Most of the advice floating around right now treats "building the system" and "running the system" as two completely different skill sets. Different vendors, different pricing pages, different vocabulary.⁣⁣ ⁣ In practice, the businesses that actually hold together long-term don't experience it that way.⁣⁣ ⁣ The method underneath both is identical. Scan the business as it actually operates, not as it was supposed to. Craft the plan before touching anything. Assemble the pieces so they function as one system, not a stack of disconnected deliverables. Launch and test before real traffic hits it. Evaluate what's working and close the gaps that show up, because nothing built once stays correct forever.⁣⁣ ⁣ That's true whether the engagement ends the day the build ships, or continues as someone stays on to run what they built.⁣⁣ ⁣ The reason this matters: a lot of "ongoing support" in this space is really just slower, more expensive project work with a monthly invoice attached. The method doesn't change, so the accountability shouldn't either. ⁣ ⁣ Whoever runs your system after the build should still be evaluating it the same way they diagnosed it in the first place, not just keeping the lights on.