“It’s not so much a financial investment as much as it is an investment in yourself.” In this latest episode of the Cross Counter Content Podcast, Gootecks talks with a friend, Shelby, about starting a podcast and what it takes to make it successful. Gootecks shares his background on podcasting and why he does it. You're going to learn: - the frequency at which to podcast - why you don't need thousands of dollars to get started with a podcast - the keys to keeping going when the thrill to podcast is gone WHY YOU SHOULD START A PODCAST Podcasts continues to be a growing medium. According to Edison Research, more than 112 million U.S. residents have listened to a podcast at least once, an increase of 11 percent from the previous year. Of those 112 million listeners, 67 listen on a monthly basis, 42 million listen on a weekly basis. There is a huge demand for podcasts, and there are plenty of people delivering. From Joe Rogan to NPR, from Noah Kagan to Veronica Belmont, there are podcasts for all types of listeners. And the podcasts are all done in different ways. Some are repackaged speeches. Others are done in front of a live studio audience. Some do it from the comfort of their own home chatting with a friend. But that still leaves a lot of questions to be answered. How does one get started as a podcaster? What’s the right equipment to use? How do you make money from it? Gootecks has been producing podcasts of some sort for more than a decade, starting with the Street Fighter Podcast, where he interviewed some of the best fighting game players from around the nation. The podcast knowledge continues today, with the Cross Counter Podcast and the Cross Counter Content Podcast. SHOW NOTES 1:49 - The No. 1 thing you need to do when you start a podcast. - How frequent should new episodes be released. - According to Gootecks, a weekly podcast is more beneficial than a monthly podcast. However, the answer to why is not just about having more content available for the fans and listeners. 6:18 - The equipment needed to produce a podcast at the bare minimum. Gootecks uses a Blue Yeti USB Microphone. For those who can’t afford that, he offers some alternatives. - How many episodes need to be recorded before the first one is published. Many podcasters do not have a backlog, opting to release new content as it is recorded. Others work weeks or months in advance to have a buffer. Gootecks shares his suggestions. 11:48 - How to make money off of a podcast. There are several ways to turn a podcast into a business, and how YouTube can play a part in generating revenue. Also, why you shouldn’t worry about making money at the start. 21:09 - The types of podcasts that do well. - Bringing on experts as part of your podcast - Understanding the episodes that are the hits and are the misses 22:54 - The minimum amount of effort needed to produce an episode. Even a short episode of 10 minutes can take a lot of time and energy to make. - How much time should be spent working on your podcast. 28:33 - Making your podcast only audio. Is it worth it to duplicate the content on YouTube, Twitch and other places? 34:18 - The post honeymoon phase. The excitement builds as you are preparing to podcast. The thrill stays after the first few weeks or episodes. After that, the hype dies down and the energy dips a little bit. Gootecks shares insights on how to get past the honeymoon phase. - How to keep the spark going. There are ways to reignite the fire that was there when you initially thought of podcasting. 40:42 - Shelby thinks about her first episode, who would be a guest, the topics discusses, and where to go from there. - Gootecks shares some thoughts on what should be in the initial episode and the ideal way to craft it. - The editing software to use Follow Gootecks on social media: twitter.com/gootecks www.instagram.com/gootecks/

“I’m so much a work in progress, and I want to learn so much more.” -- Sarina Feng How do you know when you’ve charged the right price for your product? How do you convince yourself you are worthy of being a leader in your field? These are two of the many questions entrepreneurs and content creators deal with on a consistent basis. The latest Cross Counter Content Podcast features Sarina Feng, a yoga instructor who has asked those two questions and many others as she continues to improve her craft. In this episode, Gootecks and Sarina talk about several topics, including: - Using social media to grow Sarina’s the audience. Could live video or post-produced video be the way to go for Sarina? Gootecks shares his thoughts on what the best options are. - Getting inspiration from other yoga instructors. Sarina let’s it be known she is constantly learning from other instructors and gaining tips any way she can so she can improve. - How yoga helps in overcoming the haters. Sarina is the founder of Sunshine & Thunder Yoga, based in Vancouver. She teaches restorative yoga therapy, one of the many types of yoga instruction. Restorative yoga helps people relax and rest using only several different poses and props to achieve maximum success. Some of the moves involve bends, twists and different types of breathing exercises. SHOW NOTES - “The more you learn, the more you know that there’s more to learn.” (2:10) - Sarina draws ideas from other events to use in her own teachings. Also, how much does social media help other yoga instructors promote retreats and events? (3:25) - How Sarina overcomes imposter syndrome. (6:38) - Becoming a guinea pig to get better. (10:07) - Sarina mentions her one major flaw. (13:09) - Why Sarina is learning how to sing and how that ties into yoga instruction. (21:00) - The balance between making money and helping people. (23:18) - Gootecks and Sarina plan out Sarina’s first yoga training video. Where would it go? What will be in it? How long will it be? (29:14) - The benefits and downsides to batching content. (33:45) Know a familiar personality who should chat with Gootecks? Let him know on Twitter or leave a comment! Follow Sarina on social media: https://www.instagram.com/sunshinethunderyoga/ https://www.facebook.com/sunshinethunderyoga/ Follow Gootecks on social media: https://twitter.com/gootecks https://www.instagram.com/gootecks/ ALSO MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST Karama Studio: https://stage.yogaalliance.org/TeacherPublicProfile?tid=142467

Building a business takes more than luck and being in the right place at the right time. It requires years of dedication, a constant will to learn and some tough decision making that might not seem correct until days or even months later. Gootecks has done this for more than a decade, organizing esports events, coordinating online broadcasts and producing musical works. Here’s your opportunity to dive into the mind of Gootecks, who has not only been in the entrepreneurial space creating content, but has also helped other entrepreneurs and aspiring business people build their own media platforms. In the opening episode, Gootecks chats with Hip Hop artist Zaid Tabani, who has produced dozens of songs, taking on topics such as video games, social activism and being a minority in today’s United States. Zaid recently released “Yearbook,” a fast-paced, make-you- think album, which dives into his hometown region, entering adulthood, relationships, diversity and more. Zaid’s past work includes “Evolve,” the official theme song of the 2011 Evolution Fighting Game World Championships, and ”Umeshoryu”, a Street Fighter-themed song. The guys cover a lot in this jam-packed intro, including ... - The power of an email list - How to stand out as a musician when there are thousands of great songs - Whether it’s better to join a record label or go at it alone - The impact social media networks have in building a platform - Why it’s important for a musician to think about more than just creating music Follow Zaid at www.twitter.com/zaidtmusic Follow Gootecks at www,twitter.com/gootecks