The Monday Report

Today we are talking about the fall and Winter Conference Season taliking and how we should start thinking about travel expenses. We will also be talking  with Connie Jo Holmes about how the Midwest podcast conference review 

Transcript

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SPEAKER_00 0:18

Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the Monday Report. I'm your host, as always, Dan Goet, and as always, manning the studio with me this morning is the incomparable Frank T-Rex, my cohort, as always. So we're just gonna do a quick check to make sure that we are broadcasting in all the places we're supposed to be broadcasting. And we are live and broadcasting. So, as always, the Monday report is being brought to you by the North American Hypnotherapy Guild. There's the QR code. Be sure to scan it. Check it out at the North American Hypnotherapy Guild.com for all the great things happening in the world of hypnosis. And as always, being brought to you by Hypnosis Today magazine, your source for all the things happening in the world of hypnosis and hypnotherapy. There's the QR code up there on the screen. Check it out. Be sure to scan it and subscribe to be in the know. And hey, why don't you hop on over and check out our YouTube channel on the Monday report right there on YouTube? So and we'll see if we are broadcasting live on YouTube today. So, and see what's going on there. And we are broadcasting on YouTube today as well. So we had a little problem with that last time, but we are doing it. So here we go, guys. What are we talking about today? Well, today we're gonna be talking about a couple things. So, first, I would like to start with drum roll, please. There's no drum roll. But there is no surprise and no secret to let you know that the fall and winter conference season is coming. And as a matter of fact, it's already started with the Michigan International Hypnosis Conference coming up September 11th to the 13th at the Hollywood Greek Casino in Greektown, Michigan. It is going to be a great time. Joni Knighty is our kickoff opening speaker for that, and we are looking forward to it. Now, from there, it doesn't end. The season continues in Toronto, Canada with the Canadian Hypnosis Conference. And finishing the season strong in Las Vegas, Nevada with the Performing Hypnosis Summit at the Gold Coast Casino. So it's not just coming to a conference, it's being connected throughout the conference season. Starting in Michigan, continuing the conference conversation, excuse me, in Toronto and ending the season strong in Las Vegas at the Performing Hypnosis Summit. Three cities, one great experience. So check it out. Be there and be part of it. What else do we have going on? Okay, I want to spend um just a few minutes checking and talking about how we view travel, especially with the conference season coming up. Um how do I want to say this? Traveling to a conference, one or more, can be fun. And what do I mean by that? We have to stop thinking, and I'm guilty of this, I'm gonna say I'm guilty of it too, but we've gotta switch our thinking from oh, I have to pay this much money just to get to the conference, to the travel being part of that professional investment. We've gotta start looking at that as part of the professional investment and just being there and understanding what's going on. Somebody beeped in, but I don't see them. Um oh there they are. Connie Jones. So we gotta we gotta think about that, right? It's not eight hundred dollars to just get there with hotel and and food, and that's part of the professional investment as well. So shifting how we think about traveling the conference season becomes more and more important. Uh I'm guilty of it too. I've often said, oh man, I've got to spend this much money just to get to the conference. Well, no. Um, because guess what? That becomes a write-off as well. It's part of the investment. I'm gonna be taking off the airfare, the hotel, meals, Uber rides, all that stuff is coming off my taxes. All that stuff is not just a travel expense. It is an investment in my own professional well-being, my own professional career. Um, so we've got to start looking at that not as a penalty, but as a total trip investment in our own professional selves. So that being said, I just wanted to put that out there, and there's gonna be more on it. As a matter of fact, we actually did a report, not a report, we did an article, excuse me, uh, on the Monday report. If you go to hypnosis today magazine.com, check the newsroom, you're gonna see that article, read it, understand it, and be part of it. Um, like I said, you know what? I'm just as guilty as anybody. But that being said, our guest has chimed in the amazing Connie Joan Holmes, who just finished the first annual Midwest podcast conference. So without any ado, we're gonna bring her on.

SPEAKER_01 6:29

Connie! Hello.

