2,000 monthly listeners

Launched in June 2017

1 episode a week

Hello! What’s your background, and what’s your podcast about?

I’m Chris Brogan and I run The Owner’s Mind podcast. It’s usually a brief interview with someone who can share with the world a bit about what it takes to own your choices, own your future, and own your life. I don’t run it for any particular reason other than it’s a great way to talk with smart people.

What was the motivation behind starting the podcast?

I’ve had a podcast running one way or another since 2005. I like the medium because there are plenty of times when people are in a spot where reading isn’t ideal for them and I like to have something for people’s ears. I’ve never tried to validate a show before launching. I take an idea, launch it, and see if anyone shows up. If they don’t, I cancel the show. My podcast isn’t a core business element. It’s just something I do to earn attention and thus potentially more customers.

What went into launching the initial podcast?

Launching a podcast is easy. I just pick a hosting platform (usually Libsyn), and start recording on GarageBand (cheap on a Mac). Nothing fancy. I use a Blue Yeti microphone with a pop filter so that it sounds a little better than me yelling at a computer, but that’s about as fancy as it gets. As for time, my show’s pretty brief. I do an interview in around 10-12 minutes. When I put my intro and stuff around it, the shows never last more than 16-18 minutes tops. It takes me a total of maybe 20 minutes to lob a new show out into the wild for people to listen to and maybe enjoy.

How have you attracted listeners and grown the podcast?

I don’t do anything to grow my show. I tweet about it sometimes. I put links up on Facebook. I don’t care if people don’t listen. That saves me all the anxiety all these podcasters have about why they’re bothering to do a show. I just make mine worth it. I don’t do press releases, SEO, PR, or anything. I make it useful.

How does your podcast generate revenue directly/indirectly?

I run a media and education company and sell courses and webinars and speeches and books and coaching and the like. This current show doesn’t have sponsors. I don’t monetize the podcast in any way. I use it to earn more subscribers to my newsletter, which ultimately potentially earns me more business.

What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced and obstacles you’ve overcome when it comes to running the podcast? If you had to start over, what would you do differently?

A million years ago (like 2007), I probably cared too much. So I stopped doing that. Now, I just make the show. I make it work for the people I interview and I make the output serve the people I hope to help.

Stop and look back on all my answers. Compare them to everyone else Siimon interviews here. Who would you rather be? Someone jumping around like an anxious dog, or someone who just catches the gold when it rains from the sky?

Have you found anything particularly helpful or advantageous?

I’ve found not worrying so much to be helpful. I have one major goal: learn about my guest and transfer that information to the listener in a way that encourages further exploration. That’s our job. Well, if you’re doing an interview show. You’re not supposed to be the expert. Just facilitate. Help people move forward.

What’s your advice for podcasters who are just starting out?

Press record. Talk. Learn how not to say um. Don’t work from set question lists. They’re boring and everyone hates you when you do it. Learn how to ask the right questions (through practice, but also through actually listening and engaging with curiosity). Deliver value to your listeners and you’ll earn more.

Where can we go to learn more?

I write at chrisbrogan.com and would love if you’d get my newsletter. It means the world to me and I put all my best work there.