Streamlined Solopreneur: Systems for Solopreneurs to Take Time Off Worry-Free

Growing a YouTube Channel in a Crowded Field with Stephen Robles

26 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Stephen Robles is not only a Shortcuts and automation expert—he’s also built a successful YouTube channel covering Apple products, smart home tech...

An Introduction to Apple’s Shortcuts with Stephen Robles

24 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I’ve been talking a lot about automation this year, and one tool that keeps coming up is Apple’s Shortcuts app. So I brought in Stephen Robles, a ...

Being a Solopreneur Mom vs. a Solopreneur Dad with Leah Remillet

19 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Leah and I might be in different stages of parenting, but we have very similar situations — 3 kids, running a business, spouse who also works. So in...

Does Work-Life Balance Exist? With Leah Remillet

17 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Work-Life Balance is a myth! Or is it? In today’s conversation with Leah Remillet, we talk all about our goal as solopreneur parents to have everyth...

I rearranged my office! [Joe's Audio Notes]

12 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

  This weekend, I completely rearranged my office—and I couldn’t be happier with the results. What started as frustration with my camera framing...

Automation 101 for Busy Solopreneurs

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Automation can feel overwhelming, but it all boils down to four simple components: triggers, actions, conditions, and timing. Once you understand thes...

2025 Starts Now for me — here’s why

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

January was chaotic for me, with family time over the holidays, snow days, travel for Podfest, and a house full of sick people. Despite all that, my b...

Automation and Delegation are Worth It

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

“How do I know if investing in automation is worth it?” This was a question someone asked me after my talk at Podfest. And it’s a fair question....

Using AI: Disclose It or Don’t Use It

20 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This one might ruffle some feathers, but I’m OK with that. I think we NEED to disclose the usage of AI in creative work more. It’s less about sign...

How to Create Content Your Audience Actually Wants

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Halfway through writing nearly 24 articles for my Podcast Advent project, I started to wonder if I was wasting my time. Is this worth it? Am I writing...

2025 Yearly Theme: The Year of Being Present

06 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's time for 2025's yearly theme. While The Year of Control didn't go as planned, I'm excited to have a much better plan in place for this year's the...

Generosity and the Future: My Favorite Christmas Story

20 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

My Biggest Failure, and Success, of 2024

16 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

2024 has been a transformative year for me. I learned a ton about myself and my business, and for the first time in a while I feel like I’m not flai...

It’s Been 2 Years Since ChatGPT Came Out. How do Solopreneurs Use It?

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been two years since ChatGPT went mainstream, and AI has completely transformed how we work. While I maintain some hesitancy and skepticism in ...

How to Build Authority as a Solopreneur with Jessica Lackey

02 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“Build your authority” feels like advice that’s often given without a solution attached. And it’s SO important to solopreneurs, especially sin...

Some Apps and Services I'm Grateful for

30 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this bonus episode, I share a gratitude-inspired look at the tools and habits that have shaped my year, including my favorite apps, services, and h...

Work-Life Balance Reframed: Be Kind to Yourself with Lindsey Carnick

25 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever been playing with your kids or trying to relax, but your mind keeps drifting back to work? Trust me, you’re not alone! It can feel fru...

The 2024 Solopreneur's Gift Guide (with Cat Mulvihill)

20 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the annual gift guide episode! Except, instead of just talking at you for 40 minutes, This year, I’ve teamed up with my good friend Cat Mulvi...

How Solopreneurs Can Work with a Virtual Assistant

18 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Bringing a VA into your business can free up your time and help you focus on growth, but finding and effectively working with the right VA requires cl...

Free Preview: Joe's Audio Notes

15 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A few months ago I launched a free private podcast called Joe’s Audio Notes. The episodes are very short (7 minutes or less), where I share my thoug...

How to Build a Flexible Lifestyle Business with Den López

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ever thought about creating an online course that truly makes a difference? One that actually helps people accomplish their goals? That’s exactly wh...

Why You Need to Automate Your Business as a Busy Parent with Kim Caloca-Madden

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Being a business owner is hard. So is being a parent. So why don’t we hear more about how to do both well? Fret not – that’s why I brought Kim C...

How are you Protecting Your Time?

28 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The summer had one lasting effect I didn’t notice until recently: I made my schedule pretty open for anyone who wanted to meet. I didn’t want them...

