Christine Schlonski [0:02]
Hey Gorgeous. This is episode number 101. You are listening to Heart Sells! Podcast. I am your host, Christine Schlonski and it is the Variety Friday. I am super pumped you are here. Thank you so much for tuning in. I’m so happy that we celebrating this week, Episode Number 100 with the amazing Kate Erickson as a special guest, and I hope you already have listened to the wisdom she has shared. So let’s dive into this Variety Friday. I just thought you know what, 100 episodes, 100 production cycles, amazing, amazing guests, almost all of my guests gave me the opportunity to really have two interviews with them. So we could dive in deep and I just love that. Let me share a little bit with you how this podcast came about, why I decided to produce it the way I’m producing it and just share some things I have learned on the way. If you are looking to create your own podcast or your own show, you might be aware of these challenges, because that is really what it is.

Christine Schlonski [1:17]
It really is a challenge. It’s getting better and better and I love what I do. So don’t get me wrong, but finding a flow, finding a production flow. Getting all those moving pieces and parts aligned, is really still a challenge to me up today. I had the idea of creating the podcast after two amazing Sales Mentality Makeover Masterclasses, which is basically my free online event where I had interviewed wonderful, heart-centered entrepreneurs who share their success stories in regards to sales, mindset, money and wealth creation. The subtitle of this online event is, Spiritual and Practical Steps, How to Increase Your Sales and Create True Wealth Without Losing Your Authenticity. I saw it, “Well, if I do that once a year or twice a year, that’s great. People get really excited. They get a ton of value. But what do I do in between? How can I be showing up in a way where people get free content.” Because when I started out, I consumed all the free content first before I started to invest into myself, into my education by getting a mentor, a coach, by paying for online programs. That for me was a learning process from where I started my entrepreneurial journey.

Christine Schlonski [2:52]
I wanted to find a way how I could provide amazing value, showcasing experts who have done it, who have been there, who walked that talk, and who have had challenges on their way because there is no overnight success or any entrepreneurial wonder there’s always so much hard work involved. So I had the idea about creating a podcast. It was really, really funny because the idea was kind of in my head, starting the end of September, after the last Sales Mentality Makeover Masterclass. Then, John Lee Dumas and Kate Erickson came to town and I was like, “Hey, guys, if you’re looking for a tour guide, you know, I’m happy to show you my favorite city, Berlin, and you know all the cool places or secret places you might not find in a tourist guide.” So we met up and we spent the whole day and I got to know them. It was really than where I said, “You know what, I will have a podcast”, and by the way, I launched November 29, that’s my birthday. So I give a gift into the world for my birthday. I also give that gift to me because I love connecting with people. I love to ask questions that really inspire and motivate lots and lots of people and obviously, me included. That is how the idea was born.

Christine Schlonski [4:24]
So when you talk to somebody who has such a successful podcast, and it’s really a name in the industry of podcasting, like John Lee Dumas and Kate, while you gotta live up to what you’re saying. I did put a little bit of pressure on to me just thinking, “Well, you know what, I just figure it out”, and then after the meeting with them, I thought, “Well, you know, they really, really know what they do.” I started taking the free podcast course. At the end of the free podcast course, I realized I really want to do the deep dive. I took the whole podcast course. I did something that Tony Robbins cause immersion, that I sat down for a whole week and did nothing else but learning about podcasting. Before I actually done started, so I made the concept. I knew how I wanted to do it. So kind of, but then I started also to do some research because I did not want to deliver a format that my audience doesn’t want. I interviewed people out of my tribe, about how much time do they spend, if they’re listening to a podcast? What do they love? What do they dislike, and I got really some inspiration from there so I could craft how I wanted to do my podcast. I figured out that long episodes are not really my audiences favorite. But my favorite is not the surface, the kind of conversations. So I had the idea that I could interview each guest twice. And that I could do an episode twice to share my knowledge and what I have learned, because I put so many hours into selling high ticket life events over the phone, that there’s a lot of really, really practical stuff that people can learn. All of my clients have taken a lot of huge steps in their businesses, in their strategies and pricing that today they sell with ease, grace and confidence. So I wanted to find a way to bring that to you.

