The Scott Townsend Show
Conversations, perspectives, and insight from some of the brightest minds, facilitated by everyone's friend, Scott Townsend
The Scott Townsend Show
#204 The Art of Starting and Succeeding in Podcasting w/Jody Maberry
Are you hesitant to start a project because you're not "fully ready"? Jody and I dive deep into the art of taking the plunge, inspired by the "80 and go" principle from a Disney Institute keynote speaker. We explore how internal podcasts, like the one created for Tennessee State Parks, can revolutionize corporate communication. Jody also sheds light on the hurdles new podcasters face—whether it's getting comfortable with your own voice or mastering technical aspects—and how today's technological advancements make podcasting more accessible than ever.
Consistency is the name of the game in podcasting, and Jody underscores its importance with captivating examples, like a mayor using a podcast to engage with constituents. From amusing stories of podcasting blunders, including an unforgettable non-recorded wedding vow, to the benefits of attending industry conferences like Podcast Movement and Podfest, this episode is packed with practical tips and entertaining moments. Whether you're an aspiring podcaster or a seasoned pro, Jody’s invaluable advice will inspire you to keep creating and connecting.
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Today I visit with podcast producer Jody Mayberry and he shares some insights and practical advice about podcasting and its potential for corporate communication.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Scott Townsend Show brought to you by Dietzelman Productions.
Speaker 1:Hey, this is Scott Townsend. Welcome back to the Scott Townsend Show, and today I have with me a recurring guest now, jody Mayberry. Jody, how's it going?
Speaker 3:It's going great. We should probably explain that recurring guest, since this is the first episode I've been on.
Speaker 1:So you know the listeners out there. They've heard me do this before once before. You know the listeners out there. They've heard me do this before once before. Jody and I were visiting doing this interview last week week before last and I didn't hit the record button. So it was such a great conversation and I was just mortified when I realized that that had not happened, that I did not hit the record button. But, jody, you were gracious enough to spend a little bit more time with me and try to get it done this time, so I really appreciate that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, well, we'll see if I can repeat what I did. The downside is I read all of my granny's recipes and then after that I just tore them up, so those are gone forever. But otherwise I think we'll still have a good conversation oh man, so yeah.
Speaker 1:So here we go, we're gonna. You know what. What's done is done. So I invited jody on onto the show because I've been listening to jody and his podcasts for many years now and, uh, I, uh, one podcast in particular was creating disney magic, which I am a very faithful listener to, and I was interviewing lee cockrell, who's uh, who's on that podcast, and after we got through I said so, you have anybody you recommend that I should interview. Who do you recommend or refer? And he immediately mentioned you and I was like, oh yeah, that would be awesome. Of course, I didn't know you at the time, like I knew lee. So lee made the introductions and here we are and so, uh, really appreciate you being here all the way from Port Washington, port Townsend, washington. I think I screwed that up last time. I did it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, which is interesting given that it's your name.
Speaker 1:But Jody, he produces podcasts. You know we've got Creating Disney Magic. I already mentioned that the jody mayberry show on the front row, um park leaders show, uh, come rain or shine. He's had, among others, he's had, over 1300 episodes. What probably up to what?
Speaker 3:2,000, 2,500 now yeah, last time I counted it was around 2,600, so it gets up there pretty quick yeah, and then with, uh, the three million downloads, that's probably up to what?
Speaker 1:five?
Speaker 3:million now yeah, creating disney magic alone is above four million now okay cool.
Speaker 1:so jody knows what he's doing and I just uh, I am really excited to visit with him and those of you listening out there watching we're going to be talking about podcasting, uh, podcast producing, uh how Jody kind of got started into the in in the biz and some lessons learned. So first question, like I always ask everybody, is what'd you have for breakfast this morning?
Speaker 3:Um, what did I have for breakfast this morning?
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 3:So not my usual, because the kitchen was occupied and my schedule was tight, so I had um. You know what Belvita is, it's like a little cracker. That's what I had. Yeah, I had Belvita crackers this morning, or biscuits, I don't know which they are. I think they're little biscuits. But you know, in the States here a biscuit is something very particular, especially if you're from the Midwest yeah, probably if you're from Oklahoma. Yeah, it's a very fluffy thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but yeah, I don't know why they call them biscuits. You know when?
Speaker 3:it's really a cracker. I don't know. That's what. That's where my trouble comes from. And trying to explain what I had for breakfast. I'm pretty sure the package said biscuits, but it was not a biscuit. I'm not putting jelly on that thing. I'm not putting chicken on it. I don't know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so no butter and jelly.
Speaker 3:No, no, there might be an english term, english uh reference there I think. So you know where I'm from. I don't know if it's like this in oklahoma, because you know there are a lot of similarities between oklahoma and the and the midwest area where I'm from illinois. But do you have jelly biscuits in oklahoma?
