Get in loser, we're going on vacation.

Let's make our rest ethic match our work ethic.

July 01, 2024

Hey honeys and hustlers,

I drove 2 hours for 2 days of podcast bliss. I’m still buzzing from seeing so many Southern podcasters in person. Who knew Charlotte could be such a great place for creators? I’ll be posting an event recap video next week but wanted to share some incredible podcasters I got to share space with. If you weren’t able to make this event but would like to attend a podcast conference, there are a few other events coming up this year that I recommend:

Memorable Moments from EPC

And podcast recommendations that everyone is always asking for, in case they’re useful for your vacation road trips, flights, or train rides.

Asheville, North Carolina’s very own Marc Ronick is the co-founder of the Empowered Podcast Conference. He hosts the Podcast Morning Chat, a daily morning show for creators airing 5 days a week at 7AM. Be sure to give his show a listen and connect with him on Linkedin! Should we have him as a guest on Honey & Hustle?

Johnny Giangregorio opened the day with some mindfulness and a question: What one thing needs to happen today at EPC for you to become a version of yourself that is at peace with your podcast in one year? My answer? Gain 1 new newsletter subscriber. I could’ve written down 5 or 10 or 20, and all of those answers would’ve been valid. But I’d rather focus on making one meaningful connection, than 20 shallow ones. This is a newsletter, but it’s also a community. Community doesn’t happen without deep connection and genuine interactions, and that’s what I’m prioritizing this year - deeper connections with creators.

Megan Shields of Chimehouse Media did an incredible talk about Facebook Ads. I’m generally not a proponent of paid acquisition, but as long as it’s attached to a specific campaign, I think it can be very effective if you have a budget. Alex Lieberman of storyarb (and co-founder of Morning Brew) held a virtual event called CommaCon this week, specifically for newsletter writers. One of the featured guest speakers was Matt McGarry, one of the growth strategists for The Hustle, and he said once you hit 100K subscribers, you really can’t grow further without paid ads. There may be an invisible ceiling for podcasters where this reality applies. If you want to grow your podcast through Facebook ads, give her a follow!

From my neck of the woods, Earfluence (Jason and Megan Gillikan) and Novice Studios (Kristen Stegall) hosted a panel on how podcasting changed their lives. Not dramatic at all. They’re all podcast producers who study and produce podcasts for a living. Jason will be featured in the recap video but he did mention an idea that I found interesting: not all sponsors have to provide financial support. It could be equally important to have sponsors that provide marketing support to get your show in front of your desired audience. What organizations or groups would be great partners for your creative project?

Andy Goh and Yesenia Bocanegra (Full Bloom Studios) are audio professionals that I had the pleasure of meeting and enjoying lunch with. Andy is based in Charlotte and Yesenia is based in Raleigh. We talked about the state of the podcast industry, which Andy feels is in its “teenage years” and I’m inclined to agree. Most podcast pros haven’t reached 10 years of experience because the space is so relatively young. So if you feel like a newbie, you’re in great company! I’m excited for podcast production crews to start coming into focus. Just as design teams, photo teams, and film crews are industry norms, I believe there’s room to grow in the podcast space. Yesenia did an awesome talk about YouTube for podcasters and has two video podcasts she hosts on her channel (linked to her name above) which you should check out for tips!

The dapper gentleman in the green jacket is Alex Sanfilippo, the founder of PodMatch. PodMatch is a platform that connects podcast guests to hosts for interview-based shows. He presented at this podcast conference but also seems to be quite the podcast volunteer and ambassador at other conferences like the one in his home state of Florida, PodFest (which returns in January 2025). PodFest Tour stopped in Raleigh last fall, and they may be coming to a city near you soon, so keep an eye on that page!

That’s all from me until the recap video is released. I hope you have a little bit of FOMO and a really great vacation week!

Please hustle (rest) responsibly,

🤙🏾✨

If you’d like to engage with this community, here are a few ways you can do that:

Forwarded this message? Sign up here.

Have a question? To get direct creative or entrepreneurial advice from me, submit your question here or leave a voice message.

Join us in the chat. Talk with other creative entrepreneurs in this community here.

Reply

or to participate.