Proofing Stage

Marie Silverstrim, User Experience (UX) Designer Whether you are observing actions or directly asking, your customers and clients are telling you something. Understanding not only what that is but the why behind it... well, that's what gets you to the good stuff. And, while it's always a good time to make sure your business goals are aligned with customer needs, Q1 of 2025 continues to r...

When times are shit and you need a pep talk... and strategies... and allies...  It's time to return to our Season 2 Episode with: Erin Stampp, she/her, MPP - Director, Professional Development Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis In this episode of Proofing Stage, hosts Michelle Bond and Joan Kanner are joined by DEI practitioner Erin Stampp. Together, they unpack the challen...

Dr. Eleanor Rust and Dr. Tristra Newyear Yeager Producers, Writers & Hosts of Frances Wright: America's Forgotten Radical Women have - and do - play significant roles in shaping history, yet their stories are often never recorded in the first place or simply erased. By answering the question "Frances who?" Eleanor and Tristra provide insights into how some women-owned businesses...

Susan Clayton, Founder of WhitePaws RunMitts  Better now or better now? Better now? Like many of you, we're entering the new year fine-tuning our vision and calling on our support systems. This includes brilliant business minds like, Susan Clayton, Founder of WhitePaws RunMitts who is hitting her stride while elevating themes for underrepresented founders with candor and joy.  How can many of...

Tabitha? Cute, but don't mess.  Endora? Fierce. Sabrina? Work. Joanne Lakomski? Um, legend. We're here with some new, free bonus content to start off 2025. Our recording with Joanne Lakomski, The Human Resorceress, was particularly content-rich and timely as we reflect on this past year while priming us for the new one. Hey, if you're one of our Proofing Stage+ Patreon subscribers,...

Joanne Lakomski, Human Resorceress Coaching and Consulting  At a time of year when we can feel overwhelmed, reflective, daunted and blessed (often within the same 30 minutes), we've got a salve for both your personal and professional pain points. This week Michelle and Joan connect with Joanne Lakomski, the Human Resorceress, bringing years of expertise in HR and Organizational Development to...

Brandy Archie, OTD, OTR/L, CLIPP Founder, CEO at AskSAMIE  Part session with your OT, part advice on goal setting and business management from your ET ("Entrepreneur Therapist"), Dr. Brandy Archie drops all kinds of knowledge on this week's episode. From her approach to working with those looking to age in place, to her lessons from multiple ventures aimed at improving patient quali...

Some things never change, and this includes our appetite for business self-help books. This holiday week, we're sharing a special episode with Joan and Michelle, discussing leadership-development propaganda from days gone by. What do concepts of success and decision-making look like in the rear view mirror, and what, perhaps not surprisingly, still holds true? Spend some time in this cozy con...

Dr. Anaïs Webster Mennuti, PharmD Co-founder of Shots With That LLC Marie Wilda, Founder/CEO Lenkai.co  In this week's episode Michelle and Joan sit down with producers, Anaïs and Marie, to learn more about the driving factors behind their documentary film, Harmacy , including their personal experiences and funding sought to make it happen. While Big Pharma and the opioid epidemic have floode...

Megan Hanson, Public Relations & Communications Consultant In an age of perpetual content creation and AI, you don't tend to hear much about traditional PR anymore. Often, it can feel like it's about the likes , the engagement numbers. And, don't get us wrong, measures are important. But here's a secret that this Proofing Stage episode shouts loud and proud: It's the p...

For many a small business owner, it's the toughest job they've ever loved. From sloppy egg sandwiches to doing the (nearly) impossible, come along with the founders of Bottoms Up Bagels as they pull back the curtain on building their dream. From obstacles and lessons learned to wins and hard-earned perspective, there's something here for everyone just trying to make something happen...

Get That Cash! Business Grant Guidance Straight Cash Opportunities for Your Business, Homie. Finally, the pro-tip episode we've been promising for ages! Well, about two seasons anyway. From grant-writing to review, Michelle and Joan join forces for a content rich, use right now conversation on grants.  The two focus on finding, applying and reporting on those funding sources that are the best...

Prescription drug commercials tell us all the time how life can be different, better, more vibrant. Sometimes it's not that pill we take but the people, knowledge and influences we take IN that make all the difference. Here's our pitch for regular doses of Proofing Stage making you feel like a more empowered you in no time ... with maximum side effects! Theme Music by Thorn Haze Addition...

