Generosity & Tiny Tech Habits With Guest Sara Sovie

It’s Episode86, and Delores welcomes systems strategist Sara Sovie for a guest episode. 

They explore what a “trust recession” means for creatives today, why leading with generosity builds authentic connection, and how to honour boundaries while giving freely. 

Sara shares her favourite tiny tech habits—think Gmail filters, pen‑and‑paper funnel mapping and reusable templates—along with the simple system of jotting ideas into Apple Notes. 

They wrap up with a conversation about sustainable consistency: weekly newsletters, low‑pressure social media rhythms and focusing on one tiny step at a time.

Key Takeaways

• Generosity builds trust: In a world of declining public trust, giving value first can create deep connection.
• Boundaries protect generosity: Serving generously doesn’t mean giving everything away; it’s okay to draw the line when free advice turns into ongoing work.
• Micro‑systems matter: Gmail filters, pen‑and‑paper planning and templates save time and mental energy.
• Capture ideas on the go: Running lists in Apple Notes help you categorise tasks and free your brain.
• Sustainable consistency: Choose one rhythm (like a weekly newsletter) and show up on social media in a low‑pressure way.
• Take one step: When overwhelmed, pick one task and break it into tiny, doable steps.

Enjoy this refreshing chat and support the show by listening to Episode 86. Tag us on Instagram with your favourite insight so we can celebrate you!

Transcript

Delores Naskrent: [00:00:00] Hi friends, Delores here. Welcome back to the Creative Juggle Joy, where we talk about building a creative life and business that actually feels good. One that's filled with art, connection and sustainable joy, even when things get busy. Today I'm joined by someone who's been part of my creative world in a couple kinds of ways over the years, from tech support behind the scenes at events like Laser Craft Fest, to now being a fellow mastermind member with our mutual friend Colleen Underwood.

Her name is Sarah Sovie and she helps creative entrepreneurs simplify their systems, streamline their online presence, and build workflows that make space for what really matters.

She is also one of the most grounded, generous people I know when it comes to helping others. We're going to talk about three things that weave together beautifully leading with generosity [00:01:00] and why thoughtful experiences build real trust, tiny tech habits that make a big difference and consistency without burnout, because the way we show up matters more than how often we show up.

So grab your tea or your coffee, and let's get started. Sarah, I'm so glad you're here.

Sara Sovie: Hi, Delores. I'm so excited to be here. Thank you so much for having me. I've really been looking forward to this conversation. I know I've been looking forward to this one. We've both seen so many sides of the creative businesses, and I think this conversation will feel like a breath of fresh air for listeners.

Now you have said before that there's a bit of a trust recession, which I thought was a really interesting phrase. we're feeling that online right now. People are tired of feeling marketed to. What does generosity in business look like to you? Yeah, so I really pride myself on staying up to date on marketing trends so I can help my clients [00:02:00] set up their events and their launches based on what's actually working, not just what sounds good or even what's been done in the past.

and so I've been hearing a lot about this phrase of trust recession. and what really surprised me is it's not just a buzzword. There's actual real data behind it that shows declining public trust. I really think. People are tired. They're tired of feeling manipulated, overwhelmed, or misled.

Whether that's slick marketing, that feels inauthentic, constant noise from every direction, or sales tactics that over promise and un deliver. Yeah. For me, generosity is one of the simplest ways to build or rebuild trust. It means leading with value and care before asking for a commitment and in a trust recession, like what they're saying we're currently in.

And we're seeing that kind of approach feels rare and grounding and honestly it just feels good to operate that way. Yeah, and I've seen this play out in real life too. Like for example, your summit you held. Last summer completely free for attendees, which [00:03:00] was amazing and such a powerful example of that generosity.

You could really feel how leading with value first created trust and connection in a way that no sales tactic ever could. Yeah, I love that, and I think listeners will relate to wanting to give without burning out.

Delores Naskrent: How do you personally keep that balance between generosity and boundaries? I know it's hard.

Sara Sovie: Yeah, this is honestly a tricky one for me because generosity genuinely feels good to me. When I can help someone who doesn't love tech in the backend side of business, or really even dislikes it, or dare I say, hates it, it really feels right and aligned for me. That being said, as a service provider, my knowledge and expertise are also my livelihood.

