Streamlined Solopreneur: Build Systems so Your Business Supports Your Life

Knowing when to get help is so, so, so crucial to prevent burnout. Laura Brazan knew this, which is why she decided to hire me for coaching. During our few months together, I was able to save her a ton of time, help her create process automations, and consolidate her tech stack. She even said that she’s saving more than she paid me!  In this interview, we look at where she was before she hired me,...

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 Story at Casabona.org Submit feedback at https:/...

I started my Christmas vacation the minute my kids got out of school. I can do that because I’ve built a business that doesn't chain me to my desk. But if I’m being honest, I don’t take those two weeks off just to bake cookies and watch movies—I use that downtime to make next year even better. When the house is quiet, I run a full self-assessment on my business to figure out how I can further impr...

It’s a soon-to-be classic Pick 2 episode, where I pick 2 apps or tools I’m using and tell you about them. I say soon to be classic because I’ve wanted to do this for a while, and I’m finally going through with it! This week, it’s 2 apps I’ve used before and stopped using, but I’m revisiting. They are: Bear Notes Blinkist Thanks to AppStories for the idea Want to get the tools, apps, and automation...

It’s no secret I’m a full-on AI skeptic. And while I still use it, I’m very, very worried about the long-term effects of overuse. I saw a number of stories over the summer that point to us losing our ability to connect with other people. We’ve decided that efficiency and productivity are more important than everything, including accuracy and trust. That we’ve decided to implicitly trust something...

What if your business could support your life instead of consuming it? That’s exactly what Liz Wilcox has built — a $9/month membership that supports her family, her sister, and three other families … all while she takes summers off. In this conversation, Liz shares how she built a half-million-dollar lifestyle business that aligns with her values — without sacrificing her time, her sanity, or her...

I’m reading Amy Coney Barrett’s book,  Listening to the Law , and it struck me that instead of writing using AI, we should write more like the Supreme Court…at least if we care about our audience.  ———— Streamlined Solopreneur helps  solopreneurs automate their business so they can take time off worry-free. Each week, Joe Casabona shares practical systems, tools, and strategies to help you reclaim...

Every year, I put together a massive gift guide for small business owners — but this year, I wanted to do things differently. Instead of rattling off every gadget and tool I’ve ever tried, I’m sharing the handful of products that actually made my life easier in 2025. From sleep earbuds that help me get more rest (even with kids and a dog) to the smart home lights that let me skip climbing into bus...

Well, we're in the holiday gauntlet now. I've gotten several emails from small, service-based business promoting Black Friday sales, and I'm not sure that's a very good approach. I share my experience with successful, and less successful BF/CM deals I've run. I also talk about my approach to affiliates,  and what I'm thinking about for that strategy in 2026. Check out the 3 tools I'm actually prom...

My oldest daughter loves asking me to tell her a funny story about my wife from when we were dating... and I almost always freeze. It's not because there aren't any funny stories. It's because there are too many to pick from. This is exactly what happens when you open Zapier without a plan. You're faced with a "blank canvas" and endless possibilities, so you freeze and do nothing. You've heard abo...

Our inboxes are about to be inundated with sales emails and affiliate-link riddled round-ups. Should I contribute to the noise?  I'm thinking yes...but I want it to feel different.  What do you think? Let me know at https://streamlinedfeedback.com  ———— Streamlined Solopreneur helps  solopreneurs automate their business so they can take time off worry-free. Each week, Joe Casabona shares practical...

Remember diagramming sentences back in school? I always thought it was pointless, but the real goal wasn't the diagram itself—it was understanding the structure of a good sentence. The same exact logic applies to building automations. It's tempting to just jump into a tool like Zapier or Make and start connecting things, but that's like throwing a bunch of random words on a page and hoping it make...

Ever wonder if your newsletter should be the product…or just promote the product? I’ve been treating mine more like a magazine than a sales tool — and it’s cost me. So I sat down with Dylan Bridger, who helps course creators and coaches turn their newsletters into profit machines. We talk about: The difference between a “magazine” newsletter and a “sales team” newsletter How to actually warm up yo...