SPEAKER_00 6:31

How are you doing? I am doing well. I was just talking about um reshaping or rethinking, uh, as a hypnotist would. We need to reframe this. Uh, and I'm guilty of this. I'm guilty of this. And I don't know if you are. Uh, conference travel, hitting that conference season, that the winter and fall season, we often tend to think of, oh, well, the ticket's only $200 for the conference. Oh man, but I gotta spend $700 to get there. Instead of going, you know what, that's part of the professional investment. I gotta, I've been thinking that in my own mind as well. Um, because it it really is part of an investment in yourself.

SPEAKER_02 7:11

100%. And yeah, and it's a write-off, right? I mean, my gosh.

SPEAKER_00 7:17

Oh, yeah, yeah. Um it it's a great, I think I know if I may have told you the story, I was at uh Hypnoths Live in Las Vegas. I think it was my second time being there, and I was talking to some I you know what, I'll never remember, but I always remember the look on their face. Um and I said, Yeah, it's it's kind of weird that I get to come to Las Vegas and take all this off my taxes. And he looked at me like, what? So it had never, it had never um, it had never broached. It was somebody from Michigan, I can't remember who it was. Um, but he had never thought about it, you know.

SPEAKER_02 7:56

So you know, even your mileage driving to the airport, if if you fly, even the mileage driving to the airport is a write-off. I have so much write-offs in my mileage because I, you know, like I do a lot of networking, I'm part of B and I, so every week I'm driving into the meeting, and it's amazing. Can I share something that I think might be helpful for a lot of people? You certainly certainly may. So, have you ever read the book Profit First?

SPEAKER_00 8:25

No, I have not.

SPEAKER_02 8:27

So it's Mike Um McCallowitch. I killed his last name, but it's under Profit First. His first name is Mike, and his last name starts with an M. It's a long name. Um, so his theory is almost like hours in the day, you know, you you make room for what's important. And so the same with our pay, right? And so he really talks about it how your profit and not your pay, not your pay, but your profit, because we should profit as business owners, right? Oh, yeah, um, that that actually needs to be allocated into almost your expenses up front so that you can always ensure that you have a profit. I did not say that very well. My my point of saying this is can I explain to you how I run it? Because it has been a lifesaver. So I never worry about when tax time comes, like, oh, do I have money for taxes? Because every time I pay myself, I have slid money over into my tax account. So for me, all of my money that comes in. So I just had the Midwest Podcast Conference. So we had a little bit of money that came in for that, even after the first one. So I have my income account. So everything comes into my income account. And then whenever I pay myself, which is usually about twice a month, whenever I pay myself, I have a, and anyone who wants this, just say reach out to me because I'm happy to share with you this formula. So I have this Excel spreadsheet formula that I dump in, whatever the amount of money is, I put it in my spreadsheet, and it automatically populates how much money I transfer to my profit account, how much money I pay me, how much money goes to my taxes, and how much money goes to my business expenses. So therefore, the money is always there because I'm setting it aside, if you will. And then um, and then the theory with your profit account is that you know you need to do something fun with that, or or maybe reinvest into your business or something like that. But it has been an absolute lifesaver. I've started this the moment I started my business.

SPEAKER_00 10:44

Yeah, I I have one of those as well, and I'm always reinvesting. Uh, I will say this, I'm always reinvesting in the business um because it has never stayed the same. I mean, it I for whatever reason, I'm not right in the head, Connie. I keep expanding. Um, you know, at some point I'm I'm either gonna rule the world or I'm gonna be defeated by an enclave, one of the two. Um the world crushed by agony. Um yeah. So but that's all right. But anyways, yeah, I wanted to talk, catch up with you uh on the I almost said it again. Wow. Okay, Midwest podcast conference. Um, I keep wanting to say Pacific Northwest, uh, but it's always locked in my head. Uh, but it's not, it's Midwest. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:38

Yes. Um, well, I you I feel like I want to close that first part. The reason why I brought up for profit first is because we were talking about going to conferences, and you know, people view that as an investment, an expense, whatever it is. But the point being is if you do know you're gonna go to conferences, you plan that into your budget, right? And then and then you for me, I average everything out per month, and so some months might be more expensive, but if I average it, I always know that I'm sliding money over into my expense account. So then I have money to afford that when it comes time for it. So I just wanted to make it clear that's why I brought up profit first, because we were talking about going to conferences.

