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

If you’ve ever opened ChatGPT, typed “write my blog post,” and cringed at the results—you’re not alone. This episode dives into what it really takes to build an AI tool that doesn’t sound like a robot. Join me as I welcome back my friend Annemie Tonken from This Can't Be That Hard to talk about her deep dive into AI tools—yes, the same woman who once called blogging “too time-consuming” is now bui...

You don’t need to fix everything at once — but you do need to fix the thing that’s slowing you down. In this episode, I’m walking you through the 3 essentials every creative business needs in their client experience and the 3 paths you can take to improve your systems based on your budget, time, and capacity. Whether you’re ready to send better emails, book clients faster, or overhaul your entire...

I am popping in with a short solo today. If you have a moment, and want to give me a birthday present, leave a review for this podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts ❤️

Accessibility isn't sexy—but it's essential. Erin Perkins of Mabely Q joins us to talk about something most business owners haven't truly considered: accessibility in the client experience. Erin is a powerful advocate and educator who teaches entrepreneurs how to make their businesses more inclusive without overhauling everything at once. From websites to emails to podcasts, we unpack practical, d...

I thought I’d nailed my warm-up offer. Sales page created in less than 3 hours. Sold a few during my Sales Parade. Two weeks later? I pulled it. In this episode, I’m sharing why I retired a brand new offer, what’s staying in my ecosystem, and how I’m realigning everything around the 3 essentials of a client experience that actually converts. Rethinking your entry offer too? This pivot might be exa...

Ready to finally hit publish on that Facebook ad you've been scared to run? Facebook Ad strategist Jana Bishop joins us to make paid ads feel accessible. We explore how creatives and online business owners can start testing ads for just $1 a day, why warm audiences should be your first target, and how to know if your offer is ready for paid promotion. Find It Quickly 00:28 - Meet Jana Bishop...

Are your inquiry emails turning off your best leads? 😬 In this episode of Business-First Creatives , I’m breaking down the three email red flags I see over and over again in client inbox audits — and showing you exactly how to fix them. Whether you’re leading with pricing too soon, asking for homework too early, or leaving people hanging without a clear next step — this episode will help you rewr...

If you've ever wondered why you do what you do, the Enneagram might just hold the answers. In this episode, Ashton Whitmoyer-Ober of Enneagram Ashton joins us to talk about how this ancient typing system can transform your business, relationships, and self-awareness. Ashton breaks down how to go beyond the test results by understanding motivation, wings, and behavioral patterns, allowing for authe...

Fall family photography season is almost here, and if you're already bracing for the wave of inquiries, back-to-back sessions, and late-night editing marathons — this episode is your survival guide. I’m walking you through the three biggest bottlenecks that leave photographers overwhelmed every single fall… and exactly how to fix them before you hit burnout. This one’s short and actionable, and ye...

What if your brain’s unique wiring isn’t a flaw… but your secret advantage? That’s exactly what we explore in my conversation with Molly McCauley. Molly’s neurodivergent diagnosis became the lens through which she redesigned her business, team, and teaching. Growing up in a family of educators and artists, she used art and design to navigate a traditional education system that didn’t always suppor...

It’s my birthday month, and I’m celebrating by simplifying my backend and shifting how I sell. In this solo episode, I’m walking you through why I removed my standalone email and workflow templates from the System Shop—and what I’m replacing them with. From retiring offers to introducing semi-custom workflow templates (built with a little help from my AI tools), I’m sharing the strategy behind the...

Do you find yourself dreading content creation and waiting for the algorithm to feature your posts? In this episode, I sat down with Andréa Jones, mindful marketing strategist extraordinaire, to talk about why email might need to become your primary marketing channel. No more chasing social media algorithms: we're building connection, conversions, and clarity in the inbox. Find it Quickly: 00:56&n...

Your client experience doesn’t start with a workflow or a fancy journey map. It starts with the words you choose and the tone you set. In this solo episode, I’m breaking down the 5 Client Experience Essentials — the layered framework I now use to help creatives build businesses that book faster, serve better, and feel easier to run. And while most people start with automation or journey mapping, I...

