Podcasting Step By Step

Do you feel like your podcast is taking you way too long to produce? Or maybe you haven’t even launched yet because just starting seems endless?   Parkinson’s Law might have something to do with it. And today, I’m going to teach you how to break the law.    In this episode, you'll learn how to speed up your podcast production process by: Setting real deadlines Time blocking Finding ways to hold yourself accountable   *** Live Online Training: Podcast Interview Perfection    Does this sound like you?   You started your podcast to show up as a leader, but now you worry your interviews make you look like an awkward robot.    Breaking the ice with online guests you’ve never met feels forced.   Your conversations sound like job interviews. The kind that make people nervous.   If you feel sick before an interview and pray the guest cancels last-minute so you don’t have to do it, congratulations on being a totally normal human being.    Most of us aren’t born with amazing interview capabilities. It’s a skill

“Some people naturally seem to be storytellers who are more expressive vocally than others, but that doesn't mean that there aren't skills and tools that you can learn to have more control over your voice and to have more fun with it, and to really use it as a tool for self-expression in a way that still feels natural and authentic,” says Andrea Klunder, my guest on Podcasting Step by Step.    “It just comes with knowing what to play with and giving yourself permission to go there and experiment and see what feels good for you.”   In addition to being a pod expert, Andrea is classically trained in voice. In our episode together, she teaches us how to * warm up our voice * improve our posture * speak with more energy and clarity * take care of our bodies * and more   *** Hello. I’m Sarah, your host and founder of Podcast Launch Academy. Are you ready to launch a podcast that builds your brand and business, connects you to your global community, and grows your influence? Visit sarahmikutel.com to se

“I hate hate my voice.”    So many aspiring podcasters say this. But do they really hate their voice? Or is something else going on here?   On this episode, I dig into how to become more comfortable with your podcast voice.   Don't miss next week's episode, which will be a deep-dive vocal training on how to enhance your natural voice (which sounds great, by the way).   *** Hello. I’m Sarah, your host and founder of Podcast Launch Academy. Are you ready to launch a podcast that builds your brand and business, connects you to your global community, and grows your influence? Visit sarahmikutel.com to see how we can work together. Here’s a special treat for you: Use my Buzzsprout affiliate link to sign up for their podcast media hosting and get a $20 Amazon gift certificate. I’ve gotten to know the Buzzsprout team over this last year and love their customer service so much, I moved my shows over there. sarahmikutel.com/buzzsproutBecome a member of the Live Without Borders Community ❤️Let’s continue th

Today is podcasting 101 for new and aspiring podcasters. If that is you, then welcome to the podcasting family.    I’m sure you have a ton of questions, which is why today I’m speaking with Buzzsprout’s Priscilla Brooke.   Buzzsprout is a podcast media host and Pricilla is part of their customer support/customer happiness team, which means she spends all day answering podcast questions.   I asked her to join me on Podcasting Step by Step to discuss the most frequent questions that new podcasters ask.    We cover: Why you need a podcast media host What an RSS feed is  How to get into Apple Podcasts Why, when hit publish, you’re not seeing your latest podcast episode in Apple Podcasts and other directories right away How to improve your audio quality  What you should podcast about  How to get paid via affiliate marketing And how to switch podcast media hosts   I’ve gotten to know the team at Buzzsprout over the last year and I love their customer support and how easy and innovative their podcast hosting platf

Today’s interview with Jasmine Star will blow your socks off. There is just so much meaty goodness that I can’t wait to share with you.   I originally wanted to talk to Jasmine because she is the queen of Instagram — literally every business owner I know follows her — and I knew she’d share really good strategic and tactical advice to make Instagram work better for you. We do talk about this, but...   I’m even more excited to share how Jasmine used her podcast to make her latest launch of Social Curator such a smashing success.   In case you don’t know, Social Curator, which I’m a member of, helps small business owners elevate their social media presence and overall strategy for doing business on social.   In this episode, you will learn: how Jasmine used her podcast to prime people to buy during her latest launch of Social Curator; her podcast strategy, including who her ideal listener is and the kind of content Jasmine’s creating to help and empower her — and how this content is evolving; the difference b

