1
0,00:00,000 --> 0,01:02,000
Welcome back to another episode of  Never Been Promoted. Why? Because I've never been promoted in my career, and I actually don't tell people that some people think it's a marketing ploy. The truth is I've never been promoted, but that's not the point. We are here to, help you unleash your entrepreneur, and we're doing this through the journeys and stories of other entrepreneurs. And the goal for today and anytime we do a podcast is to help you learn just one thing. If you can learn one thing from our guest or or from our conversation, you've done what's called micro mentoring, and you're on your path to just taking a better step to becoming a better entrepreneur, maybe getting unstuck or just really maybe just get started. Our mission is simple. We want to help a 1000000 entrepreneurs get started, get unstuck, and just get better at entrepreneurship and life. And today, we have a really fun guest on today. It's Freddy Cruz, Speak Podcast. If I hope I didn't I didn't you know, I'm notoriously bad at last names, but I'm also bad at introducing people. That's why I let you do it. But but, Freddy, thank you for joining. Really appreciate the invite, sir. Did I butcher the name ofyour simple name of your business?
2
0,01:02,000 --> 0,01:15,000
You butchered absolutely nothing. I am Freddy Cruz, founder of Speke Podcasting, and that is s p e k e, named after my boys, Sparrow and Zeke. Yes. They are the 4 legged variety, r I p Zeke.
3
0,01:15,000 --> 0,01:37,000
So how do that speak? I said it 4 times down beginning. That that's a straight marketing plugged in there and in the form of conversation. That's that's classic right there. Anyway, I listen. Very thanks for coming on today. Do do you wanna just kinda set us up, you know, 1st and foremost, give us kinda your backstory of how you got to where you are today?
4
0,01:37,000 --> 0,03:50,000
Absolutely. I am a former radio broadcaster who thought he was gonna get into TV and b, the next great sports anchor. Got into radio, never left because it was so much fun. I left radio at the end of 2021 while it was still fun. Offer for a pay cut may have influenced the decision to exit, but, you know, whatever. It's all over. After about 400 applications, 55 official rejections, 55 plus, a handful of interviews that did not go well. I deemed myself unhirable, woke up one morning, looked myself in the mirror, and said, Freddy, you're hired. And so that was the first, iteration of my business, which was all over the place. The name, it was just a name that I had used as a DBA to pick up freelance work. And when I decided to hire myself, I just did not think it through because I had spent my entire life in the corporate world from high school. I worked at Mickey D's. I, worked at various for radio various radio station groups. And so not knowing anything about how to run, operate a business, how to market myself, I sure as hell knew how to market my employer, my corporate overlords, but, knowing how to do it for myself, it it's a completely different different game. And so that was the 1st iteration. July of last year, I decided to go all in on on podcasting because it was, it it it it's the future of communications is decentralized, whether the big guys like it or not. And my job is now to like, you wanna help a 1000000 people, entrepreneurs, realize their full potential. I think that helping tens of 1,000 or however many I can, realize their voice, and they've got a story to share. They're interesting, and they don't need somebody to tell tell them that their mark that their baby's pretty to, share their stories with the world.
5
0,03:50,000 --> 0,05:19,000
Yeah. That's, fit so you did 55 applications. I'll I'll tell you. I tried 404, 400 applications, 55 rejections. So the vast majority didn't even reply. And that's okay. It's I would say over when you deem yourself on HireVlad, I think I love to find these little reflection moments, and maybe they're cheesier. People are like, oh, just Thomas, be quiet. But I do it anyway because it's my show, so I'm going to do it. So here we go. What are the reflection moments I know I had when I had kind of exited out of corporate world, not knowing at that point that that was probably the last one, at least at this point, 3 or a few years later, was when you deem yourself unhireable, meaning what I mean is the level of experience. Maybe it's how you've now positioned yourself as an entrepreneur or whatever it is. I did over a 1000 applications, and I didn't get one interview. And I had a professionally written resume. And, like, there's there's plenty of roles that I was out there going for. And I would tell you when that happens, even though you're kind of like, you know, what happens is you just sharpen your stick to entrepreneurship. You're like, well, this is where I have to be successful now because there's no money coming from that side. Part of it, though, when you said that the interviews don't go well, did you ever feel like you somewhat self sabotage yourself because you're kind of like, I could just answer this differently, but I don't want to in the question. So you because you kind of already knew you wanted to do your own thing. Even though there's this draw of having to take care of your family and all the things that go with that. But did you ever get that in your head? Like, I know I can answer this question how they want to, but I just don't I just don't want to.
6
0,05:19,000 --> 0,05:26,000
There were a couple of jobs that I really wanted. Okay. So one of them was with an animal shelter, and
7
0,05:26,000 --> 0,05:42,000
I completely bombed it. And I've in fact, I mean, how did you oh, wait. Wait. How did you bomb an animal shelter? Were you, like, making, like, euthanasia jokes or something? Did did you, like, well, he's gotta kill the kitties and everything and be plenty of room for the dogs. Like, do you do something like that? How do you apologize?
