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For agency founders · teams of 5–30

Your business shouldn't live in your head.

Send us a rambling voice note about how you onboard a client. We send back the SOP: every step, who owns it, and what “done” means, built inside the Notion or ClickUp your team already uses.

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Waitlist members get first pick of 3 founding spots.
Maya, Tidewell Studio · voice note1:12

“ok so when we sign a new client… I send the welcome email, I think there's a template somewhere?? then Jess sends the intake form, or sometimes I do. oh and Xero, I always forget that bit”

what you get back
SOP-001 · Sales Ready
Onboarding a new client
Starts when: client signs
01 Send welcome email using the “Welcome – new client” Gmail templatefixes: “a template somewhere??”Maya
02 Send intake formfixes: “or sometimes I do”Jess
03 Add client to Xero, before kickofffixes: “I always forget that bit”Maya
Done when: kickoff notes sent

Sound familiar?

You run an agency with a team of 5 to 30. The work is good. The way it gets done lives in your head.

You're on holiday, answering “where's the client folder?”Your team can't move without checking with you, so a week off is never really off.
Onboarding is “shadow Jess for two weeks”.Every new hire learns a slightly different version, and Jess loses a fortnight.
Kickoff got booked before the logins arrived. Again.Things slip at the handoffs, and nobody's sure whose job it was.
Your “Processes” doc has three headings and no content.You know you need SOPs. You'll never have a free week to write twenty.
How it works

Three weeks from messy to documented.

33 seconds, sound on
01 · Week 1
You talk
Walk us through how things actually get done, whichever way suits you: a short call, or voice notes and quick screen videos recorded whenever you have five minutes. No prep, no forms. Rambling is fine.
02 · Week 2
We build
We map each process, flag the gaps (missing owners, unclear finish lines, risky handoffs) and write the SOPs. You review one draft.
03 · Week 3
You hand over
Your SOP library goes live inside your own tool, organized by department. We walk your team through it, and they take it from there.
A complete Sprint, start to finish

Meet Tidewell Studio. (They're made up.)

A 12-person brand and social media agency. Retainer clients, monthly content, a founder who still answers every question. We invented Tidewell to show exactly what a Sprint delivers. Maya, the founder, sent us voice notes. This is the library her team got back, exactly as it sits in their Notion. Open any SOP.

MayaFounderJessOperations leadTheoAccount managerPriyaAccount managerSamLead designerOlaContent lead+ 6designers, writers and freelancers
Tidewell Studio📚 SOP Library10 SOPs · all ready
SOP-001🤝 Onboarding a new clientSalesMayaReady
StatusReadyOwnerMaya (Jess runs setup)Starts whenClient signs the contractDone whenKickoff notes sent and work has startedToolsGmailAsanaXeroLast reviewedOctober 14, 2026 · review every 6 months

Purpose

Get every new client from signed contract to a working kickoff within one week, with nothing missing that blocks the work.

Steps

  1. Send the welcome email. Gmail template “Welcome – new client”, deposit invoice attached. Maya · Day 0
  2. Send the intake form. Brand assets and social logins. Jess · Day 0
  3. Check the deposit has cleared. No kickoff booking until it has. Maya · Day 1–3
  4. Chase missing assets and logins. Day 2 and Day 4. Still missing on Day 5? Move the kickoff and tell the client why. Jess
  5. Set up the Asana project. From the master template, never from the last client's project. Jess · Day 2
  6. Book the kickoff call. Once the deposit and logins are in. Maya · within 7 days
  7. Add the client to Xero. Repeating monthly invoice. Maya · before kickoff
  8. Send written kickoff notes. Within 24 hours of the call. Work starts once they're sent. Maya

Completion checklist

  • Welcome email sent
  • Intake form sent
  • Deposit cleared
  • Assets and logins received and tested
  • Asana project created from master template
  • Client added to Xero
  • Kickoff notes sent

Common mistakes

  • Copying the last client's Asana project carries over their tasks.
  • Booking kickoff before logins arrive stalls the first week.
  • The Xero step gets skipped because it comes last. Do it before kickoff.
Still open: No master Asana template exists yet. Jess builds one from the next onboarding.
SOP-002🗓️ Planning the monthly content calendarDeliveryOlaReady
StatusReadyOwnerOlaStarts whenThe 15th of each monthDone whenNext month's calendar is approved by the client and scheduled in AsanaToolsNotionAsanaGoogle DriveLast reviewedOctober 14, 2026 · review every 6 months

Purpose

Every client has next month's content planned, written and approved before the month starts, so nobody is posting on the fly.

