Podcast Junkies - Storytelling Interviews & Conversations with Podcasters Podcasting Passionately

Harry Duran welcomes to the podcast best-selling author, speaker, persuasive writing expert and fellow podcasters, Laura Petersen. Laura is the founder and host of Copy That Pops, a podcast aimed at educating podcasters on how to write copy that is compelling, stands out, and is effective for their businesses. Laura has been writing for years and is a true believer in the power of the written word. She has a wide array of experience both as an expert in content marketing and as a podcasting entrepreneur.  In this episode, we talk all about copywriting as it relates to podcasting. Laura discusses her background as a former teacher turned copywriting guru. Laura started her first podcast back in April of 2016 and has since turned that into a successful business. Copy That Pops offers a full range of services, assisting clients to leverage the power of persuasion in their communication. Harry and Laura talk about the importance of writing powerful copy and the influence that reading has on writing. Laura chronicles her growth as an interviewer and a speaker. She credits practice and preparation as the reasons her confidence level soared. Finally, Laura shares how she became #1 Amazon Best-Seller with a book she wrote in just thirty days!  00:00 – Harry welcomes Laura Petersen to the podcast04:28 – The value of audio-only podcasts 05:27 – Harry talks about the retention hashtag07:17 – The origin of Harry and Laura’s friendship 08:41 – Laura explains the rules of ‘Never Have I Ever’        10:03 – Laura’s entrepreneurial background 13:36 – Shifting her focus from podcasting to writing books 14:15 – Laura’s individual group programs 15:50 – The challenges Laura faced during the early stages of podcasting 18:54 – How Laura has grown as an interviewer22:40 – Laura’s earliest recollection of her passion for writing28:55 – Copywriting advice Laura would give to podcasters 32:09 – The power of words 34:07 – Why Laura has been avoiding consuming different content  35:55 – The impact reading can have on writing 37:57 – Just-In-Time learning vs. Just-In-Case Learning 39:16 – Books and podcasts that have been instrumental to Laura’s career 45:00 – What is something Laura has changed his mind about recently 46:15 – What is the most misunderstood thing about Laura 47:02 – Laura talks about the books she has written 49:25 – Where listeners can follow Laura Full show notes: http://podcastjunkies.com/187★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Harry Duran welcomes to the podcast serial entrepreneur and fellow podcasters, Justin Jackson. Justin is the founder and host of the show, Product People, a podcast about great products and the people who make them. Justin has been working with Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies for years as a product manager at Sprintly and Mailout. Justin is also co-founder of the startup Transistor.fm, a podcast platform for brands who want to grow their audience. Justin is a staunch proponent of podcasting and the impact it can have on business. His goal is to help podcasters enhance their product, grow their audience and distribute their message to the masses.In this episode, Justin and Harry discuss and dissect nearly every aspect of podcasting. With Harry’s experience as a podcast producer and Justin’s extensive podcast platform, the two have a wealth of knowledge to share on the subject. They talk about the importance of compelling content that keeps the podcast audience engaged. Justin discusses his journey of breaking into the podcast hosting space, including how he manufactured interest and booked meaningful and influential guests. As an outside the box thinker, Justin is always looking for creative ways to solve problems. Harry talks about the concept of podfading, a phenomenon that affects many startup podcasters. Finally, Justin speaks to the ever-evolving and growing podcast industry. He describes his experience listening to podcasts as a mindful experience and feels that everybody should enjoy podcasts as much as he does! 05:08 – Harry welcomes Justin Jackson to the podcast 05:50 – Justin talks about getting others acclimated and comfortable with podcasting 08:51 – Harry tells the story of how he met and started working with Chase Reeves 10:46 – How Justin knows Chase 12:36 – Justin discusses how his work has shifted to focus on podcasting for brands 14:08 – What is Transistor.fm? 15:09 – How Justin broke into the podcasting industry 19:15 – The importance of creative problem solving 20:50 – How Justin met Jon Buda, his partner in Transistor 22:57 – The power of asking yourself, “What do you want?” 26:22 – Justin recalls the conversations that stick out from his work with