**** Producer's Note: The following is a general transcript of LCC Connect's weekly radio program. Contents include but may not be limited to podcasts, program imaging, announcements, and PSAs. More detailed and accurate transcripts of the podcast episodes featured in this broadcast can be found at LCCconnect.com or by following the links provided in the show notes of this episode. ****

When we started LCC Connect in 2022, our aim was to create a podcast network that connects our college with the community and our community with the college. Since then, we've expanded to offer more than 30 podcasts, all of which are hosted by members of Lansing Community College or folks within our community. I'm Dedelian, General Manager for LCC Connect, and on this episode of behind the Connection, I'm going to talk with someone you don't usually get to hear on a microphone. Although if you've listened to any LCC Connect podcast lately, you've heard his work in your ears. He's the one that makes sure each podcast episode we produce sounds clear, polished, and ready for listeners to hear in Lansing and around the world. His name is Brendan Skipper, and last August, he joined the LCC Connect team as our production and operations assistant. And now let's go behind the scenes with Brendan Skipper. Behind the Connection. Originally, you are actually from Florida, right?

Yes.

That's where you grew up. Is that where you were born to?

Yep, I was born in Florida, yeah.

Then you went over to Denver. You do for college there, right?

Yes. So I was born and raised in Florida. Pensacola, Florida. Sort of in the Panhandle, Rid the redneck Riviera, as it's fondly referred to. That little portion of the Gulf coast there with Alabama and Florida. Born there, moved to Colorado when I was 13.

Okay, so even before college, eighth grade.

And then all of high school, I didn't know that.

Okay, what exactly brought you to Michigan?

What brought me to Michigan was I had some friends going to MSU. Covid had just hit in 2020. I had graduated from the Colorado Film School in May, and so I had big grand hopes of moving to New York or la, but again, Covid had hit, so not doing that. And we wanted to move out of Colorado because prices were just getting very exorbitant.

And when you're saying we, you're talking about you and your spouse, right?

Yes, me and my wife, Lauren.

Okay. And how long have you guys been married?

We have been married for five years, but we've been together for 16 years.

Okay, so you knew her from Colorado then?

Yes, from high school.

Okay. All right. Wow. Well, it's very rare when you get to see somebody who marry their high school sweetheart. That's cool.

That is actually a fun little tidbit about our personal history is we knew each other in high school, we were good friends, and we almost dated, but we wound up not. And then we found each other years later, and it's been kismet ever since.

That's a very awesome story. So do you guys get to go back to Florida every once in a while. Is there any people like family relations you go visit in Florida?

Sure, my dad's sister and her children, my cousins, they live out there. We also have some distant relatives. I think, like my godparents might still live out there, but they're getting up there in age. But beyond that, in Florida, five or six years ago, we went out there just to see the old stomping grounds, visit the little single story ranch house that we lived in on our little cul de sac.

Do you remember Florida pretty well?

Yeah, definitely.

So what is it about Florida that you miss and what is it that you don't miss in relation to Colorado?

It was easy to see the difference when we moved there when I was a kid because in Florida there's tons and tons of trees. It's like here in Michigan you're kind of inundated with the wilderness. You don't get to be separate from it. You're constantly having to fight the elements. And it's the same thing in Florida. It's just, it's a jungle as opposed to, you know, northern tundra. That's the thing I missed about it when I was in Colorado is that there was just tons of places to go, like parks and just vegetation, places to be where you're just inundated in forests and trees. And the outside things in Colorado that not to say, aren't there, it's just the Colorado, it's the plains, it's one giant suburb, basically. And then there's the mountains. So very different, very different. Also no beaches in Colorado.

I gotta tell you, I'm a golfer, you know that. And when I was in Colorado, I swear I could hit the ball farther and better, better than I can in Michigan. And I don't know if it had to do with the mountain air or what it was, but it was pretty cool.

It's probably that. You never know, it could be elevation, probably less air friction or whatever. So I can see that it's also. You're probably just. There's more oxygen in the air or less oxygen, probably, so you're more euphoric. So I can see that too, being at elevation, the joy of hitting the ball, that's also where I'm at.

So you played lacrosse and rugby in high school and college. Did you find that maybe it maybe helped you run faster, give you better endurance, anything like that?

Ooh, no. See, I was terrible at Running. I'm not a long distance runner.

Those are both require a lot of running.

Yeah, I didn't know that. I didn't know that getting into it. Those sports are. Those were amazing. Like I very much enjoyed, especially lacrosse. It's something I grew up with in Florida with Creek Indians and stickball. We would go to annual powwows and they would have stickball games. And so when I moved to Colorado and lacrosse was a high school sport, I was like, ooh, sign me up. Cause they.

Did you play all four years?

No, I only played three years. Sophomore, junior, and senior year.

And then you went to college and you played rugby. So did they just not have a lacrosse team?

No, they did both. Lacrosse and rugby were club sports at the University of Northern Colorado. And so I had a friend that was actually playing rugby, so I was like, well, I'll just do that. It was also less money for lacrosse. You had to pay for all of the equipment. You had to have a special helmet with all the different team gear and whatnot. Whereas rugby. Nope, you didn't have to do any of that.

Right, right. You get the chance every once in a while to edit Stars on Sports. I think you've been on there at least one time or at least hung out with them in the studio to produce. And they of course talk about life experiences related to sports, the things that we learn from sports. So what is it that you feel like lacrosse and rugby taught you about life or anything?

