School of Podcasting: Expert Tips for Launching and Growing Your Podcast

In the span of a few weeks I had THREE people say, I'm thinking of becoming a podcast editor and it had been years since I talked to Mark and Steve back on episode  752 .  That was back when they had just launched the Podcast Editor Academy which is an amazing resource with tutorials on software (Hindenburg, Reaper, etc) but it also talks about the business of being a podcaster editor. Now they have 8000 people in their Facebook group, and now are helping all podcasters at a special event at Podcast Movement before revamping the academy.  Focusrite: The Vocaster Series Made For Podcasters AutoGain – Easily set your levels with the click of a button, with more than enough gain on tap (70dB) – no booster needed Enhance – Four podcaster-approved voice presets bring out the best in any voice Mute – Silence the mic with the touch of a button – don’t let unexpected interruptions get in the way of recording Connect your phone – Record phone calls, high quality music, or other audio from your device, seamlessly Record to a camera – Plug in your camera and record directly to its memory card Loopback – Stream calls or any other audio you can think of from your computer with two sets of stereo loopback Included software – Hindenburg Lite to record, three months of SquadCast Pro + Video to bring in your guests, and six months of Acast Influencer to publish, you’re ready to get your show out there Learn more at: Focusrite.com/Vocaster  Charging Guests to Appear On Your Show A recent Bloomberg Article about guests paying to be on podcasts (and we mention the importance of disclosing this information).  The site mentions Guestio which (if you wanted) you could have people pay $5 just to pitch you (that might scale back some of the bogus pitches).  While I'm not a huge fan of this strategy (I feel it is a slippery slope) if you decide to charge, and always disclose that you were paid to have someone on your show, have at it. (Some people feel this makes your podcast an infomercial. QUESTION OF THE MONTH I need your answer by the end of August 2022 This month's question comes from Dave from Walking is Fitness which is a daily 10-minute podcast designed to help listeners find a little extra motivation to get out for a fitness walk every single day.  THE QUESTION: Most podcast hosts have a target listener. And I would imagine like most podcasts, there are certain themes and topics that I know that are of greater interest to my target listener.  How often do you return to these key topics? Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question When you answer tell us about your show (including the WEBSITE ADDRESS). Where I Will Be? I look forward to seeing you all, please come up and say high. To see my full itinerary, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/where Got A Because of My Podcast Story? See www.schoolofpodcasting.com/because Mentioned in this Episode: The importance of having a niche. How Steve started out as a podcast editor without a website. Mark talks about setting expectations by having a contract with your customer. The difference between an editor, an engineer, a manager, and a story shaper. Common mistakes new podcast editors make. Poisonous Pet Collars - Congressional Dish Gary Leland had a day designated for him in his home town Links From Episode Sign up for the Podcast Editor Academy (save using coupon sop ) Live Mastermind Workshop in Dallas Texas Editor Pricing Survey Episode 752 of the School of Podcasting Buy the book Profit From Your Podcast Gary Leland Website Guestio Charge your guest for appearances Start and Grow Your Podcast at the School of Podcasting

You keep doing the same thing you've been doing and you're not seeing your podcast numbers moving up. You're not sure what to try. To this I say check out the book 101 Podcast Episode Templates by David Hooper of Build a Big Podcast.  All of these templates are short and to the point and for me the book provides a great tool to "brainstorm by yourself." To we cover four of the templates and Dave demonstrates a bonus template. Focusrite: The Vocaster Series Made For Podcasters AutoGain – Easily set your levels with the click of a button, with more than enough gain on tap (70dB) – no booster needed Enhance – Four podcaster-approved voice presets bring out the best in any voice Mute – Silence the mic with the touch of a button – don’t let unexpected interruptions get in the way of recording Connect your phone – Record phone calls, high quality music, or other audio from your device, seamlessly Record to a camera – Plug in your camera and record directly to its memory card Loopback – Stream calls or any other audio you can think of from your computer with two sets of stereo loopback Included software – Hindenburg Lite to record, three months of SquadCast Pro + Video to bring in your guests, and six months of Acast Influencer to publish, you’re ready to get your show out there Learn more at: Focusrite.com/Vocaster  David Hooper Shares 5 Templates Dave shares four templates from his book 101 Podcast Episode Templates. You find that Dave loves to write, but he has to focus to finish his books. (so if you are in this boat you're not alone) Templates Covered: #4 Listener voicemail (see links below for tools #5 Criticize Something with #8 a Weird Viewpoint #10 A Day in the Life #19 ______ with only $100 BONUS TEMPLATE Dave demonstrates the Sidecar template on this episode where he plays a clip of this show.  