Tag Archive | Podcast

Stacy Tuschl Is Building Her “Empire”

By Cheval John

May 31st, 2017

Stacy Tuschl went to college with plans to join the working work once she graduated.

However, fate changed her mind when she offered dance classes in her backyard while she was in college.

As her business grew tremendously after graduation, Stacy knew this was her calling.

Since then, she has created her facebook community called She’s Building Her Empire, which helps women entrepreneurs to achieve 6-figure status while staying true to their purpose.

Her podcast, “She’s Building Her Empire” is listened to in about 70 countries around the world.

Stacy’s book, “Is Your Business Worth Saving” received over 13,000 downloads within 24 hours and is an Amazon International Best-Seller.

In this episode, you will hear:

Why live streaming is important

Why she cut back her podcast episodes from three times per week to only airing it twice a week

How she got over 13,000 downloads within 24 hours

As a side note, this episode was recorded on Facebook Live via Blue Jeans Network and the above video is a snippet of that same podcast recording.

Nothing In Life Is Free

By Cheval John

Lets say you send an top-leading expert in the business industry about the possibility of buying them coffee in order to learn how they overcame challenges to be successful in their business.

People like Mike Michalowicz, Author and Speaker

Or Felena Hanson, author of the new book, “The Flight Club and Owner of the Hera Hub.

Two likely scenarios will happen.

They will respectfully decline your offer to buy them coffee.

Or they will charge you a fee for about 30 minutes to an hour to learn about how they overcame the odds to become successful with their business for the better.

You might believe that the above is mean because you figure that they are nice people.

True, they are nice people.

But, you must understand that if they spend about 30 minutes to an hour of their time chatting with you about their business, they will be losing money in the process.

Because that same time they spent with you could have went into creating another business idea that would allow them to make money.

That is why the small percentage of the world are truly successful because they see their time as valuable.

They use their time wisely in order to keep themselves motivated to be successful in their business and aim to make the world a better place.

Now if you send these same entrepreneurs an e-mail invitation to spend 30 minutes to an hour as a guest on your podcast or “television” show, nine times out of ten, they will say yes.

The reason is because they will have an opportunity to share their story of how they achieved business success as a guest on your show.

They also know that they will not be losing money because they will attract a new (your) audience to their business.

That is why you see a lot of movie stars appearing on national television shows when they are promoting a new movie.

Or even music artists appearing on ESPN shows like “First Take” and “His and Hers” during the Super Bowl festivities when they are promoting a new album.

That in itself is why an entrepreneur or even a college student should host a podcast or a “television show.”

If you are just starting out, don’t send the invitation to a big name celebrity or rock star in the social media industry because you don’t have an audience yet.

Instead, start with the people you in your network who knows you and trust you because overtime, your podcast or television show will have a dedicated audience.

And a bonus that seems contradictory to the above advice, don’t waste your time chasing influencers because they are busy people and are receiving the same e-mail invitation from your fellow podcasters to be a guest on their show.

When you spend your time wisely and build your podcast/television show slowly, you will eventually gain respect from your audience that will eventually allow your business to be profitable for the better.

The Flexibility of An Online Business

By Cheval John

Soccer (as the world calls football) is one of the most unique sports ever created.

The sport is played in all of the 193 sovereign countries and all of the about 50 territories of the world.

Soccer’s success can attribute to a lot of tournaments that includes the FIFA’s World Cup and the UEFA Champions League.

For the athletes that plays soccer, it allows them to build a foundation that can set them and their families to break the poverty that the majority of them grew up in.

Another benefit that athletes have in playing soccer is the opportunity to travel the world.

They can interact with a new culture that is different than theirs and also improve their soccer skills that can benefit their respective national team.

In a lot of ways, creating an online business can allow you to work from anywhere in the world.

According to this 2014 Internet Retailer article, they are between 12- 24 million online businesses in the world today.

That makes it easy for a business owner to work from anywhere in the world and run their business.

And to add on the fact that social media has made it more manageable to interact with their prospective customers everyday, the business owner can succeed from any location in the world for the better.

Now if you have a business and you are not on social media, you are very invisible.

