Speaker 1: 0:06

All righty everybody. My name is Lloyd and today I'm excited because we have a guest that's filled with knowledge on how to start a podcast. He helps you start, manage and grow your podcast. He has over 6,000 followers on Instagram. He provides podcast tips on TikTok on a daily basis. I mean, the content is fantastic. Please help me welcome Dylan Schmidt to the podcast. How are you?

Speaker 2: 0:31

I'm so glad to be speaking with you, lloyd, I am your number two fan. I'll let your wife be number one, okay.

Speaker 1: 0:38

Right right, right right, we'll split it. I appreciate that. I'm a huge fan of your content and I'm excited to be chatting. I'd love to start by asking why did you choose to start a podcast? Out of all the different mediums like YouTube or streaming, or Twitch or all the different things out there? What is it that led you to start a podcast?

Speaker 2: 1:01

My therapist. Actually, I guess that's actually probably somewhat of a common answer. I've seen some people talk about that. But I have helped people with their own podcast for years behind the scenes. And then I would explain to my therapist one day about how I didn't want to start a podcast, because I thought it would be ironic helping people with their podcast and not have my own podcast. But but people assumed I had a podcast. So when I was explaining my reasons to her she was like sounds like you're just rebelling. I'm like, yeah, that's what I'm doing. And then a couple of days later I'm like I need to start a podcast. So I started my own.

Speaker 1: 1:37

Wow, that's incredible. When and when was that? Like what year?

Speaker 2: 1:40

Last year, last September, I think it was.

Speaker 1: 1:43

That's incredible, you know, I think that you know. Starting a podcast is one thing and that's one skill. Building a community, to me, is a completely different skill. That's also just as important. I mean, the fact that you have 6,000 followers on Instagram has some sort of proof that, like, you, know what you're doing when it comes to building a community. What has that been like for you? What are? How have you been able to do that?

Speaker 2: 2:10

This is going to sound weird, but maybe it's been frustrating and actually feels like it's been slow and I'm impatient because my one-on-one clients have been primarily it's been a large platforms and what I bring into my own thing. I don't use any client resources Like it's very private in a way and uh, so it's been like humbling in a lot of ways because I've started from zero, but it's also been uh, feels good in a way because I'm building something that is just uniquely me. Yeah, but it's been really fun, terrifying, fast, slow, all those emotions I feel like at once. Uh, actually, this month it will be celebrating one year since I've started um, my official company, digital podcaster, and it's been such a range of emotions but overall it's been incredibly valuable to my own life and exciting to connect with so many people that I never would have connected with otherwise.

Speaker 1: 3:12

I love that. That's incredible and I totally can resonate with that. Sometimes, as a content creator, I kind of feel like gosh, this is taking forever. I've been at the same number count of followers for ages, and then other times it just feels like it's going so fast and there's kind of like this I'm still working towards like accepting that, like hey, this is out of my control and these are the things that are in my control. I'm going to just focus on those things and when I do that, I find like that, I'm just like so much happier, I'm at so much more at peace. I create the content I care about, but there's other times where it's just like I'm itching to grow as fast as humanly possible. That's a hard skill. So I totally hear you and I resonate with that. I want to talk to you about that, though. A year ago, you decided to start your business Digital Podcaster. Tell me what the business is and how do you help people.

Speaker 2: 4:07

Yeah, so I started Digital Podcaster I laugh because it doesn't really mean anything the words by itself, digital Podcaster but a lot of stuff was taken right. There wasn't a lot of options left, but somehow that wasn't taken. Um, but I, I started it just as a way Cause I went to school for I'm 33 now right after high school. I didn't even start paying attention in high school as it was ending, because I knew I wanted to work at a recording studio. And then, uh, uh, luckily, I graduated. And then I went to school for audio engineering and I was like this is awesome. And then I was like wow, there's no money in music.

