The Cliff Ravenscraft Show

This episode is another audio journal. I share some of the big projects that caught my attention this week. I'm excited to be speaking at Social Media Marketing World in 2026 with a 90-minute workshop on podcasting. I also submitted a talk for PodFest Expo 2027. I share my history with payment processing as an online business owner, a recent purchase related to my obsession with e-ink e-reader devices, and my initial thoughts after my first attempt at developing my own online software. Join Us In The Next Level Mastermind If you’re listening to this and recognizing yourself in the way I’m thinking out loud here. Juggling big ideas, meaningful projects, and the desire to build something that truly matters. You might be the kind of person I created the Next Level Mastermind for. It’s a small, intentional group of experienced creators and entrepreneurs who want space to think clearly, be challenged honestly, and move forward with greater confidence and alignment. If you’re curious whether this might be the right environment for you, email me directly at cliff@cliffravenscraft.com.  

This episode of The Cliff Ravenscraft Show is an unplugged audio journal. I’m recording this one week after returning home from PodFest 2026. My voice isn’t fully back. My energy isn’t fully restored. And that’s exactly why I wanted to hit record. Rather than teach or present a framework, I wanted to bring you into the lived experience of the past few weeks. The lead-up to PodFest. The physical toll of not fully recovering before traveling. The emotional weight of reconnecting with people who have been part of my journey for nearly two decades. And the clarity that began to surface only after I came home and slowed down. Being back in rooms with people I influenced, who stood with me as we were shaping the podcasting industry, stirred something I didn’t realize I had set aside. The conversations we had reminded me why this work has mattered to me for so long. Coming home also brought reality with it. A full inbox. Dozens of follow-ups. Hundreds of new and renewed connections. And the recognition that one of the offers I brought back, Podcasting A to Z, no longer matched the people I was now in conversation with. In this episode, I share why I chose to pause group enrollment for Podcasting A to Z, what that decision clarified for me, and how one unexpected conversation led to the return of the Next Level Mastermind. This is an authentic, behind the scenes episode that provides a snapshot of a moment where recovery, discernment, and alignment are all happening at once. If anything in this episode resonates with you, I’d love to hear from you. You can email me at Cliff@CliffRavenscraft.com. I read every message and reply personally, even if it takes me a little time. Thanks for being here with me.  

