Art of the Float
363 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 14 ratingsArt of the Float is a podcast about float tanks and float centers. It's hosted by three float center owners who discuss their experiences and knowledge to help others looking to start their own business.
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Episodes
The Final Episode with Our Crew
February 29, 2024 12:00 - 2 hours - 83.2 MBAdult language Well, here we are. You might have known it was coming, but we didn't want to admit it. But it's time to start wrapping up this Art of the Float podcast thing... or at least slow it waaaaay down. It's been an incredible journey! For this episode, you might want to pop some popcorn, grab a beverage of choice, and join the crew for some twists and turns down memory lane - with a glimpse into the future too. We'll catch you up on some big news since our previous episode aired, like...
282: Crowd Sourced Float Research: Project Arcturus
September 14, 2023 17:00 - 1 hour - 56.6 MBYou’ve heard all about the Float Research Collective already, but have you heard about Project Arcturus? Are you ready to dig into that cloud-based research network that Dr. Justin Feinstein has been talking about for a few years? We hope you said yes because it’s time! On this episode, Dr. Feinstein and three board members from the FRC dive into the nitty gritty details of this first major phase of the fundraising efforts and goals for the float community. Brad Dauk joins co-hosts Dylan and ...
281: Float Con 2023 Recap
August 30, 2023 18:00 - 1 hour - 58.4 MBIt took a minute, but now that we’re all recovered from the awesomeness of the 2023 Float Conference in Louisville, KY, the crew is back to talk about some of their favorite moments. For Kim, it was a unique year where all her worlds melted together - her friends were onsite as panelists or offering services, one of her kiddos got to speak, her hubby put on the first ever Float Conference rock concert, and many attendees got to visit her center, along with two other beautiful centers in Loui...
280: Special Guest, Cory Allen - Float Conference Special
August 15, 2023 20:00 - 37 minutes - 32.1 MBAuthor, Podcaster, Mindfulness maestro, and so much more. Cory Allen joins the podcast today to discuss share his personal journey that has led him to floating and the benefits he experiences. Links Cory Allen's Website (https://www.cory-allen.com) Sponsors HelmBot (https://Helmbot.com) Float Tank Association (https://floatation.org) Mindfull Solutions (https://mindfull.solutions) Art of the Float Store (https://Shop.artofthefloat.com)
279 - Bryce of More Floats - Float Con Special Episode
August 10, 2023 11:00 - 44 minutes - 40.9 MBThe founder/owner of More Floats joins the podcast to talk about where to focus your social media attention to bring customers into your center that become members. Links More Floats (www.morefloats.com) Sponsors HelmBot (https://Helmbot.com) Float Tank Association (https://floatation.org) Mindfull Solutions (https://mindfull.solutions) Art of the Float Store (https://Shop.artofthefloat.com)
278: Float Con 2023 Hype!
July 27, 2023 18:00 - 49 minutes - 39.5 MBJocelyn Jester joins the crew to talk Float Con 2023! Float Conference Tickets (https://www.floatconference.com/tickets) Sponsors HelmBot (https://Helmbot.com) Float Tank Association (https://floatation.org) Mindfull Solutions (https://mindfull.solutions) Art of the Float Store (https://Shop.artofthefloat.com)
277: Dr. Flux! - Float Conference Special
July 20, 2023 12:00 - 51 minutes - 41.5 MBJoin us on another trip into the mind of Dr. FLUX! We catch up with FLUX's recent personal history, psychological journey and what his next Float Conference presentation will be. experience this fun, heartfelt, and fascinating episode that kicks off a series of Float Conference special episodes! Sponsors HelmBot (https://Helmbot.com) Float Tank Association (https://floatation.org) Mindfull Solutions (https://mindfull.solutions) Art of the Float Store (https://Shop.artofthefloat.com) Links Buy...
276: John C. Lilly's Wild Ride (Guest Marshall Hammond)
May 18, 2023 11:00 - 54 minutes - 49.6 MBIf you attended the 2022 Float Conference in Portland, Maine, you might remember a special presentation diving into the fascinating history behind the founder of sensory deprivation. Marshall Hammond from Float Tank Solutions and Float On in Portland joins us in this episode to discuss John C. Lilly's interesting history. You’ll hear about Lilly’s time at St. Thomas, his dolphin research, his continued connections to the CIA and Project MKULTRA. It’s a wild ride! Marshall has been floating an...
