Behind the Scenes of Starting the Professional Creative Podcast

Why Start a Podcast as a Seasoned Entrepreneur?

For a seasoned entrepreneur, starting a podcast might not seem like an obvious next step. Even though I usually prefer talking about aspects of entrepreneurship that I've mastered, I felt it might be interesting to let you in on the reality of developing a new skill and stepping into an entirely new sphere.

The Motivation Behind Starting a Podcast

The decision to start a podcast wasn't taken lightly. It was a carefully considered move, prompted by my desire to connect with my audience on a deeper level. As an entrepreneur, I've always believed in the power of sharing stories and experiences. Podcasting offered a new platform to do just that, allowing me to engage with my audience in a more personal and intimate way.

I have been delivering weekly content to my membership every single week since 2012, alongside offering an annual online conference, and the high touch Immersion course. However, if you're not on the inside of those, there's nothing that's consistently us. 

This has been the missing part for me for so long and a podcast has felt like such a way to connect with my audience. As an avid podcast listener, I am listening to a podcast of some type or another every single day. I love how mobile it is and how easy it is to just pop on when you're doing the dishes or going for a walk. I really wanted to be able to be in your ear in a very approachable way. And then of course, I wanted to be able to have that weekly routine, consistent contact with my audience, regardless of whether they were in a paid program that I had or not.

The Learning Curve

Starting a podcast has been a journey of discovery. It involved learning about the technical aspects of recording and editing, understanding the intricacies of audio quality, and familiarizing myself with various podcast hosting platforms. It also required honing my interviewing skills and learning how to guide conversations in a way that would engage listeners.

While the process has certainly been challenging, it's also been incredibly rewarding. Each episode brings new learning opportunities and further refines my podcasting skills.

Understanding Your Audience and Catering to Different Stages of Entrepreneurship

A crucial part of any venture, whether it's launching a podcast or running a business, is understanding your audience. Who is your ideal consumer? What do they like? What are they looking for? When I embarked on this podcasting journey, I gave a lot of thought to who you, my audience, are. I realized that many of you are creative individuals. You may be artists, surface pattern designers, or involved in other creative industries like pottery or music.

Many of you are busy. You could be young mothers, individuals juggling a day job along with a side hustle, or people taking care of aging parents. I know that time is precious for you, and efficiency is paramount.

When I speak to you through my podcast, I think of my audience in terms of ones, twos, threes, and fours. This is not about enneagrams, but about the level you are at in your business.

1. 'Ones' are those of you just getting started, needing the inspiration to try out a new idea.
2. 'Twos' are those finding some success, possibly even nearing the six-figure mark in your business.
3. 'Threes', like myself, are highly successful individuals making an impact and generating income that changes the lives of their family and community.
4. 'Fours' are a rare breed, those who own businesses, not just work in them. We're talking about eight-figure businesses here.

While I suspect that a large portion of my audience consists of 'ones', looking to get off the ground with an idea, my podcast aims to cater to 'twos' and 'threes'. The 'ones' among you are taking notes, learning quickly, and gaining inspiration from conversations that even a six or seven-figure business owner would find useful.

This is the aspiration of the Professional Creative podcast - to provide valuable insights and guidance for creative entrepreneurs, regardless of where they are in their journey.

The "Why" Behind the Podcast: A Passion for Developing Creatives

At the heart of any endeavor lies a passion, a driving force that fuels the work. For me, that passion is developing creatives. It's something that's deeply ingrained in me; it's in my bones. I love creative entrepreneurship with my whole being.

Yes—I do teach surface pattern design, and some of the lessons I share in the podcast will apply to those of you in that field. But the Professional Creative podcast is about more than just one area of creativity. It's about capturing the essence of what I do in my business, the things I nerd out over, the successes I achieve, and yes, even the failures I experience.

The podcast is an outlet for me to share my journey, my insights, and my passion for creative entrepreneurship. It's a platform where I can be transparent about both my triumphs and tribulations. And honestly, I'm having so much fun doing it.

Looking at it from a strategic perspective, it might have been smarter to create a podcast solely focused on surface pattern design. I discuss it extensively in my courses and membership, and it's a niche that I'm highly knowledgeable about. But the allure of exploring the broader realm of creative entrepreneurship was just too exciting to resist.

The Journey to Launching the Podcast: Behind the Scenes

When I first contemplated starting a podcast, I knew I had to be fully committed to delivering consistent content. Trust is something I deeply value and cherish with my audience, and consistency is a critical component of that trust. This, coupled with my bandwidth at the time, made me promise myself that I wouldn't start the podcast until I had the capacity to maintain regular, reliable broadcasts.

The moment of realization came about six months ago when I found myself asking, "What am I going to do today?" This question indicated to me that my business was running smoothly and efficiently, and that I had the right team in place to manage its daily operations. It was the sign I had been waiting for – it was time to start the podcast.

The actual process of launching the podcast was a journey filled with learning, creativity, and a lot of hard work. I started by coming up with a name – a task that proved to be surprisingly challenging. After landing on a name I loved, I dove into designing the podcast cover, another hurdle that turned out to be a fun creative process.

Next, I recorded a trailer for the podcast to get it approved by major platforms like Apple Podcasts. I edited the trailer myself using iMovie, adding music from premiumbeats.com to create a more engaging experience. This initial step was followed by researching and choosing categories for the podcast, registering it on Spotify, Apple, and Google, and having my lawyer trademark the podcast's name.

In the lead-up to the launch, I built anticipation among my audience by sharing the upcoming podcast and asking them to complete a survey. This step helped me gather 200 episode ideas from my audience, saving me mental bandwidth and providing validation for the podcast idea. It also enabled me to involve my audience in the creation process, making them co-creators of the podcast.

Once all these elements were in place, I focused on outlining the first six episodes and recording them in advance. I also recorded some ads, figured out a flow to the team and a filing system for all the audio and other materials related to each episode, and finally, announced the podcast to the world.

The response was overwhelming. We had over 10,000 downloads of the first episodes within the first 48 hours, and the podcast was ranked at number nine in the charts for art and design. The positive feedback and the emotional messages I received from listeners have reassured me that starting this podcast was a worthwhile endeavor.

In retrospect, the journey to launching the podcast has been a blend of strategic planning, creative brainstorming, and a lot of learning along the way. It's a process that requires dedication and a genuine passion for sharing your thoughts, ideas, and experiences with your audience. And the most rewarding part? Seeing how much the audience appreciates and benefits from the content you've worked so hard to create.

The Impact of Podcasting on Business

Podcasting has had a significant impact on my business even as a new podcaster. It's allowed me to reach a broader audience, grow my brand, and establish myself as a thought leader in my industry. Additionally, it's provided a platform for me to share my insights and experiences as an entrepreneur, offering value to my listeners.

Starting a podcast as a seasoned entrepreneur has been an exciting journey. It's allowed me to connect with my audience in a new way, learn new skills, and grow my business. The experience has reinforced my belief in the power of continual learning and growth.

Even though there are still aspects of podcasting that I'm getting to grips with, I'm excited about the possibilities that this platform holds for the future. I hope that sharing my behind-the-scenes experiences will inspire other entrepreneurs to explore new avenues and continually push their boundaries.

I hope that this look behind the scenes of starting the Professional Creative podcast has provided some valuable insights and perhaps even sparked some ideas for your own creative ventures. Whether you're a 'one' just starting out or a 'three' like me, remember to keep your goal in mind, understand your audience, and keep creating!

HEAR MORE ON THIS TOPIC ON EPISODE 11 OF THE PROFESSIONAL CREATIVE