This episode is part 2 of a 2-part conversation with Joe Casabona, a systems architect for solopreneurs and a self-described automation geek. You can catch part 1 over on the Streamlined Solopreneur feed here

What if the difference between a chaotic, scope-creeping project and one delivered calmly, on time, and on budget wasn’t just better estimating - but a totally different approach?

Joe shares how he used "vibe coding" - collaborating with AI as a coding partner - to rescue a complex nonprofit website project from spiraling out of control. You’ll hear how he navigated unexpected technical requirements, avoided burning weekends, and delivered a solution that protected both his business and his mental health.

This isn’t about working faster. It’s about designing a system that supports calm, margin, and intentional business choices.

What You’ll Learn

• How "vibe coding" can help consultants keep projects on track without endless late nights
• The importance of deeply understanding client needs (and what happens when you don’t)
• Why AI is a better "rubber duck" than a magic wand
• How to approach AI as a partner rather than a replacement
• Practical ways to use AI to reinforce your business values and protect your time

Learn More About Joe

• Joe Casabona’s website
• Streamlined Solopreneur podcast

Learn More About Susan

• Beyond Margins website
• Connect on LinkedIn

Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here

What if the reason you're stuck isn't mindset—or even procrastination? What if you're just solving the wrong problem?

In this episode, I’m talking with Cat Mulvihill, creator of the Momentum Framework—a diagnostic tool that helps you figure out exactly why you’re stalled out in your business and what to do about it. Whether the block is a skills gap, an energy mismatch, or a lurking fear, Cat’s approach helps you pinpoint the true cause so you can move forward without forcing it.

We explore why momentum doesn’t need to be forced—and how understanding your method, mode, and mindset can make everything feel a whole lot easier.

What You’ll Learn:

• The three core bottlenecks that block momentum—and how to diagnose them
• Why systems that work with your brain create more sustainable progress
• The surprising downside of perfectionism and "Cadillac" tools
• How fear masquerades as procrastination (and how to call it out)
• Practical examples for redesigning your systems to match your energy and context

Learn More About Cat:
Website
Follow Cat on LinkedIn
The Momentum Formula

More from Susan:
Follow Susan on LinkedIn
💌 Get weekly calm business insights at beyondmargins.com/newsletter
🛠 Explore services: beyondmargins.com

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What if your brand voice didn’t live solely inside your head? What if it was a system—a tool that helped you write faster, delegate confidently, and create calm across your business?

In this episode, I share how I took my brand voice from “just a vibe” to a repeatable, documented system with the help of voice strategist Justin Blackman. We dig into how building a voice guide changed the way I write, collaborate, and scale. If content creation feels like a bottleneck—especially when you're not the one doing the writing—this episode is for you.

We’re not just talking about voice—we’re pulling two big levers from the CALMER framework:
→ Efficiency, by turning intuition into reusable tools
→ Management Style, by empowering your team with clarity instead of corrections

This is a behind-the-scenes look at the system that helped me put my voice on autopilot—and made content creation calmer, faster, and more fun.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why “no one can write like me” is a sign you need a system, not more effort
• The three components of a brand voice (and why most guides get it wrong)
• How defining the difference between you and your brand prevents burnout
• Why “authenticity” doesn’t have to mean writing everything yourself

Learn More About Justin Blackman

• Website: justinblackman.com
• Grab Justin's Feelings Wheel
• LinkedIn: Justin Blackman

Learn More About the Host – Susan Boles

• Website: beyondmargins.com
• LinkedIn: Susan Boles
• Submit your Calm KPI or System: Send it here

• (00:00) - The Subjective Nature of Brand Voice
• (00:50) - The Challenge of Maintaining a Consistent Brand Voice
• (01:51) - Building a Scalable Voice System
• (04:41) - The Science Behind Brand Voice Guides
• (09:11) - Balancing Personal and Brand Identity
• (29:17) - Leveraging AI for Authentic Brand Voice

Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here

Most advice about scaling a service business means giving up the work you love or cranking your rates until clients walk away. But what if you could grow your revenue with your clients—without adding more to your plate? In this episode, Susan revisits a standout 2019 interview with business coach Lacey Sites, who doubled her revenue without taking on a single new client.

