Office Hours with Audion. Hosted by Ben and Trae

In this episode, Ben and Trae talk through two recent productions that reveal a bigger truth about live events: quality is part of the message. From a Texas association event bringing together competing voices around water policy to a corporate town hall in DC built for a distributed workforce, they explore why great event production creates better communication, better speaker experiences, and be...

The last couple of months moved fast. Audion kicked off the year with overlapping events, back-to-back productions, and then a snowstorm that shut down Boston just days before a major live event. Flights were canceled. Crews were scattered across the country. The production was scheduled on a university campus in front of a live audience. They had roughly 48 hours to pivot. In this episode of OFFI...

What actually makes an event strategic? In this episode of OFFICE HOURS, Savannah Berrecil, founder of GoSavvy, breaks down what experiential marketing really means — and why most brands are leaving opportunity (and ROI) on the table. Savannah shares a real-world case study of a construction company that used a holiday party to roll out a rebrand, align employees, and strengthen company culture. F...

Everyone is producing more content than ever — and trusting it less. In this episode, we sit down with copy strategist Lauren Jefferson , co-founder of Focus Copy, to talk about what’s actually going wrong with B2B messaging right now — and why AI didn’t break copywriting, it exposed deeper problems around trust, clarity, and strategy. We dig into: Why copywriting is no longer about persuasion How...

In this episode of Office Hours, Trae sits down with Nathan to talk about what it really takes to scale live production in 2026. Nate and Trae get into the shift toward IP-based video systems, how modern workflows reduce setup time while increasing flexibility, and why better logistics and purpose-built spaces allow for dramatically improved live event execution. Nate shares lessons from recent li...

In this episode of Office Hours with Ben and Trae , we sit down with Dianna Singh, former Director of Startup Success & Operations at Halliburton Labs, to unpack what really happens when corporate events, video production, and high-stakes stakeholders collide. Dianna shares the behind-the-scenes story of being handed a mission-critical pitch event—with zero video production experience —and nav...

This episode is a year-end recap with the Audion team—reflecting on growth, challenges, wins, and what it takes to deliver complex productions at scale. Ben and Trae talk with Steve, Brown and Nate and they recap the year and reflect on their big wins and best moments of 2025 We talk about: Building efficient systems that actually support creativity Why production culture matters just as much as g...

In this episode of Office Hours , Trae sits down with Ozeal DeBastos, a veteran podcaster, brand strategist, and the founder of the Creator Factor . We dive deep into Ozeal's pivot from being a hip-hop artist and B-Boy to becoming a leader in the creator economy. We discuss the philosophy behind his first hit podcast, "No Permission Needed," and why waiting for gatekeepers is a thing of the past....

Its been a few months! Ben and Trae have been cooking out in the land of video production, but they have a new set of podcasts to release into the wild! For the first time ever, they do a hybrid podcast interview -- Claire and Ben are in the podcast studio at Audion HQ in Austin, and Trae is in his office in Houston, and they are able to pull it off. Claire lets them get into the ins and outs of w...

In this episode of OFFICE HOURS, hosts Ben and Trae dive into the chaos and triumphs of a busy week in corporate video production. Trae recounts a challenging on-location shoot in a complex environment , sharing his best practices for success—from packing the right gear to staying hydrated on a long day. The duo also discusses the unexpected power of compliments in the workplace and the crucial ro...

What's really going on in the world of corporate video? On this episode of Office Hours, Ben and Trae get real about the biggest trends and the biggest mistakes they’re seeing right now. Get ready for a candid conversation about: The AI Problem: Is the race to "easy content" killing quality video? Ben and Trae get into why simply tacking on AI-generated content to a busy marketing manager's job is...

Are you a solo entrepreneur who's ready to hire a team but feels overwhelmed by the process? Or maybe you already have a team, but the lack of clear processes is holding you back? In this episode of Office Hours , we sit down with productivity expert Ilanit Meckley to discuss the most difficult transition a business owner can make: from solopreneur to effective team leader. Ilanit shares her journ...