The reason being is that your potential customers are already on social media and are making their decision of whether to buy from a business or not based on what they see from their peers on social media.

Another reason why a business owner should be on social media is because half the world are on social media according this Fortune article.

Ahna Hendrix, who is the founder and CEO of Arch Digital Agency, was very smart in building her online presence while she was in college before creating her business.

Ahna shared with me on What’s The Word? about how her travels indirectly helped her to form her business and why many people should embrace social media.

She also chatted about her podcast, “Behind The Brand with Ahna,” which she records on the live streaming platform, Blab.

In conclusion, the internet has opened doors for anyone to run an online business and build strong friendships through social media.

If a person uses social media correctly, they can have a long lasting business that will allow them to travel and also make the world a better place.

Finishing 2015 On A High Note

By Cheval John

Everyone is in planning mode on what they want to accomplish in 2016 for the better.

It is understandable because we are one day away from closing out 2015 and are excited about the possibilities that awaits us in 2016 for the better.

The problem is that we overlook the positive things that we can do to finish 2015 on a high note that can launch us into a thriving 2016.

Before, I would always plan out what I wanted to accomplish in the new year to make my life better.

This year is different because I am more focus on finishing 2015 on a high note because I want to know that I did everything I could to make the year successful for the better.

I can say that I finished the first half of my goal as I made an appearance on The Tonya Hofmann’s Fabulous TV Show to share about my company, Vallano Media, how businesses and sports organization can use social media to build a loyal community that will in turn help them to be profitable for the better and my favorite sports teams.

I also decided to provide my second book, “8 Lessons Every Podcaster Need To Learn” in its entirety below as a free gift to the audience of Mrs. Hofmann’s show and also the readers of this website.

In closing, I want to share that you must focus on finishing 2015 on a high note so that you can enter 2016 running for the better.

Hope you enjoy the free gift below.

Introduction

Podcasting has made a resurgence in the last 10 years.
It was a once forgotten medium because the technology was only available on computers.
After Apple created the iPod in 2005, many flocked back to podcasting because they believed that they could reach a wider audience.
There are signs that podcasting will continue to grow in the near future.
The reason is because Apple has led the way in innovation again with their new product, the Apple Carplay.

Carplay allows anyone to connect their iPhone to their cars.

It was released earlier this year on selected car models like Ferrari, Honda, and Hyundai and will be available on all newer models with the rest of the big name brands in 2015.

Even if you don’t have the cash to spend on these newer model cars, you will have the opportunity to still get Carplay because Pioneer Electronics were one of the premier aftermarket manufacturers to collaborate with their new Firmware For Pioneer NEX In-Dash Receiver.

The product was released late last year and is available for any model type of cars.

One might think, This is all great, but what does all this have to do with podcasting?

The answer is everything, because the iPhone has given people the capability to download their favorite podcasts and listen to them anywhere.

That means that if you are small business owner, freelance writer, or a college student who is trying to showcase your expertise in order to land a dream job, etc., starting a podcast will allow you to reach your target audience and establish your credibility.

And it gets even better with Carplay because podcasters are able to reach people who have to commute to work on a weekly basis.

So you might still wonder, Why I should journey into podcasting when the medium is the 11th social media platform used by 6% of marketers, according to the 2014 industry report by Social Media Examiner?

The reason is because that same report has indicated that 21% of marketers are going to create their own podcasts this year and 24% are thinking of the possibility of having a podcast.

So if you are convinced and are ready to have your very own podcast, I salute you.

As you are thinking about what platform will best fit your podcasting needs, the third chapter, “Start A Podcast” in my first book, 8 Things You Need To Do Before Quitting Your Job explains what platform will work for the newbie podcaster.

When you come to a decision on which platform you feel comfortable with in creating your podcast,
more questions will enter your mind like, How do I secure my first guest? Should I reach out to that A-Lister or should I start local with the people I know?