“Proofing Stage is all about this journey. We know we could have just given up and moved on, keeping our learning (and our cringe) to ourselves. Be we didn’t.” On Proofing Stage, Michelle Bond and Joan Kanner get to the heart of what it means to build something from the ground up. They’re talking to founders, makers, and strategists who aren’t afraid to spill the tea on their biggest mistakes and...

Alexis Grant, Founder & CEO of They Got Acquired “What I’m passionate about is helping founders who have put their blood, sweat, and tears into these businesses, especially female founders, to walk away with as much money as they deserve,” says Alexis Grant, founder and CEO of They Got Acquired. In this episode, Lexi joins Michelle and Joan to demystify the often-underestimated art of selling...

Veronica Yanhs, Founder of Business Laid Bare & Creator of the Orgasmic Operations® Method What do Star Wars and Aladdin have in common? For Veronica Yanhs, founder of Business Laid Bare and creator of the Orgasmic Operations® Method, they’re the start of her journey into blending kink with business operations. She joins hosts Michelle Bond and Joan Kanner to discuss her unconventional brand a...

RescuePoetix™ (she/her/ella/ellas), Poet, Advocate, Artist, Educator “It’s breaking up and then finding the breakthrough in that breakup,” says RescuePoetix™ as she talks with hosts Michelle Bond and Joan Kanner about her podcast, discussing how breaking up with concepts and constructs can lead to profound insights and personal growth.  RescuePoetix™—the first Puerto Rican woman poet laureate emer...

In what would become the waning days of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes last September, Bottoms Up Bagels (BUB) trekked up to New York City to spread some bagel love, and rounded out their BUB Roadshow engaging with those on the picket line. Among them was Avis Boone, actor, model, voice actor, photographer and content creator. Avis produces the That's How We Role podcast, where she talks with...

Sue Ellsworth (she/her), Manager of Piedmont Food Processing Center and Founder of WE Power Food  In the food industry, facing challenges is like battling summer heat—you can’t escape it, but you can learn to thrive with the right supports. In this episode of Proofing Stage, hosts Michelle Bond and Joan Kanner explore the realities with Sue Ellsworth, Manager of Piedmont Food Processing Center and...

Guest - Sarah O'Leary (she/her), Founder and CEO of Mend Acupuncture --- Imagine entering a dimly lit room. It's vast and yet you immediately feel tucked in. Soothing sounds swirl around you with a "whoosh, whoosh." You sit down in a dreamy recliner. After you settle in, you notice others quietly resetting their nervous systems. And just as you ask yourself "Could I be nex...

Erin Stampp, she/her, MPP - Director, Professional Development Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis In this episode of Proofing Stage, hosts Michelle Bond and Joan Kanner are joined by DEI practitioner Erin Stampp. Together, they unpack the challenges and necessities of implementing effective DEI strategies, even for minority business owners. Erin emphasizes that true diversity go...

Guests - Kait Klusewitz (she/her), Muralist/Artist | Caroline Lampinen (she/her), Artist There was so much goodness in our conversation with Kait and Caro that we couldn't fit it all into the full episode. This mighty bonus episode continues with the artists discussing the very real costs of stress and short turnaround times on last-minute, jobs and the true value of your time when being an e...

Guests - Kait Klusewitz (she/her), Muralist/Artist | Caroline Lampinen (she/her), Artist Bringing art to business and business to art, hosts Michelle Bond and Joan Kanner dive into a vibrant discussion on "Proofing Stage" with two extraordinary creatives. Kait Klusewitz and Caroline Lampinen join the episode to unpack the powerful intersection of creativity and social impact. Celebrated...

Some pods offer a peek behind the curtain. But in today's bonus episode, Michelle and Joan give peeks inside their heads! Now that they're doing the asking, whose asking acts as examples to emulate? And, yes, you'll be left asking yourself "wait, who had their own talk show?!" Some delicious samples from this bonus served up in paper soufflé cups below: Michelle: "The...

“There is so much false urgency I have fallen prey to that I’ve learned about through this business. I don’t want to see other people making those mistakes, especially women,” says Joan Kanner on past challenges in business. Alongside co-host Michelle Bond, they kick off the second season of Proofing Stage. Likening the podcast to a business self-defense course, Michelle and Joan aim to equip fema...