Shows
Money Talks from The EconomistMoney Talks: There’s no business like itWe raise the curtain on the business of New York’s iconic theatre district. Broadway has been struggling with rising costs and falling sales since the pandemic, but its financial drama started much earlier. The economic plot just doesn’t make sense. Will the lights go out on the Great White Way?Hosts: Alice Fulwood, Tom Lee-Devlin and Mike Bird. Guests: The Economist’s Stevie Hertz; actor Leanna Rae Conception; Megan O'Keefe, executive vice-president of production company No Guarantees; Broadway investor, Ken Willman; Oliver Roth, CEO and producer at OHenry Productions, Kate Shindle, president of Actors’ Equity; and Lee...2023-12-2147 minEconomist PodcastsMoney Talks: There’s no business like itWe raise the curtain on the business of New York’s iconic theatre district. Broadway has been struggling with rising costs and falling sales since the pandemic, but its financial drama started much earlier. The economic plot just doesn’t make sense. Will the lights go out on the Great White Way?Hosts: Alice Fulwood, Tom Lee-Devlin and Mike Bird. Guests: The Economist’s Stevie Hertz; actor Leanna Rae Conception; Megan O'Keefe, executive vice-president of production company No Guarantees; Broadway investor, Ken Willman; Oliver Roth, CEO and producer at OHenry Productions, Kate Shindle, president of Actors’ Equity; and Lee...2023-12-2147 min
Mohamed Guhaad's podcastMoney Talks: There’s no business like itWe raise the curtain on the business of New York’s iconic theatre district. Broadway has been struggling with rising costs and falling sales since the pandemic, but its financial drama started much earlier. The economic plot just doesn’t make sense. Will the lights go out on the Great White Way?Hosts: Alice Fulwood, Tom Lee-Devlin and Mike Bird. Guests: The Economist’s Stevie Hertz; actor Leanna Rae Conception; Megan O'Keefe, executive vice-president of production company No Guarantees; Broadway investor, Ken Willman; Oliver Roth, CEO and producer at OHenry Productions, Kate Shindle, president of Actors’ Equity; and Lee Seymour, producer...2023-12-2147 min
BettermentalAre you trying to control your own success?Bettermental is wrapping up Season 2 with a question: are you limiting your own potential by trying to control your success?Mike and Leanna discuss what success has meant for each of them: professionally, financially, and mentally. They describe the potential benefits and limitations of wanting to control things when it comes to your personal success, and how your definition of success might change over time.You’ll learn:How the feeling of success or failure can relate to high functioning anxiety and high achieving tendencies [4:25] What success has personally looked like for Mike and...2023-06-1928 min
BettermentalAnxiety and control with Tatiana Garcia LPCAmbitious, goal-oriented, perfect. These qualities may sound like positives, but sometimes the person with which we label them, actually feels overwhelmed, burnt out, or not enough.In this guest episode, Licensed Professional Counselor Tati Garcia joins Mike and Leanna again to explore the relationship between high-functioning anxiety and the need for control.You’ll learn:What high functioning anxiety is and how it might look for a business owner [4:29] The difference between “low functioning” and “high functioning” anxiety [7:35] Tatiana Garcia’s personal struggles with high functioning anxiety [12:50] Tatiana’s tips for establishing your non-negotiables for self-care [14...2023-05-2231 min
BettermentalHelping high-achievers while managing anxiety with Tatiana Garcia LPCAre you a perfectionist? Do you appear to have it all together, but inside you feel worried, overwhelmed, and burnt out? In this special guest episode, Licensed Professional Counselor Tatiana Garcia joins Mike and Leanna to talk about high achievers, high-functioning anxiety, and her own mental health journey. You’ll learn:The typical characteristics of people with high-functioning anxiety [5:49]How Tatiana’s experience as a business owner impacts her relationships with clients who are struggling with high-functioning anxiety [13:26]The prevalence of feelings such as shame and loneliness associated with mental health [14:12]Tatiana’s own mental health history...2023-04-2429 min
BettermentalEnergy, depression, and giving up controlRunning a business with depression can be a huge challenge —and a never-ending one. In this episode, Mike and Leanna take a break from their scheduled episodes to share a spontaneous update on their mental health and work.You’ll learn:About each speaker’s experiences with depression and what it’s like to continue working during a depressive episode [3:55] How the symptoms of depression can change over time [5:32] How the physical and behavioral symptoms of depression can vary from person to person [10:20] What “masking” is and how it is used as a means for coping and...2023-03-2738 min
