Joe Casabona: Hey, Joe Casabona here, and I'm just letting you know that How I Built It is now Streamlined Solopreneur. So if you're seeing a new artwork and a new name in your podcast player, that is expected and by design. The new name better reflects the mission and really what has been the mission of this show for the last few years, and I'm really excited about it. All the links in the show notes and [howibuilt.it] will still work, but the show also has a new home over at [streamlined.fm] if you wanna check it out. Thanks so much for listening.
“You know, I always like to say to people, if you can't see the tool or identify the tool for what it is, whether it's, you know, paper, digital, an app, switch it out for a more physical item that you can relate to or visualize. So an example I like to use is email. Right? People will say, oh, I have to be on email, email, email, email. But you have to remember, at the essence, what email is a tool. So one of the analogies I like to make is saying, well, do a carpenter who is trying to build a bunch of furniture, do they sit there and fret over a hammer and just stare at the hammer and look at the hammer all day long? No. They pick up the hammer, they use it, they put it down, they might pick up a saw, you know, they might pick up something else and use it to build what it is that they need to build, but they're not solely focused on that one tool for the whole day. You know, we have to use it as part of our work, not focus solely on it.”- Rashelle Isip
Joe Casabona: I know this is going to sound like an Italian stereotype, but my mother makes the best chicken cutlets. They are thin cuts of chicken, perfectly breaded and seasoned, and they taste amazing, hot and cold. I'd watch her in hopes of learning how to make them as well as hers or at least close to it. And she would tell me things like, you just know how much breading to use and cook them until they look right. She was or is an expert at this. What she didn't do was walk into the kitchen and then get paralyzed over which pan to use or the perfect wooden spoon for the job. She'd get right to work.
As solopreneurs, it's easy for us to fall into the trap of, this tool will save me. This tool will get me back on track. But it's often your mindset that needs adjusting first. That's why today, I'm talking to Rachelle Isip, the Order Expert. Much like me, she helps business owners be more productive and less stressed. But while I'm an implementer, she focuses more on mindset and taking a look at everything going on in her clients' lives.
So look for these top takeaways.
- You should take a step back and evaluate the systems in place, and then reassess how they impact your daily routines and your overall life. This is crucial to putting the right system in place and not just copying someone else's, which probably won't work for you.
- When adopting new tools, approach them with curiosity and intentional limitation. These are the words that Rashelle used. You want to assess their effectiveness in streamlining your systems and getting organized, but you don't want them to take over your whole workday or workweek.
- Maintain a positive mindset. Adapt to unexpected setbacks with flexibility, and remember to be forgiving and gentle with yourself when things don't go according to plan. Life happens, and it's all about how we handle the situations when life happens.
This is, I think, the perfect conversation to kick off a new era in this show as the Streamlined Solopreneur. So I'm really excited for you to hear our conversation. To get all of the show notes, and to hear this and every episode ad-free and extended, you can head over to [streamlined.fm/417] But for now, let's get to the intro and then the interview.
Welcome to the Streamlined Solopreneur. A show for busy solopreneurs to help you improve your systems and processes so you can build a business while spending your time the way you want. I know you're busy, so let's get started.
Joe Casabona: All right. I am here with Rashelle Isip. I'm really excited, also known as the Order Expert. The perfect guest for the newly rebranded Streamlined Solopreneur. Rashelle, how are you today?
Rashelle Isip: I'm doing well, Joe. How are you?
Joe Casabona: I'm great. As we record this because, I always break, like, the cardinal rule of don't timestamp your podcasts. As we record this, I have just launched the rebrand of this show, and so, really excited what you do perfectly aligns with the new mission, or the the new stated mission of the podcast. So. thanks so much for coming on.
Rashelle Isip: Oh, thanks for having me. I'm glad to be here.
Joe Casabona: Awesome. And so let's dive right into it. Right? We're gonna talk about productivity and systems without stress. I am very big on systems. What the first, what's our first step in our march towards productivity and systems without stress? Like, how do we build our systems?
Rashelle Isip: The way I think people go about systems in general, is a bit backward because we go into it with this thinking of, I gotta have a system. I gotta make the system work. The system. The system. But we don't realize that the system is actually part of our working environment, and it's there to actually help and support us on a daily basis. So part of my work is to help people think about productivity and systems in a new way. And what I really encourage people to do is to really take that moment to step back and view the system not only as the system but how it will fit into your daily workflow and routine.
