052 It’s been a year!! I can’t believe I’ve been doing this for a year. I worked so hard on this podcast and I’m so proud of getting to celebrate ONE YEAR.
In this episode I discuss:
More info <<HERE>>
052 It’s been a year!! I can’t believe I’ve been doing this for a year. I worked so hard on this podcast and I’m so proud of getting to celebrate ONE YEAR.
In this episode I discuss:
More info <<HERE>>
Hello, and welcome to the healthy, happy and mostly sane entrepreneur podcast. I'm your host national board certified health and wellness coach and Ayurvedic practitioner, and mostly sane entrepreneur Ellen Leonard. Each week, I share my obsession with helping you build a healthy life that works for you, your family, and your business. Because I don't think you have to sacrifice your own health and well being to be successful. So please stay tuned. For today's episode full of ideas to make staying healthy just a little bit easier. Don't forget to hit subscribe, so you don't miss out on future episodes. We just got to say goodbye to 2020. And as we roll into 2021, I am celebrating one year of the healthy, happy and mostly sane entrepreneurial podcast, I cannot believe that I've been doing this for a year that I started something in 2020 that was successful and worthwhile. And that I really enjoyed. And I am so proud to be celebrating one year. And because I want you to be able to celebrate with me, I want it to be sure include something that's just for you. So stay tuned for the end of the episode where I've got some really lovely bonuses all about my year in podcasting, and what I learned and my mistakes, which you'll hear more about in this episode. And as I started to reflect on a year in podcasting, I was thinking about how proud of myself I was for doing this all on my own. This really is a one woman show, I record the podcast episodes, I create the content, I make all the collaterals hope, like the blog post and uploading and editing and everything that is associated with the podcast. That's all me, but I really didn't do it alone, right, that doesn't happen inside a vacuum. And I have a lot of people to thank for supporting me throughout that. So first of all, thank you to all the listeners, every single download every single listen means so much to me, and I am so excited to know that it's valuable to you, when you send me emails, when you leave reviews, it just means so much. And I will continue to create content that you find valuable rolling into year two. And I thank you to all the guests, anybody who came on my podcast who took the time to share their awesome, I was so impressed with every single guest. And I trapped many of them into being friends with me now. So that's also a great way if you're wanting to get into podcasting to make new friends. And to network, I've really enjoyed being with my guests and spending time with them and getting to know them better. And learning from them. I've learned so much from my guests, it is friggin ridiculous. As you well know, if you have been listening to the episodes, right? The guest episodes are just so rich with content. And I wanted to say thank you to all my family and friends. So many of my family and friends are actually listeners. And they did more than just that initial lesson where like your family and friends are like, Oh, that's so great. You're doing a podcast. And then they feel obligated to go and listen, a lot of family and friends actually listen every single week, which is crazy. So thank you very much Becca and Jason, and Michael and Amy and David for, for all listening. I really, really appreciate it. It just means a lot. And of course, thank you to my partner, Michael, who not only listens to the podcast, but also leaves the house frequently when I want to record because he makes so much noise. It's like having a squirrel in the house. But it's so lovely to have a partner that supportive of something like this. And I just value that so much. So thank you to everybody who who've made this possible. And I've just enjoyed it so much. And let's get going on today's episode. One of the things that is so important and celebrating wins like podcasting for a year is sharing some reviews and celebrating in those when people have found what you offer valuable. So razzle dazzle says sometimes it's kind of lonely being an entrepreneur these days even more so. It's nice to know I'm not the only person struggling with this stuff and that there is hope that I can be mostly sane. Typically delivered in very helpful actionable steps that even I can do. Thanks for telling for that and telling it like it is Another review is from ACC ACC ACC. So in the review, for Apple podcasts, I don't necessarily make you use your real name. So I'm trusting that this person's name is not ACC ACC ACC. She says more please, your words hit home every time. This has become a refuge for me. So I save her every review, I hope you will consider going and leaving a review. If you've enjoyed the podcast, I read them, I share them. I really enjoy seeing them and love knowing what you find valuable in the podcast. So be sure to go and leave a review if if you have enjoyed my podcast episode as much as I've enjoyed making them. So as I was beginning to reflect upon my year of podcasting and bring this this episode, it's been a year in the making to fruition. I certainly think about some of the things that I really enjoyed about podcasting that were maybe a little surprising to me, because I think when, you know, I started podcasting, I was like, well, I like to talk I can be funny, I like to teach, I like to share information. So podcasting was kind of something I just thought I might be good at. But I also found that I love so many things about it. So number one, I loved getting to share how to be healthy, happy and sane with fellow entrepreneurs, because so often I hear how they're struggling, they're putting