Steps

  1. Pull last month's results. Top three posts and anything that flopped, from the monthly report. Account manager · 15th
  2. Draft the calendar. From the Notion calendar template: dates, pillars, formats, one line per post. Ola · by the 18th
  3. Brief design. One Asana task per visual, with copy, size and deadline. Ola · by the 19th
  4. Internal review. Account manager checks tone and client priorities. Account manager · within 1 day
  5. Send to the client. Share link plus a three-line summary of what changed and why. Account manager · by the 22nd
  6. Schedule the approved posts. Only posts marked approved. Anything still pending moves to week 2. Ola · by the 28th

Completion checklist

  • Last month's results pulled
  • Calendar drafted from template
  • Design tasks created
  • Internal review done
  • Sent to client by the 22nd
  • Approved posts scheduled

Common mistakes

  • Starting from a blank page instead of last month's results.
  • Briefing design before the copy is final means everything gets redone.
  • Scheduling posts the client hasn't approved yet.
SOP-003✅ Getting client approval on contentDeliveryAccount managerReady
StatusReadyOwnerAccount managerStarts whenA draft is ready to show the clientDone whenClient approval is recorded in Asana, or the change round is closedToolsAsanaGmailSlackLast reviewedOctober 14, 2026 · review every 6 months

Purpose

Get a clear yes or a clear list of changes, in writing, without endless rounds or approvals lost in WhatsApp.

Steps

  1. Send one link, one deadline. All drafts in a single share link, with a reply-by date two working days out. Account manager
  2. Log the request in Asana. Status “With client”, due date set to the reply-by date. Account manager · same day
  3. Nudge once. If there's no reply by the deadline, one friendly reminder. Account manager · deadline day
  4. Collect changes in one place. Comments go in the share link or one email. Not voice notes, not DMs. Account manager
  5. Make one round of changes. Included in the retainer. A second round counts as a scope change (SOP-005). Ola or Sam · within 2 days
  6. Record the approval. Paste the client's “approved” message into the Asana task and mark it done. Account manager

Completion checklist

  • Drafts sent with a reply-by date
  • Asana task set to “With client”
  • Reminder sent if needed
  • Changes collected in one place
  • Approval pasted into Asana

Common mistakes

  • Accepting approval by phone with nothing in writing.
  • Letting feedback arrive in four different channels.
  • Quietly doing a third round of changes for free.
SOP-004📊 Sending the monthly client reportDeliveryAccount managerReady
StatusReadyOwnerAccount managerStarts whenThe 3rd working day of the monthDone whenReport sent and the client's questions answeredToolsGoogle DriveGmailNotionLast reviewedOctober 14, 2026 · review every 6 months

Purpose

Clients see what their retainer achieved last month, in plain language, every month, without Maya writing it.

Steps

  1. Export the numbers. Reach, engagement, follower change and top posts, into the report template in Drive. Account manager · day 3
  2. Write three takeaways. What worked, what didn't, what we'll change next month. Plain words, no jargon. Account manager
  3. Peer check. The other account manager reads it for clarity and typos. Theo or Priya · within 1 day
  4. Send it. PDF plus a short email using the “Monthly report” template. Account manager · by day 5
  5. Log it. Link the report on the client's Notion page. Account manager

Completion checklist

  • Numbers exported
  • Three takeaways written
  • Peer checked
  • Sent by working day 5
  • Linked in Notion

Common mistakes

  • Sending a wall of charts with no takeaways.
  • Reporting vanity numbers the client never asked about.
  • Missing the date because it isn't on anyone's calendar.
SOP-005📐 Handling a scope change requestSalesMayaReady
StatusReadyOwnerMayaStarts whenA client asks for something outside their retainerDone whenThe client has agreed a price in writing, or the request is politely declinedToolsGmailXeroAsanaLast reviewedOctober 14, 2026 · review every 6 months

Purpose

Say yes to extra work at a fair price, instead of absorbing it and resenting it.

