How I Built It

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 sheet. I’ve always had an interest in accounting, which I thought served me well. Then I hired Rachel Stas. She made some fantastic changes to my business that ended up saving me money AND lowered my tax bill. And while everyone is different, I know the advice she gives today will be great for any solopreneur*. Want to hear a longer, ad-free version of this episode where Rachel and I talk about my business, and I ask her specific questions about my books? Become a member of Streamlined Solopreneur Accelerated. Top TakeawaysForming an LLC alone does not provide tax benefits. While incorporation is an important aspect of running a business, you also need to file as the r

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, while the newsletter is supposed to focus on podcast processes and systems.They both make the same promise, but the audiences are different.I've tried splitting the baby, so to speak, by promoting the episode, and then something behind-the-scenes look at that episode.But it doesn't work. You know...don't talk to more than one audience, yada yada.As a result, the newsletter isn't growing the way I'd like. And that’s what we’re talking about today.Top TakeawaysI need to make my newsletter’s value proposition clear. Right now, it’s trying to attract and talk to two different audiences.As a result, it’s not a “recommendable” newsletter. People with great newsletters (lik

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 income an appreciable part of my income – but it’s never worked as well as I hoped. So I brought in an expert: my friend Justine. She’s been doing affiliate programs forever and currently leads ConvertKit, as well as consults through her own business, Brilliant Affiliate. She’s the perfect person to talk to. Justine not only sets me straight, but she offers a TON of fantastic actionable advice for how to make the most of affiliate programs, how to find the right ones, and how they can live harmoniously (and even help) with sponsorships.Top TakeawaysAffiliate programs provide a way to earn passive income by referring customers to products/services you recommend. Look

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 everything went wrong. We were having both hardware and software issues. So once we got everything squared away, I thought we could refocus the conversation. See, I have a tech background, and sometimes forget that troubleshooting and working with tech isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. So we decided to dive deep into managing your tech stack without spending a fortune. We share our top tips and personal experiences on how to choose the right tools, avoid unnecessary expenses, and leverage platforms like AppSumo for amazing lifetime deals. Whether you're a tech newbie or a seasoned pro, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you streamline your business operatio

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't know."All I knew was that Amy was pregnant. My wife later went out and found this information for both of us. All these details were crucial to being a more present and supportive friend.So why am I telling you this? if you are running a business, especially a solo business where your time is so important, and you are not time tracking, it's kind of like knowing just the bare minimum.You might know you completed a project, but you should really know how long you spent on it, where you are spending most of your time, and how you can use this data to improve your business.So in today’s episode, you’ll learn about the importance of time tracking for solopreneurs. Tim

Just this morning I watched an incredibly interesting video that sent me down a rabbit hole. A 19-year-old kid was arm wrestling against a massive bodybuilder – and won, pretty easily. Thinking this could be rigged or fake, I looked at other matches this fellow – Maxim appears to be his name – competed in. And he won…a lot. See, while he is very strong (just not as big as the other guys), Maxim has great technique. What does this have to do with lead generation? Well, as you’ll hear from Jennie Wright, you don’t need a massive list to build your business. You don’t need to be smarmy. You don’t need to be showy. You just need to have good technique – and forge good relationships.Top TakeawaysConsistency is key in lead generation. Create a plan that aligns with your end goal and focuses on activities that will give you the best results within your available time and resources.Leverage other people's audiences by appearing as a guest on podcasts, speaking at summits, and participating in bundles. This is an effe

Perhaps the most important lesson I learned over and over again running a business is that it’s never about the tool – it’s about the solution to a particular problem. So while I recruited Mike Schmitz to talk about Obsidian, what we actually talked about was much, much deeper. Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) is much more about defining your approach, and intentionality and making time for the important things in your life. All of this creates balance, and space, for you to do your best work.Mike also shares his 5 C's of his "creativity flywheel" for capturing ideas and creating valuable output, which is fantastic. If you're feeling overwhelmed by information and struggling to turn your ideas into reality, this episode will give you a framework to tame the chaos. Tune in for practical tips and inspiration to upgrade your PKM and productivity!Top TakeawaysObsidian is powerful but requires intentional use to get value from it. Simply dumping notes in is not enough - you need a system.Having a philosophy, vi

Tell me if this sounds familiar: you know you need to publish a blog post, video, or newsletter, but you have no idea what you’re going to talk about. And this isn’t the first time it’s happened. You definitely have ideas, but you can’t think of anything at the moment. That’s why you need a content calendar – and why I’ve brought on Kaitlyn Merola to tell us all about them. We're going DEEP on how to plan, organize, and execute on your content and social plan using a centralized content calendar. Here’s what we’ll cover:

