Lauren's Best – Details, episodes & analysis

Season 3 of Lauren’s Best features conversations with creative parents. We kick it off in conversation with someone Lauren first met way back in high school.

Rebecca Diem is a writer of hopeful speculative fiction and poetry, hosts the podcast “Read The North”, and has recently added 'mom' to her repertoire of creative pursuits. As a creative parent, she’s constantly striving for harmony between her work, life and family, facing the threat of losing her creative spark in motherhood.

“You really do fear at different points that you're never going to come back to your creative self or your creative practice.”

After leaving the city they lived in and moving to a small beachfront Ontario community, to Rebecca’s surprise (and our benefit) she rekindled her passion for poetry. The words jumped out at her from the sand and the waves as she processed the extreme experience she just had in giving birth to her daughter.

“Those first days are magical, but they are also traumatic. And you have to hold the magic and the trauma together in the palm of your hand and, and look at it and say, yeah, like, this is parenthood.”

Now, as Owen Sound’s newest Poet Laureate, she’s focused on offering that understanding and connection with others. She’s reaching out in conversations, through her words and the events she has planned during her tenure.

“I'd never shared such, such vulnerable human moments through my work before. And it found such a resounding response and so much community and connection.”

I’m thrilled to reconnect with Rebecca, who has so many honest and positive messages for new parents. Her message in today’s episode mirrors her goals for her laureateship - you are not alone.

Rebecca Diem writes hopeful speculative fiction and poetry. Her work can be found on Reactor and Write Magazine, and she is the author of the indie steampunk series “Tales of the Captain Duke”. She is currently finishing her first full-length novel and working on a postpartum poetry collection inspired by beach walks with a sleeping baby. She is the Owen Sound Poet Laureate for 2024-2025.

A specialist in communications and strategic initiatives, Rebecca has built a career spanning the public and non-profit sectors with a focus on culture and community. She also hosts the Read the North podcast taking listeners behind the scenes of contemporary Canadian and Indigenous literature.With favourite writing spots on three continents, Rebecca now calls Grey-Bruce home with her Australian composer husband and their ocean-eyed daughter.

• Website: rebeccadiem.com

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rebeccadiem

• Instagram: instagram.com/kthnxbex

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Lauren’s Best invites you to curiously consider art and life as host, Lauren Best, illuminates the creative process as an entrepreneur, mother and interdisciplinary artist. Join one-on-one reflections with Lauren, and delve into intriguing conversations with compelling creators, as together we discover insightful connections over surprising common ground.

Join Lauren’s Best on Substack to be the first to comment on new episodes: laurenbest.substack.com

Lauren’s Best is co-produced by Sam Blake and Lauren Best.

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• Work with Lauren: bestpracticearts.com
• Follow Lauren on Instagram: instagram.com/bylaurenbest/
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lauren-best-48a71232/

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Give the gift of poetry, to yourself or a friend, with Just Leaves, an "intimate and unflinching" poetry collection. Paperback or audiobook: laurenbest.com/poetry

This week, we are celebrating the end of Season 2 of the podcast. We are grateful to our amazing guests! Today we are featuring some of the best moments from all of our guests from seasons 1 and 2.

It was hard to choose just one selection for each! This round-up represents a collection of conversations that I’m very proud of, and I loved this tour of them together.

I’m imagining bringing them all into the same room- and bringing you along for the party, dear listener.

I hope you take the time to revisit the episodes you loved and check out the guests you missed.

• Ali Hassan on writing and good-humoured advice

• Writer and literary agent Cody Caetano

• Championing Change. Beyond the finish line with Valerie Jerome

• Voice Matters: Stephanie Keiko Kong on speaking powerfully

• Best-selling voice coach Samara Bay on Permission to Speak

• Playful photos and joyful expression with Sophia Lemon

• Motherhood in song: jazz musician and educator Brenda Earle Stokes

• Embracing the unexpected: Rebecca Ogilvie on creating The Detour CO

• Food culture creative Robin Radomski on social business

• Composing music career balance: Jessica Stuart

• Subculture scene to digital collaboration: Lauralee Sheehan

• Wellbeing in Entrepreneurship: Lucy Cullen's burnout recovery and reinvention

• The art of connection and creative success: Brie Stockwell

• Rethinking Creative Learning: Education Reform with Rée the Interdisciplinarian

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Lauren’s Best invites you to curiously consider art and life as host, Lauren Best, illuminates the creative process as an entrepreneur, mother and interdisciplinary artist. Join one-on-one reflections with Lauren, and delve into intriguing conversations with compelling creators, as together we discover insightful connections over surprising common ground.

