So You Want to Start a Podcast?

Podcasts are all the rage right now. In addition to being hugely rewarding from a personal perspective (mine has given me a platform to speak with and learn from some of the coolest people), they are also a great tool for expanding your personal brand and elevating your business. This week I spoke with Dalton Jensen, who is the host of The Thinking Project. During our conversation, he busted the two myths that he says usually keep people from launching podcasts. The first is that people think podcasting is hard to break into. The second is they fear no one would want to listen to what they have to say. 

Dalton is a trove of practical and encouraging tips, and this episode is one that everyone should listen to – whether you’re a prospective podcast host or just an enthusiast of the format. 

Try it yourself: 

• Go through your phone contacts and find the talkers. There’s a lot of pressure around who to choose as your first podcast guest. When it’s your first time doing something, there will inevitably be some butterflies that pop up as you hit the “record” button. What happens if your guest is also nervous? Or if they are someone who only gives one word answers to questions? Inviting a guest purely because they have a large social media following is not always the best way to approach it. Instead, Dalton suggests building a target list for your first 10-15 guests of people who have either been on a podcast before or who you know are chatty. If you’re struggling, go through your contact list. Who are the people you’re never able to get off the phone in less than an hour? Those are good prospects for your first several episodes and will help build your confidence. 

• Be flexible with your approach. There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to podcasting. You can play around with the length, content (one guest, multiple guests, just yourself), live versus pre-recorded… the possibilities for creativity are endless. Think about what is exciting and sustainable for you and be willing to change format if the right opportunity comes along. For example, Dalton had the opportunity to interview Gary Vaynerchuk’s videographer and right-hand man, D-Rock. Though Dalton’s episodes are typically a full hour, D-Rock only had 30 minutes. Dalton rolled with it rather than lose out on a really interesting guest. You can use a similar approach if there is someone you want to speak with but who perhaps doesn’t have content for a full hour. Try finding a few people in a similar space and either creating a panel or having their short episodes as part of your regular time block. 

Ask your last question first. As you’re planning out a list of questions to ask your guest, you might be tempted to save a real zinger for the end. Dalton challenges you to flip that and use that question first. For example, he kicked off an interview with Navy SEAL sniper and #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr using the question, “What was the most shocking thing in the shift from the military to entrepreneurship?” That one question was enough to launch conversation for the next 45 minutes.