DB Media

Season 3 of Podcaster Stories has just wrapped, and in this episode I look back at the guests and the inspiring and insightful stories they shared.

In episode 1, Fitz Koehler of The Fitness Show and author of the book My Noisy Cancer Comeback shared how her life changed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and how she used that as a starting point for her inspiring fight against it. Listen to the full episode.

In episode 2, I spoke with Roman Mironov of the be Version 2.0 of Yourself podcast. Roman talked about his work as a personal relationship coach, and the importance of defining what's healthy and non-healthy in your relationships. Listen to the full episode.

Episode 3 saw me talking with my wife Jaclyn, co-host of the Mental Health and Us podcast. Jaclyn shared her 20 year battle with anxiety and depression, as well as the effect an abusive childhood had on her adult life. Listen to the full episode.

In episode 4, John Adams of the DadPodUK podcast joined me to speak about his experiences as a stay at home dad for 10 years, and how Covid has changed today's generation of kids. Listen to the full episode.

Episode 5 saw communications pro Paul Sutton, of the Digital Download podcast, who shared some very personal stories about his journey with mental health, the dark places he visited as a younger man, and how he's become an advocate for mental health discussions in the workplace. Listen to the full episode.

James Perdue, host of the Professor of Perseverance podcast, joined me in episode 6, where he talked about being paralyzed at age 19, and the sacrifices he and his parents made to ensure he lived the fullest life he could. Listen to the full episode.

In episode 7, Steven Webb of the Stillness in the Storms podcast, was incredibly open about his life struggles, from parents divorcing when he was very young, to a life-changing accident, and how he used that to forge a positive mindset that everyone can learn from. Listen to the full episode.

In the final episode of season three, Lainey Cameron spoke about her experiences of being the only female senior executive in the tech world, and the toxic masculinity that inspired her to write a book drawing from these experiences. Listen to the full episode.

The show will be taking a 4-week break now, but will return with Season 4 at the beginning of June.

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Electro-Voice RE320
• Motu M2 Audio Interface
• Denon DJ HP-1100 Over Ear Headphones
• Podcast Pro Boom Arm by Accu-Lite and O.C. White

Recommended resources:

• Captivate.fm
• Aweber email marketing
• RiversideFM remote interviewing
• My Podcast Reviews

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

On April 21st 2020, Podcaster stories was launched. Unlike my other podcasts up until that point, this wouldn't be a solo show - instead, it'd be an interview-style show.

Not only that, but it would be an interview-style show with fellow podcasters, many of whom had interview shows of their own. So, to say I was a little nervous would be an understatement!

But, 12 months on, I'm enjoying it as much as ever, and have some fun ideas regarding the next 12 months and beyond.

Thank you so much for listening so far, and I can't wait to share the next stage of Podcaster Stories with you.

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Electro-Voice RE320
• Motu M2 Audio Interface
• Denon DJ HP-1100 Over Ear Headphones
• Podcast Pro Boom Arm by Accu-Lite and O.C. White

Recommended resources:

• Captivate.fm
• Aweber email marketing
• RiversideFM remote interviewing
• My Podcast Reviews

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

This week, I sit down with Lainey Cameron, host of The Best of Women’s Fiction podcast, a show that highlights authors that Lainey respects, as well as interviews with best-selling and women fiction authors.

Each episode, Lainey and her guests share what inspired a favourite author’s book, as well as what advice they’d give to other writers.

Lainey is also the author of the award-winning novel, The Exit Strategy, which was inspired by a decade of being the only woman in the corporate boardroom. It’s been called a “rallying call for women to believe in themselves and join together” and tells the story of a Silicon Valley investor who first meets her husband’s mistress across the negotiating table.

If someone’s a great talent but a pain in the ass to work with, that’s going to be a problem.

For her first book, Lainey hired a voiceover professional to read the audio version, and she shares here how that process works.

Far from simply reading the words on a page, the artist needs to connect with the story and characters, to ensure the author’s vision remains, even when the end result can be something very different from what the author envisaged.

On Creating a Brand Through an Experiment

Lainey originally started podcasting as a video broadcaster using Streamyard for live interviews, and then decided to take that to an audio format.

