Sips, Suds & Smokes started out life as a radio show. Six years later, it’s grown into a podcast with an impressive listenership spread across six countries.

Mike Woods is one of the co-hosts. In each episode they talk about ‘everything good in life worth discussing’ - from wine to tea, coffee to beer, whisky and cigars.

In today’s Podcast Success Academy episode, James Marriott chats to Mike to hear the story of the show’s transition from radio to podcast and the Top Tips he’s learned along the way.

You can get a bonus tip from Mike in his written case study, in the Resources section of the Podcast Success Academy right now.

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Mike's top quotes:

“If you don’t like what we’re talking about this week, we’re going to talk about something completely different next week.

“Tell your audience where you’re going each episode, and then take them from A to B.

“You should plan and execute. Our show is lightly scripted.

“If you don’t know where you’re going, you’re never going to get there.

“Get some decent audio gear - quick - and stop screaming into your microphone and using your iPhone earphones. That is so irritating.

“The microphone I’m talking into today is $60. We’ve used $400 and $1000 microphones - we don’t sound any better on people’s phones or laptop speakers with them. We’re no funnier with a more expensive microphone, that’s one thing we have figured out.

Links to Mike and his show:

Mike’s website: https://sipssudsandsmokes.com/

Follow his show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sipssudssmoke

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/sips-suds-smokes

In four years of podcasting, David Shriner-Cahn has produced over 400 episodes of his show Smashing The Plateau.

David’s background is in business and he used to publish written interviews on his blog five times a week. In time, he realised a podcast would be a better outlet for these interviews and that's how Smashing The Plateau was born.

His twice a week interview show discusses what it takes to get to the finish line, in business and in life.

James Marriott catches us with David to hear about his three Top Tips to podcasting success.

You can get a bonus tip from David in his written case study, in the Resources section of the Podcast Success Academy right now.

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David's Top Quotes:

“The thing to realise about content creation is it’s really important to find the method that works for you.

“The podcast method works much better than the written blog for me.

“Don’t focus on quality first, focus on consistency first, then frequency, then quality - do it in that order

“If you think about before digital content, any kind of media publication almost always would come out on a schedule - so your daily newspaper, you’d expect to be able to go to your newsstand in the morning and get a copy. If it only came out on random basis you’d probably stop buying the newspaper. Podcasting works the same way.

“I find that it’s really important for the schedule to work with you - and your audience too.

“You do need to have quality content, especially with a podcast, otherwise people aren’t going to tune in.

“I’m always thinking about what’s changing in the world of podcasting, what’s changing in the world of business, what’s changing in the world of leadership that we want to tap into and address in our show.

“One of the most important tools for somebody who is creating content is a content calendar, so if you know you need to take a break from your podcast for a month, then you record enough episodes ahead of time, get them ready and the software is available so you can schedule them to be released."

Links to David and his show

David’s website: www.smashingtheplateau.com

Follow his show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/smashingplateau

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/smashing-the-plateau/

Catherine’s journey to podcasting has unusual beginnings - with a door-to-door solicitor ringing her doorbell.

That set her on the road to her forthcoming launch of her show called Your Positive Imprint.

It’s stories from people all over the world who are doing something for our tomorrow. She’s already interviewed dozens of people to hear what they are doing to make their positive imprint, with lots more planned.

Her podcast will be launching around Christmas 2018, but she’s already learned lots along the way to share with us.

James Marriott meets Catherine to hear about her bumpy podcasting journey, tinged with tragedy along the way, and get her Top Tips. And you can also get Catherine’s bonus tip in the Podcast Success Academy right now.

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Catherine's Top Quotes:

“I love listening to podcasts but I wanted to do something different - something in the human interest.”

“I have met so many people around the world who are doing so many things for our tomorrow - even if they’re little tiny things like giving notebooks to kids to write stories.”

“They are the stories from you and me - they’re not politicians, celebrities or corporate big wigs - they are people we meet every single day of our life - in the store, at the airport - who have an imprint.”

“People have an imprint and they don’t know it.”

“Everybody has talents and niches but you have to go with where your passion takes you.”

“You have to be flexible and open to change.”

“Your perspective changes when you start interviewing people and you have to reflect on those changes daily.”

“There’s always somebody on the corner that I want to interview”

“You need to pull the stories that you think listeners want to hear”

Links to Catherine and her show: *Coming soon*

Rachel Nielson was an English teacher before she decided to become a full-time mom.

A year ago she launched her podcast ‘3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms’ which is designed to give mothers practical and actionable tips to help them through parenthood.

Izzy Hoedemaker chats to Rachel about her podcast and how she used her own experiences to build up her audio brand.

You can read Rachel’s Top Tips for podcasting success AND her bonus tip in the Podcast Success Academy now.

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Rachel’s Top Quotes:

“I felt like there was a hole within the motherhood niche of really solid takeaways”

“Each episode is 30 minutes long because mums don’t have much time”

“The show is supposed to help you uncover the meaning in motherhood”

“We’ve covered subjects like time management, coaching your kids through their big emotions, bringing up confident children”

“My podcast has grown really fast which has been a huge blessing”

“Create a memorable and consistent show format”

“Mum’s have very little time and very little brain space”

“Mums will say ‘I actually remembered the takeaways, and I tried them out and it’s working - my happiness is improving’”

“It’s great to have something to keep coming back to that is your lens for your entire show - what you post in social media, what you do in your episodes”

Links to Rachel and her show:

Rachel’s website: http://3in30podcast.com/

Like Rachel’s show on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3in30podcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/3-in-30-takeaways-for-moms/

Steve Lazarus had barely listened to a podcast just 18 months ago.