Lacey did it by shifting to a revenue-sharing compensation model—one that ties her income directly to her clients’ success. In this re-edited version, we dive into how that shift happened, what she tested first, how she vets clients to make the model work, and why it changed everything about how she runs her business.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why default pricing models for service businesses often lead to misaligned incentives
• How Lacey experimented with and validated her revenue-sharing structure before going all in
• What criteria she uses to select high-commitment, high-potential clients
• Why adding a base rate created a healthy balance between risk and reward
• How this model enabled Lacey to scale with her clients—and why it feels more equitable for everyone involved

Learn More About Lacey Sites:

• A Lit Up Life

Want to design your own calm-aligned pricing model?
📁 Grab the Calmer Service Design Swipe File with 60+ examples
💬 Or check out Susan’s 1:1 support options

• (00:00) - Introduction: The Problem with Traditional Pricing Models
• (01:01) - A New Approach: Revenue Sharing Model
• (01:30) - Case Study: Lacey Sites' Success Story
• (02:51) - Lacey's Journey to Revenue Sharing
• (05:30) - Implementing the Revenue Sharing Model
• (08:03) - Client Selection and Vetting Process
• (14:45) - Balancing Risk and Reward
• (21:31) - Scaling and Future Plans
• (29:05) - Conclusion: Designing a Calmer Business

Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here

Tired of hitting a wall with your client-based business? You don’t have to build a course or start a membership to scale.

In this episode of Calm is the New KPI, host Susan Boles talks with Janet Alexandersson—an international licensing lawyer and founder of Piggy Bank Legal—about how licensing can become a powerful, margin-creating revenue stream for service-based business owners.

If you've ever wondered how to productize your existing client work without burning out or shifting your entire business model, this episode is your permission slip. Janet walks us through the practical, strategic, and protective aspects of licensing, and shares how this often-overlooked business lever can change how you earn, design, and rest.

What You’ll Learn

• What licensing actually is—and why it's not just for tech or big corporations
• The step-by-step process to start licensing your existing IP
• Common pitfalls to avoid in licensing deals (and how to protect yourself)
• Why pricing should reflect their value, not yours
• How licensing can support a hybrid model with clients and passive income

Learn More About Janet

• Piggy Bank Legal
• LinkedIn

Learn More About Susan

• Beyond Margins
• LinkedIn

• (00:00) - Introduction: The Struggles of High-Touch Client Work
• (01:21) - Exploring a New Revenue Stream: Licensing
• (02:16) - Understanding Licensing with Janet Alexander
• (05:35) - The Licensing Process: Step-by-Step
• (10:18) - Protecting Your Intellectual Property
• (19:58) - Real-World Licensing Examples
• (38:49) - Final Thoughts on Licensing and Business Design

Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here

You’ve duct-taped your service business together with tools and automations. But now things are breaking, you’re chasing Zapier errors, and client delivery is starting to feel like a drag. What if the next step wasn’t hiring a team or flattening your services—but turning your system into the service?

In this episode, we're geeking out with Dylan Kinder, founder and CEO of DataCose, about how service-based businesses can scale by transforming parts of their delivery into software. We explore how to spot the signs that you’re ready to make that shift, where to start, and why automation and AI don’t have to mean less human work—just less draining work.

Whether you’re dreaming of fewer tabs, smoother client onboarding, or a more proactive delivery experience, Dylan brings a thoughtful, non-spammy approach to scaling with tech. We’re diving deep into internal vs. client-facing tools, the role of AI in small business, and how to avoid building a digital Frankenstein.