BettermentalHow to manage your business clients betterAs business owners and freelancers, we rely on our client relationships to make a living. But managing them can sometimes be a struggle. In this episode, Mike and Leanna discuss defining your ideal client, setting expectations and having emergency protocols in place, and how to deal with difficult clients.You’ll learn:That defining a target market is essential for successful client relationships [5:53]The importance of doing intro calls to learn about a new client’s values [14:47]Why you should set boundaries and expectations when you have a business relationship with a friend [18:00]The idea of a cl...2023-02-2735 min
BettermentalGetting control of your business financesDo you feel like you have enough money in your business bank account? In this episode, Mike and Leanna talk about the financial pressures of being an entrepreneur, hustle culture, and the impact money has on our mental health and self-worth. You’ll learn:Cultural myths that have become accepted as common knowledge, such as the feast or famine cycle [5:49]That freelancers and business owners do not have to struggle to achieve, and should surround themselves with people of a similar mindset [8:23]Mike’s experience with overcoming bankruptcy [10:42]How to separate your self-worth from dollar signs [15:45]Advic...2023-01-2329 min
BettermentalControlling your business better with time managementHow much of your work day is truly productive? Are you spending time on the right things?In this episode, Mike and Leanna dive into the topic of time management, and how managing your time can improve your mental health as well as your productivity.Learn strategies for tracking your daily activities, finding a work life balance, setting boundaries, and dealing with interruptions.You’ll learn:Mike’s “brain dump” strategy to alleviate stress [0:48]How your chronotype affects when you will be most productive during the day [6:11]The meaning of work lif...2022-12-2626 min
BettermentalCan you control your emotions?What happens when you feel an emotion? A common piece of advice is to “think positive thoughts. But is that enough if you struggle with mental health challenges? Listen to this episode to learn the difference between controlling and managing emotions. Leanna explores how emotions differ from mental health conditions, while Mike offers advice on how to check in with yourself each day, even during a busy schedule. You’ll learn:What emotional dysregulation can look and feel like [3:28]Is it possible to control your feelings? [5:27]The difference between an emotion and a mental health...2022-11-2130 min
BettermentalControl vs ManagementDo you consider yourself a manager? Or would you say you’re more of a control freak? We often can't control our emotions, but we can learn to recognize them. We can learn to notice how they feel in our bodies, understand what they are showing us, and try to move forward in a healthy direction.In this episode, find out how to navigate the delicate dance between control and management.You’ll learn:The importance of being flexible with yourself and your routine [1:49]What’s the definition of control? [3:55] Two comm...2022-10-2429 min
BettermentalWe're Back! Welcome to Bettermental Season 2Bettermental is a mental health resource for small business owners. Your hosts are Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist®, Mike Veny and future of work and wellbeing writer, Leanna Lee. In each episode, they share their mental health ups and downs and practical solutions for healthy business growth.Between the two of us, who calls themself a bit of a control freak, and how does that come into play with planning a podcast together? Find out all this and more in this trailer of Bettermenal Season 2.In this trailer, we’ll cover:Two things Mik...2022-09-1911 min
Bettermental8: 4 stress management lessons for entrepreneursRunning a business isn’t easy. Whether you work one-on-one with clients or lead a product-based business, being an entrepreneur means a lot of hard work and stress. There’s always another fire to put out or another project that’s falling behind. How do you keep yourself from burning out? How do you prevent stress from holding you back? While you can’t remove stress completely from your life, you can learn how to manage your response and protect your mental health. Do you need to advocate for yourself? Do you need to reset or practice grounding...2022-06-2726 min
