Proofing Stage

Not just business as usual! Proofing Stage provides real talk, actionable guidance, lessons learned (don't make the mistakes we did) and the validation that YOU ARE NOT CRAZY (like when you've been gaslit) for female business owners.  Season 1 laid the foundation by unpacking 8 years of running a successful food business. Now Joan and Michelle continue the discussion with a cadre of bril...

Ever walk away from an exchange with someone “trying to help” whose brilliant suggestions leave you feeling frustrated or drained? Or, maybe you’ve been that well-intentioned person who has missed the mark? Worse yet, you may not know either way.  In between seasons Joan and Michelle discuss recent experiences (good and bad!) and dissect the all-too-frequent tendency to leap before listening. And,...

Have you ever found yourself frozen in a moment, opportunity dangling before your eyes, only to hesitate and miss out? Picture this: a room full of college freshmen, a motivational speaker, and a single $50 bill that sparked a revelation Joan has carried with her into her forties.  On this bonus episode of Proofing Stage, Joan takes you back to her freshman orientation at Montclair State Universit...

We're celebrating the end of Season 1 with big slice of creativity, talking inspiration and intention with a generous sprinkling of strategy. After all, if you've started a business or dream of starting one, you've got that creative inside you. Whether it's thinking about a different way to design your venture altogether, or giving it just the right vibe or visual representatio...

We're approaching the end of Season 1, but not before a jam-packed episode on creativity and collaborations to help amplify your food business. This bonus clip covers important considerations for your brand's visual identity, including who can help and when to drop the big bucks: Whether working with a firm or independent designer, ask them in advance about: Their project discovery proce...

The level of difficulty is slowly intensifying for the BUB crew as they embark on new formats and increasingly longer Roadshow stops from 2021-2023. From overcoming obstacles like staffing shortages and supply chain shortfalls to equipment breakdowns, team injuries and illness, the gnarly bits of taking the bagel show on the road abound. But, as Amanda and BUB's co-founders discuss, there are...

As the Roadshow rolls on, Bottoms Up Bagels (BUB) begins to hire locally for stops in various cities. In our next full episode, we'll relive some of those hits, but today's clip is decidedly about the misses. From would-be employees with a penchant for grand theft to those who've taken a swing at law enforcement (literally), we're exposing the hilarious, often alarming disconne...

Earlier in the pod we introduced the BUB Roadshow, Bottoms Up Bagels (BUB)'s way of busting the water myth and testing new markets for expansion. Part bagel pop up - part traveling circus - at its core, "The Roadshow" is about bringing good bagels to more people with local communities at its center.  Today, Joan, Amanda and Michelle pull back the curtain on the how, and the why (oh,...

No Surgeon General's Warning needed for this bonus content. Catch us chatting about smoking of the savory smokin' kind. Meats. Dairy. Pellets vs. chips. Indoor vs. outdoor. This little excerpt didn't make the cut for our conversation about the BUB Roadshow in Bozeman, Montana, but it's full of flavor. Enjoy this preview of what's to come when full episodes of Proofing Stag...

The air was thick with election fever, but even thicker with the scent of fresh bagels. Imagine our surprise when what we thought was a media frenzy for our beloved bagel bonanza at the Marion Public Library turned into an impromptu meet-and-greet with a Republican presidential candidate! In today's bonus episode, Michelle and Joan recap this somewhat humorous, mostly unnerving, Tale from the...

Any small business involves risk, often calculated and sometimes underestimated. Still, the brands you love press on every day through countless obstacles and decisions, bringing a team and the desire to not skip a beat along for the ride.  But, what's behind your favorite place setting up shop, or shuttering its doors? This episode covers the ground from BUB Hub beta's build out and the...

It's 2019 and Bottoms Up Bagels (BUB) is feeling the pinch of increased overhead while working with a limited business model - relying on pop ups, catering and wholesale without everyday direct-to-customer sales opportunities. The wheels are set in motion though, and the dream of production meeting retail in BUB's first brick and mortar is on its way to being realized.  At this, our half...

Are you a food entrepreneur who's considering moving your business into a food hall? Here's Michelle's primer on which questions to ask - so you can get the answers you need.  She covers: - Square footage and layout - Common areas - Build-out and outfitting - Types of lease structures It's time to equip yourself with knowledge - and Michelle's here to help! Find more at pr...

What's that they say about hindsight? Sometimes we're fortunate to see red flags in real time. But, most times it takes a while. And, even then we can still be left wondering what happened. Or, whose version of events were "right." Then, throw in the question of intentions (known and unknown) and it's easy to give up on the prospect of ever really understanding the meaning...

In the spirit of the new year, we're sharing our aspirations. What are yours? In a recent production meeting, Michelle, Amanda and Joan asked: "What's your hope for this podcast?" This BTS bonus episode begins to answer that question...  Some highlights below: Joan: "It had to have catharsis, but also have catharsis with meaning [outside of us]. I feel like just a bitch se...

We're winding down our year and having some fun within the entrepreneurial landscape. What can prompt one human being to get up and go, can generate a Camden Yards-style wave of eyerolls from another.  In this clip, not quite mini-sode, Joan runs down a few of 2023's standout CTAs for budding business owners. Find more at proofingstage.com Follow us on Instagram and Threads @proofingstag...

Ah, Anthony Bourdain, you are still deeply missed. What happens when the utopia of accessing commercial equipment, making your product with a bit more ease, and being around theoretically like-minds begins to fade?  Here, the everyday challenges of scaling a food business butt up against culture clashes and finding your voice. What's in any of our control? And what should you look for when re...

Gather around for story-time... this mini-sode about the power of gifting yourself permission is more evergreen than seasonal.  #impostersyndrome #loxtoreflecton #criticalcontrolpoint Find more at proofingstage.com Follow us on Instagram and Threads @proofingstage Join Proofing Stage+ to support us supporting you, AND access new bonus content in-between episodes! See Buzzsprout's Privacy Poli...

You're getting to know our founders a little more everyday. The context provider. The cut-to-the-chase-er. The outside observer. While the businesses we've begun are in different industries, the hustle is similar - living the literal dream while trying to make ends meet, and having the right tools for the job.  Were we getting ready for a dog show? Nope. A theater performance? Nope. A fa...

Joan shares why the Proofing Stage pod is important to her, and to us.  Find more at proofingstage.com Follow us on Instagram and Threads @proofingstage Join Proofing Stage+ to support us supporting you, AND access new bonus content in-between episodes! See Buzzsprout's Privacy Policy for listener privacy and read our disclaimer here .

Michelle and Joan are doers. They don't just have ideas, they go after them - sometimes too hard and for too long. Sometimes to great success and following. This first episode of Proofing Stage lays the groundwork for why, after a professional lifetime of going after things, creating and improving, it's time to take a look back and figure out where to go from here. And, why doing it with...

Welcome to Proofing Stage. We're here for it. And, you're in for a treat.  Find more at proofingstage.com Follow us on Instagram and Threads @proofingstage Join Proofing Stage+ to support us supporting you, AND access new bonus content in-between episodes! See Buzzsprout's Privacy Policy for listener privacy and read our disclaimer here .