DB Media

In episode 11 of Podcaster Stories, I sit down with Lefteris Statharas of the Lefteris Asks Science podcast.

Driven by both his passion for science, and his professional work as a mechanical engineer, Lefteris started his podcast as a way to bring scientists together to demystify their professions, and show how fun science can be.

With a natural curiosity and an easy-going manner, Lefteris has a simple goal – to see what drives people with passion, and to get more people interested in, and passionate about, science.

Topics up for discussion this week include:

• how the idea for the podcast came about after a chat with a peer
• which type of science drives his curiosity
• the episodes that have stood out
• why there seems to be such an anti-science stance in some countries, with the US probably being the worst culprit, as evidenced by Covid-19
• how social media has enabled more interest in science
• the cultural and scientific differences between Greece, where Lefteris originates from, and Singapore, where he currently lives and works
• who his all time hero is, and why

Settle back for an engaging conversation around science, the rabbit holes of Reddit and the internet, and more.

Connect with Lefteris:

• Lefteris Asks Science podcast
• Lefteris on Twitter

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Samson Q2U Mic
• 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

In episode 10 of Podcaster Stories, I sit down with Dr. Alice Kerby of the Beyond the Pink Cloud podcast.

After suffering from severe stress while going through her doctorate, Dr. Alice fell into a downward spiral of alcohol abuse. This continued until she realized her problem, and she has been sober for three years since.

It's this experience that led Dr. Alice to starting the Beyond the Pink Cloud podcast, where she talks to people that have overcome their own battles with substance abuse, as well as inspired others by living their best lives.

Topics up for discussion this week include:

• how the podcast grew from her own recovery from alcohol abuse
• how the Covid-19 pandemic is leading to higher stress and addiction temptation
• how we're adding to our stress levels while working from home
• how the show's direction has evolved from recovery-focused to multiple fields of expertise across various topics
• why she's inspired by people living their dreams
• some of the hurdles that are hard to overcome when dealing with abuse
• how the drinking culture of different countries affects addiction levels
• the fear of sharing her story in the first few episodes
• how she became a semi-professional fire dancer

Settle back for an open and honest discussion about addiction, recovery, and what that means to the people afflicted, and those surrounding them.

Connect with Dr. Alice:

• The Kerby Method
• Beyond the Pink Cloud podcast
• Dr. Alice on Facebook

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Rode Podmic
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen
• 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

In episode nine of Podcaster Stories, I sit down with Pete Cann of the Laughter & Positivity with Pete podcast.

After building an agency for chefs for 11 years, the Covid-19 pandemic put Pete's business on hold, and he had to furlough his team. However, this allowed him to focus on a podcast idea he'd been thinking about for a while.

Taking his cue from a virtual event called the Laughter Phone, Pete expanded on how he used positivity and laughter in his business to start his Laughter & Positivity show, and bring the world of laughter yoga and laughter professionals to a wider audience.

Topics up for discussion this week include:

• how he first got into being a laughter professional
• his process for the show, as it switches between just featuring him and having guests as well
• the episode that stuck with him the most
• why his life could have been vastly different if he'd stuck on the path he was on as a younger man
• why Covid-19 has been an opportunity
• how you can use laughter yoga techniques in your everyday life

Settle back for a fun and interesting chat on why laughter truly is good for the soul.

Connect with Pete:

• PeteCann.com
• The Laughter & Positivity Podcast

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Rode Podmic
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen
• 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

In episode eight of Podcaster Stories, I sit down with Zach Moreno and Rockwell Felder of remote recording platform SquadCast, and the Between 2 Mics podcast.

After looking to use a remote recording solution for their internal team meetings, both Zach and Rock were disillusioned at what was on the market. They knew audio and reliability could be better, and so SquadCast was born.

They believed remote recording should - and, more importantly, could - be just as good as offline audio recording. We sit down to discuss the evolution of SquadCast, and how the podcaster experience is at the forefront of everything they do.

