Have you ever let the fear of technology stop you from chasing a dream? Our guest, Diana Lidstone, a vibrant entrepreneur and podcast host, almost did—but she's here to tell us why she didn't let that happen. Diana faced the tech terrors of podcasting head-on, proving that it's never too late to embrace new challenges and innovate. This episode is a treasure trove of encouragement and practical advice for anyone hesitant to push the record button on their podcasting aspirations. We'll tackle the myths that keep so many from sharing their voice with the world and reveal how focusing on your strengths while outsourcing the rest can lead to a fulfilling balance of passion and professionalism.
As a best-selling author, speaker & podcast host, Diana Lidstone has been an entrepreneur for almost 40 years. She knows that we can all plateau in our businesses. Using her proven GROW Equation, she teaches business operators to become visionary business owners with more joy, more profit and more free time.
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Show Strategy (format, what it's about, target audience)
Basic Launch Roadmap (launch date, timeline)
Content For Your First 5 Episodes( templated for you to customize)
Time Optimization Strategies (strategy for recording, editing, promo
Plus the templates, tools and tech you need to get your show started!
BONUS #1 A copy of the e-book, 10 simple steps to launching your podcast BONUS #2 15 minute Podcast strategy call with me, Carl Richards Podcast Jumpstart Bootcamp
Got a question about something you heard today? Have a great suggestion for a topic or know someone who should be a guest? Reach out to us: askcarl@carlspeaks.ca
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Welcome to Communication Connection Community, the podcaster's podcast. This podcast takes a deep dive into modern day communication strategies in the podcasting space. We chat with interesting people who make the podcasting and speaking spaces exciting and vibrant. We also dive into the podcasting community with news updates, latest trends and topics from this ever-evolving space. So strap in, it's going to be one amazing ride.
Speaker 1:
Let's dive into today's episode and we're continuing our discussion with the five myths, the five reasons that maybe you've been considering. Some of these things as we've been talking, things that are keeping you stuck from launching your own podcast, and today we're talking about the tech myth. We're discussing what about it in the technology space is just something that's holding you back, and technology could be one of those things that really does jump up at us and go, whoa, that's technology. I can't do that, and our guest here today was certainly faced with that as well. Diana Lidstone is our guest today.
Speaker 1:
As a best-selling author, speaker and podcast host. Diana has been an entrepreneur for almost 40 years. She knows that we can all plateau in our businesses. Using her proven grow equation, she teaches business operators to become visionary business owners with more joy, more profit and more free time. And when it came to the podcasting space, it took a while. It wasn't so much the time, though, that was keeping Diana from jumping in, although that was part of it, but it was the technology stuff that kept her stuck. So let's chat with Diana and find out more. Diana, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 2:
Thanks so much for having me, Carl. It's always fun to chat with you.
Speaker 1:
I'm so glad you're in this space. Finally, we can say Diana is a podcast host. If I had a sound effect for applause I would be playing it right about now. But, seriously, it's great to have you in this space and I know it did take a while, as I. Seriously, it's great to have you in this space and I know it did take a while, as I said off the top there, for you to get here. What was it about the technology that was just having you throw your hands up in the air and say I can't do this?
Speaker 2:
Well, I'll be honest, I'm not the youngest person that you probably have as a client. I'm, you know, almost 70. And technology number one can be a challenge. Now I feel that I'm pretty good. You know I keep up with the social media and this technology and that technology and taking those hours out of my schedule really worth it to me, because we all know that when you go to learn something new, there's a learning curve and I didn't think, perhaps, that I could deal with that. The other thing is that you know that you know my hashtag is work less, earn more. Is that you know that my hashtag is work less, earn more, and my goal is to only work 20 hours a week, earn six figures, good six figures, and really maybe 46 weeks out of the year. So was learning a new technology going to be the best use of my time? Was it going to cause me frustration? And I went, not doing it, and that was pretty easy because you tried for what? Two years or more? It was about two years.
Speaker 1:
Yes, something like that.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and I certainly understand the trepidation with technology, because even myself there are things that and I consider myself semi-tech savvy but there are some things that it's just a non-starter. I will not build a website, even though I know there are tools out there that are plug and play, so pretty much if you can fog a mirror, you can build your own website now, but that's not. Firstly, it's not how I want to spend my time, yeah, but it's. There are other things that I know can be done better by the professional. That's number one. Number two is the fact that there's better things that I think that I need to be doing in my business, as you said, then learning a new skill when again there's somebody out there that can do it for me.
Speaker 1:
But then I also look at the hours and you were, and yeah, the time myth and the tech myth sort of go together, because and you're right it took a while. My original thought was, diana, you should take my course and learn how to be a podcaster, and I know you were. It was like trying to drag a horse to water to make it drink. It wasn't going to happen, right, but with you it was.