Join Lauren’s Best on Substack to be the first to comment on new episodes: laurenbest.substack.com

Lauren’s Best is co-produced by Sam Blake and Lauren Best.

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• Work with Lauren: bestpracticearts.com
• Follow Lauren on Instagram: instagram.com/bylaurenbest/
• Let’s connect: linkedin.com/in/lauren-best-48a71232/

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Give the gift of poetry, to yourself or a friend, with Just Leaves, an "intimate and unflinching" poetry collection. Paperback or audiobook: laurenbest.com/poetry

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Are you an entrepreneur looking for expert guidance on your podcasting journey? Want free advice and ideas to implement right away? Book a free consult with Lauren!

Learn more about how you can grow your voice as a powerful asset with lifelong returns.

Before even launching this podcast, I knew I wanted to bring Samara Bay onto the show to talk about the importance of public speaking, changing what power sounds like, and creating a better world by giving ourselves permission to speak.

Once I saw the impact she was having through her acclaimed Substack publication, I felt even more inspired to dig deeper. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk about her experiences dialect coaching in Hollywood, changing the course of history by coaching political candidates to speak powerfully, writing a book proposal on astroturf that turned into a bestseller, and how to handle the tough moments in rooms that are unwelcoming or downright hostile.

Samara embraced playful mischief to find her authentic author voice in her bestselling book Permission to Speak, and in our conversation she revealed how her book proposal started a "huge bidding war."

During our insightful chat, we discussed the necessity to extend our work as voice coaches beyond the exercises and technicalities to create safe spaces for vulnerable self-expression. Samara explained, "It is so much closer to social work or therapy than that. There's a real space holding, a real shame busting that happens."

Samara also opened up about allowing herself to share new ideas about voice that she felt she couldn’t talk about when coaching. This feeling led to the creation of her podcast Permission to Speak, where she dives into what our voices say about us.

There is a lot more to this compelling conversation: overcoming doubts while creating a book proposal, working with literary agents and having the courage to share your story. Samara’s story will inspire you to find your voice too.

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Samara Bay is a sought-after keynote speaker, thought leader, and speech coach whose clients include political powerhouses, rising leaders in business, and Hollywood celebrities. She’s the author of the 2023 #1 bestseller Permission to Speak: How to Change What Power Sounds Like, Starting With You and her work has been featured in The New York Times Magazine, TIME, CBS Sunday Morning, Fast Company, Glamour, and Vanity Fair, among others. Follow her on Instagram and join her popular Substack community, HOW TO SHOW UP with Samara Bay

• @samarabay on IG
• www.samarabay.com to work with Samara privately or invite her to speak with your organization
• samarabay.substack.com

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Join Lauren’s Best on Substack to be the first to comment on new episodes: laurenbest.substack.com

Lauren’s Best invites you to curiously consider art and life as host, Lauren Best, reveals what has unlocked success in her own creative journey. Through healing and growth, she illuminates the creative process as an entrepreneur, mother and interdisciplinary artist. Join one-on-one reflections with Lauren, and delve into intriguing conversations with compelling creators, as together we discover insightful connections over surprising common ground.

Lauren’s Best is co-produced by Sam Blake and Lauren Best.

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• Work with Lauren: bestpracticearts.com
• Follow Lauren on Instagram: instagram.com/bylaurenbest/
• Let’s connect: linkedin.com/in/lauren-best-48a71232/

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Give the gift of poetry, to yourself or a friend, with Just Leaves, an intimate and unflinching poetry collection. Paperback or audiobook: laurenbest.com/poetry

- - -

Are you an entrepreneur looking for expert guidance on your podcasting journey? Want free advice and ideas to implement right away? Book a free consult with Lauren!

