Podcast Junkies

Karen Koppett is the co-host of The Walking Dead Cast with Jason Cabassi. I've actually interviewed Jason a couple of episodes way back, so be sure to check out his interview right after Karen's! Karen is a water conservationist by trade and speaks to me about California's drought problem. She also notes that winters in Massachusetts is nothing like winters in California. However, the weather is not all that we talk about on this week's podcast. Tune in to hear from Karen about what it's like to get a podcast sponsored and to be starstruck by all the Walking Dead cast members!

• 07:45 - Coconut tastes like feet?
• 10:00 - Karen has been a vegetarian since she was 21.
• 12:10 - It was really hard being a vegetarian in Spain.
• 15:15 - Once you start traveling, you can't stop.
• 18:00 - Karen talks about her cousin, Tom.
• 24:40 - Lesson number one: Winters in Massachusetts is nothing like winters in California.
• 26:10 - Karen talks about the biggest earthquake that she lived through.
• 30:10 - What does Karen's emergency prep-kit look like?
• 30:55 - All the zombie women on the Walking Dead TV series are dressed like Amish.
• 34:00 - Karen and her co-host Jason dated very briefly! Before they met their respective spouses, of course.
• 37:00 - Karen never thought anybody would listen to the podcast.
• 38:20 - What caught Karen by surprise about the effect that her podcast had on people?
• 44:35 - You really have to educate company brands and let them know of the benefits they can receive by sponsoring a podcast.
• 45:10 - Karen received her first sponsor 1-2 years after she started the podcast.
• 45:35 - All you have to do is ask to be sponsored or ask to interview someone. When you ask, doors open!
• 46:15 - Karen talks about what it's like to interview all the Walking Dead cast members.
• 50:30 - Karen is a water conservationist by trade.
• 55:45 - Where else in the country, besides California's drought, are Americans having a water problem?
• 59:35 - Karen's job used to be mellow, but since the drought hit, it's been like a sprint to get the problem solved.
• 01:03:10 - The creator of Bojack Horseman is never satisfied.
• 01:04:30 - What's the most misunderstood thing about Karen?
• 01:06:20 - What has Karen changed her mind about recently?

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.podcastjunkies.com/karen-koppett-interview/

Ellory Wells is the host of The Empowered Podcast, where he interviews other entrepreneurs who have made the transition from unhappy employee to self-fulfilled employer. Ellory wanted to transition out of corporate America because he was unhappy from 9 AM to 6 PM and that unhappiness went home with him. Although he was successful at what he did, he needed something more out of life and his career.

• 04:45 - Ellory thinks I have fantastic hair. He had long hair in college.
• 06:45 - I eat the same breakfast everyday.
• 08:40 - Ellory really liked episode 100.
• 12:00 - All of the stuff that the cool kids were doing in school are irrelevant now that they've become adults.
• 13:10 - Ellory talks about being bullied in private school.
• 14:20 - People these days are proud to be a geek.
• 17:30 - Why did Ellory have the need to get his voice out there?
• 20:10 - Did Ellory have an inch to scratch?
• 21:40 - Why did Ellory grow from blogging to podcasting?
• 22:45 - Where did Ellory's entrepreneurial drive come from?
• 29:05 - How did Ellory's family react to his career shift?
• 30:10 - Ellory was miserable at his old job and that comes home with you.
• 35:05 - Did you know there are games in Excel spreadsheet?
• 36:50 - No entrepreneur wants to create an awful work environment.
• 39:00 - Do we need a world full of entrepreneurs?
• 42:50 - Ellory goes into a short tangent about business owners.
• 49:20 - Ellory talks about the power of podcasting.
• 54:05 - People want to be entertained before they want to be informed.
• 54:30 - What is the most misunderstood thing about Ellory?
• 58:00 - What has Ellory changed his mind about recently.

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.podcastjunkies.com/ellory-wells-interview/

Stephan Spencer is a three-time author, runs two podcast shows — Optimized Geek and Marketing Speak — and is a frequent conference speaker on the topic of SEO. Stephan attends between 40-50 conferences a year and has gone through an amazing life transformation with the help of Tony Robbins. On this week's episode, Stephan shares the amazing story of how he met his fiance at a Tony Robbins event, his spiritual awakening in India, and the fascinating things he's learned about himself while taking Kabbalah classes.