Like, yeah, sure, I think it boils down to a lot of what they talk about on Stars on Sports and on Coach Cutscorner is this idea of not just showing up, but why you're showing up. There are lots of routines in life, but it's like, how are those routines serving you? What's the purpose? What's the end goal? And not even that, just the day to day. And then that type of analytical mindset when it comes to sport, that's easy. It's just play. I know we overload it with other things like competition or status, but that's where it's fun to look at these structures. And then that type of analysis can then help you out in your normal day to day life.

It's all a journey, right?

Exactly. It's all a journey. It's all about stacking those bricks.

Speaking of which, okay, so you got degrees in theater, history and film, am I right?

I have a degree in film, theater and history.

So those were your starting paths?

Those were my starting points.

So. And don't get me wrong, I am completely somebody who has kind of done the same thing in his academic journey. How would you describe your academic journey to somebody, you know, saying that you started down this path, then this path? What would you say for sure?

I would say that my academic journey is indicative of a creative looking for a home. It's rare that creativity can be harnessed for just like I said, for fun. In terms of sport or play, it often has to be commodified or monetized or turned into something that just has a different purpose. And that's where I struggle is it's like as a creative, I have all sorts of interests, I have all sorts of passions. But then how do I turn that energy into something with purpose? I think they call it fencing in the stallion. You're either a unicorn or a stallion. A unicorn can be special and unique, but it can only be one and there's really no home for it. But a stallion can be a workhorse and it's not as special and is unique, but if you put a fence around it, that stallion can then become a workhorse.

Interesting analogy.

Sure.

I would say that there are probably a lot of creatives that suffer from the same thing. I definitely had a struggle trying to figure out what I wanted it to be when I grow up. And every once in a while I still wonder if I figured that out. So there's that.

Yeah, it's always changing. As long as you can roll with the punches or look on the greener side of life, as they say, or always try and learn. Stay positive in that sense. See the wider world for what's possible. You'll find a place for yourself.

So do you find that the creativity kind of exists outside of work?

Yeah. So outside of work, it's mainly my creative interests. I do mainly music. I practice slew of different instruments. I am a filmmaker. I'm writing various short pieces. I'm working on a poetry program at the moment. A good friend and I are bringing about various reenactments and recitals of poems. He's really big into poetry.

That sounds interesting.

Definitely.

Are you doing that kind of like on a film basis then?

Yes. I'm just looking for projects that can keep my film skills ready and ready to go. Exactly.

Yeah, I get that. So also kind of way off. I'm not going to call it off base because I could see where you would incorporate some of the film skills in it. But before you were here at lcc, you were a digital court reporter and video specialist, which is kind of a weird jump to come into podcast editing. Explain. A typical day of a court reporter would be in that capacity, utilizing video and audio. Is that how it's mostly done now?

Sure. So actually that's not how it's been done for the longest time.

Right, that's what I mean.

Exactly. It's a very, very thing because most.

Of the time you see the picture or the person. A stenographer, Is that what they're called?

Yes. A steno.

Do those still exist?

They do.

Okay.

They're just going the way of the dodo. It's a skill set that isn't highly sought after. So it's not popular. It's hardly visible. I had no idea it existed as a job legitimately beyond what you see on TV or in the movies. I would imagine that this is the type of job that you would have to go to, like a lawyer or a doctor. You have to go to school for however many years. Nope, you just get a certificate. You have to pass certain state or national exams to get certain certifications, and then you're ready to start. Interesting. So basically, a court reporter creates a legal record. It's a document of who, what, when, and where of when something happened. Typically it's in the form of a deposition or like a court proceeding or a trial. Could be meeting minutes, something as simple as that. But it's anyone that wants something that's spoken turned into a written record. And often that's used for legal purposes. So I would get in depositions most frequently where you show up somewhere. You're there for typically eight hours, if not longer. And it's so that one party can ask questions of another party, Typically for some type of lawsuit, someone suing somebody, somebody was injured or damaged in a car accident or something like that, so they're suing.

So were you typically in the same courtroom, or did you find yourself in different courtrooms all the time and by the court beyond the Lansing area?

Sure. So typically depositions would be anywhere. They could either be online or they would be in person. So you'd go to someone's house? I've done depositions in. In people's homes. Typically they're done in an office. You go into the lawyer's office. But if they're a single practitioner or a small firm, you might go to a hotel or some conference room. It really just depends on the variables of the situation.

Has any of the skills that you did in that capacity? Has it translated in any way to editing podcasts and doing what we do here at LCC Connect?

For sure.

Really?

Definitely. I will say the one thing that I find very valuable is listening to someone's agency as an individual, as a court reporter, I'm doing the same thing we're doing here. I'm sitting in a room with headphones on, listening to people talking to microphones. And so you have very distinct grasp of how people are feeling because you can hear the intonations in their voice, let alone the things they're talking about. And then you're listening to the back and forth, the conversation, people asking questions, what's your name? Did this happen? These are all simple conversational things that we're aware of. Sure. But as a court reporter, you cannot interact with any of that. If you make a joke, like if a lawyer asks you a question and it's funny, I can't laugh at that. I mean, I can, but if you say something that's inflammatory and I gasp because it's against my personal beliefs, I'm now infringing on the neutrality of my.

Role as a court reporter. Yep, yep. Gotta really hold back on your emotions, feelings, and be stoic, I guess is probably the best word for it.

Yeah, definitely. And so you almost kind of stop being a person to a degree, because when you're listening to everything, you have to pay attention to what people are saying. So you're listening for diction, you're listening for enunciation.

