Franklin Taggart's Blog: Franklin Taggart's Blog, page 2

I Suck at Relationships. Why Should Business Be Any Different?

 

Relationships are hard.

One of my supervisors used to say that when I did crisis intervention work. I believe it. The same theme has frequently emerged in recent conversations with friends and clients. We've noticed similarities as the relationship patterns from personal and family life play out in career and business situations. And why wouldn't they?

The challenges I face in marketing, selling, and delivering in my business have the same root as the challenges I have as a spouse, dad, son, and brother.  That root is me. But I'm no longer labeling it as a problem. I just have gotten okay with not being great at relationships.

"...it's become most important to just acknowledge all the ways I suck at relationships."

I'm old enough to have read a lot of books, taken a lot of classes, attended plenty of weekend seminars, encountered encounter groups, and tried every way I know how to be better at it. But at almost 62 years old, I've decided that my odds for improvement seem to grow slimmer with each passing year. And it's become most important to just acknowledge all the ways I suck at relationships. And those realizations and acknowledgments apply to my career and businesses as well. 

I like people fine, as long as we don't have to spend much time together.

In the midst of all of this, it's important to mention that just because I'm not a natural in these circumstances doesn't mean I can't participate. I have relationships and businesses in spite of my personality. I haven't been excluded just because I'm not talented. It's also important to say that in spite of the scary odds, I've enjoyed many moments of satisfaction and, dare I say, joy in my relationships and business. You don't have to be good at something to be able to love it. Continued after the video and audio...

I wonder how many of you might be thinking, "But you seem like such a nice guy"?

I come across that way publicly, but I have to confess it's mostly an act. More than 90 percent of the time, I prefer not to be around other people. That has been true most of my life. I like the freedom and potential of solitude. That is a sense that I lose when others are around. I am the last to arrive and the first to leave every meeting, party, event, show, bar mitzvah, you name it. If you see me there, it's safe to assume I've been talked into going.

You're free to believe that it's due to some unresolved childhood trauma. I've tried to work from that angle, too, but those traumas must still be actively sabotaging everything positive about my life. You're also welcome to believe that my wound is my niche if that's helpful. I would still rather eat fire ants than make small talk in a networking meeting. But I'm delighted to say I have found ways to make it work. I don't have time to give you a comprehensive deep dive into my psyche. Not that you would ever want to take such a trip. But here are a few highlights.

Challenge #1: Compulsive Approval Seeking

Yes, I want to be liked. And I'll unconsciously do or say anything to make you like me. I'll tell jokes, sing songs, wear a tutu, and exhaust myself forward and back, trying to get your approval. One of the reasons I don't like being in public is that I don't like how this pattern feels. I think I have started to care less about it as I've gotten older. But old habits don't die. The song and dance unpacks itself.

One unpleasant way this pattern appears in my business is by putting energy into maintaining inauthentic appearances. In other words, lying. I mold myself into what I think other people want me to be. I don't show them and tell them what's real. As a result, any actual connection we make is under false pretenses or accidental. In the long run, the truth will come out, and there will be a can of worms to sort out.

The adaptation: notice the early warning signs - the feeling of anxiety or concern about their reactions. Give myself time to recognize that I'm starting the approval-seeking cycle. Then be as honest in the following moments as I possibly can. I've even come out and told people that I was starting to worry if they liked me or not. After the strange looks, they seem to appreciate my candor. And I'm far from competent in this strategy. Relationships are hard.

Challenge #2: Not Trusting People

As much as I'd like to think I'm able to accept people as they are and let them make their own decisions, I have to admit that in the deepest regions of my soul, I just don't trust them. The way I see this poking into my awareness is when I feel myself shifting into a manipulative pattern, trying to control THEIR thinking. I've become masterful at doing other people's thinking for them. I can make their decision well before they even know they are being offered a decision to make. 

In business, this plays out as a tendency to construct a negative default scenario in my head and turn that into the "truth" of the situation. And then I can avoid taking any meaningful action because I've already convinced myself that it won't work because I already know what they are thinking. But all I really am aware of is what I THINK they are thinking. This isn't a great marketing strategy. No real conversations ever happen.

The adaptation: Give them my full attention and listen. There is something almost magical about listening deeply. Mutual trust develops naturally if I drop any agenda I might have and simply allow people the safe space to be seen, heard, and understood. Dropping the need to manipulate releases me from all that thinking, both mine and theirs. Then I'm liberated to be present with them. Trust is a natural result. And if they don't want to talk, I can be fine with that. Relationships are hard.

