The Best Guest: Recent Episodes
Victoria Bennion
The Best Guest is the podcast for the Victoria Bennion Podcast Booking Agency. Each week we share tips and strategies on how to utilise a podcast interview strategy. You also hear from our clients who share their varied wealth of expertise along with guest experts who talk about mindset, marketing and business to ensure you are set up for success.
In this week's episode of The Best Guest podcast we welcome The Brain Energy Reboot Expert, Moira Newiss.
We talk about:
- Ketogenic & Metabolic Mental Health
- Mitochondria, Brain Energy & Fatigue
- Autoimmune Conditions & the Carnivore Diet
About Moira NewissMoira Newiss is a BANT registered nutritional therapist, health coach and accredited ketogenic metabolic therapy expert who specialises in brain energy, one of the recently discovered root causes of many mental health problems.
Moira’s passion for metabolic mental health was sparked after a 20-year career as a senior NHS manager, managing hundreds of staff and multi-million-pound budgets. Following burnout, chronic fatigue and mental illness, she retrained at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition and became fascinated by the link between energy, mood, mental health and metabolic health.
Moira works with individuals who have conditions including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, who have often not found a resolution with medication or psychological support alone. Her personalised approach has helped hundreds to improve their symptoms, with some achieving full remission, that means reversal, of their condition.
A regular conference speaker, Moira co-authored the first mental health guidelines for nutritional therapists and published the case report ‘Remission of Schizophrenia Using a Carnivore Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy with Nutritional Therapy Practitioner Support’.
Moira is lucky to live on the beautiful west coast of Scotland where she has a large garden, grows her own fruit and vegetables and has a lovely flock of hens. She also loves adventure, regularly climbing mountains, bike packing and hiking in remote spots on short expeditions.
Key TakeawaysFor some people, shifting from glucose to ketone fuel can rapidly improve brain fog, mood, and energy.
Common keto pitfalls include undereating fat and overeating protein
Sleep, morning light, reduced evening blue light, and gentle movement support brain energy and mood.
Short-term carnivore diet can be a powerful elimination protocol to calm inflammation, heal the gut and identify food triggers.
Dairy-free keto is doable - use coconut fats, olive oil, tallow/lard, fatty fish; check labels on “milks” for hidden carbs.
Quote
I had planned to do a hundred kilometre bike ride, and I remember crossing the finishing line thinking—and I was crying ’cause it was just an emotional thing—I just knew I cracked it. I just knew the energy was there. I’d cycled a hundred kilometres with no carbohydrates.
Connect with Moira NewissWebsite: https://www.moiranewiss.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moiranewiss
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moira-newiss/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@moiranewiss
Connect with Victoria BennionLearn more about us: https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/
Download our Podcast Guest Starter Kit: The Podcast Guest Starter Kit gives you a proven plan to find the right shows, craft a winning pitch, and maximise every interview. https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/podcast-guest-starter-kit/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebestpodcastguest
Join the Best Podcast Guest Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebestpodcastguest
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@victoriabennion
Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabennion/
TranscriptVictoria Bennion: [00:00:00] Hello and welcome. I'm your host, Victoria
Bennion, and the founder of the best podcast guest booking agency. And you're
listening to the best guest, the podcast for business owners, creatives, and
entrepreneurs who want to harness the power of podcasts to grow their platforms
and increase their visibility.
We're here to support you on your journey, bringing you
actionable tips with each episode. Now let's begin.
Today I am joined by Moira Newiss, who is a BANT registered
nutritional therapist, health coach, and accredited ketogenic metabolic therapy
expert who specializes in brain energy, one of the recently discovered root
causes of many mental health problems. Good morning Moira. Welcome to the show.
Moira Newiss:
Morning, Victoria. Thank you for having me.
Victoria Bennion: How
are you today?
Moira Newiss: I'm
good. The sun's shining here, so Yeah, I'm happy and well
Victoria Bennion:
you're very lucky. We have solid rain.
Moira Newiss: I'm
quite lucky it's not always like this on the west coast of Scotland, but [00:01:00] it's lovely today.
Victoria Bennion: Oh,
that's very nice. What a lovely part the world to live in as well.
Moira Newiss: Yeah,
absolutely.
Victoria Bennion:
When did your passion for metabolic mental health begin?
Moira Newiss: It's
been a bit of a journey for me. So this was partly going back through my own
personal health journey when I struggled with mental health and chronic
fatigue. Having been through a period of burnout when I was an NHS senior
manager. And then along the way, I kind of, I didn't know anything about
metabolic mental health to begin with, but I had to find my own way to wellness
again.
I tried various things to start with including things like deep
breathing eating better, spending time in nature, lots of different things. And
I did get a bit better, but it wasn't really until I trialed a ketogenic diet,
when I was actually starting to retrain in nutritional therapy.
That it was just like a light bulb moment. Something just
seemed to work much better. My brain fog cleared and my brain fog had been
really severe. So, you know, and I was really [00:02:00]
struggling with my, mental health. You know, I thought my family would be
better off without me. It was quite a dark place at times.
And when I tried a ketogenic diet, I discovered the power of
ketones, really, which is what happens when you begin to eat a very high fat,
low carbohydrate diet? Your body makes ketone bodies as a fuel and they can
fuel your brain just as effectively as your body. That was really when I first
discovered what I would call metabolic medicine for mental health, and then
I've gone on to specialize, and train more and learn more about it.
I became fascinated really about, about metabolic health.
Victoria Bennion:
Wow, was it hard to switch over to a ketogenic diet?
Moira Newiss: It was
a little bit of a challenge to start with. You've got to to start with, I
wasn't testing my blood, so I was doing it just by calculating what I was
eating, like looking at the macro content of the diet. So how much
carbohydrates, how much fat I was eating. Originally it was a little bit of a
challenge, finding my way through that on my own.
And then afterwards I discovered that, you could do other
things. You could, [00:03:00] you had to take
more account of protein, which I hadn't really understood to begin with. So
really a ketogenic diet is the ratio of fat to carbohydrates and protein
combined. And there are different levels of ketogenic diet, so different
ratios.
So you could be looking. A one-to-one ratio, which would be one
gram of fat for every combined one gram of fat and protein. Or you could be
looking at higher ratio, like a two to one, which is often what we're using in
metabolic mental health. And you can test your blood ketones to get an idea of
where you are actually sitting, which is something I now regularly do with all
my clients.
So I've learned as I went, what would work, what wouldn't work?
And often one of the mistakes people do make is that either they're just not
eating enough fat, because a lot of us are brought up thinking fat's bad for
you. You are worried about things like, is it gonna cause cardiovascular
disease?
So that's a concern. So people often unre the fat when they
drop the carbs, and you don't really have enough energy if you do that because
carbs don't factor your fuels. But also sometimes people overeat protein and
that actually can [00:04:00] end up just
breaking down into glucose. So you're not really using fat as a fuel again.
So there's a few things that I've learned along the way as part
of that process.
Victoria Bennion:
That's really interesting. When you say tests, is that blood tests
Moira Newiss: so, it
is usually blood testing. So usually you get a keto monitor, which will do both
blood glucose and ketones. And it's just like, you know what a diabetic would
do, torick their finger. It takes seconds to do and you get immediate feedback
on where you are in terms of the level of ketones you're producing.
There are actually some companies now beginning to produce,
continuous ketone monitors, a bit like what you see type one diabetics wearing
on their arm, like it continuous glucose monitor. And that's really fascinating
'cause then you can track it for 24 hours and see what's happening. And I've
done that trialing it, going up mountains and things like that, which is
totally fascinating.
Yeah, so, so the technology's changing and we will be getting
probably combined continuous glucose and ketone monitors in it. It, I think
this year probably we know they're being worked on as the new technology.
Victoria Bennion:
Wow, that's fascinating. [00:05:00] How quickly
after changing your diet did you see a difference?
Moira Newiss:
Quickly. Yeah, as soon as I really got into what's called ketosis. So as soon
as I was making the ketones at a reasonable level I noticed the difference. The
challenge was to keep it going because. You know, it takes a while to become
what's called fully keto adapted. So I really wanted to trial that to see what
would happen.
So I decided I would do it for three months, and at the end of
the three month period, it was I think it was, I think I'd started maybe in JI
think it must have been mid-January sometime. And I was doing up to, into
April. And at the end of that I had planned to do a hundred kilometer bike
ride.
And I remember crossing the finishing line thinking and I was
crying 'cause it was just an emotional thing. I just knew I cracked it. I just
knew the energy was there. I'd cycled a hundred kilometers with no
carbohydrates. You know, something that many people think is impossible to do
because of what we've been taught in terms of like carbohydrates are needed.
People eat pasta before they race and things like [00:06:00] this. It's not true. Obviously you can run
on fat. And I just knew I was never going back. That was it. I'd kind of
cracked it. So, so I did kind of experiment a little bit on and off after that,
but I realized pretty quickly that I felt a lot better on a ketogenic diet.
So I've been pretty ketogenic now for six years or more, so
quite a long time.
Victoria Bennion:
What do you tend to eat for meals on a ketogenic diet?
Moira Newiss: I can
tell you what I had for breakfast this morning, which was I had some bacon and
some lummi cheese, and half an avocado, a tomato. And , you can have eggs and
things like that if it's a cooked breakfast, but sometimes I'll have things
like, homemade granola with, you know, high fat coconut yogurt and berries.
For lunch I'll often just have like ham and cheese and salad
and a bit of avocado or something with a bit of extra olive oil on it. Or
sometimes leftover dinner. That's another easy option for lunch. My husband
eats very similar to me. Actually. He has an omelet nearly every day. I'm not
quite as keen on omelets, but he'll do that for lunch.
, Last night for dinner we had chicken breasts [00:07:00] that were coated in ground almonds cooked
in butter and then finished off in the oven. And we had a leak and cream cheese
sort of sauce with it. So. Yeah, with a little bit of broccoli on the side.
Yeah. So that's the kind of stuff I'm eating and probably, like most families,
we, have set things that we have quite regularly.
And some of the rest of the family will add a little bit more
carbs in. But we are quite a low carb family in general. And the odd high fat
snacks like Brazil nuts or beef jerky, cheese, things like that would be my
go-to really. And maybe strawberries and cream.
Victoria Bennion:
Sounds very nice. So now you help people who are struggling with conditions
such as depression, anxiety, bipolar and schizophrenia who haven't found
resolutions with medications alone. Can you talk about how you work with people
and the results that you've seen?
Moira Newiss:
Absolutely. So I now specialize in the area of metabolic mental health. So it
is mostly those conditions you just talked about. So a few more mental health
conditions as well [00:08:00] sometimes. And
yeah, so what I'm doing they're usually coming to me because they know I'm a
ketogenic expert in this area.
So they're coming to me because they're really, you know, often
they've tried. A lot of different medications and psychological therapy and
some things might have worked a little bit, but for whatever reason, it's
either not worked or isn't working sufficiently or well enough for them to
really be getting enough relief.
So they're often not able to hold down the job they want to
hold down or have the kind of job they'd like to have or even work at all or
struggling with relationships, all sorts of things. Not operating as they'd
like to in society, I guess, in the way that they really feel is like optimal
for them.
So they want to come and try a keto gen diet, so I'm really
guiding them as to the best way to do it. So looking at what therapeutic level
of ketosis we're gonna get them into. And that's can be based on a number of
factors, the condition that they're presenting with what they've tried before,
what's worked for them, what hasn't, the medications are on this kind of thing.
So, and what I'm helping them do is work out [00:09:00] how to get to that level of ketosis, which
often people will come and they've tried a little bit sometimes themselves, but
they've not really managed to maximize it. They've not managed to get the
ketone levels up. And what we're trying to do is get them up so that they're
over a certain sort of threshold level on a continu continuous basis, to see
what effect it has.
And people get different effects. So not everybody has a
miracle overnight effect. Sometimes that does happen. Like, you know, as soon
as people get into close, sometimes people simply feel like the light switch
has been turned on again, and they, things clear. Often. It's a few, , a few
weeks of things slowly improving.
And sometimes it takes longer than that as well. , I try and
set expectations at the beginning that , it is not always gonna be that kind
of, some of the stories you hear about that, that , are the best stories, but
they're not always the ones that happen in real life.
Sometimes it takes a little bit longer and a bit more work, and
there are other metabolic strategies that you can kind of bring in. So exercise
would be an obvious one, for example. But also I'm a huge fan of optimizing the
24 hour body clock, the circadian rhythm. But that [00:10:00]
really is very linked or untrained to our metabolism.
So things like, making sure we're sleeping properly, that we're
getting light into our eyes in the morning that we're not being exposed to
bright blue light in the evening, for example. The, these kind of things go
very much hand in hand with the ketogenic diet to optimize things.
So, we're looking at a lifestyle approach, but it's focused on
the ketogenic diet. And you asked about some examples of, what's been achieved.
So I published a case report. Just a few weeks ago that was of complete
remission of schizophrenia in a young man. And he had been hospitalized
previously on several occasions, so it was a serious mental illness and he had
learned a little bit about the ketogenic diet over the preceding few years and
had experimented a little bit but hadn't been able to sustain it or get to a
kind of steady therapeutic level.
So, I worked with him and he got. Fantastic results. And you
know, I think there's a quote in the, in, in the case study that says, that he
would rather stay [00:11:00] eating the food
he's eating now than have to go back into , a mental health institution
effectively. So. And his was a very simple diet.
It was a carnivore style diet, so basically protein and fat. So
eating things like high fat beef mince. Because he was, he didn't have a lot of
money. He was in a slightly socially disadvantaged situation. So that's one
example. And I'm actually just in the process of publishing another case
report, which is a little bit of a different one.
It's a combination of physical and mental health symptoms being
resolved. It was somebody struggling with severe panic attacks, anxiety but
also menopausal symptoms, things like hot flashes and also severe gut. Reflux.
So it was a combination, and again, that was kind of more a carnivore style
approach which often is really effective for people who do have complicated
needs.
And that was a really nice success story again because
everything calmed down. And you know, she was somebody that was doing a lot of
meditation. It was part of her job. She actually said that she experienced a
calm mind for the first time [00:12:00] ever,
really. So it can be really powerful
In this week’s episode of The Best Guest podcast, we welcome Carol Look, psychotherapist, Founding EFT Master, and author of Yes, Thank You - Tapping Into the Superpower of Gratitude. Carol explains how consistent gratitude practices can transform your brain chemistry, reduce stress, and improve sleep and emotional wellbeing. She dives into the science-backed benefits of gratitude, why we subconsciously avoid happiness, and how EFT tapping can remove deep-rooted emotional blocks that hold us back.
About Carol LookCarol Look is a psychotherapist, Founding EFT Master, best-selling author, international speaker, and creator of The Yes Code, her signature coaching method. She combines her traditional training as a psychotherapist with clinical hypnosis and advanced applications of EFT for unprecedented results with her clients.
Known for her laser-like focus and state-of-the-art approach, Carol has used EFT Tapping for over 25 years to help clients release their limiting beliefs and emotional conflicts so they can enjoy lives of exceptional success and fulfillment.
Carol is a world-renowned EFT workshop presenter who has taught at The Omega Institute, Kripalu, The Eden Energy Fest, and the energy field’s primary teaching conference, ACEP.
Carol has taught workshops in England, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and all over the United States. She is a regularly featured energy medicine expert on leading global telesummits and in the field’s leading documentaries.
Carol authored the energy field’s original book on abundance, Attracting Abundance with EFT. Her book, The Yes Code, became a #1 Amazon bestseller in several categories, solidifying her reputation as a leading voice in personal transformation. She has just released her newest book, Yes Thank You: Tapping Into the Superpower of Gratitude.
When she’s not working, Carol enjoys spending time with her family, listening to music, and walking in nature.
Key Takeaways* Practicing gratitude consistently can lower stress levels by 28%, improve sleep, and reduce blood pressure. * Gratitude rewires the brain by reducing cortisol and calming the fight-or-flight response. * We self-sabotage because it feels safer to stay small. Tapping reveals and clears these subconscious blocks. * EFT tapping is an evidence-based technique that calms the amygdala and reduces emotional reactivity. * Consistency and specificity are key to making both gratitude and tapping effective.
Quote
“The question is never, is it good for you or not? That’s not the question. The question is, how much joy and happiness can you handle?” Carol Look
Mentioned in This EpisodeUnlock the Yes, Thank You book portal filled with free resources to support your journey. Inside, you’ll find, nine instructional videos showing you exactly how to do tapping along with a detailed PDF guide of all the tapping points and a 30-day gratitude challenge. www.theyescode.com/thankyou
Connect with Carol LookWebsite: www.carollook.com
Connect with Victoria BennionLearn more about us: https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/
Download our Podcast Guest Starter Kit: The Podcast Guest Starter Kit gives you a proven plan to find the right shows, craft a winning pitch, and maximise every interview. https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/podcast-guest-starter-kit/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebestpodcastguest
Join the Best Podcast Guest Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebestpodcastguest
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@victoriabennion
Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabennion/
TranscriptVictoria Bennion: [00:00:00] Hello and welcome. I'm your host, Victoria
Bennion, and the founder of the best podcast guest booking agency. And you're
listening to the best guest, the podcast for business owners, creatives, and
entrepreneurs who want to harness the power of podcasts to grow their platforms
and increase their visibility.
Victoria Bennion:
We're here to support you on your journey, bringing you actionable tips with
each episode. Now let's begin.
Victoria Bennion:
Today we're diving into a truly transformative conversation with our client
psychotherapist and world renowned EFT Master Carol. Look, I feel incredibly
lucky to have someone with Carol's level of expertise joining us today, not
only to explain the why behind our emotional blocks, but also to walk us
through how we can move past them.
Victoria Bennion:
Carol shares the science backed benefits of gratitude and why its so many of us
unconsciously resist happiness even when we know what's good for [00:01:00] us. But what makes this episode especially
powerful is that Carol doesn't just talk about the healing potential of EFT
tapping.
Victoria Bennion: She
gives a live demonstration with me right here on the show. And honestly, I can
say I felt a real shift. So whether you've struggled with self-sabotage,
stress, or just want to feel more grounded and joyful, this episode is one
you'll want to bookmark and revisit.
Victoria Bennion:
Hello and welcome to the podcast, Carol.
Carol Look: Thank
you, Victoria. It's great to be with you and see you this way.
Victoria Bennion:
It's really great to have you on the show, and I'm really looking forward to
talking to you about your new book.
Carol Look: Thank
you. I'm excited about it. Thank you for getting me on so many podcasts
already.
Victoria Bennion: Oh,
you are welcome. Could you begin by talking to us a little bit about the
science behind Gratitude?
Carol Look: It's
funny, so I wrote this book about gratitude. So Yes, Thank You. Tapping into
the Superpower of Gratitude, and I knew gratitude was amazing and fun, and
people feel good, but I didn't have all the [00:02:00]
statistics, so I did research. About the statistics physically and mentally and
emotionally. What it does for you when you keep a consistent gratitude
practice.
Carol Look: And it
was amazing. It was incredible. So I knew I was gonna write this book, but to
back it up with the science was really fun. For instance, it lowers your stress
levels by 28%. It lowers your risk of. Serious diseases. It lowers your
hypertension, it improves your ability to sleep, both the duration and the
depth of your sleep. I, all these things that we, I think we take for granted
and people, I think, take a gratitude list for granted, and that's part of why
I was writing the book, because people aren't consistent with it. So the
science just kept, tumbling and tumbling and showing incredible results.
Carol Look: From
people sticking to a consistent gratitude practice in blood pressure, in sleep,
in cortisol levels, it is just really quite [00:03:00]
amazing and quite exciting,
Victoria Bennion: I
never would've guessed that. Can you talk a little bit about how gratitude
rewires our brains?
Carol Look: It
rewires it in the chemicals. So the statistics are showing that what happens is
it calms down your fight or flight response and calms down your cortisol. So
cortisol is the big bad, the big bad hormone that gets triggered under stress
and duress. And when you practice a gratitude list or a gratitude practice
consistently, it starts to rewire your brain because you're sending different
chemicals.
Carol Look: So
instead of being hyper alert and instead of having your sympathetic nervous
system on all the time. We're tapping into other chemicals, other emotional
states, calming ourselves down, which of course improves sleep, lowers the
stress level, calms down the blood pressure issues and the, the hypertension [00:04:00] issues.
Carol Look: So it
rewires by literally changing the pharmacy. Changing the pharmacy in our brain.
Victoria Bennion: So
with all those benefits, why do you think it is that so many of us avoid a
gratitude practice?
Carol Look: It's so
interesting. That was part of the premise for the book is that even though I
know I didn't know the statistics, but I certainly know what's good for you. I
dabble I was doing it sometimes, not all the time, and I go through my history
personally, and then I go through as a psychotherapist for decades what I have
found that keeps people from being consistent and in my life it was.