Speaker 2: 4:48

So then I started learning marketing about 10 or so years ago and I've been kind of working by. I had not kind of I have been working behind the scenes with a lot of marketing things. And then around 2016 I got into podcasting for clients cause they needed it and I've been doing it. And it hit me like they needed it and I've been doing it and it hit me like I've been. I've been on soul searching for like years Like what am I supposed to do with my life? And then it just kind of happened in a download about, uh, I guess about a year ago, of like podcasting, like that's my uh passion, Like there's a connection there and uh, in the last year particularly, I have wanted to pivot and go outside of podcasting maybe about 5,000 times, thinking it's too small.

Speaker 2: 5:32

And every time I stick with it, I've actually given like more. I like to say like given more gold and um, it's just been eyeopening and it's been such an experience just by the simple thing of sticking with one thing.

Speaker 1: 5:46

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 5:47

You say to podcasting, I everyone. I try to tell that like podcasting seems too small, like if I ever try to um say that to somebody like I'm always met with, what are you talking about? Like everybody wants a podcast.

Speaker 1: 6:01

How can it be Right, right?

Speaker 2: 6:03

Like oh, but my own whatever mind is just like no, it's too small, there's not enough people.

Speaker 1: 6:12

That's so funny that you say that. You know. I feel like there is a whole conversation to be had about that, because I think, like the bulk majority of the world feels just like you. Like, whatever you think your niche is, you probably feel like it's too small. I've never heard anyone say like you know what this is like a great niche, and I think there's more than enough people here for me. You know, even on TikTok, as people are like finding what it is they want to talk about, I think the idea that it could be too small, almost just like, paralyzes people from like moving forward. So I I totally hear you there, since doubling down and saying like yo, like podcasting has been my thing. What's that experience been like for you? I have a similar story too.

Speaker 2: 6:54

Really. Yeah, I love to hear it. It's been, it's been great because I've I know like I want to help people, I know, and I'm like rebellious, I guess, in like nature I try to do things like the opposite and I guess, if I'm learning anything, I'm realizing that, you know, the quicker I could stop rebelling, the quicker I'll probably grow. Um, there's, there's some good sides to rebelling and then there's some not so good sides. I guess, yeah, as far as, like you know, I don't know, trying to be clear and things like that. So it's been really cool, Um, and then it's, and it's been, I don't know, challenging all that stuff. Uh, but it's been, it's been such a lesson in like learning as as seeing the same thing from multiple perspectives and learning more. It's like, the more I, it's I this is probably some Yoda saying or something but the more, the more I'm learning like, the less I know, I feel like, so it's kind of fun to show up with like a.

Speaker 2: 7:58

This is what I've experienced and seen and at the same time, I'm completely open to being any other way to like. I'm not saying it's my way or the highway, this is just one way I've seen, and I don't not saying it's the final and only way.

Speaker 1: 8:11

Yeah, I love that and you know, I, I I'm of the same mindset and I it's almost like okay, so like this is like my personal theory and it's a bit, it's a bit, it's a bit crazy, a little bit um, but it's like I, I kind of feel like I want to be like the rebel of like podcasting, like I want to be the one person where, like everyone is saying like go this way and do it this way, and I'm going to come and say like do it the opposite.

Speaker 1: 8:38

Yeah, and I think, like part of it is just like I think that I don't like like uniformity when it comes to like creativity, when it comes to like art. I don't like telling people like these are like the guardrails you use to do something. I like people feeling like you know, and it seems like every other genre is like we give people room to do that, whether it be music or movies Like the more wilds, the more out of the box your movie is, we like applaud that, we love that. But the moment someone comes and they don't have like an RSS feed like the way that you want it, all of a sudden it's like that's not podcasting, it's not, it's not, that's not how we do it, and so I like the idea, specifically with podcasting, just figuring out like how do I want to do this? And empowering other people Like do it, however the heck you want to do it.

Speaker 2: 9:24

Yeah, you know who Rick Rubin is. I do, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 9:28

Yeah, so this is like.