Sure.

You also are having to remember how many syllables do go in that word and keeping up with the conversation. So you don't really have time to have emotions. To get back to your question as to how does this help with editing podcasts is. Well, I've spent hours and hours and hours listening to deponents talk about things in all manner of ways. High emotion, low emotion, boring details, exciting details. And so it's this whole gamut of human experience that is truly theirs. And again, this is a moment where they get to speak, they get to say what they want, and it's going to get turned into an official record. In regards to editing podcasts, to me, it's the same thing. Here are people talking, this is stamped in time. This is a moment of their voice, how they spoke, how they think. And I try and be very careful when it comes to editing is to not. Don't reduce that. Sure, I can get rid of the glitches. Somebody might mess up a word. There's an um or a like that needs to go away or that kind of vocal fry that comes through. Yup. That stuff's easy to fix. Yeah. But I'm always mindful of making sure not to step on anyone's personality toes, if that makes sense.

No, it completely makes sense, especially since we both do the same thing. But yeah, that was one of the things we talked about like very early on when we edit the podcast, just to make sure that you're still respecting and honoring what it is that they want to say. Which can be difficult at times, especially when you are finding incomplete thoughts and then all of a sudden you find that they refer to that incomplete thought later on and you got to go back and you got to go fix it again. That's a whole other story. Let's jump off of work a little bit. You said you play multi instruments. What else do you play beyond guit?

So mostly I play clarinet. I've lately been learning flute. My wife Lauren, she plays flute and so she's been teaching me that. I'm also trying to learn bass, trying to learn Celtic instrument called the boren. It's a drum. Beyond that, I also have a Mongolian instrument called a morin kur, which is a two stringed cello basically. So I've been trying to learn that.

Never heard of that.

It's super neat. It's super neat.

What's your home base when it comes to music? What do you like to play?

Sure, I would say I've got a very wide reaching net when it comes to music. I enjoy things like Credence screaming, Jay Hawkins, but it could be something also like Bonnie Raitt or. I'm trying to think more modern stuff too. That's the thing is I don't really buy music. I think that's the thing. I never really consumed music. I only ever heard on the radio. It goes back to. I was thinking of as you were talking about living in Florida and all these things that I can see in my head, these very distinct memories like driving in the car and my mom's listening to Bonnie Raitt or the Chieftains or like Phantom of the Opera. I think that was a big thing. Formatively is not having the agency over what music you get to listen to. So I just happily glommed onto what anyone else was listening to at the time.

That makes sense. So as a filmmaker, have you ever taken the time to incorporate your passion for music with the film?

Oh, definitely. Yes. This is very much right. I love how sound and video kind of work hand in hand. They're both very similar when it comes to their physical properties.

Okay.

That was a thing I learned in school that really helped me in regards to video was that understanding how like bit Depth in audio and video are essentially the same thing. It's just this step ladder of volume as opposed to a stepladder of brightness. So things like that. Color theory, understanding how it worked in audio helped me understand how it worked in video.

I've run into people who have described that they can see music visually. You're one of those people. Or not. Like, they can actually see colors in music.

Ooh. That I can't really do. I will say that editing the podcasts has helped me in seeing the waveform of how certain words look, certain sounds look.

Yeah, you do. You get to the point where I tell people, it becomes almost like the Matrix. When he's looking at the computer screen, he's like, oh, I see this, I see this and this. You kind of get to that point where you're looking at the WAV file and you can tell that somebody's either saying an or an ah or S's are definitely always prevalent. An easy way to, like, really edit things out. And that's the thing is we do a lot. We've got like over 30 podcasts now. It's fun work, but it's tedious as well. You kind of feel like you're on a revolving door of editing audio a lot of the times. So what is it that you do and would recommend to other people who have like, those jobs where it's like, man, I'm kind of doing the same thing all the time. How do you keep yourself fresh? How do you keep yourself kind of focused?

I'd say it's two things. The first is make sure you take breaks. Always give yourself that opportunity to look at the horizon. Definitely give yourself something to look at other than the computer screen. But then the other thing would be, I mean, it's kind of similar thing with taking breaks is I very much enjoy all the different podcasts, even though they all kind of, by this time function the same way. I kind of know what I'm getting into with each one, but with each guest or each topic, that's where things start to shine. You start to see everyone's little interests, everyone's. A little bit of life starts to come through, and that's what brings me out of any tedium I may be feeling. And it's just. Yep. Just going to edit and find out what happens next.

It's definitely one of my favorite things about editing the podcast is just getting to know these people that I've known for years here at the college. And then all of a sudden, I start to know parts of Their personality that I never would have even knew existed. So is there a particular show or moment that you've edited that stands out as memorable or fun?

At the moment, I'd say they're all pretty much fun and enjoyable. I haven't had really any big standout. What do they call it on npr? Driveway moments where I have to really dial in and listen to what's going on.

Stop and go, hey, what's right. Yeah, I get you.

Yeah. I did have a chance to be on the Psycho Delicious conversation podcast a couple weeks ago.

Yeah, you were producing.

Exactly. Just as you were saying. I got to hear them editing however many episodes up until that point. And so I knew Mike and Morgan through personality only. And so getting to be in the room with them and with all of that personality, I found to be fun, despite my trepidation. Yeah.

So here I'm going to ask you the question. When I was in regular commercial radio, I used to get all the time, wow, you look nothing like I pictured you. So did they look like you pictured them or not?

