← The Goal Digger Podcast | Top Business and Marketing Podcast for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, and Women in Business
The Goal Digger Podcast | Top Business and Marketing Podcast for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, and Women in Business
893: The Easiest Podcast System for Creators Who Want to Start Strong and Grow with Ease
00:52:17
With Megan Kennedy and Jenna Kutcher
Loading summary
Transcript155 lines
- [00:02]
Jenna Kutcher
Today's episode is sponsored in part by Shopify, Cozy and Greenlight Join millions of entrepreneurs using Shopify, the global commerce platform that helps you grow your business. Start your $1 a month trial at shopify.com golddigger Transform your living space today with cozy. Visit cozy.com the Home of Possibilities made easy and teach your kids real world money skills with Greenlight. Start your risk free trial today@greenlight.com Golddigger as always, you can all of our incredible deals in the show notes. Now let's dive in. I know you're in a stage of life where you're just like juggling like is it worth it? And so figure out what will make it worth it, right? But I will argue until I'm blue in the face that an hour spent recording a podcast versus an hour spent creating a reel will 1000 times always be worth it in my opinion. Jenna I'm Jenna Kutcher, your host of the Gold Digger podcast. I escaped the corporate world at the age of 23 with nothing more than a $300 camera from Craigslist and a dream. Now I'm running a seven figure online business that feels even better than it looks. All from my house in small town Minnesota with my family here, we value time as our currency. We mix the woo and the work and we are in the pursuit of building businesses that give us the freedom to live lives that we love. I've always loved turning big goals into reality and here to help you do the same. This isn't just a peek behind the curtain. Come along with me and my guests as we tear the whole curtain down. Every week we tackle practical no fluff marketing strategies and host honest discussions on what works and what doesn't. Join me and my expert guests for actionable insights to help you grow your dream business with confidence. Pull up a seat and get ready to be challenged, inspired and empowered. This is the Goal Digger podcast. What if the secret to growing your podcast, like getting more listeners, more engagement and more traction, wasn't about going viral, but about being strategic, intentional, and just a little bit scrappy? Today's coaching episode is such a treat because we're answering the real questions so many podcasters are asking, especially the ones juggling businesses, family and everything in between. Meet Megan Kennedy. She is a gold digger, listener and a wellness entrepreneur, a holistic nutritionist and a mom of three boys. She is the founder of many different businesses including the Natural Vibe Wellness Market, the Vibe Smoothie Bar, the well Room, and somehow she's also the host of a Podcast called Wellness Uncomplicated. Megan came to me with a powerhouse list of questions, like, what actually helped people find the Gold Digger podcast in the early days? And if I only had a few hours a week, what would actually be worth focusing on? And should your face and story be front and center, or should you let your business lead the way? Whether you are just starting out or feeling stuck in the noise, this conversation is packed with clarity, strategy, and heart, all tailored to help you grow your show in a way that actually feels doable. And hey, if this episode has you thinking, maybe it's time that I finally start my podcast. I've got something for you. It's my free class, Podcasting 101, how to Start, record, and profit from your show. It'll walk you through the exact steps I use to launch and grow Gold Digger and the steps that thousands of podcasters have used to. You're going to learn this system and you can register right now for free at freepodcastclass. Com. That link is also waiting for you in the show notes. Go check out that free masterclass all about podcasting, where we cover a lot of the things I'm talking to Megan about today. All right, let's get into it. Megan Kennedy, welcome to the Gold Digger podcast. All right, we are having another coaching conversation today. Megan, welcome to the podcast.
- [03:53]
Megan Kennedy
Thank you for having me. I'm so excited.
- [03:56]
Jenna Kutcher
Yes. Okay, so set the stage for me and also for our listeners. Where are you at? What are you working on? And then we'll dive into your questions.
- [04:04]
Megan Kennedy
Okay, so I am from St. John's Newfoundland, Canada, and my journey into my wellness podcast basically starts when I'm in high school and I'll give the Reader's Digest version, but it kind of sets things up. So my parents had just gone through a divorce and my mom was back in the job force and. And came across an interview for a health food store. So she went down for the interview, found out the store was for sale, and ended up taking all of her savings and purchasing this health food store. Back in 1999, in this small town of 15,000 people, people thought she was absolutely crazy. And she calls me up at school and says, do you want a job? And I said yes. So I came on down to the store. We learned together. I fell in love with wellness and. And also had another passion for acting. So went away, did that in musical theater school, landed a job in Tokyo Disney, worked as a princess, was super fun, stayed in Japan for about five years. And then the earthquake tsunami happened, so headed Back to Newfoundland after that. And at first thought I was going to go into journalism. I had a job lined up, but that fell through and started to do some real soul searching. So a friend of mine said, when you're in a bookstore at a magazine rack, back when magazines were popular, she said, what section are you most drawn to? And for me, it was obviously health and wellness. It was a passion I've had forever. So I called my mom up at the time, and I said, hey, do you want to open up another store together here in St. John's she said, yes. So we opened up the store. A year later, my husband came on board. We started having some kids. I finished my holistic nutritionist, and then I decided in 2020 to start a podcast. After listening to you for years, I think I was there from pretty much day one. And started this podcast in 2020. January 2020. Then, of course, some life happened. I got to episode five or six, ended up having a miscarriage, and then Covid hit. So it was like all of this happened at once. Had to step back into my business, more on the floor full time, and with a young child, something just had to give. So the podcast, unfortunately, had to get pushed to the side. Although very much in my heart, life kept happening. Took over some more businesses and had a few more kids. And in 2025, I made the decision to meet with this beautiful business coach. And she was helping me grow my businesses. And I think she could sense that I still had this podcast very much on my heart and. And wanting to share all of this wonderful information with people. So she helped me get started again. And originally it was going to be called Wellness with Meg. And right before I was about to launch, I just had this, like, epiphany moment where I was so fed up by all the information online where, like, you go on one day and it's like, eggs are healthy, and then you go on next. It's like, eggs are the worst thing ever. And I was just like, it's not that complicated. And then it was like, okay, this podcast needs to be called Wellness Uncomplicated, targeted for busy women. And so here we are. I'm in at episode six or seven, and I'm so excited to have this. This master class with you today.