But having an operation on his back and discovering podcasts in recovery led to him launching his very own podcast, Your London Legacy.

Just two months after it launched, it’s already finding early success with some amazing guests and fantastic stories

James Marriott caught up with Steve to hear about the unique story to how he came into podcasting and his hopes for the future.

Steve has three Top Tips that might just help you on your podcasting journey too - plus a bonus tip which you can study in the Podcast Success Academy now

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“I found it a really interesting way to relax when I was in hospital”

“I think in time it’ll grow and grow and hopefully in time it will overtake my day to day business.”

“One of the key things I learned early on is you need to establish who your audience is”

“The trick is getting the person to believe they have a story of interest and getting the information out of them”

“There’s so many different aspects to creating a successful podcast - you can’t go into this half-hearted”

“I haven’t met somebody yet who I haven’t found fascinating in their own right”

Links to Steve and his show:

Steve's website: https://yourlondonlegacy.com/

Follow his show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/London_Podcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/your-london-legacy

Jeff Bradbury launched his first podcast in 2011 - and now, he has an entire network of podcasts.

TeacherCast is all about helping teachers use the best educational technology in the classroom.

The network is now even an official content partner for Microsoft!

James Marriott meets Jeff to learn about the secrets of his success, and get his Top Tips for you to action.

Don’t forget Jeff’s bonus tip, which you can read about in the Podcast Success Academy, now.

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“We’ve had everybody on the show from Google to Sony to Dell to Hewlett Packard - you name it in the ed tech world”

“Thousands of educators have been able to come on and make it not only their home for professional development but a place where they can better help their students out”

“We’re launching our first mastermind platform for podcasters in 2018

“Keep your shows conversational - I aways find that the better the conversation, the longer your listeners last”

“It takes about 50 episodes for any podcasters to really get their feet wet and get things moving”

“Keep your eye looking forward, keep creating content”

“I’d rather have a hundred of a hundred people listen to a full show, than a hundred out of a million get to the end”

Links to Jeff and his show:

Jeff’s website: https://www.teachercast.net

Follow his show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/teachercast

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/teachercast-podcast-teachercast-educational-network/

Sue Marriott hosts Therapist Uncensored with her co-host Ann Kelley.

It’s a show all about the science of the mind and relationships to update your understanding of yourself and those you love.

Sue and Ann are both therapists, based in Austin, Texas, and have seen the show’s success rocket - making it into the top 10 iTunes for their category.

Jessica Kupferman meets Sue to find out more about the show, and get her Top Tips to help you on your own road to podcasting success.

We have a bonus tip from Sue, which you can read about in the Podcast Success Academy now.

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Sue’s Top Quotes

“People from all over - even in war zones - have written to us and talked about tears coming down their cheeks as they're listening”

“Whatever it is you're super passionate about - just stick with that because your people are out there”

“What we decided to do is to stick with ‘go with the content that you love and like go deep in it’”

“I think it really helps to have the discussion back and forth and to be able to counter each other and to be able to cross talk.”

Links to Sue and her show

Sue’s website: https://www.therapistuncensored.com/

Follow her show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/austinshrinks

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/therapist-uncensored-podcast/

Noah Tetzner is the host of the crazily popular podcast The History of Vikings.

Most people find it's a bit of slow burn after launching their first podcast... but not Noah. He hit the ground running with 50,000 downloads in his first month.

Five months on and he's still drawing over 10,000 downloads a week and has been trending among the top history shows on Apple Podcasts for some time - all this, at the age of just 17!

So what are the secrets to his success?

Well in Episode 1 of the Podcast Success Academy, James Marriott meets Noah to find out about his amazing launch - and bring you his Top Three Tips to help you on your road to podcasting success.

We also scored an extra bonus tip from Noah too, which you can read about in the Podcast Success Academy now.

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Noah's Top Quotes:

“I think it’s a really great way to generate engaging discussions and make history fun for people”

“Currently we do just over 10,000 downloads a week and about 50,000 a month, and I’ve only been at it for about five months so it’s really been exciting to see the growth right from day one”

“Podcasting is a relationship-building business”

“I talk to people all the time in England, Scotland, all over Europe, Canada and North America - I’m pretty good friends with people I’ve never met, through my podcast”

“The number one way to grow your audience is to get your voice on as many other podcasts as possible

“There are so many copycats in podcasting”

“Podcasting is kind of like lace potato chips - once you’ve tasted success in one, you just can’t stop”

Links to Noah and his show:

Noah’s website: http://thehistoryofvikings.com/

Follow his show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HistoryofViking

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-history-of-vikings/

The Podcast Success Academy was created by the Podcast Websites team to teach ALL podcasters the skills that no-one told them they needed to succeed.

Our very own podcast will bring you actionable audio influencer case studies - exclusive insider knowledge from successful podcasters.

Each episode will bring you the story of one podcasters success - and get their Top Tips to help you on your road to becoming an audio influencer in your niche.

In our first few episodes, we'll be talking to:

* Noah Tetzer whose show The History of Vikings got 50,000 downloads in its first month

* Steve Lazarus who was inspired to start a podcast from his hospital bed

* Sue Marriott who gets people all over the world contacting her about her show Therapist Uncensored

* Jeff Bradbury who has taken Teachercast from a single podcast to an entire network

We'll bring you a new episode every week, along with a full case study at www.podcastsuccessacademy.com - where you'll also find a stack of amazing resources to help you make the most of out of the Top Tips.

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