Welcome to Digital Podcaster. My name is Dylan Schmidt, your host, and today is another solo episode I have so much I want to share with you. But I like spreading it out over somewhat many solo episodes. So that's what we're doing this week. And next week, we'll actually have an interview. So make sure to stay tuned for that. Today, I want to talk about living in the unknown. So I'm going to share a little bit of a personal update and story with you, mainly with the hopes and intentions that it will inspire. And hopefully you can relate with it and some level and maybe use that to help navigate what's next for you. I'm not trying to share this in a way that is, look at me look at things like that, but more so in a relatable message. Just to give you a kind of glimpse also what's behind the scenes, what's to come. And and in a way that's a quick trying to explain when I'm going to say so much instead of just say it. So like I said, living in the unknown. Just to give you an update, things are getting busy at Digital Podcaster I've got a lot of stuff in the works. And I'll actually be focusing even more on Digital Podcaster over the next few months, but moving forward because things have gotten a bit more clear business wise. And my mission has become more clear. And because I have more of a clear mission, I'm able to kind of delve more resources into it, whether that's time, money, energy, all that good stuff. Guess that's the only three main resources we have at the end of the day, right. And money can't take it with us time, or energy, we can't either. But, but I do put a lot of effort, like I've been told I have a really strong worth ethic worth really strong work ethic. And I've put a lot of work into Digital Podcaster. And some things maybe look super simple from the outside. And then other things. Maybe people are like, man, you must spend all day on Instagram or something like that. And, you know, the truth is, I don't also get help with certain social media tasks and things like that. So it's not really fair to say that I do put all my effort on Instagram. So the perception of what you might see about what I do with Digital Podcaster. And the reality sometimes might be not totally aligned, just because you're not behind the scenes. But I do like recording little updates like these to give you a peek behind the scenes. So you can kind of see really what goes into it and use that to create an accurate assessment. And so I can be transparent on how things are run. I don't ever want to give the intention, or not sorry, not the intention. I don't ever want to give the idea that things just happen. I just magically press record and the rest happens. The business takes care of itself. It's not some get rich quick thing. So Digital Podcaster I started it if you don't know I started at last June 2021. And since then, I've grown a good number of followers on social media primarily Instagram, a bit on tick tock, and then this podcast as growing with listeners like yourself. And primarily I help people with podcasting. But I have a lot more experience with digital marketing and sales over the past 10 plus years. But my my passion is marketing and audio. So it makes perfect sense to create Digital Podcaster. And I share this you'll actually hear me say this again on the episode next week, it really got me thinking around 2016 2017 I put out a ton of applications because I was like doing the independent freelance thing and I was like you know what, I am really needing some security of a business right now I want to work on like, I don't want to work on like some with like a client I want to work in a business with a company and a team and that whole thing. I don't want to go too big. I'm not looking for like corporate America. But I'm just like looking for maybe a 50 employees is great. So I sent so many applications out. I sent this like 2016 2017 I think 500 applications out there. But did I hear back? Not from but two companies. First being tick tock. Yes, tick tock. And the second one was called epidemic sounds and epidemic sounds if you're not familiar with them, they make music that you can use on your podcast. They make music, sound effects, basically just audio. That like royalty free audio you pay like membership fee, maybe it's 1220 bucks a month, something like that. And then you can use their music. They have words with music with words and music that's just instrumental that you could use over programs, basically anything you want to use in your business, you can use epidemic sounds, or if you're creating videos, things like that, I use epidemic sounds every podcast episode. And then I use tic toc every day. And like I said, they were the only two companies that gave me an interview, and the interviews went great with them. But because my experience is quite large, and how I've helped people, primarily, from the perspective of working with the owners, and CEOs, because I've worked one on one with so many people, they didn't really have a role open for me, they were like, you're awesome, this is great. But like, we don't have a spot for you right now, we'd love to stay in touch. And that, you know, wasn't super, like, needing to work for a company or anything like that. I just, it was something I thought I would want to do. And so I put it out there, what happened didn't go through with either of these companies. And, and then I just stopped applying. So I was like, you know, actually, I'm kind of over it. Now, this phase, the season, whatever it wasn't meant to be, it's all good. So I just keep doing what I'm doing. And then I start Digital Podcaster. And turns out, I use epidemic sounds and tick tock like everyday now. And it's kind of ironic how that kind of played out. I was trying to work for another company. And not that those companies work for me or something now, but just the fact that I use them in my own company that I've made. Because before I was just again, working freelance independent contractor, consultant, you know, one on one behind the scenes, no company No, no focus