Episode 98

full
Published on:

15th Aug 2024

Starting Over from Square Two as a Proven Podcast Editor

Carrie, Bryan, and Jennifer talk about succeeding in a competitive market. They discuss how to handle geeky clients and the use of AI in podcasting.

Episode Notes: https://podcasteditorsmastermind.com/episode/starting-over-from-square-two-as-a-proven-podcast-editor

We're diving deep into the business side of podcast editing—the gritty, no-nonsense reality behind the glamorous facade. Carrie Caulfield is sharing advice on how to attract the perfect, slightly nerdy but passionate client who wants to learn about podcasting. She's no fairy godmother; think more hard work, less magic formula.

We remember what it was like starting between 2015-2017, share a few technical challenges we're psyched to have tackled, and chat about the struggles of staying on top of our games. Oh, and we can’t forget Daniel’s absence—he’s busy, but we miss him tons.

Stick around as we share some laughter, business insights, and heartfelt moments, all while being exceptionally thankful for you tuned-in masterminds. Ready to boost your podcasting prowess? Let’s get into it!

Riverside.fm

This episode is sponsored by Riverside.fm, the leading tool for podcast and video recordings. Visit riverside.fm and use code Yetis to start recording studio quality sound and video and get 15% off a membership plan.

https://creators.riverside.fm/Yetis

Key Discussion Points

  • What led to Carrie's current situation
  • How Carrie is approaching building her business up differently the second time
  • A couple of ways that AI can help us serve our clients better
  • Why it's important to really be focused on the fundamentals
  • Will AI steal our jobs?

Links And Resources

Join Us Live!

We stream live to our Facebook page and to YouTube every other week.

Our Editor

This episode of the Podcast Editors Mastermind was edited by Alejandro Ramirez. You can find him on LinkedIn if you're interested in talking with him about editing your show.

NOTE: Don't blame Alejandro for the video version. Bryan is learning how to edit video and Alejandro has already given him some constructive feedback. Thanks, Alejandro!

Be a Guest

If you're a podcast editor, we'd love to see if you'd be a fit for a future episode. Fill out this form to let us know you're interested, and we'll contact you to see if it's a good fit.

Your Yetis Are



This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Transcript
Speaker:

Uh, so...

Speaker:

How much is that?

Speaker:

Um, um, um...

Speaker:

Welcome to the Podcast Editor's Mastermind.

Speaker:

This is a show for podcast editors where we focus on the business side of podcasting.

Speaker:

Tonight I'll be hosting and we're going to be talking about starting over at Square Two.

Speaker:

My name is Bryan Entzminger, you can find me at toptieraudio.com.

Speaker:

And next in the alphabet I guess would be Carrie.

Speaker:

My name is Carrie Caulfield and you can find me at carrie.land.

Speaker:

And I'm Jennifer Longworth, you can find me at bourbonbureaupodcasting.com.

Speaker:

And unable to join us tonight was Daniel, you can find him at Rothmedia.audio.

Speaker:

This episode of Podcast Editor's Mastermind is sponsored by Riverside.

Speaker:

The top platform for recording high quality audio and video podcasts.

Speaker:

We love how Riverside makes it easy to record high quality audio and video over the internet.

Speaker:

And share the recordings for editing.

Speaker:

Whether it's our clients recording or us recording for them in the Producer Mode.

Speaker:

We love knowing that with Riverside we can get great recordings.

Speaker:

Which makes it that much easier to delight our clients and their listeners.

Speaker:

Have you ever considered that? Offering remote recording and production?

Speaker:

Riverside can make that possible for you.

Speaker:

And with Riverside's Producer Mode you don't have to worry about accidentally showing up on screen when you're recording for your clients.

Speaker:

If you've ever tried to host an interview and live stream at the same time.

Speaker:

You know how challenging it can be to really listen and give your best to the interview while managing the chat.

Speaker:

We certainly know that first hand in this show.

Speaker:

Riverside has super streamlined process for guests to join and even a mobile app to make it as easy as possible for them to join.

Speaker:

This is just one more way that Riverside makes it possible to capture great audio while making it even easier for guests to shine.

Speaker:

With Riverside you can get great audio and video recordings.

Speaker:

Use their Producer Mode to really wow your clients.

Speaker:

And use their new AI tools to further extend what you do for yourself and for your clients.

Speaker:

Visit Riverside.fm or click the link in the show notes to start recording professional quality audio and video for yourself and for your clients.

Speaker:

And to save 15% off the cost of your membership use the promo code YETIS.

Speaker:

That is Y-E-T-I-S.

Speaker:

So there we go.

Speaker:

Carrie, welcome back. It's been a hot minute. How are you doing?

Speaker:

I'm okay. I am okay.

Speaker:

I have had a lot of life changes in the past two years.

Speaker:

I moved, got divorced, took care of my elderly parents and they passed away and now I'm here settling their estate and figuring out exactly what's next for me.

