← The How To Podcast Series - Podcast Co-Hosts, Practical Podcast Tips, and Podcast Community
The How To Podcast Series - Podcast Co-Hosts, Practical Podcast Tips, and Podcast Community
E614 - The Three People Every Podcaster Need In Their Corner - A Challenger, Cheerleader, and a Coach
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Okay, we're rolling. Hey, welcome back to the how to Podcast series. It's Dave with you. Hope you're doing well. I want to talk to you about three people that you need as a podcaster. These three people are super important, and if you don't have all three, you might. You might wrestle and struggle a little bit with your podcast. So this is the show where we talk of all things podcasting, and we're here to help you to not just start a podcast, but grow it and keep podcasting. Thanks for listening. Here's three people that I want to introduce you to, and I want you to come up with people to fill these gaps in your life by the end of this week. Here we go. So my question for you right off the bat is, who is in your circle? Who is in your corner? Let's go to. Let's go to boxing for a second. When it's in between rounds, they ring the bell, somebody holds up a big sign to tell you what round it is next. And the two boxers, competitors, go to their separate corners. When they go to their corners, there's someone waiting for them. A stool comes out. They sit down in the corner, and they do some maintenance because, you know, it's been a rough day. And they get you water, they get you hydrated. Hydrated. They get you all that stuff, and they get you ready for the next round. And those people in the corner, they're the lifeline of that boxer in that moment. They're there to make them as comfortable as possible, get them refocused, get them energized, and push them back out into the ring. And they only have a few seconds to do that. Think of a pit crew. When you watch on nascar, the car comes roaring into the pits automatically. People jump over the wall. They all have a task to do. They all have a role, and their job is to get that car back on the track as fast as possible. Now think about you and your podcast. Who's in your circle? Who jumps over the wall for you? Who grabs the stool and helps you sit and get you all cleaned up? Who. Who pushes you forward? Who is it for you that's in your corner, in your circle? Have you put any thought to this? Are you a lone podcaster in that you not only edit, record, and do everything yourself? A team of me, like I do, but you don't even have anybody in your world that shares your love of podcasting. It's why I created my meetup group side Tangent, and is because I wanted people to have a way a place to go where they can meet people like us who love podcasting and can support each other and build each other up. That's the whole idea for the group. And we show up for each other, not because we're coming to always to get something from the group, but we're coming to give something to the group. And I think that's a. A unique opportunity. And basically what our meetup group is, is like an ongoing podcast conference that doesn't cost you money to jump on a plane. You don't need a hotel room, you don't need to buy your food. It's free. And it lives there on the Internet, and it lives there twice a week, Tuesdays and Saturdays at this point. So would love to have you there. I think we need more people in our circle, and there's three specific people that I think we need in our circle. And I'm really kind of focusing on my own podcast journey when I talk about this, because I want to make sure I'm surrounding myself with the right people in my world to keep me moving forward. And that's what I want for you as well. So we're going to talk about these three people. They all start with the letter C, by the way. So let's get into this and talk about these three Cs that you need in your world. I'm glad you're here. As a podcaster, your energy, your creative habits, and your consistency rub off from people who surround you, people in your community, people who are like you, people you connect with. So choose these people wisely. Because you pick the wrong person, it's going to have a severe impact on you and your podcast journey. We're looking for people to fuel our show's growth. Not to stand in the way, not to steal our time, not to distract, but people who push us forward. And there's three people that we need. The first one is a challenger. This is where we start. We need to find a challenger, an honest listener, fellow creator, somebody who gets to see the. The messy middle of your podcast journey, somebody who won't sugarcoat feedback. These people listen to your rough cuts and ask, what's one thing dragging this episode down? Or why does this segment feel so flat? Why. Why are you. Why are you talking like that in this part of the podcast? These people, these challengers, have a sharp eye and ear on your scripting, your pacing, your guest choices, and they keep your work from getting stagnant over time. What's something that's stagnant? Think of a pond that's not fed from an outside source. It turns into a swampy mess. Over time, it. All of the. All of the weeds and all of the stuff around the pond start growing into the pond and it shrinks and it's a mess. It smells. And if we're not fed with water into this pond, bringing life and pushing out the old and bringing in the new. If we don't have that kind of input, we can become stagnant. Your podcast can become stagnant. And