358-What Camp Footprint Taught Me

Have you ever had an experience that changed the way you show up in the world? One that reignited your passion and reminded you why you care so deeply? Today I return from a 19-day summer break after volunteering at Camp Footprint, a sleepaway camp for kids living with CMT (Charcot Marie Tooth Disease). I served on the programming staff and rediscovered “Little Marc,” the playful, present version of myself who still believes in the power of community. This experience reminded me that podcasting isn’t only about numbers or downloads...it’s about people. The kids at camp showed me what it means to feel seen, supported, and celebrated. What I brought home from camp wasn’t a gear review or new tech tip,it was candy runs, laughter, and a reminder that play builds community. And that’s exactly the spirit I want to bring back to this show.
Episode Highlights:
[01:26] Introducing the Team and Camp Footprint
[04:43] Song Swap Showdown Announcement
[14:45] Impact of Camp Footprint on Me
[22:57] Reconnecting with Little Marc
[27:56] Handling Unexpected Challenges
[29:20] The True Meaning of Community in Podcasting
[32:20] Incorporating Playfulness into Work
[45:45] Redefining Success in Podcasting
[55:00] Centering People Over Metrics
Links & Resources:
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Song Swap Showdown:
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Good morning podcasting morning
chat.
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Today is Tuesday, August 26th,
2025, and today the mic turns my
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way as I unpack how volunteering
at Camp Footprint reshaped my
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approach to podcasting with
fresh takes on presence,
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community building, and showing
up with the authenticity.
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So if you're listening live on
Clubhouse, hit the share button,
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bottom left hand side of the
screen and share it.
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However, Clubhouse lets you.
And if you're listening via
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podcast, please share this
episode with a fellow podcaster.
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00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:43,240
And now give us about 30 seconds
and we'll get things rolling.
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Thanks for being here.
Good morning again, podcasting,
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Morning chat.
Thanks so much for being here.
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Welcome back.
I am your host Mark Ronic and
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here on stage with me we have
producer Ashley Feller, Nick
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Naulback, Dr. Fey, Jonathan
Howard, Sid Meadows and also
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Chris Baglio has joined us as
well.
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I'll explain why Chris is up
here already on stage in a
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moment.
First, thank you for allowing me
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to take.
I was just talking to YouTube
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Live 'cause I go live first
there before we go live here and
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I was saying this has been, I
believe 19 days since I've been
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here with you.
As some of you know, I part of
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the reason was I took a little
over a week off to from work
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from life to go volunteer at a
summer camp, an overnight camp
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for kids with the disability CMT
Charcot Marie tooth disease.
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And that's actually I know DRI
know you had said while I was
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out in my absence that this is
something I've done yearly and
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it's actually not.
This was the first time that
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I've done this.
So I just first let me just make
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sure.
Can you hear me OK?
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We can hear you, Mark.
Oh, OK, I am confused but DRI
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can't hear you for some reason,
but that the fact that I could
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hear Ashley makes me feel
better.
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Ashley, can you come on, Mike,
real quick?
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Absolutely.
Good morning.
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OK, Dr., I'm going to try you
once more.
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Dr. we can't hear you.
I'm not even seeing your little
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profile light up when you talk
here on Clubhouse.
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You may want to leave and come
back because Dr. has a whole
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bunch of questions prepared for
me, I believe, about my trip.
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So we need to figure out what's
going on with Dr. Anyway, so I
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spent a week at this camp and I
got to tell you, it really was.
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If you saw my Facebook post, if
you saw my newsletter that came
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out this past week, this was a
really big life changing
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experience for me.
And 1st, I should say just a
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little bit about Camp Footprint
just to set it up and then we'll
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come back to the whole
experience in a moment.
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But it is a place where kids and
actually adults too with CMT
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arrive.
And as I said in the Facebook
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post, immediately feel proud,
free and deeply connected.
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I wish I could just transport
you there to really feel what it
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feels like to be there.
But from the moment it begins,
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you see these kids instantly
transform.
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Everyone feels like they belong.
Nobody's worried about what
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others think about them and
their disability.
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Everyone celebrated.
And the thing that really blows
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me away is I heard several times
from counselors, from campers,
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those that have CMT, that they
say how grateful they are to
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actually have CMT because
without it, they probably
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wouldn't have found each other.
They wouldn't have had this
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particular community.
And there's a lot more to the to
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it to unpack.
So we will do that first.
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Let me check in with DRDR. Can
we hear you now?
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Let's see.
No, we are still not hearing Dr.
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OK, I will work with Dr. behind
the scenes.
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I want to first check in with
Chris Vaglio, long time
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community member of the
podcasting morning chat.
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In fact, technically longer than
me because he was here when this
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thing first started up and I
rebooted it a few years ago.
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And Chris also the host of Song
Swap Showdown.
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It's been Co Co hosting that
show with our friend Amanda
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Sharp, who joins us regularly
here.
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And I, I'm sure some of you who
follow Chris already know about
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the particular announcement that
I'm kind of teasing here, but I
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wanted Chris to share a little
bit here with us as well.
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So, Chris, please share a little
bit about what's going on with
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Song Swap Showdown and good
morning to you.
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Hey, good morning to you too.
It's been a hot minute since
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I've been on, but happy to be
back and talk a little bit about
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what's going on.
Yeah, like Mark said, for
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anybody that follows the show
regularly, we have a lot of
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friends in this room.
I'm sure a lot of you have been
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up to date at least to a point
as to what's going on.
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Released a video the other day
too, sort of explaining to our
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community what's happening.
And you know, and this is the
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topic that's been talked about
on this show many times, which
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was about changes in podcasts
and partnerships.
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So what happened is that we've
been doing this show now for
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over 5 years together.
Really started right out of this
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community.
Amanda and I connected through
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this community, became friends,
started creating content
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together.
She was on my podcast at the
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time and then it turned into
Song Swap Showdown because we
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wanted to do a show together.
Wound up starting out on
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Fireside when that was a thing.
You know, we've done the show
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consistently weekly on Mondays
live from 8:00 to 9:00,
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sometimes 8 to 10.
We've gone back and forth
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between two hours and 1 hours
pretty much every week though.
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I mean, it's you know, it
doesn't seem like a lot, but
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it's a lot when you're doing it
live a week.
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We had it down to a formula.
We had a good template going so
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we would cut down on time.
But you know, Amanda is to me
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like she's the gold of the show.
My Co host.
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It works really well because
she's not super music savvy and
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I tend to be more music savvy.
So it's it's always was really
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fun and the music was sort of
the point of talking.
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But the real kind of magic was
the two of us, you know, going
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on back and forth in our
personalities and everything.
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Anyway, so we decided that for
the first time ever in the
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history of the show, we would
take the summer off, or at least
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part of the summer.
So we decided to take July off.
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her and I have both had a lot of
stuff going on in our lives.
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2025 has been a very weird year.
A lot has happened all at once,
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and I feel like I've still been
processing this year even as
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we're winding it down.
Amanda got involved in a lot of
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different things.
She has a business as well. her
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and I both have businesses that
we run.
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She her business, she's poured a
lot of time and energy and
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effort into into getting that
off the ground.
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And part of that has been to be
involved in a lot of things
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going on in her town to help the
business district there grow, to
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make Ida an actual destination.
This woman, you guys know
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Amanda, but she's probably one
of the hardest working people
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and most determined people I've
ever met.
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She motivates me.
I feed off her energy.
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So with that being said, we
decided to take July off kind of
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recent or recharge a bit.
And we took July.
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And then as we were getting
closer to the end of July, I
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started saying, hey, you want to
set the date for our comeback.
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Then she asked for a little bit
more time off and I said, of
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course, no problem, Andy, you
take as much time as you want.
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So I started going back on and
at least doing live just to sort
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of reactivate the community and
keep everybody engaged.
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And then I cloud out asked her,
you know, if she wanted to
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continue doing the show, if she
was ready to move on, like what
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did she want to do?
And ultimately, she came to the
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decision that with everything
going on, she was going to step
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back from doing the show.
So it wasn't a surprise.
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I expected it to happen.
Her and I are on great terms.
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We love each other, going to
ask.
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About friends.
I think that's important to know
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like it, you know, is because
I'm sure that's one thing that
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people are thinking like, OK,
how are Chris and Amanda now
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that this has happened?
We are great.
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I mean, we honestly, we, we
still talk in our chat like
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weekly.
We share a lot of personal stuff
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with each other still.
She's my best friend and I know
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she's shared that sentiment of
me too.
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I mean, we have become very,
very close to each other and you
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know, and share a lot of
personal stuff with each other.