To her pleasant surprise, the audio version of the show has overtake the video version, and is really taking off, helping her to connect more authors to a wider audience.

I wish I had had that kind of advice when starting out.

As the podcast has grown, Lainey is determined to continue giving a voice to lesser-known authors, and connecting them with the talent that can help them grow their audience.

The Importance of Vetting and Quality

As Lainey’s show has grown, so has the amount of cold pitches she’s receiving to have authors as guests on her show. While this can be a good thing when it comes to episode growth, it can also impact the amount of guests she has on, due to the extra research involved.

• A limited amount of time to read the books sent to her
• Minimal pre-release information or promo sheets
• A lack of peer reviews to ensure the book and author are right for her show

Since Lainey is very conscientious when it comes to who and what she shares with her audience, this extra awareness can cause problems that weren’t there before.

The Continuing Problem with the Tech Industry

Lainey’s background is in the tech start-up world, specifically in Silicon Valley. Being the only high-flying woman executive in the room would come with its own challenges, on top of the job any executive would need to do as part of their everyday life.

It is frustrating and tiring to be the only woman in the room, and to be the only senior woman on the team.

It often lead to Lainey needing to be twice as good as the men in the same position, and understand that the microscope was on her even more because of her gender.

How She Ended Up Hunting with Stoned Tribesmen in Tanzania

As digital nomads, both Lainey and her husband have traveled to numerous parts of the world, leading to a mix of scary and funny adventures.

One that sticks in Lainey’s mind is when they were on a safari tour in Africa, and ended up going hunting with a bunch of stoned teenage tribesmen in Tanzania. Now that’s not something we can all say we’ve done!

Join us for an entertaining chat about the writing world, the ongoing toxic masculinity in the tech world, and why being a digital nomad offers incredible life lessons if you can take the opportunity to grab them.

Connect with Lainey:

• Lainey’s website
• The Best of Women’s Fiction Podcast

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Electro-Voice RE320
• Motu M2 Audio Interface
• Denon DJ HP-1100 Over Ear Headphones
• Podcast Pro Boom Arm by Accu-Lite and O.C. White

Recommended resources:

• Captivate.fm
• AWeber email marketing
• SquadCast remote interviewing
• My Podcast Reviews

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

In this special bonus episode, I want to share how you can be part of an awesome social good initiative thanks to the good folks at Podchaser and Captivate.

Podchaser is a podcast directory – think of it as the IMDB of podcasting. Here, you can follow shows, follow creators, create lists of your favourite podcasts, and more.

As part of their #Reviews4Good program, Podchaser will donate $0.25 for any review left on their platform to Meals on Wheels America's Go Further fund. Additionally, for every review left on an individual episode, they will donate a further $0.25.

Not only that, but any time a podcaster replies to a review, they will donate a further $0.25.

Double the Donation Thanks to Captivate!

But it gets even better! My podcast host, Captivate (disclaimer: I'm on the Captivate team) will match these donations for every review (show or episode) as well as podcaster reply, up to $1,000.

So, technically, if you leave a review for your favourite podcast, and the podcater replies to that review, the donation to the #Reviews4Good program will be $1.00, thanks to Captivate's match.

This initiative runs through the month of April, so, what are you waiting for?

• Create an account on Podchaser (you can sign up via email, or with your Twitter, Facebook, or Google account), or log in if you already have an account
• After you’ve verified your email address, head over to Podchaser and search for Podcaster Stories, or click this direct link
• Scroll down until you see the Podcast Reviews section, and click Add a Review
• Leave the amount of Rating Stars you wish to give, and then enter your review in the Review box
• Click Save

And that’s it – your review will now be live, and I’ll get a notification of it soon. If you do leave me a review, email me to let me know, I’d love to give you a shout out on the show!

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Electro-Voice RE320
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen Audio Interface
• Denon DJ HP-1100 Over Ear Headphones
• Podcast Pro Boom Arm by Accu-Lite and O.C. White

Recommended resources:

• Captivate.fm
• Aweber email marketing
• SquadCast remote interviewing
• My Podcast Reviews

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

This week, I sit down with Steven Webb, host of the Stillness in the Storms podcast, a show that helps you find inner peace at difficult times.

