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.
Join us, as we share wins and cautionary tales from that space between “atta girl” and “I told you so!” Co-hosted by Joan Kanner and Michelle Bond, with Season 1 contributions by Amanda Schwarz.
Proofing Stage
Trailer 2.0: Welcome to Proofing Stage
Not just business as usual!
Proofing Stage provides real talk, actionable guidance, lessons learned (don't make the mistakes we did) and the validation that YOU ARE NOT CRAZY (like when you've been gaslit) for female business owners.
Season 1 laid the foundation by unpacking 8 years of running a successful food business. Now Joan and Michelle continue the discussion with a cadre of brilliant, straight-shooting guests.
Available now anywhere you get your pods.
Listen. Subscribe. Spread the word.
Theme music by Thorn Haze
Artwork by Lisa Orye
Find more at proofingstage.com
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Joan:
When you listen to Proofing Stage, this is what you get!
Joan:
We've got: characters!
Michelle:
"Neither of you get it. Like I've blown up my life for the last two years, I have blown up my life. I'm making no money. I'm working my ass off to do this thing that I love and I'm not complaining and I'm not asking for anything, except I will not be insulted by you doing something behind everyone's back that is supposed to be for our benefit, and then making me feel lucky that I get the things that you don't want.”
Joan:
"there are a lot of snake oil salespersons when it comes to giving guidance for entrepreneurship... for me there's been such a gap in terms of who has reliable information and support. And I think about where else we could be eight years into the business if we had those things."
Michelle:
We've got: plot! Has our business over-proofed? And if so, how'd that happen?
Michelle:
"because it was just so hard to do it under the circumstances that we were in, and being in there three and a half to four years - which was probably two years longer than we should have been in there."
Michelle:
We've got: themes
Michelle:
"But then when I actually need you to be a landlord in a way that is meaningful to me, you disappear, oh, or you don't disappear, you gaslight me. You literally say, 'well, then I'm gonna park my truck here and no one can park here.'"
Joan:
Run-ins with nepo babies
Joan:
"What? I was just saying, that it's a good time to be a [starts singing] nepo baaaaybeeee. They make their own dreams come true… Actually. Well, you know, they kind of have help."
Joan:
Gatekeepers
Michelle:
"You know, and in the best cases they're connectors, right, but in other cases they are gatekeepers, where it's like: 'I'm gonna decide, I'm gonna decide who I open the gate for, I'm gonna decide how far the gate opens, I'm gonna decide when to open the gate and I'm gonna make sure I know who's on the other side of it.'"
Joan:
Boundaries
Joan:
"Fingers. Fingers into the bin. And he basically did a line of like everything mix and... without consent, stuck his fingers in our bagel bin."
Michelle:
From the perspective of female founders
Joan:
And hey, you want conflict? Boy, do we got conflict! Well, sometimes, it's internal...
Amanda:
"No, no, no, it was John Cusack. You got the wrong John. It was John Cusack... Lloyd Dobler. Forever."
Michelle:
“I'm Michelle Bond.
Joan:
And I'm Joan Kanner.
Michelle:
...join us as we take a deep dive into the issues - and solutions - faced by female business owners.
Joan:
You know, I'm digging being the mentors we never had...
Michelle:
Proofing Stage is out now. So listen, and subscribe, wherever you get your pods.