275: Kids, Credits, & Community
April 13, 2023 11:00 - 39 minutes - 36.6 MBYour hosts started out with one goal in mind - to talk about kids and floating. But in true Art of the Float fashion, they couldn’t just leave it at that. So this episode is like three in one! First up, you’ll learn about what each host does (or doesn’t do) in the way of hosting floats for kids - policies to implement, waivers, conversations to have, and pricing. You’ll learn what questions you should ask upfront and why it’s so important to forewarn the parent about the potential for stingin...
274: Get Those Clients Back in!
March 30, 2023 11:30 - 53 minutes - 52.2 MBIf you missed last year’s Float Conference, or if you chose to attend the amazing breathwork session that happened at the same time, and you missed Kim’s “Creating an Organic Sales Funnel” workshop, you’re in luck! In this episode, Kim breaks down a few key points about implementing some strategies to get folks to come back through the door again after their first float. You’ll hear some common challenges to getting returning guests, how to create a powerful offer that isn’t salesy, how to cr...
273: Deva Coffee Supporting the FRC
March 16, 2023 16:00 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MBCassie is the Founder of Deva Coffee joins the pod and spills the beans on why they created a coffee company who's current mission is to help fund float research! Find out why Deva Coffee is such a great pairing with floating and how you can sell coffee at your float center while supporting the FRC! Links Deva Coffee Website (https://drinkdeva.com/products/house-blend) Follow Deva Coffee on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/drinkdeva/) Sponsors HelmBot (https://Helmbot.com) Float Tank Asso...
272: When Float Tanks Dye!
February 16, 2023 19:00 - 32 minutes - 29.4 MBIt’s always a hot topic - hair dye! A recent conversation on the Float Collective (a Facebook group for float center owners) sparked some great comments about what we should include in our hair dye policies. We invited Kat Roberts, owner of Surface Float in Canada, to join us and hash out the pros and cons of different policies, and what we should all know about how hair dye works - color molecules, stripping agents, and more! Kat breaks down her white towel test, performed on site with any...
271: The Salty Spot Volume 1
February 09, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 53.1 MB_WARNING: This episode includes a little language drop, so we don’t recommend it for little ears. _ Have you ever wondered what happens when someone notices trends and news across the float industry, and then a group of podcast hosts get together about those things? If so, you’re in luck! The crew invited Producer Olga to join the show and toss out the latest news and trends that have been happening over the past couple of months. You’ll hear a bit about the great debate over transdermal abs...
270: New Year, New Hurdles!
February 02, 2023 19:00 - 53 minutes - 48.9 MBNew year, new flood? Yep. So many floods - at home, at the center, all over the world! This first-show-of-the-year wiggles and winds through all the adventures of float center owner life - balancing family time for the holidays, deciding what gift card strategy to use, how many times you have to clean up a flood, whether a staggered schedule is right for you, who is beating and who dodged cancer, whether that “COVID padding” during turnovers is still needed, and how things are going when tryi...
269: Everything Butt
December 08, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 65.8 MBShow notes. Show notes. Show notes. They want me to write show notes, so with an episode like this, that’s the best I can do. Show notes. How do you write notes for something that covers frog butts, bidets, Caring Bridge, cancer, closures, floods, laundry failures, rock stars, and favorite socks — and write show notes?! I can’t do it. If you’re looking for advice for running your float center, you might find some here - mostly centered around ensuring you have electricity for the bidet of o...
268: A Modality for Everyone
December 01, 2022 13:00 - 44 minutes - 35.2 MBHow do you manage 6500 square feet and nine service modalities? Well, according to Tammy and Terry, owners of AquaSpa Float Center and Wellness Boutique in Oswego, New York, you hire a rock star team! Their managers, Katie and Terry (yes, another Terry) also joined the conversation to share their insights on the day-to-day operations, and how they keep a seamless flow, how many staff members are on a shift, and how they deliver personalized service to each guest who visits “the sanctuary”. ...
