AI Won’t Replace You—But It Can Be Your Best Sidekick

Feeling overwhelmed by just the thought of using AI? You’re not alone! In this episode of The Creative Bodega, I’m diving into how AI—especially ChatGPT—can become your ultimate business sidekick. From brainstorming Instagram post ideas to writing captions, emails, and even blog posts, AI can help you save time, spark creativity, and stay consistent—without losing your unique voice. I’m sharing exactly how I use AI in my daily workflow, how to create your own personalized AI assistant, and why this tool is a game-changer for solopreneurs. Ready to streamline your content and work smarter? Tune in now!

Check out the full show notes for this episode here.

📌 Things I cover inside the episode:
✨ How AI can help you save hours on content creation without replacing your creativity.
✨ The step-by-step process to creating your own AI assistant inside ChatGPT.
✨ How I use AI for brainstorming Instagram posts, email subject lines, and podcast topics.
✨ The biggest AI mistakes to avoid (and how to keep your content feeling authentic).
✨ My favorite ways to repurpose content using AI—so you’re not always starting from scratch.

📌 Resources & Links Mentioned in this episode:
🔗 Try ChatGPT’s Custom GPTs
🔗 Explore Google’s Gemini AI
🔗 Studio Pizza Productions (Podcast Editing, tell Scott I sent you!)
🔗 Work with My Podcast Coach, Anna Dearmon Kornick

Connect with me:
🫶🏼 Follow me on Instagram for daily insights
🫶🏼 Join my 321 Create Newsletter for weekly content tips
🫶🏼 Check out The Content Coven Membership

Be sure to hit "Subscribe" or "Follow" so you never miss an episode!

Struggling to show up on Instagram Stories? You’re not alone! In this episode of The Creative Bodega, I’m diving into why Stories are the secret weapon for nurturing your audience, building trust, and increasing sales—without feeling salesy. Learn how to increase story views, create engaging content that resonates, and show up confidently (even if it feels awkward at first). Plus, I’m sharing the biggest mistakes to avoid and how to turn casual followers into loyal customers. Ready to make Stories work for your business? Tune in now!

Check out the full show notes for this episode.

Things I cover inside the episode:
✨ Why Instagram Stories are your best tool for building relationships & increasing sales – and how they differ from your feed content.

✨ How to increase your story views using engagement tools, captions, and strategic storytelling.

✨ Overcoming the fear of showing up – tips to get comfortable and consistent with posting stories.

✨ The biggest mistakes to avoid in Stories (like too much selling, negativity, or lack of engagement).

✨ How to use Stories to lead followers into your DMs, email list naturally, and offers – without feeling pushy.

Resources & Links Mentioned in this episode:
🔗 Grab my Insta Stories That Sell Masterclass

Connect with me:
🫶🏼 Follow me on Instagram for daily insights
🫶🏼 Join my 321 Create Newsletter for weekly content tips
🫶🏼 Check out The Content Coven Membership

Be sure to hit "Subscribe" or "Follow" so you never miss an episode!

Feeling drained by social media? Struggling to balance your business without burning out? In this episode of The Creative Bodega, I’m sharing eight game-changing boundaries that have helped me protect my energy, stay present in my life, and build a sustainable business—without feeling like I must be "on" 24/7.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by Instagram engagement, client expectations, or the pressure to produce content constantly, this episode is for you. Learn how to set boundaries around social media, redefine success on your own terms, and create more balance in your daily life.

Check out the full show notes for this episode here.

Things I Cover Inside the Episode:

✨ Redefining success on your own terms—so you no longer feel pressure to chase external validation.
✨ How to treat Instagram like work (not entertainment) and stop endless scrolling.
✨ Why muting competitors can actually boost your creativity and confidence.
✨ The game-changing habit of keeping your phone out of your bedroom (and what I use instead!).
✨ Setting response time expectations with clients—so you’re not available 24/7.
✨ Using Instagram time limits to break the scrolling cycle and be more intentional.
✨ How my kids help hold me accountable when I’m on my phone too much!

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Introduction & My Burnout Story
02:15 Why I Redefined Success on My Own Terms
05:42 How I Stopped Treating Instagram Like Entertainment
08:21 Muting Competitors & Protecting My Confidence
11:37 Why I Keep My Phone Out of the Bedroom
14:50 Our No-Tech Rule Before & After School
17:12 Setting Instagram Time Limits for a Healthier Relationship
19:33 How I Set Client Expectations to Avoid Feeling “On” 24/7
22:45 Teaching My Kids to Keep Me Accountable
25:17 Final Thoughts & Challenge for You

Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:

🔗 Hatch Alarm Clock (pricey, but SO worth it for a better phone-free bedtime routine!)
🔗 Instagram Time Limits Settings

👉 DM me on Instagram (@the.creative.bodega) and let me know which boundary you're going to implement this week! Let’s protect our energy and build a business that supports our life—not consumes it. 💛

Connect with me:
🫶🏼 Follow me on Instagram for daily insights
🫶🏼 Join my 321 Create Newsletter for weekly content tips
🫶🏼 Check out The Content Coven Membership

Be sure to hit "Subscribe" or "Follow" so you never miss an episode!