See, that's the odd thing. I think it's that you are right. The mystery of who they might look like once you see them. It's like, oh, it's like. Like a balloon.

It's not disappointing. It's just.

Well.

And most people always think I was. I'm like, bigger. And I'm like, no, I'm not. I'm not that big. I'm a tiny guy. Actually, average is what I think we're supposed to be. Because you're about my height.

Right. I would get that on Zoom all the time. People would think I'm like six feet. No, I don't know how I'm sitting. I don't know how you would think I'm tall.

So, you know, and you can say it's a part of LCC Connect. You can say it's a part of whatever, but. But what's the most enjoyable part about being here at Lansing Community College and working here so far that you've found? Sure.

I will say that it is just the atmosphere here at LCC Connect, like I was saying before, with the creative trying to find a home. I understand this is under the guise of an educational institution. It serves a certain function within that system as an institution, but again, just as a space for people to come and create. I find that to be incredibly valuable.

Yeah, I'd agree. Yeah. Because it's definitely one of my most enjoyable parts about being here in this role, this capacity that I'm at Now is helping these folks kind of just create something that they've always wanted to do and give them the resources to make it happen. A lot of these folks wouldn't be doing what they're doing other than the fact that we're here helping because it takes some time to get it edited, as we know for sure. So what do you hope to explore or learn as you continue your work here at LCC Connect?

I would like to get better into what we are doing right now. Being on mic, interacting with the hosts, kind of being more of an active producer in that role.

Okay, well, hopefully we will have you more often on behind the Connection because the one thing that I have considered doing is creating this into a co hosted show and it would make it a lot easier for me to get myself in the swing of things if we actually did this on a regular basis. So maybe we will explore that down the road. Not to put too much pressure on you or anything like that.

Never.

But since we're on the topic. So if you could produce or host any podcast of any type, no rules, no limits, what would it be?

So if I could produce my dream.

Podcast, I will say produce or host any kind.

I would say that it would be this hybrid like Dr. Demento meets some type of 40s radio play. I want it to be like Casey Kasem's top 25, but instead of Casey Kasem, it's Dr. Demento. But instead of real songs, it's done live as, you know, like 40s.

I love it.

Yeah.

Like television, forgotten 45s. Yeah, yeah, I love it. And the fact that you pulled Dr. Demento into the conversation, extra awesome. You get bonus points for that.

Congratulations.

All right, so last question is a. I can't tell you what it is because I don't know. It is the rando question of the day. Here we go. We're going to click our random question generator. What is something you can never seem to finish? What is something you can never seem to finish?

That piece of cake.

Which one?

All birthday cake.

All birthday cake. Like, you seriously leave a little bit behind.

I know, it's terrible.

Are you one of those I don't like frosting people?

Yes.

Really?

Yeah. When it comes to things that are overly stuck. Sweet esp. Like you said, like frosting. It's like my heart is broken. I love a bite, but I can't ever do more.

And give me the corner piece every time. So if your guitar could say something, what would it say?

That's what it would Say is I always like that. That. Yeah.

Like, what are you going to call that, though?

Well, it would be like a wah pedal. We'll call it the wah wah.

The wah wah.

Yeah.

This is lcc. Connect Voices, Vibes, Vision.

Engaged learning and academic success is a.

Priority at Lansing Community College. To help students navigate their educational career, LCC has created a proactive approach to.

Learning and providing students with several academic support services.

To find out what's available, visit lcc. Edu Services.

Mama, what does the chicken say?

Chicken.

Oh, okay.

Oh, a wolf.

The tiny dog. Cat. Owl. Dolphin.

What does the turkey say? Whale.

Ew.

Whale.

So to the giraffe.

Giraffe?

Really?

Okay.

Giraffe, giraffe, giraffe, giraffe. You're not going to get it all. Just make sure you nail the big stuff, like making sure your kids are buckled correctly in the right seat for their agent's eyes. Get it right. Visit nhtsa.gov the right seat brought to you by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the AD Council. Lansing Community College's School of Business incorporates areas of study, including marketing, insurance management and more. Transfer options and direct degree options are both available, depending on the area of study. To find out more about LCC's business programs, visit LCC.

Edu LCC, connect voices, vibes, vision.

It's time for Inside LCC, an inside look at Lansing Community College's academic programs. I'm Cassie Little and we've got you covered with programs that nourish creativity and exploration, cultivate your purpose, and guide you to your career. Listen as we explore some of the opportunities at LCC and learn from conversations with faculty members, staff and students. Welcome back to Inside lcc. I'm Cassie and I'm so excited today to be joined by Heidi Jordan from LCC's Child Development and early Education programs. Hi, Heidi.

Hi, Cassie. Thanks for having me.

Thank you for being here. I love having guests on that can talk about these programs. That's kind of the point of Inside LCC is to give people an inside look at these programs just to learn more or if a prospective student might be exploring the program, want to learn more. So really important, you know, stuff to talk about. So I guess to start out, can you give me, you know, your name? I said it. But name title program. You work in that sort of thing?

Sure. My name is Heidi Jordan and I work in the Child Development and Early Education program here at lcc.

Awesome.

All right, and then right into elevator pitch. If you could tell us a little bit about the program, what you do specifically. But just, you know what. What is the program about?

I'd love to. So Child Development and Early education is a program that prepares students for working in a variety of settings and with a variety of ages of children. So that includes infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school age children.

Awesome. Sounds fun. I'm sure it's a lot of work, but also a lot of fun.

