Do you want to start a podcast and build your personal and professional brand, but find yourself hesitating to take that crucial first step? 😅
I understand the fears and doubts that can hold us back from pursuing our podcasting dreams. That's why, as the host of How to Podcast from Home, I want to share my own experiences and insights to inspire and guide you in starting your podcast before you feel completely ready.
Hi, I’m Jamie Kennedy, the Executive Podcast Producer at Brave Moon Podcasts and I help health and fitness professionals build successful podcasts.
In this episode (and article!), we'll dive into the psychology, practical tools, and strategies that will empower you to overcome obstacles and embrace the journey of podcasting.
Together, let's discover why waiting for perfect equipment or a large audience is unnecessary, and how mistakes can actually fuel your growth.
In this episode, we talk about…
Embracing the Power of Starting Before You're Ready: As someone who deeply wanted to start my own podcast, I understand how fear can paralyze us. Through my own personal journey, I'll share the importance of taking that leap of faith and beginning your podcasting adventure, even if you feel unprepared. Discover the transformative impact of starting before you're ready and how it can lead to extraordinary results.
Practical Tools and Strategies: Let's tackle the practical aspects of podcasting. I'll guide you through effective time management strategies to prioritize podcasting amidst your busy schedule. We'll explore the essential equipment needed to kick-start your podcasting journey without breaking the bank. Additionally, we'll discuss the value of shifting our mindset from doing it for ourselves to serving others, and the benefits of seeking support from a podcast producer.
Embracing Imperfection and Learning from Mistakes: I want to assure you that perfection is not a prerequisite for podcasting success. In fact, embracing imperfection and recognizing that mistakes are inevitable can actually propel your growth as a podcaster. I'll share personal stories of stumbling over my words and encountering technical glitches, demonstrating how these moments can become valuable lessons on the road to improvement.
Empowerment to Take Action: Together, we'll cultivate a mindset of empowerment. I'll provide you with practical tips and motivating insights to help you overcome any barriers that have been holding you back. Whether you're a busy professional juggling multiple responsibilities or an aspiring podcaster seeking guidance, this episode will empower you to press that record button and embark on your podcasting journey. Let's turn your aspirations into reality.
Transcribed Podcast Episode
Do you dream about starting a podcast to build your personal and professional brand but haven't yet pursued action to make it happen? Or worse, feel that you’ve given up on your podcast before ever starting?
That’s exactly how I feel about this podcast.
I dreamed about this podcast a year ago. I sat on the idea for over six months. Would I have enough to talk about? Would I say the right things? What if I start and then nobody listens?
In December, I had a momentary burst of ideation and I quickly recorded my trailer. I designed my podcast cover in Canva. And, being the podcast producer I am, had it up on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, all within a week.
And then, guess what? It sat there for five months.
Why? Because the doubt creeped in again. What if I don’t say the right things? What if nobody wants to listen to me?
I also should preface this all by telling you right off the bat - I am an overthinker and a perfectionist. When I do something, I have the hardest time doing it at 50%. It’s like being asked for an apple and so I end up baking an apple pie for them instead. Hearing those words aloud, I know how ridiculous that sounds. But still, I do it.
That is what happened with my podcast. I really wanted to start it but, I got into my fear about everything and ended up leaving it in the dust. At least, temporarily.
Because, about a month ago, I started working with a new podcaster. In her career and life, this woman is so impressive. She’s been in a leadership role for over 12 years, managed every size team and is now an executive director at one of the top-tiered universities in California. Feeling like she was in a bit of a rut in her career, she came to me with the glimmer of an idea to start a podcast.
From the first moment we chatted, I was adamant and passionate for her! I told her how a podcast would be perfect for her. That she didn’t have to sit back and idly wait for a new opportunity to pull her out of her rut. That she could take the reins of her own life and start a passion project that really meant to her. That not a single podcast episode would be wasted because ultimately, every episode is a step toward building her personal and professional brand.