So I gave everything away for free. I'd be doing a disservice to myself, do and you see the joy it brings to others, it's hard to put a price on it. Honestly, I'm still navigating this. and much to the dismay of my husband, who's a little more business minded than I am, [00:04:00] I just tend to follow my gut.

I show up and I support where I can. I guess if I have to draw like a line or a boundary, someone keeps coming back with ongoing questions or like ask for hands on work. That's where those boundaries matter, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. And what I found though is that most people are very respectful.

So for me, I'm choosing to trust that people, the right people will find me. And that leading with integrity and generosity does come back around. I've seen you model this beautifully in how you interact with people in communities. It never feels forced or performative with you. You're known for making tech approachable, and I think that's a big reason that people trust you.

Delores Naskrent: Can you maybe give us a few small tech habits that you can think of off the top of your head that really make a big difference? Especially for creatives like me who feel constantly overwhelmed by systems.

Sara Sovie: Course, I love [00:05:00] talking about this stuff. and I think it, it helps to share that I don't actually come from a tech background Originally, I spent almost a decade as a speech language pathologist in healthcare, and so this is a second career for me.

as I started working in Back in Tech, I realized that so much of what I was doing was really small, practical problem solving, and so recognizing that. One of my passions is making sure that people feel like tech is approachable and doable. one of the things I'm really proud of is I send a weekly newsletter where I share what I call tiny tech tips.

and these are meant to be quick wins, not big overhauls. a few of my favorites that I've shared, is using Gmail filters. To automatically label and organize your emails. Mm-hmm. And this is just a tiny setup that literally takes five, maybe 10 minutes, but it can instantly make your inbox feel calmer.

Another one is actually not using tech, but paper and pencil. writing out your funnel or your customer journey with pen and paper before touching [00:06:00] any tech. this really helps you get clear on what you want to happen first, and then makes the tech side feel much less overwhelming.

Delores Naskrent: I could see that like a visual just being really helpful.

Sara Sovie: Exactly. It kind of takes away that abstract feeling of it. Like this, all stuff is like happening magically. it just, it really lays things out, so right. The last one is using templates. and I know you're a big fan of SOPs, so this is kind of similar in that nature. so many platforms let you create templates, Gmail for emails, Canva for graphics, slides, whatever you're using it for, Asana for projects.

So many different options, and this really saves so much time and mental energy. So you're not starting from scratch every single time you go to do a task.

Delores Naskrent: I think people really underestimate how powerful those microsystems can be. I know even just things like batching, that is so, helpful for me in my business.

Do you [00:07:00] have one specific one that saves you from chaos? Every week?

I have been using this one a lot lately. and when I say it, it doesn't sound like a system, but it, but it is, I use Apple Notes. I have a you

Sara Sovie: yes. Yes. Yeah.

Delores Naskrent: That's so cool. I was just asking my daughter about that because she was showing me a screenshot of her screensaver and then she had the notes at the top and I was thinking, what the heck is that?

So she's gonna show me when she comes this week.

Sara Sovie: That's amazing. Yeah. So the way that I use mine is I have a few different running notes titled social media ideas, business tasks, client tasks. And then whenever something pops in my head, because it always does when I'm not doing that specific thing, I pull out my phone and I jot it down right away.

And so it helps to keep things categorized and then more importantly, it gets everything outta my brain. 'cause there's a lot going on up there. Yeah. I have a lot on my plate as a mom, as a business owner. And so that brain dump is. Truly necessary for my sanity. but the best part is, is how simple it [00:08:00] is.

I've tried using organizers like Asana for a while, but even that was too much. And Apple notes works for me because I actually use it, and that's what matters.

Delores Naskrent: Like it's just available, right? You have your phone on you almost all the time. I really love that. I think for me, that will be one of the things that I'm gonna start doing because I'm terrible for having sticky notes all over the place and literally to the point where I've.

Piles of them, and every once in a while I like, I'll be flipping through them and think, oh, I was supposed to do that and I haven't done it. So I think that would be a lot better for me and it would integrate with all of my other Apple stuff. Hmm. Mm-hmm. You really got me thinking there.

Sara Sovie: Do like the idea of taking a sticky note and crumpling it up and throwing it in the garbage.

Wanted to do it though. That feels very satisfying. But yes, try the digital option and, and see how it works for you.

Delores Naskrent: I will. It's. So amazing how many creative hours that we can get back by just making a few little [00:09:00] changes. Mm-hmm. I know that both of us care about showing up for our communities. We were just talking about that just before the episode, but we've also learned the hard way that consistency can become a trap.