8
0,05:42,000 --> 0,06:37,000
Yeah. Ah, okay. So I believe the question this was so long ago, I forget, but I know it's the one question. It was something to the effect of, it it was for comms director position, so I'd be working with the local media. It was something like, how do you address the news media when there is a story that paints the shelter in a negative light? It was something like that. So, basically, I've gotta be I've gotta be like the White House correspondent. When everyone knows the president's doing a crappy job, and you gotta go out there be the you gotta be the the you gotta be the talking head that's gonna spin it. Right? So that was the job that I was applying for or that was the question that I was supposed to answer artfully. And my goodness did I just totally crapped the bed on that one. You can say the s word. It's allowed here. Just so you know. I shit the bed. Like, we talk diarrhea
9
0,06:37,000 --> 0,06:52,000
or, like, cocaine fart. Like, cocaine fart on the left. Cocaine fart, like, painting Yeah. In my painting the bed in my sleep. I know. But what the hell are they talking about? It's an off air. I was getting triggered. I mean, I thought I'd be introduced just for humor for
10
0,06:52,000 --> 0,08:07,000
him. But yeah. No. So that was that was, like, probably the one job that I really wanted, and I didn't get it. and I mean, look. It it it everything works for everyone everything works out the way it does for a reason. I'm currently doing contract marketing work for a different animal shelter, and I'm having a blast. And this animal shelter is actually where I got Sparrow and Zeke from. So it means even more to me than I'm doing marketing work for them, as well. So, but yeah. The but to answer your question, maybe it was something intuitive that I was maybe I knew that I wasn't going to be that I wasn't gonna want those jobs. Yeah. And so that was why I bombed them. There was maybe there's something internally, subliminally going on in my head, in the back of my head that's like, you know what? I've had all these different, you know, rejections. I haven't gotten hired. This is and I'm trying to get a job so I could build up somebody else's empire. Well and that was a part of a part of why I wanted to go into business for myself is because, jeez, I'm good at taking no, and I'm good at getting ignored. And so maybe I am cut out to to own my business.
11
0,08:07,000 --> 0,09:44,000
But I love building other people's dreams. Wait. Why would I do that? No. I and I asked that because I know personally. So I remember I was interviewing at McKinsey and Company. So McKinsey is, like, a huge one of the premier consulting world companies. and I was literally faced from the from, like, the final interview question of, hey. Do you want this role, or do you see yourself in a different one? And the right answer is just get in, answer, like, it's absolutely this role. This is where I want to be. This is my and I didn't answer that way because the truth is, I didn't want that one. Now working with McKinsey and Company would have been a game changer from a consulting because it is, like, one of the premier consulting firms. And I remember consciously answering this, like, I don't really wanna do this. It's like and I and I didn't get hired, and I wasn't really shocked or bothered by it. But at the same time, I'm like, I think maybe I knew I could get the job if I just answered, and that was enough to know that I was good enough to go with all these Ivy League guys that were getting hired there. And I was good enough. And I and I because I would have, you know, I would have been hired on this. Like, that was the last thing is, like, do you she asked me the direct question and I and I didn't I didn't answer the way that I probably should have to get. She was right not to hire me because because the truth is I wouldn't have asked it. But anyway, I asked that question. Alright. So let's do your background. You've had you've had the you've had the, you know, you're you're you're not a spring chicken, but you're also not, you know, you know, you're not dried up whether chicken meat either yet either. So you got a lot of time ahead of you to do your own piece. Okay. So I'm gonna start with this question first. What's the one question that I'm gonna forget to ask you today before we get into it?
12
0,09:44,000 --> 0,09:48,000
Why is it important for me to get out in nature? Oh,
13
0,09:48,000 --> 0,10:02,000
I would not have asked that question 100%. Do you wanna take that one now before we get into kind of the world of podcasting? and then you know what? And I'll give you the the the the problem of transitioning that into your world.