QUESTION OF THE MONTH I need your answer by the end of August 2022 This month's question comes from Dave from Walking is Fitness which is a daily 10-minute podcast designed to help listeners find a little extra motivation to get out for a fitness walk every single day.  THE QUESTION: Most podcast hosts have a target listener. And I would imagine like most podcasts, there are certain themes and topics that I know that are of greater interest to my target listener.  How often do you return to these key topics? Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question When you answer tell us about your show (including the WEBSITE ADDRESS). Where I Will Be For my full schedule see www.schoolofpodcasting.com/where Ready To Start Your Podcast You may think nobody would listen to you, but I'm here to tell you they will. I have proven strategies to help you identify exactly what your audience wants. You will sound professional, and won't have to spend a million dollars to sound great. Learn through our online tutorials, live group coaching and a private Facebook Group filled with brilliant podcasters. Join worry-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See schoolofpodcasting.com/start Follow the Show and Never Miss an Episode on: Apple - Google - Spotify - Amazon Check out New Podcast Apps for apps to stream bitcoin to podcasters. Did You Get Value From This Episode? Enjoy the Show? Buy Dave a Coffee and give some of that value back.  LINKS IN THIS EPISODE Focusrite.com/Vocaster  School of Podcasting 101 Podcast Episode Templates Walking is Fitness Speakpipe  Podinbox Rumble Studio Voice form Podcastvoicemail.com

Today I interview Jordan "Doc G" Grumett who is the Hospice doctor turned Financial Guru and host of the Earn and Invest show. he has now taken his unique point of view and penned the new book Taking Stock: A Hospice Doctor's Advice on Financial Independence, Building Wealth, and Living a Regret-Free Life Focusrite: The Vocaster Series Made For Podcasters AutoGain - Easily set your levels with the click of a button, with more than enough gain on tap (70dB) – no booster needed Enhance - Four podcaster-approved voice presets bring out the best in any voice Mute - Silence the mic with the touch of a button - don’t let unexpected interruptions get in the way of recording Connect your phone - Record phone calls, high quality music, or other audio from your device, seamlessly  Record to a camera - Plug in your camera and record directly to its memory card  Loopback - Stream calls or any other audio you can think of from your computer with two sets of stereo loopback Included software - Hindenburg Lite to record, three months of SquadCast Pro + Video to bring in your guests, and six months of Acast Influencer to publish, you’re ready to get your show out there Learn more at: Focusrite.com/Vocaster  Jordan Grumet Interview Main TakeAways He started because wanted to have deep-dive discussions on finance and talk to experts. Jordan used the art of subtraction to identify what he really wanted to do. He found out that learning the financial spaces wasn't as hard as he thought it was going to be.  Because of His Podcast  He had people who signed up to help read different variations and help promote it. He landed an agent and experienced people who walked him through the job of writing a book proposal, getting an agent, and a publisher. As Jordan put it, "I had people."  He is also slotted and positioned to have TONS of exposure when it releases next week compared to his first two books. Find him at https://jordangrumet.com/and earnandinvest.com Get his book on Amazon (aff) QUESTION OF THE MONTH I need your answer by the end of August 2022 This month's question comes from Dave from Walking is Fitness which is a daily 10-minute podcast designed to help listeners find a little extra motivation to get out for a fitness walk every single day.  THE QUESTION: Most podcast hosts have a target listener. And I would imagine like most podcasts, there are certain themes and topics that I know that are of greater interest to my target listener.  How often do you return to these key topics? Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question When you answer tell us about your show (including the WEBSITE ADDRESS). Ready To Start Your Podcast You may think nobody would listen to you, but I'm here to tell you they will. I have proven strategies to help you identify exactly what your audience wants. You will sound professional, and won't have to spend a million dollars to sound great. Learn through our online tutorials, live group coaching and a private Facebook Group filled with brilliant podcasters. Join worry-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See schoolofpodcasting.com/start Follow the Show and Never Miss an Episode on: Apple - Google - Spotify - Amazon Check out New Podcast Apps for apps to stream bitcoin to podcasters. Did You Get Value From This Episode? Enjoy the Show? Buy Dave a Coffee and give some of that value back.  Also Mentioned In This Episode Someday Is Today: 22 Simple, Actionable Ways to Propel Your Creative Life

