A New Year...New Experiences

Trying something new can be motivating.

The show aims to serve nonprofits with high-value information to help them be more successful. Each month, David interviews guests who have demonstrated experience and expertise working with nonprofits.

Trying a new experience.

I’ve never been on a podcast before, so this was definitely a new experience for me. 

It was interesting to see what goes into the process of recording an episode, and to later compare the experience of creating it with the resulting end product.

Overall, I think David was a great host, and, from my perspective, the recording went very smoothly. 

We started with some small talk to get to know each other, and David spent some time explaining how the recording would work. 

The interview started with David introducing me to his listeners. It was clear he had done some research, enough so to be able to go into detail about my background, and explain why I was relevant to his audience. 

We then got into the interview. David was well-prepared with a number of relevant questions, which were the focus of the recording session. 

I don’t want to rehash what was covered in the interview—you can listen to the episode if you want to hear that. However, there were some interesting insights I learned from this experience.

Standing out from the crowd.

The first insight I gained from this experience, and probably something useful for anyone considering guesting on podcasts, is the importance of standing out from the crowd.

Many of David’s past guests focused on sharing branding or marketing advice. Knowing that I was the first architect to appear on his show gave me a sense of satisfaction, and possibly somewhat of an advantage. 

I don’t know the full extent of David’s audience, but to have the opportunity to provide his audience with information and advice that is unique to what his previous guests covered will certainly help me stand out. 

I think this is really powerful. Had I been one of many architects on his show, I would likely have simply blended in with the others. Instead, I’m able to stand out from the crowd, with a unique angle that had not been discussed on the show before.

I think this is a great strategy for entrepreneurs and business owners. Ask yourself where the opportunities to be seen as unique or different exist.

Giving something back.

In general, I believe that most business owners are interested in giving something back. 

Whether it’s through philanthropy, volunteerism, mentoring, or other opportunities, there seems to be an innate desire among entrepreneurs to pay it forward.

Until recently, I did not see podcasting as a way of paying it forward, but I do now.

Ask yourself, what’s your greatest resource as a business owner?

Most likely, it’s you—your experience, your expertise, and your talents. 

The experience of recording the podcast with David brought me to an important realization. It confirmed for me that my team and I have a lot of valuable experience and expertise to share with others who are considering expanding their operations. Whether they are nonprofit or for profit businesses, we have a lot of knowledge to share. 

I’ve come to see podcasting as a great way to share my insights and pay it forward to others.

Gauging the opportunity.

The other thing I learned from this experience is that podcasting has the potential to be a great way to showcase yourself and your personality. People don’t buy from businesses, they buy from other people at those businesses, and the more you can put yourself out there and allow people to see (and, in this case, hear) the real you, the more opportunities you’ll have.

To be clear, the expectation is not to secure numerous new opportunities as a result of this interview. However, as an architect, one project, if it’s the right project, can make all the difference. 

It could happen tomorrow, it could happen a year from now, but all it takes is for one person to hear my interview, like what I have to say, and contact me about a project, and that one interview could result in significant opportunities for our firm.

The year to come.

Looking back on this new experience, it’s both amazing and obvious that podcasting can be a powerful form of communication. 

For all the reasons I mentioned, that you can stand out from the crowd, that you can give something back, and that there is great opportunity in this medium, it’s clear that there is a ton of potential in podcasting. 

So, in the year to come, I’ll be looking for more opportunities to appear on podcasts. Who knows, I may even start my own.

What do you know about podcasting?

I hope this article has given you some insights about podcasting. If you have a podcast, or you are an experienced podcast guest, I invite you to reach out with any of your own insights or recommendations. If there is a podcast you think I would be a good fit for, please let me know.

We’d love to hear your thoughts and welcome any comments or questions you might have about podcasting. And if you listened to my episode on the Non-Profit Digital Success Podcast, please feel free to share your thoughts. 

To share your comments, email barron@theschim.com. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter, Methods and Madness, for more insight, information, and visual stimulation for all things architecture and interior design related.