- [07:29]
Jenna Kutcher
Oh, my gosh. Well, I'm so sorry for your loss. Obviously, I know exactly what that's like, so I'm thinking of you. And I'm also dying to know, because my daughters will kill me if I don't ask, what princess were you so that I can tell them that I spoke with a real life princess today.
- [07:45]
Megan Kennedy
Well, I was primarily Ariel, as you can probably tell.
- [07:49]
Jenna Kutcher
Right? Yes.
- [07:51]
Megan Kennedy
Did a little bit of Cinderella and actually got to have some fun with Cruella de Vil, which was love.
- [07:56]
Jenna Kutcher
Okay.
- [07:57]
Megan Kennedy
Yes.
- [07:57]
Jenna Kutcher
This is amazing. Oh, my gosh. Okay. You prepared the most amazing questions. You're incredibly thoughtful. So let's dive in so we can get to as many of them as we possibly can.
- [08:08]
Megan Kennedy
Okay, sounds great. So. So, as you know, the podcasting world right now is very busy. I think I had heard somewhere that said, like, once you turn 40, you either start a podcast, run a marathon, or get a puppy. So we are in a very busy space. And I want to know, when you first started out with Gold Digger, what moved the needle for you the most? So, for example, you know, people finding your show subscribers and what made them keep coming back? So what were those key things in the beginning that you did that really helped your podcast be found?
- [08:44]
Jenna Kutcher
I love this. Podcasting is exploding, and rightfully so. It is, like the only medium that is increasing exponentially from shows as well as listenership as well as ads. So it's kind of like this beautiful storm of, like, all the things are working in terms of podcasting. So I love that meme, because I'm like, yeah, do it. So let me tell you what I wish I would have done, because I think that actually might be even more helpful than going back almost eight years, because obviously things have changed so much. So one of the things I wish I would have done and that I think every podcaster should do right now is instead of looking at just your show, because your show is your baby and you're trying to grow, your show is thinking through smart collaborations. I did an aspect of this, but I would take it to, like, 2.0 if I were to do it again. So when I first started, I had popular names on my show that were just popular in my niche, so they didn't have massive followings. But there are people, recognizable names in, like, the photography world, basically. And so that was helpful, and I think it is still helpful, because podcasting is very much related to SEO search engine optimization in the sense of podcasting platforms are using keywords just like other platforms would use, like, Google. And so if you can get names that people in your niche know and respect, if they type in that person's name and your show pops up, it's a great discoverability. But the 2.0 on this would also be. Megan is figuring out if there are other podcasts out there that you can do guest swaps so they come on your show and you go on their show. Now why this is important is you are getting access to people that are already listening to a show. Right? And what I love about podcasting the most is because I'm such a, like community over competition, girly, is that podcast listeners listen to podcasts. Plural, right? Like in any given week, I could be listening to like a pop culture, a health podcast, a business podcast, a market marketing podcast, a Bravo TV recap podcast. You name it, I could be listening to it. And so gaining access to people that are already listening to podcasts versus trying to get people who are not into podcasting to listen to a podcast is a great way. So I would say looking for guest swaps and collaborations, it's also great in terms of scheduling, where it's like, I interview you, you interview me. Great way to do it. So that's something I wish I would have done, but that would be something like early collaborations are a really great way. Another thing, and I think we can go deeper on this as well, is looking at like, how can you leverage platforms that have longevity to support your podcast? So one of the things I love about podcasting is that people are always going back and listening to old shows. So about half of our downloads every month come from our new episodes dropping, but about half of them come from old episodes. So whether people are specifically seeking out specific topics or they're scrolling back into the archives to re listen to something. And so looking at other platforms that support long term success versus say, social media, where things live and die so quickly, that's something that I wish I would have focused on earlier, and I sort of did. But again, I would totally take that to the next notch. So what I'm talking about here is Pinterest, which we can talk about too, but basically letting that content live on longer than when you hit publish, because there's always going to be new episodes dropping. But how do we make sure that the content you created two months ago is still getting listened to? Right. And then the last thing I would say is being consistent, which is so hard. Right. And something that so many people struggle with. I want to say there is a statistic out there. I think it was 71%. I could be off on this, but most podcasters stop after episode seven.
- [12:29]
Megan Kennedy
Yes, exactly.
- [12:30]
Jenna Kutcher
That's a real thing. Like pod burnout is a real thing. So it's not just you, it's. It's a lot of people. And I think that when you can start to build consistency and kind of flex that consistency muscle, that is what is going to build loyalty. Where you just become like, okay, Megan's dropping. Oh, a new episode's coming out and that'll work. And I think that's something I did well and that helped so much. So those would be the three things that I would focus on in terms of moving the needle. So collaborations, strategic, long term ways to market your show, and then consistency.
- [13:05]
Megan Kennedy
I love that. That's so helpful and such great advice. And it kind of leads me into my next question. So sweet. As a mom, busy entrepreneur, doing all the things and now have this wonderful podcast. What would you do if you had two hours a week, what would you do to really make the biggest impact with the little time that you have to market the show?
- [13:33]
Jenna Kutcher
Yes. Okay, so one thing that I think is interesting is when you're podcasting. So some people podcast as their career, right? So it's like that's their thing. Very few people are able to do that.