Do you ever feel like the rest of the world knows a secret that you don't about growing an audience? Like when you're in a Facebook Group and someone humble brags that they just started their podcast and already have 100,000,000 downloads (this statement is usually followed by the online equivalent of Bambi blinking his eyes all innocent-like and saying, "I don't know, is that good?") And then you start to feel crummy. “What am I doing wrong?”    You’re not doing anything wrong. It takes time to build your audience, but some podcasters start out with a larger following because they’ve built one up on their blog or social media or maybe they are a celebrity of some kind.    Also, some podcast categories will always have a bigger audience than others. True crime and comedy will always have more downloads than an obscure hobby podcast.   Having said all that, we all want to grow our audience, and in this episode, I break down the three ways to do that.    But let’s jump to the spoiler: T

My guest today is Danielle Desir, host of The Thought Card travel podcast and founder of WOC Podcasters — that’s Women of Color Podcasters.   Danielle actually started her podcasting community before she started her podcast, and she shares that brilliant story in today’s episode.   WOC Podcasters now has 3,000 people in its Facebook Group, and you’ll learn how Danielle is nurturing and growing this community.   Danielle’s mission with this group is to amplify the voices of women of color podcasters, and we talk about how you can get involved in this mission.   P.S. Did you know that getting on other people's podcasts is the best way to grow your own show? If you'd like my fluff-free success plan for getting on podcasts, I have a special offer for you at sarahmikutel.com/podcastpitchperfection    *** Hello. I’m Sarah, your host and founder of Podcast Launch Academy. Are you ready to launch a podcast that builds your brand and business, connects you to your global community, and grows your influence?

In the last episode,  podcast editor and host Emily Prokop told us about how she manages her ADHD as a podcaster and business owner, and she gave us some great advice on how we can find our focus and be more productive.   Today I’m continuing the conversation with Emily to learn about her podcast production process, specifically how she’s using Facebook Lives to build community.   I hope this episode inspires you to try a new way to connect with your audience.   Enjoy the show. *** Hello. I’m Sarah, your host and founder of Podcast Launch Academy. Are you ready to launch a podcast that builds your brand and business, connects you to your global community, and grows your influence? Visit sarahmikutel.com to see how we can work together. Here’s a special treat for you: Use my Buzzsprout affiliate link to sign up for their podcast media hosting and get a $20 Amazon gift certificate. I’ve gotten to know the Buzzsprout team over this last year and love their customer service so much, I moved my shows over there.

Are you having a hard time focussing on your podcast?   Maybe you’re a daydreamer. Maybe something is going on with your family. Maybe you’re devastated at the state of the world. Maybe you’re happy and hopeful and jumping around from thing to thing because you’re so excited. Maybe you have ADHD like today’s guest.   I’m speaking with my friend Emily Prokop, podcast editor, host of the Story Behind, and co-host of the Hate to Weight podcast.   Emily and I have a lot in common, including being recovering research-obsessed perfectionists. That doesn’t mean we’re natural planners. We definitely fall in the daydreamer category.   We still have big goals that we want to accomplish.   One very important thing that I learned this year is that there are several different personality types — you can go back and listen to my Myers Briggs episode to hear more about that.   Our brains work in very different ways. We’re motivated by different things.   Some podcasters are natural organizers and they love talking about spr

Are you overthinking something right now and can’t seem to move forward? Today, I have a simple yet very powerful mindset mantra that will get you moving in the right direction.   I had a mind-blown experience this week. One of my online business mentors, Elizabeth Goddard, said, "Let Future You take care of it."   Whoah! So simple yet such a powerful mindset shift.   Here's what Elizabeth means: Have faith that Future You will have the experience and the context to make the right decisions.   So often we tie ourselves in knots about whether we should try this or that. Should I start a podcast? Should I move to Paris?   But Present You can't know the answers because you don't have the experience of trying yet.   The job of Present You is to try, experiment, and play. To take action on something now and let Future You decide if it's working, if you love it, or if you want to try something else.   Future You has more information and, therefore, more answers. Yes, Present You will h

