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I’ll be honest with you right off the top, I dragged my heels (a lot!) recording this one. The summer heat, work commitments, wanting to get outside and enjoy things. It’s been a little hard to pull myself to the microphone lately, and I wanted to be upfront about that because it actually ties directly into what I’m sharing today.
Seven months in on my own podcasting journey, I had a great conversation with someone in the podcast space, and she asked me something that I couldn’t stop thinking about after our call: What has surprised you the most about doing your own show?
So that’s what this episode is, an honest 7 month check-in, three things that have genuinely surprised me so far, and a bit of a behind the scenes look at what this journey has actually been like from someone who’s spent 11+ years working behind the scenes with other podcasters.
- How Hard It Can Be to Just Hit Record
This one surprised me more than I expected. It’s not just the logistics of setting up the mic and finding a topic, it’s the motivation, the inspiration, the timing. Summer especially has a way of making everything feel harder to sit down and do. Even scheduling with guests can be more difficult because everyone is on the go and trying to enjoy the summer months to the fullest (and who can blame them)!Â
What this has given me is a whole new level of compassion and empathy for the podcasters I follow up with who are on extended breaks or just not feeling it. I get it now in a way I didn’t before. When someone tells me they’re not sure when they’ll start back up, I’m not just nodding along anymore and accepting it as the way it is, I genuinely understand it.
And sometimes, even going back to lean on your why isn’t quite enough. I talked about the importance of your why in Episode 10, and I still believe it, but I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t admit that some days it just doesn’t cut it either. That’s real, and I think it’s worth saying out loud.
- The Power of Feedback
I’ve always tried to reach out to podcast hosts whose episodes I enjoy, a quick note, a review, some encouragement. I knew it mattered. But I didn’t fully understand just how much until I started being on the receiving end of it myself.
The feedback I’ve gotten from listeners has genuinely shaped this show. Topics have come from comments. This very episode came out of a conversation with someone who asked me the right question at the right time. And the summer mailbag episode I released recently was built entirely from listener feedback, which felt like a full circle moment.
If you listen to podcasts, reach out to the hosts you enjoy. A quick message, a rating, a review. It means more than you’ll ever know from the outside, trust me!Â
- The Unexpected Impact on Other Areas of My Life
This one was the biggest surprise. Starting this podcast has spilled over into my creativity in ways I didn’t anticipate. As a (very) amateur artist I do sketches, pen drawings of buildings and local scenes, and somewhere along the way I noticed that podcasting and art started feeding each other. When I’m sketching, I’m sometimes thinking about the podcast. When I’m on a walk or working out, episode ideas pop up and I’m running for my phone to get them into my notes app before they disappear.
I’ve been coming at podcasting from behind the scenes for over a decade. Stepping out from behind the mic has opened up something I didn’t expect, a creative outlet that’s bleeding into other parts of my life in the best way (if you’re a musician, maybe podcasting helps with music creation as well)?Â
A Note on the Permission Slip
If you’re a regular listener, you’ll notice I skipped the school bell and the permission slip this time around. This episode felt more like a voice note to a friend than a how-to, and I think that’s okay. As I always say, it’s your show and there are no rules. That applies to me too!
If something resonated with you here, I’d love to hear from you! I’m planning a fall mailbag episode and would love to feature your thoughts, and give you and your show or business a shoutout. You can find me on Facebook, LinkedIn, or send a note to matt@podassist.com.
Thanks for reading, and remember, it’s YOUR show and there are NO RULES!
Ready to launch your podcast in as little as TWO weeks, stress-free? Or need help with your current show? Book a no-obligation call with me at https://calendly.com/mattpodassist.
LINKS:
15: Listener Mailbag: Summer 2026 EditionÂ
10: Your Podcasting Anchor: The One Thing That Keeps You From Drifting