If you have kids and you’re a solopreneur, you know how tough summer care could be — especially if you have small children. Today, I'm diving into why my wife and I decided to skip summer camp for our kids and how this big decision is changing how I’m structuring my business for the summer.Discussion Topics:Financial and Family Considerations: The high cost of summer camp motivated my wife and me to find a solution that allows us to save nearly $10,000 while providing more quality family time.Flexible Scheduling: My wife and I adjusted our schedules so one of us is always available to care for our kids, which highlights the importance of managing work flexibility as a solopreneur.Temporary Chaos: I anticipate that managing my kids full-time will lead to some chaotic and stressful days, but it's a worthwhile trade-off for the family time we cherish.Support Network: Leveraging support from family, friends, and babysitters is crucial to our adjusted childcare strategy, emphasizing the value of a strong support n

One day in March I started getting regular inbound requests from my coaching form – I had no idea why. When I looked into it, it turns out that I was ranking at #2 on Google for “Podcast Coach.” Not to sound like a broken record…but I had no idea why. I didn’t feel like I was doing anything special. I didn’t do keyword research. I didn’t write content in a certain way. So I wanted to learn more. That’s why I sat down with SEO pro Lauren Gaggioli to get the real truth about search engine optimization in 2024. We cover a bunch of stuff from why quality human-written content will ALWAYS beat AI-generated stuff to the long-game SEO strategy that keeps paying off for years.Plus, I get Lauren's real talk on whether social media is even worth it for driving traffic in 2024. Her perspective will not surprise you.  If you're a solopreneur, blogger, or content creator feeling lost with SEO, you need to hear what Lauren has to say. Stop wasting time on strategies that don't work and start optimizing intelligently!Top Ta

Context is everything. It’s easy to think that if you have a salesperson who’s actively frustrating potential clients to the point where they never consider hiring you, you’d fire that salesperson. But what if your website is doing it? Would you fire your website? You should. That’s why I’m SO excited to have Monica Pitts on the show today. She’s going to tell us how we can save HOURS per month by making our website a member of our team (sound familiar?). We spoke for over two hours – and you’re getting the best parts of it. We cover everything from mindset to automation, and of course, we cover tools. Top TakeawaysYour website doesn’t need to just be a brochure site – it can actually take work off your plate. This is why you need to treat it like an employee, not just a static asset. Be cautious about relying too heavily on third-party automation tools like Zapier. Consider native integrations first for faster processing and a better user experience.A website is crucial for your business. It offers a reliabl

I know this is going to sound like an Italian stereotype, but my mother makes the best chicken cutlets. They are thin cuts of chicken, perfectly breaded and seasoned, and taste amazing hot and cold. I’d watch her in hopes of learning how to make them as well (or at least close to it). She’d tell me things like, “You just know how much breading to use,” and “cook them until they look right.”  What she didn’t do was walk into the kitchen and get paralyzed over which pan to use, or the perfect wooden spoon for the job. She’d get right to work. As solopreneurs, it’s easy to fall into the trap of “this tool will get me back on track,” but it’s often your mindset that needs adjusting first. That’s why today I’m talking to Rashelle Isip, The Order Expert. Much like me, she helps business owners be more productive and less stressed. But while I’m an implementer, she focuses more on mindset and taking a look at everything going on in her clients’ lives. Top TakeawaysTake a step back to evaluate the systems in place an

There's an old adage in construction that you should measure twice and cut once. The idea being that cutting is a permanent action. If you cut a piece of wood, you can't put it back together. So you should measure where you're cutting, make sure you're measuring it right, and double-check your work before you take that permanent action.Now on the Internet, things aren't necessarily as permanent. Sure. Things that are online could be online forever. But as far as setting up a YouTube page or a podcast or a website, well, you can change them pretty easily. I just kinda made a decision and I ran with it. And now I'm kind of regretting that decision.But because nothing is permanent on the Internet, I am rectifying that.Top Takeaways:When rebranding your YouTube channel, focus on creating a clear and specific mission for your content. This will help the YouTube algorithm understand and recommend your content to the appropriate audience.Regularly review your analytics to see which videos are performing well and upd

