In this episode John Kozicki (Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York (Music Time of Milford) have an unscripted conversation about the current hectic season in their lives and music lesson studios. They talk through what tasks they can drop, what must be kept up, and what can be maintained at a lower level while managing staff training, client experience, and family demands.
Included:
- Managing busy back-to-school season
- Prioritization and dropping non-essential tasks
- Maintaining communication with staff and clients
- Setting boundaries and saying no
- Handling personal and family commitments
- Strategies for staying afloat during stressful periods
John and Mandy share their personal and professional challenges as small business owners navigating busy back-to-school season, exploring strategies to prioritize and manage their workload effectively. Listeners get practical, relatable insight on balancing teaching, administration, social media, and personal life — plus the reminder to find peer support and give yourself grace during busy stretches.
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Episode Transcript:
(Please note: This transcript was generated by robots. There may be errors. For the best experience, please listen to the podcast episode.)
John Kozicki (00:00.981)
Welcome to Rock School Proprietor Podcast. My name’s John Kazicki.
Mandy York (00:05.741)
And I’m Mandy York.
John Kozicki (00:08.379)
Here’s what we’re gonna do today, Mandy. We are going to pull back the curtain on like real problems that you and I are dealing with right now, some real challenges in our studios. And we kind of don’t have an outline or a script for this like we typically would. And the hope is that we’re able to just talk through some of these.
problems that we’re having and maybe find some solutions and and I think what is what really struck me about this is we you and I saw each other last Saturday. I guess it was sort of a work function, but also sort of a social thing. w our both our businesses had collaborated with a couple other businesses in town. And we just were chatting as we do and
about how we both have kind of a lot going on right now and we’re having a hard time with it and we didn’t even get to finish the conversation because of how busy we are.
Mandy York (01:19.08)
No. Yeah, we were pulled in di different directions at at the event. I know. It was like perfect. It’s exactly what we were talking about. Yeah. Mm-hmm.
John Kozicki (01:30.171)
Right. And we used to have, like before the podcast, and which is kind of the inspiration for the podcast, you and I would have these conversations, just hey, this is go what’s going on with me and my business. This is what’s going on with you and your business. And just those conversations were helpful. And the irony now is that here we are. We’ve been, you know, for over two years on this podcast, over a hundred episodes.
We’ve been trying to share our experiences as studio owners with our community so that in hopes that we would help them and our insight could provide insight for other people going through like probably very similar things. And here we are, both kind of like, pulling our hair out. What what do we do right now?
Mandy York (02:22.561)
Mm-hmm. Yes. Exactly. This is this episode is just where we are right now. Like you said, pulling back the curtain. Yeah. It’s coffee hour. Mm hmm. All right. Yeah.
John Kozicki (02:34.746)
But yeah, I do have a little bit of a framework f like in going into this. And I part of that was thinking like, okay, what do I need to do right now to figure out how to how to navigate all these challenges? Because as we’re recording this, it’s well, today’s Octo October first. We’re I I still feel like we’re in back to school season. I don’t know, how do you feel?
Mandy York (03:01.101)
I I do. I I mean it’s been a month, but it it’s also been seven years. So since school star you know what I mean? It it’s the shortest and longest time. Yeah, we’re still in back to school mode.
John Kozicki (03:05.314)
Yeah.
Ha ha ha.
John Kozicki (03:15.082)
Yeah, it it feels like a long back to school mode right now because I don’t feel like I’ve fallen into my new routine. I and I think that’s part of it is what I’m dealing with.
Mandy York (03:26.089)
Yeah Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yep. I feel the same.
John Kozicki (03:31.618)
So for me, what I’m gonna do is I’m gonna share what’s going on with me, and then if you wanna share what’s going on with you, then we can kinda start dissecting it, maybe.
Mandy York (03:42.615)
I like it. Yeah, no, that works.
John Kozicki (03:45.273)
Okay, so back to school mode. We both are we both have families, we both have kids, kids have busy schedules. so I know for me both my kids do fall sports slash activities. So those schedules are really crazy right now. I personally have been I’ve been putting it off and putting it off and putting it off, but I’ve
needed to get a new car and that finally has kind of happened over the last like couple of weeks. So that’s, you know, a a big thing that’s been going on. and then on top of that, like it is a busy time for our studio. And hey, I, you know, aside from doing this podcast, I also I am actually running a studio and, you know, have a personal life.
