Business-First Creatives: Client Experience & Systems for Service Providers

What if the systems slowing down your business aren't your workflows, but the software you're forcing yourself to use?
In this episode, I'm joined by Notion consultant and workflow strategist Ania Ha to pull back the curtain on the custom Notion workspace she built for my business. We talk about everything from team management and automations to the growing conversation around replacing traditional CRMs with personalized systems built in Notion.
I share what it was like hiring someone to build my systems for the first time, how that experience completely changed the way I think about my own clients, and why I believe the best tech stack isn't always the one with the most features—it's the one that actually fits the way your brain works.
Find It Quickly:
00:25 - Meet Ania
05:38 - Instagram Widget
09:17 - Why Clients Hire Her
13:11 - Learning Notion as a Client
19:36 - Toggles and Dashboard Design
21:47 - Team Tracking and Databases
25:45 - CRM Alternatives Debate
28:58 - Simple CRM Starts
30:18 - Zapier and Breakpoints
31:54 - Frankenstack vs Scaling
33:44 - Notion Client Portals
35:43 - Notion Pricing Advantage
36:51 - Team Workflow Automation
41:49 - DIY Automation Tweaks
44:00 - Notion Second Brain
46:23 - Design Views and Tables
49:39 - Mobile App and Shortcuts
50:26 - Ask an Expert

Mentioned in this Episode:
Notion: notion.com
Dubsado: coliejames.com/dubsado
HoneyBook: coliejames.com/honeybook
Airtable: airtable.com
Google Workspace: workspace.google.com
Zapier: zapier.com
TidyCal: tidycal.com
Descript: descript.com/?lmref=0HiLlg
Loom: loom.com
Metricool: metricool.com
Canva: canva.com
The Subscriber Society: latitudelane.com/subscribe-society
Launch Your Own Way: cominguproses.co/products/lyow

Connect with the Guest:
Website: shecreatesmgmt.com
Instagram: instagram.com/shecreatesmgmt
Threads: threads.com/@shecreatesmgmt
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@shecreatesmgmt

What do you do when the strategies that used to work… suddenly don't? In our Q3 Business Bestie Chat, Sabrina and I are getting real about what it looks like to navigate a season of uncertainty in business—even after years of experience. We're sharing an honest conversation about shifting markets, changing client behavior, and why staying grounded is so important.
With nearly 29 years of combined entrepreneurial experience, we've both found ourselves asking hard questions this summer. Instead of pretending everything is perfect, we're pulling back the curtain on what it's like to adapt, trust the process, and keep moving forward when business feels different than it did even a year ago.

Find It Quickly
00:24 - Biz Bestie Chat
02:34 - Colie Offer Pivot
04:30 - Replacing Sales Calls
05:36 - Sabrina Summer Camp
08:55 - Root to Rise Revamp
11:38 - Systems in Session Tweaks
14:23 - Ads Strategy
17:04 - New Freebie Waitlists
21:22 - Launch Ethics Drama
23:31 - Root to Rise Launch Results
29:37 - Colie Launch Timing
32:18 - Summer Launch Experience
33:35 - Price Versus Trust Objections
37:38 - Micro Wins Build Confidence
39:01 - Trial Week Idea
42:09 - Pricing and Logistics
49:13 - Audits as Downsell
51:44 - New Fall Retainer Offer
53:01 - Serving Q3 and Q4 Plans
54:03 - Sharing Client Wins

Mentioned in this Episode:
Systems in Session: coliejames.com/systems-in-session
The Experience Edit: coliejames.com/the-experience-edit
Root to Rise: sabrinagebhardt.com/mastermind-waitlist
First Class Lounge: sabrinagebhardt.com/membership
Summer Camp: sabrina-gebhardt.myflodesk.com/summercamp