- [13:46]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [13:46]
Jenna Kutcher
But some people do. Most people do it to support their career or their passions or the other areas of their life. And I would say that that's where most people live and most of my people live there as well. And so when you're looking at a limited amount of time, we want to treat time as your currency and to be really thoughtful with it. So one of the things that I do is I love to batch work. So even today, Megan, I have been recording for the last three hours and I still have one more hour. I have five hours of recording today. That's not like totally normal, but for me it's like I built the stamina. Yeah, I've done this enough time. And so when I record, it's like it takes time to like set things up. Get your microphones, get your headphones, get in the mindset. Like when I first start recording every day without fail, it takes me like eight takes to say a complete sentence. It's like I've forgotten how to speak again. Right?
- [14:37]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [14:38]
Jenna Kutcher
And so batching is an amazing way to just figure out. So I always try to have all my thoughts together, any outlines, anything I need done separately so that when I sit down to record, it's just recording. Because if I get frustrated when I'm recording, game over. Right. That episode's gonna suck. Or if I'm like, what did I mean by that bullet point? I have no idea what I was trying to say. And so I try to like do the prep separate. One thing that I think Would be really interesting to consider. And this might be something a little off the wall, but I have been listening to podcasts where people are recording their podcasts, let's say, on their commute into work, and it's like they're batching in a way that makes sense for them. Or I listened to one the other day and the woman was literally on a walk and taking you on a walk. So she's like, get your shoes on, we're going on a walk together. And so for some people, that might work. Now, I am a little bit picky when it comes to, like, audio quality, and I feel like I'd be like, huffing and puffing my microphone if I did that. But for some people, that's how they stay consistent. And I respect the game. Yeah, if I had a few hours, so I would batch record and I would consider doing shorter episodes and really just thinking through. They don't need to be hour long monologues. Like, if you can deliver content in 10, 20, 30, 30 minutes, girl, do it. The other thing I would think of is how am I going to promote the episode? So one of the biggest traps that people get into with podcasting is we get so excited about the creation of the podcast itself that we do such a crappy job of leading people to the creation so that they can enjoy it. Right? Yeah. You're pointing at yourself. You're like, yeah. And so it's kind of like. And I see you have this in you just from the way that you created questions for this episode. If you could take just some of that intentional thinking that you put into writing the right questions and putting it into, how can I promote this thing so that it actually reaches the people I created it for? That's where I think your time would be best spent.
- [16:42]
Megan Kennedy
Okay.
- [16:43]
Jenna Kutcher
And the last part of that would be thinking of like, how can I repurpose either what I've already done or what I'm currently creating instead of focusing on reinventing? So what are some smart strategies to take something that's already been created and think about promoting it? It's kind of like Pareto's principle, where right now most creators are creating 90% of the time thinking about the promotion of that creation 10% of the time?
- [17:08]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [17:09]
Jenna Kutcher
How can we flip that with limited hours so that you're creating 10, 20% of the time, but promoting those creations more? So that's kind of what I would consider what resonates with you in that because you know your time constraints and you know what's real in your life.
- [17:23]
Megan Kennedy
Yes. I love the idea of batch recording. I think that's something that I'm going to find really useful because right now it's just week to week to week and then it kind of gets a.
- [17:31]
Jenna Kutcher
Little like it feels like treadmilly. Right? Like it feels a little panicky.
- [17:35]
Megan Kennedy
It does, it does. It's not a great feeling. But then I also know I'm putting all this time and intention into my episodes, but then I'm definitely not promoting them enough. And then I'm wondering, oh, why don't I have enough listens or downloads or so I think, you know, maybe it's not just batching the episodes, but also being more intentional too, like you said, with how I'm promoting it and maybe take the perfectionism out of my brain and just a lot of the things I talk about in my podcast I'm doing throughout my day or incorporating. So maybe it's just like sticking the camera up while I'm cooking my dinner or you know, doing whatever and just using that and being okay with it not being perfect. Because that's where I think, as you know, I'm, I'm very like, I think things through a lot of things. So letting go of that perfectionism, filming throughout the day and just kind of making that game plan, I think will probably really help promote.
- [18:30]
Jenna Kutcher
This message is sponsored by Greenlight. As a mom, I've been thinking a lot about how to teach my kids real money lessons. The other day I took them to Target and Coco picked out a toy. She had her little purse with her. So I pulled out the amount of money she would need to spend in order to buy that toy to help her make her decision. But let's be honest, as a mom, carrying around a kid's purse with $50 and change is not fun. So I started researching better ways to teach her about money. And that's how I found Green Light. Greenlight is a debit card and money app for families that helps kids learn to save, spend and invest wisely. With parents always staying in control. I love that you can assign chores, send money to their kid wallet, and keep an eye on how they use it. It turns everyday moments into money lessons that stick. Green Light is the easy, convenient way for parents to raise financially smart kids and for families to navigate life together. Maybe that's why millions of parents trust and kids love learning about money on Green Light, the number one family finance and safety app. Don't wait to teach your kids real world money skills. Start your risk free Green Light trial today@greenlight.com golddigger that's greenlight.com goal digger to get started started greenlight.com gold digger when I first launched my own digital shop, it was to share tools I'd originally created for myself. Things like templates, pricing guides, editing presets. But I honestly had a lot of what ifs. What if I had to manually set up the entire site? What if managing orders became a full time job? What if I couldn't get people to actually go to my shop? Then I found Shopify and those what ifs slowly turned into why nots. Because Shopify takes care of everything for you. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world and 10% of all e commerce in the US from household names like Mattel and Gymshark to brands just getting started like mine once was. Can't design a site. Shopify's got beautiful ready to go templates. Need help? Use Shopify's AI tools to enhance product images, write descriptions and create discount codes. Worried about marketing? Shopify's easy to run email and social media campaigns helps you find your people. And if you ever get stuck, their award winning Support is available 24. 7. Turn those dreams into and give them the best shot at success with Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com gold digger go to shopify.com gold digger shopify.com gold digger I love that. And honestly, I mean you are so not alone in the perfection thing. I think everyone listening is like, yeah, that's me. I like want it to be so good that I don't even put it out there. Right. And it's like, what is better? Like your best ideas, your best thoughts, the things you've learned in life. Is it better to live inside of you and like be in this perfect little bow that's never going to exist? Or is it better to just get it out there so it can help people and so you're not alone in that. And I think too once you create a rhythm, like for me, podcasting has just become this rhythm. And so maybe it is spending the next two hours of your week that you have open and you create a rhythm that feels sustainable and good. For me personally, from a nervous system standpoint, being ahead helps me remove that urgency and stress. And so like we have always, I've always operated that way. And part of it is healthy, part of it might be unhealthy. I'm obsessed with being ahead.