Speaker:

And I'm going to do a quick shout out because a lot of the podcasting community helped my son with his hydroneitis superpetiva, which I am with supplies for that, which I am eternally grateful.

Speaker:

And I just wanted to share that we have moved on to the plastic surgery steps, so we're making good progress with that.

Speaker:

And I just have appreciated everybody's support with that. So I'm just throwing that out there.

Speaker:

But yeah, it's been, it's just been so many changes.

Speaker:

And while this was all happening, I just kind of let my clients just as their show ended, as projects ended, I just didn't replace them.

Speaker:

And I didn't do any marketing, didn't do, you know, for two years, which by the way, I've got to say the return on the investment of my time for all that social media marketing I did, I went a year and a half before people stopped coming for me for jobs.

Speaker:

Wow.

Speaker:

That's how long it actually lasted.

Speaker:

So I am really just amazed by that. But yeah, I am down to one client. I've been working four hours a month.

Speaker:

And I really am trying to figure out what's next. And I feel like everything has changed.

Speaker:

You mentioned that it's gone down. I assume that wasn't entirely by design. You mentioned you just kind of didn't replace clients.

Speaker:

Now that you're trying to get back into it, like, how are you trying to get back into it? What's changed?

Speaker:

So I would say when I first started building my business back in 2018 and 2017, I was go, go, go, go, go.

Speaker:

I was really engaged in the podcasting community. I was always looking for work. I was always like trying to like do marketing, right, by being helpful and friendly online.

Speaker:

I just kind of dove in. Right. And we were all feeling our way around back then and figuring out how to make a podcast editing business work.

Speaker:

Yeah, that's no longer my approach. I am focusing on being more intentional and going a little bit slower as I'm building.

Speaker:

I'm getting my foundation set up, essentially. Right. What's my why? I'm back. I'm back to square one.

Speaker:

What's my why? Why am I doing this? And then the second question is, what exactly am I doing?

Speaker:

I've always kind of grappled with that question, but I have decided to just kind of follow my curiosity, follow what lights me up.

Speaker:

And because I am doing that and because the landscape is so different, it's I've adjusted my mindset to not want to rush.

Speaker:

Because, you know, when you're in business and landing a client like that chase is fun.

Speaker:

It was fun to me. It was like I closed a sale. Right. That is just so thrilling and exciting.

Speaker:

And I would often like get caught up in that. So now I really am being slow, being intentional, really being discerning about my steps.

Speaker:

And honestly, I'm doing a lot of listening and observing and digesting right now.

Speaker:

You mentioned that things have changed. And I'm wondering, like for me, it's a little bit hard to remember five to 10 years ago.

Speaker:

I think I remember what it was like. But also, I've got young kids at home and I'm tired all the time. So I don't really remember stuff.

Speaker:

So what's changed? First of all, my son is 23 and I started oh, gosh, he was just entering like in middle school.

Speaker:

He's autistic. So that came with a lot of things. I also had a partner to help me.

Speaker:

And now I'm it's just me. So I don't have like that backup support.

Speaker:

And so I'm learning how to manage my time better. And that's been a real eye opener to just, you know, gosh, there's a lot of cleaning.

Speaker:

No, but I'm in a different space. I'm in a different area.

Speaker:

I also feel like more of an outsider because I haven't been following along with the industry.

Speaker:

You know, I didn't have time to read the trade, the trades, which, you know, the newsletters and all that think pieces and punditry and the latest stuff.

Speaker:

Technology has changed. AI coming into the space. Video. Just the way people are doing business. The rates. Oh, my gosh.

Speaker:

Like that's a reassessment of itself. And also more educated clients. Right.

Speaker:

It used to be we had to explain what podcast editing was to people out in the community or even to people who like wanted our services.

Speaker:

They didn't exactly know what they were going to get. They just needed help. Now they know.

Speaker:

And the other thing is the amount of podcasting is now mainstream. It's maturing.

Speaker:

And the business, small business, medium business, big, but everybody's all the businesses are podcasting because it's part of a digital marketing strategy.

Speaker:

And podcasting and marketing seem to be merging in a lot of ways. Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker:

And just the whole social media thing. Like it's just another way to build leads for businesses.

Speaker:

And again, like the AI piece and the video piece are huge. So it's a lot of learning new skills.

Speaker:

So what's your approach this time and who are you looking for and how are you I mean, have you figured that much out yet or so?

Speaker:

I'll tell you my approach. A lot of notebooks. Everybody knows how much. Well, if you remember me, you remember how much I love notebooks.

Speaker:

Really right now, what I'm doing is kind of storyboarding my business. Okay.

Speaker:

When you're working or pitching a show, it always helps to have like this show is like Big Bang Theory meets Marvel. Right.

Speaker:

Or something like that. And I have that myself. I have like what media or what things am I as a brand comparable to?

Speaker:

Okay. How do I do business? So I'm a little madman, little Anthony Bourdain, you know, a little I don't know if anybody watched The Great on Hulu.

