How we operate
The principles
- Lead by example
- We can't put clients on systems we don't run ourselves. Our own operations are the standard.
- Outcomes & communication over technology
- We deliver working systems and keep clients informed on a known cadence.
- Lock the dates, protect the revenue
- Build length and the managed-infrastructure start date are fixed at signing. Client delays slow the client's go-live, not our recurring revenue.
- Let the data drive growth
- We don't guess when to ask for referrals, testimonials, expansion, or renewals — client health and NPS signals tell us.
- Nothing lives only in someone's head
- Opportunities, dates, status, and decisions are written down in the right system.
The client journey
The loop
WIN → DELIVER → KEEP HEALTHY → GROW → RENEW / REFER → (back to WIN)
- 1WIN — a new opportunity moves from first contact to a signed, paid deal. → Front-End Operations Playbook (+ SOW Standard Terms).
- 2DELIVER — the signed client is onboarded, the build is delivered, and it goes live. → Delivery & Onboarding Playbook.
- 3KEEP HEALTHY — ongoing managed infrastructure, support, and the pulse / NPS feedback engine. → Delivery (Phase 8) + Growth / Renewal / Health (Part A).
- 4GROW — health signals trigger referrals, testimonials, and expansion. → Growth, Renewal & Client Health Playbook.
- 5RENEW / REFER — contracts renew; happy clients send new opportunities back to the top. → Growth, Renewal & Client Health Playbook → feeds Front-End at Stage 0.
Supporting all of it
Client Record (source of truth per client), Offboarding & Payment-Failure SOPs (exits and billing problems), Roles & Tool Map (who owns what, where things live), Customer Lifecycle Communications Map (every touchpoint), Client Portal Spec (where the client lives day-to-day).
The library
Index of playbooks
Core journey playbooks
- 01 · Front-End Operations
- Opportunity → Signed Deal.
- 02 · Delivery & Onboarding
- Signed Deal → Live → Managed Infrastructure.
- 03 · Growth, Renewal & Client Health
- Health signals, referrals, expansion, renewal.
Contracts & supporting SOPs
- 04 · SOW Standard Terms
- Build & Managed Infrastructure + delay clause.
- 07 · Offboarding & Payment-Failure SOPs
- Exits and billing problems.
Templates & reference
- 08 · Client Record / Account Brief
- Template — source of truth per client.
- 06 · Roles (RACI) & Tool / System Map
- Who owns what; where things live.
- 09 · Customer Lifecycle Communications Map
- Every client-facing touchpoint.
- 10 · Client Portal Requirements Spec
- What the client side of Craft Brain should be and do.
Decisions
- SOP Decisions Builder (v2)
- Settle every open default in one pass — separate interactive tool.
Who owns what
Quick reference
- Clinton
- Sales & commercial: qualification, pricing, proposals, change-order pricing, renewals / negotiation, escalations. Hands off to Derek at Closed-Won.
- Derek
- Delivery lead & client point of contact from kickoff onward: communication, delivery oversight, client health, referral / testimonial asks.
- Dev team (Jesse, Jordan, JC)
- Build execution, technical scoping input, QA.
Full detail
See Roles (RACI) & Tool / System Map.
Where things live
Source of truth
- What we agreed / the terms
- Lovable (signed SOW).
- Status, contact, dates, health
- Craft Brain (Client Record).
- Payment status
- Stripe (funds settle to Mercury).
- What was said with the client
- That client's Slack channel.
- The SOP library
- Google Drive (and this site).
Maintenance
Keeping this current
- Settle the open items in the Decisions Checklist (v2), then update the affected docs so everything stays consistent.
- Review the library quarterly; update playbooks as the business and Craft Brain evolve.
- Not yet built (optional next steps): a content & marketing engine SOP, an internal team meeting rhythm, and a new-hire onboarding SOP.