Speaker 2: 9:30

I'm not comparing myself, just disclaimer on that. It's not trying to say it in an egotistical way, but like one of my, uh, I love him, Um, like, just from what I've seen and heard. But I was like I want to be more like the Rick Rubin of podcasting than the Tony Robbins of podcasting. I don't know if that's an even exchange, but just the simple of like, like and it's a little difficult, teaching, you know, like I would love to see Rick Rubin teach a masterclass on like, how he approaches music production, Cause he's like, like what it'd be different for everybody and it's so it's. I've been trying to find that balance to of like. How can I make it mean whatever it means to the person, while still giving them guardrails and not giving them too much? And I feel all the time like I'm saying like you got to make it in this way, but feel free to make it in this way.

Speaker 1: 10:25

Yeah, yeah, I agree, no, and I love that. And you know, it's like one of the things that just came to mind as you were talking is you know, I feel like I have a lot more creative freedom than the average person, right, I still have. Like you know, I have a day job. I can truly say that, like hey, like everything I'm doing with my podcast and TikTok and creative work is literally just like a side hustle. I could make $0 from this and not even care.

Speaker 1: 10:51

But I do know lots of other people where their business, their day jobs, it is very closely associated with like the creative art they create. I mean kind of similar to you, right, where it's almost, like you know, digital podcaster is like your business and that is like how you make some, like some sort of revenue. Um, do you feel, like, how do you balance knowing that, like hey, I need to know that, like this thing is going to generate revenue for me, but at the same time, I'm creating art and I need to know that, like, I need to be unscripted in some ways. How do you balance that?

Speaker 2: 11:20

Yeah, it's, it's difficult, for sure. Um, but because I've been doing like the online business space the it sounds maybe crass, but like the internet marketing kind of world, I know certain things that work and I know how to get information, like I've. I've I've made a lot of people money over the last 10 years and so I like know what needs to be done, but it's always been harder to do it for myself.

Speaker 1: 11:48

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 11:54

Because if I'm the person in front of the camera or behind the microphone, that's something completely new to me, like I haven't done that for 10 years or something like that. So it I know, I know sometimes what to do. And then it's harder a little bit because if something's not working, usually I could be like we need to do that and I don't feel as emotionally connected to it. Yeah, so it's been a lot of like separating what is actually like needs to get done, detaching emotionally from if I think something is good or bad or whatever it is, and then just like doing it, because if something's like got to pay the bills, but I feel like I'm setting it up in such a way that I don't feel out of integrity at all, which is at the end of the day, that's most important to me, because I might as well pick up any job over feeling out of integrity with what I'm doing with my own business.

Speaker 1: 12:43

Yeah, so it's almost like you use like your integrity gauge is sort of like your marker of whether you're like on the money or like going in the wrong direction. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 12:52

Yeah, and it's much easier Like it's. I haven't like gauged it.

Speaker 2: 12:57

I maybe since this when I started of like okay, because now it's gotten simple, like I just want to be, simple I don't like a lot of uncertainty, like I don't, like you know, and with creating an online business, like there is a lot of uncertainty. So if I can reduce that as much as possible, I feel better, but I don't. Yeah, I like I, I'm doing things today that I never would have thought I would have done a year ago, because I would have been like that's cringe or that's like no, that's not who you are, yeah. But now that I'm here, I'm like oh, this is me, this is who I am, yeah, and I feel more comfortable and safe in a way, even though it's like unsafer in a way because of the amount of uncertainty is still there in a way because of the amount of uncertainty is still there.

Speaker 1: 13:47

Oh my gosh, I resonate with that so much. I it's so funny Like for most of my life I felt like I was kind of like the background guy and I enjoyed that. I thought that was like closely associated with like who I was from like a personality standpoint, and it's like whenever people had great ideas, I felt like I was the guy you bring your idea to and I help you like bring it to life and I love that. Like I'm a great like number two, I'm a great like number three person and that was like I excel in those areas. And so now the idea of me like having to like bet on myself and say, like you're helping these people, you could literally just do this for yourself and it there might be more uncertainty, it might take longer, but now you're like the person that is essentially like reaping the benefits as well.

