We have quite a few guests joining us for a drink and a chat this week for a virtual happy hour! Frances Roy Content Director Hillaree Durso, local artist Maxine Orange, APEX Web Solutions owner Jonathan Jernigan, Total Dog Training owner Ryan Troester and local social media marketer Cali Hlavac join Shantelle on the microphone this week to discuss how each individual is handling these unprecedented times.

Shantelle and our guests discuss the recent changes for their companies amid COVID-19, and thankfully the majority have seen an uptick in business so far! They share how they are using this unusual situation to take a breather, refine their strategy and refocus. In addition, our guests tell how their creativity levels have changed throughout the past week and what they are doing to stay sharp while they are not working in their normal capacity.

Jonathan Jernigan, owner of APEX Web Solutions, is our guest on this week’s episode of the Hello Frances podcast. He grew up on the Emerald Coast, and began his career in computer repair. After starting his own Mac training business, he pivoted his offerings after realizing the local demand was website development. Today, APEX Web Solutions offers custom WordPress website designs, SEO and digital marketing solutions.

Shantelle began by asking a question we hear often: “How critical is a website?”. Jonathan discussed why businesses (big and small) still need their own web presence. As the online hub for your organization, your website (with a relevant domain name) should be one of the first elements a business has in place before launching.

Wendy Rodrigue, wife of the late world-renowned artist George Rodrigue, joins us on the microphone for this week’s episode of the Hello Frances podcast. Wendy recently founded The Life & Legacy Foundation with Wendy Rodrigue, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that inspires children of all ages and diverse backgrounds with unique programming centered on the life and art of George Rodrigue. Best known for his famous blue dog paintings, George was a passionate philanthropist who spent his life advocating the importance of the arts in education.

In this episode of the Hello Frances podcast, Shantelle revisits a subject we discussed when our podcast first launched - work culture. While we still consider Frances Roy a startup, our agency’s culture is a mix of startup and corporate culture. Listen to the full episode to hear Shantelle dive deep into how our agency’s culture challenges us to think differently, guides our decisions, and pushes us to use our creativity as a problem-solving tool.

Stephanie Pettis, APR, CPRC, the President of the Northwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA), joins Shantelle live on the microphone at FPRA’s Communication Summit to discuss her passion for continuing education.

A self-described lifelong learner, Stephanie discusses her reasoning for acquiring multiple degrees and certifications throughout her career. Shantelle and Stephanie also share free tools that can use to increase your knowledge of your industry. Listen to our first live podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify or Soundcloud.

Sara Pestella, budding entrepreneur and owner of Level 10 Salon, joins Shantelle and Hillaree on the microphone this week to discuss the launch of her new business. Like many entrepreneurs, Sara didn’t know what she was getting herself into when she decided to launch Level 10 Salon, but she knew she had to make her business-owner dreams a reality! With years of preparing herself for the leap, she shares how she had been building brand consistency and recognition long before the salon doors would open.

Today, our podcast host Shantelle is joined by a few Frances Roy employees – Content Director Hillaree Durso, Art Director Janae Erickson, and Copywriter Gregory Dedicke – to discuss how we use Myers Briggs personality types in the workplace. Through taking our personality tests, we discovered our workplace habits, strengths, weaknesses, suggested career paths and more. Our team members unpack the details of their personality types and vulnerably share some of their weaknesses. While we use the personalities to discover and promote thought diversity, we suggest you don’t rely too heavily on the results.

Local photographer Romona Robbins is our guest on this week’s episode of the Hello Frances podcast. Romona shares what drives her creatively, her experience in launching and owning her own business, and how she keeps her creativity flowing. When asked what one piece of advice she would share with a budding photographer, Romona said, “don’t stop being creative.” She encourages aspiring photographers to make time for personal projects, because those bring fulfillment and (in her experience) often attract new clients!

Marica Hull, the Chief Executive Officer of the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF), is our guest on this week’s episode of the Hello Frances podcast. Marcia shares the vision behind the Foundation's 25th anniversary and the ways they are celebrating a monumental 25 years in 2020. Having been the driving force behind MKAF for 22 of the 25 years of its existence, Marcia is the perfect guest to share the importance of Northwest Florida’s premier cultural arts organization in our community. Marcia gives an overview of all MKAF offers our community and tells us the one thing she attributes to creating what MKAF is today… collaboration!

Shane Reynolds, a local videographer, editor and producer, joins Shantelle on the microphone to talk about the power of storytelling through video. Shane is the owner of A Color Earth, a production company specializing in outdoor, travel and adventure videography. Shane is an Emerald Coast native and currently lives in Destin with his daughter and wife Romona.