Live from Podfest: Community, Courage, and Taking the First Step

In this spontaneous, on-the-road episode, Julie DeLucca-Collins and her handsome hot husband Dan come to you straight from Podfest in Orlando. Sitting in a hotel bar, surrounded by creators, community, and a slightly too-loud Patriots game, they reflect on what makes podcasting such a powerful and freeing medium.

They share why the podcasting world is built on connection, collaboration, and shared purpose. Dan talks about the beauty of podcasting as an unrestricted platform where anyone can share their voice, message, passion, or even their goofball energy with the world. No gatekeepers, no overlords, just real humans creating meaningful content.

Julie steps outside her usual comfort zone by recording on her phone and bringing Dan on camera for YouTube, proving once again that confidence is built by taking imperfect action.

They also give a sneak peek of next week’s featured interview with Cathi Carrier, founder of Pure Bella, who left spa ownership to build a skincare line designed specifically for women in midlife.

The episode wraps with a heartfelt reminder: there will always be reasons not to start, but if you have a dream or direction calling you, take the first step. You don’t have to see the whole path, you just have to begin.

Come home to confidence. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.

This is an invitation to join a supportive community of purpose-driven entrepreneurs who are creating an impact in the world.
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Join the Confident YOU Mastermind now at https://goconfidentlyservices.myflodesk.com/confidentyoumastermind

Transcript

Julie DeLucca-Collins (00:01.102)
Welcome back to another episode of Casa de Confiden. I'm your host, Julie DeLuca Collins. And I'm Dan, the sidekick and the most excellent editor producer of Casa de Confiden. Also known as Hashtag Handsome Hot Husband. And boy, did he get his props this weekend. We're coming to you live from Podfest in Orlando, Florida. And we want to give a shout out to all the incredible team members of the Podfest family that, well, created

another incredible event for creators like us and gave us a space to be able to learn, to grow, to create the incredible connections and most of all be equipped to go out there and continue to create the kind of content that the world needs. No matter what your interests, what your loves, what your desires and wants are, there's a podcast for that. So I want to encourage you that if you have not discovered a new podcast lately,

Go do so because there are some so talented creators out there. But Dan, what's your overall take? This is your second year at Podfest. You know, just like I talk about in our community. The most important takeaway here.

is community. Absolutely. As you can hear right now, we're participating in the patriotization community, the Patriots games. We're in the bar at the hotel. Dana's going to tell you that apparently the Giants doesn't have a community because they are not in the playoffs. Well, there's a community, but they're all sad.

Unbelievable. And now we're getting our beverages. I'm having tea because I'm cold. It's cold in Orlando. Thank you so much, Anthony. You're very welcome. look at that. I'm just getting a tea. I'm getting an angry orchard. That's right. Thank you. And water because we need to hydrate. Well, thank you for listening, watching, whatever you're doing today. Thank you. And we appreciate you.

Julie DeLucca-Collins (02:09.614)
We're get some food. Yeah, ooh. Sorry. No, you're fine, Anthony. We're going to get some food. We are, but you're fine. You're fine. We're not going to order yet. We just had lunch, so we're going have snacks. We're good. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Thank you. So.

So yeah, the community in podcasting, that's the one thing that is par excellence. You know, about so many different ways of getting your message out there. One thing that I really appreciated this week was, know, podcasting, they were talking about the history of podcasting and how it is such an excellent medium.

and media to be able to talk about your message or anything that you want to get out there. Just be a goofball out there.

It's one of those media's that's unrestricted. Yeah, you know there's there's no overlord telling you that you can't Overload you know there's no FCC telling you you can't use certain words. Yeah, or what I can know a word no corporation telling you that You can't say something because the politician tells them that they're not supposed to say that. Oh So it's one of those things where you

As a creator, a person, as a human, can get your message out there. anyone can do that. It's just such a... It's like a true democratic democracy way of getting a message out there. So it's kind of one thing that was cool about it.