Carol Look: My
container was too full of worry, anxiety, focusing on other people's problems,
focusing on my family. A lot was going on. That's the first reason we don't.
The second reason is when you've got a tumultuous upbringing in any way, or a
current marriage, or the kids are acting out or whatever you can develop a low
self-esteem that makes you not wanna do things for yourself.[00:05:00]
Carol Look: So the
question is never, is it good for you or not? That's not the question that has
been answered. The question is, how much joy and happiness can you handle? How
much are you willing to handle? 'cause then the third reason we don't do
something that's good for us consistently is that we sabotage ourselves because
sabotage keeps us safe. So we end up putting a lid on ourselves and our
happiness, because we don't wanna be a target. Or we don't wanna be visible or
we don't, some want someone to be envious or jealous. So we end up, crouching
down and playing small. Because when people really read the research statistics
about gratitude, like you'd be doing it every day, at least once a day.
Carol Look: So you
have to look at underneath that, the why that you're asking. Why wouldn't we?
And that's 'cause we limit ourselves. 'cause we're scared. We are wired for
safety. We're not wired for success and happiness. We're wired as human [00:06:00] beings to keep ourselves safe. So if we
stay small and play small and under the radar, a lot of people, millions and
millions of people feel safer that way.
Carol Look: And if
keeping a gratitude list consistently and really. Getting into gratitude
practices will make you healthier, happier, more joyful. At work, they did a
study about employees and what happens when gratitude, when they're, gratitude
is expressed to them by the boss. And gratitude in relationships.
Carol Look: When you
really feel better and do better and are better in your life and you show up
differently, people notice, people are gonna notice. And sometimes when people
notice your happiness level or your success level, they don't like it.
Victoria Bennion:
That's so interesting. So if you are aware that you are self-sabotaging, what
can you do?
Carol Look: So I
asked the question, my favorite questions that came from the first book that
you know about the Yes code. Ask yourself what could be the upside of [00:07:00] not being happier. So we're looking for
the upside of the problem that you, let's say they come to me as a
psychotherapist. They say, oh, I've got this problem, or, oh, I really, I'm
getting in my own way.
Carol Look: I'm
stuck, I'm procrastinating. So the question is what could be an upside of
staying stuck? People say, oh, there's no upside. There is an upside, or else
we wouldn't do it. And this is where you have to stop criticizing yourself and
just saying, oh, I'm doing this for a reason. I'm protecting myself. And then
the second question, so this is just to get the material to find out what the
real reason is. The second question is, what's the downside of incredible
success and happiness? What's the doubt? What, how does it serve you not to be
that, how does it, how, what would be a negative consequence of you being
really standing tall, feeling better, having a deeper relationship, having a
better relationship at work with your colleagues and your boss your health
improving, losing the [00:08:00] weight, all
those questions.
Carol Look: What
could be a downside to that? Because again, human beings are just about
protecting themselves and staying safe. Then what I do is, the technique that I
use is EFT tapping to reduce all these fears. It's really, it's about your
fears and your beliefs and your behaviors. So the self-sabotage behavior is
very obvious to people.
Carol Look: You do
it. I do. Everybody does it and we see it. The fears are more hidden and the
limiting beliefs are even more hidden. We don't believe we deserve more. We
don't believe that we have what it takes. We don't believe that it'll ever
happen for us, whatever they are. So asking the questions gets to the feelings,
fears, and the beliefs.
Carol Look: Then we
can work with them with a technique to calm you down and help you feel better
about this conflict you have about being happier.
Victoria Bennion:
That's brilliant. How did you come to get into the work of EFT Tapping?
Carol Look: It's so
interesting. So as I said, I'm a traditional [00:09:00]
psychotherapist and then I went into the field of hypnosis, which I love
clinical hypnosis, and someone in my hypnosis class said, you think that's fun?
You've gotta try this weird new tapping technique. This was 1999. I think it
had been around for a while, even back then and 'cause I've been doing it for
25 years.
Carol Look: I took my
first class and I was hooked. It was like watching people change their anxiety,
their fears, their anxiety, their worry, and then what happened with me, I kept
introducing it to people. So the clients who would come to me for hypnosis,
when someone comes to you for hypnosis, they come for quit smoking, weight loss
and anxiety a hundred percent of the time.
Carol Look: So I
would say to them, I, yes, you're coming here for a trance for hypnosis, and
that's a rate. I have this new self-help self, stress relief technique called
tapping called EFT Tapping. And I'd love to show it to you for five minutes,
and if you don't like it, we will never do it again. They'd say, okay.
Carol Look: [00:10:00] And I do it with them at the end. And
they'd say, what did you just, what just happened? What did you just do?
Tapping does the same thing that gratitude does, which is it calms down the
fight or flight response in your brain. So the tapping, the research has come
out now in the last decade. And decade, 15 years, 10, 15 years, and it calms
down the fight or flight response in the amygdala in your brain that goes off
under any duress, any stress, any demand, traffic, the dog barking, dropping
something, anything small or huge.
Carol Look: The fight
or flight response gets triggered and it calms it down in the brain by tapping
on these acupuncture points. So I just kept practicing with it with clients,
and then I accidentally completely changed my insomnia, completely stopped in
an insomnia. I had been in insomnia for so long that I didn't call it a
problem.
Carol Look: It's like
I didn't say, Hey, my name's Carol and I'm an insomniac. It was just part of
me, and suddenly I start not suddenly. After doing [00:11:00]
tapping for a little while, I started sleeping deeply and going, falling
asleep, stopping the monkey mind and the worrying and the anxiety that I had at
night. And I was like oh, this is, oh, this is serious.
Carol Look: This
isn't just a technique. It is a tool, right? This isn't just a technique or a
tool. This is serious anyway, and I kept up. Kept up with a head person, Gary
Craig, who created it and and just kept using it and using it in my practice
and on myself, and just so many things changed that I knew I had to stick with
it.
Victoria Bennion: So
when you start with tapping, do you have to say something as well as tapping?
How does it work?
Carol Look: So you
start with, so the most important thing with tapping is you wanna start by
choosing a very clear target. So someone comes in and says, oh, I have all
these issues, and I ask the questions, what's the upside or what's the
downside? So that we find out what the real conflict is. So then you decide,
you basically make a decision.
Carol Look: What are
we working on? Are we working on the stress that's showing up in your back? Are
we working on your resentment towards your boss? [00:12:00]
Are we working on your frustration that the kids aren't listening to you? What
are we actually working on? Cravings, I do a lot of weight loss and quit
smoking and alcoholism, and so you choose a target, then you start physically
with the tapping and it's the, it's so simple.
Carol Look: The first
part of it you say. Something about your problem. So you and the standard
phrase is, even though I have this, and you, we could say, even though I have
the stress that's showing up in my body, very simple. I deeply and completely
accept myself. People say, why would I say that? Because you're resisting the
problem.
Carol Look: You're
criticizing yourself for the problem, and at some point we have to just
holistically say, I have this problem and I'm okay. Now I work with a lot of
wall Streeters. They do not wanna say I deeply and completely love and accept
myself. It just sounds corny, but there, if the effect is to, ah, take a
breath, calm yourself down.
Carol Look: So we
start there. And then when you're tapping on the specific points that have been
chosen,
In this week's episode of The Best Guest podcast we welcome SEO expert Silvia Del Corso for a deep dive into the evolving landscape of search engine optimisation. Silvia breaks down how SEO has transformed what business owners need to focus on today and why data-driven decision-making is essential. From domain authority to the rise of AI in search, Silvia offers invaluable insights into how to stay competitive online in 2025.
About Silvia Del CorsoSilvia Del Corso is the Founder and Director of PinkSEO Ltd, an award-winning SEO agency based in West London, recognised as Creative Media Business of the Year. With over 13 years of experience in search engine optimisation, she specialises in helping business owners—especially in the medical sector—enhance their online visibility and turn website visitors into patients. Passionate about making SEO accessible, Silvia frequently speaks at industry events, sharing practical, actionable strategies that drive real results.
Key Takeaways* Conducting an SEO audit can uncover hidden issues, like having six homepages, without the site owner knowing. * Google trusts websites that have been around longer and have earned reputable backlinks. * Outdated or irrelevant content can hurt your site - auditing and updating is more powerful than constant publishing. * Learn how the rise of AI and tools like ChatGPT are reshaping how websites are ranked and how users search. * Google's latest updates prioritize useful, current, and relevant content, especially in fields like health, finance, and law.
Quote
"SEO, everything you do and you choose and you want to prove needs to be backed by a number... So from the search terms, the keywords that you choose to actually proving the results everything needs to be measurable." Silvia Del Corso
Mentioned in This EpisodeGoogle Analytics
Connect with Silvia Del CorsoFree SEO Website Audit
Complimentary audit of your site, expert SEO review and a 1-hour consultation https://pinkseo.marketing/free-seo-website-audit/
Free Webinars
Silvia runs regular free webinars to help you with your SEO. Learn more at http://pinkseo.marketing/next-webinar
Website: www.pinkseo.marketing
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silviadelcorso/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pinkseo.marketing/
Connect with Victoria BennionLearn more about us: https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/
Download our Podcast Guest Starter Kit: The Podcast Guest Starter Kit gives you a proven plan to find the right shows, craft a winning pitch, and maximise every interview. https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/podcast-guest-starter-kit/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebestpodcastguest
Join the Best Podcast Guest Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebestpodcastguest
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@victoriabennion
Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabennion/
TranscriptSEO And What Really Matters in 2025 with Silvia Del Corso
Victoria Bennion: [00:00:00] Hello and welcome. I'm your host, Victoria
Bennion, and the founder of the best podcast guest booking agency. And you're
listening to the best guest, the podcast for business owners, creatives, and
entrepreneurs who want to harness the power of podcasts to grow their platforms
and increase their visibility.
Victoria Bennion:
We're here to support you on your journey, bringing you actionable tips with
each episode. Now let's begin.
Victoria Bennion:
Today I'm joined by Silvia Del Corso, a seasoned. SEO expert, with over 15
years of experience helping businesses decode the mysteries of Google, and stay
ahead in the ever changing world of search. In this episode, Silvia breaks down
what SEO really is, why your website might not be ranking
Victoria Bennion: and
how tools like Chat, GPT, and AI are reshaping the future of search. Whether
you are brand new to SEO or you've been working on your site for years, this
conversation is packed with practical [00:01:00]
insights from the power of domain authority. To the importance of data audits
and high quality content, get ready to rethink your digital strategy because
what worked last year won't cut it today.
Victoria Bennion:
Hello and welcome to the podcast, Silvia.
Silvia Del Corso: Hi.
Thank you so much for having me here, Victoria.
Victoria Bennion: Oh,
it's lovely to have you here today.
Victoria Bennion:
Could we begin by talking about your journey? How did you find yourself working
in SEO
Silvia Del Corso:
it's been a long journey 'cause I've been doing this job for now more than 15
years and I was initially doing it in Italy where I'm from. As you can clearly
tell from the accent, I apologize.
Victoria Bennion:
It's a great accent. Don't apologize.
Silvia Del Corso: , I
started back in Tuscany when we used to have the marketing agency and it was
different back then, but out of all the possible marketing. Sciences. That was
the one that I liked the most because it's numbers two and I can understand the
word [00:02:00] better if I see it in numbers.
If you tell me something is good, I need to understand if it's good seven or
79, if I see the number.
Silvia Del Corso: I
understand. SEO, everything you do and you choose and you want to prove needs.
To be backed by a number. So from the search terms, the keywords that you
choose to actually proving the results everything needs to be measurable. And
that's why actually it gives me confidence. 'Cause it's no opinions it's
actually data.
Silvia Del Corso: So
that's how I chose it. And it was the most complicated one at the time. So it
was more of a challenge that I'm driven by challenges. So it wasn't the time,
the one that wasn't. So easy to grasp. And it was something that wasn't usually
made by women. Because I, when I was going to the conference back then in
particular, it was a whole room all full of men.
Silvia Del Corso: And
you could [00:03:00] have to come to your women
attendees and in one hand. So it was quite exciting and new stimulating. And it
has remained. It's it still changes. It changes every day. Been more stable for
a while and now it's changing again crazily. But yeah, it's it's fun. It's
fascinating.
Victoria Bennion:
Excellent. So for anyone listening who's not quite sure what the term SEO
means, would you be able to just talk about that and why it's important?
Silvia Del Corso:
Yeah, it stands for search engine optimization, and it's the type of activities
that you do when you are working on a website to make it more easily readable
and understandable from Google and the value search engines including. AI in
search, so there are lots of. Practical activities that comprehend different
sorts of skills [00:04:00] from coding
technical content strategy and so on.
Silvia Del Corso:
Different things that you do so that your site can rank and when somebody's
searching for something if they find you instead of somebody else. It's
definitely an economic advantage so it can become more business, more clients,
more inquiries. And the nice thing for me was that it was a transferable
science.
Silvia Del Corso: So
the knowledge that I was using in Italy when I moved here to London in 2016,
it's the same 'cause Google doesn't change the way it operates in really
different country databases. Yeah.
Victoria Bennion:
That's really interesting. Okay, so if a business owner is thinking, I think I
need to do something about my SEO, I need to get my website ranking, what are
the top things that they should be looking at?
Silvia Del Corso:
First of all, you need to understand what is the current situation and what are
your goals. So there are tools to analyze a website and. We run it [00:05:00] every day regularly for respecting new
clients or people that we have a conversation with to actually the website or
scan it. It's quite enlightening sometimes 'cause we find things that the web,
the website owners would've never expected.
Silvia Del Corso: The
other day we were. Scanning a website for a friend. And I found out they've got
six home pages and they didn't know. So Yeah. 'cause they, when the site was
published, there was lots of theme content that was things that they weren't
immediately visible and they weren't connected in the navigation manual.
Silvia Del Corso:
They were just hidden. They can be found by Google and the crawl bot. So
sometimes when you do these things, you find something so you would never
expect. And I see the other person that I'm talking to, the. Like that. Trying
to understand how, but yeah, it is enlightening because if you understand
what's going on, it's if your car is making a funny [00:06:00]
noise you can ignore it, but it's better if you actually understand why and you
get it fixed.
Victoria Bennion:
Absolutely, and something I've had. Is your domain authority checking your
domain authority? Is that important?
Silvia Del Corso: It
is, that is basically when you are trusting a business. It's also called domain
trust and Google needs to have it because every second, I think the last number
is seven new websites like created. So if we are counting 1, 2, 3, we got 21
new websites just coming up and Google is.
Silvia Del Corso:
Kind of I opinionated by this amount of content and websites. And now with AI
content creation, it's only become easy and cheap for everybody to just churn
out stuff. So Google needs to understand if something is valid and they do a
little bit like you would do if somebody's recommending you.[00:07:00]
Silvia Del Corso:
Business. For example, if you're looking for an accountant, you would start
asking your friends and you might get some recommendations. And then if some
names end up repeating, like two, three people tell you the same name. If
someone who's important to you is telling you the same name as, I don't know, a
family member or friend, then this name will.
Silvia Del Corso:
Stick to your mind and you want to have a chat. And with Google, it happens the
same with so many websites to choose from. And the final goal is given the best
possible results and user experience to the Google users, then they need to
choose, and all things being equal the domain authority is the left numeric
volume and it changes.
Silvia Del Corso:
It's a kind of a little arbitrary thing because if you use three different
tools domain authority might differ. So there are some famous tools they used
by many people, but sometimes it's different. But it's done [00:08:00] by a combination of factors, which is the
age of existence of this site. Again, a new business coming up as a newcomer,
you wouldn't trust them immediately.
Silvia Del Corso: You
want to see them for a while. And Google does the same with all of these new
websites popping up every minute. They don't know 'cause many are created for
practices. They're black hat as in spamy against the guidelines. They're
created to create fake network of links. It's a spam bid practice.
Silvia Del Corso: So
Google needs to see if a website is a real thing, and at the beginning they
will intentionally keep it a little bit dampened in the ranking. So sandbox to
see are you really doing well? Is there some social signals, is there some
traffic that I can see? See, are you giving good quality? So for a wider,
they're checking you out.
Silvia Del Corso: But
if a domain has been [00:09:00] existing for a
long time then it gets so much easier to rank. After the first year, things
start to become much, much easier. Domain trust, domain authorities given
mainly by these. Time of existence and the number of back links pointing to the
site, which is all the third party websites pointing to your site with a link.
Silvia Del Corso:
It's like the recommendations that people are giving for this accountant
fictional one. So if you have accumulated lots of good quality, not spammy boat
real, I don't know. PR endorsements being featured in places being mentioned,
those backlinks, they accumulate into domain authority together with the age of
existence.
Silvia Del Corso:
Sorry if I.
Victoria Bennion: No
I wasn't aware of that about the a, the length of existence. I didn't know that
was important, so that's really interesting.
Silvia Del Corso:
That's so tricky, for example, for startups because it's [00:10:00] the sort of vicious circle when you start
and you're really eager and you really want to get off the ground. And it's.
Frustrating because these sites are not getting anywhere. 'cause domain trust
is zero and you really want to get something going.
Silvia Del Corso: So
that's one of the reasons why we do the audits is to actually keep people a bit
of realistic expectations, telling them based on what we are seeing, this is
what you to realistic exp expect, realistically expect. Expect, and people are
grateful sometimes because if you're promising them something that won't happen
it's it's a violation of their trust.
Silvia Del Corso:
Instead, even just hearing that this is something that's going to take a while.
SEO might be something they want to consider when the business is a bit more
established. It's been running for a while even because it's not something that
it just. To do and forget by nature, SEO is a sort of ongoing [00:11:00] thing.
Silvia Del Corso:
Because it's data driven. So you do things and then you need to test and
measure and see if it's improving. Otherwise, you need to change the strategy,
the approach a little bit, and then test it again. So it's not something that
you don't forget. It's better than nothing if you do it and forget. But if you
want to actually see the results and climb the, your competitors, then you need
to give it climb.
Silvia Del Corso:
People need to be explained clearly what to expect, what's yeah, realistic.
Victoria Bennion: so
how can you tell if it's beginning to work?
Silvia Del Corso: You
measure things, as I was saying, it is so important to have, even if not
everybody is as excited by numbers and as I am it, there are things that you
need to measure and usually they get. Very excited by the conversions. As in, I
don't know, we work a lot with medical [00:12:00]
practices, private medical practice owners, consultants, and so on.
Silvia Del Corso: In
that case, it's patient food fall into the clinic or if you've got an
e-commerce, it's. Safe through the site, or it can be inquiries through the
website. So that is what excites business owners usually because it's revenue
but they don't understand that it's the final step of a series of stepping
stones, and you don't get that.
Silvia Del Corso: If
you don't have the prerequisite steps, so you don't get inquiries if you
haven't generated traffic on the website. And even if you have generated
traffic on the website you cannot for tell that they will become conversions.
Because it's like when you say you can bring somebody to the you cannot make
them drink.
Silvia Del Corso: You
can make them thirsty, but you cannot make them drink. So that's it. User
experience, then kind of consideration that gets into the conversion fine.
Step, [00:13:00] but if you don't have that
traffic, it will never happen. And to get that traffic, you need another
prerequisite step, which is ranking for those keywords.
Silvia Del Corso: So
if somebody's searching for something and they can find you, you're on page.
Five. Nobody ever goes. There is a c says, if you want the safest place to hide
at dead body, it's page two or two ago. Because nobody ever goes there. But now
it's getting like first page end of the page. 'cause AI overviews, everything
is being blurted down.
Silvia Del Corso: If
you are not ranking. You can't generate that traffic at least organically from
search engine. So that's the other prerequisite steps. So you need to get your
rankings and then your traffic and then the conversions will appear. But these
are all things that you can track and measure and you need, I would say you
need to be able to become a little bit more converse, something, knowing your
numbers and tracking if you have a business, at least a little [00:14:00] bit of familiarity with your numbers is.
Silvia Del Corso:
Necessary checking. For example, Google Analytics, which is a free resource
that every website owner can have, and you just connect it to the site and it
starts tracking. And the sooner you connect it, the sooner you can start
actually accumulating historic data. It's like when you used to have the DHS
recorders, I know I sound very old.
Silvia Del Corso: If
you didn't press play, you weren't recording it, you would've lost it 'cause
you couldn't get it back on demand. You need to start...