Challenge #3: Making Myself Difficult to Reach

My idea of a perfect game is called Hide. No seeking allowed. When I was a kid, there was a closet in my Granny's where she stored all of the books she'd collected as a schoolteacher. The closet had a bare lightbulb with a string-pull switch. It was my place. It's still my idea of heaven. If my family couldn't find me, they looked there first. I became a master at not being found. This trait isn't easy for the people I live with.

In business, there is a belief that visibility and access must be constant to be successful. That's true for many businesses. I don't want any mystery about buying baloney or toothpaste. I just want it to be easy to find and affordable. When I was a performing musician, I had to have a level of public awareness of my music and gigs to get people to come out and listen. But even then, there were times when I would just need to disappear. Finding ways to build business relationships outside the traditional marketing and networking challenges has been important.

The adaptation: I choose my clients and find them. I remember reading a story about the world's greatest life coach, Steve Hardison. For years, he didn't even have a website. He would just read newspapers and magazines and identify high-level performers who were going through major life transitions. He would look for professional athletes, corporate executives, politicians - people in positions of power and authority - and he would find a way to contact them and invite them to his office in Arizona. And he would coach them. When I read that story, I knew I had found my way. Relationships are hard.

Don't be offended if I keep inching toward the door. It's nothing personal. Maybe.

These are the top three challenges of a long list. While I'm not the easiest person in the world to relate to, I've found ways to work that work for me. I think I have started to care less about what other people think of me. Their story is just as untrue as the story I present. In the midst of it all, I'm lucky to have a beautiful family and a handful of exceptional friendships. Business is good in spite of me, and I can only tell my clients who have been struggling with their own patterns, habits, and challenges that they will find their own way, and it will be OK.

I trust that if you want to work with me, you'll find a way. While it may not be apparent, I am relatively easy to reach. But if you aren't interested, that's OK, too.

Mini-Masterclass How to Set Up a YouTube Channel

As a coach, my clients often want to try new online channels to promote, sell, and deliver their products and services. This mini-masterclass is the first in a series addressing these needs. 

In How to Set Up a YouTube Channel, Franklin walks you through opening a Google account, creating a YouTube Channel, adding branding, customizing the page layout, and more. 

This mini-masterclass is also a featured project in Franklin's learning resource, DIY Video Production Projects for Coaches, which is available at the Unconventional Life School link on his blog, https://franklintaggart.com.

The False Promise of a Better Me

I've been a self-help, self-improvement, self-development junkie for decades. I've spent tens of thousands of dollars on books, programs, curricula, behavior modification, weight loss, smoking cessation, discipleship training, and seeking my vision in the wilderness. If I had invested that money in making more money, I would be comfortably retired by now.
For all the time, money, and effort, I would have hoped for a better result. 
As Jamie Smart says, shouldn't light be streaming from all my orifices by now? But I'm not much, if any, different than I was before all of this. I struggle with the same things, think the same negative thoughts, worry about everything, and don't see the improvement I've been striving for. I use the techniques - mindset shifts, meditation, yoga, nature walks, writing my desires and goals clearly, clarifying my intentions, and doing all the prescribed work - but I'm no better off as a person or in life.Don't get me wrong, I haven't had anything better to do. There are worse ways to spend a life. I've learned a lot about everything along the way, but I've realized that most of my work has been in the wrong direction. I never challenged some important assumptions about the promise of a better me. Until recently, I haven't considered that many of the beliefs I've constructed about myself weren't mine. They came from other people. Another realization I've had is that many of the messages about myself I've bought into were intended to persuade me to buy something. And the king of all assumptions is that there is a "me" in the first place, let alone to make it better.

What if the me that is the object of all the betterment isn't anything more than a bundle of thoughts? 

In other words, it's a construct of the mind. What if all I know myself to be is nothing more than a pile of ill-fitting mental TinkerToys in the playpen of Consciousness, and they have no independent, individual reality? What then? Whether you add more pieces to the structure or take some away, you're still left with a thought construction. 

What if the complete deconstruction of this thought structure is the pathway to the things you always wanted to gain by improving yourself? 