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So it's, you know, we're more
than just Co hosts.
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We are still friends and, and
obviously, you know, and I, she
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knows this.
I mean, this is our show.
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We created this thing together
and I, and if she wasn't OK with
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me continuing on, she would tell
me and we talked about it and I
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said, would you mind if I
continued on if I got a new Co
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host?
I wasn't even sure if I was even
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going to do another Co host.
I didn't know if I was even
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going to continue doing song
swap showdown.
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I was thinking about maybe
starting to do stuff on my own.
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But honestly, I love it better
with a Co host.
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It's just more fun for me as a
creator to have someone to
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bounce off of.
So we talked about it and she
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was like, listen, you pretty
much, you know, whatever you
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want to do is up to you.
I'm fine.
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And I've I've always told her
she has an open door, like even
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if she ever wants to just come
on as a one time or whatever,
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kind of how she, you know, when
she comes back on this show
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every now and then.
So we decided, you know, I'm
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going to keep the show going.
And I was supposed to have a
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debut brand new episode last
night.
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And then of course, there was an
Internet outage here in my area,
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which didn't come back on until
about ten 11:00 last night.
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So and I was like, well, maybe I
can hotspot it with my phone.
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Yeah.
Trying to hotspot and stream
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video over the Internet isn't
always a viable solution.
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It was like barely crawling.
So I'm like, I forget it.
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We're just pulling the plug on
tonight and let's do it again.
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We'll just do it tomorrow.
So it's actually technically
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tonight.
Yes, tonight debuting a new
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episode of Song Swap Show on
live.
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We changed the time too, so now
we're going to be on instead of
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doing an 8:00 AM Monday morning
show, it's going to be a 7:00 PM
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Monday evening show is going to
be except for this, which is
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except for this week, it'll be
Tuesday at 7:00 AM and maybe
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next week too because it's a
holiday.
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So oh.
That's true, yeah.
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So maybe that's a sign Chris
that maybe Tuesdays are are your
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00:11:13,560 --> 00:11:15,480
night.
So you do have a new Co host,
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you're just not revealing who
that Co host is yet.
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I do have a new Co host and
yeah, I, I figure I'll leave it
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for a surprise for anybody
that's curious and wants to tune
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in.
I mean, I know Mark, you know
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who it is already.
And, and of course Amanda does
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too.
And a few people close know who
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it is already.
And you know, and listen, it's
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all fun.
We'll give it a try.
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We'll see how it goes.
You know, it's either going to
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work or it's not.
So we're we're excited to get it
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going again.
I mean, listen, it took Amanda
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and I probably about, I think
like 10 episodes before we
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started fitting into a groove.
So I know it's not going to be
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the same show, so to speak.
I mean, it's different energy.
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Amanda's irreplaceable and what
Amanda brings is what Amanda
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brings.
Like, it's going to be a
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different feel for sure, and
we'll get into a groove.
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The format is still the same
though, so that's not changing.
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It's just probably going to be a
little different energy I would
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think just 'cause you know,
Amanda's Amanda, there's only
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one Amanda in this world and
Amanda does what Amanda does
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best and, and which is fine.
And my Co host is not looking to
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be Amanda.
Part 2.
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It's not no.
And like you said, I do know and
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I will say you did you, you'd
made a smart move, you found
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somebody that you have strong
chemistry with already.
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And I think that will help a lot
with the transition because
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that's the big, that's the big
challenge for podcasters.
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If you do lose a Co host and you
want to bring in another one, or
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even if you decide not to, it's
it changes things for your
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audience.
It's a new landscape, it's a new
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place.
You know, they have to get used
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to the change and to bring
somebody in that you've got that
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built in chemistry with already
helps smooth that over a little
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bit.
Yeah, I mean, if anything, it
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should be pretty funny.
And I think going forward it'll
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add for some really good humor.
And, you know, I think that the
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fun fact will definitely be
there and I think people will
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get a get a kick out of it.
And, you know, I think as we get
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used to doing the show together
in in this way and all that,
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like more things will, you know,
fit into a groove type of thing.
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You know, it's like being in a
band for, you know, when you
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start playing with a bunch of
new musicians or you bring a new
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member of the band in, like,
they bring a lot.
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But like, you know, just trying
to get it to sort of work and
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get that chemistry again.
Is it takes time.
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Like, to your point, Mark, it's
somebody I know pretty well
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already.
So.
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Yeah.
Yeah.
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So it should be fun.
I'm looking forward to it.
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I was kind of like, oh, I can't
believe the Internet's out and
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we can't do this until tomorrow.
But hey, it is what it is.
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It's, you know, it's not like
we're, you know, saving lives
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here.
We wish you all the luck in the
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world.
You have our full support.
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We're going to put a link in the
show notes so people can go and
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check out the new debut then all
new look of song swap showdown
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and by the wayside note for
everybody.
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I did talk to Amanda.
She is going to be joining us
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this Friday to share a little
bit about what's next for her
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because look, I think I think
and I'm this is my
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interpretation.
It's not what Amanda told me,
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but from what I'm hearing from
Chris, what I've heard from
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Amanda, it sounds like she's at
least temporarily retiring from
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podcasting and that's going to
likely include the podcasting
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morning chat as well.
But she is going to join us
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Friday to so we can pick her
brain a little bit and hear what
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she's up to next.
And you know where she is really
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the founder of the original
podcasting morning Chat.
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It wouldn't be right not to have
her here to share a little bit
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about what's next.
So we're looking forward to that
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as well.
And again, best of luck to Chris
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with that.
I'd like to transition into this
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experience I had at Camp
Footprint.
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That's the name of the camp I
volunteered at.
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And really, I know some of you
may think, well, how is he going
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to do this?
How is he going to thread this
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needle on a show about
podcasting?
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Well, I mean, I think I've
learned a lot about myself
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through this volunteering.
And I think it's changed me.
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And it's changed a lot of how I
believe I'm going to approach
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podcasting.
And in some ways, to be honest
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with you, I'm not even sure how
it's changed me.
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I think that I'm still
processing and all I can tell
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you from the start here is that
something's going to be
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different.
Something is going to change,
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whether it's specific to this
show, specific to my business,
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specific to the Empowered
Podcasting Conference or and all
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00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:43,360
of the above.
I still haven't figured it all
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00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:47,560
out yet, but there will be
changes and there is a lot I
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have figured out.
So Dr. has prepared some
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00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:52,800
questions and where we've got
all these people on stage who
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Alex Baelish has joined us, Jeff
McMahon has joined us as well.
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00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:01,480
And everybody and anybody is
welcome to ask any questions
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along the way about my
experience.
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00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:07,520
This is not just a solo
interview for Dr. but I know Dr.
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00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:10,560
has some questions for me to
help keep the conversation
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00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:13,520
going.
First, let's make sure DRS Mic
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00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:16,040
is working now.
Dr. Good morning.
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00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:21,920
Can you or oh, wait, it's 718,
you're cooking and we still
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00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:25,040
don't hear Dr. Darn it, this is
going to make things a little
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00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:27,240
interesting.
Dr. We still can't hear you.
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00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:31,920
Ashley, I know you have some of
the questions as well, or some
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00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:35,600
of your own, maybe even.
Would you be open to kicking us
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00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:38,360
off while Dr. tries to figure
out her tech issue?
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00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:40,360
Should we start with the ice
breaker?
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Sure.
Yeah, let's do that.
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00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:44,800
Why don't and why don't you go
ahead and kick it off with the
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00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:46,760
icebreaker.
We'll ask the room if anybody
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wants to share some of their
experiences.
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Go ahead.
So when was the last time that
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you experienced something and
this can be either a trip, a
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00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:59,360
movie, a lecture, a meeting with
someone, etcetera, that had a
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00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:04,119
true impact on you, the kind of
impact that has stayed with you
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till this day?
I'll, I'll make my answer short
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00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:09,520
and sweet.
And that is just about any music
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festival that I've ever attended
intended.
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There's something about them.
I go there, I love being out
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with nature, I love being with
other creatives.
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And when I come home, I always
feel refreshed.
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And I imagine that your
experience, it can't might have
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been like that.
Yeah, camp was definitely like
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that.
And I love your answer too.
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And I want to encourage anybody,
if you have any experience and
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you know, Ashley gave you a few
different options and it doesn't
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have to be from that list.
You know, mine is doesn't fit in
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00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:39,720
that list, right?
Mine was an experience
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volunteering at a summer camp.
Does anybody have anything that
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00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:47,080
they want to share an experience
that you really feel like after
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00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:49,480
going through it, it really
changed you?
