Podcaster Stories

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 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 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 week, I sit down with Roman Mironov of Be Version 2.0 of Yourself, a show that helps people create amazing and enviable relationships, and be a better you.

On his podcast, Roman shares advice to and from people making a personal journey, as well as why our minds are synced the way they are, and how we can improve that.

Topics up for discussion this week include:

• how his podcast originated as a marketing channel for him
• why he is very specific about the type of guests he has on his show
• why he had to skip an episode when his guest went too far off topic
• how a communications coach gave Roman some of the best advice he's had
• how his episode about eating one meal a day is his most popular
• why he looks at his lifestyle as an ongoing experiment
• why he fasts for 22 hours and eats for the two hours in-between
• why he really wanted to move to North America, but didn't account for the severe loneliness
• how the Covid pandemic and lockdown has made him extremely grateful
• how personal pain helps him connect more closely with clients
• why personal resilience is key when it comes to dealing with pain
• why he's given up masturbation
• why associating pleasure with pornography is so dangerous
• why Arnold Schwarzenegger is such an inspiration to him
• why we all have the potential to be great at what we want to do

Join me for a wide-ranging chat on life, loneliness, pain, shame, and being the best version of ourselves.

Connect with Roman:

• Roman Mironov Relationship Coach
• Be Version 2.0 of Yourself
• YouTube
• Facebook
• Twitter

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 week, I sit down with Fitz Koehler of The Fitzness Show, and author of the book My Noisy Cancer Comeback.

On her podcast, Fitz talks about the smart, crazy, effective and fun stuff in fitness. Fitz is also an author and TV personality, and has an incredible story to share about her breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent journey, which we talk about in this episode. 

Topics up for discussion this week include:

• why it's important that her podcast is a fun endeavour
• why she only puts out episodes when she has something to say
• why she doesn't get starstruck when working with celebrities
• how male celebrities can often be under more pressure than female celebrities to look a certain way
• why doing something that won't hurt you is key
• how she came to discuss getting a husband with her teenage daughter
• how she's trying to share some of her mom's teachings with her daughter, while still respecting space and room to grow
• why she isn't afraid to drop the angry mom card on her son if needed
• why she started the Morning Mile fitness program for kids around the world
•  why her diagnosis with breast cancer was not going to deter her from continuing the way she lived her life
• how she wasn't expecting the sheer amount of chemotherapy and toxic treatment she underwent
• why being loud about her cancer and treatment gave Fitz her formula to survive
• why she took the raw and honest approach when it came to her book about her cancer journey
• why she has big plans for her podcast and other programs in 2021
• why Chris Hemsworth would be a dream fitness client

Settle back for a fun, engaging, moving, and uplifting chat about motivation and finding your formula to survive.

Connect with Fitz:

• Fitzness.com
• The Fitzness Show
• My Noisy Cancer Comeback
• The Morning Mile Program
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

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

Season 3 of Podcaster Stories launches on Thursday, January 28, so in this bonus episode I just wanted to share what you can expect when the new season comes out.

Building on the slight change in direction in Season 2, where the show went deeper into the personal stories of my guests, Season 3 will continue to share the amazing stories of the people behind the voices of the shows we listen to.

• Kicking off the season will be Fitz Koehler, a breast cancer survivor who overcame a 16-month battle with cancer while continuing to try and live the life she'd built for herself prior to her diagnosis.
• After that, I'll be talking with Roman Prokopchuk, who at one time in his life worked for the Secret Service. Following the personal tragedy he and his wife suffered, Roman is now the foster parent to 23 kids, so I can't wait to share his story.

These are just a couple of examples of the amazing guests that are lined up for this new season.

A new feature of the show that I hope you'll like is the ability to recommend shows and podcasters to me. If there's someone that you feel has an amazing personal story to share, and you'd love to see their podcast reach new ears, you can send their details to me, and I'll check it out!

Simply head on over to the contact page on Podcaster Stories, and follow the steps there.

I hope you had a safe and happy time over the holidays. 2020 was one heck of a year, and hopefully 2021 will be the year we can start returning to some form of normality.

I'm really excited to return with season 3, and can't wait to start sharing with you, starting on Thursday, January 28. I'll see you then.

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
• SUNMON NT1-A Windscreen Pop Filter

Recommended resources:

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

Welcome to a special Christmas Eve edition of Podcaster Stories. In this episode, I'm taking a look back at some of the amazing stories my guests shared in season two of the show. 

Listen with me as my guests tell us about some of the things that changed their lives, and made them the person they are today.

In episode 1, Jennell Riesner and Rachel Bellotti of The True North Collective spoke about why it's important to get messy when having difficult conversations.

The following week, Jody Hanks and Chris Rash of The Digression Podcast talked of their time in the US air force, and why their show doesn't shy away from topics like suicide, death, and sexual assault in the armed forces.

Episode 3 saw me chat with Michael Levitt of the Breakfast Leadership Network, and how stress through the Covid pandemic was causing so many issues for people and businesses.

