4 Real Tips for Building Efficient Teams

The Real Reason My Team Wasn't Efficient

(And What I Had to Learn the Hard Way)

A few years ago, one of my team members looked at me and said,"I'm really busy."

But when I looked at what was actually being delivered, something felt off.

I started watching—not micromanaging, just observing patterns. And I realised she wasn’t lazy or slow — she was overwhelmed.

She’d start the day in Slack and email, bounce between tasks, pick up last-minute changes from clients, and have no clear direction.

That’s when it hit me:

“Busy” isn’t the problem. The lack of structure is.

And the responsibility for that? It was mine.

I Was Raised to Work Hard. But That Wasn’t Enough

Growing up in an Italian family in Griffith, NSW, I was taught that if you worked hard, you’d succeed.

My nonni worked the vineyards. My parents ran small businesses. I watched my family work sunup to sundown and still make time for connection and community.

So when I built my agency, Candid Marketing, I carried that same energy: loyalty, grit, and an all-hands-on-deck mentality.

But over time, I saw that hustle culture alone wasn’t sustainable. Not for me. Not for my team. And definitely not for the kind of business I wanted to run.

So I got serious about building a better system—for all of us.

Here’s What I Changed (And What I Now Teach Teams & Founders)

1. Clarity Over Hustle

I stopped assuming everyone could “figure it out” and started providing crystal-clear direction:

What success looked like

Why it mattered

What to prioritise

That single shift cut confusion and boosted ownership.

2. Systems Set You Free

For a while, we ran on what I called “organised chaos”—think spreadsheets, sticky notes, and too many browser tabs. It worked… until it didn’t.

Once I introduced structure (yes, the same foundations that led to building CanTicket), we finally had breathing room.

The team knew what needed doing. Clients stopped chasing us. And I could finally stop working at 2am.

3. Communication Must Be Modelled

One of my staff once told me they didn’t know if they were “allowed” to ask for clarification. That one stung.

I’d unknowingly created a culture where silence was the norm. So I flipped it—encouraging questions, setting better briefs, and making space for honest conversations.

Now we communicate with intent, not noise.