Today I look at some things using my experience and share them with you so you can avoid those pitfalls.  Focusrite: The Vocaster Series Made For Podcasters AutoGain - Easily set your levels with the click of a button, with more than enough gain on tap (70dB) – no booster needed Enhance - Four podcaster-approved voice presets bring out the best in any voice Mute - Silence the mic with the touch of a button - don’t let unexpected interruptions get in the way of recording Connect your phone - Record phone calls, high quality music, or other audio from your device, seamlessly  Record to a camera - Plug in your camera and record directly to its memory card  Loopback - Stream calls or any other audio you can think of from your computer with two sets of stereo loopback Included software - Hindenburg Lite to record, three months of SquadCast Pro + Video to bring in your guests, and six months of Acast Influencer to publish, you’re ready to get your show out there Learn more at: Focusrite.com/Vocaster  Kudos to Descript When something motivates me to tell my friends about something, I stop and look at why. Descript did a webinar and to spruce it up, they had a mock customer who kept interrupting the webinar because he couldn't remember his password. At first, it was, "Did that just happen?" By the end, we had all figured out after the third appearance that the "Customer" was a plant, but it was creative and made the webinar (that showcases new video tools) very entertaining as well as educational.  Give Out Website Addresses that You Control Instead of sending people to www.patreon.com/davejackson I send people to www.askthepodcastcoach.com/awesome this way if later I change to a different tool, I don't end up with all my past episodes with links that no longer work. Tool for this are: Pretty Links WordPress Plugin Podpage has a built-in tool for Pretty Redirects Rebrandly.com is a cool tracking and redirecting tool Go Through All The Steps of Your Second Show Once you start a podcast you often feel like starting an additional show. You know the process, and off you go to start podcast #2. I advise that before you do this DO ALL THE WORK.  In other words, don't just design it on paper, but go through all the steps of actually creating an episode (even if you don't keep it). I didn't do this with the Podcast Trailer Show and what was (on paper) going to take about 15 minutes per episode is taking me twice that.  How did I miss this? I did "shallow" investigations into all steps, and it seemed like everything was going work. However, I didn't actually go through and make some test episodes. I didn't do a dress rehearsal. Consequently, it is taking more time, and its cutting into my schedule and causing issues.  Amazon Rolls Out a Portal FYI, Amazon has rolled out a portal where you can see how many followers, downloads and more. Go to podcasters.amazon.com  Choose What To Monitor Before Paying to Promote Your Show If you are going to pay for a promotion, you need to identify how you will gauge success. I recently played with Buzzsprouot ads where you can advertise on other shows. Halfway through the campaign, I realized I hadn't looked at my numbers before running the campaign so I could see if they went up.  Portal where you can see subscriber/follower accounts podcastsconnect.apple.com podcastsmanager.google.com podcasters.spotify.com podcaters.amazon.com  Put All Of Your Content On Your Website I have a YouTube channel, and I occasionally write a blog post on Medium. When I looked at my Google Analytics, I saw that one of my top pages was a post that featured one of my YouTube Videos.  Your website is YOUR MAIN HUB, and it makes it easy for people who enjoy your content to find it in one place. I do spotlight it in my newsletter, but if should be on my website as well Leave Time On Your Calendar To Learn New Stuff When you purchase courses, watch webinars, or buy software (Surferseo in my case) you need to leave time on your calendar to go through the learning curve. No matter how easy it is, there WILL BE some amount of time needed to add to your arsenal of skills. It Doesn't Need to Be Perfect To Start I have gone through so many different school to manage my learning content. I've been on Thinkific, and almost moved to Teachable (and used Circle for my community), and have now decided (and am 90% moved) to Podia.  The maddening part is Podia was...