Speaker 1:is that not that I'm a so?
Speaker 3:the big fluffy biscuits you have for breakfast are universally called jelly biscuits, because you put jelly on even if you're not going to put jelly on them.
Speaker 1:If you say jelly biscuit, people know what you're talking about hadn't heard of that term down here, but yeah, that's, if you have. If you're having biscuits, there's definitely gonna be some jelly put on there and some butter.
Speaker 3:Unless it's a Belvita type biscuit, because you don't put butter and jelly on those. That's why I'm so confused and that's how we get started, just from you asking what I had for breakfast. Yeah.
Speaker 1:So you know we uh I've been doing this podcast now for four years, just crossed over the four-year line and have met some very interesting people. But I want to hear your take on how you got started in podcasting. Why podcasting? I know you were a park ranger at one point and probably enjoyed that. I want you in the financial business, before that financial industry, before that even, and now it's podcasting. How did you bridge the gap there?
Speaker 3:So, yes, I used to be a financial analyst at a commercial bank. My job was to measure interest rate risk, so that is as exciting as it sounds and I left that, became a park ranger which is as wonderful as it sounds. Unless you don't like the ranger which is as wonderful as it sounds unless you don't like the outdoors then it's probably a pretty lousy job, but I loved it. I did that for many years and then went back to school, got an MBA, wanted to stay connected to parks without going back and being a park ranger. The government doesn't like it if you just show up in green pants and a tan shirt and act like a park ranger. So I had to find another way and I had this idea that I called park leaders and it was about developing up and coming leaders in parks and conservation. But, beyond an idea, I didn't know what to do with it. Then a friend asked me to be on his podcast, jared Easley, who went on to be a co-founder of Podcast Movement, which is the largest conference for podcasting. He had started a show called Starve the Doubt. I had recommended someone be a guest on his show and he said I'll do it as long as you'll co-host with me. Now, looking back, I think Jared only did that, so I'd come up with the questions and he wouldn't have to, but it worked in my favor.
Speaker 3:I did terrible on that interview. I just was not good. Jared was wonderful. I wasn't good, but he asked me to come back and be a co-host a couple of times and I realized, well, that's it, that's what I can do with this idea of park leaders. So in 2013, I recorded six episodes. I thought they were terrible and I never released them. And then, in April of 2014, I got over myself and released those episodes. And then that just started me down this journey that, as Scott mentioned, is 2,600 episodes, millions of downloads. All came because I finally got over myself and, 10 years ago, published the first episode.
Speaker 1:Wow, that's cool. You got to start before you're ready. I was interviewing Lieutenant Colonel James Dan Rooney, Folds of Honor, and he was talking about you know, when you're flying an F-16, you do six weeks of training and then they put you in that chair and you got to go and you don't feel like you're ready. You know you want six more weeks of training before you fly this bullet, but he said you got to start before you're ready and pretty much anything that you do.
Speaker 3:So you just you approved that by getting over yourself and just hitting, hitting the send button yeah, that's right and, and I feel like, and some personalities are more prone to it than others, but all of us just wait, probably a little too long. There's a a phrase that one of the shows I used to do was um, if disney ran your life that's the name of it we did 100 episodes, which was always planned. It would be 100 episodes and then the show would be over. But jeff noel, who I did that show with, he was retired from disney 15 years as a disney institute keynote speaker. One of the phrases he always used, which is a disney thing, is 80 and go.
Speaker 3:You just get it to 80 and then you go with it, then you like that yeah, the last 20 percent comes on the fly so as long as you can get yourself to 80, just go that's awesome.
Speaker 1:So you had uh. From what I understand uh, you had uh the uh tennessee park ranger, jim. What's his name? Jim bryson? Uh asked you to start a podcast, is that right?
Speaker 3:for him it was. So he is no longer director of Tennessee State Parks. He was at the time. He's got some bigger job in Tennessee government now, but he did not have a parks background, his background, he owned a business, and I could be completely wrong, but the essence of what I'm saying is right. He had a business doing data research, marketing research, something like that Pretty successful business.
Speaker 3:And then Tennessee got a new governor and in Tennessee the director of state parks is appointed by the governor. So Jim Bryson was appointed governor I mean appointed by the governor to be director of Tennessee state parks. He did not have a park background. Great guy, outstanding businessman. I think he had dabbled in pot not dabbled, he had been involved in politics before, perhaps had run for governor, if I am remembering his story correct. But he got appointed as director of tennessee state parks, didn't have a park background and he he wanted people out in the field the park rangers, other park professionals to have a way to get to know him, have a way to get to hear his voice, hear his messages and hear what else was going on in park. So he asked me to help Tennessee state parks launch an internal podcast just for their staff statewide. So not only did I do that, I was the, I was on the first episode with him, so that was quite a treat.