How do I make money with my podcast? That’s always a hot topic amongst podcasters.   A few episodes ago we talked about affiliate marketing, which is a good way to get started. But if you want to make real money, you need to sell your own products and services.   Today I’m speaking with Crystal Davis, the Borderless Coach and founder of High Income Digital Nomad. Crystal’s mission is to help people build thriving and enjoyable businesses that let them travel and work remotely.   We get into the nuts and bolts of how to get up and running with a profitable online business right now. We discuss: why conventional wisdom regarding online business keeps people in a long slog, and what you should do instead to earn the income you want; what kind of offer you should create; how to find clients; who you should sell to and who you shouldn’t target; the three daily activities you need to do to make money; and more.   This isn’t the usual business advice you hear, and I think you’re going to love Crystal’s fresh, and

You’ve heard me ask: ‘What do you stand for? And what is the conversation you want to have with the world?’    On today’s episode, we’re talking about how this conversation can change and evolve.    Joining me again is Alexis Teichmiller, Affiliate Manager at ConvertKit and host of the Deeper Life, a podcast about vulnerability, connecting with others, and showing up unapologetically in the world.   I love featuring podcasters focusing on the deeper aspects of life and that is Alexis in a very literal sense.    We discuss vulnerability, forgiveness, getting in alignment with our values, working with our feelings instead of against them, how to increase our self-awareness, and more.   It’s so easy to get stuck in a routine and lose track of what we believe in, and to not give ourselves space to reflect on whether our beliefs still ring true.   Consider this episode your opportunity to reflect on what matters to you, and whether you are becoming the person you want to be. *** Hello. I’m Sarah, your host and fou

Let’s talk about money. Specifically, making money with your podcast.   In previous episodes of Podcasting Step by Step, I’ve talked about how the traditional podcast sponsorship model — where you get paid per 1,000 downloads per episode — is a pretty bad deal for most podcasters. You’re much better off negotiating your own sponsorship with a brand that’s perfect for your audience.   Or, you can try becoming an affiliate for the products and services that you love. As an affiliate, you’re sort of an advertiser / brand ambassador.    Alexis Teichmiller, the Affiliate Manager at ConvertKit, joins me on Podcasting Step by Step to talk about how podcasters like you can get started with affiliate marketing.   We answer your burning question, including: What is affiliate marketing and how does it work? Where do you find products that have affiliate programs? What are the top mistakes affiliate marketers make? What strategies are the most successful affiliates using? And more.   If Podcasting Step by Step has hel

We’re living through a global pandemic. It's okay to have down days and to be upset about the way things are. None of us want to be locked up in our house or to lose our job.   But if we wallow in that negativity for too long, that doesn't mean we're going to get extra days in our life, right? We're not going to get bonus months at the end of our life because we survived lock down.    Author Ryan Holiday has a podcast called the Daily Stoic. Lately, he’s been talking about Alive Time versus Dead Time, something writer Robert Greene told him about.    According to him, we can spend our time in one of two ways, passively (Dead Time), where we’re just zoning out and letting life happen to us, and actively (Alive Time), where we’re learning, trying new things, and consciously choosing how to spend our time.   As the Stoics taught us, we can't control what's going on in the world, but we can control how we react to it. You’ll never get today again -- will you make it matter? *** Hello

Do you often feel like you never have enough time to do what you want, including podcasting? It’s the worst!   You’re spending hours at your computer and yet nothing is getting done. What is going wrong? And where did the day go?   Imagine how great it would feel if you had all the time you needed to podcast. My guest today says it’s possible because time is more abundant than you think. We can actually stretch it.    Laura Vanderkam is the author of several time management and productivity books, including Juliet’s School of Possibilities, I Know How She Does It, and 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think.    She also speaks at conferences, including at TED; writes for publications like the New York Times; hosts the podcasts Before Breakfast and The New Corner Office, and co-hosts the podcast Best of Both Worlds.   She has five kids and blogs almost every day at Laura Vanderkam.com.   So if Laura can find time to do all that plus hang out with friends and get eight hours of sleep, then there is hope fo

