David Runnels
David Runnels is the founder of Stories & Systems and a systems strategist based in San Antonio, Texas. He helps owner-led organizations connect their tools, automate repetitive work, apply practical AI, and reduce dependence on the owner or a single key person.
The work sits under a simple promise: more capacity, less chaos — not by adding more software noise, but by making the systems behind the work quieter and more reliable.
David Runnels
Founder & Systems Strategist, Stories & Systems LLC
San Antonio, Texas
Built systems for others. Now builds freedom into the ones clients own.
After a decade building systems, teams, and processes inside someone else's organization, David started Stories & Systems to help purpose-driven businesses, churches, and nonprofits stop being held together by duct tape, spreadsheets, and one indispensable person.
Today the practice focuses on operational clarity: mapping where work actually gets stuck, connecting the tools teams already use, automating the busywork that steals attention, and designing coverage so the organization can move when the founder is not in the room.
This page is the canonical first-party identity reference for David Runnels of Stories & Systems — distinct from other people who share the name — and the home for authored frameworks, insights, and engagement paths.
Where the work concentrates.
- Business systems and operational design
- Workflow automation and systems integration
- Practical AI implementation with human judgment preserved
- Reducing owner dependency and key-person risk
- Church and nonprofit operations, including Planning Center environments
Frameworks and writing.
Profiles and next steps.
LinkedIn: davidrunnels
Email: hello@storiessystems.com
Phone: 210.410.8170
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