How I Built It

There comes a time in everyone’s life when they’ve consumed too much of something, and they find the very notion of consuming more sickening. This is the very basis for my yearly theme. 2025 was finally the year were I felt my overconsumption of technology was getting the best of me. So this year, my theme is digital detox. Read the full article here: https://casabona.org/2026/01/2026-yearly-theme-digital-detox/Show NotesMy 2026 Yearly ThemeMy 2025 Yearly ThemeYearly Theme ArchiveMy Interview with Amanda Goetz (It was 496, not 498!)My Favorites of 2025Paper & SmokeMy AI ManifestoLeave feedback at https://streamlinedfeedback.com/ Chapters00:00 Introduction03:30 Grading The Year of Being Present11:27 What I Learned from The Year of Being Present14:57 My 2026 Yearly Theme17:06 Goal 1: Using my Devices Less22:55 Goal 2: Live in the Analog World27:35 Wrapping Up (00:00) - Introduction (04:09) - Grading The Year of Being Present (12:06) - What I Learned from The Year of Being Present (15:36) - My 2026 Yearly

We're almost at the end of Christmas break and I decided to record a quick update on how it's going...plus test my new camera. Check out the (somewhat unflattering) video here: https://youtu.be/HvSTnzOP01g Get your free Time and Tools Self-Audit at  https://streamlined.fm/impact ★ Support this podcast ★

It's one of my favorite episodes of the year: my Favorites of the year! I'll go through all of my favorite media and tech of the year, as well as some close runners up and honorable mentions. Links below! My Favorites of 2025When is it Time to Switch Tools?Paper & SmokeBook: Fahrenheit 182Runner-up: The Anxious GenerationHonorable Mentions: Neverwhere, Tiny Experiments, Listening to the LawTV Show: Alex vs. A-RodPodcast: The Rest is HistoryPodcast Honorable Mentions: Central Air, How We Made Your MotherMusic: SadMovie: Wicked: For GoodVideo Game: Hogwarts: LegacyApp: Tella.TVEcamm LiveBear Notes Get your free Time and Tools Self-Audit at  https://streamlined.fm/impact ★ Support this podcast ★

Knowing when to get help is so, so, so crucial to prevent burnout. Laura Brazan knew this, which is why she decided to hire me for coaching. During our few months together, I was able to save her a ton of time, help her create process automations, and consolidate her tech stack. She even said that she’s saving more than she paid me! In this interview, we look at where she was before she hired me, the changes we made, and what she’s able to do now with the extra time she has.Want to see how you can improve your systems and prevent burnout? Try my self-assessment: https://streamlined.fm/impact LinksGrandparents Raising GrandchildrenPodlaunchPodmatchInterested in Coaching? Go here.What do you think? Send your feedback to streamlinedfeedback.com Read to build your perfect site? Check out StellarSites.Get your free Time and Tools Self-Audit at https://streamlined.fm/impact ★ Support this podcast ★

I knew from a young age, I wanted to play the drums. I got my first small kit when I was five, and when my friends and I started a "band," heavy quotes, I played paint buckets. When I was 15 years old, I knew I needed a real kit.This is the story of how I got it, and how one man's incredible kindness had a profound effect on me.Show NotesRead the Story at Casabona.orgSubmit feedback at https://streamlinedfeedback.com Get your free Time and Tools Self-Audit at  https://streamlined.fm/impact ★ Support this podcast ★

I started my Christmas vacation the minute my kids got out of school. I can do that because I’ve built a business that doesn't chain me to my desk. But if I’m being honest, I don’t take those two weeks off just to bake cookies and watch movies—I use that downtime to make next year even better.When the house is quiet, I run a full self-assessment on my business to figure out how I can further improve my processes, workflows, and systems. Think of it like a required annual car inspection for your business. You might uncover some unwanted "bills," but fixing small issues now prevents massive breakdowns later.In this solo episode, I'm walking you through the three crucial things I review before the new year: Tools, Workflows, and Systems. I’ll share how a tools assessment saved a client more than she paid me for coaching, the three use cases I have for my writing apps, and the single bottleneck I look for to make sure my team is running smoothly. This isn’t about adding more work; it’s about strategically refinin

It’s a soon-to-be classic Pick 2 episode, where I pick 2 apps or tools I’m using and tell you about them. I say soon to be classic because I’ve wanted to do this for a while, and I’m finally going through with it!This week, it’s 2 apps I’ve used before and stopped using, but I’m revisiting. They are:Bear NotesBlinkistThanks to AppStories for the ideaWant to get the tools, apps, and automations I use delivered to your inbox? Join my mailing list. Read to build your perfect site? Check out StellarSites. ★ Support this podcast ★

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 ★