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You didn’t start your business to work 24/7—you started it for freedom. But between endless tasks, client work, and content creation, it feels like you’re drowning. Streamlined Solopreneur helps you save time, simplify your systems, and automate your business so you can finally step back and focus on what truly matters—whether that’s growing your income, spending more time with your family, or just watching a movie in the middle of the day. Join me, Joe Casabona, as I share actionable strate ...
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You’ve probably seen Rube Goldberg machines — those ridiculous setups where a marble rolls down a track, flips a switch, lights a match, and somehow makes toast. They’re fun to watch… but terrible for actually getting anything done. That’s how most automations feel when you’re first starting out: over-engineered, fragile, and hard to maintain. But …
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The last time I went on vacation, I told people I wasn’t bringing my laptop. You know what they said? “Good job! That’s great.” The proper reaction should have been, “Obviously. Why would you bring work on vacation?” But that’s not the culture we live in here in the USA. Overworking and hustling is glorified. That’s why I’m excited to talk to Maega…
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Remember when late-night hosts went remote during the pandemic and somehow looked worse than your average Zoom call? Even with massive budgets, their setups were rough. Meanwhile, I’ve managed to build a solo video production workflow that looks better than theirs — with no crew. In this episode, I walk through the tools and tech I use to replicate…
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Video is becoming an essential tool for solopreneurs, and having good camera presence can help you build trust and authority faster. But showing up well on video isn’t just about buying the right camera—it’s about understanding energy, framing, lighting, and how to create an engaging presence. I sat down with Luria Petrucci, a longtime video expert…
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I’ve been on a mission to help solopreneurs cut through friction—especially when it comes to using AI. And one major pain point? Staring at a blinking cursor, not knowing what to ask ChatGPT. If you’ve ever wasted time retyping prompts, getting inconsistent results, or forgetting what worked last time, this one’s for you. I finally built an AI swip…
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AI isn’t just a passing trend—it’s a game-changer for solopreneurs looking to streamline and automate their businesses. Or is it? I’ve always been AI hesitant, but I’ve also been using it a lot more. So today's guest, Damien Schreurs, and I discuss how AI is shifting from simple task automation to handling cognitive work, why people struggle to acc…
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What started as a rebrand for Podcast Workflows turned into a full re-evaluation of my entire business. After conversations with my mastermind group and some deep reflection, I realized I wasn’t just serving podcasters—I was helping solopreneurs create space in their businesses through automation, systems, and smart workflows. Holly guided me throu…
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Most solopreneurs already have a brand, whether they realize it or not—it's the perception people form about them based on their content, messaging, and presence. But without intentional branding, that perception is left to chance. Holly Arnett breaks down the difference between a personal brand and a business brand, the importance of branding beyo…
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I HATE feeling friction with tech that’s supposed to make my life easier. And I love my iPhone, but I feel the friction sometimes. Apple Shortcuts can help solopreneurs automate repetitive tasks and reduce that friction. Today I break down some of my favorite shortcuts to show you how I make my life easier and help you come up with ideas. Whether i…
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I hate CRMs. I know I need one—I’m doing more coaching, getting more inbound leads, and ranking in the top three organic search results for podcast coaches on Google. But no matter how many times I’ve tried HubSpot, Zoho, or whatever the flavor of the week is, they’ve never fit into my workflow. So I did a totally normal, not weird thing: I built m…
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Stephen Robles is not only a Shortcuts and automation expert—he’s also built a successful YouTube channel covering Apple products, smart home tech, and (of course) Shortcuts. But he didn’t just start making random videos. He figured out how to create content that people actually want to watch. In this episode, Stephen breaks down his YouTube strate…
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I’ve been talking a lot about automation this year, and one tool that keeps coming up is Apple’s Shortcuts app. So I brought in Stephen Robles, a YouTuber and podcaster who’s been using Shortcuts since it was called Workflows before Apple bought it. We get into what Shortcuts actually does, and how you can use it to automate repetitive tasks, elimi…
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Leah and I might be in different stages of parenting, but we have very similar situations — 3 kids, running a business, spouse who also works. So in part 2 of our interview, we jump into the societal expectations of moms and dads, discussing the stark differences in how each is perceived. Leah shares how she navigated running a business while being…
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Work-Life Balance is a myth! Or is it? In today’s conversation with Leah Remillet, we talk all about our goal as solopreneur parents to have everything – as in “AND,” not “OR.” Leah emphasizes that balance isn’t about equal time for everything but about feeling good in YOUR core areas of life. She explains her framework for achieving work-life bala…
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This weekend, I completely rearranged my office—and I couldn’t be happier with the results. What started as frustration with my camera framing turned into a full workspace transformation. In this episode, I break down: - Why I moved my desk and how it improved my video setup - The changes I made to declutter and improve cable management - The unexp…
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Automation can feel overwhelming, but it all boils down to four simple components: triggers, actions, conditions, and timing. Once you understand these, you can start automating repetitive tasks, saving yourself hours of work and mental energy. In this episode, I break down these components with real-world examples, like home automation and busines…