that's where I find people wanting to quit is what they're doing just doesn't work anymore. They don't have an audience growth that they want. They don't see motivation and momentum for their show, and they become stagnant. They are a pond with no outside source of new information, new motivation, and new resources. So having a challenger, this person, you need to pick very carefully because you're g. You're giving them access to what the world doesn't see, what you're even your partner doesn't see. The people closest to you. You need to be able to trust their knowledge, trust their wisdom, and allow them access. This is like backstage pass access at your favorite concert where they can go anywhere they want. There's no limits. There's no big bodyguard saying, you can't go this way. You'd simply have this card that you can show and you can have access. My wife and I live in Canada. We live in Ontario. And where I used to work, I work for a large grocery store chain. Boring, I know. Anyway. But I would get tickets to sporting events because of the vendors who would give them to our company. So often I was able to go to things I would never have the opportunity to go to. And one was a hockey game with Toronto Maple Leafs, and I had box seats for myself and my wife. And so we have a special pass and on the ticket to tell you how expensive these seats are, again, there's no way I could afford this. There's no price on the tag on the ticket. There's no dollar amount. So I had no idea. So I walk in and I go towards the area where the. The elevators are to these box seats. Again, I've never done this before. My wife and I walk up to the elevator and the big guys at the door, they decide, sorry. They point in the general direction of everyone else is going. I pull out this pass and I show it to the person and they're like. They like, oh, my apologies. And they both step aside and they push the door elevator button and off we go and, like, talk about stepping into somebody else's world, right? I don't belong here. Like, this is not something I would do often at all. And we were treated really well by this vendor. It was awesome. It was really, really a fun experience. My wife and I had a great time. And that's. That's the kind of access that this challenger needs to you is to be able to walk up to any part of your journey, any part of your podcast, flash, flash, that all access pass, and be able to say things to you that other people can't say. So you really need to trust this challenger. So who is your challenger? Do you have one? Probably not. I would say the most part, most of the people listening to the show do not have a challenger. So this is where you start is with a challenger. So I'm encouraging to put some thought into this and figure out who that is for you. I think this is your starting point. Go find your challenger next. We need a cheerleader as well. Now. Your challenger is not your cheerleader. Don't do that. You need another person for this. This is person number two. They're your cheerleader. This is someone who gets your why and shows up when downloads, dip or pod fade is seem to be looming over your head like a dark cloud. This is the friend who shares your episodes unprompted. They celebrate your 10th episode release your 50th episode, release your. Your listener milestones, your analytics, and they also remind you that your voice matters. Even if there's a small audience listening to your show, they recharge you through the grind of solo editing marathons, recording to nobody, not seeing a big viral hit for your show. This is your cheerleader. Think of any sporting event. Do this. Do the athletes need somebody jumping up and down? Check. Cheering them on and waving their pom poms. Not really. Most of the time, they're not even really paying attention. They're focused on the game, but they're there. And I got to tell you, there's got to be something motivating about someone getting pumped up about what you do and cheering you on. So get a challenger who can say the hard truths, and then get a cheerleader who just loves you, loves what you do and pours into you. They motivate, they encourage, they support, they check in on you. Do you have that? Do you have a cheerleader in your. In your podcast journey? I. I don't know a lot of people who do, especially if they're just starting out. When you start your show, identify your challenger when you start your show, identify your cheerleader, Find that person who just gets you and understands your why and why you're doing what you do. Because we go to our partners, we go to our family, we go to our inner circle, the people who don't podcast, and we talk podcasting. And their eyes roll in their head like you with a podcast again, right there. That is the seed of doubt. That is the seed of maybe I'm wasting my time here. Nobody in my family podcasts. I just feel like I'm all alone here, so maybe I should stop. There's the seed of pod fade right there. So when your world around you does not support you because they don't understand you right now, they're not wrong. They just don't understand right? Then go find your cheerleader. Somebody who does what you do. A listener, a fellow podcaster. Who. Who is your cheerleader. You need that. You have a challenger, which is the first person you're supposed to go find, right? The hard truths all access pass. You need a cheerleader, someone who just loves what you do and is there cheering for you all times. And the last person we need