Shows
The Speak Easy PodcastWhat Type of Brand Are You? (And Why the Distinction Matters)Every brand has its own unique challenges — but not every brand should be approached the same way. In this episode, Jen shares four brand categories she and her team at Redhead work with most often: corporate, place-based, boutique, and entrepreneurial. From the layers of stakeholder input in corporate branding to the emotional nuance of placemaking, we break down how each type calls for a tailored approach to strategy, voice, and visual identity.
We talk about how understanding your brand’s category can help you choose the right creative partner, avoid costly missteps, and ultimately build something that resonates with the peop...2025-04-2217 min
The Speak Easy PodcastCase Study: Storytelling Essentials with RenderWhether you’re crafting a brand message, delivering a speech, or simply trying to make an idea stick, the way you tell your story matters. Knowing your audience, embracing personality, and making messages actionable ensures that stories don’t just entertain — they inspire and drive real impact.
Using Gustav Freytag’s classic story arc as a guide, Karen takes us through Render's process for engaging an audience from start to finish. Join us as we dissect how the right storytelling approach can transform communication and leave a meaningful impression.2025-03-1115 min
The Speak Easy PodcastFighting Words: ‘Fire Your Comms Person’Many organizations rely on small, overburdened marketing and communications teams, expecting them to do it all and inadvertently setting them up to fail. In this episode, Jen and Karen challenge the traditional hiring model and explore why a fractional or agency-based strategy could be a smarter, more cost-effective solution.
Tune in as we break it down: why the “comms department of one” is never a magic fix; why adding another full-time hire isn’t always the answer; and how leveraging agency expertise can provide more value, creativity, and strategic support. From avoiding burnout to accessing top-tier talent across multiple disciplines, we off...2025-02-2613 min
The Speak Easy PodcastCase Study: Redhead's 25th AnniversaryIn this episode, Jen and Karen reflect on Redhead's 25-year path of growth and reinvention, from its beginnings as a small freelance graphic design business to a powerhouse of strategic brand consulting. They explore how the company has evolved while staying true to its core belief: that a strong, authentic brand identity is the foundation of success.
Redhead's story is one of adaptation, growth, and enduring commitment to the power of branding. For Redhead, a brand goes beyond visuals or slogans — it embodies an organization’s identity, values, and purpose, shaping how it connects with the world. Tune in as Jen...2025-01-2722 min
The Speak Easy PodcastPet Projects & Why They MatterPet projects are more than hobbies — they’re a lifeline for creativity and connection. In the fast-paced world of deadlines and deliverables, carving out time for passion-driven work can energize teams, spark innovation, and foster camaraderie. These pursuits allow space to experiment, fail, and grow, creating a culture that values more than just productivity.
In this episode, we unpack the importance of pet projects and how they build stronger teams and businesses. Karen shares insights from Render’s creative ventures, while Jen explores how small traditions and shared experiences deepen workplace bonds. We also discuss the decline in generosity and why co...2025-01-1512 min
The Speak Easy PodcastCase Study: Filming Far and Wide with Render StudiosTraveling across the country to collaborate with clients and bring their visions to life through expert storytelling and dynamic production? That’s Render Studios’s bread and butter.
That said, coordinating large-scale film projects across multiple locations is a process that goes far beyond capturing great footage alone. From managing remote location scouting and navigating local rules to maintaining a strong network of trusted producers and crew members, the success of any traveling production hinges on experience and careful preparation.
In this episode, Karen shares how Render manages remote location scouting, secures teams across the country, and stays at their best...2024-12-1620 min
The Speak Easy PodcastCase Study: MI Children’s Savings Accounts for CEDAMIn our latest case study, we dive into Redhead’s work supporting the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM) on marketing for the Michigan Children’s Savings Account Network. The Network, consisting of 17 programs across the state, aims to help students save for their postsecondary education through Children's Savings Accounts (CSAs). Recognizing the marketing capacity challenges faced by program leaders, Redhead developed a comprehensive CSA Program Marketing Toolkit, complemented by instructional videos and regular tips in newsletters, to ensure effective implementation.
Jen shares insights on building marketing resources that go beyond teaching skills and set clients up for success — even w...2024-09-2520 min
The Speak Easy PodcastCase Study: Render Video DistributionWhen it comes to video marketing, the key to maximizing reach and enhancing brand visibility is starting with a solid distribution strategy. Whether earned, owned, or paid, each channel requires a different approach to craft a video that resonates with a distinct audience.
Measuring the effectiveness of these strategies is crucial to ensuring that each video effort achieves its intended impact. In this week’s case study, Karen provides listeners with a peek behind the curtain of video production and walks us through Render’s strategies for successful video distribution.2024-08-1322 min
The Speak Easy PodcastCase Study: ScrapFest DocumentaryFounded by David Such and Larry Bass in 2008, ScrapFest is a Lansing art festival that brings together artists from around the country to compete in a scrap metal sculpture competition. Earlier this year, Karen’s media production company, Render Studios, premiered their debut ScrapFest documentary. The film highlights various artists and their sculptures from the previous year's festival, offering viewers an immersive exploration into the creative journey of participating artists.
For our second entry into our new case study series, we offer a deep dive into the documentary and its filmmaking process. This week, Karen shares what the creative process lo...2024-02-2723 min
The Speak Easy PodcastCase Study: Sad Little TownLast month, the Detroit Free Press’s editorial page editor ran a piece about moving the state capital to Detroit, deeming Lansing a “sad little town.” It caused quite the stir, to say the least. Lansing residents and Detroiters alike sounded off on social media, the comments sections grew tense, and water cooler conversation was fueled for days.
As buzz around the article grew, people in the Lansing community latched onto the phrase “sad little town” with a sense of tongue-in-cheek pride. Thus, an anonymous “Sad Little Town” account on Twitter/X popped up overnight, accompanied by a website with t-shirts and h...2024-01-1624 min
The Speak Easy PodcastIt Doesn’t Matter How You Got ThereEvery individual has their own path toward their professional career. Aspects of academics, lifestyles, and family expectations all integrate to direct a person toward a career that best suits them. In the case of entrepreneurship, people use their individual experiences to fuel their careers. Karen grew up with parents and siblings who were entrepreneurs, and she knew that was a professional choice she aimed for. Jen did not expect to become her own boss, but learned through early jobs that she was capable and had the skill set.
In this episode, we discuss that there is no correct path to...2022-11-2213 min
The Speak Easy Podcast116: Buyer’s Remorse — Karen Talks Her Short FilmThis week’s a bit of a treat, folks. Jen interviews Karen about Buyer’s Remorse, an award-winning short film developed by Karen and her team at Render Studios.