SPEAKER_00 12:20

Yeah, they're like, she's talking about profit. What the yeah? Um, and who doesn't want to talk about profit? Um, really, because you start a business to you know pay your bills and make money and do all that great stuff. Um, I'm I'm not gonna lie, I you know, I think we both know that that the very first pay I took was 12 chocolate chunk cookies, but it was a it was a good deal uh for me, anyways. Right, yeah. Um, but I saw the pictures from the first conference, looked like it went well.

SPEAKER_02 12:56

You know, it did, and I have to tell you, so I think all of us face this, and maybe you did, Dan, you know, with with starting the Michigan Conference, it's like things have to start somewhere, right? And so my co-host Amanda and I, we had we held it at Janesville Performing Arts Center, which the theater holds like 600 people, and then they've got like a gallery room and different things. So we actually we do have a goal of selling out that theater one day. So this year we set a goal of having 125 people in attendance. It was a number we pulled out of our butt. So yeah, and so, but as it got closer to it, we're like we're not gonna hit this goal at all. And so we had a fraction of that. And we were both a little bummed out and stuff like that. But one, we had a massive learning. What the hell were we thinking in scheduling this for an all-day Saturday, August 8th in Wisconsin? Like it's summer, like people are running and they're playing, and it's right before school starts. So in hindsight, the date was really stupid. So for next year, it's gonna be in the fall, it's gonna be in October because there's learnings everywhere, right? But then the second thing is I pulled out, you know, the NLP training and I'm like, okay, we're doing a reframe here. Because what happened was we were going to part of our agenda is we were gonna end the day with mindset and motivation, just to send people off with, you know, this beautiful stuff. But I told Amanda, I suggested to her, I said, hey, why don't we switch that? Why don't you and I lead off with mindset and motivation? Because I actually want to utilize the reality that we faced, which was we had a goal, but we didn't, you know, quite reach it numbers-wise, but yet we're still here because you're going to do that as a podcaster. Your first couple episodes, like you might have crickets, you know, you might have one download, you might have zero comments. Just because that happens doesn't mean you give up, right? It means you keep, you know, moving forward. And we thought utilizing our real-time, real life experience was such a great learning opportunity for people. And then I actually wrote a LinkedIn newsletter article and I talked about what numbers are you measuring and are those the numbers that are most important? Because we found that the people in the room were the absolute people that needed that. And so it turned out to be an absolute fabulous day. And and I just share that because we're gonna have that, right? Is is um hypnotherapist. Uh, you know, if you hold an event, if you hold a workshop or something like that, your first time holding it, you know, you might not have quite met your numbers goal. But I guarantee you, if you measure beyond the butts and the seat, you'll be like, wow, those people that were here needed to be here. And then that keeps you going and going so that eventually you will reach those number of goals that you have. And so I just wanted to come out of the gate because that's a learning opportunity here for everyone listening as well, right? Because it's a reality. So, um, but yeah, it was it was a great conference. We ended up, we had an MC who's wonderful, Mike Austin. He is um, he's he's a radio DJ, and so he knows a lot of people in he just knows a lot of people, period. So he was so fabulous by one serving as our MC and bringing his beautiful energy. But then also he introduced us to somebody uh named Roger Wakefield, and he's actually a podcaster. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, he's actually has a YouTube channel. Um but, anyways, he he came in uh via Zoom at the end and he's got like 1.7 million followers or something like that. He's very well known, and he's a plumber, is what he is. And so it was really great to listen to somebody who is very niche, right? A very niche market, but really he he came in for the segment about how to scale your business, how to scale and monetize and things like that. So he was a great person to end our day together, and he brought just such a wealth of information.