- [22:07]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [22:07]
Jenna Kutcher
And, and it is so Helpful, because I never feel like I need to sit down today and have brilliant thoughts today. And it needs to be perfect today.
- [22:16]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [22:17]
Jenna Kutcher
Because it's like I'm working a month ahead and it just removes that window of like, this has to get done right now. So maybe it's figuring out what is the rhythm that feels good and how can I maybe spend a little bit of time right now getting ahead so that it eliminates that area. One other thing too, going back to your first question is if you do do guest swaps, one thing that we've done is asking that host, hey, can I re air your episode after you published it on my show? Because not only does it position you as an expert without you having to say, I'm the expert in this, somebody else is asking you the question. Yeah, but it gives you double the content.
- [22:59]
Megan Kennedy
Right.
- [22:59]
Jenna Kutcher
So that can also be a great way. And like, every single person I've asked to do that has said yes, because it's like their show is getting air time and it's also going to send people to theirs. So just another thought, knowing that your.
- [23:12]
Megan Kennedy
Time is limited, I love that so much. And going back to the whole perfectionism, it's funny because when I've put a lot of time and effort into my reels that I've done on Instagram, the one that actually was the most popular was me loading my dishwasher.
- [23:25]
Jenna Kutcher
Like, of course it is.
- [23:27]
Megan Kennedy
Isn't that crazy?
- [23:29]
Jenna Kutcher
It's so crazy. I was reading something about marketing. No, actually, I was listening to a podcast about it, and they were talking about lo fi marketing these days and how everything is getting flipped on its head where production value is suddenly way less important. And so that is kind of a breath of fresh air for us that have gotten used to, like, polished and perfection to remind us to, like, go backwards. So I love that. Okay, what's your next question?
- [23:54]
Megan Kennedy
Okay, so my next question is I have a main business that I operate. It's my health food store, and I also have my personal brand slash podcast. The podcast is supposed to support the health food store by giving lots of great, valuable information to my customers. What is better to focus on, the business brand or my personal brand sharing to the business? Does that make sense? Yeah.
- [24:26]
Jenna Kutcher
Yeah. Like, what do you lead? What do you lead with?
- [24:28]
Megan Kennedy
Exactly.
- [24:29]
Jenna Kutcher
Okay.
- [24:29]
Megan Kennedy
Exactly.
- [24:30]
Jenna Kutcher
So here's what I would do.
- [24:32]
Megan Kennedy
Okay.
- [24:32]
Jenna Kutcher
This is kind of. Okay, I'm gonna bring you back to my classes that I actually paid attention to in college.
- [24:38]
Megan Kennedy
Okay.
- [24:38]
Jenna Kutcher
So I will never forget in college when I learned the difference and this is so dumb. But here we are. The difference between overt marketing and covert marketing. Okay, so over marketing is like super in your face. It's very clear. It's like a commercial on the TV for the big man. Right?
- [24:55]
Megan Kennedy
Like, yeah.
- [24:57]
Jenna Kutcher
Covert marketing is one of the most under utilized things that entrepreneurs should be doing right now. Which means you're talking about the thing without selling the thing. Okay, so here is what I would do, Megan. So absolutely, I would say lead with you and your own story. Every single episode, I would reference your health store in some way. So you could even be like, the other day, a customer came into my health store and they asked me this question. And then you tell your personal story. So you've just planted the seed. I have a health store.
- [25:31]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [25:31]
Jenna Kutcher
And I am an expert, Right?
- [25:33]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [25:33]
Jenna Kutcher
And so I would look for ways to overtly include your business. A customer experience, a product you've tried or sold into every episode. And you don't have to feel like you're like, slamming it down people's throats.
- [25:49]
Megan Kennedy
Right.
- [25:49]
Jenna Kutcher
And so how do you incorporate in stories? So, like, here's an example of this. I could say, oh, my gosh, Megan, this morning I woke up. This is a real story. I woke up and one of my students, Diana Rice, she was on Pinterest. Her views went up 999 in a week. And I could just say something like that. Right. Which is true.
- [26:08]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [26:08]
Jenna Kutcher
And I'm not saying, hello, I have a course about this. It's like, can you imagine? What would that look like for you? Right. And so when you're doing a podcast, since it's beautifully long form content.
- [26:20]
Megan Kennedy
Yes.
- [26:21]
Jenna Kutcher
You want to just start paying attention to your own stories, the stories that you're experiencing in the business. And then every single episode, it's so easy to weave it in. You can link it in your descriptions and show notes. You could talk about a specific product and the benefits of it. You could also include in, like a little short segment into every episode that could, could be, let's say, two minutes long. And you could say, here's like the product of the week, and then talk about your own personal experience with it. So there's so many different ways you can do it. And I just think for my brain, it always helps to be like, is this going to be more overt? Where I'm like, talking about the thing specifically for the thing, or is it going to be more covert and how can I weave something in that is a natural extension that gives value, but it also helps remind people of what I do and why I do it. So for me, that's been so helpful. So I think there are so many different ways. If I were you, every episode I try to tell a story about something that happened in the health store. So you talk about it. I would try to tell a personal story of something you learned and overcame or something that you've learned the hard way. Maybe.