The abiding contentment, peace, and acceptance that has seemed so elusive happens naturally when the self we wish to develop is exposed as a cognitive fabrication. What then? And what if the deconstruction can't be accomplished by this thought structure called me? It just happens as a natural flow of things as the bundle is witnessed and seen for the empty thing it is. What if the thing you're trying to improve can't be made better because it doesn't exist? Even self-love, self-care, and self-acceptance are called into question.

There is definitely some mind-body combination in the space here, and things are happening and thoughts moving through, all contained in a space of awareness. 

But that me, who has been so keen to improve itself, has been flickering like a neon sign with gas that will no longer conduct electricity. And that feels like liberation. A stopping.

There is no prescription here. 

I had to see the futility of my trying and acknowledge my utter powerlessness to change. In the grace of each moment, I'm released into being lived through. The groceries get bought, the family gets fed, and the dishes get done, but there doesn't have to be a "me" in charge of doing them. Learning can still happen, music can be played, and words like this can be written, but there is no longer a sense of personal ownership of the process or the outcome. 

Life is unfolding just as it is - none of it can be avoided or permanent. 

From moment to moment, there is a new experience - triumph, tragedy, high, low, in-between - all radiant, all necessary, all included. And each of us is exactly where we are, as we are, and nothing can be done about it. Any promise of a better you can be set aside and left behind. 

Favorite Books 2023

It's safe to assume that any link you see in my review pages is an Amazon Associates affiliate link. This allows me to collect a few cents if you use the link to do your shopping. Thanks!

I've done a lot of reading this year, and I won't list all the books I've read here, but I wanted to list a handful of favorites in both fiction and non-fiction. I've also shared some other titles I've read on Goodreads, so if you have an account there, please add and follow me there: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/29732821.Franklin_Taggart

Fiction Raves:
Top of my fiction list: 

Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt, Narrators - Marin Ireland and Michael Urie

I've recommended this book to almost everyone I know. It's a bittersweet family drama with an octopus as the real protagonist. Marin Ireland and Michael Urie give an enchanting voice performance. 

The White Lady, by Jacqueline Winspear, Narrator - Orlagh Cassidy

Child spies bringing down Nazis in Belgium throughout two World War's and a family's sole survivor becoming a linchpin in the effort of a son of a London organized crime family to start a new life. Plenty of excitement.

The Collected Regrets of Clover: A Novel, by Mikki Brammer, Narrator - Jennifer Pickens

Clover is a death doula in New York City, helping people navigate their last hours and keeping a record of their last words and any memorable regrets. Her first experiences of death at very young ages give her a comfort level with death and dying that many would judge as potentially creepy. THe story is as much about Clover's coming to life as it is anything else. 

The Family, by Naomi Krupitsky, Narrator - Marin Ireland

OK, so you might see that Marin Ireland shows up as one of the narrators I listen to most on Audible. I have to confess that she has become one of my primary sources of author discovery just because I haven't heard a performance of hers I haven't liked. The Family is a spellbinding story of two young women from childhood into early adulthood and marriage who are both the children of mafia leaders. The messy complexity of having to balance family normalcy with daily moral compromise is prominent in the story.

Fiction Revisits:

A Prayer for Owen Meany, and The Hotel New Hampshire, by John Irving

I have been a fan of John Irving's books since reading The World According to Garp when I was in high school. I love the general human insecurities of his protagonists and his honest capture of family function and dysfunction. I had forgotten how much I had loved both of these books when I read them the first time. This time I was treated to narration. Joe Barrett was masterful and gave Owen Meany's VOICE the perfection it needed. Kirby Heybourne created a moving scene in my imagination of each of the Hotels New Hampshire that are indelible.

I also had a steady diet of Craig Johnson, C.J. Box, and Carlene O'Connor on my fiction list.

All of my fiction reading is on audiobooks. If I try to sit down and read an actual book, I'll be asleep in minutes. Audible allows me to read while I'm doing other things. Non-fiction I usually read on Kindle.

My Non-Fiction Favorites for 2023:

How to Write Short: Word Craft for Fast Times, by Roy Peter Clark

I've been on a short message-writing kick for about two years. I added this book to my list over a year ago but finally read it this year. If you want to bump up the performance of your social media posts, emails, and even text messages, this book will give you so many ideas to choose from. I also enjoyed his writing style. So many of these how to write books are uninteresting to read. This one was captivating.