And I think those are the things that listeners probably can relate to because we’re all sort of in the same boat boat as small business owners and trying to find like
When our personal lives start to feel a little chaotic and that also happens at the same time as something busy in our work lives, it gets stressful.
Mandy York (05:11.935)
Mm-hmm. Yep, I feel you. I really do. Mm-hmm.
John Kozicki (05:16.132)
So that’s what’s going on with me. Yeah.
Mandy York (05:18.369)
That’s you. Yes. Yeah. I mean, really similar. we’re back to school. My oldest started high school. It feels feels bigger, you know. And that that high school scheduler schedule is a little more intense than I thought it would be. She’s doing a couple different fall activities. My youngest is in, you know, fall activities, musical production, rehearsals.
John Kozicki (05:28.366)
Hmm Yeah.
Mandy York (05:46.742)
So yeah, home life is really busy. And my husband’s busy in the fall too because he’s assistant marching band director for the high school. So that’s you know, that’s it’s great that he gets to be with my daughter and doing that activity, but that’s that’s more hours that he’s out of the house. not cooking dinner, which is makes everything so much harder. I know, he’s my chef. Yeah.
John Kozicki (05:55.115)
Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
John Kozicki (06:06.703)
Yeah.
John Kozicki (06:10.192)
You told me that you told me that on Saturday, right? And the look on your face is like, he’s not cooking dinner.
Mandy York (06:18.477)
He is an amazing cook and he takes care of us so well by cooking dinner and yeah, I I’m not even gonna try to live up to to chef dad. But anyway, so those little things. That’s the personal side. And like you said, fall is busy at the studio, with the new semester happening and we get
John Kozicki (06:31.471)
Mm-hmm.
Mandy York (06:47.669)
We had new faces in the studio, so that’s there’s more more communication, more hands-on you know, with with those new families, new caregivers that are starting classes. and then, you know, we have I’m training a new teacher. but then I have like another like an admin that is having to pull back.
her schedule for for personal reasons. so suddenly I’m also making up work or trying to for a staff members that that’s not there. You know? so yeah, it it just it feels like a lot. more work at home, more work at work.
John Kozicki (07:29.402)
Yeah.
John Kozicki (07:44.708)
Mm-hmm.
Mandy York (07:46.23)
Your head just kind of starts to spin. And I personally, I just keep going. Like I just, I’m, I’m chugging and chugging and chugging, right? I’m trying to do it all. That’s that’s my way. And like you said, it’s it’s October 1st right now. We’ve only been doing this about a month, maybe f five weeks. but this last week, you start to feel it, right? You’re like, okay, I can’t.
John Kozicki (07:56.462)
Yeah, yeah.
Mandy York (08:13.289)
I can’t keep up what I’ve been doing, right? And and even even as, you know, fast as I’ve been trying to run, I said this to my husband the other day. I feel like I am just running to stay in place. That’s what life kind of feels like right now. As much as I am hustling, things are falling through the cracks. So this last week, it’s it’s really kind of caught up to me, and I feel like I’ve
John Kozicki (08:14.907)
Right. Yeah.
John Kozicki (08:29.21)
Yeah, yeah.
Mandy York (08:41.547)
had to force myself to take a step back and evaluate, okay, what’s going on? I ’cause I need to do something and how am I going to approach approach this situation.
John Kozicki (08:45.828)
Mm-hmm.
John Kozicki (08:53.922)
Yeah. so I just kinda in thinking about how I’m gonna handle my stuff and framing it for our conversation, I created three categories that we can both sort of you know add our things to and hopefully find some solutions here. and you mention things are slipping through the cracks. So
Mandy York (09:02.753)
Mm-hmm.
John Kozicki (09:23.224)
I think one of the things, so three categories, is there anything we can just drop right now? And just accept, like, okay, we’re not gonna do this. And we can always pick it back up, right? But just take it off our plates. are there and what are the things that we can’t afford to let slip through the cracks? And then what are the things that were more or less just in maintenance mode?
