Download and listen as Andy Abramson discusses "thought processing" vs. word processing. He highlights AI's role in refining ideas, not just words, citing tools like Cleft and others. Abramson emphasizes personalized AI, advocating for small language models (SLMs) over large ones (LLMs) for data privacy and relevance. He details using Cleft to streamline meeting summaries and presentation creation, reducing weeks of work to minutes. He values tools that iterate on ideas, comparing it to an artis...
Mar 06, 2025•28 min•Ep. 23
Download and listen to Janine VanStee, a former special education teacher and administrator, share her journey of ADHD diagnosis discovery at age 50. Janine discusses the challenges and the impact it had on her life and career. Now, as an ADHD Life Coach, Janine helps others navigate the complexities of ADHD, develop effective strategies, and create positive change. Janine emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, understanding one's values, and setting achievable goals. Janine's Website ADHD...
Feb 27, 2025•25 min•Ep. 22
This episode of Speak Easy focuses on neurodiversity. Cleft is built by neurodivergent individuals for neurodivergent individuals to help capture ideas and thoughts. The episode features clips from previous guests, including Cleft founder Johnny Cosgrove, discussing how neurodiversity influenced Cleft's design. The episode also celebrates two milestones: 20 published episodes and the beta release of Amber , a new tool designed to help with writing and authoring. Key takeaways: Neurodiversity is ...
Feb 20, 2025•35 min•Ep. 21
Sales expert Solange Abraham joins the Speak Easy podcast to discuss effective sales communication. Solange emphasizes focusing on the customer's needs, not pitching. While cold calling can be uncomfortable, Solange stresses that unexpected outreach can be welcome. Solange advocates for "ask, learn, confirm": ask questions demonstrating expertise, learn through follow-ups, and confirm understanding. She dislikes generic questions, believing salespeople should understand their prospects' challeng...
Feb 06, 2025•23 min•Ep. 20
Download and listen to Clara Ma, CEO of Ask a Chief of Staff, who emphasizes consistent communication between Chiefs of Staff and their principals. They recommend daily check-ins, weekly priority reviews, and monthly/quarterly strategic planning. Tools like AI note-takers (Cleft, Ambient), Notion, and pen/paper can optimize these interactions.
Jan 23, 2025•29 min•Ep. 19
Tyler Sellhorn interviews Mike Kelly, author of "Meaning is the Mission." They discuss the challenges of modern work, the importance of mindset and "heartset," and the role of Al in productivity. Kelly emphasizes the value of human creativity and deep thinking, advocating for a balance between technology and traditional tools like pen and paper. Mike shares his personal system for capturing and developing ideas, highlighting the importance of focus and intentionality in a world of distractions....
Jan 03, 2025•36 min•Ep. 18
Jonny Cosgrove, founder of Cleft, discusses the company's progress and new product announcement: Amber ! Cleft, designed for capturing verbal thoughts, is being complemented by a new product called Amber, focused on authoring and writing. Both products are built specifically for neurodivergent users but accessible to everyone. They aim to be assistive technology that works alongside users rather than trying to be "everything apps." The company remains committed to building software that helps pe...
Dec 26, 2024•28 min•Ep. 17
Ang Jandak discusses how business functions are interconnected, with success depending on understanding different contexts. Ang emphasizes "radical understanding" - going beyond surface-level empathy to grasp underlying experiences and barriers. For managing ideas, Ang uses multiple tools: brain dumps for rapid ideation, pen and paper for nebulous concepts, and AI as a thought partner to reveal blind spots and make connections across different domains. Ang on LinkedIn...
Dec 19, 2024•32 min•Ep. 16
John Lee, CEO of Work From Anywhere, discusses the importance of cultural awareness and communication in a globalized world. He emphasizes the power of deep connections, learning local languages, and understanding cultural nuances for successful communication and business interactions. Lee also highlights the benefits of workcations for both employees and companies, and the need for clear communication and understanding in a remote work environment.
Dec 12, 2024•25 min•Ep. 15
Discover the power of "open and honest" communication: Grace Gavin reveals why these two simple words can transform your workplace and relationships. Plus, learn the surprising obstacles that prevent us from truly hearing each other. Don't miss this insightful episode!
Dec 05, 2024•28 min•Ep. 14
In this episode of Speak Easy, host Tyler Sellhorn interviews Nadia Harris, a remote work lawyer and author. Harris discusses the evolving world of work, highlighting the clash between traditional and modern work practices. She emphasizes the importance of adapting to digital-native approaches, challenging outdated processes, and embracing authenticity. Harris shares her personal creative process, which involves seeking inspiration from diverse experiences and expressing ideas through writing, v...
Nov 28, 2024•25 min•Ep. 13
Listen as Sarah Lobkovich coaches us on OKRs and goal setting focused on well-being. Sarah helps people reconnect with their intrinsic motivation, moving away from external pressures. By using techniques like verbal processing and visualization, Sarah supports individuals and organizations in creating meaningful, learning-centered goals that align with personal purpose and reduce workplace suffering. Speak Easy is presented by Cleft : the easiest way to collect your thoughts. With our cross-plat...