In episode 4, Sarah St John of Frugalpreneur shared how she found her passion when she became an entrepreneur.

In episode 5, Nate Garrison of The EXTRAordinary Podcast offered his advice on why success needs to be measured by the lifestyle you're able to craft and spend your day, as opposed to just financial success.

Episode 6 saw my good friend Tim Jahn of We're Only Human explain why our lives are defined by us, and we choose the paths we walk on.

In episode 7, Catherine Praisewater of Your Positive Imprint shared many inspiring and moving stories with us, including death threats to her guests, how a hospital visit changed her life, and why the small things in life are so important.

Finally, in episode 8, Mark-John Clifford had some amazing personal stories to tell, including a prison stint that changed his life for the better, and one that he did for his uncle.

I hope you've enjoyed this look back at the first half of season 2. Podcaster Stories will be back in the New Year with more amazing guests and stories, so don't forget to subscribe anywhere you listen to podcasts - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music and more - or hop on over to Podcaster Stories where you can sign up for the free newsletter.

Until the next time, have a wonderful holiday season and I hope it's a safe and happy one.

Transcript

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 this bonus episode, I talk with someone you may recognize - me! This comes after receiving a few emails from listeners who were curious as to whether I'd ever spoken about my own podcaster journey.

In this short episode, I share how long I've been podcasting and what it means to me, as well as details about two other shows of mine that I'll be relaunching in the new year.

I also share some details you might not know about me, including a fun story about Sean Connery, and my time as a fairy godmother, costume and all!

As we get ready to close down for the holidays, I want to thank you for listening to the show each week, and making Podcaster Stories a part of your regular podcast listening schedule.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, and manage to relax, recuperate, and spend some quality time with those that matter the most. Here's to 2021 being a better year for all.

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

This week, I sit down with Mark-John Clifford of ADHD! It's All Mishegoss & More, an unedited, unscripted, & refreshingly real show about living with ADHD.

Topics up for discussion this week include:

• how he was first diagnosed with ADHD
• why he's not a fan of "gurus" selling cures for ADHD
• why he won't charge for his podcast, and instead offer his advice for free
• why his podcast doesn't have a predetermined format
• how his public speaking never leans on notes
• how his show has evolved over the last three years
• why he won't release episodes 7 days a week
• how he uses his podcast as a brain dump for his thoughts
• why motivational speakers and podcasters should be taken with a pinch of salt
• why he loathes people who try to compartmentalize medical condition
• why we need to follow advice that's specific to us
• how he has one of the highest scores on the ADHD scale
• why his pet peeve are speakers peddling the same shtick and hustle
• how Jim Rohn gave him the best piece of advice regarding motivation
• how his podcast is therapy for him
• how his life took a turn for the worse and led to a prison sentence
• how his time in prison humbled him and made him appreciate the little things in life
• how his story is being talked about as a mini-series for TV
• why people complaining about the Covid lockdown don't know what a real lockdown is like
• why he'd like to make his next podcast about his time in prison and the people he met
• how prison can give you a chance to reinvest in yourself
• why prison doesn't define a person
• how a car accident one September morning in 2001 saved his life

Settle back for an honest and vivid inside look into the life of someone who made mistakes, and hasn't let them define him.

Connect with Mark:

• ADHD! It's All Mishegoss & More
• Coronavirus Mishegoss
• Mark 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

This week, I sit down with Catherine Praiswater of Your Positive Imprint.

Your Positive Imprint is a show that highlights people from around the world whose positive achievements are inspiring positive actions.

Topics up for discussion this week include:

• why positive stories need to be told, and how her podcast came from that
• why she views her show as a variety show
• how a visitor to her door led to her podcast
• why she wants to help share stories of people who'd normally wouldn't be recognized
• how her father's passing impacted her podcast, and then ultimately helped shape it
• why Catherine loves finding guests, and the research that goes with it
• how a YouTube video led to an incredible conversation on her podcast
• why the continued relationships with her guests is the favourite part of her show
• how her guests often validate the work she's doing
• how leaders don't look for praise, and just do what they do
• how her life was completely changed by a visit to Lithuania
• the feeling of desperation when she was handed a baby covered in blood
• how life before cell phones was so different when it comes to world affairs
• why we need to appreciate, and act on, the simple things in life
• why we need to realize we are citizens of the world if we want to be better people
• why Covid isn't the first time the global science community has come together to work as one
• why Covid is a once in a lifetime chance to reset how we work together as a global community
• why one of her guests appreciated Catherine reaching out to see how he was doing during Covid
• how Catherine plans to scale the show with a live offering
• her advice for new podcaster, and why truth and passion is so key
• who her heroes are, and why
• what her dad would have made about the show had he lived to hear it
• how much of an influence her family continues to be on her show

Settle back for an open and free-flowing chat about life changes and recognizing our inner value.

Connect with Catherine:

• Your Positive Imprint
• Facebook
• Instagram

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