So we worked together to establish her target audience and niche. She would share everything she knows about being a leader, spin the story of what makes a good manager, and challenge the status quo of corporate America. Two episodes in and she has already smashed through one of the KPIs we set for her.
And here I was, afraid to hit record on my first episode.
And that is when a little voice whispered to me… Start before you are ready. Start with apples, not apple pies. Meaning, start with one episode and slowly start building out an entire podcast season.
So here I am, recording my first episode. And guess what? It seemed only fitting that we’re going to talk about the psychology, practical tools and strategies that you can use to start before you are ready.
Before we jump into today’s topic, you should know a little about what I do at Brave Moon Podcasts. I am a podcast producer, and I help busy professionals launch and build successful podcasts from home. And if you couldn’t guess, home is exactly where I am right now, recording from my cute little office in the back corner of the apartment I share with my husband and my adorable dog Riggs. Podcasting from home is 100% achievable, especially with the modern, technical audio equipment being made today at accessible prices for all. To learn more about what I do, you can jump on my website AND be sure to download my free Start-a-Podcast guide, which houses my comprehensive start-a-podcast checklist plus my top recommendations for audio equipment, podcast host and recording platforms. To download, you’ll sign up for my emails where I send you fast, fun, free updates on the best podcast news and tips - which you can unsubscribe to at any time. Check out the links in my show notes now!
In every episode of my podcast, you’re going to find two gems. The first is going to be hidden somewhere in the episode - I’m not going to tell you where but, when you hear it, you’ll know because it’s going to be a quote from an expert storyteller, philosophist or podcast who knows what they’re doing. Your mission is to write that person’s name down and, every month, I’m going to jump on my Instagram and ask you to share one quote or person you heard about on the podcast. Sounds good? Good.
And the second gem you’ll find in every episode is a list of the 5 Hacks You Need to Know about a given topic.
So first, let’s start with talking about what it means to start a podcast before you’re ready.
Podcasts have become an increasingly popular medium for sharing stories, insights, and advice on a wide range of topics. But for many people, the thought of starting a podcast can be daunting. You may feel you need to have all the right equipment, a perfectly polished script, and a large audience before you can even consider launching your own podcast. However, the truth is that it’s better to start before you’re ready.
Starting a podcast can be a lot like starting any new venture. There will always be a million reasons not to do it. You might feel like you don’t have enough time, you might worry that you don’t have anything interesting to say, or you might be concerned that your voice isn’t right for podcasting. Other things I hear from my podcasters are things like: I’m too busy, I won’t be able to keep it up, I don’t know what to talk about. These are all valid concerns, but they are also obstacles that you can overcome.
One of the best things about podcasts is that they can be created with relatively little equipment. You don’t need to invest thousands of dollars in high-end equipment or a professional studio to get started. All you really need is a computer or smartphone, a microphone and basic editing software. You can then record your show from the comfort of your own home and upload it to a hosting platform like Spotify for Podcasters with just a few clicks. To put this in perspective, I work with one of the world's largest gym brands on their podcast. And the host? Records from home with $150 mic and uses a recording platform that costs less than $20 a month. Anyone, big or small, can record a podcast from home.
If you’re looking for great audio equipment you can purchase today directly from Amazon, check out my free start-a-podcast guide which I’ve linked for you in the show notes. No seriously, you can buy a great microphone for under $70 USD today.
Another important thing to remember is that your podcast doesn’t need to be perfect from the get-go. I know, take it from the turning apple-into-apple pie girl. You will inevitably make mistakes, stumble over your words, and have technical issues along the way. Similar to what you’re hearing today! Even as a podcast producer, I know I’m making mistakes and I know I could be doing this better or promoting this better in some way I don’t even know about yet, but I'm still here, showing up for you and this podcast and doing it because I really, really want this to be my reality.