Each episode, Steven brings a different perspective and way of living life that eases your suffering. Being severely paralyzed is just a fraction of Steven’s mountain climb to find his inner peace. If Steven can sit with stillness, you can also.

It’s the first time, really, that being paralyzed really creeped up.

Steven talks about the moment that he hit rock bottom when he was forty. At that moment, it felt that his life had come to a grinding halt, and that he was going to be truly alone, and couldn’t see how his future was going to play out.

The Dark Night of the Soul

Steven talks about how, leading up to his darkest moment, he had been thinking about all the things that were going wrong in his life, and likened it to The Dark Night of the Soul, a poem by John of the Cross.

I was creating everything that was terrible in the world, and I was the victim of everything.

As Steven sank deeper into depression, he began drinking, and he shares how the embarrassment of needing to ask his carers to pour him a drink was a major turning point in getting his life back together.

On Living in Invisible Shame

One of the things that Steven pushed back on in his early years was the belief by others that he was doing something amazing or inspiring. If he heard people say that, he’d run away. But then he realized it was pretty amazing when it came to what he’s done:

• Multiple charity challenges
• Organizing music festivals
• Running in politics and becoming the deputy mayor elect

Steven talks about how it took him a long time to accept people were being genuine, and not just saying or doing something out of pity for his disability.

I don’t look at it as incredible for being paralyzed to do that; it’s just incredible for me.Why It’s Important to Reflect

In one of the episodes on Steven’s podcast, he talks about the anniversary of his accident - not just to the year, but the exact day and time that it happened. In that episode, Steven recounts the moments of the day leading up to his accident.

Steven does this every year, and as he mentions in our chat, he reflects more on that than he does his own birthday. He believes it’s because it was such an ordinary day like any other, until it wasn’t, that it remains so clear and so remembered.

It was just an ordinary day; but we never know when it’s the last day we’ll do that ordinary thing. How His Difficult Childhood Served Him Well for What Lay Ahead

When Steven was a young child, his parents were divorced, and he, his sister, and his mum were left homeless. 

At the time, he thought it was a big adventure and something cool - after all, they eventually moved into a big house. It was only afterward that he learned it was a refuge for women. This knowledge of having nothing and losing everything helped shape an important mindset for what was to come.

Those are the times that really decide who you’re going to be, and how you’re going to show up.

Join us for an open chat about loss, adversity, affirmation, consistent persistence, and why losing everything isn’t the end of the world.

Connect with Steven:

• Steven Webb
• Stillness In the Storms Podcast

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Electro-Voice RE320
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen Audio Interface
• Denon DJ HP-1100 Over Ear Headphones
• Podcast Pro Boom Arm by Accu-Lite and O.C. White

Recommended resources:

• Captivate.fm
• Aweber email marketing
• SquadCast remote interviewing
• My Podcast Reviews

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

This week, I sit down with Dr. James Perdue, host of the Professor of Perseverance Podcast, where he inspires you to face challenges head on in life, and motivates you to be a leader to others.

Each week, James shares the stories of his guests and their powerful message of hope. James draws on his life-changing event at 19, and how that led to many changes in his life until he got to where he is today.

It's not out of pity; it's out of being kind.

James talks about his accident at college when he was 19, that left him immediately paralyzed. He shares the irony of how he wasn't even supposed to be playing the football game at the time, and how that "one more moment" changed his life indelibly.

How Good Parents Build Good People

It was clear when talking with James the love he has for his parents, and how their strength was so important when it came to his recovery and journey back from his accident.

Had James had different parents, it's very likely he wouldn't be here today, at least not in the manner he is, and with the personal achievements and victories he's overcome.

As kids, we'd rather take a spanking than hear the words from our parents, "I'm disappointed in you."

He cites the example of doctors telling his parents that he'd be too much of a burden for them, and they should put him in a nursing home. But his parents had other ideas.

Why The Triumph Over Adversity is Key for His Show

When it comes to sounding out guests for his show, James takes a very deliberate approach to who he wants on, and why. It's not that he doesn't want to share stories, but it's important to him that the journey is the path to a victory:

• he wants to make sure they're really over their challenge
• they have to offer hope to the listeners going through the same journey
• they have to be able to help others and not display negativity 

James also shares how he went through the 5 stages of grief after his injury, and how that impacted his recovery process in the early days following his paralysis.