This book, 8 Lessons Every Podcaster Needs To Learn will be the step-by-step guide to grow your podcast the right way. It is based on the lessons I learned the hard way while hosting my very own online radio show/podcast, “What’s The Word?” on BlogTalkRadio. My hope is that you will avoid the same mistakes as a podcaster and that you will grow your personal brand and establish yourself as a thought leader, whether you are a business owner, freelance writer, college student or even an employee.

Let the lessons begin.

Websites:
Social Media Examiner :
www.socialmediaexaminer.com
AppleCarplay :
www.apple.com/ios/carplay/

Pioneer Electronics:
www.pioneerelectronics.com/CarPlay/

1st Lesson: Start Locally

When many people are first starting out, they are tempted to reach out to the most recognizable person out there.

The logic is that the recognizable guest will ‘drive’ many listeners to the show.

It is very reasonable if you want to start your podcasting journey on the right foot.

However, this is the wrong approach.

Many of these big name people will not even give you a second thought because you are not big enough, especially if you are just starting your podcast.

They will feel nervous because they do not know what to expect.

That is why it is important to start locally because your potential guest already knows you and trusts you.

If you built that relationship with the people who are prominent in your area, then it will be easier to approach them to be one of the ‘first’ guests on your new show.

And once your podcast gains traction, it will be easier to reach out to the ‘big name’ people because they will see your track record and, nine times out of ten, they will accept.

When I was in preparation to launch my show, “What’s The Word?” I reached out to a ‘prominent’ person and she accepted the invitation.

Three days before the show was set to launch, she sent me a message saying that she was not able to do the show because she had to focus on her new clients and wished me luck.

Though I was bummed, it was a blessing in disguise because it allowed me to reach out to the people I already knew at my alma mater, Sam Houston State University.

The show launched a few weeks later and from that moment, I had many ‘well-known’ guests on the show.

So if you want to have a great start to your podcast career, it is really important to start locally.

2nd Lesson: Choose Your Niche

You might be wondering if you should aim for a general audience or go for a niche market.

You would think that it is easier to go after a general audience because you want to show that you are well rounded and also want to cater to everyone.

In a lot of ways, it might work if you want to display your experiences to a potential employer, or in the case of a freelancer, a client.

However, that can cause you to lose your audience because you are trying to please everyone and are stretching yourself thin.

The best thing to do when you are starting a podcast is to go for a niche market.

Whether it is marketing, sports, self-help, etc., you are solving a specific need and, in the process, creating a loyal following.

Dori DeCarlo, a seasoned entrepreneur, first got into podcasting after launching the show, “The Three Wise Girls” with co-hosts Debbie Barth and Linda Alexander.

During one of the shows, Dori did a two part segment on Mompreneurs, women who are moms and also entrepreneurs.

In the process of that segment, Dori found her niche.

With the encouragement from her co-hosts, Dori launched her own show called “Word of Mom” which evolved into the network, “Word of Mom Radio.”

In the four years since launching, the network has received over 70,000 downloads in 2013 and is continuing to grow.

So if you want to grow your podcast, focus on a niche market because, in doing so, you will separate yourself from the crowd.

Website:
Word of Mom Radio:
www.wordofmomradio.com/

3rd Lesson: Research, Research, Research

So now you have landed your guest for your podcast and are counting down to the show.

One of the most important things you must do before the show is do your research.

You might say, “That is so obvious.”

The sad reality is many people don’t do their research on their guest.

The host might think they can ‘wing it’ with the guest on the show, however your audience can tell right away if you are on top of your game.

When you do your research on the guest, you will find out interesting things you never knew before, and from this research you can create some talking points which will be a guide for you once the show begins.

And when you ask your guests specific quotes, they will feel very valued because of the research you did before the episode.

Once that happens, the guest will refer your show to their friends who are also influential.

In addition, you will gain greater credibility with your listeners because they know that you are very disciplined in preparation and also your audience knows you value them.

Jared Easley, co-creator of the Podcasting Movement and author of the Amazon best-selling book,Podcasting Good To Great: How To Grow Your Audience Through Collaboration, grew his podcast, “Starving The Doubts” into a popular show.
His meticulous research on the guests before every show has made them feel at home.
As a result of his efforts, Jared’s podcast has been named the No.1 emerging podcast by both Entrepreneur.com and the Huffington Post.

