How I Use the Reminders App to Run a $10M+ Business

How I Use the Reminders App to Run a $10M+ Business (No, Seriously)

Let me be blunt. If you’re looking for a blog post about some fancy, AI-powered, cloud-based, enterprise-level project management software that costs a small fortune and requires a week-long training course to even understand, you’re in the wrong place.

Because the truth is, the single most powerful tool I use to manage a multi-million dollar business, keep my team accountable, and frankly, keep my own head above water, is the humble, pre-installed Reminders app on my iPhone and Mac.

Yes, that little blue icon with the three dots.

Before you scoff, let me explain. This isn't about the software itself; it's about the discipline of showing up to your own systems. And in my experience, the simpler the system, the more likely you are to show up.

The Actual System: Simple, Brutal, Effective

My system isn't complicated. It's built on a few core principles:

• Everything lives in Reminders. If it’s not in Reminders, it doesn't exist. Period.
• Daily review and triage. Every morning, without fail.
• Clear, actionable items. No vague "think about marketing." It's "Draft Q3 marketing strategy doc - due EOD."
• Leveraging the power of "Done." Ticking that box is a small, but mighty, hit of dopamine.

Here are the specific categories (lists) I use in Reminders:

Today: This is my absolute priority list. Anything that must* get done today. I aim for 3-5 critical items here. * This Week: Tasks that need to be completed by Friday. I pull from this list to populate "Today." * Next Week: Tasks that are on the horizon, but not urgent yet. * Ongoing/Recurring: Things like "Review monthly P&L," "Approve payroll," "1:1 with [Employee Name]." These are set to repeat. * Delegated - [Employee Name]: This is where the magic happens for delegation. More on this below. * Ideas/Backlog: A dumping ground for thoughts, potential projects, or things I want to explore later. This keeps my "Today" list clean. * Personal: Because even a CEO needs to remember to pick up dry cleaning or call their mom.

My Daily Habit: The 30-Minute Power Hour

My day starts at 6 AM. The first thing I do, after a quick coffee, is open Reminders.

• Review "Today": I look at what carried over from yesterday (if anything) and what’s due today. I ruthlessly prioritize. If something isn't truly critical for today, it gets moved to "This Week" or "Next Week."
• Populate "Today" from "This Week": I pull 1-2 items from "This Week" that are the next logical steps for important projects.
• Review "Ongoing/Recurring": I check for any recurring tasks due today and add them to "Today."
• Triage "Ideas/Backlog": A quick scan. If an idea has become relevant, I move it to "Next Week" or "This Week" with a specific action item. If it's no longer relevant, I delete it.
• Review "Delegated" lists: This is crucial for accountability. I scan each employee's delegated list, noting what's due today or overdue. This informs my check-ins.

This entire process takes no more than 30 minutes. It's my daily war room. It sets the tone for my entire day, ensuring I'm focused on the highest-impact activities.

The Delegation & GM Management Engine

This is where the simple Reminders app truly shines for scaling a business.

When I delegate a task, it doesn't just disappear into the ether. It goes into a specific list: "Delegated - [Employee Name]".

For example, if I ask my Head of Marketing, Sarah, to research a new ad platform, I create a reminder: "Sarah: Research new ad platform & provide brief summary - due [Date]" and move it to the "Delegated - Sarah" list.

Why this works:

* Externalized Memory: I don't have to remember what I've asked everyone to do. It's all there. * Clear Expectations: The due date is explicit. * Accountability: During our 1:1s, I open Sarah's delegated list. We go through it together. "How are we doing on the ad platform research?" If it's done, I mark it complete. If not, we discuss why and adjust the due date if necessary. * Empowerment: It's not about micromanaging. It's about ensuring alignment and removing roadblocks. My GMs know I'm tracking their key deliverables, which subtly reinforces the importance of those tasks. * Reduced Mental Load: My brain isn't cluttered with a million open loops. It's all neatly organized.

This system forces me to be incredibly precise when delegating. I can't just say "look into X." I have to define the what, the why, and the when. This clarity benefits everyone.

Why Simple Systems Beat Complex Ones

I've tried the fancy software. The Gantt charts, the Kanban boards, the integrated communication platforms. And invariably, they all suffered from the same fatal flaw: complexity.

* Steep Learning Curve: My team (and frankly, I) would spend more time learning the software than doing the work. * Overwhelm: Too many features, too many ways to do things, leading to analysis paralysis. * Resistance to Adoption: If it's not intuitive, people won't use it consistently. * Maintenance Overhead: The system itself becomes a project to manage.

The Reminders app, on the other hand, is ubiquitous. Everyone with an Apple device already knows how to use it. There's zero friction. It's fast, efficient, and gets out of the way so I can focus on what matters: running the business.

The discipline isn't in mastering the software; it's in consistently showing up to your own system, trusting it, and letting it guide your actions. It's about the daily ritual, the commitment to clarity, and the relentless pursuit of "Done."

So, if you're feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list and drowning in complex software, maybe it's time to go back to basics. You might be surprised at how much a little blue icon can do for your multi-million dollar ambitions.