In this week's episode we welcome transformational speaker, facilitator and author, Suzanne Roberts, to the podcast:
We talk about:
- Polarity System Design and the Essence of Energy
- Healing from Trauma through Inner Connection
- Cultivating a Neutral Mind and Accessing Self-Renewing Energy
About Suzanne RobertsSuzanne Roberts is the Founder of UnifyingSolutions and a transformational speaker, facilitator and author with over four decades of experience guiding leaders and organizations toward sustainable, systemic change. She is the creator of Polarity System Design™- a methodology that empowers individuals and teams to reclaim their inner capacity, lead with clarity, and design cultures rooted in purpose, equity, and lasting impact.
Suzanne creates spaces where people can thrive and contribute with clarity and purpose. Her book and documentary, It’s Deeper Than That: Pathway to a Vibrant, Purposeful, Life, will premiere October, 2025.
Key Takeaways* Your soul is the source of your life force and energy; learning to connect with it can transform how you feel and act in the world. * We often seek outside ourselves to fix feelings of emptiness, but true fulfillment is found within. * Trauma can be healed when we learn to hold it from a place of wholeness rather than identify with it. * The mind is meant to be a neutral observer - developing curiosity and awareness can help it become your best friend. * Leading from your soul can create a more humane, equitable world.
Quote
“We are already whole and we're already holy, so we don't have to design it. It's already in us. We just get to return to it.” Suzanne Roberts
Connect with Suzanne RobertsLearn More About Suzanne’s Book: It’s Deeper Than That
Book a complimentary coaching call with Suzanne here
Website: unifyingsolutions.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SuzanneRobertsPolarity
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzanneroberts3550
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-roberts-24273b3/
Purpose for Life Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/purpose-for-life/id1817484248
Connect with Victoria BennionLearn more about us: https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/
Download our Podcast Guest Starter Kit: The Podcast Guest Starter Kit gives you a proven plan to find the right shows, craft a winning pitch, and maximise every interview. https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/podcast-guest-starter-kit/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebestpodcastguest
Join the Best Podcast Guest Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebestpodcastguest
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@victoriabennion
Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabennion/
In this week's episode of The Best Guest Victoria Bennion chats with Andrea Isaacs, founder of the Isaacs Method of Emotional and Life Mastery. They explore ways to embody confidence, master emotions, and live purposefully.
About Andrea IsaacsAndrea Isaacs is called a Master of Change and a Spiritual Teacher Extraordinaire. She has a passion to bring more joy to motivated, conscious, hard-working leaders who are changing the world. She is an international speaker, empowering facilitator and transformational coach.
After transforming her own painful shyness into confidence, she recognized that change CAN be easy. From shy and speechless, she became the host of her own radio show, and is now a magnetic, engaging and inspiring speaker, on stages in front of hundreds of people. Her own personal transformation taught her that she can guide others through their transformations. She has uncanny insight into what will aid each unique shift with the greatest ease for the greatest outcome. She has now changed the lives of thousands of people in over 25 countries.
Key TakeawaysDiscover the Enneagram in Action – Learn how this ancient personality system can help you identify emotional patterns and unlock new strengths.
Master Your Mindset – Understand how your emotions shape your mindset—and how shifting both can improve relationships, business success, and overall life satisfaction.
Uncover Your Emotional Blueprint – Find out how Andrea’s EQ quiz reveals your personal gifts and challenges—and why knowing these can change how you show up every day.
Build Unshakeable Confidence – Learn why confidence isn’t about trying harder, but about healing old messages and rewiring your emotional responses.
The First Domino Effect – Discover how changing one key emotional habit can create a ripple effect that transforms everything from decision-making to productivity.
Embodiment Tools You Can Use – Hear how Andrea combines movement, language, and neuroscience to help clients embody their goals and purpose.
Quote
"Confidence is essential in our lives. No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you're a human being on planet Earth. If you don't believe in yourself, if you don't have the confidence to speak up for yourself, you won't have the relationships, the business, the life that you want."- Andrea Isaacs
Mentioned in This EpisodeEmotional Mastery Toolkit & EQ Quiz https://andrea-isaacs.com/eqtoolkit/
Masterclass: 3 Keys to Unshakeable Confidence: Stop Shrinking and Start Shining – Saturday, June 28th - https://go.andrea-isaacs.com/event-optin-unshakeable
Connect with Andrea Isaacshttps://andrea-isaacs.com/
Connect with Victoria BennionLearn more about us: https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/
Download our Podcast Guest Starter Kit: The Podcast Guest Starter Kit gives you a proven plan to find the right shows, craft a winning pitch, and maximise every interview. https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/podcast-guest-starter-kit/
Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thebestpodcastguest
Join the Best Podcast Guest Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebestpodcastguest
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@victoriabennion
Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabennion/
TranscriptVictoria Bennion: [00:00:00] Hello and welcome. I'm your host, Victoria
Bennion, and the founder of the best podcast guest booking agency. And you're
listening to the best guest, the podcast for business owners, creatives, and
entrepreneurs who want to harness the power of podcasts to grow their platforms
and increase their visibility.
Victoria Bennion:
Hello and welcome to the podcast. Andrea, how are you today?
Andrea Isaacs: Hi,
Victoria. I'm great, thanks. How are you?
Victoria Bennion: I'm
well, thank you. It's lovely to have the chance to chat with you again. You are
the founder of the Isaacs Method of Emotional and Life Mastery. I wondered if
you could talk a little bit about your method to begin with.
Andrea Isaacs: Yeah.
Well, thank you. So I. Was a professional dancer for 25 years, and one of the
things I loved to do was to choreograph dances about people and their emotions.
And I, um, I wanted my dancers to be authentic and powerful on stage, and when
they could embody these range of [00:01:00]
emotions they were, and fast forward many years, I came across a personality
system called the Enneagram, and I wanted to learn it experientially because I
am an experiential learner.
Andrea Isaacs: And I
learned I'm not the only one. And so I used my background of embodying emotion
in order to learn the system. But what happened next really surprised me
because I had been painfully shy for my whole life, and suddenly confidence
became a part of me. And confidence is essential in our lives. No matter who
you are, no matter what you do, you're a human being.
Andrea Isaacs: I'm
planet Earth. If you don't believe in yourself, if you don't have the
confidence to speak up for yourself, you won't have the relationships, the
business, the life that you want. And my journey, the, the journey I offer
people when they wanna work with me is we'd start with emotional mastery and
then relational mastery, and then life mastery.
Andrea Isaacs: But I
realized, you know what it is about emotions. Yes. But our emotions determine
our mindset. And our mindset determines everything from the mood we're in when
we wake up in the morning. The decisions we [00:02:00]
make throughout the day and the ones we don't make, the actions we take. And
the ones we don't take the quality of everything and the mood we're in when we
put our head down at the pillow on our pillow at the end of the day.
Andrea Isaacs: And so
the work really is about having the life that you want and that is life
mastery.
Victoria Bennion: I
love that. Terms of your journey, so you were a dancer, did you become injured?
Did I read?
Andrea Isaacs: Yes. I
had a career ending injury. I fell really hard. I was, I had, I was up in the
air and I landed really hard on my tailbone and I could hardly walk for three
months and that was pretty much the end of my career. I hung in there, uh,
teaching. I couldn't perform anymore, and I realized I've gotta do something
different.
Andrea Isaacs: And,
you know, I know what it's like. Not to have a life purpose, because what had
been my purpose was taken away. It was gone. The friends I had were all in that
world. My world was all designed around the fact that I was a professional
dancer and went to every dance concert and I've traveled to see dance concerts.
Andrea Isaacs: My [00:03:00] friends were in that world. I mean, it was
my world and. It. There's just, it's not, I mean, it is hard to describe, but
anyone who's gone through it knows it's not just depressing. It's like, well,
what am I here for? What's the meaning of life? And I know what that's like. So
when I came across the Enneagram and this change happened for me, I realized,
oh.
Andrea Isaacs: It, it
didn't dawn on me. It took a while for me to realize that this is my new
purpose. It's like I want people to have, uh, to speak up for themselves, to
take a stand for who they are. To know that what you want, what you need
matters. Your gifts matter, and I believe everyone. Has a purpose no matter
what you do, who you are, what stage of life you're in.
Andrea Isaacs: Even
people who are retired, I believe they have a purpose, whether it's to be with
their grandchildren, to speak up for who they are and what they want to have
that kind of confidence. We talked about a moment ago, the way, who do you
wanna be in your day? What's your intention for how you wanna be throughout
your day?
Andrea Isaacs: That
is a good purpose. That's sufficient. So I like to say there's no judgment.
About how big or small your [00:04:00] purpose
is. Sometimes someone who has a big dream, this was told to me, oh, that's too
much. You can't do that. Who do you think you are? Boy, that deflated me. Or
there's no judgment about how small your dream is.
Andrea Isaacs: It's
like, if that's what you want, let's make that happen.
Victoria Bennion:
Brilliant. Can you talk a little bit about the Enneagram?
Andrea Isaacs: Yes.
Uh, any means nine in Greek and Gram is a diagram or, or drawing, and it is a
diagram that has three symbols, a circle, a triangle, and a six pointed star.
And each point on that star, it has a personality system associated, a
personality style associated with it, and each one has predictable gifts.
Andrea Isaacs: And
challenges, and so it's useful to know your core type, which is, which really
determines your motivation for why you are the way you are, and it determines
the way what comes easily and naturally to you and the challenges that you
have. When I discovered, especially when I created my EQ quiz, which is part of
the emotional mastery toolkit that we'll talk about later when I created my
quiz though, I realized, you know what?
Andrea Isaacs: It's [00:05:00] not just about your type because we can
see your gifts and challenges in all these nine areas. Gifts and challenges is
two, nine types is nine times two 18 areas of emotion. I can see how you show
up in this whole realm of emotion and you know, we were never taught the
language of emotion and our education.
Andrea Isaacs: And
the Enneagram, I believe, is a great introduction to the language of emotion.
And because of my background as a dancer and how I brought embodiment to the
Enneagram, there's something about the language of the body. When it's brought
together with a language of emotion, you start to know how to choose your
emotions, which as I said earlier, determines your mindset and that really
brings you to emotional mastery.
Andrea Isaacs: But
anyway, so with, um, the Enneagram. We, in my work, we embody the gifts of each
type and that gives you an expanded emotional range, expanded capacity so that
you don't have to just be a confident, decisive. You can also be the peacemaker
who takes in all points of view. You can also be a real [00:06:00] powerful caregiver.
Andrea Isaacs: And
being here of service, I could go on around, uh, the gifts and challenges of
all the types, but, uh, let me put it this way. We all need all of it. And when
we have our core type, that's not the end of learning. Because to be our best
and highest selves, which is my personal goal in life, to be my best and
highest self, no matter what happens, we need it all.
Andrea Isaacs: And to
have more of the gifts. So we expand our possible options of how we respond
when life throws us, throws us a curve ball or someone pushes our buttons. And
also to know under to understand, know, and experience the shadow. Side of each
type and there's value in the shadow because we all have one.
Andrea Isaacs: And
when we do, when we step into our shadow deliberately, and then we step out of
it, we learned that what next time it arises, oh, I have the flexibility. I
don't have to live like this. I don't have to suffer. We learned that we have
the flexibility to shift out of it, and it also applies [00:07:00] to other people when we have stepped into their shadow.
Andrea Isaacs: What I
like to call a ritual container where there are no real life consequences. When
other people are in their shadow, we know that it's their shadow. It's not
about me, it's about them being their shadow. We have a, we have better tools
for responding to other people when their shadows arise. So in terms of what
the Enneagram is, it's a great tool for understanding ourselves and others, and
it also is a doorway to our emotional mastery.
Victoria Bennion:
Hmm. Do you see more of one type of number than another with clients you work
with? Or is it like an even spread? I.
Andrea Isaacs: Uh,
not, well, it depends. Uh, when I go to the, uh, international Enneagram
conferences, I've had programs worth of 65 to a hundred people attend, and the
numbers are pretty evenly. Spread because sometimes I'll put them into type
groups and we have exercises that we do in the type groups. So sometimes the
numbers are evenly spread.
Andrea Isaacs: In
smaller programs, there are some types that don't show up as often. I could say
that sometimes types type [00:08:00] three,
which is called the achiever, they have, one of their challenges is they're
really focused on their image, how they come across. So they wanna be seen as
successful. Why do I need, why do I need to work on myself?
Andrea Isaacs: I'm
already done. Growing. I'm like, a, I've got this. And they do, they are
successful, but I believe we all have some room for growth. So sometimes they
don't show up as much. Um, some people, some types are more withdrawn, although
I would say type nine, those who know the Enneagram, know what I mean? Type
nine, who's the peacemaker?
Andrea Isaacs: They
can get along with all kind types of people. They want inner peace no matter
what. And so they'll put aside. Any conflict, any differences, any any wants or
needs because what if I, what I want or need is different than what you want or
what if you don't wanna be, do that for me. So they put it all aside, which
helps the peace between them and the other person.
Andrea Isaacs: And it
also helps going with the flow. So there's a benefit to that and they
compromise to go with the flow, and there's a benefit to that. But when they
compromise again and again, and again, and again, and again and again, they
start to feel like no one cares what I [00:09:00]
want. It's like no one even cares what I think or what I feel, and no one cares
what I want or need.
Andrea Isaacs: And
it's like I'm invisible. Like I'm not even here. So their challenge is to, um,
to learn how to embody the truth of who they are, which is that you want and
your needs matter.
Andrea Isaacs: So
actually I get a lot of them showing up in my program.
Andrea Isaacs: And
also at the end of it, when working with me, they know that their needs matter.
They can take a stand. I, I have kind of a lot of energy. Maybe you've seen
that already. Um, sometimes they're intimidated by that.
Andrea Isaacs: They
start to back off because I come across maybe like strong or powerful. I don't
know. I don't always feel that inside, but it intimidates them because they're
afraid of it. know, that brings to mind an interesting topic, which is about
power. A lot of people don't step into their power. Because they had been
exposed to power, used in a wrong or bad way, maybe even an abusive use of
power.
Andrea Isaacs: In
fact, I remember being around a lot of anger. Anger when I was young and [00:10:00] power used for the wrong way. And I
remember saying, I'll never be like that. And we have this saying, you know, we
throw the baby out with the bath water. What does that mean? It's like, well, I
threw out my confidence in favor of not being angry ever.
Andrea Isaacs: Well,
did I ever get angry? You bet I did. But I kept it down. And anybody who's ever
done that, you felt anger and you just pushed it down. I can't feel angry or
I'm a spiritual person. I don't get angry. I'm peaceful inside. Deep inside
there is anger, and the challenge of anger and power is we have to experience
it.
Andrea Isaacs: The
wrong use of it in order to know the energy of it so that we can learn how to
choose to use it in a healthy way, which is what I like to call unshakeable
confidence. And that is powerful. It's not power over, it's the power to be all
that you are. The power to be you, to be all you. That like lights me up and
that is, uh, it, it lights up your life and that is a beautiful and a right [00:11:00] use of power.
Victoria Bennion: How
can we get to the point where we have unshakeable confidence?
Andrea Isaacs: Oh, I
love that. I love that question. I love talking about it. In fact, I'm doing a
masterclass about it called the Three Keys to Unshakeable Confidence, stop
Shrinking and Start Shining. So when I look at someone's blueprint, which is
the result of your EQ quiz, I can see a combination, a unique combination of
gifts that points to your life purpose, and also a unique combination of
challenges.
Andrea Isaacs: That
have held you back from clarity about it or living it. And when we see those
blocks, we can unblock them and we there, I can talk more about that. We can
unblock them and then unshakeable confidence arises. You can't just start with,
oh, just be confident. When I was a kid, my mom said, I can't tell you how many
times.
Andrea Isaacs: Just
be confident, Andy. Just be confident. I knew in my head I wanted to be, I
certainly knew in my heart I wanted to be. But I couldn't, I didn't know how I
tried, but I just, I grew [00:12:00] tall
really early and I, people looked at me because I stood out. I was heads...
In this episode, Victoria Bennion welcomes Ciara Stockeland, speaker, author, Ironman athlete, and fractional CFO for inventory-based businesses. Ciara shares the story of how she launched her first business at 13, built and sold a subscription box company in under two years, and now empowers entrepreneurs to make sense of their numbers and reclaim financial freedom. She breaks down the most common mistakes inventory-based business owners make, how to prepare your business for exit, and why understanding your finances is the real path to freedom.
About CiaraCiara Stockeland, is a speaker, author, 4x Ironman and Fractional CFO for inventory based businesses.
Ciara has owned and operated a business since her early teens. As a serial entrepreneur, her business mindset and tenacity led her to opening her first store in 2006 which she then franchised. Her vast experience in both retail and wholesale industries led her to launch the first to market wholesale subscription box for boutique retailers, which she built and sold within 18 months. Most recently Ciara has launched the Inventory Genius, a consulting program for inventory-based business owners.
She has twice had the opportunity to testify before two U.S. Senate Committees regarding the “joint employer” standard for businesses and its effect on small businesses and franchises. Additionally, in 2015 she represented small businesses at a White House Summit on Worker Voice and again in 2018 for a Summit on Economics.
Ciara has been recognized as a Small Business Champion through SCORE, has held a seat on the United States Chamber of Commerce Small Business Council and is a Profit First Certified Coach. Through her consulting program, Ciara gives business owners the confidence and tools to build profitability and peace of mind in their inventory-based businesses.
In her free time Ciara enjoys training for endurance races and most recently completed her fourth Ironman at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, 2023.
She currently resides in Tennessee with her husband Jim and her Great Pyrenees Bentley.
Key TakeawaysProfit is the Priority
Building a big business doesn’t mean you’re building a profitable one. Entrepreneurs should focus on margins and cash flow not just top-line sales.
Know Your Five Numbers
Success hinges on understanding five core areas: sales, cost of goods sold, gross margin, expenses, and net profit. Mastering these leads to control and confidence.
Adaptability is Strength
Listening to your customers and pivoting from your original business idea can open unexpected doors to scalable success.
Plan to Exit Before You Want Out
The time to prepare your business for sale is not when you're ready to leave but well before, while you still have the clarity and control to make it valuable to someone else.
Tell Your Story Loudly
Whether testifying before Congress or launching a business, Ciara emphasizes the power of sharing your personal experience to drive change and connect with others.
Quote
“It's not super attractive to fill out your spreadsheet and to look at your financials. It's very attractive when you have financial freedom, you write yourself a paycheck… That is what we can all get up in the morning for.” — Ciara Stockeland
Mentioned in This EpisodeInventory Genius Book
Ciara Stockeland's Inventory Genius Method has helped hundreds of inventory based business owners create more profit and keep more cash. Get your free copy here
Connect with CiaraWebsite
YouTube
Podcast
Connect with Victoria BennionLearn more about us: https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/
Download our Podcast Guest Starter Kit: The Podcast Guest Starter Kit gives you a proven plan to find the right shows, craft a winning pitch, and maximise every interview. https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/podcast-guest-starter-kit/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebestpodcastguest
Join the Best Podcast Guest Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebestpodcastguest
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@victoriabennion
Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabennion/
TranscriptVictoria Bennion:
Hello and welcome. I'm your host, Victoria Bennion, and the founder of the best
podcast guest booking agency. And you're listening to the best guest, the
podcast for business owners, creatives, and entrepreneurs who want to harness
the power of podcasts to grow their platforms and increase their visibility.
Today, we welcome to the podcast Ciara Stockeland who is a
speaker, author, full-time Iron Man and fractional CFO for inventory based
businesses. Sierra has owned and operated a business since her early teens as a
serial entrepreneur. Her business mindset and tenacity led her to opening her
first store in 2006, which she then franchised.
Her vast experience in both retail and wholesale industries led
her to launch the first to market wholesale subscription box for boutique
retailers, which he built and [00:01:00] sold
within 18 months.
Most recently, Ciara's launched the Inventory Genius, a
consulting program for inventory based business owners.
Welcome to the podcast, Ciara. It's really great to have the
chance to chat with you today.
You started your first business as a teenager? I believe. I.
And you opened your first store in 2006, which you then franchised. Could you
talk about what attracted you to working in this space and, the lessons you
learned,
Ciara Stockeland:
Yeah, so I started my first. Formal business, if you will, when I was 13, I
hadn't set out to start a business with it, but I was from a small business
family, so it was very common in our family to find value in things or solve
problems create solutions through business. And so I. Built a theater company
for homeschool students.
I was homeschooled at the time just for fun at first, but then
started having other people come and ask if their children could be involved.
And so I built that and grew it into a formal theater [00:02:00]
acting company. We put on full length productions all through my time of.
Elementary, junior high school, college, and even into being married.
So I did that for over a decade. It was great. Learning
experience, how to balance a checkbook and how to market things and how to
provide a service. And then after I decided I was done with that business I got
married, had a couple kids, and was ready to move on. I decided that I would
like to start a retail store, so I had never worked any retail in my life but I
thought it would be a great idea to open a store, and I wanted to build a
brand.