Joe Casabona: I like that a lot. It's I do a lot of sports analogies, and, like, I almost think of it like, if Aaron Judge (I'm a huge Yankee fan), if Aaron Judge was like, I need a system. Like, how does Lebron James prepare for his games? Right? Like, that's Lebron James might have a system, but now you're just kind of like, that's not gonna work for him. They play two different sports. They have two very different body types. And so it sounds like what you're saying is having a system for the sake of having a system is not gonna work
Rashelle Isip: Correct. It needs to be existing within, you know, its own environment, like, as a whole. So it's more of a holistic approach. It's not just, let me just create a system so I can follow it to the letter. It really has to plug in to how you're going about your work, how you're doing your errands, how you're doing your chores, how you're doing work, tasks, projects, and assignments. It really has to support it. So I think that's a big thing that people should keep in mind. It's really about support. It's not just about, I have the system. How is the system going to support me in my future endeavors?
Joe Casabona: Right. Yeah. I love that. And something I learned the hard way, right, is that I've been self-employed since 14. Right? Like, I was freelancing. I made my first website when I was 14. My system, as far as 14-year-olds can have, was very different from the one I had in college where, like, my workload changed versus being out in the real world and managing a full-time job and freelancing versus now that I have kids. Right? Like, if I had tried to just be like, oh, I can't lose my system, I wouldn't be, I either wouldn't be an effective solopreneur or I wouldn't be an effective parent. Right? Because I'm trying to jam some like, I'm, you know, trying to put a square peg in a round hole.
Rashelle Isip: Yeah. And I think that's something that people tend to trip themselves up with. They think, well, if this system worked for me in this stage of my life, I can just transfer it to the next, and no problem, piece of cake, you know, it'll work. But we have to realize that in our lives, things change. Right? We grow, we learn, and we improve our skills and our knowledge. And with that, our ability to work and get things done naturally changes as well. So what worked for someone when they were a student may not be the same, you know, when they have a full-time job or when they start a family, and that's perfectly fine.
I think another thing that people should remember too when it comes to systems, they're not static. They actually grow and change too. If you ask anybody who's created any type of system throughout history, you know, whether in the modern world or even in the past, in the ancient world, systems change. They grow. They evolve. You know, we learn new things. We experience the world in a new way. We have global events that happen, so these systems aren't static. They're always changing. They're fluid. They're growing.
Joe Casabona: Yeah. Such an important point, and I think it's really worth driving that point home because, you know, something I think we both help people with this. I do it more in the podcasting space is people look at my automation and my system for how I publish my episodes, and they're like, you just, you have this? And I'm like, no. I built this over 8 years. Like, I didn't start with all of this. I started with, oh, I need to hire an editor. And then I was like, oh, I should probably be more efficient in how I get my files to my editor via just, like, here's an email with a Dropbox link. Right? Oh, now I'm spending too much time actually publishing it. I'm gonna have my VA do that. I'm gonna be more efficient in my editor getting the files to my VA and me not having to be a part of it. It's like you said, it evolves. It grows. It changes. And you can iterate. That's the beautiful thing about working on the Internet, really.
Rashelle Isip: Yeah. And I think, you know, in today's day and age, we're just at such a place where we have the ability and, in some ways, a luxury too to do that experimentation and have that trial and error, whether it's using, you know, a particular tool or a technique, tracking that item, and just seeing how things go because, wow, I mean, we can communicate with people in so many different ways, you know, in society today, and there's just so much available to us and how we can communicate, reach out, you know, improve our systems, you know, from that flow. So yeah. Definitely.
Joe Casabona: Yes. And I wanna get to, I think this kind of big question and stumbling point that people have, But I do wanna ask you first, about the experimentation. Right? Because I think that for a long time and probably now still a little bit today, I might experiment a little bit too much with tools. Right? This is maybe something that I learned as a programmer. Like, oh, this new framework is out. I should try that. And then eventually, I was like, I should try it if I need it. But even so, like, I'll publish something about, like, a new tool I'm trying, and I won't really disclaim that I'm just kind of trying it. Right? I'll be like, oh, I'm using this tool now, and people will interpret that as like, oh, this must be part of Joe's new workflow. I'm gonna try it versus I'm just kinda testing the waters. How do you find the balance between experimenting, let's say, experimenting to the point where it's not detrimental to your time, if that makes sense?