14
0,10:02,000 --> 0,12:00,000
Well, look. The 2 of us, we are in this we're in this world. We're constantly connected. It's part I mean, look. You can't have aa podcast career in a YouTube channel and all the things that go with it, likewise, me, without being tethered to our our desktop or laptop or tablet or phone. Right? So how how do we stay sane? It's by getting in nature and going on a walk and having Sparrow with me is, a great reminder that, you know what? Sometimes the best things in life are just they're right in front of us, and it's those small moments where you're outside with your dog and you're looking at his cold wet nose, just sniffing the blades of grass, and you're able to count the shades of green with them. And it sounds like a bunch of mental masturbation, but I promise it's not. It's it's actually good to just disconnect is is what is the long story behind that. and, I'm not one of those, preachy exercise guys too, but I like to run, and I run without a podcast in my ear, which is, you know, blasphemy for podcasters. Right? Because a lot of our a lot of our listeners do like to listen to us while while they are working out, but I don't I'm not one of those Zen master me meditation guys. I run without sound so I can take in Yep. The environment, the cows that are across the street from my neighborhood. I pretend that they're telling me good job when in fact, they're probably like, don't eat me, bro. So, yeah, it's, it's good to just get out, get away from the the connectivity. And even if it's just for a 20 minute, 30 minute walk with the dog or with your family and friends, neighbors, or whatnot, if you do it just even if it's just a few times a week,
15
0,12:00,000 --> 0,13:28,000
I don't know. I'm off the nature the nature soapbox. No. I think that I mean, listen. Listen. Health is wealth. Some of, some of when I need clarity, I definitely try to get out, and I struggle to get out of this studio and go do things. So I know what you mean. I'm one who also, I'm not a marathon runner, but I've ran a marathon. And I trained the whole time without music in your ears for two reasons. 1, I think it's dangerous as hell with you gotta hear traffic and what's going on. Right. Especially this being Prius drivers and now Tesla drivers, they'll clip you every time. Especially the Prius drivers, they cannot make right turns. I will explain that maybe in more detail in a longer episode. Horrible. Horrible. I think it's a dog in the car running around or the bumper stickers that cloud their judgment. Anyway, the point being is they're not armed. So, you should you can get them beat them up if they hit you with a car. Okay. I'm off my soapbox for this. But the but the real the real idea is, like, you know, in podcast, you're in business, you gotta find ways and outlets to connect to what really matters in the moment. And in those moments, your I believe your brain frees up to kind of solve the problems you can't you're in the forest with, so to speak. And so by getting in the forest, ironically, you probably get out of your own little weeds and such. But I that's a great great I would never have thought that, but that's core to you because your dogs are part of your your, your company name, and they mean a lot to you. and so let's talk about what you're doing, maybe pivoting, you know. First setup, what does your company do and who does it do it for? What's what's kind of the pitch for that?
16
0,13:28,000 --> 0,15:38,000
Absolutely. Thank you for that. So Speke Podcasting really is helping people understand they've got stories to share with the world. So it's full scale production, whether it's ideation, whether it's full blown producing audio and video episodes, it's, guest booking. I've got an online course that we'll talk about later on, because there's a special offer for listeners who have never been promoted. That's right. That's exclusive to anyone who watches, or listens to your podcast. And so, yeah, it's it's just, I want to I've spent my entire career hyping up who I have come to learn over the past 7 you know, between 2016 and 2021 when I exited. I have come to grips with the fact that I was hyping up the wrong people, and I wanna hype up the truly interesting people. They're the ones who cofounded, an a nonprofit back in the eighties when it wasn't cool for women to do what they were doing. And now in 2024, they have served, over a 1000000 Texans. I wanna help people who run funeral history museums, who are trying to shift the conversation about something that's gonna happen to every single one of us on Earth. I want to help the entrepreneur who overcame his addiction and is now paying it forward to people who are struggling with cancer by taking them out on yacht rides through Galveston Bay. And so it's helping people understand that help helping the everyday person, understand that there's so much more than just the same static, the same noise. You turn on the nightly news and someone got shot, someone got carjacked. There Houston, you know, is where I'm in the greater Houston area, and we're so much more than just the same people that you see
17
0,15:38,000 --> 0,17:34,000
every day on TV on the boob tube, if you would. Sound like you were a, quote, like, a Ice T song, like, there. I'm just thinking. I actually don't watch the news anymore for that reason. It is there is almost no positive energy. No, there is. And so I'd obviously just stop watching TV and I don't even watch sporting events. I just watch the highlights because I don't have time to commit to it, first of all. And nor do I think I want to. It's not that entertaining to me anymore. We're empire building, dude. Right. We're empire building. Yeah. No. I just need to decompress. Like, you know, sometimes you just gotta, like, just force yourself to turn off tech and just stare out the window at a tree. I mean, like, I know it sounds like kind of old man ish. Yeah. The truth is that's how that's why old people are on benches. They're just enjoying the last minutes of nature because they're like, that's actually what matters. And so anyway Yeah. I'm guessing. Alright. So in your own journey of building this, right, you're you're in a highly competitive space. There's a lot of commoditization. There's a lot of what tell me some of the pains that you've overcome and what you're continuing to struggle with or maybe better. How are you distinguishing value where a team from India or Philippines or someone else can come and say, hey, we'll do it for a tenth of the price. Like, you know, like, you're you're in an interesting world. And I just I'd like to hear about that journey a little bit and what you've done to overcome those because that's a lot of services faced that commoditization that race to the bottom in price. And people struggle with the value. And so I'm presuming that was that is a challenge. You're not pretty sure it's gonna be, but Yeah. Please continue. Yeah. You know, before we continue, I wanna before you do that, I'm gonna plug this. I bought a Stanley with a logo, and water tastes better out of a Stanley. Keep going. Next. By the way, shout out to Stanley. She she was They paid neither one of us. No. So how how do you distinguish value and build your business? and the and the takeaway from the entrepreneur to answer that question shortly is a lot of people are gonna face this. What did you do about it?
