200 Episodes + 250K Podcast Downloads! 10 Lessons Learned!

Hey Friend!

We are CELEBRATING big-time today! 200 EPISODES, TWO YEARS, AND 250K PODCAST DOWNLOADS!

I’m sharing 10 life-altering lessons I’ve learned during this time and how they’ve impacted my business, my community, and my quality of life. The importance of committing to ONE main platform over time and doing it in a way that lights you up can (and has) truly changed EVERYTHING.

Having an evergreen, organic platform that can scale while building trust with an audience is truly a catalyst to growth. The importance of consistency, commitment, and service over sales has been a huge take-a-way for me in the past 2 years. I’ve learned so much about how the long game actually works and why social media, algorithms, and chasing after the new and shiny platforms leave you burnt out, tired, and floundering.

I am here to give away my secrets after being a podcaster for two full years!

I hope these lessons are helpful to you in your walk.

I pray this blesses you.

FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPTION:

(00:00):

Hey girls. Oh my gosh. Here we go. This is episode number 200 of the Mompreneur Mastermind Show. Can you guys believe it? 200 episodes. We are one month shy of two years. Also crazy town! This show is almost a quarter of a million downloads, which blows my mind. You guys have shown up for me in just the biggest way possible.

(00:28):

This podcast has exceeded every expectation I could have ever had as far as what I created it for and what I thought it would do it’s beyond. So what I’ve done today, two things, first thing is we gotta celebrate, you know, this. So I’m going to be gifting a one-hour completely free coaching session to one lucky winner. All of those details are going to be at the end of today’s episode.

(00:54):

But first, I’m going to talk to you about 10 lessons that podcasting has brought into my life, or 10 things I’ve learned since being a podcaster, for almost two years and 200 episodes later. Holy smokes. It’s going to be so good.

(02:05):

All right, friend. So number one, the first lesson, and these are in no particular order, except for lesson number 10. So you got to hang out till the end. Plus, I’m going to be talking to you guys about the giveaway.

(02:19):

So lesson number one, committing to something is the secret to transformative breakthrough success. Committing to something. I said one thing is the secret to breakthrough success.

(02:38):

What do I mean by that? I mean, we’ve got to stop committing to everything and start committing to the thing. In 200 episodes, what did I do differently than I’ve ever done in the past as an entrepreneur? I quit showing up on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and in the everywhere. Sure, I still show up you guys, but I’m repurposing over there.

(03:01):

The only place I’m creating, actually creating, and pushing out new, exciting, vibrant content is right here. One place twice a week. That is how I’ve had transformative success in my business.

(03:17):

So, if you can do one thing it’s to commit to something. Your one thing, your long form content, whatever that is for you. Really commit, commit, commit. I always say at least six months to a year, but two years would be even better.

(03:33):

All right, lesson number two. Not everybody’s gonna like you. Oh man. You guys, this one was a hard pill to swallow. Not everybody’s going to like me? What do you mean? I love to be liked.

(03:49):

Like so many of you, not being liked is super uncomfortable. Having somebody say something about you that feels judgmental, feels like they don’t understand you, or feels like they’re coming at you. It’s so hard.

(04:07):

But when you start to commit and really show up to your truth and the things that you were meant to talk about, not everybody’s going to like it. If every single person likes what you’re throwing down, you’re probably not speaking your full truth.

(04:24):

So you’ve got to get over that piece. Okay. The beauty of where I’ve come is that while I still care when people don’t like my stuff, don’t like me, leave a bad review, or send me a mean email is that I’m able to get over it really quickly, because I remind myself I’m not here to please the world. I’m here to please God.

(04:46):

All right. Yes, I’m totally walking around, because I felt like this was an episode where I had to move and really feel into what it is that I’m talking to you guys about. So if you hear weird noises, I’m just walking around, using my phone to record, which you guys will like that. That’s one of the lessons.

(05:04):

Number three, basically here we are. Number three, let go of perfectionism. It is liberating in two years and 200 episodes of podcasting there is no way I could be perfect every time. There’s no way. Every single time I could plug in my perfect mic, have on my headphones, have soundproof audio, like have everything recorded, record out every, and have the perfect music transition. This is just so unrealistic.

(05:36):

Let go of perfectionism. Be liberated to just be who you are and to be messy sometimes. For me, it brings me joy to record an episode outside while I’m walking around. So be it. Right! For me, it brings me joy to sometimes record when my kids are in the next room and you guys can hear wrestling or playing with daddy or just being kids. That to me is liberating.

(06:02):

It’s liberating because I want to be creative in the places where I’m most creative. Also, because I want to show you guys and normalize the fact that it’s okay to not be perfect.