Speaker 2:
I don't want to learn this new skill but it was also do I have the time? Yeah, do I have the time? Do I have the bandwidth? And yeah, you know, I think if we looked at, you know, when your ideal client is somebody who's already a thought leader they are going to be. They know their zone of genius, right, I know my zone of genius is helping people differentiate their brands so that they can. They know their zone of genius, right, I know my zone of genius is helping people differentiate their brands so that they can.
Speaker 2:
You know, more joy, more profit, more free time. That's what I do really well. What you do really well is this whole production thing and whatever. It is not my zone of genius and I think that thought leaders will recognize that that's where they have to stay. Yeah, maybe it's fun for them to tinker a little bit, but on an ongoing basis, I think that's not what they want. And when you think of the length of time, the learning curve, the number of hours for a new technology because, let's face it, there's the editing, but there's also the uploading on these different platforms and there's you know how can you make the SEO better for marketing and you know all that kind of thing I think probably we're looking at I don't know somewhere like 15 hours a month per episode or per if you're doing a weekly episode. And I went, no, no just no, just no.
Speaker 1:
I like to work less and earn more, not work more and earn whatever is left over with my time, basically.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, and so I think really entrepreneurs have to figure out what is the best use of their time. For me it wasn't, now there were I'll be quite honest and upfront with listeners. There was also the whole thing about why should I have a podcast and what was the purpose of my podcast. And some of you know, and you know, that I used to do live events for women entrepreneurs. You were even my emcee for many years and when I got around, the mindset shift that instead of standing on a real physical stage, instead doing a podcast, which where I could be in people's ear on an evergreen basis, I went oh then you know, put those two together and it made total sense for me.
Speaker 1:
So you're 100% spot on there too, and it's one of the things that I've been advocating for. The last oh at the recording of this episode, it's the it's late December 2022. The last oh at the recording of this episode, it's late December 2022. So for the last six months to a year, I've been saying a podcast and I'm talking to speakers, talking to thought leaders, coaches, consultants, people like that. A podcast is a speaking opportunity. Yeah, Now, when you have a speaking opportunity, Diana, like you know, I was invited on your stage to be the MC.
Speaker 1:
I didn't. I didn't have to set up the microphone, I didn't have to set up the stage. Yeah, I didn't have to do my own hair. I didn't have to do that. I didn't have to set up the lighting, I didn't have to book the. There were people that did all of that. Now, is there some things that do happen behind the scenes that, as an MC or as a as your person helping you, that have to be done, Absolutely. But when you're getting on the stage as a speaker, usually that's all you're doing. You're not also the person at the end of the presentation sweeping the stage. You're not the person who's taking out the trash at the end of the day, Like you're getting up there, you're doing your thing, You're in your as you, as you called it, your zone of genius. That's what you should be focused on.
Speaker 2:
Yeah.
Speaker 1:
And it was the same with doing your live events. My role in that was basically being the traffic cop, the saying okay, washrooms are there break time. Be back in 10 minutes. Okay, lunchtime. Okay, diana needs you here. Okay, diana's on the stage. That's basically what it was. It wasn't okay, carl, I also need you to. Oh, I don't know.
Speaker 2:
Run the audio and the lights and all that different kinds of stuff.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, right, it was just. This is what I need you to do, and I think that's where some people get hung up is in that space of thinking oh, I have this podcast, I'm going to have to do everything, and you can, and you're more than welcome to. As a matter of fact, I've trained probably 60 to 75 people or more at the recording of this episode, in launching their show, and that's exactly what I've shown them how to do is to how to be their own editor, to be their own person, to do it all themselves. Mind you, that's not for everybody and that certainly wasn't for you, and that's why we're here today, because I've given you that opportunity. Well, you've given me the opportunity to work with you, but it still frees up your time while also elevating your credibility and allowing you to be seen as that go-to authority, because you don't have to spend time editing, uploading, mixing a little audiogram, this thing and that. And if you could see Diana right now, she's turning green as I'm saying these words, because it's not her.
Speaker 2:
No, and the other thing I want to bring up is that I really and truly was asking myself the wrong question. So I'm a very strategic planning-oriented, I need to see the timelines strategic planning oriented. I need to see the timelines, I need to see the process and whatever. And I kept asking myself how am I going to do this? And all of a sudden, one day it came to me that one of my coaches always says if you're asking how, it's the wrong question, it's who is going to do this. As the CEO of our businesses, we are not supposed to be the implementers of everything. We are supposed to ask who is going to do this and give them the tools to do it. And so that was another turning point for me was asking who instead of how, asking who instead of how.
