Streamlined Solopreneur: Tips to Help Small Business Owners Grow Without Burnout

Joe Casabona, Business Systems Coach

You started your business for freedom, not to be chained to your desk. I help small business owners grow without burning out through simple, powerful online automations. On Streamlined Solopreneur you'll get real-world strategies, smarter workflows, and practical tools to help you reclaim your time and actually enjoy the freedom you set out to create. Your host, Joe Casabona, is a seasoned technologist with over 25 years of experience. He's seen how the right systems can transform a business. But more than that, He's a teacher at heart. His goal isn’t to overwhelm you with jargon, but to make complex ideas simple and give you an actionable plan you can actually use. Because your business should support your life—not take it over. Tune in every Monday, wherever you get your podcasts.

  1. How AI Can Actually Help Your Critical Thinking, not Hurt It

    14H AGO

    How AI Can Actually Help Your Critical Thinking, not Hurt It

    I’m deeply worried about humanity losing our critical thinking skills. We’ve seen it degrade in the social media era, and now we’re seeing people wholesale outsource it in the AI era.  But what if we can actually enhance our critical thinking with AI? I’m too much of a skeptic to tackle this topic on my own, which is why I brought in Christian Ulstrup, who’s doing some truly interesting things in the AI space.  We talk about how AI is changing the education space, how we work, and why we should look to classic philosophers, like Aristotle, for the answers to how we should approach AI. The Walk and Talk Framework Want a great way to use AI? Use Christian’s Walk and Talk Framework:  Gather Your "Digital Exhaust": First, collect the raw data you've already produced. The AI Prompt: Copy and paste your text into a large-context model (like Google AI Studio) and use this specific prompt:"I want you to pose to me three extremely precise, very hard-hitting questions, all of which are independent and have different coverage, that if sufficiently answered, would yield some kind of transformative, genuinely novel, impactful insight. Please make reference to the primary source material where appropriate in the context of the question."The "Thinking" PhaseDon't look at the questions yet.Copy them into a mobile notes app and go for a wayRead only the first question. Open a Voice Memo and monologue your answer. Don't worry about being polished—mumble, ask yourself follow-up questions, and grapple with the idea until you feel you've reached a breakthrough. Repeat for the remaining questions. Distill the InsightLinks Christian Ulstrup on LinkedInThe First Draft is Where the Magic HappensHow Much is AI Harming Our Ability to Connect?Deep Questions Ep. 380: ChatGPT is Not AliveAristotle's Four CausesGSD at WorkRadiant Meeting RecorderGoogle AI StudioMailmeteor What do you think? Send your feedback to streamlinedfeedback.com Simplify your tech stack at  https://streamlined.fm/tools ★ Support this podcast ★

    44 min
  2. How to Serve More People and Scale Your Income

    JAN 12

    How to Serve More People and Scale Your Income

    “What’s your exit strategy?” Someone actually asked me this when I was starting my business. I didn’t have one. I’m not in it for the exit.  But the question went to something deeper: how are you going to make actual money? Because the problem is most solo business owners charge hourly. Or they need to hire to scale. OR they need to sell the business.  But there’s a better way: Value-Based Pricing. And Jonathan Stark is here today to tell us about it.  Want to see how you’re spending your time so you can do more value-based pricing? Download my solopreneur self-assessment: https://streamlined.fm/impact  Links Jonathan StarkValue Pricing BootcampHourly Billing is Nuts What do you think? Send your feedback to streamlinedfeedback.com Simplify your tech stack at  https://streamlined.fm/tools ★ Support this podcast ★

    55 min
  3. New Podcast: Paper & Smoke [Trailer Drop]

    JAN 9 · BONUS

    New Podcast: Paper & Smoke [Trailer Drop]

    I am no Luddite. I have three pieces of technology that monitor my health and wellness. I’ve come to rely on many devices. That is why I am doing a digital detox. This is Paper and Smoke. It’s a look at how real-world craft happens, through the lens of a technologist going through digital detox. In a society increasingly online (and outsourcing thinking to AI), Paper and Smoke celebrates the real, the tangible, and the analog. Learn more at https://paperandsmoke.com ★ Support this podcast ★

    4 min
  4. The Year of Digital Detox (2026 Yearly Theme)

    JAN 5

    The Year of Digital Detox (2026 Yearly Theme)

    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 Notes My 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/ Chapters 00:00 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 (04:12) - Grading The Year of Being Present (12:09) - What I Learned from The Year of Being Present (15:39) - My 2026 Yearly Theme (17:48) - Goal 1: Using my Devices Less (23:37) - Goal 2: Live in the Analog World (28:17) - Wrapping Up Simplify your tech stack at  https://streamlined.fm/tools ★ Support this podcast ★

    30 min
  5. An End of the Year (Beginning of the Year?) Update

    JAN 1 · BONUS

    An End of the Year (Beginning of the Year?) Update

    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 Simplify your tech stack at  https://streamlined.fm/tools ★ Support this podcast ★

    4 min
  6. My Favorite Tech, Apps, and Media of 2025

    12/31/2025 · BONUS

    My Favorite Tech, Apps, and Media of 2025

    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 Simplify your tech stack at  https://streamlined.fm/tools ★ Support this podcast ★

    29 min
  7. How I Saved Laura Brazan More Than She Spent on my Coaching

    12/29/2025

    How I Saved Laura Brazan More Than She Spent on my Coaching

    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  Links Grandparents 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.Simplify your tech stack at  https://streamlined.fm/tools ★ Support this podcast ★

    39 min
  8. Replay: My Favorite Christmas Story

    12/25/2025 · BONUS

    Replay: My Favorite Christmas Story

    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 Notes Read the Story at Casabona.orgSubmit feedback at https://streamlinedfeedback.com Simplify your tech stack at  https://streamlined.fm/tools ★ Support this podcast ★

    8 min
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4.1
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About

You started your business for freedom, not to be chained to your desk. I help small business owners grow without burning out through simple, powerful online automations. On Streamlined Solopreneur you'll get real-world strategies, smarter workflows, and practical tools to help you reclaim your time and actually enjoy the freedom you set out to create. Your host, Joe Casabona, is a seasoned technologist with over 25 years of experience. He's seen how the right systems can transform a business. But more than that, He's a teacher at heart. His goal isn’t to overwhelm you with jargon, but to make complex ideas simple and give you an actionable plan you can actually use. Because your business should support your life—not take it over. Tune in every Monday, wherever you get your podcasts.

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