The Clopen Effect

The Clopen Effect

Welcome to The Clopen Effect, a Funny Retail Podcast! Join us every week as we share our lives working in retail. Our lineup features fantastic guests, including local business owners, seasoned retail professionals, and the occasional surprise musician and artist. We're Basically Famous®!

Episodes

June 11, 2025 42 mins

We chat about how much time we actually spend in our cars, from sitting at red lights and waiting to turn left, to crawling through construction traffic and waiting in drive-thru lines. We also talk about how those minutes add up to days each year. We discuss coffee creamers and how we plan to make millions real soon.

$2/month keeps us recording and bringing you all the laughs! PLUS, you receive early episode releases and fun gifts!

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One of us now knows the danger of Dry Ice in a closed vehicle. Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide (CO₂). When it “melts,” it doesn’t become a liquid; it sublimates directly into a gas. That means it turns into carbon dioxide gas, which displaces oxygen in the air.

All The Clopen Links:

https://linktr.ee/theclopeneffect

$2/month keeps us recording and bringing you all the laughs!

https://the-clopen-effect.captivate.fm/suppor...

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What the heck is a WigglyBush!? We dug into America’s $176B landscaping obsession, wild HOA rules (no red mulch?!), and Cass’s yard glow-up thanks to Johnny. From mulch math to HOA drama, we laughed, learned, and maybe judged a lawn or two. Cass even aced the landscaping quiz, and Meredith learned about helicopter seeds. 🌱🎙️

All The Clopen Links:

https://linktr.ee/theclopeneffect

$2/month keeps us recording and bringing you all the ...

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May 24, 2025 37 mins

Can Cassandra guess all the grocery words before time runs out? PLUS, we dish on Costco culture and share some real talk about surgery recovery (yes, even the parts no one warns you about).

All The Clopen Links:

https://linktr.ee/theclopeneffect

$2/month keeps us recording and bringing you all the laughs!

https://the-clopen-effect.captivate.fm/support

👕 Buy Our Cool Merch:

https://www.zazzle.com/the_clopen_effect_t_shirt-2560380100...

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Happy 200th Episode to The Clopen Effect! Let's talk about mattresses.

Helpful Links:

All The Clopen Links: https://linktr.ee/theclopeneffect

Support the Show & Keep Us Recording: https://the-clopen-effect.captivate.fm/support

Buy Our Cool Merch: https://www.zazzle.com/the_clopen_effect_t_shirt-256038010043042814

💩 Check Out Our Other Podcast – Anxiety Makes Me Poop: Available wherever you listen!

🟢 30 Days to Building Re...

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May 3, 2025 95 mins

In this episode, Meredith and Julia talk pizza, pasta, and the Pope while traveling in Italy. Cassandra brings the sunny (and sometimes chaotic) energy of Florida. No deep dives here, just funny moments, quirky details, and the little differences we noticed between these two worlds. It’s all about enjoying the stories, sharing some smiles, and maybe leaving you craving a slice of pizza or a beach chair by the end.

🟢 30 Days to...

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April 4, 2025 58 mins

Kristen, owner of Aeon Gallery in Richmond, IL. joined us for laughs and a sneak peek into her Absinthe Lounge’s incredible upcoming vendor event, Spring Awakening, on April 27th! We chatted about her haunted photo book and the mysterious forces that knocked Moscow Mule mugs off the hooks. Good vibes, great art, and maybe a ghost or two - just how we like it. (Well, Cass is really only a fan of drinking spirits, not ...

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March 28, 2025 31 mins

Many choose Retail as a fast-paced, people-driven career for the energy, flexibility, and growth opportunities (sort of). It’s not always easy, but it builds strong skills, opens doors, and can even lead to big money at the top. We’ve also got some hilarious retail-themed movie quotes and titles to share because if you’ve worked retail, you know it’s basically a comedy show!

🟢 30 Days to Building Resilience in the Workplace:

ht...

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Ever wonder how credit cards went from old-school charge plates (cha-ching!) to the tap-to-pay magic we use today? In this episode, we take a fun look at the history of credit cards, their quirks, and how they’ve been hilariously portrayed in cartoons. From the first Diners Club card to Marge Simpson maxing out her limit, we cover the good, the bad, and the overdrawn. No finance degree is required...

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Let’s be honest: We’ve all been on some questionable virtual calls. From camera etiquette to knowing when (and when not) to unmute, we’re breaking down the dos and don’ts that make meetings smoother, more productive, and way less awkward. Whether you’re guilty of talking on mute, multitasking a little too hard, or enduring never-ending silences, this one’s for you!

