About Work◆Flow for Humans
Work◆Flow for Humans is a boutique organizational design practice founded by Michael R. (Holt) Speciàle. We help creative ventures, mission-driven organizations, and small businesses move from operational chaos to executable plans through systematic analysis and planning.
Through diagnostic sessions, phase planning, and co-created implementations, we prevent the expensive mistakes that happen when organizations build systems before understanding what's actually broken.
How we work
Most organizations spend 3-6 months spinning on solutions before they understand the actual problem. Then they build the wrong thing, burn out their team, and start over.
We help you skip that cycle:
- Clarity Sessions: Diagnostic work that maps what's actually happening, names specific tensions, and gives you a prioritized roadmap. Including what NOT to do yet.
- Phase Planning: Architecture and sequencing before you build. Labor models by role, cost estimates, wave-based implementation plans. You can use the plan whether you build with us or hand it to another team.
- Implementation: Co-creating the systems with you. Airtable, Make.com, AI agents, with phased delivery so your team can absorb changes without burning out.
Who this is for
We work with creative entrepreneurs, cultural organizations, mission-driven small businesses, and organizations in transition (new leadership, restructuring, or scaling). If smart people on your team disagree about priorities and nobody can see the whole picture, that's where we start.
About Michael
Michael R. (Holt) Speciàle is an artist, producer, and organizational design practitioner based in Los Angeles.
At Lincoln Center (2012-2015), he guided loyalty marketing efforts across eleven programs and festivals, learning how systems work when thousands of people depend on them.
At NAVEL (2017-2024), he co-founded and served as Executive Director of a DIY arts space in downtown Los Angeles, scaling it from a scrappy experiment to $400K in annual revenue. He developed programming and support systems for artists and cultural workers, and lived every operational challenge along the way.
Since 2020, he has designed workflow systems and strategic plans for organizations including the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation's Residency on Captiva Island, LA Commons, Denniston Hill, The Nest Creatives, and LinkIT Media Group. As founder of Family Affairs Studio, he combines strategic design with operational expertise to help artists and organizations create the infrastructure that make ambitious cultural experiences and storytelling possible.
Work◆Flow is a newsletter about how systems design works and how workflow automation can support you and your team in executing projects and initiatives. Subscribe for operational insights for creative teams and mission-driven organizations.
Contact: hi@familyaffairs.studio
Website: workflowforhumans.com
Based in: Los Angeles, CA · Working nationally
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