Learn more about how you can grow your voice as a powerful asset with lifelong returns.

I had the pleasure of chatting with Lucy Cullen - a sustainability pioneer, musician, and wellbeing-focused business coach for entrepreneurs.

A doer at heart, Lucy started multiple first-of-their-kind companies to create a real environmental impact by addressing food waste. However it was this “hustle queen” lifestyle that led to a major burnout turning point, and she opened up about the moment her doctor told her, "Your body was already under so much stress... it's the straw that broke the camel's back."

Lucy was forced to take medical leave.

That experience was her wake-up call about the importance for entrepreneurs to prioritize their well-being. She's on a mission to equip others with mindset tools and self-care practices through her Thrive Framework.

Throughout our chat, Lucy's warmth and vulnerability really shone through. She doesn't hold back from the harsh realities she faced with burnout and health challenges, and her resilience is moving.

She's taken those experiences to build a new path supporting others caught up in their hustle. Her perspective is a must-listen for any creative feeling stress taking a toll.

Website: https://lucycullen.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelucycullen/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thelucycullen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyecullen/

Grab Lucy’s FREE Reduce Stress & Avoid Burnout Guide here.

Lucy Cullen is a 4X Founder and Business Coach. Lucy has been an entrepreneur since 2015, personally launching four companies, creating two first-of-their-kind businesses in Canada: EarthPup and Terus. Lucy has coached +300 entrepreneurs all over the world to grow their businesses - including in the US, Colombia, Hong Kong, the UK, and the Western Balkans. She helps entrepreneurs grow their company while keeping their stress and overwhelm to a minimum.

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Join Lauren’s Best on Substack to be the first to comment on new episodes: laurenbest.substack.com

Lauren’s Best invites you to curiously consider art and life as host, Lauren Best, reveals what has unlocked success in her own creative journey. Through healing and growth, she illuminates the creative process as an entrepreneur, mother and interdisciplinary artist. Join one-on-one reflections with Lauren, and delve into intriguing conversations with compelling creators, as together we discover insightful connections over surprising common ground.

Lauren’s Best is co-produced by Sam Blake and Lauren Best.

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• Work with Lauren: bestpracticearts.com
• Follow Lauren on Instagram: instagram.com/bylaurenbest/
• Let’s connect: linkedin.com/in/lauren-best-48a71232/

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Give the gift of poetry, to yourself or a friend, with Just Leaves, an intimate and unflinching poetry collection. Paperback or audiobook: laurenbest.com/poetry

- - -

Are you an entrepreneur looking for expert guidance on your podcasting journey? Want free advice and ideas to implement right away? Book a free consult with Lauren!

Learn more about how you can grow your voice as a powerful asset with lifelong returns, and get equipped to tap into the potential of podcasting.

Lauralee Sheehan, founder of Digital 55, is pioneering innovative, cross-platform digital storytelling.

I first met Lauralee during my indie music scene days in early 20s Toronto. We were both trying to figure out the music publishing world and dreamed of making it big in the local performance scene.

I always admired her band’s bold audiovisual style, so it came as no surprise to me to learn that Lauralee ended up using her ability to connect across mediums to break into the multimedia field. She told me she was really able to hone in on, “the fact that adapting content and designing in a way that's super creative, but also the technical skills, how in-demand that was."

These days, Lauralee is all about designing engaging digital experiences that merge art and tech. "It's like everybody's looking for that experience online, so you can't do that old school stuff. That’s where I'm like, oh, there's a niche here," she explained. But she keeps it real about the challenges too, "I've been a little underwhelmed by people's understanding of creating new IP from old IP...it really involves this long-term collaboration where a new format is created."

It's wild looking back on how things have changed since we met in 2008, and to think our scrappy indie roots laid the groundwork for Lauralee to be pushing these boundaries now! Her journey from underground rocker to digital maverick is so inspiring.

Lauralee also shared a sneak peek at some of her upcoming projects including Filter, a digital series and channel that explores the new cannabis culture, and her eye opening experiences with Kickstarter.

We’d love to hear from you, have you ever produced a project for multiple platforms? Or worked on a crowd-sourced budget? Let us know your thoughts here on Substack or shoot me a message on Instagram (bylaurenbest).

