More Coffee. Less Drama.

What if some of the things we're working so hard to make easier are actually valuable because they require effort?

In this episode, we're talking about the work that builds your skills, teaches you about your customers, strengthens relationships, and makes your small business feel human.

Efficiency is great, but not everything worth doing needs to be optimized away.

In This Episode

• When efficiency stops being the goal
• What we risk losing when we automate too much
• Why customer conversations are more than just another task
• How doing the work can actually build your expertise
• Why small businesses don't need to compete with big businesses at volume
• How to decide what should stay human

Research + Reading

• Microsoft Research: The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking
• KPMG: Trust, Attitudes and Use of Artificial Intelligence
• American Psychological Association: How AI Is Reshaping Human Skills and Thinking
• Science News: Is AI Making Us Dumber? Maybe Not, but Our Skills Are at Risk

Let’s Connect

Instagram: @morecoffeelessdrama | @maplewildmarketing
Email: [email protected]
Website: Maplewild Marketing
Newsletter: Sign up for Now You Know

AI was supposed to save us time.

Somehow, we've turned it into another job.

In this episode, we're cutting through the AI noise to talk about what has actually changed, where AI can genuinely make running a small business easier, and where we need to be a whole lot more careful.

Because the question isn't “How much AI can I use?”

It's “Does this actually make my business better?”

• How AI became another thing small business owners are expected to master
• What has actually changed
• The boring AI wins that can save you real time
• Privacy, accuracy, security, and IP concerns
• When AI and automation can actually make things worse
• The More Coffee. Less Drama. AI Test

Research + Reading

JPMorganChase Institute: Understanding the Use of AI Among Small Businesses

Entrepreneur: Most Small Businesses Are Using AI. The Real Challenge Is Learning How to Use It Well

NFIB: Using AI for Your Small Business: Benefits, Risks, and Best Practices

Additional Resources

Cybersecurity: @cybersecuritygirl
Trademark + IP: @denvertrademarklaw

Let's Connect

Instagram: @morecoffeelessdrama | @maplewildmarketing
Email: [email protected]
Website: Maplewild Marketing
Newsletter: Sign up for Now You Know

When was the last time marketing actually felt simple?

SEO is dead. You need AI. Post more. Be everywhere. And somehow, if you haven't figured it all out yet, you're already behind.

In the first episode of Season 4, we're talking about why marketing has gotten so LOUD, what has actually changed, and what small business owners can confidently stop freaking out about.

• Why marketing advice feels so overwhelming
• The pressure to constantly create more
• What's actually changing in marketing
• What hasn't changed nearly as much as we're told
• Why doing less might actually be the smarter strategy

Research + Reading

Buffer: How Often to Post on Social Media in 2026

HubSpot: How Often to Post on Social Media for Business

Adweek: Saying No Is the New Power Move

This Week's Challenge

Unfollow or mute one marketing account that consistently makes you feel behind, guilty, or anxious about your strategy.

Let's Connect

Instagram: @morecoffeelessdrama | @maplewildmarketing
Email: [email protected]
Website: Maplewild Marketing
Newsletter: Sign up for Now You Know

Season 4 of More Coffee. Less Drama. is coming soon, with honest conversations to help small business owners make sense of modern marketing.

Grab your coffee, sit down, and let’s chat.

In the meantime, get relevant and timely tips about technology, social media, SEO, and more with my weekly newsletter: "Now You Know."

This is something you thought was going away. SIKE - it isn't. Find out more on today's episode.

Want to watch this episode instead? Head to ⁠YouTube⁠

_____

Let's Connect!

Instagram: ⁠⁠@morecoffeelessdrama⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠@maplewildmarketing⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ ⁠

Website: ⁠⁠www.maplewildmarketing.com

In season one, we talked about how your website is one of the only things YOU control, with guest Melissa Bandera. 

It’s been 2 years since that episode- let’s talk through some new statistics on websites in 2023. We’re specifically covering: ecommerce website requirements and how each platform differs, plug-in accessibility and availability, what platform might suit you best based on your business type, and the pros/cons of each platform. If you’re questioning which website platform might be best for you - here’s to you being well educated and informed on your decision!

Resources: 

www.wordpress.com

www.shopify.com

www.squarespace.com

www.godaddy.com

Listen to Previous Website Episode

Read On My Blog 

Want to watch this episode instead? Head to YouTube

_____

Let's Connect!

Instagram: ⁠@morecoffeelessdrama⁠ / ⁠@maplewildmarketing⁠

Email: ⁠[email protected] ⁠

Website: ⁠www.maplewildmarketing.com⁠

AI is taking over the planet. No, really - the marketing world has been HIT with a wave of chatbots, AI generated images, backgrounds, stickers, and captions. How do you navigate it all? 

For that matter, what’s going to happen with AI in 2024? 

If you want to know how to use it effectively for your small business - this is the episode for you!

Resources Mentioned In Today’s Episode

- Fraze.io - SEO Optimization

- Jasper.ai & Copy.ai - Grammatically Correct Long Form Copy

- Adcreative.ai - Optimizing Ad Creative and Copy 

- Verloop.ai - 24/7 Digital Assistant

- Pictory.ai - Turn Your Script into Video

- Designs.ai - Create logos, videos, banners, mockups with A.I. in 2 minutes

_____

Let's Connect!

Instagram: ⁠@morecoffeelessdrama⁠ / ⁠@maplewildmarketing⁠

Email: ⁠[email protected] ⁠

Website: ⁠www.maplewildmarketing.com⁠

Your customer's journey is one of the most important processes that you can think about as a small business owner. I'm going to tell you all of that and more on today's episode, we're talking about client relationship management systems.

We’re Chatting About:

-What a CRM Involves

-Why You Might Want to Consider One

-Things You May Not Realize About CRMs

-Your Customer Journey + How a CRM is Involved

Links for Today’s Episode: 

Dubsado.com

Zoho.com

Fareharbor.com

Honeybook.com

Buildbook.co

Keap.com

Mindbodyonline.com

Let's Connect!

Instagram: ⁠@morecoffeelessdrama⁠ / ⁠@maplewildmarketing⁠

Email: ⁠[email protected] ⁠

Website: ⁠www.maplewildmarketing.com⁠

This season is going to cover your customer's journey, a roadmap to diversifying your communication, why networking is so vital for your business, how to build a successful e-commerce site, and so much more. You're not going to want to miss our amazing guests. Real-time marketing news segments, and those ever-present suggestions on how to infuse simplicity into your day to day life as a small business owner.

No one is talking about them either.

TikTok, Twitter, Facebook + Instagram are All Onboard with These New Changes, but have kept them massively on the down low. Why?

Maybe because it would make all of us really uncomfortable if they were fully transparent.

Let's Connect!

Instagram: @morecoffeelessdrama / @maplewildmarketing

Email: [email protected] 

Website: www.maplewildmarketing.com