18
0,17:34,000 --> 0,19:22,000
Yeah. Well, own there's only 1 god. This sounds so corny, but it's true. There's only one you. And so nobody has lived my experience within the terrestrial broadcast universe. And so I think that's that's I don't think I know. That's what separates me from some other people. Some people have the funding. Some people have more of the back end analytical computer software side you know, knowledge side of that. And I come from I come from a world where, you know, it's the old world. Right? And so I'm I come from it as I think that people don't need to rely on traditional means of communications, and so I can, from it, from that side of the table, help them understand that they can go that newer route. And so I have been able to pivot because I've seen the importance of video, and how it builds credibility to be able to be able to see Thomas' face on YouTube, whether it's a long form or a short form video. And so I've seen that importance, and so I've pivoted, and I'm working with the team that's overseas, and they are a ginormous help. But there are, let's face it, people who don't wanna do video, and they are in my neck of the woods. And so my job is to find those people because there's always gonna be a need. There's always gonna be Coke and Pepsi, but there's always gonna be the, smaller
19
0,19:22,000 --> 0,20:58,000
organic root beer made with unicorn piss and cane sugar. Delicious. That sounds so good. Delicious. I like it though. Who doesn't like unicorn piss? Sugars or the cane sugar to the unicorn piss because unicorn piss is like Skittles in liquid format. So everyone knows that. You know, it was a sad day when my youngest stopped liking unicorns and fairies, and I'm like, I still I'm telling her, I still like unicorns because they are real. I just I just think I think we have our sizing wrong. I think they're very, very small, and they're whatever. Just brought back a memory. So let's let me ask something. In the distinguishing of value, a lot of times I heard when I was working for corporate that you'd never distinguish your or make differentiators based on people. And they said it's gotta be about your services and your process. And I always always I really voice struggled with that notion because the people executing, which would rather be just honestly any good process, any best practice, all these things that exist between company and company. But the individuals are the ones who help with the creativity and strategy and direction and understanding of the other of your customer. And I think what you're describing in your services being niche, it's attentive and it's on point. And I think if anyone's building services of their own, they need to think of that way that you are the differentiator specifically when you're a solopreneur. and when your teams maybe just grow a little bit, you're still bringing this culture and core to that. Are you finding, like, are you are you diving into that nature that people are buying into me, like, into yourself and you're trying to own that as far as you can until it's gonna not be scalable anymore or maybe talk about that a little bit.
20
0,20:58,000 --> 0,22:03,000
Yeah. Sure. So I believe 1,000 percent, and again, another cliche, your network is your net your network is your net worth. And so some of my first clients came from my network. So, yeah, there is a lot of you know, they're they're buying into into Freddy, into the person that they knew when he was on the radio and who had this crazy longevity in a in a business that is for argument's sakes, people will say that radio's radio's dying if it's not already dead, if it didn't die even before COVID, when you look at some of the large corporations filing for bankruptcy. So, yeah, it's it's buying into the individual and really owning who you are. Maybe that's the importance ofhaving a personal brand, and it's one that I have that is not necessarily on social media. I built it more in the in the media space, in the traditional media space, and so, I never I never shit on, and so, I never I never shit on, most of the time, my old world. But, yeah, the Under a pen name only. Under a pen name only.
21
0,22:03,000 --> 0,22:10,000
But no. For for real, it's,
22
0,22:10,000 --> 0,23:28,000
I know where I came from. I was very well taken care of, and I still have an immense amount of respect for, for the people that I that I used to work with, most of them. And so it's always gonna be a part of me. And the the radio the Houston radio personality that is Freddy, people still people still know that, and so why not own it? And so if you are an entrepreneur or you're thinking about starting a business, but you are in the corporate world, if you're if you are known for something, then own it and exploit it. And when I say exploit, like, literally, take advantage of your strengths Yeah. And build upon them. And while you still have that biweekly paycheck, nights, weekends, holidays, no Sunday football. No we're recording this on March 28th. No March madness. Sorry. No general hospital reruns when you get home from work at 7 or 8 o'clock at night. There there are things, there are trade offs that really have to be made so that you can exploit your talents. Because when you're building an empire, it's not gonna be easy. Yeah.
23
0,23:28,000 --> 0,24:48,000
you make you make a point. So you do have to give things up. So every successful person regardless what social media shows, gives up a pound of flesh, and that could be in time with wife, kids, spouse, whatever, giving up Netflix, movies, you know, hope you don't give up your health or some other things like this, travel sometimes. You're gonna give up something if you want to do it and do it well. And at some point, you'll get to the point where you probably get that back and you need to. But if you're working somewhere and that's the way you're gonna fund your new business because you're not independently wealthy or have not raised money, and you're gonna use what I call your w two as your angel investor with no equity. I love that. Let's take it. Because the truth is that's how I looked at it. It's like, hey. I'm doing the bare minimum to chase their dream, and I'm leveraging that money to go build my own. Is it right? Who knows? I don't care. Just do it. And if you can get if truth is most jobs don't require 40 hours of your time. And that's just that's a made up number based on industry and agriculture and shifts that doesn't really apply to the real to me, out to the real world, unless you're in, like, a nurse or a police officer or services or whatever it is. Like, something that you have to be kind of present. You got time if you wanna make time. Say it that way. and so in your own journey, what was probably the number one thing you would go back to your you know, already and tell yourself to go not do or do?