Speaker:

But if you haven't, I love that show. Best ending of any television show I've ever watched. So I do recommend that.

Speaker:

So I have this idea of what kind of business I'm going to be, you know, a little weird, a little awkward, you know, a little bit me.

Speaker:

And to me, that was a very early and foundational piece. And I think as a newbie, this is a step I didn't have because I didn't have the business skills yet.

Speaker:

I didn't have the marketing skills. I didn't have the branding skills. Now I do. And this is how I'm able to be more intentional because I'm like, what's my brand?

Speaker:

Why is my brand and who am I serving? And I think that I have decided actually this week, this is my little note about all that.

Speaker:

And I can read you what it says. They don't remember. I work with startups and creators who want to change the way business is done.

Speaker:

Earth level two. Because I am a gamer. I'm bringing that. So I'm bringing those pieces. I'm leaning into like who I really am.

Speaker:

I'm more confident about that. I think when I was just starting out, I wasn't confident about what I brought to the table, what I brought to my clients because I didn't quite know.

Speaker:

There was a lot of figuring out. There's a lot of trial and error. So now I feel way more confident in doing that.

Speaker:

I was talking to another producer in the Nashville area today. And one of the things that he mentioned was he has a background in music.

Speaker:

And he said, one of the things that's great about working with artists and musicians is that's so much a part of their identity that it doesn't matter if they've got a contract or if they've got something.

Speaker:

They're going to keep doing the thing. It may be longer, but like they may not release an album. It may take a long time to save up the money, but they're committed to the craft.

Speaker:

And what he's seeing in podcasting is a lot of people treat it like a hobby. And then when the going gets tough, the hobby goes.

Speaker:

Even if it's their marketing, they view it as ancillary marketing rather than core marketing. Are you finding that to be true with the people you're interacting with?

Speaker:

I think what I'm finding is that they don't know exactly how to use their podcasts. We have come a long way, like I said, in educating basically the consumer of our services.

Speaker:

It's for the basics, right? They know what our basic job function is. They know when they need an editor. They know when they need help now.

Speaker:

The communication is much better because we're explaining less, I think. But I think the issue now is how do we communicate the power, the actual power of podcasting and what it takes to be successful as a podcaster.

Speaker:

And I think as editors, we have a unique position to assess this because we are critical listeners. We're interacting with people's content regularly.

Speaker:

And especially if you've been doing this for a while, like we have, how many thousands of hours of people talking have you listened to?

Speaker:

I mean, you know what's good, you know what's bad. You know why something works and you know why something doesn't work.

Speaker:

This is an advantage coming back into this that I didn't have before. So I am very thankful for that. But I really do think it's that communication piece that and that education piece where we're going to have to teach them as part of a larger marketing strategy, like where podcasting fits in and how to use it.

Speaker:

Alejandra also chimed in on the lives at self exploration time.

Speaker:

Yes, yes. And so another piece to this approach of figuring out exactly what I'm doing, who I'm serving, where I'm going, a big component of that has been play.

Speaker:

Like I have brought fun back into my work, essentially. I have been being a little bit more creative. And again, just following my curiosity to see where it goes.

Speaker:

Because now I'm like, I'm coming into the space and like an outsider, and now I'm just rolling around in it and poking it and pushing all the buttons and seeing how it all works.

Speaker:

And learning new things like video editing.

Speaker:

Yes, yeah, that's a big thing. The video editing. That's a big change because I think we've lost the battle on video podcasting. Because every job I have seen has been video focus.

Speaker:

Right. And honestly, what we've been doing it for 98 episodes, right?

Speaker:

I think we'll probably lose some creators over it when they realize how hard it is and how expensive it can be. And I suspect that in a couple years, it may reset a little bit. I'm not saying videos going away, but I think the expectation may change in a couple years.

Speaker:

But I think we're gonna have to ride this out and make the most of it. And if I'm wrong, if we've ridden this out, and we've made the most of it, then we'll be well poised for whatever next transition comes, I think.

Speaker:

Yeah, I'm a little scared to see what the next transition is. Because there's been a lot of...

Speaker:

Steve agrees, yes, we have lost that battle.

Speaker:

Yeah, we have definitely lost that.

Speaker:

I think I remember you saying that some of the stuff that you used to do for marketing isn't really working right now. Am I remembering that right?

Speaker:

Yes, definitely a lot more editors in this space right now. So it used to be if you went on Facebook, you could probably find a podcast editing job.

Speaker:

Right? If you just looked around, waited long enough, somebody would advertise a job. And that was fairly regular. Now, it's a bit different.

Speaker:

When somebody advertises a job, there was always a flood of editors. I don't want to imagine how many editors now I'll be competing with.

Speaker:

Seven, maybe eight.

Speaker:

Thousand.

Speaker:

Yeah, so one of the big shifts I've noticed in the past two years is how many podcasting jobs are advertised on LinkedIn. It went from virtually none to constant.

Speaker:

Wow.

