How a Creative Consulting Firm Replaced Spreadsheets with a Simple, Sustainable Client System
A case study in scattered spreadsheets to a clear, manageable client workflow.
Client Snapshot
Organization: McNeil Creative Enterprise (MCE) - learn more about MCE
Organization Type: Consulting firm supporting art organizations
Size: Founder-led with a small team
System: Excel → Dubsado
ABS Role: CRM selection, setup, and ongoing support
The Situation
This wasn’t just an organizational issue.
Follow-ups with potential clients were delayed or at risk of being missed
Project setup involved repetitive, manual work
There was limited visibility into the sales pipeline
Day-to-day operations felt stressful and reactive
Growth risked outpacing the systems meant to support it
Without change, growth would continue to feel chaotic rather than intentional.
Why This Mattered
This wasn’t just a technology issue. It affected how people worked every day.
Staff spent excessive time fixing problems instead of doing meaningful work
Donation entry and reporting were slower and harder to trust
Frustration increased, raising burnout risk
Leadership lacked reliable data to guide decisions
A significant CRM investment risked becoming a system that people avoided
Without intervention, instability and declining trust would continue.
How ABS Helped
Anchored Business Strategies focused on right-sizing the solution, not overselling technology.
Rather than pushing a complex CRM, we:
Clarified how the business actually operated day to day
Identified what needed to be automated—and what didn’t
Prioritized simplicity, sustainability, and ease of use
The goal was to give the owner a system she could confidently manage herself.
What We Did
Evaluated CRM options based on real workflows and business needs
Recommended Dubsado as the best-fit platform
Configured the system to centralize leads and contacts
Created website intake forms that fed directly into the CRM
Set up automations to support project setup and onboarding
Trained the owner and admins on system usage
Recorded short training videos for ongoing reference
The Results
All leads, both online and offline, were centralized in one system
Manual project setup steps were automated
The owner gained clear visibility into her pipeline and client activity
Day-to-day operations felt calmer, clearer, and more manageable
Training videos supported long-term confidence and independence
Most importantly, the business moved from reactive tracking to an organized, repeatable process that could scale.
Why This Worked
This engagement succeeded because the focus wasn’t on “having a CRM.”
By choosing a tool that fit how the business actually runs—rather than forcing the business to fit the tool—the system became:
Easy to adopt
Easy to maintain
Ready to grow alongside the business
Technology supported the work instead of complicating it.
If This Sounds Familiar
If your leads live in spreadsheets, inboxes, or disconnected tools—and growth feels harder than it should—there’s a simpler way.
Anchored Business Strategies helps small teams choose and set up systems that bring clarity without complexity.
Let’s talk!
