DIY to DFY: The Offshore Delegation Framework for Small‑Biz Leaders

You didn’t start a business to drown in inbox pings, spreadsheet tweaks, and last‑minute social posts. Yet here we are, late nights, cold coffee, and a to‑do list that screams louder than your “big ideas” board. The escape hatch? Delegation done right. 

Our go‑to-framework—DIY → DWY → DFY—turns one quick screen‑recording into a scalable, repeatable system your Unicorn partner can own (and keep leveling‑up) while you focus on growth.

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DIY • Do It Yourself (once, on camera)

When you’re the only person who knows how a task really gets done, bottlenecks multiply. DIY isn’t “forever solo”; it’s step one:

Why it matters

• Captures the exact clicks, shortcuts, and nuances you’ve perfected.
  
  
• Preserves context—why a step happens, not just what happens—so judgment calls don’t get lost in translation.
  
  

How to nail it

1. Fire up Loom before you start the task.
   
   
2. Narrate in plain English—pretend you’re teaching a smart friend, not auditioning for MasterClass.
   
   
3. Hit “Finish.” Title the video: “Task Name – v1 (DIY)”.
   
   
4. Drop it in a shared folder or Airtable attachment field.
   
   

Result: In the time it took to do the work, you produced a first‑draft SOP—without writing a single doc.

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DWY • Done With You

Now your Unicorn steps in. Think of this phase as the dress rehearsal before opening night.

What happens

• Your Unicorn watches the Loom, then replicates the task while you’re available for quick nudges.
  
  
• Together, you refine steps, plug gaps, and add relevant links or templates.
  
  
• The Unicorn documents the polished process - screenshots, checklist, and deadline, so anyone can follow it.
  
  

Speed bumps to watch

• Assumed knowledge: If you skipped explaining login paths or naming conventions, fix it here.
  
  
• Tool tweaks: Maybe your Unicorn spots an automation (Zapier, AI macro) that chops the effort in half - embrace it.
  
  

Goal: After two supervised reps, your Unicorn should complete the task solo—and own the live SOP.

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DFY • Done For You

Liberation day. You’re out, the Unicorn is in, and the machine keeps humming.

Advantages you’ll feel immediately

• Compounding hours: Ten hours a month reclaimed isn’t ten hours—it’s the strategy session, client lunch, or gym time you never had.
  
  
• Task‑stacking: With a written SOP, any trained teammate can jump in. Vacation coverage stops being a crisis.
  
  
• Continuous improvement: Each run invites tweaks—macro shortcuts, AI assists, or merging steps. Your SOP matures without your fingerprints.
  
  

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Wondering What to Delegate?

Run a Task Audit (takes 20 minutes)

1. List your quarterly goals: Limit to 3‑5 big rocks.
   
   
2. Dump every task tied to those goals into the Airtable template.
   
   
3. Add data: Frequency, duration, owner, and “feeling” (Energized / Neutral / Draining).
   
   
4. Sort & score: Airtable auto‑calculates the money each task costs you at your hourly rate.
   
   

Then act:

Math check: If a $300/hr founder spends ten hours/month on a repeatable admin task, that’s $3 k burned. Hiring a full‑time 🦄 for a fraction of that frees cash and creativity.

Need visual guidance? Watch the Loom walkthrough and duplicate the Airtable template.

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Why the DIY‑DWY‑DFY Ladder Works

• Velocity over perfection: Recording beats writing; iteration beats paralysis.
  
  
• Crystal clarity: Video + live walkthrough kills 99% of “I thought you meant…” misfires.
  
  
• Scalability baked‑in: Every SOP becomes Lego bricks for onboarding the next Unicorn.
  
  
• Cost sanity: You invest founder‑rate time once, then pay Unicorn‑rate going forward.
  
  

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Ready to Leap?

• Step 1: Record one Loom today—pick the task you dread most.
  
  
• Step 2: Hand it to your Unicorn and schedule a DWY session this week.
  
  
• Step 3: Watch your calendar clear and your big ideas resurface.
  
  

Need an experienced co‑pilot to speed things up? Book a Jam Session with our Success Team and we’ll map your delegation ladder live—no fluff, just actionable steps.

Delegation isn’t abdication; it’s multiplication. Move from DIY to DFY, partner with a 🦄, and reclaim the energy that built your business in the first place.

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