I knew from the beginning that my idea was not to build myself
a hobby or to create a job for myself, but I really wanted to build a brand.
And so my first concept was a high-end maternity baby boutique. It was when it
was getting very popular to dress really cute when you're pregnant. The
celebrities were all buying beautiful things and so we had nothing available in
North Dakota, which is where I was from for that.
And so I opened this boutique and then, as typically happens to
small [00:03:00] business and entrepreneurs,
you start one way, but then you find your journey really weaving and winding.
And that's what happened with me as well. I opened that store six months later,
had the opportunity to open a second concept to help someone that I knew sell a
bunch of off, overpriced and off price product.
And that concept took off. Everybody loved getting a deal, and
it appealed to the masses where I was finding my maternity store, something I
hadn't thought of. That customer was a very short term customer. Because once
they had their baby, they were gone. They move on. And so I decided to merge
the two ideas and bring the outlet store into a boutique environment.
And then that's the concept that I franchised. The first lesson
I always love to share with entrepreneurs is to really listen to your customers
and don't get so set on. What you dreamed this concept or this business would
look like. 'cause often what we think is going to work is not what resonates
with the customer.
And if we stay very stubborn in like wanting it to be exactly
how we had planned, we can miss out on a lot of opportunity. [00:04:00] I.
Victoria Bennion:
That's good advice. You've also run a subscription box business, and you scaled
that very quickly and sold it.
Ciara Stockeland: So,
had the retail concept franchise that, so I had touched a lot of inventory. And
I, because I was a boutique owner, I had often gone to market. As is very
typical. You go to market as a boutique owner you shop, you buy ahead. But the
landscape of how people were buying for their small retail stores was really
changing because the internet was very popular.
Social media was coming about, everyone had online stores. And
so when I sold the franchise concept, I sold my brand to one of my franchisees
and I decided, okay, I'm going to start a new business. I'm going to do it
differently this time. There's some really hard lessons that I learned with
that first business, some of which I use all the time for my clients now,
focusing on profit, really defining your own success.
So there was these lessons I had learned, and I wanted to try
to build a new business with those lessons and build it more successfully. [00:05:00] Solve a problem, but I knew that I wanted
to sell it. I didn't want to, own and operate and build a seven figure
subscription box. I just wanted to solve a problem.
And because buying was changing and subscription box like Fab,
fit, fun, and Stitch Fix were really coming into play. I thought, what if I
could create a subscription box where I would match together wholesalers and
retailers so wholesalers could send samples to a boutique owner's doorstep. And
so instead of having to travel to market, you could find new products.
And so that's the subscription box I built. Grew that
profitably from day one built it and grew it and sold it within 18 months.
Victoria Bennion: So
with all your experience, I know you've touched on this a little bit, but what
mistakes do you see inventory based business owners making?
Ciara Stockeland:
Yeah, I think really the mistakes that I made I see happen over and over in
inventory based businesses, and the main ones being there's no focus on the
numbers. We hear a lot that we should know your numbers as a business [00:06:00] owner, but what does that actually mean?
So most business owners are very creative, right?
We can cast a vision, we can solve a problem, we can probably
sell to anyone, right? We're good at sales, but we're often not good at the
science part of our business, which is numbers, data, facts, and a lot of it's
very intimidating, right? It doesn't come naturally to us most often, and we
don't find it enjoyable.
And so what we tend to do when something is intimidating,
confusing, or not enjoyable, is we push it aside. And so what small business
owners do, which is what I did. We just keep focusing on selling and growing.
'cause that's where we're comfortable. And we think if we can sell more, we'll
solve our problems.
And then we find ourselves in debt or cashflow overwhelm,
financial stress. And so our solution to that is sell more stuff. And so we
just keep selling more and adding complexity instead of focusing on what the
numbers are actually telling us. So for all business owners, this tends to be,
a main, issue. And then for inventory based businesses in particular, if you [00:07:00] don't focus on the numbers, you really can
run into cash flow issues quickly because your inventory is such a big part of
your business. So if you don't know the numbers and you don't know how to buy
accurately and watch those inventory numbers, you can really fall into a lot of
financial stress very quickly.
I
Victoria Bennion: can
imagine. What's the biggest transformation that you see when somebody decides
to take charge of their numbers?
Ciara Stockeland:
Yeah. Oh, it's so exciting. I just love what I do. I have so many amazing
success stories, people that have worked with me. I've created a framework that
we really, we walk through with everyone, whether they make $10,000 a year or
$10 million a year.
The framework is the same, and it's to really start with
focusing on five main areas in your business. Of course the sales, but then
also our cost of goods sold. The gross margin, of course, we watch our expenses
and then we really keep an eye on our net profit. And when business owners say,
okay, I'm willing to commit to understanding what's happening with the sales, [00:08:00] to really get a handle on my margin, to
understand my expenses, and to really build for profitability, it just opens a
wide world to them.
So they might come to me with a lot of debt. And if we can get
those five things. Figured out under control and really put together in a very
simple and cohesive way, we can start to make progress going forward because
now we have something to focus on.
Victoria Bennion: And
having control of your numbers is really important if you are building a
business that you want to sell.
Ciara Stockeland:
Yes, absolutely.
Victoria Bennion: How
do you determine when is the right time to exit a business?
Ciara Stockeland:
Yeah. It's funny 'cause a lot of people, most people that come are very
financially stressed. And so if I could just close my business, if I could just
walk away, like they're just tired of their business, they're overwhelmed,
they're very resentful, they haven't been taking a paycheck.
And so the idea is I just wanna close shop and walk away, but
I'm stuck. I can't. And so as we look at those five areas our sales are, gross
margin, cost of goods sold, all of those things I just talked through [00:09:00] and start to create a plan for
profitability. It gives us the opportunity then to say maybe we will grow and
scale.
Maybe we will close some of our locations, or maybe we will
sell. I think if you're interested in selling your business you want to make
sure that your numbers are in order, that you have good clean financials, and
that you're as profitable as can be starting today. So if you're looking at,
Hey, five years from now I'd love to be able to sell this, then start working
on the financials today.
If you're feeling like you're really overwhelmed, in fact, I
had a client I just talked to yesterday. She said, I'd love to just be done.
I'm so stressed, I wanna just be done. And so she put her business up for sale.
No one's interested, no one's been biting. So she's I'm stuck now. I wanna sell
it.
There's no one interested. I can't just walk away 'cause I have
a lease. What should I do? I don't know the numbers. Should I even invest in
that? And I said, here's the thing, whether you sell it or whether you keep it,
we still need to get that foundation correct. So I said, let's start today. [00:10:00] Focusing on getting those numbers cleaned
up.
And if someone comes along and is ready to and willing to buy
it, your business is gonna look even better. Or you might find that once your
finances are under control, it's actually not as burdensome as you're thinking
it is, and you might wanna just keep it. And so either way, we wanna focus on
the financials.
Victoria Bennion: Are
there clients that you tend to work with? Do they have physical stores on the
whole, ?
Ciara Stockeland:
Yeah, so when I started this work, it was really with a lot of physical stores
and a lot of boutiques. But now I work with all inventory based businesses. I
just had someone sign up that has a pet store.
I have a food retailer and wholesaler a jewelry maker, a
skincare distributor and then a lot of brick and mortar. So it's really all
over. There's makers, there's designers, wholesalers, e-comm stores, and
there's brick and mortars. It's just a vast array of anyone and everyone that
sells items.
, It's
Victoria Bennion: the
same kind of principles that. You are applying with either what kind of stage
are business owners at usually [00:11:00] when
they come to you? You mentioned some are done.
Ciara Stockeland:
Yes. Ready to be done. Or feeling like that's their only option?
I really work with. Businesses typically that are doing between
500 and let's say 1.5 million in top line revenue. That tends to be the sweet
spot for when they are ready to really dig in and do the work. A lot of times
before we hit that proof of concept we're just trying a lot of things, but when
you get to that place where, okay, I'm making half a million a year. I have a
couple loans. I have a lease. This is serious. I have to figure it out.
Typically, someone of that size might have one or two people working for them.
So you're starting to build a, build your team. But I have worked before with
people that are just starting out, and I have one client that's been in
business for 29 years.
So she doesn't have any debt. She just wants to understand her
numbers better, right? Because business is getting more and more expensive to
run and operate. Payroll costs are crazy. The cost of inventory's crazy. And so
she said,...
In this week's episode of The Best Guest podcast we welcome presentation coach and Head of Ideas on Stage UK, Andrea Pacini.
We talk about:
- The #1 communication mistake
- The SCORE method for creating memorable presentations
- Simple design tips to avoid “Death by PowerPoint”
- How to use AI without losing your authentic voice
About Andrea PaciniAndrea Pacini is the author of the highly commended book ‘Confident Presenter’, a presentation coach and Head of Ideas on Stage UK. He specialises in working with business owners, leaders and their teams who want to become more confident presenters. Since 2010 Ideas on Stage has worked with thousands of clients around the world, including organisations like Microsoft, Spotify, eBay, The World Bank and over 500 TEDx speakers. In 2024 Ideas on Stage was named Best Presentation Skills Training Specialist in the UK by Corporate Vision. Andrea himself has also been awarded Best Virtual Speaker 2024 in The Speaker Awards. Andrea is on a mission to stop great ideas from failing just because of the way they are presented. His vision is to help hundreds of thousands of business leaders inspire their audiences, increase their influence, and make a positive impact in the world.
Key Takeaways The best presenters rehearse out loud not just in their heads * Effective communication is all about your audience, not you * Slides should support your message, not be your message * Use simple language to increase credibility and connection * The goal isn’t to eliminate nerves, it’s to get comfortable with them * Aim for the best authentic version* of yourself not for perfection * Use AI as a support tool, not a replacement for human connection
Quote
“Your journey towards becoming the most comfortable and most confident presenter you can be is a journey of a thousand presentations.” – Andrea Pacini
Connect with Andrea PaciniWebsite
Learn more about the Confident Presenter book: https://amzn.eu/d/bKswMEe
To make the most of the book, take the Confident Presenter Scorecard to assess you presentation skills in less than 3 minutes, for free: https://ideasonstage.com/score
Attend the next Ideas on Stage web class here: https://www.ideasonstage.com/uk/masterclass
Connect with Victoria BennionLearn more about us: https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/
Download our checklist: How to be an Excellent Podcast Guest https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/checklist/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebestpodcastguest
Join the Best Podcast Guest Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebestpodcastguest
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@victoriabennion
Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabennion/
In this week's episode of The Best Guest Podcast, we welcome Ryan Lisk, founder of Hybrid Legal. Ryan shares his journey from launching a law firm in his early twenties to revolutionising legal services with a subscription model.
We talk about:
- The importance of having clear business contracts and avoiding common legal pitfalls
- How AI is impacting business operations and the legal risks you need to be aware of
- Key legal considerations when hiring freelancers and protecting intellectual property
This episode will equip you with essential legal knowledge to protect your business.
About Ryan LiskAt just 21 years old Ryan Lisk took the leap and founded his own law firm, determined to make legal services more accessible, transparent, and business-friendly. Now, as the founder of Hybrid Legal, he helps UK businesses navigate complex legal challenges with practical, cost-effective solutions.
As a law student helping a startup with legal issues Ryan quickly realised how inaccessible legal support was for small businesses. Instead of following the traditional law firm model, he founded Hybrid Legal to focus on clear, fixed-fee pricing and straightforward legal advice - no jargon, no hidden costs with a flexible subscription model.
Ryan has worked with startups, growing businesses, and well-known brands to protect their interests and simplify legal complexities. Through founding his own law firm, Ryan has experienced the highs and lows of running a business and knows what it takes to start a business from scratch and scale it to 7 figures.
When he’s not at work, Ryan can be found running around after his 1 year old daughter and crazy Hungarian Vizsla. He’s also learning the martial art of 8 limbs, Muay Thai, where he is constantly humbled by teenagers in the class.
Key Takeaways* A handshake isn’t enough - formal contracts protect both parties and prevent costly disputes. * AI is transforming business, but it also brings legal risks - understand how your data is being used. * Subscription-based legal services provide cost-effective and transparent solutions for businesses. * Website compliance matters - ensure your privacy policies and terms of use align with GDPR. * Hiring freelancers? Secure intellectual property rights and confidentiality agreements in writing. * Shareholders’ agreements are essential for business stability - plan for future challenges now.
Quote
"Go careful with putting intellectual property into AI and relying on what comes out of it to be your own IP. That’s murky ground at the moment."
Connect with Ryan LiskLearn more about Hybrid Legal: https://www.hybridlegal.co.uk
Connect with Ryan Lisk on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanlisk
Sign up to the Hybrid Legal Loop for free legal insights.
Connect with Victoria BennionLearn more about us: https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/
Download our checklist: How to be an Excellent Podcast Guest https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/checklist/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebestpodcastguest
Join the Best Podcast Guest Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebestpodcastguest
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@victoriabennion
Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabennion/
In this week's episode of The Best Guest podcast we welcome 5x Bestselling author and the founder of Thought Leader Academy, Sara Connell.
We talk about:
- The doors a book can open—media, speaking, TEDx, and more
- The confidence gap and how it holds women back financially
- How visibility and thought leadership are shifting in 2025—and what you need to do now
About SaraSara Connell is a 5x Bestselling author and the founder of Thought Leader Academy where she helps coaches, experts and entrepreneurs scale impact + create 6-7 figures by becoming bestselling authors and in demand/TEDx speakers.
She has been featured on/in Oprah, The New York Times, Good Morning America, TODAY, Forbes, Entrepreneur and TEDx. Her books have been nominated for a National Book Award and Elle Magazine book of the year.
Key Takeaways A book isn’t just about book sales—it’s a credibility multiplier that makes you the go-to expert in your field. * Trust is the currency of 2025—and writing a book builds instant authority in just 1.8 seconds. * Podcast hosts and event organizers prioritize authors—having a book increases your chances of being booked by 80%. * High-ticket offers (coaching, courses, speaking) are the key to turning a book into a profitable business. * Visibility is more important than ever—showing up in multiple places consistently builds trust and drives business growth. * If you don’t already have the financial success you want, there’s likely a subconscious money block—and you can* rewrite that mindset.
Quote
"The desire to write a book is the permission slip—you don’t need anyone to tell you you’re allowed. That book will open doors, build trust, and change lives—including your own."
Mentioned in This EpisodeHoly Hunger by Margaret Bullitt-Jonas – the book that changed Sara’s life
Simon Sinek’s TED Talk: Start with Why
The concept of ZMOT (Zero Moment of Truth) – why people buy from those they see consistently
Connect with SaraWebsite: https://www.saraconnell.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saraconnellauthorspeakercoach/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saraconnell/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/saracconnellauthor
Connect with Victoria BennionLearn more about us: https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/
Download our checklist: How to be an Excellent Podcast Guest https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/checklist/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebestpodcastguest
Join the Best Podcast Guest Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebestpodcastguest
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@victoriabennion
Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabennion/
In this episode of The Best Guest, I talk to seasoned sales strategist Becky Davidson about mastering the art of selling. Becky shares her five-phase framework for moving prospects from awareness to decision, the importance of emotional and logical selling, and how entrepreneurs can boost their close rates.
We talk about:
- The five phases every prospect goes through in sales.
- How to build trust and create a buying atmosphere.
- Why mastering sales is essential for entrepreneurs.
About Becky DavidsonBecky Davidson is a seasoned sales strategist with over 40 years and 80,000+ hours of experience in the art of selling. As the creator of the K.I.S.S. Strategy (Keep It Simple Sales), she has distilled her expertise into a powerful system that doubles close rates.
A graduate of the Dale Carnegie Course, where she was selected as a Graduate Assistant Trainer, Becky has honed her skills in leading conversations towards decisions.
With two decades of coaching experience, Becky has developed a comprehensive roadmap for taking prospects from cold to sold. Her approach focuses on creating genuine interest, qualifying opportunities, building trust, and facilitating natural, resistance-free closes. Becky's training philosophy emphasizes simplicity and equips professionals with tactical skills for unshakable confidence.
Through private coaching and group intensives, Becky partners with solopreneurs and sales professionals to shatter income plateaus. Her clients consistently report surges in close rates and increased sales confidence. Becky's K.I.S.S. method has led to remarkable success stories, including a struggling rep who achieved a 100% close rate after implementation.
Key Takeaways The Five Phases of Sales: Awareness, Interest, Conviction, Desire, and Decision—understanding these helps guide prospects from cold to sold. * Building Trust: Establishing credibility through stories, experience, and showcasing expertise helps prospects feel confident in their decision. * Creating a Buying Atmosphere: Setting expectations at the start of a conversation can make closing a deal much smoother. * Sales is a Learnable Skill: Many entrepreneurs struggle with sales because they’ve never been formally trained—investing in sales training can transform results. * Selling is Serving: If you can’t sell, you can’t serve—developing strong sales skills helps you help more people. * The Power of Questions: Asking the right questions at the right time helps guide prospects to their own decision. * Marketing vs. Sales: Marketing generates leads, but it's the sales process that converts them into paying clients. * Entrepreneurs Need Sales Skills:* Even if you’re great at what you do, without sales skills, your business won’t thrive.
Quote
"If you can't sell, you can't serve." – Becky Davidson
Connect with Becky DavidsonWebsite
Connect on LinkedIn
Free Resource: Becky offers a free guide with 50+ ways to attract leads, plus a complimentary 45-minute sales strategy session Join Becky's Facebook Group to access the resource.
Connect with Victoria BennionLearn more about us: https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/
Download our checklist: How to be an Excellent Podcast Guest https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/checklist/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebestpodcastguest
Join the Best Podcast Guest Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebestpodcastguest
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@victoriabennion
Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabennion/
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome business coach Joanna Lott who helps qualified coaches attract clients with honesty, not hype. We talk about:
- Building a Coaching Business with Honesty and Focus
- The Role of Podcasting in Business Growth
- Effective Marketing Strategies for Coaches
About Joanna LottJoanna Lott is a business coach who helps qualified coaches attract clients with honesty, not hype. As the host of The Women in the Coaching Arena podcast, a top 2.5% globally ranked show, she shares actionable insights to help coaches build thriving, integrity-driven businesses that reflect their unique brilliance.
With over 20 years in HR and an ILM Level 7 Certificate in Executive Coaching & Mentoring, Joanna transitioned into Executive Coaching to balance her career with motherhood. She successfully sold both executive and career coaching services to organisations and individuals, a rare achievement among business coaches. Facing the challenges of building a coaching business firsthand, she developed the Reliable Results Path - a proven system that has helped hundreds of coaches secure consistent clients and create profitable, purpose-driven businesses.
Joanna is an ICF Associate Certified Coach and brings a wealth of formal training and practical experience. Outside of coaching, she finds joy in yoga, connecting with her two children, Imogen and Max, and enjoying a glass of prosecco. Her mission is to help others build businesses that bring joy, freedom, and fulfillment.
Key Takeaways* Find a specific niche to make coaching success easier for clients to understand. * Use "deep marketing" strategies like podcasts and blogs to build genuine connections, alongside social media. * Transform a coaching business with podcasting by creating trust and connection with the audience. * Set deadlines and work with accountability partners to achieve goals like launching a podcast. * Delegate tasks like editing and admin to focus on creating content and growing the business. * Launch a podcast with an audience to promote it and use strategies like email lists and guest appearances. * Create systems that work for personal schedules, such as flexible solo podcast recordings. * Use tools like Descript for editing and Captivate for hosting to simplify podcast production.
Mentioned in This EpisodeThe Women in the Coaching Arena Podcast
The Ultimate 2025 Success Planner for Coaches
Connect with Joanna LottWebsite
Connect with Victoria BennionLearn more about us: https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/
Download our checklist: How to be an Excellent Podcast Guest https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/checklist/
Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thebestpodcastguest
Join the Best Podcast Guest Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebestpodcastguest
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@victoriabennion
Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabennion/
In this week's episode of The Best Guest podcast we welcome President/CEO of Roux Advertising, Eric Morgan.
We talk about:
- The Importance of Brand Strategy
- Marketing Challenges for Law Firms
- Community Engagement as a Marketing Tool
About Eric MorganEric is an accomplished marketing strategist with over 28 years of experience, currently serving as the President/CEO of Roux Advertising. (Roux is an advertising agency built for law firms. Roux provides strategy, media buying, creative, digital & analytics to grow law firms.)
His remarkable journey began with a Bachelor's degree in Advertising Communications and a minor in Marketing from Loyola University. Eric's insatiable curiosity and passion for the industry led him to earn an MBA at Tulane University, further honing his expertise.
