Episode 358

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Published on:

29th Oct 2026

Before You Hire a Virtual Assistant: What Every Business Owner Needs to Know with Lauren Glynn

What if your virtual assistant isn't the problem? What if the reason you're struggling to delegate, hire, or grow your business has less to do with the people you're hiring and more to do with how you're running your business? Listen, I know that sounds a little harsh, but it's a conversation we need to have.

In this episode, I'm joined by Lauren Glynn, a business strategist who helps entrepreneurs figure out what their businesses actually need before they make their next hire. We're talking about everything from hiring your first virtual assistant to creating systems that make delegation possible, and even whether AI can replace some of the tasks you'd traditionally outsource to another human.

One of my favorite stories from this conversation involves a business owner who was ready to fire her assistant because she wasn't getting things done. The plot twist? She was sending her assistant pictures of sticky notes instead of giving her actual processes to follow.

Lauren and I also dig into something I think more entrepreneurs need to hear: You can grow your business without building a massive team. You don't need 20 employees, an operations manager, or a huge agency to get help. Sometimes you just need one person doing the right things, with the right systems supporting them.

Find It Quickly

00:24 - Why Hiring Matters

01:19 - Mapping The Business

04:38 - Leverage Your Team

06:31 - Fixing Bad Hires

10:46 - SOPs And Standardization

16:53 - Onboarding And Test Projects

20:49 - Leading Contractors

22:58 - Small Team Middle Ground

28:27 - Ego Fear And Trust

31:44 - Are You Ready To Hire

35:13 - AI Versus Humans

Mentioned in this Episode

Systems in Session

Claude

Notion

Zapier

MailerLite

Connect with Lauren

Website: laurenglynn.com

Threads: threads.net/@laurengconsulting

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

About the Podcast

Business-First Creatives: Client Experience & Systems for Service Providers
A podcast about systems, workflows, and business advice for creative service providers.
Business-First Creatives is a podcast for photographers and creative service providers who want to build a profitable, sustainable business without drowning in admin work, client experience chaos, or systems that let you down.

This show delivers clear, actionable conversations around marketing, CRM workflows, client communication, Dubsado and Honeybook automation, Airtable systems, and workflow strategies, giving photographers and creative entrepreneurs the systems that scale, operational clarity, and strategic, human-first client experiences they need to build streamlined, referral-worthy business operations that don't require working 24/7.
If you're tired of babysitting your inbox, chasing down contracts, or watching your workflows break the moment you look away, this show will help you move beyond "figuring it out as you go" and toward a creative business that brings you joy and a paycheck.

This podcast provides answers to questions like:
How do I automate my client journey without losing the personal touch?
What CRM workflows do photographers and creative businesses need?
How can I use Dubsado or Honeybook to streamline my client experience?
What systems do photographers need to save time and deliver exceptional client experiences?
How do I reduce admin time in my creative service business?
Why do my workflows keep letting me down (and how do I fix them)?
How can I build a profitable creative business that brings me joy and a paycheck?
What's the best way to communicate with clients throughout their journey?
How do I create systems that work even when I'm not babysitting them?
How can I map my client journey to convert more inquiries into bookings?

Hosted by Colie James, a Dubsado Certified Specialist, Honeybook Educator, and Workflow and Automations Guru with 10+ years helping creatives systemize their businesses—this show delivers practical, no-BS guidance for photographers and creative entrepreneurs who are ready to streamline their client journey, automate their operations, and make money from their craft.

If you're done dropping balls and ready to build a business-first creative operation with systems that scale, you're in the right place.

Find out more about Systems in Session ➡️ https://coliejames.com/systems-in-session