Speaker 1:
Imagine Elon Musk, by way of example, working the assembly line at a Tesla factory. That's not his role. His role as the CEO is to be the face, the voice, the representative of the business or businesses, I guess, in his case, that he owns and that he represents. That's his role.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, as the CEO, you're supposed to be that person that is the outward face of the business, perhaps the person you know, that visionary leader, perhaps the person that is out there speaking and driving the brand, driving the momentum. There's people in the back end, like Tony Robbins. His job is to get up there on stage, get your rah-rah up and then buy his product. He doesn't do all the marketing, he doesn't do all the selling, he doesn't do all the coaching. So it's the same when it came to podcasting.
Speaker 1:
Exactly. I think that's a very good way to put. It is in that space. If you're the CEO and, by the way, if you're starting out, it might be a completely different story. Now, mind you, if you're starting out, you probably shouldn't be looking at a podcast, anyhow, not, at least until year two, three, four, maybe even five, until you have some clients and you have some proof, because people want that proof, they want that. Three, four, maybe even five, until you have some clients and you have some proof, because people want that proof, they want that. Yes, I am an expert and here's the proof. Can you imagine Diana starting a podcast when you style shifted in your business and got into coaching? It wouldn't have made sense because you had business experience. But did you have the credibility in the coaching space to do that?
Speaker 2:
And I didn't have anything to talk about.
Speaker 1:
Exactly, exactly, and that in itself even just the talking part, because I know part of your story. The talking part back then was you know you would hold a piece of paper with notes on it and it would literally it would shake and shimmy, and so would you. Yeah, so now in that zone of genius being in your zone of genius, tech isn't something you need to worry about, and this has allowed you to not only focus on what's important and free up your time to do that. But at the end of the day, you still have a phenomenal show and it's had a huge impact on your business and your brand.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, for sure, and I think it. You and I were talking about getting ready for this presentation that you did to this large organization, and you know we were talking about how, years ago, if you didn't have a website, you weren't thought of being credible. And then, well, it moved from a website, of course you have to have a website to you need to have a book. Well, now people look well, don't you have a podcast Like it's's, almost like that's what it needs to be? It's just another way of, as you say, growing that credibility, growing that reach.
Speaker 2:
I have a sister who's a veterinarian. She was visiting last weekend and she goes. You know this whole podcasting thing, how do you, how do you do it? And I go. All she wanted to do was listen it and I go. All she wanted to do was listen. But she didn't realize. You know she had this technology on her phone that she carried with her. She drives half an hour every day to and from work. I'd said, yeah, you just go to this little icon, you press on this button, you search veterinarian podcasts and poof up. They come.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and now a lot of cars even have the podcast apps built right into the control panel and the dashboard, so you don't even have to set it up on your phone before you go, it's right on the control panel or whatever it is. That's how techy I am when it comes to cars. What's that?
Speaker 2:
thing called Ask Jeff, ask Jeff.
Speaker 1:
Ask the husband right. So now that you've gotten past the tech myth, you have a podcast and again, at the recording of this episode, it's been almost a full year. How's that journey been for you?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, it's been an interesting journey. You know, I remember thinking why do people do like seasons of their podcast and just like anything else? So if we think of you know, if you're listening and you're a coach or a consultant, you've created offers. Well, over the years, your offers have morphed, They've gotten better, They've gotten tighter, They've probably gotten more expensive, they have improved and I look at my podcast episodes kind of like that. They keep morphing and they keep dialing in and they, you know, and so I think if we keep looking at a podcast in that way, that's where you know I started season two and I probably will have a season three, as things you know, morph and improve and keep changing.
Speaker 1:
Well, I just want to say congratulations on getting past the tech myth and the other ones too, some of the other ones, some of the other ones that you had to bust through the time myth and and and that one and stepping into this space. The show is going well. Congratulations on that. Before I let you go, though, before I turn you loose to go record another episode, a final thought that you'd like to pass along today.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I think you know. I'll reiterate something that I said earlier. It's about really working in your zone of genius. Stay in that lane so that you can work less and earn more, and when we do that, I think that we become more masterful at what we were put on this earth to do.
Speaker 1:
And thank you for being here, diana. Great way to end things. Again. Congratulations on the show. Thank you for being a guest on the show today, thank you for having me and thank you for joining us today. Special thanks to our producer and production lead, dom Coriglio, our music guru, nathan Simon, and the person who works the arms all of our arms, actually my trusty assistant, stephanie Gaffour.
Speaker 1:
If you like what you heard today, leave us a comment and a review and be sure to share it with your friends. If you don't like what you heard, please share it with your enemies. Oh, and, if you have a suggestion of someone who you think would make an amazing guest on the show, let us know about it. Drop us an email. Askcarl at carlspeaksca. Don't forget to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter as well. You'll find all those links in the show notes, and if you're ready to take the plunge and join the over 3 million people who have said yes to podcasting, let's have a conversation. We'll show you the simplest way to get into the podcasting space because, after all, we're podcast solutions made simple. We'll catch you next time.