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.
Episodes
34 episodes since 2023
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 Joan Kanner get to the heart of what it m...
September 11, 2024
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Season 2
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1:56
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 away with as much money as th...
August 14, 2024
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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46:21
Wait, Business Ops Can Feel Good?
Veronica Yanhs, Founder of Business Laid Bare & Creator of the Orgasmic Operations® MethodWhat do Star Wars and Aladdin have in common? For Veronica Yanhs, founder of Business Laid Bare and creator of the Orgasmic Operations® ...
July 31, 2024
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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59:59
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 Joan Kanner about her podcast, ...
July 17, 2024
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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53:35
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 engaging with those on the picket line. Amon...
July 10, 2024
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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41:15
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 learn to thrive with...
June 26, 2024
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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1:04:43
Data, Integrity and the Sexiest Beast
Guest - 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 swirl around you with a "whoosh, whoosh." You sit down in...
June 12, 2024
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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49:20
Don't Say "DEI," Just Make it Mean Something
Erin Stampp, she/her, MPP - Director, Professional DevelopmentWashington University School of Medicine in St. LouisIn this episode of Proofing Stage, hosts Michelle Bond and Joan Kanner are joined by DEI practitioner Erin Sta...
May 29, 2024
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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1:01:04
BONUS: Kait and Caro on What's Worth It and Intellectual Property in Art
Guests - Kait Klusewitz (she/her), Muralist/Artist | Caroline Lampinen (she/her), ArtistThere was so much goodness in our conversation with Kait and Caro that we couldn't fit it all into the full episode. This mighty bonus episod...
May 22, 2024
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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15:46
The Art of a Well-Placed ‘No’
Guests - Kait Klusewitz (she/her), Muralist/Artist | Caroline Lampinen (she/her), ArtistBringing art to business and business to art, hosts Michelle Bond and Joan Kanner dive into a vibrant discussion on "Proofing Stage" with two...
May 15, 2024
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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1:02:37
BONUS: Interviewer Inspo
Some pods offer a peek behind the curtain. But in today's bonus episode, Michelle and Joan give peeks inside their heads!Now that they're doing the asking, whose asking acts as examples to emulate?And, yes, you'll be left asking...
May 13, 2024
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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5:11
From False Urgencies to Force Multipliers
“There is so much false urgency I have fallen prey to that I’ve learned about through this business. I don’t want to see other people making those mistakes, especially women,” says Joan Kanner on past challenges in business. Alongside co-host M...
May 08, 2024
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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33:43
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 ...
April 17, 2024
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Season 2
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2:44
BONUS: An Anecdote about the Antidote to Unsolicited Advice
Ever walk away from an exchange with someone “trying to help” whose brilliant suggestions leave you feeling frustrated or drained? Or, maybe you’ve been that well-intentioned person who has missed the mark? Worse yet, you may not know ...
April 08, 2024
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Season 1
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9:47
BONUS: Grabbing Life by the $50 Bill - The G.O.Y.A. Principle
Have you ever found yourself frozen in a moment, opportunity dangling before your eyes, only to hesitate and miss out? Picture this: a room full of college freshmen, a motivational speaker, and a single $50 bill that sparked a revelation Joan h...
March 11, 2024
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Season 1
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2:54
Points for Creativity
We're celebrating the end of Season 1 with big slice of creativity, talking inspiration and intention with a generous sprinkling of strategy. After all, if you've started a business or dream of starting one, you've got that creative inside you....
February 21, 2024
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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1:14:34
BONUS: Branding Beyond Your Logo - Some Not So Self-Evident Truths
We're approaching the end of Season 1, but not before a jam-packed episode on creativity and collaborations to help amplify your food business. This bonus clip covers important considerations for your brand's visual identity, including who can ...
February 19, 2024
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Season 1
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2:18
Roadshow Part II: A Tale of Three Cities
The level of difficulty is slowly intensifying for the BUB crew as they embark on new formats and increasingly longer Roadshow stops from 2021-2023. From overcoming obstacles like staffing shortages and supply chain shortfalls to equipment brea...
February 14, 2024
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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1:14:50
BONUS: The Great Cover Letter Cover Up - Is that Ideal Candidate for Real?
As the Roadshow rolls on, Bottoms Up Bagels (BUB) begins to hire locally for stops in various cities. In our next full episode, we'll relive some of those hits, but today's clip is decidedly about the misses.From would-be employees with...
February 12, 2024
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Season 1
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3:14
Roadshow Part I: Grow Where You're Planted, but First Go Where You're Wanted
Earlier in the pod we introduced the BUB Roadshow, Bottoms Up Bagels (BUB)'s way of busting the water myth and testing new markets for expansion. Part bagel pop up - part traveling circus - at its core, "The Roadshow" is about bringing good bag...
February 07, 2024
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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59:45
BONUS: Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em!
No Surgeon General's Warning needed for this bonus content. Catch us chatting about smoking of the savory smokin' kind. Meats. Dairy. Pellets vs. chips. Indoor vs. outdoor. This little excerpt didn't make the cut for our conversation about the ...
February 05, 2024
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Season 1
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2:06
BONUS: Don't Finger My Bagel Bin
The air was thick with election fever, but even thicker with the scent of fresh bagels.Imagine our surprise when what we thought was a media frenzy for our beloved bagel bonanza at the Marion Public Library turned into an impromptu meet...
January 29, 2024
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Season 1
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4:58
A Room of One's Own When You Don't Own It
Any small business involves risk, often calculated and sometimes underestimated. Still, the brands you love press on every day through countless obstacles and decisions, bringing a team and the desire to not skip a beat along for the ride. ...
January 24, 2024
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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49:30
Placemaking in the Era of Ghost Kitchens
It's 2019 and Bottoms Up Bagels (BUB) is feeling the pinch of increased overhead while working with a limited business model - relying on pop ups, catering and wholesale without everyday direct-to-customer sales opportunities. The wheels are se...
January 17, 2024
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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43:46
BONUS: 3 Key Questions to Assess Food Hall Fit
Are you a food entrepreneur who's considering moving your business into a food hall?Here's Michelle's primer on which questions to ask - so you can get the answers you need. She covers:- Square footage and layout- C...
January 15, 2024
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Season 1
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5:31