Buyer’s Remorse explores the notion of whether or not money buys happiness and the culture of consumerism. This film was a passion project for Render — no client meant they were able to create in a sandbox. Karen discusses the excitement of creating fiction, her process behind inventing characters, and the team that brought Buyer’s Remorse to life.
Watch Buyer’s Remorse here: https://renderstudios.com/portfolio/buyersremorse.2022-02-0224 min
The Speak Easy Podcast108: Building a Brand, Running Retail, and Placemaking for CommunityOne of the principal tasks of starting a business is buying and developing a commercial space. Recently, Jen bought a new building for her marketing shop, Redhead, and an exciting new endeavor — Nelson Gallery. Redhead took the upstairs and Nelson lives below.
Starting a new commercial project is never a cake walk, but when you factor in a global pandemic, well, it gets a tad more challenging.
This episode we talk through the challenges faced and lessons learned from inventing, branding, and launching a successful new retail venture in downtown Lansing.2021-10-1217 min
The Speak Easy Podcast101: I don't want your entitled kid to become my employee or clientAs parents, the last thing we want to do is raise entitled people. The kind of people who never clean up after themselves and expect the red carpet to unfold everywhere they go.
As employers, the last thing we want to do is work with entitled people. The kind of employees and clients that have a “me, me, me!” mindset. Most commonly, these types of people are the products of helicopter parents. Or lawnmower parents — a new term that Karen shares with us.
Join us as we discuss how to deal with entitled folks in business and how to avoid creati...2021-07-0720 min
The Speak Easy PodcastOur 100th Episode: Burning Questions100 rapid fire questions for our 100th episode. We’re talking everything from mom jeans to aliens to weird food combinations. (Jen’s is really weird.) (Honestly, Karen’s is too.)
To be fair, we do dabble in some industry-related questions and heavier topics, but mostly we learned a lot of new interesting things about each other — and ourselves.
Thank you for listening to 100 episodes of our musings and making Speak Easy possible. Now make yourself a La Pina, enjoy our antics, and we’ll see you next time for 101.2021-06-2233 min
The Speak Easy PodcastStrategy Series 20: Creating Vs. Launching Your BrandCreating a brand and launching a brand are exciting and important moments for your business. They present opportunities to elevate your work, change direction if necessary, and take new steps forward. But these monumental and transitional tasks require a strategic approach.
What's the difference between new brand creation and the actual brand launch? How can we think outside the box when it comes to releasing our new brand to the public?
Jen breaks down the difference between creating your brand vs. launching your brand from a strategic perspective. We also talk about different types of rebrands, and the top factors...2021-05-0507 min
The Speak Easy PodcastStrategy Series 19: Edutainment – Creating Captivating Educational ContentFrom Sesame Street, to cooking videos on YouTube, or even the information you get from TikTok, educational entertainment is all around us. It's become a staple for educating people young and old, and is also a great way for organizations to get their own messages across. So, how can your brand or company's edutainment stand out in a sea of content?
This Strategy Series, Karen discusses the ins and outs of edutainment. Using her own first-hand experience and videography knowledge, she breaks down the best ways to create content that not only educates your audience but also connects with them.2021-04-2008 min
The Speak Easy Podcast94: When Business And Life Align — A Conversation With Karenrning and perfecting our work-life balance every day, while trying to push ourselves and our careers to continue to grow. Alignment isn't something in our lives that happens overnight. It can take decades of hard work and learning to achieve.
Luckily, for the first time in a long time, Karen has found that balance for herself and her business. While this past year presented countless challenges, Karen did her best to turn each into an opportunity for herself and for her business. Dive into this week's episode where we learn from Karen's triumphs and challenges over the past year that...2021-03-3019 min
The Speak Easy PodcastStrategy Series 17: The Power Of 'What If—?'We've all heard the age old adage, "Curiosity killed the cat." Still, as entrepreneurs, we're familiar with the addition to the phrase: "But satisfaction brought it back." Sure, there are risks that come along with being inquisitive. But there is true satisfaction (and, ultimately, success) in asking the hard questions and keeping our curiosity alive.
In this Strategy Series, Karen explores the power of asking "What if—?" She discusses how breaking down barriers of possibility helped guide her professional life, and how curiosity holds power both in our businesses and in our personal lives. How can we remember to ask ou...2021-03-0907 min
The Speak Easy PodcastStrategy Series 16: Branding For Community ImpactWhen creating a new brand identity, it's important to keep your end goal top-of-mind. From brainstorming a brand name to designing a logo and tying it all together on a shiny new website, a new brand is a multi-faceted process — and all the while, it is imperative not to get swept up in the process and lose sight of the client's broader goal. At the end of the day, a brand is more than clarifying and enhancing an image. It's about amplifying the client's message and, as a result, inciting positive change.
In this Strategy Series minisode, Jen references an ex...2021-02-2307 min
The Speak Easy Podcast91: How To Happy (And Know It)What makes you happy? Is it finishing a project you've been working hard on? Giving a gift to a loved one? Reading a good book on a rainy day? Or, is it even more subtle than that? To us, happiness is something we can practice in our day-to-day lives. Joy can often feel elusive; unfortunately, we aren't always conscious of the moments that make us feel happy when we're in them. With that in mind, how can we become more intentional about our happiness?
Of course, happiness is no easy feat. It is often entirely circumstantial and dependent on the...2021-02-1621 min
The Speak Easy PodcastStrategy Series 15: Honoring Efficacy and EfficiencyWorking in a client-based industry means that, first and foremost, we are problem solvers. Our clients come to us with specific goals, visions, or a problems to be solved, and it is our job to deliver a successful end product that does just that. Our ability to create the best product possible means working in the most efficient and effective manner we can, while also staying realistic about client expectations and what we can provide.
Karen uses a recent example from her own work to discuss her approach to project management. From efficacy to efficiency, we chat about strategies for...2021-02-0906 min
The Speak Easy Podcast87: Moving Forward (Literally And Figuratively) — Part TwoLast episode, Karen dove into how and why she decided to move buildings even after all the unexpected changes 2020 brought – and this week, it's Jen's turn. To some, a monumental business move might not seem like the most logical thing to do this year; but why wouldn't you take an opportunity when one presents itself?
Jen lets us in on the details of her big office move at Redhead Design Studio and why she decided to go for it. We break down the logical, quantitative reasons that lead to making big workplace decisions, but also the highly illogical and emotional re...2020-12-1520 min
The Speak Easy PodcastStrategy Series 12: How Animation Brings Video Marketing Plans To LifeAnimation is a powerful video tool that is often overlooked. Animation can be used to demonstrate science at the cellular level, show an entire kitchen simultaneously in chaos, explain abstract concepts, or even make your software come to life. In short, animation can get the job done.
