Podcaster School

I was just in the middle of recording a podcast interview when a SPIDER dropped into my lap! 😳🤯 Somebody please tell me this is a sign of good luck.

There's a reason there are 3.02 million podcasts out there - podcasting is really fun!

Here's some of what happened to me over the last 3 years of the Leadership School Podcast...

🎙 My confidence soared
🎙 My self-doubt dissipated
🎙 I've met people from all over the globe
🎙 I've learned SO MUCH
🎙 I've established a legacy that I'm proud of.

Success means something different to everyone, and your definition might change depending on the day.

For me - podcasting success meant OVERCOMING.

I did that and so much more.

Comment of DM if you want to know how I did it.

Do you want to grow your brand with confidence - without feeling overwhelmed?

If you're new here, welcome! I'm Kyla Cofer. I coach & speak to leaders on well-being & emotional intelligence. ONE of the ways I do that is through podcasting.

42% of Americans listen to podcasts. People are HUNGRY for growth, for information, for ideas, for YOUR VOICE.

If you're looking for a magic pill - keep looking. But if you're looking to build a LEGACY you're proud of, then stick around.

Your voice matters, and people are begging you to speak up.

I'm helping coaches, consultants and entrepreneurs change the world - and it's powerful.

If you're ready to show up for yourself, comment "ready" and I'll send you the details.

I'm going to let you in on a secret.

When I started podcasting, I was really intimidated by the possibility of guest interviews.

How do I find people? What do I ask them? Would they even want to be on my show?

Now, I have a wait-list of people who want to be on the Leadership School Podcast.

Here's how I did it:
- I started with who I already knew. Who would be a great fit for the show? Who do I trust? Who is kind enough to help someone start out?
- Then, I started asking people I just met.
- Then, I actively began looking for guests I had never heard of.

What's the secret?

You don't have to have all the answers from Day 1. Start with what you do know, and don't quit. The rest will figure itself out as you go. It's that easy.

And it helps to have people who can advise you along the way. I would have given up long ago if I didn't have the right people around me!

Who wants help to master having guests on your show? Comment "guests" and I'll DM you how!

When I started podcasting, I was really intimidated by the possibility of guest interviews.

How do I find people? What do I ask them? Would they even want to be on my show?

Now, I have a wait-list of people who want to be on the Leadership School Podcast.

Here's how I did it:
- I started with who I already knew. Who would be a great fit for the show? Who do I trust? Who is kind enough to help someone start out?
- Then, I started asking people I just met.
- Then, I actively began looking for guests I had never heard of.

You don't have to have all the answers from Day 1. Start with what you do know, and don't quit. The rest will figure itself out as you go.

How I deal with stage fright…

I’ve been performing in front of audiences since 2nd grade, so I never really understood stage fright until more recently.

However, I’ve always had trouble if there was a camera recording me. I’ve no idea what it was about the camera in particular that made me sweat, but I had to work through it.

I use Riverside for recording podcast interviews and it has this awesome 5-4-3-2-1 countdown before the recording starts. I noticed that the countdown itself was actually making me nervous and that would affect the beginning of my interviews.

Here’s what I do:

For podcasts and videos, I take advantage of editing. I hit record as soon as possible in the conversation, and talk through the countdown. I don’t start the actual interview until several minutes into the recording, after we’ve had a normal conversation and I’ve forgotten that I’m even on camera.

As for speaking on stage, I actually get nervous AFTER a talk, because that’s when the opinions & feedback come, right? But at that point, being nervous is pretty pointless.

I’ve learned to notice that any feelings of anxiety are just excitement & energy. So I channel it into energy on stage, and into conversations after. I’ve also found it helps to give myself anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes to slow my breathing down and recenter.

What are your tips for dealing with stage fright?

“I started with zero confidence in my ability to use the podcasting technology, but with Kyla’s system, I’ve been able to fulfill my dream and launch my podcast.”

This person had an idea and a dream to be a podcaster, but technology was holding him back. He had been showing up to podcast meetups for months with no progress.

We started working together, and in just 3 months, he went from having a dream, to 3 episodes released into the universe.

Let me be clear. This person had little to no technology experience. Using email was a challenge. But I worked with him, gave him support, tutorials, and coaching.

If you have experience with using softwares and apps, then creating a podcast will take you even less time.

If there’s something else that’s holding you back, we’ll find it, work through it, and make your dream a reality.

