feel productive, even when replies stayed in drafts. Setting aside intentional time for email creates an opportunity to finish the communication and then return to other work. Adapt that approach to your responsibilities and the response expectations you’ve established.
Look at repeated work. Mia describes using templates for outreach, quotes, and follow-up messages. You can prepare the recurring parts of a message, then add the person’s name and details that make it relevant to them. We also discuss keyboard shortcuts and reminders as ways to reduce repetitive effort and avoid keeping every next step in your head.
Make time to reflect. Mia suggests reviewing your workflow every week or two, giving new habits time to develop before evaluating them. Consider what you accomplished, what slipped, and what caused the difference. If an important task keeps getting pushed aside, does it need a clearer place in your schedule, a simpler process, or support from someone else?
Frustration can be a useful place to begin that review. Identify the specific part of the work that’s frustrating you, then ask why. The answer can help you choose a change that makes the work more manageable while still supporting the results you need.
Put It Into Practice
Use these two questions to review one part of your workflow:
Write down a success marker. Choose an outcome for the coming week, and connect it to a broader personal or business priority.
Identify what gets in the way. Look for an interruption, repeated task, or missing step that makes that outcome harder to achieve.
Try one specific change. Create a personalized email template, schedule focused work time, set a follow-up reminder, or clarify who is responsible for the next step.
Schedule a review. After a week or two, ask whether the change helped you reach your success marker with less unnecessary effort. Keep what helped, and adjust what didn’t.
You don’t have to think of yourself as a systems person to benefit from a more intentional workflow. Start with what you want your business to make possible, and use those priorities to guide how you work.
Show Notes
Holritz Business Design — website design, brand messaging, and workflow design
Chattanooga Tourism Co. — Mia’s organization and the resource she shares for Chattanooga events, activities, and trip planning
Episode 4: Intentional Email Workflow — the email habits, shortcuts, and tools discussed in this conversation
Interested in a consultation about brand messaging, website design, or workflow design? Email me at nathan@holritzdesign.com.