Lauralee is an accomplished entrepreneur, digital addict, but above all an artist. With years of experience working in digital interactive media and learning experience design (LX), Lauralee is a trailblazer, pushing forward how creativity and technology intersect. She has led dynamic integrated digital teams on various award-winning digital, media, and learning projects. Lauralee is a powerhouse in digital storytelling and an "on the radar" emerging executive producer of unscripted content with D55 originals (DBA Coolhunter Films).

Digital 55

Filter

Digital 55 on Instagram

Filter on Instagram

Explore Filter on YouTube

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Join Lauren’s Best on Substack to be the first to comment on new episodes and receive detailed show notes (including for this episode) with links to loads of free resources: laurenbest.substack.com

Lauren’s Best invites you to curiously consider art and life as host, Lauren Best, reveals what has unlocked success in her own creative journey. Through healing and growth, she illuminates the creative process as an entrepreneur, mother and interdisciplinary artist. Join one-on-one reflections with Lauren, and delve into intriguing conversations with compelling creators, as together we discover insightful connections over surprising common ground.

Lauren’s Best is co-produced by Sam Blake and Lauren Best.

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• Work with Lauren: bestpracticearts.com
• Follow Lauren on Instagram: instagram.com/bylaurenbest/
• Let’s connect: linkedin.com/in/lauren-best-48a71232/

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Give the gift of poetry, to yourself or a friend, with Just Leaves, an intimate and unflinching poetry collection. Paperback or audiobook: laurenbest.com/poetry

- - -

Are you an entrepreneur looking for expert guidance on your podcasting journey? Want free advice and ideas to implement right away? Book a free consult with Lauren!

Learn more about how you can grow your voice as a powerful asset with lifelong returns, and get equipped to tap into the potential of podcasting to create opportunity and prosperity.

Lauren and her co-producer Sam have a celebratory debrief about the first season of Lauren’s Best. Join in the laughs and groans as they relive the highs and lows of production in this behind the scenes chat, from insights into the emergent creative collaboration process, to cable mismanagement and mic choices.

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Join Lauren’s Best on Substack to be the first to comment on new episodes and receive detailed show notes: laurenbest.substack.com

Lauren’s Best invites you to curiously consider art and life as host, Lauren Best, reveals what has unlocked success in her own creative journey. Through healing and growth, she illuminates the creative process as an entrepreneur, mother and interdisciplinary artist. Join one-on-one reflections with Lauren, and delve into intriguing conversations with compelling creators, as together we discover insightful connections over surprising common ground.

Lauren’s Best is co-produced by Sam Blake and Lauren Best.

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• Work with Lauren: bestpracticearts.com
• Follow Lauren on Instagram: instagram.com/bylaurenbest/
• Let’s connect: linkedin.com/in/lauren-best-48a71232/

- - -

Give the gift of poetry, to yourself or a friend, with Just Leaves, an intimate and unflinching poetry collection. Paperback or audiobook: laurenbest.com/poetry

- - -

Are you an entrepreneur looking for expert guidance on your podcasting journey? Want free advice and ideas to implement right away? Book a free consult with Lauren!

Learn more about how you can grow your voice as a powerful asset with lifelong returns, and get equipped to tap into the potential of podcasting to create opportunity and prosperity.

I’ve been looking forward to interviewing writer Cody Caetano since reading his debut memoir. I read it quickly, washed with emotion and enjoying the gripping ride of comedy and compassion, carried by relentless clarity and childhood imagination. The compelling style and deeply reflective storyline drew me in. I knew that speaking with Cody would be fascinating.

After listening to this episode, I think you’ll agree that the reading experience is somehow enriched by the pleasure that Cody takes in the writing process.