Throughout his illustrious career, Eric has consistently applied his strategic prowess to drive success for a diverse array of clients, ranging from prominent law firms like Morris Bart, LLC and Frank D. Azar & Associates to esteemed brands such as Harrah's Casino and the Louisiana Office of Tourism.
His commitment to delivering clarity, accountability, and impressive returns on marketing investments has earned him accolades, including the title of Top Executive of the Year by the Advertising Club of New Orleans in 2009.
Eric's impact extends beyond the boardroom, as he generously shares his knowledge as an educator and speaker at industry conferences. His dedication to fostering the next generation of advertising professionals is evident through his teaching experience at Loyola University's Communications Department. Additionally, Eric actively contributes to community initiatives, serving on the Board of Directors of Go.Be., which supports entrepreneurial minority small business owners.
With an unwavering commitment to innovation and a track record of excellence, Eric is a visionary leader in the world of advertising, leaving an indelible mark on the industry and inspiring those fortunate enough to work alongside him.
Key Takeaways* Define your brand's unique purpose, audience, and positioning before implementing specific marketing tactics. * Identify what makes your brand distinct to stand out in a competitive market. * Ensure your Google Business Profile is up-to-date, with client reviews and accurate information, as it’s an easy and impactful way to enhance visibility. * Participating in local events and supporting community causes strengthens brand trust and aligns with meaningful values. * Avoid spreading resources thin by focusing on a few marketing strategies and executing them exceptionally well. * Improving operational elements like call intake and client follow-ups can significantly increase conversion rates. * Consider traditional methods like broadcast TV and billboards for brand-building, alongside digital efforts, depending on your market and goals. * Develop a tailored approach that aligns with your specific strengths and goals instead of mimicking others' strategies.
Quote
When brands want to go to market, we start with what strategy is and what’s unique and different about their brand.
Connect with Eric MorganWebsite
Connect with Victoria BennionLearn more about us: https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/
Download our checklist: How to be an Excellent Podcast Guest https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/checklist/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebestpodcastguest
Join the Best Podcast Guest Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebestpodcastguest
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@victoriabennion
Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabennion/
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome Lauren V Davis to the podcast.
We talk about:
- Building a Real Personal Brand
- Leveraging Social Media for Connection
- The Power of Community and Networking
About Lauren V. DavisLauren V. Davis is the CEO of Lauren Davis Creative, a hands-on personal branding consultancy that helps superstar entrepreneurs, authors, speakers, and passion-driven individuals tell their stories on their own terms, develop personal brands that form real relationships, and increase their visibility + revenue.
The skills Lauren acquired while building a successful brick-and-mortar record store for 15+ years taught her how to see through manipulative “one-hit-wonder” marketing tactics and instead grow a personal brand that drives meaningful relationships and profits. Today, she offers that same entrepreneurial support (and of course, great music recommendations) to experts worldwide.
Lauren is a featured marketing expert in Reader’s Digest, Huffington Post, and on global top-rated podcasts. She also hosts The Real Personal Branding Podcast, a bi-weekly podcast where she uncovers the secrets of personal brand building from some of the top thought-leaders, speakers, authors, and coaches in the world.
When she’s not working, find her touring the country in her van with her partner, searching for a great cup of coffee or glass of red wine.
Key Takeaways* Personal branding is about community building, storytelling, and fostering engagement. * Promoting your speaking engagements before events shows excitement and approachability. * Setting aside time before and after events to engage with your audience can boost your connection and impact. * Following up on social media with a thank-you post after your presentation reinforces the relationship with new followers. * Even introverts can set boundaries while effectively engaging with an audience after speaking. * Regularly audit your brand by Googling yourself and ensuring your content reflects your current work. * Your content should be authentic and go beyond just providing value—allow people to connect with you personally. * It’s essential to have a simple, efficient system for proposals, contracts, and payments. * Don’t forget to ask for testimonials and reviews; they play a vital role in building trust and credibility.
Quote
Promoting or sharing the event before you come shows your approachability and gets the audience excited about engaging with you. It’s about building relationships that last beyond your talk.
Connect with Lauren V. Davis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ldaviscreative/ * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ldaviscreative/ * LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/ldaviscreative * Podcast:* https://linktr.ee/realpersonalbrandingpodcast * Grow Your Public Speaking Business Workbook
Gifts * Download Lauren's 100+ Social Media & Content Prompts for Professional Speakers * Download 100 prompts for social media
Connect with Victoria BennionLearn more about us: https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/
Download our checklist: How to be an Excellent Podcast Guest https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/checklist/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebestpodcastguest
Join the Best Podcast Guest Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebestpodcastguest
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@victoriabennion
Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabennion/
In this week’s episode of The Best Guest, we welcome book writing coach Deborah Ager to the show.
We talk about:
- Writing "anti-boring" books
- Overcoming self-doubt and writer’s block
- Common pitfalls to avoid
- The power of books to build personal brands
About DeborahDeborah Ager is a book writing coach who helps leaders publish anti-boring, high-quality books. Whether her clients want to build their credibility, get speaking engagements at the largest conferences, or see their book on the shelves at airports, she helps them get there.
In her business career, she developed a viral book marketing campaign for the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s Keep the Beat cookbook, built digital marketing programs that generated millions for a good cause, and founded an international literary magazine that’s carried in libraries at Yale and Harvard.
Key Takeaways* Writing should have an audience-first approach to avoid being boring; know what your readers care about. * Address feelings of self-doubt by focusing on what makes your perspective unique in the marketplace. * Overcoming writer’s block requires practical mindset shifts, such as accepting that a first draft doesn’t need to be perfect. * Carving out dedicated time and accountability through writing partners can help you balance writing your own books with client projects. * Books are a powerful form of communication and content marketing that can open up new opportunities, such as speaking engagements or corporate partnerships.
Quote
"A book can be a great way to allow another avenue or breadcrumb for people to find you." — Deborah Ager
Mentioned in This EpisodeThe Guide to Choosing Whether to Self-Publish Your Book
Free "How to Publish Your Book" class
Get next steps to launch your nonfiction book.
Connect with Deborah AgerLinkedIn
Self-Publishing Success Website
Connect with Victoria BennionLearn more about us: https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/
Download our checklist: How to be an Excellent Podcast Guest https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/checklist/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebestpodcastguest
Join the Best Podcast Guest Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebestpodcastguest
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@victoriabennion
Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabennion/
In this week's episode of The Best Guest, we welcome Frank Husmann, the founder of Maxiality to the podcast.
We talk about:
- Shifts in the B2B marketing landscape
- The importance of strategy
- Common pitfalls in authority marketing
Key Takeaways* Showing the human side of a business is crucial, especially through video content that can emotionally engage and connect with the audience. * Leveraging UGC and testimonials in social media marketing is highly effective, as they can build trust and authenticity. * Using storytelling is a powerful strategy in video content, allowing a brand to resonate more deeply with its audience. * Businesses should focus on maximizing ROI by understanding and catering to customer needs, driving engagement and conversions. * Embracing innovation is essential for staying relevant, with short-form video content being a key area for creative growth. * Podcasting can serve as core content, offering an opportunity to dive deep into topics, establish authority, and engage listeners on a personal level.
Quote
When you put the human side of your business out there, it’s not just about selling a product or service; it’s about creating a real connection with your audience
Connect with Frank HusmannWebsite
YouTube
Connect with Victoria BennionLearn more about us: https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/
Download our checklist: How to be an Excellent Podcast Guest https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/checklist/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebestpodcastguest
Join the Best Podcast Guest Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebestpodcastguest
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@victoriabennion
Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabennion/
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we're looking at How to Get Leads from your Podcast Interviews.
Key Takeaways Consistent Engagement: Instead of focusing solely on appearing on the largest podcasts with the most downloads, prioritize being a guest on podcasts regularly. Consistent appearances help build momentum and increase visibility over time. * Long-Term Strategy: Podcast interviews have a long shelf life, meaning they can generate leads long after they are initially published. Regularly participating in podcast interviews creates a lasting digital footprint that can continue to attract clients in the future. * Wider Reach Potential: Many shows also share their episodes on platforms like YouTube, social media, and newsletters, which can significantly expand the audience. * Unexpected Opportunities: Additional opportunities can arise from podcast appearances, such as collaborations, guest appearances on social media platforms, or writing articles for publications associated with the host. Engaging with smaller, niche podcasts can also lead to significant business opportunities, as illustrated by the example of a client securing a $10,000 course sale. * Host Connections: Developing strong relationships with podcast hosts can be as valuable as the audience itself. Hosts can offer further opportunities, such as magazine articles and speaking engagements. * Collaborative Potential: Engaging with hosts can lead to collaborations beyond the podcast episode itself. Maintain contact with hosts and explore potential collaborations that could benefit both parties. * Direct Engagement: When appearing on podcasts, ensure there is a clear and compelling call to action for listeners. This could be a unique URL, a webinar, or a specific offer tailored to the audience. * Value Addition: As a podcast guest, focus on adding value to the audience, which increases the likelihood of listener engagement and lead generation. * Audience Overlap*: Look for shows with audiences that have some overlap with your target market.
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit https://thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome Vladimer Botsvadze
We talk about:
- The importance of building connection with consumers
- Putting your customers first
- Personal brands and AI
About Vladimer BotsvadzeRanked as the No. 1 Global Marketing, Social Media, and Retail Thought Leader by Thinkers360 in 2023 with over 130,000 followers across his social media platforms, Vladimer Botsvadze is a world-renowned digital transformation and social media influencer, keynote speaker, start-up advisor and internet personality who drives growth and positions brands as market leaders in their industries. He has more than 15 years of international experience with a proven track record and has enjoyed an outstanding career at the top of the technology industry. Vladimer has been described as "a pioneer across the globe" by Exeleon Magazine.
Key Takeaways00:28 Welcoming Back Vladimir: Achievements and Milestones
01:49 Building Emotional Connections in the Digital Age
04:45 The Power of Personal Branding
07:53 Community Building and Social Media Strategies
18:10 The Role of AI in Marketing and Content Creation
19:54 The Importance of Patience and Long-Term Thinking
Quote
The personal brand has become the brand, because consumers trust entrepreneurs who show their face, who show their smile, so no excuses.
Mentioned in This EpisodeEmily Weiss - Glossier
Tesla
Connect with Vladimer BotsvadzeWebsite
X/Twitter
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit https://www.thebestpodcastguest.co.uk/
In this week's episode of The Best Guest, Victoria shares essential tips on how to pitch yourself effectively as a podcast guest. Tune in to discover how to make your pitches stand out and increase your visibility through podcasting.
Key TakeawaysPrepare Your Digital Presence:
- Before pitching, ensure your online footprint is polished. This includes having an updated biography, professional headshot, and relevant social media links. Create a one sheet and a digital media kit to present yourself professionally.
Research and Personalize:
- Take time to research each podcast you pitch to. Understand the show's format, audience, and previous episodes. Personalise your pitch by mentioning specific episodes or topics that resonated with you, and avoid generic, templated pitches.
- Your pitch should include a brief introduction about you, relevant experience or achievements, and suggested topics you can discuss. Highlight any gaps in the podcast's previous content that you can fill and explain how you'll promote the episode if selected.
- After sending your pitch, follow up a week later. Hosts are often busy, and a gentle reminder can significantly increase your chances of getting a reply. Mention any new achievements or relevant updates in your follow-up.
- Consider adding value to your pitch by offering something unique to the podcast’s audience, like an exclusive webinar or a special resource. This can make your pitch more attractive and demonstrate your commitment to contributing to the show's success.
ResourcesWhat you Need in Place Before Getting Started With a Podcast Interview Strategy
Get More Podcast Bookings With a One Sheet That Wows
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome Worditude's Laura Robinson.
We talk about:
- Course creation
- What it means to have a comfy business
- The importance of staying true to what you want from your business
About Laura RobinsonLaura is an online marketing mentor and experienced digital copywriter. Over the last 10 years, she has helped hundreds of business owners create and sell 1-1 services, courses, memberships, and group programs. She’s taught thousands of people around the world, through the copywriting training she created for international business organizations including Female Entrepreneur Association, Enterprise Nation, and Membership Academy. She is also the author of the Comfy Business Playbook, and the creator of the Comfy Business Newsletter for people who want a business that flexes around their other life challenges, priorities, and adventures. She champions a Suit Yourself First approach to marketing, where decisions are based on what the business owner wants, rather than guessing the preferences of a hypothetical ideal client.
Key Takeaways* Deadlines can be useful as a tool to enhance your productivity. * Use writing as a way to clarify your thoughts and express yourself effectively, especially if public speaking is intimidating. * It can help to overcome the fear of public speaking by starting with smaller, familiar platforms. Gradually build your confidence through consistent practice and exposure, such as guest appearances on podcasts or webinars. * Personalized guidance can accelerate your growth and provide specific feedback for improvement. * Use tools like Notion to manage your ideas and prioritize content that delivers substantial value. * Valuable and actionable content is likely to resonate more with your audience than overly polished but less useful material.
Mentioned in This EpisodeThe Worditude Newsletter
Connect with Laura RobinsonWebsite
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome actor and performance storyteller, Stacia Keogh.
We talk about:
- Why storytelling is so important
- The three most important stories for business owners to share
- If you're new to speaking, how to find your voice
About Stacia KeoghStacia began working with businesses writing corporate training videos that were as entertaining as they were informative. She is an actor and performance storyteller appearing on world stages, public venues and small screens everywhere.
As a resting actor in London Stacia learned the dark arts of advertising and how to use her story and acting skills to enliven pitches and presentations, notably J Walter Thompson, The Really Useful Group, Imagination and as an Education Officer at Kew Gardens.
She currently works with professional service providers helping them to step into their own story to share their wisdom on panels, podcasts, and signature talks, 1:1 or Group Training programs
She hosts the podcast ‘Finding My Voice’ where she interviews people who are speaking their truth and giving voice to others.
If you play video games or listen to audiobooks chances are you’ve heard her voice guiding you through adventures.
Key Takeaways* Storytelling is not just about reciting mission statements or listing features and benefits. Instead, it's about sharing genuine stories that have characters, specific events, and emotions attached to them. These stories help build trust and connection with customers and teams, allowing them to see themselves in the narrative and align with the company's values and purpose. * Three Essential Stories for Business Owners: the origin story, the purpose story, and the value story. The origin story delves into how the company started and the founder's journey, providing a sense of connection and belonging for employees and customers. The purpose story articulates what the company stands for and its larger mission, uniting teams and attracting like-minded customers. Finally, the value story focuses on the transformation that the company brings to its customers' lives, going beyond product features to highlight the tangible benefits and outcomes. * Tips for New Speakers: Rather than rushing through a speech or presentation, take a moment to breathe out, relax, and engage with the audience. By speaking to one person at a time, using facial expressions and hand gestures, and maintaining a steady pace, speakers can effectively convey their message and connect with their audience on a deeper level.
Quote
When you tell your story, you give people permission to tell theirs.
Connect with Stacia KeoghLinkedIn
Twitter/X
Website
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome author of Twelve Doors Les Jones.
We talk about:
- The 19,000 on call firefighters in the UK
- Weaving in different elements in your writing
- The journey to publication
About Les JonesLes Jones got involved in firefighting in 1980 at 20 years old, and worked at a large chemical company. Due to its risk and hazards, the company had its own internal fire service. This continued into another chemical industrial role until 1996. He attended external training courses including attending the Fire Service College in Gloucestershire.
He became a member of the IFE (Institute of Fire Engineers) and sat their examination at Crewe Fire Station in 1994. He became assistant team leader of the eight-person crew on his shift and focused on training and fire drill events.
In 1996 he became a police officer and found himself torn between Policing and the Fire Service as he had opportunities with both organisations. He spent 20 years in both uniform and plain clothes duties.
About Twelve DoorsTwelve ordinary men and women, frontline protectors, bound by duty. Whenever the call comes, they drop everything and risk their lives to save others.
But beyond the raging infernos, a string of crimes emerges that threatens to engulf them all. As their fire station faces closure, Leah Walsh, their fearless leader, embarks on a solitary quest to uncover a web of corruption that threatens her life and shakes the foundations of everything she holds dear.
In a faded seaside town on the brink of chaos, her brave crew must also navigate a precarious path to ensure that justice prevails. Will they extinguish the flames of criminality before they are all consumed?
Mentioned in This EpisodeTwelve Doors
Bells The Fire Dog
Hummingbird Motion Pictures
Connect with Les JonesFacebook
Website
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we're talking about podcast guest forms. If you've pitched to be a guest on a podcast, you've likely been ask to complete a form. We look at:
- Why it's important to complete the form
- Ways to streamline the process to save time
Key Takeaways* Completing podcast guest forms is necessary for maximising this strategy and building positive relationships with hosts. * Allocate sufficient time for filling out forms, as the complexity can vary. * Creating a digital media kit can streamline the process. * Consolidating commonly requested information in a document with URLs for easy sharing and reference can save time.
Mentioned in This EpisodeGet More Podcast Bookings with a One Sheet That Wows
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com or contact us here
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome positioning and messaging expert Janine Coombes.
We talk about:
- Pricing high ticket services
- Content marketing and selling
- How to overcome a fear of visibility
About Janine CoombesJanine Coombes is an offer positioning and messaging expert who helps coaches and consultants to earn drastically more from their 1:1 services without slogging their guts out or moving to a more complicated business model. She has an extensive background in business and marketing including working with big brands like EE, Orange and Europcar. She has a business degree, a post-graduate marketing diploma (CIM Dip) and regularly speaks on stages like Atomicon, You Are The Media and MarketEd.Live.
Key Takeaways* Many coaches and consultants tend to jump into marketing tactics like social media and funnels before defining their target audience and refining their offerings. * Pricing high-ticket services requires finding the right balance. Janine's advice? Find a price that feels slightly uncomfortable but still aligns with the value you provide. * One-to-one services offer simplicity and depth. They allow you to focus on helping clients without spreading yourself too thin. * Crafting high-ticket service packages involves understanding your audience and tailoring your offerings to meet their specific needs. * Being visible in your business can be daunting, but it's essential for success. Showing your face and sharing your voice is crucial for making an impact in a crowded market. * Confidence in being visible takes time to develop. It's a gradual process of stepping out of your comfort zone and seeing the positive outcomes that result.
Quote
Who knows who you are already? Who's already in the market for what you're selling right now? Get in front of them first.
Mentioned in This EpisodeDownload Janine's workbook, 6 Steps to Charging More with 100% Confidence, here
Access The Ultimate Guide to Creating and Selling Service Offers here
Connect with Janine CoombesLinkedIn
Website
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we're talking about if you can guest on podcasts using a pen name.
Key Takeaways* Pen names can be utilised to protect identity, maintain anonymity, or address legal and safety concerns during podcast appearances. * Throughout history, well-known authors like JK Rowling, Agatha Christie, Stephen King, and Mark Twain have used pen names * It is indeed feasible to implement a podcast interview strategy while using a pen name. Make sure to clearly communicate the desired level of anonymity required to your marketing team and/or podcast booking agency. * Practical considerations for authors using pen names in podcasts include the likelihood of hosts requesting a headshot and the increasing use of video elements. Authors are encouraged to choose podcasts aligning with their privacy preferences or discuss with hosts possible methods, such as using avatars or turning the camera off, to conceal identity during interviews. * Despite potential privacy concerns, using a pen name is not a barrier to leveraging podcast interviews for various benefits. Authors can still grow their platform, increase website traffic, boost book sales, improve SEO, and build a personal brand through podcast appearances.
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome entrepreneur and speaker, Sabrina Victoria.
We talk about:
- Sabrina's journey from abuse survivor to TEDx Speaker
- How to effectively manage your time as a business owner
- The personal development programs that transformed Sabrina's life
- Factors to consider before starting a new business venture
About Sabrina VictoriaSabrina Victoria is a seasoned entrepreneur and TEDx speaker with a background in door-to-door sales. She brings over two decades of experience of building and co-building multiple 6 and 7-figure businesses to Her Nation, a dynamic media platform showcasing business owners through engaging podcasts, virtual magazine features, and empowering events. Her charismatic leadership style centers on community building, education, and strategic networking as the core of success for women in business. She is the host of Her Talk Show and leads several networking, business workshops and masterminds per week to help female business owners thrive!
Key Takeaways* Don't be afraid to pivot. Be curious * Always think of the long game when it comes to business opportunities * Pay attention to where your energy peaks and lulls so you can maximise this in your day * Investing in personal development programs such as Landmark Forum and Tony Robbins were very important in helping Sabrina Victoria achieve the success she has. They help you to think about life differently, your story differently, your journey and your challenges * To achieve her dream of becoming a speaker, Sabrina Victoria set goals and took action. She showed up with intention and let people know what she did
Quote
The universe, I believe, always gets what it needs. And if you're not ready to step up for what it needs, it moves to somebody else.