Mandy York (09:45.185)
Mm-hmm.
John Kozicki (09:53.079)
Like we’re not we’re kind of putting on hold. We’re not trying to improve, we’re not trying to build. It’s just okay, we’re we’re gonna do C C level work. Maybe maybe I don’t know. It for you and I it’s probably B level because we just cannot be content with the C level. But yeah. Yeah, it’s even hard to say, right? It’s even hard to say like, yeah, I’m just gonna be average right now.
Mandy York (10:02.796)
Yeah.
Mandy York (10:06.664)
Ha ha.
Hey, that’s the other hard part about this, yeah. Mm-hmm. I know. Mm-hmm.
Yeah. Yeah, I get it. Yeah, these these are perfect categories. This is yes, how I’ve I can’t say that I’ve worked through all of this yet. That’s why we’re here right now too. But that’s what I’ve that’s where my mindset is right now. I have to identify these what fits into these three categories. So spot on, perfect.
John Kozicki (10:39.504)
Okay. So I will start on my end with the maintain. Like what what am I c okay with just putting on hold and maintaining?
Mandy York (10:47.019)
Okay.
John Kozicki (10:56.376)
So first, I am putting on hold adding anything to my existing programs. Like I am a constant tinker and tweaker. I like to modify things and let’s let’s try this and let’s take this and do this with it. And I think in that respect, I just gotta let it let it be what it is because
For me in my studio with our programs, we’ve got routines, things run as they should. so I just have to be content with not trying to improve them. now you know this about me, but I also have a lot of side projects that I work on. Like so many.
Mandy York (11:47.159)
yes. Yeah.
John Kozicki (11:51.904)
And I have to be okay with just saying like, okay, I’m gonna put them on the shelf right now and I’m not gonna work on those because I have to make sure everything else is taken care of. and then I’m also I have a problem saying no to new projects when people approach me like, hey.
What if what do you think about doing this business collaboration, right? What do you think about collaborating with us on this? What you think about like a a performance here? And and even if it’s like months out right now, I I feel like I have to be okay with saying no about those.
Mandy York (12:33.751)
Yeah. That’s hard. Saying no is hard. it’s something I’m always working on, but I totally agree.
So that’s your maintain. That’s that’s your maintaining category. Okay. Mm-hmm. Yeah. similar. I so like I s okay. I’ll see what I can do. I I have this piece, right? This this admin piece that I I have less less help in the office. So one thing that I’ve decided just to maintain is
John Kozicki (12:45.793)
Yeah, I think so. Yep.
John Kozicki (12:53.027)
And you don’t have to have three. I just I just had three. Just whatever, obviously.
Mandy York (13:13.215)
social media. We’ve talked about social media a lot on the podcast. And I think it’s it’s no secret that I really don’t like it. I don’t I don’t like social media. I’m not the best at it. I’ve I don’t know. I’ve had lots of conversations with lots of different business owners about it. It’s I think that it’s a place to be fun and creative and maybe if it were my only job I would dig in and and do that. But it’s not it’s not my priority. It you know, creating really
John Kozicki (13:16.469)
Ugh Yeah.
Ha ha ha.
Mandy York (13:42.367)
engaging in and creative content. So I’m also like terrified of letting my social accounts just sit there. I mean, do right? Isn’t that does that scare you? You don’t feel the same way.
John Kozicki (13:51.821)
you know what? Don’t don’t worry. You know why? Well, I do, but I think it’s a manufactured fear. I because I I have gone through periods with my social media where I’ve been like super consistent. And then I’ve gone through periods where I’m like, I haven’t posted anything on Instagram in over a month.
Mandy York (13:59.926)
Okay. Mm. I believe it.
Mandy York (14:21.655)
Yeah.
John Kozicki (14:22.336)
And like I have not seen any like real negative impacts of that. Maybe, maybe it could also be because like maybe I’m also not seeing any real positive impact from like when I am consistently posting. I don’t know. but and like I’m like you, I don’t I don’t mind social media, but I hate
that the rules are constantly changing and we are slaves to it. And so in that respect I’m like, I’m okay if I just don’t do anything with it.