Speaker 1: 14:24

It's something I never thought I would do, something I didn't think I was capable of doing, and now that I'm like doing it, I think about that all the time. I literally just said in my last episode I was just like you know the idea. If you would have told me a year ago that you'd be creating content publicly online for like anybody to see, I would have said absolutely not, there's no way. And so it's crazy that, like this idea of who we are shifts and kind of changes, and I think, like creative work is a great marker to use to like am I pushing myself, am I challenging myself, am I stepping out of my comfort zone? And you get to impact people while you do it, and that's like a win-win to me.

Speaker 2: 15:02

Yeah, I so feel the same way and I don't know, are you familiar with the Enneagram?

Speaker 1: 15:07

I am yeah.

Speaker 2: 15:09

Like, are you a number nine?

Speaker 1: 15:11

Gosh I don't remember my number, I feel like we're similar.

Speaker 2: 15:15

And yeah, like I'm a nine, it's like Peacekeeper. Everything I've seen talking with you, but then also everything I've seen through the content you've made.

Speaker 2: 15:29

like man I'm on like the same wavelength yeah yeah, like you'll post something and I'm like, oh, that's how I'm feeling today, that's what I'm like, yes, I agree with that too, and like it's rare to come across that. But at the same time, I know that there's a lot of people out there that feel similar and I had to talk myself up to start posting on TikTok, right, like I'm all justifying it, like, yeah, I mean, I'm just going to test it out and see. Like I don't, I don't really know you know just what could happen.

Speaker 2: 15:53

Meanwhile. I hope this does well.

Speaker 1: 15:56

Right, Seriously, Seriously. You know it's so funny that you say that when I see your content, I think the same thing. I'm like man, I could just reshare all of your content and I would hit like.

Speaker 1: 16:06

I would hit all my, my goals of like what I want to get to my, my audience. You know I wanted to ask you. You know how do you um, how, how do you what's been? How do you gauge success? Like how, what? What is success to you in terms of like your podcast, like what are you hoping it like accomplishes?

Speaker 2: 16:23

Yeah Well, my goals have like shifted in the last couple of months, I guess. But, um, at first it started is just. I was like I felt like I had to do it really, like I felt like obligated. I'm like if I'm going to teach podcasts, I'm going to make all these videos. I just have to like be in the host seat, which is cool. Um, so it was just doing it at first. I was like let me just make it to 20 episodes. I started connecting with people right away. I was like this is awesome.

Speaker 1: 16:55

This is addicting.

Speaker 2: 16:56

I love this, like I wanted what. Why was I waiting for, right? So then I was like I'm like I said I'm a little bit crazy, lloyd, so I was like I'm going to make a podcast today for the month of May On my podcast. I was like make a podcast today for the month of May to keep the imposter syndrome at bay Because I found the more I produce, the less comparison and imposter syndrome I feel, or an experience.

Speaker 1: 17:16

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 17:17

You know isn't the only way is not by doing a podcast a day, but I just like hitting like numbers and connecting and getting certain messages across. So I'm a big fan of challenges like that.

Speaker 1: 17:27

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 17:28

Right now I really am starting to pivot more to educating, more on podcasting in my podcast. I don't I haven't done that previously because probably that rebellion I'm like I don't want to talk about podcasting on my podcast.

Speaker 1: 17:42

Right right.

Speaker 2: 17:42

I'd rather talk about it. I'm like no, it doesn't make. So I'm kind of wearing myself out of that excuse and so I'm kind of teaching. I want to reach more people through the education of podcasting on my podcast, but it took a while to get here.

Speaker 1: 17:55

Yeah, no, totally, I totally get that. Is it fair to say that the bulk majority of revenue you make from everywhere that it's not through brand deals and sponsorships, but it's through the people that need more help with podcasting or whatever else it may be? And so, even though those people may come through TikTok or through podcasting, that's how you would say like you generate, like, the bulk majority of your revenue not like brands and sponsors.