Mentioned in This EpisodeHer Nation
Her Talk Show
Sabrina Victoria's TEDx Talk
Connect with Sabrina VictoriaYouTube
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we're looking at how you can enhance your personal brand as a guest on podcasts:
Key Takeaways* Brand Identity is so much more than fonts and logos * Podcasts lend themselves well to story telling and this builds connection * People will connect with you for things you share about yourself * You can show lots of different aspects about yourself when you're a podcast guest * Through appearing on podcasts you can demonstrate your expertise * Podcast guesting is a great way to build your network * Review your online presence before pitching so that you make the best impression possible
Mentioned in This EpisodeEpisode 101 - The Power of Brand Identity with Jessica Wikingellis
The Golden Egg Academy
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome Podcast Host and Author, Tim Lewis.
We talk about:
- Business Travel and Benefitting from Airline Schemes
- What Podcast Hosts Look for in Guests
- The Pros and Cons of Creating a Live Show vs a Recorded Show
About Tim LewisTim has been self-employed since 2014, first writing science fiction and fantasy books, then the book Social Media Networking in 2018. After that Tim was been more concentrated on social media training and helping people self-publish their books. Tim was the host of the Begin Self-Publishing Podcast between 2016-2019 and run the #indieAuthorChat Twitter chat for the Alliance of Independent Authors between 2019-2022.
Tim is the co-host of the Oh No! Not Another Live Show!, a general interest interview show and runs the Book Chat Live show on Amazon Live and YouTube where he talks to authors and book lovers about their favourite books.
He is also the creator of the Tim Lewis TCF YouTube channel where Tim talks about his efforts to visit every state in the US (currently at 49 states - one to go!) and general travel advice from a serial US traveller.
Key Takeaways1. Airline Loyalty Program Tips: It's important to understand different airline schemes and the nuances in earning points and tier statuses. Tim's strategy involves taking specific flights and understanding the value of tier points, especially for business and first-class travellers. 2. Podcasting and Guest Selection: Tim emphasizes the importance of tailored pitches and how lack of research into the show's context can impact guest selection. 3. Challenges in Guest Coordination: Lewis emphasizes the effort required from potential guests when pitching for shows. Many fail to follow through with requirements, such as providing book lists for "Book Chat Live," causing difficulties in scheduling and creating episodes. His advice is for potential guests to understand the show's format and fulfil necessary tasks when pitching. 4. Unscripted Podcasts: Podcasts come in diverse formats. Some shows follow structured scripts and predetermined questions, others prefer a more unscripted and spontaneous approach, allowing for more natural conversations. 5. Podcasting Challenges: The time-consuming nature of editing, learning curves associated with audio/video editing, and the need for consistent quality and skills to maintain audience engagement. 6. Podcasting Strategy and Audience Growth: Podcasting might not be the top-of-funnel solution to gain a massive audience immediately, but it's an intimate medium that, when used strategically, can contribute to audience growth and retention further down the funnel. Also, being a guest on podcasts is a beneficial strategy for networking and reaching new audiences.
Connect with Tim LewisWebsite
Threads
Twitter/X
YouTube Channels
Oh No! Not Another Live Show!
Book Chat Live
Tim Lewis TCF
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome the founder & CEO of global marketing and branding firm Mavens & Moguls, Paige Arnof-Fenn.
We talk about:
- The importance of establishing an online presence
- Effective strategies for building your brand
- Utilising LinkedIn
About Paige Arnof-FennPaige Arnof-Fenn is the founder & CEO of global marketing and branding firm Mavens & Moguls based in Cambridge, MA. Her clients include Microsoft, Virgin, The New York Times Company, Colgate, venture-backed startups as well as non profit organizations. She graduated from Stanford University and Harvard Business School. Paige serves on several Boards, is a popular speaker and columnist who has written for Entrepreneur and Forbes.
Key Takeaways1. Significance of Online Visibility: Being invisible online is a detrimental strategy. In today's digital age, people use online presence, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn, as a measure of credibility and trustworthiness. 2. Everyone is a Brand: Regardless of status, everyone has become a brand in the digital space due to social media platforms. Consistency and authenticity are crucial in shaping and maintaining this personal brand. 3. Strategic Approach to Online Presence: Rather than spreading yourself thin across multiple platforms, focus on one or two that align with your strengths and where your target audience engages the most. 4. Authenticity and Professionalism in Online Engagement: Remain true to yourself while maintaining professionalism in your online presence. Inconsistencies across different platforms can lead to confusion and a lack of trust among your audience. 5. The Power of Consistency: Reinforce one or two key messages consistently across all touchpoints to build a strong brand identity that resonates with your audience. 6. Harvard Business School Case Study Experience: Harvard created two case studies on Paige's entrepreneurial journey, illustrating the shift from corporate to entrepreneurship, reflecting the growing interest in students wanting to start their own businesses. 7. Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Conduct thorough market research to validate your business idea, focusing on the target audience's needs. Additionally, stay adaptable and consistently evaluate and update your marketing strategies to align with changing environments and audience preferences.
Quote
If you don't exist online, you really don't exist anymore
Connect with Paige Arnof-FennWebsite
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we're talking about the different ways being a guest on podcasts can help you win podcasts and what you need to pay attention to to achieve this.
Key Takeaways1. Podcast Guesting and Client Attraction: Being a guest on podcasts offers an opportunity to tap into an engaged audience and establish trust and credibility. Sharing expertise and stories on podcasts helps in positioning yourself as an authority in the field, attracting potential clients seeking solutions. 2. Showcasing Expertise and Building Relationships: Podcast appearances allow showcasing expertise, providing tangible value to the audience, which solidifies the guest's position as an expert. Personal connections made during podcast appearances often lead to listeners feeling more inclined to work with the guest due to increased likability and connection beyond mere expertise. 3. Lead Generation and Strategic Calls to Action: Podcast guesting is a powerful lead generation tool. Guests can leverage the opportunity to share a call to action, such as offering free resources, webinars, or consultations, engaging and nurturing listeners into potential clients. 4. Networking and Collaborations: Being a podcast guest enables you to expand your network within the industry, building relationships with hosts and their audiences. These connections often lead to collaborations, partnerships, and referrals, opening doors to new client opportunities. 5. Strategic Approach to Securing Guest Spots: Securing guest spots on podcasts requires thorough research, identifying relevant shows aligned with the guest's niche or target audience. Crafting personalized pitches that highlight unique value, understanding the audience's pain points, and providing solutions are crucial for landing sought-after guest spots. Additionally, maximizing impact by promoting podcast appearances across various platforms reinforces credibility and extends reach beyond the podcast audience.
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome Zack David aka Zack The Podcast Man to the Show.
We talk about:
- The essential equipment you need to get started with podcasts
- What a sound check with Zack involves
- The key elements to a successful podcast
AboutWhen Zack David, The Podcast Man, bought his first guitar at 13 years old for $27, little did he know this would be the start of his audio editing career.
Zack played in a heavy metal band at high school, a folk trio in college and big Latin bands in Peru when he was in the Peace Corps. These experiences gave him a wide range of audio expertise.
Since 2016 Zack and his team have been producing and editing podcasts. And Zack is also our trusted audio consultant at the Victoria Bennion Podcast Booking Agency., so it gives me great pleasure to welcome him to the podcast today.
Key Takeaways* A podcast can be beneficial for entrepreneurs by driving leads to their services or products and creating brand awareness. * Podcasting fosters a strong "know, like, and trust" factor among listeners, helping entrepreneurs connect with their audience on a more personal level. * Networking through podcasts allows individuals to build meaningful connections and engage in knowledge sharing within their industry. * Basic podcasting equipment includes a quality USB microphone, a desktop stand or scissor arm, and a pop filter to reduce unwanted sounds. * Microphone technique, especially for dynamic microphones, involves maintaining a consistent distance of about a fist's length and speaking at a 45-degree angle to the microphone. * Conducting sound checks is crucial for ensuring that both podcast hosts and guests sound good. Providing personalized advice during sound checks can help improve the overall quality of the podcast. * Investing in high-quality audio equipment, such as USB or XLR microphones, and using headphones during recordings can significantly enhance the sound quality and prevent issues like echoes and feedback loops. * Maintaining a reliable internet connection is essential for uninterrupted recording sessions. Using an ethernet cable can help minimize wireless interference and ensure a stable connection, particularly during long-distance recordings. * Podcast success is not just about audio quality but also depends on having engaging content and a well-thought-out strategy to reach the right audience. Making time for growth and staying updated on industry trends and tools can contribute to the podcast's success. * Building organic connections with listeners and utilizing paid marketing tools, such as overcast.fm and mowPod, can help increase a podcast's reach and attract the right audience. However, it's crucial to be cautious of potentially spammy marketing tactics that may harm the podcast's reputation.
Quote
What's even more important oftentimes in the audio quality is having amazing content and having strategy behind it to make sure that it's getting into the right ear balls.
Mentioned in This EpisodemowPod
Overcast.fm
Connect with Zack DavidWebsite
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome digital marketer Jessica Wikingellis to the show.
We talk about:
- What we mean by brand and brand identity
- Why your brand identity is so important
- The importance of tailoring your brand message to your target audience
About JessicaJessica Wikingellis has 10 years' of marketing experience. She helps small serviced based businesses attract and land their ideal clients through online marketing by helping them identify and refine their brand message, creating content frameworks and strategy so they can connect with their audience and show up with clarity and confidence.
Key Takeaways1. Brand identity is more than just logos and colours: It encompasses messaging, tone of voice, and overall brand personality. 2. Tailoring brand messages to the target audience is crucial: Understanding the audience's journey, desires, and pain points helps in making them feel seen, heard, and understood. 3. Confusing brand messaging can hinder audience engagement: Simplifying and clarifying the brand message is vital for effective communication. 4. Humanising the brand through vulnerability and authentic storytelling builds trust and connection with the audience. 5. Focusing on one social media platform initially helps in avoiding dilution of efforts and confusion. 6. Structured storytelling can deeply resonate with the audience and create lasting connections. 7. Embracing vulnerability in personal branding can lead to genuine connections with the audience. 8. Professional support in marketing can provide a customized approach tailored to specific brand needs, leading to improved marketing outcomes.
Quote
"Humanising your brand is really about finding your own voice... It's something that can grow with time." - Jessica Wikingellis
Connect with Jessica WikingellisInstagram
Tiktok
Website
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
This week we're celebrating reaching our 100th episode where we're talking all about how to convince your boss to invest in a podcast interview strategy.
Key Takeaways1. Highlight Positive Outcomes from Past Appearances: Use any previous podcast guest appearances by your boss as evidence of the positive outcomes and exposure gained from such opportunities. 2. Emphasize the Multifaceted Benefits: Podcast interviews offer more than just wide audience reach; they can help establish thought leadership, increase brand visibility, attract new clients, and build connections with target audiences. 3. Highlight Timeless Assets: Podcast interviews are timeless assets that continue to bring benefits long after their release, as they can be found by potential clients searching online. 4. Fresh Content for Marketing: Podcast interviews provide fresh content that can be repurposed across marketing platforms, aiding SEO and generating backlinks. 5. Explain Niche Audiences: Mention that podcast interviews allow you to connect with niche audiences, helping you build a genuine connection with your target audience. 6. Define Clear Objectives: Clearly define measurable objectives for the podcast interview strategy that align with broader marketing and business goals. 7. ROI Projection: Provide a projection of the return on investment (ROI) based on realistic expectations, focusing on metrics such as increased website traffic, lead generation, and conversion rates. 8. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Outline the KPIs that will be used to measure the success of the podcast interview strategy and explain how they will be tracked and reported. 9. Competitor Analysis: Conduct a competitor analysis to showcase how other companies in your industry are benefiting from podcast guesting, emphasizing engagement metrics, topics discussed, and brand promotion. 10. Long-Term Strategy: Stress that podcast guesting is a long-term strategy that builds brand authority and credibility over time, leading to increased consulting work, speaking opportunities, website traffic, and more.
These takeaways can serve as a foundation for your pitch to convince your boss to invest in a podcast interview strategy.
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome ClickUp expert Yvonne Heimann to the podcast
We talk about:
- Mastering the Basics of ClickUp
- Establishing Processes in Your Business
- The Different Seasons of Running a Business
About Yvonne HeimannYvonne Heimann is the CEO & founder of AskYvi.com and the leading ClickUp evangelist, as well as a passionate Business Efficiency & Scalability Consultant, Mindset Coach, NLP Master Practitioner, & Speaker.
Using her knowledge of over 15 years running multiple businesses, she helps her clients organize, strengthen, and streamline their businesses into profitability and success.
Yvonne is a force to be reckoned with. When her husband died, she was determined to not only resume her passion for building “bulletproof businesses” but also to make sure that those who go through something similar can find the same solace and excitement in entrepreneurship that she did.
Her work is driven by a vision of a world where digital entrepreneurs not only make a living doing what they are passionate about but thrive and wear their passions as badges of honor.
Key Takeaways1. Yvonne's upcoming book, "The Basics of Mastering ClickUp," targets a diverse audience, including beginners, teams using ClickUp daily, and existing users seeking to strengthen their foundational knowledge. The book's objective is to help users streamline processes and workflows effectively without becoming overwhelmed by the tool's complexity. 2. The Versatility of ClickUp: ClickUp is a versatile project management tool that allows for high levels of customization. Understanding your processes well is essential to making informed decisions when setting up ClickUp. 3. Starting with Your "Moneymaker" Process: Yvonne recommends initiating your ClickUp setup by focusing on your most critical process, often referred to as the "moneymaker" process. Identify its key steps and gradually build and optimize it within ClickUp. This approach ensures efficiency and automation where possible. 4. Balancing Work and Personal Life: Achieving a perfect work-life balance can be challenging. Instead, consider it as a series of seasons in your life and business. There will be times when work takes precedence and others when personal life and self-care are the priority. 5. Being Mindful of Consumed Content: Being mindful of the content you consume, whether news or entertainment, is vital. Negative or dramatic content can significantly impact your mood and overall well-being. Be selective in your content choices. 6. Consistency in Promises to Yourself: There's value in making and keeping promises to yourself. Start small and gradually increase commitments to avoid self-criticism. Consistency in self-commitments can lead to positive habits and self-improvement. 7. Learning and Adapting: Yvonne's journey to write her book involved facing unexpected challenges and setbacks. Learning from these experiences and adapting to overcome obstacles is essential. Surrounding yourself with the right people and resources can make a significant difference. 8. Customizing Your Morning Routine: When establishing a morning routine, tailor it to suit your preferences and energy levels. Allow flexibility in your routine to adapt to how you feel each day. The key is to prioritize "me time" during the first hours of the day and do what feels right for you, whether it's enjoying a leisurely coffee or hitting the ground running. 9. Energy Level Awareness: Recognize that your energy levels fluctuate throughout the week. It's essential to listen to your body and not expect the same level of productivity every day. Understand when you may need more time for recovery and rest. Don't feel pressured to conform to a rigid schedule, such as the "5am club." 10. Tracking Sleep Patterns and Habits: Embrace technology to gain insights into your sleep patterns and how your habits affect your rest. Tools like the Oura Ring can help you understand when you sleep best, the impact of alcohol on your sleep quality, and more. Use data to make informed decisions about your health and well-being. 11. Optimizing Work and Creativity: Align your work schedule with your natural rhythm. If your creative phase occurs in the afternoon, capitalize on that time for generating ideas. For tasks requiring focus and attention to detail, tackle them first thing in the morning to prevent procrastination. Consider changing your work environment to stimulate creativity.
Quote
Where I start with is first of all, your moneymaker process. So there's a lot of processes and workflows happening in your business, right? The most important one is what I call your moneymaker. Meaning. That's your client process. How are you making money in your business? That's the first process you are taking care of.
Mentioned in This EpisodeYvonne's new book, Mastering the Basics of ClickUp
Access Yvonne's freebie, The Ultimate Guide to Streamline Your Customer Journey
Oura Ring
ClickUp
Connect with Yvonne HeimannWebsite
YouTube
Podcast
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome author and entrepreneur DaVon and Greene to the podcast.
We talk about:
- The mindset and habits essential for success
- Overcoming rejection as a writer
- Balancing writing with running a business
About DaVon and GreeneDaVon and Greene (the pen name of Jonathan Greene) always knew writing was in his blood. He grew up as the son of author and composer BB Johnson AKA Joseph Greene who wrote Together Brothers and Across the Alley from the Alamo. Drawn towards cartels, crime, and drugs DaVon and Greene completed his first serious undertaking in his early teens. After an underwhelming critique from his father’s friend, Saul David (Director of Logan’s Run and Fantastic Voyage) DaVon and Greene put down the pen and entered the world that he wrote about in an endless cycle that there was no escape from, ultimately leading to incarceration.
Key Takeaways1. Persistence in Writing: It's important to be persistent in your writing journey. Even after facing discouragement, it's crucial to keep writing every day and not give up on the craft. 2. Overcoming Rejection: When faced with rejection, taking a break from writing may happen, but it's vital to eventually overcome setbacks and start writing again, focusing on writing for yourself before writing for others. 3. Daily Writing Habits: Developing the habit of writing every day is essential. Aim to complete at least one page a day. Consistent daily writing helps you stay engaged with your work and overcome writer's block. 4. Writing Process: Writing more than you need and then refining your work is a valuable approach. Typically, about 4 pages of writing for Davon and Greene may be required to produce 1 final page of text. This highlights the importance of editing and revision in the writing process. 5. Balancing Writing with Other Work: If you have other commitments, find ways to manage your time effectively. For example, if you're a truck driver, start early in the morning and use your time on the road to work on your novels. 6. Inspiration from Real Life: Draw inspiration for your characters from real people you know or meet. This personal touch can bring depth and authenticity to fictional characters. 7. Adaptability in Career: Be adaptable in your career endeavours. Explore different opportunities and be open to change when pursuing entrepreneurial success. 8. Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle: It's important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eating well and staying active can help you stay fit and focused, even in demanding jobs like truck driving.
Quote
You have to have some kind of drive. You have to find, whatever that drive is that drives you., Everybody's different. You have to find something that gets you up every day. I get up every day 4 o'clock in the morning.
Mentioned in This EpisodeDownload your free chapter of Paladin - Briscoe De Valls - Defender of House Le Fleur
Connect with DaVon and GreeneWebsite
TikTok
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we're joined by Brandon Leibowitz, the founder of SEO Optimizers which is a digital marketing company that focuses on helping small and medium-sized businesses get more online traffic, which in turn converts into clients, sales and leads. We talk about:
- The importance of using the right keywords in your content
- The mistakes people are making with their SEO
- What reputation management involves
Key Takeaways1. Importance of Keywords: Using the right keywords is crucial for effective SEO. Keyword research helps identify high-search-volume keywords that are relevant to your business and have buyer intent. Long-tail keywords are valuable for targeting specific audiences. 2. Mistakes in SEO: Common mistakes in SEO include neglecting backlink building. Backlinks, especially from relevant and authoritative websites, are essential for building trust and credibility with search engines. 3. Reputation Management: Reputation management involves managing and improving a company's online image. It includes strategies to push down negative search results, build positive online content, and optimize social media profiles. 4. Press Releases and SEO: Press releases can be useful for branding and exposure but may not have a significant impact on SEO. They used to be more effective in the past for building backlinks, but now quality and relevancy of backlinks matter more. 5. Backlink Building Strategies: Backlink building should focus on quality and relevancy. Analysing competitors' backlinks can provide insights into effective strategies. It's important to build diverse backlinks from different sources and related websites.
Connect with Brandon Leibowitz Website
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we're talking about what you need in place before you get started with a podcast interview strategy.
