The SIGRUN Show

About two years ago, I had the idea to start a podcast - but I had many reservations. I had seen many entrepreneurs have a podcast, but I was unsure whether I should start one myself. Was podcasting only going to promote my guests? How was podcasting going to be relevant to my business?

Two years later I had done 100 webinars and I wanted a new way to connect with my audience and the idea to do podcasting came up again. But I still had doubts about starting a podcast. That is, until I attended the Social Media Marketing World 2017 conference and listened to the inspiring speakers like Kate Erickson and Mark Schaefer.

Today, I want to share with you my personal journey into becoming a podcast host. I'll share everything from what tools and equipment I use to record my episodes, how I find and book guests, and the investments I have made to turn my dream of producing 100 episodes in 100 days into a reality.

"When I make a decision - I make a decision. There was no turning back."

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• How Kate Erickson's Social Media Marketing World 2017 speech inspired me to launch my podcast
• How Mark Schaefer's speech inspired me to launch 100 episodes in 100 days
• How I planned the podcast topics and content
• How I picked the intro music
• How putting positive pressure on myself helped me overcome my procrastination
• Booking and episode scheduling techniques
• Asking guests for bios and headshot photos
• Why I decided on 30-minute episodes
• Using scripts, notes, or speaking unscripted
• Why I launched with 10 episodes
• Getting listeners to download, subscribe, share, and review on iTunes
• Achieving iTunes New and Noteworthy
• How I promote the show
• Getting your show approved on iTunes

Key Takeaways:

• Listen to other podcasts to create ideas for your show
• Decide on what you are willing to invest
• Decide if it's something that will benefit your business
• Record your episodes in .WAV format to achieve a polished, professional sound quality
• Always make it valuable for your guests - especially those guests you don't know

My Podcast Setup At My Desk:

• Rode NT-USB microphone
• Beats Studio Headphones
• iMac
• Adobe Audition - for my audio
• Zoom - for video
• Zencastr - for guest audio

My Podcast On-The-Road/Starter Kit Setup:

• Audio Technica ATR2100 microphone
• Beats Wireless headphones
• Macbook Pro

Additional Resources:

• Art of Podcast - audio editor
• Lidwell Writing Services, LLC - show note provider
• 2BillionBeats - custom made music
• Schedule Once - scheduling program
• Typeform - form program
• Zapier - automation tool
• GarageBand - recording software
• Audacity - recording software
• Dropbox - file sharing
• Libsyn - podcast hosting

Get Your Free Training

Through my own entrepreneurial journey and by training thousands of online entrepreneurs I've identified 7 STAGES of a Profitable Online Business. Get free access to the 7 Stages training videos and take your online business to the next stage.

Please share, subscribe, and review on iTunes

Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode please share, subscribe and review on iTunes so more people can enjoy the show. Don't forget to follow and connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Pivoting your business to focus on other passions or to expand and grow your business can be a challenge. There are many mindset challenges and concerns you may need to overcome to take the next step and take action.

My guest today is Suzy Ashworth, TEDx speaker, mentor, and the founder of The Calm Birth School - the world's first online school offering hypnobirthing video training programs. She is also the author of The Calm Birth Method: Your Complete Guide to a Positive Hypnobirthing Experience, which is currently published through Hay House.

Suzy joins me today to share how she became a calm birth educator and why she transitioned her business to becoming a mindset and miracles coach. She also explains how she became a TEDx speaker and Hay House author and how her mindset and intention setting techniques helped her achieve these goals.

"You have to take aligned-in-spite action." - Suzy Ashworth

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• How Suzy transitioned her business to become a mindset and miracles coach
• Identifying when to make the mindset shift to level up your business
• How she became a TEDx speaker and Hay House author
• Why setting intentions are critically important to up leveling your business
• What she means by "taking aligned-in spite action" and how it can benefit your business and mindset
• Overcoming the fear of success
• How publishing her book and becoming a Hay House author has impacted her business

Key Takeaway:

• The biggest thing that prevents anybody from taking the next step is what's going on between their ears.

Connect with Suzy Ashworth:

• The Baby Business School
• The Calm Birth School
• SuzyAshworth.com
• Facebook
• Instagram

Get Your Free Training

Through my own entrepreneurial journey and by training thousands of online entrepreneurs I've identified 7 STAGES of a Profitable Online Business. Get free access to the 7 Stages training videos and take your online business to the next stage.

Please share, subscribe and review on iTunes

Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode please share, subscribe and review on iTunes so more people can enjoy the show.

On today's episode, I'm coaching Ingrid Huskens who is a hypnotist, psychotherapist, trainer, and coach. She is the owner of Leef je Passie (Eng. Live Your Passion) with a passion for helping others on their personal or intuitional growth journey live to be happier and healthier through her one-on-one treatments, coaching programs, and workshops.

Ingrid has decided to expand her business by offering her online programs to a wider audience, but she's not sure what the next steps should be to make it happen.

"It's about taking them on a path without creating four different programs." - Sigrun

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• Creating one program that appeals to many people with different experience levels
• How to create a learning journey for your online course and program participants
• Identifying your client "buckets" and the criteria of each bucket
• Creating tiered programs and why they are beneficial to your business and your advanced clients
• Creating your signature system
• How to create marketing materials that speak to each client bucket

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Ryan Levesque's ASK Method
• Ryan Levesque's book: ASK Method Blueprint
• Pat Flynn - Smart Passive Income

Key Takeaways:

1. Ask your audience what they want
2. Figure out your client buckets
3. Create one program that is general enough to apply to all your buckets, but specific enough that everyone feels fulfilled

Get Your Free Training

Through my own entrepreneurial journey and by training thousands of online entrepreneurs I've identified 7 STAGES of a Profitable Online Business. Get free access to the 7 Stages training videos and take your online business to the next stage.

Please share, subscribe and review on iTunes

Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode please share, subscribe and review on iTunes so more people can enjoy the show.

Have you ever wanted to pack up, fly to a new country and forget about your business for a few months? Having your own business comes with many responsibilities. Sometimes, entrepreneurs begin to lose their drive - their passion - after a few years.

So, what should you do in order to give yourself the breathing space you need to remain fully committed and re-energized in your business when you start to feel drained?

Natalie Sisson, founder of The Suitcase Entrepreneur, author, and public speaker joins me on the show today to share why she took a sabbatical from her business after 7 years and how taking a break has impacted her perspective, clarity, and drive to continue. She provides powerful tips on how to plan your sabbatical, the importance of preparing your team, and how taking a few months off affected her sales.

"I think it's good to step back from your business. Everybody should try it from time to time."

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• How she planned to take a break from her business
• How she prepared her team
• Planning your content marketing strategy in advance
• How she automated her sales funnel

Key Takeaways:

• Taking a sabbatical can give you a better perspective on where your business currently is, where it's going, and give you clarity on what your next steps should be
• With proper planning, the right team, and strong systems in place, your business can still thrive - even without you.
• When you come back to your business after taking a break - ease into it.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• edX
• The Science of Happiness
• InfusionSoft
• ConvertKit
• Teachables
• Click Funnels

Connect with Natalie Sisson:

• Suitcase Entrepreneur
• Natalie Sisson website
• Twitter
• Instagram

Get Your Free Training

Through my own entrepreneurial journey and by training thousands of online entrepreneurs, I've identified 7 STAGES of a Profitable Online Business. Get free access to the 7 Stages training videos and take your online business to the next stage.

Please share, subscribe and review on iTunes:

Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode and want to be inspired, think big, and take action, head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and leave your honest review!

Welcome to the first episode of The Sigrun Show's On Air Coaching where I coach one of my SOMBA clients to help them overcome a challenge in their business.

In this episode, I'm coaching Elisabeth Kollman, owner of Die Geschaftsmama (Engl. Biz Mums). Elisabeth has a passion for helping new mothers take the necessary steps they need to start and grow their own successful business. She specializes in helping new mothers realize their business dream, learn and stress management strategies to help them juggle being a new mother and new business owner through her online courses, premium programs, and one-to-one coaching calls.

Elisabeth had already decided that she wants to add a membership to her portfolio but she is not sure how to structure it so it benefits her business and her clients in the best way.

"The key to a successful membership site is retention rate." – Sigrun

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• How to identify serious prospects versus curious prospects
• How the "know, like, and trust" factor affects your ability to sell courses and fill membership sites
• The commitment required to create a successful premium membership program
• Why you should consider membership programs as an additional revenue stream – at first
• Should you provide all of your courses and content to your program members, or be selective?
• The benefits of creating a tiered membership program
• How to structure a membership program for a successful future

Get Your Free Training

Through my own entrepreneurial journey and by training thousands of online entrepreneurs I've identified 7 STAGES of a Profitable Online Business. Get free access to the 7 Stages training videos and take your online business to the next stage.

Please share and review the show

Thank you for joining me on this episode of The Sigrun Show. Did you enjoy this episode? If you did, please share, subscribe, and give the show a review on iTunes.

Elena Herdieckerhoff is an ambassador for highly sensitive people (HSPs), Business Mentor and Motivational Speaker. She is the founder of Entreprincess and Sensitive Awakening as well as a fellow TEDx speaker. She is on a mission to help spread positive awareness and inspiration for highly sensitive people around the world.

On May 21, 2016, Elena delivered a powerful speech on the TEDx Paris stage. Her talk generated over 1-million views on YouTube and even inspired her to create a new business - Sensitive Awakening.

On today's episode, Elena joins me to share her journey to becoming a TEDx speaker, the work involved in creating a powerful talk, and the steps she took to promote her video to achieve such amazing results.

"Going viral actually starts when you write your script." - Elena Herdieckerhoff

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• How she became a TEDx speaker
• The importance of being intentional when setting goals
• Why it's important to "kill the parts you love the most" when creating your TEDx script
• The importance of asking for constructive feedback - and when to forget it
• Why your talk should never be about you
• Tips on practicing and memorizing your script
• Why you should include quotes in your TEDx script
• The benefits and drawbacks of TEDx speaker training
• How to resonate with your audience
• Tips on how to promote your TEDx Talk video
• How to create shareable titles for your video
• How being a TEDx speaker has impacted her business

Connect with Elena Herdieckerhoff:

• Entreprincess
• Sensitive Awakening
• The Gentle Power of Highly Sensitive People - Elena's TEDx Talk

Get Your Free Training

Through my own entrepreneurial journey and by training thousands of online entrepreneurs I've identified 7 STAGES of a Profitable Online Business. Get free access to the 7 Stages training videos and take your online business to the next stage.

Please share and review the show

Thank you for joining me on this episode of The Sigrun Show. Did you enjoy this episode? If you did, please share, subscribe, and give the show a review on iTunes.

TED and TEDx talks are about "ideas worth spreading".

In 2015 I was invited to give a TEDx talk at TEDx Women Zurich and I share my idea worth spreading, the importance of creating a compelling vision that helps you be inspired, think big and take action.

It all starts with a strong vision and then a small step.

That small step can be a phone call, email, or walking up to a person.

In my talk I share three personal stories on how I created a strong vision and made a small step towards that vision that changed the course of my life.

I share how I became an architect, CEO, entrepreneur - all because I created a strong vision and made a small step towards that vision.

"You've got to follow your passion. You've got to figure out what you love, who you really are, and have the courage to do that." - Oprah Winfrey

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• Why most passions die
• How the lizard brain stops you from achieving your dreams
• 3 personal stories where my vision was strong enough to overcome the "lizard brain" to be inspired, think big, and take action

The Takeaway:

1. Be inspired to create a vision of what you want your life to look like
2. Think big to create a plan on how you can achieve that vision
3. Take action to create your opportunity

Watch my TEDx talk: Be Inspired. Think Big and Take Action:

http://www.sigrun.com/tedx

Be Inspired. Think Big. Take Action & Turn Your Passion Into Profits.

Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode and want to be inspired, think big, and take action, head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and leave your honest review!

Grab Your Free Training!

Want to turn your passion into profits? Grab my free video training course that includes my 7-step formula to finding your true passion and identify the business idea that's right for you!

Click here to start turning your passions into profits today!

Mark Schaefer is the Executive Director of Schaefer Marketing Solutions, LLC., a social media marketing consultant and keynote speaker. He is the author of several books including Known: The Handbook for Building and Unleashing Your Personal Brand in the Digital Age and The Content Code: Six Essential Strategies to Ignite Your Content, Your Marketing, and Your Business.

His speech at the Social Media Marketing World 2017 conference was one that inspired me to launch The Sigrun Show with 100 episodes in 100 days. He joins me today to share his entrepreneurial journey, how he transitioned from the corporate world to becoming a recognized consultant, speaker, and author, and what inspired him to write the book Known.

He also shares many valuable tips and strategies for aspiring, new entrepreneurs to become recognized in their fields, necessary steps to take to become recognized as an expert, and why determining which medium to use is important in your content marketing strategy.

"Everybody starts as a nobody, so you shouldn't be afraid of that." – Mark Schaefer

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• How his experiences planted the seed for writing Known
• Why it's important to remember that people aren't born experts.
• Standing out in the noisy world of content marketing
• Strategies for becoming known in your field.
• Simple strategies to achieve vast reach and vast connections with your audience
• Why consistent content is critical to your ability to gain recognition
• The distinction between building a social media following and an audience that matters
• How storytelling helps move concepts into action
• Your purpose is what keeps you going, even when you don't feel like going anymore
• Everyone has the opportunity to be known. The question is – will they persist?

Mark's 4 Strategies for Becoming Known in Your Industry:

1. Be clear on what you want to be known for.
2. Find a place to share your story.
3. Learn how to tell your story.
4. Pursue an audience that matters.

