What happens when two business coaches attend a major national music conference?

In this episode, Michelle and Sara share their experience from the 2026 Music Teachers National Association conference in Chicago. From the fun and energizing moments to the deeper patterns they observed in how musicians approach business, money, and growth.

They go beyond the highlight reel to unpack the mindset shifts required to move from “artist” to confident business owner.

• The highs (and exhaustion) of attending a national conference
• The problem with vague goals like “more students”
• Scarcity mindset and fear around investing in your business
• The shift from “pick me” to taking ownership of your career
• Why financial literacy is a game changer for music teachers

You don’t just have a business – you need to learn how to run one.

How to Run Your Biz Without Hating Your Boss is the podcast for creative entrepreneurs and service-based business owners who want to thrive professionally without sacrificing their values, peace, or creative integrity. Michelle and Sara share the hard-won wisdom you won’t find in generic business coaching or “just follow my simple formula” advice.

➡️ Join SECO

If this episode resonated with you:

• Rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen
• Share the episode with a fellow business owner who needs to hear it
• Let us know what topics, myths, or rants you want us to tackle next — we love hearing from you

• Dr. Joe Welch doing amazing work at Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois. Blackburn is the only work college with a student-managed work program.

🎙️ Episode 8: Is Your Business Eating You Alive?

The problem isn’t your workload. It’s who’s in charge.

In this solo episode, Michelle gets real about what it feels like when the business you built starts running you. Not always in dramatic, burnout fashion, but in the quieter, more dangerous ways: constant mental load, reactive decisions, and the slow erosion of your time, energy, and identity.

Including one very real moment: trying to take a break over Christmas, visiting family, intentionally leaving the laptop behind… and coming back to a messy business. When your business is running you, it follows you, quietly taking up space in your mind no matter where you are.

If you’ve ever felt like your business owns you, like you can’t step away, can’t think clearly, and definitely can’t “just take a break” this episode is for you.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• What it really looks like when your business is “eating you alive”
• How lack of clarity turns your business into a reactive machine
• The identity trap of creative entrepreneurship — and why it’s so hard to separate yourself from your work
• Why over-giving and under-protecting your energy leads to long-term burnout
• The difference between reacting to your business and actually running it

This is about taking back control. Because the truth is, most business owners were never taught how to run a business. You were handed a machine with no manual and expected to figure it out while also doing the work itself.

Grab your notebook and pencil, grab your coffee, your tea, or whatever else helps you cope with your business-induced anxiety… and let’s get started!

🎧 About the Podcast

How to Run Your Biz Without Hating Your Boss is the podcast for creative entrepreneurs and service-based business owners who want to thrive professionally without sacrificing their values, peace, or creative integrity. Michelle and Sara share the hard-won wisdom you won’t find in generic business coaching or “just follow my simple formula” advice.

➡️ Apply for the Accelerator Program: https://thespeakeasycooperative.com/how-to-run-your-business-without-hating-your-boss-accelerator/

➡️ Join SECO: https://thespeakeasycooperative.com/speakeasy/

⭐ Support the Show

If this episode hit home:

• Subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next
• Leave a rating or review to help other creative entrepreneurs find the show
• Share it with someone who needs this reminder

Boa Constrictor by Shel Silverstein

Oh, I'm being eaten by a boa constrictor A boa constrictor A boa constrictor I'm being eaten by a boa constrictor And I don't like it - one bit.

Well, what do you know? It's nibblin' my toe. Oh, gee, It's up to my knee. Oh my, It’s up to my thigh. Oh, fiddle, It's up to my middle. Oh, heck, It's up to my neck. Oh, dread, It's upmmmmmmmmmmmfffffffffff…

🎙️Episode 7: Getting Off the Hobby Horse (and Building Something Stable)

At some point, every self-employed creative has to decide: Is this a hobby… or is this a business?

In this episode, Michelle and Sara unpack what really happens when you treat your business like a side project instead of the legitimate, revenue-generating entity it actually is. From loosey-goosey bookkeeping to guessing at pricing, ignoring legal responsibilities, and hoping taxes will magically sort themselves out, these “little” habits can quietly sabotage your success.

And if you’ve ever had someone imply your work isn’t a “real job”? Yeah. We’re talking about that too.

This episode is a loving but firm wake-up call, as well as practical, no-nonsense steps to move from “holy crap, what have I done?” to “I am an official badass business owner!”

In This Episode, We Talk About:

• The difference between hobby energy and CEO energy
• Why “I just want to help people” is not a business strategy
• Getting surprised by taxes (and why that keeps happening)
• The realities of liability, insurance, and data responsibility
• Why independent teachers, coaches, and creatives deserve real business respect
• How subtle self-sabotage becomes habitual
• The mindset shift required to move into legitimate business ownership

If you want sustainability, respect, and actual profit, you have to act like a business owner. It’s time to step out of “hobby land” and into real ownership. Grab your notebook and pencil, grab your coffee, your tea, or whatever else helps you cope with your business-induced anxiety… and let’s get started!