If you’ve even considered a podcast to help your business grow, reach out to me and I’ll show you how I did it.

Have you taken the quiz, yet?
Find out EXACTLY what kind of podcast you should create. Don't get stuck on decision #1. Let us help!
Take the quiz, now.
https://quiz.typeform.com/to/ruvGUnAS

Three years ago, my coach said, “you should start a podcast.”

I thought the idea had merit, but I had no idea where to start.

So I figured it out.

Now, my podcast is listened to all over the world, and I’m helping leaders advance their careers and personal development EVERY WEEK.

I believe secrets aren’t meant to be kept, so I’m sharing what I’ve learned and how I became a successful podcaster.

I’ve helped entrepreneurs who had ZERO technology experience to launch their dream podcast.

If I can teach them to do it - I can teach you.

Podcasting should be fun, help you meet your goals, and build confidence. It shouldn’t be overwhelming or stressful.

That’s what I do at the Podcaster School - I take you step-by-step through starting a podcast. And we have a lot of fun in the process.

My 5 biggest struggles as a new podcaster were:
1. Technology
2. Figuring out what to talk about
3. Finding guests
4. Didn’t feel like I was good enough
5. Getting listeners

Anyone reading this who has the same struggles, here’s my advice:

1. Start with what you have. Use your computer mic, and use a free recording or hosting platform (some podcast hosting sites offer recording).
2. Ask yourself: what lights me up? What could I talk about for hours on end?
3. Who are 5 people you already know that could talk about your topic? Ask them, first.
4. Just having the desire to podcast makes you good enough. Your 100th show will be better than your first, so you just have to start.
5. Prioritize creating an amazing show, and just tell your network, and repeat.

What else are you worried about in starting a podcast?

I'm happy to offer solutions I've learned along the way.

My podcasting routine:

1. Find potential guests through guest networking platforms, or my own network.

2. Schedule a 20-minute introduction call where I….
▶Tell them what to expect on the show
▶Learn their story
▶Agree on a general outline/plan for the episode
▶Schedule the interview + send them a guest agreement & prep sheet

3. Send their bio & headshot to my assistant producer

4. On interview day, I review my notes, and prepare my “studio” (a chair in my basement!)

5. Immediately after the interview, I record the separate introduction, and send notes to my editor.

6. Then my editor and assistant producer make sure that the episode is ready to go.

7. On day of release I notify the guest, and assemble all social media content.

This routine has worked well for me.

Want more?

How to be a leader in podcasting:
- Pick a topic you love
- Create an interesting show, with guests
- Tell everyone you know
- Repeat steps 2 & 3 regularly

Easy-peasy.

Worried that you aren't good enough?

Try these 3 steps:

(1) Set an alert on your phone that repeats every morning during your routine.

(2) Have it send you a message that says, "I'm enough."

(3) Do what you're afraid of, anyway.

A great way to teach yourself that you are, in fact, good enough to do xyz, is by simply doing it. Because in doing, you gain confidence.

Try this for your next podcast, business or adventure and don't look back.

Any questions?

It just take 1 person to say yes.

Remember the last time you had a “friend-date”?

I meet a lot of new people when I’m at events with my kids. Every once in awhile I’ll really connect with someone and we’ll talk about getting our families together.

Sometimes, it’s really easy to do. “we’d like to invite you to a birthday party” and they agree.

Other times, it’s challenging. “Let’s go to the splash park!” meets “Can’t today” and it just never seems to work out until you both just realize the friendship wasn’t meant to be.

But all it takes is for 1 person to say yes, one time.

You can apply this to anything. Finding podcast guests, getting new clients, making friends, growing your business.

Just remember: sometimes YOU have to be the person that says “yes”.

3 of my biggest struggles in podcasting were:
1. Work flow
2. Content ideas
3. Editing

If you have the same struggles, here’s my advice:

1. With each episode, write down what you’re doing. Then create templates for the work. For example, if you create quotes in Canva, create several templates for them and then just use them on repeat.

2. Ask yourself “what do I want to know more about”?

3. You don’t have to edit, but if you want to, create a process for it so you do the same 10 steps each episode. Don’t try to be perfect or to erase all the “ums and ahs”. If you can afford it, hire an editor and just let this go completely.

What else are you worried about in starting a podcast?