Speaker 2: 18:25

No, I yeah, I've never entertained or even thought about a brand or sponsor or ad Again.

Speaker 2: 18:34

this might be the rebellious nature, but I don't see any reason whatsoever, unless maybe it makes a lot of sense to me, I guess, maybe because of that rebellion thing Like I also want to not feel, um, I always want it, like I'm very big on trust and connection, like you can't have a connection without trust. Because you know so I'm very big on trust and connection, you can't have connection without trust. I'm big on that. To me, it would take the right sponsor ad. I'm not against them for everybody, of course, but for myself, if I'm going to be recommending something, anything like that, an affiliate link is one thing and I'll always disclose if it is or isn't, but I just don't see the purpose. But yeah, so I have clients that pay me, like just focusing on Podcasting Academy, which is the goal.

Speaker 2: 19:40

But it's going that way, and Podcasting Academy has only been a month or two by now, so it's going, it's going but I want to help more people. And I don't want to have to charge a bunch of money, and the way I can do that is by keeping costs low, making great content for free Right, and then if someone wants to pay, I mean everything costs money, you know. So like yeah, Um so yeah.

Speaker 1: 20:06

Yeah, I hear you, I hear you. Um, I, I love it's so funny. I have like the opposite stance. I'm like I'll work with like brands all day, but like the moment I have to like hold someone's hand and like help them, like do something or like walk through something, I'm just like too many unknowns. Too many unknowns Like you could be like over, demanding you could. This is so many things that could go wrong. So to me, like I'll create three videos for you. If you're going to pay for that, sure that is.

Speaker 2: 20:35

that is like, yeah, I, it's funny, you could probably use a little bit of what I have and I could use for you Right, right, right, exactly.

Speaker 1: 20:41

We could use each other.

Speaker 2: 20:42

We could take over the world, lloyd, I know, I know.

Speaker 1: 20:44

Literally tag team. So I I meant to ask you know, like I, a lot of the people I think that listen to me on tech talk want to start a podcast but are maybe just afraid, and maybe they don't even know what they're afraid of. But if you were in an elevator with someone and you overheard them say that they were scared to start a podcast but you know, you know they're great, you know they, they can do it what advice would you give them to start their first podcast?

Speaker 2: 21:09

Yeah, I would it. It depends Like I feel like I'm pretty good at picking up on people's energy pretty quickly, so hopefully I have more information. I would never give unsolicited advice to somebody in an elevator. Hey, you know what you look like. You could use a podcast. I heard you say it Right, right, see me with like a podcast logo. I'm like geez, I have an anti podcast podcast club. Like right, right, like, see me with like a podcast logo.

Speaker 1: 21:35

I'm like geez, I have an anti podcast podcast club.

Speaker 2: 21:36

Like right, right, like podcast. I don't, I don't want to be that guy, yeah, so. So, um, I'd probably just share what worked for me. And what worked for me at first was I wanted to do it, I wanted to make content, but I was nervous and I just felt like my myself was not going to be able to do it. So I made an alter ego and mapped it out Like I had my notebook. I drew a whole alter ego and I was like this is it, and I'm not going to share it with close family, not nobody. I'm not going to share it with anybody, I know.

Speaker 1: 22:07

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 22:08

I'm just going to make it from scratch, so I don't have to worry about the oh, you're doing like I'm it's such a baby at that Like it's very yeah. So I was just saying like yeah, like it's the same thing and, um, it's not dependent on anyone's opinion or anything. And, uh, I would just say what worked for me, which is like creating it from scratch, not worrying about anyone's opinion but my own, and just doing it because I want to do it, not simply because I feel like I need to do it.

Speaker 2: 22:37

I love that, or maybe I need to do it, but it's because I need to do it, not because someone external force is like yeah, do that.

Speaker 1: 22:44

You know I love that, dylan. This has been an awesome conversation. Thank you so much for joining me on my podcast.

Speaker 2: 22:52

Thank you so much for having me.