Steps

  1. Spot it. Anyone who hears “could you also…” flags it in #scope on Slack. Whole team · same day
  2. Check the retainer. Compare against the scope in the client's contract. Account manager · within 1 day
  3. Quote it. Use the “Extra work” email template: what, when, price. Maya · within 2 days
  4. Wait for a written yes. No work starts on a verbal OK. Account manager
  5. Add it to the invoice. One-off line on the next Xero invoice. Maya
  6. Create the tasks. In the client's Asana project, tagged “extra”. Account manager

Completion checklist

  • Flagged in #scope
  • Checked against the contract
  • Quote sent
  • Written approval received
  • Added to the invoice
  • Tasks tagged “extra”

Common mistakes

  • Doing the work first and hoping to bill it later.
  • Account managers quoting prices on the spot.
  • Forgetting to add it to the invoice.
Still open: Tidewell has no price list for common extras yet. Maya to draft one.
SOP-006💸 Invoicing and chasing late paymentsFinanceJessReady
StatusReadyOwnerJessStarts whenThe 1st of each monthDone whenEvery invoice is paid, or escalated to MayaToolsXeroGmailLast reviewedOctober 14, 2026 · review every 6 months

Purpose

Retainers are billed on time and late payers are chased the same way every time, without awkwardness.

Steps

  1. Check the draft invoices. Repeating invoices plus any extras from SOP-005. Jess · 1st
  2. Approve and send. From Xero, due in 14 days. Jess · 1st
  3. Friendly reminder. Automatic Xero reminder. Xero, automatic · day 3 after due
  4. Personal follow-up. Short email from Jess using the “Payment follow-up” template. Jess · day 10 after due
  5. Escalate. Maya calls the client. Work pauses if still unpaid at 30 days. Maya · day 21 after due

Completion checklist

  • Extras added
  • Invoices sent on the 1st
  • Reminders switched on in Xero
  • Follow-ups sent on time
  • Escalations logged

Common mistakes

  • Sending invoices late, so payments are late too.
  • Forgetting the extras from the month.
  • Pausing work without telling the client first.
SOP-007🧑‍🎨 Hiring a freelancerPeopleJessReady
StatusReadyOwnerJessStarts whenA project needs more hands than the team hasDone whenThe freelancer has access, a brief, and has delivered their first taskToolsSlackGoogle DriveGmailLast reviewedOctober 14, 2026 · review every 6 months

Purpose

Bring in trusted freelancers quickly, with the same brief, access and paperwork every time.

Steps

  1. Check the bench first. The Freelancer list in Notion has rates and past work. Jess
  2. Agree the job in writing. Scope, rate, deadline and the freelancer agreement, signed. Jess · before any work
  3. Give access. Shared Drive folder and a Slack guest account. Never client passwords. Jess · same day
  4. Send the brief. Brand guide, examples and one named contact. Account manager
  5. Review the first task closely. Feedback within 24 hours. Sam or Ola
  6. Pay and rate. Pay within 14 days of invoice. Add a rating to the Freelancer list. Jess

Completion checklist

  • Bench checked
  • Agreement signed
  • Access given (no passwords)
  • Brief sent
  • First task reviewed
  • Paid and rated

Common mistakes

  • Sharing client logins with freelancers.
  • Starting work on a handshake.
  • Not recording who was good, so next time starts from zero.
SOP-008👋 Onboarding a new team memberPeopleJessReady
StatusReadyOwnerJessStarts whenThe offer is acceptedDone whenThe new starter has shipped real work by the end of week 2ToolsNotionSlackGoogle DriveAsanaLast reviewedOctober 14, 2026 · review every 6 months

Purpose

New starters learn the Tidewell way from the SOP library, not by shadowing Jess for two weeks.

Steps

  1. Prepare accounts. Email, Slack, Drive and Asana, ready before day 1. Jess · the week before
  2. Day 1: the tour. Walk through this SOP library and the client list. Maya · day 1
  3. Assign a buddy. For questions that aren't in the library yet. Jess · day 1
  4. Week 1: read and shadow. Read the five SOPs for their role, then sit in on one of each. New starter
  5. Week 2: real work. Run a task end to end with the buddy reviewing. New starter · week 2
  6. Fix the gaps. Anything they had to ask about gets added to the library. Buddy · end of week 2

Completion checklist

  • Accounts ready before day 1
  • Library walkthrough done
  • Buddy assigned
  • Role SOPs read
  • First real task shipped
  • Gaps added to the library

Common mistakes

  • Accounts not ready, so day 1 is wasted.
  • Skipping the library because “it's quicker to just show them”.
  • Never writing down the questions new starters ask.
SOP-009🧯 Handling a client complaintClient careAccount managerReady
StatusReadyOwnerAccount managerStarts whenA client says they're unhappy, in any channelDone whenA fix is agreed and delivered, and Maya has signed it offToolsGmailSlackNotionLast reviewedOctober 14, 2026 · review every 6 months

Purpose

Unhappy clients get a fast, calm, consistent response, and the cause gets fixed so it doesn't happen again.

