The Playhouse Podcast: Real conversations with creative business owners growing through community and networking
The Playhouse Podcast features real conversations with creative business owners about what's actually working in their businesses. Hosted by Deanna Seymour, founder of The Playhouse community.
Whether you're learning how to grow your business as a designer, coach, writer, podcaster, or solopreneur, this show is for creative entrepreneurs who want to build something sustainable without losing their minds to social media.
Most creative business owners aren't looking for business as usual. We're not interested in dedicating our lives to the algorithm, and we're not interested in surface-level small talk.
We want to grow our businesses through relationships, referrals, and real conversations. (And yes, we're talking to a lot of introverts who'd rather network in small groups than shout into the void.)
Topics we explore:
- Anti-hustle and slow business
- Marketing without social media
- Networking for introverts and quiet entrepreneurs
- Burnout and sustainable work
- Community over content
- ADHD and neurodivergent business owners
- Referrals, collaborations, and real connection
- Email marketing and owned audiences
- Creative ways to grow without burning out
Each episode is recorded live inside The Playhouse, where listeners can join us for free, ask questions during the Q&A after party, and meet other online business owners building anti-algorithm businesses.
This podcast has gone through a few names as The Playhouse has grown, but the heart of it has always been the same: real conversations that help creative entrepreneurs grow together.
If you're ready for authentic visibility, more collaboration, and a way of doing business that leaves you energized instead of exhausted, you're in the right place.
👉 Join the next LIVE recording for free inside The Playhouse at jointheplayhouse.com
Episodes
54 episodes
Fun, Play, and Building a Business That Actually Feels Good with Steph DragonHeart Benedetto
What if having more fun at work could actually help your business thrive? Steph DragonHeart Benedetto’s here to challenge the idea that play and productivity are opposites, and prove that a playful mindset can spark real results.In th...
How to Build Business Systems Without Overcomplicating Everything with Trish Markel
If you think you “suck at systems” this episode is going to totally blow your mind. Trish Markel breaks down why systems aren’t one-size-fits-all, why your routines already count, and how the right system should make your business feel lighter…...
Making Emergency Preparedness Less Weird with Annie from Come What May Day
You can’t control the weather, but you can control how you prepare for it. Annie’s showing us how to face disaster preparedness without fear, shame, or overwhelm, and why it matters more than ever to connect with your neighbors now instead of w...
Decision Making in Uncertainty with Adam Dickinson
Ever wish you could make big decisions without spiraling or second guessing yourself? Adam Dickinson shares how to actually use your intuition and logic together so you can move through change calmly, even when life feels uncertain.In...
Tell Better Stories & Attract Aligned Clients with Reme Mancera
If you think storytelling in business means you needed some huge dramatic backstory, this conversation with Reme Mancera will completely change your mind. We talked about how the smallest moments from your life can actually become the most powe...
The Playhouse Free Tier Experiment Results Are In… with Deanna Seymour
I’m officially announcing the end to the free tier inside The Playhouse and I’m sharing the data that’s led to the decision.In this episode:0:23 - The fate of the Playhouse free tier (and why it's ending)2:27 - The impr...
The New Playhouse Thursday Schedule (and the Data Behind It) with Deanna Seymour
I'm taking you behind the scenes and digging into the data around a big schedule change coming to The Playhouse this summer! In this episode:0:32 - Vulnerability alert: why the Playhouse isn't growing in a sustainable ...
Good Messaging Isn’t Good Enough Anymore with Jen Liddy
Good messaging used to be enough. In 2026? You need messaging that actually sounds like you, calls in the right people, and makes your audience immediately feel seen.In this episode:0:00 Why “good enough” messaging stopped wor...
Websites That Grow With You with Rene Morozowich
You don’t need a massive website to look legit. You need something simple that actually reflects where your business is right now.In this episode:0:00 Why you don’t need a big, complicated website2:18 How doing too much le...
The Burnout Types Nobody Talks About with Megan Winkler
Burnout isn’t just being tired, and most people don’t realize how many different ways it can show up. I’m talking with Megan Winkler about the real types of burnout, how to spot them earlier, and how to actually recover without making it anothe...
