Episode 380: Strategic Planning + Invisible Teams with Guest Expert Lynne Roe

This week on The Scalable Expert Podcast, Tara welcomes guest expert Lynne Roe, a business strategist and author of Leadership In Action: Inspiration for Intentional Leadership. Lynne specializes in helping entrepreneurs become confident, decisive CEOs by developing strategic plans that drive real business growth -without sacrificing their lives in the process.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in the daily grind or unsure how to scale without burning out, this episode will give you the mindset and tools to start thinking – and planning – like a true scalable expert.

What Strategic Planning Really Means (And Why It’s Not Optional)

Strategic planning is often misunderstood. People think of it as something for corporations with boardrooms and annual retreats.

But as Lynne explains, it’s simply the act of aligning your business decisions with your life vision – and doing it on purpose.

When you’re running a small business, it’s easy to default into reaction mode. You try every idea that comes your way. You say yes to clients you’re not excited about. You stay busy… but you’re not making progress.

A strategic plan gives you:

• Focus (what matters now, and what can wait)

• Clarity (no more guessing or second-guessing)

• Freedom (you can say no to the wrong things because you know what the right things are)

Without it? You’re just spinning.

Start With the Life You Want – Then Build the Business Around It

One of Lynne’s core teachings is that your business should serve your life, not the other way around.

Before you build the next offer, launch a new funnel, or hire someone… ask yourself:

“What lifestyle do I want this business to support?”

Do you want flexibility? Travel? More time with your kids? The ability to step away without everything falling apart?

That’s your real north star. Strategic planning helps you design everything else around that.

The Invisible Team vs. The Human Team

Here’s where it gets good.

Lynne introduced a powerful framework in this episode that every scalable expert needs to hear:

The Invisible Team = Your Systems

This includes:

• Automations

• SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)

• Tech tools

• Repeatable workflows

This is the part of your business that runs without you. It’s “invisible” because when done well, you don’t even notice it, it just works.

A bonus? “Invisible Team” makes systems sound cool, not complicated.

The Human Team = Your People

This includes:

• Virtual assistants

• Contractors or experts

• Team members handling marketing, operations, fulfillment, etc.

Here’s the mindset shift: if you’re spending 10 to 20 hours a week doing $20/hour tasks, you’re robbing yourself of the time you need to do the $500/hour growth work.

Hiring doesn’t have to mean building a huge team. But it does mean being honest about what only you should do, and finding help for the rest.

From “How Do I Do This?” to “Who Can Do This for Me?”

This little mindset shift is huge.

Entrepreneurs often stay stuck because they’re constantly trying to figure everything out themselves. The result? Burnout, bottlenecks, and unfinished projects everywhere.

When you move from How can I do this? to Who can help me do this?… everything changes.

This is how you begin to shift from being a scrappy business owner to being a true scalable expert; one who has a vision, a system, and the right support.

The Real Cost of “Winging It”

Sounds simple, right? So why are so many business owners missing this critical step?

It’s tempting to skip planning to “save time”. After all, there’s always something urgent to do.

But here’s what happens without it:

• You launch disconnected offers that don’t lead anywhere

• You jump on trends that don’t fit your goals

• You stay busy but don’t feel fulfilled

• You keep recreating the wheel instead of building momentum

Planning isn’t restrictive. It’s freeing.

It helps you make fewer decisions, avoid shiny objects, and stay focused on what actually moves your business forward.

Quick-Start Tips for Strategic Planning

Feeling inspired? Here’s how to get started:

1. Block 90 minutes this week to reflect on what you want from your business.

2. Ask yourself: What do I want this business to give me? Freedom, flexibility, income, impact?

3. List your current offers and activities: do they align with that vision?

4. Outline your Invisible Team (tools, automations, SOPs)

5. Note where you need Human Team support (what can you delegate or outsource?)

6. Make a 90-day plan with ONE clear focus area each month.

Start small. But start.