Rashelle Isip: Yeah. That makes sense. I would say I think the thing that people should most consider when it comes to a tool is what problem the tool is going to solve or help solve. And I think there's a tendency to look for a tool as the be-all end-all. Right? The silver bullet. This is what's going to help me do what I need to do. And I think a more thoughtful and practical approach is to not put much weight or value on that one particular tool, but to approach it from more of a place of curiosity and experimentation, and also limitation in the sense of, if you're going to try a new tool, limit it in some way. That can be limiting how long you're going to test out that tool, limiting how you're going to use that tool in your work. Are you going to use it to track to do’s? Are you going to use it for one single project? Are you going to use it to plan out household chores? You know, being really intentional about how you're going to use the tool and how it's going to help you in your work will be much more helpful, because at the end of the day, you want to see whether or not you can actually see yourself using this tool in the future. That's really the, I think, final and litmus test of this all. Does this tool help me streamline my systems, get organized, and keep me focused? And do I enjoy using it? Because if you don't enjoy using the tool, it will be very, very difficult for you to get your work done.
Joe Casabona: Yeah. Really important. Right? This is why I don't use, like, an actual CRM. I'm so bad. Like, oh, no. HubSpot CRM will be the be-all, end-all. Oh, no. Like, ClickUp is perfect for that. Notion. Like, I use Notion now and, like, kind of not great still, but, like, better than others. I think, like, limit how long you'll use it and what you use it for is so important. Like, I think the two biggest significant changes I've made in my workflow over the last, 9 to 12 months, is I'm actually time tracking after, like, years of attempting and failing consistently, and using Notion where, like, if you would ask me a year ago, I'd be like, I'm never using Notion, like Airtable all the way. But then I, like, I used Notion for a single project, and I liked it.
And with time tracking, I actually decided to start time tracking, reading, like, just recreational reading, because I would put my phone in a specific focus mode, where, like, only my wife and my kids' schools could get in touch with me. And when I set that focus mode, I use an app that automatically starts a timer. And I'm like, oh, this is really I read for, like, 5 hours this week. That's really cool or whatever. Like, however long it was. And then I thought, okay. Well, that test worked. So now I'm going to try to automate my timers and make them more top of mind for me because I like the data. And so, like, just doing that test run with, like, something like low stakes, no one needs to know how long I've read. Right? But it was really easy for me to test that. And as a result, I've time-tracked longer than I ever have at this point.
Rashelle Isip: Yeah. Yeah. I think time tracking is something that can be really helpful to people if they've never done it before because it really just opens your eyes to how you're not only spending your time but how you're perceiving that time. And that can be really, really crucial when it comes to, just getting your work done on a regular basis.
So what I like to suggest to my clients is if you've not tried time tracking before, just do it. You know, it doesn't have to be this big huge deal. You know, you can grab a piece of paper, you can use, a notes app, whatever method you like, it's fine, but track your time for the day, you know, see what you're doing every hour. And you can do it for a day, you could do it for 2 days, 3 days, a week if you'd like because, obviously, the weekends will be different than the weekdays.
Joe Casabona: Mhmm.
Rashelle Isip: But, you know, get into it. Just see what happens. And I think most important thing too when you're tracking your time is to not do it after the fact or so long after the fact. We wanna be as closely tracked as possible. So what that means is, you know, if you're tracking your time for the day, don't wait until the end of the day to go through it. Just do it as you're going along. So the first hour of your work, okay, what did I do? Jot it down. The next 2 hours went by, okay, what happened in those past 2 hours? You wanna be as accurate as possible when you're tracking.
Joe Casabona: Absolutely. And I think this is, I have a lot to say about this, but I wanna keep moving in our main conversation. So, if you wanna hear more about time tracking, Rashelle if you're interested, this could be part of our pro show, the Streamlined Solopreneur accelerated is what I'm calling it. You can go to [streamlined.fm/join], become a member, and get ad-free extended episodes of this podcast as well as bonus episodes and some other fun things. So, yeah, if there's time at the end, Rashelle and I will talk more about time tracking. Otherwise, I'll wax poetic solo. So, definitely check that out over at [streamlined.fm/join].
Now, I wanna get, I wanna talk more about apps. But before we do that, we do need to take a break to hear from our sponsors.
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Joe Casabona: All right. And we're back. So we've talked about, you know, the silver bullet, the approach. Just tell me. Like, what what apps, what apps should I have? What's the best to do app? What's the best note taking app? Right? That's, like, the secret. Right?
Rashelle Isip: This is a question that I'm asked quite frequently, and, unfortunately, there is no silver bullet. I'm sorry. I'm sorry to say. You know, as much as much as we would like, you know, what's the best? What's the best? What's gonna help me? You know, people come to me, you know, looking for help and for solutions when it comes to being more productive. And part of that, really, is helping them understand that when it comes to productivity, they themselves are part of the solution.