Stop Losing Your Sh*t as a Mom (Mindfulness for Overstimulated Moms) with Kayce Hodos
Losing your shit as a mom is way more normal than people admit. I’m talking with Kayce Hodos about mindfulness, mom guilt, and how to handle those overwhelming moments without expecting yourself to be perfect.In this episode:0:00 Why...
Five Steps to Aligned Decisions with Adam Dickinson
In this 5 Minute Hot-take, Adam Dickinson (Future Self Strategist) delivers a rapid-fire guide on making truly aligned career decisions, which is especially valuable for those transitioning out of government roles or into new leadership opportu...
Why Time Blocking Doesn't Require a Rigid Schedule with Maria Medina
Is time blocking too rigid for creative business owners? In this 5 Minute Hot Take, Maria Medina, a networking and business coach and founder of The Coaching Network, shares how time blocking isn’t about controlling every minute but creating sp...
How to Find Content Inspiration with Kate Markel
Craving fresh content ideas but feeling stuck? In this 5 Minute Masterclass, Kate Markel from Task Lemonade, a social media pro, pulls back the curtain on her top three sources for endless inspiration. Whether you're a small business owner, cre...
How Play and Experimentation Can Help You Get Your Groove Back with Laura Khalil
Feeling stuck in a rut or burned out by constant goal-chasing? In this episode of Friends of the Playhouse we are joined by marketing consultant and play advocate, Laura Khalil, who shares how she got her groove back through an experiment: havi...
A Practical (and Easy) Way to Follow Up after Networking with Annie Franceschi
Ready to crank up your networking results without awkwardness? I'm introducing you to branding expert and former Disney storyteller Annie Franceschi as she reveals her practical, win-win approach to creating follow-up magic. Annie breaks down h...
Building Trust, Pricing for Profit, and Collaboration over Competition with Emily Reagan
What’s the simple way service providers can stay booked without posting 24/7? In this Friends of the Playhouse episode, Emily Reagan, founder of Unicorn Digital Marketing Assistant School and the Digital Marketers Work Group, shares practical w...
Season Shifts, Business Pivots, and Making Your Own Rules with Rene Morozowich and Sheila Streetman
Ever feel like you need permission to just… exist as a less-than-perfect business owner? On this Water Cooler episode, Rene Morozowich and Sheila Streetman step straight off the hamster wheel and talk about what it means to run a creat...
The Art of the Headline with Dr. Mimi Zhou
What’s the real secret to stopping your dream clients in their tracks? In this episode, Dr. Mimi Zhou, a conversion copywriter for coaches and course creators, unpacks four headline formulas that hook your visitors and turn readers into clients...
5-Minute Digital Organization Using Browser Bookmarks with Trisha Markel
What if a few simple tweaks to your browser bookmarks could save you time and help you access your most important links in just one or two clicks? Trisha Markel (owner of Task Lemonade and admin extraordinaire) breaks down her easy but powerful...
Thoughtful & Inclusive Communication with Vickie Kelty
Are you unintentionally making it tough for English learners to have real conversations with you? In this 5 5-minute hot Take on the Playhouse Friends podcast, Vickie Kelty shares her practical, heartfelt advice from years of teaching and learn...
The Sweeter Side of Copywriting with Darci Ellenberger
Forget the copywriting grind, there’s an easier, sweeter way. In this Hot Take , Darci Elle, a brand voice copywriter behind Sweet Tooth Creative, shares how the classic “Done For You” copywriting turned into the collaborative, flexible “Done W...
Reframing Productivity for Business Owners with Creative Minds with Sarah Bowser
Think distractions are derailing your productivity? Think again. In this 5 Minute Masterclass, Sarah Bowser reframes how we see unexpected interruptions, showing how so-called “rabbit holes” can be valuable side quests that enrich our journey, ...
Branding That is Unmistakably You with Sarah Wayte
Is your brand blending in when it should be shouting your name from the rooftops? In this 5 Minute Masterclass, Sarah Wayte, a copywriter, brand photographer, and storytelling strategist, shares why your brand might sound like everyone el...
Ditching Highlight Reels & Being Genuine on Social Media with Kate Gilbert
Ever feel like posting on social media brings back awkward junior high vibes? In this 5 Minute Masterclass, business coach Kate Gilbert unpacks how to make showing up online feel less like a performance and more like real life. Discover simple ...
