Jon and Peter explore a deceptively simple but powerful concept: architecting how work gets done. Inspired by Profit Coach and shaped through years of trial and error, it’s more than systems and tools - it’s about intentionally designing workflows that enable scale, accountability, and freedom.

They start by defining what “done” looks like, then dive into tools like swimlane diagrams, task maps, and online forms - essential for hiring, training, delegation, and AI. Leverage doesn’t begin with tech - it starts with basics, like removing your phone number from the website so work flows through systems, not you.

Peter adds “policy courage”: the discipline to enforce structure, like requiring form submissions over ad-hoc emails. It’s inconvenient short-term, but essential for long-term capacity. They share examples - from refund forms to recruiting flows - showing how small workflow improvements compound into major gains.

This isn’t micromanagement - it’s about designing with intention, delegating clearly, and leading boldly.

TIMESTAMPS (01:00) What “Architecting the Work” Really Means (03:05) Defining Done: Why Ambiguity Breaks Everything (13:27) Forms: The Most Underrated Business Tool (27:12) Swimlanes, Task Maps, and Trigger Discipline (37:57) The E-Myth, WhisperFlow, and Tools of Scale

Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

While a ton of business owners today are chasing the next AI hack or automation craze, Jon and Peter return to a foundational truth: leverage isn’t a tactic - it’s a philosophy.

Today they’re talking about “Matt’s Hierarchy of Leverage,” a napkin-sketch turned mental model that redefines how small business owners should think about time, talent, and tools. Rather than obsessing over AI for AI’s sake, they explore leverage as a quiet system of compounding returns: replacing complexity with clarity, chaos with delegation, and brute effort with thoughtful structure.

At its core, the hierarchy isn’t about removing yourself from the business - it’s about repositioning your energy where it matters most. From global talent to smart systems, from automation to delegation, each rung down the pyramid creates space to climb higher in impact. AI isn't magic; it's just another train in a well-built transportation system, but that system still needs the roads, trucks, and drivers to lay the path.

They challenge operators: What will you do with the margin you earn? More cash? Better product? A month off? There’s no right answer - only trade-offs.

Jon and Peter aren’t interested in glossy tech dreams or lazy business hacks. They’re here for the long game - where leverage is earned, not bought. Where progress isn’t driven by viral trends, but by disciplined execution. And where the true win isn’t freedom from work, but freedom to choose the right work.

In a noisy age of shiny tools, this is a blueprint for quiet scale.

Key Topics: (02:00) Introducing Matt’s Hierarchy of Leverage (10:30) Systemization, SOPs, and Hiring B-Players (22:00) Saying No: The Key to Moving Work Down the Pyramid (37:12) AI Starts Taking Jobs (For Real This Time) (43:00) What Will You Do With the Increased Margin?

Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com

In a time where brands everywhere churn out content for clout, Jon and Peter make the case that there is power in focusing on niche over noise.

They talk about the difference between running a media business—one dependent on clicks, views, and CPMs—and running a business powered by media. The latter isn’t chasing virality. It’s using content to build trust at scale, with the right audience. A single engaged viewer—one potential customer who finds real value—can be more powerful than 50 million passive scrolls.

This mindset reframes media from a vanity metric machine into a quiet engine of asymmetric returns. A podcast that lands one high-value client? Worth more than thousands of empty impressions. A newsletter that converts 1.2% of readers into loyal customers? Incredibly high leverage, even if the list is modest in size.

Still, they wrestle with the usual considerations all operators think about: Should we do short-form? Do we really have to play the algorithm game? Peter and Jon push back against performative content, advocating instead for authenticity, audience clarity, and compounding trust.

Show up. Document. Speak with depth. Build a back catalog for the long game.

If you're a business owner in 2025 wondering where to start, forget growth hacks. Instead, record a podcast. Write a blog post. Hit “publish” once a week. In a year, you'll be stunned by the optionality and leverage you’ve created—not from volume, but from intentional signal.

In the end, lazy leverage is just focused effort, multiplied by time.

Key Topics: (02:43) Media-Fueled Businesses vs Media Businesses (10:15) How SMBs Should Create Content for Top-Funnel vs Mid-Funnel (17:16) The Right Way to Do Short-Form Content (28:14) Running Ads Without Becoming a Sellout (35:12) Succeeding as a Niche B2B Brand (39:22) Getting Clear on Your Audience (43:30) Changing Up Your Environment

Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com