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January was chaotic for me, with family time over the holidays, snow days, travel for Podfest, and a house full of sick people. Despite all that, my business kept running smoothly thanks to the systems and processes I’ve built over the years. Instead of stressing over a “lost” month, I decided to start 2025 in February, reframing my timeline and gi…
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“How do I know if investing in automation is worth it?” This was a question someone asked me after my talk at Podfest. And it’s a fair question. We don’t want to waste time and money on something that won’t pay off. So in today’s episode, I tell you exactly how to know if automation and delegation are worth the investment. Top Takeaways Understand …
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This one might ruffle some feathers, but I’m OK with that. I think we NEED to disclose the usage of AI in creative work more. It’s less about signaling that you cheated in some way — on the contrary, I don’t think using AI is de-facto cheating. It’s about honesty, integrity, and transparency. So my policy is simple: if you use AI to write, record, …
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Halfway through writing nearly 24 articles for my Podcast Advent project, I started to wonder if I was wasting my time. Is this worth it? Am I writing what people actually want to read? You’ve probably fallen into the same trap: spending hours creating content, unsure if it’s resonating with anyone. It’s frustrating, exhausting, and can feel like s…
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It's time for 2025's yearly theme. While The Year of Control didn't go as planned, I'm excited to have a much better plan in place for this year's theme, The Year of Being Present. Want even more podcast content, giving you a behind the scenes look at being a busy, solopreneur parent? Sign up for my free, private podcast at casabona.org/notes Show …
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I knew from a young age, I wanted to play the drums. I got my first small kit when I was five and when my friends and I started a "band," heavy quotes, I played paint buckets. When I was 15 years old, I knew I needed a real kit. This is the story of how I got it, and how one man's incredible kindness had a profound effect on me. Show Notes Read the…
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2024 has been a transformative year for me. I learned a ton about myself and my business, and for the first time in a while I feel like I’m not flailing. I’ll have the clearest plan I’ve had in a long time in 2025 — one that’s reinforced by conversations I’ve had, not just hunches. So for the last episode of the year, I wanted to do a quick year in…
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It’s been two years since ChatGPT went mainstream, and AI has completely transformed how we work. While I maintain some hesitancy and skepticism in using AI, it has made it’s way into my daily life for certain tasks. While I’ll tell you all about that, I also talk about why the human touch will always matter, no matter how advanced these tools get.…
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“Build your authority” feels like advice that’s often given without a solution attached. And it’s SO important to solopreneurs, especially since social media is no longer the best place to build a proper audience. That’s why I sat down with Jessica Lackey, a business and operations strategist who’s all about helping solopreneurs like us build real …
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In this bonus episode, I share a gratitude-inspired look at the tools and habits that have shaped my year, including my favorite apps, services, and hardware. From time-saving actions to game-changing tech, this episode offers a sneak peek into my “favorites of the year” and how they’ve helped me reclaim time and focus. Links Obsidian Blank Spaces …
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Have you ever been playing with your kids or trying to relax, but your mind keeps drifting back to work? Trust me, you’re not alone! It can feel frustrating – and it can feel like you’re failing to achieve “work/life balance.” That’s why I brought on Lindsey Carnick, a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Onward Psychological Services. We g…
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It’s the annual gift guide episode! Except, instead of just talking at you for 40 minutes, This year, I’ve teamed up with my good friend Cat Mulvihill to bring you the ultimate 2024 Gift Guide for solopreneurs and anyone working from home. We talk home goods, tech, productivity, EDC, and more. Our main goal fits perfectly with the mission too: we w…
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Bringing a VA into your business can free up your time and help you focus on growth, but finding and effectively working with the right VA requires clarity on what you need, a structured hiring process, and simple, ongoing communication. Many solopreneurs are overwhelmed by the process of hiring and working with a VA. You may not know where to star…
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A few months ago I launched a free private podcast called Joe’s Audio Notes. The episodes are very short (7 minutes or less), where I share my thoughts on being a solopreneur, a podcaster, a parent, and other thoughts related to being a productive member of society. I'm sharing 3 of the episodes here (which you can find in the chapter markers): Thi…
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Ever thought about creating an online course that truly makes a difference? One that actually helps people accomplish their goals? That’s exactly what guitar coach Den López has done. He transformed his life from being a car mechanic in Barcelona to becoming a successful online guitar instructor. We’ll talk all about how he created the “Guitar in O…
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Being a business owner is hard. So is being a parent. So why don’t we hear more about how to do both well? Fret not – that’s why I brought Kim Caloca-Madden onto the show. We dive deep into why business owners with kids should build systems and how automation can be a game-changer for busy parents. Kim shares her personal journey from being a stay-…
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The summer had one lasting effect I didn’t notice until recently: I made my schedule pretty open for anyone who wanted to meet. I didn’t want them to be limited to my limited availability, so I tried to be as open as possible. But over the last 2 weeks —really since my episode with Conny, I realized that I’ve let everyone else control my calendar. …
