An Expensive Hobby
It seemed like a good idea at the time…
Sadly that is the mantra of way too many would be podcasters in my near decade of experience in this craft.
I know how it goes, because it happened to me too.
A man, let’s call him Joey, hears of someone who’s crushing it with their podcast. They’re high on life, raving about all the great guests they’ve had, how they’re growing personally and professionally.
Oh, and they’re making gobs of money with it.
Or so they say.
I guess we don’t really know for sure, do we.
At any rate, future-superstar-podcaster Joey is sold. He buys a few of the items listed on his favorite podcasters’ Resources page; let’s say a microphone, a wind screen, and of course one of those square things with his new logo on it. You’ve got to have one of those.
By the way, the podcaster who’s crushing it gets a cut of all those things Joey is buying off his website, but I’m digressing.
Joey is pumped. He hires a producer to produce his show.
$600 per month? No problem, especially when I’ll be rolling in dough by Month 3.
Well, Month 3 comes and goes and there’s no profit, no audience, no discernible momentum.
The only thing that is truly discernible is the deafening sound of crickets chirping with each passing week.
What is wrong here?
There are a few possibilities.
The first, and most obvious, is Joey got caught up in the hype and didn’t really sit down to count the costs of undergoing this project. He assumed there would be masses of people lining up to hear him from Day 1. He didn’t count on the inevitable process of building something from nothing – which doesn’t happen overnight. Even the superstar podcaster that was the inspiration behind Joey’s getting into it built his or her audience over the course of years.
The second possible problem here is a bit more subtle, yet is one I personally have encountered countless times working with podcasters of all stripes over the years.
And that is Joey made the mistake of making his podcast a completely separate entity from his business. He created a completely different plate to spin from his primary business, whatever it might be. And then when push came to shove, he realized he simply doesn’t have time to do everything.
Unfortunately Joey didn’t realize this until he was well into the process of producing his show. Because of time and money constraints, he gives up the thing that isn’t bringing home the bacon. What could have been a really profitable venture given enough time becomes a source of regret, perhaps even tension in his home life.
I find it interesting that people I work with, even those who have been doing their show for years, are hesitant to mention their personal lives or business activities in their podcasts. I can’t put my finger on why this is.
But remaining true to the mantra Make Your Show About You, we perhaps don’t give ourselves enough credit.
If we’re the ones hustling to find these guests, to craft questions that make for stimulating dialogue, who are paying someone to do the grunt work of producing and scheduling our show, doesn’t it stand to reason that those who do listen might want to know us a little bit?
Like, what are we up to? What’s working in our lives and businesses? What’s not working?
You don’t have to make it a Dr. Phil sob session, but there’s no reason people listening can’t know you the host and what you have to offer in addition to your excellent podcast.
Food for thought.