We start off by hearing about a podcast that received 4,000 donations in our quick tip at the top of the show.  I researched what it's like to work in the movie business. Why? Because movies are meant to entertain and take up the audience's time (their most prized possession).  We look at the process of making a movie, and some things that podcasters have an easier road, and some steps movies take, that podcasters should seriously consider. SPONSOR: Focusrite: The Vocaster Series Made For Podcasters AutoGain - Easily set your levels with the click of a button, with more than enough gain on tap (70dB) – no booster needed Enhance - Four podcaster-approved voice presets bring out the best in any voice Mute - Silence the mic with the touch of a button - don’t let unexpected interruptions get in the way of recording Connect your phone - Record phone calls, high quality music, or other audio from your device, seamlessly  Record to a camera - Plug in your camera and record directly to its memory card  Loopback - Stream calls or any other audio you can think of from your computer with two sets of stereo loopback Included software - Hindenburg Lite to record, three months of SquadCast Pro + Video to bring in your guests, and six months of Acast Influencer to publish, you’re ready to get your show out there Learn more at: Focusrite.com/Vocaster  Mentioned in This Episode Join the School of Podcasting No Agenda Show Podcasting 2.0 New Podcast Apps The Messengers Documentary Girl in Space (not Girls, sorry Sarah) The Lone Ranger Movie (2013) The podcast Trailer Show Professional Grade 2 Lavalier Clip-On Microphones Set for Dual Interview - Double Lav Lapel Microphone - Use for iPhone Phone Camera - Blogging Video Recording Noise Cancelling 3.5mm Mic Sources: Selling to Netflix Matt Damon on Hot Ones What Does ‘Greenlit’ REALLY Mean? 9 Key Factors in the Script Development Process Top Box Offices

The Rodecaster Pro II is the new device from Rode. Today I compare it to the Rodecaster Pro I along with some other devices. This device is $700 and (IMHO) not for someone who is just doing some casual interviews via zoom. Feel free to follow/subscribe, and check out any of the other 833 episodes I have.  SPONSOR: Focusrite The Vocaster Series Made For Podcasters AutoGain - Easily set your levels with the click of a button, with more than enough gain on tap (70dB) – no booster is needed Enhance - Four podcaster-approved voice presets bring out the best in any voice Mute - Silence the mic with the touch of a button - don’t let unexpected interruptions get in the way of recording Connect your phone - Record phone calls, high-quality music, or other audio from your device, seamlessly  Record to a camera - Plug in your camera and record directly to its memory card  Loopback - Stream calls or any other audio you can think of from your computer with two sets of stereo loopback Included software - Hindenburg Lite to record, three months of SquadCast Pro + Video to bring in your guests, and six months of Acast Influencer to publish, you’re ready to get your show out there Learn more at: Focusrite.com/Vocaster  Things I Like About the Rodcaster II It is an interface, recorder, headphone amplifier, and jingle palet all on one They make updating the firmware (and there WILL BE UPDATEs) INSANELY Easy. Super QUiet Preamps Automatic Monitor Muting Smartpads now play sounds, control midi devices, and add effects Only record the channels you need (FINALLY!) No More Polywave Ability to put the unit on a stand and get it off your desk USB C Electric input which makes it easy to run on batteries. Flexible input assignments and color coding In addition to Aphex processing, new 3-band EQ THINGS THAT ANNOY ME Multiple outputs are confusing and seem to change without me doing anything. I need the ability to turn on and off mix-minus. This is available on USB2, but if I am using (only) that option when I fire up the software on my computer, it won't connect to the unit because I'm not on USB 1. If I want to tie this into my DAW, tracks 1 and 2 are the stereo mix. This means my first slider is #3. The fader features fades out for X amount of seconds and keeps everything faded out. After the X amount of time it should unfade everything. This is an easy one to trip over. Set the Lights Brightness level sounds great, but I couldn't tell a channel was muted because the lights were so dim. This is (again) operator error, but frustrating. Loss of count down number is replaced with a pie chart. Those with older eyesight prefer large numbers.  