For years, people have looked at my body of work and seen a lot of different podcasts, newsletters, live streams, and conversations. What they could not see was the pattern underneath it all. Today, I have clarity around and language for the system I accidentally built over the last two decades. This clarity changes how I see everything I create. In this episode, I walk through the three podcasts that are my primary focus and explain how each one plays a specific role in moving someone from discovering me for the first time, to trusting me, and then to making the decision to work with me. My Three Podcasts Podcast Answer Man The Cliff Ravenscraft Show What Are You Creating? Podcast Answer Man - The Front Door Podcast Answer Man is my top of funnel. It is where people find me because they already have a problem they want solved. They are searching: How do I start a podcast? How do I grow a podcast? How do I fix this audio issue? How do I come up with new ideas for content? How can I streamline my content creation process? That kind of search comes from someone who is already motivated to take action. Podcast Answer Man is show that is there to answer these questions and to introduce them to my world. Podcast Answer Man will feed directly into the following: My Podcasting A to Z Group Coaching Program My Paid Podcast Consulting My Digital Tutorials Affiliate Income from trusted Tool and Resource recommendations. Podcasting is a high intent market. Someone searching for answers related to podcasting is already holding a credit card emotionally, even if they have not pulled it out yet. Once they introduced to the answers I provide to their podcast related questions, they will quickly discover that I offer far more value to their entrepreneurial journey beyond just the tech. The Cliff Ravenscraft Show Builds - The Trust Builder This show isn't designed to attract cold listeners. Only one type of person searches for a show titled "The Cliff Ravenscraft Show" in a podcast directory, someone who already knows a guy named Cliff Ravenscraft exists. This podcast is my relationship engine. People who already know me through Podcast Answer Man, referrals, or social media come here to understand how I think, how I decide, and how I live inside my business. TCRS positions me as a professional business owner who specializes in business strategy and mindset, not just a technician. The Cliff Ravenscraft Show will feed directly into the following: My Business Strategy & Mindset Coaching. My Next Level Mastermind. My In Person Workshops & Events. My other Premium Offerings What Are You Creating? - My Networking Channel What Are You Creating? is my interview format podcast. Each episode features a conversation with entrepreneurs, creators, and visionaries building work aligned with their deepest passions. These stories are filled with sparks. Sparks that can ignite new possibilities for your own life and business. You may discover income streams you’ve never considered, ways to align your passions with your work, or fresh inspiration to start creating something of your own. Here are the main benefits of having your own interview format podcast. It creates a natural reason to reach out to people who would otherwise be difficult to connect with. A podcast invitation feels generous. It gives you instant access to people who already have earned trust and credibility with your ideal audience. It allows you to borrow relevance without pretending to be someone you are not. You show up as the curious, thoughtful host who creates space for meaningful conversation. It positions you as a peer in the room with leaders in your niche. It builds a relationship before it ever needs to become anything else. Trust grows through conversation long before there is any talk of collaboration or opportunity. It turns networking into something that feels human. Instead of collecting business cards, you are having real conversations. It opens doors to speaking, partnerships, referrals, and friendships that almost never come from cold outreach. It lets your voice and perspective be experienced in context, alongside respected people, which quietly builds confidence in you. It creates momentum. Each guest often leads to the next, expanding your network and your reach in a way that compounds over time. A major feature of this podcast is to grow my peer group, my referral network, and my reputation as someone who has meaningful conversations with interesting people doing important work. With this show, I don't focus on download counts, subscriber growth, or metrics. The primary outcome I'm looking for is the relationship I build with each guest. This allows me to show up fully present and curious, without an agenda. People can feel that. How It All Works Together Most people try to teach, tell their story, and interview guests all in one feed. I don't judge that approach, but I've found it confuses the audience and muddles the show's purpose. I separated them. Each show has one job. Podcast Answer Man answers the questions my ideal clients are actively searching for. The Cliff Ravenscraft Show helps people who have discovered me understand the depth of what I offer beyond the answers to their tech questions. What Are You Creating? helps me expand my peer group. This matches exactly how my highest-paid clients find me. Most discover me through podcasting help. They stay because they connect with how I think about business and mindset. They deepen their relationship with me through the conversations I have with my peers and the relationships I build. I accidentally built this over twenty years. Now I finally have language for it.  

In this episode, I share a deeply personal and wide ranging conversation I recently had with Greg Gerber, host of the Forward From 50 podcast. Greg originally came into my world more than a decade ago as a Podcasting A to Z student. Today, he hosts a show dedicated to people over fifty who know their best work is still ahead of them. The conversation became a powerful reflection on identity, ambition, reinvention, and what it means to step fully into the work you were made to do. This conversation tells the story of my journey from insurance agent to podcaster, from Podcast Answer Man to mindset and business strategist, and now into this next chapter where everything is coming together with more clarity and alignment than ever before. Key insights from this conversation Your voice and desire to communicate are not accidents. They are clues to what you are here to do. Mine started with CB radio and a toy microphone long before podcasting ever existed. Leaving a career that works is often harder than leaving one that fails. Walking away from insurance, and later from Podcast Answer Man, required trusting who I was becoming more than what I had already built. Podcasting A to Z did far more than launch shows. It revealed that most people were really looking for business clarity, confidence, and a way to create income and impact from what they already knew. The difference between a hobby and a business is not a podcast. It is having a clear ideal client, a real problem, and a way to solve it that people are willing to pay for. Your identity is not the role you played. Losing a job or retiring does not mean you lost who you are. It just means one chapter ended. Journaling is one of the fastest ways to reconnect with who you are, why you are here, and what you actually want. Desire is not something to be justified. It is something to be listened to. The 50 Things I Want exercise is a way to let that voice speak again. The people you surround yourself with either expand your vision or quietly shrink it. Choose wisely. The return of Podcast Answer Man is not nostalgia. It is a strategic move made possible by new tools, better leverage, and a deeper understanding of how I serve people best. The first fifty years of my life were preparation for the work I am doing now. Ready to start your own podcast If this episode stirred something in you and you have been thinking about starting a podcast or finally taking the one you have more seriously, I invite you to join me for my next session of Podcasting A to Z. This is my four week live coaching experience where you and I work together to turn your idea, message, and voice into real impact. You can learn more and register at PodcastingAtoZ.com  

