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Episode 349

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Published on:

17th Sep 2026

Everyone’s an AI Expert ft. Kara Duncan

What happens when you get tired of forcing your business into software that doesn’t quite work the way you want it to? Apparently, if you’re me, you accidentally spend your birthday sabbatical building your own app. In this episode, Kara Duncan is taking over the mic and interviewing me about how a few experiments with AI tools turned into the Systems Professor app—and eventually opened my eyes to an entirely new direction for my business.

I’m sharing how I went from custom GPTs, Airtable, Notion, and existing CRM tools to building software around the way I actually want my clients to experience Systems in Session. We’re talking about Claude Code, vibe coding, personalization, accountability, AI, client experience, and why having the ability to automate something doesn’t necessarily mean I should.

And yes, we also talk about the fact that I got so absorbed in building the app that my husband handed me coffee on his birthday and I still forgot to tell him happy birthday. 😬

Find It Quickly

01:22 - Birthday Sabbatical Chaos

05:25 - Why Build an App

07:41 - Action Taker ADHD

09:40 - Rolling It Out

14:14 - Welcome Guides Playbooks

16:11 - Better Audit Delivery

18:18 - Accountability Personalization

23:14 - Origins in Custom GPTs

25:39 - Why Build an App

27:19 - Onboarding Intake Flow

28:59 - Offer Scorecard Check

33:11 - App Enhances Coaching

37:18 - One Click Build Debate

41:43 - Tech Stack Behind It

44:57 - Custom Tools for Clients

48:49 - AI Optional Philosophy

Mentioned in this Episode:

Systems in Session: coliejames.com/systems-in-session

Experience Edit: coliejames.com/the-experience-edit

Claude Code: claude.com/product/claude-code

Claude Cowork: claude.com/product/cowork

Hello Stencil: hellostencil.com

Lovable: lovable.dev

Airbase: airbase.com

Supabase: supabase.com

Vercel: vercel.com

Cloudflare: cloudflare.com

Amazon Web Services: aws.amazon.com

Connect with the Guest

Website: thekarareport.com

Instagram: @thekarareport

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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