• 04:00 - Stephan compares Podcast Movement to other conferences he has attended.
• 05:00 - Stephan spends $4,000 a month on his three podcast shows.
• 06:05 - Stephan probably goes to about 40-50 conferences a year.
• 07:45 - Stephan's whole life was rebooted because he went to a Tony Robbins event.
• 10:25 - What kind of guests does Stephan look for on his podcast, Optimized Geek?
• 11:50 - How does Stephan know he's just recorded a fantastic interview?
• 12:55 - How does Stephan measure who is listening to his podcast and taking action on the advice that's given?
• 15:45 - Has Stephan ever been starstruck by a guest?
• 20:10 - Stephan talks about taking Kabbalah classes.
• 23:00 - How Stephan had a spiritual awakening when he was in India a few years ago.
• 25:30 - What kind of insights about yourself can you get from a brain scan?
• 27:00 - We are wired to be spiritual beings.
• 28:55 - Why did Stephan start the Optimized Geek podcast?
• 31:40 - Were Stephan's family members surprised by his transformation?
• 32:35 - Stephan signed up for Tony Robbins' platinum partnership for three years.
• 33:05 - What happened to Stephan when he was hanging out with Tony Robbins?
• 37:15 - Where does Stephan's giving nature come from?
• 42:35 - Stephan dives a little deeper into his spiritual awakening in India.
• 44:35 - Stephan says, God is not a belief — it's an experience.
• 46:30 - Stephan shares how he met his soon-to-be wife.
• 52:05 - Why Stephan is a spiritual junkie.
• 55:15 - What's next for Stephan?
• 58:00 - What's the most misunderstood thing about Stephan?
• 01:00:30 - What has Stephan changed his mind about recently?

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.podcastjunkies.com/stephan-spencer-interview/

Desmond Adams is a student of life and the host of Mental Mastery Mondays, a podcast that explores and discusses everything from business, relationships, and mindset. Desmond and I kind of go all over the place on this week's Podcast Junkies. Desmond shares fun stories about his father, the old days of him being a magician, and whether there's spiritual significance to geometric shapes.

• 02:45 - How does Desmond know Jeff Brown?
• 06:00 - Desmond had a lot of stage fright when he was growing up.
• 07:00 - Desmond used to be a magician!
• 08:30 - Who were some of Desmond's favorite magicians?
• 11:50 - These days, if you want to learn magic, you go on YouTube.
• 15:10 - Desmond talks about bullying.
• 17:00 - How did Desmond get into podcasting? Was it Jeff's fault?
• 18:30 - What podcasts did Desmond get into when he was first discovering the space?
• 19:50 - Desmond didn't really like podcasts at first because it wasn't very polished the way it was in radio.
• 23:00 - What did Desmond learn from Randy Lane?
• 27:20 - You want to have friendly conflict and tension with your co-host.
• 32:05 - Are there any spiritual meanings behind mathematical sequences and nature's geometrical patterns?
• 39:30 - Too many people are afraid to ask questions!
• 41:00 - Birth = Spiritual water slide.
• 41:15 - You don't have to have all the answers, just an open mind.
• 41:45 - Desmond's mission is to make his life more abundant with great purpose. How long did it take him to discover this mission?
• 47:20 - What kind of lessons did Desmond learn while he was in the Navy?
• 55:15 - Desmond discusses his podcast, Mental Mastery Mondays.
• 58:15 - Desmond first started out by doing a daily show and he quickly burned out from that.
• 01:02:45 - Thanks for listening to '47 Billion Stories From an Old Man at the End of the Bar'.

http://www.podcastjunkies.com/desmond-adams-interview/

Hernan Lopez is the Founder & CEO at Wondery, an audio on-demand media network, curating podcasts that tell compelling and fascinating stories. It is Hernan's goal to create a new golden age for audio drama and he discusses how the podcast medium is perfect for this. Hernan has worked in traditional media for the last 19 years and was the former President & CEO of Fox International Channels. Hernan has a lot of wisdom to share on this episode, so listen in for more!