Our Quarterly Business Bestie Chats:
Q2 2026: coliejames.com/business-bestie-chat-q2-2026-with-sabrina-gebhardt
Q1 2026: coliejames.com/business-bestie-chat-q1-2026-with-sabrina-gebhardt
Q4 2025: coliejames.com/business-bestie-chat-q4-2025-with-sabrina-gebhardt
Q3 2025: sabrinagebhardt.com/podcast/q3-business-besties-chat-with-colie-james
Q2 2025: sabrinagebhardt.com/podcast/q2-2025-business-bestie-chat-with-colie-james
Q1 2025: sabrinagebhardt.com/podcast/128-q1-2025-business-bestie-chat
Q4 2024: sabrinagebhardt.com/podcast/q4-business-bestie-chat-with-colie-james
Q3 2024: sabrinagebhardt.com/podcast/q3-business-besties-chat-with-colie-james
Q2 2024: sabrinagebhardt.com/podcast/88-q2-business-besties-chat-with-colie-james
Q1 2024: sabrinagebhardt.com/podcast/75-quarterly-business-chat-with-colie-james

Connect with Sabrina
Website: sabrinagebhardt.com
Instagram: instagram.com/sabrinagebhardtphotography
Podcast: sabrinagebhardt.com/podcast

If you've been telling yourself you're not "ready" for better systems yet, this one's for you. In this episode, Colie talks directly to the newer photographers and service providers in her audience — the ones with fewer clients, hesitant to raise their prices, and using a CRM that just isn't built for automation yet.
She breaks down exactly what The Experience Edit is, who it's actually for (spoiler: you don't need a specific CRM, or even to be a photographer), and why mapping your client journey now — before busy season hits — will save you time, stress, and a whole lot of second-guessing later.
The Experience Edit starts Monday. Grab your spot at coliejames.com/experience.

What if the best systems in your business didn't make your client experience feel more automated, but actually made it feel more personal?
In this episode, I'm sitting down with Xan Heller, who has gone through both Systems in Session and The Experience Edit, to talk about what happened when she stopped trying to figure out her CRM on her own and finally built systems that supported the custom, high-touch experience she wanted every client to have.
What I think you'll find funny about Xan's experience is that she actually told me "no" more times than almost any client I've worked with. No to schedulers her clients wouldn't actually use and no to proposals as a core sales tool. Protecting her client experience mattered more than saving a few minutes—we'll get into those solutions too.
If you've ever felt like systems and high-touch, custom client experiences are at odds with each other, this episode is for you!

Find It Quickly:
00:25 - Meet Xan
01:43 - CRM Struggles & Mini Sessions
05:02 - One Hour Success
08:36 - Systems In Session
10:19 - Support Tickets And Coaching
13:41 - Knowing But Not Doing
16:46 - Offer Math And Profitability
23:35 - Automation Pushback Schedulers
31:11 - Email Design And Branding
34:30 - Proposals And Templates
38:43 - Why CRMs Matter
40:43 - Mapping Touchpoints
46:16 - Workflow Building Mindset
48:29 - Notifications and Scheduling Wins
52:03 - Done-With-You Philosophy
55:39 - New Dubsado Features
59:55 - Portal Problems and Alternatives
01:03:54 - Accountability and Focus
01:07:12 - Experience Edit
01:11:08 - Client Experience Takeaways

Mentioned in this Episode:
The Experience Edit
Systems in Session

Connect with Xan:
Website: xanheller.com
Instagram: instagram.com/xan_heller

Is your idea of a luxury experience one where you're the one showing up for every part of it? This episode is for the concierge-level service providers out there — the ones who don't want automation replacing the calls, the in-person consultations, or the hands-on parts of the process.
I'm walking through why you still need systems (just not the kind I usually talk about), how to stay consistent without burning yourself out, and why a scheduler still matters even when you're the one booking the date live on a call.
I'm also giving you a heads up on next episode, where I'm sitting down with my client Xan Heller to talk about how this played out in her real business — including the systems she swore she'd never use.
If this is you, I'm currently booking Q3 spots for Systems in Session, and if you join by July 10th, you'll get next week's Experience Edit live sprint completely free. Details at coliejames.com/systems.