Bettermental7. Manage your energy effectively at workFreelancers and business owners know too well: time is a precious resource. You have a finite amount of time each day to manage client relationships, do your work, and juggle everything in between. But what about your mental health? Do you have to choose between mental health and your business? In today’s episode, Mike interviews Leanna about her anxiety and depression and how she manages her energy throughout the workday. Together, they also share their number one strategy for prioritizing mental health (hint: plan for your hardest day). Bettermental is a mental health resource for...2022-04-1843 min
Bettermental6. Talking to clients about mental health with Chrissy KozolHow can you talk about mental health with your clients? What’s the difference between indirect and direct disclosure? In today’s episode, Leanna and Mike meet with Chrissy Kozol to discuss how to navigate client relationships and your mental health. As a freelancer or small business owner, there’s a delicate balance between managing client expectations, oversharing your struggles, and submitting your best work. Chrissy shares her strategies for communicating with clients while holding space for herself. If there’s anything to take away from this episode, it’s Chrissy’s two client-vetting questions: “How do you handl...2022-03-2143 min
Bettermental5. How to build a healthy work cultureWhether you’re working remotely, in the office, or somewhere in between, mental health isn’t something you can leave at the door. In today’s episode, Mike and Leanna walk through how leaders can create a mentally healthy work culture with empathy, compassion, and practice. Listen to this episode to find out how to build rapport with your teams and take meaningful steps towards protecting and supporting mental health. Show notes and resources at: Bettermental.fm/episode05 And we’d love to keep in touch. Connect with us on Twitter @leannalost and @mikeveny.2022-02-2135 min
Bettermental4. Start 2022 with a stress-free resetHappy New Year! 2021 is FINALLY over, and if you’re thinking it’s time for some changes to your business, you’ve come to the right place. Continuing the season’s theme of stress management, Mike and Leanna ring jump into January with ideas for starting a new business year off right both personally and professionally. Don’t miss Bettermental’s very first acronym (courtesy of Mike!), RESET: Recalibrate, Evaluate your business, Stop doing stuff, Exercise your mind, body, and spirit, and Track your time moving forward. And remember, “frustrations really show us where our values lie and...2022-01-2437 min
Bettermental3. Stress management for business owners: Burnout (Part 3)Welcome to Bettermental! To kick off their season on stress management, Mike and Leanna have introduced a three-part mini series on stress, exhaustion, and burnout. The last part of this mini-series (Part 3), is all about burnout, which is what happens when you’re exhausted from stress and haven’t managed it effectively. AKA the “crisis mode” of stress.In this episode, Mike and Leanna get really personal about the part that burnout has played in their lives and businesses, both before and during the pandemic. They share some of their biggest lessons learned, and thoughts on managing burnout...2021-12-2029 min
Bettermental2. Stress management for business owners: Exhaustion (Part 2)Welcome to Bettermental! To kick off their season on stress management, Mike and Leanna have introduced a three-part mini-series on stress, exhaustion, and burnout. Part 2 focuses on the next stage of stress: exhaustion. According to Mayo Clinic, exhaustion or fatigue is “a nearly constant state of weariness that develops over time and reduces your energy, motivation, and concentration.”In this episode, Mike and Leanna talk about how they identify and experience exhaustion symptoms with multiple mental health conditions. They share some of their best strategies for exhaustion management, like scheduling low-brain work, short and long break...2021-11-2229 min
Bettermental1. Stress management for business owners (Part 1)Welcome to Bettermental’s first episode! Mike and Leanna are excited to be back recording together again in person. In this episode, they introduce a three-part mini-series on stress, exhaustion, and burnout. Starting with stress, they dive into exactly what it is, what it looks like for business owners (and themselves!), and several in-depth tips for recognizing and managing it. You’ll leave this episode with questions to ask yourself, strategies like brain dumps, worry lists, and gut checks to try, and a list of further resources to check out.In this episode, we discu...2021-10-1840 min
