Becoming happier in a year of devastation and anxiety
I was rather proud of how well I held up in 2020 despite everything thrown my way. The loss of my job was a silver lining. Family illnesses taught me the importance of the present. Staying home allowed me to grow my business.
Yet, we entered into autumn and changed our clocks. More darkness, cooler weather, and the imminent “how do we celebrate the holidays this year?” settled into my anxiety-prone brain.
I about lost it.
Something needed to change because I was right on track for burnout and an anxiety attack. …
Solopreneur | Podcast Manager | Cat Mom
Bio
Hi there! I’m Kristi Jacobsen — a solopreneur, podcast manager, traveler, Canadian, equestrian, and cat mom. I’m also currently a Senior Customer Service Manager, but I’ll be breaking free from the customer service life in March 2021 to become a content creator and podcast consultant.
I’m a 34-year old Los Angeles resident with a passion for travel and a desire to become a digital nomad (when it’s safe, of course). My family and I moved to the United States in 1994 and I grew up in New Jersey. …
How the new podcast app and features will impact podcasters and listeners
Apple Podcasts is the podcast distribution platform to be on as a podcaster. It’s where hosts tell their listeners to subscribe (sorry, follow) and rate the podcast. The analytics are what advertisers and sponsors want to see. And podcasters covet Apple’s top podcast charts.
As a listener, though, the Apple Podcasts app left something to be desired. It was glitchy and often didn’t download episodes when asked. I left it last year for Spotify and never looked back. It baffled me that a company that started the podcast revolution wasn’t continuously innovating as the podcast industry exploded.
I watched acquisitions…
Benefits include increased productivity and a greater pool of talent
The corporate landscape changed drastically in 2020. Remote work went from an option for small startups to being forced on nearly all office workers in America and worldwide.
Work from home was hardly a blip on the radar for me, and actual remote work (or digital nomadism) was out of the question. I assumed I would spend the rest of my working life commuting to and from an office.
Sure, my company had a few remote employees, but it was rare to see such a request approved. …
Attract your ideal audience through increased SEO
Podcasts are an incredible tool to connect authentically with your ideal customer. They hear your voice, get to know you on a different level than blog posts, and easily consume episodes on the go.
Yet, they can be time-consuming. You spend time planning, recording, and editing each episode, not to mention sharing on social media and marketing it each week. Why spend your time on something written that takes up more of your time, especially if it’s audio-based?
The “audio-only” mindset can limit your podcast’s success and inhibit it from reaching your ideal customer. Yes, audio is important and is…
How simple thoughts can help you see abundance
Money is an interesting subject. Everyone wants to talk about it, yet no one does. It’s taboo (at least in the United States) to talk about your salary with coworkers, and dinner table conversation rarely centers around money.
That is unless you don’t have it.
You’ll likely hear more about how expensive something is or how someone “just can’t afford” something they want.
I was part of those conversations.
I graduated from college right before the 2008 financial crisis and only in 2019 hit a salary that felt comfortable. Even then, I lived in Los Angeles, had massive student loans…
Earn your listeners’ trust and build an authentic audience
Deciding to launch a podcast is an exciting time. Ideas pour out of you, and you’re ready to record everything that comes to mind.
If you’re like other podcasters, you want to generate a ton of downloads, grow a raving fan base, and make a steady income. Most people think that they need to appeal to a large, diverse audience to do so. It kind of makes sense, doesn’t it? Talk a bit of everything, and you’ll have a big audience.
But what if I told you that being too broad trying to appeal to everyone could harm your podcast…
ST: Hint: it’s less than you think
When I started my podcast three years ago, I thought I needed all the tech. I searched out the best equipment and software, preparing for a massive dent in my bank account.
Then I started following a few podcasters and watching their behind-the-scenes Instagram stories and posts. I listened to my business mentor talk about the equipment she uses to produce her podcast, and a light bulb went off.
I don’t need expensive studio equipment to do this!
So, in the Summer of 2018, I bought an inexpensive yet popular microphone on Amazon Prime Day, downloaded free editing software, plugged…
Get rid of podcaster’s block for good
Are you getting podcaster’s block?
It’s really a thing and can be more common than you think!
When I first launched my podcast, I went through guest droughts. I tied to fill in the gaps with solo episodes but found myself struggling to develop ideas for content that could last at least ten minutes or more.
When we start podcasts, we have all these great ideas about what we want to talk about, but as our episode count creeps higher, we can get stuck with what to talk about next.
Over the last few years, I found a few methods…
My happiness and wellness is worth more to me
We learn young that to be successful in life, you must follow a specific path: go to school, get good grades, get a degree, get a good-paying 9–5, and retire at 65.
That works well for some people, but for others, it just doesn’t fit.
I followed that plan right through to the 9–5, thinking it was my only option for happiness and fulfillment.
Except, it wasn’t. My roles were always in customer service of some sort, and while the companies I worked for were terrific, that job can burn you out fast. Early into my most recent position, I…
