Hey there!

I hope you've had a productive week! If you are new here, welcome to our Friday Roundup.
What is the Friday Roundup?

A roundup of the best in productivity & systems for Entrepreneurs and small business owners with a ‘TLDR’ summary and our take on how to take action to systematize your business and your life.

Be on the lookout for our Tuesday Swipe file & Case study! Every Tuesday a free behind-the-scenes swipe file from an entrepreneur with the systems, tools, and hires that helped them build sustainable success.

-Jenae :)

The Rundown

• How To Resist Hustle Culture And Be More Productive

• After 25 years of growth for the $68 billion SEO industry, here’s how Google and other tech firms could render it extinct with AI (but don’t panic!)

• 4 Time Management Tips I Learned Standing in Line for Michelin-Starred Ramen

• Instagram Is Testing a Dedicated Feed for Posts from Verified Users

• Add this book to your reading list!

🔥Quote/Prompt

Use the quote as a writing or thinking prompt to finish your week strong.

A bit from mine:

(posted in our Doer Entrepreneurs Free Community — off social media)

Did someone forward this to you?

📈 Performance

How To Resist Hustle Culture And Be More Productive

The prevailing "hustle culture" that emphasizes constant hard work is being re-evaluated, with a growing focus on achieving a genuine work-life balance and overall well-being. While dedication is still valued, it's essential to work with clear goals and intention, ensuring creativity isn't stifled and burnout is avoided.

Key Insights:

• Purpose Over Relentless Hustling: Working non-stop can lead to burnout and hinder creativity. True productivity is about working with purpose and intention.

  • Action: As Ryan Crownholm discovered after a major accident, it's essential to create a business that can thrive even in one's absence. Entrepreneurs should focus on building systems and delegating tasks to ensure the business can operate without constant oversight.

• Prioritize Rest: Rest is not only vital for career success but also for overall well-being and effective interactions with others.

  • Action: As Manoj Dias points out, without rest, individuals tend to operate reactively, often driven by stress hormones. Business owners should encourage a culture where employees take regular breaks and are not penalized for prioritizing self-care. And yes, that means you too, CEO!

• Redefine Work-Life Balance: Consider work-life balance as a ratio, emphasizing the finite energy and time one has.

  • Action: Dr. Breanna Gentil suggests that there's a set amount of work and rest one can manage. Businesses and entrepreneurs can adopt this approach in setting work schedules and expectations. Meaning, REST IS NOT OPTIONAL.

• Resist External Productivity Pressures: The need to appear constantly productive, partly driven by social media, can be detrimental.

  • Action: Dr. Gentile emphasizes that managers and visible figures in the workplace should model healthy boundaries, such as not working on weekends and ending meetings on time. This sets a precedent for employees, showing that the company values genuine productivity over mere appearances. If you are a solopreneur, ask yourself whether you’re measuring your value output at all, or if you are, if it is prioritized more or less than your time.

⚙️ Optimization

After 25 years of growth for the $68 billion SEO industry, here’s how Google and other tech firms could render it extinct with AI

Generative AI is poised to revolutionize search engines, potentially rendering the $68 billion SEO industry obsolete by providing direct answers instead of link-based results. But let’s not panic, let’s take action.

Key Insights:

• Generative AI is changing search results: Instead of presenting users with a list of links, generative AI provides direct text-based answers to queries. For instance, asking for a "three-day itinerary for a visitor in Destin, Florida" on Bing AI would yield a detailed itinerary, eliminating the need to sift through multiple links.

• SEO industry's future is uncertain: With users getting direct answers, the efforts and investments in SEO might become less effective. This could impact the projected growth of the SEO industry, which was expected to reach $129.6 billion by 2030.

• Financial implications for search engines: Search engines earn significantly from search engine marketing. For instance, 58% of Google’s 2022 revenues came from Google Ads. With generative AI, this revenue stream might be threatened.

• Generative AI still faces challenges: Despite its potential, generative AI is still experimental and has been known to provide incorrect or plagiarized answers. This means it might not immediately gain widespread user trust.