Speaker 1:So this was an internal podcast. That's what I was wondering. That answers. Yeah, I was wondering, wow, he's wanting to put this out for everybody to hear. But it was more an internal thing where they got it from their website or something. They uploaded it to their website.
Speaker 3:That's right, and I think maybe I am fast forwarding our conversation or maybe this was never going to come up. I don't know. But that I think is the next wave of podcasts internal podcasts for companies, because it is Parks is a great example. You're director of tennessee state parks. If you went to every park, met every person, it would be months before they got to meet you hear your voice get to, because geographically it's pretty big and the further west you go, the harder it gets, because the states are even bigger good point but you have an internal podcast and from the very beginning they can hear your voice and they can hear your messages.
Speaker 3:So I just think for bigger companies that are spread out geographically, spread out by shifts, spread out because there's so many employees internal podcast that is the next wave. It's a great way to keep in touch with your team.
Speaker 2:Thank you for joining me. Scott Townsend Show. We'll be back right after this.
Speaker 1:Hey, if you're enjoying the episode, why not share the love? Spread the word with your friends and family and, hey, hey, don't forget to hit that subscribe button so you never miss an episode. Got something to say I'd love to hear from you? Shoot me an email at scott, at scott townsendinfo, and let me know why you decided to subscribe. Your feedback means the world to us. Yeah, when you were starting out and podcasting, uh, what were some of the challenges? Uh, starting out was it sounds like maybe at first it was just getting over the sound of your own voice, or uh, which everybody has that problem yeah, right, that was a.
Speaker 3:that was a big one then the the other was the other stuff is just technical because it is so easy to do a podcast Now I love it. Anyone that wants to get it out there can get it out there. Fantastic. Back then it took a little more work. I'm sure even four years ago when you launched this, it took more work to get your show out there than it does now.
Speaker 3:So I could talk about those challenges. They're just not as relevant now because the those challenges aren't in place. You, you can. There are, you can record a episode on your phone. Now. I I have started I used to, and sometimes still do travel with a podcast studio that fits in a bag like that big. I've taken it all over the country. I've taken it to kuwait. Jeff noel and I recorded an episode of if disney ran your life from the observation deck of the kuwait towers in kuwait city oh my gosh and now, though, technology and equipment has come so far, I just travel with these little microphones and, and the quality is is really good.
Speaker 3:So even the technology has removed barriers, the equipment has removed barriers. So many of the challenges that were there 10 years ago just aren't there anymore Now. I would say the three biggest aren't there anymore Now. I would say the three biggest, the three biggest challenges to, to having a podcast, sustaining a podcast I'm sure you've heard this, scott, you, you now are like a Viking, because the average show lasts 10 episodes and you're at four years. It's just not common. The three things I have found that hold people up One is editing is a pain in the butt. Some people love it, most people don't. The other is it the first six, seven, eight episodes. You're carried by enthusiasm by the time you get to 10. Now it's work to show up with something to say every week. And then the third one is it's the whole field of dreams thing. If you build it, he will come.
Speaker 3:In this case, if you record it, he will listen, and that's just not true. It takes time to build an audience, so you combine with oh, I'm not enjoying editing. It's now difficult to come up with content every week and I don't feel like anybody's listening to that. I think that's why a lot of people give up. Yeah.
Speaker 3:I wouldn't worry, there's, so don't spend too much time picking a microphone or what platform am I going to record all of that? That stuff so easy, just pick one and go. There are some, some tools that are better than others, but you almost can't go wrong. Pick one, go the other stuff, just creating the content showing up every week. That's the hard stuff, not not the platform or the technology.
Speaker 1:I think one of these get your take on this. I think one of the hardest things for me at least, actually it was it's it's it's easy for me to visit with people, but it's kind of it's hard for me to listen at the same time. And what I mean by that is I have a list of questions, like right now, I have a list of questions down here that I'm looking at. I'm listening to you speak, I'm trying to follow along with what you're saying, I want to respond to what you're saying, but I'm also listening for what's not being said, and that's where it starts getting tricky. You know I tend to lose. That's why I always keep a pen and paper, so if a thought comes to my head, I'll go ahead and, like I just wrote the word consistency. We haven't talked about that yet, but it just popped in my mind when you were talking about talking about that.
Speaker 1:I think interviewing a good interviewer and this is something I'm just constantly I'm working on is being a good listener and listening with my eyes. Some people say that the best listening you do with your eyes. You're watching the person, you know you're taking in the cue, the visual cues, the body language, you know all that stuff. And what are your thoughts on interviewing? Do you find it easy? Is it fun?
