Business-First Creatives: Client Experience & Systems for Service Providers

Are you a creative soul who has absolutely no interest in the business side of photography? Today's guest readily admits she outsource almost any and all non-creative tasks in her photography business. Kati Douglas of Xilo Photography is an amazing photographer, but more importantly an amazing human. This episode has a different feel so if you feel like you are eavesdropping into a chat between fr...

As a systems and business strategist, you know I couldn't wrap up this three-part series without encouraging you to audit your systems! There is always improvement to be made in our systems to give our clients the best experience from us. In today's episode, I'm sharing a few ways that you can improve your systems so that you don't drop the ball, but also a few examples of additional touch points...

Are you reaching or connecting with your ideal clients within their first interaction with you? I'm talking about the messaging you're offering on your website, your social media, and even your brochures! The language you use is so valuable in connecting with clients, which is why I've deemed it as part two of this three-part series. In this episode, we're exploring how you can audit your messagin...

You may be approaching a slower season in your business, which offers the perfect opportunity to do an audit in your business. Over the next three episodes, I'll be diving into three different audits you can do in your business to ensure your business is still working for you and your clients! In part one of this series, we're exploring your systems, what you need to audit in them, and how to make...

You have a hundred tasks to managing in your business, but what would that look like if you brought on a little help? In today's episode, Sarah Potts, my own virtual assistant (VA), joins us to share what a VA can do for your business. Listen in as Sarah and I walk through what it looks like for us to work together, but also highlight how Sarah and her team support other entrepreneurs building suc...

We put so much effort into developing growth strategies for our business with marketing plans, yet what are we doing to track these efforts? In today's episode, growth strategist, Celi Arias joins us to discuss why you should understand the metrics of your business and how to track and measure the results of your efforts! The Business-First Creatives Podcast is brought to you by CRM and Dubsado ex...

To get the most out of this episode, make sure you download 4 Workflows Every Entrepreneur Needs . This guide is the perfect way to implement each of the four workflows discussed in this episode, with additional tips and guidance for each workflow. Grab your FREE copy HERE ! https://coliejames.com/workflows Are you seamlessly serving your clients from inquiry to project completion? If you're using...

Have you found your own secret to success? In today's episode, Sabrina Roden shares how her business has grown in the last three years since she first worked with me. Listen in as she shares where her business started, what it's turned into, and how she survived the pandemic when her business was just getting started.  The Business-First Creatives Podcast is brought to you by CRM and Dubsado...

Our website copy allows for you to connect with potential clients and convert them into paying clients. At Green Chair Stories, Rachel Greiman and her team are helping photographers craft copy that converts. In today's episode, Rachel joins us to share how her business has pivoted over the last couple of years, how the pandemic impacted her, and how she's navigating every change she's experienced...

Shifting your mindset in business is so important as you grow, but what if you made that shift to having a CEO mentality in your marketing? In today's episode, Mikki Wilson joins us to share about the value in your marketing plan, approaching it with a CEO marketing mentality, and steps you should take in creating a strategic marketing plan. The Business-First Creatives Podcast is brought to you b...

I never grow tired of talking about tools to reclaim time in your business.  In today’s episode I am discuss the BIG Three for my photography business: website + CRM + gallery software. Maybe hearing why I chose them and specifically how I use them in my own photography business will inspire you to update your tools and optimize their use! The Business-First Creatives Podcast is brought to yo...

There are a so many things that can go into a VIP Day, so you need to be organized and streamlined in your process! In today's episode, I'm sharing four tools you need to book and manage your VIP Days, along with how I use them in my own! The Business-First Creatives Podcast is brought to you by CRM and Dubsado expert Colie James. Join Colie each week as she discuss how to build a business that br...

Are you in need of focused time to just work on your business? In today's episode, my friend Sabrina Gebhardt me to share how working weekends have changed her business. Spoiler alert: We recently spent a working weekend together to work on all of the big projects, tasks, and admin work that needed to be done in our businesses! Listen in as we share the logistics, costs, expectations, and more! Th...