Marketing for Product People 28:25 – Justin talks about Rob Walling, founder of Drip 29:45 – The back channels of the Internet 34:08 – Justin talks about his project MegaMaker 38:43 – Why it’s imperative for podcast content to be compelling 40:48 – Why Justin believes that not everyone can be a podcaster 46:04 – Podfading defined 49:06 – The importance that Justin placed on having a podcast in conjunction with Transistor 54:55 – The most interesting thing to come out of working with SaaS companies 1:03:52 – The connection between podcasting and business 1:09:36 – Why there’s still room to grow in the podcast industry 1:11:50 – The low barrier to entry of podcasting 1:15:53 – How listening to podcasts can be a mindful experience 1:23:31 – Where Justin got his entrepreneurial spirit and hustle 1:34:41 – Justin’s advice to aspiring entrepreneurs 1:37:58 – The importance of surrounding yourself with the right people 1:43:21 – What is something Justin has changed his mind about recently 1:43:54 – What is the most misunderstood thing about Justin 1:45:44 – Where listeners can follow Justin Full show notes: http://podcastjunkies.com/186★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Harry Duran welcomes to the podcast marketing professional, serial entrepreneur, husband, father, and fellow podcaster, Stephen Hart. Stephen is the founder and host of the show, Trailblazers, a podcast that explores stories of successful black professionals, entrepreneurs, creatives, and corporate leaders. Stephen’s goal is to share stories of black men and women who are doing amazing things within their industries. Stephen is a believer in being authentic and strives to help people discover their true callings. In this episode, Stephen and Harry discuss Podcast Movement, the conference where they originally met. They talk about the supportive nature of the podcasting community and encourage listeners to attend a podcast conference to share in the experience. Stephen discusses his background and the inspiration behind his podcast, Trailblazers. For Stephen, the success of his podcast isn’t measured by downloads, but rather by engagement and impact. His goal over the next five years is to help and positively affect 10,000 lives. It is Stephen’s hope that this will create a ripple effect and that his deeds will continue to spread. Stephen equates this to planting seeds in a garden he will never see. Finally, Stephen talks about his legacy, which includes being a great husband, father, and overall person. 00:59 – Harry welcomes Stephen Hart to the podcast 01:35 – Stephen’s background 04:26 – How Stephen has raised his children to not be dependent on technology and devices 08:35 – How Stephen wound up living in Maryland 09:01 – Stephen and Harry talk about Podcast Movement, the world’s largest podcast conference 14:43 – Stephen talks about MapCon, the Mid-Atlantic Podcast Conference 16:42 – Harry’s freestyle rap story from Podcast Movement 20:39 – Stephen encourages all podcasters to attend a podcast conference 21:54 – The importance of bringing a unique perspective to your podcast 24:01 – What inspired Stephen to start his podcast, Trailblazers 28:57 – How Stephen measures the success of his podcast 30:44 – Stephen shares his idea for his next podcast 32:57 – Harry announces the conference he’s been working to launch, Clarion 34:45 – Stephen speaks to his future goals and the positive impact he wants to achieve 41:52 – Stephen’s other projects 46:09 – Stephen advises entrepreneurs to get their products and services out there 48:37 – Where Stephen got his entrepreneurial spirit and hustle 49:50 – Stephen talks about the mentors that influenced his life and career 53:32 – Stephen recalls geeking out when he met Pat Flynn 56:04 – What is something Stephen has changed his mind about recently? 58:09 – Why Stephen’s legacy is important to him 1:00:14 – Stephen talks about an exercise where he posed 32 questions to his father 1:01:47 – What is the most misunderstood thing about Stephen? 1:04:18 – Where listeners can follow Stephen Full show notes: http://podcastjunkies.com/185★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Harry Duran welcomes to the podcast CEO of Sound Financial Group and fellow podcaster, Paul Adams. Paul is the founder and host of the show, Sound Financial Bites, a podcast that provides people of all backgrounds with general financial information. Paul’s goal is to provide listeners with non-controversial advice that is tangible and actionable so they can increase their knowledge and allow them to make better-informed decisions. In this episode, Paul provides an insight into his background, both in the financial services industry as well as his personal life. Paul has always had a very intense and aggressive personality which, combined with a contagious zeal, has shaped Paul’s success. Paul believes in standing up for what you believe in and preaches these same ideals to his children. Paul speaks to the benefits and strength that come from facing adversity and other hardships. Paul and Harry discuss the importance of getting a clear picture of your future goals so you can take the appropriate action. It is Paul’s theory that taking action and cultivating contentment are two key factors for success. By following this strategy, Paul has been able to achieve success in multiple facets of his life. Finally, Paul shares his thoughts on the benefits of podcasting, including one aspect that often goes overlooked. 