🎧 About the Podcast

How to Run Your Biz Without Hating Your Boss is the podcast for creative entrepreneurs and service-based business owners who want to thrive professionally without sacrificing their values, peace, or creative integrity. Michelle and Sara share the hard-won wisdom you won’t find in generic business coaching or “just follow my simple formula” advice.

➡️ Join SECO: https://thespeakeasycooperative.com/speakeasy/

📝 Mentioned in This Show:

• Blog: How to Know if You Should Become an LLC
• Apply for The How to Run Your Biz Without Hating Your Boss Accelerator Program

⭐ Support the Show

If this episode resonated with you:

• Rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen
• Share the episode with a fellow business owner who needs to hear it
• Let us know what topics, myths, or rants you want us to tackle next — we love hearing from you

🎙️ Episode 6: Ideal Clients or Endless Hustle

“Ideal client” is one of the most talked about (and most avoided) concepts in small business. In this episode, Michelle and Sara dig into what an ideal client truly is, why the idea makes so many business owners uncomfortable, and how skipping this work quietly leads to burnout, resentment, and hating your own business.

An ideal client isn’t a perfect unicorn or your new best friend. It’s a tool — a made-up but intentional construct that gives you clarity, language, and boundaries so you can call in the people you serve best and stop saying yes out of fear, ego, or exhaustion.

This is unsexy, foundational work, and it affects everything: marketing, pricing, boundaries, emotional energy, and how you feel when you open your calendar.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

• What an “ideal client” really is (and what it is not)
• The myth that you need to serve everyone to survive
• “Warm body syndrome” and why it leads to burnout
• Why avoiding ideal client work leads to resentment in your business
• Why clarity around your ideal client makes marketing easier
• How vague messaging (“all genres, all ages”) repels the right people
• Not all money is good money

The new year is a powerful time to reassess relationships, energy, and how you want your business — and your life — to feel.

Getting honest about your ideal client is one of the most effective ways to build a business that’s sustainable, ethical, and doesn’t make you dread showing up.

🎧 About the Podcast

How to Run Your Biz Without Hating Your Boss is the podcast for creative entrepreneurs and service-based business owners who want to thrive professionally without sacrificing their values, peace, or creative integrity. Michelle and Sara share the hard-won wisdom you won’t find in generic business coaching or “just follow my simple formula” advice.

⭐ Support the Show

If this episode resonated with you:

• Rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen
• Share the episode with a fellow business owner who needs to hear it
• Let us know what topics, myths, or rants you want us to tackle next — we love hearing from you

Mentioned in this Episode

APPLY FOR HOW TO RUN NOW!

https://thespeakeasycooperative.com/how-to-run-your-business-accelerator-application/

The Art of the Inquiry – Michelle Markwart Deveaux https://thespeakeasycooperative.com/art-of-inquiry-revenue-relationships-retention/

ICA as “best case scenario” – Minal Sampat https://www.minalsampat.com/

Join The SpeakEasy Cooperative® today!

https://thespeakeasycooperative.com/speakeasy/

In this episode of How to Run Your Biz Without Hating Your Boss, Michelle and Sara do something a little different: they open the mailbag.

If you’ve ever reread an email five times before hitting send, replayed an awkward conversation in the shower, or laid awake wondering whether you handled a business situation wrong — this one’s for you.

Drawing on years of experience helping hundreds of performing arts entrepreneurs thrive professionally without sacrificing their values, peace, or creative integrity, Michelle and Sara tackle real-world scenarios that keep coaches, teachers, and performing artists up at night.

No gimmicks. No “just follow my simple formula.” Just grounded, hard-won insight from people who refuse to hang out on business-coach island.

Key Topics:

• Common business situations that trigger second-guessing and stress
• How to tell the difference between a real misstep and normal business discomfort
• Why spiraling over emails, boundaries, and conversations is so common for creatives
• How to approach tricky situations with clarity, confidence, and integrity

Perfect for:

• Creative entrepreneurs and accidental business owners
• Business owners in the performing arts or service-based sectors
• Anyone navigating people-pleasing, boundaries, or hard conversations in their business

If you’ve ever wished for a trusted sounding board when business gets messy, this episode delivers exactly that.

🎧 Press play and let’s get into it.

👉 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. 👉 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more creative entrepreneurs find us. 👉 Share this episode with a friend or colleague who might be struggling with scaling pressure.

Connect with us:

Website: thespeakeasycooperative.com/speakeasy Facebook: facebook.com/thespeakeasycooperative Instagram: @thespeakeasycooperative

Mentioned in this episode:

Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High View on Bookshop.org

Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most View on Bookshop.org

Have you ever asked the question “Why the Hell Would I Need a Business Coach Anyway?” In this episode of How to Run Your Biz Without Hating Your Boss, Michelle and Sara tackle the question many creative entrepreneurs secretly ask but rarely say out loud.

