Thanks to StellarSites and Liquid Web for sponsoring. Learn more here: https://streamlined.fm/stellar

Are you a small business owner tired of confusing platform fees and limited tools?

I believe running a successful business should be less time-consuming, not more. That’s why choosing the right long-term tools is key. In this video, I reveal 3 proven ways small businesses—not just nonprofits—can use the GiveWP plugin to own their revenue and build an income stream that scales with them.

Here’s what you’ll learn:
Donations for Small Businesses: How to set up a “Buy Me a Coffee” style donation form on your WordPress site using the FREE version of GiveWP.

The $20,000 Crowdfunding Secret: My full breakdown of how I used GiveWP, Liquid Web, and vanilla WordPress to crowdfund a book and raise between $15k–$20k—all while keeping platform fees minimal.

Simple Subscriptions/Patrons: Skip the opaque fees of platforms like Patreon and set up simple, monthly subscriptions using GiveWP’s easy integrations with email service providers (Kit, MailChimp) and Zapier for premium content like a podcast.

Don’t settle for tools that lock you in or nickel-and-dime you with fees. Own your platform and simplify your success!

?? Check out GiveWP: https://stellarwp.pxf.io/4ejvb9 (and thanks again to Liquid Web and StellarSites for sponsoring!!)

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Chapters
 0:00 Running a Small Business: Automation and the Right Tools
 0:49 Give WP: The Right Tool for Small Business Owners
 2:13 Using Give WP for Donations: Setup and Benefits
 5:12 Crowdfunding Your Project with Give WP
 9:02 Setting Up Patronage and Subscriptions with Give WP
 11:31 Why Choose Give WP for Your Business

I’ve been trying to make Blue Sky feel like Twitter circa 2009 — quick thoughts, no algorithms, real conversations.

But I didn’t want to post twice every time I wrote something on my blog.

So I built this automation in Zapier that posts directly from my WordPress RSS feed to Blue Sky, and even changes the post style based on category.

Now my “briefs” show up as native text posts, and my regular blog articles get clean, formatted links.

If you’ve ever wanted your blog to run like a social feed, this is how you do it — no code required.

Want more automations and systems tips delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe for free at https://casabona.org/youtube – https://casabona.org/youtube

Chapters:

00:00 Rethinking Social Media: From Networks to Personal Blogs
01:47 Exploring Blue Sky App Compatibility in Zapier
02:34 Configuring RSS Feed Trigger in Zapier
03:27 Formatting Posts Based on Category Using Paths
06:07 Setting Up a Fallback Path for Regular Blog Posts
07:49 Publishing the Zap and Considerations for Text Length
08:19 Customizing Blog Post Appearance on Blue Sky

Timing is the unsung hero of automation.

A lot of people talk about triggers, actions, and conditions—but there’s a fourth component that gets overlooked: WHEN the automation runs.

That timing decision changes everything.

For example, if someone joins your mailing list and you promised them a PDF—they expect that delivery to be instant. Same thing if they just bought a membership and you’re giving them access to a members-only podcast. That needs to happen right away.

But if you’re scanning your inbox for a specific subject line? You don’t need that running in real time. That’s wasteful—and expensive.

When I used to scan for Help a Reporter Out (HARO) emails, I would look for certain words and add them to Notion. I only needed that automation a couple of times a day.

You can also run automations at very specific times. At 6PM, I set my office lights to red so I know it’s time to go upstairs and end my workday. You can even go deeper and combine timing with a condition—like turning on your Christmas lights at sunset between November 27 and January 10.

So when you build an automation, don’t just focus on what it’s doing. Think about when it should run… and whether it really needs to do that job instantly.

Hi, I’m Joe Casabona. I help busy solopreneur parents build systems so they’re not always checking their email at the playground. If you liked this, check out my newsletter!

Ever end your day with a million things swirling in your head—and no time to organize them?

Yeah, me too. And if I don’t get them out of my brain right away, I’ll forget at least half.

So I automated it.

I call it my “task ramble.”

At the end of the day, I talk on my phone—literally just say everything I can think of. That audio gets transcribed, sent through Zapier to ChatGPT, turned into a task list, and dropped into Todoist.

Now, sure, it’s not 100% automated—I still need to talk to my phone.

But compared to the alternative—stuff not getting done at all because I had to rush out the door—it’s a game-changer.

This is hands-down my favorite kind of automation: the “can’t forget” task. It takes the mental load off and makes sure nothing slips through the cracks.

Hi, I’m Joe Casabona. I help busy solopreneur parents build systems so they’re not always checking their email at the playground. If you liked this, check out my newsletter!