Navigating Comparison, Competition, and Collaboration in Podcasting - Pod Chat with Sambaza.

Uncover the relentless spirit of Kenya's Gen Z as they rally against an oppressive finance bill, proposing taxes on essential items like sanitary pads, bread, and diapers. My insightful co-host, Sambaza, recounts his firsthand experience from the frontlines of the protests, bringing to light the far-reaching impact of these government policies. 

Switching gears, our Podchat IG live series takes center stage with a rescheduled session focusing on the intricate dance of comparison, competition, and collaboration in the podcasting world. 

Together with Sambaza, we dissect the origin of these themes from the Empowered Podcasting community, openly sharing our frustrations with the lack of actionable support. From the pitfalls of comparison to the triumphant stories of collaboration, we provide candid insights and strategies for fostering genuine connections and mutual growth within the African podcasting scene.

In a deeper exploration of collaboration, we emphasize the necessity of timely action following networking opportunities. Personal anecdotes highlight the consequences of delayed responses and the importance of seizing the moment. 

We also dive into the strategic use of livestreaming and social media, particularly Instagram, to enhance our podcast presence and engage our community. 

Wrapping up, we underscore the significance of partnerships and community, celebrating the intensity and joy of friendly competition, and offering a glimpse into future discussions that promise to inspire and guide fellow podcasters on their journey to success.

Connect with Sambaza; https://m.facebook.com/sambazapodcast/

Connect with Paula; https://flow.page/talkshitwithp?

JUNE POD-CHAT (Pod-Chat is an IG-Live segment that happens every last Saturday of the month. Sometimes earlier depending on the month.

Transcript

Youth Activism Against Unfair Taxes

Speaker 2 0:00

Hello hello, hello, welcome to Pod Chat Live. I'm going to go ahead and add Sambaza. Sambaza is here. Keep it dirty. Hey, go ahead Waiting on Sambaza. There we go, all right.

Speaker 3 0:17

There we go. I can hear you now.

Speaker 2 0:20

Okay, why is your internet like? You're looking like that.

Speaker 3 0:27

What do you mean? My internet is looking like that.

Speaker 2 0:31

It's. Oh hey, mrs Lawson, what happened to your background? Where are you?

Speaker 3 0:40

Who me? Hmm, hey, I'm changing up places.

Speaker 2 0:43

No, we want the yellow background. That was an amazing background. We don't want binders.

Speaker 3 0:51

No, no, no, no, no. You see the way it is. It's looking professional, right.

Speaker 2 0:55

If you say so, how are you doing today?

Speaker 3 0:59

I'm doing awesome. Everything is good. Actually, I was at a rally this past weekend. That's why I'm a bit off, but it was good. We were doing this thingy, not this thingy. It was a protest about the hashtag finance bill and that was one of the things that we were kind of passionate about. And as a podcaster, you know you have to be versatile, and that's the reason why I got myself into it. You have to, you know you have to be versatile, and that's the reason why I got myself you have to be, you have to be, you have to.

Speaker 2 1:31

Yeah, okay, we will debate about that. I have to because this is like maybe you can put it, because this is those norms who says we have to, right, so we should have that conversation, but for those people, no, the next month is my topic I don't know, but for those people who don't know about this, well, do you want to share a bit of what's going on, because kenya is your home and there's a lot that has been going on, and you just said you were in arabia and that, so you want to give an insight, for those people probably have no clue what you're talking about. Oh, okay.

Speaker 3 2:10

So generally, what was going on was that we were. Excuse me about that. I just had to make some tweaks here. So what's happened is, over the last couple of weeks, or like last week, kenya there was a bill that was supposed to be put through and this was a finance bill. It's been very contentious and the president has always wanted to raise taxes. Yes, we have a problem with taxes Now, because of that, we've always tried to raise our taxes to be able to beat the budget. However, on the last time that we were doing this budget thing, it was kind of off a little bit and there was some money that they were trying to raise which was not going to work. One it was talking about sanitary pads for women that they were going to charge bread tax. I'm going to highlight a few Bread and diapers Now.

Speaker 3 3:09

For what we thought is how ludicrous are you to charge something like that? But what we realized some people realized that there was a game plan here, these smoking mirrors so they wanted to push in this and they know people will be angry. And then, after that, retracted, after you retracted, you get into a situation where you know they look at you like, oh, you're the almighty, you listen to us and we're all great and you know you really listen to the people, and then after that, you know, as you're hoodwinked, things pass through. So, unfortunately, the Gen Z's came out and said look, we don't like it and we're going to fight for our rights. And that's what's happened over last week.

Speaker 3 3:51

On Tuesday Tomorrow there's going to be another rally as well, but when it started off on Tuesday now, the diaspora also had to get in. So we formed a group and went out to Dallas and did a protest at the Dallas City Plaza and at that time, at one o'clock, when it was happening, there was also another rally going on in Washington DC at 1 pm and also another one that was going on in California at 1 pm. So there was some type of arrangement that it was going to be at 1 o'clock, synchronized, but with the time zones it's not going to be the same. So that was the whole thing. But they're expecting to have one major one tomorrow. So, guys, watch the news and please work on the hashtag RejectFinanceBill2024. And this will go a long way to help bring out awareness regarding this finance deal.

Speaker 2 4:46

Oh, Wow, shout out to the gen z's. You know, the gen z's are Not about the bullshit and they're taking action. So I love that and Good for ya.

Speaker 3 5:01

Quick to they. They really did their thing. They were up in arms and they made sure that people are aware. And one thing about their protest was that imagine it was peaceful, they were not going to kind of there was no looting or hitting out of the businesses. Actually, the businesses were helping them, doctors were helping them. That was one cute thing about this particular thing, this particular protest.