How to Actually Sell Stuff Using Social Media with Katie Brinkley

21 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

My love-hate[but mostly hate] relationship with social media is well documented. It feels like a time-suck where you get into arguments with people wh...

How to go from chaos to peace as a busy solopreneur with Conny Graf

14 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s easy for people who live unconstrained lives to give advice. “Just meditate for 2 hours each morning.” “Hustle.” “Get rid of anything...

4 Ways to Market Without Social Media with Emily Aborn

07 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you hate social media as much as I do? Some experts will tell you that you need social media to market,  but that’s increasingly not true. Gone ...

Just Launch the Dang Program Already

30 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I made an unexpected $300 over a weekend in September. And I know that doesn’t sound like a lot — but it’s money I didn’t have, that I have no...

How Important is a Good Home Studio, Really? with Junaid Ahmed

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I’ve been thinking a lot about the notion of starting simple (or messy) vs. starting perfect. And while I definitely fall more on the side of “sta...

Finding Your Non-Negotiable for Health Work-Life Balance with Terry Toh

16 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Recently my friend Justin asked on X, “How do you define success?” I said, “Can I knock off for a day at will  to spend time with my family?”...

The Importance of Episode Segments (Bonus!)

13 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wonder how to make your podcast stand out in a sea of content? After a serendipitous conversation at Podcast Movement 2024, I uncovered a game-ch...

Scaling Your Business While Staying a Solopreneur with Joel Oliver

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re anything like me, you probably think about ways you can appreciably scale your business. Part of streamlining, after all, is taking things...

Was Skipping Summer Camp Worth It?

02 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the end of the summer and the end of our experiment to keep our kids home instead of sending them to summer camp. So today I’m going to answe...

Mastering Visual Storytelling in Presentations with Emily Schneider

26 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I think failing to give a good presentation is an incredibly missed opportunity. You have everything: a captive audience, borrowed credibility, and a ...

Working Through my Product Ladder

19 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you have offerings for people at any level of their journey? That’s the importance of having a well-defined product ladder. A product ladder prov...

Reclaiming Control: Navigating the Hosted vs. Self-Hosted Dilemma

12 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the endless options for hosting your online business? The decision between a hosted platform like Squarespace or a self...

How Solopreneurs can Optimize Their Taxes with Rachel Stas

22 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Why and How I’m Fixing my Newsletter

15 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Generating Predictable Income Joining Affiliate Programs with Justine Galea

08 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The Philosophies Behind Choosing the Right Tools (Without Breaking the Bank) with Sarah St John

01 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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. ...

Why Solopreneurs NEED to Time Track

24 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Your Next 1000 Leads: How To Consistently Attract Prospects Into Your Business with Jennie Wright

17 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 bod...

Organizing Your Digital Life (using Obsidian?) with Mike Schmitz

10 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

How to Create a Winning Content Calendar with Kaitlyn Merola

03 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 abou...

Why We’re Not Doing Summer Camp (and How it’s Affecting my Business)

27 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Solopreneur’s Guide to SEO in 2024 with Lauren Gaggioli

20 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 wa...

Make Your Website a Team Member with Monica Pitts

13 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 neve...

Forget the Tools: Focus on Mindset with Rashelle Isip

06 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 bread...

Rebranding my YouTube Channel

29 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Can AI Change What and How We Repurpose With Greg Wasserman

22 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 e...

How I Built It is now Streamlined Solopreneur!

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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://stream...

Building Native Apps using Nocode as a Team of One with Karla Fernandes

15 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The first documented parachute jump happened in the late 1700s, when André-Jacques Garnerin just from balloons at “only” 2000 feet. He no doubt p...

From Doubt to Determination: Pushing Through the Podcasting Dip [Podcraft]

11 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 pod...

My Be Everywhere Strategy was an Incredible Failure (Which is Good)

08 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 f...

Discovering What Customers Really Want with Georgiana Laudi

01 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Tools Check-in: What am I using so far in 2024?

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 lon...

Rethinking Our Relationship with Time and Money with Khe Hy

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I abhor hustle culture. Telling someone to work a full-time job, then go home and work more all for some goal that keeps changing is, in my opinion, h...