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00:17:50,360 --> 00:17:54,200
And if not, I'll let people
think about it and we can move
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00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:58,120
on to the first question that
Dr. and Ashley had for me.
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00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:01,040
And again, Ashley, I'm going to
go to you because at the very
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00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:04,120
least, Dr. is cooking right now
and hopefully her tech issues
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00:18:04,120 --> 00:18:07,760
will go away.
So why don't you take it away
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00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:10,120
with the first question?
Absolutely.
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And and by the way, I loved your
newsletter.
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I was reading it to myself and
you wrote in your newsletter
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00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:20,320
that you didn't come back from
camp with any new podcasting
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00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:24,360
tips or any gear reviews, but
with something that was even
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00:18:24,360 --> 00:18:27,840
more valuable.
So how was that shift in
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perspective change the way you
approach your work from
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00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:33,840
day-to-day now?
I was going to just say it's
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maybe a new daily rule, but it's
not really new.
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I think it's just a, A, a
refound approach to the rule,
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which is people 1st.
And if I'm taking it a step
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00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:49,640
further, I would say it's
actually the rule is people
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00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:54,480
first, then the content and then
the analytics.
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It's not to say that it hasn't
been people first before.
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00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:03,600
It's just after going through
this experience, it's now people
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first more than ever.
So why do I say this?
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Because I found that the camp is
a relatively small community.
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I think when you talk about the
adults too, they were around 130
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people and everybody felt, at
least from what I saw, everyone
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felt seen, everyone felt heard.
And it really started with the
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00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:30,200
leadership, which I we'll get
into some of that too, because I
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think leadership is a big key in
podcasting as well.
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00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:39,800
But it made me recognize that
people, no matter how many you
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have, you got to start with
serving the people 1st and
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building a community first.
I guess what I'm getting at here
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is that the way I want to do
this moving forward is each
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morning I'm planning on and
including today setting an
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intention.
Who will I make feel seen today?
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You know it can be 1 listener,
could be one guest, it could be
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one of my Co hosts.
Maybe then I want to send them a
355
00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:14,360
short note of voice memo,
something that I can let them
356
00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:19,240
know that, you know, I felt the
connection with them today, not
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00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:23,160
just leaving it on the show and
walking away until tomorrow.
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Like really connecting with the
people that I feel like either
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00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:30,880
made an impact or were impacted.
I talked about the Candyman,
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00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:34,080
which we'll get into.
This was a role that I had at
361
00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:39,000
camp, but it taught me a lot
about creating rituals.
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00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:41,440
So what with the candy man
thing?
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00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:45,200
For those of you who haven't
heard, this was a a new thing I
364
00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:49,520
brought to the camp this year.
And granted, it sounds a little
365
00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:52,760
creepy when you think about it.
Here's a grown man offering
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00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:57,520
candy to adults, but we made it
a thing.
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00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:00,800
You, you think of it like the
ice cream man, but just change
368
00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:05,040
it to candy and it's all free.
And instead of a truck, think of
369
00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:08,320
a golf cart, because that's
basically what I had.
370
00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:11,720
I had a golf cart cart with a
little flatbed behind it with
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00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:16,640
lots of candy loaded in there.
And I went around and joined all
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00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:19,360
the different activities and
they all, all the kids would
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00:21:19,360 --> 00:21:23,720
line up behind me and ask for,
you know, well, ask for the
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00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:25,800
different kinds of candy I had
to offer.
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00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:28,120
It was a lot of fun.
And we'll, we'll get into it
376
00:21:28,120 --> 00:21:31,760
more throughout this thing.
But it really showed me that,
377
00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:36,280
you know, creating rituals,
creating something special is
378
00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:40,960
something I really want to add
to the show as much as possible.
379
00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:45,720
Something playful that really
lets people loosen up, invites
380
00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:48,200
them in.
So I don't know what that is
381
00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:50,240
yet.
And I do recognize these are
382
00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:53,920
some things that I have
attempted to do before, right?
383
00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:57,640
Like, for example, we play games
sometimes, sometimes if those of
384
00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:00,800
you who remember couple years
ago, we used to do the wheel of
385
00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:02,200
topics.
We haven't done the wheel of
386
00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:06,040
topics in a while, right?
But that's that's adding a
387
00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:10,800
ritual, that's adding something
to the show that connects
388
00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:13,800
people.
So something like that, trying
389
00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:16,800
to do that more often and
finding the ones that work and
390
00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:21,240
really leaning into those.
I love that Mark and I love what
391
00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:26,600
you said about recognizing how
to make everybody feel seen.
392
00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:31,400
I think it was Mary Kay Ash that
said everyone is walking around
393
00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:34,360
with an invisible that sign that
says please see me.
394
00:22:34,360 --> 00:22:38,920
So the fact that you recognize
that is is really valuable.
395
00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:43,000
And it sounds like you may have
even recognized a part of your
396
00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,720
younger self.
You know, you mentioned in your
397
00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:50,280
newsletter that you reconnected
with little Mark at Camp
398
00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:53,240
Footprint.
What does keeping that version
399
00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:56,640
of yourself look like like in
practice with when you're behind
400
00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:58,880
the mic?
This whole thing about Little
401
00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:02,640
Mark, I've, I touched on it in
that newsletter and in that
402
00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:08,760
Facebook post and I actually
came into camp really hoping to
403
00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:12,760
reconnect with my inner child,
which which I'm calling Little
404
00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:17,000
Mark, right?
Camp is something that made a
405
00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:20,760
huge impact in my life and
continued into adulthood way
406
00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:25,520
past going to camp.
My closest relationships in my
407
00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:29,320
life are with people that I went
to camp with as a kid.
408
00:23:29,320 --> 00:23:33,360
Not high school, not college.
I mean, sure, I keep up with
409
00:23:33,360 --> 00:23:37,880
relationships from those areas
of my life, but not the deep,
410
00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:39,880
meaningful ones.
Those all come from camp,
411
00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:43,240
including the woman that I'm
married to and my best friend
412
00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:47,160
who runs that camp.
So camp is important to me.
413
00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:51,480
It means a lot to me.
I think one of the biggest
414
00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:55,520
things that it reminds me of
going back after all these years
415
00:23:55,520 --> 00:24:00,160
is I don't play enough as a kid.
I wish Yvonne was here right now
416
00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:04,880
because I think Yvonne would be
jumping for joy right now just
417
00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:08,200
in the fact that I'm saying I
need to play more.
418
00:24:09,360 --> 00:24:15,320
I've gotten way too serious.
I, I see it now that I spent
419
00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:17,920
this week away being a kid
again.
420
00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:22,040
And of course there's a time and
a place for being serious.
421
00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:24,440
Oh, and then there's Yvonne.
Just when I mentioned her,
422
00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:28,480
Yvonne, I'm talking about being
a kid and playing more.
423
00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:32,400
And I'm recognizing that from my
experience of volunteering at
424
00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:36,800
camp, how much I've stopped
doing that and I've incorporated
425
00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:39,120
some things.
I think these improv classes
426
00:24:39,120 --> 00:24:44,120
that I continue to take is part
of that play, but I need to do
427
00:24:44,120 --> 00:24:47,960
more of it and I want to do more
of it no matter what I'm doing.
428
00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:52,960
I think that for me, and I see
it in others, not everyone, but
429
00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:56,800
I see it in others.
I think that we put on the
430
00:24:56,800 --> 00:25:02,760
professional hats or our podcast
host hats and we show up as
431
00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:07,000
somebody a little bit different
than who we believe we are truly
432
00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:10,080
authentically right.
We feel like we have to be a
433
00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:16,640
certain way sometimes for an
audience or for a community, and
434
00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:21,520
what I'm finding is that the
more I'm actually just being who
435
00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:26,000
I am and playing more and having
fun and not taking things so
436
00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:29,320
seriously all the time, that's
what connects me with people.
437
00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:33,360
I think what I'm going to do
again, I'm going to add more
438
00:25:33,360 --> 00:25:37,360
playful rituals like I talked
about a moment ago, like adding
439
00:25:37,360 --> 00:25:41,720
more games, adding more segments
that just feel more fun that we
440
00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:44,640
can also learn from.
But sometimes maybe it's just to
441
00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:47,720
have a little fun to help us all
loosen up a little bit.
442
00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:51,000
So yeah, I hope I've answered
your question, but that's what I
443
00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:54,800
mean by connecting with little
Mark and how I feel like it's
444
00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:58,280
going to pour into how I podcast
Ashley.