Speaker 2 5:26

Unfortunately, but I feel like most protests they start with the intention of that. It's some of the people who end up coming out. It's not like anybody says, oh, we're going to start a protest because we want to root or spoil small businesses. It's just that when people start saying because yes, you guys protested, spoil small businesses. It's just that when people start seeing because yes, you guys protested, but it's not as a big crowd as when Black Lives Matter protests right, because it's affecting the entire country, but just it's affecting, like East Africa, africa, you know a specific part.

Speaker 2 6:00

So not everybody was out, but when it gets that and the police come out and then the police, the way they react and people feel the opportunity oh my god, there's so many people on the street. It's now we can do whatever, but when it's more like that, who's gonna start rooting, like you're gonna know exactly who started doing what and easy to catch them and like. So I love that and and, as Raphael said, we are are wishing you all the best. I know one time Tanzania, we are doing Magufuli. I believe we also did a protest here in Washington and stuff and it didn't do shit, but it was good to see that people are standing up for what's not right and hopefully one day this protest will end up doing something, but at least it distracts. It distracts, it brings conversations, eyes are open, so that's still something.

Speaker 3 7:00

That's the whole thing. And you start. You know you do do. One thing I know is you create relationships, because when you come about, you know, when you meet up with the people, you always have this issue not issue, but you have this thing where you meet people, create conversations and then later on, this conversation can morph into bigger things. And also, if you bring kids out there, remember, when you bring these kids out there, they get to see your civil movement, they see how you are working out your. You know how you're exercising your rights, be it here and in Kenya. By the way, shout out to the Dallas PD and they were really helpful. The thing, I think it was about 24 to 48 hours when we were putting in our request for the right to protest. I'm telling you it's really easy and they were really helpful. And I think there was another march that was supposed to be done tomorrow. But they were asking the questions. It wasn't like you're being told hey, no, you can't, no, it was just like what can we do to help you?

Podcasters Discuss Comparison, Competition, Collaboration

Speaker 2 8:06

Do you think, unlike in our home country, kenya, where it was, I mean, of course the government won't want, we don't want, the government ain't going to want to hear the shit, so why would they be helpful in making you all easy to protest? You know, Richard, you want us to help you, to shout at us, kind of thing, you know. So I'm glad that at least the process was easy and, um, you know, as I said, we're praying for y'all and wishing you all the best. Uh, here's to hoping that other african countries and gen z's are so learned and take action, because it's been amazing to watch that gen z's take action in kenya and stand up, so that's, that's been amazing. To watch the Gen Z's take action in Kenya and stand up, so that's been incredible. But back to our regular schedule now that we are.

Speaker 2 8:52

For anybody who's new, this is Podchat IG live series that me and Sambaza do once a month. Technically, it's supposed to be every last Saturday of the month, but sometimes shit happens. You know scheduling. Sadly, next Saturday is my birthday and I am sorry. As much as I love y'all people, I will not be able to jump on here and celebrate with y'all because I will also be in a conference, yeah, but apart from that also, me and somebody were going to do it last Saturday, but something came up with it. Then we were going to do it on Sunday, something came up with me. So here we are today and I almost canceled because I'm PMSing like legit, but I figured maybe this is the energy I needed because I was being down. So sometimes coming in here and having these conversations can bring us the energy.

Speaker 2 9:46

And this month Sambaza gets to choose the topic. And I like how that stayed well, because it's month mental health month and Sambaza is the one choosing the topic, even though it's my birthday month. So I was kind of salty about that. But I'll take July. No problem, it's still summer, okay. July, no problem, it's still summer, okay. So Sambaza wanted to talk about the three C's Comparison, competition, collaboration. How does it help a growing podcaster? So, sambaza, this is your topic. Set us off.

Speaker 3 10:19

So this was a conversation that actually came out from Empowered Podcasting. Some people were talking about how we can help each other out, and I think these three things were mentioned at that point and I was like, wow, this can be a great topic that we can discuss about podcasting, especially African podcasters as well, because the African element bringing into it has its own specifics and its own, you know, variables. It's not the same as when you're all here like diaspora podcasters and podcasters in africa. Um, so we decided on calling it the three c's, which is comparison, competition and collaboration. Um, I think we'll start off with comparison.

Speaker 2 11:02

Before you start, let me say this and this is not to call out Empowered Podcasting Room or any specific Klanbao Shulumo community but I see it a lot where we talk so much about how we can help each other and then when it comes to the helping part, it's really crickets. The talking is always so loud, but then do people even reach out to actually do what they talk in there hardly people collaborate and empower. But also I've been there for going to two years and it's been a topic but which a lot should have been done, like even when it came to reviewing each other's podcast. Nobody does it Doing this, but then people always complaining about it. So it's like I am tired of people just talking the talk and not doing the work. But okay, go on Comparison.

Speaker 3 12:01

What do you suggest? What do you suggest on that?

Effective Collaboration Through Timely Action

Speaker 2 12:04

I mean, take action. I'm tired of the talk, do the action. Like I remember I kept on complaining about, oh, I'm always asking for reviews, people are not leaving reviews for me. But then I looked at it I was like but am I leaving reviews for people? I wasn't, so I started. Every Monday or Tuesday, I'll listen to a few episodes, I'll leave reviews. I even would post on Facebook. Hey, if you want me to leave a review, drop a link for your favorite episode. I go listen and leave oh yeah, we are talking about. Oh, I'm not growing whatever. Okay, there's promotion swap or anything. If I know, listen, sambaza has a market in.

Speaker 2 12:47

Kenya. I'm trying to get into that market. All I have to do is send you a message. Hey, Sambaza, you want to do a promo swap? But if we're just constantly talking and not taking the action, what's the point of the conversations?

