Proofing Stage
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.
- Update frequency
- every 9 days
- Average duration
- 35 minutes
- Episodes
- 47
- Years Active
- 2023 - 2025
Panning for Feedback Gold: A Strategy Bonanza
Marie Silverstrim, User Experience (UX) Designer
Whether you are observing actions or directly asking, your customers and clients are telling you something. Understanding not only what that is but the…
REPRISE! Don't Say "DEI," Just Make it Mean Something
When 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, Professional Development
Washingto…
Defund, Dismiss, Delete: Business Lessons from Forgotten Radicals
Dr. 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 history, yet their stor…
You Can't Grow by Cutting: The 20/25 Experience
Susan 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 systems. This includ…
BONUS: They Burned Women, Not Witches with The Human Resorceress
Tabitha? 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 Joanne Lakomski, The Human R…
HR Magic with The Human Resorceress
Joanne 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), we've got a salve for bo…
Getting a Grip: Occupational & Entrepreneurial Therapy
Brandy 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"), Dr. Brandy Archie drop…
Gratitude for Changing Our Minds: Business Books that Go Down Easy
Some 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 leadership-development pro…
What Qualifies You? Passion, Position, Funding & Filmmaking
Dr. 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 Marie, to learn more…
Representation Matters: The 'Who's Got You' of Good PR
Megan 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 feel like it's about …
Proofing Stage: Food as a Conversation Starter
For 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 Bagels as they pull …
Breaking the Bank: Grants' Biggest Secrets Revealed
Get 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 anyway. From grant-writi…
Proofing Stage: Your Rx for Business Wellness
Prescription 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 we take IN that make …
Trailer 3.0: The Journey of Proofing Stage
“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, Michelle Bond and Joa…
What Acquiring Minds Want to Know
Alexis 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 female founders, to walk aw…
Wait, Business Ops Can Feel Good?
Veronica 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 Laid Bare and creator o…
You Gotta Break Up to Break Thru
RescuePoetix™ (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 hosts Michelle Bond and …
Michelle and Joan "Role" with Avis Boone
In 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 out their BUB Roadshow…
In Service of Food Businesses
Sue 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 escape it, but you can…
Data, Integrity and the Sexiest Beast
Guest - Sarah O'Leary (she/her), Founder and CEO of Mend Acupuncture
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Imagine entering a dimly lit room. It's vast and yet you immediately feel tucked in. Soothing sounds swirl around you with a "wh…