Key Takeaways1. Established Business Identity: Before diving into podcast interview strategies, it's crucial to have a clear business identity, including a business name, mission, brand, and target audience. These elements provide a solid foundation for delivering a compelling message during podcast appearances. 2. Differentiation: Identify what sets you apart from others in your industry and how your product or service addresses specific problems for your target audience. This unique value proposition will be key to conveying your message effectively in podcast interviews. 3. Online Presence: Having a professional website is essential before reaching out to podcasts. Your website should be well-designed, engaging, and showcase your expertise. A strong online presence demonstrates credibility to potential podcast hosts. 4. Social Media Profile: It's recommended to have at least one active social media profile. This helps hosts find more information about you and your expertise, enhancing your credibility as a guest. 5. Prepared Assets: Consider having relevant assets like case studies, downloadable resources, or other valuable content that you can share during your podcast appearances. These assets can be used as effective call-to-action options to drive engagement after the interview. 6. Expertise Demonstration: Showcasing your expertise through content on your website or LinkedIn helps back up your pitches and shows hosts that you have the knowledge to contribute meaningfully to their show. 7. Lead Capture Strategy: Plan how you'll capture leads generated from podcast interviews. This might involve a newsletter subscription, quizzes, Facebook groups, or other means to engage and retain listeners who become interested in your offerings. 8. Time Commitment: Ensure you have the time available for podcast interviews. While agencies can assist with scheduling and other tasks, you still need to dedicate time to participate actively in the interviews and follow through with commitments. 9. Early-stage Business Opportunities: Even if you're in the early stages of your business, podcast interviews can provide growth and exposure opportunities. Having a clear message, target audience, and web presence can help you get started effectively. 10. Preparation and Flexibility: While advanced questions might not always be provided, having a deep understanding of your subject matter and being able to engage in conversational flow is crucial. Adaptability and enthusiasm for sharing value are essential. 11. Speech Coaching and Stories: Consider investing in speech coaching to improve articulation and message delivery. Develop compelling stories around your journey, client successes, and pivotal moments to enrich your interviews. 12. Media Kit and Assets: Creating a digital media kit with your biography, headshots, book cover (if applicable), and other relevant information can streamline the booking process and enhance your professional presentation. 13. Building Authority: Podcast interviews contribute to authority building and expanding your industry reach. Every interview is an opportunity to connect with potential customers and partners, so approach each with enthusiasm and a willingness to provide value. 14. Continuous Improvement: As your business grows, podcast interviews can have an even greater impact. Continuous practice and honing your interview skills will contribute to improved performance and audience engagement.
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we're looking at some of the differences and similarities between traditional media and a podcast interview strategy.
Key Takeaways1. Podcasts have become more mainstream and continue to grow in popularity, with a dedicated and engaged audience. 2. Traditional media outlets have a massive reach, attracting millions of viewers and readers, while podcasts usually cater to smaller niche audiences. 3. Podcast interviews provide more extended and in-depth opportunities for guests to showcase their expertise and connect with the audience compared to TV segments. 4. Both podcasts and traditional media can enhance credibility and authority for a brand or individual. 5. Traditional media provides third-party validation, building trust among potential customers, while podcasts offer an unspoken endorsement from hosts and a chance to connect with their engaged audience. 6. The tone of podcasts tends to be more conversational, allowing guests to showcase their personality and authenticity. 7. Podcasts offer networking opportunities with hosts, who may be potential clients, open doors for other speaking engagements or collaborations. 8. Podcasts are accessible worldwide and offer the convenience of on-demand consumption, increasing the reach of a guest's message to different time zones and locations. 9. Both traditional media and podcasts are conducive to storytelling, which helps build a stronger connection with the audience. 10. Podcast appearances can provide SEO benefits by increasing website traffic through links in show notes and social media mentions.
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome social media strategist, organic social media specialist, trainer, community manager, and keynote speaker, Dorien Morin-van Dam.
We talk about:
- The Best Ways to Batch Content
- How to Repurpose Podcast Interviews
- What it Means to Agilify our Social Media Calendars
- Evergreen Content Ideas To Reignite our Social Media Conversations
AboutDorien Morin-van Dam is a social media strategist, organic social media specialist, trainer, community manager, and keynote speaker.She has been a social media professional for 10 years and has experience in a multitude of industries. Dorien started out as a local specialist working with both B2C and B2B clients and is currently working with national and international brands. She is a certified Social Media Professional and Agile Marketer.
You'll recognize Dorien by her signature orange glasses, a nod to her Dutch heritage.
Key Takeaways* Benefits of Batching Content: Batching social media content, such as videos, blog articles, and graphics, can save time and streamline the content creation process. It allows you to focus on one type of task at a time, reducing the need to switch between different creative mindsets. Batching also helps in better planning and scheduling content in advance, ensuring consistent and timely postings. * Repurposing Podcast Episodes: Repurposing podcast episodes is an effective strategy to reach a broader audience and maximize content value. Different ways to repurpose include creating audiograms, turning episodes into blog posts or LinkedIn articles, and using various types of graphics and quotes from the podcast. Repetition is essential since not everyone sees content the first time it's posted. * Finding Evergreen Content Ideas: To keep social media conversations engaging and relevant, focus on evergreen content. Share behind-the-scenes stories, business highlights, staff events, and community involvements. Highlighting customer success stories and problem-solving content can also be effective. Consume more content to get inspired and generate new ideas for your own posts. * Efficient Content Creation for Clients: To efficiently create content for clients, create timestamps during interviews to mark salient points. Use these timestamps to assist your virtual assistant in repurposing content. Remember to find a balance between posting expert guests and guests with a substantial online audience to tap into their followers as well.
Quote
Every single time you talk about the podcast or the episode, you try to highlight something else that they said, right? So it's not the same, but the link goes back to the same podcast each time, because when people, they don't realize they're seeing the same content. They're just realizing you're talking about the same topic.
Mentioned in This EpisodeStrategy Talks Podcast
Olive Kitteridge
They Ask, You Answer
Connect with Dorien Morin-van DamWebsite
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we're answering more of your questions about being a podcast guest:
- How can I make sure that I'm effectively promoting myself or my business when I'm a podcast guest?
- Should I send a thank you note or follow up after the podcast interview?
- Should I provide any promotional materials or assets to the podcast host?
Key Takeaways* Tailor your message: Understand the podcast's audience by checking the show's description and reviews. This will help you tailor your message and talking points to effectively connect with the listeners. * When you're a podcast guest, position yourself as an authority: Share valuable tips, insights, and advice during the interview to showcase your expertise and add value to the listeners' experience. * During your podcast interviews use compelling stories: Prepare anecdotes or case studies that illustrate how your business has helped clients or solved problems. Stories are memorable and bring the interview to life. * Show gratitude: Send a thank-you note within 24 to 48 hours to the host, expressing appreciation for the opportunity to be a guest on the show. Personalize the message and mention enjoyable aspects of the interview. * Share additional resources: Consider sharing articles, tools, or relevant links that could benefit the host or the listeners. This demonstrates your commitment to adding value and makes it easier for the host to share those resources. * Prepare promotional materials: Have a high-quality headshot and biographies of different lengths (short and slightly longer) ready for the host to use. Also, provide relevant links such as your website, social media profiles, and any lead magnets or resources you mentioned during the interview. * Make a great impression as a podcast guest: Providing these materials shows your professionalism and helps the host easily access the necessary information.
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome marketing strategist, Nathan Yeung.
We talk about:
- How to build a marketing team
- What marketing strategies are working right now
- Performance media buying and the level required to perform it well
About Nathan YeungNathan Yeung is an experienced marketing strategist with over 10+ years of expertise in advising B2B businesses. Throughout his career, Nathan has helped numerous companies build their marketing teams from scratch, delivering successful go-to-market deployments, and launching new products into the market.
Nathan's diverse background brings a unique perspective to the marketing world. Trained in marketing, he has also worked in finance and management consulting, providing him with a comprehensive understanding of business operations and strategy. Nathan's multifaceted approach to marketing has enabled him to create innovative, data driven campaigns that have driven significant business growth for his clients.
With a passion for driving results, Nathan is dedicated to delivering measurable impact for every project he takes on. He is a natural problem-solver who excels at developing creative solutions to complex marketing challenges. Nathan's ability to think outside the box has helped his clients to stand out in their industries, and his expertise has been recognized by numerous organizations over the years.
Key Takeaways* Building a marketing team: Start with the lowest hanging fruit and focus on practical and sustainable marketing methods that you can execute. Develop sales enablement tools and showcase your successes in a digestible format. * Marketing strategies: All marketing strategies can work depending on the maturity of your organization. Focus on SEO, sales enablement tools, email marketing, and retargeting. Customize your strategies based on your specific business needs. * SEO tactics: Optimize your website's content, structure, and on-site tagging for better search engine rankings. Off-site SEO involves building quality backlinks, but be cautious of using unreliable vendors or shortcuts. * Performance media buying: Performance media buying is a highly skillful task that requires deep knowledge and experience. It involves optimizing ad platforms, manipulating data, and understanding the nuances of different platforms. Media arbitrage, a form of performance media buying, focuses on generating a profit by acquiring and selling customers. * Paying for creative: Investing in creative elements is essential as aesthetics play a significant role in influencing value. Aesthetically appealing websites and first impressions leave a lasting impact on potential clients. Creative skills can be honed and developed, so consider working with professionals to enhance your brand's creative assets. * Paying for operations: If you lack the experience and expertise to execute marketing operations effectively, it is wise to invest in professionals. Paying for operations increases the likelihood of success and ensures a high level of expertise in executing marketing strategies. * Aesthetics and usability: Aesthetically appealing designs enhance user experience and positively impact brand perception. First and last impressions are particularly important for creating memorable experiences. * Media buying complexity: Media buying platforms may appear user-friendly, but true expertise lies in understanding the intricacies and nuances that lead to successful campaigns. Manipulating platforms to buy exactly what you need requires in-depth knowledge and experience. * Importance of creative process: The creative process is an art and skill set that not everyone possesses naturally. It involves iteration, thoughtfulness, and honing of ideas. Working with professionals who follow a meticulous creative process can yield better...
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome Marie-Louise O'Neill who specialises in branding, design and Canva for SMEs.
We talk about:
- Do's and don'ts for creating branding
- Common mistakes people make with Canva
- How Canva can help you repurpose your podcast interviews
AboutMarie-Louise specialises in branding, design and Canva for SMEs. She offers a range of logo and design 121 services, Canva group training and is an official Canva Creator.
With 20 years industry experience and a degree in branding and packaging, she's created everything from logo designs, social media templates and website design in the digital space, to printed brochures, book covers, adverts, banners and packaging.
She loves to work with entrepreneurs, coaches, marketing experts and virtual assistants to create consistent content that's on brand but with the flexibility to evolve over time.
Her design process is focussed on collaboration, meeting on Zoom and using great tools like Canva to bounce ideas and bring the design to life before her clients' eyes.
Key Takeaways* Understand the difference between a logo and a brand. A brand encompasses colours, fonts, and the overall feeling you want to convey. * When choosing colours for your branding, consider your ideal client and what will appeal to them. Ensure there is enough contrast for readability. * Many small businesses use Canva, but some may feel overwhelmed or unsure about using it. It's important to learn how to use the programme effectively and take advantage of its features. * One common mistake is not making enough changes to Canva templates. Customize colours, fonts, and other elements to make the design unique and aligned with your brand. * Streamline your content creation process by creating templates for different types of posts. This reduces the need to start from scratch each time and ensures consistency in branding. * Repurpose podcast interviews by creating audiograms, quote posts, and resizing content for different platforms using Canva's tools and templates. * If you're a podcast host, consider providing guests with Canva templates they can easily customize. Share templates as copies to avoid linking and overwrite issues. * When designing social media headers, check how they appear on both mobile and desktop views. Don't assume that Canva templates will automatically fit all platforms, as sizes and layouts can change.
Mentioned in This EpisodeCanva
Connect with Marie-Louise O'NeillFacebook page
Website
YouTube
Facebook group Lovely Canva Crew
Lovely Little Thoughts Journal
Learn to design with Canva with my Lovely Canva Circle programme
Let's chat – book a 121 in Calendly
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn...
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome relationship coach Nicolas Rion.
We talk about:
- Ways to communicate to engage a team
- How to move through difficult situations calmly and with less stress
- If it's possible to re-learn how to relate to others
About Nicolas RionNicolas Rion is a relationship coach who supports individuals to build strong, healthy and sustainable relationships in both their professional and personal lives.
His knowledge of relationships was, in many ways, learnt the hard way. After losing his mother as a teenager and experiencing a challenging start to his professional life in the corporate world, where he often felt like a fish out of water, Nicolas embarked on a journey of self-discovery, which ultimately led him to coaching.
Nicolas started coaching in 2017, and has trained with one of the world’s leading coaching schools,the Co-Active Training Institute, accredited by the International Coaching Foundation (ICF). Nicolas is also trained in Nonviolent Communication, a framework for resolving conflict through empathy, honesty, strength and compassion.
Nicolas helps his clients build relationships based on honesty, self-respect and equality and works with them to improve their communication and self-confidence so they can build strong, healthy relationships which lead to fulfilling personal lives and professional success.
Nicolas grew up in Burgundy, France. He currently lives in East London, but loves to spend his free time travelling or kitesurfing in Sussex, or further afield.
Key Takeaways*
Quote
Mentioned in This EpisodeDownload the 10 Habits of Successful Relationships here
Connect with Nicolas RionWebsite
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we're talking about the fact that it's almost quarter 3. We can start the year with ambitious goals such as getting on x number of podcasts to increase your visibility which is great. But if you've arrived mid-way through the year and you're yet to get started we have some tips to jump start your podcast interview plans.
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome Rebecca Kirk, the go-to career coach for people on a spiritual path and author of You’re Here For A Reason.
We talk about:
- The ways spirituality can support you with your career challenge
- How can aligning with your true self help can help you
- If fear is stopping you from making a career change what you should do
AboutRebecca Kirk is the go-to career coach for people on a spiritual path and author of You’re Here For A Reason, a practical and spiritual guidebook for readers who are at a career crossroads. Following a 14-year corporate career, Rebecca embarked on a life-changing career break to Australia which led her to retrain as a Life Coach in 2016. With Rebecca’s unique approach to career coaching and spirituality, she has enabled hundreds of clients from around the world to discover the clarity and confidence to navigate their career crossroads and awaken to a working life of greater purpose, peace and prosperity.
Key Takeaways* Spirituality can support individuals in understanding their purpose on a deeper level, recognizing their gifts and talents, and gaining confidence and courage to navigate career challenges. It provides guidance, clarity, and solutions, and helps ground individuals, bringing peace and calm during uncertain times. * Grasping for answers and being overly eager negatively impacts your energy and takes you out of a state of presence. * The true self consists of tangible aspects like values, gifts, talents, and passions, as well as intangible aspects like the higher self or deepest essence. Connecting with the true self allows individuals to show up authentically, impacting relationships, creativity, and overall work experience. Meditation, nature walks, and connecting with higher self help align with the true self. * Career changes often require courage and involve confronting fears and beliefs ingrained by the ego self. Fear of what others think, staying in a safe job, or limiting beliefs can hold you back. By recognizing and acknowledging these fears and consciously connecting with the higher self, you can take leaps of faith and overcome limitations, allowing for growth, abundance, and a more fulfilling career.
Quote
Spirituality can help you in terms of guidance. It can feel very lonely when you are going through a career challenge, but when you call on that spiritual connection, clarity and solutions can begin to open up for you that perhaps wouldn't have been there otherwise.
Connect with Rebecca KirkWebsite
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome Sales SEO and Social Media expert Kaylene Grieve.
We talk about:
- How social media helps with SEO
- Why SEO is important for small businesses
- How to generate leads with LinkedIn
About Kaylene GrieveKaylene Grieve is the Managing Director of Sales, SEO and Social Media, (SSSM) a marketing services agency based in Sydney Australia. With over 25+ years in Sales and 10+ years of marketing experience SSSM has helped numerous companies achieve tremendous results in sales and marketing. Knowing the right volumes and using a blend of inbound and outbound strategies always delivers sales and marketing qualified leads to a business with consistency.
Key Takeaways* Social media and SEO: While social media doesn't directly impact SEO, it indirectly affects it through various ways. Optimizing social media profiles with keywords and descriptions can improve visibility within social platforms and search engines. Social traffic and engagement also indirectly influence search engine rankings. Platforms like Twitter and Google My Business allow search-friendly social content. * Importance of SEO for small businesses: SEO is crucial for small businesses because a significant percentage of purchases start with online searches. Google's ability to find and display a business online is essential for attracting customers. Conducting keyword research and optimizing website pages with relevant keywords can improve visibility and search rankings. * Podcasts and SEO: Uploading podcast transcripts can benefit SEO as it adds textual content for search engines to crawl. Additionally, podcasts align well with the growing trend of voice search, making them valuable in the future. Podcasting also offers marketing benefits through access to a large audience and the potential for increased traffic to a website. * Having a well-optimized website with keyword-rich content, utilizing social media platforms effectively, and incorporating podcasting can greatly benefit a business's online visibility, brand awareness, and overall search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. The combination of these strategies helps drive traffic to the website, improves search rankings, and attracts potential customers or clients. Additionally, as voice search becomes more prevalent, being active in the podcast space can provide a significant advantage in reaching a broader audience and capitalizing on the power of voice search.
Quote
If Google can't find your business, neither can your clients. So just having that in mind makes it clear why SEO is critical.
Connect with Kaylene GrieveWebsite
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we're celebrating the launch of The Most Amazing Marketing Book... Ever by Mark Schaefer and friends. I'm thrilled to welcome three of the book's amazing co-authors, Ian Anderson Gray, Laura Dorman and Lisa Apolinski. They generously share their marketing expertise and insights into their chapters on Live Streaming, Video and Customer Experience.
Key Takeaways* Ian's chapter offers practical tips, mindset strategies, and creative approaches to leverage the power of live streaming for content creation and audience engagement. * Unique perspective on live streaming: Readers can expect some surprising tips from Ian's chapter on live streaming. He mentions the concept of creating content as if it were live, even when not going live. He also emphasizes the mindset shift that live streaming brings, helping content creators overcome perfectionism and achieve consistency. * Repurposing and use cases: Ian discusses the importance of repurposing live-streamed content and explores various use cases of live streaming beyond the basics. These insights can benefit content marketing and visibility efforts, even for those who may feel nervous in front of the camera. * Readers can expect practical tips on delivery techniques, video creation, and YouTube optimization in Laura's chapter, providing valuable insights for leveraging videos and YouTube channels effectively in marketing efforts. * Laura shares tips for feeling comfortable and appearing more effective on camera. These include loosening up the body, making funny faces to open up, and doing breathing exercises. She also suggests engaging in physical activity, such as cardio, before going on camera to help feel more comfortable. * Laura states that 80% of content marketing is currently in video format. She highlights the need for compelling and easily digestible video content, as attention spans have become extremely short. * Laura's delivery techniques for videos: She advises speaking as if talking to one person, creating an authentic and personal connection. She also explains the concept of framing and the importance of being mindful of movements and gestures to maintain a focused and non-distracting presentation. * Laura's YouTube optimization tips: YouTube is a search engine so utilize SEO techniques, proper titling, and keywords to enhance discoverability. * By reading Lisa's chapter, readers can gain a deeper understanding of the significance of customer experience and learn practical strategies for improving it in both digital and human contexts. * Customer experience: Lisa emphasizes the importance of considering customer experience not only in a digital context but also in a human-centered way. She encourages readers to leverage customer experience to build trust, establish relationships, and incorporate their brand story into conversations. The goal is to create a sense of humanity and accessibility rather than being perceived as an impersonal company behind a glass wall. * Personal perspective: Lisa draws from her own experiences with customer service over the past three years to inform her chapter. She reflects on instances where she felt companies had dropped the ball or missed opportunities, and uses those insights to provide guidance on improving customer experience.
Mentioned in This EpisodeThe Most Amazing Marketing Book... Ever by Mark Schaefer and Friends
Connect with our GuestsIan Anderson Gray - Author of Chapter 12 - The Extraordinary Power of Live Streaming
Ian is the founder of the Confident Live Marketing Academy and is the host of the Confident Live Podcast. He helps entrepreneurs level up their impact, authority, and profits by using live video confidently.
Confident Live Podcast
Confident Live Toolkit
Website
Laura Doman - Author of Chapter 11 - Leveraging Your Videos and YouTube Channel
Laura Doman is a former IT sales exec turned film/TV & voice actor, coaching entrepreneurs to become more comfortable and effective on camera themselves.
Website
YouTube
Lisa Apolinski - Author of Chapter 6 - Moving Customer Experience To The Digital Front
Lisa is a digital growth expert, author and speaker and founder of 3 Dog Write. She has been dubbed by Forbes as America's Digital Content Futurist.
Website
Email: lisa@threedogwright.com
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we're talking about some of the different ways you can leverage social media to promote your podcast appearances.