- [27:28]
Megan Kennedy
Okay.
- [27:28]
Jenna Kutcher
And then maybe I would do a three minute highlight on some sort of health product that nobody considered. Wouldn't that be fun?
- [27:34]
Megan Kennedy
Amazing. I love that. So currently, right now, in the middle of my episodes, I've created like an ad where it says, this episode is sponsored by Natural Vibe, where we sell all things. And I go on, is that a good idea or am I better off just being more natural with it because I've kind of created my own ad.
- [27:52]
Jenna Kutcher
No, do both.
- [27:53]
Megan Kennedy
Okay.
- [27:54]
Jenna Kutcher
All the things.
- [27:54]
Megan Kennedy
Okay.
- [27:55]
Jenna Kutcher
And here's what I would say too, that is helpful is if you have the ability to track the traffic that comes from the podcast. Like, we were so bad at data for so long, I just ignored it. But if you could have a specific link that only podcast people would use, it would be super helpful for you to just see and connect the dots more. Even if five people visited your website because of your podcast, that matters, right? Yeah. It's like, you don't need a bajillion people, you need X amount. And so I like having the data. And so now any links that we use in the podcast are podcast specific just so that I can see where it's coming from. And for me, that helps me see the return on the investment and make it worth it. I think sometimes when people burn out on podcasting, it's because they're having a hard time connecting the dots of like, why is this worth my time?
- [28:46]
Megan Kennedy
Yes.
- [28:46]
Jenna Kutcher
And so that can be helpful. And then same thing too. If you're a guest on other people's shows, having some sort of way that you can track how much traffic you're getting from one show is super great. So, like, let's say if I went on your show and I had a link, like, if you go to jennacutcher.com Megan, yeah, you can learn, blah, blah, blah. And I could track that. You can also see trends or be like, oh, wow, this super niche show performed so amazing. Right. It's just, I think it can help guide your decisions and just make you more definitive that like, yes, this is worth it.
- [29:18]
Megan Kennedy
This is working. Yes. Wow.
- [29:19]
Jenna Kutcher
Yep.
- [29:20]
Megan Kennedy
I love that. So that sort of leads me into my next Question. You know, one thing about you, Jenna, with your Gold Digger podcast, is you have this amazing community. I'm in that Facebook group. I see how supportive everybody is with one another, and I'm wondering, what have you done to really create that connection with people? Not just to tune in, but to engage, buy, or share the show with others.
- [29:48]
Jenna Kutcher
I love that. I mean, I love our community. I. Even yesterday, we had an experience where there was some issue with tech, and there was like a thousand people from my community on, and they were the kindest, most amazing humans. And I just like, every time something like that happens, which I hate, because of course, nobody wants tech to go bad. Anyone in the world of online business knows it happens. I just am always like, how freaking lucky am I that these are the people in my corner? So I love that you notice that and that you get to experience it. So one thing I would say is, like, create connection points off of the podcast. So a lot of times you listen to a podcast and you're kind of, like, left with, like, now what? Like? Or, like, where do I go? And one thing that I think would be awesome, especially in the health space, where you were already talking about, like, how one day you can hear this is good, and then the next day. And, like, how could you create a resource, too, where people can connect with you? Because especially if you're getting a show started, people want a way to connect with you. And the best way that you can data mine and get insight into what people will actually listen to and what questions they actually have is making yourself available. I'm still active in our Facebook community.
- [31:01]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [31:01]
Jenna Kutcher
Not as active as I was in the beginning, where it's like, every comment I would be like, yes, yeah. Like, check in on it.
- [31:06]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [31:07]
Jenna Kutcher
But I go in there all the time because it's like, I want to see what are people struggling with, what questions are they asking? And so I would say create a connection point off of the podcast. It doesn't have to be a Facebook group, but to me, I love it personally, because it's like, Instagram DMs are great, but you're only benefiting one to one, and you don't have the bandwidth to, like, constantly deliver in that way.
- [31:28]
Megan Kennedy
Right.
- [31:28]
Jenna Kutcher
I also think an email list is amazing. You know, I love email list. Just somewhere where people can talk back to you, where it's a conversation and not a monologue.
- [31:38]
Megan Kennedy
Okay.
- [31:39]
Jenna Kutcher
Another reason why I love the Facebook community is, like, we let people connect. We want people to connect in real life. Right? Like, connect with other Listeners. I have so many people that have hired other gold digger listeners and met up in cities together and different things like that. And so it's like it creates this like just ecosystem of connection, which is what I want. Make sure that every episode you do has some sort of prompt. So whether it's asking them to do something, inviting them to join you somewhere, engaging with you on some sort of place. For me, I love the Facebook community just because it feels more exclusive, where it's like an Instagram story, yes, you can share that, but then it's just gone.
- [32:20]
Megan Kennedy
Right.