And it’s all part of the learning process. See, the mistakes, the errors and problem-solving will only make you better as you continue to make new episodes. You’ll find your footing, you’ll find your workflow and you’ll ask for feedback and recommendations that will help make your podcast the best it can be. In fact, many of the most successful podcasters started out with less-than-perfect shows, but they kept going and eventually found their voice. If you don’t believe me, go back and listen to the first couple episodes of your favorite podcast and see if they sound any different. Whether it’s audio quality, interview questions and conversation flow or confidence in tone, you’ll usually see a huge improvement as the episodes progress.
And whether you listened to them from the beginning or no, these subtle improvements every single time isn’t registering to you. What registers to you, as the listener, is the connection you’re building with the podcaster. The loyalty you feel with the community they’ve built. That’s what matters the most.
Starting before you’re ready can help you build momentum and gain confidence. The longer you wait to launch your show, the more time you have to talk yourself out of it. Look at me, I spent almost a year talking myself out of it simply because I couldn’t talk myself into it! But if you take the plunge and release your first episode, you’ll have taken a crucial first step towards achieving your podcasting goals. And as you continue to produce episodes and build an audience, you’ll become more comfortable with the process and more confident in your abilities.
Of course, starting a podcast before you’re ready isn’t always easy. You are going to have to leave your old routine behind to fit your podcast into your new weekly routine. You’re going to have to re-prioritize things. You’re going to have to keep going even when you’re not getting the external validation you deserve. It can be scary to put yourself out there, and it can be frustrating to struggle with technical issues or other challenges.
But the rewards can be enormous. Podcasting can be a powerful way to connect with others, share your knowledge and experiences, and build a platform for your ideas. And the sooner you start, the sooner you can begin to reap these benefits.
Here’s 5 Hacks to Starting a Podcast Before You’re Ready.
#1 - Motivation Comes After Action, Not Before. This is really confusing for a lot of people but it's the most important lesson you’ll ever learn. It can be applied to so many things. Going to the gym doesn’t take motivation, it takes action. Reading a book doesn’t take motivation, it takes action. Starting a podcast doesn’t take motivation, it takes action. Regardless of what you want to motivate, the answer always begins with action. It’s how our brains work. Once you start the action and continue with the action, your brain starts to release the necessary hormones and scienc-y stuff to turn your action into a routine (which could be referred to as when you get “motivation”). But until that point, you are going to need to go against every natural instinct you have to move beyond your current routine and start doing the thing you want to do. In this case, a podcast.
#2 - You’re not too busy. You’re just not prioritizing this to make this happen. It’s a harsh truth to hear. But what you’re doing on a daily basis is what you are prioritizing. It may feel like you don’t have a choice - and frankly, some things you don’t. You have kids, you have a job, you have obligations. Believe me, I get it because I have them too. But is there any wiggle room? Do you work more hours than you actually owe your job? Do you spend time on your phone or social media and then look up to notice the sky darkened? Can you ask someone to help you with parenting ? Can you be okay with the kids getting one hour of television so you can prioritize some “me-time”? You are busy. I know that. You don’t have to change anything you’re doing. But what I’m asking is, is there anything you can reprioritize to make this dream of yours come true?
#3 - You don’t need fancy equipment, you can record with your smartphone. At the bare minimum, you can, in fact, record your podcast with your smartphone. Personally, I do recommend investing a small amount in your microphone and accessories setup. I mentioned earlier that I have a start-a-podcast checklist and you’re welcome to check that out in my show notes. Every microphone and accessories setup I recommend is under $500.
#4 - Stop focusing on doing the podcast for you, and start doing it to serve others. This is such an important life lesson. You can definitely start a podcast for yourself but, oftentimes, these reasons can be superficial. But the moment you realize that your podcast about building a community, connecting with like minded individuals and ultimately helping them on their journey, is the moment your podcast becomes bigger than you. So every time you start to worry that your podcast isn’t perfect or you’ve made a mistake, you’ll also be able to remind yourself that you are doing the podcast because it’s helping others grow. And that’s a really special mindset to have.