everybody else first and leaving themselves for last. They're exhausted, they're burnt out, they're stressed. And I don't think it has to be that way. And I'm so passionate about it. And so this podcast has really given me a way to articulate that more effectively and more specifically into digestible little bites. So getting to share these actionable things that they can do today, to start working on their health, to start prioritizing yourself, to reconnect to what you love, I have really enjoyed sharing that. Number two, I have loved the guests that I've had on so much so that I've tricked many of them into becoming my actual friends in real life. I have enjoyed that so much more than I thought I was I mean, I don't want to say that I didn't think I was gonna enjoy all these things, they were just kind of surprises how much I did love them. Like, it was so hard with most of my guests to keep those interviews short, because it's so important to me to provide a like short and digestible podcast that you can get in and out and get the information and, and hear useful things and be inspired and hear other entrepreneurs stories, and then get back to your day because I knew that stuff to do. But almost all the guests I could have talked to for like hours and hours and all that excitement you hear in my voice, whenever I'm interviewing somebody is legit, like I was that excited about interviewing all of these people. And so I was just so grateful that everybody took the time this year to to join me and to to share their wisdom with us and their stories. And I just enjoyed that so much. And number three, I was surprised by the sense of accomplishment that I felt like it's not a team that does this. I do this all on my own, from recording, to tactile processing, to the blog, to all the social, all that stuff that's 100% me, and I will be celebrating the one year anniversary. Because it is such a huge accomplishment. That's why I'm celebrating this. That's why I'm putting so much effort into this week, on my social on my email and my facebook group like it's everywhere, because I think it deserves to be celebrated. And I almost didn't, because I almost just blew right by it and forgot that it was going to be a full year I was doing my content planning and I was like, oh, Episode 52 What am I gonna do for that one? And then I was like, Oh, that's a year. Oh, that's significant. And it can be so easy as entreprenuer. So many of us will, like we're so used to powering through and checking things off our list that I almost did that I was so close to doing that. And it was over you're like what, girl? That's so stupid. I know. I know. But I didn't do it. And so this is why savoring is so important as entrepreneurs, it's taking times to value our wins. And I did a whole blog post on this and I'll link in the show notes. So you can find that but this idea of stopping, noticing the things that do go right because it's so easy to focus on the things that go wrong and acknowledging them and celebrating them. And so, you know, when I look back on this year, I feel a sense of accomplishment and I'm so proud of it. What I've created of the work I've done, I'm just, I'm really excited about this achievement. So I have a lot of mistakes that I made in my first year of podcasting that I wanted to share with you. But I've done some like really stupid stuff, like, one time I recorded an entire episode, without my mic on. I literally just double check my mic right now. Big Blue is just me, so I could redo it real quick. It wasn't a guest. I forgot to publish my podcast one week. That was fun, because, of course, all my links on social and email and everything that I do goes to that. Um, that was, that was not super awesome. I did eventually just click the button to publish it. I was like, Oh, so bad. Once I forgot a guest name during the interview, although not sure that they noticed, I was able to edit out the pauses so. And also, chickens, cats, thunderstorms all seem to know, when I am recording and choose that moment to be the loudest possible. And it's lovely that my microphone didn't actually pick it up. But so just know that sometimes when I'm recording, there are some chickens or cats or thunderstorms going on, in the background that you you might not necessarily be able to hear. But here are some of the mistakes that I made that I hope you don't make if you do decide to start your own podcast. So number one, is trying to make it all perfect, like people who have hired professionals to do everything for them. One of the things I kept doing in my head to myself and being mean to myself about as I was doing my podcast was I was comparing myself to the people that have actual teams who do their podcast, like teams who arrange all the guests and set up all the tag and process everything and put in fancy music and make all the freebies and do the blog and the social. And I have none of that. And so I need to remember, and I hope you do as well if you start your own podcast, but that's okay, that what I have to offer still has value. And it still matters. And it's still awesome, even without professional team to help support me. Number two, not batching my content. And I know this is something that I'm supposed to do. Of course, I know this, every expert tells you this. Every time I didn't batch my content I was I wanted to say miserable, like the recording of the podcast is always a wonderful experience. But the processing after it, when I was having to integrate that into my day to day work schedule was really challenging. And so I didn't enjoy it as much when it's all together. And I'm just processing a bunch of recordings like not only was I been able to enjoy the recording process more effectively, like I was fully present. And I just loved it so much more than if I was trying to scramble to get something done for that week or even the next week. So it all