Here’s how I interview guest podcasters:

🎙I start with an introductory conversation. This is over zoom, and lasts 20 minutes max.

🎙In the call, I make sure they know what Leadership School is all about, and the expectations of an episode.

🎙Then, I ask for a brief version of their story, and what they expect to discuss.

🎙We make an outline for an episode.

🎙Then we schedule it, send agreements, etc.

That’s it!

Do you have any questions about working with guests on your podcast?

Podcasts with guests are better than host-only podcasts.

Here’s why:
▶ you get more voices and opinions
▶ a back-and-forth conversation is more entertaining than listening to one person drone on
▶ both host and guest get the benefit of sharing each other’s audiences

Am I missing anything?

Are you worried that people will think you aren’t qualified?

Here’s what to do:
Tell yourself every day: The expert is the person who didn’t give up.
Write down a list of the 1-5 people whose opinion TRULY matters to you. Refer to it often.
Go forward. You’re more than qualified for the person who needs you.

Try this next time you find yourself shrinking back from something, and let me know how it goes.

Most successful entrepreneurs have daily routines and to-do lists. But I’ve had to learn to spread those out over a week instead of a day.

In addition to running my company, I’m a 40 year old, stay-at-home mom to two kids under 8. My main parenting responsibilities include education (we homeschool), scheduling friend time, and encouraging emotional intelligence.

I’m also really intentional about slowing down, because I’m forever recovering from burnout, anxiety, and other mental health issues.

To try and navigate a DAILY business task list can be a lot.

So I’ve learned to be flexible and patient. Instead of “what can I accomplish in a day”, I think about “where do I want to be a week from now?”

The tasks still get done, but not always on the timeline my 20 year old self imagined.

I’ve learned that time is always available to me, and I get to decide how to spend it.

There are days, great and amazing days, when everything works perfectly in sync. And there are days when everything (everything) falls apart.

And I’m here for all of it.

So if you’re juggling all the different parts of you and not sure how to keep up, try putting on your H-A-T:

🎓 H- Have compassion for yourself
🎓A - Accept flexibility
🎓T - Time is a currency, and you get to choose how to spend it, and whether to enjoy it.

By following this pattern, I’ve managed to make thousands of dollars while working from home, raising amazing children, and helping people transform their lives.

You can do it, I believe in you.

Podcaster School isn't one of those podcast programs that only talks & teaches about podcasting. I (Kyla Cofer) know about podcasting because I AM a podcaster. The Leadership School Podcast was so successful in accomplishing my goals and building my audience, that people kept asking how I did it. So if you're curious about whether or not I can walk the talk - take a listen to Leadership School.

http://leadershipschoolpodcast.com/

Have you been worried that no one will listen to your podcast?

Here are 2 perspectives that might help.

🎙 1. So what? If not even 1 single person listens to what you’ve created - create it anyway.
Taking an idea from inside your MIND and putting it out into the world is incredible. If you put all this time, effort and energy into creating something that you’re passionate about and proud of - who cares if not even your grandmother listens to it? You’re bringing life to an idea and that’s freaking amazing.

🎙2. Stop listening to your fear. If you’re putting effort into something, I promise you - somebody will listen to it. And that somebody will turn into 2 somebodies. Then 4. And none of them will be your grandmother. Believe in yourself and what you’re creating.

Drop your podcast idea in the comments so we can all cheer you on.

If you want to start a podcast but are getting stuck on some of the details, I recommend taking 30 minutes to listen to your top 10 podcasts. Don’t listen to the whole episode - just find the part that matches where you’re stuck, and see how they do it.

Take notes. Literally. Write down notes.

We’re all here to learn from each other.

By really paying attention to the “how” and not just the “what” of your favorite shows, you’ll not only figure out how you want to go forward, but that there was never a “right” way to do it to begin with.

What kind of Podcaster are you?

Take the quiz and find out!

Podcaster School Personalized training and coaching support for beginning podcasters

I'm in my 3rd year of the Leadership School Podcast, and people kept asking me: can you teach me to start a podcast? So that's what I did.

Podcaster School is a complete online course to take you from idea to launched. We included personal coaching, community support and we'll even edit your first two episodes.

Our goal: make your podcast a success starting with episode #1.

Welcome to Podcaster School! Before you know it, your ideas, knowledge and expertise will be helping people around the globe through your podcast. This is really exciting! We're thrilled to join you on your podcasting journey!