How to Start a Podcast: It's so Easy a Blind Guy can Do It!

But it's my opportunity to maybe dive deeper into a topic that was discussed in one of the previous episodes where I had interviewed a guest.

Or in like today's episode, it's me wanting to talk to you about a subject matter that I feel can be a benefit to you.

Teach you a little something, share my knowledge in the hope that it could be a benefit to you and what you're doing in your own life.

So today I'm actually sharing with you the same presentation that I recently gave as a speaker at Podfest Expo in Orlando, Florida.

This event was held over the Memorial Day weekend.

And yeah, I was on stage in front of a room full of people talking to podcasters.

Now, this presentation that I gave was directed at those who were thinking about starting a podcast or had recently started podcasting.

And chances are you may have thought at some point in time about starting your own podcast.

Maybe it was something to be a hobby, or maybe something to be an asset to your business.

Because to be honest, it's an incredible way to get your name out there, to build contacts.

And I just couldn't recommend podcasting enough for so many different reasons.

But there is a chance that you decided against it because once you started diving into it, you realized, wow, there's a lot to podcasting.

It's a little bit more difficult than I thought.

And well, there is, but I'm here to end the overwhelm.

Because, as my presentation for you is, you need to get started podcasting.

Why?

Because it's so easy, a blind guy can do it.

That's right.

Me, the blind guy, I've done it.

I'm two years running and have no plans of slowing down.

And so I want to share with you five quick wins to help you realize that you know what?

Maybe podcasting isn't so hard after all.

I don't really know what it is about us that we feel like we have to do it all, that we don't need to ask for help, that we shouldn't ask for help, because that somehow diminishes the fact of that we've done it ourselves.

Now, you may be thinking for the podcast.

Wow, there's a lot to it.

I've got to not only record the podcast, but then I've got to edit the podcast.

I've got to figure out how to put it out there to the world.

I've got to market the podcast, all the things.

Well, here's a tip for you: you don't have to do all the things.

There is somebody out there who you can hire to do the things that you don't like to do, or the things that you can't do, the things that you're not good at.

For myself, when I started the podcast, I went at it with the same mindset that I had to figure out how to do it all.

Well, it didn't take long for me to realize a blind guy in waveforms, whoa, that just doesn't go together.

So for me to sit down and try and edit my episode, I just was like, there's no way I can do it.

Well, thank goodness that I had that realization right off the bat and found a solution.

And that solution was me hiring a podcast editor.

That's right, she's the one who makes me sound good and is the only reason I'm able to produce a podcast.

You can hire somebody on sites like Fiverr, like I said, to do everything.

The intros to your podcast, if you want to make it sound professional with good music, or if you need a really good high-quality graphic for your podcast cover art.

Whatever it is, you don't have to do it all.

And I'm not saying that you have to plan on spending a lot of money either.

Do your research, get out there, and like I said, if it's a task that doesn't bring you joy that stresses you out, there's no sense in you worrying about doing it.

All right, point number two.

Sometimes you just really need to make a decision.

Now, I say this because in the podcasting space, it doesn't take long of diving into some podcasting groups on Facebook to see that everybody is wondering what microphone do I use?

Do I use a dynamic or condenser mic?

What podcast host platform do I use?

Everybody's overwhelmed, and everybody has an opinion on what is the best.

Here's my tip for you: just make a decision.

Now, if you're just starting a podcast, I don't recommend spending a lot of money because who knows if you're really going to enjoy this or not.

So go on Amazon, find a microphone that's good, but doesn't cost you a lot, and start out with that.

Because here's the cool thing: you can always change your mind later.

You can upgrade the microphone, you can upgrade your equipment.

That's what I did.

I didn't start out with the setup that I have today.

No, I started small, and then as I kept going and realized, wow, I'm really digging podcasting.

That's when I created my own little studio inside of my home that I have today.

So what I'm saying is just make a choice.

Don't let that stop you from moving forward.

Third tip everything is better with a friend.

So a lot of people, when they start out podcasting, as I did, you start out doing solo episodes like I'm doing today.

Well, to be honest with you, producing a solo episode is so much more difficult than doing an interview.

Why?

Well, because it's not really normal for us to sit down and talk to somebody with nobody else there, like I'm doing right now.

It takes practice, it takes time.

And so I recommend that either you get a co-host, so somebody who is gonna do every episode with you, you and a friend who, you know, you want to talk about whatever subject it is.

Or if you don't have a co-host, then I recommend bringing on a guest, somebody who you can talk to about whatever subject matter it is.

There's awesome platforms out there like podcastguests.com or Podmatch that make finding guests who are eager to be on podcasts super easy.

And I highly recommend both of them for finding a guest.

Or, you know, if it's something local you're doing, just reach out to some local business owners, somebody who maybe wants to promote their business.

And, you know, if their story, if their business aligns with what you're doing with your podcasts, bring them on as a guest.

Like I said, having a friend makes things a little bit easier.

Okay, fourth tip.

We're almost done.

I told you this is a quick win kind of episode.

You gotta fall in love with your voice.

Now, I know everybody hates the sound of their own voice.

It's just something that we all do.

But if you're gonna start podcasting, you're gonna have to get over that because you're gonna be listening to yourself all the time.

Because not only while you're recording the episode, you're gonna have on a pair of headphones.

Yes, you have to have headphones, and you're gonna have the volume turned up in a way that you actually hear yourself talking inside of the headset.

So you're gonna hear yourself in real time, but then after you're done recording, you're gonna have to listen to it.

Especially if you're editing your own stuff, you're gonna be listening to yourself a lot as you edit that episode.

But even if you send your recordings to an editor, you're still gonna have to listen to it after it's edited to be sure it all sounds good.

And so, what I'm telling you is, you gotta fall in love with your voice.

Because here's a little tip podcasting is audio.

So you get to look as good as you sound.

How cool is that?

So, ladies, you literally can have your hair pulled back in a ponytail, no makeup on, in your sweats, and you can be at that microphone with your lips all pursed and got that swagger going and make yourself just look mm, super good.

And meanwhile, you're just living life in the comfy zone.

So, what I'm saying is fall in love with your voice, make yourself sound as good as you want to look, and uh have some fun with it.

All right, last tip that is connections happen through conversations.

So I mentioned earlier about you considering to bring on a guest.

And here's the tip though: don't bring a guest on and go at it as if you are a reporter.

Because this is not a QA session.

Now, okay, maybe some podcast topics can get away with this.

But for most of them, people don't tune in to listen to a QA session.

They tune in to listen to a conversation.

So you may have a list of questions that you want to ask your guest, but be sure that those questions are merely a guide and that you are interacting with your guests, that you are responding to their answers, that you're having a true, honest conversation.

Because if you're not interested in the person you have on your podcast, don't have them on your podcast because that's gonna come across in the final product.

So, what I'm saying is be sure that you're only bringing people on your podcast who you are genuinely interested in learning more about.

And what's gonna happen is you're gonna have a better episode, a better podcast, and a better experience doing it.

Okay, I told you five quick wins, five tips from a blind guy for you on how to make your podcast easier to produce.

And in the end, you come away with a better experience overall.

I hope you enjoyed this quick win episode.

If you did, please be sure to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening to this podcast today.

And hey, if you would like some more help with your podcast or specifically with your business or life, please be sure to check out the show notes where you can contact me and see about working with me as a transformational life and business coach.

Have an amazing day.