very important as well, also with a C, our coach. Does Shaquille o' Neal need a coach? Does Sidney Crosby in hockey need a coach? Does Jason Kelsey in football need a coach? These guys. These guys are pros. They know what they do. They do it well. They've been doing it for a long time. Yet all of these three people have coaches. They all have somebody who they're accountable to. They don't just show up and do their thing. And they're not uncoachable. They just. They have this resource. They have this person who sees things differently from a different perspective, who has experience, it has knowledge, not necessarily on the field or on the ice with the player, but they just are there. And as a podcaster, I think we're lacking, when we missing this part, this third person in our corner. We need a coach. Now, coaching can come in many different varieties. A book, a website, a podcast. Those are all things that are available to you right now. With any really substantial investment, you could be coached. So that's one thing you can leverage. But I think for us as a podcaster, that coach is super important. Think of a coach as a podcaster who's maybe one season ahead of you. A few steps down the road, then you are. They don't have to be podcasting for 25 years. They could be podcasting for six months, and you're just starting. That person knows something. The simple fact that they've been doing podcasts longer than you, they are further down the path than you, that is, that is something to lean on. You don't have to go after the high paid, super expensive $2,000 coaches. You don't. You just need someone who's a further down the road than you are. Maybe somebody who's cracked audience growth and they're growing their show and you're not. Maybe it's somebody who's actually started to monetize their podcast and they're making money through your show and you're not. Or somebody who's really good on workflow, organization, standard opera, operating procedures. They're great at guesting, they're great at hosting. There's something about them that you, you're not doing to the level that they are doing. That person can be your coach. And a coach is in a relationship that you have to have forever. It can be seasonal. You can work with one coach and then you can move over to another coach. You're not signing away your life. This isn't a mortgage. When you get a coach, this can be seasonal and you learn as much as you want or can from that person and then you move on. The beauty of a coach is that they could spot patterns, they can see things that you can't. You're so deep into what you're doing, you're gonna miss things. Like a coach can say to you, you know, your intros are always. They're a little long. It'd be great if you cut that back or maybe if you tried batch recording and because it really worked for my show, maybe it'll work for your show. And they walk you through the steps of how to do that. Their experience becomes your shortcut. Any time that we can learn from other people is a good thing. One thing on my Living the Next Chapter author podcast is I always start every conversation with my guests focused on an author listening who is just starting. I want to leverage the knowledge of my guest to help a future author who listens to the show. And I do that on purpose at the beginning of the episode because the book that the author's on to talk about might not be relevant to the listener as an author. It could be a business book and they don't read business books. It could be a children's book. They don't do children's books. But it's a fellow author. And the commonality of one author helping another author, no matter what book they're writing, gives us an opportunity to speak life into that listener. So that's where we start every episode. And it's interesting because when I lean on my guests to say, share your wisdom, they're like, oh, I'm not a. I'm not a. They're like, I'm not like a big time author. I. I'm just new. I've only been doing this for a while. I push back and I say, listen, out of the two of us, you as a guest on my show and me as the host, I am not an author. I can't help them. But you can. You've done something. So let's talk about what you've learned. I want people to understand that you, as you do the thing, you naturally become better at it. You learn through trial and error. You. You become the master of the thing. And it's great for authors because they end up with a published book they can hold in their hands. There's a result for podcasters. We have an episode that goes live to the world and we have listens. So there's. It's a tangible, measurable thing. So find your coach. Find that person who is maybe not necessarily where you are in the moment, but has been there at some point. Coaches lean on their past experience, and they see things that you don't see in the moment because they're seeing it from a different perspective. They're not on the ice, they're not on the field. They're looking at it from the bench. They're looking at it from the sidelines. And they have the ability to speak directly to you because it comes from a source of knowledge. They didn't read this from a book. They've done the same play. They've been hit just as hard as you've been hit. They know what it feels like. And a coach is one of your strongest allies. We need a challenger. We need a cheerleader. We need a coach. This challenger, cheerleader, coach, trio. Three separate people that you need creates a calibrated network that elevates