Trae and Ben have a WIDE ranging discussion, from cooking spaghetti to the importance of teamwork in a recent successful conference. They get into internal marketing and self-care, and sharing cautionary tales about neglecting one's own business needs. Ben had an experience with a physical therapist that and highlights brand authenticity and the importance of standing out in a crowded market, and...

Trae interviews Ben Seligson of Kraken Engineering and gets him to open up about the importance of community connection, the nuances of energy marketing and business development, and the role of podcasting in building relationships. Trae gets Ben to explore the differences between marketing and sales, the significance of genuine interactions in business, and how they create content that cuts throu...

Trae and Benjamin talk about favorite podcasts and how they appreciate that creative processes of artists have been so illuminated. Then they delve into a series of five questions that Chat GPT generated for Ben, five topics they love, and they do the must un-AI discussion ever-- all topics come straight from their brains! They get into the the importance of storytelling in video production, parti...

Ben and Trae discuss their weekend plans, favorite drinks, and the importance for clarity while negotiating. When they're done catching up they get into event management, and Ben brings clarity into working with vendors. Then the importance of clarity comes into play with pre-production in relation to video projects and how to leverage content strategically for marketing. Then Ben takes us on a to...

Ben and Trae talk about car shopping (Trae's getting a new car) to live streaming events. They get into what creates consistency across multi-location events, Ben asks Trae what his toughest day of shooting was (physically), and they both assess how important repurposing content can be for a marketing and communications team on the corporate level. They finish up talking about the ever present bug...

How do you plan for the unexpected — and make your event content work harder? In this episode, Audion Founder Benjamin Jansen and Executive Producer Trae Stanley break down what it takes to deliver standout event experiences: from backup systems and AV service, to team communication and smart content capture. They also share why personality matters for brands — and how great recap content can help...

In this episode, Audion Founder Ben Jansen unpacks the real drivers behind event pricing — and why there can be big differences from one vendor to the next. He breaks down how service level, equipment quality, and overhead shape what you’ll pay. If you’re budgeting an event or choosing vendors, this is a must-listen to help you ask the right questions and make informed decisions. Chapters 00:00 Na...

In this episode, Audion’s Founder Ben Jansen breaks down the strategic side of streaming live events. He shares when streaming can boost engagement and transparency, and when it may actually work against your goals. Ben walks through key factors to consider — your audience, your content, and your revenue model — so you can make smart choices about when and how to stream. Chapters 00:00 The Case Ag...

Amanda and Zarina from DXP discuss their extensive experience in marketing within a large logistics company. They share insights into their marketing strategies, the importance of events, and how they measure success. The discussion highlights the challenges and rewards of working in a complex industry and emphasizes the value of company culture and collaboration in achieving marketing goals. Take...

Host Trae Stanley talks to fellow Audion team member Nat Gregurek about his journey into audio engineering. They discuss the importance of sound quality in live events and the challenges faced in the industry. Nate emphasizes the need for effective communication with clients, best practices for audio production, and the technical aspects of managing sound systems. The discussion also covers common...

Hosts Ben Jansen and Trae Stanley talk to John Garza, and he shares his journey in the video production industry, discussing his experiences from high school to owning Branch Media. He emphasizes the importance of storytelling, effective communication with clients, and understanding audience goals. The discussion also covers the evolving landscape of video production, including the role of AI and...

Ben and Trae talk with Brown Jarmon, A/V specialist at Audion what it takes to have success in the A/V world, and how important communication is! You better have a good relationship with the dockmaster or your might as well take a sledgehammer to your toes. Then we explore the importance of client relationships, negotiation strategies, and best practices for working with in-house AV teams at hotel...

Trae and Ben interview one of Ben's oldest friends in the world, Brad Haley (https://bradhaley.com/). Brad is freelance editor that has done it all -- reality, narrative, informercials and B2B. He even won an Emmy in 2022! In this conversation, Trae, Benjamin, and Brad discuss the evolution of editing in the reality TV industry, the impact of AI on workflows, and effective communication strategies...