The first stage of grief is denial, and part of my denial is that I was in a wheelchair.The Mindset of Perseverance

With incredibly inspiring stories from every guest, there is something for every listener of James's show to take away from For James, there were two in particular that he always goes back to.

The first is Captain Charlie Plum, who was one of the very first guests on the Professor of Perseverance Podcast. Charlie shared how a moment of fate changed his life dramatically.

How many times have you heard people say this is the last thing I'm doing, and then something happens to them?

The second is W. Mitchell, who has gone on to become a mentor to James. When he was in a motorcycle accident when he was younger, it resulted in 60% of his body being burnt.

If that wasn't a challenge enough, four years later Mitchell suffered another tragedy, and James talks about how Mitchell's determination continues to inspire his own mindset. 

I used to be able to do 10,000 things. Now I can only do 9,000. - W. MitchellOn Dealing with the What If and the Why Me

For many people, we often have the "What if" conversations with ourselves. 

• What if this happens
• What if I can't do this
• What if I'm forever changed

For James, the first five years saw him so convinced he was going to walk again, the What If and the Why Me conversations never really came up. 

Later in life, his thinking has evolved, and he shares why these types of internal conversations are moot points.

My thing on the What If is now, What If you don't try? You don't know what you can do.

Join us for an incredibly inspiring and wide-reaching chat on adversity, resolve, grit, and the love of living to overcome the challenges that can be thrown our way when we least expect them.

Connect with James:

• The Professor of Perseverance
• Podcast
• YouTube

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Electro-Voice RE320
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen Audio Interface
• Denon DJ HP-1100 Over Ear Headphones
• Podcast Pro Boom Arm by Accu-Lite and O.C. White

Recommended resources:

• Captivate.fm
• Aweber email marketing
• SquadCast remote interviewing
• My Podcast Reviews

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

This week, I sit down with Paul Sutton, host of the Digital Download Podcast, a show about digital communications strategy, social media marketing, and the internet.

Each week, Paul discusses a specific area of digital media with an expert in their field.

Paul is also a vocal advocate of mental health awareness in the communications industry, and uses his own personal battle with mental illness to continue the discussion around this important topic.

I don't get people on; I address topics.

Paul talks about how he came to start his podcast, and why he didn't have any expectations of the show lasting beyond a season. He shares why some of his favourite episodes are the ones where his guests have a very contrary view of the communications industry.

Is Clubhouse a Replacement for Podcasting?

We also talk about why he wouldn't want to launch a podcast today. However, this isn't because he feels podcasting is being superseded by the likes of Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces - far from it.

Despite the millions of users making Clubhouse the latest darling of the tech world, Paul sees it as a short-term snack in the content ecosystem.

We are in an on-demand world. I can't imagine using that format once the novelty had worn off.

He cites the example of his friend in the UK who set an alarm for 3.00am in the morning, so she could hop on a Clubhouse chat in the US, and questions whether users will have that kind of dedication regularly.

Raising Awareness of Mental Health Issues in the Communications Industry

One thing Paul has been very vocal about in recent years is his own battles with mental health, and how much of a problem this is in the communications industry.

With so many communications professionals spending so much time on social media for their jobs, Paul discusses if that has an impact on mental wellness, including:

• whether social media impacts our mental health, or our mental health dictates our use of social media
• why he really left Facebook
• how scared he was about raising the topic of his own mental health battles
• what needs to be done to reduce mental health issues in high stress industries

Paul's own experience on this topic makes for some very open and personal insights into why there's still a problem, and what can be done to improve things.

That was a bad time, but I have grown as a person and in my life and I think that's a valuable thing to do.

Join us for a lively and insightful chat about the changing landscape of work, how it impacts our personal lives, and why even the darkest times can be a springboard for the lives we lead today.

Connect with Paul:

• The Digital Download Podcast
• Paul on Twitter

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Electro-Voice RE320
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen Audio Interface
• Denon DJ HP-1100 Over Ear Headphones
• Podcast Pro Boom Arm by Accu-Lite and O.C. White

Recommended resources:

• Captivate.fm
• Aweber email marketing
• SquadCast remote interviewing
• My Podcast Reviews

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Hi, and welcome to this bonus episode of Podcaster Stories. Normal service will be resumed next week (always wanted to say that!), but in the meantime I just wanted to share some quick updates around the show.

