Streamlined Solopreneur: Build a Business That's Not Overwhelming

It’s no secret I’m a full-on AI skeptic. And while I still use it, I’m very, very worried about the long-term effects of overuse. I saw a number of stories over the summer that point to us losing our ability to connect with other people.

We’ve decided that efficiency and productivity are more important than everything, including accuracy and trust. That we’ve decided to implicitly trust something made wholly by other people, some of whom don’t fully understand what their creation does.

Here’s my approach to AI, how we can be better, and my hopes for 2026.

What if your business could support your life instead of consuming it?
That’s exactly what Liz Wilcox has built — a $9/month membership that supports her family, her sister, and three other families… all while she takes summers off.

In this conversation, Liz shares how she built a half-million-dollar lifestyle business that aligns with her values — without sacrificing her time, her sanity, or her kid’s beach days.

We talk about launching imperfectly, setting clear expectations, and building a business that runs with your life, not against it. Liz’s energy and honesty are unmatched, and her story will change how you think about pricing, productivity, and purpose.

Top Takeaways

• A low-ticket offer can be high value — if you set clear expectations and deliver consistently.
• Don’t wait for perfect — Liz launched her $9 membership using Google Docs and built from there.
• Transparency builds trust. Tell your audience what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and when they can expect it.

I’m reading Amy Coney Barrett’s book, Listening to the Law, and it struck me that instead of writing using AI, we should write more like the Supreme Court…at least if we care about our audience. 

Every year, I put together a massive gift guide for small business owners — but this year, I wanted to do things differently. Instead of rattling off every gadget and tool I’ve ever tried, I’m sharing the handful of products that actually made my life easier in 2025.

From sleep earbuds that help me get more rest (even with kids and a dog) to the smart home lights that let me skip climbing into bushes every December, these are the gifts that save time, reduce friction, and make running a solo business just a little more fun.

If you’re shopping for yourself or a small business owner in your life, you’ll find something here that genuinely improves work and home life — without adding clutter or complexity.

Well, we're in the holiday gauntlet now. I've gotten several emails from small, service-based business promoting Black Friday sales, and I'm not sure that's a very good approach. I share my experience with successful, and less successful BF/CM deals I've run.

I also talk about my approach to affiliates,  and what I'm thinking about for that strategy in 2026.