This Kills 80% of Pointless Meetings: My System for Async Ops in Scaleups
If you’re a founder or exec at a growth-stage startup, your week probably looks like a Zoom-induced fever dream: back-to-back status meetings, 1:1s with no agenda, and a calendar that screams "no thinking allowed." You’re exhausted, reactive, and have zero time for actual strategy.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
The most effective companies don't run on meetings. They run on systems. Async systems.
Here’s a bit long, science-backed, founder-tested playbook I use to build async ops in chaos-loving companies. Steal it, tweak it, or tattoo it on your project manager’s arm. Just stop pretending your calendar is going to fix itself.
The Case for Async Ops (AKA Stop the Meeting Madness)
Meetings are not collaboration. They’re often the absence of a system.
Research shows:
Cutting meetings by 40% boosts productivity by 71%
The average knowledge worker spends 392 hours a year in meetings (yes, that’s 10 full work weeks)
Async work protects deep focus and supports better decision-making.
Translation? More Loom. Less Zoom.
What Async Ops Actually Means
Async isn’t just sending Slack messages at odd hours. It’s a deliberate operating system. It means replacing real-time conversations with structured, documented workflows that don’t require everyone to be in the same room (or timezone, or mood).
It’s:
Loom videos instead of live demos
Notion docs instead of status meetings
Slack threads instead of verbal check-ins
AI assistants instead of 10-person brainstorming sessions
The result: more clarity, fewer interruptions, and time for leaders to actually lead.
Tools That Will Actually Help You
(warning: do not try all of them at once)
Notion (Docs/Wiki): Central knowledge base and project hub. Used for product roadmaps, handbooks, and async brainstorming.
Slack/Threads/Twist (Chat): Threaded discussions (often with AI summaries) let teams collaborate without real-time chat. Buffer, for example, uses Slack threads as an async backbone and encourages no @-mention pressure.
Loom (Video): Quick screen-and-cam recordings replace many standups or demos. Loom offers AI transcripts and summaries, making it easy to “record your screen and face” and share updates asynchronously.
Email Triage (e.g. SaneBox): Filters and snooze rules to prioritize async email.
Linear (Issue Tracker): Modern issue/PM tool that keeps “discussions around work, not endless meetings”. Product teams log specs and tickets in Linear and comment asynchronously on requirements.
Almanac (Docs/Decisions): Asana-like docs with approvals and version control . Good for formalizing processes (e.g. weekly OKR reviews) and keeping approvals async.
Motion (AI Calendar): Auto-schedules tasks around existing events, carving out deep-work windows. Ensures async tasks get time without manual planning.
AI Assistants – Generative models (ChatGPT, Notebook LM, Notion AI, etc.) help write docs, summarize threads, and generate action items.
Build a company wiki (Notion/Almanac) for strategy and reference. Use Loom for project updates instead of status meetings. Train teams on writing clear, link-rich messages (even practice writing intros and context).
The Async Workflow, Department by Department
(Examples You Can Steal)
Product & Engineering
Replace daily standups with a weekly update doc or short Loom.
e.g. each PM/team writes a Notion doc with “Accomplishments, Roadblocks, Next Steps”. Designers post FigJam mockups and gather async feedback via comments. Bug triage lives in Linear tickets. The Linear team itself uses Slack for casual chat and notes that “issues and discussions happen around work”, minimizing status calls.
Complex decisions (e.g. new feature spec) start as shared Google/Notion docs (async brainstorming) before any live discussion.
People/HR
Onboarding uses Notion handbooks and screen-recorded tours (Loom) instead of in-person tours. 1:1s can be replaced by quick asynchronous check-ins (e.g. a Slack thread or form where employees post wins/blocks ahead of time), freeing time and letting introverts respond thoughtfully.
Performance and hiring updates live in shared spreadsheets or Slack channels (so any executive can review when they have bandwidth).
HR announcements (policy changes, hiring updates) go out as Loom or video newsletters, ensuring remote staff worldwide see the same content without a big live meeting.
Finance/Ops
Monthly budgets and forecasts are compiled in cloud sheets with live comments, not PowerPoint reviews. The CFO might record a Loom recap of key metrics, linking to financial dashboards, rather than calling an hour-long meeting.
Financial approvals (expenses, hiring) follow pre-agreed async workflows via forms or Slack integrations. For example, teams update a shared Notion “quarterly plan & spend” page, and execs review/comment on their own schedule.
Sales & Marketing (GTM)
Sales pipeline reviews happen in CRM boards with written notes; weekly “how was your week” emails let reps share status without huddles.
New product feature demos are captured on Loom or as shareable videos for the Sales team to watch on demand.