Speaker 3 13:01

Just to keep talking. Yeah, that's true. What I found out is, whenever you like for example, when you go to the festival, the conference, right, and you have the talk with the people to collaborate get that collaboration within the first two weeks of you talking. Don't wait. The more you wait, the more things come up and the more you will whatever. So strike while it's hot, strike while the iron is hot, and that does help a lot when you are trying to get these collaborations going. But if you wait for a longer time, it kind of throws. It throws people off and maybe you might get something else that might get into the way. And even then might be when, like you just let the conference and you're like, hey, let's collaborate next week, hit them up, like that Monday, hit them up and say, hey, you said we're going to collaborate, what are we going to do? And that's the way I think it will work better.

Speaker 2 13:57

I mean, but there are people who are still going to be slow. How many times times, how many things of me and you talked about doing or everything, and it took us literally even just to start this, uh, our process. So sometimes, yeah, I'm saying, but all I'm saying is sometimes also, you might strike when the iron is hot, but then the people are also not ready just because you strike, right. So it's because it's a collaboration, it's just not about you. I can reach out, but then if you're not responding back or acting on that, then again it also becomes just a dry shit that we're pulling, which I understand. Sometimes it's timing, sometimes you know different strokes, sometimes the time is not right and all that stuff. I mean, look at you, I've been begging you to send me your damn sambaza t-shirts so I can create an opening video. Actually, I wanted that hat as well, but you know, and you don't want to do that, you know. I just want to say Bola.

Speaker 3 14:57

Have you seen many merch?

Speaker 2 14:58

You've never asked, you've never told me. I asked we are not talking about, we have to do it.

Speaker 3 15:03

You keep throwing me on this march every time one. Hey man, march, I always have the merch we always have. I told you I'm working on the march stuff.

Speaker 2 15:12

Yeah you always hey but you're always wearing your merch. So it's like, okay, you can make a t-shirt and send it. I mean, look at rap. I told him I want your merch and I'll create a video. And he said we have been doing amazing. So that's what I'm saying. Sometimes you can strike when the iron is hot, still after meeting and shit still might not work. I'm sorry, sambaza, go ahead. Start with the first scene.

Speaker 3 15:39

Sambaza has already made options regarding to the t-shirt stuff and said, hey, you know what It'll come.

Speaker 2 15:49

I don't even want Sambaza t-shirt right now.

Speaker 3 15:51

I'm over it maybe good things take time so you see?

Speaker 2 16:00

so that's what my point was about. You can strike as early, but somebody else also has to be ready as well but at least they have the memory that, oh, we just talked.

Speaker 3 16:13

And then you know they still have that and they're like okay, fine, we'll put you in it's it's. It starts that conversation. That's why I said, when you finish, just do it, because you wait no, but.

Speaker 2 16:22

But that's my point about the conversation. We we have so many conversations. I'm done with having conversations. I want the action. So I'm tired of the conversation. But let's get back to. You were going to start with the first scene.

Navigating Podcast Comparison for Growth

Speaker 3 16:36

Right, and here we are, comparisons. Now, if you're a podcaster and you're comparing each other, what do you think we would would be the best way to look at in terms of comparison? Are you looking at, maybe comparing, the quality of, of the, maybe audio video quality, of sound quality, of the way it's presented, whatever? What do we do in terms of?

Speaker 2 17:07

let me ask this because I I don't compare with any other podcast. So I think it all comes to what is your reason of comparing to that podcast? Because every comparison comes different. So if you're comparing like, oh my god, that sound sounds good and you can compare on the sound, you can compare on the video quality, you can compare on the content quality, you can compare on the marketing side, you can compare under content quality, you can compare on the marketing side, you can compare in different ways. But at the end of the day, it all depends on what's your reason of comparing to that particular podcast.

Speaker 2 17:46

And for me, specifically, when it comes to comparison, the reason I don't do it, it's because everybody's journey is different. Everybody, you know. Uh, I might compare to oh, we started at the same time, how. But how podcast is bigger than mine, either the following or whatever. But then okay, if they were already popular on social media and you started from scratch, is that really, you know? Because there people who are already were already doing great with social media, whatever their background was. Or there are people who have a budget for social media and they knew you're doing it yourself. So how is that even fair? Because if I could afford to hire the best people to market for me, of course I'll get bigger following and stuff. Uh, and maybe some people just want the big following number, while some of us want authentic engagement. That's why I you remember, I told you this last time I'm like most of the time I would go to my, my, my, my, my followers and unfollow people, because sometimes most of them are bots and everything, and I don't want to feel like, oh, my god, I have 2 000 followers when they are all wrong, especially those PR marketing people who slide in your dms telling you if you pay, 700 will get you on this. Uh, they always follow you. All these people who are trying to get you to be the influencer that they say they'll give you free stuff, all you have to do is spend shipping. They always follow you. All these people were trying to get you to be the influencer that they say they'll give you free stuff or you have to do is paying shipping. They always follow you. So you have, you might see a higher number, but you're not getting engagement because you're following the boat. So how are you gonna get engagement? So there's that, there's the budget. Is that popularity? As I say, even if me, and let's say, let me say, who can I pick? That a lot of people know. Let me just say Joe Rogan, because everybody talks about him. Right, imagine if we had started at the same time, but then he already had a big background in being known with other things. Of course his followings are gonna be big. He had a bigger budget, he got a with other things. Of course his followings are going to be big. He had a bigger budget, he got a deal, he got this.

Speaker 2 19:58

And then me, here I'm starting from scratch, doing nothing. I don't have people in the studio creating anything. Of course that's like zero, zero. And then niche. You can compare somebody. I don't even know where my podcast belongs. Sometimes I'm like it's on mental wellness, sometimes it's education because it's creative. I don't know where I belong, but those people were very niched down. You can literally pinpoint where their podcast is. So imagine trying to compare my podcast and I'm comparing it to somebody like Dominique. Of course I'm going to fail. Like that's proper storytelling, that goes a lot into it. And me, I just see it, I add it. You know, like how am I going to compare those two?