Speaker 3:It is both Well, no, I don't know if I would. It is enjoyable. It's not easy If you're doing it right. I don't know if it's ever easy. Nor is a good conversation if you're doing it right Because you've got to be so actively engaged. It shouldn't be easy, but it should be enjoyable, and when I was new to this. Now I feel like I could turn on the microphone and just have a good conversation and turn it into a good episode if it's someone where I feel like the stakes are high. Oh, my goodness, I'm really lucky to have landed this interview. I put a lot of work, prep work into it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, the way I used to do it for every episode years ago is I would go through and do research social media articles, youtube, podcast interviews and I would just take a yellow legal pad which unfortunately they no longer sell at costco, so I currently am not using them but I would write on my yellow legal pad every question that came to mind and then, when I was done doing my research, I would go through, look at those questions and then put them in order because I already kind of know what they're going to answer because I did all the research. But it's things I want to know more about or things that will make them look really good to provide that answer. Then I would take probably 10, 12 questions and put them in order in a way that, as those answers come out, it tells a whole story. Introduction, something happens there. It turns out, okay, that that sort of thing, that that sort of thing. So I oh, but over time I learned that it it isn't and I still recommend that. It works really well.
Speaker 3:If you're new or you just want to make sure you nail an interview, that is a great format. Over time, though, I learned it really wasn't the questions exactly that made a good interview. It was the preparation of the questions. So now I say, instead of coming with prepared questions, I come prepared with questions. And quite often you may find this in this interview you have 10 questions and at the end you look at it and you say, oh, I only asked four of those five. Right, because the conversation will go somewhere. But if you've already, if you've come prepared with questions, it makes it easier to listen because you don't have to think what am I, I going to ask next? Because you're prepared with questions. So you listen and your curiosity will lead to asking things based on what the person you're talking to says. And if it?
Speaker 3:doesn't. Well, then you move to your questions and you've probably done enough research that, based on what they say, you can say something else. I've heard some podcasters say I don't do any research, I don't do any come with any questions, because I want the audience to feel like it's a first time conversation and it's all new to all of us. I'm not saying that's wrong, it's just not how I've ever done it, because I think showing up prepared with those questions is what has allowed me to listen so much better, because I don't have to think what am I going to say, what am I going to ask? Because if we're talking and then what you say doesn't lead to another question, I've got questions, so it's worked really well for me.
Speaker 1:Larry King was known for not preparing, just showing up walking in cold, and I don't think I've ever done that. I always think I need to show respect to the person I'm asking. I'm always surprised when people say, yes, I'll be on your show. That still floors me, and so when I do have someone on the show, I almost see it as being disrespectful. If you don't read the book or you don't watch their show, listen to watch their show. If you don't do any research, it's almost like I could care less and I think that's horrible. That's just my take. Some people can get away with walking in cold, like you said, and just make it a rip-roaring good time. I should try that sometime. Just walk in and just let's go. You know what the heck yeah.
Speaker 3:I've had plenty of interviews like that, when, for example, I have the chance to interview someone that I didn't know was going to happen. I've been at conferences, for example. Well here. So here one comes to mind have you seen the Ken Burns series on national parks?
Speaker 1:No, fabulous, I've heard of it watch it. Fabulous if you, if you enjoy national parks, I'm writing that down right now, because ken burns is great no matter what he does, so I'm sure there is one park ranger featured in that series quite often shelton johnson.
Speaker 3:He is a park ranger at yosemite national park and if there ever was a celebrity park ranger, it would be shelton johnson, because he did so phenomenal in that series. Other park rangers listened to him and was like, oh yes, he's speaking for all of us. So if ever there was a celebrity park ranger at Shelton Johnson in 2016, I spoke at the world ranger Congress and Shelton was also a speaker and we ended up in the green room, just the two of us, and I said, hey, what would you think about doing an interview for the park leader show? And he said let's do it.
Speaker 3:Well, I don't have, I don't, I'm not going to, not gonna say okay, give me two hours, I'm gonna go do my research, you just do it yeah so there are times where you've got no choice ah, so you did it right then yeah, we just did it wow yeah, so that that sometimes that's how you have to have to like I can understand that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I get that.
Speaker 3:Also, though, I will say did I directly do research? No, I was a park ranger for a long time. We were at the World Ranger Congress. I had seen his presentation. I had seen him on the Ken Burns series. I had been to Yosemite many times. It wasn't that I didn't directly do research, but I had been doing that research my whole life right, that one was easy I have, uh, you know, speaking of technology, I'm always surprised.
Speaker 1:You're absolutely right. You can do a podcast with, just with an iphone, and I have this long, this ball here this long. Uh, it's a micro, two microphones that plug into the bottom of your iphone. Anyway, this thing is, I could be sitting clear across the room with someone else on the other side of the room. The cord is so long and it really helps to uh, I've done interviews in restaurants and you know we would sit across the table and it's, it's pretty dang.