Dickens and Prince: A Particular Kind of Genius, by Nick Hornby

I mention this book not because it has any groundbreaking revelation in it but because I would have never in a million years put together a comparison of the lives and creative output of Charles Dickens and Prince. Leave it to Nick Hornby. If you need another reason to be creatively inspired by either or both of these subjects, I suspect you'll like this story.

Tough Titties: On Living Your Best Life When You're the F***ing Worst, by Laura Belgray

I was an early reviewer for this one and had a difficult time waiting for the actual release date to arrive so that I could tell everyone about it. I've been a Laura Belgray copywriting fan for a few years, and I was excited to hear when she started working on this memoir a few years ago. This is a Gen X hero's journey. This one is in the running for the Goodreads Humor Book of the Year. I thought it was both hilarious and surprisingly inspiring. Treat yourself to the author-read audiobook.

You can see more of my recent reading list on Goodreads. Fee free to share recommendations wherever you and I connect with each other.

5 Creative Ways to Start and Use a Blog - Live Class at Blue Moose Art Gallery October 18th

 

I'll be joining my friend Teresa Funke for another round of the 5 Creative Ways to Start and Use a Blog class at Blue Moose Art Gallery in Fort Collins. If you've been thinking about starting a blog or reenergizing one you've already started, this class will be filled with practical information and a bunch of inspiration for your next steps. Space is limited and will fill up fast, so make your reservation now at this link: https://bluemooseartgallery.com/collections/classes/products/5-creative-ways-to-start-use-a-blog-wed-10-18-23-6p

See you there!

Coming Back After a Hiatus - Franklin Taggart's Virtual Coffee Break

 

In the category of life imitating art, I am excited to return to production of the Virtual Coffee Break. 

You may have seen my last post about the final episode of Your Own Best Company, but if you haven't, be sure to check it out. 2023 has been filled with a lot of reflection and evaluating activities. The pandemic years were good for business, but I ultimately found that any expectations formed during that time were largely abnormal. I've noticed that much of my work has shifted back to the levels and activities I had before the pandemic.

I've also had more than a few people contact me for coaching as they navigate new twists and turns in their career and business paths. Most recently, three find themselves having a Rip Van Winkle moment - waking up from a long nap to find that everything is different for them than before. One has been taking care of a dying parent, another has been sending the last of her children to college, and another has rekindled a music career after taking several years off to start another business. They've all returned to industries that aren't as familiar as the ones they left.

The pandemic effects are still landing for many people. 

Music and meeting venues have only recently started reopening, and many have changed formats. I've noticed many businesses have continued to keep shortened or irregular hours than before the disruption. Schools and organizations have also changed their regular routines. 

I went through a similar time when my music career was interrupted by a six-year series of health challenges. When I was away, some major changes happened in the places I had been working. One large bookstore chain closed its doors, which accounted for about 40 percent of the gigs I played before I got sick. Several venues stopped offering live music as performing rights organizations started cracking down on even the smallest venues, requiring them to pay thousands of dollars in royalties to offer any kind of music. Yes, this is legal, but it sure didn't help anyone at the level I was playing. 

In addition, my audience had shifted significantly while I was away. People who were able and willing to come to see me play before now had new circumstances. Some became parents. Some moved away. Others had just had changes in their entertainment preferences. So, the places I had played and the people I'd played for before my illness had all changed. It was like starting over again.

Update Your Business Model

In situations like these, I talk to people about how to navigate new and unfamiliar territory. The first thing we talk about is how their business model needs to change. It's normal for your model to be adapted as new factors come into play. Creative careers aren't exempt from this. We must come back to identify the value you bring to the arena, the audience looking for it, and all the factors to consider in getting the two together. Getting this information on paper is a helpful step toward feeling less tossed by the wind and more in a position of choice.

Rediscover Your Audience

The second step for my people is to dive into new audience research. We need to understand the changes they've gone through and how they're prioritizing experiences like those you offer. We must find out if they're haunting new venues or stopped participating. I remember having an aha moment when I realized that my audience had shifted away from going out to bars and drinking and started to show up for house concerts and going to craft breweries and distilleries with earlier hours and quiet environments. Suddenly, I had real places to find them and new opportunities to explore.

Focus on Relationship Building

While there are more steps than what I include here, the third one I want to mention is that one thing hasn't changed - the primary work of any business is building strong relationships with the people who will pay for what you offer. That was true before the disruption, and it's true now. One of the biggest changes you may encounter is the new ways people have of building these relationships. When my hiatus started, I still used snail mail and MySpace to market my music. When I returned, both had been replaced by email and new social media channels. There was a learning curve, but the goal of relationship building was the same.