worked out fine. But when I batch I am actually much happier, which is kind of the whole point of my podcast overall. Number three, don't do your intros and outros for guests until after you've talked to them. Because I would record them in advance, and then the guest and I would talk about something totally different. And I'd have to go back and totally redo it. And that was really annoying. So now I just do them always after. And the next mistake that I made that I hope you don't make is trying to jam too much into a single episode. So yeah, you want to offer value, but people have stuff to do. So I'm only offering one to three actionable steps at most. Because otherwise it just becomes too much unless you're doing like a specific episode teaching something very specific, but just I got so much better feedback on the ones that just offered something that was totally doable that day and not trying to to fit everything in. That's actually I did a six part series on self compassion at the in early March at the very beginning of the COVID stuff. And I was gonna do it originally in one episode and I broke it into six parts. And that's been one of my most popular podcasts and all six of them together. People really like to listen to them as a series because they're digestible in these parts. Another mistake that I made was not asking for recommendations for guests from each of my existing guests. Right. So if you're really vibing with a guest, and you're like, Oh my gosh, that was such a great interview. I'm so glad we did that. And then in, then you're not immediately asking them. Hey, so do you have anybody in mind that you think might be a good fit for my podcast? I don't know why it took me so long to do that. I've only recently started asking for recommendations from guests. And it's gone so well, like it's led me to some people I never would have found on my own to share with you. And I'm so excited about that. Another mistake I made was not asking each guest to leave a review. And asking them how they were going to promote the episode, because I didn't want to bother them. So you know, when you have guests on and, and again, I've enjoyed my guests so much, and I'm so grateful for them. But this is also highlighting them. And so, you know, you it's okay to ask for a review of your podcast, because that that boosts everything in the podcast world, but also to ask them to promote it, and what are they going to do to promote it because, because that has value and that meaning and you value them and they should also value being on your podcast, as well, that should have meaning for them as well. And then, the last mistake I made, is not asking for more help and support. And this comes back to probably the last two things like I just was, you know, I am doing this all on my own, but it's okay to ask for help friends and colleagues want to help you every time I've asked for help. As I've started letting myself ask for help. They've always shown up people want to help they want you to be successful. So try to ask for help whenever you can. So I wanted to share some of the biggest things that I learned like my biggest takeaways from a year in podcasting. And number one is you can do it on your own, but you don't have to, like it is possible, I'm still probably going to process the majority of this podcast for year two as well. I'm just going to be a lot smarter about it. And then hopefully, eventually I'll be able to hire some additional help. Number to start before it's perfect. I wanted everything to be perfect before I started. But you can always update your cover art you can update your description you can change so many things later. Like I you can go in and edit your your podcast, individual episode descriptions and keywords and you can go back and update so many things later. You can even change your intros and outros later. There's so many ways to be flexible and fluid with your podcast that it's okay to start before you're ready. Number three, doing a practice run and getting my setup into place boosted my confidence immensely. So when I was first starting, I was so nervous about all the tack in the process, and what it would look like and how it will go. And as soon as I did a practice run, I was ready, like and now I can process everything without even looking at my notes or like reviewing any of the things that I did when I learned how to do it. But that practice run made me feel so confident in recording and editing and all that good stuff. And another thing I learned was that once I figured out my process of preparing the podcast episodes, now I can do it quickly without thinking it just becomes another thing that you do in your business. And so at first it did seem overwhelming. And now it doesn't at all, it's just another thing I do like setting up an email funnel or posting stuff on Instagram, it just becomes a part of my my business day to day functioning the way that everything else has. Number five, ask your friends to come on and be your guests because it's so much fun. So not only you're gonna make friends with the with your guests, maybe. But asking your friends to come on can be a real confidence booster because you guys know each other and you love each other. And it is also a lot of fun as like an activity to do together. And I was surprised by how inviting on gas was actually a way to make new friends and network. I didn't expect to have the guests necessarily stay in my life as much as they have and stay connected as as much as we have. And that might be rare. I don't I don't know if that happens on other podcasts. But that's certainly happened on mine. So I think I spoke earlier in the episode about how much I valued interacting with the guests and it's just been a lovely way to have people on that are of the same mindset. With their business, as so many people are very competitive with their business. And I'm so in not