Podcast Junkies - Storytelling Interviews & Conversations with Podcasters Podcasting Passionately 166 Drew Ackerman - How One Man is Helping People Fall Asleep
Drew Ackerman wants to help you fall asleep. Think of him as the Sandman of podcasting except that instead of sprinkling sand in your eyes he’s sprinkling hour long stories in your earbuds with his slow, droning voice so you can get your much needed rest and relaxation.
Drew describes his podcast, Sleep with Me, as a bedtime story podcast for grown ups and thanks to his hard work and dedication, he’s been helping insomniacs find the priceless sleep they’ve been craving. After discovering podcasts in 2005, he took the plunge and launched Sleep with Me in 2013, making him the last voice many people hear before they doze off for the night. With a head spinning amount of podcast downloads per month and the perfect sponsor to boot, Sleep with Me is evidence of just how impactful podcasting can be.
- 03:21 - The importance of podcast conferences for him
- 05:16 - What people believe he looks like when they hear his voice
- 06:48 - The first time he discovered podcasts
- 08:03 - When he first started dabbling with podcasting
- 09:16 - What he did to learn the craft of podcasting
- 10:20 - His aha moment when he decided to start his Sleep with Me podcast
- 13:22 - If he’s always had a creative streak
- 14:21 - The family dynamic growing up with five siblings
- 15:39 - Who he thinks is the most surprised at where he’s ended up in life
- 17:06 - When he realized his podcast was starting to get attention
- 21:37 - The importance of promoting your content
- 22:38 - When people outside of the podcasting space started taking notice of his show
- 26:05 - The nicest pieces of feedback he’s received so far
- 27:57 - When he started having conversations with sponsors
- 29:14 - If Casper mattresses (his show’s sponsor) are really comfortable
- 30:11 - How he landed Casper as a sponsor
- 31:55 - Other shows that have copied the Sleep with Me model
- 32:56 - Who he looks to for guidance
- 36:39 - My experience interviewing Lea Thau
- 38:15 - The podcasting heroes he’s had a chance to meet
- 40:12 - His experience at PodCon
- 41:43 - If podcasting has helped him become less introverted
- 44:24 - Connecting on a deeper level through podcasting/podcasts
- 47:25 - The insight he’s gained through Apple’s new podcasting stats
- 48:40 - The one most misunderstood thing about him
- 49:18 - Something he’s changed his mind about recently
- 52:43 - The story behind his Twitter handle
Full Show Notes: http://podcastjunkies.com/Drew-Ackerman-interview