- [32:20]
Jenna Kutcher
And so kind of figuring out who's listening, what are they enjoying and what questions do they have. However you want to data mine that and then also like highlighting your listeners. So like last month was small business month, and so we played clips from listeners about their businesses or we do The Q&As where listeners are calling in and asking their questions. And so it's not just about me. Like it's about this community and who I'm creating it for. And so figuring out interesting ways that you can highlight your listeners, whether it's a question that they've asked or something you've seen or a dm, you've got, like, make them the star and people will stick around and they'll bring friends. And so I think that is like the way that you want to do that is don't let your episodes just be the dead end. Like, where do they go from here? And then how can you connect with them so that you can get that insight into what do they really need? Nothing makes me happier than doing work that energizes me. And I've always been committed to that, not just for myself, but for my entire team. That's why I'm so excited about the working genius model. It's a powerful tool that helps you discover your natural strengths and where you thrive in your work. When you tap into what you're naturally good at, work becomes more rewarding and you get so much more done. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect when I took the working genius assessment, but it blew me away with how accurate and insightful it was. It affirmed that I am naturally gifted at using my intuition and instincts and to evaluate and assess ideas or plans. And it also confirmed my love for self starters and the fact that I can get frustrated if I have to be the main source of motivation for other people to get results. The assessment only takes 10 minutes and it's great for solopreneurs and teams alike. Imagine with me how effortless your teamwork will be if you understand the working geniuses of those that you're working with. Working genius is different from everything else out there because it's 20% personality and 80% productivity. Simply put, if you want to transform your work life, this is it. Get 20% off the 25 Working Genius Assessment, head to workinggenius.com and enter the promo code Gold Digger at checkout. That's working genius.com promo code gold Digger okay, I've got to tell you about a podcast that I'm completely hooked on right now. It's called this is Small Business and it's a brand new season explores one of my all time favorite themes, Taking Bold Risks. Hosted by the amazing Andrea Marquez, this season pulls you behind the curtain as she sits down with founders who transform their maybe one day ideas into let's do this success stories. We're talking nail biting moments, raw honesty about the hustle, and powerful advice that lights a fire in you. I got actual chills just listening to the trailer. Like every single story makes me pause and think, wow. Wow. We literally all start somewhere. And if you've ever felt that tug to take your next big leap, this season might be the exact push and confidence boost you've been waiting for. So do yourself a favor, follow this is Small Business on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. These stories will move you, motivate you, and remind you that courage is the first step towards chasing what really matters. We've been eyeing up some new furniture pieces for a lake house and we have been loving Cozy because their furniture is amazing. Like it's so hard to choose because we love their vibe. It is clean, cozy and modern and it's seriously made for real life. With a brand new puppy and two kiddos who love to climb on everything and snacks that somehow get everywhere. We need furniture that adapts to us, not the other way around. And Cozy gets that. They make everyday home furnishings easy. Their pieces are modern, adaptable and worry free which is is honestly a dream when you are juggling a puppy and kids and just everyday life. What I love most about Cozy is how it opens up new home possibilities. Their modular designs literally grow with your life. Like you can add and rearrange or swap pieces as you need and they have washable covers which make cleanup feel so much more doable. It's your home, your way and Cozy makes it all feel effortless. From easy assembly to to mixing and matching styles. Cozy makes everything easy. I've never been more excited to cozy up and yes, this pun is very much intended. Transform your living space today with cozy. Visit cozy.com spelled c o z e y.com the Home of Possibilities made easy.
- [36:50]
Megan Kennedy
Oh, I love that. And it actually just gave me the thought, you know, having maybe like a busy mom on the podcast to tell me about, you know, three things she's struggling with, and we can have that conversation because, you know, if one person's struggling, other people are too. And then you're bringing in that. Those questions that will create value for tons of people, but you're also making that connection too. So I love that.
- [37:14]
Jenna Kutcher
And I love that too, Megan, because a lot of times when you have a depth of knowledge in a certain area, things that are common sense, sense to you are earth shattering for other people. And so oftentimes, we can almost get stuck in our own little world where it's like, surely everybody knows this, or surely everybody's algorithm looks the same as mine. And it's like, no. And so I think it's. It's so beneficial. Like, I love these coaching conversations because they're with people from the community. You came on because you are in my community, and these are the real no questions. Right.
- [37:49]
Megan Kennedy
It's.
- [37:50]
Jenna Kutcher
It's helpful and inspiring to hear people that have figured it all out. Right. But it's more relatable to be with people that are also in the trenches. So I love that. And I also think it helps you speak the language of your listener, not the language of your expertise, where you are at. So I love that.
- [38:08]
Megan Kennedy
Yes. So that actually leads me to my last question here, and I would love your honest take on this. So, yeah, in those first early podcasting months, did you ever question whether it was working? So I have a hard time, you know, looking at my listens or my downloads and maybe having these higher expectations than I should. So how do you know if your podcast is gaining traction versus when it might be time to pivot and maybe find another avenue you to focus on?
- [38:43]
Jenna Kutcher
Yeah. Okay. So when I started my show, honest to God, it was an experiment, because I was like, I. I still to this day struggle with, like, committing to something that you have to show up for consistently. Because I'm like, I don't know what I'm going to feel like a week from now. And so I started it as an experiment. I think that the more honest and vulnerable I got, the more that I felt its impact, both personally and also with listeners.
- [39:14]
Megan Kennedy
Okay.
- [39:15]
Jenna Kutcher
But here's what I'll say. Like, I have been doing this for what almost 900 episodes. Wow. Crazy. You have to care about it or tie it to something bigger than the results. And for me, something that's been interesting is like, this now feels like my story. So I. I almost envision, like, my daughter someday just, like, pinning plants. And they were like, what was mom doing when she was 37? What thoughts was she thinking? Right. So it feels like a legacy. It feels like a place where, like, I get to ask my biggest questions. So it doesn't necessarily feel like I'm hosting interviews anymore. It feels like I get the opportunity to pick people's brains that I would never get if I just. You didn't have this platform. So that's a huge result. Right? Like, and so when you're looking at it and you're tying it to something, you have to tie it to something personal to you, bigger than the external validation or results.
- [40:15]
Megan Kennedy
Right.
- [40:16]
Jenna Kutcher
The other thing that I would say is get super honest about, like, what is a result for you that isn't the masses? This is something that I feel like I am really unpacking in my life because I've been in this position, which is such a positive, a blessed position to be able to speak to the masses for so long. But, like, what I'm ultimately craving is, like, deeper connections with fewer people. And so it's like, how many people do you truly need to meet? Like, if somebody called you today, Megan, and they live in Canada, and they're like, hey, I have 30 people coming to my office. Could you come speak to them on something you care about? Would that feel valuable to you?