Listen in, take notes (or don’t, we won’t k...

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March 4, 2025 47 mins

In this episode, we explore the history of cheese, including how it's been around for 7,000 years and how the largest cheese wheel ever made weighed 57,000 pounds! We also touched on fun cheese facts like the cheese cave in Missouri and the (gross) world of maggot cheese.

Plus, we celebrated 10 and 25-year wedding anniversaries!

All the Clopen links: https://linktr.ee/theclopeneffect

Suppor...

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February 28, 2025 46 mins

Here's a quick recap of the history of chocolate. And correct, Meredith never knows how to pronounce anything. It's all good:

Ancient Origins

Chocolate’s history dates back over 3,000 years to Mesoamerica (modern-day Mexico and Central America). The Olmecs (1500-400 BCE) were likely the first to cultivate cacao and use it for ceremonial drinks. Later, the Mayans and Aztecs adopted cacao, turning it into a bitter, s...

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February 14, 2025 44 mins

The five stages of grief... we mean, a retail work day. Also, pork shoulder butts, bad drivers and winter weather.

Building Resilience at Work - the certified course!

All the Clopen links: https://linktr.ee/theclopeneffect

Support us here to keep us recording: https://the-clopen-effect.captivate.fm/support

Buy merch here because it's cool: https://www.zazzle.com/the_clopen_effect_t_shirt-256038010043042814

All material, unless otherwise...

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February 9, 2025 51 mins

Let's talk third shift! We’re talking about the realities of overnight work with Hannah - she knows the ins and outs of the night shift grind. Download this episode for insights, a fun chat, and a quiz about living the late-night schedule!

#ThirdShift #NightShiftLife #AClopenEffect #podcast

Building Resilience in the workplace - new course from Meredith! Use code YOUR30DAYJOURNEY to save money!

All the Clopen links: https://linktr.ee/...

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January 31, 2025 36 mins

This week's episode is so fun! Here's a recap:

Funny Billboards – We've seen some of the wildest and cheesiest billboards, including lawyer ads and the infamous Brian Urlacher hair restoration billboards.

Hulk Hogan & Bret Michaels’ Bandana Hair Mystery – Why these guys love their headwear and how Bret Michaels keeps his rockstar look intact.

Every Rose Has Its Thorn – We had a mini rock nostalgia moment talking abo...

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January 21, 2025 33 mins

Cassandra's sister is here! "Win for Life" and what we dream of having forever, like free coffee, concert tickets, or no more bills. We also laugh about funny TikToks, with Meredith admitting she'll miss the jewelry reveal videos that brought her so much entertainment. Along the way, we poke fun at ourselves for aging into phrases like “reels” and “books on tape.” Jenn reads off great responses from our followers about what they’d ...

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January 7, 2025 45 mins

This is, without a doubt, the FUNNIEST episode we’ve ever recorded! Meredith got a Roomba for Christmas and finally settled on the perfect name: Obi-Wan Cleanobi. But that’s not all - download the episode to hear the hilarious list of other name options. From clever puns to pop culture gold to Star Wars-themed, this episode will have you laughing out loud!

All the Clopen links: https://linktr.ee/theclopeneffect

Su...

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December 30, 2024 43 mins

Meredith quizzes Cassandra on streaming services' taglines, and we uncover a couple of modern trends that people may regret in the next decade.

All the Clopen links: https://linktr.ee/theclopeneffect

Support us here to keep us recording: https://the-clopen-effect.captivate.fm/support

Buy merch here because it's cool: https://www.zazzle.com/the_clopen_effect_t_shirt-256038010043042814

All material, unless otherwise stated, written and p...

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Surviving retail during the holidays can feel like navigating a battlefield of long lines, stressed-out customers, and the relentless demand for cheer. And a cheesy list of funny retail sayings to bring 'humor' to the holiday madness.

All the Clopen links: https://linktr.ee/theclopeneffect

Support us here to keep us recording: https://the-clopen-effect.captivate.fm/support

Buy merch here because it's cool: https://www.zazzle.com/the_c...

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December 14, 2024 39 mins

"Captain Obvious" moments are when someone points out the glaringly obvious, hilariously unnecessary, or overly stated facts of a situation. They’re funny because they take something so basic and spell it out, making everyone stop and think, “Well, duh!” In this episode, we chat about painfully clear observations, including Meredith’s classic moment when she told a pricing team member just how busy the baking aisle was — because it...

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