Animation and motion graphics are phenomenal video marketing solutions that give us other options for video when in-person filming isn't available to us. However, if you've never used animation in your business projects before, you understand that it can seem a little daunting. When it comes to launching an animation project, where do...2020-12-0807 min
The Speak Easy Podcast86: Moving Forward (Literally And Figuratively) — Part OneWhen we're surrounded by monumental changes in the world, our natural reaction is to stop, slow down, and stay put. We definitely understand the draw to seek what's comfortable and safe. (After all, we could all use some stability these days.) Yet, as business owners, we need to move forward with changes that will ultimately best serve our teams and clients. Regardless of the circumstances, why wouldn't we chase after opportunities when they present themselves?
This week's episode is the first of two parts, so you know it's a big deal. Jen and Karen both have some exciting news to...2020-12-0118 min
The Speak Easy PodcastStrategy Series 10: Videos Work – Science Says SoAs social media has grown, so has the presence and success of video. When it comes to changing the behaviors of users, video has shown remarkable success on social media and beyond. But what's actually going on in the audience's brains that makes video so successful? How can we harness the ROI of video for our own brands, across formats?
Turns out, there's a science to creating and using video to your business's advantage – and after working in video production for more than 40 years, Karen knows a thing or two about it. In this week's Strategy Series, Karen gets technical an...2020-10-2806 min
The Speak Easy PodcastStrategy Series 09: Cleaning Up Your Brand LanguageIn the marketing world, language is one of the top tools for impactful and effective communication. As communicators, it is important that our brand language develops with the world around us. Not only does it help our brands stay relevant, but it helps them grow stronger and more idealized.
In this week's Strategy Series mini episode, Jen breaks down the nuances of how language is developing and how we can apply cultural shifts in language to our brands. From finding what forms of acceptable language work for your brand to tightening up that elevator pitch, Jen covers it all and...2020-10-1311 min
The Speak Easy PodcastStrategy Series 08: Growing Your Nonprofit With VideoVideo is often an under-utilized tool in business, especially when it comes to nonprofits. Not only can video be used to tell the story of your organization, but it can also be used in almost all marketing efforts to grow your business. Whether it's member engagement, funding development, or even public policy and advocacy, how can we can take advantage of video beyond the marketing realm?
Having worked in video her entire career, Karen is well-versed in ways we can use video as part of broader business strategies. In this week's Strategy Series episode, she discusses five out-of-the-box ways we...2020-09-3004 min
The Speak Easy Podcast82: Quitting While You're Ahead: Knowing When To Stay Or Walk AwayThrowing in the towel feels like a bad thing. We've always heard a barrage of phrases like, "Only losers quit" or "Quitters never win." But, depending on the situation, we don't always see it that way.
While the concept of quitting can be hard to come to terms with, sometimes quitting is necessary for our success. When something no longer serves you or is demanding all of your time and energy but delivering nothing for you in turn, it might be time to let it go. Sometimes, leaving one thing behind can help us reset, reallocate our resources, and reshape...2020-09-2215 min
The Speak Easy PodcastStrategy Series 07: Effective Outreach Through Marketing And BrandingAs communicators, it's our job to help our clients figure out what they need to reach their goals. Often times, many clients don't even realize that what they need is branded marketing.
In this mini episode, Jen breaks down the importance of knowing the difference between outreach, marketing and branding and how, if you want your outreach to be effective, you can't have one without the other. Where do outreach and marketing collide? Once we have a solid branding foundation, how can we build an effective outreach campaign around our brand? All that and more in this week's Strategy Series...2020-09-1506 min
The Speak Easy Podcast81: Waste Not, Want Not: How To Be Our Most Efficient And Effective SelvesWorking during the pandemic has shifted the way we go about our everyday lives. We've talked about it in past episodes, but the pandemic has uprooted us and still keeps many of us at home. It has forced us to reevaluate the things that are important to us and has shifted how we work – and it's had a big impact on resources, efficiency and waste.
Every individual is wasteful to a certain extent, whether we're aware of it or not. Unfortunately, that waste often carries over to our businesses in a variety of ways. Some of us might struggle with wa...2020-09-0818 min
The Speak Easy PodcastStrategy Series 06: Building Trust In VideoTrust is a key factor in any healthy relationship, but especially in client relationships. As creatives, we need to trust our client to tell us what they are looking for and what they expect, and they need to trust us to deliver on that. It doesn't end there though. We also need to trust the client's audience. When we trust that the audience will be invested in the work we are producing, that aids us in creating work in which they will be invested.
So, how do we build that trust? How do we maintain that trust and make sure...2020-09-0107 min
The Speak Easy Podcast80: Audiences, Flexibility, And The Future Of Public Broadcasting – Featuring Guest Susi ElkinsThis episode, we are joined by a very special guest: Susi Elkins, director of broadcasting and general manager at WKAR Public Media in East Lansing, Michigan. As station manager, she oversees all of the station's programming including original content and production, as well as partnerships across all of WKAR's broadcasting platforms.
During her 25 years at WKAR, Susi has learned a thing or two about flexibility. Not only does she identify programming to match the diverse needs of thousands of audience members across ages and backgrounds, but she produces and curates content that propels the station forward. How can we balance...2020-08-2543 min
The Speak Easy PodcastStrategy Series 05: Defining Target MarketsWe know – we all want our brands to be everyone's best friend. But here’s the deal: The narrower you can get your target market, the easier your marketing becomes. Marketing to fewer people to have a greater chance at success sounds counterintuitive. But it’s not. In this Strategy Series minisode, Jen discusses how refining your target markets and honing in on their needs can help you speak more clearly and convert your audience into a loyal community.2020-08-1805 min
The Speak Easy Podcast79: Lessons From A Global PandemicThe pandemic has swept through our lives and almost universally changed everything. While we will be living among COVID-19 for the foreseeable future, we’ve already started sorting through the rubble to evaluate what's happened, how we’ve coped, and how we’ll move on.
Like any major life event, there are lessons to be learned along the way. For business owners and parents right now, there are a few central themes among these lessons: balancing work and home life, streamlining processes, and working remotely. Still, on top of these obvious threads, there are a few surprise areas in which we’ve...2020-08-1116 min
The Speak Easy PodcastStrategy Series 04: The Art Of Virtual Video EventsLet's be real: Zoom calls aren't always as easy as they should be. The bigger the call, the messier the scenario. And, these days, it doesn't look like things will be going back to "normal" any time soon. Many businesses are making the move to hosting virtual events, and whether they're small meetings or large-scale fundraisers, it's imperative that these run as smoothly as possible.
