What 3 Doors Down Can Teach You About Starting a Podcast

Expectations. They’re complicated. There was a book written about great ones a few years ago.

Whenever anyone approaches me about starting a podcast, the first thing I ask is, What are your expectations and your listener’s expectations?

Let’s break down the former first. Your expectations should include:

• How much time do I dedicate each week to the podcast?
• How much money can I invest in the podcast (equipment, services, platforms, etc.)?
• What do I expect the show to be about?

Of the three, time is the most important expectation. We can buy all the junk in the world, but we can’t buy time. And for many, at first, a podcast is a side hustle or a hobby. With a job, family, and commitments, how many hours can you dedicate each week to a podcast? This includes everything from research, recording, editing, and marketing. If you currently don’t have a couple of hours a week to make a podcast, you should wait or find a way to manage your time accordingly. Also, think of your podcast as a TV show at first, come up with an idea for a 10-episode season, and give yourself a structure and a North Star to follow. If all goes well, you take a short hiatus, bank a few episodes, and launch season 2. Avoid the dreaded pop-fade, and your show suddenly ends without a trace.

Second are expenses. Even though there are various free hosting and editing platforms available and microphones come in all price points, how much discretionary income do you have available to get started?

And lastly, what do you expect the show to be about? If you’re going in and thinking that the show is just about you and your take on the world, you’re starting too broad. Find what interests you the most, what makes you excited, and what you can see yourself talking about consistently.

Next, what do you want the listener to expect? That ties perfectly with your expectations.

If a listener or community (never think audience, that’s too vast and faceless) expects a new episode from you every Thursday, you better publish a new episode every Thursday. And if you know what the show is about, your listener will know what it’s about. Surprising an audience is fun, but making their heads spin with random topics can be a big turn-off.

I learned about the power of exceptions on May 27, 2011. Oddly specific, I know.

But on May 27th, the morning show I was working on was hosting its annual Summer Blast-Off at Jenkinson’s On The Boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey. The yearly event attracted tens of thousands to the shore to celebrate the unofficial kickoff of summer. We would bring the likes of Ed Sheeran, Andy Grammer, Rascal Flatts, The Band Perry, The Beach Boys, Goo Goo Dolls, and more to perform live early in the morning on the Friday before Memorial Day weekend.

Without getting too deep into the weeds, when the bands agreed to perform on the show, 95.5 PLJ was expected to provide hotels and transportation and fulfill rider requests and technical requirements. In exchange, we expected bands to play 5–7 of their biggest hits.

That didn’t happen with 3 Doors Down.

If you’re not familiar with the band, they blew up in the late 90s with their first single, Kryptonite,” and went on to drop a handful of hits through the early 2000s.

So on that faithful morning of May 27th, 3 Doors Down took to the stage in front of about 15,000 people who had lined up on the boardwalk as early as midnight the night before. As they started to perform, the band neglected to play any of their hits and instead played relatively unknown songs from their latest album, Time of My Life. Their song selections were curious, so I went backstage and asked their tour manager when they would play “Kryptonite”, “It’s Not My Time” and “Let Me Go”. He replied that they weren't going to play those hits because they weren’t “prepared” to play them.

I did not take that answer well. Co-workers could see that I was having a meltdown as I tried to reason with him. How could they not be prepared to play their own songs? How could they disappoint their fans who came to see them? How could they break our agreement?

I also felt sorry for the listeners who had expected something else from 3 Doors Down. They had expected to hear their favorite songs, to sing along, and to have fun. After much cajoling, the manager said they would “figure something out”, and eventually, the band did play “Kryptonite” and their other hits.

That day, I learned a valuable lesson about expectations.

They can make or break a relationship, a business, or a podcast.

They can create trust, loyalty, and satisfaction. Or they can cause frustration, resentment, and disappointment.

So, if you want to start a podcast, be clear about your expectations and your listener’s expectations.

Be consistent, be honest, and be respectful.

And don’t be like 3 Doors Down.

How does an artist expect to make a living? This week we dive into the intersection of art and capitalism on #LinkedInPresents The Forbes Books Podcast.

I'm joined by Ekaterina Tsurkanova and Alicia Puig , co-authors of an amazing book that can teach you how to build and grow your creative business. They share their stories, tips, and insights on how to make a living with your art. You will learn a lot from these successful humans in the art industry!

You can also find the episode on?Apple ,?Spotify , or wherever you get podcasts.

Connect with me on?Twitter ,?Instagram , and (of course)?LinkedIn . My book,?Good Listen: Creating Memorable Moments in Business and in Life , is now available at all your favorite bookstores.