Steps

  1. Acknowledge within 4 working hours. Thank them, say what happens next and by when. No defending yet. Account manager
  2. Tell Maya. Short post in #client-care: who, what, how serious. Account manager · same day
  3. Find out what happened. Check the Asana history and approvals before replying properly. Account manager · within 1 day
  4. Propose a fix. Call the client if it's serious. Confirm the fix in writing. Account manager or Maya
  5. Deliver the fix. Track it as an urgent Asana task. Team
  6. Fix the cause. Note it on the client's Notion page, and update the SOP if a step failed. Account manager · within 1 week

Completion checklist

  • Acknowledged within 4 hours
  • Maya told
  • Facts checked
  • Fix agreed in writing
  • Fix delivered
  • Cause fixed or SOP updated

Common mistakes

  • Replying defensively before checking what happened.
  • Fixing the symptom and not the cause.
  • Maya hearing about it from the client first.
SOP-010📦 Offboarding a clientClient careJessReady
StatusReadyOwnerJessStarts whenEither side gives noticeDone whenFinal invoice paid, access removed, files handed overToolsXeroGoogle DriveAsanaGmailLast reviewedOctober 14, 2026 · review every 6 months

Purpose

End every client relationship cleanly and kindly, so they'd recommend us or come back.

Steps

  1. Confirm the end date. From the notice period in their contract, in writing. Maya · within 2 days
  2. Plan the last month. Finish or hand over scheduled content. Nothing left half-done. Account manager
  3. Hand over files. Final assets and the brand folder, shared to the client's own Drive. Jess · last week
  4. Remove access. Hand back the client's social logins and remove ours. Jess · end date
  5. Final invoice. Stop the repeating invoice in Xero and send the last one. Jess · end date
  6. Ask for feedback. Three questions by email. Ask for a testimonial if it went well. Maya · 1 week after

Completion checklist

  • End date confirmed
  • Last month planned
  • Files handed over
  • Access removed
  • Repeating invoice stopped
  • Feedback asked for

Common mistakes

  • Leaving the repeating invoice running.
  • Keeping access to client accounts after the end date.
  • Never asking why they left.
A clear start and finishEvery SOP says what kicks it off and what “done” looks like, so nothing stalls halfway.
An owner on every stepEach step has a name and a deadline. No more “I thought you were doing that”.
The stuff only you knowCommon mistakes, written down, so the team stops learning them the hard way.
Gaps flagged, not hiddenIf a process is missing something, we say so and suggest the fix.
Download Tidewell's library (Markdown) Not on Notion? It pastes cleanly into Google Docs, Confluence or anything else.

Built inside the tools your team already uses.

Your team has already learned Notion or ClickUp. Handoverbase doesn't ask them to learn anything new. Using something else? You get clean SOPs that paste straight into it.

10 SOPs for the processes your business depends on most
A workflow map for each, so anyone can see who does what, and when
Completion checklists and the common mistakes to avoid
Owners and review dates so nothing quietly goes out of date
A team walkthrough and 30 days of fixes after handover

One package, built around your team.

The SOP Sprint
3 founding spots

The first three teams get a founding client rate in exchange for an honest testimonial. Join the waitlist and you'll hear first when spots open.

10 SOPs, built in your Notion or ClickUp
Workflow maps, checklists, owners and review dates
About 2 hours of your time, on calls or by voice note
Delivered in 3 weeks, plus 30 days of fixes
One email when founding spots open. No spam.

Questions founders ask

Do we have to switch tools?No. Everything is built inside what your team already uses.
We have zero SOPs. Is that a problem?That's exactly who this is for. We start from how you work today.
How much of my time does it take?About two hours in total, plus one review of the drafts. Do it on two calls, or record voice notes and screen videos whenever suits you, even from the car.
Can I just send voice notes?Yes. Record yourself explaining a process, or share your screen while you do it. That's often the fastest way to capture how things really work.
What happens after the three weeks?You own it. Your team keeps it updated, and adding new SOPs follows the same simple pattern.
Get your business out of your head.
Join the waitlist
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