Win At Life: Conversations about Disability awesomeness in awarenessWin Charles interviews Leanna Lee on being a podcasterAsk Win: http://askwin.weebly.com. Please donate to Ask Win by going to Payment Venmo Win1195 at https://venmo.com/. Win Kelly Charles’ Books: https://www.amazon.com/Win-Kelly-Charles/e/B009VNJEKE/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1. Win Kelly Charles' MONAT: https://wincharles.mymonat.com. On Ask Win today (Sunday, November 29, 2020), Best-Selling Author, Win C welcomes Leanna Lee. Leanna is a freelance writer, journalist, podcaster, and speaker and founder of content marketing brand, Lost Lass. Leanna writes about the future of work, tech, and finance for companies and publications around the world. She also spea...2021-10-0532 min
BettermentalTrailer Episode: Welcome to Bettermental!Meet the hosts of Bettermental: Mike Veny and Leanna Lee! In this trailer for their upcoming podcast, they discuss how managing mental health has impacted their lives and careers and talk about what they each hope to bring to the arena of mental health.In this episode (trailer) we discuss...“The name of the show is Bettermental...and it’s all about your mental wellness as a business owner.” [1:30]“...I call them disabilities; Mike...doesn’t necessarily agree with the term...” [4:10]“Let’s quickly...do a summary of what we’re planning for Bettermental.” [10:02]Follow Mike and Lea...2021-09-2012 min
MxV Mental Wellness PodcastTherapy for Freelancers Part 3: Getting the most out of therapyWhat happens after you’ve figured out how to pay for therapy? In our final part of this series, and the final episode of 2020, Mike and Leanna discuss how to show up for and make the most of your therapy sessions.In this episode, we cover:Why therapists aren’t there to fix you (and managing expectations)Finding the right fit (personality type, communication style, etc.)How to show up for your sessions and how therapy involves over timeTrusting the process! Thanks so much for joining us this year! MxV will be back in ea...2020-11-2737 min
MxV Mental Wellness PodcastTherapy for Freelancers Part 2: How to find and pay your therapistTherapy is such an important part of mental health management, but this year, it may seem like more of a luxury than a necessity. In our October episode, Mike and Leanna continue their discussion about why therapy is important for freelancers and self-employed workers, and how they can make it happen.Part 2 of Therapy for Freelancers focuses on finding the right therapist...and paying them! Mike and Leanna walk share their own experiences with paying for therapy over the years and some tactics for finding the right type of mental health help for your budget and needs. 2020-10-2041 min
MxV Mental Wellness PodcastTherapy for Freelancers Part 1: Why you need it!We know that therapy can be expensive and complicated, and a good therapist is hard to find, but it’s SO important to have consistent, professional mental health support as a freelancer, especially if you have mental health challenges.In this 3-part series, we’re really going to examine what freelancers can get out of therapy and HOW they can get the right support, even on a budget or without insurance.In this episode, Mike and Leanna Lee discuss why freelancers should consider therapy...and what it can do for your business. Be sure...2020-09-0434 min
MxV Mental Wellness PodcastWorking for Yourself Mindfully with Dr Isaiah PickensIn our August episode, host Mike Veny invites his own guest and friend, clinical psychologist Dr. Isaiah Pickens, to talk about working mindfully. Together, they explore the challenges of prioritizing and sustaining balance and how self-soothing and mindfulness can help you manage mental health.Dr. Pickens is the CEO of iOpeningEnterprises, which helps transform human performance through interactive, science-based professional development and practical wellness tools.“I make sure I eat lunch, I make sure I’m drinking a gallon of water a day. I‘m trying to get my sleep...six to eight hours, trying to be...2020-08-1125 min
MxV Mental Wellness PodcastManaging Trauma, Boundaries, and Breakthroughs during COVID with Gigi Griffis**Trigger Warning: Be advised, this material could be triggering for some (contains mentions of abuse and rape)**In our July episode (a late tribute to PTSD awareness month!) our co-host Leanna Lee is joined by special guest, location-independent writer Gigi Griffis. Together, they talk PTSD/CPTSD symptoms and the kinds of mental, practical, and financial boundaries they’ve set this year to manage mental health at work. Currently quarantined in Estonia, Gigi also shares several huge recent mental health breakthroughs she’s had with her childhood trauma. “This was me taking my power back and...2020-07-1448 min