Speaker:

So if you look on LinkedIn, there are a variety of podcasting jobs. And there are new ones every single day, many remote, but many on site.

Speaker:

Yeah, I've seen that.

Speaker:

Again, these businesses are starting their own in-house production as part of their marketing department. So that has really changed.

Speaker:

What also has changed is the people who are coming from radio, people who are coming from journalism, people who are coming from Hollywood.

Speaker:

Those service providers, people who kind of did what our version in their own industry have started to figure out podcasting, and specifically that they can, you know, get gigs with independent creators.

Speaker:

So again, it just kind of just feels like a little bit more competitive.

Speaker:

Well, here's what Steve says, your competition, thousands of audio podcast editors, a couple hundred video podcast editors, and millions of video short editors using CapCut.

Speaker:

Yeah, I actually had a conversation with that producer I was talking about today. And he said that he actually had a client that left him for a production company, for whatever reason, right?

Speaker:

And they were livid when they realized all they were getting for their video shorts was they were running it through Opus Clip and then just posting it as it was.

Speaker:

And they're actually looking to come back to him, but they got locked into a contract, because he was actually creating the shorts.

Speaker:

So he was using a tool of some kind to help him find the spots, but then he'd build the shorts himself using, it wasn't Premiere, it was the Apple One Final Cut, or whatever, it doesn't really matter.

Speaker:

Right.

Speaker:

That's a great use of AI to use a tool like that to find the shareable moments, but then to actually build them yourself.

Speaker:

So yeah, it takes time. But his client was beside themselves when they realized that all this company was doing was running it through.

Speaker:

So it looks like every other short on Instagram, same fonts, same cut style, same pan, everything's the same.

Speaker:

And when the client talked to the former client talked to the new provider, you're just running this through there. Why are you charging me for this? Like, this is our process.

Speaker:

Yeah, I actually love using ChatGPT in that way. Analyze my content, pull out what you think are the highlights.

Speaker:

Now, I don't always agree because ChatGPT doesn't have the same sense of humor.

Speaker:

No.

Speaker:

But I can get a gist, right? And even like Descript. Using the AI in Descript to mark your chapters, to generate a summary.

Speaker:

I like to go through and do an AI edit just to see what it is recognizing as not relevant or not necessary.

Speaker:

And I do that for a very specific reason. And that is because content is being analyzed by AI on these platforms every day.

Speaker:

And the AI is analyzing it to find out if your content is worth serving to people who have not interacted with it before, but who may enjoy it.

Speaker:

And I like to know what AI is thinking about my content. How is it ingesting it? What is it pulling from it?

Speaker:

And this is a great opportunity also for us as editors to be able to use AI to offer those kinds of content development skills.

Speaker:

What I am seeing happening in the market and what I'm starting to figure out is that there are, yes, more podcasters, more potential consumer service services.

Speaker:

However, there's going to be a set that are going to go to outsourced companies like you talked about, Bryan, where they're just doing the bare minimum with AI and just basic skills.

Speaker:

There's going to be the mid-tier version of that. And then there's going to be the high touch, really hands-on, full service, you're actually dealing with the person kind of.

Speaker:

And I'm sure there's a spectrum and I'm sure there's more in between, but I definitely know and decided I'm a high touch person.

Speaker:

I like working with my clients. I like coaching them. I like content development. I like story editing. I like helping my clients be really successful.

Speaker:

I like making them sound great and I like helping them make money. I don't think outsourcing, so I'm not competing with outsourcers, even though there are a lot of podcast editors.

Speaker:

I know. And I knew last, when I started, I was more of a colleagues, not competition, right? Because there's enough. And I still believe that.

Speaker:

So the stumbling block when it comes to work, because I'm not as good as I used to be at getting clients. Again, see the fact that I haven't been marketing at all, so people don't know who I am.

Speaker:

But just kind of like that blind, like sending over a CV, filling out an application, all that kind of stuff. Like I am relearning how to sell myself and sell my services.

Speaker:

And I am way out of practice talking to people. My people skills are rusty.

Speaker:

We're here to help you, Carrie. You can work on their people's goals with us.

Speaker:

Yeah. And also, I don't get, you know, like I went like a long time without like having like conversations with adults. Right.

Speaker:

So I am, you know, there's a lot happening. I am reacclimating myself to like all these skills.

Speaker:

I'm finding it's kind of like riding a bike, except for I just fall a few.

Speaker:

I have like really blown some opportunity for some good work because I couldn't communicate it.

Speaker:

But I have approached getting more clients as a practice in rejection.

Speaker:

OK.

Speaker:

The client I do have, Lessons From a Quitter, shout out to Goli.

Speaker:

When she first started her show, she did rejection therapy where she actively like asked for things and like tried to get things that she knew she probably would not.

Speaker:

And it kind of builds up your skin and helps you be able to refine. Right.

Speaker:

So you can find that right opportunity.

Speaker:

Alejandro is talking about content being edited with the same template from CapCut or OpusClip or whatever.