- [40:56]
Megan Kennedy
Absolutely.
- [40:56]
Jenna Kutcher
Maybe, maybe not.
- [40:57]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [40:58]
Jenna Kutcher
So. Yeah. And so it's like, get honest and recognize that, like, every number is a person. And what I think is so powerful about podcasting to me, and I do this as a listener, but also as a host, is like, you are getting invited into people's, like, intimate parts of their lives. Intimate. Not in the funky way. Intimate in, like, I was in the shower yesterday listening to a podcast, Right? Yeah, I was listening to a podcast, driving to a doctor's appointment.
- [41:25]
Megan Kennedy
Right.
- [41:26]
Jenna Kutcher
So, like, there is something so visceral. I have so many moments in my life where I can tell you exactly where I was when I listened to this one thing in this podcast that changed my life.
- [41:35]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [41:36]
Jenna Kutcher
And so it is a medium where in a world that we've gotten so used to, like, six second reels and trying to, like, sum up our entire theory or story or tragedy in a caption, it's this space to, like, have the ability to share something with context. And I think so often right now, context is missing and it's creating such a divide. So what I would say is, like, yes, look at your numbers, because they'll tell you what's maybe more popular than other. But, like, if the data isn't driving you forward or giving you information that is actually helpful, don't only rely on the data. And if you want to do this long term, you have to link it to things that will anchor you in beyond, if anybody listens to it or not. And I have found this time and time again in my life. When I wrote my book after saying I would never write a book on this podcast, I wrote it before I had a book deal. I wrote it before I had a publisher. I wrote it so that if the only humans that read it were my daughters, it mattered. And I think that that is the place that we have to create out of more of, like, I don't care if it's not received, and I don't care if people like it or not. I like it.
- [42:52]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [42:52]
Jenna Kutcher
And so it's a hard place to find in a noisy world.
- [42:57]
Megan Kennedy
Right?
- [42:57]
Jenna Kutcher
But I think that that's, like, where beautiful things. But from a tactical standpoint, I'm not just going to leave you with, like, the woo.
- [43:03]
Megan Kennedy
That's.
- [43:03]
Jenna Kutcher
That's the woo. I'll leave you with a little bit of the work. So I would say look for small wins. So look for things where people do reach out and they say, like, hey, Megan, I just listened to this episode and this was my takeaway. Even if it's like, like a message, one message that mattered. If you have an email list, look for replies in that, like, invite. Once you start really inviting in that action, pay attention to it.
- [43:26]
Megan Kennedy
Okay?
- [43:27]
Jenna Kutcher
And then I would say too, like, figure out, like, what is the purpose? Don't panic. So, like, if the numbers aren't growing or if feedback is quiet or whatever that is, like, look at, like, okay, what are the niche things that we're covering? What are the titles of our show? Like, what is our delivery? What could I tweak? What could I tailor? But the real thing is, is that the work you're doing today on your podcast is still going to be working for you a year from now. And so it's not done in vain. People are still. Literally, the other day, somebody was like, I went back to episode number one, and I was like, please don't, like, just start here. But it is. It compounds. It's not lost. And so it might take you a little time to get that traction. But the reality is, is that this work is still going to be working for you, and that's different than what we're learning on social, and so it's not done in vain. And I know you're a passionate person, and I know you're in a stage of life where you're just, like, juggling, like, is it worth it? And so figure out what will make it worth it.
- [44:30]
Megan Kennedy
Right.
- [44:30]
Jenna Kutcher
But I will argue until I'm blue in the face that an hour spent recording a podcast versus an hour spent creating a reel.
- [44:39]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [44:39]
Jenna Kutcher
Well, 1,000 times always be worth it, in my opinion.
- [44:42]
Megan Kennedy
Amazing. Yeah. And I think it goes back to what you said in the beginning is, like. It's that consistency. Consistency keep showing up. And that was kind of the reasons I did start this was I didn't want the things I was sharing to disappear within 24 hours.
- [44:57]
Jenna Kutcher
Yes.
- [44:57]
Megan Kennedy
So.
- [44:58]
Jenna Kutcher
Yes. Yeah. And the more that you create a system in a rhythm, the more that it doesn't feel like a burden or coming from a place of urgency, the more it feels exciting and doable. And so that's, like, the foundational pieces. I think it's like, every career, like, when I was a photographer, I pictured my days out there shooting photos, and I have my camera, and I'm so creative. And it's like the taking the pictures was, like, 2%, and then everything else was the 98%.
- [45:29]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [45:29]
Jenna Kutcher
And if you can create the systems and structure in the 98%.
- [45:34]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [45:34]
Jenna Kutcher
Then you get to feel fully alive in that area that you deeply desire to be alive in. And so while systems and. And all of that is not sexy, I would argue it's the sexiest thing because it unlocks the creativity in the spaces where you really can be creative. And so I think that what I would do is, like, in your next week is find a pocket of time that you can create a rhythm where you're like, hey, this is going to feel good. I would also challenge you, like. Like, if it's coming down to time, record shorter episodes that you can batch and knock out more so that you can get ahead so that you're not coming at it of, like, oh, my God, it's Wednesday. I need to record again.
- [46:13]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [46:14]
Jenna Kutcher
Because I think that will change the energy you're creating from and make it more of, like, a joy and something that feels easy instead of something that you have to do.
- [46:23]
Megan Kennedy
Absolutely. I love that so much. Thank you. I needed to hear that.
- [46:28]
Jenna Kutcher
Yes. Okay. Any final questions? I'll give you one more. It can be Funny or fun or. It can be. I mean, you're a thoughtful question asked. You have one final question.
