Startup Execution 101: How to Build SOPs
Most SOPs are a waste of time. They’re too vague to follow, too bloated to be useful, or so poorly maintained they disappear into Google Drive and never come out. Founders either skip documentation entirely or write a few token docs they hope someone reads later. But when done right, SOPs are not just documents. They’re execution tools. They allow your team to operate without constant oversight. They reduce decision fatigue. They make onboarding easier and help clarify what’s actually happening across your business.
An SOP is not a nice-to-have. It’s how you build internal infrastructure that creates consistency, saves time, and scales with you. And eventually, it’s what helps you get out of the weeds.
SOPs Are Infrastructure
A good SOP turns a repeatable task into a system that produces consistent results. If someone on your team can run a process and deliver a solid outcome without asking you how to do it, that’s not luck. That’s documentation working the way it should. SOPs reduce rework, eliminate unnecessary back-and-forth, and prevent you from having to be the middleman for every decision. When written and used well, they also help you identify inefficiencies, delegate cleanly, and build confidence across your team.
They’re also foundational if you’re preparing for any kind of scrutiny. As you scale, you’ll need to answer to investors, advisors, external partners, and maybe even auditors. That’s hard to do if every workflow lives inside someone’s head. At Arqlite, we built SOPs to document our plastic recovery and reporting process. This wasn’t just for internal clarity. We were preparing for third-party accreditation to issue plastic credits, and the documentation became critical to proving our methodology. Reviewers wanted to see how things worked in real time. The SOPs were the proof.
Even if you’re not chasing certifications, the takeaway is the same. Document like someone outside the business will need to evaluate it. Because eventually, someone will.
What a Real SOP Looks Like
You don’t need a subscription tool or a fancy template. You need structure, clarity, and a place your team can find what they need when they need it. Here’s the baseline structure I recommend:
Start with a clear title and an assigned owner. The owner is the person responsible for keeping it accurate. Add a short purpose section that explains why this process exists and what outcome it supports. Then define the scope. What’s included? What’s not? This keeps the doc from becoming a catch-all.
From there, break the process into clean, step-by-step instructions. Keep the language tight. Use bullets or numbers. Include any relevant tools, logins, dashboards, or templates people need to complete the task. Finally, include version control. Add a last updated date and track any major revisions.
That’s it. No overengineering. No fluff. Just a functional document someone else can run with.
Build While You Work
One of the biggest mistakes I see is founders waiting for things to “calm down” before they document. That day never comes. You don’t need to schedule a systems week or write a hundred SOPs. You need to start small and build in motion.
While you’re doing a task, open a doc and write the steps as you go. Drop in relevant links. Record a Loom or grab a screenshot if it helps explain something visually. Label the doc, file it where it belongs, and call it version one. That’s enough.
As your team grows, assign SOP ownership to the person doing the work. If you’ve hired someone to manage outbound email, they should be responsible for maintaining the SOP that supports it. You shouldn’t be writing instructions for things you’re no longer executing. That’s not leverage. That’s founder trap behavior.
Use AI to Draft Faster
If documentation is stalling out because you hate writing from scratch, use AI to draft the first version. It won’t be perfect, but it will get you out of neutral.
Here’s a simple prompt you can use:
“Write a startup SOP for [insert task] that includes a title, owner, purpose, scope, step-by-step actions, required tools, and version control. Keep it under two pages and make it usable by someone new to the company.”
You can generate a functional first draft in seconds, then review and tailor it based on how the work actually happens inside your business. Don’t overthink this. The goal is usable, not flawless.
Run the Audit Test
A written SOP is only valuable if it works. Here’s how you evaluate it:
Can someone follow it start to finish without asking you questions? Has it been updated recently? Does it reflect how the process actually runs today, not how it ran last quarter? Would it hold up in a diligence review with a potential investor or partner?
If the answer to any of those is no, fix it or delete it. An outdated or confusing SOP creates more harm than help. The point is to save time and reduce friction, not add another layer of clutter to your workspace.
Grab the SOP Template
If you want a clean, plug-and-play starting point, I’ve created a Google Doc template that mirrors the structure outlined here. It includes clear section prompts, built-in versioning, and a review checklist to help you get it right the first time.
Make a copy, pick one process, and document it this week. Start with something high-friction like client onboarding, monthly reporting, or outbound messaging. These are usually the areas where clarity pays off the fastest. Don’t try to build everything at once. Build one, run it, revise, and go from there.
Why This Matters
This is how you get out of being the system and start building one. When you create usable documentation, you stop being the only person who knows how things work. You create structure. You build institutional memory. You make your company more valuable to everyone involved, whether that’s a new hire, a potential acquirer, or your future self who doesn’t want to be stuck in the weeds forever.
Most founders wait too long to start this. Don’t be that founder.
What to Do Next
If this hit home, you’re probably still wearing too many hats. You’re doing good work, but it’s not scalable. That’s where I come in.
I help early-stage founders build operational systems that support scale. Financial clarity, SOPs, tool stacks, and execution infrastructure. It’s hands-on work that turns chaos into control.
Here’s what to do next:
Browse the full Startup Execution 101 blog series
Read Build Systems Before You Scale and Build Your Company Brain
DM me on LinkedIn: @ptcasey
Or reach out directly to work together