on growth, as far as, like, how I help people, just a private consultant work in one on one. And that was working just fine until again, you know, 2021, I get this itch. I'm like, oh, it's all making sense podcasting. So I started Digital Podcaster. And now I'm using epidemic sounds and tick tock. And fast forward to today, which I'm recording this, it's April 2022. Digital Podcaster is about 10 months old, I have made multiple courses, I've done some paid training, you know, one day trainings, three part trainings. And it's been awesome. And you know, it's not Digital Podcaster is not some, at the moment of recording this. It's not, like, haven't hasn't totally replaced my income of being a private consultant with brands and clients. But I'm transitioning in that way of helping people more through courses, and programs that we'll be offering. But that transition going from, from being like a private consultant to creating Digital Podcaster, which the ultimate goals, it's bigger, of course than myself just running it, it's also featuring, like it, it's like an all in one, podcast, resource hub. So whatever you want, Digital Podcaster you can take care of it. When it comes to podcasting. As far as done for you services, like we take care of your podcast, that whole thing. I love to incorporate that one day into Digital Podcaster. But I'm really feel called to help people on the mission of teaching people how to podcast and empowering them to do to use their voice and share it with the world. But that transition from going from like private consultant to more programs and trainings and things like that. I don't know if you've ever done it before, maybe you have, maybe you not even can't even relate that transition, I'm realizing has been so similar to other things I've done in my life where you don't exactly know where it's gonna lead. And you just have so much faith and trust in in yourself, which can be absolutely terrifying at times, and you don't know where it's gonna end up. But you just feel like you're called to just go in that direction. And that is something that I have to share on this podcast episode because that's one of those things that you can only know if you made the right choice, looking back, but you don't know in the moment if you're making the right choice when you're walking forward because you haven't seen what's gonna happen next. So your nervous system, your, your your body, you don't have proof that one thing in the way that you think you're going to do it, it's going to work out, but you move forward with it anyways. I'll use an example. Previous from my life that wasn't it's not totally business related. But before I moved to Los Angeles, I lived in Southern California about two hours away from Los Angeles. About in between Los Angeles and San Diego, California and I have a good setup there. I had just moved back from Denver, Colorado. I went to school for audio engineering and apprenticeship and moved back to Southern California. And like I, I just I had a good setup. And I was just like, this is cool. But I feel like I need to move to LA, sell all my belongings, I moved to LA. But that process of selling all my belongings and moving to LA is absolutely terrifying. And yes, of course, looking back, it's like, I'm younger at that time, I'm in my early 20s. I don't have kids. I don't even have a relationship. Like it's just me. Like, there's a lot of things that obviously we could like play it down and be like, yeah, that's no problem. That's easy. But at its essence, like in my body, I was like this, because I'm like a clear minded, sober individual. The trust it took to do that was absolutely terrifying. And how did that play out played out? Great, my life has totally benefited from me making that decision that I had no idea on the exact outcome. And that leads me to what I said at the beginning of this episode of living in the unknown. I have this feeling and this, this, this knowing inside of me that that I heard this quote, so there's but I feel this, I feel this quote. So there's this quote that like, I don't I don't know, sorry, I can't, I don't know who to attribute it to. But the amount of success you will receive in life is or the achievements things like that is directly related to the amount of uncomfortable tension you can hang in. It sounds like a Tony Robbins thing, it might have been Tony Robbins who said it, but the more uncomfortableness, the more unknown you can sit in, the more you can just hang with that, the bigger the chance for rewards are on the other side. And that is terrifying. Because this is like the type of stuff and again, I might not be doing the best job at like relating what I'm actually experiencing at the moment to you know, there's a lot more I mean, again, it's just one of those things I don't want to like, say like, there's a lot of terrifying things that could be in life that are actually life and death, there's a war going on all that stuff. Like I'm not not downplaying anything like that I'm trying to, you know, explore an idea and an area of life, this doesn't represent all areas of life, not, you know, I had a brother, who passed away of leukemia at a very young age, you know, there's my, you know, lost members of my family, things like that. So I'm not trying to get into comparison mode of like, of what's real and what's not real. I'm just saying like, career wise, business wise, company wise, growth wise, when it comes around, doing what you really want to do. Whether that's pursuing a passion, things like that, I just, I've found it to be true, the more you can gamble on living in the unknown, the bigger the payoff. Because when I, before I moved to LA, like, I didn't know what exactly would come of it. But what happened with it, I met people I never thought I would meet, I had experienced, I traveled the world multiple times over, met my wife, I don't believe I would have met her had I been living where I was living, it just wouldn't have likely happened. And so many things, so many things culminated even to this very