top of page

Waste Diagnostic Checklist

A Step-by-Step Guide to Ensure Nothing Gets Missed

Why Diagnosing Waste is Crucial

Every business has waste hiding in plain sight.

​

The problem is... when you're caught up in the day-to-day, it's hard to see where time, money, and energy are being quietly drained.

​

As a founder... this hidden waste slows your growth, eats into your margins, and leaves you feeling like you're working harder but getting nowhere.

​

The Waste Diagnostic Checklist gives you a clear, structured process to uncover waste across every part of your business, so you can fix it before it spirals out of control.

​

This tool ensures nothing gets missed, giving you clarity and focus as you move into building a streamlined, sustainable growth plan.

The Goal of the Waste Diagnostic Checklist is Zero-Waste Growth

When waste is removed, growth becomes easier, faster, and more profitable.

​

By completing this checklist, you will...

​

  • Uncover hidden costs that drain your cash flow

  • Identify bottlenecks slowing down customer acquisition and delivery

  • Spot time-sinks that hold you and your team back

  • Reallocate resources to the areas that actually drive growth

  • Gain confidence and control over your business operations

​

This isn't just about cutting expenses... it's about building a business that grows smarter, not harder.

The Four Areas Where Waste Hides

The waste diagnostic checklist covers every major category of waste...

​

  • Waste Area - Financial Waste

    • What to Look For - Subscriptions, campaigns, or services with no clear ROI

    • Impact of Waste - Wasted budget and lower profits

  • Waste Area - Time Waste

    • What to Look For - Tasks that don’t move the business forward

    • Impact of Waste - Burnout and slow progress

  • Waste Area - Process Waste

    • What to Look For - Inefficient systems and duplicated effort

    • Impact of Waste - Chaos and operational bottlenecks

  • Waste Area - Customer Experience Waste

    • What to Look For - Leaks in your customer journey where leads or sales drop off

    • Impact of Waste - Lost revenue and damaged reputation

How to Use the Waste Diagnostic Checklist

Step 1: Gather Information

Collect data on...

​

  • Marketing and sales spend

  • Team schedules and task breakdowns

  • Operational workflows

  • Customer feedback and journey analytics

Step 2: Work Through Each Section

Go step-by-step through the checklist, answering every question honestly.


If you're unsure, mark it for review rather than skipping it.

Step 3: Assign Priority Levels

For each issue identified, mark its urgency...

​

  • High Priority - Critical waste that must be addressed immediately

  • Medium Priority - Needs fixing soon but not urgent

  • Low Priority - Monitor for now

Step 4: Create an Action Plan

Use your results to decide...

​

  • What to eliminate completely

  • What to automate or streamline

  • Where to invest more for growth

  • Which actions to delegate to others

Step 5: Repeat Regularly

This isn't a one-time exercise.


Review and update your checklist quarterly to keep waste under control as your business grows.

Download Your Waste Diagnostic Checklist

Your Waste Diagnostic Checklist is ready to download and use..

​

>>> Download the Waste Diagnostic Checklist →

​

What's inside the file?

​

  • Instructions Tab

    • Step-by-step guide on how to use the checklist effectively.

    • Definitions of each type of waste and how to prioritise issues.

  • Diagnostic Checklist Tab

    • Blank, ready-to-use checklist to identify waste in four key areas:

    • Financial

    • Time

    • Process

    • Customer Experience

  • Example Filled Checklist Tab

    • A fully completed example to show you how to diagnose issues and add notes.

​

This tool gives you and your team a structured process to find and fix hidden waste, helping you build a leaner, more profitable business.

The Downloadable Waste Diagnostic Checklist

This checklist is ready for you to use in Excel, Google Sheets, or your preferred spreadsheet tool.

​

When populated, your checklist will look something like...

Waste Diagnostic Checklist

Next Steps After Filling in Your Waste Diagnostic Checklist

Once you've downloaded and filled in your waste diagnostic checklist...

​

>>> Follow 'Step 1: Define What Success Looks Like' on the 'Refocus' page →


Or visit the Founders Resource Hub to download other tools to help you to grow without the waste.

bottom of page