How do you define consistency and how do you make it really sustainable? You know what I mean?

Sara Sovie: Yeah, I, I think this actually ties really perfectly into what I was just talking about with the Apple Notes. 'cause as simple as it sounds, it's a system. It's something routine and consistent that gives me structure without taking up extra brain space.

Mm-hmm. For me, system should work for you, not overwhelm you. So if a system is feeling heavy or stressful, it's probably not gonna last. Yeah. And I say this all the time. The best system is one that actually works for you. 'cause at the end of the day, we are all human and sometimes we have to let a few balls drop.

as a perfectionist, this is something that I'm still working on with giving myself more grace and taking the pressure off. a really good example of sustainable consistency for me is my weekly newsletter, I [00:10:00] made a, a goal at the beginning of 2025, to send a weekly. Email and that really felt impossible.

I was like, I don't know if I'm gonna be able to do this. but I made the commitment to doing that one thing, even if other things slipped. And now writing those emails is faster and honestly kind of fun. which I never thought I would say, but that's what that consistency that is actually sustainable looks like for me.

Delores Naskrent: You know, that is so real. And I do my newsletter every week as well, and. It was really hard at first to get the whole system created and now I really enjoy that period of time where I sit and do that because I feel like I'm really talking to everyone that is on my list and my members. I think that we just struggle when we feel pressure to show up every day, but for some reason that newsletter feels good.

What's one rhythm that You think has really helped you, it feels consistent, but is actually also still [00:11:00] flexible. I'd like to hear that.

Sara Sovie: Yep. As, as you were talking, the word pressure came to mind. Mm-hmm. and another area for me, besides my weekly newsletter. That I struggle with is social media.

I have a love hate relationship with it, and I, a lot of people, me, a lot of people can relate to that. I, I love that it's a place to connect and share, but it can also really feel like an obligation and. Yeah, it's visibility and talking about what I offer don't come naturally to me. So that pressure to show up and do that, doesn't work well for me.

one thing that I have made the mindset shift in is to take that pressure off myself, that I have to show up and sell or explain my business. instead I just simplified my goal to just showing up. My rhythm is I try to show up on stories once a day, Monday through Friday, and post to my feed twice a week.

If I do more, great. If I do less, that's okay too. Yeah, and I think the biggest difference [00:12:00] in that low pressure approach is that it feels more doable. So some days it might just be a photo of my coffee and my laptop. Counts. I showed up. Yeah. Other days I might share a story or takeaway from a client successful event, which feels scarier, to put that out there.

But it's also meaningful and , it's made me appreciate more of my wins, recognizing them and sharing them. again, removing that expectation that every post has to be business focused has made it easier for me to stay consistent with something that's really hard for me.

Delores Naskrent: You know what? I love that.

It's such a relief to hear consistency framed as something kind instead of something demanding. I think we do put so much pressure on ourselves. Maybe adopt yours, you know, twice a week and stories maybe. We'll see. Yeah. This has been such a refreshing conversation. I'm just so sorry that it's ending before we wrap up.

If someone's listening right now and they're feeling a little frazzled, [00:13:00] a little stretched thin between generosity, tech, and consistency, what's one thing you'd want them to remember that you'll advise them to do?

Sara Sovie: this is a reminder for myself just as much as anyone else listening, pick one thing and break it into an achievable step. Those tiny wins build momentum and confidence. We all tend to avoid things that feels scary. So for me, that's marketing. For somebody else. That might be techer systems, right? But I found that when I take a deep breath and I focus on just one step at a time, it's really powerful to see what you are capable of.

Delores Naskrent: Ah, that is such a great note to end on. Sara thank you so much for joining me today and for everything that you've shared, you're just your presence, just the way you are. You're so calm and you're so grounded. It's such a gift to anyone building a creative business with art. And you and I are gonna work together.

I know it. For any of you [00:14:00] listening, you can find Sarah online. I'm gonna put her website and Instagram information in the show notes. I'll also link everything up if there's anything else that I have for you. I've got a couple of, What you'd call motivational things that I'm gonna add to the show notes here that I think go really well with what Sara and I have talked about today.

Now everyone listening, if this episode sparked an idea or reminded you to simplify something in your creative world, share it on Instagram and tag us so we can celebrate you. And until next time, keep creating, keep juggling, and most importantly, keep finding joy in the process.