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Episode 330

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Published on:

14th Jul 2026

Business Bestie Chat: Q3 – 2026 with Sabrina Gebhardt

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

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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