So what I mean by that is getting really clear on your own natural preferences and tendencies and how you like to work, and searching for an app or a tool or a technique that actually meshes with that. So, you know, when people come to me and say, okay, I have this problem, you know, in my work, in my business, I need an app, I'm not sure what it is. We won't necessarily start looking at apps, but we'll start to address the problem. Like, what's going on here? Is this an issue with scheduling? Is this an issue with task management, or project management? Is it more of a mindset issue? And, usually, what I find when I'm talking with people is that it's not really about the app. It's how they're approaching it. So you have to take that step back, drill down to find out what the real problem behind the problem is, and then take it from there.
So if people are interested in looking for apps and, you know, just trying things out and looking for what's gonna help them, you know, I would recommend, first, taking that step back and really identifying what the problem is. Is it that you aren't able to manage your to-dos or perhaps is it that there's too many to-do’s on your list in the first place? Is it that you are not completing projects and assignments, or is it that you are saying yes to all these opportunities, invitations, and events that come your way? You know, we really have to be mindful and take things from a more holistic point of view when it comes to the app. Like I said earlier, right, systems exist within an environment, your business environment, your personal life environment. So we need to keep that in mind.
Joe Casabona: Yeah. I think that's great. Right? It's like, doesn't matter what hammer you use. Right? If you try to build the roof of the house first, the house isn't getting built.
Rashelle Isip: Right. Right.
Joe Casabona: Yeah.
Rashelle Isip: Exactly. So when it comes to choosing apps, I think people should be intentional. You know, this isn't about going online or doing research and finding 50 apps to try out. That's completely, completely unreasonable. But to do your research from a place of power and say, look, I'm looking for a solution for this problem. I am going to look at 3 potential candidates, and I'm gonna compare them side by side. You know, and as we mentioned before, you can do that test run for a day, a week, a month, you know, if an app has a trial period, and be very specific about how you’re going to use that app or test it out.
And then when you're comparing apps and evaluating them, you know, while apps have features, you also need to be honest and realistic with yourself about, well, did I actually enjoy using the app? Did I like the interface? Was it easy to sync? Can I save my data? You know, to think more of a big picture and your future self as opposed to, well, it just helped me solve what I needed to get done right now. Because in essence, you're putting a lot of time, a lot of energy, and a lot of data into that app. So, you know, we wanna be a bit forward-thinking in this.
Joe Casabona: Yeah. This is great. Right? Because I'll share an example. Right? I really, really wanted to like, OmniFocus, which is a pretty advanced task manager. Right? I'm a techie guy. I'm like, this is oh, there's so many different views and it like, I didn't use it. I used it for, like, a month. Right? I, like, took the course. Like, shout out to David Sparks. Right? He was a former guest on the show, and I loved his course, but, like, my brain doesn't work that way. I just want a place where I can quickly log tasks before I forget them. Right? And so, like, I abandoned, I realized I abandoned OmniFocus, and I was like, what is the simplest to-do app or task manager app I know of? It's things. Right? And so, now I just see what I need to do today, and that's wonderful. And I can drill down into a project, and that works better for my brain. So, like, you know, again, I'm not gonna use Aaron Judge's baseball bat to hit a a baseball. Right? Because his baseball bat's probably taller than I am. I'm just not gonna be able to swing it the same way he swings it.
Rashelle Isip: Right. Right. And I think this is something that we, as a society, need to get better about, that we need to stop, if you will, productivity tool shaming. You know? Well, I heard this tool worked for so and so, and I've seen this one, and how about that one? You know, this one's coming out, and, you know, oh, it worked for them. It didn't work for me. That's okay. Right?. I mean, that's why these tools exist, because everybody has different ways in which they think and work and grow, and it's perfectly alright if you're not in sync with, you know, the most popular or the most, you know, the latest, the, you know, tool that comes out. You know? It's okay. It really is okay.
And I also want to extend that to also the idea that, you know, the duality of, oh, digital versus paper, which one is better? You know? What's what's gonna help? Whatever one that helps you get your work done. You know? So I think if we back up a bit and just relax our, you know, approach to this, instead of saying, you know, well, digital's the only way, or paper's the only way, or this tool's the only way, No. What really matters most is whether or not this tool can help you get your work done in a way that is supportive and practical for you and your needs.
Joe Casabona: Yeah. I love that. And I have, like, one, maybe, slightly philosophical question before we move on to the next kind of section here. Do you think that part of that mindset is, I'm like, very much leading the witness, so I apologize for that. But, you know, we see, like, the tech bros, the productivity gurus on Twitter going, like, if you wanted, if you want to be productive, you need to do these three things. Right? And then when they get the slightest pushback, they'll say, well, that just worked for me. Right? Like but that's not how you framed your whole social media post. Do you think that that's affecting how people are approaching productivity, work, or whatever? Like, they see, like, Alex Hormozi say, you need to work weekends, and then they're like, oh, I'm not successful because I'm not working weekends.