Christine Schlonski [6:43]
So thank you so much for being here for listening in, for tuning in. I’m so excited that you have chosen Heart Sells! Podcast as a podcast to listen to. I’m really honored. I would love to know more about you, just shoot me an email to info@Christine schlonski.com and let’s connect. Make sure you also hop on over to https://christineschlonski.com/podcast you find all the podcast episodes over there. And also the wonderful anniversary issue, which includes all the podcast episodes, and the three key points of each and every episode. When you’re looking for a certain topic, you can take that as your guide, as your tool. You can tune into the episode or just get one of those three key points and you will know what to do next. So coming back to my podcast story. Now I had set myself under kind of pressure. Beginning of October to end of November, in only eight short weeks, creating a podcast, strategizing on the topics, really getting focused on who I wanted to serve, who I wanted to interview and then line up the first interviews because you don’t start a podcast when you just have done one interview. You always try to batch interviews and to have a couple of interviews in store so that you can keep showing up for your audience. I had the honor to interview John Lee Dumas and then the wonderful Bob Burg, who was followed by Dr. Roy Matina. It was really, really interesting because the interviews were so much fun, but I did not really have the concept of how to invite them back, how to cut, it how to get that intro, and the biggest issue was how to name the podcast, just naming the podcast, I think it took me over two weeks to come to a decision. I had so many names, first I didn’t have a name at all, so to speak and then I had so many names to choose from that I really didn’t know and I got stuck with the choice. Then finally it became Heart Sells! I’m so happy that I choose this name because it so resonates with all of you. That’s why you were here.

Christine Schlonski [9:11]
Then I had to figure out how to do all the practical stuff. Once the first interview was done, I realized that now I have the interview. So basically the body of the podcast episode, but I don’t have an intro, I don’t know what to say, I don’t really know how to present the bio, and then you need an outro. So you cannot just stop the podcast, you need to say goodbye in some way, shape or form. So that was a really, really interesting learning experience. To sum it up, I can just say, podcasting, there’s so much more involved than you might think. So if you are thinking about launching a podcast, please take a little bit more time. Make sure you prepare really well and you have lined up enough guests. When it comes to production, and when it comes to uploading your episodes, you do not get stressed. That’s basically what I would recommend, be really, really clear. What’s your podcast reason? Why do you podcast, and there are several ways you can look at it.

Christine Schlonski [10:23]
If you are interviewing guests for your podcast, it’s a wonderful way to connect with people who have done it, who have walked their talk, who have reached a certain level of success. So you can showcase their stories, you can show others inspiring stories of entrepreneurs from all around the world. Or you could have your single episodes where you just teach what you know best and you provide value this way. So whatever you choose, you can also choose a mix, like here on Heart Sells! Podcast. With one guest a week with two episodes, and then one solo episode. You can just go for whatever you desire, but be really, really clear and intentional about your goal. We talked about setting intentions on the last Variety Friday, which was episode number 098. Intentions are so so important. So I would journal out, how do I want my podcast to be? Do I really, really want a podcast? And why do I want the podcast, I would highly recommend it because it’s a lot of fun. But what I definitely did not realize starting this journey, how much work it is, how much work and time I have to set aside to make sure that I have the production, to make sure it’s uploaded, to make sure I have the transcripts, the keynotes, the resources available for you. So when you really think about doing that, plus inviting the guests, following up with the guests in case they don’t send the information you need, or they sent the information but forget to book a day and time in your calendar. So all of that, that really is some work to do.

Christine Schlonski [12:17]
You need to be clear how much time you want to set aside to have, to actually produce your podcast as well. Because it’s not just the interview, and then you’re done. There’s so much more to it. And that was something I did not realize. On the other hand, I stick to my word. And I love my podcast, and I love getting your feedback and bringing the value to you. So I do not find any excuses to stop. But I totally get it if somebody starts a podcast and then has difficulties following through because it really works. All I want to say I guess is Be mindful when you said your intention and also be sure that you have your strategy and the amount of time you are willing to invest into your podcast available. Because depending if you podcast once a week, or three times a week or every other week. You really want to give something to your audience. So you need to show up consistently. Whatever that means could be once a week or every day, that’s totally up to you, just know that you rather plan a little bit more time to do all the tasks than not enough.

Christine Schlonski [13:40]
Again, thank you so much for being here. I am so super excited to be on that journey with you. And sharing all I have learned so far from podcasting. Variety Fridays are really there for you to answer your questions, to give you maybe some ideas yours on some challenges you might have. Make sure you write an email to info@christineschlonski.com. Let me know that you are out there. Let me know that you are listening. Let me know what you like, what you may dislike, how you would love the podcast to be because it’s your podcast, Heart Sells! is for you. I would love to help you on your journey, so just let me know what is going on by writing info@christineschlonski.com. Make sure you get your special gift as well the anniversary issue. You can download it at https://christineschlonski.com/podcast. I am so grateful that you are here. Heart Sells! Podcast has been listening to in over 30 countries and growing. I’m so excited that in April we also made it into the top 100 on iTunes in the Business category. I’d love to be back there. So thank you so much for rating, for giving a review, for sharing it with your friends. Because all it does is that Heart Sells! Thank you so much for tuning in. Have a wonderful, wonderful day wherever you are in this beautiful world. And I’m saying bye for now