24
0,24:48,000 --> 0,25:19,000
This is where I think the longevity really kind of hindered me, which is such adifficult thing to wrestle with because much of my network and elevating my my name in the city came in 2015 when Inherited a public affairs show on Sunday where I was talking to nonprofit founders and community leaders and then getting invited to different events. So yeah, and I just sort sort of went off on a tangent
25
0,25:19,000 --> 0,27:18,000
or I forgot what your question was. What was your question? Hey. Listen. Entrepreneurial ADD is real folks, and this is actually intervention for Freddy. Freddy, could we bring a can we bring his family in now and his dogs? We're gonna talk to him about no. Everybody get in here. Can you what? Can I go on a tangent before I repeat the question? I'm going to tell you a funny story. Please go. Go on a tangent and then repeat the question. Alright. 1. Excuse me. Sorry. Entrepreneurial ADD doesn't take over both of us. Here was the question. What would you go back and tell your yourself the thing you should have done or shouldn't have done? We'll come back to that. Give me one second here. That's me hitting the mute button late. So anybody heard me cough? Sorry about that. Alright. Unlikely, my team will catch that and edit. Alright. So here here's, here's the tangent. It made me think about, you know, when you yelled there. In the nineties, when email kind of first became a thing, right, you could send this virus out. It was it was a virus because it took over your entire computer and your sound where you were unable to lower the sound for, like, 6 seconds. And if you double clicked on it, which was a file that was labeled something like, hey, your boss wanted you to see this, something like that, it would take over your sound and just yell, hey, everybody. I'm watching porno over here. and, like, it was so funny as that would go and circulate for the day through it. And my kids go, did this ever happen you, Danny? And I was like, who do you think wrote it? Anyway, You know, when you said that, maybe think of it. There's a tangent that has nothing to do with our show except a little reminiscence of just funny viruses when they weren't that serious. Alright. And entrepreneurial ADD. It was. Who doesn't have? Spark that right in there. Wedge that in there. Alright. The question was, what would you tell yourself? You know, go back at any point, and you're talking about public affairs. Like, where what do you tell yourself then from the longevity standpoint, I think, is what you introduced there. What would you do different? Yeah.
26
0,27:18,000 --> 0,28:32,000
Focus. And then it goes back to the entrepreneurial ADT. That's still well. But no. Yeah. It's like it's a long way to get that long Almost like we brought that together for Almost like we scripted that. But, yeah, it's it's I really feel almost like, like my longevity stunted my personal and professional growth, and it's almost it it's very hard to wrestle with because a lot of the relationships that I that I have built came in 2015 when Inherited that show. So if I could go back, I would say, focus the first iteration of your business. And, of course, they always tell you that your first business is going to fail or there's awhatever blah blah blah 90% chance that it's going to fail. And believe me, the first iteration of my business was not very good. Of course, I was also not I was also not banking on getting I was banking on getting hired, so I didn't think that I would need to to start a business under Freddy Cruz, creative works, which nobody knows who the fuck Freddy Cruz is. And what does the creative works mean? And it's a long name, and it's like 10,000 syllables, and oh my god. I'm And do you spell Freddy with an I or a y? We don't know. With a y. Yes. Exactly. Thank you. So it's a it was a very forgettable name, and so yeah. Focus.
27
0,28:32,000 --> 0,30:01,000
You know, so the the entrepreneurial ADD is real, and a lot of people, Alex or Mozy had recently put out a this kind of curve that shows, you know, what entrepreneurial ADD basically is is where people go up the curve. They're super excited about their new IDN. They're like, man, this is great. And they're so, like, all energetic. And then it gets a little harder and starts turning down their interest. And then it gets really hard at the bottom. And they're like, they kind of give up and then they shoot back up with a new idea. And that's entrepreneurial ADD if you don't fight through the trough and get back out to some kind of growth trajectory. And what I found was to combat that with myself was this notion of, like, a triangle of 3 things that are different, that work together that allows me to bounce through ideas and be progressing the entire unit together. And the mind being my marketing company, the podcast here, then a community of Cut the Tie. And they're all different. They serve different purposes, but they're all related to entrepreneurship and helping people grow and building business. And when I finally did that, it doesn't completely wipe out the ADD. But what I'm describing to you is, like, you know, the freight cruise production still could be there. You still have history there, and you're doing it in a different way now. And so it's like you're still doing productions. You just rebrand it. And I don't think that's a failed business. What that is, is an evolution of what works. And I wouldn't beat yourself up too bad because I think you're still kind of in that group. You just repurposed it to to do that. So I think people struggle with I don't know how you maybe you take it personally, but I look at it as you're just evolving to meet the needs.