SPEAKER_00 17:11

Awesome. Yeah, I I like broadcasting across to as uh well, you know what? Most people say be everywhere, but I choose my audience on the website, YouTube, and a little bit on Facebook, but mostly website and YouTube, because that's where my audience is. So because if you try to be everywhere, you're not gonna be anywhere. You're gonna be two people here, one people there, instead of building your audience across the podcast. Um, because like right now, we are broadcasting on the website, the YouTube, and on Facebook. And then of course it'll go out uh through uh Bruzz Spout to uh all the others, and so you'll be famous. And it becomes it it becomes a self-building thing if you're podcasting. A conference is the same way. You came to the very first, I think the very first Michigan conference. Yeah, there was we always joked there was 27 of us, and we were in the middle of the woods.

SPEAKER_02 18:02

Um beautiful location.

SPEAKER_00 18:05

Yeah, uh, and but now we're in Detroit, and um just so it it grows, you know, it does grow, even if you don't hit your numbers one year, two years, three years, you know, it's it's always continuously that's a word. I said it. Let's shout out Frank. Exactly. It continues, it continues to evolve and grow in everything that you do. So um it becomes it becomes fun, you know. And then you know, before you know it, you've got people in the room podcasting. That this one's doing a presentation, he's over there doing something. It's just gonna be a lot of fun because, and I think it fits well. I'm just gonna say this uh I'm continuously seeing more and more hypnotherapists and more and more people just getting into podcasts.

SPEAKER_01 18:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:58

So, because it's it's a it's it's not what it was, it really is a professional medium now.

SPEAKER_02 19:05

Yes, yeah. Well, we we would have been remiss if we didn't use our live experience to to not put it in, you know, for the conference for a teaching moment. Um, but no, you're right, and that's one place where I'm at because I've had a YouTube channel for a few years, and then when my friend had this idea to do this podcast conference, I was like, oh, well, maybe I need a podcast now. So she helped me get mine up and running and stuff. And so um, I'm gonna tell you, this is where I'm struggling right now a little bit because I I actually have a couple of different YouTube channels and I have my podcast. And I know that's silly, it's absolutely silly. And so I get to slow down a moment so I can catch up with myself, so I can figure out what is my exact voice, what is the name of my entity, and I think it's gonna be authority activator, is what it's gonna be. Um, but then how do I get to come out as streamlined as I possibly can? So that's the place that I have found myself right now, which is good. Um but you know, we're always learning and growing and evolving and that type of thing, always yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:22

Um, I just did add, I added the link so you guys could check out their website for the Midwest um Midwest. Oh wow, I I can do this, Connie. I I am uh uh podcast conference. So uh wow, uh boy, that is, I mean, you know, one of these days I'll be a professional podcaster, I promise.

SPEAKER_02 20:46

Well, and just so you know, I thank you for sharing that link. And uh we get to update it right now. We um have our testimonials that we're gonna be putting out there, both written and video, and then uh save the date for fall. We don't have the exact date yet because our location, they're not releasing 2027 dates until uh I think September. So um, but I do get to update it just so people know that we are doing a second annual and that type of thing. So um, but but I still appreciate you putting it out there just so people have it. So, because it is something that we want to hold every year in Janesville. We do have a great location for it, just uh holding it at the Performing Arts Center just makes sense for us and everything. And you know, working with Mike, uh, he wants to continue being our MC. And you know, we're just hoping that in the future we're gonna continue to have some really, you know, big names and people who have been in the industry for a while who can really bring that firsthand experience and knowledge. This year we broke it down into the three S's. So it was solidifying your foundation, so branding, your niche market, that type of thing. Um, and then we talked about uh um solidifying um. Standing out from the crowd. So we talked about, you know, how is it that you talk into a microphone and how do you talk into a screen just staring at yourself and that type of thing? So I covered that section, right? And then the other part was scaling your business. And that's where we had Roger Wakefield come in because again, he's a plumber and he's got a massive audience. And this is his full-time job now, and he's doing so well with it. So we had a lot to learn with that. So I think every year we're probably going to follow a similar format, but yet, you know, as we do with you know, hypnosis conferences, have breakout sessions and different things. Um, so we'll always continue to evolve and grow. So anyone that does have a podcast, it's it's a great place to be. Um, and just the camaraderie. Well, and you know this from Michigan, you know, sometimes when you start small, you're mighty, right? Because you just you you develop that beautiful core, and and that's what we've developed already, too.