Topics up for discussion this week include:

• How limitations of other remote platforms led to the creation of SquadCast
• Why SquadCast is built from the podcaster's viewpoint
• How Zach and Rock's day jobs led them to how they approached SquadCast
• Why audio quality equal to offline recording was a core goal
• How SquadCast's progressive upload technology differentiates them from others
• How SquadCast solved the problem of audio drift in remote recordings
• Why the SquadCast team refuse to settle for the status quo
• How the users of SquadCast have driven the direction of the platform
• How they're trying to help educate remote podcasters through their Remote Podcast Stats Report and State of Remote Podcasting webinar
• Why data shows the use of headphones should be mandatory for all podcasters 
• How their well-known Board members and advisors became involved
• How the reciprocity of the podcast community drives Zach and Rock
• Why analytics is the next big challenge to bust in podcasting
• Why new podcasters shouldn't get bogged down by the technical side of things
• Why tools should concentrate on solving existing problems, not ones that haven't been found yet
• Why you shouldn't be discouraged early in your podcasting journey
• What Zach and Rock appreciate about each other

Settle back for an open and interesting chat about remote recording, and why settling for the status quo will only hold the podcasting industry back.

Connect with SquadCast:

• SquadCast.fm
• Between 2 Mics podcast
• SquadCast on Facebook

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Rode Podmic
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen
• 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

In episode seven of Podcaster Stories, I sit down with Lisa Gerber, owner of Big Leap Creative and host of The Gear Show.

After making her name as a communications pro and marketer, Lisa decided she wanted to attract more clients in the space - outdoor lifestyle - she was interested most in, and The Gear Show was born.

Talking with the people behind her favourite brands and companies, The Gear Show pivoted somewhat after 10 episodes, to feature more on the people behind the corporate front.

Topics up for discussion this week include:

• How the loss of clients and talking to friends led to the show idea
• How she started the show talking about gear before pivoting
• Why she pivoted to more personal stories behind the gear heads
• How she makes her guests feel comfortable
• Why researching guests makes for a richer experience
• Why Howard Stern's interview technique is what she aims for
• The interviews that have had the most impact on her
• Why new podcasters should just start and not overthink things
• How she won her school's award for a foreign language

Settle back for a fun, engaging chat about following your dreams, and why you should never be afraid to change even when something has been going for a while.

Connect with Lisa:

• The Gear Show
• Lisa on Instagram
• Big Leap Creative

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Rode Podmic
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen
• 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

In episode six of Podcaster Stories, I sit down with Bob Dunn, founder of BobWP and host of Do the Woo Podcast.

After making his name in the WordPress community, Bob has continued to grow his reputation in the WooCommerce space, showcasing the platform's features and benefits when it comes to e-commerce using the WordPress platform.

In this week’s show, I sit down with Bob to talk about pivoting your brand, where WooCommerce is headed, how he and his wife beat IKEA's marketing department, and more.

Topics on the menu include:

• Why he made the pivot from purely WordPress to WooCommerce
• How he's grown as a podcaster from launching different shows
• Why he chose the WooCommerce platform to concentrate on
• Where he sees the future of WooCommerce
• Why you should pinpoint exactly what you want to do when launching a podcast
• How he and his wife beat out the multi-national retailer IKEA for a marketing award

Settle back for an informative show about the WooCommerce platform, building a niche, finding your passion when it comes to podcasting, and more.

Connect with Bob:

• BobWP.com
• Bob on Twitter
• Do the Woo podcast

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Rode Podmic
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen
• 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

In episode five of Podcaster Stories, I sit down with Jeff Esposito, Global Head of Regional Social Media at Kaspersky, and co-host of the Transatlantic Cable Podcast.

After being an early adopter of social media, and working on the PR and communications side of VistaPrint, Jeff started at Kaspersky, where he uses the company's podcast to educate both consumers and business of the importance of online security and data protection.

In this week’s show, I sit down with Jeff to talk about the changing face of security, and some of the things you can do to protect yourself.

