Streamlined Solopreneur: Easy Productivity & Tech Systems for Solopreneurs

How do you grow a newsletter to 20,000 subscribers in less than a year? Try this ONE trick! Want to 5x your YouTube downloads? DO THIS! These are both titles I could have given this episode — and taking the advice of Jake Thomas, I should have! See, Jake studies YouTube titles to see what makes people click. And while he gives some away for free in his newsletter, he also has a whole searchable database that you can pay to get access to. So today, Jake tells us how he built his subscriber base up to 20,000 in a year, as well as the importance of good titles, not just on YouTube, but everywhere.

Top Takeaways:

• Titles and thumbnails are super important because if they don’t get people to click, no one watches. So spend time on them — and use Jake’s tips!
• You DO still need good content. Both Jake and I have been considering more quality over quantity lately. Instead of super timely stuff, make it evergreen, really good, and dial in the titles.
• If you’re getting started, find your niche, and look at similar channels (and adjacent niches’ channels). See what’s working for them, and put your own spin on it.

Show Notes:

• Jake Thomas
• Jake on Twitter
• Creator Hooks Newsletter
• Film Booth
• Cortex Podcast
• Join the Creator Crew

Sponsored by: The Solo Creator Club | Groundhogg | LearnDash

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Streamlined Solopreneur helps solopreneurs stop doing it all themselves, with simple systems that give them their time back.

Each week, Joe Casabona shares one practical idea — a system, tool, or strategy to help you get your time back without having to make another decision, hire employees, or sell your soul to AI.

Looking for a place to start? Take the Solo Systems Starter Quiz. 60 seconds, 8 questions, and I will tell you what system you should build first, and exactly how to build it (so YOU don't need to make another decision). https://streamlined.fm/quiz 

Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcasabona/

I had a t-shirt in college that was my prized possession. It read: "There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't." The joke being that 10 or “one zero” in binary is actually “2” in decimal.

I’m sure if I looked hard enough, I could find my college ID from freshman year, where that shirt is featured. The shirt is top-of-mind because I saw a post on LinkedIn that made me think of it. It made me realize: There are two types of people in the world. Those who ask for answers, and those find them.

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Streamlined Solopreneur helps solopreneurs stop doing it all themselves, with simple systems that give them their time back.

Each week, Joe Casabona shares one practical idea — a system, tool, or strategy to help you get your time back without having to make another decision, hire employees, or sell your soul to AI.

Looking for a place to start? Take the Solo Systems Starter Quiz. 60 seconds, 8 questions, and I will tell you what system you should build first, and exactly how to build it (so YOU don't need to make another decision). https://streamlined.fm/quiz 

Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcasabona/

If you’ve ever heard me say, “I’m a recovering WordPress developer,” you’ve also heard me credit today’s guest, Kronda Adair. And while she started in WordPress, she quickly moved into one of my favorite areas of expertise: automation. Specifically, Kronda’s an email automation expert. And today, she’s going to tell us the RIGHT process for automation, how to test, and why your business depends on email automation.

Top Takeaways:

• Automation is employing technology to improve your processes. You can vastly improve how you work, and your customer’s journey if you automate the right things.
• To start, step away from the tools and focus on the process. Map what you need to do with pen and paper. Once you do that, you have a job description. And you need something to fulfill that job. That’s when you look for the tools.
• Two things you need to do with automating email: do it manually first; this helps you make that job description. Next, go through the automation yourself. See what the subscriber will see. This may be their primary interaction with you — so make sure it’s good.
• Intro: Getting into automation

Show Notes:

• Kronda Adair
• Kronda on Linkedin
• Kronda on Facebook
• Kronda on Instagram
• Kronda on Twitter
• Kronda on Tiktok
• Automation Bridge
• All Systems Go! Podcast
• Email Marketing Heroes: Rob and Kennedy
• CaboPress
• Preventing the Famine with Jason Resnick
• Jotform
• Join the Creator Crew

Sponsored by: GoodGames | Groundhogg | LearnDash

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Streamlined Solopreneur helps solopreneurs stop doing it all themselves, with simple systems that give them their time back.

Each week, Joe Casabona shares one practical idea — a system, tool, or strategy to help you get your time back without having to make another decision, hire employees, or sell your soul to AI.

Looking for a place to start? Take the Solo Systems Starter Quiz. 60 seconds, 8 questions, and I will tell you what system you should build first, and exactly how to build it (so YOU don't need to make another decision). https://streamlined.fm/quiz 

Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcasabona/

 Last week I told you about the best way to create an only course...but what's the best way to sell it? I firmly believe tools like Teachable and Kajabi are overpriced. When looking at LMSs, I turn to WordPress. And these days, Sensei is doing the coolest stuff, as it attempts to retake the title of best WordPress LMS.