It's also important to remember that there may have been changes in personnel in the places you once counted on for opportunities. There may be a new talent booker, museum director, or a college intern who thinks you are irrelevant. All the relationships count. Patience and persistence are just as important now as they were then.

Frustration About Paying Dues

I've had several conversations with people who are frustrated that they must start "paying their dues" again at this point in their career development. I've definitely felt the same way. I remember being 51 years old and wondering how to start again. My earlier experience made it easier to put the necessary steps and contacts in place to start playing again with the frequency I wanted. The pay rates had actually gone down from what they had been, so that was an adjustment I had to make. And I remember feeling like an entire wave of new artists had started showing up while I was gone, making my sound more oldies than contemporary. At the same time, I see some of my contemporaries working hard and playing great gigs while continuing to grow their audience, and that makes me know that we can still have a shot at doing our thing if we want it.

As I did last year, it is a good time to let go of some things that have become tiresome. Retiring from music performance wasn't an easy decision, but my body had its own plan. Letting go of that part of my career has been of greater benefit than I had expected, and the encouraging thing about it is that I have started to enjoy playing music again, just for its own sake. I've also noticed that some of the aches and pains I had before are starting to go away, and I can enjoy more activities that I had set aside before due to tiredness.

You always have the option to change any aspect of your work, up to and including stopping altogether. If you would like a sounding board and some simple processes to help you re-enter, please schedule your first coaching session with me on my dime. All you have to do is open the calendar at https://bit.ly/BestNextStepCall and find a time. 

A Discussion of Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert with Iggy Perillo on the Books Applied Podcast

 

The idea for the Books Applied Podcast is one of the most fun and creative I've run across. Iggy Perillo of WSL Leadership is the creator and host. The premise of Books Applied is that Iggy invites people to read a book related to their professional expertise and then discuss it on the podcast. So much fun!

The book I was invited to discuss was Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, by Elizabeth Gilbert, the celebrated author of Eat, Pray, Love. 

I had already downloaded the book on my Kindle probably two years earlier, but Iggy's invitation was the impetus to crack the cover and read it.

I won't give away the whole conversation, but I'll spill the beans on a couple of things to listen for. Iggy and I both had lukewarm responses to Eat, Pray, Love. We each had our own reasons, but it didn't make our recommended reading lists. In Big Magic, I found much to agree with and felt very affirmed by many things she wrote. I did feel like there was a push to make the creative process feel out of reach for some people, which I challenged. And I appreciated that she offered some alternative positions about depending on your creative work to make a living. The one thing I loved most was her suggestion that her work supported her writing so that she didn't have to weigh down her work under the need for it to be financially successful.

All in all, I enjoyed the book and don't hesitate to recommend it. And I think Iggy's idea and approach to podcasting are a refreshing offer amidst a sea of mediocre, ill-produced podcasts. Please remember to subscribe, review, and share Books Applied Podcast! Find more about Iggy here: https://www.wslleadership.com/

and here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iggyperillo/

Listen to the discussion of Big Magic here: 

Creating a Business, and Attraction in Marketing - Two Conversations with Michelle Nedelec

 

Your Own Best Company podcast listeners heard me interview Michelle Nedelec back in May about the rebellious nature of entrepreneurship. Click here if you missed it!

Since that episode, I've had more opportunities to talk with Michelle on two of her podcasts, The Business Ownership Podcast and The Little Blue Pill for Business Podcast. Michelle is a brilliant entrepreneur, a prolific podcaster(hosting and producing five shows at last count), a top-notch interviewer, and wickedly funny for the win. 

I'll feature my interviews below, but in case you want to get in touch with her, Michelle can be found at https://michellenedelec.com, and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellenedelec/.

Our first conversation was for The Business Ownership Podcast on the topic of

Creating a Creative Business

We had a lot of fun talking about how creative people with little or no business experience can learn the ropes quickly and develop the business that allows them to continue creating. 

The second of our interviews was an innuendo-filled, dry-wit-riddled, funny but serious flirtation about Attraction and Marketing for The Little Blue Pill for Business Podcast. 

Be sure to subscribe, review, and share these shows. 
Thanks, Michelle Nedelec, for the fun conversations!