into that, I really want to support other entrepreneurs, and help them be successful. And I've been lucky enough to have similarly minded people on to my podcast, whether or not that was necessarily intentional, maybe that's part of the subconscious selecting process that I'm using. But I just I've really enjoyed using this to, to make new friends and you know, being an entrepreneur can be incredibly isolating. And so I found that to grow my my network of, of entrepreneur friends, has been really, really enjoyable. Another thing that I learned was to play to your strengths. You know, I happen to be great at interviewing because I'm genuinely curious, and great at breaking down concepts like self compassion, or stress, because I'm just a huge nerd. And I'm passionate about those topics. But you have strengths as well. Something I'm not strong at, but you might have noticed is, storytelling is not a strength of mine, but I'm working on it. But I know so many podcasters, who are amazing storytellers. And they use that strength in their podcasts all the time. And so it's just figuring out what your strengths are and how you can incorporate those into your podcast. Number eight is talk about stuff that you are passionate about, or passionate about learning more about, I think that people can hear when you're not genuinely excited when you're not super into whatever it is that you're talking about. Like in today's episode, I'm really excited to get to share this stuff with you. Because I think it's so interesting to think about where I was a year ago, and where I am now, and how that might be a part of your journey if you decide to start podcasting. And then number nine, use a transcription service, it just makes everything easier. So when I first started, I was using, I hadn't really thought about a transcription service. And then I finally started using one. And not only does it make my podcast more accessible, which is obviously important to me to for other people to be able to access it. But I wanted to use it to make my blogs easier to make my social posts easier to make quotes of myself easier. The transcription service just takes that and I just scroll on through and copy and paste. It's, it's about 85% correct. I use otter, that's about 85%. Correct. The 15% that is incorrect is usually very entertaining. So just keep that in mind that it's not 100%. Perfect. So as I wrap up this episode, I wanted to come back to this practice of savoring. Because this episode in itself is part of my practice of savoring this when. And it's such an important practice as entrepreneurs that we really need to be leveraging more and more in our businesses, because it can help us build self confidence, self efficacy, it can boost us moving forward. And I wanted to share the four steps. And I'm going to link to that previous blog that I did that goes into much more detail. But I wanted to share the four steps and you have heard some of them on today's episode. So number one is to notice your wins. So I noticed I told you about that earlier in the episode, I noticed that I'd had all your podcasting took me a beat, but I got there eventually number to reflect what was so awesome about it. So obviously I've done that I've shared that with you in today's episode, which is weird, because number three is share it with someone. So I've shared it with you. And number four is record it. And I think when the science of savoring was was developed, they didn't mean literally in a podcast. I think they meant more like take a picture or write down a memory in a journal. But I literally recorded it. So in a podcast episode, but those are the four steps. And so be sure to go check out the show notes so that you can see those four steps and maybe start to use them in your own business to celebrate your wins. So what wins Do you want to save or as you're starting off this new year? You know, maybe their health wins, maybe their business wins. I'd love it if you'd reach out and share those with me. But if not, regardless, I hope that you're taking time to savor your wins because you worked hard for those. And it's worth celebrating and it matters. It totally matters. Thank you so much for listening to today's episode and for being with me through this first year of podcasting. I can't tell you how much I appreciate every listen every review every comment every person who sent me an email letting me know that they found what I offered in a podcast valuable. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And as a special thank you, I am offering some bonuses that you can sign up for in the shownotes. There'll be a link in there for some bonuses. One is something I created called secrets for my first year in podcasting. So it's a guide to what I learned during my first year, including much of what you just heard. So my seven biggest mistakes my nine biggest takeaways, questions I wish I had asked myself more and the tools and resources that I use in my podcast. So what microphone do I use? What podcasting services do I use, all of that is inside that guide. I also meet another bonus called How To celebrate your podcast wins. Because as I was looking to celebrate my year long podcasting experience and, and really wanting to make it a big deal, I found that there weren't that many resources for it. So I created one that shows you all the steps I took. So it's how to include all of your stakeholders, a celebration checklist, and four easy steps to save your wins, which you also heard about in this episode. As always, I hope you found this episode valuable. And please be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on future episodes full of actionable tips to help you do what you love without sacrificing your health or losing your mind. Thank you so much for listening. I wish you a healthy, happy and mostly sane week. And I'll see you next time as we enter year two thanks