This conversation felt honest and patient, giving a gracious view into carefully considered craft. We talk about:

• the process behind writing and publishing his bestselling debut memoir, Half-Bads in White Regalia

• his collaborative approach as a literary agent supporting authors and unique perspective on publishing pipelines

• drawing inspiration from small-town Ontario life, 2000s culture, music, and podcasts

“Cody Caetano is a writer. His debut memoir, Half-Bads in White Regalia, came out through Penguin Canada’s Hamish Hamilton imprint and was a national bestseller. It won the 2023 Indigenous Voices Award for Best Published Prose, made the shortlist for the 2023 Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction, and made the longlist for the 2023 Toronto Book Award, the 2023 Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, and Canada Reads 2023. He works as a literary agent at CookeMcDermid, where he represents both emerging and acclaimed writers. Recently, Cody served as a judge for The Fiddlehead's 2023 Creative Non-Fiction Contest, The Ex-Puritan's 2023 Austin Clarke Prize in Literary Excellence, and as the Writer in Residence for the 2023 Whistler Writers Festival. He lives in Toronto.”

• Website: www.codycaetano.com

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/cody_caetano

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Join Lauren’s Best on Substack to be the first to comment on new episodes and receive detailed show notes: laurenbest.substack.com

Lauren’s Best invites you to curiously consider art and life as host, Lauren Best, reveals what has unlocked success in her own creative journey. Through healing and growth, she illuminates the creative process as an entrepreneur, mother and interdisciplinary artist. Join one-on-one reflections with Lauren, and delve into intriguing conversations with compelling creators, as together we discover insightful connections over surprising common ground.

Lauren’s Best is co-produced by Sam Blake and Lauren Best.

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• Work with Lauren: bestpracticearts.com
• Follow Lauren on Instagram: instagram.com/bylaurenbest/
• Let’s connect: linkedin.com/in/lauren-best-48a71232/

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Give the gift of poetry, to yourself or a friend, with Just Leaves, an intimate and unflinching poetry collection. Paperback or audiobook: laurenbest.com/poetry

- - -

Are you an entrepreneur looking for expert guidance on your podcasting journey? Want free advice and ideas to implement right away? Book a free consult with Lauren!

Learn more about how you can grow your voice as a powerful asset with lifelong returns, and get equipped to tap into the potential of podcasting to create opportunity and prosperity.

Robin Radomski is a creative soul who left her corporate job to start her own boutique agency in Toronto, where she crafts captivating stories through videos and photos with a specific focus on restaurants and food brands. She started her first food account as a graduate school project and grew it from a single photo to signing brand sponsorships, turning her passion for food culture into a thriving business.

Robin joins me on this episode to talk about how she went from feeling lost and “okay with being mediocre”, to finding success in social media management and building a supportive online community. We talk about the impact of online negativity and the challenges and joys of creative entrepreneurship in the digital age, as she shares reflections on finding her creative path and tips for navigating business growth.

“Meet Robin Radomski, the visionary force behind RAD Social & Digital, a boutique agency specializing in social media and content creation for brands. With over a decade of experience in crafting click-worthy creative, Robin is dedicated to making stomachs grumble with a simple phone scroll. From founding Blondeats as a creative outlet to launching RAD Social and Digital, Robin's journey has been fueled by her passion for both social media and food. When she's not curating delicious content or scouting the city's best coffee spots, Robin is busy helping brands build value-driven strategies rooted in authentic storytelling and growth. With an impressive roster of clients including Broma Bakery, Freshii, Knix, Dairy Farmers of Ontario and The Drake Hotel, Robin is committed to being an extension of your team, transforming your brand's digital presence into a thriving community and converting your online followers to IRL customers.”

• Website: www.robinradomski.com

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/blondeats

• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blondeats

• Work with Robin for content/socials needs: robin@robinradomski.com

“Happiness and creativity are intertwined.”

This conversation is with one of my first creative collaborators. Sophia Lemon photographs ridiculously happy people. We talk about how to worry less and… just go for it! Sophia shares what her clients have taught her about how to make unforgettable moments through being both spontaneous and thoughtful. We discuss using creativity to handle problems, the power of artful storytelling and the importance of child-like exploration. We unpack the serious benefits of silly singing, and how we can learn from children (and improve approaches to education).

Sophia and I met in high school, and she’s inspired me through her creative entrepreneurship ever since. She’s helped me confidently choose to express myself authentically and allow myself to be seen (and appreciated). She always reminded me to be myself and explore my silly side, and in this episode, she’s reminding you too: “If you're listening and you're thinking you should do this, you probably should."

