Yahoo Lifestyle "I started my own podcast – here are the 7 things I wish I'd known"
When I decided to pivot my career and become a coach, I did it with one mission in mind: to help people find the clarity, confidence, motivation and energy to achieve their goals. Now entering my fourth year of this career chapter, I get to live this reality every day, and that makes me smile. But one thing I don’t get to do, since my job is confidential, is share all the fascinating conversations and insights I gather from these extraordinary entrepreneurs, founders and game-changers – conversations that could make a real difference to others.
That’s where the idea for the podcast came from. I wanted to speak to people who have successfully started a business off the back of a 20-year career to inspire and educate others who may be doing the same or thinking about making a change – and so, The Midlife Entrepreneur was born. I’ve long dreamed of having a podcast (I love to talk!) but since I didn’t have the budget to hire a production company, making the dream a reality was a much steeper learning curve than I ever imagined it would be. Here’s what I discovered...
1/ Get advice from the start from an expert
At the beginning, I tried to work it all out myself, but I simply didn’t have the time or the patience to know what good advice was and what wasn’t. So, I invested in a course (I used Fallow, Field and Mason) and am so grateful I did. They guided me through every step and held my hand when I got stuck (which I did, a lot).
2/ Be prepared to embrace tech like never before
I've had to learn it all, including Descript, my all-in-one audio and video editing software that allows me to edit, transcribe and publish my podcast and video content; Buzzsprout, the podcast-hosting platform that helps me upload, manage and distribute my show to directories like Apple Podcasts or Spotify; YouTube, where I host my video clips for LinkedIn; other social channels (Instagram, TikTok) where I promote each episode; and ChatGPT, which helps me create caption adaptions quickly. Learning new tech skills at my age isn’t at all easy, but once you’ve cracked them, it feels great.
3/ Be focused, and persevere with learning new skills
You need patience and a lot of practice – particularly when it comes to something like editing, which is hard, especially if you've never done it before. Most of my frustrations came from tech fear and not wanting to mess it up – but eight shows in, my confidence is growing and I love the creativity and satisfaction of producing something tangible.
4/ Don't invite too many opinions
It’s great to get advice and support, but be careful not to overwhelm yourself with it, however well-meaning. In the end, whether it’s the podcast’s name, the creative, the theme music or the social posts – as long as you’re happy with it, that's what matters. Trust your instincts and just go for it.
5/ Dial down the perfectionism
Having come from a marketing background, I know what 'good' looks and sounds like, which can be a blessing and a curse. I can see mistakes all over the show, but my new mantra is: if it’s good enough, it’s going up! I've learned that I can't get too hung up on trying to make it 'perfect', otherwise I can wave goodbye to my evenings for the foreseeable future.
6/ Don't be scared to approach potential guests
I was nervous about finding guests at first, but I've found that most people are delighted and flattered to be asked. It offers them an opportunity to showcase their expertise and experience, which is great content for them too.
7/ Know your ‘why’
Creating a podcast is hard work; you need to know why you’re doing it. Don’t do it because you see everyone else doing it, don’t do it for fame, and don’t do it for money – do it because you’re passionate about something that you think will resonate with other people, and hold on to that purpose as your north star.
The Midlife Entrepreneur is available to download from wherever you get your podcasts.
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