And I would add that I am actually a full time lab instructor for the program.

Okay.

We might get a little bit into what the labs are later, but I'll definitely want to hear about that. So what are some of the degrees or certificates offered in that area?

Well, students can earn a certificate of completion, a certificate of achievement, and they can also earn an associate in applied arts degree.

Awesome. And do you have an example of jobs that someone could get in this area? And I guess, kind of building off of the degree and certificate thing. Do students normally start working after graduating at LCC with one of those credentials, or would they typically want to transfer to continue their education first?

Sure.

So some job opportunities for students, once they complete a certificate or the applied arts degree, they are qualified for a variety of positions, depending on the type of program they choose to work in. So within an early childhood program, a student could already work in an entry level position. They could work as an assistant teacher, a lead teacher, or in some programs, already a director of that early childhood program. So our field is. It's complicated when you say what can I do with my degree? Because there's so many different avenues that require different qualifications, different levels. Students can absolutely start working right away in the field once they get their degree. And many of our students are already working in the field while they're taking classes with us.

That's great.

Getting that experience alongside the education, I think is really beneficial. And it sounds like it's something that, which a lot of I think programs at LCC are like this, but they can build off of each other. Right. Like the level of education might determine the level of job or career that you have. And as you earn more education, you probably earn more responsibility at work.

Absolutely. And for students who want to open up their career possibilities even more, transferring to a four year school can be pretty easy. Here we do have some great articulation agreements with four year universities and can make that a pretty smooth process for students who want to keep going.

Okay, cool. So that was, you know, a little bit about the jobs after graduation, but going back into the actual program, do you have. I like to give people an example of maybe what it's like to be a student. So an example of a specific class that they might take and anything like that.

Absolutely. So as the full time lab instructor, I am very much connected to and have a close relationship with four of the classes that we offer in our program. And those are our lab courses. Okay, yes, the labs. Yes. So in those four lab classes, students are not just doing the regular coursework where they have class with their instructor and homework and other kinds of assignments, but they are also spending time each week in assigned field experience programs where they're getting this real life practice of skills, being able to collect data, grow their education and professionalism skills, and already start networking and meeting people within those programs. There's just no better substitute than real life learning.

Real life learning, that's so valuable. And I like that you said, you know, obviously the study and doing research as a part of that, like being able to do that in real life, getting that experience, nothing can beat it. Real life experience and then networking, that's such an important part of it too, right? Meeting people.

Absolutely.

And maybe checking out where they might want to work in the future.

Absolutely. I think that's also a really big part of our field in general is the community. Lansing area can feel like a really small space when you're an early childhood educator because of the connections you make, the community and the tribe you feel you belong in. And students here are already starting to establish and grow that tribe when we're getting them in the field and meeting people, I bet.

All right. It's kind of open ended, but do you have any stories about a student or classroom experience or your own experience working in the field or your background, anything like that that you want to share?

Oh, gosh, you know, I didn't come prepared to tell.

I'm sure you have a lot of stories.

I have so many. I've worked in the field a really long time, so it's story after story.

Yeah, I bet.

I guess I could share a little bit about my background. Yeah, yeah, that'd be great. So I do have a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University in child development. I have a master's degree in human development from Pacific Soaks College. But I also have 15 years experience working in an early childhood classroom and also over 20 years experience supporting students and working for LCC in this and other capacities. But I think not just to talk about my own experience, but this reminds me of one of the real strengths of our program, which is the qualifications and the real experience that all of our instructors and Lab instructors have. So nothing beats it.

Yeah, that's really important to be able to ask questions about their. Maybe their education pathway since you have the bachelor's degree, you know, determining if they want to continue on and get that and master's degree. And then. Yeah, your experience in the field, working, doing the job that they might be doing, and then also your experience with students, which is, you know, important, obviously, when you're teaching them. So. No, I think that is important to mention. Is there anything else that you want to share before we go about the program or. Or anything like that?

Gosh, I guess the only thing I would add just to toot our horn a little bit, is that we toot away.

I like it.

We are a program that is nationally accredited by the national association for the Education of Young Children. So that really does help us to make sure that we're providing the highest quality education to our students so they can then provide that high quality education and support for children and family in the Lansing area. And that's our goal.

I love it. Great. And then my last question, like I like to close out for inside lcc, is what excites you most about your field? That can be a big question. So it can be what excites you today about your field or, you know, something big picture.

Okay.

Well, mine's a little of both of that.

Good.

But in the early childhood education field, honestly, it's been a field that it has a history of problems. Maybe like all do some. But this can often be a field where educators might be seen as babysitters rather than educators. That this is a career. And I think that our field is really on the cusp of new things. The pandemic really highlighted some of these big issues we have, like pay for many of the positions that one might take in this field. Finding quality care, if you're a family or a parent looking for care for your child is really difficult right now. Finding quality educators and filling these gaps with quality educators is another issue. And I feel like we're really on the cusp of maybe addressing some of these issues. So the pandemic highlighted these problems for people. And so now we're starting to take.

Note there's more of a focus on that.

And even, you know, within our state, the governor's 2025 budget does include universal preschool. So us in the field are apprehensive but really excited about and hope hoping to see some change. And I think that's a good thing for students to see and be a.

Part of as well. I think so. All right, well, I think we covered everything. Just a little snapshot into the Child Development and Early Education program. Heidi, thank you for joining us today.

Thank you for having me, Cassie.

