Coffee with Carma

Carma Spence
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Tips brewed for your success along the Author’s Journey. Early morning insights on writing, publishing, and marketing client-attracting books. carmaspence.substack.com

  1. 1h ago

    AI Systems for Business: 3 Steps to Raise AI the Right Way

    Inspired by the 1966 film The War of the Gargantuas Coffee with Carma | Episode 474 Two giants came from the same cells. One turned out fine. One turned into a monster. In this episode, I use that split from The War of the Gargantuas to walk you through the three steps I use to raise my own AI systems. I also get honest about exactly where AI helps me and where I do the real thinking myself. If you want AI that earns your trust instead of embarrassing you in front of your audience, this one’s for you. Questions This Episode Answers: * How do I build an AI system I can trust? * What’s the right order for building an SOP before handing tasks to AI? * How do I decide what AI should and shouldn’t do in my business? * Why did an author lose his book deal over AI use? * How transparent do I need to be about using AI in my content? Ready to implement what you learned this week? Every Friday, Reserved Table members get a tool or resource built to help you take action on the week’s topic. Simple enough to complete over the weekend, powerful enough to move your book forward. Thanks for reading Authority by Design! This post is public so feel free to share it. Authority by Design is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Authority by Design at carmaspence.substack.com/subscribe

    AI Systems for Business: 3 Steps to Raise AI the Right Way

  2. 2d ago

    5 AI Oversight Principles Every Author Should Know

    Coffee with Carma | Episode 473 I keep hearing people talk about AI like it’s a light switch. They are either keeping it fully caged and unused, or fully free and running the show. Most don’t seem to be doing something in between. In this episode, I share the story of Joy and George Adamson raising Elsa in Born Free. And use it to illustrate five principles for finding the middle ground with your AI systems. I share a real story about my own AI skill that wouldn’t stop telling me “no pink.” I explain why release doesn’t mean disappear. And I share why I believe nothing an AI produces should go out the door without a human checking it first. If you’ve ever wondered how much oversight is enough, this episode gives you a real answer. Questions This Episode Answers: * How much oversight does AI actually need once it’s working well? * What does human-in-the-loop AI look like in practice? * Why do AI tools seem to change behavior after a model update? * Is it safe to let AI publish content without review? * How do you train an AI skill to remember your brand guidelines? Want to implement what you’ll learn this week? Every Friday, Reserved Table members get a tool or resource built to help you take action on the week’s topic. Simple enough to complete over the weekend, powerful enough to move your book forward. Thanks for reading Authority by Design! This post is public so feel free to share it. Authority by Design is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Authority by Design at carmaspence.substack.com/subscribe

    5 AI Oversight Principles Every Author Should Know

  3. 5d ago

    Claim Your Authority Before You Feel Ready: What Dr. Goldfoot Taught Me

    Coffee with Carma | Episode 472 In this episode, I break down three lessons on claiming authority before you feel ready. I pull them straight from the gloriously ridiculous spy spoof Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs. I also share the story of why I just renamed my own book. If you have been waiting to feel ready before you claim your authority, this episode is for you. Questions This Episode Answers: * How do I claim authority before I feel ready to write a book? * Why should I write a book before I feel fully established in my business? * What does it mean to treat a book as a uniform instead of a reward? * How do I take imperfect action on my book without a perfect plan? * Why did Carma rename her book from Author Ignition to Authority with Integrity? This week’s Reserved Table tool is already live. I built it to help you take what you’ve learned this week and move your book forward over the weekend. Thanks for reading Authority by Design! This post is public so feel free to share it. Authority by Design is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Authority by Design at carmaspence.substack.com/subscribe

    Claim Your Authority Before You Feel Ready: What Dr. Goldfoot Taught Me

  4. Aug 13

    Author Positioning: 3 Steps to Stop Waiting and Get Known

    Inspired by the 1966 Rankin/Bass Feature Film, The Daydreamer Coffee with Carma | Episode 471 Many experts think the right people will eventually find them. They don’t, not without help. In this episode, I share three steps that move you from wishful thinking to clear author positioning. You’ll walk away with a concrete way to stop waiting to be noticed and start being known. Questions This Episode Answers: * How do I build clear author positioning if I’ve been staying quiet? * Why does AI recommend some authors and not others? * What does it mean to say the thing no one else will say in my industry? * How do I know if my content pillars actually reflect my author authority? * Why isn’t “the right people will find me” a real strategy? Ready to implement what you learned this week? Every Friday, Reserved Table members get a tool or resource built to help you take action on the week’s topic. Simple enough to complete over the weekend, powerful enough to move your book forward. Thanks for reading Authority by Design! This post is public so feel free to share it. Authority by Design is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Authority by Design at carmaspence.substack.com/subscribe