#5 - Hire a podcast producer. You knew I had to throw in this hack here, right? As tacky as it is to mention my services, you should know that hiring a podcast producer is going to be the best solution to starting a podcast before you are ready. In my launch package, I help you strategize, plan and niche your podcast. I will help you decide a name. I help you with theme music, podcast description, scriptwriting, the trailer, cover art and get you on the listening platforms you dream about like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Plus I take care of editing and scheduling your first 4 episodes. I’ve included a link in the show notes, and you’re welcome to check that out.
“You’re going to be terrible at a lot of things for years until you’re successful. People probably aren’t going to listen to your podcast initially. But if you like it and you keep putting it out, people will find it.” - Keith Kingbay, Co-Host of ‘New Player Has Joined’
Let’s dive into tangible, accessible programs, techniques and advice you can use today to launch and build your podcast.
Primarily - choose a topic. The question I ask every new podcaster is, “What do you want people to know about you, personally and professionally?” Oftentimes, your answer gets to the heart of the matter. We all want to be known for something. For me, it’s storytelling and podcasting. For my podcaster Megan Scollay-Casillas, it’s leadership. For my other podcaster Meg Durham, it’s wellbeing for teachers. We all have something we’re passionate about - and that we want the world to see, too. And oftentimes, what you’re most passionate about is actually something you can teach others about, too. So choose a topic and then decide who do you want to teach it to? In other words, who is your target audience and listener?
I have a podcast niche worksheet. This is a comprehensive podcast niche worksheet that will take you from confused to confident in your podcast niche.
The best part is the worksheet also helps you ideate a name for your podcast. Check out the link in the show notes for access to that worksheet - it’s free!
And that leads to my second piece of advice. It’s time to choose a name. Choosing a name can be very intimidating! But don’t worry, in the show notes, you’ll not only find the podcast niche worksheet but, I’ve also included a link to my favorite article about what to do and not do when choosing a podcast name.
You’re very welcome to email me hello@bravemoonpodcasts.com and share what you’ve chosen as your topic and name. I’d be happy to provide feedback!
Up next is planning your content. Once you’ve got your niche, topic, target audience and name nailed down, my best piece of advice is to jump on ChatGPT. Yep. I’m here to offer you effective, easy, streamlined ways to start a podcast, and jumping on ChatGPT will speed up your podcasting process immensely. So here’s what you do: sign up for ChatGPT for free (yes, it’s free, no matter how many times you use it!).
Then prompt ChatGPT with something similar to the following phrase, “Please provide me with 52 content ideas for my podcast about [insert niche] targeting [insert audience] named [insert podcast name]. I promise you that ChatGPT will come back with 52 content ideas very quickly.
And guess what? That’s 1 year of content for a weekly podcast. Granted, you still have to expand on the content and script it in your tone of voice. But hello, ChatGPT just saved you hours of research and brainstorming.
The next step is to start recording your episodes. I’m going to stop you right now before you spend hours and hours researching the countless number of options out there for recording programs. Because there really are so many. What you need is Podcastle. That’s it. I swear to you, Podcastle is your answer.
Podcastle is the most comprehensive program I've found on the market. It not only records audio and video but, it also allows you to set up remote recordings with co-hosts, guests and anyone else you want to talk to on your podcast. Every person is recorded locally, which is essentially the most important part of recording a podcast. It also records on separate tracks so you don’t have to worry about background noise from your guest nor yucky crossovers when you accidentally interrupt each other.
Granted, everything I’ve just said is also offered on Riverside, Squadcast, Zencastr, etc. But! The best part about Podcastle is that it’s also a multitrack editor. You can actually edit your podcast from its web browser-based platform. You can add and edit multiple tracks of audio, you can add copyright-free music and sound effects - all from its platform. The platform also does auto-leveling so it sets you up with the exact audio levels you should have on a podcast and it masters your sound beautifully. Then Podcastle bundles it all up into one easy track for you to upload to your podcast host!
I recommend batching your first 3 episodes at least before going live with your first episode. Batching is an incredible tool to help you stay on top of your task list and ensure you’re always ahead of the game. I called precrastination and it’s really key to a successful podcast.