445
00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:00,400
Very cool.
And I have a question just
446
00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:03,920
because I've never had the sleep
away camp experience that I know
447
00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:07,600
about camp footprint having done
a little bit of work with the
448
00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:12,040
CMTA and that is, you know, in
the way that the actual camp is
449
00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:13,960
run.
When you get up in the morning,
450
00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:16,720
do people kind of like have
breakfast and then break off
451
00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:19,800
into activities and then
everybody kind of comes together
452
00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:22,960
in the evening for one big group
outing?
453
00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:25,560
How does it work?
Yeah, it's a pretty typical way
454
00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:28,040
that a summer camp, overnight
camp is run.
455
00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:30,520
You wake up for breakfast,
everybody does breakfast
456
00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:35,480
together at like 8:30, and that
goes on for like an hour or so.
457
00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:40,400
With this camp, what they do is
after breakfast, they all get
458
00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:44,920
together in that same dining
hall area and they do something
459
00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:49,960
called chair dancing.
CMT affects your legs and arms,
460
00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:54,960
more specifically wrists,
fingers, hands and ankles, feet
461
00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:57,440
and toes.
So they do chair dancing because
462
00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:01,600
some of these kids can't stand
on their own and they are in a
463
00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:05,600
wheelchair and other kids it's
just uncomfortable to stand for
464
00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:09,280
long periods of time or dance
for any period of time.
465
00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:11,600
So they do this thing called
chair dancing and it's
466
00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:15,360
choreographed and led by a
professional dancer.
467
00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:18,760
So it's it's really fun, really
cool and a great way to start
468
00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:21,720
the day for these kids.
And everyone gets back together
469
00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:24,840
for lunch and then a couple of
activities in the afternoon and
470
00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:28,280
then dinner.
And then there's always a camp
471
00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:32,160
wide activity in the evening
time and then everyone goes to
472
00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:34,120
bed.
That's basically how it's around
473
00:27:34,120 --> 00:27:36,280
Ashley.
And you know, just because it's
474
00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:39,720
an event, there's always
something unexpected that
475
00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:43,080
happens in the operations, like
maybe somebody thinks they
476
00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:45,200
ordered something and it doesn't
come in.
477
00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:49,040
Was there any kind of snafus
where in the moment it was like,
478
00:27:49,040 --> 00:27:52,280
oh, shoot, where is that thing
or why didn't that thing work
479
00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:54,280
right?
And now it's kind of humorous.
480
00:27:54,280 --> 00:27:56,720
Anything like that?
Great question.
481
00:27:56,800 --> 00:28:00,720
I think that at a camp in this
one too, you know, there are
482
00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:05,600
always moments like that and
it's not that big of a stress.
483
00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:09,200
I mean, it's it's a concern and
then you have a whole team of
484
00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:12,320
people and it gets handled
pretty quickly.
485
00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:15,800
So, you know, I think like the
biggest issue was maybe that I
486
00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:19,240
can think of off the top of my
head was the one day that
487
00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:22,520
there's an off camp, off site
gathering it.
488
00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:26,560
It's at a lake that's nearby,
probably 20 minutes away.
489
00:28:26,560 --> 00:28:31,560
And there the week was calling
for rain that day all week long.
490
00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:33,640
It was calling for rain all day
long.
491
00:28:34,040 --> 00:28:37,360
And so we last minute pivoted
and had to switch a lot of
492
00:28:37,360 --> 00:28:40,200
things around, you know, from
one day to the other.
493
00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:42,920
So Wednesday became Thursday,
Thursday became Wednesday.
494
00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:45,720
And of course then there was no
rain at all that day.
495
00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:50,960
But we were prepared for it and
we just rolled with it, which I
496
00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:52,680
guess is also a lesson too,
right?
497
00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:54,880
There's going to always be
issues, like we're dealing with
498
00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:59,400
an issue right now with Dr. not
being able to, not her mic isn't
499
00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:03,120
working and you got to roll with
it and just find another way to
500
00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:06,160
do it and always have some
backup plans, which we did in
501
00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:08,720
this case.
We had Ashley prepared as well.
502
00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:11,440
So there you go.
That's exactly what we're doing.
503
00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:14,640
I encourage anybody who has any
questions, please come up and
504
00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:16,960
feel free to engage with our
conversation.
505
00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:20,400
Until then, I'm going to try to
pull it back to podcasting.
506
00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:24,560
You know, community could
sometimes feel like a buzzword
507
00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:26,600
in podcasting.
We hear it all the time.
508
00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:31,360
And from your perspective, what
differentiates a surface level
509
00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:35,480
community from one that's
really, really transformative?
510
00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:39,880
I've been thinking about that
word a lot, community, since I
511
00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:43,400
went to this camp.
And it's true that it does get
512
00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:46,320
thrown around a lot, especially
in podcasting.
513
00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:50,200
And I think that sometimes it
can lose its meaning because we
514
00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:53,800
hear it so often.
And what I saw at Camp Footprint
515
00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:58,080
gave me a clearer picture of
what turns a podcast audience
516
00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:02,080
into that community.
So at camp, it was about showing
517
00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:06,840
up for each other and especially
for the kids, which, you know,
518
00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:09,840
in my opinion this is relates to
like an audience, right?
519
00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:14,720
Kids were cheering each other
on, staff was giving their full
520
00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:19,520
attention, full presence,
everyone taking part, not just
521
00:30:19,520 --> 00:30:22,560
consuming what was happening
around them, right?
522
00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:26,000
That's the shift of that.
I want to continue to carry into
523
00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:29,520
podcasting and what we do here.
And that's what I continue
524
00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:33,280
others to do.
A surface level community is
525
00:30:33,280 --> 00:30:37,680
just a group of people that all
listen to the same show, right?
526
00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:41,080
If we're relating this to
podcasting and a real community
527
00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:45,360
is when those that are listening
feel like they belong to
528
00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:49,160
something and want to engage
with each other, not just with
529
00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:51,760
me.
And we see that happening in
530
00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:54,680
this community all the time.
People are guesting on each
531
00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:57,480
other's shows.
People are meeting up in person
532
00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:00,480
for the first time.
I know Sid met a several people
533
00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:04,320
from this community last week at
podcast Movement Janae in the
534
00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:08,720
audience, we met several people
from this community and we go
535
00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:12,720
out of our way to do that.
We're excited to do that.
536
00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:17,640
To me, the most valuable thing
when creating a community and
537
00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:19,520
I'm going to, I'm not going to
say an audience.
538
00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:23,640
I think that if we go in as
podcasters to our podcast with
539
00:31:23,640 --> 00:31:26,520
the intention to create a
community, to build and grow a
540
00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:31,320
community, not an audience, not
download numbers, but focusing
541
00:31:31,320 --> 00:31:34,640
on the people that are there,
that's what successful
542
00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:38,040
podcasting is to me.
So moving forward, I'm going to
543
00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:42,440
be asking myself, whenever I'm
doing this show or guesting on
544
00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:45,400
another podcast, am I just
building an audience or am I
545
00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:47,920
creating a space where people
actually connect with one
546
00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:51,360
another?
And I recognize that that latter
547
00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:55,080
one that I just mentioned, it
takes effort, but to me, that's
548
00:31:55,080 --> 00:32:00,280
where real transformation
happens is by connecting with
549
00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:03,680
the actual people.
I'm going to pause for a second
550
00:32:03,880 --> 00:32:06,920
because Yvonne is on stage.
And I had mentioned Yvonne.
551
00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:10,280
And not to put you on the spot,
Yvonne, but if you wanted to
552
00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:16,280
mention and discuss this idea of
playing more and getting back in
553
00:32:16,280 --> 00:32:20,160
touch with your inner child, by
all means, go for it.
554
00:32:20,840 --> 00:32:24,200
Hey, Mike.
Well, I think you know this is
555
00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:26,000
my jam.
And.
556
00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:32,480
And, and I'm going to say it's
because I, I'm looking to change
557
00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:38,160
the way that I approach my work.
And what you said earlier was
558
00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:40,720
you're looking for the way to
incorporate this sense of
559
00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:43,480
playfulness and everything
you're doing that, that is spot
560
00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:48,600
on what it is for me as well,
because I do find myself
561
00:32:48,880 --> 00:32:53,040
grinding, even though the work I
do, I'm, I'm a photographer.
562
00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:57,800
I love doing photo sessions, but
there's the other work around it
563
00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:02,680
that can feel like a slog.
And the same thing with
564
00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:05,480
podcasting.