267: Healium VR and Augmented Reality
November 18, 2022 17:00 - 35 minutes - 28.1 MBWe’ve heard about VR and floating. Maybe you already have an opinion on it. Just hold that for now please. Our guest in this episode is taking VR a bit of a different direction - pairing it with meditation and biofeedback. Yep, we’ve heard about meditation and biofeedback before, but Healium puts allllll of it together in a new way! Gloria is introducing this new technology at her studios, so the crew interviewed the Healium founder, Sarah Hill to find out what’s so special about it. Sarah ha...
266: Shane Stott
November 10, 2022 16:00 - 1 hour - 65.9 MBMany float center owners backed a Kickstarter project by Shane Stott to release a documentary about the benefits of floating. Shane was already fairly well known in the float world, having released a book called The Float Tank Cure, about his battles with anxiety, depression, and stress, and how his downward spiral led him to a lifestyle of drinking too much and trying to drown out the pain. He learned about floating and went on to create his own tank, posting his plans and schematics online ...
265: Anorexia Nervosa and Floating with Dr. Emily Choquette
October 27, 2022 12:00 - 45 minutes - 36.2 MBWe all know that floating is a powerful practice, loaded with countless benefits. We’re often aware that we don’t want to promise too much, but one particular area where we might be able to talk a little more is about how float therapy can be beneficial for patients with body image concerns and/or eating disorders. If you made it to the 2022 Float Conference, you likely heard Dr. Emily Choquette sharing the latest findings about how LIBR (Laureate Institute for Brain Research) is studying th...
264: Is it Time to Sell Your Center?
October 20, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 59.9 MBFor one of our co-hosts, it is. Bomb dropped. (Well, it was ignited on a previous episode, if you listened closely, but here, we let it all out.) Someone is out. Would you ever sell yours? You’re about to hear all of the why’s, the what if’s, and the why not’s, but most importantly the “how we got here”. Float center owners are a special breed, and unknowingly, starting a center often ignites an insatiable entrepreneurial spirit. This person shares a bit about how that spirit is leading them ...
263: Cold Plunge for Your Center?
October 13, 2022 11:00 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MBWhat happens when two float center owners get a little antsy during a global pandemic that shuts down their centers? They launch a new business together, of course! In this episode, Ryan Duey of Capitol Floats and Michael Garrett of Reboot share the story of how they came up with the idea to launch their own manufacturing business for cold plunge tubs - Cold Plunge. There are many parallels between floating and plunging, primarily focused on the breath and the awareness of the present moment...
262 - Do You Wanna Build a Float Center?
September 29, 2022 12:00 - 44 minutes - 35.7 MBWhat happens when you cross a commercial construction expert, a float center owner, and a general contractor? You get Jamie Gagne. While he was still wrapped up in the commercial construction space, Jamie was introduced to floating, and like many float center owners, became enamored with the practice. He built his own tank, and then eventually opened his own center and has helped build several centers now. In this episode, Jamie shares his lessons learned after not soundproofing his first l...
261: Joining the Float Research Collective Mission w/Dr. Justin Feinstein
September 19, 2022 11:00 - 1 hour - 58 MBIf you’ve been living with your head in the sand (like Drew), you might not have heard the biggest news to hit the float world in YEARS. It’s been a twinkle in Dr. Justin Feinstein’s eye for many years, but at last, the Float Research Collective is ready for an official launch. In this episode, Dr. Feinstein joins the crew to talk about what the FRC is, what he’s been doing with it, where it’s going, and most importantly, how you can get involved. This project is a bridge between float thera...
260: PostCon - Float Con 2022 Review
September 12, 2022 17:00 - 1 hour - 59.9 MBWhew. Float Conference 2022 was one for the record books! The crew is back from Portland and recovering from the shenanigans (among other things). _Warning: This one’s for the float fam, but not for your young fam. You’ll hear some light adult language not suitable for little ears. _ You’ll hear a recap of their favorite things - the workshops, the speakers, the venue, the FOOD, and more! Some highlights included sales and membership workshops, the latest research about floating and anorexia...