• 03:50 - Hernan has spent 19 years working in traditional media.
• 06:10 - It is expected in the podcasting industry that consumers will listen to a podcast from the beginning to the end.
• 07:00 - Why did Hernan get kicked out of highschool?
• 10:25 - How has the education Hernan received helped him later in life?
• 11:55 - Was it hard to transition from Argentina to the U.S.?
• 14:25 - The most important thing you should learn at home or in school is how to listen.
• 15:25 - When did podcasting pop up on Hernan's radar?
• 20:55 - Hernan wants to start a new golden age for audio drama.
• 23:20 - Who are Hernan's competitors?
• 24:20 - Audio dramas are expensive to make.
• 29:15 - What's the criteria to get on Wondery's network?
• 33:20 - How does Hernan find talent?
• 34:10 - What does Hernan look for in his team?
• 36:05 - How important is the team element to Hernan?
• 39:55 - Does Hernan come from a big family?
• 40:55 - How behind the curve are Spanish podcasts?
• 42:40 - A lot of people underestimate just how difficult it is to be behind the microphone or camera.
• 43:10 - What has Hernan changed his mind about recently?
• 43:30 - What's the most misunderstood thing about Hernan?
• 48:20 - What kind of legacy would Hernan like to leave behind?

Full Show Notes: http://podcastjunkies.com/hernan-lopez-interview

Mignon Fogarty is the founder of Grammar Girl and the Quick and Dirty Tips Podcast Network, and teaches media entrepreneurship at the University of Nevada, Reno. On this episode, Mignon and I discuss some of the consequences of social media, The Elements of Style, and whether there's a right or wrong way to speaking the English language. Full Show Notes: http://podcastjunkies.com/mignon-fogarty-interview

What better way to celebrate episode 100 than to bring back Podcast Junkies guest #1, the inimitable Chase Reeves! http://www.podcastjunkies.com/100

Ryan Gray is a former flight surgeon in the United States Air Force and the founder of Medical School HQ. He is the host of The Premed Years Podcast, where he answers questions and interviews other medical professionals/students for his show. Ryan says his main inspiration for starting a podcast came from Pat Flynn. Due to the nature of the job, Ryan also talks about the reason why doctors need to have hobbies outside of the medical industry. There were so many topics covered on this podcast episode as per usual, so be sure to listen in for more!

• 03:25 - Blab is giving up on us as podcasters.
• 06:20 - Is Ryan an early adopter of technology? Yes!
• 07:20 - What does Ryan think about Facebook Live?
• 09:35 - Ryan considers himself an introvert.
• 10:25 - Ryan was inspired to podcast by Pat Flynn.
• 12:50 - Ryan has always been a creator. He loves to create.
• 13:25 - Not only is Ryan a physician, but he is also a self-taught computer programmer.
• 15:10 - Do medical student even have 'spare time' for hobbies?
• 20:10 - What was the first thing Ryan built?
• 25:00 - Physicians are taught to put others before themselves.
• 28:00 - A lot of mental energy goes into supporting other people and it is emotionally draining.
• 29:45 - The air force paid for Ryan's medical school.
• 31:55 - How did Ryan break down the format for his medical podcast?
• 34:25 - How has Ryan's interview style matured?
• 39:45 - Ryan tries to convince everybody he knows into doing a podcast.
• 42:10 - Medical students believe they have to be competitive in order to become certified.
• 44:55 - People who go to medical school because their parents wanted them to, are usually sacrificing their happiness.
• 46:05 - Does Ryan have any listener success stories?
• 49:15 - What kind of reactions did Ryan's family have about him leaving the medical field?
• 50:25 - Does Ryan think about the kind of legacy he'd like to leave behind?
• 53:00 - What's the most misunderstood thing about Ryan?
• 54:35 - What has Ryan changed his mind about recently?
• 57:10 - People have a very limited view of vegans. They just eat...grass, right?
• 01:00:20 - Fun fact, you can actually have a decent Facebook feed if you just block certain people.

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.podcastjunkies.com/ryan-gray-interview/

Corey Fineran is the founder of IvyEnvy.com and the lead host for The Ivy Envy Podcast. He has been a Cubs fan since 1985 and he and his co-hosts discuss the Cubs from a fan perspective on his show. Corey and I talk about a variety of different things on today's podcast, but what I found most interesting are the creative ways Corey and his co-hosts are monetizing the podcasts through meet ups and the use of Patreon. It's definitely worth a listen! Aside from that, we talk about Facebook, fan engagement, and even honey bees!