The minute I'm have a person
565
00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:08,600
with me that I'm interviewing
and we hit play, you know, we
566
00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:12,360
hit record, it's that that is
the fun part.
567
00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:15,000
And then there's all the other
stuff that has to get done.
568
00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:20,520
So this inquiry into play that
I'm in is all about, well, how?
569
00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:22,960
It's about asking good
questions.
570
00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:27,040
So if you keep asking yourself
how can I make this more
571
00:33:27,040 --> 00:33:31,000
playful, then you're giving
yourself half a chance to make
572
00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:34,760
it more playful because it
implies that there is a playful
573
00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:37,400
way to do something.
Thank you, Yvonne.
574
00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:41,120
I nail on the head.
Yeah, I'm with you there.
575
00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:48,520
And there is something about
playing while podcasting that I
576
00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:53,080
think hits differently, right?
We can sit and and spit out
577
00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:57,800
information all day long, right?
And it'll help some people,
578
00:33:58,560 --> 00:34:00,800
right?
Again, if we want to build a
579
00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:04,240
community, if we want people to
keep coming back, I think
580
00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:07,760
playing a little bit and being a
little more yourself,
581
00:34:07,760 --> 00:34:12,239
reconnecting with that inner
child in you, it opens up
582
00:34:12,239 --> 00:34:16,080
something for a community.
If I just pop in and say one
583
00:34:16,080 --> 00:34:19,840
more thing, I'm so thankful for
this, the timing of this
584
00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:25,880
conversation because I'm coming
back from being on a long summer
585
00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:29,840
break.
And as I come back to, OK, I got
586
00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:33,400
to get ready for Season 6, I'm
starting to feel like the
587
00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:37,120
pressure because the summer
didn't go the way I planned it
588
00:34:37,120 --> 00:34:38,960
to.
We had some family health
589
00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:42,560
issues, everything, It just was
crazy.
590
00:34:42,800 --> 00:34:46,800
And so the, the time that I
thought that I would have to
591
00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:50,400
rethink how I wanted to do the
podcast, it just evaporated.
592
00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:54,440
And now I'm thinking, you know
what, I need to approach this
593
00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:57,080
with the questions that Mark is
asking.
594
00:34:57,840 --> 00:35:00,480
How can I put some games into
the podcast?
595
00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:03,000
Like, what can I do to make it
more fun?
596
00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:05,840
So I I really appreciate the
timing of this conversation.
597
00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:07,160
Awesome.
I'm glad.
598
00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:11,040
I'm glad to hear that, Yvonne,
because that probably means
599
00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:13,440
there are others like that.
And you bring up such a good
600
00:35:13,440 --> 00:35:16,360
point too.
I think with the summer where we
601
00:35:16,360 --> 00:35:20,480
know a lot of podcasters do take
a break in the summer, we've had
602
00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:24,080
a me, Chris and you now
mentioning that.
603
00:35:24,720 --> 00:35:26,520
And so I think, yeah, I agree
with you.
604
00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:30,480
I think the timing is perfect.
So yeah, thank you for bringing
605
00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:32,880
that up.
And Janae is on stage as well as
606
00:35:32,880 --> 00:35:36,760
we're having this particular
conversation around being
607
00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:39,840
playing more, being more of your
finding more of your inner
608
00:35:39,840 --> 00:35:42,880
child, put incorporating more of
that into what we do.
609
00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:44,800
So Janae, did you want to speak
to that?
610
00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:46,560
Good morning everyone, good
morning.
611
00:35:46,560 --> 00:35:49,080
I want to talk about the power
of community, right?
612
00:35:49,080 --> 00:35:52,480
We you just, you just mentioned,
talked about how you were part
613
00:35:52,480 --> 00:35:55,840
of this community and what it
really means for a community.
614
00:35:56,320 --> 00:36:01,720
And just yesterday I interviewed
Dan Shinder who's been running
615
00:36:01,720 --> 00:36:05,000
drum Talk TV for the past 12
plus years.
616
00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:10,040
They have about 1.4 million
followers on Facebook alone.
617
00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:15,160
They reach about 100 million
people every single month.
618
00:36:15,160 --> 00:36:18,440
It's kind of mind blowing, like
their numbers.
619
00:36:18,840 --> 00:36:21,960
And he's like, it's not about
you going up there and selling
620
00:36:22,360 --> 00:36:25,800
the stuff that you're selling.
It's about who you know, being
621
00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:28,000
who you are.
Like people connect with
622
00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:31,600
communities because of the
passion, not because what you're
623
00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:34,040
selling, right?
Those are conferences.
624
00:36:34,720 --> 00:36:36,880
You go to a sales conference
because you're selling something
625
00:36:36,880 --> 00:36:39,600
or learning how to sell.
But if you think about it,
626
00:36:39,760 --> 00:36:43,240
people resonate with
commonality.
627
00:36:43,240 --> 00:36:45,440
So oh, you like soccer too.
Perfect.
628
00:36:45,440 --> 00:36:49,520
Let's talk about soccer.
And then maybe in that talking
629
00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:51,800
about soccer, talking about this
one passion, you get to know the
630
00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:54,000
person and then you'd be
interested in like, Hey, what do
631
00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:55,760
you actually do?
We talk about soccer all the
632
00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:59,000
time, but what you actually do
and how can I support?
633
00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:03,480
So you you build that connection
because you find community
634
00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:06,240
through these passions and and
the way you play.
635
00:37:06,960 --> 00:37:08,960
Yeah, well said Janae.
Thank you.
636
00:37:09,720 --> 00:37:11,960
And I'm going to.
But Jeff, do you want to say
637
00:37:11,960 --> 00:37:13,280
something?
Let me go to you first.
638
00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:14,520
Good morning to you, Sir.
Good.
639
00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:17,880
Morning, Sir.
I'm in the music business.
640
00:37:18,160 --> 00:37:22,040
Everybody knows this.
We're out on tour and one of the
641
00:37:22,040 --> 00:37:28,200
significant differences that I
experienced on a tour that other
642
00:37:28,200 --> 00:37:33,400
people may not experience in
their corporate world or the
643
00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:38,760
grown up world is that more
often than not in the real
644
00:37:38,760 --> 00:37:43,040
world, your peers and the people
you're working with have similar
645
00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:45,600
backgrounds and and they're even
the same age.
646
00:37:46,120 --> 00:37:53,200
Where in my world I might have a
2224 year old guitar tag, but
647
00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:56,640
then a 55 year old head of
lighting.
648
00:37:57,120 --> 00:38:01,640
And we wind up with a very broad
scope of people and
649
00:38:01,640 --> 00:38:04,000
demographics.
But during the course of the
650
00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:08,400
day, when we're building a day,
we don't have breaks or we don't
651
00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:10,880
have the same time off in the
middle of the day based on our
652
00:38:10,880 --> 00:38:14,080
age or our rank.
It just depends on what the job
653
00:38:14,080 --> 00:38:17,640
is.
So if there's a basketball goal
654
00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:21,960
set up backstage, it's not the
kids that are doing it.
655
00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:24,240
It's not that the older guys are
playing chess.
656
00:38:24,520 --> 00:38:27,120
It's a couple of the kids and a
couple of the older guys are
657
00:38:27,120 --> 00:38:30,120
playing ball or playing chess
because that's the window.
658
00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:34,320
And so often I've acknowledged
that I have run into so many
659
00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:37,920
people that are younger than me
that have decided they're older
660
00:38:37,920 --> 00:38:40,840
than me based on the fact that
the people that they share
661
00:38:40,840 --> 00:38:43,960
cubicle with are older.
I throw that out there just to
662
00:38:43,960 --> 00:38:47,840
kind of remind us that
community.
663
00:38:47,840 --> 00:38:52,560
Yes, all of those things help
reinforce where we want to be.
664
00:38:52,760 --> 00:38:56,720
But depending on the community
that you're in, it can also
665
00:38:57,680 --> 00:39:01,120
create some gravity and pull you
back down to the ground because
666
00:39:01,920 --> 00:39:04,800
your community thinks, well,
we're all 55 and like, well,
667
00:39:04,800 --> 00:39:07,280
yeah, but I was skiing
yesterday.
668
00:39:07,480 --> 00:39:10,560
Today's my birthday.
I'm not too old to ski because I
669
00:39:10,560 --> 00:39:14,000
had a birthday.
Let's just make sure that that
670
00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:17,520
inner child is, you know,
whatever however you want to
671
00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:27,920
phrase that is it's we are fine
and free and clear to remain who
672
00:39:27,920 --> 00:39:31,720
we want to be, regardless of
who's in the community that
673
00:39:31,720 --> 00:39:34,440
might be pulling us down or in a
different direction.
