Operations & Automation Partner

Scale capacity, not overheads.

Custom operations and automation for growing businesses that want to take on more without adding headcount or hours.

Sahlia Craig founder of Afore Studio Operations and Automation

Former agency CEO13+ years in operations, marketing, and techNot tied to any tools

AforeStudio-Laptop-Desk
If you're honest with yourself…

Your business runs because you make it run.

You started your own business for the freedom and flexibility, but now nothing moves without you in the loop, and you're losing evenings and weekends to busy work. The tools you've invested in don't really talk to each other. And somewhere on your to-do list, there's a note about fixing that. It's been there for months.

It almost always comes down to your systems and processes. And the reason it keeps getting pushed down the list is that someone has to build the thing… and that someone is always you.

Your business should support your life, not consume it. That's what I'm here for.

I build the infrastructure your business has been missing.

I come in as your operations and automation partner. Working together is pretty simple... it starts with a 30-minute call, then it's three steps.

01

Find the friction

We talk about what's working, what isn't, and where your time is going. I look at your tools, processes, and workflows, and we agree on what to fix first. For a single fix, that usually happens on our first call.

02

Build the engine

I implement the systems, set up the automations, configure the tools, and write the documentation. Built around how you and your business work, not a standard template dropped in.

03

Make it stick

I don't hand over a report and disappear. Everything is set up so you and your team can run it without me, and if you'd like me to stay on and keep improving things as you grow, I can do that too.

Want to grow revenue without adding headcount?

So what does that look like day-to-day?

What this looks like in practice

Every business is different, but these are the areas I work across most.

Automation

Tools that talk to each other

Your CRM, project management, accounting, and inbox connected, so information goes where it needs to without anyone copying it across.

  • Client details entered once, not three times
  • New enquiries sorted and sent to the right place
  • Invoices that go out as soon as a contract is signed

Works with tools like Make, Zapier, HubSpot, ClickUp, and Stripe

Process & documentation

Getting it out of your head

How things actually get done, written down in one place your team will really use... client delivery, training, and who owns what.

  • New people get up to speed without you walking them through everything
  • The business doesn't stall when one person is away
  • Everyone knows who owns what

Works with tools like Notion, ClickUp Docs, Loom, and Google Workspace

Client experience

Onboarding that makes you look good

The gap between a client saying yes and the work starting is where first impressions are made. I set up the intake, payment, and kickoff so it all happens without you chasing.

  • Proposal signed, folders and tasks set up automatically
  • Intake questions answered before the first meeting
  • Clients feel looked after from day one

Works with the tools you already use

Always-on operations

An operations system built around your business

A custom system that works alongside you and your team every day. It keeps track of the work, the money, and the people, runs the routine parts on its own, and brings you what needs a decision.

  • A morning board of what needs a person, each with the evidence behind it and a next step drafted
  • Margin by client, project, or team member, so you can see what's making money and what's quietly costing it
  • Whole workflows run end to end, from onboarding a new client to tracking results and getting paid
  • Client reports and portals produced and checked before they go anywhere
  • Ask a question in plain English and see exactly where the answer came from

Built to fit your business. It runs on its own machine, so your data stays with you

Start small, or go all in

Ways to work together

Pick the step that fits your immediate operational priority.

See how each one works
01

Start here

One fix

The workflow eating your week, fixed and handed back working. Usually delivered within 5-7 working days.

02

When it's bigger

A bigger build

More than one thing, like a client process to rebuild or tools that don't talk to each other. Scoped, quoted and built.

03

Month to month

Ongoing support

A set number of hours each month. We'll prioritise what matters most, and I'll get it done.

04

Executive Support

Fractional operations lead

Embedded strategic ops lead who runs daily operations, meeting rhythms, and delivery so the decisions stop landing on you.

Someone senior, without the full-time hire.

Not sure where to start? Let's have a chat.

Not tied to any tools

It's about what's best for your business

I'll make what you already pay for work properly first, and only suggest something new if it genuinely fits. Everything I set up is yours... your accounts, your logins, your documentation.

Questions business owners usually ask

What does it cost?

A single fix is a fixed price, agreed on our call before I start. Bigger projects are quoted at a fixed price once I understand what's involved. Ongoing support and fractional work are billed at a monthly fee, quoted based on the scope.

Do you just give advice, or do you do the work?

I do the work. I don't hand over a report and disappear.

Will you make me switch tools?

No. I don't push any particular tools or subscriptions. I'd rather make what you already pay for work properly than add new ones, and I'll only suggest something new if it genuinely fits. Everything I set up is yours.

Do I need a team?

No. I work with solo business owners as well as scaling businesses. Plenty of people I talk to want to stay small... they just want things to run without them doing everything.

See all questions
You didn't start a business to be buried in it.

Let's build systems that keep up with your ambition.

The first step is a conversation. Tell me what's not working, and we'll find where your operations can gain instant leverage.

Send an enquiry

Prefer to talk?

Book a 30-minute call. You tell me what's taking up your time; I'll ask a few questions about how things run; then we'll talk through what the next step could look like.

Book a first call