Speaker 3 20:46

And that's where you come to learn and realize comparison. See, this is where we get that conversation. You say, okay, fine, we started with them. Why do they have this? Maybe this is the reason why they are different than you. You see, now we've already established by yourself. You said you cannot compare because one you already made a comparison. Just by talking about it. You can say my podcast cannot be like this person because it cannot be done this particular way. And we've agreed. Some people have budgets, uh, some people have different ideas in mind, some people are the. The genre that they're using is different, niche and also, you know, it's the goals. What goal are you? What's your end?

Speaker 2 21:31

goal. Why are you complaining? And I love it. Shout out to to the big white pot down there, miss kendall. Right, smaller audience are often more engaged and loyal, and that's so true. I have this lady called inam. Uh, she's a coach and she focuses on small audience. She's like I love small audience because people are really there for you. Like once you have all this big, like all this, yes, they can be there for you, but the smaller audience really gets engaging. That's why sometimes, even when I do a room or something and there are only four people or three people, I get more excited than having 10 people, because you get to know people in a deeper level. You have time to really talk instead of just brush through, because you're trying to give everybody a chance. So there's something special about a smaller audience. That's why, when people constantly oh, I want to grow, I want.

Speaker 3 22:28

That's comparison to that's when you now compare the smaller audiences to larger audiences. With the comparison, so you look at the uh, the difference of having a smaller audience. Maybe that podcast does not want a huge audience.

Speaker 2 22:40

That podcast is that's why I'm saying it all comes down to your why like? Why are you comparing? The only way I compare like even when it comes to my download on my numbers is I look last year in june, where were my downloads? Last year in june? Where were my downloads? This year in june? Where are my downloads? How can I do that? Did I grow, did I not? That's the only but when and the comparison and I I actually did a real just a day ago about this comparison is the thief of joy, because you start going crazy and lose your authenticity because you're comparing to unrealistic measures and then now you're switching because you want to be like them, but you're not meant to be. You're meant to stand out and be just you are and just keep going so for you you don't want to compare.

Speaker 3 23:31

For me I I'm saying this I am looking for, if I'm going to compare myself to somebody, say I look at another podcaster who maybe has the same genre as I have, I'll look at it and I'll compare. The reason why I'm comparing is I'm comparing to see where I can go, and that's cool, where I can go as being a podcaster, right. So on the positives, you can look at that as being a podcaster, right. So on the positives, you can look at that as being don't try to be better than that podcaster. See what your podcast is doing. At that time that can elevate itself right. But not look at say, oh, that guy does this because of this, because, no, he has better equipment. Okay, I have this. Maybe can I buy that, that equipment. Maybe can I go spend more money and buy this equipment. No, what's my budget? My budget doesn't allow me. So what can I do to make myself be relevant? Well, if I cannot do it like that, then I have to stick with what I have.

Speaker 3 24:30

One, like you said, he has more downloads. I don't have downloads. Downloads may not be my thing. He may go live more times than you do, but my schedule does not allow me to go more live than he does. Live. How much? How much time do they use? You know, like when I, when, when I started podcasting, people say, oh, you have to spend one hour, or maybe people do 30 minutes, some people do 10 minutes, some people do 30 minutes. But you have to play around and see what works for you, say, okay, works for you. But I had to compare with other podcasts. I'm like, okay, I, I want to do a 10 minute podcast, but in the 10 minutes will I give you all the information that you want? Or will I get that person to give all that the right information? So you see, that's where I'm looking at comparison, comparing for right but I don't look at where you.

Speaker 2 25:29

I don't call that comparison to me, because if you're doing it to grow or to be better, anything to me I call that research, market research. Like it's not. You're comparing yourself to another one. Because you want to make comparison. Is you want to be just like them? Or like when people say why isn't my podcast getting all that, when it's the same as this podcast, that's comparison to me. But if you're doing it to better yourself, you're researching podcasts in your same niche, in your same genre, or a podcast that you you believe. Like I know, if I ever want to get in storytelling, I'm going to listen to the b word and dominic and really research and have meetings with it because I want to be like, like I want to grow, be a better storyteller. So that's research. Like you know, I'm just researching how he does it, what he does. Like when you go to conferences you're learning right, these are podcasters who are sharing their journey, so that's not you going into rooms to compare. Oh, let me listen what this podcast is saying are compared.

Speaker 3 26:32

That's the thing, this is compared.

Speaker 2 26:34

For you, that's how you look at it. That's why I say for me, I don't look at it as comparison, because in my head, comparison is what it is. For me, I look at that as research. I want to learn from that person because I admire the way he does it, or I like how he got to where he was, or I like what he does, because that's why people get mentors right. You pick a specific person to be your mentor.

Speaker 2 27:00

It's not like you want to compare yourself to that person. No, you want to learn from that person, you know. So to me I feel like to me personally there's a fine line between comparison and research. So if you are doing things, you are researching and not literally copying and pasting so that you can grow as fast as them. But learning and seeing what from what they are doing can work for you and cannot work like you're really pulling it aside, like, ok, he does this, I have time for that, let me try to implement it. But let me implement it in my way. That will work for me. That's how I take it.

Speaker 3 27:43

Okay, okay, well, at least now we agree. There's that, yeah, and it can really be helpful. When you look at it that way and try to make those comparisons Now let helpful. When you look at it that way and try to make those comparisons, now let's move to yes. What's the second one? When is it healthy competition and when is it not? Is it when you start comparing because you just said comparison?

Speaker 2 28:05

comparing can can also be, uh, unhealthy competition. But, um, I think when you put so much, competition is good and bad, but when it starts becoming too much pressure and stress, it can also be a disadvantage. Competition is good in the process of, where we are friends, right, because when you're competing with somebody, healthy competition is always good. Healthy competition just like when we, when we have, like, uh, empowered podcasting, just had to to give away to, to sponsorships to people, right, and they had to submit certain things. That is a healthy competition and people get to put themselves in positions they'll never do, because now you have to record yourself under one minute, um, and say all these things. So that is the setup for the future. Now you can be like, oh my god, I can record and talk about my podcast under one minute, or I can do that. So, even whether you win or not, you have learned a new skill set in that competition and there came something about it. So that, yes, but when you're competing and it gets evil I'm trying to find an example of unhealthy competition what is it you really get in your head until you lose the purpose of why you're competing, because again, it all goes back to why?