28
0,30:01,000 --> 0,31:06,000
Yeah. No. Absolutely. And the the thing is I was listening at the time when I rebranded. I was listening at the time to the Airbnb, biography on audiobook. And, well, it I'm paraphrasing here, but it was like when when they when they originally launched, there were only a handful of I won't even try and guess the number, but there were only a handful of reservations. And so the the mentality, the mindset was, well, if nobody buys the product, you can relaunch as many times as you want. And so nobody was buying Freddy Cruz Creative Works. Actually, I shouldn't say that. That's wrong. I did have a couple of clients. But to their point, it it was not very many clients, so I could relaunch. And Speke Podcasting is we're in growth mode still. But at the end of the day, if it ends up not growing, well, guess what? Not very many people know what Speke Podcasting is, so I can relaunch. And if that business doesn't work, then I can relaunch.
29
0,31:06,000 --> 0,32:38,000
And you could reiterate, and that's isn't that the point of life anyway? Right. Is if if, you know, you just it's one big and I forget where I heard this, but life is one big split test where you just see what shit hits sticks to the wall. Right. Well, as long as you don't throw too so much as it once up at once and Yeah. I think 3 you gotta you just gotta give yourself the shot to do it. And I think one of the biggest pieces that that that, you know and correct me if I'm wrong on this, but as you're navigating, if you don't niche down and this is a big problem for entrepreneurs. Right? Selling to too many because they really don't know what's going to work. But if you don't take me a couple extra moments to think strategy wise, hey, this group should want it. They should have this need. They should have this money. I should be able to provide this value. And you don't do the homework on the competitors of what they're doing and then position you slightly differently, address the villain, whatever it is. So for LinkedIn, it's like brand wrecking spam. We don't do that. So we address that villain and say, hey, if you don't want that, we're probably your people. If you don't position, you don't think through the problem a little bit. Yeah. You're going to probably have to rebrand redo because you're just not putting the effort in than others are. And that's the hard work. And if you think you don't have to do that ever, you either got very lucky or you're just delusional. Not you, but people you're just you'll be delusional in general and you'll always be recycling and never getting traction, blaming others, etcetera, etcetera. And then you're alcoholic on a park bench, old in nature, enjoying it because that's all you have left. This show is brought to you by your local animal. Do you wanna plug a local, shelter that you like just for fun?
30
0,32:38,000 --> 0,35:09,000
Oh, absolutely. Citizens for Animal Protection. The the founders or the founder, Cappy Munzer, is a complete boss. They have been around since 1972, and they started by adopting animals out of their garages. So it was quite literally citizens for animal protection. They were rescuing dogs, adopting them out. They did a lot of work with the Texas, let me get this name right, the Texas Humane Legislation Network, something along those lines. So, yeah, homelessness with animals is, it's it's an epidemic. It start and a couple of friends of mine that run Houston Pet Set, they say it's when it become when the homeless animal problem is bad, it's also a human problem as well, because then you start to look at elderly people getting mauled to death by pit bulls and kids or anybody. You know? You and I probably I would I would reckon to guess that you and I could we get mauled, but we wouldn't get killed probably unless we were absolutely drunk off our asses. I don't really drink anymore. But, you know, when you start thinking about the vulnerable, you know, the the little kids, and we've seen the the random stories back when we watched the news in past tense of the of the boy or the little grandma that was killed by by an animal. And, so, yeah, it starts to become ahuman problem, when when there are too many of these animals that are out in the street. And then you ask, well, what do you do? Like, how do we even alleviate it? And so, the big, hairy, audacious goal and the reason why I had even named my, my agency after my dogs anyways, they're rescue animals. And so rescuing animals is is, not to not to get real preachy and start playing Sarah Sarah Sarah McLaughlin music under my voice here. That's heavy handed. But yeah. I don't wanna I don't wanna be too on the nose. But, it's through it's it really is through rescuing and not going to puppy meals and whatnot. But, yeah, I just I wanna I want to know that I made I helped make some sort of dent in the homeless animal population
31
0,35:09,000 --> 0,37:53,000
issue by the time I leave this Earth. Yeah. That's but, you know, is it possible? I don't know. Yeah. Well, bigger purpose. So I think I think the lesson to take away maybe and it's a good way to kind of, you know, as we kinda transition the show here. But I think having a bigger purpose is so core to distinguishing a brand getting differentiated. and I'll give you examples from the dog ones too. Tito's Vodka. Right? It is the vodka for dog lovers, and they say it on their bottle. And it seems like you know, I'm not a dog lover. It's not that I hate them. I just don't want a baby that never learns how to clean up its own poop. So, I'm leaving the show right now. I'm just it's not that I hate them. I just don't want a dog. I grew up with dogs. Just it's not a mean thing. I just don't wanna take care of a dog because I don't think it'd be fair to them because I you know? But the thing is I would take care of it, and I'd love it, and I'd be annoyed just like I you know? Anyway, we have cats. Trust me. I grew up love cats. Trust me when I say I love them. But if my kids didn't want them, I would find them a new home because they're more work than I want in this phase of my life. Anyway, the point being is there's a bigger purpose mission. Mine's not gonna be tied to rescuing animals. It's rescuing entrepreneurs from corporate jobs. You might be rescuing podcasters from quitting. Because they can't produce or think through a strategy. And sometimes, by the way, like in your world, if you're only focusing, like, on production, you're only focusing on the do part, which is part of it. It's sometimes not the value part. So, like, in a services business, a lot of times the value is what you present from a strategy and execution and what the plan is and someone's seen and believing in that, which means they believe in what your knowledge is. The execution part becomes almost secondary. And solving that with lower cost teams and just using the same mechanism that they could just go right to and just making less on that and more on the strategy side when it's your time is an advice to most entrepreneurs. That's where you're going to add value. It's not in the doing because that's a race to the bottom. It's in the thinking. And take time in that. And I think you're doing that. I mean, that's my understanding of kind of looking at your brand looking at how you're positioned and your history tying the bigger purpose. I don't know. I'm having brand ideas for you now too. So, so if I were you, I would just go focusing on the animal loving podcasts, and you got like, it's like saying, hey. I also live in your neighborhood. Right? It's one more time to get them to like you. So if if you understand that space, you know, not that you asked for advice, but, damn it, you just got it. Okay? Take it with me. I take advice whenever I can get it, homey. That's how I get it. I alright. So here we go. I'm gonna ask you this question. It's it's a cap question. What's the question I should've asked you now that we're over here at this podcast? what is the one that you're like, hey. I know I led with 1, but here's the other one. What is the other question I should ask you?