674
00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:38,520
You're not too old just because
somebody younger than you
675
00:39:38,520 --> 00:39:41,080
decided they're older than you,
therefore you must be.
676
00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:46,480
Yeah, Amen to that.
And I got to imagine you're not
677
00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:49,120
being a musician, but being
around musicians.
678
00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:53,160
Most of my life.
I always imagine playing music
679
00:39:53,640 --> 00:39:56,960
gives you a little bit of that
inner child.
680
00:39:57,640 --> 00:39:59,720
And I'm curious if if that's the
case.
681
00:39:59,720 --> 00:40:01,720
We're not, Jeff.
And I can totally be wrong on
682
00:40:01,720 --> 00:40:02,800
this.
It's OK if I am.
683
00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:05,440
But I feel like, you know,
playing music, I mean, there,
684
00:40:05,720 --> 00:40:08,520
that phrase alone has that word
playing in it.
685
00:40:08,880 --> 00:40:12,800
And so I feel like, yeah, it
helps kind of reconnect you with
686
00:40:12,800 --> 00:40:14,200
that inner child.
What is?
687
00:40:14,200 --> 00:40:17,640
Is that a fair statement?
I think it's a fair statement.
688
00:40:17,640 --> 00:40:19,720
I think it's kind of more basic
though.
689
00:40:19,720 --> 00:40:25,840
I mean, if you go to college and
you want to be in personal
690
00:40:25,840 --> 00:40:29,840
management, what you do at the
entrance level of what you, your
691
00:40:29,840 --> 00:40:33,360
career is very different than
what you would do as you
692
00:40:33,360 --> 00:40:36,320
graduated into higher realms of
management.
693
00:40:36,720 --> 00:40:40,720
What I do now as a piano player
that has played on big things
694
00:40:40,720 --> 00:40:45,600
and done big things, I'm better
than I was when I was 10, but
695
00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:49,400
the actual activity that I'm
doing is still reminiscent of
696
00:40:49,400 --> 00:40:51,880
what I did when I was 10.
It's still sitting down with the
697
00:40:51,880 --> 00:40:55,320
piano, it's still not looking at
my hands, it's still keeping my
698
00:40:55,320 --> 00:40:59,480
fingers bent.
It's still the basics of that
699
00:40:59,960 --> 00:41:01,920
are the same now.
I think the part that you're
700
00:41:01,920 --> 00:41:06,080
talking about, the playful part
is the camaraderie, the dance
701
00:41:06,080 --> 00:41:11,160
with the band members.
All of that is true, but I also
702
00:41:11,160 --> 00:41:15,760
say that the task in and of
itself as a musician, you know,
703
00:41:15,760 --> 00:41:19,120
a 60 year old playing the
guitar, turn the lights off and
704
00:41:19,120 --> 00:41:22,440
his silhouette looks very much
like a 26 year old playing the
705
00:41:22,440 --> 00:41:24,000
guitar.
It's the same task, same
706
00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:27,840
instrument.
You haven't been promoted away
707
00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:29,880
from what you wanted to do from
the beginning.
708
00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:34,680
I have a friend that's a graphic
designer and he quit his job
709
00:41:34,920 --> 00:41:37,720
because he got promoted and he
wasn't doing graphic design
710
00:41:37,720 --> 00:41:39,240
anymore.
He was overseeing graphic
711
00:41:39,240 --> 00:41:41,000
designers and he didn't want to
do that.
712
00:41:41,480 --> 00:41:44,040
I do think both of those can
kind of come into play with what
713
00:41:44,040 --> 00:41:46,040
you're describing.
Yeah, makes sense.
714
00:41:46,040 --> 00:41:49,000
Thank you, Jeff.
I want to keep things moving.
715
00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:52,760
I know Ashley has a couple other
questions for me and Jackie's on
716
00:41:52,760 --> 00:41:54,400
stage, so let me check in with
Jackie.
717
00:41:54,400 --> 00:41:56,960
Did you want to comment on all
this part of the conversation?
718
00:41:57,160 --> 00:42:00,040
Good morning.
So this is my comment to the
719
00:42:00,040 --> 00:42:02,480
situation right now.
I'm in two different industries,
720
00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:04,280
right, but they're both fun
industry.
721
00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:09,320
So I'm doing hair again and I'm
a fitness instructor coach at
722
00:42:09,320 --> 00:42:12,400
Orangetheory.
What I want to say to this topic
723
00:42:12,400 --> 00:42:15,080
is I have been doing hair for 20
years.
724
00:42:15,080 --> 00:42:18,280
I know my way around a hair of a
head of hair, right?
725
00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:24,200
I know how to do the squats,
whatever we're doing on the TRX
726
00:42:24,200 --> 00:42:26,120
straps, you know, running on a
treadmill.
727
00:42:26,320 --> 00:42:27,760
I know how to do it.
OK?
728
00:42:28,240 --> 00:42:30,280
That's not what keeps people
coming in.
729
00:42:30,280 --> 00:42:33,200
That's not what gives me clients
in my chair.
730
00:42:33,440 --> 00:42:36,280
That's not what keeps people
saying, oh, I'm going to take
731
00:42:36,280 --> 00:42:39,840
Jackie's class instead of this
person's class because.
732
00:42:40,760 --> 00:42:42,120
It's the.
Little things, right?
733
00:42:42,120 --> 00:42:43,760
It's the jokes you throw out
there.
734
00:42:43,760 --> 00:42:47,440
It's what you say that can
connect to people.
735
00:42:47,680 --> 00:42:50,400
It's truly just coming from your
heart, right?
736
00:42:50,560 --> 00:42:52,560
That's what puts you a step
above the rest.
737
00:42:52,720 --> 00:42:56,160
So as you said earlier, anybody
can sit down and spit facts.
738
00:42:56,160 --> 00:43:00,520
I mean, go on ChatGPT, and
anybody can be a master at
739
00:43:00,520 --> 00:43:03,520
anything these days, right?
But that personality and that
740
00:43:03,520 --> 00:43:07,720
heart that you put behind it
that's very playful is what's
741
00:43:07,720 --> 00:43:09,720
going to keep people connected
to you.
742
00:43:09,960 --> 00:43:13,040
Because you're connecting them
to something that maybe they've
743
00:43:13,040 --> 00:43:17,600
lost and still to this day don't
really know how to find it, but
744
00:43:17,600 --> 00:43:19,360
you're nudging them in that
direction.
745
00:43:20,440 --> 00:43:22,040
That's all.
I love that.
746
00:43:22,080 --> 00:43:24,200
Thank you, Jackie.
That's what it's all about.
747
00:43:24,200 --> 00:43:26,640
Like, and I was saying a little
bit of that earlier, but you
748
00:43:26,640 --> 00:43:30,600
said it better than I did.
And yeah, it's we can have all
749
00:43:30,600 --> 00:43:32,400
the answers.
We can spit out lots of
750
00:43:32,400 --> 00:43:35,600
information on a podcast, but
that isn't what's going to keep
751
00:43:35,600 --> 00:43:39,360
people engaged and certainly not
going to keep them coming back
752
00:43:39,360 --> 00:43:43,000
forever, right?
Eventually, they need more to
753
00:43:43,000 --> 00:43:48,000
connect with you in order in
order for you to really build
754
00:43:48,080 --> 00:43:50,600
out the community and keep them
a part of it.
755
00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:55,640
Thank you for that, Jackie and
and Janae, Yvonne and Jeff,
756
00:43:55,640 --> 00:43:58,200
thank you for adding your two
cents as well.
757
00:43:58,200 --> 00:44:01,480
So let's go back to Ashley.
Ashley, did you want to ask
758
00:44:01,480 --> 00:44:04,080
another question?
Absolutely.
759
00:44:04,080 --> 00:44:06,360
And I just wanted to briefly
comment on the whole thing
760
00:44:06,360 --> 00:44:10,040
about, you know, these
activities bringing forth our
761
00:44:10,040 --> 00:44:12,480
childlike energy and playing
music.
762
00:44:12,480 --> 00:44:15,640
And I would say that, yeah,
absolutely it is playing music
763
00:44:15,640 --> 00:44:18,880
with people, especially like if
you're in a jam session, it's
764
00:44:18,880 --> 00:44:22,200
like playing catch because
you're brought back to like, oh,
765
00:44:22,200 --> 00:44:25,200
who's got the ball?
Who am I going to pass it to?