I am required to take the cover off to turn the unit off. I use to be able to press the on off button twice and leave the cover on. Loss way to have a CONNECTED phone call. ON the ROdecaster 1, I could plug in a TRRS cable and the phone did everything like usual. Now if I want to make a phone call, I HAVE to use Bluetooth. When I plugged in the SC19 cable, the Rodecaster rebooted and the sound out of my phone was unusable. I was somewhat bummed after spending $30 on a cable, that I can't use it to make phone calls on my podcast without using Bluetooth. I need to remember to turn off Bluetooth on the unit as my phone keeps connecting to it.  Comparing it to Some of the Competition Zoom Podtrak P4 I refer to this as the swiss army of podcasting. It does everything. It is an interface and a recorder, headphone amp, and jingle player, and it comes in at $200ish. Yes the preamps won't be as steller, but as you heard today the hiss is minimal in some cases.  Focusrite Vocaster This unit is NOT a recorder, but setting it up and recording into software is super easy. You can send the main outs to a recorder, connect via blue tooth or WIRED TRRS cable. The "2" has blue tooth and output to go to your camera. This one wins the "I need something easy" conversation. Rodecaster Pro II This is for live streamers who want that audio processing to go out on the video as they record it (no post-production). They want to play sounds/music and have flexible configurations. Final Thoughts While the Rodecaster Pro II currently drives me a little nuts, I'm not worried. Rod has done a great job communicating with their users and has already made videos on future updates (to calm any fears). So while this current unit has me scratching my head, Rode has demonstrated they listen (the stand attachment on the back of the unit screams "We heard you want your desk back").  Don't Buy This If Nobody is telling you your podcast sounds bad You think this will solve plosives (it won't that is mic technique) "I don't know, it sounds cool" (unless you have $700 in your couch cushion).  You think this will help you grow your audience (again unless you have REALLY bad audio, it's the CONTENT that helps grow the audience).  Join the School of Podcasting When you join the School of Podcasting you can quit worrying about: Are people going to listen to me? (Yes, cause I'll show you how to see what they want). Am I going to sound stupid? (No, as I'll show you the magic of editing) It will cost a million dollars (No, I'll have you sounding like a million bucks without spending a million bucks).  I don't anything about this technology (You said the same thing about driving).  Get access to: Step-by-step tutorials, live group coaching, a mastermind group filled with brilliant podcasting minds,  and the ability (via a free app) to text me, send me video, audio, etc. It's unlimited time-shifted one-on-one consulting. It's like having a podcast consultant in your pocket. Still unsure? The membership comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee  Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/start Mentioned In This Episode Rode Rodecaster Pro II Rode Rodecaster Pro I Zoom Podtrak P4 Focsurite Vocaster Sweet Water Podcast Equipment Rode SC-15 Cable School of Podcasting Podcast Studio Pro This is episode 834 which originates at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/834

I LOVE people who make me think and when I started reading the book Find Your Red Thread: Make Your Big Ideas Irresistible, I couldn't put it down (and it's now available on Audible). It helps you understand your audience and their main goal. Then you identify how you need to describe what you want them to do in a way that they see their problem in a different way. Your message is the words you need to say to an audience about your idea to achieve a particular outcome. Find everything at www.tamsenwebster.com Join the School of Podcasting When you join the School of Podcasting you can quit worrying about: Are people going to listen to me? (Yes, cause I'll show you how to see what they want). Am I going to sound stupid? (No, as I'll show you the magic of editing) It will cost a million dollars (No, I'll have you sounding like a million bucks without spending a million bucks).  I don't anything about this technology (You said the same thing about driving).  Get access to: Step-by-step tutorials, live group coaching, a mastermind group filled with brilliant podcasting minds,  and the ability to schedule as many one-on-one quick-fix calls as you like at no extra charge.  