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Conversations with Kate is like a conversation with your friend, hairstylist or therapist, where we will talk about music, life stories and everything in between with interviews and guest sponsors. As an LCC student, it's an honor and I love bringing a fresh perspective to the podcast menu on LCC Connect. I am your host, Kate. Let's get into this episode. All right, welcome in. I have a very special guest with me today, Vic Veda. Can you go ahead and just give a brief description of what you do?

Yeah, so my name is Vic Veda. I'm the VP of Communications at Michigan Retailers Association. We are the nation's largest state retail trade association. For fun fact for Michiganders, we represent around 5,000 businesses with their 15,000 stores and location or websites across the state. And we do everything from legislative advocacy to merchant processing and insurance programs. But we're most known for our Buy Nearby program is our big Shop local push, encouraging consumers to keep their money in Michigan and support Michigan based business.

Oh, I love that. I didn't realize that was part of the program there, but today I brought you in and we're going to talk about how music affects you when you're in stores, when you're shopping. And while doing research for this, I did see that there was a little sliver of research that was done for like online shopping, which I didn't even think about because I was like, oh, wait a minute, there are some sites that do have a little bit of music in the background. So I. We will touch base on that as well. Some of the interesting facts that I did find out was that 90% of consumers say background music enhances the shopping experience. That's from mood media. And up to 38% increase in sales when stores use music tailored to their brand. That's from a Harvard Business Review. And music affects dwell time. Slower music can increase browsing time by up to 8, 18%.

Yes. So the tempo of the music definitely has a big impact on how consumers behave in your stores.

Yes.

And you can use that to your advantage. So slower music, slower tempo is going to create slower movement in your shoppers and more intentional shopping. They may deliberate longer, but that can also increase their spend. But faster music can create a little bit of frenzy in your shoppers. That helps them move more quickly. It can also drive more variety in the products that they purchase. So if you are a retailer that sells a variety of goods, things like souvenir shops or grocery stores or things like that, where there's a lot of variety in the types of products that you're selling, faster tempoed music can drive more purchases of a variety of goods.

That's pretty cool. That's pretty cool. Do you think retailers often underestimate the psychological power of sound?

Oh, 100%. 100% every day.

I have to agree because I've noticed something and I necessarily don't work in a retail environment, but over the last couple of months, I've had a little bit more control over what sounds are going on in the salon. And I tend to put on it's just a Salon Music 2025 playlist from Spotify. There's two of them. And it's pop songs, pop music, but just in a more like relaxed environment. And the surprising Effect on the clients is bigger ticket spends bigger, bigger tips. Interesting. Which has been interesting. It has been interesting because we usually play like there's any number of different genres.

Yeah. Well, when you think about the impact in a goods based business where they're, you know, you're buying a product but with a service based business when you're just in the atmosphere for longer, you know, I absolutely could see, you know. Yeah. Do that hair mask. I'm enjoying the.

Right, exactly. Which I was kind of surprised by. But I've gotten the most compliments on those two playlists as well as the nostalgia playlist. There's a couple of different ones from like just a basic nostalgia playlist and then a nostalgia like 90s and a nostalgia 2000s playlist that people just really actually respond well to.

Very cool. Yeah. It's wild how much the music selection really can impact your mood and your mindset in the space that you're in.

Absolutely. One of the other things that I found out was music and minor keys can make high end items feel more exclusive. Didn't realize that. And that's from the Journal of Retailing. Upbeat tempos, like you had said before, increase impulse purchases, especially in grocery and fashion stores, which I will agree to because I do have a little part time job at Victoria's Secret. And, and they play a little bit more upbeat type of stuff. And people do tend to purchase more there in that environment. So I can attest to that. And genre matters. That is something also like you were saying earlier, classical music often increases the luxury purchases while pop increases foot traffic.

Yeah. And when we talk about genre, we think a lot about the environments that, that you're in and the environment that you're trying to create. You know, if you've got a flower shop or a gift shop where you're, you know, they might be buying something for their loved ones playing more like romantic music.

Right.

Positive feeling music is going to be a better move than something that might be slower or maybe more of a downer. You know, you want to have people feeling good when they're buying gifts.

Exactly, exactly. Tell me about a time where you've been in a space where the genre or tempo mismatched, where you were shopping and how it made you feel.

There's a lot of times especially we think about like the malls. Yeah. They're competing for attention and, and foot traffic. So a lot of times they use music to bring in people. But sometimes that can create a bit of an unpleasant experience. You know, you're, you've got Louder music than what customers are maybe looking to. To listen to. So that can be a very negative experience when it comes to the music in the store. But you also think about even like in your grocery stores and stuff, sometimes they'll utilize local radio or, you know, they'll be less intentional about what's playing. And as you're walking through the aisles and you're listening to maybe a local commercial or something like, what did I just hear? And it can kind of take you out of your. Your element of shopping, you know, and what's playing in your ears really does have a huge impact on. On what you're buying and how you're buying it, all that whole decision making process.

Oh, absolutely. Autumn and I were actually in Eastwood this past weekend shopping. And immediately she said, I feel like just being in the parking lot. She's like, I feel like I'm back in Florida and we're shopping where we usually shop. I feel like I'm home. She's like, the only thing it's missing is the music. Because in Florida, in the shopping malls there, and a lot of the ones that we used to frequent, there was outdoor speakers that would complement all of the shops. And then of course, when we got up close to particular stores, their music was playing. And that speaker outside of that store, which I thought was really, really creative, I think it was the first one that we went into was Sephora. And she was like, oh, yep, there it goes.