Have you found yourself annoyed by the sales pitches you hear in every online summit you've attended over the last couple of years? Lisa DiGeso felt the same way when she was building her business—that's why she decided to launch pitch-free educational offerings for photographers! In today's episode, she shares about how her online retreat series was created and what it's looked like growing that...

How much more profitable could your business be if you simply put in the effort to build out solid workflows and systems inside your CRM? As a Certified Dubsado Expert, I'm a believer in the power that a CRM like Dubsado can have in impacting your business' bottom line. In today's episode, Allison Brett joins us to share how working together through both my blueprint course and a VIP day has impac...

To get the most out of this episode, make sure you download Audit Your CRM . This guide is the perfect way to implement each of the four workflows discussed in this episode, with additional tips and guidance for each workflow. Grab your FREE copy HERE ! If you've been using a CRM for a while, it might be time to audit what you've set up to ensure it's optimized for efficiency in your business! Whe...

I am 18 months into my VIP Day journey and know with 100% certainty there is no turning back.  While VIP Days are gaining popularity, they are still a novelty.  While several of the guests I have interviewed on the podcast have VIP Days, I haven't yet discussed the nitty gritty details of VIP Days.  With the next Done in a Day Virtual Conference scheduled next week, I felt like this...

I was first introduced to Ashley of Systems Over Stress through her Airtable bonus inside the Done in a Day program.  I downloaded it, watched like one video, but didn’t have the capacity to add Airtable to my tech stack at that time. Then in March of 2022 we were both presenting at the Done in a Day Virtual Conference and Ashley’s talk was one of my favorites. Now mind you, I YELLED at her t...

I met Ashley while we were both in the Done in a Day program, working on our VIP Day offers.  Since leaving, we spend every Thursday morning at 10am MT together on a business besties call, intentionally working on our business with a few of our other favorite people. I am going to admit, in the beginning I had NO idea what a CEO Day was or why I would need one. But as I have heard Ashley spea...

We can never talk too much about outsourcing, but in this (short & sweet) episode I discuss two questions you should ask yourself to decide if your first thought should be DIY or outsourcing for tasks (new and old) in your business. Giving you true transparency, this is totally a buffer episode.  I didn't like last week's episode and decided not to publish it, but this week's episode alre...

In today’s episode with Nadine of Can Do! Content, we are exploring the idea of conducting consistent customer research to fuel all the messaging in your business.  Basically letting your potential and current clients give you all the words you need to talk about your offer and attract other dream clients for your offers & services. Nadine specifically identifies herself as a strategic co...

A little over a year ago Mary hired me to streamline her business in Dubsado. She was switching from Honeybook to Dubsado, but to be honest, she was barely using that CRM for more than sending out invoices and contracts. So we can safely say this was a brand-new systems setup 😉  A year later I interviewed Mary to ask how the systems were treating her for this week’s podcast episode and if sh...

Each week I ask my guests what their biggest f*ck-up was in business and what they learned from it... are you curious about mine?  In today's solo episode I am sharing my experience with webinars, low-ticket offers, and what I learned about sales after doing one. Show notes: http://coliejames.com/episode-007/ --- ARE YOU READY TO CREATE CONSISTENT SYSTEMS IN YOUR BUSINESS? Dubsado VIP Experie...

I am SOOOOO excited this episode when I had a conversation with Annemie Tonken of This Can't Be That Hard podcast. I've been a guest on her podcast 4 times and every single time I find myself jotting down notes for myself! Here are the highlights of our conversation: [00:51] Business-Owner or Creative First? [03:59] How and why she expanding beyond her photography business [07:15] Collaboration wi...

My business bestie Sabrina Gebhardt loves talking about outsourcing and automation just as much as I do.  The only thing she loves talking about more is sustainability and avoiding burnout. Okay and planning… I totally forgot to ask her how many planners she owns. It is a lot y’all! There are so many nuggets from this conversation, but the underlying theme for this entire podcast episode is “...