So if you want to gain more credibility with your podcast, you must research, research, research because, like Mr. Easley, you will earn respect from your guest and your audience.

Websites:
Jared Easley: www.starvingthedoubts.com

Podcast Movement:
www.podcastmovement.com

Entrepreneur:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/237966

4th Lesson: Send The Reminder A Day Before The Show

I had booked a guest who was coming out with a new book.

Everything was scheduled and we were counting down to the day of the show.

Once the show began, the guest did not call in and I had to improvise while I was waiting for the person to dial the number for the show.

The guest sent me a message and said, “Her assistant did not send her the number to call into the show.”

So I gave her the number and the show went on as usual.

I could have avoided the blunder if I had sent a reminder to the assistant the day before with the number to call.

You might think you do not need to send them or their representatives a reminder because they said they got it jot down in their calendar.

However, it is always important to send a reminder because it can determine if you will have a great show, a mediocre show or no show at all.

As in my case, the show was near perfect after the blunder.

So how do you send a reminder the day before the show begins without feeling like you are being rude?

Below is an example of how to send the reminder notice for your guest:

“Jane Doe, I hope you are having a great week and I can not wait for the show tomorrow. Just in case, here is the number to call five minutes before the show begins at 3 p.m. eastern, 2 p.m. central, 1 p.m. mountain, noon pacific: 1-888-888-8888.

Thank you again for taking the time out of your busy schedule to make an appearance on the show.
Have a great day.”

Cheval John
Host, “Name of Podcast”

So to recap, if you want to make sure that you and your guest or the representative of the guest are on the same page, send a reminder the day before the show because you will avoid the awkward moment when you are by yourself doing the show without a guest.

5th Lesson: Be Yourself

Even though it is very important to have talking points from your research, you should not stick to the script.

You should try and be as conversational as possible with your guest and show your personality because a audience loves a person who is very authentic and willing to be real.

That does not mean you should talk about yourself the majority of the time while you are doing the show because it will come across as self-promotion.

Your main job is to showcase the guest and lift them up to your audience, not in the way that you do not have some disagreements about a particular subject.

If your guest ask you about your work, then you can chat about yourself for a bit.

Always keep in mind the 80/20 rule.

80% of the show is focused on the guest while 20% is focused on you.

6th Lesson: Be A Good Listener

One of the most important things a person can do during a podcast is listening carefully to what their guest are saying.

Most of the time, the interviewer will ask a question and then focus on what they are going to ask next.

When a person only focus on what they are going to ask instead of listening to their guest, they miss out on an answer so insightful that can benefit the listener.

If you don’t listen, the guest will believe that you do not care about what they have to share with you and your audience.

When that happens, your podcast might suffer and it will be hard to build it back up again.

So if you want to gain insightful information during your podcast that will benefit your audience, be a good listener.

Your guest will appreciate it so much that they will give you praise when they are showcasing their appearance on your podcast.

7th Lesson: Send A Thank You E-mail

When you finish your show, the first thing you should do is send a thank you e-mail to either the guest or the representative of the guest who made it possible for your show to happen.

The reason is it shows proper etiquette to the person who worked behind the scenes to connect you to their client.

Another reason is the person might be connected to someone who you admire and want to have on the show.

Let’s say you don’t send the “thank you e-mail” or even a thank you note to the person, you might think you are not hurting anyone.

However, your guest will remember how you showed no appreciation for them taking the time out of their busy schedule to be on your show.

Secondly, the person will tell their friends about how you did not send them a thank you e-mail.

Once that happens, it will be hard for you to gain more guests because of the negative perception you have created because you did not send a thank you e-mail.

On the flip side, when you send the thank you note, your “guest” will speak well of you because they have seen you have taken the time to thank them for being on your show.

When you least expect it, the person will connect you to their clients that would make great guests for your show.

As a result, your podcast will go to the next level.

8th Lesson: Network With Other Podcasters

Networking is one of the most tried and true ways to get yourself out there and promote your show.

One way you can network is by commenting on your fellow podcasters shows.