your podcast. Every single, every one of these three working together, their energy spreads. Their ambition becomes your ambition. Their discipline rubs off on you. As you release your podcasts and as you stay consistent, their courage shows up in the riskier episode topics. And taking a chance with your show, I would love for you to look at and audit your own circle right now. Who fills these roles? Who is your challenger, who is your cheerleader? And who is your coach? And when you see a gap, when you find that maybe you don't have a person that comes to mind for these Three people. Then it's time to go and seek these people out. And if you need help with this, reach out to me. I'd love to help you. We need to find the people in our corner who have our back, because the world is going to come for us. People are going to say nasty things. It's going to be hard. There's going to be days where you have the least motivation possible to get up and podcast, but these people will be there for you. Your next 52 episodes depends on who's on your in your corner. So my challenge for you, go find your challenger, go find your cheerleader, and. And go find your coach. They're out there. You just need to tap into their wisdom, their knowledge, and their. Their love for you as a creator. So go find them and let me know when you found them. I'd love to hear howtopodcast CI thank you so much for listening to the entirety of the episode, including this part. You know what? A lot of people leave right now, so we'll let them leave. Give them a second to go. Okay, now it's just you and me. We have our meetups that we do for the how to Podcast series. We do them during the week, and we also do them on Saturdays. So twice a week, you have the opportunity to meet other podcasters just like you. Some people have just started. Some people haven't even released an episode yet. Some have been doing it forever. And we get together and talk podcasting. We want to help you in community to continue with your show, to start your show, to grow your show. So come and meet listeners of this show in one space on meetup.com again through howtopodcast ca. You'll see the links. It's completely free to join. Come whenever you have an opportunity to come. There's no commitment. You don't have to sign any waivers. You can just come join us. Come join the conversation. We'd love to have you there. Because the only thing that's going to make these meetups better is you being there. So I'm hoping you will say yes and you'll say, dave, I'm tired of podcasting by myself. I wish there was people I could connect with that are fellow podcasters and share my frustrations with guests who ghost me. And my editing software is crapping out on me, and I'm just having this hard time. I'm having a hard time coming up with podcasts, editing episodes and titles and all the things in social media. Wouldn't it be great to get in a Room with other podcasters and share best practices and learn. Three of our four Saturdays every month are themed to have a topic. Put that last Saturday of every month. It's open. Question and answer. Ask anything. Come meet a podcaster. Come enjoy the podcasting community throughout a podcast. Ca come to our meetups. Can't wait to see you there. You're still here and great. Okay, so here's a little bonus content at the end of the episode. This is just for people who stick around like you to the very end. I want to reward you by giving you a little bonus that nobody else is going to hear because they're already gone. So get a lot of questions around authenticity as a podcaster and what that means and how do I do this and how do I. How do I make sure that I'm authentic as a content creator? What I would encourage you to do is to be you in everything that you do on the mic. Don't be fake, don't be. Don't be a character, don't be an actor on your own show. Be you. I find that when we let our true self shine as a podcaster through our episodes, that authenticity fosters trust as we use that gear, that lever of being authentic. And that trust, in turn, will help people to relate to your show, which will then build your audience. People will come to your show. You'll hear this often for your content, but stay for you as a host. They're looking for somebody that they relate to, somebody they feel comfortable with, somebody they trust. And over time of you showing up on a regular, consistent basis, whatever that is for you, people will add you to their world. They'll start to. To think about what you said. Even after the episode's over. They'll anticipate new episodes. They'll look forward to hearing your voice, and again, like I said many times, they'll make room for you in their calendar. You become part of their rituals, and that's a bond that we need to protect. So be authentic, be relatable, share your personal stories, Have a fence around your life. Like, don't give away everything. But where possible, share stories that come to you in the moment. And be authentic with your voice. Don't put on a fake voice. The same person I hear is the same person I intend to meet the one day in person. So be you. Because in a world of AI, in a world of fake and people wondering what's real anymore, having somebody who's really genuine and a real person who really cares about their audience is going to beat all of those AI tools for sure there's room for you and your audience is waiting. So get out there and start your podcast and need help. Reach out to me. Love to help. Take care.