1. Why Start a Podcast? My Journey and Lessons Learned

This podcast is the first ever episode of podcasting for business owners

Laura: Welcome to podcasting for business owners. I’m your host, Laura McCrae, a podcast consultant, educator, and self confessed podcast nerd. If you’re thinking of launching a podcast or want to grow the one you have, you’re in the right place. Hold on to your headphones and let’s go. Welcome to the first ever episode of podcasting for business owners. I’m your host, Laura McRae. I’m a podcast consultant who supported many business owners to launch and grow their podcasts. Are you wondering why you should start a podcast or if it’s really worth the effort? In this episode, I’ll share my journey and explain why I decided to start my own podcast despite the fears and challenges I faced. You’ll learn about the benefits of podcasting for business owners and get a glimpse into the personal hurdles I’ve overcome to get here. By the end of this episode, you’ll understand the mindset, shifts and strategies needed to start your own podcast journey with confidence and clarity.

Why did I decide to start my own podcast

So, first of all, why did I decide to start my own podcast? Well, I believe by having my own podcast, it will make me a better podcast consultant. There’s so many strategies I’ve learned about podcasting that I recommend to my clients, and I want to give them a go myself. I want to see what works and what doesn’t work for me. Then I can report back to you, and then you can decide whether you want to give them a go, too. And I think it’s important for me to put myself into my podcast clients shoes to see what it’s like to have a podcast so that I can better understand how they might be feeling. Also, I understand how a ah, podcast is a great tool for business owners. It allows you to build strong, authentic relationships. They support you to build your brand. They help you with content creation because you can repurpose so much content from just one podcast episode. They’re also a great tool for growing your professional network and reaching a wider global audience. These are just some of the benefits for having a podcast if you’re a business owner. I’ll go into this more in episode two.

This podcast is about helping you overcome your fears of starting your podcast

So why didn’t I start my podcast earlier? I’ve had so many people ask me, so when are you going to start your own podcast? There’s been so much pressure for me to start my own podcast being a podcast consultant, and I think that’s one of the reasons why it’s taken me so long. I support other people to launch their own podcasts and grow their podcast. Therefore, I feel there’s a lot of pressure on me to make my podcast perfect. I mean, if I get it wrong, then who am I to support people with their podcasts? Also, I’m not a confident public speaker. I’ve always been your, uh, behind the scenes kind of person. I love supporting people with their goals. My goals have always been to support people with their goals. So for me to get here and speak is a big deal for me. It’s totally out of my comfort zone. But I’ve had various people to support me to get over my fears of public speaking. I still don’t like public speaking, I’ll admit that. But I’m just less scared than I used to be. And some of the people who have helped me are, uh, a voice coach, a confidence on camera coach. I go to toastmasters regularly, and I’ve got a social media coach that’s really supported me, too. And some of these people who have helped me. I’ll be interviewing on the podcast, so you’ll get to hear practical tips that can support you if you’re struggling with public speaking confidence, too. And that’s what this podcast is about. It’s about providing actionable tips and strategies to help you launch and grow your podcast. I’ll, uh, be offering technical and strategic advice on podcast creation and growth, as well as interviewing industry leaders so that they can share their insights and experiences. I’ll also be sharing personal experiences, stories and challenges in podcasting so that you can relate to the journey and feel encouraged to start your own. So, as well as not being a confident public speaker, uh, I also had to get over my own mindset shifts. So another reason it’s taken me so long to start my podcast is because I had fears that you might be having what if no one listens? I’ve got an annoying voice. What makes me different from other podcast consultants out there? Why would anyone listen to me? And I had to stop and give myself the advice I give to my clients. If no one listens, what’s the worst that can happen? No one’s going to die. You may as well just do it. And yes, I, uh, may have an annoying voice to some, but it’s the only one I’ve got, so I may as well use it. And if someone doesn’t like it, they can just switch off again. What’s the worst that can happen? And yes, there are other podcast consultants who have their own podcast similar to mine, but I’ve managed to create a successful business with clients who chose to work with me over them. So there must be something about me that makes me different. This podcast is about helping you overcome your fears of starting your podcast and overcoming mindset shifts. I want to support you to build your confidence in public

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speaking and share your authentic voice. Another reason it took me so long to start my own podcast is because I’m a self confessed perfectionist. This is actually the second time I’ve recorded this episode as I didn’t like the first version and I know I can’t keep doing this, otherwise my podcast will take me too much time to create. I was also nervous to interview guests. I’ve never interviewed people before. I’ve never even interviewed someone for a job before, so I’ve got no experience in that whatsoever. But you know what? I just had to go in and try it. I realised that I had to overcome perfectionism in order to achieve my goals. And achieving my goals is more important than perfectionism. And the first few episodes, I know they’re not going to be perfect, but it’s all about practise. And this podcast is about taking imperfect action and embracing the journey of continuous improvement. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of podcasting for business owners. I, uh, hope my journey and insights have inspired you to consider starting your own podcast, even if you have doubts or fears. Remember, everyone starts somewhere and it’s okay to take imperfect action as you learn and grow. If you have any questions or want to share your thoughts on this episode, I’d love to hear from you. Head over to Instagram and connect with me at podcast Dot support Dot services. I’ll put the link in the show notes I’m, um, here to support you on your podcasting journey, so don’t hesitate to reach out. In the next episode, I’ll talk about why every business owner should have a podcast, and I’ll discuss the tangible benefits and how it can transform your business. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss any upcoming episodes. Until next time, keep sharing your story and growing your network through podcasting. If you found value in this podcast, please leave. A five star rating and a review would be even better. Your support shows that this is a good show which will attract high profile guests and in turn deliver greater value to you. This podcast is produced and edited by me. Don’t waste your time on editing. Let me help you with your podcast. Cheque out the links in the show notes to get in touch.

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