Yeah.

And we did go into several different stores. And I will say this, that being in that more of an upscale area, shopping like Eastwood Town center is the music was definitely more graceful in every single store that we went into, which I went into Pottery Barn for the first time, and I wanted to just hand over all of my credit cards and all of my cash. Just I want everything here. Have you ever been into Pottery Barn?

I have and it's beautiful.

It's wonderful. And their esthetic and music is winning 10 out of 10 for sure.

You know, you really think about that though, like the more luxury brands and the stores that you feel like have that higher appeal.

Yes.

They're using similar types of music and how they're playing that music. You know, it's consistent throughout the store. They have good sound quality throughout the store. And these are things that small businesses can totally do to, you know, leverage those same kinds of experiences and create those same kinds of atmosphere in their small business. So, you know, it doesn't have to be a big corporate.

Absolutely, absolutely. I agree that I'm. Let me Ask you this, is this something conversation piece wise that you have with your retailers that are in your association?

So MRA does have like an Ask Us first program, which is our way of offering advice and things like that. So small business owners who are members can reach out and ask questions like, hey, I'm trying to create a better customer shopping experience. What are some options that I can do? Or these are the types of products that I sell. What kind of music would be good? So if you're an MRA member, don't hesitate to reach out. You know, we're always happy to help there. But really thinking about through, you know, what types of products are you carrying, what type of shopping experience do you want to create for your customers and what kind of impression do you want to leave on them, you know, when they leave your store? And from a consumer side as well, you have a little bit of control as a consumer. You know, you have headphones now that you can just pop in your ears. So being a mindful consumer too and thinking about when you're in a store and you're shopping, how is the music that's being played impacting your mental state and your decision making processes? And you know, are you being swayed by the fast music to make the impulse buy?

I will say this. I hadn't been inside of a Walmart in a very long time and recently I went into the Walmart in Jackson and I just did not feel well, like, and I don't know if that was just the general environment or if it was the music or whatever was going on, but the consensus was like, okay, no, this is not an enjoyable experience. And I hurried up and like, got all of what I needed on my list. It was for Autumn's Hawaiian themed dinner for her. I had to pick up all the things. So I very quickly like picked up everything that I needed and got out of there. So that's another testimony to like your, the environment. Music really does affect your shopping experience.

And when you think about large retailers like that, you know, you're dealing with a lot of people who are all trying to do a lot of different things. And when you've, you know, you're also catering to a lot of different music preferences there as well and trying to find something that's neutral, that's giving everyone kind of a similar shopping experience. Because if you could lean into something particularly trendy, you know, that might give a certain section of your, your shoppers a great experience. But then another section may absolutely hate modern pop music or something. So thinking about who your shoppers are and how you can cater to that. Sometimes a neutral classical music option might really be the best route for you.

This is very true. I was just at a couple of coffee shops this morning researching for a future episode, and both places had really great, like, light music playing in the background. What are your thoughts on using AI music in your retailers or for your retailers?

We haven't had a lot of retailers asking about that yet.

Okay.

I think the biggest thing that we do caution retailers on is licensing. We always want to. We encourage them to do their due diligence with licensing. As a commercial business, you should not just be hooking up your Spotify to your speaker. There are ways to license commercial music for your business use. There's lots of different options that you can look up online. But again, thinking through how even, like, throughout your day, you know, your music can change from the morning to the afternoon or into the evening.

That's a good point.

So thinking through that and these things can be automated. You know, that's where AI could come in. Using AI automations to, like, change your radio stations throughout the day. If you're a business that has long operating hours, sometimes you want your mornings to be a little bit more upbeat. Get your not only your customers, but also your staff awake and ready for your day. Your midday might be a little bit more of a neutral, and then your afternoon and evening might be a little bit more calming, you know, but depending on the environment, if you run a gym or something like that, you want to keep those vibes high all day long. This is very true. It really does depend on the demographic that you're serving, the kind of environment that you're trying to create, and the kind of behavior that you're trying to elicit from those customers.

Right. Some of the other things that I found out were retailers using music analytics report 15, 15 to 30% higher conversion rates. So that's something to think about. I didn't realize that, that, like, if you are consciously making an effort to, like, create that environment, you will get 30% more of a conversion rate from your customers.

I think that speaks very highly to the power of music in the mindset of your customers and in that creation of that shopping experience as a whole.

Absolutely. Another interesting question, can music in retail become intrusive or manipulative? And where do you draw the line?

Ooh, that's a good one. Yeah. As far as it being intrusive, we touched on the malls or other stores that have really loud music. Sometimes that is just part of the atmosphere and part of the brand.

Right.

But being mindful of that is important.

Yes.

And then as I mentioned too, being mindful of who your target demographic is and kind of catering. As much as small business owners would love to be able to listen to their favorite music all day long, they may not be their target market. And if you have control over the music playing in your store, catering to your audience and the people who are there, even throughout your day, if you, you serve an older generation in the morning and younger generation in the evening, you can cater that music to that and fuel the, the customer experience instead of hindering it.

I agree. I did want to kind of like share with you some of the genre brand pairings that I found, which it's really interesting because I'm like, oh, okay. This like locked in from being inside and around these brands. So Zara, their genre is deep house and ambient pop which I'm like, yes. H and M, more mainstream pop/edm which I have heard in, in that store and more of like the higher end stuff. Ralph Lauren is more jazz, classical, acoustic.

