In this episode, Metaphorically Speaking hosts Joe Dudeck and Shannon Jirik reminisce on the podcast's inception and evolution over nearly three years, including the show's inaugural seasons on sharing your small business story and experiencing fear in life and work and the interim "COS in COVID" series. Mostly, they wind down the year by sharing m…

Alicia Klausmeier is the founder and president of Dream Accounting Solutions, a full service bookkeeping firm in Colorado Springs. With a passion for serving small business owners, the Dream team also provides process and payroll management, one-on-one support, and training. In this episode, Alicia shares how her entrepreneurial spirit and problem-…

Daniel Byrd is the executive director of Kids on Bikes, a non-profit organization bringing joy and freedom to kids and families in the Colorado Springs community “one bike, one ride, and one mile at a time.” With a mission to inspire and empower all kids to lead healthy, active, and happy lives, Kids on Bikes sets out to combat childhood obesity, e…

Lauren McKenzie is the owner of REN Creativ, a Colorado Springs creative studio that offers branding, web design, and photography services. Armed with "contagious creativity and boundless originality," Lauren's stamp can be found in bars, breweries, and other small businesses across the local landscape. In this episode, hear how Lauren's journey of…

Nikki McComsey is the founder of Gather Mountain Blooms, an urban flower farm on the historic Venetucci Farm in Colorado Springs. Together with her sisters, Leah Remacle and Abby Remacle, a mission to "promote community, creativity and healing in a field of beautiful flowers" is cultivated. Nature lovers can flock to the farm to pick fresh blooms, …

Lisa Tsarowitz is the founder and owner of Epicentral Coworking, a shared space for working nomads, including freelancers, small business owners, entrepreneurs, and commuters. With two locations in Colorado Springs, members can access meeting rooms, private offices, and a range of amenities. At Epicentral, "Work Hard, Do Good" means more than sitti…

Timothy (T.H.) Gillis is a managing partner at KPMG accounting firm in Washington D.C. and a two-time self-published poet. Despite a successful professional career in accounting and tax law, Tim sought an outlet for self-discovery, mindfulness, and contemplation, eventually trying his hand at poetry as a way to process life and preserve experiences…

Architect Scott Schuster and Interior Designer Courtney Wilson are partners at Echo Architecture + Interiors, a design studio based in Colorado Springs. Echo is in the art of telling stories through design — creating timeless, yet unexpected, spaces that enrich the community, embody local culture, and emphasize sustainability. That mission comes to…

Bobby and Brooke Mikulas are the founders and owners of Kinship Landing, a boutique hotel, cafe/bar, and event space in downtown Colorado Springs. "Built with exploring in mind," Kinship Landing is more than just a place to spend the night. Acting as a personalized resource hub for both tourists and townies, the Kinship Landing team provides recomm…

Gayla Bustos and Brittany Winn are the real estate agents behind Property Mommies, a team serving homebuyers and military families in the Colorado Springs area. Together, they strive to create a positive, transparent, and stress-free experience for clients as they settle them into their dream homes. In this episode, get a glimpse into what makes th…

Aubrey Day and Stacy Poore are the owners and curators of Bread & Butter Neighborhood Market in downtown Colorado Springs. This bodega-inspired space boasts walkability, a welcoming environment, and a wide selection of purposeful foods and spirits — many of which are sourced from local vendors. In this episode, enjoy the origin story of Bread & But…

Rachel Richards is a professional speaker, finance guru, and bestselling author of Money Honey: A Simple 7-Step Guide for Getting Your Financial $hit Together. At the age of 27, she retired from corporate life and now spends her life in Colorado Springs empowering others to take control of their financial future and achieve their dreams. In this ep…

Dirk Draper is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Colorado Springs Chamber and Economic Development Council. The Chamber's mission is to serve and support the Colorado Springs business climate and military community by providing education, events, resources, and funding. In addition, they represent COS as a key voice in public policy.…

Pete Heiniger is an executive pastor at Discovery Church Colorado in Colorado Springs. With an open-door, "come-as-you-are" philosophy, Discovery Church is committed to a mission of rescue, where any person who walks in the doors knows that their story is safe — no matter their past or previous experience in the church. Like many other churches imp…

Erik Van Horn is the owner of Outside the Breadbox — a family-owned, gluten-free bakery in Colorado Springs — committed to quality cooking and clean ingredients. The bakery is open for locals to purchase fresh bread, cookies, pies, and more, but their nut, soy, allergy, and dairy-free products can also be found in grocery stores across Colorado and…

Erin Poovey is the owner of Camino Massage Therapy in Colorado Springs. With a unique variety of techniques at their disposal, she and her team of massage therapists provide personalized, therapeutic care to subdue or eliminate longstanding pain. In this episode, Erin discusses how being deemed a "non-essential" business during the COVID-19 quarant…

Linda Weise is Founding CEO of the Colorado Springs Conservatory. Since 1994, the Conservatory has provided world-class, performing arts training to students of all ages and abilities across the Pikes Peak region. In addition to arts immersion studies, the Conservatory places a high value on community arts advocacy. In this episode, Linda recounts …

Max Ziegenhagen is a marriage and family therapist and the owner of North Family Counseling in Colorado Springs. After identifying a critical need for teen therapy in the Springs, Max moved from California to open a trauma-specialized practice. Today, Max and his team of therapists serve individuals wrestling with a range of mental and relational c…

