What 100+ podcasts has taught me...

We recently hit 100 episodes of The Ride Companion, a milestone I’m immensely proud of. However, the last few weeks really got me thinking about how far the podcast has come, the various iterations it has been through to actually hit 280+ total episodes and some of the lessons learnt along the way…

I thought I’d take this opportunity to tell you about them, break them down into 10 bitesize chunks and hopefully leave you with a small dose of inspiration. Here goes…?

Start.

You can’t get to 100 without first getting to 1. It sounds cliché but, you just have to start. At the start of any project, you should be doing it because YOU want to do it. It’s important to have some type of long term ideas or goals but, don’t be that person that stands on the sidelines waiting for somebody to invite them to play. Get in the damn game. As my all time favourite poem says ‘jump, you might fall, you might fly...’

Your network is your net worth.

It’s surprising how many people are willing to help you get some eyes or ears on a project you’ve started. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for a few shares on social media. With any type of content too don’t be afraid to look close to home for subjects. For me, it was super hard in the beginning to get the bigger guests on the show so, I stuck to people I knew in the industry and they were more than happy to help.

Consistency is important.

In my opinion, this is where most people fall flat. You have to be consistent and as dedicated as possible. No word of a lie, it took (in my opinion) five years before the podcast have any form of success. It was a GRIND. Late nights, bad episodes, failing tech and plenty of people asking me what the hell I was doing. I knew I had to stay in the game for the long haul.?

Be realistic. But also aim high.

This goes back to the guest's thing for me. I knew initially it would take building a platform first before the bigger guests would want to get involved. However, it didn’t stop me from reaching out and asking people if they’d like to be on the show. I mean, Ryan Nyquist said yes so anything is possible!?

It’s more work than you think.

Goes without saying really but, I wanted to say it. Any type of creative work or business is going to be HARD AS F&CK to get rolling. Unless of course, you fall super lucky. Don’t be put off by the grind in the early days, it will be worth it and you will see the fruits of your labours way further down the line.?

Listen to your audience. (Kind of…)

In the early years of the podcast, I was constantly asking for feedback. People are lovely (most of the time) and would often give me pointers, and suggestions on how to improve and even introduce me to possible guests. That being said, it’s important to listen to your gut and stay on the path you’ve chosen even if other people don’t get it. I wonder how many projects have failed because of a nasty comment??

If you don’t ask you don’t get.

People are willing to help you. Be prepared to ask for help, advice and even discounts on products to help you succeed. There’s no harm in asking and what’s the worst somebody can say? NO? Then keep moving forwards...

Don’t think about money.

This is probably the thing I’m most proud of with the platform I’ve built. It’s NEVER and I really mean NEVER been about the money. I’m a firm believer that the money will come if you do a good job, stick to your guns and keep going. I had so many people ask me?‘How much does the podcast make?’ and my reply?‘nothing’ would often get a crazy response. However, in the back of my mind I knew, no, I hoped that what I was building was going to become undeniable in the future. I let sponsors find the podcast naturally which also ensures you get off to a great start with them because they’ve come to you first.

I have to be honest things have changed a lot now. The podcast does operate more like a business but that’s because there’s now production costs, travel, equipment and bills to pay. I’m very proud though that money isn’t at the forefront of what we do at TRC Media House.

Don’t burn bridges.

At this point I’ve met hundreds of guests through the podcast. Worked with a bunch of brands and engaged with god knows how many listeners. I’d like to think that I’m friends with everybody and I’ve done my best to be supportive of all the brands that get involved, be respectful and don’t take people's time/money for granted.

Keep it fun.

Does this need an explanation? If you can build something that makes you hop out of bed in the morning and you can’t wait to work on your thing then, that’s success to me. It’s the ultimate freedom and the ultimate goal.?

I hope these little lessons help and of course, if you’d like to bounce any ideas off me personally then you can always drop me an email.?

Thanks for all your support. It means the world.?

Peace and love.??

Davi?