Speaker:

And the point that this is where somebody can come in and actually do a great job, add value.

Speaker:

My question is, I think we're going to continue to see the proliferation of cheap tools that do an OK-ish job.

Speaker:

How do we set ourselves apart in such a way that we can operate a sustainable business and try to stem the tide a little bit against the rise of acceptable mediocrity?

Speaker:

Well, today I played therapist for one of my clients.

Speaker:

And you're not going to get that from AI. Not like what I did.

Speaker:

What goes back to that, what we've been saying in this community for a long time is like AI will never replace us.

Speaker:

Right. Unless it becomes sentient and which I can't.

Speaker:

Yeah. A person using AI might if we don't keep up and I get that.

Speaker:

Yeah.

Speaker:

So I want to stay abreast. But there's also an element of positioning and there's also an element of finding that right client.

Speaker:

So if we go back to that whole, if it's not really a passion, if money gets tight, the first thing that goes is the thing that costs money, not the thing that delivers money.

Speaker:

And if you can't generate that you're delivering money, that's a tough conversation. Right.

Speaker:

Because you can't prove how much they're not losing because they don't sound like they've got a goat in the background while they're talking.

Speaker:

Yeah. You can't prove a negative. Right.

Speaker:

Right.

Speaker:

I think that some people just won't care.

Speaker:

That's fair.

Speaker:

You know, and those aren't my people.

Speaker:

And there's also this constant shotgun blast of stuff coming out from, to pick one person, Gary Vee, talking about quantity, quantity, quantity.

Speaker:

And they forget to mention that actually they have an entire staff that follows them around all time generating quantity.

Speaker:

But still the central pillar that they build everything on is quality.

Speaker:

Right. So it might be quantity, quantity, quantity, but also we have this podcast that we invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in doing.

Speaker:

And I think people just hear about the shotgun blast and they're just, well, I'll just load some buckshot in the gun and I'll go and they forget about that.

Speaker:

Actually, you need somebody with a sniper rifle to to help you like actually, well, I don't want to kill anybody, but the analogy works.

Speaker:

So, yeah, this is a got very violent and dark.

Speaker:

Welcome to my brain.

Speaker:

Bryan needs a vacation.

Speaker:

It's like, are you taking a sledgehammer to it? Because I feel like there's a certain group of people and kind of Gary Vee included, although I honestly haven't listened to his podcast in a hot second.

Speaker:

So the last time I did listen to it, I just couldn't because it was Zoom.

Speaker:

There was reverb.

Speaker:

It was just tenet like, no.

Speaker:

So he's actually a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Speaker:

That's where he's gone.

Speaker:

So this was like maybe a few years ago.

Speaker:

OK.

Speaker:

You know, when everybody was like, I want to be the next Gary Vee.

Speaker:

I'm like, well, who's Gary Vee?

Speaker:

Figure that out.

Speaker:

And then I was like, no, no, there's only one.

Speaker:

And you trust me, you don't want to have a podcast.

Speaker:

It sounds like his.

Speaker:

That totally could have changed because I know he has a staff and he is, you know, you see Gary Vee Jobs posted on LinkedIn.

Speaker:

But yeah, that content development piece and that there's so many very simple things.

Speaker:

You know, I see these ads on job boards and it's like, oh, we have a really like high quality show, whatever.

Speaker:

And then I listen to it and I'm like, do you?

Speaker:

Yeah.

Speaker:

So you think you have a high quality show?

Speaker:

OK, well, and, you know, I actually ran across a job like that recently where I remembered it dawned on me that when I was applying

Speaker:

for shows like that in the past, I would give them an honest, I would research, I would look up their show,

Speaker:

I would listen to their episodes, I would offer them a piece of advice, just something really simple that they could do to make their show sound better.

Speaker:

So this is where all those things I got rejected for.

Speaker:

This is what I didn't do.

Speaker:

I mean, it was just like send out the resume and whatever.

Speaker:

But now it's just being a little bit more thoughtful and a little bit more thoughtful of what kind of shows I want to work on.

Speaker:

What kind of people I want to work with, that kind of thing.

Speaker:

But I like to consider everything I've done up until this point just kind of like practice, dipping my toe in the pool and getting again,

Speaker:

getting the lay of the land and kind of remembering how to ride that bike.

Speaker:

And Patrick says I would pay for Carrie to do a how I use Descript an AI course.

Speaker:

Well, Patrick.

Speaker:

Yeah, don't you have one?

Speaker:

Maybe you'll get that.

Speaker:

I have.

Speaker:

So I was doing workshops.

Speaker:

OK.

Speaker:

Dialogue editing with Descript.

Speaker:

But that was before AI.

Speaker:

And then it brought in AI and it made a bunch of changes and I didn't have time to relearn everything.

Speaker:

Because that's the other thing.

Speaker:

All these softwares and soft pieces of software that I've used, it's all changed.

Speaker:

Yeah, except for RX, unfortunately.