766
00:44:25,200 --> 00:44:28,160
And when you're passing sellers,
you kind of see that light in
767
00:44:28,160 --> 00:44:31,520
their eyes when they're
anticipating it's their turn and
768
00:44:31,520 --> 00:44:33,520
when they're going to give the
ball to somebody else.
769
00:44:33,520 --> 00:44:36,080
So I just wanted to make that
parallel.
770
00:44:36,080 --> 00:44:39,200
But you also and actually let me
cut you off.
771
00:44:39,960 --> 00:44:43,440
Real quick and just acknowledge
that I I hear that loud and
772
00:44:43,440 --> 00:44:47,280
clear it makes so much sense to
me and in some ways that's you
773
00:44:47,280 --> 00:44:49,960
know, it's a similar way of how
we do things here.
774
00:44:50,320 --> 00:44:54,040
You know, to me like this is
this is like creating music and
775
00:44:54,040 --> 00:44:58,400
I am jamming with you.
All right, Like Ashley,
776
00:44:58,400 --> 00:45:02,240
Jonathan, Sid, Alex, Chris, Dr.
everyone on stage.
777
00:45:02,680 --> 00:45:07,040
This is a jam and it I think
it's why I like to do this.
778
00:45:07,040 --> 00:45:10,480
I like collaboration.
So I would like bringing people
779
00:45:10,480 --> 00:45:13,880
in and bouncing off each other.
I just love what you have to say
780
00:45:13,880 --> 00:45:16,440
and wanted to acknowledge it.
Now I'll hand the mic back to
781
00:45:16,440 --> 00:45:18,160
you.
Me too.
782
00:45:18,160 --> 00:45:21,400
It's quite improvisational,
especially now, but I wanted to
783
00:45:21,400 --> 00:45:25,680
go to this next question that
Dr. had created and you saw how
784
00:45:25,680 --> 00:45:29,440
creative touches like playing
Candyman created culture.
785
00:45:29,760 --> 00:45:33,680
What's one small Candyman moment
that you would encourage
786
00:45:33,680 --> 00:45:36,200
podcasters to experiment with in
their show?
787
00:45:36,680 --> 00:45:39,840
Yeah, and now I'm sure if you're
still listening, you're
788
00:45:39,840 --> 00:45:43,440
wondering how the hell are you
going to tie this together,
789
00:45:43,440 --> 00:45:47,360
Mark?
And look, I actually think there
790
00:45:47,360 --> 00:45:52,360
is a pretty at least one glaring
moment that this does tie
791
00:45:52,360 --> 00:45:56,120
together to podcasting.
And it was the first time that I
792
00:45:56,120 --> 00:45:58,840
drove around as candy, man.
I've already described to you
793
00:45:59,320 --> 00:46:01,000
how that worked, what that
looked like.
794
00:46:01,200 --> 00:46:04,040
And yes, I was dressed up the
part as well.
795
00:46:04,040 --> 00:46:08,600
Maybe that will be the cover
image today of me in my full get
796
00:46:08,600 --> 00:46:09,760
up.
If you haven't seen it on
797
00:46:09,760 --> 00:46:13,400
Instagram and Facebook, you'll
see it maybe today on the
798
00:46:13,400 --> 00:46:18,120
podcast website.
But yeah, I would say that the
799
00:46:18,120 --> 00:46:23,240
first time that I drove around,
I played it really safe.
800
00:46:24,400 --> 00:46:28,640
I handed out candy, went to an
activity, stopped.
801
00:46:28,640 --> 00:46:32,400
They all lined up behind me.
I did ask them, you know, if you
802
00:46:32,400 --> 00:46:34,800
want candy, you got to at least
tell me your name because that
803
00:46:34,800 --> 00:46:38,040
was my way of trying to learn
all of these names, which that
804
00:46:38,040 --> 00:46:42,400
was a big challenge in itself
and it was fine, but it felt
805
00:46:42,400 --> 00:46:44,040
like something was missing to
me.
806
00:46:44,600 --> 00:46:48,840
Here I was dressed up like Willy
Wonka and I wasn't really
807
00:46:48,840 --> 00:46:52,560
leaning into it.
So I decided the next time to
808
00:46:52,560 --> 00:46:56,280
push myself and I did.
I used ChatGPT to come up with
809
00:46:56,640 --> 00:47:01,280
some ideas for me to get the
kids more engaged than just
810
00:47:01,280 --> 00:47:03,840
giving me their name and hand
holding out their hands for
811
00:47:03,840 --> 00:47:06,480
candy.
So I told them if they wanted
812
00:47:06,480 --> 00:47:09,680
extra, they had to do something
together.
813
00:47:09,680 --> 00:47:13,840
They had to do something fun.
I had specific challenges where
814
00:47:13,840 --> 00:47:18,520
maybe I told them they had to
like sing a line or chorus from
815
00:47:18,520 --> 00:47:21,840
their favorite song, or maybe it
was a tongue twister.
816
00:47:21,840 --> 00:47:23,600
I had different tongue twisters
for them.
817
00:47:24,040 --> 00:47:29,400
And once I embraced that and
started doing that, that's when
818
00:47:29,400 --> 00:47:32,360
the magic happened.
The kids grouped up.
819
00:47:32,360 --> 00:47:36,240
They started singing, dancing.
Some kids were beatboxing, which
820
00:47:36,240 --> 00:47:40,960
I particularly appreciated, and
the energy really changed
821
00:47:41,600 --> 00:47:43,560
because we were creating
moments.
822
00:47:44,280 --> 00:47:47,320
And it doesn't matter that these
are kids, right?
823
00:47:47,720 --> 00:47:51,560
Because how do I put it?
It doesn't matter that they're
824
00:47:51,560 --> 00:47:54,000
kids.
Because I assure you, what I
825
00:47:54,000 --> 00:47:57,640
found is even with the adults,
when you create something
826
00:47:57,640 --> 00:48:01,880
engaging, people will respond.
They can't help but to respond.
827
00:48:03,000 --> 00:48:06,640
And I will tell you, I had
adults playing along as well
828
00:48:06,640 --> 00:48:09,000
because they wanted extra candy
as well.
829
00:48:10,040 --> 00:48:14,280
So it reminded me a lot of
podcasting because creating a
830
00:48:14,280 --> 00:48:20,240
sense of belonging comes from
the playful moments, the moments
831
00:48:20,240 --> 00:48:23,040
that are unique to you and your
show.
832
00:48:23,200 --> 00:48:26,960
The space where people feel
comfortable being themselves.
833
00:48:28,040 --> 00:48:32,800
For me, that means being myself
as the host, it means trying out
834
00:48:32,800 --> 00:48:37,360
new things on the show, new
formats or new ways of involving
835
00:48:37,360 --> 00:48:40,040
the community that feel fun and
real.
836
00:48:40,800 --> 00:48:44,720
So my focus now, it's not just,
you know, did I deliver good
837
00:48:44,720 --> 00:48:50,760
content, it's did I give people
a reason to lean in and feel
838
00:48:50,760 --> 00:48:55,440
more connected.
I'd say that to me, it's really
839
00:48:55,760 --> 00:48:59,640
taking on the role and not just
dipping your toe in the water,
840
00:49:00,360 --> 00:49:02,160
especially as a new podcast
host.
841
00:49:02,720 --> 00:49:04,880
I love that.
So what's the first thing that
842
00:49:04,880 --> 00:49:08,440
you're going to do with this,
you know, these new findings to
843
00:49:08,440 --> 00:49:12,240
put yourself in that direct?
The first thing I'm going to do,
844
00:49:12,960 --> 00:49:15,320
well, I think I mentioned it
already earlier.
845
00:49:15,320 --> 00:49:19,280
I think it's really sending that
intention every day for the
846
00:49:19,280 --> 00:49:22,240
show.
Before I start, it's it's about
847
00:49:22,240 --> 00:49:24,840
who am I touching, who am I
going to and how do I want to
848
00:49:24,840 --> 00:49:28,280
make people feel by the end of
the show?
849
00:49:28,640 --> 00:49:33,200
So in this case, how do I want
to make you all feel by the end
850
00:49:33,200 --> 00:49:35,840
of this show?
I want you to feel empowered.
851
00:49:36,320 --> 00:49:41,960
I want you to feel like, yeah,
it's to make this podcast
852
00:49:41,960 --> 00:49:44,120
successful.
It's about building a community.
853
00:49:44,400 --> 00:49:48,800
It's not about getting 100,000
downloads.
854
00:49:49,280 --> 00:49:52,440
It's about building out the
community I have and really
855
00:49:52,440 --> 00:49:59,760
connecting with them.
