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PODCAST

The Speak Easy Podcast

Jen Estill and Karen Stefl — creative studio entrepreneurs, brand and video experts, boss ladies, moms

Hi. Jen Estill and Karen Stefl here. In The Speak Easy Podcast, we share years of expertise in marketing, branding, video production, strategy—not to mention management, employee development, mentoring, sales, creativity, maintaining life balance, managing money, and.. you get the idea. It takes a lot to keep a couple of creative studios thriving. We developed this podcast after years of "how do you..." boss lady conversations. It was clear that if we were both in such similar places with regard

business

All Episodes

00:14:54

Going with the Flow

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2023/06/20

Long description: How often does it actually serve us to have our expectations set in stone? Even when the circumstances of a project change, the work still needs to be done. This is where “going with the flow” comes in. Instead of becoming mentally invested in things happening a certain way, it takes a lot less energy to focus on the things that can be controlled. Even when a process is rigid, adaptability still plays a major role in the end result. Sure, this mindset takes bravery and a dash of

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00:15:13

Celebrating Other People's Success

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2023/06/08

What difference would it make in your work if you celebrated the success of others? Being happy for someone who has something you want takes practice. It also takes patience with yourself. When we shift away from envying our competition, we abandon a scarcity mindset that brings pressure and negativity into our work and prohibits our own growth. At first, it feels easier to critique somebody else’s win, but it ultimately takes less energy to acknowledge their achievement. By abandoning an “us

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00:16:58

Bandwidth: Navigating Cognitive and Emotional Capacity

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2023/05/24

Cheers to our 150th episode! What better way to celebrate than with a topic we both have challenges with? Bandwidth. There are only so many tasks you can work on at any given time, even for us multitaskers. And when overwhelmed, it takes an emotional toll on how we organize cognitively. In our experience, it’s essential to acknowledge your bandwidth and stick to it. There’s no denying that the to-do lists can often feel never-ending. But we can’t let our stressors affect our quality of work. It

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00:14:11

A Halfway Point Goal Check In

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2023/05/09

How are we already nearing the back half of the year? This is the time of year when we look back on our goals and resolutions. Achieving your goals can be unpredictable, due to any number of distracting outside factors. However, the key is remembering that you can only change what is in your circle of control. Falling off the goal track is inevitable, but reminding yourself why you set them in the first place can bring you back on track. Similar to adjusting your business and services over time,

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00:15:56

Compensation: Lessons Learned Over the Years

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2023/04/26

Compensation is so much more than pay – it demonstrates that you value your employees as human beings, and acknowledges their lives outside of the workplace. At the bare minimum, of course, we’re required to follow the law; but we’re proud to say that our businesses offer benefits beyond what’s expected. A small business’s benefits will certainly look different compared to what the big guys can offer, but it’s still possible to offer compensation beyond the bare minimum. Benefits such as salary,

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00:13:03

The Role that Joy Plays in Leadership

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2023/04/11

A balanced life involves joy: that feeling of shared positivity, satisfaction from a job well done, or just plain giddiness. But how do we lead with it? As we transition into new seasons with our teams, this is a question we’ve been asking ourselves a lot. Joy doesn’t just arrive at your doorstep; the balanced, authentic skill of joy takes practice and requires you to slow down, pause, and reflect. Joy requires living in the moment. And in leadership role, it’s important to remember that your joy

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00:16:34

Using Client Feedback to Your Advantage

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2023/03/28

Client feedback is a permanent aspect of the creative industry, due to the endless opinions associated with creative products. For us, client feedback is a daily occurance. It is how we move forward, finish products, and maintain relationships. Although client feedback may not always be positive, we see it as a mindset shift. Think of feedback as a puzzle piece: Once you find where it fits, the overall team output improves. Join us as we discuss the different types of feedback and how we implement

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00:17:38

Risk Tolerance: Roller Coasters and Business Ownership

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2023/03/15

Risk is a roller coaster, and we all have different tolerance levels. As entrepreneurs, we believe the more risk you take on, the better the rewards. But the flip side, of course, is the heightened consequences if the risk doesn’t pay off. The roller coaster of risk has many ups and downs, but it is ultimately your decision whether or not to get on the ride. The amount of risk you can take depends on a lot of factors but, if done thoughtfully and with the right amount of due diligence, risk can be

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00:15:53

Reframing Artificial Intelligence

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2023/03/01

Artificial intelligence carries a lot of controversy within the creative industry, and it's not going away any time soon. We already use many forms of AI within our own businesses to enhance our work, but is it a tool to further improve our work or a replacement for people altogether? Our solution (for right now, at least) is that AI needs boundaries. There is a side which benefits our clients and our quality of work, but if used poorly it can become unethical or dilute the quality of our work. The