Speaker 3:It's pretty dang cool technology you're right, today is amazing it is cool and I will say, since we're telling stories, I I use the exact same setup I was using in 2014, same microphone. I record into this. I bought this back then yeah, what is that?
Speaker 1:I've seen those before. What's? Is it a welcome or?
Speaker 3:it's a zoom h5 okay yeah, so this isn't even necessary anymore, because there's zoom, the platform can record. There's zencaster, there's riverside, there's all like. This isn't even necessary, but it is my system and it's how I've done it for a long time there are better, probably better options out there and you don't work for you yeah, that's right. You just that's the thing find what works for you and just stick with it. There's always going to be something newer, shinier, something the cooler kids are using yeah but it doesn't matter.
Speaker 3:If it works for you, then just do it. You could using the now. Could you just record straight to your phone like this yeah, it'd probably be a five out of ten audio quality the little microphones that you can plug in. Well, now you're up to. I'm just making this up I'm not an audiophile.
Speaker 3:Now you're up to like a seven. Yeah, that's probably good enough because you will clean it up and all that. So just that. That goes back to the earlier stuff. Just don't get hung up on the technology, because you can. You can record right to your iPhone. I even think there's platforms you can record to and publish straight from your phone now. So it's easier than it's ever been. Yeah.
Speaker 1:If someone out there listening is considering starting a podcast, what would you? What are some of the reasons why someone might consider doing a podcast there's? Yeah, I'm gonna let you. Yeah, I'll quit talking. What are some reasons for starting one? What are some reasons?
Speaker 3:for starting one. There are some. I'm going to tell you my favorite and then, if we have time within the answer, I'll go into some of the more obvious. But my favorite is what it does to you personally. If you have to show up every week with something to say, the transformation you will go through is incredible. You will be able to talk on a topic longer or shorter, because you'll learn how to go longer, but condensed like make it powerful. You'll start to learn how to talk about what you believe in. You'll probably better understand what you believe in. You'll learn how to teach. You'll probably better understand what you believe in. You'll learn how to teach. You'll learn how to converse with other people. That is a heck of a skill.
Speaker 3:When you become a conversationalist or an interviewer, depending on which you consider yourself, that transformation is incredible. Even if it's only your mother that listens, I don't even think my mother does listen. Even if it's only your mother that listens, I don't even think my mother does listen. But there, the what it will put you through is incredible. Sure, there, there are other reasons. That is my favorite. Now, if you go beyond that, if you there, I think there are so many podcast opportunities that aren't done. I live in a small town of 2 000 people outside a town of 10 000 people. There, as an example, there is not a real estate agent in town that has a podcast. If I were a real estate agent, I would have a podcast where every week, I would be talking about a historical fact of the community something, some current events in the community and maybe, if there's a home, maybe home listing.
Speaker 3:I think that's the least important of it. That way, when people want to buy or sell a home, who's the first name? They think of Me, because I helped them learn about their community. And even if you only get a hundred listeners an episode, oh my goodness, that's a hundred people that then know a lot of other people. So I just think there are so many good reasons to do it. It is the best marketing platform.
Speaker 3:What I've helped a lot of people do their podcasts and quite often one of the first things people talk about is monetization, because that's the popular word and I I usually say, look, I'm not saying you can't directly make money with your podcast, but if that's why you're doing it, I'm probably the wrong guy to help you, because it's a long game for me and it I just look at it differently. It's not a show for me, it's, it's a conversation and there's a it's there's bigger reasons behind it. So there are people that are really good at monetizing podcasts. It's not me, because it's part of something bigger. So I I think those are two good reasons. Another is you look at scott, as an example. He's got to talk to lee cockrell, he's got to talk to jody may, he's got to talk to Jody Mayberry, he's got to talk to Dan Cockrell, and the list goes on about the people he's got to talk to Scott. Do you think without a podcast, you would have talked to all these people you've talked to?
Speaker 1:Absolutely not.
Speaker 3:Exactly. If you just want to meet people, a podcast is wonderful. There is a big difference in saying hey, scott, would you mind getting on zoom with me for an hour. How many people are going to say yes, not many. But if you say I've got a podcast, would you be a guest? A lot. Almost everybody says yes right.
Speaker 1:Yep, like I said, I'm always surprised when people say yes, you know, like, like, who am I? But? And I've had some no's. I've had my no's and I've had some surprising no's, but I've had even more yeses and surprising yeses as well. I think you're right with the podcast and it helping like a real estate agent. Also, I think it's really great for politicians who are wanting to stay in touch with their constituents.
