Streamlined Solopreneur: Tips to Help Solopreneurs Automate Their Business

Joe Casabona — Automation & Podcast Coach
Streamlined Solopreneur: Tips to Help Solopreneurs Automate Their Business

You didn’t start your business to work 24/7—you started it for freedom. But between endless tasks, client work, and content creation, it feels like you’re drowning. Streamlined Solopreneur helps you save time, simplify your systems, and automate your business so you can finally step back and focus on what truly matters—whether that’s growing your income, spending more time with your family, or just watching a movie in the middle of the day. Join me, Joe Casabona, as I share actionable strategies, automation tips, and gear recommendations to reduce friction and help you build a spacious business that gives you the life you want.

  1. Shortcuts That Make Life Easier for Me

    MAR 10

    Shortcuts That Make Life Easier for Me

    I HATE feeling friction with tech that’s supposed to make my life easier. And I love my iPhone, but I feel the friction sometimes. Apple Shortcuts can help solopreneurs automate repetitive tasks and reduce that friction. Today I break down some of my favorite shortcuts to show you how I make my life easier and help you come up with ideas. Whether it’s streamlining content creation, organizing tasks, or even just cleaning up screenshots, the right shortcuts can save time and reduce friction. The key takeaway? Look for areas where you repeatedly perform the same actions and build shortcuts to handle them. If you’re constantly adding things to reminders, capturing notes, or planning travel, there’s likely a way to make it easier. For all of the links mentioned in this episode, go to https://streamlined.fm/465 Top Takeaways Apple Shortcuts can automate daily tasks, from capturing notes and managing to-dos to preparing for trips and cleaning up your phone’s clutter.The best shortcuts remove friction—if a task feels tedious, it’s a good candidate for automation.Experimenting with Shortcuts can help you find simple ways to optimize your work and personal life.Want to download my favorite Shortcuts (and 40 other automation templates)? Get them here: https://streamlined.fm/automate Show Notes An Introduction to Apple Shortcuts with Stephen RoblesOrganizing Your Digital Life with Mike SchmitzMacStories & Apple Frames by Federico Viticci Actions for ObsidianWhisper MemosNautomate for Notion UsersShortcuts The Make Life Easier for Me ★ Support this podcast ★

    21 min
  2. How I Built My Own CRM Using Notion and Automation

    MAR 3

    How I Built My Own CRM Using Notion and Automation

    I hate CRMs. I know I need one—I’m doing more coaching, getting more inbound leads, and ranking in the top three organic search results for podcast coaches on Google. But no matter how many times I’ve tried HubSpot, Zoho, or whatever the flavor of the week is, they’ve never fit into my workflow. So I did a totally normal, not weird thing: I built my own CRM. In this episode, I walk through the simple system I set up using Notion, Todoist, Make.com, and my website. I’ll share why I built it this way, how it automates lead tracking and follow-ups, and why reducing friction is the key to sticking with any system. Plus, I’ll show you how you can apply this same approach to streamline your own processes—without forcing yourself into tools that don’t work for you.  For all of the links mentioned in this episode, go to https://streamlined.fm/464Top Takeaways The best CRM (or any tool) is the one you’ll actually use—start simple and build on tools you already know.If you struggle with sticking to a system, it’s likely because it doesn’t fit your natural workflow. Adapt the system, not yourself.Don’t limit yourself because of past experience. There is lots of flexibility in the apps we use today, and you can take advantage of that.Show Notes Screenshots I posted on LinkedInAutomations DatabaseNotionTodoistMake.comGravity FormsWant to see the automations I use? Get access to my 40+ Automations Database at streamlined.fm/automation.Send feedback to https://streamlinedfeedback.comFeeling stuck? Check out my unstuck sessions at https://casabona.org/unstuck ★ Support this podcast ★

