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The Speak Easy Podcast

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

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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 re ...
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Traveling across the country to collaborate with clients and bring their visions to life through expert storytelling and dynamic production? That’s Render Studios’s bread and butter.That said, coordinating large-scale film projects across multiple locations is a process that goes far beyond capturing great footage alone. From managing remote locati…
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Have you ever met an entrepreneur who views networking as a solo sport? It’s surprising, especially in the service business world, where relationships are the foundation of success. In this episode, we explore how collaboration and generosity can strengthen your network, your reputation, and ultimately, your opportunities. Sharing a "give first" ap…
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There’s an art to navigating tricky projects while maintaining high standards and delivering exceptional service. Whether you're navigating a tight deadline or dealing with evolving client demands, success in these scenarios often comes down to communication and trust.When tasked with a project that’s more of a sprint than a marathon, maintaining c…
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A lesson shared by many entrepreneurs and parents is this: Time is limited, and you can’t do everything all the time for everyone. Combine that truth with the knowledge that every stage of your children’s development requires an entirely different playbook of parenting skills, and it's easy to lose sight of any plans you made to intentionally showi…
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Creative burnout is something many face. In this episode, we dive into how to recognize the signs and navigate through it. Whether it’s struggling to focus, feeling uninspired, or simply pushing too hard without taking time to recharge, burnout can stop creativity in its tracks.Learning the tell-tale signals that it’s time to step back and refuel n…
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In our latest case study, we dive into Redhead’s work supporting the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM) on marketing for the Michigan Children’s Savings Account Network. The Network, consisting of 17 programs across the state, aims to help students save for their postsecondary education through Children's Savings Account…
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In this episode, we’re exploring the difference between task-oriented and objective-oriented thinking. Focusing on the task at hand may feel like less mental labor, but it's important to remember that tasks are only one part of addressing a larger challenge. By aligning your work with the larger objective, you'll not only accomplish more but also a…
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In this episode, we dive into the dilemma of reaching the top and wondering, "Am I done yet?" Spoiler alert: not quite. We explore that feeling of having climbed the career ladder, only to find the horizon still stretching far and wide. When you’ve hit your goals and the view from the top is fantastic, what’s next?We discuss the signs of burnout, t…
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When it comes to video marketing, the key to maximizing reach and enhancing brand visibility is starting with a solid distribution strategy. Whether earned, owned, or paid, each channel requires a different approach to craft a video that resonates with a distinct audience.Measuring the effectiveness of these strategies is crucial to ensuring that e…
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Carving out your own path as a business owner demands a little rule breaking from time to time. Whether it’s a social norm or personal directive, it’s easy for our ways of being to spiral down the rabbit hole from routine to rule to barrier to success. If you find yourself stuck in that place, it’s time to start poking holes in your modus operandi.…
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Marketing is a lot like starting a garden. It’s all about planting a seed and knowing that with careful planning and attention, you’ll reap the results of your harvest. Even those of us with the furthest thing from a green thumb know that you can’t plant a seed one day, then expect to be able to pluck fully grown fruit from it the next. Organic gro…
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When helping a municipality identify their brand, it’s not always about resident attraction. Sometimes, it’s about reminding residents of all the various amenities that can be found right outside their front door. Pulling that off is a two-part challenge. First comes the creative work of developing the identity of the brand, then comes the technica…
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Last episode, we approached the topic of having a team of advisors from a business perspective. Having advisors in your personal life is just as important, but looking at this topic from a personal perspective brings a whole new set of considerations.Owning a business demands having multiple people on your roster to handle different issues, and the…
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For a lot of business owners, it can be hard to let go of the idea that you can do it all. However, as your business grows, there reaches a point where you shouldn’t be doing it all, and instead should be utilizing a team of advisors.In-house or outsourced, having a team of advisors you can turn to is a necessary investment for the health of your b…
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For more than twenty years, Origami Rehabilitation has trusted Render Studios with capturing the stories of those affected by neurological conditions with compassion and nuance. Through this long-standing partnership, Render has mastered carefully navigating the intersection of marketing and human stories, and the ability to find a unique angle yea…
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Setting expectations for your team is a crucial task. However, in our current work environment where the playbook seems ever-evolving, that process can seem easier said than done. For many business owners in the creative industry, defining these expectations comes with a boatload of questions — what should they encompass? Which expectations are out…
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Tight marketing budgets are a reality for many organizations, including nonprofits and advocacy groups. Clients like these operate with limited resources, yet they play a vital role in addressing societal issues, driving change, and raising awareness about important causes. Oftentimes, when nonprofits and advocacy organizations struggle with ineffe…
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What do you do when you want to spread the word about free money for college to quite literally every graduating high school student in the state? A large-scale public awareness campaign with some pretty creative tactics, of course. This episode, we’re diving into a case study on The Michigan Achievement Scholarship campaign — a multi-modal marketi…
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Navigating the complexities of caregiving for aging parents is an endeavor fraught with uncertainty and emotion. It's a journey that often catches us off guard, forcing us to confront the profound responsibility of guiding our parents through end-of-life care.In this episode, we delve into our personal experiences with aging parents, reflecting on …
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For better or worse, sometimes we are our job, or our brand, or our leadership role…you get the picture. When you’re in a situation where your job isn’t something you put down at the end of the day and walk away from, what does that mean in terms of work-life balance?If you’re in a position where your job follows you into the other aspects of your …