Speaker 1:I know, I know a guy that here in Oklahoma he was running for Senate, senator, senate, and uh, he, uh. I told him, I said you should consider doing a podcast and he looked at me like I had two heads, you know. But I thought, if I'm, if my, if, if a group of people that I represent, what a better way to stay in touch with them through email, through a newsletter, maybe? Uh, but what if he had a weekly show? I heard of one, a guy in colorado. He was a mayor somewhere in colorado and every week he would put out a podcast about what's going on in the city.
Speaker 1:You know how the potholes are doing, you know it's traffic lights are getting fixed, blah, blah. You know just letting people in on what the you know kind of pulling back the curtain and letting people know almost in real time what was going on, what the you know kind of pulling back the curtain and letting people know almost in real time what was going on, what they were working on and how they could help. So if I'm a Senator or Congressman or a mayor or somebody like somebody in politics, when you're over a group of people, you're serving a group of people. I think this is a great way to, because podcasting is also very intimate. You know, it's uh, it's in your ears, uh, you know you're walking, driving, bicycling, exercising, you know, but it's a very intimate. So you, you feel like you really know these people after a while and I just think when it comes time to be re-elected, it might help. I don't know, it could be wrong.
Speaker 3:Haven't heard of it done yet whether it's a politician, real estate agent name recognition goes a long way and and it's well. President franklin roosevelt did it by radio with his fireside chats and we're still talking about it yeah so, yeah, I think there's, there's something there and there's a.
Speaker 1:You know, podcasting is just becoming so ubiquitous, but it's still. There's still room for, uh, growth. Don't you think? Or have we reached the apex of?
Speaker 3:no, we haven't, and and I I don't have the numbers in front of me, but there was a, so I think I forget the group that did this study. I wish I could give them credit, but this is off the off the cuff. But so spotify, I think, has list four million podcasts, but then if you take how many are active and I think the group that did this study, active was 10 or more episodes and one episode within the last 30 days, like it, cuts it down to 300,000, something like that. I mean there there are a lot of podcasts out there, there are not a lot of active podcasts out there, I and then. So then you take it and and say okay, now if we break it down even more in my little niche, how many are out there?
Speaker 3:yeah for eight years I had the only show out there for park rangers. Now there are two and I helped donald forgione, the other guy, launch his show, because it's not competition, we're helping park rangers. Why would I be afraid there's another show out there for the same audience? So now there's two. Okay, so there's let's say, all those podcasts are active 4 million. Well, there's two for park rangers. Doesn't matter that there's 4 million. Park rangers have two shows meant just for them.
Speaker 3:So I live in Port Townsend, if I wanted to, I'm a real estate agent and I want to start a show. How many other real estate agents in my County have a show? Zero. So there is so much room for growth. What might be saturated is the type of shows that are already out there. Okay, so if you want to talk I don't know leadership and business, which really that's what creating disney magic is about right. So I think some people get afraid of that and say lee cockrell has that show, so and so has that show, but still, lee cockrell's not for everybody. Scott townsend's not for everybody, but they may want to hear it from you because you have different experiences. I wouldn't worry too much about it being too many podcasts or that we've peaked. I just don't think it's true what.
Speaker 1:There's one thing you mentioned. The last time you and I spoke um you have a uh creating disney magic was on every week every wednesday. For how many years? Five years uh oh, we started in 2014, so it's 10 years 10 years and you mentioned uh, which I think is incredible, because I have a difficult time with consistency. Talk about consistency. Talk about why that's so important when you're creating content such as podcasting.
Speaker 3:There are a couple reasons that it matters, and one is internal. I'll start there, because if you let yourself slide, you'll let yourself slide again and then again I do it with. So if I get too busy, what suffers is either or both of the jody mayberry show, the park leader show. Because I have all these other obligations, it's easier to take a short break from one of those shows which has happened Park Leader Show. I just today recorded the 300th episode and it's been out 10 years. So you can see I've missed some time here and there. That's really not fair to do to the audience. Well, to some degree it is because it's what I needed to do to the audience. Well, to some degree it is because it's what I needed to do to keep the show going. So in that sense it's okay. But if I've made a commitment to the audience that I'm going to show up every week, one that's not fair to. If you take time off, people just go elsewhere. Yeah.
Speaker 3:And and not that many people just wait around for you unless they absolutely love you then perhaps, but the way people get to know you.
Speaker 3:So creating disney magic. I think this week episode 510 came out. Wow, so 510 episodes now it is. There's been some weeks over the years where we, for special occasions, put two out. So not exactly 510 weeks in a row, but 500 weeks in a row at least, and that just makes a difference. Every Tuesday, lee Cockrell and Jody Mayberry are going to show up and they're going to have something to say. It just built. It builds credibility. It makes people eager to to tune in and listen. You'll see some people this isn't directly consistency, but some people will discover your show and then listen to the back catalog.