Bruce McGrew is the owner of ProCycling bike shop in Colorado Springs. With East and West locations, Bruce and his team of cycling experts serve and supply individuals of all biking ability — from entry-level to enthusiast. In this first episode of our COS in COVID miniseries, Bruce shares the somewhat surprising impact that the pandemic had on the…

Suzanne Palazzo is the founder and CEO of Upper Deck Fitness in Stamford, Connecticut. Having set out on a mission to redefine the fitness culture, Suzanne is passionate about creating a space that prioritizes people over the bottom line and challenges individuals to determine the “why” behind wellness. In this episode, Suzanne shares how she found…

With the current pandemic situation, we're presently unable to record and produce new podcast episodes. And so, while we wait for some normalcy to return, we decided to go back into our archive of entrepreneurial interviews and publish some content never before released in this format. We start this month with Scott Harrison, CEO of charity: water,…

Doctors Josh and Taylor Logan are the founders, owners, and lead chiropractors at True North Chiropractic in Colorado Springs. For this married couple, a day at work is so much bigger than a spine adjustment — it’s an opportunity to restore physical ability and purpose to the lives of their patients. In this episode, the Logans reflect on the path …

Jason Crampton is the owner of Lincoln St. Barbers, a traditional barbershop located in Colorado Springs. Brotherhood, trust, and relaxation make up this unique shop’s DNA, as Jason and his team of "civilized misfits" create a tight-knit community through quality craftmanship and conversation. In this episode, Jason shares his journey to becoming a…

Casey Ross is the owner of Axe and the Oak Whiskey House and Distillery in Colorado Springs. Every day, Casey and his team embody the mission to cultivate a welcoming space for visitors to enjoy meaningful conversation, laughs with good friends, and of course, a quality drink. In this episode, Casey dives into life as a Colorado Springs native, tou…

Every day, business owners and employers face very real fears related to leading a team, running a company, and making a profit. In the final episode of Season 2, we step into the shoes of a business leader and address fear in the workplace — even asking one such entrepreneur, Mitch Causey, to share the very real fears he faces daily. To conclude, …

There are two sides to every coin — a gray to every black and white. In this episode, we challenge ourselves to think differently about fear, seeing it as something to be embraced, rather than overcome. As a vitamin instead of a virus. We pick apart the lie of “fearlessness,” recognizing that by choosing courage, our eyes can be opened to seeing th…

Are you a runner? A fighter? A thinker? A feeler? In this episode, we take a look at how people respond to fear, accounting for both healthy and unhealthy reactions and specifically exploring how Joe and his wife, Lindsay Dudeck, have used the Enneagram model to better understand the different ways they respond to fear. Also, in an effort to respec…

Fear plays a critical role in the human body’s makeup and ultimately exists to keep us alive. In this episode, we explore the science behind fear, unpacking how it physically and psychologically resides in our bodies. Recognizing that its effects are unavoidable, we discuss healthy tactics for reframing and managing fear when it shows up.…

Experiencing fear is an inevitable part of being human. As small business owners, entrepreneurs, and marketers, fear touches our lives and work every day. In this introductory episode, we frame up this season’s conversation, acknowledging that while fear may look and sound different for every person, it will remain a common thread that connects us …

Mitch Causey is the Founder and CEO of DemandWell, a digital marketing agency focused on attracting and converting traffic from organic search. Over the course of his career, he's advised dozens of companies on their marketing efforts from mom and pop shops to the Fortune 100. In this episode, he assesses his first year as a business owner, discuss…

In February 2019, Lily and Madeleine — the folk-pop sister group out of Indianapolis — dropped Canterbury Girls, their fourth LP release. In this episode, the sisters graciously shared their story with me — talking about what's new with this album, who influenced them musically growing up, and the process of sharing pieces of their lives with the w…

In the final episode of Season 1, we talk about the process of creating and then sharing your artwork — your business story — with your world. Just like an artist steps into a studio and creates a piece, he or she eventually brings it out. Here, we talk about the who, what, when, where, why and how to do that with your business story in the most ef…

Now, it's nearly time to get in the studio and start shaping your story. But first, it's time to figure out what you would say and how you would say it. And here's where the biggest fears arise: not knowing where to start or what to say. We help calm these fears of the unknown.By Keyhole Marketing

When an artist steps into the studio, they have some sort of vision in mind; a purpose they’re trying to accomplish. The same applies to the creation of your business story. You need a purpose. Some direction to aim toward in telling your story. In this episode, we explore the exciting world of goal setting — the need for them and how to employ the…

Who are you serving? What's the audience you're creating for? Here, we discuss why it's vital you identify who you’re selling to and how those people connect to your story.By Keyhole Marketing

The process of creating anything starts inside. You must first know yourself. In this first episode, we explore why it’s important to identify your uniqueness — your own or your business — and ways to find the things that separate you from others.By Keyhole Marketing

Welcome to the new podcast by Keyhole Marketing, hosted by Joe Dudeck and Shannon Jirik. In this brief trailer, we introduce ourselves and help give you a sense of what to expect on each season of Metaphorically Speaking.By Keyhole Marketing