259: Thor Photomedicine with James Carroll
August 18, 2022 19:00 - 40 minutes - 36.7 MBLet’s get this clear first: stop calling it red light therapy. We stand corrected. You may have heard of this hot new therapy that’s been taking off across the globe, but in this episode, you’ll discover that it’s not a new therapy, and it’s not “red light therapy”. It is, however, the medicine of the future - the very same medicine that you saw in Star Trek when someone went to the sick bay, was treated by a laser beam, and healed. In this episode, James Carroll, founder and CEO of Thor Pho...
258: Open Swim!
August 04, 2022 17:00 - 1 hour - 58.3 MBYou know what they say, “When Kim’s away, the co-hosts will play….” Maybe that’s not the saying, but this one is a hoot! It’s no secret that your co-hosts have become fast friends over the years on the mic together, so in this episode, you’ll get a glimpse of what it’s like when the crew gets together (minus one). Expect no structure. Expect no specific topic of discussion. Expect lots of laughs, and know that you’ll likely walk away feeling a little lighter. Gloria dishes on her latest cru...
257: Hiring a Manager
July 28, 2022 12:00 - 37 minutes - 34.4 MBWhen is it time to hire a manager? Why would you? What do you look for if you make the choice? The gang dives in on this weeks episode! Sponsors HelmBot (https://Helmbot.com) I-Sopod Float Tank (https://i-sopod.com) Mindfull Solutions (https://mindfull.solutions) Art of the Float Store (Shop.artofthefloat.com)
256: Breathwork with Samuel Whiting
July 21, 2022 17:00 - 39 minutes - 36 MBOne of the 2022 Float Conference speakers joined the crew to talk about some deep business - the power of the breath. Samuel Whiting was gracious enough to join the 2020 Virtual Float Conference and share his breathwork expertise, and he’ll be coming back again to Portland, Maine, to offer an experiential workshop, as well as a main stage talk about the power of the breath when combined with the float practice. In this episode, you’ll be mesmerized by Samuel’s voice, inspired by his passion ...
255: Float Conference 2022 - Portland Maine with James and Amy Harder
June 30, 2022 11:00 - 44 minutes - 40.7 MBIf you haven’t heard about it, there’s a big event happening in Portland, Maine. Some might even call it the Maine Event - the 2022 Float Conference! We’re incredibly excited to hear from the local liaisons for this year’s conference - James and Amy Harder, who also serve on the Board of Directors and special committees for the conference. They’re not only two of the coolest humans on the planet, but they’re also amazing event hosts and have a ton of great fun planned for us in August! You’l...
254: We Ain't Inflation Proof
June 16, 2022 11:00 - 1 hour - 56.9 MBInflaaaaaation! Yup. We said it. Many of us in the float world are feeling it - inflation has been an issue for a long while now, and it’s starting to make an impact for many businesses that rely on disposable income spending. From gas prices to the other G word - Groupon - you’ll hear what’s happening across our co-hosts’ centers, including those who have been running strong schedules at capacity for a while. Someone might start driving a truck, someone is giving away services, and someone ...
253: Wearing all the Hats with Kelly Caldwell
May 26, 2022 10:00 - 52 minutes - 47.9 MBWe’ve said it before, and our guest on this episode proves it’s true - float center owners are a special breed. Sure, we could just own one business and run it, but why do that when we can run MULTIPLE businesses?! Kelly Caldwell, who owns Drift Float Spa in Greenville, SC, joins Kim and Drew in this episode to talk about wearing all the hats, including providing consulting services and selling float pods! You’ll hear all the details about Float Spa pods that drain and filter 100% of the solu...
252: Float in the Forest
May 19, 2022 12:00 - 42 minutes - 38.6 MBToday we visit the UK and meet Will and Sherri, owners of Float in the Forest. We discuss the obstacles they overcame to open their tranquil center located in the middle of a forest, as well as the differences between running a center in the UK vs the US. Finally the couple offer ther advice to float center owners all over the world! Sponsors HelmBot (https://Helmbot.com) I-Sopod Float Tank (https://i-sopod.com) Mindfull Solutions (https://mindfull.solutions) Art of the Float Store (Shop.arto...
251: Memberships Revisited
May 12, 2022 12:00 - 37 minutes - 51.7 MBDo you remember a time when Drew didn’t want to offer memberships at all at his center? Well, he’s come around, floaty friends. In this cozy, quick episode, you’ll hear a bit about the different seasonality trends each co-host sees at his or her center, how the pandemic has impacted membership numbers, and how they’re recovering. You’ll also hear some quick tips for membership structure, how to offer the memberships without sounding sleazy, and how to nurture those relationships. Sponsors H...