    19 min
  3. Growing a YouTube Channel in a Crowded Field with Stephen Robles

    FEB 26

    Growing a YouTube Channel in a Crowded Field with Stephen Robles

    Stephen Robles is not only a Shortcuts and automation expert—he’s also built a successful YouTube channel covering Apple products, smart home tech, and (of course) Shortcuts. But he didn’t just start making random videos. He figured out how to create content that people actually want to watch. In this episode, Stephen breaks down his YouTube strategy: how he finds content ideas, how he packages videos for success, and why your title and thumbnail might be killing your views. If you’re a creator trying to grow on YouTube, this episode is packed with insights. For all of the links mentioned in this episode, go to https://streamlined.fm/463 Top Takeaways Your packaging (title & thumbnail) is everything. If no one clicks, no one watches—so spend time making them compelling.Experiment with content angles. Stephen didn’t review the iPhone 15—he focused just on USB-C, which made his video stand out.Consistency matters, but smart workflows matter more. He records multiple camera angles at once, uses AI to edit, and batches content to maximize efficiency.Show Notes Stephen’s YouTube Channel (Shortcuts Playlist)Stephen’s Shortcuts CommunityApple Shortcuts AppPushcut (for running Shortcuts automatically)Toolbox Pro (adds more actions to Shortcuts)Actions (another Shortcuts-enhancing app)Lutron Smart SwitchesMerossHomebridge (for adding non-HomeKit devices to Apple Home)Matt Cassinelli (Shortcuts Expert)Federico Viticci & MacStories (Apple & Automation)Gling.ai (AI-powered video editing tool)Transcriptionist (AI transcription app for Mac & iOS)ChatGPT API (for automating title ideas, OCR, and more)CleanShot X (for high-quality screen recordings on Mac)Ecamm LiveiZotope RX10 (audio cleanup & enhancement tool)DJI Osmo Pocket 3 (compact gimbal camera for video shooting)David Sparks (MacSparky) – Focus Modes & Productivity ExpertCGP Grey (YouTube Creator & Podcast Host, known for productivity & focus mode setups)Streamlined Feedback (Submit podcast & automation questions)Unstuck Sessions (1-on-1 coaching to get past business roadblocks)Want my Shortcuts and 40 more automations? Check out My Automations DatabaseSend Feedback: https://streamlinedfeedback.com ★ Support this podcast ★

    38 min
  4. An Introduction to Apple’s Shortcuts with Stephen Robles

    FEB 24

    An Introduction to Apple’s Shortcuts with Stephen Robles

    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 YouTuber and podcaster who’s been using Shortcuts since it was called Workflows before Apple bought it. We get into what Shortcuts actually does, and how you can use it to automate repetitive tasks, eliminate friction, and make your iPhone way more useful. Stephen also shares some incredible automation ideas, from formatting podcast show notes to controlling smart home devices. If you’ve ever thought, I wish my phone just did this for me, there’s a good chance Shortcuts can make that happen. For all of the links mentioned in this episode, go to https://streamlined.fm/462 Top Takeaways Shortcuts can automate almost anything. Whether it’s formatting text, logging data, or running workflows with a tap, it’s a game-changer.The Action Button takes it further. You can assign multiple shortcuts to one button press, making it even more versatile.Home automation can be super smart. Stephen shares how his smart shades close when he turns on the bathroom fan and how his patio fans activate when it gets hot.Show Notes Stephen’s YouTube Channel (Shortcuts Playlist)Stephen’s Shortcuts CommunityApple Shortcuts AppPushcut (for running Shortcuts automatically)Toolbox Pro (adds more actions to Shortcuts)Actions (another Shortcuts-enhancing app)Lutron Smart SwitchesSend Feedback: https://streamlinedfeedback.com ★ Support this podcast ★

    33 min
4.1
out of 5
102 Ratings

About

You didn’t start your business to work 24/7—you started it for freedom. But between endless tasks, client work, and content creation, it feels like you’re drowning. Streamlined Solopreneur helps you save time, simplify your systems, and automate your business so you can finally step back and focus on what truly matters—whether that’s growing your income, spending more time with your family, or just watching a movie in the middle of the day. Join me, Joe Casabona, as I share actionable strategies, automation tips, and gear recommendations to reduce friction and help you build a spacious business that gives you the life you want.

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