Rashelle Isip: Yeah. I think in part, you know, that probably does influence how we're thinking because we see this person or we see this tool or app out there and it's being promoted in such a way, that we get caught up with it, you know, just by virtue of it being social media, and it's shareable, and it's clickable, and all of that. Right? So I think we need to realize that that's part of it, and we also then, knowing that, need to take a step back and realize, well, okay. If they're trying to share or promote this item, that's fine, but does it really jive with what I'm doing in my work? Is it really helping me, or is it causing more stress, frustration, pain, you know, discomfort? You know, there has to be that kind of self-filter and self-agency involved too, because, I mean, if you just think about it, you know, we would be buying every soap brand because everybody advertises every soap brand as being the best. Right? So why not we just go out and buy all the soap? You know, you can think of it that way. If you're having, you know, difficulty viewing, you know, the productivity tools and techniques, just exchange it for some other item. You know, just as you were saying about, you know, building a house and putting the roof up first, you know, I always like to say to people, if you can't see the tool or identify the tool for what it is, whether it's, you know, paper, digital, an app, switch it out for a more physical item that you can relate to or visualize.
So an example I like to use is email. Right? People will say, oh, I have to be on email, email, email, email. But you have to remember, at the essence, what email is a tool. So one of the analogies I like to make is saying, well, does a carpenter who is trying to build a bunch of furniture, do they sit there and fret over a hammer and just stare at the hammer and look at the hammer all day long? No. They pick up the hammer. They use it. They put it down. They might pick up a saw. You know? They might pick up something else and use it to build what it is that they need to build, but they're not solely focused on that one tool for the whole day. You know, we have to use it, and as part of our work, not focus solely on it.
Joe Casabona: Yeah. Absolutely. I'll tell you. I ripped out rose, like, rose bushes in my yard. They were very pretty, but, like, they ate, they eat, like everything around them. And I have kids who run full speed in my backyard now, and I'm like, don't blind yourself. And so I was using just like the shovel and some sort of rake thing. The things that I had available to me. Right? My neighbor comes by, and he's like, hey. Do you want it, I have this specific tool that will help you do that. I didn't know the tool existed. Right? But if I had, like, waited around and just stared, like the rose bushes would still be in my backyard. Right? So like you said, like find the thing that works for you now, do the work, and then you'll probably as you do the work, you'll figure out, oh, this is a better thing for me to use. Like, this is how my brain works. But, like, you won't know that until you actually start doing things.
Rashelle Isip: Right. Right. And I think that, oh, is such a big part because we can just, you know, get so caught up in the what ifs. What if this works? What if this doesn't? How about that? Oh, I don't know about it. You have to get in there and you have to experiment and try it out and be comfortable and just get curious, I think. Also, you know, just the curiosity. Does this tool do this? Does this tool do that? Why not? You know? And also, I think too, like, if there's a tool that you like maybe an app or something like that or a program for people, what I also like to say too, you know, as part of this growth of productivity and improving things, if there's an app that you like and there's a function that doesn't yet exist, get in contact. You know? Put forward your suggestion of, you know, I really enjoy using this, but I would really like it to do x, y, and z.
And, you know, I think if it's a more receptive company, or organization, they'll get back to you and say, oh, these are our product notes and updates, and, you know, we really want to improve this. So that's something also to consider as well. You know, if you are using a service or a tool, you know, how can it be improved, you know? Be part of that process. Don't be afraid to get in touch.
Joe Casabona: Yeah. Like you said earlier, the beautiful thing about us working on the Internet is that things can be changed and updated, and iterated on. Right? Like, once a building is built, at the very least, it'll cost like, 1,000,000 of dollars to update that building. Right? But you have an app, and you're like, oh, I really wish it did this. We can reach out to the developer and be like, oh, hey. Maybe I'm the only one requesting it, but just in case, I would love it if you're after this. Right? Yeah. Such, such great advice.
Rashelle Isip: Yeah. I mean, I think it's part as, you know, being a business owner, you know, to start being thoughtful about your place and using the tool. You know, I've used tools before, and I was in that place where, oh, if this app, if this tool only did this, and, you know, I put in my request, and it turns out there were 100,000, I think, of other people who had the same thing, like, why don't you just change that? Why don't you change this? And they actually pushed it through, and I think now it's one of a very strong points, you know, of this app that I use. But, you know, just in terms of your growth as a business owner to start thinking bigger than just where you are. This product is great or, you know, product service, what have you, but what could it be? What could help me? So that's just part of the natural evolution of owning a business using the tool and growing and changing as a person.