Mandy York (14:58.657)
Yeah.
Mandy York (15:04.257)
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, good point. It’s this I think that’s what that feeling is. Like I feel like a slave to it. I cannot let it just sit there. Well, I mean, I have to admit, when I when we’re doing a good job with our social media, I do see the return on that. I do. so that’s why I know. That’s why I know, like, man, I probably and I guess it’s to set the stage though too, like
John Kozicki (15:08.409)
I don’t know if that helps you or not.
John Kozicki (15:22.266)
Okay.
Mandy York (15:33.07)
Classes are classes are full. We’re good. Like enrollments, great. But if I was like on point with my social media right now, maybe I would have a couple more enrollments in like that small class. You know? Like, doesn’t that get the th Yep, totally. Thank you. That is what it is. So that’s where I’m at. I’m gonna maintain. I might I might get something, one thing out a week. We’ll see. I don’t know. Generic, I’m gonna make it easy because I
John Kozicki (15:36.752)
Mm-hmm.
John Kozicki (15:44.77)
Yeah, but that’s just FOMO. That’s FOMO.
Mandy York (15:59.84)
I can’t put that on myself right now. I can’t be a slave to the social media. Programming too. like you were saying. Programming is what it is right now. there’s a notebook of ideas and projects that I want to work on. and I don’t want to forget them. They’re gonna stay in the notebook, but I’m I’m not I’m not moving on any of that. I’m not making the calls that I I thought maybe I would make this this fall, as far as
Collaborating collaborating and developing a couple things. I’m gonna maintain what we have because things are good, right? That’s that’s the other thing to remember is like we’re doing okay. So let’s just maintain and then we’ll pick back up when the storm is past. yeah, I guess saying no. I haven’t I haven’t done that yet this fall.
John Kozicki (16:37.817)
Yeah.
John Kozicki (16:58.637)
Ha ha ha.
Mandy York (16:58.685)
But I’ve only but I have only like I’ve said yes to some really easy things, which is, you know, I’ve I’ve got a few visits and off site classes scheduled that are easy. So certainly well there’s a couple asks out there right now that I’m debating.
John Kozicki (17:23.457)
You know what would be really hard? It’s it’s so hard to say no to some of these things. And because I was just thinking about this event that we did last Saturday. and for the listeners bene listener’s benefit, it was vinyl night at the local brewery coordinated by a local shop in town. You got to play records, spin records for an hour, I got to spin records for an hour.
Mandy York (17:23.713)
Yeah, see, all the things in my mind yeah.
Mandy York (17:35.467)
Yeah.
John Kozicki (17:50.626)
And it was just a super fun, like low-key event. you know, we I think what we’re we were there what for four hours tops during the the event. And I would have a really hard time saying no to that again if we were asked tomorrow. Because it was so like I had so much fun and but it also like it was a little bit of work, you know, and
Mandy York (18:01.815)
Yeah. Yeah.
John Kozicki (18:21.079)
And that’s the trap where it’s where we assess like, okay, it’s not that much work. Okay, I’ll just do it. it’s not that much work. And it w we’re slowly nickel and dimed on these things. So I would have a really hard time saying no to that if we were asked tomorrow.
Mandy York (18:29.709)
Mm-hmm.
Mandy York (18:36.385)
Yeah. Yes. And see what I have in my mind right now, it’s October first. I have a couple invitations sitting out there. I need to get back to them about Halloween events. Right. I get invited to a bunch of those because that’s that’s my main demographic, right? Are these young kids in early elementary. So I like being part of those because I like being present at those things and having, you know, seeing my students and
John Kozicki (18:47.341)
Mm. Yeah.
John Kozicki (18:53.796)
Right.
Mandy York (19:04.991)
And getting that, yeah, just having music time be top of mind when people are out and about in the community. and it is just like you said, that’s easy, that’s just a little thing. But is it? You know, like how much time goes into it and yeah. Okay. That’s something I have to work through. But yeah, okay. So saying no is important.
John Kozicki (19:21.091)
Right.
John Kozicki (19:26.829)
Okay.
