The Speak Easy Podcast

When 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?

What 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.

Not 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?

When 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 S...

If 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.

I 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?

What are you worth? Nope, we're not talking about your bottom line. We're talking about the value of your time and your talent. Short answer? More than you're charging. And that's true even when you're not billable.

What role does comparison plays in your professional and personal life? When is it a good or healthy thing and when does it erode your progress? Did Teddy Rosevelt have it right when he said, "Comparison is the thief of joy?"

The 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...

Today we reveal five simple steps to finally achieving life balance! Look in the mirror and repeat these words: Life Balance is a Fucking Lie. Feel better?

Did you hear? Professionalism is dead! There are no more rules, and everything goes! Sound great? Or not so much? That is what we are talking about today.

Those of us who rely on creativity for our careers live in fear of the day when there are no good ideas on the horizon. Does creative drive die? Where does motivation come from? And how do we keep creative drive healthy?

By nature, kids live impulsively and it is our job to save them from themselves—and while they have so much to learn as they grow, they are also teaching us great life lessons along the way. Between us we have kids that are just out of diapers and nearly out of high school—all of whom have taught us a lot about human nature and informed how we think about clients.

The thing about being a leader—sometimes it feels pretty lonely. Heavy decisions and indecision can weigh on you. Who do you turn to when your baggage is starting to feel heavy?

Crying at work is a controversial professional topic. Is it good or bad? Does it depend on if you are a man or woman? Does it matter if you do it privately or publically? We're both people who show emotions pretty readily, so we're pulling back the curtain on Crying at work.

In our last half of this episode, we were taking stock. In part two, we are letting go. No shame. No guilt. No excuses.

What do you wish you would have done 10 years ago? What are your regrets? What great piece of advice would you give a friend or colleague? Well, what are you going to do about it now?

Our society is relating and communicating more in written form than ever before. That often opens us up to criticism or misinterpretation, both professionally and personally. As leaders and as parents, we have the power to mold our environment and change habits.

People have ideas all the time. Where do you find your ideas anyway? What gets in your way? And what are you going to do about it? Do you know when your creative font is about to bubble up?

Just kidding. Human resources is not terrible. But it is tricky business for small business. And emotions! There's weighing the good of the person against the good of the whole team. It's not easy.

Big changes equal big news! A brand is not something you put on or pretend to be. It should be a direct reflection of who you are. Which makes a rebrand a soul-searching, schedule-wrenching, goal-aligning process. That's what e're talking about today.

Recognizing change can feel like a hopeless task sometimes because we're evaluating the changes in real time. But the bottom line—we must grow.

Recognition. As leaders, we recognize success and achievement in others as second nature. As individuals, we aren't great being on the receiving end—especially as women. But it's complicated. It is only right and fair to accept recognition for our achievements. We deserve it.

What do you do when everything is a priority? Do the things that take up your time align with what you should be or would like to be doing? We'll be breaking down the problem, talk about how we identify the real priorities and get refocused.

Are we still entrepreneurs? We both own established businesses–and we're successful mid-career creatives–so we don't really fit into the trendy description of a startup that seems to be all kickstarter-y and that like. That's what we're talking about today.