00:59 – Harry welcomes Paul Adams to the podcast 01:45 – Why Paul decided to start his podcast, Sound Financial Bites 04:20 – Paul recalls the origins of his technology obsession 08:14 – Paul’s love of flying 09:43 – The newfound appreciation Paul felt after experiencing flying lessons 11:36 – How Paul got into the financial services industry 16:02 – Paul’s aggressive approach to life 19:26 – Deciphering which conflicts are worth tilting into   21:04 – Paul talks about raising his children to stand firm in what they believe 25:07 – The importance of facing adversity and challenges 28:29 – A lesson Paul learned from a former Navy SEAL 31:07 – Paul talks about what it means to ‘live radically within your means’ 34:30 – The biggest challenge to living within your means 39:30 – The importance of surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals, family and friends 41:10 – Paul’s business goal for the upcoming year 44:38 – Spending eighty-three nights in an RV 50:02 – The importance of creating an intention statement in your personal and business lives 53:21 – How Paul has grown as a podcast host 54:42 – Paul gives his opinion on the most difficult part of podcasting 56:32 – One person who has been a true inspiration to Paul 58:39 – What is something Paul has changed his mind about recently 1:03:21 – What is the most misunderstood thing about Paul 1:05:36 – Where listeners can follow Paul 1:06:21 – Paul shares one last thought on podcasting Full show notes: http://podcastjunkies.com/184★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Every single item that surrounds us has a story behind it. Have you ever wondered about the history behind bubble gum, balloons, Kit Kats, mustaches, or Betty White? If so, you’re in luck as I welcome to the podcast author and fellow podcaster, Emily Prokop. Emily is the creator and host of the hit podcast, The Story Behind, which tells the extraordinary history of seemingly ordinary objects, places, and people. The Story Behind was nominated for The Academy of Podcasters’ Awards in 2017 and has been repurposed into a book of the same name. In this episode, we talk about the process of podcasting. With a background in editing and journalism, Emily speaks to how she was able to transfer this skillset to become a successful podcaster. Harry and Emily share their own stories of challenges and obstacles they have faced, including building an audience one listener at a time. Emily discusses the wide variety of topics she covers on her podcast and the creative process she utilizes to come up with fresh and exciting ideas for every show. Finally, Emily chronicles the genesis of her book, The Story Behind and details the journey by which she transformed her podcast into a hit book. 00:53 – Harry welcomes Emily to the podcast 04:13 – Emily’s educational background 06:20 – The decision to start The Story Behind podcast 10:55 – What Emily and Harry like most about podcasting 13:26 – Emily’s first podcasting event 18:21 –Leveraging a journalism background to become successful at podcasting 20:35 – Emily recalls meeting and networking with other podcasters at Podcast Movement 23:29 – How the podcasting community has provided Emily with support and inspiration 25:26 – Building an audience one listener at a time 27:49 – The importance Emily places on researching and preparing for her podcasts 30:53 – Emily recalls recording her first few episodes and worrying that they were too short 35:31 – How Emily comes up with the eclectic topics that her podcast covers 39:19 – The genesis of Emily’s book, The Story Behind, based on her podcast 43:34 – Emily describes the overall experience writing a book 46:12 – What is something Emily has changed her mind about recently? 47:04 – What is the most misunderstood thing about Emily? 