Speaker 2 29:32

So if you were doing it just to either oh, I'm doing it to win the sponsorship or I'm doing it to be acknowledged, right, because sometimes competition is about putting your brand in front of new eyes, right, that is healthy, because, whether you lose or not, people are hearing about your brand. People are talking about it because you're in a competition, right? So some people that can be good enough because, like, oh my God, this is new eyes, this is market growth. There are other people who will like my shit and come to me. So you're already winning. So I'm all for healthy competition and I can't find an example for bad competition. Maybe you can. What's your thoughts?

Navigating Healthy Podcast Competition and Collaboration

Speaker 3 30:17

I'm trying to think of a way when it turns bad is when you lose focus of what again, what your why is Because when you start off and say, hey, I want to be that great podcaster, okay, let's have a friendly competition, let's see how many downloads we can get this month, then what are you going to do about it? Okay, and let's say you have, you've had a conversation or you may not have had a conversation to with the particular podcaster that you want to emulate, right? Let's say they have, uh, 500 downloads a week and you say I want to get myself to 500 downloads a week. So I will listen to the podcaster and say, look, I'm going to try and make it to that 500. Now, that is a form of, I think, healthy competition because I'm competing. You may tell them, hey, look, I'm trying to get to see how you can, I can get to 500 downloads, just like you, right, but you're not hitting yes, friendly competition.

Speaker 2 31:16

Friendly competition is good because it's kind of also accountability, holding each other accountable and helping each other grow.

Speaker 3 31:23

But go ahead, sorry now the problem comes in. Now the person you're having, you're having the competition with, are they receptive to it? Are they? Do you have a good relationship with them such that when you don't make your 500 downloads, they tell you hey, boss, look, I didn't make, this is how I make my 500 downloads. I do A, b, c, d, right, what did you do on yours? Then you come up and say hey, paula, look. I tell you hey, paula, look, I didn't make that 500. Right, let's see, it was you and I. And then I tell you paula, look, I didn't make it because this is what I did. And you come and give me the some, some gems. Now that becomes healthy. Now when you decide oh yeah, I beat you, I still made 500, I still did blah, blah, blah.

Speaker 3 32:09

They can be the banter, right, but healthy banter is good. Don't over stress it, whether you win or lose, right, just make it to whereby it's like okay, I didn't make, you didn't make it, but this next time let's do it one more time. This time I want you to focus on this. Listen to my podcast this week, see what I've done. And that's when you do that we go back to your comparison. You're telling the person compare your podcast with mine. Let's see what you can do. What is it that I have done that has made me get my 500? My 500 downloads and you got maybe 400 or 200 downloads. Let's see where we can help each other right and guess what it brings us to the third part collaboration which is true, and I think healthy competition is not just competition.

Speaker 2 32:58

It helps you learn, grow and just that. But if you are a jealous person, competition isn't for you. Have you ever gone to those? When you have friendly game nights? Everybody has that one friend who is the most annoying. You have to win nights. Right, everybody has that one friend who is the most annoying. You have to win. If they don't win, you know the entire night. Sometimes even you're like you know what? That's just what you mean, cause nobody wants to hear what's gonna happen if you lose.

Speaker 2 33:26

So people like that should not do. They think it becomes unhealthy when you're no longer competing against yourself, trying to do better than you did the last time. Exactly. And that's why even me it comes down to when I say, uh, the only comparison I do is when I compare my June 2023 where were my downloads? June 2024 where are my downloads? So my competition's like okay, my downloads have added up to 50 or 100. Next year, let's make them to 200. That is healthy competition. But then, if you look at that, and then I look at Sambaza's okay, how much did you get? Damn, that's fucked up. You cheated. You must have done this and this, and then now you have this ego of just literally winning against Sambaza than actually what your main purpose of that competition was. So, yes, it's kind of like when you stop trying to compete with yourself. So that's why I said it's all about knowing and not learning. I feel like that's why I say competition is important, but also be careful, don't go over, don't be that friend.

Speaker 3 34:45

I know it can get some competitions can wow, I've seen that happen Just watch Friends.

Speaker 2 34:52

If you ever watched Monica on game night, she did not play.

Speaker 3 35:00

I was part of a game night situation this past weekend. I was surprised. This is how y'all behave at game night have you seen when people play Uno.

Speaker 2 35:12

I feel like Uno is that one game where everyone I think we had a spade.

Speaker 3 35:20

We had a spade.

Speaker 2 35:24

Get people wound up. In Tanzania we used to have that game. Don't get me wrong, I peep my hubby. I want your consistency, but I'm using that to push myself to be better, not just me. Well, we can actually start watching healthy competition, because now Kenda has an incredible podcast which is also storytelling, and Dominique always says Kenda is a better storyteller. So Dominique has been winning all these awards and now there's a new podcast in the same house and they're going to, even though Kenda is still the win is still in the house. But I want you know. It's always like when you have you and your wife and then you're supporting different teams and those teams play together Like baby, I love you, but it's game day, true.

Speaker 3 36:30

That's very true.

Speaker 2 36:31

We will need to come back to competition once we see the Lawson starting to get their awards and we bring them on for a competition conversation, right.

Speaker 3 36:46

When you talk about competition, what it means to them as being two podcasters having the same style. One started, one got the awards, and then one says the other one is a better storyteller, and then here you are creating a new one that's coming out. I know this is great.

Speaker 2 37:02

I love it and you saw all of the shows. This is magical. I think it will be a whole season and I can't wait for what season. I'm excited because I love Dominic. I literally Dominic is like my big brother. I message him anytime shit is happening. But award season I'm team the B word because that podcast is my peer it's mental health month, so please stop stressing us.