250: Telling A Story with Reba Sparrow
May 05, 2022 11:00 - 41 minutes - 33.2 MBIt’s storytime, salty friends! But first, cover some little ears for the first few minutes of the show, as we dabble in some high-level adult topics that you might not want to explain to the kiddos. Our expert guest, Reba Sparrow from The Mystery Box Show, joins us to share how to create and tell your story, and why that’s so important as a small business owner. Storytelling makes us more relatable, and doing it right raises the emotional stakes with your audience - your potential guests and...
249: Onboarding New Team Members
April 21, 2022 11:00 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBSome people have anxiety about turning over the keys to their center (cough, cough, Drew), while others are happy to toss them and run the other way (uh, yeah, Gloria). Either way, having a plan for onboarding is a crucial step to your center’s success, as well as your own mental health during the process. It can make a huge difference in your team’s happiness, engagement, and longevity too! In this episode, Kim shares her high level strategy for onboarding her team since she’s in the middle...
248: How Leadership Will Shape Your Business
April 07, 2022 18:00 - 42 minutes - 38.7 MBWhat makes a good leader? What inspires employees to stay at your business? What makes them care? Our guest on this episode has a simple answer for that: care. Sincerely, authentically, and wholeheartedly - care about your people and allow them to shine. We invited Carolynn Bruce, Kim’s former boss from the corporate world, to join the conversation tonight. You’ll hear a little backstory about how they worked together to shift the culture in a major corporation, and how impactful some simple...
247: Floor Mats Are a Big Deal
March 29, 2022 10:00 - 17 minutes - 16.3 MBFor as much attention as we have put on our floors, we may not be doing enough to keep our customers safe. Dylan shares what has been working great for other float centers to keep our customers salt-water solution laced feet, firmly on the ground. Sponsors HelmBot (https://Helmbot.com) I-Sopod Float Tank (https://i-sopod.com) Mindfull Solutions (https://mindfull.solutions)
246: The Time Management Episode
March 17, 2022 12:00 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MBAs a small business owner, especially of the float center variety, there are always a gazillion demands on your time. Between responsibilities for the shop, self care, family life, and managing all of those extra projects many of us seem to have, it can be overwhelming. In this episode, the crew discusses how it feels to be late and how to prevent it, as well as all of the tools and methods they use for keeping the demands life on the rails. No matter if you’re a software geek like Kim and G...
245: Life in Flux
March 10, 2022 17:00 - 1 hour - 54.6 MBSome things simply come full circle, especially in the float world. In this episode, you’ll journey around talks of beards and the Fluxstache, to pivotal moments with suffering mental health to burlesque and the reactivity of the immune system. With such a colorful variety of topics, there’s no doubt who our guest is - Dr. Flux himself! You’ll hear the story behind the name, “Dr. Flux”, from the beginning with GoGo Harder, all the way to the present day with our own predictions for completin...
244: The Swag Episode
February 24, 2022 11:00 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MBWith all of the excitement of launching the new Art shop (and the longest intro ever), get ready to pick up some tips for where to get your own merch printed or how to do it yourself. Where do you turn when you need some sweet float gear? Well, now you can hop over to the Art of the Float website (shop.artofthefloat.com) to load up on sweet AOTF gear, float merch, float and testimonial videos, and more! Sponsors HelmBot (https://Helmbot.com) I-Sopod Float Tank (https://i-sopod.com) Mindfull...
243: Big Updates From the FTA
February 17, 2022 19:00 - 56 minutes - 54.1 MBDrew sits down with James Harder of the FTA and the two chat about major changes that have taken place within the FTA. Find out about what you can get from the FTA now and what they are building for the future of the industry. Sponsors HelmBot (https://Helmbot.com) I-Sopod Float Tank (https://i-sopod.com) Mindfull Solutions (https://mindfull.solutions)
242: The Not About Joe Rogan Episode
February 10, 2022 11:00 - 33 minutes - 30.2 MBLet’s get controversial, floaty friends. He’s in the news, so we had to weigh in on the impact “Joegan” has had on the float industry and where the latest happenings are landing with each of co-host. The crew chimes in with a few passion points, the impact Joe’s love of the float has had on them, and where each stands on the current issues (or not). You’ll hear about pulling ads, staying Switzerland, and knowing your “whys”. And if you don’t really care about the whole thing, you should sti...