In this week's Strategy Series episode, Karen breaks down tips and tricks for you to kick off your virtual events without a hitch. From planning to preparation to execution, she covers it all in easy-to-execute...2020-08-0406 min
The Speak Easy Podcast78: Wanderlust, Our Wildest Dreams, and Why We Do What We DoThese days, a lot of us find ourselves drifting off in thought and reevaluating our past decisions. The global pandemic has taken away a lot of the physical tethers that we have to where we live, such as needing to go into our offices. With work from home being the new norm, it's not only interesting but healthy to question our decisions and why we do what we do.
This week, we talk about our own life choices; we break down everything from the career paths we almost took to the ones we still haven't ruled out, and even chat...2020-07-2820 min
The Speak Easy PodcastStrategy Series 03: Leveraging Your Brand ValuesDo you know what your organization values? Does your staff? What about your customers? This week's Strategy Series mini episode explores the importance of knowing your business's values, and how you can demonstrate these values through action.
Jen uses her personal experience to discuss the foundational importance of clearly defined and outlined brand values. Listen in for actionable steps you can take to outline your values while making them presentable and digestible for others. Not only will you leave the episode with a way to better organize your company values, but you'll also learn easy ways to use them to...2020-07-2107 min
The Speak Easy Podcast77: Fuck It, I'm Going For It AnywayHow many times have you stopped yourself from going after what you wanted? Whether it was because you were afraid of failure, rejection, or adding to workload, you probably have a million reasons. Now, how many times have you said “fuck it” and done it anyway? In spite of what others thought or the thousands of reasons not to try, you did it.
This week, we’re talking about when you should just go for it, already–whatever it is. In honor of the Speak Easy Podcast’s third birthday, we’re recapping some of the best outcomes in our life that we...2020-07-1421 min
The Speak Easy PodcastStrategy Series 02: New Rules for FilmingAnyone who has worked with or on a videography team knows the amount of work that goes into a shoot. From organizing locations to shooting in tight spaces, Karen and her team manage to keep things running smoothly regardless of the circumstances. But COVID-19 is flipping the script on many best practices in the film world. How can we return to filming during a pandemic?
In the second episode of our Strategy Series, Karen discusses how her team plans to keep everyone safe as they gradually return to live filming. What does the global pandemic mean for preproduction planning? How...2020-07-0707 min
The Speak Easy Podcast76: Fighting For What Matters Most — Featuring Guest Paula HerbartOur newest guest, Paula Herbart, knows a thing or two about leading through uncertainty.
As president of the Michigan Education Association, the shifting K-12 landscape led Paula to further reevaluate the changes that need to take place in education, particularly regarding equal access to lesson plans, food and health. Paula has long believed that the right to a quality education is the base for many civil rights in our country, and that this is currently at risk.
Over the past months, few sectors have been forced to adapt quite as much as education–but Paula is always up for a ch...2020-06-3040 min
The Speak Easy PodcastStrategy Series 01: Learn From This Crisis To Prepare For The NextIn our first episode of the Strategy Series, Jen shares what we can learn from the global pandemic to prepare for the next crisis, from a business and marketing perspective. There are certain business strategies that will likely be here to stay, long after the pandemic has gone. The tricky thing is determining what your customers will want to keep, and how these can help serve your revenue stream in the process.
How can we reflect on what may have gone wrong over the past few months to make our businesses stronger in the future? How can business owners stay...2020-06-2307 min
The Speak Easy Podcast75: Working With Guilt: Why We Feel It And How To Manage ItTimes are tricky right now. 2020 continues to deliver change and challenges, and a lot of people are experiencing newfound stress and guilt in their work-from-home lives. We are feeling guilty for not spending enough time with our families, on our businesses, in our communities, or learning a new hobby. There is so much uncertainty, which leads to a collective self-consciousness that only feeds into that guilt and makes us feel isolated.
This week, we discuss all of the things we're feeling guilty about since we started working from home. We talk candidly about why it's been such a struggle for...2020-06-1634 min
The Speak Easy Podcast74: Breaking Up And Moving On: The Life Cycle Of Client RelationshipsIt’s a tricky subject, but the reality is that client breakups happen. There are times when a client breakup blindsides you (which often require a healthy amount of drinks and breakup songs to recover). Then there are times when the breakup probably should’ve happened long ago, when the relationship is no longer a good fit. And sometimes, the two groups just naturally part ways.
No matter the reason, client turnover is a part of business, and we need to learn how to assess the process. What does a healthy client relationship look like? How do we know when a cl...2020-06-0224 min
The Speak Easy Podcast73: Adapting To Change And Evolving Your BusinessBusinesses should always be moving. When your business is standing still, that means the world around your business is moving and you're stagnant. In order to survive times of crisis, we need to make sure that we adapt and change–even though it’s easier said than done.
As business owners, we have had to make many changes to the way we run our businesses over the past few months, and we will have to make even more changes in the upcoming weeks as we transition back out the work from home life. What changes have we made and how have...2020-05-1926 min
The Speak Easy Podcast72: Creating A Legacy Of Service—Featuring Guest Rachel WillisThis episode’s guest, Rachel Willis, has been an active member of the community since childhood. Her family instilled the importance of making yourself heard, taking a seat at the table and helping those around you from early on. Rachel models these beliefs through her work every day–but how does she make time to focus on herself in a life of service?
As vice president of regional operations at Bethany Christian Services, Rachel aids families and children everywhere through social services and outreach. In her free time she serves on the Lansing School District and Lansing Regional Community Foundation boar...2020-05-0636 min
The Speak Easy Podcast71: Catching Curiosity: How Asking 'Why' Can Model Empathy And InnovationWe all aspire for childlike curiosity. From birth, being curious helps us learn about the world around us and teaches us imperative problem solving skills. However, as we get older, it becomes easy to lose our curiosity. Many workplaces frown upon asking too many questions, poking holes in current processes and structures, or wondering, "Why are we doing this?". How does curiosity benefit us our lives and the workplace and why should it be something we practice?
Curiosity has many benefits, from influencing individual creativity and innovation to increased empathy. Like many other skills though, it is something that needs...2020-04-2116 min
The Speak Easy Podcast70: Bad Manners In The Workplace: How To Avoid Them And How To Address ThemWe have all worked a job at one point in our lives where a coworker had terrible manners. This episode, we're talking about *that* guy: The one who clips their nails in the cubicle, or the one who is 30 minutes late every day. The one who still wears leggings even when she knows there is a client meeting, or the one who overshares every intimate detail from their Friday night. Yeah, that guy.
Not only can these little things get on our nerves, but they can seriously impact productivity, too. That's why we're talking about bad manners in the workplace...2020-04-0722 min
The Speak Easy Podcast69: What Do We Do Now?—Leadership During CrisesAmid the growing COVID-19 pandemic, we switched gears this episode to discuss how we can maintain solid leadership during a global crisis. Let's be honest—every business owner has a different problem. And those problems could be technically or emotionally complicated.