MxV Mental Wellness PodcastLearning To Pivot When Shit HappensThere have been a lot of ups and downs so far this year and we're only halfway through the year! In our June episode, Mike and Leanna chat about how their lives and careers have changed since COVID-19 and the recent recession.This month, they decided to hop on Zoom as they recorded so they could finally “reunite” face-to-face (unfortunately, Mike is still learning how Zoom works, so no video episode this time!). After checking in on each other’s mental health, they dove into all the pivots they’ve made so far: mentally adjusting to new em...2020-06-2338 min
MxV Mental Wellness PodcastFinding Support During a Crisis with Matthew Knight of LeapersWe’re back! After battling the flu, a pandemic, and tech issues, Mike and Leanna finally reconnect for another episode of MxV. This time, they’re joined by Matthew Knight, founder of UK-based freelance support community, Leapers. Matthew, Mike, and Leanna discuss changes they’ve seen in their own lives and on the international work-from-home scene. Matthew shares how the Leapers community is supporting freelancers gives his take on the different ways people can focus on mental wellness and find a community as they work from home during COVID. Matthew’s biggest piece of advic...2020-05-2636 min
MxV Mental Wellness PodcastHow the F*ck To Manage Freelance Mental Health: Coronavirus EditionToday, Mike and Leanna switch up their regular schedule to check in on each other’s mental health from separate states. They share ideas to help freelancers, business owners, and remote workers manage stress, find work, and keep busy as they deal with anxiety and social distancing.2020-03-1747 min
MxV Mental Wellness PodcastAvoiding Conference Burnout: Part 2This episode is all about managing yourself and your energy during conferences, seminars, and networking events. Mike and Leanna share some stories from the different events they’ve been to and give hands-on hacks for conserving energy and making the most of every session and event day. Listen in and learn how to set small, achievable goals, look out for FOMO, and create meaningful connections without the burnout.2020-02-1128 min
MxV Mental Wellness PodcastCombating Conference Burnout: Part 1Everyone approaches professional events differently. But “speed date” networking evenings, professional workshops, and 2-nights-in-a-hotel-where’s-the-damn-map events can all take a toll on time and energy. So how do you handle it all without losing mental momentum? In this episode of MxV, Mike and Leanna share tips for combating conference burnout and staying present and active during draining events.2020-01-2028 min
MxV Mental Wellness PodcastHandling Freelancer Holiday StressIt’s that time of year, isn’t it? Whether it’s the weather, family expectations, or work winding down for the year (or speeding up last-minute!), freelancers have a lot to contend with between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. This month’s episode focuses on how to handle stress in a healthy way, checking your spoons, and NEVER underestimating the power of JOMO!2019-11-2324 min
MxV Mental Wellness PodcastLeanna's Adoption StoryThis month, Leanna shares the story of her daughter and her experience as a birthmom for the first time on air. Adoption awareness plays a huge part in reducing the stigma surrounding birthmothers and their stories. In this episode, Mike and Leanna explore open adoption, and the complex emotions and mental health struggles that come with it.2019-11-2325 min
MxV Mental Wellness PodcastMike, Leanna, And Depression Have A ChatOctober is National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month. In this episode, Mike and Leanna dive into depression from their own unique perspectives, discuss how their self-employment can trigger their depression, and coping skills. 2019-10-3026 min
MxV Mental Wellness PodcastEpisode 1 - Welcome to MxV!Hosts Mike Veny and Leanna Lee (re)introduce themselves and the new podcast. Today's episode dives into Mike and Leanna's self-employed backgrounds, their daily struggles with mental health, and best tips for "preventative maintenance". Learn how focus x consistency = mental health momentum! Website: https://www.selfemployedmomentum.com/ Twitter/Instagram: @mentalmomenta2019-09-3029 min