Pod-Crashing Episode 38 Guts

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Pod-Crashing Episode 38 Guts

Students, business leaders and everyday people constantly ask, “What’s the best way to come up with podcast ideas? Is there a place to research what people wanna listen to?  Can you show me where to begin?” 

I don’t mind being approached.  I learned in 2012 that it’s all about building a community.  Eight years ago I was asking myself, “What kind of gathering?  Are there leaders and rules to follow?  Is there any subject I can’t touch?”  I’ve driven myself totally insane searching for the Holy Grail. 

I do admit that I get little leery about asking someone about their podcast.  The situation put you smack dab in the center of a huge empty hole. Trying to get an answer to what seems to be a simple question is absolutely like pulling teeth. 

The best way I can describe it is to compare the moment with asking someone what their favorite song is.  The question lands and out pops a dull facial expression followed by a solid, “ummm.”

I get why it’s tough to decide.  Podcasting’s been around since the 1980’s.  Every idea in the book has been gone!  Naw not really.  Even if you’re number 300 with a podcast about bowling in the big leagues, you’ve still got the skills to lift the level of play by introducing something new. 

Personally…Ideas for podcasts come at me fast and furious.  Usually while I’m driving or sitting in the center of a Hollywood movie premiere.  98% of what I think would be a good idea gets nowhere near the recording studio. 

To write, voice and produce a single episode this show Pod-crashing requires a huge gunny sack of guts without the glory. 

For this show to make it to iHeart and Spotify I had to lay out some rules guidelines, reasons and a solid purpose.  I didn’t need a 16th podcast. 

Rule Number one:  With a show like Pod-Crashing I have to endlessly gain the courage to step out of the box and cover a subjects that could earn me a middle finger rating.  Podcasters personalize their walk and way and along comes Arroe with different tips and suggestions.   I’ve never said, “Do it my way.”  It’s always been, “Here’s one way.”

Let’s break this down.  First… Let me give you a little background.  The whole idea of starting the show Pod-Crashing was to be a critic.  Movies and television have them.  The sports world has its share of armchair quarterbacks.  Why not Podcasting?  The day came to lay down the tracks and I chickened out. 

The original idea was missing something.  If I was going to invest an amazing amount of time listening to podcasts and the artists that make them don’t check in with a good performance, as communicators what could we do to help improve their quality? 

Bash them then smile and shake their hand.  Oh hell no.  Terrestrial radio has already perfected that performance.  I laid low with critiquing because at recording time I failed to have a continuation. 

I’m not the only one thinking like this.  I talked with Steve Olsher of Podcast Magazine.  We both agreed there’s a need for some cleaning up but neither of us feel being critics would be a great fit.  His philosophy is to help inspire and introduce the listening audience not the podcaster to a better prepared and produced episode. 

He’s putting the people first.  Not the advertisers.  Those invisible ears that just happen to land on your podcast.  The next goal is to get them back again and again. 

Let’s be honest.  Having the guts to do any podcast demands a commitment.  Especially if you’re pulling off a comic book style series, comedy skits, political news and reviews, religion studies, sports or creatively piecing together a murder mystery.  Whew!  Crime shows are big in listen numbers but require an amazing amount of research and post production. 

Podcast ideas…  Let the source of energy move toward you.  If the long term goal of bringing a show to life is to hit several years down the road, you’re gonna burn up in digital space wandering through ideas that have turned you into an angry perfectionist. 

Go into your desire to start a podcast with a forgiving heart.  Be extremely nice to the creative self.  The personality of your podcast identity could be a little moody and touchy.  Because developing your podcast voice and approach is something we all reach down the road.

My Podcast The Choice first started out being a bunch of preachers sharing their Sunday messages.  Then I’d tuck in my little message in between.  It was missing something.  Relationship.   Although I had permission to post the ministers the experience felt like the message carriers were talking to a huge room of people and not being one on one. 

In 2019 a friend convinced me to change the way I share experiences on The Daily Ray Of Light.  He said “Make it less about Bible thumping and more about lifestyle experiences.”  So I quit storm chasing and picked up a new name The Daily Mess. We’ve all got some good times and bad and putting a little love and hope into those tough moments needs more of a friend then boom biff bam from the man at the pulpit.

So what’s the moral of the story?  There’s no such thing as a bad idea.  Unless your most recent idea was to back out of doing a podcast.  Get off that highway!  Go into the game fully prepared to reach outward and far.  Invest in your personal requirements.  If it’s to bang out episode after episode without editing and processing, I still say go for it!  Bust open a can of yes I can and start bouncing the ball.  In martial arts we played by one rule:  Nobody can become a master at kicking, punching, falling or winning unless you’ve done it 10,000 times. 

How many episodes does your podcast have right now?  Get your ass to work.