How to Fix Any Business Problem: The SOLV Framework

Every business leader faces the same reality. Growth creates friction. The systems that once worked start to strain, communication gaps widen, and problems seem to appear faster than they can be fixed.

That’s why frameworks matter.

Last week on Scale Without Chaos, I walked through the foundation of my approach — the People, Processes, and Systems Framework. The premise is simple: every business problem fits into one of those three buckets. And just as importantly, so do the solutions.

Once you understand that truth, you can stop trying to patch individual symptoms and start creating fixes that last.

But today, I want to take that idea further. Because identifying where problems live is only half the battle. The next step is knowing how to actually fix them.

That’s where my second framework comes in. It’s called SOLV, and it gives you a repeatable process for finding the root cause, addressing it holistically, and validating that your solution actually worked.

Here’s what it stands for:

See it. Open it up. Layer the fixes. Validate.

Let’s walk through each step.

1. See It

It’s easy to spot symptoms. Every leader hears them all the time:

• “This report isn’t accurate.”

• “Marketing leads aren’t converting.”

• “We don’t have enough pipeline.”

But symptoms aren’t the problem. They’re the signal.

In this first step, “See it,” your job is to pause and look beyond what’s on the surface. Start by writing everything down. Document the symptoms, the context, and what you know so far. Then start asking questions.

If sales says, “We don’t have enough pipeline,” what do they really mean? Is that statement based on data? Is the reporting reliable? Are there gaps in how deals are tracked? Are leads being followed up on?

Sometimes what looks like a pipeline issue turns out to be a process problem, a training gap, or a missing integration in your CRM.

The key here is curiosity. Don’t jump to conclusions or rush to fix things. Just capture what’s happening. Write it all down so that when you come back later, you’re not starting from scratch.

2. Open It Up

This is the step where most leaders want to skip ahead. But “Open it up” is where the real insight happens.

Here, you dig deeper to understand what’s actually causing the issue. Use your People, Processes, and Systems lens to look at the problem from every angle.

Let’s go back to the pipeline example. Once you’ve confirmed that the pipeline is indeed light, start asking:

• People: Do the sales reps know exactly what’s expected? Have they been trained on how to manage follow-ups or qualify leads?

• Processes: Are handoffs between marketing and sales defined? Are there clear stages for tracking progress?

• Systems: Are HubSpot or Salesforce set up to support this workflow? Are automations and reporting aligned?

When you open it up fully, you start to see connections you missed before. You may discover that a “sales problem” is actually a data hygiene problem, or that a missing process in marketing is affecting everything downstream.

Here’s an important reminder for this step: this is not about blame.

You’re diagnosing, not judging. The goal is to create a safe space where your team can look at what’s broken without fear. The more honest and collaborative this step feels, the faster you’ll get to the truth.

3. Layer the Fixes

Once you’ve seen it and opened it up, it’s time to start fixing. But not with one quick solution — with layered ones.

Every issue deserves to be addressed across People, Processes, and Systems.

Start with People. Do you need to train differently? Clarify ownership? Adjust workloads? Add a weekly check-in or coaching moment to keep things on track?

Then move to Processes. Are handoffs clear? Does the journey make sense from start to finish? Are there steps that create friction or bottlenecks?

Finally, look at Systems. Are your tools configured correctly? Are automations helping or creating noise? Do reports actually show what leaders need to see?

By layering your fixes across all three, you create a more complete and sustainable solution. For example, if you update a workflow but don’t train the team or redefine the process, the fix won’t stick. The reverse is true too.

A healthy business system works when people, processes, and systems move in sync. That’s what this step is all about — creating alignment that scales.

4. Validate

Now comes the part that too many teams skip. You’ve put in the work, so make sure it’s actually working.

Start with the data. Are your metrics improving in the direction you expected? Are deals closing faster? Are conversion rates climbing? Are the results consistent across teams?

Then listen to the softer signals. Are people still complaining about the same issue? If not, it’s probably resolved. The absence of noise is often the first sign of progress.

And finally, listen for language. When your team starts repeating your message back to you — when they use the new process names, reference the updated system, or explain the fix in their own words — you know it’s working. That’s when a new behavior becomes part of your culture.

Sometimes it takes repetition. You may feel like you’re saying the same thing over and over again, but consistency is what makes change stick. Keep reinforcing it until it comes back to you.

Bringing It All Together

The SOLV Framework works because it creates structure where most teams only have reaction.

When you see the problem clearly, open it up with curiosity, layer the fixes across all three areas, and validate that it’s working, you start to build an organization that learns and adapts instead of firefighting.

You stop relying on “band-aid” fixes. You stop repeating the same cycles every quarter. And you start building the kind of foundation that actually supports growth.

Because scaling isn’t about adding more — it’s about making what you already have work better together.

So the next time a problem shows up in your business, remember to SOLV it.See it. Open it up. Layer the fixes. Validate.

That’s how you go from reaction to resolution — and from busy growth to scalable growth.

Want to learn more?

🎧 Listen to the full episode of Scale Without Chaos wherever you get your podcasts.💬 Follow along on LinkedIn or Instagram for frameworks and practical examples.