Whether you’re coach-curious, coach-skeptical, or convinced you’re doing just fine on your own (…maybe), this episode is for you. With their signature mix of humor, honesty, and hard-earned expertise, Michelle and Sara break down what coaching actually is, who it helps, how to know if you’re ready, and why it’s one of the most transformational relationships a business owner can invest in.

-Why creative entrepreneurs often avoid coaching (and what they’re missing) -The difference between coaching, consulting, and just signing up for another course -What a great coach does — and doesn’t do -How coaching can protect your values, your peace, and your creative energy -Real talk about cost, timing, fit, and the “am I broken?” fear

Perfect for: creative entrepreneurs, business owners, and performing arts professionals who know they need support but (maybe) don’t want to admit it.

So, if you’ve ever stared into the mirror at the “boss” making all these decisions and wished you had some support, guidance, or just someone to help you stop self-sabotaging — grab your coffee, tea, or whatever helps you deal with your business-induced anxiety and settle in.

Website: thespeakeasycooperative.com/speakeasy Facebook: facebook.com/thespeakeasycooperative Instagram: @thespeakeasycooperative

Joe Rohde (Wikipedia)

Ever feel like your boss never lets you take a break… even though you are the boss?

In this episode, Michelle and Sara dive into why creative entrepreneurs and self-employed folks are notoriously bad at resting — and what to do about it.

They explore the messy truth behind hustle culture, guilt-driven productivity, and the myth that rest is a reward instead of a right. Expect real talk, humor, and actionable “thinky-thinks” to help you stop running your business into the ground and start finding peace, presence, and grace for yourself.

Key Topics: - Why self-employed people are terrible at taking time off - How internalized “bad boss” habits drain creativity - Mindset shifts and strategies to reduce exhaustion - Practical ways to build rest into your work life - Learning to love your boss (you) again

Perfect for: creative entrepreneurs, coaches, and performing arts professionals who feel overworked, overwhelmed, and overdue for a break.

☕ Grab your coffee (or whatever helps you cope) — it’s time to talk about real rest.

Links you're gonna want: 7 Types of Rest — YouTube video with Saundra Dalton-Smith 7 Types of Rest PDF — by Dr. Sarah Ropp Book: Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey

If you enjoyed today’s episode, here’s how you can support the show: 👉 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. 👉 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more creative entrepreneurs find us. 👉 Share this episode with a friend or colleague who might be struggling with scaling pressure.

Connect with us: Website: thespeakeasycooperative.com/speakeasy Facebook: facebook.com/thespeakeasycooperative Instagram: @thespeakeasycooperative

Episode 2: The Five Stages Of Marketing Grief

🎙️ Welcome to Episode 2 of How to Run Your Business Without Hating Your Boss!

In this episode, Michelle and Sara will be talking all about The Five Stages of Marketing Grief.

If you’ve ever wanted to throw your laptop out the window because marketing feels exhausting, confusing, or downright grief-inducing, you’re not alone! In this episode, Michelle and Sara unpack what they call The Five Stages of Marketing Grief.

Marketing is necessary, but it doesn’t mean we have to love every part of it. Just like grief, our relationship with marketing isn’t a straight line. One moment you’re motivated, the next you’re bargaining with yourself about why you don’t really need it. It’s a cycle — messy, nonlinear, and often frustrating.

Join us as we: - Break down the stages of marketing grief (yes, complaining is part of the process!) - Talk honestly about why marketing feels so hard - Help you recognize where you are in the cycle - Offer encouragement for when you’re tempted to give up (or just pout a little)

Whether you’re in denial about social media, angry at algorithms, or finally making peace with your email list, this conversation will give you perspective, humor, and some practical strategies.

About your hosts: Michelle Markwart Deveaux and Sara Campbell are two business strategists who’ve helped hundreds of voice teachers, music educators, multi-teacher studio owners, performers, and creative entrepreneurs build sustainable, money-making businesses that actually align with their values.

Mentioned in this show: Sara is now taking applications for her excellent branding and marketing program! Only a few slots left, and it launches on Oct 1, so get on the stick and set up your call with Sara. https://savvymusicstudio.com/bravepants-branding-and-marketing-program/

💡 Listener Love: We want to hear from you! Got a myth you’d like busted, a secret you want revealed, or a rant you’d love us to dive into? Send us your ideas!

✨ Support the Show: If this episode made you laugh, sigh, or feel a little less alone, help us keep going! 👉 Rate, review, and subscribe on Apple, Amazon, Spotify, or wherever you listen. 👉 Every download and review gives us the motivation to bring you more boss-busting conversations!