If you do that on a consistent basis, they will take notice and it can lead to them promoting your podcast or even landing a guest appearance on their podcast.

One thing you must remember is that networking is about providing value to the other person and not just asking for something.
If you go to a networking event and only hand out promotional materials about your show, you are sending a message that you are not interested in building a friendship and that your work is more important than theirs.

You must go into any networking event with a giver’s mentality and really be genuine about your fellow podcaster’s work.

Once you establish the friendship, then they will be eager to help you to take your podcast to the next level.

The only question now is where do you meet your fellow podcasters?
The places you can network with your fellow podcasters is at conferences, online groups, etc.

One conference that comes to mind is the World Domination Summit (WDS), an annual conference held in Portland, Oregon.

WDS is the place where you can meet fellow bloggers and podcasters like Jaime Tardy, John Lee Dumas and Chris Ducker.

They have an established audience and always share what worked for them and how their strategies of growing an audience can work for you.

So if you want to grow your audience, network with your fellow podcasters because you will build your credibility as a thought leader and also lift up the people who are doing great things in the world.

Websites:

World Domination Summit:
www.worlddominationsummit.com

Additional Websites:

Podcaster’s Hangout:
www.facebook.com/groups/podcastgroup/

Podcast South Florida:
www.facebook.com/groups/podcastsfl/

Conclusion

You have reached the conclusion of this book.

Hopefully, you will apply these lessons in order to be successful as a podcaster.

This book can be applied to whatever work you are doing.

Whether you are in public relations, journalism, etc., you must establish trust with your clients, readers or your viewers if you are going to succeed.

Podcasting may not be for everyone because what works for one person may not be a good fit for another person.

The only way that you can know if podcasting is right for you is if you try it out for yourself.

If you decide to go a different route, these same lessons will be beneficial for you to succeed in the long run.

Happy podcasting.

Enjoy Your Business Journey To Success

By Cheval John

You have ventured out on a new endeavor.

Whether it is launching a business or starting a podcast, etc., you want your endeavors to be a huge success.

You look at your competition and see that they are doing great.

You might even see that your competition is amassing a quick following within weeks and are profitable in the process.

Your first thought is “Why They Are More Successful Than Me?”

From that thought, you start comparing your endeavors to theirs.

You will be thinking along the way that you are not good enough to succeed.

When you fall for the comparison trap, you have already failed.

You have diluted your vision of what you want your business or podcast to be and are trying to copy your competition.

When that happens, you are only following the competition and not creating your unique voice for your business.

In addition, you are failing to provide value that would benefit the people who need it.

What you should do is not focus too much on the competition because you will end up creating their vision of your business and not yours.

Also, you should check out this awesome blog post, “How To Understand Your Competitors Without Falling Into The Jealousy Trap,” by Maria Ross, founder of Red Slice.

She explain the post in depth on my podcast, “What’s The Word?” last night about how she came up with the idea of the post and also falling for the comparison trap.

Check Out Business Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with Cheval John on BlogTalkRadio

It is really valid because many of us always compare ourselves to other people who are seemingly more successful than us.

I have struggled with the comparison trap a lot of times.

Even though I have achieved a whole lot of goals like having my own podcast, running my own online media company, writing two books, spending an extended period of time in Mexico and Chile, or obtaining two college degrees, I still find myself at times comparing myself to others.

We have to remember that they will always be someone better than you in a skill like business, etc.

Also, you have to understand that they had to work extremely hard to earn their way to success.

That is really not a bad thing.

It is really awesome because you can always learn from them and see what they did to achieve their success.

I could right now compare myself to Maria because she is experiencing a whole lot of success as an entrepreneur while I am aiming to be successful as an entrepreneur.

I choose not to because I understand the journey that she has experienced to be where she is at today with her business.

So if you see a someone (example celebrities, etc.) who are seemingly achieving success very quickly in their new business or podcast ventures, just remember that they had to put in years of hard work and dedication to be where they are at and establishing their audience.

That alone should make you appreciate their journey and enjoy your own business or podcasting journey to success.

Like the old saying goes, “Rome Was Not Built In A Day.”