Speaker 3:With 500 episodes, that takes a while, even though they're only 15 minutes, but that it it builds this a base of people who are loyal to what you're doing. It builds a base of content you can draw from constantly. Lee and I have done eight, nine Now. Some of them have come from ideas that started with that podcast it just there.
Speaker 3:There I'm on a walking streak seven, no, eight years, now eight years March was eight years, so eight years in a few months, 10,000 steps every day, or more, 10,000 or more steps every day. So you look at the number, cause I'm a nerd and I keep a spreadsheet and it's millions and millions of steps. I don't tens of millions, I don't I don't know how many, cause I haven't looked at my sheet. Well, you look at that and you say, oh, my goodness, I could never walk. I'm just going to make it up and say, let's say I've done a hundred million steps. You, you see that and you think I could never do a hundred million steps. Well, neither could I eight years ago, but I took 10,000 steps that day and 10,000 the next day. A step streak is a great illustration of how it compounds and it just keeps building and building.
Speaker 3:And now I did for fun. I did the math and realized, with as many steps as I've taken and I'm sure it's more now that I could have walked from Seattle to Orlando, back to Seattle, then Seattle to Chicago and then spent 30 days walking around Chicago. Seattle to Chicago and then spent 30 days walking around Chicago. So there's so that has come from consistency. Yeah, couldn't do that in one day. It's like if you haven't gone to the gym in a while I'm guilty of having done this a couple of times in my life and you haven't shown up in a while and then you think, well, I'm going to make up for it, and you pay the price because you can't make up for not going to the gym for eight months.
Speaker 3:Gosh, it's the same sort of thing it just it builds muscle it built.
Speaker 1:So there's so much it does for you to be consistent you know one of the other things I think, uh, you do it and I do it.
Speaker 1:Uh, the reason for podcasting is legacy, and that is, you know, your podcast for your son on the front row. This podcast, although not designed for legacy, I think to myself. You know, one of these days I got a granddaughter to a grandson four weeks, I mean four months old. One of these days, after I'm long gone, they'll be able to hopefully be able to watch, listen to these things and kind of get an idea of who old granddad was and what it was like, and you know, hear his voice and see him talk. And so, yeah, I think it's also I and I'm almost thinking about doing what you did for your son, and that is, start a podcast where it's just for them and, uh, it would, it would, it would be like speaking from the future kind of like. You know, um, kind of a time capsule kind of a thing. So, anyway, I just thought I'd throw that in there well that that is a great thing.
Speaker 3:The what scott was referencing in the front row. My son went to college and I started a podcast. Every day when he woke up there was an episode for him, half of them for me, half from other people. Lee cockrell did one for him about once, a once a week or so, and it was just to help him cope with well, probably me. It was more about helping me cope with him not being here than it was him coping being away yeah it was a way to just provide a daily message, a daily counsel.
Speaker 3:Be a part of his life every day encouragement didn't seem.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, so in the front row episode every day, audience of one. If it had had one download every day, I would have been happy, and I think I forget the exact number, but let's say there were 250 episodes, because it started when school started, it ended when his freshman year ended. I would have been happy with 250 downloads. And by the time I didn't pay attention to download numbers because overall I don't pay attention, but in that show in particular it didn't matter because it was meant just for him, the, the when he graduated or not graduated, when he finished his freshman year.
Speaker 1:I looked at the download numbers, and it was 11 000, which is not groundbreaking. No, but when it's meant just for one, yeah, and you should see 200 and some and you get 11 000. That's like Pretty cool.
Speaker 3:It is pretty cool and it makes me think of what if you took that approach to podcasting of trying to message to one person instead of everybody, that's all. And I mean this is blatant because I call him by name. We talked to him by name in this podcast and yet 11,000 people listened, so I don't. I think there's more there than I've taken the time to sift through.
Speaker 3:But I think there is some of the compliments I got of from people that listened where you know, I felt like I was involved in something special here in the the conversation and other people saying, oh, I felt like you were talking to me. Well, I wasn't, because I was talking to my son, but people felt like it was meant for them. So pretty cool, it wouldn't mean. That's a neat experience. Yeah, and the way I like that you brought up the legacy piece of podcasting, because that is pretty cool right, someday someone's going to get to listen to all of this, because right now I don't think my family listens to any of my shows.
Speaker 3:But some mine either someday. Yeah. Who knows, Maybe there's. There's quite a journey there through all the episodes I've done right, that's great.
Speaker 1:Well, uh, I'm a little past our time here. Uh, is there anything else you want to bring up, or anything you want to end with, or?