Topics on the menu include:

• Why the Kaspersky podcast was launched
• How the dark web operates
• How to monitor what your kids are doing online
• How to protect your family from hackers
• Some simple tips on securing your home network without breaking the bank
• Why you should never pick up random USB sticks

Settle back for an informative show about security, what privacy online really looks like, and why you should never assume businesses have your best interests at heart.

Connect with Jeff:

• The Transatlantic Cable Podcast
• Jeff on Twitter
• Kaspersky blog

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Rode Podmic
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen
• 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

In episode four of Podcaster Stories, I sit down with podcasting veteran Mark Asquith, CEO and co-founder of Rebel Base Media, as well as host of many podcasting shows and resources.

After getting started in podcasting way back in 2013, Mark realized there was a gap in the market for the kinds of tools and services that podcasters were crying out for. This led to the birth of Rebel Base Media and its slew of podcasting services, including podcast host Captivate.fm.

In this week's show, I sit down with Mark to talk about his podcasting journey and where he sees the medium going next.

Topics on the menu include:

• How his love of the DC Universe first got him into podcasting
• Why he thinks like a geek when it comes to his approach to podcasting
• Why he's glad the industry has moved away from tech gobbledegook
• Why podcasters need to buy into the Podcaster's Presence Promise
• Why podcasters shouldn't worry about sponsorship until they're truly ready
• Where he sees Spotify's entry into the podcasting world going
• How his hair metal past saw him appear on the same stage as rock legends Whitesnake

Settle back for an enlightening conversation about someone who's immensely passionate about not just podcasting as a medium, but in helping those who want to be part of it, too.

Connect with Mark:

• MarkAsquith.com
• Rebel Base Media
• Mark on Twitter
• Mark on Facebook
• Mark on Instagram

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Rode Podmic
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen
• 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

In episode three of Podcaster Stories, I sit down with Bob Reed, Communications Strategy Lead at Element-R Partners, LLC, and co-host of The Old Man Podcast.

After shooting the crap with his neighbour Dave, over the years, both men realized they might have something that others may enjoy listening to as well. And so The Old Man Podcast was born, taking a look at life through the lenses of two men as they approach their 60th birthdays.

Bob also talks about why he's so passionately vocal about the political happenings in his country, as well as why he won't discuss religion. He also shares his mean impressions of the characters in the classic TV show, Taxi.

Topics on the menu include:

• When he and Dave first realized their neighbourly meanderings might make for a good show
• How a personal tragedy sidelined the show
• His goals for the relaunch of the show
• Why he isn't apologetic for his political posts on Facebook
• Why religion is something he won't discuss online
• The funniest line he's ever heard, from the TV show Taxi
• His impression of the actor delivering that line

Settle back for a fun and engaging conversation about two friends making a podcast, and how that's been received not just by older men, but women, too.

Connect with Bob:

• The Old Man Podcast
• Element-R
• Bob on LinkedIn
• Bob on Facebook

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Rode Podmic
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen
• 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

In episode two of Podcaster Stories, I sit down with Gini Dietrich, CEO of communications agency Arment Dietrich, Inc., and founder/host of the award-winning Spin Sucks blog and podcast.

Having made the move from co-hosting a PR podcast into her own show where she takes the led, Gini shares what that transition has been like, along with lessons learned along the way, how the show has grown exponentially, and more.

She also talks about the personal change that came in her life seven years ago, and how that's changed the way she's approached life and business in general.

Topics on the menu include:

• How the data that showed only 1% of podcasters were female spurred her into action
• What's been the biggest challenge
• How the Spin Sucks podcast is the #1 lead driver for her agency
• The best piece of advice she has for new podcasters
• How she came to adopt her daughter Addie
• How it took almost three years to finalize the adoption
• Who Gini's all-time hero is

Settle back for a fun and enlightening conversation on podcasting for communicators, and how business owners need to look after themselves and their employees first.

Connect with Gini:

• Spin Sucks the blog
• Spin Sucks the podcast
• Gini on Twitter

Contact me: [email protected]

My equipment:

• Rode Podmic
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen
• 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