• What you can do: Start considering additional distribution methods like social media, influencer marketing, co-promotion, etc. to diversify the ways you are acquiring eyeballs. And keep reading our newsletter as we track the progress of this.

⏲️ Time Management

4 Time Management Tips I Learned Standing in Line for Michelin-Starred Ramen

This article is a fun way to look at time management — through delicious ramen restaurants! It was written by a PR professional who detailed what he learned.

Key Insights:

• Multitask by setting and forgetting: Inspired by Tsuta's ticketing system, where diners secure a reservation early in the day, allowing them to engage in other activities without the stress of waiting in line.

  • Action: Implement reservation or appointment systems in businesses to manage client flow, allowing for better time allocation and customer experience. Time blocking is another way to do this by creating “appointments” even if they are with yourself working on specific activities.

• Share calendars for clarity: Sosakumenkobo Nakiryu provided clear visual guidance for queueing, preventing confusion. Similarly, sharing calendars in a work environment ensures everyone is aligned.

  • Action: Use shared digital calendars, like Google Calendar or Outlook, to coordinate team schedules (or even schedules with clients like an availability calendar), making sure everyone is aware of important dates and deadlines. You can even use Calendly or similar services to automate client bookings.

• Prepare tasks ahead of time: SobaHouse Konjiki Hototogisu's efficient service is attributed to pre-preparation. In a work setting, preparing tasks in advance can streamline the workflow.

  • Action: Draft emails or set up tasks the day before, and use scheduling tools to send them out at the most appropriate times. Batch tasks together so that when it comes time to access information or execute, you aren’t hunting for information or needing to do “busy work”.

• Honor time commitments & set expectations: Chukasoba Ginza Hachigou emphasizes the importance of diners arriving as a complete party. This principle can be applied in professional settings to ensure smooth operations.

  • Action: Set clear expectations for where you are deploying your time whether it’s for a team meeting where you ensure all participants are punctual, reinforcing the importance of respecting everyone's time, or a client meeting so they know how much time you’re planning to spend with them.

💻 Tools & Technology

Instagram Is Testing a Dedicated Feed for Posts from Verified Users

Instagram is experimenting with a new feed exclusively for Meta Verified and previously verified users. This move aims to enhance visibility for businesses and creators and promote the Meta Verified subscription.

Key Insights:

• Instagram introduces a new feed for Meta Verified users. This feature will allow users to toggle and view posts only from Meta Verified accounts, providing a unique space for these users to stand out.

• Contradictory statements from Instagram. Two months prior, Instagram had denied testing such a feature, but the recent announcement confirms its existence.

• Meta Verified offers enhanced features at a cost. For $11.99 (web) or $14.99 (mobile) per month, users get a blue checkmark, improved customer support, increased search visibility, exclusive stickers, and more.

• Meta's strategy mirrors Elon Musk's approach with Twitter. After Musk's acquisition of Twitter (now X), the platform introduced a paid verification system, similar to Instagram's Meta Verified.

👀 Read, Watch, Listen

This week’s awesome books, YouTube videos, newsletters, etc. to add to your list!

The Hustle Trap: A How-To Guide for Doing Less and Making More with Your Business (Book)

After a near-fatal accident, Ryan Crownholm realized his business might fail without him. This realization led to a transformation. In "The Hustle Trap," Ryan reveals how he established a passive seven-figure income and gained more personal freedom. Drawing from over twenty years of entrepreneurial experience, this guide offers insights into building a resilient business and enhancing cash flow. It's a must-read for entrepreneurs seeking to balance work, profit, and a fulfilling life.

🔒Inner Circle: Events & Announcements

• Wonky Week Alert: Europe changes times but the US doesn’t, so 9 am Pacific will be 4 pm London and 5 pm Europe Mon (Oct 30) - Fri (Nov 3)

• Tuesday: Work ON Business. Theme: Mapping RSVP here

• Monday/Friday: Goal Setting + Plan Your Week Party RSVP here

• Accelerators: Nov. 3 is your Office Hours RSVP here

• Nov. 13: Doers Monthly Mastermind. RSVP here

• Nov. 15: Book Club - RSVP here

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I hope you found this valuable!

Wishing you much productivity!

- Jenae :)