Aligning Your Values to Set the Right Goals with Tanya Alvarez

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What do you want your life to look like? Last week I talked about how not being intentional is kind of like driving a car without the GPS. But goal se...

Why I’m Killing my Membership

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Not being intentional in your business is a bit like getting in your car and driving without the GPS. Sure…you generally know where you’re going. ...

Why Every Business Owner Needs a Podcast with Krystal Proffitt

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you really need social media to build a following? To build expertise? To be successful? It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot. I think...

Solopreneurs Need to Sell Strategy as a Service with Maggie Patterson

19 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

During the pandemic, we were told one thing seemingly over and over again: You need to start a membership. You need a community. That’s the only way...

Taking a bet on Substack’s Network Effect with Nathalie Lussier

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Choosing the right platform can feel like an impossible task sometimes. There are so many options, from services to creating your own website and owni...

What’s Missing From Your Process?

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One of my favorite Disney+ shows is Loki. It’s a truly fascinating look at time travel, predetermined events, and controlling your own destiny.And n...

Great Things Require Time

30 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It was Christmas Eve, and I was waiting in line for bagels.As someone who grew up in New York now living close to Philly, I’m admittedly a snob abou...

My Experiment with Substack and Being “Everywhere”

22 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I sweat bullets over finding the right tools. Some might say I am an Overthinker.And that is an asset to me. But occasionally, it causes crippling ana...

Why LinkedIn's "Best Practices" Might Be Your Downfall in 2024 with Matt Clark

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It was a wild year for social media in 2023. Twitter turned into X. Meta launched Threads. And LinkedIn started off the year as a promising platform f...

My 2024 Yearly Theme

08 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The word 'Control' evokes various thoughts and emotions, many of which are negative. Control is often associated with an excessive desire to dominate ...

How to be a Scrappy Researcher (to Actually Sell Products) with Becky Pierson Davidson

18 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Over the last few weeks, you’ve heard from multiple guests about the importance of research – Dappz talking about calculated risks and doing resea...

You're Using AI All Wrong with Bryan McAnulty

11 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A few weeks ago, I ruffled some feathers on social media. I said, “Telling people you wrote your book with AI is like telling people you ran a marat...

How to be Prepared (and Reach More People) as a Podcast Guest with Adriana Baer

04 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine that you’re going to give a talk on a topic you know really well. You spend time on the presentation, rehearse it 100 times, dial in the sli...

Stop doing "Sales" and Start Having Conversations with Nikki Rausch

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Recently, I sat down to dinner with my family when the doorbell rang. It was a door-to-door HelloFresh salesman, who wanted to make dinner easier for ...

Turning the Table: How do I Find the Right Lead Magnet for my Podcast with Zach Swinehart

20 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Social media advice these days reminds me a bit of the parable of the Emperor with no Clothes. See, it's easy for anyone to display how smart and succ...

Should We Use AI to Write for Us? (Debate with Alastair McDermott)

17 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How much help is too much help? When do you go from the actual worker to the visionary? And where does AI fit into all of this? Over on LinkedIn, I sa...

Why You NEED to Take Calculated Risks to Grow Your Business with Matt "Dappz" McGuckin

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine making $70,000…from your bedroom…in one night. That’s exactly what Matt “Dappz” McGuckin did with his online trading cards shop. He...

The 2023 Solopreneur's Gift Guide

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Over the years, I’ve published a great many gift guides on my blog. From freelancers, to podcasters, to working from home, and even my hobbies — l...

Why Awkwardness Is Your Competitive Advantage in Content Creation with Henna Pryor

30 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you remember the most awkward moments of your life? One for me was definitely the day I was defending my master’s thesis. I was explaining a comp...

The Importance of Digital Storytelling

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A family walks into a talent agency, and says, “Have we got the act for you…”If you’re familiar with this opening to a joke, you may have had ...

Sometimes You Need to Fire Everyone and Start from Scratch with Jordan Eaton

16 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a way, the chaotic start to our interview, followed by a calm, cool conversation, is a metaphor for Jordan’s business journey this year. See, th...

Podcast Workflows: How Trailer Park Got 10,000 Downloads in 6 weeks.

12 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's podcast swap time! Except I'm telling you about another podcast of mine: Podcast Workflows. It's a daily podcast that focuses on how to help podc...

