EP 100: Automations, CRMs & Lead Nurture for Solopreneurs
When You’re Tired of Tech Headaches: How Systems Can Save Your Small Business
Featuring insights from Brenda Breland of Build Business Academy + Buildesk
If you’ve ever found yourself muttering, “I hate this tech—I just want it to work,” you’re not alone. And this week’s conversation is the permission slip every overwhelmed solopreneur and small-team founder needs.
I sat down with Brenda Breland, creator of Build Business Academy and Buildesk, a done-for-you automation platform built for entrepreneurs who want to streamline lead flow, client follow-up, and the backend systems that keep a business running—without hiring a full-time ops or marketing team.
What makes Brenda unique is that she builds systems for bodies and businesses. Her background in health and fitness—coaching women through sustainable fat loss and lab-driven wellness—unexpectedly became the framework she now uses with entrepreneurs:
Find the gaps → Build the plan → Track the data → Adjust until it works.
Below, I’m breaking down the biggest insights from our conversation and why they matter for you.
Why Most Small Businesses Are Leaking Money in Their Follow-Up
Brenda didn’t mince words:
Most founders lose revenue not because of marketing issues—but because they have no follow-up system.
Small businesses assume people will click the link in bio, fill out the form, or circle back. But research (and Brenda's data inside Buildesk) shows it often takes 5–7 touchpoints before someone completes an action.
Automation isn't about sounding robotic—it’s about getting your real voice in front of potential clients sooner.
Brenda puts it this way:
“Automations should amplify you. AI replaces you—automation enhances you.”
It’s not about spammy chase-downs. It’s about personalized, timely touchpoints that help someone feel seen.
AI vs. Automation: Why the Difference Matters
This is the place where many entrepreneurs get stuck. AI feels impersonal; automation feels overwhelming.
Brenda’s take is simple:
AI tries to write for you.
Automation sends what you would naturally say—automatically.
When done well, automation delivers your tone, your warmth, your language… just faster.
And for small business owners juggling clients, contractors, and endless context-switching, this is the difference between scaling with sanity and spinning in circles.
Why Every Business—Even Solopreneurs—Need a CRM From Day One
If you’re thinking, “Do I really need a CRM yet?” Brenda says yes.
A CRM (Customer Relationship Management system) is simply a home for your leads, conversations, and client data. It doesn’t need to be fancy. It just needs to be yours.
You cannot improve what you cannot see.
You cannot sell if you cannot track.
Brenda works with everyone from first-time fitness coaches to multi-six figure plastic surgeons—and she sees the same pattern:
Businesses grow when data becomes visible.
The “Sandwich Method”: How Brenda Creates Content That Converts Without Feeling Salesy
Brenda’s online presence is magnetic for a reason: she blends relatability with expertise in a way that feels natural—not gimmicky.
Her “sandwich method” looks like this:
Relatable content (daily life, motherhood, struggles, humor)
Value or education (calling out real issues her clients face)
A small, clear CTA that invites curiosity instead of pressure
Instead of pushing, she pulls the right people in.
This is a healthy model for any founder building a personal brand—especially if you want to create connection without constantly “performing” online.
B2B vs. B2C: Rethinking Who You Actually Want to Serve
This part of the conversation hit home.
Many new entrepreneurs assume B2B equals bigger budgets and bigger contracts.
But Brenda warns: don’t sleep on small businesses.
Small business owners often want:
personalization
real partnership
tailored support
someone who understands their world
And they’re willing to invest when they trust you.
As someone who came out of corporate America, I felt this deeply. Big business can mean red tape, committees, and slow timelines. Small business? Impact is immediate—and meaningful.
The Parallel Between Bodies and Businesses
I asked Brenda about the most unexpected overlap between her fitness coaching background and business consulting.
Her answer: everything.
Health and business transformation follow the exact same pattern:
Audit → What’s actually going on?
Identify the gaps → Where are we leaking energy or revenue?
Build the plan → Unique to the person or business.
Track → Data reveals what emotion often hides.
Adjust → This is where growth happens.
Both require honesty, consistency, and the belief that long-term sustainability beats quick fixes every time.
Peptides, Labs, and Longevity: Brenda's Approach to Wellness
We also talked about the explosion of peptides and hormone therapies in the wellness space.
Brenda is pro-peptide with the right oversight—not the “click and ship” model becoming far too common.
Her program includes:
A licensed practitioner
Full lab panels
Protocols based on biofeedback + lifestyle
Oversight of HRT, TRT, peptides, or natural supplementation
The goal isn’t shortcuts.
It’s longevity, vitality, and sustainable health.
The #1 Automation Every Business Should Have Before the End of the Year
Brenda didn’t hesitate:
A follow-up automation. Period.
Whether it’s:
someone downloading a freebie
someone scheduling (or not scheduling) a call
someone viewing a sales page
someone filling a form
There must be a next touch, ideally one that sounds like you.
And her biggest pet peeve?
“Stop saying, ‘Just following up.’ It tells them you only care about the sale.”
Curiosity converts.
Connection converts.
Follow-up converts.
What Buildesk Actually Does
If you’ve felt the pain of “too many tools,” this is your solution.
Buildesk replaces:
your email marketing platform
your e-signature tool
your SMS platform
your funnel builder
your online forms
your scheduling app
your lead tracker
Everything—everything—in one dashboard.
Plus: Brenda’s team becomes your tech team.
Not having to YouTube your way through automations? That alone is worth its weight in gold.
Where Brenda Is Headed Next
What lights her up most?
Watching her clients scale with clarity
The community inside Build Business Academy
The annual retreat where entrepreneurs finally get in the same room
Merging strategy + systems so owners can move faster with less chaos
Connect With Brenda
Website: Home
Instagram: @balancingbreland
(First month of Buildesk is free.)
If you’re a small business owner tired of chaos, doing everything manually, or feeling behind in your tech setup, this episode is a roadmap—not just for automation, but for clarity.
Don’t waste the chaos.
Embrace it.
And build something sustainable.