• 03:35 - Corey had no idea what he was doing when he first launched his podcast.
• 06:50 - Corey didn't think about format in the beginning.
• 10:35 - Corey recommends you host meet-ups even if you know no one will show up, because it gets you comfortable with being out of the studio.
• 15:15 - What has Corey learned about audio since creating the podcast?
• 16:25 - It can only get so good when you rely on the internet to record your podcast.
• 16:55 - Content is more important than audio quality, to a degree.
• 18:00 - An audience that has been built organically has much more staying power.
• 18:45 - Corey didn't pay attention to the numbers, because he really enjoyed engaging with the audience, not matter how small it was.
• 19:15 - It changes your perspective when you look at your download numbers and compare it to speaking to that many people in a room.
• 27:20 - Does Corey remember a time when he had a connection with a listener that took him aback?
• 27:50 - Respond to your audience and really take the time to nurture that connection.
• 28:20 - You have to build your listenership one fan at a time.
• 31:15 - A majority of Corey's listeners are on Facebook, but he still engages quite a bit with them on Twitter.
• 33:20 - Corey created a Facebook group for his Patreon supporters.
• 41:25 - For his sports podcast, Corey does make it clear to everyone that he and his co-hosts are sports fans, not experts.
• 48:35 - Corey talks about his other podcast, Podcasters' Group Therapy.
• 53:10 - What is the most misunderstood thing about Corey?
• 56:20 - When was the last time Corey laughed out loud?
• 57:35 - What has Corey changed his mind about recently?

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.podcastjunkies.com/corey-fineran-interview/

Erik Fisher is the host of Beyond the To Do List, a show that covers all aspects of productivity, getting good work done, and living a good life. Erik sits down with me on today's show to talk about a little bit of everything, really. We dive into topics that have nothing to do with podcasting, but on top of that, we also learn about Erik's process, how he selects his guests, some of his favorite podcasts, and much more!

• 04:15 - I wanted Erik on my show long before I personally met him.
• 04:25 - We're both excited for Podcast Movement.
• 07:35 - What does Erik think of Marc Maron?
• 09:40 - What podcasts has Erik listened to that made him rethink how he produces his show?
• 11:45 - Erik has never missed an episode of Back to Work.
• 13:15 - Long time listeners have already developed a connection with the host.
• 14:40 - I really wish iTunes had more insight as to who is subscribed to our podcasts.
• 15:40 - Has Erik changed someone's life due to his productivity podcast?
• 16:25 - Why did Erik start his podcast?
• 19:45 - Has Erik finally made it beyond the to-do list?
• 21:40 - As Erik started his podcast, who was he following/listening to?
• 23:15 - Did you know Erik is an introvert? But by being a podcaster, he gets to put on the iron man suit.
• 23:40 - When Erik was a young kid, he used to pretend to be an interviewer.
• 25:40 - Are Erik's childhood friends surprised by Erik's career path?
• 26:30 - Which guests who have appeared on Erik's show have made him nervous?
• 27:40 - Erik talks about winging it for a particular episode despite prepping heavily for it.
• 30:00 - Erik had someone come on his show for the third time and he didn't prepare for it at all, on purpose!
• 31:55 - The podcast is Erik's baby. Erik talks on how he handles people who pitch Erik and how he chooses his guests.
• 34:25 - By not being picky with your guests, long-time listeners can get turned off by the bad quality.
• 40:55 - Erik talks about Facebook's algorithm.
• 43:50 - What does Erik think about newsjacking?
• 47:15 - Erik does the podcast because he loves it, even when it's hard.
• 49:15 - What kind of platforms/mediums will exist in the next couple years? Will I be doing videos in the future?
• 50:30 - Who are some of Erik's comedy heroes?
• 52:45 - What's left for Erik?
• 54:25 - Erik is excited to go to conferences like Podcast Movement, because he gets to see his podcast friends!
• 55:55 - How important is family to Erik?
• 57:25 - What has Erik changed his mind about recently?
• 58:50 - The last episode of Game of Thrones was rated 10/10 on IMDB. What?
• 01:00:25 - What is the most misunderstood thing about Erik?

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.podcastjunkies.com/erik-fisher-interview/