What You’ll Learn:

• The two biggest signals it’s time to turn part of your service into software
• Why internal automation is the best starting point
• How to think like an engineer (even if you're not one)
• The role of client portals in scaling calm service delivery
• Why AI should be used with human oversight—not instead of it

Connect with Dylan:
LinkedIn
DataCose

Connect with Susan:
LinkedIn
BlueSky

Work With Susan:
Explore how we can build calm systems together → https://beyondmargins.com/services

• (00:00) - Introduction: The Struggles of Scaling a Service Business
• (00:43) - Reimagining Service Delivery with Smart Systems
• (02:12) - Exploring Automation and AI with Dylan Kinder
• (03:06) - The Two Paths to Scaling a Service Business
• (10:28) - Real-World Examples of Successful Automation
• (24:33) - The Role of AI in Modern Service Businesses
• (34:35) - Conclusion: Building Margin and Calm with Technology

Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here

Eliminate Sales Calls? Yes, Really.

What if your entire sales process could feel human, high-touch, and not require a single call?

This week on Calm is the New KPI, I’m joined by Becky Pierson Davidson, founder of Affinity Collective, a product strategy agency for community-driven businesses. Becky shares how she’s turned the traditional, time-consuming sales process on its head—closing $15K+ client engagements with zero sales calls.

Instead of long proposal timelines, back-to-back Zooms, and ghosted bookings, Becky uses a thoughtful, asynchronous process: pitch decks, Loom videos, and warm DMs. The result? A system that respects her time, delights clients, and converts beautifully.

We talk about:

• Why she ditched the “book a call” CTA after one too many no-shows
• How to build a sales process that mirrors your service delivery
• Creating personalized-but-repeatable Loom videos that sell for you
• Building referral relationships that actually work
• The key role productized services play in making async sales possible

Whether you're an introvert, hitting a capacity ceiling, or just curious about doing sales differently, this episode is a must-listen.

Learn More about Becky Pierson Davidson

• Affinity Collective Website
• Connect on Instagram or LinkedIn
• Subscribe to her newsletter for community-driven strategy insights

Learn More about Susan Boles

• BeyondMargins.com
• Check out the Services Guide
• Follow Susan on LinkedIn

✨ Want a sales process that works while you sleep?
We can design and implement your asynchronous sales system in a single-day intensive. Learn more at beyondmargins.com/services.

• (00:00) - Introduction: The Sales Call Dilemma
• (01:39) - Scaling a Client-Based Business
• (02:04) - Eliminating Sales Calls: Is It Possible?
• (03:16) - Guest Introduction: Becky Pearson Davidson
• (05:12) - Becky's Asynchronous Sales Process
• (11:57) - Building Trust and Customization
• (37:43) - Final Thoughts and Takeaways

Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here

Business is personal—so why do we so often separate relationships from our work?

In this episode, Tara Robertson, leadership coach and DEI consultant, shares why she set a KPI around the number of new friends she makes this year. We explore how measuring relationships impacts not only joy but also business sustainability.

Tara realized that working alone was draining her energy, so she made a bold decision: she would never go into an organization alone again. Instead, she’d co-lead, collaborate, and focus on working with values-aligned people who light her up. Now, she’s tracking new friendships as a key measure of success.

Together, we dig into:

• Why business and friendship aren’t at odds (despite what the corporate world tells us)
• How Tara defines friendship vs. business collaboration
• The impact of connection on work quality, creativity, and sustainability
• How setting a friendship-based KPI brings more joy and alignment to business decisions
• Different ways to track and measure relationships in your own work

Whether you're an extrovert looking for more collaboration or an introvert like me, figuring out how to intentionally create relationships in business can be a game-changer.

Connect with Tara:

• Website
• LinkedIn

Connect with Susan:

• Beyond Margins
• LinkedIn
• Bluesky

Resources & Related Episodes

• Karen Sargent on Client Report Cards

• (00:00) - EDIT 2 / Final E114 Tara Robertson
• (00:49) - The Importance of Friendships in Business
• (01:28) - Setting KPIs for Friendships
• (03:59) - Defining Friendships vs. Collaborations
• (06:23) - Tracking and Measuring Friendships
• (10:24) - Incorporating Friendships into Business
• (15:01) - Balancing Professionalism and Authenticity
• (25:40) - Conclusion: The Power of Connection

Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here