Episode 271

full
Published on:

30th Dec 2025

How I Spent Money Inside My Business in 2025

In this end-of-year episode, I’m breaking down how I spent money inside my business in 2025 — and more importantly, how I made those decisions.

This isn’t a profit report or an expense spreadsheet walkthrough. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at what I chose to invest in, what I outsourced, why the podcast is my biggest marketing expense, and how warm-up offers completely changed the way I decide who to work with and where to put my money.

I’m also sharing how this buying behavior pushed me to rethink my own warm-up offers, what I’m carrying into 2026, and why my word for the year is simplify.

If you’re thinking more intentionally about your spending, your offers, or how you want to work next year — this one’s for you.

In this episode, we cover:

  1. How I evaluate purchases and investments in my business
  2. What I outsource and why retainers matter to me
  3. Why the podcast is my biggest and best marketing investment
  4. How I use warm-up offers to test fit before committing long-term
  5. Why “no” can still be a powerful return on investment
  6. What’s changing (and staying) in 2026

Links Mentioned

Systems in Session

Email Like You Mean It

Client Experience Audit

1:1 60-Min Strategy & Implementation Calls

Ping Pong Offers Episode on Business-First Creatives

My Tech Stack

My Resources


Offers I Invested In (aff links)

Sold Out Services with Emylee Williams

Dama on Demand with Dama Jue

Missed the Memo with Hollie of Latitude Lane

Sales Parade with Ceels Lockley

Cashflow Confident (now Six Figure Safety) with Emilie Nutley

Launch Your Own Way with Kelsey McCormick of Coming Up Roses

Say Less Sales Messaging Sprint with Chelsea Quint

Email Growth Club with Kylie Kelly

Show artwork for Business-First Creatives

About the Podcast

Business-First Creatives
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