This series is all about Libsyn’s podcasters. Its sole purpose is to introduce these awesome podcasts to the world as well as share their podcasting insight to empower the community!
Q & A with Tom from Screw The Commute
When did you start podcasting?
I started podcasting about five months ago, but I didn’t “Go Live” until about one month ago.
In four months, I got about 50 episodes “in the can”.
I did this so I could totally concentrate on going on a podcast tour being interviewed on other people’s podcasts. I didn’t want to have to worry about having episodes ready to go.
I could have gone on a regular broadcast media tour. The reason I didn’t was because I figured only a fraction of the listeners on regular radio would be avid podcast listeners.
I don’t really know how big that fraction is on broadcast media, but I was darn sure that someone that heard me on a podcast knows how to listen to podcasts and likes doing so.
Why did you start podcasting?
It’s another marketing avenue for my business. With podcast listenership increasing rapidly and with many new cars being able to play podcasts it seemed like a good move.
To make the podcast profitable I don’t need nearly as many listeners and downloads as someone using sponsorship as their revenue model.
I have a large number of products so one of my products is the sponsor for each episode. Also, many of my guests have products and some provide me with an affiliate link I can put in my show notes as an additional revenue stream.
What’s the name of your show and what is it about?
“Screw the Commute” is based on the fact I have never had a job since a few in high school and early in college. I.e. I’ve been an entrepreneur my entire life.
I was even doing entrepreneurial things when I was about 10 years old.
Starting with nothing I owned five apartment buildings and a hotel before graduating college. I started selling things on the commercial Internet when it began circa 1994 and by the year 2000 I was an Internet multimillionaire.
If you saw my resume, I admit it looks like B.S. You’d ask, “How can one person have done so many things?” The answer is, “If you aren’t commuting to work, you can almost live an additional life.”
On “Screw the Commute Mondays” I do a complete training session for the listeners on various topics that have made me lots of money.
On Wednesdays and Fridays, I interview other successful entrepreneurs who each have inspiring stories of living their lifestyle businesses and how they created them.
Every episode is full of good tips to help someone start a business, or take the one they have to the next level.
What’s your podcasting set-up? Hardware, software, CMS, etc.
- iMac
- Adobe Audition CC 2018 Recording/Editing Software
- Yamaha MG12XU Mixing Board
- Zoom H5 Digital Recorder (Backup)
- Zoom H4N Digital Recorder (2nd Backup)
- ISK Headphones
- DBX 266 XS Compressor/Limiter/Noise Gate
- MXL V67GS Studio Edition Condenser Microphone
- Sterling PH1 Phantom Power Supply
- Furman Merit Series Power Conditioner
How have you promoted your podcast?
I developed a launch team of 278 people by emailing my subscriber list.
At launch day only about 80 or so came through, but I’m still shaming the others to step up and subscribe LOL.
I’m on a podcast tour doing interviews. I’ve done some Facebook ads. We put all the recordings over still shots and made a YouTube channel. My social media person puts each episode on all our social media.
I plan on trying some ads on Spotify and Outcast. (Which I learned about from “The Feed”)
Prior to launching, I did a webinar showing newbies how to subscribe and listen to podcasts and used my podcast as the model on the webinar.
I’m having business cards and postcards made up featuring the podcast.
I’m thinking about having a big window decal made for my vehicles. Next to my logo I’ll put “Honk if You Hate Traffic” LOL
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started?
I wish I wouldn’t have wasted tons of time and money getting everything hooked up on a Windows 10 laptop.
WHAT A COSTLY NIGHTMARE! I got so disgusted, I went out and bought a used iMac and everything worked perfectly on the first try.
Other than that, I’m so new at this I don’t even know what I wish I had known. One thing I do know is that I’m just a kindergartner in this field and there are many superstar, podcasting PhD’s (like the people running this blog and “The Feed”) that are willing to help.
Fortunately, I can always improve and learn and as busy as I am, I’m taking the time every day to learn from the masters and hopefully I’ll keep improving until one day I can be a master podcaster myself. An old coalminer friend of mine once told me, “The schoolhouse door is always open.” …
…Well, gotta run. I hear the bell ringing and I don’t want to be late for my first-grade class 🙂
Anybody looking for way to screw the commute? Well, this is the podcast for you! Subscribe in Apple Podcasts
If you’re interested on all the little bits and pieces of the launch plan, check out this PDF!
You can also connect with Screw The Commute in Social media:
If you’re looking to start a podcast we’d love for you to host your media with us! And if you need a bit more help to get you going, we have a monthly FREE Podcasting Quickstart every first Wednesday of the month.