John Kozicki (19:31.854)
Okay, so what about the things that we cannot afford to let fall through the cracks right now? I’ve got a couple on my list. as I’m kind of thinking through this, I am in a process of training some new some new admin help, so at front desk person in studio. And I am not doing all the training, but there’s some stuff that I absolutely have to be hands-on with.
And it’s a slow, slow process.
That’s something but that’s something that and like when I’m doing that, there’s all these other things that I can’t be doing, obviously. So but that’s something that I can’t afford to let slip through the cracks right now because that’s going to open up more time for other people on my staff and more time for me. And you know, so that’s gonna there’s gonna be a big return on that, I think. So I can’t afford to let that slip through the cracks.
And then I mean this sounds really obvious, but I’m I want to keep it front of mind day-to-day communication and connection with my staff. just so they know that you know they’re supported. You know, there’s still that clean line of communication if they need something. you know, and I go back and forth between
How much of my personal life I share with my staff. You know? and right now, I mean, I I would be fine sharing like what’s going on with me because it’s just busier family stuff, busier personal stuff. but you know, I like last last fall, I had some kind of serious personal stuff that that was happening in in at home and
Mandy York (21:09.901)
Yeah. Mm-hmm.
John Kozicki (21:34.561)
I felt like, okay, I have to share this with some people, but I sort of kept it from other members of my staff. You know, so that that that was a tricky one.
Mandy York (21:44.023)
Mm. Yeah. Yeah.
things we must do. I’ve got payroll on the top of my list. Payroll. Payroll. Make sure we
John Kozicki (21:50.327)
Yeah. Mm hmm. I didn’t even put that. I didn’t even put that on the list because I am of the belief that there are certain things like and payroll would be one of them. They just get done. Like, you know, it’s like you don’t you just find the time because it’s you have to do it. You know what I mean? So it just gets done. So yeah, I didn’t even put it on my list. But yeah, you’re right.
Mandy York (22:02.773)
Mm-hmm. That could just happen. Mm-hmm.
Mandy York (22:12.821)
Yeah. yeah. Mm-hmm.
Yeah, those kind of things. Those anything in that category, like you said. and planning, planning, lesson planning, training. I’ve I’ve just made that my focus right now because I’m I’m training a teacher right now. And it’s like you said, it’s gotta be done right, you know? And so, so there’s weekly meetings, there’s
You know, she’s teaching, I’m observing, I’m teaching, she’s observing. All of that’s happening. And it’s gotta be done right, it’s gotta be done well. and that that kind of falls into, I think, my for my must category is like taking care of my client experience. So I’m I feel a little bit, like to be totally honest, I feel a little bit like I’m on autopilot in my in my teaching right now.
John Kozicki (23:16.386)
Mm-hmm.
Mandy York (23:18.157)
I don’t I wouldn’t say I have like a really great sparkle, but I’m probably the only one feeling like that in the room. You know what I mean? Like when you’ve been doing this long enough, you can go on autopilot a little bit. so I I wish I was being a little bit more creative in my presentation, but but I think I’m doing okay. I am prioritizing that. but as but that and like studio maintenance.
And email communication, I would also put that under like my client experience. I’m I don’t have as many hands on deck taking care of the studio. So I’m doing a little bit more, you know, cleaning. I I decorated for fall this year. I little things matter to me and I think they make a a difference for my my clients too. So really the presentation of the studio and
John Kozicki (23:57.475)
Yeah.
Mandy York (24:15.339)
All those little things that we do there, I’m taking care of. And then I’m answering more emails than I usually do because because of the the loss of admin hours, but it’s at the top of my list because we don’t I don’t want any you know, if if I’m busy and I’m feeling, you know, pinched, I don’t want any of my clients feeling that you you know what I mean, right? They need I don’t they don’t need to feel that we’re unorganized or we don’t
John Kozicki (24:41.805)
Yeah.
Mandy York (24:45.367)
communicate well. So that’s a must do. No.
John Kozicki (24:46.732)
Right, right. Okay. Okay. This last one, this is I know I’m gonna have a hard time with this. is there any we anything we can drop right now?
Mandy York (24:56.418)
Yeah.