Speaker 3 37:39

You know we need some. Let's help us. Help us, you know, leave peacefully till the end of the month. This competition no, it raises our blood level, you know.

Speaker 2 37:55

Oh, there's a new episode coming on friday, okay, I want to watch it because I have been crying and dying my mental. Oh my god, it's literally dropping on my birthday weekend, like this is the best birthday present ever. If you haven't listened to the b-word, I don't know, man, you're missing something in your life. And as soon as you dive in, I remember I told soda and soda went to listen to it and she's like oh my god, paula, I'm addicted. I'm like I know, I know, I know. It's like when you have that your favorite show you just started and it only comes once a month. Like why the hell is it once a month and not every week, right?

Speaker 3 38:50

how about that? So now, with them being together, they collaborate. We moved. Oh, by the way, uh, kendra says happy, happy birthday thank you, baby.

Speaker 2 38:59

I'll be singing on the weekend, so I'll be. Uh, oh, yeah, you can tell it to me. My face, yes, and this is a good entrance to collaboration, because there's husband, as we were talking about there, and they do a collaboration because they work together and they have a business together and they're literally partners in life and in. You know, that's the ultimate collaboration, but go ahead, bring us on with collaboration.

Speaker 3 39:34

And the comparison and we say there's a competition. And then, finally, now we're getting into into collaboration. Now the collaborations when you have that healthy competition and you talk about whatever you're doing, like, say, for example, we do podcasting, we talk about our downloads, we talk about how we can create growth. Or we come together and say, hey, hey, you know what, I can get your downloads higher by showing you what to do. Or I can guest on your show and you can guest on mine, and that will probably raise the viewership for you at this time and maybe we can cross-pollinate our listeners. That could be now where you you probably started with comparisons and then let's say we do this. Right, I'm going to look at the journey.

The Power of Collaboration in Podcasting

Speaker 3 40:21

I compare myself to a particular podcaster and say, wow, they do this podcast very well. I want to be like them. What can I do to be like them? I try and figure it out. I can't't find what the juice is right. So then I try to get into like a friendly competition, ask them hey, what can I do? I'm trying to get my downloads. Let's see if I can make it to be like you. The person says, hey, you know what? Great, let's do it. Let's see how we can do. Maybe do two shows and see what you can do. You've already compared and seen what they have done. Maybe it's your audio quality, the time frame, it's your, whatever it is right. Then after that you come back and you have the conversation and say hey, you know what? Um, how about we collaborate? Now that's the third part about it and I want you to say, to talk about what do you think about?

Speaker 2 41:15

oh, I'm big on collaborations. I love collaborations and that's why I like people sending me their merch so I can create videos and when I go, that's why lately, starting with when I went to Podfest this year, that's why I decided to go there with merch for specific people, people and create this content. That's also part of collaborating, because we are literally right there. I'm watching them open their much for me and I'm shooting the content and we're using it. And that's collaboration because we literally created content together and I'm positive and I, I I love the collaboration thingy on Instagram. I wish it could have like after you post Instagram if you're hearing this, I wish if, once you post, you can still go back and edit and invite somebody to collaborate, just like how you can tag somebody even after posting. Because it's so weird when you create a video and I know there's certain people who have a specific way how they want their instagram frame to be right, so not everybody wants your at a specific time, so it feels so weird to just invite somebody to collaborate and they're like why is she inviting me? I don't want this, but what if you don't do it at that time? You can never do it in case, somebody actually wants it. So I hate that part. But people underestimate the power of collaboration because you're blending two accounts your people, my people, especially. That's why I was so happy with that invite to collaborate on Instagram and I used to tell people please use it, because instead of me posting the same shit and you're posting the same shit, we can have it and get more engagement. And it's funny, when I did a Father's Day post for the first time ever, I invited my dad to collaborate. I didn't even know that man would be able to figure it out in approving it or anything. And he did and it has had higher numbers after what my dad approved. And I was like, excuse me, numbers after what my dad approved. And I was like, excuse me, but it's things like those and that's why cross promotion.

Speaker 2 43:26

I really want to do more of guest hosts on different podcasts. I don't want to be interviewed as much, but I want to guest host. People are sleeping on guest hosting, like you know. You sound confused. You know what I'm talking about, okay, and um, and somebody actually interviewed me two days ago and he was like I'd like you to be a guest host for when I, when I celebrate my 100 episode. I'm like how about, yeah, like you know, oh, when you bring somebody, like when you have milestones, whether it's your podcast anniversary, whether it's your whatever you invite somebody to to come and interview you? I did it last year for my birthday, invited somebody to come interview me on my own podcast so they could get kenda here. Oh, my God, which was one of the best moments of this year, when she had the B1 and she did her first IG live. She asked me to be the interview and everything. So there was me, kenda and Christine and all the three IGs going live and us sharing the collaboration.

Speaker 2 44:33

It was more viewership. Until today, that post still keeps getting like shout-outs, giving people shout-outs, especially even your listeners. Right, you can collaborate with your listeners Because imagine if a listener, if you already know you have this person who constantly tells you your podcast helps me, I listen to your podcast. I know there's one person who, as soon as my podcast goes live, is always the first person to listen. Everyone was like I'm so sorry, I'm late on listening to your podcast. I'm going to listen to it now. So people like those, if you know them, you give them a shout out, they're gonna go tell their friends oh my god, I got a shout out on this episode.

Speaker 2 45:14

Listen, that's collaboration, is that? Oh, you bring that one to your show and have a conversation with like there's so many ways to to go about content swap, network participation, live events, especially conferences. That's the best place to make content with people, because half of the time we have to do content virtually do you know how many? I've been constantly ordering shit on amazon and everything. I'm going with a bigger suitcase to empowered podcasting conference because of all the merch and stuff I want to do with people because I'm there. We are already here. Let's make content. I'm just literally going for collaboration, even empower.