Julie DeLucca-Collins (04:18.35)
so much like right now it's the first time I've ever recorded on my cell phone. Oh look at you I recorded on my cell phone before. You do but I haven't. I know. Being the editor I usually get the videos in. And you take care of them. the audio in. I take care of that. edit that. I put it all together and then boom it's out there for you guys to consume to listen to. Yep. And right now I'm working outside of my comfort zone.

We are actually recording a video here. We are. Does this mean you're going to be in video on the channel? Yeah, I'll be in video on YouTube. if you're listening right now on our audio channel, you can.

see my face. If you haven't seen the handsome hot husband face. what's the name of the channel on YouTube? If people who are listening want to see us. Well, it used to be the Confident You Entrepreneur, but my husband changed it to the Julie DeLuca Collins channel. So just search Julie's name on YouTube and you can see us in the wonderful bar we're in. And this is... We're at the Renaissance.

at the Renaissance? the rena... Julie, did the Renaissance... So, for those who are listening, I just was showing the YouTube people the bar. I apologize, because you can't see that. And I totally get that. uh, Julie, what's a Renaissance? Wasn't it used to be called the...

Renaissance or is that a different chain? I've always known it as the Renaissance and it's owned by Marriott. Not an ad, but it should be because I am a loyal customer of Marriott Bar & Boy. So Julie, we're going to keep this tight and short today. We're not putting out an episode with an interview today. It's just me and Julie. But you can expect an interview episode to come out this week. Yep, next week, this week coming up.

Julie DeLucca-Collins (06:28.24)
We are.

An incredible message from Julie and her guest. Julie, do you know which guest you're going to interview? Yes, I am sharing an interview with my friend in real life, Kathy Carrier. Kathy Carrier is an owner. Well, she was the owner of the spa, Bellesthetica, in Connecticut. And a woman in midlife, she is an adoptive mom, and then also has biological children. She's got an incredible story, but most of

she left a successful ownership of a spa and soldier spa to pursue a dream of starting a aesthetics product-based business for women in midlife and Bella of Stetica is the name of the product and I use it it's phenomenal and I'm not just saying because she's my friend but I'm saying this because she really has taken the care and

formulate products that are designed for the woman in midlife and for our skin hormones, you know it, everything that's going on. So I love that and she's very passionate about creating something that will help us not, you know, anti-age, but age in the best possible way, look good, feel good, and also nourish our skin, which by the way, our skin is the largest organ in the body.

I you knew that because you're a nerd but... I took anatomy in high school. did very well. AP anatomy. I did very well in that class.

Julie DeLucca-Collins (08:18.702)
job, Patriots. Good for the Patriots just scored. For the Plains, the Texans. guess I have to go for the Patriots. So, Julie. Yes, Dan? We want to leave the listeners with one thing this week. Yeah? We're coming out of Podfest in Orlando. There's one thing we want to leave the audience with. What would that be this week?

I'm going leave you with there's going to be a lot of things that get in the way. There's a lot of reasons why you shouldn't be doing the thing. But if you have a thought that you want to do something, have a dream that you want to accomplish or a direction that you want to go, take the first step. Take it slowly and just don't worry about how is it going to work out. And don't let the things that get in the way, get in the way, but just do it. Nike has it correct. Just do it. Just take the first step. And if you don't know what your first

step is, then talk to someone like me who's a coach or a friend or a mentor and let them help you figure it out because sometimes just talking it through will help you figure out what that first step is. Awesome, so one step at a time, you know one step one foot in front of the other just like a Christmas jingle. does that take?

Julie DeLucca-Collins (09:42.158)
don't even know you're talking about. have no idea. Oh great, alright everyone out there in Paso de Confidencia. Don't forget, you too can come home to confidence.

And we wish that you can go confidently in the direction of your dreams. And have a great week, people. All right. You heard it here first. See you next week.