Discover the behind-the-scenes journey of reviving and refocusing a podcasting brand. Hear about landing a speaking slot at PodFest Expo and reconnecting with industry insiders like Nick Pavlidis and Rob Greenlee. Learn about the emotional reactions from fans upon the relaunch and the introduction of a new weekly schedule for two shows. Explore the strategic decisions made in building relationships, refreshing sales pages, and enhancing email marketing systems to better serve the podcasting community.

Twenty years after launching his first podcast, a renewed passion leads to the return of Podcast Answer Man. Emphasizing lessons learned from burnout and identity shifts, he shares how tools like AI and Notion streamline his work. Excitement for gear reignites audience engagement, while mindfulness practices help prevent burnout. Addressing a blend of technical Q&A and personal narratives, he reveals plans to integrate this revival into a broader service offering, marking a significant milestone in his podcasting journey.

Discover the pivotal moment when a business journey takes an unexpected turn. Explore the introspective process of course correcting and the insights from a quarterly review. Hear about the transition from a technical podcasting focus to deeper business strategy and mindset coaching. Cliff dives into the challenges of identity, the importance of aligning with genuine offers, and the narrative shifts necessary to avoid burnout. Finally, get inspired by his new quarterly review prompts to enhance personal and professional growth.

In this episode I talk about something I’ve seen a lot lately. People tell me they want to move forward. They want to start the thing, launch the idea, reach out to the person, publish the content, say yes to the opportunity. But they’re stuck because the unknowns feel too big and the confidence simply isn’t there. The problem is that confidence doesn’t show up at the beginning. Confidence is the reward for taking action. It only comes after you’ve stepped into something new, realized your worst fears didn’t come true, and built enough real experience to trust yourself in that environment. Even after all these years, I still feel that tension when I’m introduced to someone new. Especially when their online presence is polished, impressive, and perfectly curated. My old patterns pop up. Who am I to talk with this person? Will I bring value? Will I land with their audience? There are three important words that I share in this episode: Courage, Confidence, and Curiosity. Courage. The willingness to say yes even when the outcome is unknown. If I am courageous enough to take the step, then something interesting happens. My worst fears usually don’t come true. I learn something. I grow. And over time, with enough reps, I develop confidence. But the confidence never comes first. Recently, though, I’ve added a third ingredient. And it has been the biggest shift of all. Curiosity. Curiosity dissolves fear. It lets me walk into a new room without the burden of needing anything to happen. Instead of pressure, I enter with wonder. Why was this introduction made? What could come from this connection? What can I learn from this person? How might I serve? Is there resonance here? And if not, what clarity does that give me? Curiosity brings me back to presence. It clears the anxiety that shows up the day before a call, or the hour before it starts, or the five minutes before we go live. Curiosity lets me move forward without being attached to any particular outcome. I don’t have to prove myself. I don’t have to impress. I simply get to explore what is possible. In this episode I break down how these three ingredients work together. Courage gets you moving. Curiosity keeps you grounded. Confidence grows from experience and repetition. If you have an area in your life where you’ve been waiting for confidence before you take action, my hope is that this conversation frees you from that waiting. You won’t feel confident before you begin. You’ll feel confident because you began. I’d love to hear what this brings up for you. You can email me at Cliff@CliffRavenscraft.com. Let’s Work Together: I have a special Black Friday coaching offer. It includes three ninety-minute one-on-one coaching sessions with me, plus full access to both my Free the Dream online course and my Building an Online Business course. If you want direct support, clarity on your next steps, and momentum heading into the new year, reach out and put “Coaching Offer” in the subject line.  

