I Started a Podcast and You Can, Too! :: Podcasting Tips for Beginners
I am a wife, mom, business woman, and a beginner coffee drinker (thanks #momlife) — but I also host a podcast. My husband and I started one a few months ago and it’s been such a marriage builder for us. There are so many ways to start a podcast — but first you not only need to identify your hosting site, but your why and your visions/process.
First, our why.
A little bit of background: in high school and into college, my goal was to become a television anchor for a local news station. I had an elective in high school (taught by Stan Bell, if you know who that is) that, looking back, helped prepare me for doing a podcast.
Because of this background, creating a podcast was right up my alley. My husband and I are entrepreneurs at our core. We have this amazing gift to see nothing and dream of something being there. As young babies (ages 19 & 21), sitting down at the Mississippi River, we would talk about our dreams, goals, and visions we had for our family. Fast forward, life happened, and we had to kind of reevaluate what was important. That is not to say being an entrepreneur isn’t important; however, I believe there is a perfect timing for everything in life. In fact, waiting to host a podcast together, in this current season, could not have been a better time! One day in September I looked at my husband and said, “Let’s do a podcast!” And if you know my husband, he is very nonchalant, but he excitedly (well, excitedly for him) said, “Ok. That sounds cool.”.
Our reason or “why” behind starting our podcast was to give a voice to the common struggles of all marriages, but also put a voice to the common struggles of marriage for young black couples!
We started a podcast the following week.
Second, our vision.
There are so many things we hear, see, read, etc. that we figured, “If all us younger married couples, especially our black sisters and brothers, are in together, have the same or similar problems, why not put it all into words and openly talk about these things?”
My husband and I have been married for almost 6 years, and while we haven’t been married for that long, our marriage is unique to us. The wisdom we have is unique to our story and our audience. We’ve covered a variety of topics already and often crowd source through our social media for more ideas or what people want to hear about.
Getting it done
We record on Thursdays. We get the kids up at their usual time, prepare breakfast, and wait for my best friend to come over to watch the kids while we record. As far as time is concerned, we don’t put a lot of time into it on actual recording days. (Kids at home? Here are some tips to keep them busy while working.)
We probably spend 1-2 hours a week recording. Because our podcast is about our life, we spend 20% recording and 80% doing the work in our marriage that then spills over into our episodes. So the bulk of the work isn’t in recording; it’s in doing life with my husband and kids.
Choosing a podcast hosting site & other essentials
My top choice for beginners is Anchor! Our top reasons for choosing Anchor: it’s free, super easy to use and navigate, and if you worry abut editing, it walks you though it. If you are not a pro at editing, that’s ok!
Not only that, the set up is simple. First, you need a microphone — that could be the mic on your headphones or a more professional recording mic. We have found that less is more, especially when starting on a tight budget. (Seriously, we practically started our podcast for free!) Next, create a “studio.” Our studio? Our closet. Yep, our bedroom closet! When recording a podcast, it’s super important that you have things around you that absorb sound: think pillows, blankets, clothes, carpet, etc. Some people even record under blankets. (And yep, that was us our first 3 episodes!)
There are many other hosting sites out there that could fit your podcasting needs. Others to look into are Buzzsprout, Lisbyn, and Simplecast.
Above all, starting a podcast is more simple than you think. My advice to any entrepreneur wanting to start any kind of business would be to take every day and every step with intention. Don’t overthink it. Sometimes clarity comes in the doing! Have faith that your consistency above all is what will get you the results you want! Oh, and have fun!
If you want to take a listen to our podcast (and we hope you do!) click here!