SPEAKER_00 22:57

Um, yeah, and the the uh opportunities for collaboration um continue to grow. Uh as a matter of fact, we're collaborating with uh a couple other events uh this year and next year. Um, so that's kind of fun. I will be making sure to do everything I can to get to the next Midwest podcast conference. So come out there. And is this is this gonna grow? Is it gonna be one day, two day, three day, or is it just gonna or are you gonna not just but are you gonna remain on the one day?

SPEAKER_02 23:29

Um yeah. So so when we built out year one, yeah, to do it effectively, we actually built out year two. You told me that. Pardon me? You told me that and I forgot. Um so for 2027, it's gonna be a full dayer again from like nine to five. Um, but then I think in year three, we're we're going to start to move towards, you know, doing, you know, maybe it'll be a multi-day. I guess it just depends on you know where things start to shake out as we get into more of the details for year two. So um, but yeah, so for 2027, it'll be one day again. It'll be on a Saturday. I think our two dates we proposed to JPAC, um, Janesville Performing Arts Center were the first two Saturdays in October. We feel like that'll be a better time than August.

SPEAKER_00 24:18

Yeah, yeah, you know, it happens. Um, and I think it's close enough. You guys are close. I think I can drive to the conference.

SPEAKER_02 24:24

Um, yes, when I drove to um Detroit anyway, I think it was like a six-hour drive.

SPEAKER_00 24:31

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I I remember holding the very first conference, and it was a mistake in October. And so you do make these mistakes. Uh why was that a mistake?

SPEAKER_02 24:42

The drive there was gorgeous.

SPEAKER_00 24:45

Well, at the time, somebody had said, I had been heard, and I kind of talked to Karen hand, and she goes, Yeah, I'm not sure if I'm gonna continue on with the the the mid the the Mid-America and so on and so forth. And I okay, nobody said, Oh, and this person's gonna take it over. Um, so I thought, well, these are the dates uh that this venue will give us in October. So we were really close to Mid-America, and I always felt like, oh, oops, um, you know, I didn't want to do that. Uh, I try not to be on top of another event, um, because you know, it's just you're like, oh man, but it actually worked out because the people that came to us used Michigan as a pit stop and then went on to Mid America. So um, but as time went by, you know, you find the dates that work for your count or your event, your conference. So yeah, and August is is is I think that that is a tough one. People are getting back to school, like you said. Yeah, yeah. Um, uh, they're they're they're getting ready to do other things, they're kind of getting their houses locked up for fall or winter or wherever they're at. Um yeah, I don't have to do that because I just have the one little cabin right here that we're in. Um, I don't I don't own a summer house in the Hamptons.

SPEAKER_03 26:08

Oh funny. I don't either. I have my beautiful hobby hoop farm here and I'm good with that.

SPEAKER_00 26:15

No. Um, but at the same time, you know, once you find those dates, that's when you can find that your your numbers kind of grow a bit. Yeah. Um and it it helps, it helps because everyone goes, Oh, this date every year, I know I'm gonna schedule this. So it becomes right um even better to keep that same date.