241: 2022 Partay!
February 03, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 80.7 MBIt’s a new year, and we have some fresh faces to share! If you haven’t heard, you can tune in to WATCH The Art of the Float Podcast on Youtube now! The crew took a few weeks off to recharge, enjoy the holidays, get sick, get a black eye, and then appreciate a sweet reunion that you get to witness. You’ll hear about our holiday adventures, how to move a ferry boat when you don’t need it anymore, and why you might consider moving to a new location, buying your building, opening a second locatio...
240: Holiday Wrap-Up
December 16, 2021 22:00 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MBAnother wild year is coming to a close… in this episode, the crew shares how their holiday sales are going - including some recording-breaking days and someone who didn’t do a single thing for Black Friday or Small Business Saturday and has no regrets about it. Each person reflects on how the year has been professionally and personally, and how important it is to set strong boundaries, stick to your priorities, and remember your own self-care. You’ve heard it before, but it bears repeating b...
239: Drew is Raising his Prices!
December 02, 2021 13:00 - 35 minutes - 32 MBWarning: There's a bad word in this episode! It’s a hot topic… to raise your prices or to not raise your prices. With the cost of goods rapidly rising, many float center owners find themselves wondering if now is the time to raise the cost of admission a bit. Dylan, coming up on ten years in business, shares how price increases have gone for him over the years, as Kim recently implemented her first price increase in three years. You’ll hear some tips and strategies that helped Drew feel more...
Drew is Raising his Prices!
December 02, 2021 13:00 - 35 minutes - 32 MBWarning: There's a bad word in this episode! It’s a hot topic… to raise your prices or to not raise your prices. With the cost of goods rapidly rising, many float center owners find themselves wondering if now is the time to raise the cost of admission a bit. Dylan, coming up on ten years in business, shares how price increases have gone for him over the years, as Kim recently implemented her first price increase in three years. You’ll hear some tips and strategies that helped Drew feel more...
238: Diving into Selling Your Float Center
November 15, 2021 20:00 - 59 minutes - 47.4 MBAdult Language Notice! Joey and Grace Le Penne from Mountain Float Spa are fresh out of the float center ownership world… they closed on the sale of their center just a couple of weeks ago, so they joined the crew to share how their float love story started, how it grew and evolved, and why letting it go was the best decision for them after 8 years. From love at first float to navigating tense moments and the stress it added to their marriage, they share their journey of getting burned out, ...
237: Altered States of Consciousness
November 04, 2021 21:00 - 39 minutes - 33 MBWhat happens when you explore the power of “pulling aside the veil”? Dr. Victor Zelek, a licensed Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist joins the pod crew to talk about the power of the brain. Dr. Zelek shares a little history about how floating was used to treat alcoholism in Russia in the 80s. As a self-described “psychonaut”, his work dives into the depths of exploring altered states of consciousness, with the use of psychedelics, including tools beyond the scope of substances. He d...
Altered States of Consciousness
November 04, 2021 21:00 - 39 minutes - 33 MBWhat happens when you explore the power of “pulling aside the veil”? Dr. Victor Zelek, a licensed Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist joins the pod crew to talk about the power of the brain. Dr. Zelek shares a little history about how floating was used to treat alcoholism in Russia in the 80s. As a self-described “psychonaut”, his work dives into the depths of exploring altered states of consciousness, with the use of psychedelics, including tools beyond the scope of substances. He d...
236: Buying or Selling a Business
October 28, 2021 10:00 - 48 minutes - 36.5 MBIf you’re thinking about buying an existing business… or selling yours, there are some key things to think about in order to increase your chances of success. In this episode, Amy Reed, who actually doesn’t own a float center, joins the crew to talk about her acquisition of a well-established yoga studio. Her heart-centered approach is one to which many float center owners can relate. Amy shares the behind-the-scenes decisions she had to make when evaluating taking over, why “staging” is impo...