About this podcast
Proofing Stage examines the origins, progress, struggles, and setbacks of entrepreneurs through the lens of its founders, who, among other things, have run a bagel business for the past 8 years.
This podcast is about our experiences and the nitty gritty of being an underrepresented small business owner.
Just like we've worked to fill the gap in quality bagels, lox, and schmear, these conversations fill the gap of knowledge, mentorship, and straight talk that are missing from other business pods and success stories.
Join us, as we share wins and cautionary tales from that space between “atta girl” and “I told you so!” Hosted by Joan Kanner and Michelle Bond, with Season 1 contributions from Amanda Schwarz.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 47 episodes
- Panning for Feedback Gold: A Strategy Bonanza · 1 h 8 min · Season 3 Episode 10Marie Silverstrim, User Experience (UX) Designer Whether you are observing actions or directly asking, your customers and clients are telling you something. Understanding not…
- REPRISE! Don't Say "DEI," Just Make it Mean Something · 1 h 3 min · Season 3 Episode 9When 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…
- Defund, Dismiss, Delete: Business Lessons from Forgotten Radicals · 1 h 1 min · Season 3 Episode 8Dr. 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…
- You Can't Grow by Cutting: The 20/25 Experience · 57 min · Season 3 Episode 7Susan 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…
- BONUS: They Burned Women, Not Witches with The Human Resorceress · 18 min · Season 3Tabitha? 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…
- HR Magic with The Human Resorceress · 47 min · Season 3 Episode 6Joanne 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)…
- Getting a Grip: Occupational & Entrepreneurial Therapy · 49 min · Season 3 Episode 5Brandy 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")…
- Gratitude for Changing Our Minds: Business Books that Go Down Easy · 1 h 0 min · Season 3 Episode 4Some 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…
- What Qualifies You? Passion, Position, Funding & Filmmaking · 43 min · Season 3 Episode 3Dr. 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…
- Representation Matters: The 'Who's Got You' of Good PR · 57 min · Season 3 Episode 2Megan 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…
- Proofing Stage: Food as a Conversation Starter · 2 min · Season 1For 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…
- Breaking the Bank: Grants' Biggest Secrets Revealed · 57 min · Season 3 Episode 1Get 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…
- Proofing Stage: Your Rx for Business Wellness · 2 min · Season 2Prescription 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…
- Trailer 3.0: The Journey of Proofing Stage · 2 min · Season 2“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…
- What Acquiring Minds Want to Know · 46 min · Season 2 Episode 9Alexis 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…
- Wait, Business Ops Can Feel Good? · 60 min · Season 2 Episode 8Veronica 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…
- You Gotta Break Up to Break Thru · 54 min · Season 2 Episode 7RescuePoetix™ (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…
- Michelle and Joan "Role" with Avis Boone · 41 min · Season 2 Episode 6In 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…
- In Service of Food Businesses · 1 h 4 min · Season 2 Episode 5Sue 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…
- Data, Integrity and the Sexiest Beast · 49 min · Season 2 Episode 4Guest - 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…