How to Find and Listen to Podcasts

▼▼▼ Watch and Listen Below ▼▼▼

I had a conversation earlier today with a friend who was interested in listening to podcasts, but he'd found it difficult to find and access podcasts he might like to hear. If you are a new podcast listener or would like to start finding and enjoying podcasts, this quick tutorial will help you get started.
Here's a link to the free mini course with access to Franklin's list of recommended podcasts and more!

Finding a Phone or Device App

The first step is to find an app you can use to listen on your smart devices. You already have at least one app on your phone or tablet that has podcast listening built in. I suggest you find an app that allows you to search, subscribe, stream, download, share, and review podcasts.

If you have an Apple device like an iPhone or iPad, Apple Podcasts should be installed on your phone or easily accessed in the app store. Apple Podcasts is easy to learn how to use, although I have heard complaints about its search function being too limited. That said, Apple was the first platform to make podcasts more accessible, and they have been a leading app for podcast listening for a long time.

You may already have podcast access through any music streaming service you use. Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, and other streaming services also feature podcast access. Some allow downloading, while others allow only streaming. Audible, Amazon's audiobook platform, also has a selection of podcasts available on its app. Many podcasts are also available in video form on YouTube, and Spotify added video podcasts to its offerings. You may not need to download another app just for podcast listening. 

When I started listening to podcasts on my smartphone, I had an Android device. At that time, iTunes was the standard podcast app people used and wasn't available for Android. I found a great app called Podcast Addict that I still use today. You can find it in the Google Play Store. There is a free version with in-app ads, or you can pay a small fee to have the in-app ads removed. Sadly, it can't remove the ads in the podcasts themselves. UPDATE: Another great podcast access app was recommended - Find Podchaser here!

Listening to Podcasts on a Computer

You may also opt to listen to podcasts on your computer. You can use the online version of the apps I mentioned above for listening, or you may find computer apps in the Apple Store and the Windows Store for your specific platform. If you use a Linux computer, gPodder is a popular listening app. Most people who listen on the computer just listen in their web browsers using platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. I know a handful of people who listen on the individual show websites if they really like the show.

My podcasts are available on all of the platforms mentioned above, and since you're here on my website, you may have seen you can listen to them here. 

Finding the Podcasts You May Enjoy

The reliability and functionality of search tools in each app are inconsistent. As I mentioned, my friend didn't find the Apple Podcasts search to be very helpful. I like the search feature in Podcast Addict and find it easy to use and navigate. YouTube also has a reliable search function, and Spotify is starting to catch up. Google and Bing search tools are also reliable places to look for the podcasts you want to hear. I have a few suggestions for how to search.

Ask People You Know and Trust for Recommendations

This is a great place to start if your friends, family, peers, and colleagues are podcast listeners. It seems like I see at least one social media post a week asking for podcast recommendations. As with any source, your taste and theirs may be completely different. As you start to listen more, you'll find more reliable referrals, especially as your preferences develop. You'll find the hosts, formats, topics, and guests that you enjoy, and you'll be able to discover more like them. Just like books and films and any other kind of medium, you'll start to find your own network of people you can count on to point you in the right direction. I'll include some of my favorites at the end of the article.

Search by Theme or Topic

There are podcasts available for almost every theme and topic you can think of. Search engines always work better if you can give them specific information to work with. Searching for business podcasts will cast a very wide and unhelpful net that you'll still have to sort through. Searching for marketing podcasts for creative solopreneurs will likely return a more favorable result if that's what you're looking for. 

The same rule applies to topics. Instead of searching for podcasts on LinkedIn, tell the search engine to show you podcasts with a more specific focus - podcasts about article writing on LinkedIn or podcasts on growing your LinkedIn following. The more specific you can be, the happier you'll be with the shows you find.

Search by Host Name or Show Title

You can search for that name on most platforms if you know the name of a show's host or title. You may be curious to see if a certain person hosts a podcast, so entering that into a search doesn't hurt. Sometimes titles aren't spelled conventionally, or they combine words, so it can be tricky to find those shows. And sometimes, the host's name has a spelling that isn't exactly how it sounds, which can be dicey, too. I often use Google for these kinds of searches because it offers alternative spellings for some search terms. 

Search by Guest's Name

If I really like a guest I've heard on one podcast, I often search for other podcasts they've appeared on. Again, the correct spelling of the name is helpful. With Podcast Addict, I can add episodes to a playlist and listen to them together. I enjoy hearing the differences between shows, too. Each host can bring out a different way for the guest to speak about their topic. It makes it interesting and great for learning a guest's point of view from different angles.