moment of, of me recording this episode today. You know, what, it's always the what if what would have happened if I would have just stayed in the comfortable position I was in before I moved to Los Angeles years ago. You know, what if all those what ifs. And I think the same thing happens when we when, when we make a decision to go into something that's a little terrifying. And I know that there are seasons for things. I don't believe anyone should just live in the terrifying times all the time. Because, you know, like, you gotta have some stability and for your own mental health and sanity, you gotta have a seasons in life where you can kind of rest and recuperate and then build towards the next thing. But it's in those transition periods. Which I guess because it's spring right now feels really on par for the course right now. But yeah, so I just, I share all this because I'm curious. For one, if you're going through a similar transition in your life, living in the unknown to, if there is something that you feel called to do, how can you start taking more steps to live in it? Because it's one thing to fear resize and don't know if that you create in your head you create these ideas of what it might be like if you were to do something, but until you actually start taking the steps, and it's usually only a couple decisions that will start to get you freaked out that until you actually take those steps, that you start to go, oh, this is real, there's something on the line here. And that's kind of, I guess what it only really comes down to is when there's something on the line, whether that is your reputation, sit, like if you say you can do something, and then people wonder if you really can, or you you, you know, it's not necessarily always biting off more than you can chew. But it's almost like you're saying to the universe, if you will, hey, I'm ready for the next thing. And I'm absolutely terrified. And let's just be okay with being terrified for the time being, and know that it's not going to be forever. And I'm ready also, for something really big to come, because I'm open for it, I'm open for it, and you can't be that's the thing, you can't be open for something big, to come your way. And live and not live in the unknown, you know, for at least a certain period, whether that period is a week, or some months or something, I just, I, I've never necessarily seen that happen at the same time with anybody also, with successful people in my life, I haven't seen them go, excuse me, haven't seen them go, Hey, I'm ready for the next huge thing, and not deal with some incredible level of uncertainty in their lives in some way. So I know, you know, when we're talking about living in the unknown, and uncertainty and things like that, there's not really a final piece to this story other than I will keep you updated. And I would love to hear from you. So if you can identify it with what I'm saying, please shoot me a message to hello at Digital podcaster.com. Because I would be curious to hear more about your story. And if you can identify or what parts you can identify with what I shared, of living in the unknown. Because I think it's something we can all relate for relate to. And I think the more that we we take those steps to live in the unknown, uncertain things. It makes life more high definition in some ways. Yes, it's terrifying. But it also gives, it gives that reminder to hey, this thing isn't forever, and I'm doing something that future me is going to respect myself for and future me is going to be proud of myself. And current me can be okay with being scared for a little bit. Because I know that regardless one way or the other the what's on the other side of this, I just have to find out I have to find out. So I felt like I don't know about you. But I felt like there's a lot of vagueness in this episode. But also, it was like being vague and wide open at the same time. It's interesting. And I guess I'm not trying to be vague. It's just when there's a lot of unknowns, I kind of said at the beginning, I'm shifting more of my focus. Business. Career wise, I've been putting a lot of effort into Digital Podcaster something I care deeply about, is helping others and to create more opportunities to do that for others is something that really excites me. So yeah, yeah. So like I said, you got you got thoughts on this, would love to hear him. hello at Digital podcaster.com is the email. Big exhale out of talking. But what else I have been keeping digital podcaster.com updated with all the latest stuff going on. So make sure to go to digital podcaster.com. And if you want to see, if you want to see that transitionary period of almost everything I've talked about in this episode, make sure to go to digital podcaster.com to check out I've got upcoming trainings, courses, working one on one with people as well. But check out all that good stuff on digital podcaster.com It would mean the world to me already people have been writing and reviewing Digital Podcaster on Apple podcasts or Spotify wherever you listen to podcast. It goes a long ways in that level of support is important. And yeah, I appreciate that. If there's something I can support you on, let me know. I've already said the email 18 million times on this episode but hello at Digital podcaster.com And, and I'd love to hear from you. What else I feel like that is that is all I got for now. And next week we'll have another interview episode is we're meeting with a man named uhj wall who is helps people with trauma and he's also an artist. Very interesting, man. And I enjoyed our conversation a lot so I'm excited to share that with you Saiga for now, I hope you're doing well. I hope you're in good health. I hope you are thinking about living in the unknown. And I hope you know that. You can do it. If you really want to, with the right amount of support and belief. I really believe that we can do what we want to set up to do. So sometimes we just need the right support and the belief that we can. Alright, I'll talk to you soon. Have a great week.