Joe Casabona: Yeah. I love that. Okay. So let's say we have our tools locked in. We have our processes. We understand what happens when it hits the fan like some you know, maybe I get sick for a week, and I'm really behind on work or like, you know, summer is coming up, and we're not doing summer camp. So, my work week is going to change dramatically. How do we bounce back from that? How do we handle that without just like letting it derail our whole business or our whole life?
Rashelle Isip: Yeah. I think the first thing that we can do is just get comfortable with the idea that there will be those moments in our business and life when things just don't go to plan. Right? I mean, there's emergencies, you know, we fall ill, things pop up, we have to deal with the, you know, computer issue that we didn't think we were gonna have. You know, just get clear and realize that this is part of the process. Just as waking up and, you know, getting ready and starting your day is also part of the process too. It's not a, you know, one-sided thing. So being more aware and comfortable of this fact, I think, would serve people well. Just saying, you know, there will be some days that won't go as planned, and that's perfectly okay. You know, I'll figure things out, and pick up the pieces and move forward from that.
So I think if we stop, you know, beating ourselves up on that and, you know, making up stories in our head about, oh, this is gonna set me back and all this and this and that, just, like, just let it go. Let it go. Roll with it. You know, we can change and move forward from this.
Joe Casabona: Yeah. I think one of the biggest mistakes that I made as a parent with young kids was, oh, well, this interruption, you know, the oh, Louie being sick, and me having to go get him. Like, first, that's gonna derail my day. And, also, like, this is the only time it's ever gonna happen. Right? Like, I tell myself, like, those two things, and then, like, when I send him back to school the next day and he's still not better, it's like, oh, no. Like, who could have seen this happening? Right? And, now it's because I understand. I mean, my business is in a better place now too, and we're coming into nicer weather where kids are sick not as often. But, understanding that I should build, understanding that I know I'm not gonna work every hour of every day until I can build some margin in for when the kids get sent home or the computer issue or, like, my website blew up, and now I need to spend the day fixing that. That's going to have less of an impact on me, at least mentally. Right? Like, mentally and emotionally. I still may be frustrated that it's happening, but I'm not gonna be like, well, now my whole week is messed up, and I might as well just not work the rest of the week or whatever. Right?
Rashelle Isip: Right. Right. I think, you know, there's that tendency, you know, the be-al,l end-all, it has to be this way, it has to be the singular path, but, you know, when things happen, you know, they happen, and that's just part of life. So I think the more gentle we can be with ourselves and forgiving. So, you know, if there's some sort of emergency or circumstance or situation, you know, do what you can. If you can't do, you know, the full tasks that you scheduled for yourself, pick a couple, get those done, and move forward. You know, don't beat yourself up about, well, it wasn't this, it wasn't that, it wasn't perfect because this is just the natural flow of things. You know? I mean, we deal with it in life just when we have, you know, natural disasters and things like that. If things happen, what do we do? We just sit there and say, whoop, that happened. Better not, you know, rebuild or, you know, move forward. No. We say, okay. That happened. Let's move forward. Let's do what we gotta do and push through.
So, you know, I think the more gentle we can be with ourselves, and, you know, it's also really about mindset too. It's not, okay, this issue, this situation happened, you know, I throw my hands up, and that's it, and I completely give up. It's, you know, bowing down, you know, to that and being gracious, I think, just to the experience. Like, okay, this is not gonna go as I planned, but let me make this decision now to do these things and move forward. Tomorrow's a new day I can pick up, and I can always pick up every day and also every moment in time. That's always a choice that we have.
Joe Casabona: Yeah. And something, especially for the listeners of this show, again, like this is for solopreneurs or small business owners, mostly people who have chosen self-employment. Like, this is, I don't know about you, but this is how I position the show, so I assume it's gonna be for the listeners too. This is why I chose my line of work. Right? Like, I could have kept working for a web design agency that demanded weekends, and I chose not to. Right? Where, like, there were mission critical. I was up at 3 or 4 or 5 AM, like, because things went down. And when I was, you know, dating but not married, no kids, that was fine. Right? But after my first daughter was born, I made the choice. I'm like, I don't, this is not the life I wanna live. I wanna live a life where I'm not always on call by some, by a client because I need to be on call for my family. And I kinda forgot that for a while when I was like, oh, man. My business is so important, and I need to do this. So the mindset, like you say like, you've been saying this whole episode, taking a step back and thinking about like why you're doing this and how you're doing it is super helpful.
Rashelle Isip: Yeah. And I think, you know, just to tie it back to the idea of systems, you know, like the mindset or that habit of, well, if something happens and I'm not able to do that, that's part of the system that you've created for yourself, right, that you won't be able to get things done.