Mandy York (25:01.836)
Yeah.
John Kozicki (25:03.352)
This one’s so hard for me and I I’m kind of drawing a blank right now.
Mandy York (25:12.385)
Yeah, it’s really hard. well, I I had mentioned to you last week, as I’m starting to feel like I can’t keep up with everything, I do a a weekly newsletter. And last week I decided that I wasn’t gonna send the newsletter. and yeah, I didn’t like that. It didn’t feel good. I don’t feel great about it. But it was one of those things like
John Kozicki (25:30.317)
Yeah.
John Kozicki (25:37.996)
Yeah. Right?
Mandy York (25:42.156)
Something has to give. It’s really important to me that like when when everything settles, we get back on track and all of these things come back. But but I didn’t do it last week. I think the hardest part is dropping something and then being okay with it. Like knowing that like you didn’t fail. you know, it’ll give
John Kozicki (26:02.488)
Yeah.
John Kozicki (26:09.112)
So maybe this is a cop-out answer, but I am going to say things that I’m willing to drop right now are social invitations from from friends. That sounds bad, but the because the big picture is like I was thinking back to things that I’m not willing to drop.
Mandy York (26:11.585)
Yeah.
John Kozicki (26:35.786)
And I realized man, I didn’t put any of my family stuff in there. ⁓ yesterday, I went into the studio, I was there for ⁓ an hour, and then my son had a cross country meet. So I was like, All right, I’m leaving, I’ll be back in forty-five minutes to an hour. I wasn’t willing like I’m not willing to drop that and
That’s that’s where like the big picture of of like finding balance between being a business owner and having a family and like why we run our own businesses and why we are our own bosses, like I s I try so hard not to lose focus of that, which is it does afford us the ability to say, like, okay, I am going to leave for an hour because I’m gonna go see, you know, my son’s cross country meet.
Mandy York (27:32.448)
Mm-hmm.
John Kozicki (27:32.71)
and so when when I’m thinking about well, what are the things that I can drop right now, you know, on the hierarchy of things that are important, right? Family, work, friends, I I just unfortunately I gotta say, like, all right, if I’m gonna maintain some sanity and have a little bit of downtime, I’m probably gonna have to just say no to that stuff for a little while.
Mandy York (27:59.608)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I I get that. That makes sense.
John Kozicki (28:03.903)
Or l or here’s here’s one. So I I got an invitation for a concert at our at the event space that we were at last week. they’re doing a they’re doing a a radio head cover band and one one the band that’s opening, they’re all former students at my school. And I love those kids. They all were in
Mandy York (28:18.176)
yeah.
John Kozicki (28:33.025)
band a band that I coached. And I looked at the date and I was like, that is that’s the homecoming football game day. And my daughter’s involved in that. I’m like, I think I gotta say no to that. As much as I wanna go. I think I’ve got to say no.
Mandy York (28:51.819)
Yeah. Mm-hmm. I know. Lots of choices being made lately. Yeah, I get that for sure. I’ve been thinking about this too. You know, you mentioned leaving work to get to the cross country game.
John Kozicki (28:57.452)
Yeah.
Mandy York (29:08.831)
I I struggle with like I don’t know how to say this and and what you think about it, but that sometimes I think I need to stay at the desk longer. Like there isn’t anything there isn’t a boss keeping me there, right? So I can say, you know what? I’m gonna I’m gonna run out and do this errand for my daughter and make sure I get a dinner packed for her so she has something before
John Kozicki (29:27.691)
Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
Mandy York (29:38.731)
you know, I’ll I’ll leave the desk in the afternoon and go do all of these things. And
And I don’t know, I but that’s what’s that’s what’s making me like like run b like lose it at work because I’m doing so many personal personal things. I’m leaving the office, the studio, to go take care of these things. and so like I said, I was zooming out s last week and saying, Okay, well what’s going on? What’s happening is that I’m not
John Kozicki (29:56.365)
Ha ha
John Kozicki (30:00.939)
Yeah.
Mandy York (30:15.421)
at the studio as long as I used to be, I’m running out. I’m getting the minimum done. I’m getting the minimum done and then running out to take care of family things and and drive kids here and there and all that.