Once you’ve recorded and edited your first few episodes, it’s time to add your podcast to the listening platforms. Your top three listening platforms (as of May 2023) are Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. Really it’s just Spotify and Apple Podcasts as those two platforms make up about 93% of all listeners but, I like to add Google Podcasts in there as the third listening platform to ensure you’re on.
But how to get your podcast on those listening platforms? The key is finding a podcast host. And I’m going to do it again for you - stop the hours of research and listen to me - Acast is the listening platform to join. Not only do they have a comprehensive free version (unlike many other platforms) but they also are IAB-certified, very user-friendly and have great analytics. There is a premium version of their product, which I do recommend but it's not necessary to start.
Once you’re set up on the podcast host, you can publish and distribute to all the best listening platforms directly through Acast - for free. I’ve included a link to Acast in my show notes.
Two other steps you should take before launching your first episode is to create your podcast artwork and to write your podcast description.
For your podcast artwork, the easiest route to take is via Canva. There is a free version but I absolutely love Canva Pro features and think it’s worth every penny. If you haven’t checked out Canva yet, I’ve shared a link to it in my show notes. It’s essentially a comprehensive artwork tool, web-based, that makes design really easy for anyone. You can actually type Podcast Cover Art into the template search and it will come back with hundreds of options for you to use. All you have to do is choose a template you love, add your photo and color scheme and there you go!
That said, I’d be remiss to not share that we offer in-house graphic design artwork that is next level. The graphic designer on my team is truly an exceptional human on every level. He has designed podcast cover art and brand kits for my clients and he does an absolutely amazing job. I couldn’t recommend him enough. If you’re interested in working with him, please email me and we’ll chat about his services. I’ll share my email address in the show notes, but it’s hello@bravemoonpodcasts.com.
And that, podcaster friend, is how you start before you are ready. Listen, I am so excited you’ve just listened to this episode. It means you have really taken the first step toward starting your podcast and that’s just amazing. I’m so glad I got to be a part of your journey.
If you have interest in working with me directly, via a coaching session or via my interactive Remote Podcasting Made Easy training, please reach out to me today. Email me or visit www.bravemoonpodcasts.com to learn more about what my team and I do at Brave Moon Podcasts.
Resources Mentioned:
Podcast Niche Worksheet: Access this valuable resource for just $29 today to help you define your podcast's niche effectively.
Avoid These 7 Common Mistakes When Naming Your Podcast: Read the insightful article to ensure your podcast has a captivating and memorable name.
ChatGPT for Podcast Topic Ideation: Utilize this AI-powered tool to generate 52 content ideas tailored to your podcast's niche and target audience.
Podcastle: Begin your podcasting journey with three hours free on Podcastle, and if you decide to continue, enjoy a 50% discount on your first month using the code 'BRAVEMOON'.
Acast: Explore Acast as your podcast host and take advantage of their free distribution to the best listening platforms.
Canva: Design your podcast thumbnail and promotional artwork effortlessly using Canva's user-friendly platform.
Quotes:
"I really wanted to start [my podcast] but, I got into my fear about everything and ended up leaving it in the dust." - Jamie Kennedy
"You don’t need to invest thousands of dollars in high-end equipment or a professional studio to get started." - Jamie Kennedy
"Your podcast doesn’t need to be perfect from the get-go. You will inevitably make mistakes, stumble over your words, and have technical issues along the way." - Jamie Kennedy
"Starting before you’re ready can help you to build momentum and gain confidence." - Jamie Kennedy
"You’re not too busy. You’re just not prioritizing this to make it happen." - Jamie Kennedy
"Stop focusing on doing the podcast for you, and start doing it to serve others." - Jamie Kennedy
For You, On Us
Start your podcasting journey confidently with our beginner-friendly guide. Simplify the process of launching your own show from home. Download our 'Podcast Launch Guide' and begin sharing your voice with the world!
Happy podcasting.