SPEAKER_02 26:37

Uh well, I think it's also the question about uh, because Amanda and I just talked about this, because we proposed actually four days in October, Friday and Saturday of two different weeks. And we're like, uh, you know, do we want to do it on a weekend or weekday? What do we want to do? And you know, that's a um six of one half dozen of another two, but we decided the people that attended this one. Um, I it seemed that they all had, you know, the nine to five job. And so we thought, well, doing it on a Saturday, it's being mindful and respectful of that. Um, but at the same time, sometimes when you do hold it on a weekday, there that's a whole nother level of commitment though, too, which can be a really good thing. Like, you know, people are taking time off, you know, for us to see clients, or if somebody has that W-2 job, they're they're taking a vacation day. Um, so I I think dates for anything always can be a challenge, right?

SPEAKER_00 27:34

Yeah, they they are. I I like the weekends um just because you know, no one does, they don't have to take a vacation day. Or um, well, obviously they have to take a vacation day because they're traveling, but um, if they're if they're close enough and they can do the nine to five, they drive there, they go to the event, and then they can go home. Um, you know, they don't have to have a hotel, so it becomes a little bit easier, and it helps to bolster that. But I will say that I'm gonna call it right now. I'm gonna call it right now. By year, I'm gonna say year four, you guys are gonna need a hotel. I I think it's gonna succeed. Well, thank you. Well, just because I know you and you you tend to um be more successful, uh, you know, because you're not me.

SPEAKER_01 28:31

Um stop.

SPEAKER_00 28:32

You know what I'm talking about. It's just I I I I always pick on this and like it's like, so did you help that person? Oh, yeah, I I directed them over there. Like, I will hit you in the head with a wiffle mat.

SPEAKER_03 28:46

Oh, you're funny.

SPEAKER_02 28:48

Um well, I I appreciate that compliment. Thank you. I receive that with love. Um, well, I think this is where my 30 years of corporate come in handy because I have a lot of strategic planning and project management. So I bel and even before doing this conference with Amanda, you know, I bring that to my solo career as a hypnotherapist too. Um, you know, to have that strategic plan for what do I want to do next year? Um, how do I want to grow my business? How do I want to evolve? Right now, I'm finding myself actually getting more into the paid professional speaking world, and then from there getting uh, you know, corporate workshops from giving a one-hour keynote or something like that. So that's been fun exploring that a bit. But I wouldn't have done that had I not spent time to lay out a strategic plan. This is what I want my next three years to look like, and here's my project management. Like, well, this then this means I have to do this and not have to get to do this and this and this, and working towards that because then that's how these things come to fruition, right?

SPEAKER_00 29:52

So, yes, uh, it's funny you say that, um, just because you'll be so proud. Um, for the next, I just did that. I've been doing a lot of research on the conference and the guilt, uh, especially the conference, in strategic planning. And that is has been my focus. How do I have a strategy, execute it? And the first four or five years of this conference, I'm gonna be honest, I was just kind of winging it. I was experimenting here, experimenting there, what works, what doesn't work. Then I just thought to myself, it's it's never gonna get to where I want it to be if I don't have a strategic plan. So it is so funny that you say that. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:35

Can I tell you, Dan? Um, this was it'll be two years ago this fall. I actually held a strategic planning class. A lot of our colleagues joined it. Um in and it was a it was a six-week done with you course. And I actually turned it into an evergreen product that I have for sale on my website. Um, and the feedback I got, it was great feedback from the people that attended. But I started it. The very first thing we did was what are your business values? Or like even a conference. What are your values for this conference or your business or whatever it is? Because that is such a beautiful foundation to stand on. Because then you know it really helps you formulate what that strategy is. Um, and that was the feedback I got. They liked that we started there because it really had people hone in on those values that really mean a lot to somebody.

SPEAKER_00 31:30

Yeah, we talked about that at Heartland Hypnosis. I think you did a presentation on it as well. And a lot of people, myself included, came away uh uh better for it. So um it becomes if if you have to do, and this is I know that this is weird coming from me, um, but but if you're not thinking strategically to in today's business market, and I should have been doing this years ago, uh you're really falling behind. You know, you're just you're gonna kind of fall to the wayside. And I know some people like, well, I don't want to be so strategic that you know I I push somebody else out of the way. I'm I'm not so concerned with that as I am with how do I strategically gain success in this. Um, and it has become that, and that collaboration is part of that as well. Um, but of course, let me just ask this very quick question. Uh near your conference center where you're at, is there a good place to get pizza?