• A new Facebook group for the show
• A fun review challenge that I'm taking part in
• Requesting feedback around a membership option I'm working on

As always, thanks so much for listening to the show, and sending me emails with feedback on episodes, or just to say hi - I always like receiving them and getting to know more about you.

Until the next, stay safe and take care.

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Electro-Voice RE320
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen Audio Interface
• Denon DJ HP-1100 Over Ear Headphones
• Podcast Pro Boom Arm by Accu-Lite and O.C. White

Recommended resources:

• Captivate.fm
• Aweber email marketing
• SquadCast remote interviewing
• My Podcast Reviews

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

This week, I sit down with John Adams, host of DadPodUK, a fatherhood and family life podcast that shares the different, unique experiences of fatherhood.

John's podcast comes from being a stay-at-home dad for 10 years, and the conversations he's had with other dads around the various challenges they face as dads in an increasingly changing world.

Topics up for discussion this week include:

• how lockdown encouraged him to start the show
• the most emotionally-charged interview he's done to date
• why he wants to change the conversations around dads in the media
• how he and his wife made the decision for John to be a stay-at-home dad
• how his dad blog led to a charity event at Downing Street in London
• why finding guests can be a challenge for him
• why his show is so geared towards breaking down stereotypes
• why we need to be having more discussions about race and ethnicity at home
• how lockdown added extra difficulties for his eldest daughter and her changing school levels 
• why he believes Covid will offer positive opportunities for change with this generation
• why he believes flexible working should be available to parents
• how lockdown has enabled a new dynamic at home for his wife
• how he manages difficult conversations as a dad to two daughters
• why he feels fathers are in a strong position to talk to daughters about periods and menstruation
• how different countries can be when it comes to gender equality
• what his plans are for the future of his podcast
• where he sees Clubhouse fitting into the podcast ecosystem
• why he's in no rush to make video podcasts

Join me for an educational chat about fatherhood, fear of becoming invisible, the 21st century family dynamic, and more.

Connect with John:

• DadPodUK
• DadBlogUK
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Facebook

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Electro-Voice RE320
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen Audio Interface
• Denon DJ HP-1100 Over Ear Headphones
• Podcast Pro Boom Arm by Accu-Lite and O.C. White

Recommended resources:

• Captivate.fm
• Aweber email marketing
• SquadCast remote interviewing
• My Podcast Reviews

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

This week, I sit down with Jaclyn Brown of Mental Health and Us, a podcast offering practical self-care and wellness tips to help other mental health sufferers and their loved ones cope.

Her podcast takes inspiration from her 20+ year battle with depression and anxiety, and her survival of an abusive childhood, to shine a positive light on a dark subject matter.

Topics up for discussion this week include:

• how her podcast came from her journey with anxiety and depression
• why she wanted to encourage more people to talk about their mental health
• why she finds writing easier than podcasting if doing it herself
• why being a solo podcaster made it really hard for her to get started
• why she chooses anxiety as her niche, and how depression plays into that 
• how mental illness changes as your life changes
• how her social anxiety has benefited from the pandemic lockdown
• what are some of the challenges she's found as a mother to a child with anxiety issues during a pandemic 
• how she came to write Young Adult books
• how her abusive childhood helped shape the characters in her early books 
• what she's doing different for her kids versus what she experienced as a kid
• why she feels it's so important to acknowledge displays of emotion
• why she wants her podcast to be a casual and lighter approach to mental health
• why her mother is her hero 

Join me for a chat about finding light in the darker tunnels that life can take you down.

Connect with Jaclyn:

• Mental Health and Us podcast
• A Girl and a Book

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• RODE PodMic
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen Audio Interface
• TRITON AUDIO Fethead In-Line Microphone Preamp
• Denon DJ HP-1100 Over Ear Headphones
• RockJam MS050 Adjustable Mic Suspension Boom
• Dragonpad Pop Filter

Recommended resources:

• Captivate.fm
• Aweber email marketing
• SquadCast remote interviewing

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp