How Her Podcast Grew 840% and is Now a Top Podcast with Lesley Cain

Hey Friend!

I am so excited about this conversation with Lesley Cain. She is a student who has gone through all three courses inside the Stefanie Gass School: Clarify Your Calling, Podcast Pro University, and Podcast to Profit. She passed with flying colors and even built a top podcast.

In fact, she loved Podcast to Profit so much that she’s taking it again! She is now enrolled in Podcast to Profit 4.0 and is actively working on finishing up her offers. 

Let’s learn from Lesley what it was like to complete all three courses, grow her podcast 840% to become a top podcast, and begin making plans to create a course. We will also discuss her podcast status now after investing in herself at that level.

Intro to Lesley Cain and How She Built Her Top Podcast

Stef: Hi Lesley!

Lesley: Hi Stef, thanks for having me.

Stef: Lesly is an A+ student. If there’s one thing I have to say, it is that this woman takes direction. She implements. She is thorough. Lesley, would you agree?

Lesley: I would say so. I’m that woman.

Stef: I think that’s a beautiful representation of the brand you’ve created. Every time I see your podcast art, I’m speechless. It’s so beautiful.

What Set Lesley’s Course to Become a Top Podcast?

Stef: What is your podcast called, and what do you do?

Lesley: My podcast is The Vibrant Survivor, and I help narcissistic abuse survivors to disconnect and heal.

Stef: Did you have a business in this space before wanting to start a podcast? Or, was everything new when you started working with me?

Lesley: I started some things and tried to piece them together. I did some programs and some market research, created content on YouTube and Instagram, but nothing was complete or cohesive.

Stef: I think so many of us start that way. We’re kind of this melting pot of people we find online, trying to mesh them all together into what our thing will become. How did you find me?

Lesley: I will never forget that. I follow Virginia Kerr on Instagram, and she mentioned her business coach in one of her posts. I messaged her and asked who her business coach was. She said it was Stef Gass.

I went to your website and did the bootcamp you offer. Right after that, I signed up for Clarify Your Calling. That was a game-changer for me. It pulled a lot of things together and filled in a lot of blanks. 

People mentioned podcasting to me before, but I never pursued it, but then I decided I was jumping into Podcast Pro University. I even purchased a microphone during the pandemic. It was sitting in the box, unopened. Podcast to Profit sounded so amazing. I really wanted to be around like-minded people, to take my pain and turn it into a passion, and create a business to help people on a global level in a meaningful way. 

Stef: You’ve done it! Your brand and mission are so big; it’s so important. I’m so proud of you for moving through that step.

On the Road to a Top Podcast, You Will Encounter Roadblocks

Stef: You’ve gone through the entire Stefanie Gass School: Clarify Your Calling, Podcast Pro University, and Podcast to Profit. I’m curious, which was your favorite?

Lesley: I thought they were all very well done; you’re talking to a lifelong learner. I loved school and was always a good student. I think Clarify Your Calling was incredible for me. It pulled so many things together and was very validating in many ways. It provided the validation and springboard for me to jump into podcasting and make the decision to jump into Podcast to Profit.

Stef: That makes sense because if you don’t have clarity, you don’t have direction. If you don’t have direction, you have no idea what to do next. It’s complete frozen confusion. 

Can you talk about any fears or roadblocks to joining any of the courses? What were the thoughts in your mind, or excuses you had, about taking the leap?

Lesley: Over the last few years, I have done a lot of programs. I’ve spent a lot of time and effort getting certifications. A lot of people think they’re clear, but they’re really not. For me, it was like, not another program. Am I just doing the perpetual student thing?

As a narcissistic abuse survivor and someone who creates content around that, I had concerns about retaliation, backlash, and sabotage. People being difficult; deliberately messy.

Honestly, you laid everything out so beautifully and created such a beautiful community that I’ve felt every step of the way that I have a group around me that’s got my back.

Stef: That’s so critical, isn’t it? Even just for accountability. Knowing you have that safe space to come and share, especially with a brand like yours, where you wanted to be very careful of how you took those next steps.

Can Following Podcast to Profit Help You Earn a Top Podcast Status?

Stef: Let’s talk about getting into Podcast to Profit. At this point, you’ve got clarity, at least 80%. I never expect someone to be at 100% clarity because until we take action, we can’t get to true clarity. You knew what you were going to do, and you had this freshly launched podcast. Can you talk about what Podcast to Profit was like? What were some of your favorite parts?

Lesley: Just launching my podcast, I had to let go of my perfectionism. Launching didn’t go as I had planned, but I got it out there, and that’s huge. 

Podcast to Profit was very organized, clear, and engaging. There was always something to do. There were exercises and practical applications. With the community, it was also fun. You have a bubbly personality and attract people who are like-minded and want to have fun in building their future.

It was fast, too. When I first got in, I didn’t realize the gun had gone off, and I needed to run! It’s literally like a race: everybody’s pace is different; someone might twist their ankle and need someone else to put an arm around their shoulder. For an over-thinker like me, it’s good to have that fast-paced encouragement from the community. After narcissistic abuse, your brain is kind of scrambled from the trickery and deceit, so I found it all very welcome. 

Stef: That is music to my ears, Lesley. Organization is something I strive for, but I’m a wannabe. So to hear that the course is so well organized is like, “Wow, I did it!” This is the fourth iteration of Podcast to Profit, and it’s gotten so much clearer every time. It’s more refined and simpler, so you can implement it.

Community and Relationships Help Build a Top Podcast

Stef: I love that you brought up the fact that you are an over-thinker. I think another thing that keeps people stuck from being able to have success in business is just that: overthinking.  You don’t have time to overthink in Podcast to Profit. It pushes you forward and almost forces your hand to move to the next step. Otherwise, you stay stuck on one step. 

There are a hundred things we have to get done to create a flourishing business. If we get stuck on thing #5, we’re really hurting ourselves. It’s great to have the coaching, group, me, the team, and the people in the cohort with you, pushing you forward to move on to the next step. Do it. Call it done. You can always come back to refine or optimize later. 

Lesley: That was one of my favorite parts. As a survivor of narcissistic abuse, the community was so refreshing. You put an emphasis on having God at the center, and it wasn’t all about getting more money. There were like-minded people in the community. I’ve made friends that I continue to keep in touch with; we still hold each other accountable. We’re still helping each other; to me, that’s a beautiful thing. I am friends with women who are very much like me and whom I would not have otherwise met. 

Stef: Exactly. You’re alone sometimes, behind the mic, creating content. But what a cool thing to join a program with people doing exactly what you’re doing, with the same moral compass, who can brainstorm together and be encouraged by each other. I think that community is so critical to your success. How cool to now have these people and friendships that have continued after the program was over.

Building a Top Podcast: Is Podcast to Profit Worth It?

Stef: Was it worth it? You’ve gone through the Stefanie Gass School and launched a podcast. Where are you now? What has success looked like? I know you’re still building, but what has it looked like in all that you have accomplished?

Lesley: It was well worth it. In fact, I would go as far as to say that I wish I had found you earlier. But that’s part of the journey, and I embrace that. 

It’s been really cool. I upload weekly episodes, and as of this point, I have 26 episodes on the podcast The Vibrant Survivor podcast has grown by 1,000-2,000 downloads per month. I launched on January 3rd, 2023, and the total downloads have increased by 840% since then. 

It’s been so cool to reach people. One of my goals before I found your programs was to create a global brand. It’s so cool to be doing that without having to appeal to algorithms. It’s cool just to pour into the mic and touch people globally. 

As of right now, The Vibrant Survivor podcast is a top 2% ranking podcast!

Stef: Congratulations, Lesley! That’s huge!

That’s the goal, right? How do I reach more people with this message in a way that resonates with them? Now, you are growing exponentially every single month and are already a top 2% podcast. You are doing that; you are accomplishing that.

Do you have goals to monetize the podcast? If so, how’s that been going? 

Lesley: I do. I’m working on a couple of things right now to monetize the podcast. I’m putting together a program to help people. Also, I’m looking to create a course. I’m super excited. 

Using Podcast to Profit to Build Your Course & Launch a Top Podcast

Stef: In the latest Podcast to Profit, every single micro-step of building a course is there. I teach a method for determining how many modules it should be, what they should encompass, how to break up a module into sub-steps, where to build it, and how to upload everything. Everything is in there because I completely rebuilt Podcast to Profit, so I recorded that entire process. Now it has that extra level of support to help you make that a reality. 

The next step inside of Podcast to Profit is this new sales training where I teach you to sell with soul, the nine points of conversion, and how to get people to purchase. It is so over-the-top to help you have success and make money from your podcast. I can’t wait to watch that come to fruition for you.

Lesley: That’s one of the things I appreciate about you. There are a lot of coaches who tell you, “Do this, do this, and do this.” They bombard you with tons of content, more than you can watch in a lifetime. I love that you pull the curtain back on exactly how you set everything up and how you built everything you’ve built. People who love organization will be very pleased to see that. A lot of people will show you: the cars, trips, etc. But they don’t show you the steps on how they got there. I love that you have everything organized and you let us see exactly how everything comes together, step-by-step.

Stef: I’m a visual learner. How am I supposed to create something if someone doesn’t show me? I assumed that you need to see, understand, and not just hear about it or be given a checklist. You need to experience how to do what I’m teaching. Thank you for that confirmation!

Wrap-Up: How Can You Find Lesley’s Top Podcast: The Vibrant Survivor?

Stef: Lesley, thank you for being on the show. If anybody wants to find healing after going through trauma or dealing with a narcissistic relationship in their life or work, tell us more about your podcast, how you can support them, and give us the link to find you.

Lesley: You can find The Vibrant Survivor podcast on your favorite podcast platform. I upload weekly on a variety of topics, including holistic health, trauma, boundaries, and more.

Stef: Thank you, Lesley, so much for being on the show. I’m so excited about how you’re going to continue to grow! Thanks for blessing us today.

Lesley: Thank you so much, Stef!

Stef: I hope you loved that conversation! If it’s on your heart to join Podcast to Profit, now is a great time to do it. Head to the website now and get your application in. I have a team of coaches in there, my online business manager (OBM) works in there; there are a lot of things that happen in there! There’s no time like the present to dive in and make your podcast work for you to provide for you and your family. I know that’s possible for you; you just need to know the hows and have the support to get you there.

I pray this blesses you!

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