(06:16):

Actually it’s preferred. Lesson number four, you got to dare to be different. In all of my episodes of podcasting,, one of my favorite lessons is going against the rules. So not always having a perfect intro. Sometimes there’s no intro at all, forgetting things sometimes. Saying the wrong episode, number, whatever.

(06:43):

Having rap in my intro. That’s really different for a Christian entrepreneur. You know what I’m saying? I got some beats cause you girl can jam. Your girl can dance. Be different.

(06:56):

You don’t have to fit in a box because of your label, do what the big podcasters are doing, or sound like anyone else.

(07:04):

One thing that I love giving myself permission is to just flow. However long the episodes are, is how long they are. Some they are 10 or 15 minutes. Somes they are an hour.

(07:14):

Flow. Be you, whatever that means that permission slip means to you to dare, to be different. Dig into that.

(07:22):

Lesson number five. Give away more than you think you should.

(07:28):

All the time people are asking, “Stef, but if I talk about all these things, no one will ever work with me. No one will ever buy my stuff. No one will ever do coaching with me.” False.

(07:38):

The more you give, the more you get. The more you serve, the more you earn. The more you pour out your heart and energy into helping other people transform or learn something, the farther you and your business will get.

(07:56):

There is totally a helicopter driving over. Sorry, not sorry. Dare to be different. Right?

(08:03):

So when you guys give away more than you think you should, you’re going to see the fruits of that decision. Every time I give away too much. Oh gosh, I gave it all away, they’re never going to work with me, two more clients come in. Three more sales come in.

(08:23):

So give it away. Why does this work? Because we are smart as consumers. We know that people are trying to sell us stuff, but what we appreciate is getting a result for free because now we can trust that person. In turn, makes us want to spend money with them.

(08:42):

Okay? So it’s almost, it’s like this reverse mindset of what you’ve been taught of sell, sell, sell, sell. No! Serve, serve, serve, serve.

(08:52):

All right. Lesson number six, do not be afraid to micro niche. Yes. Please, if y’all are still talking to everybody, you’ve got to fix that.

(09:08):

So in my 200 episodes, I went from at first just talking to female entrepreneurs thinking most of them were network marketers. Two short years ago. Then I was like, wait, they’re not network marketers necessarily. They’re mompreneurs.

(09:30):

Then I got even deeper, like six to eight months into my show. Oh wait, they’re Christian mompreneurs. Now I know even more about you guys. I know how old most of you are, your demographic, thoughts, fears, and who you guys are. So I’m able to create really micro specific content for you.

(09:52):

That is why, if you are to look at my reviews, one of the main things that people say is that they feel like I’m their best friend. They feel like they know me so well. That I totally understand them.

(10:06):

They’re like, “Stefanie, how are you in my brain?” I’m like, I’m in your brain because I am a micro. I am not unafraid of being micro niche with who I’m speaking to and what I am saying. So you guys need to take that tip and hopefully niche down even deeper into who you’re speaking to.

(10:25):

Lesson number seven in 200 episodes and almost two years of podcasting, this one is so important. Never compare yourself to someone else, your podcast to someone else’s, or your download numbers to somebody else’s. You want to compare yourself fine, but you can compare yourself to yourself.

(10:51):

Why? Because you have to put apples to apples. There are other podcasts out in the world that have been out for a shorter amount of time than mine that have millions of downloads. There are also podcasts out there that have been out the same amount of time and they’re really struggling to get going.

(11:06):

Everyone’s story is different. Everyone’s book has different chapters. Everybody gets to the main highlights or the climaxes of the books at different points in the story, right? We’ve heard this before, but I’ll say it again. You cannot compare your chapter one to someone else’s chapter 20. Stop comparing yourself, especially when it comes to your content, your likes, your downloads, your list, or whatever.

(11:30):

That’s why I’m really open with you guys about my stats and my numbers, because I’m only comparing myself to myself. I want you guys to know the realistic parts of my journey. You know eight years as a full time entrepreneur, all the way up, all the way down, no money, and selling things to pay the bills. Then finally getting it, doing it God’s way, letting go micro niching down, picking one platform, showing up, being unapologetic about what I wanted to say in my own way, how I want to say it, and daring to be different.

(12:04):

Finally seeing massive fruits of all of that labor and really of getting myself out of the way. Right? That’s why I share with you guys because this journey is not overnight. But if I was comparing myself to someone else I may have quit. I probably would have quit. So I only track my stuff compared to my stuff. All I’m looking for is growth.

(12:27):

Stef, did you grow a little bit? If not, why? What can you do better? Okay.

(12:34):

Next lesson, lesson eight, you will make mistakes. Yes you will. Own them. I’ve made so many different mistakes. Guys, I have had people that I’ve done interviews with where I didn’t air it. It was a mistake. I shouldn’t have taken that person in the first place. I’ve had episodes where the audio is like super duper bad and I shouldn’t have aired it. I did. I’ve had to apologize for that.