On the last episode, I spoke with Idelle Erickson, producer of the Girl Talk podcast for the Girl Scouts. We talked about the mission of the show and about the role of a podcast producer, and Idelle mentioned that she and her colleagues and guests usually record their episodes in person.   Today Idelle explains the set up she creates in her basement to capture studio-like sound for her podcast. This information is incredibly valuable because most people do not record good audio when they’re in the same room with someone. I hear a lot of audio bleed and reverb on shows I’ve edited, but never on Idelle’s.   Of course, recording in person might not always be possible. Your guest could be 1,000 miles away or maybe the entire globe is on lock down due to a pandemic. But one day, when you do record an episode in person, you will be happy to have this knowledge.    Idelle and I recorded this remotely using Squadcast, which is how I usually record my interviews. If you’d like to support this show, you can do so by te

Remember a few episodes ago when I was talking to podcast editing extraordinaire Steve Stewart? We chatted about how to create your podcast editing side hustle, and he talked about finding clients at conferences.   Well, today I’m speaking with a client of mine whom I met at Podcast Movement last year.   I’m speaking with Idelle Erickson, who works for the Girl Scouts and produces the Girl Talk podcast.   We talk about what a podcast producer does, and Idelle walks us through her process of creating a Girl Talk episode, plus shares how she engages Girl Talk listeners.    Idelle is so lovely and I’m happy to have her as a friend. I was actually crying before we recorded this episode because l can't stop thinking about all the children forced to be in lock down in abusive situations. I want to create a recovery program for abused kids that uses audio to help them feel comfortable speaking up and healing. Want to help me? Get in touch.    *** Hello. I’m Sarah, your host and founder of Podcast Launch Academ

Imagine a magical world in which you can promote your podcast and your business online, generate lots of traffic back to your website, and you don’t need to worry about how many followers you have.   Well good news! That world exists and it’s called Pinterest, where, unlike social media, you don’t need to get caught up in vanity metrics like how many people heart your post. As my guest today says, “The only thing from a data perspective that matters is how many people are clicking through to your website.”    Today I’m speaking with Cara Chace, founder of the membership site the Pin Power Method, which teaches people how to use Pinterest marketing for their online business.   Whether you have your own business yet or not, the same strategies Cara teaches in her membership, and with us here today, can be used to grow your podcast.   Pinterest is a powerful search engine and a fantastic tool to help your ideal listeners and customers discover you. Consider this episode your the Ultimate Guide to Pinterest for P

If you’re like me, you love listening to podcasts and taking notes on all the great ideas you want to try, but many of us don’t make the time to take creative action on what we learn. We just keep consuming.    Well now, thanks to the COVID-19 coronavirus, we are on lock down and podcast consumption is down 20%. You might be listening to an hour or two less a day of podcasts. Use that time to do something that will benefit your show.   Ready to launch your podcast? Visit sarahmikutel.com/course to learn how to build your brand and business, connect to your community, and grow your influence through the magic of podcasting.  Become a member of the Live Without Borders Community ❤️Let’s continue the conversation. Head on over to my blog on Substack for more on how to thrive through better communication, Stoicism, and global exploration.  We can chat together in the comments and I have fab bonuses for paid subscribers. Or, you can read new posts for free.Live Without Borders Substack

If you want to become a next-level podcaster, the kind of host whom people write to and say — “I just binged all of your episodes, I can’t wait for more” — you have to know what you stand for and who you are.    Seriously, how much space do you give yourself to figure out what motivates you and what your strengths are? How often do you reflect on how you move through the world and how others see you?   One way to get clarity on this is through Myers Briggs, an assessment that helps us better understand ourselves, and also the personalities of others.    Myers Briggs expert and MBTI® Certified Practitioner Caitlin Hawekotte joined me on Podcasting Step by Step to teach my listeners about the 16 personality types and preferences.   Become a member of the Live Without Borders Community ❤️Let’s continue the conversation. Head on over to my blog on Substack for more on how to thrive through better communication, Stoicism, and global exploration.  We can chat together in the comments and I have fab bonuses fo