Why Podcast Interviews are a Content Goldmine with Tom Schwab

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If I wanted to cater to the current algorithm gods, I’d probably talk about how this interview is all about what AI can and cannot do for us. But it...

How to Stand Out When Everything is Competing for Attention with Steve Woodruff

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Take the 2024 Listener Survey! Did you know that Netflix is also a gaming platform now? That Apple make TV shows? That Disney own a number of YouTube...

Using Twitter to Grow Your Podcast with Yong-Soo Chung

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Take the 2024 Listener Survey! Imagine running a high 7-figure business with over 300,000 followers on social media, then launching a podcast. How ma...

Create More Engaging Cohort-based Courses with the Flipped Classroom Model

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Take the 2024 Listener Survey! Cohort-based courses are on the decline if the tastemakers are to be believed. And it makes sense. Now that people are...

Why You're Thinking About Building in Public the Wrong Way with Kevon Cheung

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Take the 2024 Listener Survey! I love Hibachi. I love the food. I love the experience. That seems a lot like building in public, right? After all, th...

An Emmy Award-Winning Producer Teaches You Storytelling with Cody Sheehy

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You need to tell a good story, no matter what kind of content you create. This is obvious in fiction, but it’s just as important in non-fiction. Don...

Why You Need to be on LinkedIn if You're a Creator with Kathleen Celmins

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you think about social networks as people, LinkedIn is TikTok’s dorky older, more professional sister…that the younger, more hip sister needs t...

Want People to Find Your Podcast? Do More Than Just Tweet with Deirdre Tshien

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I used to think that promoting my podcast was a matter of tweeting it (Xeeting it?) and hoping for the best. And while I’ve learned a TON over the y...

Summer Slow Down: 5 Tools I'm Trying

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's the summer and I just came off a ton of travel, so this episode is a mishmash of things and a little rambly. Strap in! We’ll talk about a contr...

Why You Need to Keep a Digital Journal as a Creator with Andy Ayim

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“I don’t need to write it down because I’ll remember” is hopelessly naive. Sorry if that stung, but it’s true. You need to write things down...

Building Your Business by Being Bold with Brooke Janousek

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

They say fortune favors the bold, and that’s definitely the case for Brooke Janousek. After decades in the marketing industry, she decided to strike...

What Baby Clothes Can Teach You About Understanding Your Customers

28 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re a parent, you’re probably familiar with something that’s been recently reintroduced into my life. It’s 2 am, and my 7-month-old son ...

Why Your Business NEEDS User Generated Content with Tory Gray

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Are you missing the boat on user-generated content? User-Generated Content (UGC) isn’t just for getting testimonials on social media. In fact, today...

Little Experiments I'm Running

21 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A few weeks ago Jay Clouse wrote about Experimentality on his blog. This is a concept I love because experimenting is the only way to know if what you...

The Best Thing You Can Do is Document YOUR Journey with Tim Stoddart

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“I despise social media.” This was my first impression of Tim Stoddart, and I was hooked. If you're feeling frustrated and discouraged by the lack...

My Monthly Digest Engine

14 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this month I made two decisions about the newsletter that you may have noticed:I got rid of the “Quick Hits” section (which was mostly my ...

Why I'm Going All-In on Long-Form Content

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What do you get when you follow the pack instead of doing what’s best for you? A bad content strategy. A year ago, I decided to focus on short-form ...

How I Found my VA

07 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Picture this: it's 2020. Your spouse is a nurse. You have one small kid with another on the way. You know child care will fall full to you for at leas...

You're Writing Your Business Book Wrong with Josh Bernoff

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We live in an age where everything needs to be fast, easy, and in high volume. I’ve seen people say, “I’m going to write 8 books this year.” J...

Thoughts on the Vision Pro

30 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Apple is rarely the first to market with a product, and for good reason. Here are 4 lessons you can learn from Apple introducing the Vision Pro at the...

Using Psychology to Build a Better Business with Julian Garsdean

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Are you a “Field of Dreams” marketer? Someone who thinks, “If I build it, they will come.” I was for a long time. Sometimes it feels like I st...

Thinking about Webinar Software

23 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

About a month ago I went on a quest to find the perfect webinar software. I create a spreadsheet and everything.But at CEX, I had a great conversation...