John Kozicki (30:19.756)
Yeah.
Mandy York (30:29.269)
I don’t know. I I struggle with it. I’m like, what it I do, you know, we are business owners. We we have this because we have the flexibility, but sometimes I’m like, man, I’ve got too much flexibility. I need a tougher boss to keep me in my seat. D you know what I mean? Like, I have too much flexibility. Yeah. And then
John Kozicki (30:35.669)
Yeah, I get it.
John Kozicki (30:46.957)
Ha ha ha.
Yeah, that’s funny. Hmm.
Mandy York (30:57.227)
Back to what you said at the beginning of the episode. It’s it still feels like back to school and crazy because we’re not in a routine. That’s that’s really what it comes down to. I’m not I I’m running, I’m I’m leaving the office early. That’s not my routine. I’m here and there and all that.
John Kozicki (31:08.125)
Yeah. And I if
John Kozicki (31:17.045)
If it’s any consolation, only because I like I’m a couple years in front of you with my kids and like which schools they’re in and your daughter starting the new school. Like I did that a few a couple of years ago with my daughter. And that just that one hour difference of like getting them to school earlier and then getting him home earlier, that
It throws everything off, you know, especially when you’re in such a such a groove with how you line up your day, that can have a a big impact. So I can see where you are and and still trying to figure that out.
Mandy York (31:53.943)
Yeah. Yeah.
Mandy York (31:59.97)
Yeah, you’re right. I think I could give myself a little bit of grace on that, maybe. Cause it it is a it has totally disrupted the routines that I’ve had for the last ten years, you know? Right? Yeah. So yeah. We’ll figure it out. She’ll learn to drive soon enough. my gosh.
John Kozicki (32:13.173)
Right, yeah. yep.
John Kozicki (32:20.319)
Yeah. She will, she will, yeah, and that’ll take that’ll take a little bit of pressure off in certain ways. In certain ways, and then put different pressure on. okay, well hang in there.
Mandy York (32:28.863)
And then just raise the anxiety. Yeah. For sure.
Mandy York (32:37.663)
Yeah, you too. Was this helpful? Did we give some good
John Kozicki (32:39.639)
Thanks. I I’m I gotta say it probably was, you know, because I go back to I go back to like how this podcast even started. These conversations that we would have, yeah, they were kind of strategy, but they were also like decompressing a little bit. And and I think just relieving that pressure puts at least me, I can say it puts me in a better frame of mind to then
reflect back on what we talked about later and say, hmm, okay, I made some good points, you made some good points, I got a plan now. Or this is these are the changes I’m gonna make. So in the moment, right now, I don’t know, but I feel I feel confident that yeah, it’s gonna give me some some things to reflect on.
Mandy York (33:22.391)
Mm-hmm.
Mandy York (33:30.827)
Yes, absolutely. I’ll be thinking about this this afternoon while I’m driving somewhere.
John Kozicki (33:36.521)
Yeah. And to our fellow studio owners, man, you know, I hope like I hope if they don’t have the like the kind of relationship that we have, man, try and find someone else who who gets this stuff.
Mandy York (33:49.195)
Yeah, for sure. I mean that totally. ‘Cause I mean, that’s what kind of drew us to each other. You feel like an island, right? When you’re starting out. It’s it’s great to have somebody to talk to.
John Kozicki (33:56.866)
Yeah, for sure. For sure.
Or hey, email us. You know, I’m I’m not afraid of of taking emails from from random people saying like, my gosh, this is what I’m going through. You know, I’ll take it. I don’t care.
Mandy York (34:03.126)
Yeah.
Mandy York (34:12.109)
Mm-hmm. Yeah, for sure. Cool.
John Kozicki (34:15.053)
Alright. Well, let’s wrap this one up then. Weird different episode, but maybe, hopefully, people get a little something out of this and
Again, our hope is that our insight can can help some other people out in the same boat.
Mandy York (34:32.341)
Mm-hmm, definitely. Thanks for talking.
John Kozicki (34:34.165)
All right. Okay. Thank you. We’ll see you next time.
Mandy York (34:37.304)
Sounds good.