SPEAKER_01 32:36

Yes. I had to think for a second. Cheese curds. Like I'm in Wisconsin now, so it's like you know, cheese curds. We got lots of that that good stuff.

SPEAKER_00 32:48

Because in my mind, I'm like, I'm gonna drive to the conference. Well, I'm gonna need pizza, you know, if I'm you know any kind of you know podcasting, there'll be no pineapple on it. I want you know that right now. So rest in peace, Jim.

SPEAKER_03 33:00

Yes, yes, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 33:02

Yes, but so year two, already planning for that. Um, don't have the dates yet. So is there anything you can uh you've been sharing this? Is there any like little tidbit that would just make people go, oh, I've got to put that on my radar right now for year two?

SPEAKER_01 33:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:22

Um, well, before I answer that, if I can say we do have a Facebook page and it's called the Midwest Podcast Conference. So if anyone is interested in that, you can um punch that in or reach out to me and I'm happy to invite you into that group because that'll be probably the first place that we announce the dates and everything. Um, but really our goal is to continue to bring in people that are just kicking button taking numbers, you know, um, that that people can learn from there, from that that person. Like I said, Roger Wakefield, and whether you know him or not, I mean, no one knew him before, you know, because we're all we're not plumbers, right? But that was a good point. Uh, he didn't talk about plumbing to us, he talked about how he really caught his channel on fire and everything that he's been doing as a result of that. And so we plan to have so many more people like that, um, whether they're come in via Zoom or whether they come in uh in person. But uh people just walked away with so much information from him, and it was first hand information. And he shared with us his high highs, his low lows, that type of thing. And so people really learned from that. So we plan to have more of that moving forward. So, because Amanda and I, we don't claim to be the expert at all. Um, and we just wanted to bring this group together because we knew the significance of it.

SPEAKER_00 34:50

Awesome. So uh I was just hoping you would say, Well, you're gonna be there, Dan.

SPEAKER_01 34:54

Uh oh, I missed it. Rewind. You haven't committed yet. That's why I haven't said it.

SPEAKER_00 35:02

Okay. Um, but so yeah, um, it it I think it's gonna be something that is going to help, you know, everyone across the board because a lot of people want to start a podcast or they how do I do a podcast? How do I get these high numbers? Um, how do I do that? How do I do this? And you do have some out there, but they're so what's the word I'm looking for? Um they're just really huge, you know. I mean, it's like there's uh almost fleeting. The information, it's it's like being at a giant fair, you see all this great stuff, but you don't really get a tremendous amount of information. It becomes a um expo, if you will, yeah, as opposed to um an actual education training. Oh, that's how you do it event. So yeah, which is what I like.