32
0,37:53,000 --> 0,38:04,000
The other question you should have asked me is why do most podcasters quit?
33
0,38:04,000 --> 0,38:28,000
Well, I have I have I have my opinion on this, but I wanna hear your answer on that. I wanna hear yours. You go first. They're afraid of sucking. They've run out of content because because they they haven't gotten the immediate gratification back. I didn't get hundreds of downloads or this, and they just they run out of content because they they didn't put a strategy in place, and they don't feel comfortable being afraid to suck.
34
0,38:28,000 --> 0,39:03,000
Yeah. Yeah. It it's all it's all ego. Nobody wants to shot into an empty forest. Everybody wants somebody to to tell them that their baby is pretty. And the fact of the matter is you can post a headshot or a one of those cheesy audiograms on your Instagram feed or your Facebook feed, and the only people that are gonna see it are your high school buddy from 20 years ago and your mom, god bless her. We we love our moms. We love our our family. And it's like, those are the 2 likes. But are they gonna are they gonna listen to the podcast?
35
0,39:03,000 --> 0,39:08,000
Probably not. It's actually the last group that we're gonna listen to it.
36
0,39:08,000 --> 0,39:09,000
Right.
37
0,39:09,000 --> 0,39:19,000
I mean, I don't think my parents know I have a podcast or YouTube channel, and they're both alive and they're sane. And I don't think they know. I'm sure of it, actually, they don't. Well,
38
0,39:19,000 --> 0,39:24,000
they definitely don't wanna hear our preshow banter.
39
0,39:24,000 --> 0,41:13,000
We'll just take that one offline. You have to be a member, that costs 9.99 a month to learn all the preshow. The preshow banter's with the games app. That's the green room area. Oh god. Yeah. You were quoting Post Malone to say leave it there. There you go. That's a good question. And I think, by the way so I think quitting because of content I think there's other reasons too. But here's the if you're gonna become a podcaster, know that it's a big step between audio and becoming a video podcast. I mean, it's it's it's a whole different job. Audio podcasting to me is a much safer, easier way to get started. I personally don't believe I don't do well on solo shows. I feel like I'm just wondering. But then I've heard other podcasts where they're basically just talking and they're like, they're just kind of meandering. And so I'm finding I find personally that that is a tough spot for me to be in, though I should go do more individual perspectives. I haven't found my flow. I do much better in conversation. So I know that that if you're doing solo shows, it is difficult to continue that because there's this degree of narcissism I think you need and comfortability with your own. And it's funny. I'm I'll be biographing a little bit, but I am not comfortable. I actually don't like to be on camera, believe it or not. I don't like I don't I wanna not be the guy. I wanna own the thing that collaborates the stuff. I don't it's like, I'm here out of necessity because that's how you build the channel. So I know what people feel like with that because every you know, our our podcast is new. It's doing great on YouTube. But I do know that the podcast I feel you're talking to a forest to go back to the nature thing. But I know if you stick with it and I know our mission's right, people will eventually, you know, come come hear you speak in the forest, if you will, because it's there. So if you're out there isn't a podcast, don't quit. Just do you believe in something? Go after it. Just just keep talking about it. You'll improve.
40
0,41:13,000 --> 0,42:05,000
Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. And it's all about strategy. I mean, most people quit because after what is the the statistic? It's 90% of podcasters quit after episode 3, and then of the remaining 10%, 90% of those podcasters quit after episode 20. So if you are dead set on launching a show and you've got a strategic plan in place that is solid, that is representative of what you do, whether it's a personal brand or if it's a business, you are I mean, the sky's the limit, and it's gonna be it's gonna be easy for you to win, And the execution's gonna be difficult, and it does require a lot of work, but you stand you have an easier chance ofachieving whatever whatever victory you assume is a victory. And,
41
0,42:05,000 --> 0,42:11,000
is it Yep. No. Please note. Because I yeah. I'm just jumping in there because I was I agree with you, but please continue.