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My love-hate[but mostly hate] relationship with social media is well documented. It feels like a time-suck where you get into arguments with people who don’t care about anything you say. People tell me it’s great to grow your business…I just don’t see it. But Katie Brinkley has changed that for me. She elevates CEOs to become thought leaders and di…
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It’s easy for people who live unconstrained lives to give advice. “Just meditate for 2 hours each morning.” “Hustle.” “Get rid of anything that doesn’t bring you joy.” The truth is that most people have some constraints to live by. Whether it’s kids, work, or other obligations, we can’t just drop everything to follow the latest guru. That’s why I l…
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Do you hate social media as much as I do? Some experts will tell you that you need social media to market, but that’s increasingly not true. Gone are the heady days of Twitter, where you can tweet a link and people would actually see it. That’s why I brought on Emily Aborn, a Content Copywriter, Speaker, and Podcast Host. She’s also a wealth of inf…
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I made an unexpected $300 over a weekend in September. And I know that doesn’t sound like a lot — but it’s money I didn’t have, that I have now. That is the power of launching messy — something my friend Stacey encouraged me to do, and what I want to talk about today in a solo episode with some freshly minted segments: One Big Problem: How to get o…
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I’ve been thinking a lot about the notion of starting simple (or messy) vs. starting perfect. And while I definitely fall more on the side of “start messy and iterate,” there are a few places where you shouldn’t skimp. A good home studio is one of them, which is why I brought on my friend Junaid. He’s a “Home Studio Architect,” and he’s a wealth of…
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Recently my friend Justin asked on X, “How do you define success?” I said, “Can I knock off for a day at will to spend time with my family?” The world constantly tells us we need to hustle to be successful – but that can’t be true. If you’re a parent, for example, hustle is just not an option. That’s why I’ve brought on Terry Toh. Terry helps busin…
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Ever wonder how to make your podcast stand out in a sea of content? After a serendipitous conversation at Podcast Movement 2024, I uncovered a game-changing strategy that could revolutionize your approach. Spoiler alert: It involves segments. I'll break down why rethinking your podcast structure can make a big difference. We'll explore how segments…
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If you’re anything like me, you probably think about ways you can appreciably scale your business. Part of streamlining, after all, is taking things off your place. That’s why I brought on Joel Oliver. Joel is the editor for all of my podcasts, including this one. I’ve been with him since he was a freelance editor, and now he’s grown to have a team…
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It’s the end of the summer and the end of our experiment to keep our kids home instead of sending them to summer camp. So today I’m going to answer 3 questions: 1. How did it go (including giving it a grade) 2. Was it worth it? (and if yes, would it have made it **not** worth it) 3. Will we do it again? In Accelerated, I talk about why I want to cr…
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I think failing to give a good presentation is an incredibly missed opportunity. You have everything: a captive audience, borrowed credibility, and a place to deliver your message your way. But there are a lot of places where your presentation can fall down. Most people will focus on not capturing the audience quickly enough, or pacing. Maybe not r…
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Do you have offerings for people at any level of their journey? That’s the importance of having a well-defined product ladder. A product ladder provides multiple offerings at different price points and levels of engagement to meet potential customers where they are at. Today I’ll talk about how I have struggled with this in my own business, with of…
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Are you feeling overwhelmed by the endless options for hosting your online business? The decision between a hosted platform like Squarespace or a self-hosted solution like WordPress can be daunting, especially for solopreneurs juggling multiple responsibilities. And while the conversation feels like it's been done to death, I was recently reminded …
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When I first started my business, I was 14 years old. My income was pretty light, and my expenses were even lighter. Heck – I didn’t even pay for hosting. I hosted my few client websites on a web server in my bedroom (don’t tell my old ISP). But even then, I knew the importance of keeping track of my income and expenses, which I did in an Excel she…
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My newsletter has gone through a lot of changes over the years, but something that's been steadfast is promoting the latest episode of this podcast at the beginning of the week. And that made perfect sense when both the newsletter and this podcast talked about largely the same thing. But now this show talks about running a solo business generally, …
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I remember the first time I got an affiliate payout. I didn’t even know it was coming. The money just showed up in my account. “What is this from?” Then an email followed. A hosting company I had written a blog post about paid my affiliate commission for the last 2 months. Since then, I’ve been stumbling through, clumsily trying to make affiliate i…
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A common thread on the show this year has been the push and pull of finding the right tools while also balancing our time and money as solopreneurs. A while back I invited my friend and fellow podcaster Sarah St John onto the show. She’s the host of the Frugalpreneur podcast, and at first, I thought we’d share podcasting war stories. But then every…
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I remember the first time after my wife and I started dating that a mutual friend of ours became pregnant. I was the first one to find out and got to relay the message to her. "Amy's pregnant," I said. My wife then asked a series of questions: "When is she due? What is she having? How is she feeling?" I had the same answer to every question: "I don…
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