Marketing operates from a shared content calendar (Notion/Asana) where creatives post drafts and feedback asynchronously (comments, tracked changes) instead of meetings. Campaign metrics are shared in dashboards that any stakeholder can check anytime.
“Work is typically done asynchronously,” says Basecamp’s Jason Fried – letting people read and respond “when they have a chance”.
Likewise, GitLab (1,000+ remote employees) credits “extensively asynchronous” communication for its success.
Other scale-ups like Doist (makers of Todoist/Twist) and Zapier also adopt async norms, favoring written updates and Loom recaps. For example, Doist’s “Art of Async” guide documents how they set response-time expectations and use async standups and docs to coordinate teams across time zones.
How to Roll This Out Without a Revolt
Define Norms & Channels
Explicitly decide what belongs in which medium. For example, designate one channel for urgent items (e.g. #emergency on Slack) so people know where to ping if a real-time response is needed. Otherwise assume non-urgent requests can wait for an async reply.
Replace (Don’t Just Cancel) Meetings
Audit recurring meetings and ask: “Can this be an async update instead?”
Most status/update meetings can be reimagined as a Loom video or a Notion doc. Convert information-sharing meetings into a quick video or written update. For collaboration meetings, use shared Google Docs or Miro boards: team members leave comments or edits on their own time.
Invest in Writing & Training
Async work depends on clear writing. Managers should coach teams on crafting concise but thorough messages. Encourage linking to relevant docs/files so nothing is lost. Share examples of good async communication (such as templates).
You can even offer micro-training (e.g. an internal guide on effective async emails, Slack etiquette, or Loom usage).
Leadership Buy-In
Executives must model async behavior. Leaders should prioritize documentation and patiently wait for responses. If leaders drop into meetings or expect instant replies, teams will follow suit. Instead, leaders can start meetings with a public writeup (e.g. a Notion post) and gather questions asynchronously.
Set Cadence & Transparency
Establish async rituals: e.g. a weekly company newsletter or Loom roundup from the CEO, shared project dashboards, and fixed “response windows” (e.g. everyone checks Slack at certain hours).
For example, you might set a rule that all weekly updates are due by end-of-day Friday via Notion, and any replies can happen on Monday.
“Over-Communicate”
Encourage thoroughness. When asking someone to “write a draft” or similar, include all context (links, deadlines, examples) in one message. This reduces back-and-forth and gets work done faster.
Continuously Improve
Collect feedback on what’s working. Periodically survey the team on what sync interactions still add value. Use retrospectives (which can themselves be async) to refine norms. The goal is a learning async system that evolves.
Bonus: Templates & Prompts for Quick Start
Notion Weekly Update Template: Notion’s template gallery offers Weekly Team Update pages. These include sections like Key Wins, Project Updates, Roadblocks, and Metrics. Teams can duplicate and fill these out every week.
Loom Script Outline: Start with your video objective (e.g. “Project X status”), then share your screen and talk through updates. A simple structure: (1) Context: brief recap of goals, (2) Progress: show numbers/demos, (3) Next steps: what’s coming and who’s responsible. Close by inviting questions (e.g. “Leave comments on this video or Slack post”). Keep it under 5 minutes if possible.
Executive Decision Tracker with NotebookLM: “Summarize this leadership meeting transcript into key decisions, owner assignments, and deadlines.” You can upload meeting transcripts, strategy decks, or past decisions into NotebookLM’s notebook. It will cross-reference and generate consistent summaries while flagging decisions that deviate from previous direction.
Async One-on-One Template: Instead of an hour meeting, try an asynchronous check-in doc. Create a shared doc with prompts like “What have you achieved since our last check-in? Any blockers or support needed? Feedback for me?”. Both manager and direct report fill it out on their own time, then review together in a short follow-up (or resolve via Slack).
Company Asks Board: Use a public board (Trello/Notion database) for team-wide requests. For example, a “Help Needed” board where anyone can post requests (with due dates and context). Others can grab tasks asynchronously. This keeps requests visible rather than buried in chat.
Context-Rich Recaps for Absent Stakeholders with Notebook LM: “Turn this meeting into a digestible update for stakeholders who missed it, grouped by topic and with links to referenced docs.” It references uploaded materials (project plans, Notion pages) and adds inline citations. Great for teams spread across time zones - everyone gets the same reliable recap.
Action Item Extraction with Accountability with Notebook LM or ChatGPT: “Extract all action items from this transcript/audio file and list them by assignee, due date (if mentioned), and priority.” It doesn’t just pull to-do’s, it maps them against previous notes if stored. If someone is repeatedly assigned the same task across meetings, AI will catch that pattern.
Next time someone asks for a quick sync, send them this article. Then send them a Loom.