Speaker 3:oh well, I'm just. I'm just glad to have the opportunity. I imagine I just the first time I didn't do so well. So Scott just said oh sorry, I lost the recording. I'll tell you one funny story. This has only happened to me once. I won't give names because I don't want to make anyone look well, it makes me look bad more than anybody I did. This was a few years ago and I did an interview with for someone else's podcast. And then they reached out to me after and said I am so sorry, I messed up the recording. I don't have it. Did you happen to record it? And I said no, I didn't, but would you like to reschedule? We can do it again.
Speaker 1:And he said no, that's okay so let me see how you really yeah, let me see what you really think about this episode yeah, yeah, so you can't. I mean, you have your down moments yeah, I, uh, I was recording a friend's wedding his daughter was getting married and they asked me to record the wedding recite, uh, the marriage vows and all that, and I hit the wrong button so they don't have a video recording of the wedding, of the wedding vows, but uh, they weren't gracious, they were merciful and didn't. They were very understanding.
Speaker 3:It was such a stupid well, you did not give them a recording of their wedding vows, but you did give them a story.
Speaker 1:They probably well yeah, they can tell every, yeah, every anniversary. Remember when we didn't get our wedding recorded that's right but uh, if hey, jody, if anybody wants to get in touch with you regarding podcasting or aspects of podcasting, what? Where would they go to get in touch with you or for more information?
Speaker 3:go to jodymayberrycom, you'll find all the podcasts I do are there. You'll find way to contact me and even right there on the home page there's a guide called podcast magic, which, if you haven't started a podcast and you're thinking about it, that is a great place to get started because it'll walk you through some of those early steps and prepare you to get past that 10 episode mark.
Speaker 3:That is so elusive and maybe if you already have a podcast going, you may still find that useful. It might help you look at things a little different. I don't know, but it's right there on the, the front page of my website, jodymayberrycom, and I'm on all the socials too, uh, as jody mayberry, except instagram where I am sugar j mayberry.
Speaker 1:That's a story probably for another episode I should have introduced you as babe, because when I was when I sent an email to Jody, I spoken to the phone, didn't look at it and sent it, and then after the fact it showed up as hey, babe, when are you going to be available for the? So Jody sends back an email. So, babe, what's? What's? Who's babe? Oh my gosh. So Jody I now refer to Joey as babe. This is inside jokes, Not so inside anymore. Everybody knows the inside joke, but anyway yeah, it's going outside now.
Speaker 3:But yeah, it was.
Speaker 1:That was awkward for a moment, but oh man, we'll have fun in uh, port townsend, washington. What's the weather like over there before I let you go?
Speaker 3:well, I don't know. If you really want, I'll tell you. I don't know.
Speaker 1:If you want to know, it is a rather warm 67 today oh wow, and over here I think it's let's tell you real quick and then we'll go here. It is 95. Yeah, so cloudy and 95 degrees and humid.
Speaker 3:Well, so I'll tell you the real feel. As the kids like to say, we're having pretty bad humidity for here. So the temperature is 67, but it feels like 69.
Speaker 1:That's horrible, man. I don't know how you get through it. It's, it's tough.
Speaker 3:Yeah, sometimes you just got to pay the price to live where you live. So, scott, thank you so much it is.
Speaker 1:It's been a pleasure to come back again yeah, so let's, if this works out okay and you're amenable, uh, we'll have you back on and I don't know we'll talk about something else. But uh, do you recommend people go to that podcast movement thing?
Speaker 3:pod, yeah, whatever that is if you're really into podcasting it is a great place to, no matter where you're at in the journey of podcasting, even only being curious. It's a great place to meet people that have done just about anything in podcasting. You will find I I think the most underrepresented there is just like your style of podcast. There are so, because there's not a whole lot of business related podcasts there, but the world of podcasting you'll realize, oh my goodness, there's storytellers, there's radio producers, there's you, the things that people do. You'll just be surprised by the people you meet and see what's going on, and you'll meet industry experts and all sorts of things. I unfortunately can't make it this year. It's in dc, but the timing doesn't work with some family stuff. If I could, I'd make it every, every year, yeah I was at the last years in denver.
Speaker 3:I spoke at that one. So I try. If I could, I would make it to every podcast movement. I go to podfest every year, which is I think that one's always in Orlando at least always in Florida maybe get some new ideas, meet new people, get on other shows. So it's good. I I thoroughly enjoy it I just don't get to make it to all of them. But yeah, living way out here, everything's far away well, jody, I really appreciate your time.
Speaker 1:Thanks for coming back and, uh, yeah, thanks for thanks for the great interview all right, thank you, scott, so Scott. So, for Jody Mayberry, this is Scott Townsend. Thanks for watching, listening to the Scott Townsend show. Have a great day, Everything's going to be all right and we'll talk to you later.
Speaker 2:The Scott Townsend show is a Dietzelman production. For more episodes, visit the Scott Townsend show YouTube channel, listen on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