This clip is brought to you by Sensei - Automatic

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Streamlined Solopreneur helps solopreneurs stop doing it all themselves, with simple systems that give them their time back.

Each week, Joe Casabona shares one practical idea — a system, tool, or strategy to help you get your time back without having to make another decision, hire employees, or sell your soul to AI.

Looking for a place to start? Take the Solo Systems Starter Quiz. 60 seconds, 8 questions, and I will tell you what system you should build first, and exactly how to build it (so YOU don't need to make another decision). https://streamlined.fm/quiz 

Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcasabona/

There’s an old adage that more people are afraid of public speaking than of death, meaning that at a funeral, more people would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy. I suspect that when push came to shove, most people would actually choose the eulogy, but that’s beside the point. Public speaking is hard. And truth be told, most people are bad at it…if you feel that way, don’t fret. Mike Pacchione is here to help. He’s coached people like James Clear, Amy Porterfield, and Donald Miller on public speaking, and today, he’s teaching us his best stuff.

Top Takeaways:

• The greatest gift you can give your audience is to be completely present with them. That means don’t memorize! Know your stuff, practice your talk, and be with them in the room!
• Most people say too much. Embrace silence and be concise. Silence lets a point land, and communicates to your audience, “hey. That was important. Remember it.”
• The best speeches are not the ones you’ve given the most. Back to the first point, they are the ones where you’ve practiced and are present for the audience.

Show Notes:

• Mike Pacchione
• Mike on Instagram
• Glo Atanmo
• Join the Creator Crew

Sponsored by: GoodGames | Groundhogg | LearnDash

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Streamlined Solopreneur helps solopreneurs stop doing it all themselves, with simple systems that give them their time back.

Each week, Joe Casabona shares one practical idea — a system, tool, or strategy to help you get your time back without having to make another decision, hire employees, or sell your soul to AI.

Looking for a place to start? Take the Solo Systems Starter Quiz. 60 seconds, 8 questions, and I will tell you what system you should build first, and exactly how to build it (so YOU don't need to make another decision). https://streamlined.fm/quiz 

Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcasabona/

Too many people create online courses the wrong way. They go into a cave for 6 months, develop the course based only on what they want to teach, then announce it's for sale...to crickets. Sound familiar?

There's a better way! A way that will save you time, validate your idea, and make you money faster.

This clip is brought to you by Sensei - Automatic

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Streamlined Solopreneur helps solopreneurs stop doing it all themselves, with simple systems that give them their time back.

Each week, Joe Casabona shares one practical idea — a system, tool, or strategy to help you get your time back without having to make another decision, hire employees, or sell your soul to AI.

Looking for a place to start? Take the Solo Systems Starter Quiz. 60 seconds, 8 questions, and I will tell you what system you should build first, and exactly how to build it (so YOU don't need to make another decision). https://streamlined.fm/quiz 

Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcasabona/

Marley Majcher, The Party Goddess turned Profit Goddess, was running a business but not making money — despite her degree from Georgetown. But she managed to turn it around with this “one weird trick.” OK — so that sounds clickbaity, but it’s true. See, Marley didn’t have a system in place for her business. She, like many creators I think, wasn’t spending her time wisely. So, she decided to do something about it: she decided to learn how she was spending her time, organize those tasks, and figure out the crucial ones that actually made money. And it all started with the one “Weird” trick: Time Tracking.

Top Takeaways:

• Revenue goals are not profit goals - You can make $1M but if you’re spending $1.1M, you’re going in the wrong direction.
• Most creators don’t think they need to time-track because they don’t do client work. But they are WRONG. You need to know if you’re spending 2 hours on a video or 8 hours on a video to know if that’s a profitable activity for you.
• Aside from just understanding tasks, time tracking can hold you accountable. You’ll see where you’re wasting your time, and be more mindful of it. And your devices have some tools to help you do that automatically.

Show Notes:

• Marley Majcher
• Marley on Linkedin
• Marley on Instagram
• Marley on Facebook
• Marley on Twitter
• But Are You Making Any Money Ebook
• The E-Myth Revisited Book
• Mowing Your Lawn Blog Post
• Analog by Ugmonk
• Timery for Toggl
• Timing Automatic MAC Time Tracker
• Join the Creator Crew

Sponsored by: Groundhogg | Ahrefs | LearnDash

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Streamlined Solopreneur helps solopreneurs stop doing it all themselves, with simple systems that give them their time back.