52:20 – Where listeners can follow Emily Full show notes: http://podcastjunkies.com/183★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Mark Bologna was born and raised in New Orleans but had moved away by the time Hurricane Katrina hit. He and his wife decided to move back after the storm. Years later, Mark was searching for an idea to base a podcast on, and decided to create “Beyond Bourbon Street,” a view of the New Orleans he’s loved for years. Mark met with me, ironically on the anniversary of Katrina, to discuss his podcast. We talk about the effect of the hurricane on New Orleans, and how the community has grown from the disaster. We talk about Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and how it differs from people’s assumptions. We discuss capturing the different locations of New Orleans. Finally, we discuss capturing our loved ones’ memories on a microphone before it’s too late. Full show notes: http://pjnk.es/182★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Kevin Halbrook and Jaime Ryan heard their local bar, Egan’s was closing. They both realized that they did not want the stories people made there to be lost. They set up a table to record at, and opened the mic up for the bar regulars to tell their tales. I am so happy to welcome Kevin and Jaime to the show. We go over how Egan’s came into their lives, and what inspired them to record the bars stories. We discuss the equipment they bring, and how they chose which stories to share. Finally we discuss how the podcast affected their community, and their lives. 02:00 - what inspired the Duo to create the podcast? 09:15 - How Jaime found Egan’s 11:00 - How the pair went about recording in Egan’s 14:00 - How they chose which stories to publish 15:30 - The gear they bring to Egan’s 21:15 - How Jaime and Kevin met 23:30 - How Kevin and Jaime work well together 25:00 - The bargoers reactions to the podcast 26:30 - The other podcasts Kevin listens to 29:30 - The vast array of people interviewed at bars 33:00 - The new owner of Egan’s 42:30 - Kevin’s return to Egan’s Full Show Notes: http://podcastjunkies.com/Kevin-Halbrook-interview★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Amy Porterfield is a very successful entrepreneur and marketer. Although her early years were rough, she came out on top. Now, with her podcast “Online Marketing Made Easy,” she hopes to inspire the next generation. I am very excited to interview Amy. We discuss how Amy broke into podcasts, and the people she met since then. We talk about Amy’s success, and the arduous path to get there. Finally, we talk about how Amy has been inspired, and who she hopes to reach with her podcast. 03:00 Recording podcast with video 07:30 How Amy got into podcasting 10:00 People Amy has met through podcasting 14:00 Amy’s family 17:50 How Amy’s friends helped her through some big shifts in her career 20:00 Looking back at Amy’s success 22:00 Finding the right intentions 24:50 The mistakes Amy made 27:00 The amount of planning that goes into Amy’s episodes 30:00 Where did Amy’s passion originate? 32:00 Someone who inspired Amy 35:30 The reach and impact of Amy’s podcast 38:15 The value of Amy’s friendships 41:40 Amy’s Photoshoot 43:00 Talking about weight loss Full Show Notes: http://podcastjunkies.com/Amy-Porterfield-interview★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Despite having cerebral palsy, Win Charles has never let it stop her. In fact, it inspired her to become a co-host of the podcast “Our Fractured Minds.” The podcast seeks to help people struggling with mental health issues lead better lives. She also has her own podcast “Ask Win,” where she has in depth interviews with a variety of people. I am truly humbled to have Win as my guest. I ask her what inspired her to take the plunge into podcasting, and how her disability affected her. We talk about Win’s love for nature, especially rock climbing. Finally, I ask Win to offer some foresight into where the podcasting community will go in the future. Full Show Notes: http://podcastjunkies.com/Win-Charles-interview★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jules Hannaford is an interesting woman. For the past 18 years she has been living in Hong Kong, despite being a natural born Australian. She wrote a book titled “Fool Me Twice,” detailing her dangerous experiences in the online dating scene, and how others can avoid what happened to her. For nearly a year now, she has hosted the podcast “Hong Kong Confidential,” interviewing interesting Hong Kong denizens about the ins and outs of the city. I was lucky enough to interview Jules for this episode. She told me about the various podcasts that inspired her to create her podcast. She talks about how Chinese culture views mental health and sexuality, and how they’ve adopted a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Finally Jules shares with me how she finds her guests, and where she hopes she will wind up in the future. Full Show Notes: http://podcastjunkies.com/Jules-Hannaford-interview★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★