Join worry-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee  Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/start SPONSOR: Focusrite: The Vocaster Series Made For Podcasters AutoGain - Easily set your levels with the click of a button, with more than enough gain on tap (70dB) – no booster needed Enhance - Four podcaster-approved voice presets to bring out the best in any voice Mute - Silence the mic with the touch of a button - don’t let unexpected interruptions get in the way of recording Connect your phone - Record phone calls, high-quality music, or other audio from your device, seamlessly  Record to a camera - Plug in your camera and record directly to its memory card  Loopback - Stream calls or any other audio you can think of from your computer with two sets of stereo loopback Included software - Hindenburg Lite to record, three months of SquadCast Pro + Video to bring in your guests, and six months of Acast Influencer to publish, you’re ready to get your show out there Learn more at: Focusrite.com/Vocaster  MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Find Your Red Thread: Make Your Big Ideas Irresistible Tamsenwebster.com School of Podcasting Rodecaster Pro II The Proverb Effect: Secrets to Creating Tiny Phrases that Change the World Episode 830 About Accepting Compliments The Freenoter Podcast Walking is Fitness Long Story Short Podcast

There are times when we need to be able to answer hard questions about our show. Today we talk about some new posts from Apple, and in addition to ABT, we look at why you keep talking yourself out of starting your podcast.  Focusrite: The Vocaster Series Made For Podcasters AutoGain - Easily set your levels with the click of a button, with more than enough gain on tap (70dB) – no booster needed Enhance - Four podcaster-approved voice presets to bring out the best in any voice Mute - Silence the mic with the touch of a button - don’t let unexpected interruptions get in the way of recording Connect your phone - Record phone calls, high-quality music, or other audio from your device, seamlessly  Record to a camera - Plug in your camera and record directly to its memory card  Loopback - Stream calls or any other audio you can think of from your computer with two sets of stereo loopback Included software - Hindenburg Lite to record, three months of SquadCast Pro + Video to bring in your guests, and six months of Acast Influencer to publish, you’re ready to get your show out there Learn more at: Focusrite.com/Vocaster  MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Apple post on Search Apple posts on Charts The Narrative Gym: Introducing the ABT Framework For Messaging and Communication Out on the Wire: The Storytelling Secrets of the New Masters of Radio Audible Samson Q2U Episode 758 School of Podcasting

I see people who want MORE downloads, and yet they have not listed their show on all the different directories. Why is that? Is this some type of strategy?  SPONSOR: Focusrite: The Vocaster Series Made For Podcasters AutoGain - Easily set your levels with the click of a button, with more than enough gain on tap (70dB) – no booster needed Enhance - Four podcaster-approved voice presets bring out the best in any voice Mute - Silence the mic with the touch of a button - don’t let unexpected interruptions get in the way of recording Connect your phone - Record phone calls, high quality music, or other audio from your device, seamlessly  Record to a camera - Plug in your camera and record directly to its memory card  Loopback - Stream calls or any other audio you can think of from your computer with two sets of stereo loopback Included software - Hindenburg Lite to record, three months of SquadCast Pro + Video to bring in your guests, and six months of Acast Influencer to publish, you’re ready to get your show out there Learn more at: Focusrite.com/Vocaster  Join the School of Podcasting When you join the School of Podcasting you can quit worrying about: Are people going to listen to me? (Yes, cause I'll show you how to see what they want). Am I going to sound stupid? (No, as I'll show you the magic of editing) It will cost a million dollars (No, I'll have you sounding like a million bucks without spending a million bucks).  I don't anything about this technology (You said the same thing about driving).  Get access to: Step-by-step tutorials, live group coaching, a mastermind group filled with brilliant podcasting minds,  and the ability to schedule as many one-on-one quick fix calls as you like at no extra charge.  Join worry-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee  Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/start Participants Kim - The Pharmacists Voice Bryan - The Relaxed Male Ronnie - Dancing is Forbidden am Aqua Teen Hunger Force Exploration John - You Were Made for This Karen - Just Grow Something Mark - The history of North America  Matt - The Author Inside You Steve - Whiskey Chasers Pod Where I Will Be? July 19-20: How to Make Real Money Podcasting Online August 23-26 Podcast Movement, Dallas, TX September9-10, Indie Pod Con 8 Philadelphia, PA Oct 20-22 Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop Dayton, Oh For the most up-to-date itinerary, go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/where Question of the Month This month's question is "What should I ask for the question of the month?"  Be sure to mention your name, the podcasts' name, and your website. Should I choose to use your question I will mention your show and website when I bring up the question. I may not use all the questions.  MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Speakpipe Podinbox Tellbee School of Podcasting Why You Shouldn't Use Free Media Hosting Video  