Each week, Joe Casabona shares one practical idea — a system, tool, or strategy to help you get your time back without having to make another decision, hire employees, or sell your soul to AI.

Looking for a place to start? Take the Solo Systems Starter Quiz. 60 seconds, 8 questions, and I will tell you what system you should build first, and exactly how to build it (so YOU don't need to make another decision). https://streamlined.fm/quiz 

Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcasabona/

Paid Memberships Pro is the lifeblood of my main product offering, The Podcast Liftoff Playbook. So in this first bit of 2023, I want to tell you everything I love about the plugin, and why I thought it best for my membership/learning site.

This clip is brought to you by Paid Memberships Pro

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Streamlined Solopreneur helps solopreneurs stop doing it all themselves, with simple systems that give them their time back.

Each week, Joe Casabona shares one practical idea — a system, tool, or strategy to help you get your time back without having to make another decision, hire employees, or sell your soul to AI.

Looking for a place to start? Take the Solo Systems Starter Quiz. 60 seconds, 8 questions, and I will tell you what system you should build first, and exactly how to build it (so YOU don't need to make another decision). https://streamlined.fm/quiz 

Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcasabona/

It's episode 300! I thought I'd wax poetic on the top 10 things I've learned from both running this show, and the guests I've had on. After that, I talk a little bit about what's in store for How I Built It, and where I'd like it to go in the future. Plus, in the PRO show, I talk about what life without Twitter has been like. 

Become a Pro

Top 10 Lessons

1. Build Your Email List
2. Talk to your customers
3. Experiment
4. Niche/Specialize/Focus
5. Don't be afraid to say no
6. People care about the problem you're solving. Not you, not the tech you used. The problem
7. Tell Good Stories
8. Do things that don't scale at first
9. Ship what you have and iterate
10. Don't be afraid to ask

Show Notes

• ConvertKit
• Podcast Liftoff
• Learning Management and WordPress: LearnDash with Justin Ferriman
• Making Better Leaders with Chris Lema
• Designing the Profitable Project Plan with Jennifer Bourn
• The Best Way to Build Community is Easier Than You Think with Drew Dillon
• The Most Important Thing You Can Do as a Creator with Marie Poulin
• Turning WordPress Sites into iPhone Apps with Scott Bolinger and AppPresser
• Join How I Built It Pro

Sponsored by: Groundhogg | Ahrefs | LearnDash

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Streamlined Solopreneur helps solopreneurs stop doing it all themselves, with simple systems that give them their time back.

Each week, Joe Casabona shares one practical idea — a system, tool, or strategy to help you get your time back without having to make another decision, hire employees, or sell your soul to AI.

Looking for a place to start? Take the Solo Systems Starter Quiz. 60 seconds, 8 questions, and I will tell you what system you should build first, and exactly how to build it (so YOU don't need to make another decision). https://streamlined.fm/quiz 

Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcasabona/

Most attempts to start a community these days feel a lot like the approach the Underpants Gnomes from South Park took in making money. Step 1: Launch a Discord, Step 2: ???, Step 3: Community! But it’s not like that at all. And Drew Dillon, founder of Burb and community expert, is here to set the record straight.

Top Takeaways:

• You need to think of the community as a business. Create a reason for people to care and engage. And close the look by making sure the community isn’t just about you - it’s about people connecting.
• Start with a hypothesis. Ask what you think your audience has in common and why they might want to come together. Then test and iterate. Start with a Zoom call first and see if people want to connect after.
• Do things that don’t scale at first. With 10-20 members, you can really get to know them and understand their needs (and those of the community). Around 50, you’ll likely need to start automating.

Show Notes:

• Drew Dillon
• Drew on Twitter
• Drew on Linkedin 
• Burb on Linkedin
• SPI 603: The Secret to Building the Best Community interview with Drew Dillon
• How To Build a $1000/year Membership with Jay Clouse
• Burb Blog
• Garbage Day Newsletter
• Join the Creator Crew

Sponsored by: Paid Memberships Pro | Ahrefs | LearnDash

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Streamlined Solopreneur helps solopreneurs stop doing it all themselves, with simple systems that give them their time back.

Each week, Joe Casabona shares one practical idea — a system, tool, or strategy to help you get your time back without having to make another decision, hire employees, or sell your soul to AI.

Looking for a place to start? Take the Solo Systems Starter Quiz. 60 seconds, 8 questions, and I will tell you what system you should build first, and exactly how to build it (so YOU don't need to make another decision). https://streamlined.fm/quiz 

Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcasabona/