If you’re tired of gurus and hype, you’re not alone. On Be Amazing You, Lolita and I get real about building a show, why you probably have everything you need already, and the value of keeping things simple.

Your story is worth sharing. Just make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons.

Subscribe to Be Amazing You on YouTube here.

Key Takeaways

1. Skill beats fancy gear, every time.

2. Find your people, serve them, ignore the noise.

3. Launch with purpose and keep it simple.

Speke Podcasting brings you a jet-fueled holiday special with Britney Crosson from Fun Love Media, dropping the secrets combos of social media and podcasting during the holiday season. If you dread marketing or want to ride the festive wave, Britney and Freddy break down omnipresence, platform picks, and why recycling content is pure genius. This chat shows how midlife podcasters and business owners can own their season, set custom goals, and create fun, audience-connecting content with half the stress.

Connect with Britney here.

Connect with Fun Love Media here.

Subscribe to Your Mic on YouTube, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shoot Freddy an email: [email protected].

Key Takeaways

1. Tapping into the holiday energy makes your brand pop and keeps your podcast or business ahead.

2. There’s no need to post everywhere, but choosing the right platforms for your audience gives you max payoff.

3. Reusing past holiday content is smart strategy, not laziness, especially for evergreen topics.

4. Forget chasing viral numbers unless you really want to — focus on engaged, realistic goals for your show or shop.

5. B-roll and quick-hit video clips are your shortcut to omnipresence, expanding reach across Instagram, Facebook, and beyond.

When the job market closed its doors, Freddy Cruz opened a new one.

His path from morning radio to founder of Speke Podcasting started with hundreds of rejections and ended up reshaping Houston’s entrepreneurial podcast scene. Integrity Bank

co-founders Hazem Ahmed and Mack Neff, who also host Banking on Integrity, walk through Freddy’s personal and professional pivots, authenticity in business, and what happens when you never stop learning. This conversation celebrates purpose, patience, and the upside to every “no.”

Subscribe to Banking on Integrity on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Subscribe to Your Mic on YouTube, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shoot Freddy an email: [email protected].

Key Takeaways

1. Houston’s best leaders put relationships first.

2. Learning from rejection unlocks new opportunities.

3. The right team—and the right attitude—matter more than any resume.

4. Community banking is about trust, attention, and real stories.

It’s time for a no-apologies pep talk from the founder of Speke Podcasting.

Freddy gets real about editing, perfection, and why chasing that seamless sound is overrated. If you’ve ever agonized about every “um,” “ah,” or background bark, this episode hands you permission to care about the message more than the pixel-perfect audio. He demystifies what listeners truly notice, helps you make kinder editing decisions, and reminds you to keep it real in the age of AI polish.

Subscribe to Your Mic on YouTube, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shoot Freddy an email: [email protected].

Key takeaways
1. Caring about editing means you care about your podcast, not that you’re a sellout.
2. Leave in natural pauses and a touch of background noise to keep things genuine and relatable.
3. Don’t sweat the tiny imperfections; over-editing can kill the conversational magic listeners love.
4. Trust simple, affordable tools and recognize when “good enough” audio is truly enough for success.
5. Remember that authenticity wins hearts, especially when indie creators let their real lives peek in.

Every new podcaster faces the reality of holiday listenership dips, but Freddy Cruz transforms this seasonal curveball into a power move. Expect a direct line on testing bolder formats and rethinking your approach when everyone else disappears for family and festivities. The guidance here is all about owning your choices, setting expectations with your audience, and emerging stronger for the new year. No guesswork, just clear permission to recalibrate your podcasting hustle.

Key takeaways:

1.) The holiday slow season is an invitation to experiment with new episode types safely.
2.) Trying solo or co-hosted content unlocks untapped creative muscles.
3.) Open communication about breaks or temporary shifts keeps loyal listeners close.
4.) Now is the smartest time to gather authentic feedback about riskier ideas.
5.) Taking a strategic break is a sustainable move for any creator’s longevity.

Audio quality is everything. When you drop a podcast or step up as a guest, the way you sound says plenty about your show before you ever say a word. A solid mic isn’t just a luxury. It’s a signal that you know what you’re doing, that you respect yourself, and that you respect the folks giving you their time.

A hundred bucks on a quality microphone is enough to help you stand out in a sea of background hums and tin-can audio. Listeners can tell the difference, and they notice when a host invests in sounding crisp rather than coming through like drive-thru intercom static. Bad audio doesn’t just irritate everybody’s ears. It questions your commitment. If you don’t care how you sound, why should anyone care to listen?

Every episode is a handshake. Invest in sounding professional and you’ll earn your audience’s attention and trust, episode after episode. If you get value from the show, subscribe, share it with people you care about, and support the mission. Someone you know probably needs to hear this today, and that’s why your support matters.

Subscribe to Your Mic on YouTube, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shoot Freddy an email: [email protected].

Key Takeaways

1. High-quality microphones and audio tools are now available at very reasonable prices, often under $100. Podcasters do not have to settle for poor audio quality due to budget restrictions.

2. Investing in good audio isn’t just about respect for your listeners and hosts—it’s about self-respect. The way your show sounds signals to your audience how seriously you take your craft.

3. If your podcast is associated with your business, high-quality audio helps listeners perceive you as professional and trustworthy. A small investment in sound can significantly impact how you are seen by potential clients and customers.

4. Some famous podcasters and speakers use unconventional (and lower-quality) audio sources; while they can often get away with it due to their reputation, new podcasters should be cautious and avoid such risks, as poor audio could negatively affect their show’s credibility.

5. Achieving professional sound is easier than ever—with plug-and-play microphones and quick setup times, there’s no excuse for poor audio. Good audio is not only accessible but a basic requirement for starting a credible podcast.

Timestamped Overview

00:00 Affordable High-Quality Audio Solutions

04:37 Invest in Quality Podcast Audio

08:07 Audio Quality Matters

11:36 Podcasting Made Easy

Podcasts lose steam when consistency slips and priorities shift. In this episode, Freddy Cruz breaks down how pod fade happens and why batch recording is key for keeping your show alive. Scheduling dedicated recording blocks helps hosts maintain regular episodes and momentum, even when life gets busy. Staying consistent builds your brand and keeps your mic hot—because podcasting is the ultimate platform for your message.

Subscribe to Your Mic on YouTube, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shoot Freddy an email: [email protected].

Key Takeaways

1. Podfade and How Podcasts Die

Takeaway: Podcasts rarely disappear overnight; instead, interest gradually wanes, leading to missed episodes and eventual abandonment. Recognizing that podfade is a slow process helps creators spot early warning signs and take action before it's too late.

2. Importance of Podcasting in Personal and Company Branding

Takeaway: In the future, having a personal or company brand will be a powerful marketing tool, and a podcast acts as a content foundation for multimedia distribution (long-form episodes, short videos, social posts, and newsletters).

3. The Role of Batch Recording to Sustain Momentum

Takeaway: Setting aside dedicated blocks of time—like 90 minutes to 3 hours—to record several episodes at once is a proven and effective method to prevent podfade, especially during busy periods and holidays.

4. Tradeoffs and Prioritizing Your Podcast

Takeaway: Maintaining a podcast requires choosing it over other activities—it might mean missing out on social events or leisure time. If it's important to you (or your business), you’ll make time for it, underscoring that consistency is rooted in commitment.

5. Celebrating Wins and Maintaining Motivation

Takeaway: Whether it’s reaching episode milestones or high listener retention, celebrating progress helps keep motivation alive. Acknowledging how far you’ve come can fuel continued creativity and persistence rather than letting momentum slip away.

Freddy Cruz shares how to launch and plan your podcast using AI. Download Perplexity AI, upload your writing, and use prompts to generate a show description and a full episode roadmap. Grade each transcript for value, clarity, and engagement, then use the AI’s feedback to improve with every release. 

Subscribe to Your Mic on YouTube, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shoot Freddy an email: [email protected].

Key Takeaways

1. Getting Started with Podcasting When You Have Zero Experience
Main takeaway:
Freddy speaks directly to beginners who feel lost about launching a podcast. His advice is not to get overwhelmed—instead, leverage modern tools (especially AI) to create structure and clarity from the start.

2. Utilizing Perplexity AI as a Foundational Tool
Main takeaway:
A central part of Freddy’s framework is downloading and using Perplexity AI to help ideate, organize, and guide podcast creation. The conceptual takeaway is that AI can simplify complex tasks and make the process user-friendly, even for those without technical expertise.

3. Uploading Content to Shape Your Podcast’s Voice and Strategy
Main takeaway:
Freddy emphasizes uploading “every single file” related to your career and writing style—blog posts, books, archived articles, etc.—to Perplexity AI. This builds a “space” that teaches the AI about your tone, personality, and subject matter, giving you a personalized roadmap and show description.

4. Building an Episode Roadmap and Description with AI Prompts
Main takeaway:
By prompting Perplexity AI with files and asking for a show description plus an episode roadmap, you can quickly structure your podcast’s content. The key idea is that you don’t need to spend weeks planning—you can use AI to generate a season’s worth of episodes in minutes.

5. Using AI to Self-Evaluate and Improve Through Transcript Grading
Main takeaway:
Freddy suggests using transcription tools to download episodes, upload them to Perplexity AI, and receive grades on performance elements like value, time management, and more. The conceptual takeaway here is embracing continuous improvement: let the AI grade you honestly, learn from the feedback, and keep refining your show.

Have you ever missed a deadline and wondered if it made you less dedicated? On this episode, I talk about how I used to push for strict podcast consistency, what changed after a busy season, and why giving yourself some grace matters.

• The realities of running a podcast and staying disciplined

• How to handle slipping up without losing momentum

• Why missing an episode doesn't mean you've failed

Join me as we explore what it really takes to keep going.

Subscribe to Your Mic on YouTube, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shoot Freddy an email: [email protected].

Key Takeaways

1. Changing Attitudes Toward Consistency

   • Takeaway: Freddy used to be very strict about maintaining a steady podcast cadence but has since relaxed his stance, realizing that rigidity isn't always necessary or healthy. He’s learned that flexibility can actually enhance the podcasting process.

2. Self-Awareness and Personal Growth

   • Takeaway: Freddy reflects on his own stubbornness and how gaining self-awareness has allowed him to evolve, especially in how he handles the pressures of podcasting and entrepreneurship. Recognizing both strengths and weaknesses is essential for personal and professional growth.

3. Giving Yourself Grace

   • Takeaway: He emphasizes the importance of forgiving yourself when you miss the mark, such as skipping a podcast episode due to exhaustion or circumstances. Perfection isn’t realistic; showing yourself compassion isn’t a sign of weakness but an essential part of sustainable success.

4. The Impact of Expectations on Workflow

   • Takeaway: Freddy discusses how high expectations (like recording on specific days) can be burdensome, and sometimes life intervenes. Flexibility in your workflow is not only permissible—it’s often necessary.

5. Redefining Success and Discipline

   • Takeaway: Missing an episode doesn’t equate to failure or laziness. Freddy stresses that even highly-driven and successful people need rest and occasionally drop the ball; that doesn't mean they aren’t committed or disciplined. The real issue arises only if missed episodes become a frequent pattern.

What’s a surefire way make your next podcast episode better than your last? A perfectly crafted prompt. Duh. You might be thinking about your flow, time management, or how the guest shines when you have someone on.

Today, I’m sharing how I use a simple system, including an AI transcript grading tool, to get clear, specific feedback.

• There’s a prompt that goes beyond general notes and gives you a real grade,

• Why I won’t move forward if my work is below a B,

• And how you can use the same approach for your own show or creative work.

Here’s the direct prompt I said I’d share. Copy/paste and implement it into your workflow.

“Please grade the attached transcript on a scale of A to F on the following criteria: relevance to Your Mic's audience of aspiring and new podcasters, preparedness, flow, value for the audience, and time management. Your Mic is Speke Podcasting's educational arm, where I as the founder do solo rants to supplement expert interviews. The goal is to have people hear different POVs. Different takes on some of the stuff I may have covered in previous episodes. It's about building a world for hosts to thrive in.”

Subscribe to Your Mic on YouTube, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shoot Freddy an email: [email protected].

Key Takeaways

1. Freddy emphasizes the importance of getting detailed, actionable feedback—specifically graded evaluations—before moving forward with creating new podcast episodes. This ensures the quality and relevance of each episode, helping hosts continually improve.

2. Freddy advocates using AI tools like Perplexity, ChatGPT, or Claude to grade podcast transcripts. Leveraging AI for this purpose provides objective and structured critiques on specific criteria, aiding podcasters in refining their content.

3. Freddy provides a thorough list of criteria to use when grading transcripts: relevance to the audience, preparedness, flow, rapport (especially with guests), letting guests shine, value for the audience, and time management. Using these focused standards helps ensure episodes consistently meet listeners' needs.

4. Freddy shares his personal threshold: he will not publish solo rants or posts if an episode transcript is graded below a B. He recognizes the importance of maintaining high standards and avoiding mediocrity in both his own work and client work.

5. Freddy offers to share his exact feedback prompt, encouraging listeners to try it themselves and to reach out if they need help. This openness fosters a supportive community and empowers other creators to use precise, actionable feedback in their own creative processes.