In this episode I return to my Podcast Answer Man roots and share an in-depth review of my newest and most unexpected favorite piece of podcast gear. The Zoom PodTrak P4next! This tiny device delivers almost everything I rely on from the Rodecaster Pro 2 at a fraction of the size and a fraction of the cost, coming in at only $179. I'll walk you through how I discovered it, my initial skepticism, and why seeing the Zoom name made me give it a chance. I'm so glad I did. I'll share what the Zoom PodTrak P4next does, how I'm using it, why it has already earned a permanent place in my travel setup, and why I might even replace my Rodecaster Pro 2 in the studio. I recorded this episode from the front seat of my car to demonstrate how powerful this device is for portable recording. You'll hear the quality of the preamps and the impressive noise reduction capabilities in action. I talk about the power options, multitrack capability, four XLR inputs, mix-minus support, sound pads, four independently controlled headphone outputs, built in audio recorder and more. I also share the story of why this little recorder solves technical problems I have carried for years. If you have been looking for a reliable way to record multiple microphones on the road, or if you want to build a complete podcast studio that fits in a backpack, this episode will show you how simple, and inexpensive, it can be. Portable Gear Recommendations Many listeners and viewers ask for my current recommendations for a complete portable recording setup. Here's the list with affiliate links. Primary Device Zoom PodTrak P4next - https://amzn.to/4rA85fY Microphone Options Heil PR-40 - https://amzn.to/4iofavZ If you want something more portable, my long-time favorite was the Audio Technica ATR-2100. It is no longer manufactured, so my best current guess for a quality budget dynamic mic is the Rode PodMic Cardioid Dynamic Broadcast Microphone found at https://amzn.to/4rgUIBf Cables Three foot XLR mic cables - https://amzn.to/43UbqMC Stands Portable mic stand options - https://amzn.to/3MmDMJf Headphones Sony MDR-7506 - https://amzn.to/3M0apwo Replacement ear pads for the MDR-7506 - https://amzn.to/3M0gj0z Closing Thought If this episode inspires you to pick up the Zoom PodTrak P4next, I would love to hear about it. Send me an email and let me know how this episode inspired you. My email is Cliff@CliffRavenscraft.com.  

Today’s episode is something a little different. I recorded this message from the front seat of my car (my “mobile studio”) during one of those early morning creative bursts that often come during my fall routines. Before we dive in, you’ll notice the audio quality sounds a little different than my usual in-studio setup. I explain why in the intro, but the short version is this: I’ve been waking up at 4:30 a.m., heading to Planet Fitness, and spending time journaling, praying, reading, and creating from that sacred space of solitude. Sometimes inspiration hits right there in the car, and I don’t want to wait until I’m back at my desk to capture it. What follows is a message I felt deeply compelled to share. It’s about something I’ve been noticing, in myself and in other creators, as AI tools become part of our daily workflow. We’re all starting to sound the same. In this episode, I talk about: How AI-generated phrasing has become a dead giveaway in so much content. The subtle rhythms that make a piece of writing or video sound “machine-shaped.” My own experiences using ChatGPT for content creation (and where it crossed the line). Why I’m returning to more unscripted, unpolished, human communication. How we can still use AI as a thought partner without losing our authentic voice. This episode is about remembering what people really connect with: honesty, imperfection, and lived experience. I hope this message encourages you to bring your unpolished, unscripted voice back into your creative process. Until next time, I encourage you to take everything you do in life and business, and content creation, to the next level.