Who am I?
Shelby Watson
Operational Systems Designer | Notion & Airtable
I design operational systems in Notion and Airtable for founders, small teams, and individuals whose work has outgrown scattered tools and basic templates.
I’m passionate about bringing clarity to complexity and building systems that support how people actually work. My priority is visibility, and making structure visible enough to think inside. Whether your system is all over the place, you’ve never tried to develop one at all, or your current system is failing, I can help.
My expertise is systems thinking and operations design: creating clear data structures, dashboards, and role-based views that support execution and make responsibilities clear. I focus on building systems that are maintainable over time and can handle increased complexity as work and teams grow.
I also create ADHD-friendly Notion templates and dashboards as a more accessible way to use the same approach without a fully custom build.
Explore my work, systems, & experience:
Custom Notion & Airtable Systems
Where Structure and Creativity Meet
Is this you?
Entrepreneurs, small business owners, and teams overwhelmed by scattered tools
Someone who has outgrown templates and needs systems tailored to your unique way of working
Ready for your workspace to be as creative and efficient as you are
Core Ops System — 1-Month Engagement
$1,200
What You'll Receive:
Custom System Build
1 primary operations hub (Notion workspace or base)
3-6 core databases designed for your workflow
5-10 custom views (dashboards, filtered views, role-based interfaces)
Relational architecture connecting all databases
Status logic and workflow automation (where appropriate)
Clear naming and organizational structure
Documentation & Handoff:
System walkthrough session (60-90 minutes)
Written documentation explaining how the system works
Guidance on how to maintain and adapt the system
Access to me for questions during the build process
:Timeline: 4 weeks from intake to delivery
How my approach is different
In my last role, I built and maintained internal systems to manage 200+ active donation drives across 5 states, each with different partners, timelines, pickup requirements, and reporting needs.
The team needed to:
Track partner organizations across multiple locations
Manage overlapping drive timelines and staff coverage
Record pickup data, weights, and outcomes
Surface priorities and risks for regional managers without constant check-ins
Off-the-shelf tools couldn't handle the volume or the custom reporting we needed. So I designed a system in Airtable that centralized partner tracking, drive status, task ownership, and reporting dashboards. The system allowed the team to operate consistently at scale without relying on spreadsheets or Slack threads.
That experience shapes how I work now. I don't start with tools or layouts. I start by understanding the actual flow of work, the points of handoff, and where things break under pressure.
How to Get Started
Step 1: Schedule a Free Intro Call
Start with a free intro call where we'll get to know each other, walk through your current workflows, I'll explain my systems design approach and what I can provide, and we'll determine whether it's the right fit to work together.
Step 2: Complete the Intake
After our call, you'll receive a detailed intake form covering:
Team size, roles, and current tools
Day-to-day workflows and responsibilities
Where work gets stuck or dropped
What leadership needs visibility into
What your team needs to execute independently
Step 3: Fit Assessment
I review every intake personally to assess scope, complexity, and fit. Not all requests move forward. This keeps the work focused and effective.
Step 4: Confirmation & Timeline
If it's a good fit, I'll send you:
A clear summary of the system direction
Recommended structure (databases, dashboards, workflows)
What's included in the build
Estimated timeline and next steps
Step 5: Build & Handoff
I build the system in your workspace, then walk you through how it's structured, how to use it, and how to adapt it as you grow.
Timeline: 4 weeks from intake to delivery.
What this work usually involves
Teams often have some combination of the following:
Projects spread across Notion, Airtable, Slack, and email
Tasks tracked inconsistently or not at all
Ownership understood informally rather than reflected in the system
Leaders lacking a clear view of what is moving and what is stuck
A setup that works until priorities shift or deadlines stack up
This is common when a business grows faster than its internal structure.
What I build instead:
I design systems that give teams a clear and reliable way to:
Understand what work is active
See who owns what
Track progress without constant follow-ups
Focus attention on what needs action
Maintain the system without ongoing cleanup
The goal is a setup that holds up during busy periods and changing priorities.
Contact Me
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!