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00:20:59

Leading with Your Personal Values

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2023/02/20

If you’ve listened to our podcast before, you know that we never miss an opportunity to discuss our values. They’re the foundation for how we function as individuals and as professionals. As business owners, our values are what creates a cohesive and sustainable space for employees and customers, but they also act as boundaries. However, it’s important to take a moment to ask yourself and your team: Are we actively practicing these values? It takes time and consistency to translate your values into

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00:20:16

Rejection: A Redirection to Something Better

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2023/01/31

Rejection is inevitable. But in our experience the more you fail, the more successful you’ll be. Especially in the creative industry, rejection is everywhere. We reject clients and they reject us, but this ensures balance. It never feels good or is easy, but how do we persevere? Our secret is to turn off the feelings and turn on the logic. In this episode, we look at rejection from a positive point of view. Join us as we discuss our tools and strategies for facing “no” head-on.

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00:09:26

I’m Not the Hot Young Thing Anymore

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2023/01/18

It’s impossible to stay the “hot young thing” forever, but how can we reevaluate our skills and goals to better match who we are as leaders today, while keeping an agile, inventive mindset? We love seeing our staff create ideas and solve problems in ways we never expected, so we hope to fine tune their passions and act as mentors on their journey. However, what is our secret to mastering the new role we play and how does it contribute to the larger picture? The answer is a well-oiled and

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00:18:16

Assess, Reset, Refocus

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2023/01/04

We don’t like new years resolutions, but we do like setting goals. Setting goals and achieving them instantly is not realistic. It takes time and persistence to change our habits and routines. In the business world, Q1 and Q4, have expectations which come with them. How do we switch gears as business owners? Refocusing and creating short-term and long-term goals can make our objectives more attainable. Change is uncomfortable, but by sitting in the discomfort we can truly commit and create

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00:31:35

Amber Clark: Uplifting Neighborhoods Through Economic...

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2022/12/20

In our guest Amber Clark’s own words, she "sort of fell into" her career as neighborhoods and economic development director for Meridian Township – but since then, it has become her dream job. As a Mid-Michigan native, Amber understands her community at its core and has a passion for creating environmental and educational change. Initiating change in a community with existing, deep roots is far from easy; but with a little collaboration and patience, Amber has turned many of her dreams and

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00:17:34

Burnout and Overwhelm

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2022/12/06

Burnout often comes in waves — so to prepare, we need to have tools ready to counteract the feelings of stress and anxiety when they hit. Being overwhelmed and experiencing burnout is a toxic duo that weighs down all professionals from time to time. To cope, we often go on autopilot hoping we’ll overcome these stressors over a few weeks or months; but this isn’t an adequate long-term solution. These feelings surpass the general sense of busyness, and have the potential to spread into all areas of

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00:13:27

It Doesn’t Matter How You Got There

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2022/11/22

Every individual has their own path toward their professional career. Aspects of academics, lifestyles, and family expectations all integrate to direct a person toward a career that best suits them. In the case of entrepreneurship, people use their individual experiences to fuel their careers. Karen grew up with parents and siblings who were entrepreneurs, and she knew that was a professional choice she aimed for. Jen did not expect to become her own boss, but learned through early jobs that she was

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00:27:38

Courtney Millbrook: Creating Purpose and Longevity

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2022/11/08

Entrepreneurship is the ability to find new opportunities and act on them. Although it takes risk, our guest, Country Millbrook, does not take this risk alone. Courtney has been the executive director of the Lansing Symphony Orchestra for 13 years and her team has been sharing the gift of music with the Greater Lansing community for almost 100 years. Courtney did not grow up involved in the world of music, but found her skills complemented the business side of the arts. Her talents are not to

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00:16:43

Pressure Testing your Brand

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2022/10/25

Culture within a business reflects the company's values. However, with many changes occurring over the past few years, we have an opportunity to step back and reform our businesses to become the best they can be. This presents itself as pressuring our employees and clients to step out of their comfort zone, but how do you do this? We start with the hard questions. Challenge your employees and clients to think about the company's values alongside tangible goals. Does your business need a vision

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00:17:39

Philosophy for Efficacy

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2022/10/11

Is there a formula to measure efficacy? Or is it wizardry? When it comes to developing creative content, we’ve developed some formulas over the years that usually create specific, intended results for video and marketing materials. But these formulas didn’t just magically appear — they come from years of trial and error, adjustment and readjustment, and strategic problem solving. Every piece of content affects its audience differently, but we always want them to make the viewer feel something. It

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00:27:35

Ashlee Willis: Building a Business and a Strong...

The Speak Easy Podcast ·

2022/09/28

Ashlee Willis, CEO of Michigan Premiere Events, built her business from the ground up while balancing her busy family life. Along with her entrepreneurship, Ashlee is recognized as an active member in the community, serving on various boards and participating in many community organizations. Join us this week as Ashlee discusses the importance of community involvement, how her interest in the arts led to a full time business, and the fulfilling journey of entrepreneurship.

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234 results

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