Yeah. All of this aligns with everything that we found.

Yes, yes. The other genre is like hospitality dining. So it's Starbucks. When you, when I say Starbucks to you, what comes to mind as far as music? Smooth jazz, indie, folk, jazz, bossa nova. What about Nobu, the restaurant in la? Ambient Japanese instrumental is what they go for there, which I mean that makes sense because it's more of a higher end type of place.

Yeah.

And then you had mentioned and touched on like the fitness and wellness industry, so I did find some information on that. So with Nike they are more genre towards hip hop, trap and energetic electronic music which is par for the course for them. And then Lululemon, which we did go into that store in Eastwood the other day and I can attest that this is what is in there. Chill electronic and ambient pop music. And then for the more like technology type of stores and electronics, Apple. When I say that what do you think is going to be playing in the background when you're like I'm going to go into an Apple store.

I think my go to would be modern pop or like not maybe electronic but like in that vibe. Yes.

So it's. Their genre is indie, electronic and minimal technical. Okay.

I wasn't far off without.

So the effect for that was futuristic, clean, innovative.

Let's see.

Ooh, the luxury department. This was pretty interesting as well. So Chanel, their genre is classical and French lounge music.

Makes sense.

Yes. The effect is timeless, elegance Exclusivity, Tesla, which I'm going to ask my brother who works for Tesla about this one. Theirs is ambient synth and futuristic pop.

Okay.

I've never been in a Tesla dealership or Tesla place, so I'd have to ask him. But when I say like BMW or Lexus, what comes to mind for those two?

I mean, I feel like those go more on the side of like a jazz or, I don't know, something with like a fuller body.

Yes. So Lexus has the jazz fusion, and then BMW has modern classical and deep, deep techno. And why these pairings work? Emotional congruence, target demographic, match, tempo and rhythm. Because tempo affects behavior.

And especially when you're talking about big purchases like a car.

Oh, yeah, that makes a big.

That makes a big difference.

Huge difference. Now I have some questions for you. What artists or composers influence you?

Oh, this season I have really been loving some Noah Kahn Hozier.

Oh, their song together with the Hoziers yell in it.

Oh, he's my favorite.

I love it.

I love a good lyricist. So those are big ones. I have been using music in my work day lately and listening to, like some main Character Energy playlists. I've got a lot of work to get done. All right. It certainly helps me focus. That's a big thing that I've noticed.

If I.

If I need to stay on task, I'll put on more upbeat music and that kind of helps me find a flow and find zone.

I like that.

So I really like that.

I like that. What's one unforgettable sound experience you've had in a non retail environment that inspired your work that you do now?

I mean, I'll harp on Noah Khan again, I guess. I went to a Noah Kahn concert a few falls ago out in Boston, and that whole experience, just watching how the crowd engaged and not only in his own music, but in the openers as well. Like, these were not necessarily artists that we were familiar with, but just the whole environment of the crowd was a really, really cool experience. I also went to a smaller band called the 502s. They're a folky, fun band. They're very upbeat and positive. And compared to a lot of the other concerts that I've gone to, that maybe the music is a little bit more mixed with your ups and your downs. The 502s was pretty much an up the whole time. And the environment, you could feel that everyone just felt very happy to be there and very positive. Whereas sometimes in the other concerts that I've been to, you feel Kind of the full range of emotions throughout. You know, they'll play some slower songs because they need a minute to like, breathe, but the 502s did not.

And they.

They really like powered through their whole set and it was just rise the whole time. And seeing how that energy shifted has definitely helped me think about how retailers can do that as well. And I said for myself, you know, the days that I know, like, I've got a lot I need to get done. I need to put on the right playlist to make sure my mindset's right so I stay focused and get through what I need to get through.

Exactly. If you could redesign the sound of any store, which would it be and why?

Oh, man. You know, I do a lot of shopping.

Yes.

So there's a lot of options. You know, I think it would be really cool if a grocery store could play different music in different departments. I recognize that that would create a lot of sound pollution and probably maybe not a great actual shopping experience in practice. But I think it would be very cool to have maybe instead of doing like overhead speakers, if the speakers were like in the. In the shelves or something. So you can have more like zonal specific things. You know, like if you're going through the baby section to have more like lullabies or something playing, like in your athletic section, you can have more upbeat, like, I don't know if I'm looking at some new sporting equipment. Like, why not get a little hyped about the game?

That's actually a really good idea. Maybe you're onto something there. Innovation of your own. Well, thank you so much for sitting down with me and chatting with me about this aspect of the music conversation. I appreciate you.

Thank you so much. It's been a pleasure to be here.

How can anybody get a hold of you if they would like to talk to you about this or the MRA?

Yeah. So our website is retailers.com. that's plural. And happy to talk to anyone. Membership is very affordable. We have. Our big passion is creating resources that are available for businesses big and small. So even for the most freshest entrepreneur, our due structure is very, very affordable and our resources and benefits are great for small businesses. So retailers.com and my email is vvedaretailers.com if you have any specific questions for me.

Wonderful. Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thanks for listening to this episode of Conversations with Kate. You can find more information on LCC Connect site as well as all social platforms, Facebook, Instagram, yes, TikTok as well. Big love.

This is WLNZ Lansing. You're listening to LCC Connect, a weekly program that features the voices, Vibes and vision of Lansing Community College. To find out more about LCC Connect programs or to listen on demand, Visit us@lccconnect.org LCC Connect, voices, vibes, Vision.