So, yeah. So I think it's important for people to really consider and think of things from that more bird's eye view, you know, instead of focusing on the detail, and I just have to get the things done because I have to get them done, but how is this instance really influencing, you know, the whole? You know, is this making a giant impact on, let's say, I don't know, this month, this quarter, this year, this decade. I mean, is it really gonna be that big of a deal, you know, when we turn around and look at things? So, yeah. I think, you know, taking that bigger, broader approach in view can be helpful.
Joe Casabona: Yeah. It's almost like, naively optimistic. Right? Like, no. Nothing will go wrong in this whole quarter. It's like every pitcher going into a game and be like, I'm gonna pitch a perfect game today. Right? Like, you hope you do, but you're not. Right?
Rashelle Isip: You know, it reminds me, years ago, I used to work at a public relations agency, and I did a lot of event planning. And we did a lot of events, public events across the country, and, you know, over time, I developed this mindset because, inevitably, things would happen. They wouldn't go to plan. And so, you know, in order to deal with that, I came up with, you know, this mindset of I'm going to prepare as best I can for this event. Things will happen. They probably will happen, and then I'm just gonna improvise, and it's gonna be okay. And I think after, you know, that first initial shock or couple of shocks of things just, oops, I didn't expect that. Oops, I didn't expect that. You know, just to prime myself and to realize that, yeah, things might not go to plan, and that's okay. It's not like I was, you know, going to every event, you know, cowering, like, oh my gosh, something bad's gonna happen, I have to, oh, you know, but it was just being more realistic about it, you know, and practical. Like, this is just how things are, and it's okay. I don't have to stress out about it, and, you know, get really frustrated. It's okay. I'll find a way through it, and, you know, that's it.
Joe Casabona: Yeah. Nothing happens in a vacuum. Right? Like, I did events planning in college, and I planned a couple of big, like real-world events after I got out of college, and taught me the same lesson. Right? That and, like, drama club. Right? Like, we were always taught, if you forget your line on stage, there's maybe 10 people who will know that you forgot your line. So don't, like, pause and be like, I forgot my line. Say something close to like, say what you think it was. Right? Because, like, the pause is way more disruptive than saying it slightly differently. Right? The audience is gonna have no idea. And so learning to kinda, like, roll with the roll with the punches and take things in stride, I guess. What are they like? Platitudes? Other platitudes about that.
Rashelle Isip: No, But it's true. It's true.
Joe Casabona: Yeah. Let's move from platitudes to actionable advice, right, as we kind of wrap up here. So this has been really great. How do we, if we're looking to start or maybe improve our current processes, right, because things are iterative and things change, and inevitably, even if you're happy with your system now, there's gonna be a point down the road where some life event or some work event happens and things are thrown in scissors array, disarray. How do we get started? Right? Or how do we kinda review things? What are 1 to 3, like, what's, like, a couple of pieces of advice for our listeners?
Rashelle Isip: Sure. So I would say the first thing to do is look at what's not working. You know, those really sticky pain points, the things that just make you say, I wish this thing just weren't this way if it were only smoothed out. You know, all those things that are just kind of poking you in the side. You know, they're there for a reason. They're trying to get your attention. So take a look at those items first, then I want you to take a step back and see how that is impacting or influencing not only your day to day routine, but your life as a whole. You know, is that one system that you have in your workflow taking too much time that you can't meet with your customers and your clients, you know, as a big picture? What does that mean in terms of the month, the quarter, and the year? You know, taking that bigger approach can be helpful.
So after you've, you know, defined that sticking point and have taken that bigger approach, I want you to take the next step by taking action, but from a more mindful approach. So this is really about getting your mindset on board, and I think the thing here to be aware of is that you're not going to shift your habits right off the bat unless your mindset is on board. So, you know, as you're going through this process, is there something else that you need to uncover or address when it comes to, you know, the sticking point? Are you perhaps attached to it? Do you feel like you're going to disappoint yourself or someone else if you change it or edit it or delete it? You know, what's really behind that thought or belief? And then once you have that, take action on it. You know?
Now that you know that, okay, this existing system that I have, I'm afraid to lose it because it worked for me so far. You know, let's flip that around. How could a revamped or improved system actually help me in my business? What would that look like? And get excited about that, because that's what's really gonna help you drive those tasks and actions that will help you change and grow that. So, you know, in that example, if there's that system that is just not helping you and it cuts out the amount of time that you spend with clients and customers, if you switch that around, what would that look like? Wow. I have all this time now freed up that I can spend with my clients and customers. That means I can focus and pay attention. That means I can make fewer mistakes or errors. You know, it will open up your eyes to just a new way of being and working in your business.
