How I Built It

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 made wholly by other people, some of whom don’t fully understand what their creation does.Here’s my approach to AI, how we can be better, and my hopes for 2026.And if you want to save time without giving up your humanity, check out my automations at https://streamlined.fm/quizShow NotesWe’re giving up too much to AIDon’t Rely on AI for Human Growth and HealingParents of teenager who took his own life sue OpenAIMeta’s AI rules let bots hold ‘sensual’ chats with childrenWe are rushing into the same mistakes we made with social mediaFaster Doesn’t Mean Better. Faster Means FasterThe AI Trap: Why Over-Reliance will Cost Y

Save 30-50% on Learn Dash, GiveWP, The Events Calendar, and more: https://streamlined.fm/fridayWhat 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 kid’s beach days.We talk about launching imperfectly, setting clear expectations, and building a business that runs with your life, not against it. Liz’s energy and honesty are unmatched, and her story will change how you think about pricing, productivity, and purpose.Top TakeawaysA low-ticket offer can be high value — if you set clear expectations and deliver consistently.Don’t wait for perfect — Liz launched her $9 membership using Google Docs and built from there.Transparency builds trust. Tell your audience what you’re d

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.  ★ Support this podcast ★

Save 30-50% on Learn Dash, GiveWP, The Events Calendar, and more: https://streamlined.fm/fridayEvery 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 bushes every December, these are the gifts that save time, reduce friction, and make running a solo business just a little more fun.If you’re shopping for yourself or a small business owner in your life, you’ll find something here that genuinely improves work and home life — without adding clutter or complexity.Want to check out a written version of the gift guide? Head here: https://streamlinedsolopreneur.com/2025-gift-guide/Show NotesGift Guide for Small Business OwnersA Fantastic EpisodeKindle ColorsoftTRMNLSoundcore Sleep A

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 promoting for Cyber Week: https://streamlinedsolopreneur.com/3-black-friday-deals-on-tools-i-cant-live-without/ Here's my 2025 Gift Guide: https://streamlinedsolopreneur.com/2025-gift-guide/ ★ Support this podcast ★

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 about "triggers" and "actions," but you're not sure what your triggers or actions should be. Zapier isn’t a sandbox for people starting out. The secret is to look at the work you're already doing.I'll walk you through my simple, three-step process to get started. It starts with documenting your tasks, listing your apps, and then using one specific (and often overlooked) page on Zapier's website that will show you exactly what's possible for you.Stop staring at the screen, wondering where to begin. Let's get your first automation built.Want to see some real-world examples tailored to your biggest struggles? Take my free qu

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  ★ Support this podcast ★

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 makes sense. If you want to build automations that actually save you time (and don't break), you need to understand the structure first.I'm breaking down the four essential components every automation has—the two that are required, and the two "optional" ones that make your workflows truly powerful and intelligent. We'll walk through the difference between a Trigger and an Action, how to use Conditions to make your automations smarter (like "only do this if X is true"), and when to use specific Timing to batch your work.Are you unsure what you should even automate first? I built a brand new quiz to help you pinpoint your

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” newsletterHow to actually warm up your audience so they buy when you make an offerBut we also get into the impact becoming a new dad had on Dylan’s workflows, and a short-lived side project that taught him big lessons fast.This conversation helped me clear up a ton of issues with my own newsletter, and I think it’ll do the same for you.Seeking clarity in your business systems? Take the Business Overwhelm Diagnostic.Dylan Bridger is an email marketing expert who helps coaches and course creators increase their conversions while building stronger relationships with their lists. A full-time marketing consultant since 2021, more than 7,000 entrepreneurs follow

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.Letting go of what doesn’t work. Of where you used to spend your energy. About making more space in your life for the things that matter.And I thought that there was no better person to bring on to talk about this than my friend, fellow freelancer, and fellow father, Austin L. Church. He’s a deep thinker, committed family man, and wants to help people.Looking to prune what’s stealing your energy? Take the Business Overwhelm Diagnostic.Top TakeawaysFluff vs. value in business books — many books stretch one idea into 300 pages, but the best insights are usually old, durable ideas worth revisiting.Growth by subtraction — foc

Episode 500 of the show came out on Monday. Here’s I I put it together using Google NotebookLM ★ Support this podcast ★

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 a business that supports their life, not consumes it.In this special milestone episode, I’m sharing the story behind the show’s evolution, the real “trade secret” I’ve learned from hundreds of conversations, and how the GAPS Framework — Gear, Automation, Playbooks, and Support — is guiding my next experiment.Want my systems delivered directly to your inbox for free? Join my mailing list at https://casabona.org/streamlined Show Notes Ecamm LiveStream DeckTellaGling.aiRiversideEverything on my DeskZapierCastmagicYouTubeLinkedInGrowth in Reverse Pro 

Am I overthinking how to approach episode 500? Plus, I got an android phone. Send feedback to https://streamlined feedback.com ★ Support this podcast ★

We turned productivity into a fantasy draft!

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 ★ Support this podcast ★

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 trusts, why impact is his North Star, and the mindset shift that helped him let go of control. We also get real about balancing work with family time, the guilt that comes with stepping away, and why building a lifestyle business is just as valid as chasing a big exit.Things get real – it’s something all business owners need to think about. Wondering how you can step away from your business? Take the Business Overwhelm Diagnostic.Top TakeawaysUse a North Star mission (like impact) to guide decisions about hiring, delegating, and growth.Letting go of control is a mindset shift—delegating doesn’t dilute your business, it expa

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 decide.We’ll go through the 4 questions you should ask yourself when evaluating whether or not to switch. Then we’ll apply these tests to case studies so you can see how they work with actual examples.Wondering if you should switch? Go to https://shouldyouswitch.com to apply this framework!What do you think? How do you decide when to switch tools? Let me know at https://streamlinedfeedback.com (00:00) - The Rapid Evolution of AI Tools (01:26) - Framework for Tool Switching (06:39) - Case Study: Dropbox to Google Drive (11:22) - Case Study: Cal.com to Calendly (13:30) - Case Study: Switching from Arc (18:30) - Fin

I’m considering a membership again, but this one is different! I’m going to do a paid newsletter, powered by Memberful and Kit.  ★ Support this podcast ★

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's learned that success isn't about doing more—it's about doing the right things at the right time.In this conversation, talk about her surprisingly simple systems that keep her business running while she stays present for her kids. Amanda shares the real strategies that work when you can't afford to waste time.But we also cover how to be authentic in an AI world, and she gives me the single best piece of advice I’ve personally gotten for how to balance both better.Are you worried about burning out? Take the Business Overwhelm Diagnostic.Show NotesAmanda GoetzOrder Toxic GritAmanda’s Two-Do SystemFollow Amanda on Linke

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.  ★ Support this podcast ★