SPEAKER_02 36:01

You know, I I guess I'm I'm kind of talking out loud, and I'm I'm gonna look at myself here because on my screen I have you and I have me. I'm gonna look at myself because I need this message. So I just shared how I have a strategic plan for my business and all these kind of things. However, I do not up until now um have a strategic plan for my podcast because, and this is an excuse, because right, um, because Amanda, when Amanda asked me to co-host, I'm like, oh my God, I need one. So I just fired one up and here we are. And so now I'm sitting here with a lot of different, I'll call them assets, okay? Because I do have a couple of YouTube channels. I now have my podcast. And it's not working the greatest because there's too much going on. And so I'm at a point where it's like, no, you know, take your strategic planning and apply it to this. And this is where I'm talking out loud to me, but also I think this can benefit a lot of people. What can you talk about that you can talk about until you're blue in the face, right? That that you don't have to think about too terribly much is just so very natural for you. Um, what is something that's gonna have a really long shelf life? I'm gonna use AI for an example. I heard this the other day, and I can't credit the source because I can't remember who said it. It was probably some podcaster I listened to. No, you know what? It was in my speaking world. They were talking about this. They said, be mindful of what you speak about on stage because you want something that is that you can speak about for a long time. And so, what they meant was it's okay to talk about AI, but don't have AI be your signature talk because after a while, AI is like talking about the internet. Hey, let me tell you about this great device that you can connect to the world. Like you're no one's talking about the internet anymore, and that's gonna be how it's gonna be with AI too. So, anyways, so what is it something that is just gonna have that really long shelf life? But then also, what how can you set up your systems? Because remember, systems are everything that you can make this seamless for you, and so and even though if you have a virtual assistant or whatever, it still starts with you. So, what I'm doing right now, I just actually tomorrow is gonna be my third um newsletter for LinkedIn because I shared with you how I recently started a newsletter for LinkedIn. So, my plan moving forward is that my newsletter that I write for LinkedIn is gonna populate LinkedIn and it's gonna go to Facebook and all that stuff. But then I'm actually gonna use that as my script. See the air quotes, but I'm gonna use that as my script for my podcast that is also going to populate my YouTube channel. That why I'm very seamless, it's very, you know, very strategic because I have this one source that's going to feed and populate many different things, and then it's consistent as well.

SPEAKER_00 39:00

Oh, yeah. Consistency is huge. Um, I will say this. I I have well, I'm it's not hooked up anymore. I had the Elgato, I still have it. Um, teleprompter. I thought, oh, that'd be great. I can utilize it. You know what? I I can't do a script. I had, you know, I thought, well, I'll have talking point. I can't do it. I just have to just like here's the camera, here we go, and I'll invent words as I go. Um, so so uh most people, a lot of people love the teleprompters. It's right there, they get on it, everything's there. Um, me, not so much. Um, right, yeah, right. I'm yeah, I just I don't even really keep eye contact on the camera as much anymore because I'm drinking coffee, I'm looking around, and I've just become, and that's you know, like you, you're very comfortable. I've seen you on the the with the video, and you do the same thing. People can tell when you're comfortable, and right, yeah, it becomes um a complete complete package. I don't know how we got onto that. I just literally veered off into left field on that conversation.

SPEAKER_02 40:04

But no, it's it's important though. Well, one thing too that I shared at the conference, and again, it goes back to numbers, right? What are we measuring? And and then what do we do with that measurement anyway? And so I know a lot of times people talk about views and downloads and followers and subscribers, and all those things are great metrics. But yet, the reason I started my YouTube channel was because I was finding that I was talking about this stuff a lot with clients. And like I would talk about your reticular activating system. And so it's like, you know what? Hey, I got a video on that. Um, and you might know I'm an instructor to certify others in hypnosis. I have so many of my YouTube channels that are part of my library that you know to point the students to, just to, you know, like I'll just keep using reticular activating system as an example. It's like that video explains what it is. Go ahead and watch it, right? And so for me, that was invaluable that I had this resource that I could point people to. Um, and then you know, I do get clients through my YouTube channel, and then hopefully soon through my podcast as well. I just have five episodes so far on my podcast, but um, you know, so to me, that is a big metric that nobody knows but me.

SPEAKER_00 41:20

So absolutely. Um, and and it works. Branding is important. Uh, I oh, as you saw, I always start the podcast with we're brought to you by the guild and the magazine, and here's this and go there, and you know, use utilize that. Don't you know just not if you have a voice or message or a platform, let people know where they can find you. Um, so that is huge. And those videos are great. Uh the reticular activating system as a uh as a public servant, mine has pretty much worn out. I I it's gone. It's just like somebody when it's dark, I just fall face forward and I'm done. Um it's over. Anywho, uh, so I think we've come up on actually we went over on time, guys. Um, but we want to thank Connie Joe Holmes for being here, speaker, author, and now co-founder of the Midwest Oh my gosh, podcast conference. Thank you. Wow. Um, so yeah. Thank you for being here. And you know, yeah, I hope you guys are as always happy, healthy, and safe. And I'll see you out there.