Speaker:

Maybe the RX thing is another conversation.

Speaker:

Maybe we need to have a technical episode.

Speaker:

They're just not keeping up with innovation.

Speaker:

Right.

Speaker:

So others are pulling ahead.

Speaker:

Oh, that's unfortunate.

Speaker:

It is for them.

Speaker:

But competition is good for us.

Speaker:

Yeah.

Speaker:

Well, RX, from what I understand, relies on the FFT filter.

Speaker:

And I think that there's now more you can do.

Speaker:

I've been running with a lot of different networking places locally.

Speaker:

And one of the things that comes up is how could I refer you to your ideal client?

Speaker:

Who is it that you would say, oh, oh, I need to introduce you to Carrie?

Speaker:

And then what would that introduction look like?

Speaker:

I think that my person is somebody who is passionate about their topic.

Speaker:

They probably have already been podcasting for just a little bit.

Speaker:

But they're ready to really be serious.

Speaker:

They're ready to develop their content.

Speaker:

They're ready to learn how to speak into a microphone.

Speaker:

They're ready for all that kind of coaching.

Speaker:

They're ready to take in this information.

Speaker:

They're ready for an expert to come in and help them.

Speaker:

They're thoughtful.

Speaker:

They think about their work.

Speaker:

They may be a little bit heady, a little bit nerdy, a little bit awkward.

Speaker:

Like if there's another Star Wars recap show I could do, I would be down like a clown.

Speaker:

And this group of guys says it's the best job I ever had.

Speaker:

Well, I don't want to say best job I've ever had, but easiest, most complicated thing, easiest client.

Speaker:

He's like my ideal client.

Speaker:

He was a professional dungeon master, which is easygoing.

Speaker:

And he understood that I was the expert and I knew what I was talking about.

Speaker:

And he also enjoyed doing sound design.

Speaker:

So I just did the heavy lifting, the content, the engineering, that kind of thing.

Speaker:

And then how would they work with me?

Speaker:

Was that the second part of the question?

Speaker:

How would the introduction look?

Speaker:

You can introduce me in any way.

Speaker:

She's Carrie. You should hire her today.

Speaker:

Yeah.

Speaker:

Don't even ask questions.

Speaker:

I mean, I shared you on LinkedIn, but that doesn't get you very far.

Speaker:

You know, like, hey, work with my friend Carrie.

Speaker:

No, but I appreciate that.

Speaker:

I mean, and you're not the only one.

Speaker:

I'm just so grateful for everybody who did do that.

Speaker:

I think it goes down to that specific skill set.

Speaker:

Like if you want somebody who's going to, again, help you develop that content,

Speaker:

somebody who is going to very thoughtfully use editing to keep your audience engaged.

Speaker:

I've been thinking about this a lot.

Speaker:

While I was working for AudioUp, I learned a lot of tips and tricks about keeping audiences engaged

Speaker:

from like other editors that I was working with, other producers,

Speaker:

and then just by paying attention to the other comparative shows that were being produced at the time.

Speaker:

Some of which I would-- I just can't wait to share that with everybody

Speaker:

because it's some really stupid, simple things.

Speaker:

If you just want to get stuff done and fall in love with podcasting again, you know, I'm your girl.

Speaker:

See, I'm getting to be able to talk about me, my skill set, what I do, who I want to work with.

Speaker:

This is a work in progress.

Speaker:

Yeah, I feel like I got that part much faster the first time

Speaker:

because I didn't know as much as I do now.

Speaker:

Sometimes having more information causes more problems.

Speaker:

I'm wondering about that editor that's trying to get started or trying to get that next client.

Speaker:

We actually did a series on this toward the end of last year, talking with people about their first client,

Speaker:

and having you on reminds us that, hey, most of the stories we talked about

Speaker:

aren't the things that people would have written a book on five tips to get a client or stuff like that.

Speaker:

It was all these circuitous journeys.

Speaker:

You're kind of coming back into it now.

Speaker:

If somebody was coming to you for coaching as an editor going, hey, how can I find a client?

Speaker:

Are there a couple of things you might ask them to focus on first?

Speaker:

Why? I really think the best thing I ever did for my business was figuring out why,

Speaker:

and then figuring out who, and then figuring out what.

Speaker:

What do they need?

Speaker:

I think really it's that listening, that observation period.

Speaker:

For that is market research.

Speaker:

I would basically find somebody I would love to work with.

Speaker:

Currently right now, if Pocket FM hired me, I would probably be in heaven

Speaker:

because they're really doing some innovative work in terms of storytelling.

Speaker:

I went ahead today and sent them a message and said, hey, I would love to work with you.

Speaker:

It's about finding those people.

Speaker:

I always like to offer a tip, or this is an old strategy.

Speaker:

I just offer a tip. Tell them why you like their content.

Speaker:

Reach out, talk to people, and figure out what it is that they need

Speaker:

and what it is you can deliver them.

Speaker:

Does that answer the question?

Speaker:

I think that's the real answer.

Speaker:

I think the answer that most people are looking for are the five steps listicle,

Speaker:

and the reality is that's a pipe dream that might pay off every so often.

Speaker:

The real answer is, I think, exactly what you just said.

Speaker:

And networking.

Speaker:

One of the things I do want to do is more local business.

Speaker:

I think especially now, the time is right for editors to get into their communities.

Speaker:

When you go visit a small business, talk to them.

Speaker:

Ask them about their marketing. Ask them about their customer education.

Speaker:

Be nosy. Again, I am nosy.

Speaker:

I walk into a business. I want to know everything.

Speaker:

What's working for you, what's not.

Speaker:

I think we can call that interested.

Speaker:

Yes, I'm interested. I may be a little bit more interested than people like.

Speaker:

[laughter]

Speaker:

I tried so hard there for you, Carrie. I tried.

Speaker:

I know. Look, I understand it's not always appreciated.

Speaker:

But yeah, it is a lot of boots on the ground work, right?

Speaker:

There's no formula. There's no magic bullet for this.

Speaker:

I have not found anybody really be successful from implementing somebody's five-step plan,

Speaker:

because that's somebody else's five-step plan.

Speaker:

That's not saying there isn't valuable information you can take from that,

Speaker:

but yeah, it's not magic.

Speaker:

If you like people enough, it's also kind of fun.

Speaker:

Cool. I don't think I have anything else. Jennifer, did you have anything else?

Speaker:

I'm liking with that. It's that time of the show where we go to the AI-powered question of the day.

Speaker:

So do you want to ask the question or do you want me to ask the question?

Speaker:

I will ask the question. Bryan generated this question, and it is a random yet specific question.

Speaker:

What's the most challenging edit you've ever made that you are secretly proud of?

Speaker:

I was secretly hoping this one was the one you were going to choose, because then we get to brag on ourselves.

Speaker:

Well, I didn't know the answer to the other one.

Speaker:

I didn't either. I think for me, it's probably more an audio repair experience.

Speaker:

I was working with a guy who had made a trip to Mexico and was driving around and had spent some time on a farm with people

Speaker:

and captured a bunch of interviews with people that he was working with while he was there.

Speaker:

And there was just about every animal that you could imagine being on a farm, and there was no isolation.

Speaker:

So there were goats and chickens and all of the things.

Speaker:

And while I didn't get it perfect, I couldn't get it perfect. Oh, and wind noise.

Speaker:

The wind noise was amazing. But when I got done, it wasn't one that you put up on your page and you go,

Speaker:

"Listen to what I can do," right? But it was one that you go, "This is one that I am secretly proud of,

Speaker:

that we could pull this thing out of a dumpster fire and turn it into something that was acceptable."

Speaker:

It wasn't great. It was bordering on good, but it was acceptable.

Speaker:

And I'm really thinking about this. I've got a lot that I'm really proud of.

Speaker:

But I would have to say that time I made Peter Frampton not suck.

Speaker:

Tell us how you really feel, Carrie.

Speaker:

What I really feel is musicians should not use analog gear for podcasting.

Speaker:

Because Dave Grohl, lots of other... Yeah, no.

Speaker:

No, it doesn't work. It doesn't work. It doesn't work for Zoom.

Speaker:

But really, does anything work for Zoom?

Speaker:

No, Zoom doesn't like... Ever since Windows fixed their audio drivers, Zoom doesn't like it anymore.

Speaker:

What about you, Jennifer?

Speaker:

It has been five plus years ago, and I don't even remember what show it was,

Speaker:

that I could not understand what these people were talking about when I first listened to it.

Speaker:

No idea. But I guess I was playing around with RX and whatever else I was trying.

Speaker:

They were talking about skiing. And when I figured that out, it was like, "They're talking about skiing."

Speaker:

I don't even remember why I was working on that show or whose it was, whatever,

Speaker:

but they were talking about skiing. And of course, you said secretly proud of it.

Speaker:

Everyone knows I'm proud of the metronome thing from the Marching Band contest that was on my website forever.

Speaker:

Oh, yeah. That was amazing.

Speaker:

Yeah, that's historic.

Speaker:

Yeah, that was pretty awesome.

Speaker:

Yeah, that was a moment in podcast editing, for sure.

Speaker:

And anybody who doesn't know what that is, Jennifer, do you still have that on your website?

Speaker:

No, it's not on my website anymore, I don't think, but it might be on somewhere out there.

Speaker:

Oh, you should pull it up, because that was really cool.

Speaker:

If I can find it, I'll drop it in the...

Speaker:

Yeah, send us a link and we'll drop it in the show notes.

Speaker:

That way people that are watching now can come back and listen again later,

Speaker:

because we need twice the views, because why not?

Speaker:

It makes us feel good about ourselves.

Speaker:

It doesn't get us anything extra from Riverside.

Speaker:

Just in case you're wondering, this isn't actually an advertiser play.