When I was a kid, I said things like, “I won’t forget,” or “When I’m a dad, I won’t get mad.” Or…”I’m bored.” But as you get older, and life puts you in various, unforeseen situations, it’s easy to get blindsided and react in a way you hoped you wouldn’t. I think about this a lot when I consider what’s changed between turn 20 and turn 40. And there’s a common theme that has cropped up: pruning. Le...

Episode 500 of the show came out on Monday. Here’s I I put it together using Google NotebookLM ———— Streamlined Solopreneur helps  solopreneurs automate their business so they can take time off worry-free. Each week, Joe Casabona shares practical systems, tools, and strategies to help you reclaim your time and run your business without sacrificing your the rest of your life, or your health.  If yo...

Nine years. 500 episodes. And one big question I've asked since the beginning. Do you have any trade secrets for us? When I started this show (back when it was How I Built It ), I was a newly married web developer with a side hustle and a curiosity for how others built their businesses. Ten years and three kids later, I’ve realized the mission has always been the same — helping solopreneurs build...

Am I overthinking how to approach episode 500? Plus, I got an android phone.  Send feedback to https://streamlined feedback.com ———— Streamlined Solopreneur helps  solopreneurs automate their business so they can take time off worry-free. Each week, Joe Casabona shares practical systems, tools, and strategies to help you reclaim your time and run your business without sacrificing your the rest of...

We turned productivity into a fantasy draft! 🏆 Four small business owners battle it out, picking the apps and tools we cannot live without — with some surprise steals, hot takes, and even a bonus round for our favorite analog gear. Looking for new ways to save time, systemize your business, and actually enjoy the tools you use? This draft is packed with ideas you’ll want to steal. Draft Order:  M...

I just wrapped up a Social Growth for my friend Chenell’s community where I posted on LinkedIn for 40 days. Here’s what I learned and what’s next. Send your feedback at https://streamlinedfeedback.com ———— Streamlined Solopreneur helps  solopreneurs automate their business so they can take time off worry-free. Each week, Joe Casabona shares practical systems, tools, and strategies to help you recl...

Can you really delegate out when you are your business ? Don’t people hire you to work with…well, you?  That’s the question Justin Moore and I wrestle with. We talk about the challenge of running personality-driven businesses, why it’s so hard to step away, and how to build a company that serves your life instead of consuming it. Justin shares how he’s built a coaching business with a team he trus...

It seems like every day there’s a new tool designed to help us be more productive. They promise to help us to more, faster, better, with fewer resources. And it’s easy to get shiny object syndrome. So how do you know when it’s time to switch, or when it’s a waste of time and energy? Luckily, as a chronic tool switcher, I’ve thought a lot about this very problem. And I have a framework to help you...

I’m considering a membership again, but this one is different! I’m going to do a paid newsletter, powered by Memberful and Kit.  ———— Streamlined Solopreneur helps  solopreneurs automate their business so they can take time off worry-free. Each week, Joe Casabona shares practical systems, tools, and strategies to help you reclaim your time and run your business without sacrificing your the rest of...

Running a business while raising kids feels impossible some days. Between checking emails at the playground and working after bedtime, it's easy to feel like you're failing at both. But what if there was a better way? Amanda Goetz has cracked the code on building an authentic business without the hustle culture nonsense. As a single mom of three who's built multiple six-figure income streams, she'...

It’s new iPhone Day! It was a big year for me as it was time to upgrade several of my devices. Here’s what I got, and why.  ———— Streamlined Solopreneur helps  solopreneurs automate their business so they can take time off worry-free. Each week, Joe Casabona shares practical systems, tools, and strategies to help you reclaim your time and run your business without sacrificing your the rest of your...

Ever go to do something – a task for your business, yard work, cooking – and suddenly realize you’re not sure where to start?  It’s not that you don’t know what to do…you just need a little help organizing your thoughts. It would be a lot easier if everything is written down, step-by-step. That’s where SOPs come in.  Most solopreneurs think SOPs are only for big companies with teams of 50+. But th...