Joe Casabona: Wow. I want to tell a story that really drives this point home. In February, I decided to sunset. I had 2 memberships. Right? There's, like, the pro show, which is, or accelerated, I guess, is what it's called now. Very easy for me to deliver on. Right? We talk a little bit longer. My ads are dynamically inserted, so they just, like, get skipped for the members-only show.
But I also had this other membership called the Podcast Workflows Foundry and didn't have a lot of members. The members I had were not paying a lot. And every week, I would spend too much time figuring out how am I gonna deliver for my members this month, or this week, or what's coming up next. I decided at the end of February to sunset that membership. March and April have never been like, are my most productive months ever because I took this giant weight off of my like, every like, this thing that was taking up so much mental energy, and I'm not worried about delivering for those members anymore. I refunded them or stepped them down to the only this show if they wanted. And I now know how I'm going to publish all of my content. I don't have to, I no longer have to think about, is this gonna be free in public, or is it gonna be for members only? What am I gonna do with the live? It's just I'm, it's freed me up so much, and it felt great.
And the thing that really made me think of it was you saying, is there what's keeping you attached to this? What was keeping me attached to it was, well, there are some people paying me, and I don't wanna let them down, and I wanna have a membership. But you know what? They were super cool about it because I am pretty open and honest about how I run my business. And no one got mad or stormed off, and they were like, yeah. Great. Downgrade me. Happy to keep supporting you. It was awesome.
Rashelle Isip: Yeah. I mean, I think, you know, just in the world of business and, you know, just as being human, when we can be honest with ourselves and free up that space, yeah, I mean, you don't know what you don't know. Right? Just like you didn't know what that would give you in terms of freedom, in terms of your time, or your productivity. So, yeah, if there's something, you know, that just really is bothering you, I say to people, you know, just give it a try, you know, take a step back for a little bit. You can always come back to it, you can always improve it, but, you know, don't be afraid to grow and change. Right? Like I said, earlier, any system, any good system will evolve and change. You know, we're not gonna keep things the same and static, you know, we're changing as people, our businesses are changing, our clients and customers are changing too, so it's only fitting that we evolve and grow as time goes on.
Joe Casabona: Yeah. And like you said, taking that step back is so important. I'll tell you, last week, I couldn't find my wallet, and it was, like, in the middle of like, getting my kids. My wife was at work, so I I'm shuffling all of my children off to school, and I'm like, it's a route. I'm, like, ripping things apart while I'm trying to give them breakfast and get them dressed. I didn't find it, and so I left the house without it, which I hate to do, even though I don't need it, like, 90% of the time. And that drive to school gave me enough, of a rest to stop thinking about it, an enough space that I looked where I always put it, and it was just, like, under a bunch of stuff that my kids threw in, like, this hutch thing that we have. And I just didn't see it the first few times I was because I was frustrated. And so, like, I took a step back, and lo and behold, that's where it was. Just needed a little bit of space to, like, calm down and think more clearly.
Rashelle Isip: Yes. Exactly. And, you know, that's something I also recommend to people too if they're getting overwhelmed or just stressed out by the search for their next productivity tool for a particular project or something like that. Give yourself a break. Take a mini vacation. You know? Just put it on pause. Say, you know what? The next few days, I'm not gonna touch this. Or if you have more time, the next 2 weeks, a month. Just give yourself that distance, you know? And then I think it's just part of, I think, being human. Right? When you get that distance, you know, something works in the background, you know, in your mind and settles out, and then you realize, you know what? No. This is the route that I need to take. I know what exactl,y what I need to do, but you need to have that space, you know, to let yourself come to that realization.
Joe Casabona: Yes. Let's leave it there. Rashelle, Isip, thanks so much for joining us today. If people wanna learn more about you, where can they find you?
Rashelle Isip: They can find me online at my website, [theorderexpert.com], and I'm also on LinkedIn, so you can find me there. And, you know, if people are interested when it comes to sorting out their systems or their productivity or their workflow, you know, I'm happy to chat with them and have a mini strategy session to help them organize their thoughts and next steps. So you can go over to [theorderexpert.com] and book a time to chat with me there.
Joe Casabona: Perfect. I will link to that and everything we talked about in the show notes, which you can find in the description of the podcast player you're listening to or over at [streamlined.fm/417] If you wanna hear a shell and I talk about time tracking for a little bit, become a member, which you can also do at [streamlined.fm/417]. Rashelle, thanks so much for joining us today. I really appreciate it.
Rashelle Isip: Oh, thanks for having me, Joe. I had a great time.
Joe Casabona: And thanks to our sponsors. Thank you for listening, and until next time. I'll see you out there.