- [46:37]
Megan Kennedy
Okay. My one final question is early on, do you suggest somebody should look at using ads to promote their podcast?
- [46:51]
Jenna Kutcher
So I would say you don't need to. We have never. I think we recently started just to test it as, like, let's just see if this is worth it.
- [47:01]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [47:02]
Jenna Kutcher
What I would suggest is leveraging Pinterest for your podcast.
- [47:05]
Megan Kennedy
Okay.
- [47:06]
Jenna Kutcher
So let me just give you kind of the overview of this.
- [47:08]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [47:09]
Jenna Kutcher
In the next two minutes. Okay. So what I would do is kind of going back to the answer about, like, Pareto's principle of getting out of the creation mode so much that you miss the. The promotion. What's beautiful is, is that, like, we have a process where every podcast episode turns into 10 different pins on Pinterest.
- [47:28]
Megan Kennedy
Okay.
- [47:29]
Jenna Kutcher
High level. Pinterest is a search engine. It's not social media.
- [47:32]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [47:33]
Jenna Kutcher
And the average lifespan of a pin is over one year.
- [47:36]
Megan Kennedy
Wow.
- [47:37]
Jenna Kutcher
So one pin on Pinterest will still be working for you one year from now, which is incredible. Right. Because we want our episodes to live on.
- [47:43]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [47:44]
Jenna Kutcher
So I always ask people, like, is it easier to create a podcast episode or to create 10 graphics using templates for a podcast episode? The latter is usually true. It usually takes 10 minutes. So what I would say for you, Megan, is, like, with each podcast episode, if you can think of different angles, different ways to promote it, I would go to Pinterest before I would ever go to paid ads. One, it's free, but two, it keeps things going for a long time. And what's beautiful about it is you'll also start to glean data and insert insight based on what's performing on Pinterest. Because it's basically off of a search engine. It's not off of popularity. It's literally off of search volume and what people are looking at and clicking on.
- [48:22]
Megan Kennedy
Okay.
- [48:23]
Jenna Kutcher
Which can help guide insight back into your podcast. So that is probably where I would spend my time marketing. We are even currently in my business today doing audits on, like, what is actually worth it on social media when it comes to podcasting, because it is tricky and, like, we don't have high production value. I want to record in my home.
- [48:43]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [48:43]
Jenna Kutcher
I want to hit record. I don't want to have to worry about what I look like. I don't. You know, it's all those things. Right. And so we are literally, to this day still like, tapping our head, like, what's worth it here. We've Never had to do that about Pinterest. So that's just where I would put my time and energy. And it doesn't take a lot of time, which is the beauty of it. Paid ads could work, and we're testing it, but it's not something I'm sold on yet. Paid ads work for a lot of things, but I wouldn't say growing your podcast because it's really hard to see. See what happens once somebody clicks on an ad because you can't track the back end of it because you don't own the platform. So that's kind of where that. That happens for us.
- [49:20]
Megan Kennedy
Interesting. That's super helpful. I appreciate that.
- [49:24]
Jenna Kutcher
Yeah. Okay, Megan, tell us where can everybody find out more about you, connect with you, listen to your show and all the things you're going to implement? Give us a space. This is also going to be the best accountability ever. Right? Because you're like, all right, I'm on the hook. So now go digger, listeners. Go listen to Megan's show so that you can see her apply all of these things.
- [49:45]
Megan Kennedy
That's what I was going to say. If you want to follow along with me and see me implement all these amazing tips from Jenna, you can listen to my podcast. It's called Wellness Uncomplicated.
- [49:56]
Jenna Kutcher
Amazing. Megan, thank you so much for being brave. Thank you for being a part of my community. Thank you for listening to the show, and thank you for starting your own show. I love podcasting so much, but I just think that there is something so beautiful about people brave enough to hit record.
- [50:12]
Megan Kennedy
Yeah.
- [50:13]
Jenna Kutcher
And share their story and their expertise with the world. So thank you so much.
- [50:16]
Megan Kennedy
Well, thank you, Jenna. You have been in my ear since 2016 and have been a big part of this whole journey. So I really appreciate your time today.
- [50:25]
Jenna Kutcher
Oh, I wanted that episode to be a podcasting masterclass, and I think it was just that. But if you need to see to believe, or you want to learn more about how to start and grow and profit from your own podcast, now is an amazing time to go save your seat for my free masterclass at Free Podcast class. Com. That's free podcast class dot com. I will show you what you actually need to start a podcast, how you can hit record super easily without overthinking things, and how to make money from your show. Just three easy steps. All you have to do is go to freepodcastclass.com, save your seat, and show up. I'll take care of the rest. I absolutely love this podcast. I love the community I've built through it. I love listeners like Megan and I love doing these coaching sessions. If you want to be on a future coaching session for the Gold Digger podcast, make sure you go join our community of insiders that Megan was talking about. It's an incredible space. It's a place to connect with other listeners, ask your biggest questions, gain insights. I'm in there commenting back. It's just a really beautiful group of humans and I'd love to have you be a part of it. It's also how you can get on one of these episodes to ask your biggest questions. So bonus points if you join in on the community there. Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the podcast. I hope you consider having your very own podcast. The podcast world is booming and I want to help you create this systems and the strategies to launch a show to success, whatever success looks like for you. And of course, until next time, gold diggers, keep on digging your biggest goals. And thank you so much for tuning in to this episode. Thanks for pulling up a seat for another episode of the Goal Digger Podcast. I hope today's episode fueled you with inspiration, gave you information that you can turn into action, and realigned you with your true north in life and business. If you've enjoyed today's episode, head on over to gold diggerpodcast.com for today's show notes, discount codes for our sponsors, freebies to fuel your results, and so much more. And if you haven't yet, make sure you're subscribed so that you never miss a future show. We'll see you next time. Gold Diggers.