    Author Positioning: 3 Steps to Stop Waiting and Get Known

  5. Aug 11

    Build Authority as an Expert Before You Feel Ready

    Inspired by The Ghost and Mr. Chicken Starring Don Knotts Coffee with Carma | Episode 470 In this episode, I share five lessons on why hesitation is costing you your authority. I use the 1966 Don Knotts film The Ghost and Mr. Chicken as my lens. You’ll see why “not ready to write a book” usually means “not ready to be seen as an authority.” You’ll learn why the story goes to whoever shows up first. And you’ll discover why courage was never about the absence of fear. If you’ve been waiting to feel ready before you claim your spot, this episode is for you. Questions This Episode Answers: * Why do I feel like I’m not ready to write my book? * How do I stop someone else from claiming my expertise? * Is courage the same thing as not feeling afraid? * How do I start building authority before I feel fully prepared? * What question should I ask instead of “Am I ready?” Ready to implement what you learned this week? Every Friday, Reserved Table members get a tool or resource built to help you take action on the week’s topic. Simple enough to complete over the weekend, powerful enough to move your book forward. Thanks for reading Authority by Design! This post is public so feel free to share it. Authority by Design is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Authority by Design at carmaspence.substack.com/subscribe

    Build Authority as an Expert Before You Feel Ready

  6. Aug 8

    Business Systems That Get Used (Not Just Written)

    Inspired by Batman: The Movie (1966) Coffee with Carma | Episode 469 I love finding business lessons in the most unexpected places. Today it’s the campy 1966 superhero film, Batman: The Movie. In this episode, I share three ways to get your systems out of your head and onto paper. If your processes only live in your memory, you’ll want to hear this one. Questions This Episode Answers: * What is an SOP and does it have to be complicated? * How do I turn a recording of myself doing a task into written instructions? * Why do I keep forgetting the steps to tasks I do all the time? * What’s the fastest way to start documenting my business processes? * Should I cross off or highlight items on my checklist? This week’s Reserved Table tool is already live. I built it to help you take what you’ve learned this week and move your book forward over the weekend. Thanks for reading Authority by Design! This post is public, so feel free to share it. Authority by Design is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Authority by Design at carmaspence.substack.com/subscribe

    Business Systems That Get Used (Not Just Written)

  7. Aug 6

    Business Systems 101: The Caveman Guide to Running Without You

    Coffee with Carma | Episode 468 What would happen to your business if you got hit by a bus tomorrow? In this episode, I use a 1966 caveman movie to explain why every business needs systems you can hand off. Don’t rely solely on instincts you alone understand. I share three steps for turning what you do by memory into something your team, or even AI, can pick up when you can’t. If your business only runs when you’re in it, you need this. Questions This Episode Answers: * What happens to my business if I’m suddenly unavailable? * How do I turn what I do by instinct into a repeatable process? * What’s the difference between an SOP for a human and one for AI? * Why do I need backup systems even when my current process works fine? Ready to implement what you learned this week? Every Friday, Reserved Table members get a tool or resource built to help you take action on the week’s topic. Simple enough to complete over the weekend, powerful enough to move your book forward. Thanks for reading Authority by Design! This post is public so feel free to share it. Authority by Design is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Authority by Design at carmaspence.substack.com/subscribe

    Business Systems 101: The Caveman Guide to Running Without You

  8. Aug 4

    Business Systems: 5 Lessons Every Owner Missed From Fantastic Voyage

    Coffee with Carma | Episode 467 I’m celebrating my 60th birthday this month. To celebrate, I’m adding a special touch to every episode through my birthday week. Each one features films released the year I was born. In this episode, I share five lessons inspired by Fantastic Voyage. The shrink-yourself-down-and-do-brain-surgery plot gave me an unexpected lens for talking about business systems. If you’ve ever felt like you’re improvising your way through your own business, this one’s for you. Questions This Episode Answers: * What can Fantastic Voyage teach me about business systems? * Why do businesses need a plan A and a plan B? * How do deadlines reveal what’s broken in a business? * Why shouldn’t everyone on my team have five jobs? * What happens when you don’t understand your own business systems? Ready to implement what you learned this week? Every Friday, Reserved Table members get a tool or resource built to help you take action on the week’s topic. Simple enough to complete over the weekend, powerful enough to move your book forward. Thanks for reading Authority by Design! This post is public so feel free to share it. Authority by Design is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Authority by Design at carmaspence.substack.com/subscribe

    Business Systems: 5 Lessons Every Owner Missed From Fantastic Voyage
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About

Tips brewed for your success along the Author’s Journey. Early morning insights on writing, publishing, and marketing client-attracting books. carmaspence.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Carma Spence
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    33
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Carma Spence
  • Show Website
    Coffee with Carma