(13:00):

You may say something that triggers somebody and then you’re like, oh gosh, you’re right. Like I shouldn’t have said it.

(13:05):

Somebody actually just came to me in my inbox. They were like, we were going to buy your course, a husband and wife. But you said, OMG in your copy. You know, we were just curious about that. I was like, oh my gosh, like that copy is two years old.

(13:25):

I still say OMG sometimes. I don’t ever take the Lord’s name in vain, but I do say, OMG, and that is wrong. I need to not do that. It’s a habit and it’s bad. It’s using blasphemy when it comes to our Lord and using his name in vain. I was like, you’re so right.

(13:41):

I apologize for that, but I have got to rework my copy. Thank you.

(13:46):

Okay. So you guys, we’re not perfect. We’re humans and we have to be willing to admit if we make mistakes or we say something incorrectly, which you will, it’s inevitable.

(13:59):

That brings us back to like letting go of perfectionism, right? Like you’re never going to be perfect in the way that you deliver. Just be willing to own it when you mess up.

(14:08):

Two more. Less number nine, go deep instead of going wide. Okay. If you go deep, you will go much farther than if you go wide.

(14:19):

What do I mean by that? I mean, when I’m paying attention to analytics out of 200 episodes, which episodes have the most traction, which episodes are getting the most downloads, the most feedback, the most transformation from my listeners. Double down on what’s working, follow the demand. Follow the demand.

(14:41):

So if you’re doing that, you’re able to go deeper into a topic. Instead of I’ll just talk about everything in motherhood and this and that. But you’ll notice all of a sudden all of your distance learning episodes are off the chain. Everybody’s loving it. Download, download, download. Talking about it, sharing it. Go deep.

(14:59):

What else can you talk about inside of that topic? Have a whole series on that topic. This is one of my strategies that I use all the time doubling down on what is working and what is in demand. It will totally explode your business and your platform. Okay?

(15:18):

Lesson number 10, the most important lesson of all of these. Stop trying to control the outcome. Get yourself out of the way. These are my lessons. So this is something that I had to learn. Let go and let God, and then be Holy Spirit-led with what you’re bringing into the world.

(15:42):

Stef? What does this mean? You can’t control what happens. That’s what it means. I can’t control how many people listen to an episode, how many people hire me, when somebody doesn’t like my content, someone that wants to leave a negative review, and I can’t control anything.

(16:06):

What I can do is let go and let God. Just show up to the best of my ability, have a ton of fun, and do it my way walking around the backyard waving at helicopters that interrupt my recording. I’m saying have fun, just have fun. It’s not that big of a deal to show up and share and love people and inspire people with what you know. Stop overthinking it. Let go.

(16:38):

What I love to do is before I record, before I hop on to share, I just say a quick prayer. I just say, Holy Spirit, help me today. Bring a message that someone needs to hear. Give me the words. I’m always praying to God. I’m like use my words and my mouth. Give me the words.

(16:58):

Like my feet are your feet. My soul is your soul. Give me everything. I need to just be a beacon of light for you today.

(17:07):

Then I let go of the rest and guess what? He always delivers, friends.

(17:13):

There’s never been a time where I’m like, well, you know, God didn’t deliver me out of that one. You know, I didn’t see the fruits of sharing that or showing up twice this week. Like I shouldn’t have done that. It’s always a positive thing to give and share and help people through. Whatever it is you do.

(17:35):

You guys don’t minimize what you do. Okay? Whether you help moms get organized, whether you help people start million dollar corporations, whether you’re a lawyer, whether you’re a business coach, a life coach, or a fitness expert. Your thing is worthy. Your thing is worthy of being brought into the world.

(17:56):

So commit, commit. Those are my 10 takeaways. My 10 lessons of being a podcaster for almost two years, crazy 200 episodes later. I hope that these lessons were helpful and that you can infuse them into your own business and life and do something exciting over the next two years of your life.

(18:19):

Share with me what your favorite lesson was over in the Mompreneur Mastermind group. I would love to hear from you guys.

(21:36):

All right, sisters, love you praying over you. I just wrap you up today in God’s glory and vision for your life. That whatever God has in store for you may that come to light in your heart and mind and spirit so that you can bring it into the world. I pray for encouragement and love to just course through you so that you are more excited than ever about what you have to offer. I pray that these lessons really resonated in your heart and that you’re able to grab onto the lessons that will help you show up any bigger and more impactful way for the mission and the reason that God has placed you here on earth. Because sister, you have a gift and it is time is your time to bring it. In Jesus’s name, amen. Love you guys. I’ll see you back here on Monday for more fun. Talk to you later.