Speaker 2 45:59

If you go to clubhouse sessions or something, you see how sometimes when they talk about me, a specific thing about me, I I take that and put it on instagram and invite everybody was there, like either the empowered podcasting instagram or everything invite to collab. You're giving them more eyes on them, but also their people's eyes are coming on you and that's why I do it. So play around with collaboration. I'm a big fan of collaboration. And also the best thing about collaboration for people who are not financially there, like me, right, there are certain services we can't always pay for, and this is where me and Soda, me and Jackie, we do things like Mattertrain Listen, you're good at this, create this for me. I'm good at this, I'll do this. And that's also collaborating and also exchange of services. Don't sleep on that.

Speaker 3 46:57

Yeah, I do love collaboration. I think I did kind of sleep on it. Actually, not kind of, I did sleep on it, but now I think on my collaboration and I think right now, at year four and year five, I'm realizing the power of collaborations and right now I have a couple of collaborations that I have to do. That's even besides us, and the other one with Jen of Walk by Accident Podcast, which is what we do every Wednesday, you know, midweek we always do that. Oh my God.

Speaker 2 47:35

I just want to say you let us episode. I enjoyed when you guys did the recap. That was, jen was at the friday night empowered podcasting room, so I told that. But that was. You see, and I like that. You know people, people forget that with your podcast, you can play around, with it. You. You don't always have to have guests, you can have recap. You can bring out all guests and ask them, let's say, or you can like a follow-up, like all that amazing shit. I was very happy about that.

Speaker 3 48:11

That was a great thing and I looked at it. I was like, wow, it had a lot of views and a lot of the people who we had before came back to listen to it and gave us good reviews. So it's, it's great, uh, thank you so much, paula, and that's one of the collaborations that I'm doing. I'm kind of getting into.

Speaker 2 48:30

I mean, we are still collaborating oh, this is standard.

Speaker 3 48:36

One way or the other, we had to have gotten something coming off from.

Speaker 2 48:40

I remember when we came off from Afros and. Audios.

Speaker 3 48:48

So yeah, and I think I did love the collaborations and it teaches you a different aspect. You know, when you're solo, doing things on your own, you get to your ways. And then now when you're told, hey, you got to do collaborations, now you have to think. And now?

Speaker 2 49:05

your creative juices jump higher because, damn, I wouldn't have talked about that. But now you know somebody's bringing an idea and you're like damn, oh, we can go this way, we can go this way, we can go this way, like it flows your creative juices, collaboration.

Speaker 3 49:20

Right, and sometimes it also helps. It gives you help because now you have a partner who helps you do other things that you probably be doing yourself. So you're sharing resources, sharing time, sharing knowledge as well. You know resources, sharing time, sharing knowledge as well. You know, and out of it, at the end of you know the collaboration, however long it lasts, or if it's going to be, that's the way it's going to be. You look at it as what did I get out of it? Did I? Was I like you, like you? Remember? You said your comparisons. We're going back to comparisons. You're not going to compare yourself.

Speaker 3 49:52

When we started doing this thing, how, how has it turned you into a different podcast than you were before? For me, personally, it is right now, even before, as we get into this particular month, your birthday month, june. Um, I have learned to use instagram. I'm appreciating instagram. I was scared of doing instagram, but here I am, I am doing Instagram with you, Paula, because, remember, you pushed me and told me Instagram. I was asking you to do something else. Remember that. But you said, hey, why don't we go to Instagram?

Strategies for Collaboration and Growth

Speaker 2 50:23

And here we are. The reason I pushed you was because you were already doing that with Jen. I didn't want you to stick on the same thing. I was like let's do it this way and then we'll figure out how to spread it that way. You have that, you have this.

Speaker 3 50:40

And I don't think I will want to move to any other medium yet if that comes in. But as long as Instagram is still here, we're going to work on Instagram because I believe this might be another opportunity. Maybe I'll go live on my own and then talk to my listeners, the wasambazaji out there, and have some conversations with them, just like the way you do it.

Speaker 2 51:01

But till then, I'm learning how to operate, speaking of collaborations and you saying, maybe one day you will go on Instagram live by yourself to Wasambazaji. I'm going to give you this free idea and you better do it. To give you this free idea and you should, you better do it. You remember when I started doing my say your shit, where I would go live every tuesday 9 am for like 15 minutes right, you should, because it already sounds like a newspaper, like a news thingy, like. So I think you and start slow, choose a day that works for you, that works for your listeners, and go 15-10 minutes a week just giving them the our bodies, our Sambazaji. Or you can also start being like you know you go live with, because you have already created a community, our Sambazji community.

Speaker 2 51:56

You don't do an hour go live with, because you have already created a community, a wasambazi community. You don't do an hour. You either do 15 to 30. You bring one of your wasambazaji listeners this is not a podcaster, not nothing A listener, a fan, a supporter, and then you ask them to share one of their, one of your episodes that really empowered or changed them because that's also a body when I said, by the way, and also create more. So get on that, I'm off here for that. Let's do that great pointer.

Speaker 3 52:29

I will yeah, we're gonna get to it.

Speaker 2 52:32

I believe you know me, I like pushing you, so I will be on your, on your whatsapp, pushing you like so when I started, but um, I feel like um right now I think people need to do more of this, less talking about oh we should collaborate, but literally go out there and collaborate.

Speaker 2 52:58

And sometimes you don't even need to do it with people you know such episodes, such podcasters in your niche and just reach out, just like how you reach out to a guest to come on your show and be like hey, I see we have similar episodes, maybe we can do a promo sub, maybe we can do a promo, maybe we can create a content together because I can shoot, you can shoot, we just edit pieces and put them together and voila, when I did one time I did a Thanksgiving live with, I was part of the empowered community. I mean not empowered community, I was part of connection communities in clubhouse. This was back in 2020, 2021. I was a moderator most of the people in canada so we wanted to do a thanksgiving episode, but only for the girls who were the moderators of that. And leading up to that, we were creating content. Like everybody was shooting. I just told them to just send me saying I'm thankful for, without saying what they're thankful for, and we just blended them together and you know, so you don't have to be with each other in person to create content, and I was the only one in atlanta.