42
0,42:11,000 --> 0,42:23,000
No. I was gonna say if the if the victory is a 1,000 downloads a month or if it's 10,000 or a 100,000 downloads a month or if it's just, you know, you're you to hell with the download numbers, are you getting leads? Right.
43
0,42:23,000 --> 0,43:36,000
How you use it? Yeah. So, maybe a different show. I'll explain. We this podcast monetized on the first episode. I'll say that. Before we had a download, we'd already made money. And the YouTube channel we built to a 1000000 subscribers was a business model that was affected intentionally from podcast, creating a self funding model. So I'll I will be doing a whole series on how to go do this at some point, but I will tell you, even with the model that I knew was going to work or at least would be somewhat successful, not maybe quite as well it's done already, I felt like quitting. We've released 31. We've already filled, like, 55, 60 episodes in 3 months, probably on track to do 500 this year. Honestly, 400. I gotta tell you each week, I'm like, do I really wanna do this this week? It comes up. It's a lot of work. I we film 8 a week. So if you think you're having strong with 1, just know that set your goal higher and go after it. And then by the time you're 4 through it, 5 through it, maybe 1 person will cancel on you, you'll feel, like, relieved for that. But you only felt 5. The point is don't give up. Keep going with it. Alright. Who let's do this. Specifically, I love niching. Who should get a hold of you, and how do they do that, Freddy?
44
0,43:36,000 --> 0,45:23,000
Yep. I've got an online course that is launching on May 20th. And earlier in the episode, I told you that there's a special sort of sneak peek for listeners who have never been promoted. So this offer is especially for aspiring podcasters who wanna launch on the right foot so that they don't become that 90% of the 10% or whatever so that they can go past 20 episodes onwards to a 100, 500, a 1000. So this is for aspiring podcasters or podcast hosts who are self aware, and they're ready to right the wrongs that that they have done. They're they're ready to refocus, rebrand with a more clear, concise, plan. This is the online course for you. Now, of course, you can get this knowledge for free on YouTube. You can find it for free on Instagram, whatever. I have written 3 fiction novels, over the past 5 years, and what I've and I've conducted over a 1000 different interviews, over the course of my entire career in both pro broadcasting and podcasting. And I've noticed parallels when it comes to, having an interview and then story arching, shows. And so there's a lot of parallels between podcasting and then writing a fiction novel. And so this course plays on those classic storytelling techniques, the hero, the villain, and whatnot. And so for listeners who have never been promoted, you can you can preview for free the first two modules of the course. Right. And, it'll be up there for you till I don't know.
45
0,45:23,000 --> 0,45:34,000
Forever. We don't we don't know when the show's coming out. I already I already polluted that, but there's a lot of episodes ahead of you. I'll tell you what. Freddy, thank you. What yeah. Keep it up there forever then. What's the web what's the URL they should go to on that?
46
0,45:34,000 --> 0,45:36,000
Yeah. It's speak
47
0,45:36,000 --> 0,45:55,000
podcasting. Oh, one second. One second. In the show notes. This one auto audibly spell it for those, for those Fathom AI recorders that give you summaries. I'm gonna talk to the AI now. This is a summary note that you should add AIf if you're watching podcasts in this way.
48
0,45:55,000 --> 0,45:58,000
Sorry. I'm looking it's
49
0,45:58,000 --> 0,46:12,000
this is an obvious edit point. Oh, we're not gonna we're gonna leave this in people. So this is the Are we gonna leave it in? Oh, fantastic. Maybe the question I should ask, Freddy, was what's your website address that I wouldn't have
50
0,46:12,000 --> 0,46:20,000
Jeez. Where's that, where's that link? I sent you the link. Okay. I'll oh, here it is.
51
0,46:20,000 --> 0,46:32,000
It's a long URL. It's Speke Podcasting. Come on. We'll do it again. I'll have the team try to edit this part out. Okay. If you've counted this part and for some reason didn't get it in, sorry, but we're gonna do this again. The question is, where should people go to get a hold of you?
52
0,46:32,000 --> 0,46:36,000
Yeah. Go to spekepodcasting.com/podquest.
53
0,46:36,000 --> 0:46:38,000
Awesome. Very good. Freddy, thanks so much for coming on today. It's been fun. Appreciate you. And everybody's made it this point in the show. If this was your first time here, I hope it is the first of many. And if you've been here before, I do humorly give away dad points, and you can spend those anywhere, as you know, and nowhere because that's what dad points are. They're just they're just gifts of thank you. But I hope your mission today to learn something about podcasting, about not giving up, about having a strategy for your own business. You've you've pulled something from this today, and that is the point, to get just one little nugget off ofthe podcast. And if you didn't get anything from it, you let me know, and maybe we'll do something different next time. And maybe maybe you have a story you wanna come tell too. Just reach out to us at never been promoted.com. I thank everyone for listening. If you don't subscribe to the YouTube channel already, please do it. Youtube, dot com at never been promoted. But until we go meet again, this is your host, Thomas Helfrich. Get out there. Go unleash your entrepreneur. Thanks for listening.