About the Study
Taylor - Small-to-mid investor operation with steady inbound flow (referrals + marketing), a part-time VA, and a simple acquisitions rhythm. Goal: close consistently without living in the inbox.
Taylor runs a lean investor operation with steady inbound flow, a part-time VA, and a simple acquisitions rhythm. The problem wasn't effort—it was fragmentation. Leads lived in multiple spreadsheets, notes were scattered across texts and email, follow-ups depended on memory, and there was no single place to trust for 'What's the next move?' This case study shows how Taylor moved from spreadsheet chaos to a connected workflow that scales without replacing every tool they already used. The transition happened in three phases: (1) Consolidate into a single source of truth, (2) Automate the handoffs so follow-up doesn't depend on memory, and (3) Add AI where it creates leverage, not noise. The result? Lead response time dropped from 24 hours to 15 minutes, leads touched within 24 hours increased from 35% to 95%, follow-ups completed on time jumped from 40% to 96%, and lead-to-deal conversion improved from 0.6% to 1.8%. The biggest win wasn't just numbers—it was stability. The pipeline stopped feeling random, and Taylor could finally operate with confidence.
Business Challenges
- 1
Leads living in multiple spreadsheets (Spreadsheet A = lead intake, Spreadsheet B = follow-up tracker)
- 2
Notes scattered across texts, DMs, and call logs with no centralized location
- 3
Follow-ups that depend on memory rather than systematic processes
- 4
The same lead 'owned' by three different people, causing confusion and missed opportunities
- 5
No single place to trust to answer: 'What's the next move?'
- 6
Pipeline was a mix of tabs, memory, and good intentions rather than a reliable system
- 7
Reporting was 'best guess' rather than data-driven insights
Our Solutions
- 1
Standardized intake into one unified pipeline (eliminated multiple spreadsheets)
- 2
Centralized lead context with consistent fields and AI-generated summaries
- 3
Clear ownership and routing rules (one owner per lead, no more confusion)
- 4
Automated tasks and required follow-up dates (no more memory-dependent follow-ups)
- 5
Pipeline truth with visibility into where deals stall (replaced 'best guess' reporting)
- 6
AI-powered initial intake qualification and lead context summarization
- 7
Automated outreach consistency when the team is busy
Business Outcomes
Pipeline Stability & Predictability
The pipeline stopped feeling random. Taylor could finally say: 'I know what's next. I know what's stuck. I know we're not dropping opportunities.'
Measurable Conversion Improvements
Lead-to-deal conversion improved from 0.6% to 1.8%—a 3x increase—while reducing weekly time spent updating records from 10 hours to 1.5 hours.
How It Works
Consolidate into a Single Source of Truth
Define minimum viable pipeline with consistent structure
Taylor defined the minimum viable pipeline: one record per lead, consistent stages, consistent required fields, one owner per lead, and one 'next action' + 'next follow-up date'. This eliminated the 'it's in the other sheet' problem and created a trustworthy foundation.
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