Let me take you back to my garage.
That’s where my old “system” lives—still hanging on a whiteboard like a time capsule from a past life. Scribbled across it are $50M in listings, marketing tasks, social posts, random to-dos, and no real order to any of it. Just chaos disguised as productivity.
And at the time? It worked. Kind of. Deals got done. Closings happened. But I was constantly on edge. The whiteboard lived in the office, which meant when I was home, I had to rely on memory and adrenaline to keep it all moving. That mental load? It was unsustainable.
I know I’m not the only one who’s run a “successful” real estate business that felt secretly exhausting behind the scenes. So let’s talk about the shift that changed everything for me—and might change everything for you too.
The Lie We Tell Ourselves About Systems
For a long time, I believed systems were rigid, corporate, and soul-sucking.
I had this idea that implementing systems meant stripping away the freedom and creativity I loved about real estate. Plus, I didn’t feel qualified to create them. There’s no Systems 101 for Realtors, right? I thought, “If I don’t know the perfect way to do it, I probably shouldn’t do it at all.”
But then came the reframe.
Systems Aren’t About Control. They’re About Trust.
Read that again.
Systems aren’t about locking yourself into a cold, inflexible structure. They’re about building trust—in yourself, your team, and your clients.
- Trusting yourself to follow through on your plan (and not burn out).
- Trusting your team to share the load because you’ve given them tools to succeed.
- Trusting your clients will feel more cared for, not less, because the experience is smooth, consistent, and professional.
This shift—from “control” to “trust”—was the moment my business started to feel aligned.
Start Small: Systems That Create Space
If the idea of “building systems” still feels too big, start here. These are two of the simplest—and most powerful—systems I added to my week:
- The CEO Time Block
Every Tuesday morning until 9am, I’m off-limits. That’s my time to get into the right energy before I coach, lead, and serve. It’s slow, protected, and mine. - The End-of-Day Shutdown Ritual
When I close my laptop and step into the bathtub at night (yes, that’s the official transition), I leave work behind. No “just one more thing.” No checking emails from bed. This is my clear line between business and life.
These aren’t software systems. They’re energetic boundaries. And they’ve been just as transformational as anything in my CRM.
The System That Finally Got Us Off the Whiteboard
Eventually, we needed something bigger. Something that gave us predictability in our pipeline, structure in our service, and freedom in our lives.
That’s when I created what I now call the Aligned Growth Pyramid—a simple framework that ties everything together:
- Lead Generation Systems: So your pipeline never runs dry.
- Conversion Systems: So you’re nurturing relationships, not just chasing deals.
- Delivery Systems: So your clients feel seen and served consistently, without you doing everything.
This is the foundation I teach inside The Elevated Collective. It’s how you stop spinning your wheels and start scaling with calm confidence.
Final Thought: You Deserve a Business That Feels Good
I’ll say this clearly: Flying by the seat of your pants is not a business strategy.
You deserve to build a business that:
- Doesn’t keep you up at night wondering what you forgot
- Doesn’t leave you glued to your phone 24/7
- Doesn’t rely on memory and magic to keep it running
You’re more than capable of creating systems that give you back your peace—and maybe even a little time for that bath.
— Lacey Newman is the founder of the Elevated Living in Nashville, and the creator and coach of Elevated Agents. You can learn more about her here.