We won’t sugarcoat it: It’s a scary time for small businesses, and it’s a scary time for all businesses. Particularly, small business owners who are having to make decisions that they haven’t had to consider in the past. As we learn more about this pandemic, these decisions can change on a day-by-day basis and we need to be...2020-03-2419 min
The Speak Easy Podcast68: Fueling Your Fire And Finding Your ‘Why'–Featuring Guest Tammy HannahBalancing two young children, being a part of a rapidly growing care facility, and going back to school for an MBA all at once might sound impossible. But this episode’s guest, Tammy Hannah (CEO of Origami Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center), made it happen. Still, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. What kept her going when she wanted to quit? Her self-motivators: taking a step back and reminding herself why she was getting her MBA to begin with, knowing that the chaos was only temporary.
Life gets crazy for everyone–whether we're stressed about managing family, work, school or all th...2020-03-1037 min
The Speak Easy Podcast67: Finding And Using Your Voice: The Art Of AdvocacyThere are so many reasons why it's important to practice using your voice in your work. As entrepreneurs, we (sometimes unknowingly) become advocates for ourselves, our teams and our clients. If we enter the business world without learning how to speak up for ourselves, people will take advantage of that.
However, it also becomes important to consider why we are having the conversations that we are having. Are we holding conversations that are going to help further our clients toward their goals? Are we holding conversations that are going to improve and better our team?
This week's episode explores the...2020-02-2522 min
The Speak Easy Podcast66: The Games We Play Beyond The BoardEveryone loves a good board game. They help us build skills like patience, rationale, and strategic thinking. Sure, we use these skills in a good old-fashioned game of Monopoly or Risk, but they're also applicable to everyday life. These qualities help us to win over a new client, hire a new employee, and figure out the next best move for our business.
Games give us the ability to look two or three steps down the road and help decide what the next best move is for the long-term. In order to succeed (both in a board game and as an...2020-02-1119 min
The Speak Easy Podcast65: The Power Of 'Yes': How We Can Break The Routine Of 'No'When was the last time you said "yes"? Just an all-out, hesitation-free, no-questions-asked "yes"? Over time, a lot of entrepreneurs get really good at saying "no." Which, as we've discussed in past episodes, is important. But in the process, we can fall into a routine of refusal when it comes to exploration.
We forget that trying new things is almost like the process of falling in love: The enthusiasm we get when we've discovered something for the first time is almost indescribable. We talk about it nonstop, as if we were the first person to ever discover it. It's whimsical...2020-01-2817 min
The Speak Easy Podcast64: What Romance Novels Teach Us About Feminism and Change—Featuring Guest Lyssa Kay AdamsIf you want something different in life, change it—whether it's your career or the patriarchy. Or if you're our guest, author Lyssa Kay Adams, both.
The last couple of years were pretty major for Lyssa. She pitched a story on Twitter as a relatively unknown author, was signed with an agent within two days, received a three-book deal with a publisher, and–oh, yeah–actually wrote the first novel, "The Bromance Book Club." (Not to mention her second novel, "Undercover Bromance," which comes out March 10.) So, yeah—she's been pretty busy.
Lyssa isn't afraid of change. She left her career a...2020-01-1553 min
The Speak Easy Podcast63: Getting Back To Basics, Avoiding Shiny Objects And Decluttering Our Mindst can be tempting to set new, ambitious goals based on what we think we should want. Achieving a certain milestone, expanding into a new service offering, or taking on an impressive project. It's important to get out of our comfort zones—but it's also important to stay focused in the process.
That's why decluttering our goals, business objectives and offerings is just as important as decluttering our junk drawers. Constantly checking in on what our competitors are up to can distract us from our core strengths. How can we evaluate which of our goals or offerings are distractions, and wh...2020-01-0616 min
The Speak Easy Podcast62: The Most Important Things We Do Each YearFor many entrepreneurs, the end of the year is a time for holiday get-togethers, meeting deadlines, and–the big one–goal setting. We take time to visualize where we see our organization in the coming year, in five years, or even a decade down the line. We carefully map out our business's progress and trajectory. But are we focusing on what’s most important?
While it's pretty clear how to identify these quantitative metrics (like finances or organizational growth), it’s less clear whether our goals are aligned with the top priorities in our lives. Don't be fooled: Goal setting is not a...2019-12-1718 min
The Speak Easy Podcast61: How The 80/20 Rule Can Help Us Get Our Priorities StraightThe 80/20 Rule is certainly a handy analytical tool for businesspeople. But, turns out, efficiency isn't all about rules and percentages. After reflecting on it, we realized that this idea of putting in a smaller yet more concentrated effort to yield a larger payoff can apply to almost every area of our lives: work, home, family, health, creativity...everything.
While we might be tempted to get swept up in the details of the 80%, it's critical to give that foundational 20% the attention it deserves. When we're focusing on the stuff that has the biggest payoff (and doing those things well), we can...2019-12-0320 min
The Speak Easy Podcast60: Granting Yourself Permission To Be CreativeSomewhere along the way, our culture fell into this mindset that more time working = more "success." This is the same logic that all too often forces our creative pursuits to take a back seat. You can't pull time for creativity out of thin air—so, you've gotta grant yourself permission to be creative.
Permission to be creative begins with accepting that there are countless different definitions of creativity. Sure, images of paintbrushes and instruments come to mind when we first hear the word. But creativity means different things to different people. From debating to looking at a new topic at wo...2019-11-1919 min
The Speak Easy Podcast59: How To Face Big, Scary, Intentional ChangesChange is always an emotional process–but intentional changes evoke a different kind of feeling. It's the big package of emotions that come along with being in the driver's seat of our own decisions.
We're not talking about day-to-day decisions like choosing what to eat or even which new hobby to take up. We're talking about those rare, monumental decisions that will forever alter the course of our lives: moving across the country, entering a new industry, expanding our families. And while these intentional changes are endlessly exciting, they are really, really difficult.
Over time we've learned that big changes do...2019-11-0517 min
The Speak Easy Podcast58: Learning New Things, Failing At Them, And Coming Out On TopWhile many entrepreneurs seem to have an innate sense of curiosity, we can all agree that there are times when we get stuck in our own bubbles. Repeating our tried-and-true skills seems to objectively make more sense than venturing into new areas. Why mess with a good thing, right? Still, new experiences (and the failures that sometimes ensue) drive new ideas.
There's much to be gained from getting our hands dirty within our industries and in totally unrelated fields. And, personally, we love learning new random skills: pottery, Spanish, the mysteries of the universe–pretty much anything. Devoting your brain to...2019-10-2320 min
The Speak Easy Podcast57: What Keeps You Up At Night?You know the feeling: You look forward to plopping into bed all evening, but once you're finally there you can't seem to turn off your brain. Everything you could ever possibly contemplate suddenly seems to worry you. What is your sales pipeline looking like? How are the kids doing? Why is the world...the way that it is?
