Your fingers tremble as you grip each hold. Your foot slips, and your heart jumps a little higher. At last, you’re on the edge of conquering the peak. But instead of reaching the summit, the guide tells you, “This mountain isn’t for you. Go back down.”
The death of a dream hurts. You invest your energy in climbing a mountain you thought was yours only to face rejection at the top. But what separates you from the rest of the pack is how you learn from the failure. This applies to blogging, business, and even podcasting.
This week on The Portfolio Life, pro podcaster Jeff Brown and I talk about the trajectory of leaving a stable job to pursue a dream and what it really takes to make it in the world of podcasting.
Listen in as we discuss how Jeff’s background in radio prepared him for his new career, why he is singularly responsible for all of my success (you heard me), and what you need to know if you're thinking about starting a podcast.
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Building a professional podcast starts with this
No one wakes up one morning and decides to climb Mount Everest, expecting to be home in time for dinner. It requires months of preparation, not to mention years of climbing smaller peaks to build the necessary endurance.
Starting a professional podcast is no different — with the exception that you probably won’t die from exposure or gravity while recording an episode.
One reason many podcasts fail is the host neglects two important tenets of excellence: practice and preparedness. During our conversation, Jeff mentioned he spends more time preparing for a show and practicing the questions than actually interviewing his guest.
I thought that was interesting. If you want to launch a podcast that gets noticed and opens new doors of opportunity, you'll have to do the same. We become what we practice.
Show highlights
In this episode, Jeff Brown and I discuss:
- The trajectory of leaving a day job to pursue full-time entrepreneurship
- The long tail of revenge
- How to adapt to a changing market and thrive
- Key attributes to building a professional podcast
- Common podcasting mistakes
- How to get started and pick a podcast topic
- Selecting the right format
- Defining your ideal listener
- Tricks to expert interviewing techniques
- How to monetize a podcast
Quotes and Takeaways
- Failure is sometimes a friend in disguise.
- “Approach everything you do with excellence.” —Jeff Brown (Tweet)
- Don't be a jack of all trades, be a master of some.
- “Perfection is a moving target that prevents us from launching.” —Jeff Brown (Tweet)
- The hidden power of podcasting lies in your audience being able to hear your voice. It garners trust in a way text falls short.
- “Filling your head with facts and stories is only part of the equation. You actually have to start putting it into practice.” —Jeff Brown
- Avoid awkwardly addressing your audience (and why it works).
Resources
- Download the full interview transcript (PDF)
- Read to Lead Podcast
- Blinkist
Reminder: This is the last week to get your tickets to the Tribe Conference at the early price.
If you launched a podcast what would the topic and format be? Share in the comments