Search for a Title or Character

If you are interested in a specific book, film, TV show, or character, you can find podcasts that feature those topics. I like to do this when considering adding a book to my list or reviewing anything for Amazon or Goodreads. I make podcast playlists for family, friends, and clients when they are interested in an author or a director. Searching by title is a good place to start.

You can search for podcasts based on any related keyword or phrase. Most of the shows that have been around for a while are easy to find through these kinds of searches. Sometimes, when a show is new, it doesn't immediately show up in search results. 

How to Decide What to Listen To

While most of the apps offer lists of popular podcasts, that doesn't always mean they are worth your time. The most popular show as I write this is the Joe Rogan Podcast, which currently ranks as the top show across all platforms. His shows are often two to three hours long and don't follow a predictable format. He's a competent interviewer who likes to highlight some of his guests' subtleties and sometimes controversial aspects, but he's not everyone's cup of tea. So popularity by itself isn't the most reliable way to select. 

Some of the most interesting podcasts are those with the fewest listeners and downloads. Most of the apps will let you listen to short segments. I like to play a few minutes of a show and then decide if I want to download it. I also pay attention to recommendations from people I trust. 

Shows don't necessarily need to be recent to be worth hearing. I've found some older shows that haven't been produced in several years whose content was still stellar. One of the challenges here is that the podcast apps only promote shows that are still in production. Sometimes, you have to dig for some of the old gold that has been around for years. 

I've also been a fan of podcast series that weren't ongoing shows but had a short run on a specific topic. One of my favorites in this vein was a show Jay Baer produced called Talk Triggers. The podcast accompanied his book by the same title and allowed him to share more information and related stories from the book. It was a tremendous added value.

Franklin includes a list of recommendations in his free New Podcast Listern's Primer mini course!

Subscribe and Review!

If you like a show, be sure to subscribe to it in your app so you'll automatically know about new episodes. And be sure to leave a review wherever you can. Most hosts prefer reviews to be left on Apple Podcasts since Apple Podcasts reviews tend to carry the most weight in the industry. That said, if your app has a way to review shows, your show hosts will appreciate you leaving them. It helps them reach new listeners. 

Find Time to Listen

I grew up listening to the radio several hours a day, mostly because that's where I could hear new music. That was true until I started listening to more podcasts a few years ago. One of the things I didn't like about radio was that there were so many commercials and that I had no control over the content except the ability to change stations when I didn't like what I heard. Podcast listening gives me a lot more choice about what I listen to, and I can mix it up depending on my mood, my whims, and any specific scratches I need to itch.

I enjoy listening to podcasts throughout the day, especially when I'm driving, walking the dog, or doing routine daily tasks like washing dishes and cleaning the house. My favorite way to listen is with earbuds, although I'll turn on a speaker if other people aren't around to bother. While I'll always have a spot in my heart for radio, podcasts have become my main form of infotainment.

This will help you get started on your podcast-listening adventure and easily find the kinds of shows you want to hear. Your questions and comments are welcome using the contact form on my blog: https://franklintaggart.com. And I always appreciate new listeners! 

From Podcast Movement 2023

When Podcast Movement announced that their annual conference was going to be held in Denver this year, I got excited. I've wanted to attend this conference ever since it started, but the timing and finances never seemed to line up. This year, thanks to the generosity of Buzzsprout and the close proximity of the venue, I was able to attend. Here are some of my highlights. 

Podcasting is Still Growing

And it appears to be growing even more rapidly with YouTube's new commitment to podcast support and promotion. It's not just YouTube. Spotify introduced video podcasts into its features last year, and new networks were represented at every level at the conference. The overall trend is that podcasting continues to expand in every direction.

People Are Hungry for Podcast Curation

As more podcasts are becoming available, people are looking for reliable sources of curation for the podcasts they listen to. Networks are one of the prominent sources people are turning to for this kind of service. This need for curation is also putting some pressure on podcast hosting platforms to improve the quality of their search functionality and discovery features. I was blown away by the number of new networks I saw at the conference and the variety of niches and audiences they represented.