Whether it's something personal, professional or regarding the large grey area in between, we all lay awake at night worrying from time to time. For entrepreneurs, that might be more often than not. While we've all heard study after study about how...2019-10-0819 min
The Speak Easy Podcast56: Navigating Pricing While Knowing Your WorthThis week, we're tackling one of those hush-hush, secretive, taboo subjects your mother always told you not to discuss at the dinner table: pricing.
In the creative industry, entrepreneurs often tend to avoid conversations regarding pricing. There's a delicate dance surrounding money, but getting your pricing right from the start can help avoid expensive mistakes later on. So now, the cat's out of the (money)bag. We're getting transparent about prices: how entrepreneurs can calculate cost, choosing between price-per-task or hourly rates, and–most importantly–knowing what you're worth.2019-09-2429 min
The Speak Easy Podcast55: Building Community - Live at Bad Annie's, Featuring Guests Meghan Martin and Summer SchrinerThere's no better place to talk about building community than out in the community itself. As our first-ever live show, this episode was recorded live from Arts Night Out at Bad Annie's Sweary Goods in Old Town, Lansing, Michigan. We welcome two special guests: Meghan Martin, interim executive director of the Arts Council of Greater Lansing, and Summer Schriner, owner of retail shops Bad Annie's and Grace Boutique, to discuss their experiences building community right here in Lansing.
It's one thing to be a part of your community–but truly building community is another feat entirely. From supporting small businesses to...2019-09-1041 min
The Speak Easy Podcast54: Changing Careers And Running The Show–Featuring Guest Lis WestonTo get something right, sometimes you have to flip your perspective on the topic altogether. This episode we welcome a new guest: Lis Weston, a versatile businesswoman, and executive director who brings a business-centric brain to education at Early Child Care Center in Lansing, Michigan.
Lis knows a thing or two about the value of an outsider's perspective. Over the course of her career, Lis translated skills from one field to the next. After starting out in the nonprofit education sector, she earned an MBA, worked at a large for-profit company, and eventually landed in the executive director role at...2019-08-2729 min
The Speak Easy Podcast53: How To Stop Dreading Employee ReviewsIn many organizations, employee reviews have become formulaic. The employee sits down with their supervisor once a week, once a month or once a quarter. They go over a written evaluation, talk about what could be improved and move on. But for entrepreneurs and small business owners, this corporate formula doesn't always fit.
For business owners who talk to their team every day while working through projects, the formal review might not be necessary. Still, we've seen that we all perform better when we receive some sort of feedback, employees and employers alike. So, we need to scale our employee...2019-08-1319 min
The Speak Easy Podcast52: Brown Suits And Watered-Down Whiskey: Why We Shouldn't Settle For AverageIt's no surprise that most people don't want to be average. Yet, average is so easy to fall back into; it's simple, effortless, affordable, comfortable. It's the first idea that comes to mind in a brainstorm, which we're often tempted to accept as the answer and move on. But average suits nobody.
Settling for average is like watering down whiskey. You've compromised on both sides, but what you're left with is a concoction that is neither thirst-quenching nor boozy. It's just, meh.
The same is true for quick, average solutions in the creative industry. Anyone can get a quick stock...2019-07-3016 min
The Speak Easy Podcast51: What To Do When You're Burnt Out, Exhausted And Ready For A Giant NapRaise your hand if you've told yourself, "I'll just get past this busy season and then it will be calmer." Is it ever calmer? Not really. The truth is, another busy season is always on its way.
Entrepreneurs have an early bird mindset. We're constantly chasing new opportunities, even when we already have enough on our plates. It's easy to think our career success is solely based on how often we work, how quickly we respond and how many hours we put in. Unluckily for us, that leads straight to one thing: burnout, featuring a long emotional night at our...2019-07-1621 min
The Speak Easy Podcast50: Random (And Surprisingly Relevant) Thoughts From A Word Generatorn any industry, leaders need to be able to think on their feet. We improvise new solutions, brainstorm outside the box and go out on a limb almost daily. This episode, we're testing our improv skills with a random word generator; we find four obscure words (a noun, a verb and two adjectives) and discuss whatever comes to mind.
Turns out, most everything can relate back to our careers and goals. From how consistent examination improves our processes to how leaders always need to be on their guard, an entrepreneur's life can tie in the seemingly most random words.
How...2019-07-0220 min
The Speak Easy Podcast49: Relevance And The Mid-Career-ness Of It AllWhen you hit that mid-career mark, it can feel as though you've seen it all. You've got a solid grasp of who you are: your leadership style, your values, your purpose. You've learned how your team gets into a groove, and what it takes for you all to produce your best work. Why mess with a good thing? To stay relevant, that's why.
Having a solid sense of who you are and where your skills lie is great. Still, in order to best serve your clients, you've got to keep up with new innovations in your industry as they evolve...2019-06-1821 min
The Speak Easy Podcast48: Recognizing Our Faults (Almost To A Fault)It's the quintessential interview question: What's your biggest weakness?
While the savvy interviewee might try to spin the topic in their favor, there's no denying that we all have personal and professional faults. From lack of patience to not wanting to ask for help, we can admit that we (and most entrepreneurs) come up short in certain areas. So why does it feel downright unnatural for us to admit our shortcomings?
In the creative industry, we're constantly striving to amplify our key differentiators and play to our strengths. Don't get us wrong, we've got to take stock of our skills...2019-06-0416 min
The Speak Easy Podcast47: The Fine Line Between Critique And CriticismWe know, we know; at the end of the day, critique and criticism are beneficial. They help drive us forward. Push us out of our comfort zones. Make us the best versions of ourselves. Then why are critique and criticism sometimes difficult to give and receive?
Turns out, there's a world of difference between criticism and critique. And in a world where criticism comes a dime a dozen (especially in the comments section online), a quality, constructive critique is rare. At the same time, we all have inherent tendencies to approach these differently depending on our environment; when we're at...2019-05-2121 min
The Speak Easy Podcast46: Entrepreneurial Hindsight is 20/20–Featuring Guest Kelly Rossman-McKinneyAs we look back on our careers, it becomes clear that there's no way to forecast every change that will come our way. Industries shift, trends come and go and we can't pretend to know it all. How can we identify our blind spots and fill the gaps of what we don't know?
This episode's guest, Kelly Rossman-McKinney, is an experienced communicator with more than a few notches in her belt. From former co-founder and retired CEO of a PR firm to current communications director for Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (with a legislative run in between), Kelly has a...2019-05-0739 min
The Speak Easy Podcast45: Change Is Always In SeasonIt's been said many times before, but we'll say it again: Change is inevitable. Personally, professionally and regardless of the season, change chugs along whether we think we're ready or not. Truth is, even if we might not know it at the time, we're usually more prepared than we think.
