Project Management AND CRMs - A Powerhouse Pair with Melissa Rich

May 27

Today on the BizMagic Podcast, I’m joined by the amazing Melissa Rich of Virtually Done Systems—workflow queen and systems whisperer for creatives who swear they “just aren’t systems people.” Spoiler: They are. And you are, too.

We’re diving into the behind-the-scenes dream team duo: your CRM and your Project Management tool. If you’ve ever felt like you’re duct-taping your biz together with a handful of random tools and a prayer, this one’s for you.

Here’s what we get into:

Why you actually need both a CRM and a project management tool (even if it’s just you)
What roles each tool plays—and why using them interchangeably leads to tech chaos
Real-world examples of how to integrate them without losing your mind
Why “just a solopreneur” is not a valid excuse to keep everything in your head
How to start simple, stay consistent, and avoid the trap of customizing everything before you even use it

Melissa shares her journey from wedding photographer to systems expert, and we nerd out about Zapier automations, messy to-do lists, client onboarding, and why even reminders to "feed the dog" might belong in your workflow.

Let’s break the myth that systems have to be complicated—and start building something that works with your brain instead of against it.

About Melissa:

Melissa Rich is the founder of Virtually Done Systems, a business dedicated to all things systems and workflows for creative small business owners. She's spent the last 16 years behind the camera as a full-time wedding photographer, secretly enjoying all of the behind-the-scenes work more than her time making pictures. Now, Melissa specializes in helping overwhelmed business owners get their lives back by implementing strategized systems, workflows, and automations to take care of the day-to-day tasks that stress them out so they can fall back in love with their businesses, spend less time behind their laptop, and live their damn lives.