5 Whys in 15 Minutes: How to Fix the Real Problem in Your Business
Description
In this next episode, Selma Dawelbeit, founder and CEO of Syswell Consulting, takes over the Systems Saved Me podcast to introduce one of her go-to diagnostic tools: The 5 Whys. With her Lean Six Sigma Black Belt expertise, Selma unpacks how most business problems are actually rooted in broken processes, not broken people.
From tackling scope creep to fixing cash flow issues and speeding up proposal processes, Selma walks through real-world examples that show exactly how the 5 Whys uncover the true causes behind bottlenecks. She also explains why slapping AI on a broken process just scales chaos and how to fix the foundation first. If you're ready to ditch the band-aid fixes and finally solve the right problem, this episode is your starting line.
MORE ABOUT SELMA:
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 – Welcome + Why business problems are rarely tech issues
2:08 – What the 5 Whys is and why it's Selma’s favorite diagnostic tool
4:31 – Symptoms vs. root causes and why shiny tools don’t fix broken systems
6:55 – The truth about AI: It automates whatever you give it—good or bad
9:20 – Story #1: Solopreneur struggles with late invoices and cash flow
13:42 – Story #2: Sales team loses deals due to slow proposal process
18:33 – Step-by-step: How to run your own 5 Whys session in 15 minutes
23:17 – Final advice: Process first, then tech — and how to get started