Nov 21, 2024•26 min•Ep. 12
This episode features Anna Burgess Yang, a former corporate executive turned freelance writer. Anna discusses her approach to productivity and work-life integration, focusing on selecting the right tools for specific tasks. She describes her three-level system for capturing ideas: quick notes via Siri, context-rich thoughts via Cleft, and full blog post dictation via Fireflies, all integrated through Zapier to streamline her workflow. Try Cleft AnnaBYang.com...
Nov 14, 2024•24 min•Ep. 11
Susan Boles, CFO at Beyond Margins, discusses building "calmer" businesses focused on comfortable margins, not just profit. Key elements include clarity, autonomy, a lens of care, efficient systems, and rest/reduced urgency. She emphasizes the importance of designing businesses intentionally to be sustainable, rather than defaulting to growth at all costs. Boles shares her own experience with burnout and the need to build in emotional, energetic, and capacity margins to weather challenging seaso...
Nov 07, 2024•25 min•Ep. 10
Katherine Sanders, a neurodivergent ADHD coach in Scotland, discusses how divergent thinkers struggle with linear productivity systems. She explains that ADHD brains process information differently, often taking "side quests" in thinking. Sanders emphasizes the importance of understanding individual processing styles (visual, verbal, conceptual) and how executive function impacts organization and emotional regulation. She advocates for adapting systems to support different thinking styles rather...
Oct 31, 2024•22 min•Ep. 9
This episode features Meighan O'Toole discussing knowledge management and productivity. She shares her journey from physical notebooks to digital tools like Notion, highlighting how proper knowledge management can empower teams and reduce micromanagement. She emphasizes using tools like Cleft for brain dumps and creating systems that maintain humanity while improving efficiency. The conversation explores themes of mutual flourishing, leadership, and creating healthy workplace systems that benefi...
Oct 24, 2024•26 min•Ep. 8
Listen in as Ali Greene discusses how documentation enables workplace flexibility and autonomy. She explains that good documentation reduces unnecessary meetings, prevents misalignment, and allows for asynchronous work. This empowers people to structure their work around their values and life priorities. She emphasizes starting with "messy" thoughts through methods that work for you (writing, speaking, drawing), then organizing them into clear, structured documentation that others can use. Ali's...
Oct 17, 2024•26 min•Ep. 7
Listen in to this episode featuring an interview with Claire Podulka, Chief of Staff at TXI, about effective communication. Claire emphasizes that communication is a shared process involving speaking, listening, and understanding the audience's needs. She discusses her writing process, starting with verbose drafts and refining for clarity. Claire highlights TXI's approach to remote communication, using multiple formats (live presentations, recordings, transcripts) and a central knowledge base (N...
Oct 10, 2024•22 min•Ep. 6
Dr. Cynthia Young discusses human-centered knowledge management, emphasizing the importance of sharing knowledge rather than hoarding it. She advocates for capturing and documenting processes, mentoring, and breaking down silos within organizations. Key points include: 1. Writing down processes and creating workflows 2. Adapting to individual learning styles 3. Iterative improvement through feedback 4. Integrating knowledge across departments 5. Encouraging a culture of knowledge sharing 6. Deve...
Oct 03, 2024•22 min•Ep. 5
Listen in as Katie Scheuer, a learning designer at Mural, discusses effective meeting practices & collaborative work. She emphasizes starting with purpose, balancing synchronous & asynchronous work, and using visual tools for better engagement. Katie advocates for flexibility in work schedules and leveraging AI tools to enhance productivity and creativity. Katie's Links: LinkedIn Mural Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Communication: Best Practices (Workplaceless) Allie K Miller on LinkedIn T...
Sep 26, 2024•24 min•Ep. 4
Angela Bierman, founder of Polka Dot Innovations, discusses knowledge capture and sharing. She emphasizes the importance of building a "corporate brain" to preserve institutional knowledge, advocates for progress over perfection in documenting ideas, and explores how neurodivergent individuals can optimize their productivity. Angela also shares her cautiously optimistic view on AI in business processes. Angela's Links: AngelaBierman.com Polka Dot Innovations YouTube TikTok Medium Try Cleft! Them...
Sep 19, 2024•27 min•Ep. 3
Jonny Cosgrove, a neurodivergent entrepreneur, discusses how he manages thoughts and tasks using tools like Cleft, a note-taking app he co-founded. He emphasizes the importance of simple systems, capturing fleeting ideas, and using technology to support memory and personal growth for both work and life. Jonny's Links: Cleft JonnyCosgrove.com LinkedIn Threads Theme Music Credits: Song: MANSHN - Back & Forth [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/...
Sep 12, 2024•25 min•Ep. 2
Hello, my name is Tyler Sellhorn, and welcome to the preview episode of Speak Easy, the podcast where we discuss communication, productivity systems, capturing our thoughts, and how we share those thoughts with our future selves and others. We believe that managing our brains is core to 21st century work and we're here to learn how to do it better than we did yesterday. We hope you'll listen and follow along as we learn out loud with one another. The Speak Easy podcast is brought to you by Cleft...
Sep 10, 2024•1 min•Ep. 1