Connect with Mark Schaefer:

• Businesses Grow website
• The Marketing Companion Podcast

• Known: The Handbook for Building and Unleashing Your Personal Brand in the Digital Age

• The Content Code: Six Essential Strategies to Ignite Your Content, Your Marketing, and Your Business

Be Inspired. Think Big. Take Action & Turn Your Passion Into Profits.

Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode and want to be inspired, think big, and take action, head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and leave your honest review! Help us inspire more people to think big, take action, and turn their passions into profits by sharing your favorite episodes with your friends on your social media sites.

Grab Your Free Training!

Want to turn your passion into profits? Grab my free video training course that includes my 7-step formula to finding your true passion and identify the business idea that's right for you!

Click here to start turning your passions into profits today!

When you first start your business as an online entrepreneur, one of the first things that you need to do is to build your email list. As we all know, one of the best ways to encourage people to subscribe to your email list is by creating a freebie – something of high value that you can give to someone in exchange for their email address.

Every online business needs a freebie and an email list, but your marketing journey does not stop there! Sometimes you need to change things up; find new and exciting ways to attract your ideal audience.

On today's episode, I am going to share with you one of the most powerful ways I have used to grow my business – webinars. I explain how I tried many different ways to build my list and how I found my "thing".. I'll also explain why it is so important for you to find your "thing," do it consistently, and some of the amazing doors of opportunity that can open for you.

I truly believe you have to do something different to cut through the noise of today. - Sigrun

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• Using benchmarking tools to help you gauge your audience engagement
• Using Facebook groups to generate ideas for your ideal freebie
• My first unofficial webinar experience
• My first official webinar experience
• Why my second webinar inspired me to do weekly webinar
• The two-fold strategy and purpose of hosting webinars
• How to handle the plateau effect when building your list
• The amazing opportunities that hosting webinars have had on my business

Key Takeaways:

• Find your "thing" to connect with your audience and build your list.
• Do it more frequently – or cover deeper subjects – than the competition

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Passionathon
• Canva
• MailChimp

Be Inspired. Think Big. Take Action & Turn Your Passion into Profits.

Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode and want to be inspired, think big, and take action, head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and leave your honest review! Help us inspire more people to think big, take action, and turn their passions into profits by sharing your favorite episodes with your friends on your social media sites.

Grab The Ultimate Webinar Checklist – FREE!

Would you like to know the secret steps I used to create 100 webinars in 1100 days? Click here to grab my free download that provides over 50 actionable steps to create a highly successful, engaging webinar to help you build your list and grow your business!

Over the last several years, the podcasting industry has grown significantly. More entrepreneurs are considering launching a podcast, but many become overwhelmed by the amount of time involved in planning, researching, and finally launching on the platform.

In many ways, I felt the exact same way. I first got the idea to launch a podcast about two years ago, but the idea of creating a new content strategy seemed overwhelming. That is, until I attended the Social Media Marketing World Conference this year. At the conference, I heard many inspiring stories from people like you and me who have taken the leap of faith, launched a podcast, and are now sharing their experiences with the world!

One of those inspiring people at the conference was Kate Erickson, host of the Kate's Take podcast and partner of John Lee Dumas. Together, Kate and John run the Entrepreneurs On Fire community.

Kate joins me today to share how she got started in the entrepreneurial world and what inspired her to launch her podcast. She shares tips and strategies on how new podcasters can overcome the "content creation overwhelm" that many of us experience, as well as the tools she uses to produce her show.

"You don't have to have fancy equipment to make your podcast sound amazing." – Kate Erickson

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• Repurposing blog posts to create content for your podcast.
• The number of episodes Kate launched with (as advised by John Lee Dumas)
• Why she transitioned from episodic shows to seasonal shows
• Tips for encouraging show growth with seasonal episodes
• Kate's podcasting setup
• Using outlines and scripts as a new podcast host
• How podcasting has impacted her personal and entrepreneurial life

Kate's Tips on Starting a Podcast:

1. Don't get overwhelmed by the things you think you should do.
2. Take one step at a time. Remember, you just have to take the very first step.

Kate's podcasting setup

• Macbook Pro
• Apple Headphones
• Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Serial Podcast
• EOFire Podcast

Connect with Kate Erickson:

• EOFire

Be Inspired. Think Big. Take Action & Turn Your Passion Into Profits.

Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode and want to be inspired, think big, and take action, head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and leave your honest review! Help us inspire more people to think big, take action, and turn their passions into profits by sharing your favorite episodes with your friends on your social media sites.

Grab Your Free Training!

Want to turn your passion into profits? Grab my free video training course that includes my 7-step formula to finding your true passion and identify the business idea that's right for you!

Click here to start turning your passions into profits today!