For entrepreneurs, business is like a Michigan season. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, with snow one day and shorts and T-shirt weather the next. We'd like to say that we always love change, but let's be honest–sometimes change is just scary and we wish we co...2019-04-2317 min
The Speak Easy Podcast44: Defining Success And Getting Our Priorities StraightDefining success is difficult. It's like trying to analyze how far we've come by comparing miles to kilometers or tiny, baby footsteps–everyone's measuring stick is different, which is why we simply can't compare our successes to others. As tempting as it may be.
For us, definitions of success vary day-to-day. Some days we're thinking big picture and looking at the long-term, and other days we just want to make it through the meeting or task at hand. A one-size-fits-all definition of success isn't realistic. Sure, it would be a lot easier to measure success by a standardized parameter, like re...2019-04-0917 min
The Speak Easy Podcast43: Hitting Reset After Hitting The BrinkFor entrepreneurs, the candle is usually burning at both ends. We're leading our businesses by day, leading our families (and often still our businesses, thanks to technology) by night and on the weekend. It's this constant engagement, mentally and physically, that excites us. And it's also this constant engagement that taxes us the most.
Don't get us wrong–as entrepreneurs, we seek this sense of ongoing adventure. No two days are the same, and our high-risk tolerance put us in a position that’s prone to hardships in the first place. Still, after a while, daily stress and hardships can wear...2019-03-2618 min
The Speak Easy Podcast42: Making And Breaking The RulesSure, some (okay, a lot) of rules are necessary. Like rules backed by data, or rules that keep us from dying. As much as our punk-rock alter egos would like to disagree, we need rules to keep it all together and create a safe environment. The tricky part is determining which rules are solid, and which are kind of BS.
One thing most entrepreneurs have in common is the tendency to sidestep rules. Traditional corporate rules don't complement every mind; when the rulebook has been made up by someone else, it can feel impossible to follow. Still, entrepreneurial rebellion is...2019-03-1219 min
The Speak Easy Podcast41: Show Up, Follow Through And Don't Be A DickYes, it would be nice to claim that we don't care what other people think about us and go about our lives rebellious and free. But let's get real: As business owners and professionals, we simply cannot ignore the importance of a solid reputation.
Our reputations are the lifeblood of our businesses; they drive leads, satisfy current clients, set the tone, help us produce great work and put bread on the table. Still, how can we tell whether our true values align with our current reputation? Moreover, what can we do to strengthen our reputation if there's a discrepancy between...2019-02-2619 min
The Speak Easy Podcast40: Is 'Fake It Till You Make It' Bullsh*t?Sure, faking it can get you to the point of making it. (Whatever "making it" implies.) But once you've wowed that boss, hiring manager or team with your quick-thinking wit (read: bullshit), what's next?
You suddenly get a sinking feeling in your soul when it hits you: you actually have to deliver on your promises.
Don't get us wrong, faking it isn't always a bad thing. For those just starting out in their careers hoping to build a foundation or try something new, saying "yes" a few too many times is often necessary. And, in our personal lives, faking it...2019-02-1213 min
The Speak Easy Podcast39: Why ‘Entrepreneurial Rigor’ Isn’t An OxymoronWe normally see rigor associated with scientists or academics, but what does it look like for entrepreneurs in the creative industry? We may not like to admit it, but nothing sets the foundation for success like entrepreneurial rigor. We can have infinite creative ideas floating around in our heads–still, at the end of the day, we need rigor to get the job done. Whether through heavy critique, detailed explanations or well-established processes, self-discipline is necessary for making our good ideas even better.
Rigor isn't an antonym for creativity; it's what makes space for natural creativity to happen. Despite the ne...2019-01-2916 min
The Speak Easy Podcast38: Plans, Endgames And Questions We Didn't Know Existed—Featuring Special Guest Gabrielle Lawrence"Planning ahead" means different things to different people. Whether you're a small business owner or an estate planner, it's all about identifying your endgame. Sometimes you just need a kick in the pants to sit down and identify what that endgame is, exactly.
This episode's guest, Gabrielle Lawrence, is an attorney specializing in business, probate and estate planning (all while writing restaurant reviews, serving on a board and parenting a son who just turned one). Her mantra: We're never done planning ahead. Both in business and on a personal level, you don't just get to plan just once—it's an ev...2019-01-1529 min
The Speak Easy Podcast37: Creative Muscles Need Training, TooFor some reason unbeknownst to us, there seems to be a common misconception that creativity is a natural-born talent. That creatives just wake up in the morning and flawlessly complete seamless, innovative projects without breaking a sweat.
We're here to break it to you: creativity requires a lot of hard work. You can't run a 5k with just ten minutes of training, and you can't execute a record-breaking creative idea on the first try. But, with diligence and practice, you can grow your creativity.
We've noticed a pair of common tactics among successful creatives: persistence and balance. These creatives recognize...2019-01-0418 min
The Speak Easy Podcast36: ResilienceWe like to think successful entrepreneurs, in general, are significantly more resilient than the average person. Nothing is guaranteed in our work, and there's no safety net. The ability to bounce back from failure or critique is a necessity in order to keep things running and lead our teams forward.
But, turns out, resilience is more complex than you might think. It's not just about getting back up when you fall; it's about knowing you can get back up if (and when) you take this metaphorical fall. The knowledge of having faced adversity in the past gives us the confidence...2018-12-1815 min
The Speak Easy Podcast35: Maintaining Virtual RelationshipsWe'll be honest—if we had it our way, every new relationship would start with a meaningful face-to-face chat. But in today's business environment, one needs to master virtual relationships in order to adequately scale an organization. While there's a slew of impressive technology designed solely to connect teams across the country (and the globe), remote work is easier said than done.
Virtual relationships bring a number of challenges: communication gets muddled, silos build up between teams, and invaluable nonverbal cues can get lost in translation. We've all had more than a few video conferences wrought with technical difficulties that le...2018-12-0419 min
The Speak Easy Podcast34: When Things Go WrongResponsibility is inherent in leadership. When something goes wrong on your team, all roads lead to your desk. People look to you to boost morale, patch the mistakes and devise a plan to move forward. This can be stressful, or this can be empowering. Usually it's both.
Chances are, every entrepreneur has more than a few memories of a time when everything fell apart. Someone dropped the ball, missed a deadline, or threw a wrench in your carefully prepared plan. Over time, we learned how to react when the dominos start falling: take a deep breath and figure out what...2018-11-2017 min
The Speak Easy Podcast33: Following Creative TrendsCreative ideas are not to be underestimated; a lot of critical inventions we couldn't see ourselves living without today started as simple trends. Someone, somewhere comes up with an innovative idea that's fresh and unique—but only a few trends truly stick.