“I’m Sophia, a professional photographer, competitive softball player, and mum to one giant Dog baby named Bruce. I've struggled with a couple of times of depression in my life, and I know that being myself is the only remedy. I want to help the people I work with to recognize that too.”

• Website: https://sophialemon.com/

• Podcast: https://sophialemon.com/podcast

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/ridiculouslyhappyppl

• Facebook: https://facebook.com/SophiaLemon

• Fine art prints and gifts: https://sophialemon.com/shop/  

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Join Lauren’s Best on Substack to be the first to comment on new episodes and receive detailed show notes (including for this episode) with links to loads of free resources: laurenbest.substack.com

Lauren’s Best invites you to curiously consider art and life as host, Lauren Best, reveals what has unlocked success in her own creative journey. Through healing and growth, she illuminates the creative process as an entrepreneur, mother and interdisciplinary artist. Join one-on-one reflections with Lauren, and delve into intriguing conversations with compelling creators, as together we discover insightful connections over surprising common ground.

Lauren’s Best is co-produced by Sam Blake and Lauren Best.

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• Work with Lauren: bestpracticearts.com
• Follow Lauren on Instagram: instagram.com/bylaurenbest/
• Let’s connect: linkedin.com/in/lauren-best-48a71232/

- - -

Give the gift of poetry, to yourself or a friend, with Just Leaves, an intimate and unflinching poetry collection. Paperback or audiobook: laurenbest.com/poetry

- - -

Are you an entrepreneur looking for expert guidance on your podcasting journey? Want free advice and ideas to implement right away? Book a free consultation with Lauren!

Learn more about how you can grow your voice as a powerful asset with lifelong returns, and get equipped to tap into the potential of podcasting to create opportunity and prosperity.

“It's incredibly rewarding to see someone transform their relationship with their own voice and become a more effective speaker as a result."

Seasoned voice coaches Stephanie Keiko Kong and Lauren dish about infinity, perfection and the transformative power of expression. With a tribute to Hawai’i bus announcements and a harrowing story of music theatre touring and prescribed silence, we drop you in the middle of a deep conversation between two creative forces passionate about helping people share their voices. Join us for a fierce episode about big ideas put to test by these experts, including specific tips you can use to build your vocal confidence.

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Meet Stephanie Keiko Kong (they/she), a dynamic force in coaching for public speakers. With over 20 years of experience in teaching, radio, yoga, theatre, and singing, Stephanie embodies a potent cocktail of expertise. Their praxis centers BIPOC, femme, and queer voices, as exemplified in her popular educational content across social platforms. Stephanie was born and raised in Wahiawā, Hawaiʻi, and is currently settled in Tongva territory, Long Beach, California.

• Find out how to work with Stephanie by subscribing to their newsletter or visiting PONYPONYTAIL.COM

• Instagram: @ponyponytail

• TikTok: @stephaniekeikokong

• YouTube: @stephaniekeikokong

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Join Lauren’s Best on Substack to be the first to comment on new episodes and receive detailed show notes with links to loads of free resources (like this episode): laurenbest.substack.com

Lauren’s Best invites you to curiously consider art and life as host, Lauren Best, reveals what has unlocked success in her own creative journey. Through healing and growth, she illuminates the creative process as an entrepreneur, mother and interdisciplinary artist. Join one-on-one reflections with Lauren, and delve into intriguing conversations with compelling creators, as together we discover insightful connections over surprising common ground.

Lauren’s Best is co-produced by Sam Blake and Lauren Best.

- - -

• Work with Lauren: bestpracticearts.com
• Follow Lauren on Instagram: instagram.com/bylaurenbest/
• Let’s connect: linkedin.com/in/lauren-best-48a71232/

- - -

Give the gift of poetry, to yourself or a friend, with Just Leaves, an intimate and unflinching poetry collection. Paperback or audiobook: laurenbest.com/poetry

- - -

Are you an entrepreneur looking for expert guidance on your podcasting journey? Want free advice and ideas to implement right away? Book a free consult with Lauren!

Learn more about how you can grow your voice as a powerful asset with lifelong returns, and get equipped to tap into the potential of podcasting to create opportunity and prosperity.