Struggling to keep your Canva designs organized? Spending way too much time creating content from scratch? You’re not alone! In this episode of The Creative Bodega, I’m breaking down my best tips for streamlining your Canva workflow so you can design faster, stay on-brand, and free up hours in your week.

Learn how to create an efficient folder system, set up a brand kit, and make reusable templates that keep your content creation process smooth and stress-free.

Check out the full show notes for this episode.

Things I Cover Inside the Episode:

✨ Why an organized Canva workflow will save you so much time.
✨ How to set up Canva folders and subfolders for easy access.
✨ The importance of a well-structured brand kit (colors, fonts, and logos).
✨ How to create and use reusable templates—so you never start from scratch.
✨ My best batching tips to create content efficiently and stay consistent.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Introduction – Why this episode matters
01:12 The real reason you need an organized Canva system
03:45 Canva folders: How to set them up & structure them properly
08:27 The power of a brand kit – fonts, colors, logos, and how to use them
12:51 Why reusable templates are everything for content creation
17:08 My best batching strategies to save time & avoid content burnout
21:35 Final thoughts & action steps

Resources Mentioned:
🔗 Brand Kit Bootcamp: Colors, Fonts, Templates Course

Connect with me:
🫶🏼 Follow me on Instagram for daily insights
🫶🏼 Join my 321 Create Newsletter for weekly content tips
🫶🏼 Check out The Content Coven Membership

Be sure to hit "Subscribe" or "Follow" so you never miss an episode!

Struggling to get engagement on Instagram? You’re not alone! In this episode of The Creative Bodega, I’m breaking down the five biggest Instagram mistakes solopreneurs make—and how to easily fix them. If you're tired of posting consistently with little results, this episode is for you. Learn how to optimize your bio, improve your captions, diversify your content, and engage with your audience in a way that builds real connections and leads to sales.

Check out the full show notes for this episode.

Things I cover inside the episode:

✨ Why posting without a clear message is hurting your reach—and how to fix it.
✨ How to craft captions that get your audience to engage (instead of scrolling past).
✨ The biggest engagement mistake most solopreneurs make (hint: stop posting and ghosting).
✨ Why using the same content format repeatedly is limiting your growth.
✨ How to elevate your visuals with high-quality Canva templates for better results.

Resources & Links Mentioned in this episode:
🔗 Free Instagram Bio Optimization Training
🔗 My Favorite Visual Timer for Focused Work
🔗 Join The Content Coven Membership

Connect with me:
🫶🏼 Follow me on Instagram for daily insights
🫶🏼 Join my 321 Create Newsletter for weekly content tips
🫶🏼 Check out The Content Coven Membership

Be sure to hit "Subscribe" or "Follow" so you never miss an episode!

Struggling to create content consistently? You’re not alone! In this episode of The Creative Bodega, I’m sharing my journey from gym owner to content marketing expert and how I built a six-figure business using Instagram and Canva—without burning out. Learn how I found time to grow my business while juggling motherhood, the three key strategies that helped me scale, and why authenticity is your biggest asset online.

Check out the full show notes for this episode.

Things I cover inside the episode:

✨ How I built my business from scratch using Instagram & Canva—and why I started before I had an offer.
✨ The mindset shifts and strategies that helped me go from overwhelmed to profitable.
✨ How I created a content system that allowed me to post consistently without stress.
✨ The biggest mistakes new solopreneurs make when growing their brand—and how to avoid them.
✨ My top tips for staying authentic, building trust, and turning followers into loyal customers.

Connect with me:
🫶🏼 Follow me on Instagram for daily insights
🫶🏼 Join my 321 Create Newsletter for weekly content tips
🫶🏼 Check out The Content Coven Membership

Be sure to hit "Subscribe" or "Follow" so you never miss an episode!

Hi there! I’m Em Connors, and welcome to The Creative Bodega—the podcast for female service-based solopreneurs who want to grow their business without burning out.

Let’s be honest for a minute: creating content, growing your Instagram account, and building a personal brand can feel superrr overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to take over your life.

Each week, I’ll share actionable tips, expert advice, and a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to run a multi-six-figure business – while raising a family.

If you’re ready to turn your content into clients and build a business that works for you, you’re in the right place.

Hit subscribe now, and let’s start building your dream business together.

Visit The Creative Bodega website.

Follow Em on Instagram.

Connect with me:
🫶🏼 Follow me on Instagram for daily insights
🫶🏼 Join my 321 Create Newsletter for weekly content tips
🫶🏼 Check out The Content Coven Membership

Be sure to hit "Subscribe" or "Follow" so you never miss an episode!