It's not always clear whether something will stand the test of time or lose its thunder. After all, there was a time when an entire corporation thought Crystal Pepsi would last forever. So what differentiates a solid creative idea from an ephemeral fad?
For us, it comes down to productivity and client service. Unless a trend's helping achieve ou...2018-11-0615 min
The Speak Easy Podcast32: The Inevitability of BusyIt's inevitable that there are more demands on your time than you can realistically handle. If your business, projects and family schedules are anything like ours, your calendar is often full to the brim. But you can either complain about it, or accept it and move on.2018-10-2315 min
The Speak Easy Podcast31: Vulnerability in LeadershipWhy do we treat vulnerability like it's a negative thing? Saying "I don't know" and "I need help" seems like the purview of our young kids, not grown-up women in leadership. But let's be honest: sometimes even when you feel at risk of being emotionally exposed, you can find the courage to be yourself. So, maybe vulnerability isn't such a bad thing?2018-10-0916 min
The Speak Easy Podcast30: Who Left Me In Charge?—Featuring Special Guest Sarah AnthonyThis episode, we're welcoming a special guest: Democratic nominee from House District 68 Sarah Anthony. As District 3 Ingham County Commissioner, Sarah was the youngest African-American woman to serve as County Commissioner in in the nation. She's also Deputy Director of Partnerships and Advocacy at the Michigan College Access Network. Impressive resume aside, Sarah's a woman with an inspiring background and even more exciting future. Together, we discuss the age-old question: who left me in charge?
Sarah lives by a simple mantra: you belong here. She writes this on the front page of every notebook she gets, so she doesn't forget. As...2018-09-2526 min
The Speak Easy Podcast29: Difficult DecisionsHiring an employee. Expanding your office. Choosing a Bloody Mary garnish. As entrepreneurs, our lives are full of decisions (big and small). But the big, difficult decisions that truly impact people's lives can be hard pills to swallow.
Challenging decisions are inherent in leadership. It's pretty much a part of the job description. In times or trouble or uncertainty, it's our responsibility to be decisive and guide our team in (what we hope to be) the right direction. But it's not as always as simple as yes and no. How can we force ourselves to make a choice on the...2018-09-1216 min
The Speak Easy Podcast28: Impatience is a VirtueImpatience gets a bad rap. In the professional world, we often forget that is that impatience is the driving force behind getting any project off the ground. If a business leader is too patient, they could overthink the situation, brainstorm for weeks, and never actually roll up their sleeves to get things started.
We all need a little impatience to drive our ideas forward. Still, there needs to be a balance between impatiently launching countless projects and taking the time to research our methods. Creatives are often itching to get their hands dirty and make something beautiful, without analyzing how...2018-08-2818 min
The Speak Easy Podcast27: We Hate Sales and Prospecting, Too.It’s true: entrepreneurs don't go into business to do sales and prospecting. They want to focus on the things they love, and sometimes it can feel like sales are getting in the way.
That’s why it’s is a tricky subject to talk about in creative services. We're not simply putting objects on shelves with price tags; our services are largely relationship-based. And a relationship is more challenging to sell than an object.
For us, the solution to incorporating a solid sales strategy lies in authenticity. If you truly provide an outstanding service, then you have nothing to hide i...2018-08-1415 min
The Speak Easy Podcast26: Staying Organized and Keeping Our S*** TogetherThere's a lot more to organizing your life than buying a new planner and a label maker. Aside from the obvious, there are a myriad of factors that can help us stay organized: professionally, personally, and mentally.
As entrepreneurs and creatives, staying organized can be especially difficult. Creative people sometimes get a bad rap when it comes to organization; but "creative" and "organized" aren't mutually exclusive. We just need to figure out how to hone in these out-of-the-box thoughts. How can we organize our creative ideas and, more importantly, leverage them to form real business results?
One thing we can...2018-07-3116 min
The Speak Easy PodcastBloopers: Our Birthday Gift to YouWe turned one! To commemorate our anniversary, we're giving you a listen behind the mic with a quick bloopers reel. We usually try to keep our episodes short. Which means our audio engineer, Scott, has to edit out quite a bit of foolishness. Since our podcast is about pulling the curtain back on our lives as creatives, we thought we’d show some of the silliness that goes on in the recording booth.2018-07-2406 min
The Speak Easy Podcast25: When Employees Lie, Cheat and StealWhen you've invited someone into your business—your home—and they betray you, it sucks. There's really no other way to say it. We've both been burned. Does it affect how you do business? Does it affect how you trust people?2018-07-1826 min
The Speak Easy Podcast24: TransparencyWhat does transparency bring to relationships? We've worked with organizations where the world is wide open as well as those who are all veils and secrecy. Today we want to share some thoughts on the benefits transparency can bring to the table.2018-07-0222 min
The Speak Easy Podcast23: I Need an AssistantNot gonna lie, we both get overwhelmed sometimes. When the to-do lists get long, all we want to do is delagate. Some days, I would like to delegate everything from getting an oil change to typing meeting notes. It's really a blend of work and life that I need help with. So, why don't you get it?2018-06-1919 min
The Speak Easy Podcast22: What Makes a Great Partnership—Featuring Special Guests Robin and Betsy Miner-SwartzWhen you make the right pairing unexpected things happen. But one thing is for sure: a great partnership makes all the difference. That's why we're very excited to host our first-ever Speak Easy Podcast guests—Robin and Betsy Miner-Swartz. Robin and Betsy are not only one of the best duos we know, but they are dear friends and colleagues. And they have a pretty cool partnership of their own with Smirnoff Vodka.2018-06-0530 min
The Speak Easy PodcastRebroadcast: Life Balance is a Fucking LieIf we’re honest with ourselves, sometimes there are not enough minutes in the day. This has been one of those months. So we’re sharing one of our favorite episodes again while we manage our personal roller coasters. Keeping balance in check is potentially the greatest challenge for folks like us, so this episode is a useful re-listen.2018-05-3015 min
The Speak Easy Podcast21: Keep HiringI recently hired some new staff, and I promise you, it's one of the most difficult boss duties around. We've both had our ups and downs when it comes to bringing on new talent. Sometimes, we've hit it out of the ballpark. And other times, not so much. What's the key to doing it right?2018-05-1622 min
The Speak Easy Podcast18: Disintegration of BoundariesThe disintegration of boundaries seems to permeate our cultural landscape these days. No, we're not getting political on you. Karen and I operate in similar but distinct spaces and are not competitors of one another; however, our competition is increasingly the same. This can put us in precarious positions when looking for strategic partnerships. Yep. What do you do when your prospective vendor is also your competitor?2018-04-0314 min