An overview of what's to come on Season 1 and background on your host, Erin Taylor.

00:00 Introduction to Two Desks Down Podcast

00:59 Erin's Journey from Corporate to Entrepreneurship

02:13 Supporting Design Studios: The Role of an Online Business Manager

03:09 Introducing Co-Host Caitie Couples and Season Overview

Erin Taylor is the lead Operations Strategist and OBM at Lunimae Strategy & Systems Design who helps Brand & Web Designers build a calmer business.

Find out more about Erin on her website: www.lunimae.com hang out with her on Instagram & Threads @lunimaestrategy or stay in touch by signing up for her Systems Shift newsletter: www.lunimae.com/newsletter

Caitie Cupples is an empathy-first, conversational copywriter who helps creative entrepreneurs weave their personality, story, and values into the words that represent their brands so they can sell out their offers while feeling authentically themselves.

To learn more about — and from! — Caitie, head to her website at www.caitiecupplescreative.com, find her on Instagram/Threads @caitiecupplescreative, or subscribe to her newsletter, The Messy Middle at www.caitiecupplescreative.com/subscribe.

In this engaging conversation, Caitie Cupples shares her journey as a website copywriter, her love for fantasy books like Dungeon Crawler Carl, and her insights on balancing business, reading, and family life. Discover practical tips on updating website copy, time management, and the importance of empathy-driven content.

Action items:

• Create an emergency plan for personal and business life
• Automate client communication and project management processes
• Build a support network for unexpected life events

Chapters

00:00 Exploring Fantasy Literature: Dungeon Crawler Carl

03:16 Diving into Rom-Coms and Academic Affairs

03:47 Television Shows: Bridgerton and Beyond

06:00 Podcast Recommendations and Listening Habits

07:16 Conversation Starters

08:49 Book Trackers: Storygraph vs Goodreads

11:43 Dog Adoption Journey

18:07 Travel Adventures: From Lisbon to Local Trips

19:04 Food Obsessions and Comforts

23:09 Introducing Caitie Cupples: A Journey to Copywriting

24:31 Rebuilding After a Crisis

30:50 Emotional Impact of Loss

36:26 Looking Ahead: Rebuilding and Moving Forward

Resources

• Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Deniman - https://mattdinniman.com/books/dungeon-crawler-carl/
• Proof of Life Podcast by Tori Sprankle https://www.torisprankel.com/proof-of-life-podcast
• Sunsama Planning Tool -https://sunsama.com/
• Storygraph for Book Tracking -https://app.thestorygraph.com/

Guest:

Caitie Cupples is an empathy-first, conversational copywriter who helps creative entrepreneurs weave their personality, story, and values into the words that represent their brands so they can sell out their offers while feeling authentically themselves.

If Caitie’s not clacking away on her keyboard, writing website, email, or launch copy for clients, she’s probably taking a walk in the woods of the Pacific Northwest with her family, adding another book to her library holds list, or baking delicious muffins that her kids may or may not deem edible.

To learn more, head to her website at www.caitiecupplescreative.com, find her on Instagram/Threads @caitiecupplescreative, or subscribe to her newsletter, www.caitiecupplescreative.com/subscribe

Host:

Erin Taylor, Lunimae Strategy & Systems Design

Learn more at www.lunimae.com or follow along @lunimaestrategy

In this episode we focus on the business side to discuss how to get shit done that isn’t the primary thing you sell. As service providers we have a specialty but we also have to do admin work, financials, inbox, show up on social, and do many other marketing things. We talk strategies for how Caitie figures it out in her business.

Also in this episode:

• How Caitie explains her work to her grandma
• Caitie’s husband's entrepreneurial ventures
• Balancing business and family life
• Time tracking habits
• Client sourcing and maintaining relationships

00:00 Introduction to Copywriting and Its Importance

01:52 The Role of Website Copy and When to Update

03:46 Collaboration with Designers and Other Professionals

05:53 Cohost Introduction

08:19 Personal Insights and Entrepreneurial Journey

10:58 Managing Business Tasks and Time Effectively

16:28 Effective Time Management Tools

17:28 Marketing Strategies for Entrepreneurs

21:15 Client Acquisition and Referrals

24:59 Enhancing Client Experience

28:30 Project Management and Workflow

Resources & Links:

• Sunsama – Daily planning tool
• Dubsado – Client management platform

  Who should we all follow:

• Kristina Bleiler from Gem Creative Co https://www.instagram.com/gemcreativeco/
• Katie from 26&then some https://www.threads.com/@26andthensome

• Caitie’s Husband's Business: https://codeuntold.com/
• Work on Your Own Stuff Wednesday - Join for free
• Passions Collective – Dubsado Templates
• Amy, from Hello & Co on Making Google Docs look Cute - https://hellococreative.com/

Connect with Caitie:

• Website
• Threads

Connect with Erin:

www.lunimae.com

www.instagram.com/lunimaestrategy

S1:E3 Life is Expensive! Balancing Contracting Work in your Business

We're using a Thread as a jumping-off point for today's conversation. Caitie and Erin go deeper into the realities of running a business and why doing consulting work might be THE thing that keeps your business afloat, not something to be ashamed of.

Wanna join the conversation? DM us on Instagram and share your thoughts. We might even just talk about it in a bonus episode.

00:00 Vacation Preferences: Beach vs. Adventure

01:43 Jobs you wish you knew about

03:07 Looking forward to in 2026

03:35 What's for Dinner?

04:59 Caitie Intro

05:27 Business Realities: Contract Work and Retainers

16:01 Weighing Your Options with a Contract Opportunity

20:21 Summer Schedules

25:23 Corporate vs. Business Owner Risks

Mentioned In this Episode:

• The Thread that started the Conversation
• KP is a Certified 9-grid freak | Social Media + content strategy for weirdo small business owners feeling lost on social - learn more here
• The massive Chicken Pot Pie
  

• Connect with Caitie:
  • Website
  • Threads

• Connect with Erin
  • Website
  • Instagram

This episode is all about Schedules and Time Blocking Calendars. Business owners often struggle to figure out the best schedule for their business each week and this week we talk through real life example.

This is a Peer Coaching episode where Caitie shares her dilemmas around her weekly schedule and Erin helps provide suggestions.

This discussion includes:

• Scheduling work at 80%
• Whether to block a whole day or sections of the day for your own business
• When to let clients book calls
• Figuring out how to overlap client projects
• 5th week is always free

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Sweet vs. Salty: A Taste of Preferences

01:12 Weird Things Associated to Your Brand

02:54 The best Concert

05:01 Birthday Traditions: Celebrating with Desserts

08:17 Peer Support: Managing Your Schedule

11:11 Task Management: Tools and Strategies

13:59 How to move time blocks when you're having fun

18:55 Nighttime Laptop Rules

19:55 When to schedule a project kickoff call

27:38 Thoughts on Calls Days of the Week

Catch up on Epsidoes 1-3: www.lunimae.com/two-desks-down-podcast

Connect with Caitie:

https://caitiecupplescreative.com/

https://www.threads.com/@caitiecupplescreative

https://www.instagram.com/Caitiecupplescreative

Connect with Erin:

www.lunimae.com

https://www.threads.com/@lunimaestrategy

https://www.instagram.com/lunimaestrategy