Today I am back from Podfest with some insights to share, tips on meeting your audience, and thoughts on the interfaces from Focusrite.  Focusrite: The Vocaster Series Made For Podcasters AutoGain - Easily set your levels with the click of a button, with more than enough gain on tap (70dB) – no booster is needed Enhance - Four podcaster-approved voice presets bring out the best in any voice Mute - Silence the mic with the touch of a button - don’t let unexpected interruptions get in the way of recording Connect your phone - Record phone calls, high-quality music, or other audio from your device, seamlessly  Record to a camera - Plug in your camera and record directly to its memory card  Loopback - Stream calls or any other audio you can think of from your computer with two sets of stereo loopback Included software - Hindenburg Lite to record, three months of SquadCast Pro + Video to bring in your guests, and six months of Acast Influencer to publish, you’re ready to get your show out there Learn more at: Focusrite.com/Vocaster  Why We Often Get Sick at Events Because we get to see people we never get to see, these events take on a "one of a kind" atmosphere, and the feat of missing out (and to a certain level, that is true). When we start to "push through" we start to jeopardize our health (even without a pandemic).  We get up early to catch flights, do all sorts of walking through airports and hotels, consume things that may not be considered, "Healthy" under-hydrate, and repeat many of these steps for the rest of the conference.  Then we go home and blame the plane.  I've been doing almost nothing all week trying to get my health back. While I might've missed a fun story staying up later talking with friends, anything I missed would not equal the moment I lost by putting everything on hold.  We all love to have fun and see friends, but for me, I'm going to be a bit more responsible in the future. Clearing Up Some Confusion That I Heard At Podfest DOWNLOADS UPON FOLLOW When someone follows your show in Apple, and you have three episodes, you will NOT get three downloads if someone follows you (they only automatically download the last episode. If they want the other two episodes, they need to manually download them. LISTEN NOTES STATS While this sounds impressive to say, "I'm in the top 1% of podcasters on Listen notes." Until you read that this is based on people listening on Listen notes and 3rd party data. As every media host I know has asked Apple for listening data (and been turned down), that is not the information that are using. I need to reach out to them to find out exactly what they are using, but to say, "I'm in the top 1% of podcasts (on listen notes) is like me saying, "I'm the #1 podcast (of shows with a host named Dave who live in Akron Ohio).  I'm not trying to be "Dave Jackson - Dream Crusher" but to help people focus on more important things that will result in larger downloads (I call it, "their audience.").  How To Accept Compliments From Your Audience Many podcasters (including myself) are introverts. Consequently, having someone come up and give you compliments may make you feel uneasy. In the past, I would deflect, or make a joke, and my ex-wife said, "Would you just say Thank You!" and she was right.  Here are some tips: Don't correct them Don't downgrade (You're GREAT, and you answer, "It was OK). Don't Brag - Yes, I AM AWESOME Instead, say: Thank You, Thank you very much. That means a lot to me. That's very nice of you to say.  Don't forget you have a listener in front of you, after you accept the compliment ask them for feedback so you can hear what is working, and hopefully get some feedback on how to improve. Lastly, don't forget to ask them if they want to take a selfie as they will be happy to share it on social.  Focusrite Vocaster Two Review If you're looking for an interface to get your microphone into your computer, this device makes it simple (there is a tool to automatically set your gain). There is some subtle built-in processing to tweak your audio. What you heard today is me using the Shure SM7B WITHOUT ANY KIND OF CLOUDLIFTER or FETHEAD. It has plenty of drive. You can plug your phone into it via a TRRS input (with built-in mix-minus).  There is also an output jack to feed the audio into your camera which eliminates the whole, "Delay issue" that comes with some video cameras.