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Founded by David Such and Larry Bass in 2008, ScrapFest is a Lansing art festival that brings together artists from around the country to compete in a scrap metal sculpture competition. Earlier this year, Karen’s media production company, Render Studios, premiered their debut ScrapFest documentary. The film highlights various artists and their scul…
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Whether intentional or not, sometimes a client is disingenuous about the end goals of a project. For whatever reason, they are not upfront with their initial objective, and massage the creative process through nitpicking and endless revisions to achieve an end product that is decidedly different from what was agreed upon.In situations like these, i…
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Youth might be a limited period in life, but youthfulness is a mindset that transcends age. When it comes to opportunities for career growth or probleming-solving, qualities like open-mindedness and curiosity are critical for success. But what are those qualities if not the characteristics of a youthful mindset?Maintaining a youthful mindset doesn’…
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Last month, the Detroit Free Press’s editorial page editor ran a piece about moving the state capital to Detroit, deeming Lansing a “sad little town.” It caused quite the stir, to say the least. Lansing residents and Detroiters alike sounded off on social media, the comments sections grew tense, and water cooler conversation was fueled for days.As …
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For many entrepreneurs, the end of the year is a time for holiday get-togethers, meeting deadlines, and – the big one – goal setting. We take time to visualize where we see our organization in the coming year, in five years, or even a decade down the line. We carefully map out our business's progress and trajectory. But are we focusing on what’s mo…
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‘Tis the season for gratitude, but, in fact, it’s healthier to practice grateful thinking all year long. When we think about what’s missing, rather than what’s present, we invite anxiety, frustration, and bundles of other negative emotions to flood our minds. If you think about it, brains are like kindergarten classes: without some discipline, chao…
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We frequently talk about balance on the podcast and the truth is that something has to give when life becomes hectic. But don’t worry, we’ll return to the regularly scheduled programming in January. For now, we’re rebroadcasting some episodes that are hitting especially close to home right now. Enjoy Another Round – Ep. 164: Burnout and Overwhelm!B…
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If you’ve got anxiety about reaching “midlife” or stumbling into the dreaded “midlife crisis,” just know that it’s not an inevitability. “Midlife” is a construct. By taking a proactive approach to life, you can avoid general monotony and the tired cliche of a “midlife rut.”By embracing change and staying curious about new possibilities, you can avo…
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Hiring people who have skills that differ from your own adds additional challenges to the recruitment process. When a potential new hire’s skill set is outside of your wheelhouse, it’s essential to remember why you are hiring, and that diversifying the skills of your team is necessary for growth. It expands what you can offer your clients, and brin…
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When it comes to supporting clients whose mission, if accomplished, would make the world a better place, strategy has shifted over the years. The divisive nature of politics today requires much stricter demands for how we can effectively create tools for clients who do advocacy work. Now more than ever, the tools you create must lay the groundwork …
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When talking about quality and standards in the creative industry, it can be easy to miss the fact that producing work that’s “good enough” is often the result of a capacity issue. When firms have a limited budget or staff for a project, not every product can be made with expert care, so they have to settle for a deliverable that’s “good enough.” T…
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When thinking about habits that are time wasters, it’s easy to name things like scrolling TikTok or doing superficial “reorganizing” because those feel like conscious time wasters. It’s the unconscious time wasters that are much more insidious and hard to kick. Things like indecision, lack of planning, or even overplanning result in time wasted, wh…
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Life can feel like a mess even on good days. The personal responsibilities of life that bring us joy often start to feel overwhelming when the demands for our time and energy surpass what is possible for us to give. For many people, this is where shame and self-judgment kick in, because dealing with every layer of life all at once shouldn’t be that…
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RFPs, or Requests for Proposals, are a common way of soliciting work in the creative industry — and they can be an equally challenging (and often painful) process for everyone involved. In a written description alone, it can be difficult for a buyer to clearly articulate what service or product they’re looking for in an RFP. This can leave folks in…
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Leadership can be as overwhelming as it is rewarding. To view leadership as a ladder to climb ignores the aspects of the job that are far from a reward. Whether it’s a plumbing issue at the office, concerns about this quarter’s budget, or a conflict between staff, when you’re in a leadership position, the tough decisions are yours to make.In our ca…
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Talking about creativity and the creative process can be necessarily abstract, but it doesn't have to be. There is value to looking at creativity as an investment. Creativity takes a willingness to challenge yourself to break down what already exists and start from scratch. This process requires a lot of trust in yourself or your team, and that can…
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The question of when to hire and when not to isn’t about neglecting your team’s capacity needs. Rather, it’s about taking a more meditative approach to the hiring process. Beyond determining if your business has the budget to hire and what the capacity needs of your team are, it’s important to consider if your organization needs to change and how i…
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As leaders, we can’t (and shouldn’t) do it all. Bringing your team into the decision-making process is important to the health and wellness of your organization. No part of the organization benefits from being overprotective of decision-making, and being excluded from this process limits a team's growth potential. All that said, putting this delega…
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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 c…
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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…
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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 bandwidt…
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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 inevitab…
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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 l…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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 boundari…
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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 impor…
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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 …
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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. …
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