I’m currently reading Stories that Stick by Kindra Hall. In it, she mentions that “story” has become such a common term that people use it for everything, even if it’s not a story. I feel the same thing has been done to the term “repurposing.” See, when you repurpose something in the real world, you take it, you make changes to it, and you give it new life. You don’t just lop a piece off of it and say you’ve repurposed it. But that’s what many people consider repurposing today. “I’m going to clip 1 minute of this 60-minute conversation and call it repurposed.” That’s why I’m excited to have Greg Wasserman on the show today. He helps us reframe repurposing, and talks about how AI can help us repurpose properly – and while I don’t agree with everything he says, I like exploring different ideas. Top TakeawaysRepurposing content isn’t just turning current content into other content. It’s taking conversations and turning them into content, products, and more. Get creative! Greg uses his coaching calls and repurpos

After 8 years, I'm changing the name of this podcast from How I Built It to Streamlined Solopreneur. Here's why. You can learn more at https://streamlined.fm  ★ Support this podcast ★

The first documented parachute jump happened in the late 1700s, when André-Jacques Garnerin just from balloons at “only” 2000 feet. He no doubt prepared for this moment, testing his parachute and doing everything he could to mitigate risk. Today, skydiving is a sport and a recreational activity, with a lot of safety measures and technology to further mitigate risk. Why am I telling you this? Because human beings are, by and large, risk-averse…so doing everything we can to reduce it is incredibly important. When it comes to launching a business, it, much like skydiving, is much less risky than it was 200 years ago. Part of that is the ability to create applications – and therefore launch software-based businesses – without code. That’s exactly what Karla Fernandes is going to talk to us about today. And she should know. She’s launched over a dozen native apps, without writing a single line of code. Top TakeawaysWhen evaluating business ideas, prioritize those that solve user problems and gauge interest through

Today we have a good old fashioned feed drop from my friends at The Podcast Host, and their show, Podcraft. What really makes someone a successful podcaster? Is it a certain number of episodes, downloads, or reviews? Is it whether content creation has become their full-time job? Or could it be because they’ve been recognised with a prestigious award?That's what they'll discuss on this episode, and every episode this season. I hope you enjoy! Check out Podcraft wherever you listen.  ★ Support this podcast ★

I love shuffling poker chips. In fact, I love playing poker…but there’s a fallacy in gambling that can get you into a lot of trouble. It’s the fallacy of sunk cost. Basically, you think you should continue what is ultimately a losing battle because you’ve already invested some amount of money in the pot.The same thing can be applied to lots of stuff. Have you ever finished a book or a movie you didn’t like just because you started it? That’s the fallacy of sunk cost.And I’m happy to say that 4 months into 2024, I successfully avoided that fallacy with something that, in January, I was all-in on: my “Be Everywhere” Strategy.Show NotesMy Experiment with Substack and Being “Everywhere”Taking a bet on Substack’s Network Effect with Nathalie LussierWhy I’m Killing my MembershipPodcast Workflows Sponsors: Check out Liquid WebMemberful: Get your free trial for at memberful.com/streamlined ★ Support this podcast ★

I remember touring a Murano Glass factory on my honeymoon to Italy. Basically as soon as we stepped foot into the place, a man giving us the tour had us pegged. So when it came time to sell us something, he didn’t just ask us if we wanted to buy some glass art. He painted us a picture of a unique conversation piece that we can put in our home, to help us remember this time at the beginning of our marriage. To turn into a family heirloom for when we have kids and grandkids. He wasn’t selling us glass. He was selling us a vision of our future. And it worked like gangbusters. So how can we do that for our customers? That’s what Georgiana Laudi is here to talk to us about. She is the co-author of Forget the Funnel, a book that had a profound effect on my business – and today, we’re talking all about jobs to be done, research, and capturing the voice of our customers. Top TakeawaysUnderstand the "Jobs to Be Done": Customers aren't buying products themselves, but rather the solutions the products offer. Identify th

My grandfather came to the United States from Italy in 1949 and worked in New York City for much of his life — primarily in construction. For as long as I can remember, he had this big, metal toolbox. And when he passed away, he gave it to me, and I still have and use it to this day.Pop had that toolbox for decades. When he found something that worked for him, he held on to it and took care of it. There’s a hammer in there that has to be as old as I am.And when you think about it, the hammer is a pretty good analogy for our digital tools. It’s a basic device, but there are countless variations, purpose-built for specific tasks. Much like a task manager or notes app, you mostly know what you’re getting — but you may want something a little more specialized for your needs.While you don’t want to change tools all the time, it is good to evaluate your toolset from time to time. So I thought I’d check in and share the tools I’m using.Show NotesTools Check-in: What am I using so far in 2024?Tools for Podcasters (Po