Speaker 2 54:12

They're all in canada, but also different states. It still works. Just shoot your shot on these content creators. Trust me, there are a lot of content creators who love to collaborate who would say yes to collaborate. Don't sleep on that. I'm leaving that.

Speaker 3 54:30

I believe. So we're going to wind down and say what are you planning on this week, in two minutes? Just tell us what you're expecting for your birthday and for this week.

Speaker 2 54:45

To be honest, I'm planning to just be happy this week. All I want to do is just I know I have a new episode, a shit happens episode coming out on wednesday, which is going to be with seed, because we're ending the mental men's mental health awareness month and seed is part of the empowered podcasting room. We recently sponsored two tickets to amazing people. I mean fully, fully sponsorship. But he also came to shit happens and his episode this is the last season is closing down his podcast. So we talked about exit and I feel like, even with our mental health, sometimes the reason our mental health is high is because we don't know when to leave certain things, when we're supposed to leave right, the fear of living, because sometimes we attach ourselves with the identity of those things instead of just us. So we feel like, oh, if I leave this job, who am I gonna be? Or if I do this, where am I? So we we talk about the exit plan and and why it's not the end. So I feel like it was a better, a good episode to end Mental Health Month. So I'm excited about that.

Speaker 2 55:59

I am going to Empowered Podcasting event in Charlotte. There are free tickets. I have a way for you to get a free ticket. You can make it if you want to come and you just want a ticket, reach out to me. We're going to be in Charlotte from Friday to Sunday and I'm looking forward to meeting all my empowered podcasting people, and some of Podfest members are also going to be there. Some of the black Afro-Zenoges are going to be there black associations so it's going to be a full room of content, creating and drinking a lot of Budweiser. For me, because it's my birthday. I hope there's cake. I'm turning 35. If y'all want my cash up, let me know. I'm accepting every donation for my birthday because it's a holiday. It's TalkShare with P's birthday. Well, not TalkShare with P, but the shit talker of TalkShare with P's birthday.

Speaker 3 56:57

Alright, what's up? Well, not talk show with you, but the shit talker of talk show with you. All right. Well, for me, I think we're still on. You remember I told you we had the beginning of the show. We had this protest march. Are you going? I said what.

Speaker 2 57:12

Are you going? No, we're in. I thought you said you had another one sometime this week.

Speaker 3 57:19

The one that was going to be happening tomorrow. I don't know if it's going to happen tomorrow, but what we're doing is right now we're trying to create awareness.

Speaker 2 57:27

Did you take your kids with you?

Speaker 3 57:30

No, they didn't want to come, but I wish I had taken them. It was probably a good idea.

Speaker 2 57:37

Are you muted?

Speaker 2 57:39

no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no no no, no, no, no, no, no no no, no, no, no, no, no no no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no no no no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no no no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Speaker 3 57:52

They learned how to be.

Speaker 3 57:54

They need to learn how to start things like voting, and know how to get it work, know how to work around, how to do a protest, how to be in a protest, how it feels like to be in a protest which is peaceful.

Speaker 3 58:13

I don't want them to get into a situation where they're in one that is out there and it's weird and stuff like like that. You know what I'm saying. So this one would have been a good one, but I'm hoping that it will take them to to do to do something else. However, on top of well, out of that, we're now having better conversations regarding our and having a lot of conversations. We're now having better conversations regarding our business and having a lot of conversations on the background regarding what we had done, and I'm looking forward to things happening in this coming month and I'll be posting videos out there. So anyone who's listening right now, if you go to Sambaza Podcast online, I think I'll post them on TikTok, twitter and any other medium that has video, or YouTube as well, and it'll show what we have done and probably what we're going to do in the near future.

Speaker 2 59:08

Oh my god, you can actually start with Sambazagi. Right now we're bringing if you can find Genesis in Kenya and having those 30 minute conversations to continue bringing awareness.

Speaker 3 59:22

That's what we're having the plans on. I think that's one of the plans. I don't know what the other team has in mind, but that's what we're looking for. So, for everyone else who's been listening to us, thank you so much. Thank you so much for watching us today.

Speaker 2 59:35

Thank you so much we will be back in July. I have a feeling this time we'll be back on the actual Saturday of the last month, but we'll keep you guys posted. Why there's nothing happening at the end of July.

Speaker 3 59:49

That's my birthday.

Speaker 2 59:50

When's your birthday?

Speaker 3 59:52

25th of July.

Speaker 2 59:54

The last Saturday of the month, so we'll make it right. Hold on, let me see One minute. I have the calendar right here 21?

Speaker 3 1:00:04

25th.

Speaker 2 1:00:05

It's going to be Thursday of the, and then the last Saturday of the month is 27.

Speaker 3 1:00:14

Well then, I'll be coming in from California. That's where I'm planning.

Speaker 2 1:00:18

So we'll do it the Saturday before the 20th. That way you don't have to.

Speaker 3 1:00:24

No, the Saturday. Maybe, Paula, we're going to talk about it.

Speaker 2 1:00:31

You're fully booked that week is crazy. Okay, we'll figure it out thank you all for hanging out with us right.

Speaker 3 1:00:43

Happy birthday, paula all right, don't enjoy but if you're not gonna send some buzzers, send kasha okay all right, let's Well, let's scroll on the screen, scroll on the screen Down here, down here, let it scroll and then let's see it. All right, paula and wassup Bazaarji, good night. See you all later Next month.

Speaker 2 1:01:09

Bye shit talker.

Speaker 1 1:01:16

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