What if I introduced you to the person who completely changed how I use AI in my business? I want you to meet Kenzie  Soderberg, the AI strategist behind The Brand Blueprint. In this episode, we explore why AI isn’t just a flashy gimmick—it’s reshaping workflows, first drafts, and even offer strategy at lightning speed. With Kenzie's human-first approach, we deep dive into training AI like an inte...

Today, I’m bringing back one of the most practical episodes from the Business-First Creatives archive—Episode 123 from my original Video Visibility Series. We’re talking about three simple client experience videos that build trust, improve communication, and help you stop repeating yourself. If you've been leaning into email lately (like many of us), this replay is your reminder that video deserve...

Ever felt like your emails just aren’t landing? This episode is your permission slip to stop overthinking and start aligning. I sat down with email copywriter Breanna Owen to dive deep into writing emails that feel good, connect authentically, and actually convert. Listen in as she leads with email energetics and brings human design into how we think about messaging. Find it Quickly: 00:24 -...

In part two of Emails Behind the Experience , I’m sharing a lesson straight from inside my course, Email Like You Mean It . It’s called The Confidence Loop — and it explains how every email you send (or don’t send) shapes the client experience. Because let’s be real: your workflows might be automated, but your client relationships aren’t. And when someone ghosts after a strong inquiry? It’s not yo...

In this solo episode, I’m giving a glow-up to my most downloaded and shared episode from this podcast: the workflows every creative business needs. I'm expanding from the original 4-workflow framework to 5 — because not only have the tools improved (hello, HoneyBook Automations 2.0 👀), but so has my perspective. Your workflows aren’t just about automation… they’re about the conversation. This is...

What if I told you that your sales page might be turning buyers away before they even click? Courtney Fanning joins us to dig into why people buy (or don’t). From the socializer who shops based on vibes to the thinker who reads every last FAQ, Courtney walks us through the four buyer types—and how your messaging needs to shift if you want to convert each one. Listen in as we chat about how your bu...

Ever wondered what three years of podcasting can really do for your business? In this special episode, I switch seats with my producer, Haylee Gaffin, as she interviews me about how I’ve used Business-First Creatives to grow, market, and evolve my business. Listen in as we walk through launching my podcast three years ago to turning it into a strategic, revenue-driving content engine, I share the...

Ever sent a proposal and heard crickets? You’re not alone—and you’re definitely not doomed. In this replay of one of my most downloaded episodes, I’m breaking down why follow-up emails are non-negotiable if you want to book more clients (without being pushy). Then I’ll fast-forward to 2025 to show you how I’ve upgraded this strategy with a storytelling twist that makes your emails feel personal, p...

Are you managing your marketing tasks efficiently in your business? In this episode, I sat down with Melissa Arlena and Allison Bell, co-hosts of the Keep It Moving podcast, for a no-notes-required conversation about what it really takes to market your business, how to balance multiple brands, or just trying to figure out what’s working and what’s not. We talk about Marketing Mondays, email strate...

If you want to get paid to travel to your sessions, there are so many logistics to consider. While Kellie Llewellyn was coordinating her sessions to fit her own travel schedule when she started, she eventually shifted to where she is now traveling specifically for sessions. Listen in as Kellie shares her experience in coordinating and photographing travel senior sessions! Today’s episode is brough...

What if you could create custom AI tools that save you hours, elevate your client experience, and make your business run smoother? (Spoiler: you can.) In today's episode, I’m joined by my real-life bestie and AI-building genius, Kate Hejde, where we’re pulling back the curtain on how we’re both using AI to level up our businesses. We’re diving into how Kate is creating custom GPTs for herself and...

ChatGPT just beat out Airtable as my most-used tool—and y’all know that’s saying a lot . In this solo episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on how I’ve trained custom GPTs to think like me, work like me, and help me serve my clients better than ever. We’re not just talking about AI for the sake of it. I’m walking you through the three custom GPTs I’ve built—what they do, how I use them daily, and...