Video is Exploding

As I mentioned, YouTube and Spotify have created opportunities for podcast producers to include video in their show offerings. I know the video option has been available and popular with podcasters for years, but the increased support is causing some important shifts in the podcasting industry. YouTube has risen into the second slot from the top as the most popular place to watch or listen to podcasts. Spotify has also gained more podcast audiences as it increases access to its video-based podcast services. Several speakers and panels were dedicated to integrating video into the podcasting mix.

Monetization Options Are Increasing(In Some Ways)

Making money from podcasting is taking on some new shapes and appearances. The standard list of options like sponsorships, paid subscriptions, advertising, and product promotion is still on top, but there are new possible income streams coming forward for podcasters, especially those who are growing large and engaged audiences. Larger broadcast and production companies like Paramount, Disney, and iHeart Media are signing successful podcasts to their networks and offering unheard-of sponsorship deals as they diversify their markets. 

New fan funding services similar to Patreon are also starting to spring up. Patreon has been a popular way for podcast producers to gain direct support from fans, but there are some fast-moving competitors whose presence at the conference was notable. YouTube and Spotify weren't alone in offering hosts direct support portals for fans to pay for support and premium access. 

The only disappointing monetization news is the continued shunning of shows with long track records but smaller audiences. Many advertisers are raising their minimum audience requirements to a point that excludes all but the most popular podcasts. I'm hopeful that this will change, but I think it will take an organized strategic effort on the part of certain agencies to create a package that will work for all involved. I heard a few Braindate discussions on this topic that I'll be excited to watch as they unfold.

My Conference Experience

I don't attend many conferences, especially those of this size and scope. I think the last conference I attended was a magician gathering with my son in Columbus, Ohio, in 2020, and before that, I honestly can't remember. I've been to a few smaller locally focused events, but very few that are national and international in scale. I felt like Rip Van Winkle (something I've been feeling a lot lately) waking up from a 20-year nap to find a foreign landscape and wandering around like an alien. Here are some thoughts about the conference itself.

First, the Gaylord Rockies Hotel and Resort is even bigger than it appears from the airport toll road. I know they started with the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, where I've gotten lost more than once, but this facility is even more vast - and expensive. But isn't everything? Parking in the event lot is $30 per day, and the food I saw was comparable in price to the airport restaurants - 20-30% higher than I'd expect to pay in town. That said, coffee and beverages were available at the event, and the catering team kept the urns full the whole time. I will say the staff were all amazing, both for the hotel and the event. Food seemed to be plentiful as I walked through the vendor area, so I didn't end up paying for any food outside of the conference. Buzzsprout also had some food and entertainment planned for us, and Paramount sprang for breakfast for the whole event on Tuesday morning.

The hotel's Expo Hall is huge, with four smaller halls on either end. In the main hall itself, there were eight stages with sound and seating. All the vendors were set up there, and there were several areas dedicated to networking and relaxing.  There was also a group of tables designated for Braindates - small discussion groups and ad hoc meeting spaces participants could use to schedule face-to-face conversations. The Braindates I attended were by far my favorite parts of the experience. I enjoyed the discussions and the people I met in that setting. The few speaker sessions I heard were excellent. I would recommend attending the conference to anyone who is involved in podcasting at any level. There is something there for everyone connected to podcasting.

My only difficulty was that I found it hard to hear in the Expo Hall. I also experienced an acute and rapidly overwhelming case of sensory overload. I found it hard to find quiet spaces there. I also tired of asking the quieter voices to repeat themselves so I could watch their lips move in hopes of actually hearing what they had to say. Other than these minor challenges, I had a wonderful and commendable conference experience.

It's Still a Good Time to Start Podcasting

Times have changed since I did my first show back in 2010. It's easier than ever to get started in podcasting. I was blown away by all the available options now, from equipment to production services to hosting. The entry bar is lower than ever, and there is still much room for shows serving well-defined audiences. I want to thank Buzzsprout for sending me to Podcast Movement 2023, and I'll hope to attend another conference soon.

Find out more:

BuzzsproutPodcast Movement

If you're just starting podcasting, I recommend checking out Buzzsprout. They are a small company with a big heart and do everything they can to nurture and support podcasters. They have packages starting at free, so you have nothing holding you back. All you need is a good idea and a decent microphone, and you're ready to start.

Do You Want to Start a Podcast?

I help people set up podcasts with a commitment to maximizing reach and keeping costs down. It starts with a free microphone placement session that you can schedule here: FREE Microphone Placement Session

You paid for a better microphone. Let's make it sound great!