Speaker:

It just makes us feel good to have lots of downloads. So there's that.

Speaker:

And the AI is watching your content, likes it.

Speaker:

So it'll serve it up to more people who need the help and the information.

Speaker:

I think that brings us to the end.

Speaker:

Jennifer, if somebody has a topic they'd like us to cover or wants to be a guest on the show, what do they do?

Speaker:

They can reach out to us directly or go to podcasteditorsmastermind.com/baguest.

Speaker:

This episode featuring Carrie Caulfield, "The Missing Yeti" was brought to you by Riverside.

Speaker:

If you want to record your episodes or your clients' episodes in high definition,

Speaker:

have great quality audio and video, you can try it Riverside for free by visiting creators.fm/yetis.

Speaker:

That's us. We're the Yetis.

Speaker:

And then use the code "yetis" at the checkout to get that 15% off, and we're super happy if you do that,

Speaker:

because it helps us out as well, and we appreciate that.

Speaker:

I think that's all we've got.

Speaker:

I've been Bryan Insminger. I'm still Bryan Entzminger.

Speaker:

You can find me at Top Tier Audio.

Speaker:

Last week I was a beautiful bald man.

Speaker:

This week I'm Bryan from Top Tier Audio, and you can find me at toptieraudio.com

Speaker:

or on many of the socials at Top Tier Audio.

Speaker:

And next in the alphabet is Carrie.

Speaker:

Yeah, I'm Carrie Caulfield, "The Missing Yeti."

Speaker:

You can find me at Carrie on Instagram as @thecarriecaulfield.

Speaker:

I just want to say thank you everybody for listening to me talk quite a bit.

Speaker:

Hopefully I said something useful.

Speaker:

I'm rusty, so please bear with me as I get my podcasting feet under me again.

Speaker:

Well, I'm Jennifer Longworth still, and I'm at bourbonbarrelpodcasting.com

Speaker:

and anywhere else bourbon barrel podcasting.

Speaker:

And that's B-A-R-R-E-L. Two R's, one L.

Speaker:

People get that wrong, and there's no S in my last name either.

Speaker:

Is that how we spell barrel now?

Speaker:

No lie. It took me two years to learn how to spell barrel.

Speaker:

It is hard, yeah.

Speaker:

And unable to join us was Daniel.

Speaker:

You can find him at rothmedia.audio.

Speaker:

And if, like Patrick, you missed him, make sure you let him know that you missed him

Speaker:

because we missed him too, and we hope that he'll be back soon.

Speaker:

We've just all got stuff going on right now, and so we have to balance things.

Speaker:

For those that joined us live, we're super glad that you were here,

Speaker:

especially if you dropped into the chat and gave us a good ribbing

Speaker:

or a good question or something like that.

Speaker:

And if you're listening later to the podcast or checking us out on YouTube,

Speaker:

do feel free to reach out to us.

Speaker:

We'd love to be able to help you in any way we can.

Speaker:

And I think that's where we say goodbye, and I click the button, and we go away.

Speaker:

Bye.

Speaker:

Love you.

Speaker:

So--

Speaker:

How much is that?

Speaker:

Uh-huh.

Speaker:

So--

Speaker:

No!

Speaker:

[music fades out]

Show artwork for Podcast Editors Mastermind

About the Podcast

Podcast Editors Mastermind
For Podcast Editors, by Podcast Editors
Are you a Podcast Editor? Or trying to be?

This is the show for Podcast Editors, by Podcast Editors. We mastermind topics with your peers, with industry leaders, and even have a little fun along the way.

Growing a business as a Podcast Editor is challenging. It can also be lonely.

Follow or subscribe to the show, get involved in the Podcast Editors Club Facebook group, and stay in touch with the latest events and news through the newsletter at https://www.PodcastEditorAcademy.com/newsletter.

About your hosts

Jennifer Longworth

Profile picture for Jennifer Longworth
Bourbon Barrel Podcasting was founded in 2019 when Jennifer Longworth, with 14 years of audio editing experience, decided to get serious about editing podcasts for Central Kentuckians. Jennifer edits podcasts for established podcasters and helps new podcasters get started with the basics.

Carrie Caulfield Arick

Profile picture for Carrie Caulfield Arick
Carrie Caulfield Arick is a nerd for sound, stories, and listening. She’s learned from and worked with the industry’s best producers in her role as writer, editor and sound designer. Carrie is a co-founder of the femxle podcast post-production community, Just Busters and co-host of Podcast Editors Mastermind. Oh, and she likes cats… a lot.

Daniel Abendroth

Profile picture for Daniel Abendroth
Hi, I’m Daniel and my podcast editing services will make your podcasts sound smooth and professional, while saving you time and money.

Bryan Entzminger

Profile picture for Bryan Entzminger
Analyst by day. Podcast editor by night. Usually caffeinated. Husband, father, Jesus-follower all the time. Cohost The Podcast Gauntlet, former host of Engaging Missions, and former cohost of Podcast Editors Mastermind.