For me, that's now success and
856
00:50:00,040 --> 00:50:03,120
as far as like seeing the
different lessons from camp
857
00:50:03,440 --> 00:50:08,680
Footprint and what I got as a
podcaster, what I got as an
858
00:50:08,680 --> 00:50:13,840
entrepreneur, what I got as a
father, a friend, and how I'm
859
00:50:13,840 --> 00:50:16,320
going to apply that in the next
few years.
860
00:50:16,320 --> 00:50:18,280
I think I said it at the top of
the show.
861
00:50:18,280 --> 00:50:20,480
I'm honestly still processing a
lot of that.
862
00:50:21,080 --> 00:50:25,640
I think I've shared some of the
ways that it's shaped me already
863
00:50:26,200 --> 00:50:29,000
and some of the lessons that
I've learned, but I do feel
864
00:50:29,000 --> 00:50:31,720
fundamentally different after
this experience.
865
00:50:31,720 --> 00:50:36,480
I feel like there's perhaps a
bigger calling or purpose out
866
00:50:36,480 --> 00:50:40,200
there for me now.
And I think that for the longest
867
00:50:40,200 --> 00:50:44,080
time I've been fooling myself
when it comes to the podcast.
868
00:50:45,200 --> 00:50:50,080
I think that I've subconsciously
let the numbers define my
869
00:50:50,080 --> 00:50:52,600
success.
And I say subconsciously because
870
00:50:52,600 --> 00:50:57,880
I know I out loud was saying
that the numbers don't matter.
871
00:50:58,600 --> 00:51:03,320
But I think that deep down
that's what I was basing success
872
00:51:03,320 --> 00:51:07,680
on.
I think I've felt that, yeah, to
873
00:51:07,680 --> 00:51:12,480
be successful, I need big
numbers and I need to be maybe
874
00:51:12,480 --> 00:51:14,400
the biggest podcast in
podcasting.
875
00:51:14,400 --> 00:51:18,720
I think that's it wasn't that I
was setting number goals all for
876
00:51:18,720 --> 00:51:23,080
the podcast itself as far as
like downloads go, but I think I
877
00:51:23,080 --> 00:51:25,880
had it in my head that, you
know, this in order for this
878
00:51:25,880 --> 00:51:29,640
show to be successful, it's got
to be the the biggest, the most
879
00:51:29,640 --> 00:51:34,080
downloaded or I need to host the
largest conference, right?
880
00:51:34,080 --> 00:51:36,760
Empowered podcasting.
The original vision was to
881
00:51:36,760 --> 00:51:39,760
really, you know, make this one
of the biggest conferences for
882
00:51:39,760 --> 00:51:43,280
podcasting around, but that's
not what it's about for me
883
00:51:43,280 --> 00:51:44,840
anymore.
It's about building the
884
00:51:44,840 --> 00:51:49,600
community that shows up to the
conference and serving them and
885
00:51:49,600 --> 00:51:51,200
making them feel like they
belong.
886
00:51:51,840 --> 00:51:56,000
So now I'm starting to see that
success for me is about creating
887
00:51:56,000 --> 00:52:01,080
a community with a culture.
So whether it's 50 people,
888
00:52:01,080 --> 00:52:05,000
50,000 people, it's about the
room that we build together.
889
00:52:05,880 --> 00:52:09,760
It's about that feeling that
people carry when they leave,
890
00:52:10,680 --> 00:52:15,520
the way that folks show up for
each other without being asked.
891
00:52:16,400 --> 00:52:19,880
And it's about the practices.
It's about calling people out by
892
00:52:19,880 --> 00:52:25,200
name, sharing our wins like we
do every week, inviting play,
893
00:52:25,360 --> 00:52:29,000
protecting the space so that
people can feel like they can be
894
00:52:29,000 --> 00:52:34,480
honest and who they are.
So what I plan on doing on the
895
00:52:34,480 --> 00:52:39,200
show is really designing it to
be a place of belonging.
896
00:52:40,400 --> 00:52:44,040
I'll invite listeners voices.
I'll continue to do that.
897
00:52:44,480 --> 00:52:48,440
I'll try a new ritual.
I think my commitment will be
898
00:52:48,440 --> 00:52:51,600
once a month I'll try something
new and see how it goes.
899
00:52:51,600 --> 00:52:54,080
And if it goes well, we'll all
incorporate it in.
900
00:52:54,880 --> 00:52:58,080
I'll lift guests up.
When we have guests in my
901
00:52:58,080 --> 00:53:03,240
business, I'll center it around
relationships and outcomes.
902
00:53:03,920 --> 00:53:08,520
And at home, I'll host my family
with the same care, being
903
00:53:08,520 --> 00:53:12,760
present, playing more,
acknowledging them.
904
00:53:13,800 --> 00:53:15,840
So success for me is going to be
simple.
905
00:53:16,240 --> 00:53:19,560
Did someone feel seen today?
Did someone take action because
906
00:53:19,560 --> 00:53:24,920
of something that we said or we
provided and did people connect
907
00:53:25,400 --> 00:53:29,200
through this community?
If those answers are yes, then
908
00:53:29,200 --> 00:53:31,360
that's the win.
That's the success for me.
909
00:53:32,000 --> 00:53:34,920
I thought of this yesterday and
I think it sums up what I'm
910
00:53:34,920 --> 00:53:38,520
trying to say.
The numbers can ride in the back
911
00:53:38,520 --> 00:53:41,880
seat while I serve the people in
front of me.
912
00:53:42,920 --> 00:53:45,600
That's the motto I plan on
living by.
913
00:53:45,600 --> 00:53:49,560
It's I.
I've got it typed out here on my
914
00:53:49,560 --> 00:53:52,720
computer monitor.
Now to to remind myself of that
915
00:53:52,720 --> 00:53:57,840
everyday numbers can ride in the
back seat while I serve the
916
00:53:57,840 --> 00:54:01,040
people in front of me.
There's your intention right
917
00:54:01,040 --> 00:54:02,120
there.
Absolutely.
918
00:54:02,200 --> 00:54:06,280
So thank you all for joining
today and for listening a little
919
00:54:06,280 --> 00:54:09,600
bit to my experience and my
takeaways from my experience.
920
00:54:10,280 --> 00:54:13,800
I could go on and on and on
about the experience itself, and
921
00:54:14,360 --> 00:54:16,240
I don't want to take up any more
of your time.
922
00:54:16,280 --> 00:54:19,120
I'm happy to continue to share
down the road as well.
923
00:54:19,480 --> 00:54:23,080
And tomorrow is Newsday and
tomorrow we're going to hear
924
00:54:23,080 --> 00:54:26,520
also from that news.
We'll hear from Sid, we'll hear
925
00:54:26,520 --> 00:54:28,520
from Janae.
Those are two people
926
00:54:28,520 --> 00:54:31,200
specifically that were at
Podcast Movement.
927
00:54:31,200 --> 00:54:34,640
So we'll get a report of their
experience at Podcast Movement,
928
00:54:34,640 --> 00:54:37,200
The good, the bad, the ugly.
I've heard some things about
929
00:54:37,200 --> 00:54:39,720
Podcast Movement, lots of great
things, lots of great
930
00:54:39,720 --> 00:54:42,880
connection.
And I heard it, it's changed a
931
00:54:42,880 --> 00:54:45,120
lot.
We'll talk about that as well
932
00:54:45,280 --> 00:54:47,880
and all the other headlines.
I want to get into a little bit
933
00:54:47,880 --> 00:54:50,960
more of the Taylor Swift
interview on the Kelsey Brothers
934
00:54:50,960 --> 00:54:52,960
podcast.
I think there is a lot we could
935
00:54:52,960 --> 00:54:55,320
unpack there.
So we might try to do that
936
00:54:55,320 --> 00:54:57,600
tomorrow.
If not, that might be a show in
937
00:54:57,600 --> 00:55:00,840
itself on Thursday.
But we've got lots planned for
938
00:55:00,840 --> 00:55:04,760
you this week.
Come join us any anytime, 7:00
939
00:55:04,800 --> 00:55:07,280
AM Eastern live between 7:00 and
8:00 AM.
940
00:55:07,280 --> 00:55:08,560
That's when you can join us
live.
941
00:55:08,560 --> 00:55:11,440
And if you can't, then you can
catch the podcast just a couple
942
00:55:11,440 --> 00:55:14,040
hours later on your favorite
podcast platform.
943
00:55:14,240 --> 00:55:17,840
So until tomorrow, make it a
great day.
944
00:55:17,840 --> 00:55:19,080
Everybody take care.