Key Takeaways1. Connect with the host before the interview: Building rapport and a relationship with the host through social media engagement helps create a positive impression and boosts your confidence during the recording. It also positions you favorably for sharing posts about the episode when the host tags you. 2. Share pre-interview posts: Prior to the interview, create posts on platforms like Twitter or Instagram to announce your upcoming appearance on the podcast. By tagging the host and showcasing your preparation, you demonstrate active promotion of your appearance, which can lead to additional exposure when the host shares your posts. 3. Create teasers and previews: With permission, generate interest and anticipation for the episode by hinting at topics discussed or sharing snippets of the conversation. These teasers can be shared on social media to encourage the audience to tune in and engage with the upcoming episode. 4. Engage with the host's posts when the episode goes live: By actively engaging with the host's social media posts, you express gratitude for the opportunity, strengthen your relationship, and increase the visibility of the episode. Engaging with the host's audience and sparking conversations further expands networking opportunities and showcases your expertise, contributing to your personal branding as a thought leader. 5. Repurpose podcast content: Utilize the podcast interview as a source of content for your social media. Break up the interview into snippets, highlight key moments or quotes, create quote graphics, share behind-the-scenes photos or anecdotes, and consider hosting a post-interview Q&A session. Repurposing content maximizes the value of the interview, provides diverse content formats, and engages your audience in different ways. Collaborating with the host on cross-promotion amplifies exposure to both audiences and encourages joint content creation such as videos or live streams. 6. Bonus: Encourage audience reviews and testimonials: Request your audience to leave reviews or testimonials about the episode and share them on social media. This not only increases exposure and attracts more listeners but also enhances your credibility and strengthens your relationship with the host.
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we are joined by world-renowned digital transformation and social media influencer Vladimer Botsvadze who talks about how to build a successful personal brand through social media.
About Vladimer BotsvadzeRanked as the No. 1 Global Marketing, Social Media and Retail Thought Leader by Thinkers360 in 2023 with over 130,000 followers across his social media platforms, Vladimer Botsvadze is a world-renowned digital transformation and social media influencer and keynote speaker who initiates change, drives growth, and positions brands as market leaders in their industries. He has more than 15 years of international experience with a proven track record and has enjoyed an outstanding career at the top of the technology industry. Vladimer has been described as ''a pioneer across the globe'' by the Exeleon Magazine.
Vladimer has become one of the world's top-rated speakers on technology and he has been booked by Startup Grind, Digital Talk Forum, AI Conversational Summit, and Global Marketing Summit. His performance at the Global Marketing Summit has been watched by 50,000+ participants from 143 countries, 6 continents, and 922 cities. His keynote speeches center around his social media career and his marketing strategies provide a foundation for success. He helps high-performers achieve their growth and prepares organizations to think with a new perspective on the future of marketing. His expertise is trusted by the American Marketing Association.
Always ahead of the curve, Vladimer is an Advisory Board Member of the United States Artificial Intelligence Institute and the United States Data Science Institute. He has been elected as a jury member at the Digital Revolution Awards and the Prolific North Marketing Awards in the UK. In addition, he is a member of the Marketing Judging Committee of the American Business Awards and he has recently been invited as a judge to the Gartner Marketing and Communication Awards in London. He has been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, and Yahoo Finance. Moreover, Vladimer is a career mentor at the University of Westminster and a marketing mentor at global start-up accelerators including UCL Hatchery Startup Incubator, Abu Dhabi SME Hub, Seedstars, Take Off Istanbul, Hype Sports Innovation, FasterCapital and APX VC. He has recently started mentoring start-ups at the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
One of the world's most recognized marketing personalities, Vladimer has contributed to the European Business Review. He has been interviewed by World Biz Magazine, Natfluence, Billion Success, Thought Leader Magazine, Irish Tech News, and Emerging Europe. He sets the highest standards for marketing and delivers extraordinary results. With many successful projects to his name, he provides the matchless opportunity to global clients in navigating the ever-changing modern business world. Vladimer is equipped with a plethora of game-changing strategies tailored to give his clients a competitive advantage that guarantees long-term success and sustainability.
Vladimer has been recognized as a Transformative Leader of the Year by Exeleon Magazine, Enterprise World Magazine has listed him among the Top 5 Successful Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2022 and Insights Success Magazine has named him among the Top 10 Inspiring Business Leaders Making a Difference. The CIO Today Magazine has recognized him among the Luminaries The Most Iconic Leaders You Must Follow For Inspiration. Vladimer is among the Top 25 Digital Transformation Influencers by Sparity and the Top 100 Global Retail Influencers by RETHINK Retail.
Key Takeaways* Your online reputation matters more than ever. You will be inspired to build a powerful online personal brand using social networks including Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram, and more. Sharpen your instincts to ensure you stay one step ahead of the competition. * Be strategic about crafting and positioning your personal brand. Build a powerful reputation, which is vital to your success. Explore how to manage a personal brand and attract opportunities to you. Discover top strategies on how to break through the noise, stand out from the competition and build your online presence. * Develop a pragmatic visibility and profile strategy. Build trust and credibility. Create a culture of authenticity and trust. Use the force of social media to connect with others. Discover new ways to stand out in a crowded global marketplace.
Quote
We need to leave our comfort zone if we want to win, because nothing great happens in comfort zone. It is very destructive.
Connect with Vladimer BotsvadzeWebsite
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome Master Networker and author of The Quality Connector, Barry Kopulos, to the podcast. We talk about:
- Techniques to use when networking
- The benefits of networking
- Saying Yes to opportunities
About BarryBarry is the President of Prairie multimedia productions and author of Make Quality Connections - How to up your networking game and was given the title The Master Networker-The Connector. He produces the Connected Networker a global podcast on which he interviews authors, CEOs, influencers, speakers and coaches, and Ready Set Action Live where he interviews directors, producers, writers, actors and animal trainers.
Barry has been a background actor in over 30 films including Capote and Quarantine.
Barry received two Certificates of Appreciation awards for his talk on networking at the Biznet Sparks networking organization. He also received a Guinness World Record Certificate for participating in a global Pod fest Expo with 5816 attendees over 5 days.
Barry gives back to his community by volunteering for non-profits, charities and cultural events. He enjoys traveling around the world, attending musical events and summer outdoor events. He enjoys photography and videography.
Key Takeaways* Use the acronym "FORM" to guide you when networking. F is for family, O is for occupation, R is for recreation, and M is for message. * Start by talking about family, heritage, genealogy, and occupation to break the ice. * Mention recreation and hobbies to find common interests and topics to discuss. * End the conversation by conveying a clear message of what you can offer or what you want to achieve. * You never know when a lucrative opportunity might be just around the corner.
Quote
You have to step outside your comfort zone. You have to think outside your box and try new things and challenges, and you'll go far in life. Barry Kopulos
Mentioned in This EpisodeIMDb: Michael O'Sullivan (II) in The Paper Nazis (2011)
Disasters Of The Century | Season 4 | Episode 47 | Dryden Air Crash | Reupload
(Glimpse Barry at 9:50)
Connect with Barry KopulosLinkedIn
YouTube
Website
The Connected Networker Podcast
Ready Set Action Podcast
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Following on from episode 80, in today's episode of The Best Guest we are answering your questions about being a podcast guest. If you've ever wondered about any of the following then listen in:
- How do I promote my appearance on a podcast to my followers or audience?
- Can I use the podcast recording for my own marketing or content purposes?
- What equipment do I need to ensure a high-quality audio recording?
- Will I be able to see the questions/topics beforehand or will they be a surprise?
- What should I do if I have technical difficulties during the recording?
Key Takeaways* There are several ways to promote your appearance on a podcast, including sharing posts about the episode on your social media platforms, letting your newsletter subscribers know about the episode, creating a podcast page on your website with links to the shows, and asking the host for graphics, quote graphics, audiograms, and video clips that you can schedule to go out across your platforms periodically. * The use of the podcast recording for your own marketing or content purposes will depend on the specific podcast and the terms under which it was recorded. The host or podcast owner owns the copyright. So ask permission before using the recording. * It's essential to have good equipment before starting podcast interviews, as some hosts may ask for confirmation about the equipment before booking you on their show. At a minimum, you need headphones or earbuds, an external microphone, and ideally a webcam. You can get reasonably priced podcasting bundles that include all of these, and it's important to wear headphones for good sound quality. * It's crucial to get an external microphone rather than relying on the inbuilt microphone in your computer, as it won't be good enough. There are lots of choices, such as condenser microphones and dynamic microphones, but it depends on your environment and the noise around you. USB microphones are simple to use, but if you're setting up a home studio, an XLR microphone may give you more flexibility. * Some accessories you might want to consider include an arm and a shock mount for your microphone, as well as pop filters and mic covers to reduce plosive sounds. It's also worth investing in a webcam, as many podcasts have a video element, and good lighting can make you look and feel much better on camera. A ring light is a good option for this, but you don't have to spend a fortune. * Before recording your podcast, make sure to test all your equipment and do a sound check. This will help you avoid any technical difficulties during recording and ensure that you have a high-quality recording. * Technical difficulties will happen from time to time and most people understand this. Just communicate with the host as soon as possible to rearrange the interview.
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we welcome author, voice actor and coach Nic Redman to the podcast.
We talk about:
- How to warm up for a podcast interview
- Nerves, breathing and umms and ahs
- Nic's set up for podcasting and voice overs
About Nic RedmanNic helps professional voice users explore their vocal potential so they can reach their speaking, recording and performance goals. She’s taught voice, voiceover & accents at some of the top drama schools & theatres across the UK and has carried out voice overs for clients including the BBC and Tesco. She is the author of On the Mic, the ultimate book for Voiceover Artists, Podcasters, Speakers and Presenters.
Key Takeaways* Humans get in the way of themselves when it comes to breathing. Breathing can be affected by nerves and tension in the vocal tract but there are things you can do to control it. * When preparing for a podcast appearance or voiceover focus on releasing breath and tension * Nic's preparation process for speaking on the mic involves four steps: body awareness, release of tension, breath exercises, and exercises for sound and speech. * Nic also works on getting mobility of the vocal folds and the larynx and just working on range expression and variety to avoid sounding monotone. * Before an interview make sure the mic is in a useful position, and ensure that you're comfortable * You shouldn't worry too much about using filler words like "umms" and "ahs" because flawed communication is a natural part of human communication, and people are used to processing flawed communication in their everyday lives. * If someone is using too many filler words to the point where it becomes distracting or impedes their ability to communicate effectively, it could be a sign that they need to reflect on their level of preparedness or comfort with the topic at hand. * One way to deal with filler words is to replace them with another sound or phrase or to simply pause and take a breath to gather one's thoughts before speaking.
Quote
There's this weird idea that if you're on a show... you have to like be perfect and your speech has to come out in this really perfect informed way. The reason you're being brought on to speak about something is because you're passionate and informed about something, right? When you're passionate about something, sometimes you trip up over your words.
Mentioned in This EpisodeOn the Mic Book
Free Warm Up for Podcasting
The Vocal Empowerment Programme
Descript Tutorials
Connect with Nic RedmanInstagram
Website
Connect with Victoria BennionTo learn more about how we can support you with a podcast interview strategy visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we are answering your questions about being a podcast guest. If you've ever wondered about any of the following then listen in:
- What do I need to prepare before appearing on a podcast as a guest?
- How do I find podcasts that are relevant to my industry or expertise?
- What should I wear during the podcast recording?
- How long does a typical podcast recording session last?
- What are some tips for being an engaging and interesting guest on a podcast?
Key Takeaways* Preparation is key to being a great podcast guest. Before appearing on a podcast, it's important to research the show, prepare any necessary materials, and ensure that your online presence looks professional. * It's important to be mindful of your environment and technology when recording a podcast interview. Make sure you have the right equipment and check the acoustics of the room, minimise background noise, and turning off notifications on your computer and phone to ensure a good recording. * To find relevant podcasts you need to understand who your target audience is and then research shows that align with their interests. * Smaller shows with niche audiences can offer great opportunities for guest appearances. It's important to focus on being on the right show with the right listeners, rather than trying to be on the biggest show possible with the wrong audience. * It's important to know if the show is video as well as audio so you know what to wear * Lengths of shows vary hugely. Look at previous episodes to get an idea of what to expect * Sharing stories helps listeners to remember you and increases their chances of connecting with you. Additionally, being prepared, listening to the host's questions, using their name, and relaxing and enjoying the conversation can all contribute to a successful guest appearance.
Mentioned in this EpisodeHow to be a Great Guest Checklist
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In episode 79 of The Best Guest we welcome email marketing expert Hillel Berg. We talk about:
- The common mistakes people make with their email marketing
- Ways to grow your email list
- The typical ways people leave money on the table with their email marketing
AboutHillel Berg is an Email Marketing Expert. His self-titled company provides email marketing services to e-commerce companies to help them get the most from their email marketing efforts. He's also the host of Inboxing, the podcast about email marketing.
Key Takeaways* The biggest mistake with email marketing is not doing any * Think content, content, sales with your email marketing * Segment your list and send relevant emails which will improve engagement * Everyone loves to receive a Happy Birthday message from brands with a coupon * You want to send as many emails as you can without getting annoying * Lead magnets are important for every single business * It's essential to have a good welcome sequence. Automations are way more effective than campaigns * Once you have a lead magnet, let everyone know about it * Webinars are a great way to get people on your list * Permission isn't permanent so always have an unsubscribe option * it's a good idea to purge, especially if you are active and you send emails and people are not engaging sunset, flow, let 'em go. * A little personalisation can go along way
Quote
Another thing a lot of brands aren't doing which is huge, is to realize that email is a one-to-one. One of the biggest mistakes people make is that they think of email as one to many. Like they're putting up a billboard but if you write your emails like you're writing to one person, you're writing to a friend, and you just say it out loud, that could be such a difference maker and engaging your audience. And it could be a small audience. It could be 50 people. But a customer could be worth, half your livelihood.
Mentioned in This EpisodeChad White Email Marketing Rules
Connect with Hillel BergLink Tree
Website
Inboxing Podcast
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this podcast episode we discuss how business owners can deal with criticism without letting it derail their efforts to grow their business and increase visibility:
Key Takeaways1. Criticism is inevitable when you are a business owner and is a sign of growth. 2. It is important to stay calm and objective when receiving criticism, as it is feedback about your business and not a personal attack on you. 3. Refund requests are a rite of passage and are going to happen. Do not let this criticism derail you. 4. Criticism can be a learning opportunity to identify areas where you can improve your business. 5. Try not to take criticism to heart and remember the positive feedback you have received.
Mentioned in This EpisodeTravis Brown on Instagram
Travis Brown on The Best Guest: How to Get a Million Views on Reels
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In episode 77 of the podcast we welcome Enneagram expert Ali Dunn. We talk about:
- The nine types of the enneagram
- How the enneagram can help you understand yourself and others
- Using the enneagram with individuals and teams
About Ali DunnAli Dunn is a San Francisco Bay Area facilitator, speaker, and leadership coach for creative and ambitious professionals and entrepreneurs. Mother of two and former sales executive turned ICF certified coach, Enneagram practitioner, and graduate of the Berkeley Executive Training Institute, Ali’s highest intention is to empower individuals and teams to connect to their why and overcome self-doubt, perfectionism, and burnout by stepping out of their comfort zone and into their power.
Ali works with a range of clients seeking career growth and transitions from tech to higher education, whether they are launching a business or up-leveling their current role. She also works with creatives, from retailers to photographers, helping them align their work and life while they grow a profitable business. In addition to having her own private practice, Ali has also served as a mentor coach for female founders at The Hivery, The Huddle and the non-profit Women for Change.
Key Takeaways* The Enneagram is a personality tool made up of nine different archetypes that help understand people's motivations behind their decision making. Each type is based on a specific motivation, and the Enneagram is a way to understand how people work and how to relate to them based on their motivation. * The Enneagram can provide a greater understanding of the reason why people do certain things, and it is a place for communication and connection. * The Enneagram can bring incredible transformations by providing awareness and insight into an individual's habits, strengths, and blind spots. * The enneagram can be used to unpack team dynamics and identify dominant and missing traits. It can also be used to understand communication and feedback within a team, which is essential for trust and progress. * Ali's advice for someone feeling stuck in their life or business is to know yourself on a deeper level and strip away external expectations and limiting beliefs that may not be true. This can be achieved through self-reflection, spending time alone, and exploring tools like the Enneagram. * Building a relationship with oneself is important for holding onto personal truths and beliefs, especially in the face of opinions and feedback from others. It is also important to be okay with failing and to use failures as opportunities for growth.
Quote
The greater the relationship you can build with yourself, then the easier it is to hold onto your truths and your beliefs and just simply say, thank you, I appreciate this, but I'm gonna try it this way.
Mentioned in This EpisodeEnneagram Assessment
Connect with Ali DunnWebsite
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
As I return from Social Media Marketing World 2023 I share my top takeaways from the event:
Key Takeaways* Attending events can be beneficial for learning about industry trends and best practices, networking, and personal development. * AI was a hugely popular topic at the Social Media Marketing World conference, which indicates how popular and embraced it is right now. * Jade Beason recommended nurturing your audience on Instagram using engagement stickers, such as quantity stickers, q & a, and quizzes, before converting them. * According to LinkedIn expert, Judi Fox, 30 to 40 touchpoints are needed before someone is ready to buy from you so clear instructions and consistent posting are necessary to nurture your audience on this platform. * Growing a brand hashtag on LinkedIn for sustainable visibility in the future is a good strategy, and don't be afraid to use it repeatedly on your profile. * If you want to get started with video but you are tight for time and feel stuck because of how long editing can take opt for doing live streams, where the format doesn't have to be as polished. * Long form content such as videos and podcasts are really great for thought leadership. * Don't overlook the networking opportunities at events. They're our favourite part.
Mentioned in This EpisodeJudi Fox
Latasha James
Roberto Blake
Jade Beason
Social Media Marketing World
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
This week the tables are turned as Victoria Bennion is interviewed by Badass Life & Leadership coach, Elen Sentier for her Power-Full Woman series on the Soul in Your Business podcast. Elen and Victoria talk about:
- The importance of nature
- The power of making a real connection
- The Best Guest Programme
- Being a Great Guest on Podcasts
- Chat GPT
Mentioned in This EpisodeJammy Digital
Connect with Elen SentierWebsite
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this week's episode of The Best Guest we're talking about why consistency with podcast interviews matters. We're looking at the different benefits you'll get from being a podcast guest when you commit rather than dabble.
Key Takeaways* Consistent podcast interviews can establish you as an expert in your field, help increase brand awareness, and build trust with your audience. * Podcast interviews are timeless, so they can be discovered by potential clients or customers months after the initial airing. * Being a guest on podcasts offers a great opportunity to benefit from the host's established audience and build trust with listeners. The more you'll do the more opportunity you have to reach a wider audience and grow your own * Consistent podcast interviews can help improve search engine optimization (SEO) by providing fresh and relevant content for search engines to index. * Participating in podcast interviews can help you refine your speaking skills and messaging over time. The more you do, the better you'll get. * Regular guest appearances on podcasts can provide a variety of content to engage your followers and fans on social media platforms. When you're consistent you have a constant source of fresh content.
Quote
"Consistent podcast interviews can help you establish yourself as an expert in your field by consistently sharing your knowledge and insights with your audience." - Victoria Bennion
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In episode 73 of The Best Guest Victoria Bennion discusses the differences between podcasts and radio.
- While radio is traditionally broadcast over the airwaves and distributed at specific times, podcasts are typically distributed through the internet and can be listened to on demand.
- Radio programs are more structured, whereas podcasts are more flexible with their structure and content.
- Radio shows are often produced by large broadcasting organizations, whereas podcasts can easily be produced by individuals or small teams with little to no budget.
- While radio stations rely on advertising revenue to support their operations, podcasts can generate revenue through sponsorships, merchandise sales, or paid subscriptions.
- Overall, the main differences between radio and podcasts are in distribution, timing, length, content, format production, and revenue models. The episode ends with an invitation to visit the host's website to book a free podcast guesting strategy session.
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
What kind of results are you getting from your podcast interviews? If you're not getting great results yet then the problem is rarely the size of the shows. In today's episode we talk about 8 reasons your podcast interviews may not be working for you.
Key Takeaways* Poor audio quality can negatively impact your interview, so using an external microphone and wearing headphones can improve sound quality. It is also important to avoid echo in the room and turn off any disruptive sounds from devices, fans, or air conditioning. * Being unprepared can affect the quality of your interview. You should know the platform that the host is using, be confident about the topics you are discussing, and avoid showing up unprepared with a script. * Over-preparation can also be detrimental to your interview. While it's useful to prepare beforehand, it's important not to show up with a script, as it may sound unnatural and disengage the audience. * Stories are important in engaging listeners and building emotional connections, as stories make information more memorable and relatable. * Instead of being a pushy salesperson, focus on adding value to your interview by sharing your knowledge, experiences, and expertise, to grow your brand. * Poor rapport with hosts. Use the hosts name and engage with them during your conversation. * Not being enthusiastic or sounding enthusiastic about the topics you're talking about. * Not being a guest on the right shows. Periodically evaluate which podcasts are the most successful for you and go on more of these kinds of shows. * Not having a call-to-action that's resonating with listeners. You may need to experiment.
Quote
The problem is rarely the number of listeners of the podcast
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this episode we consider if ChatGPT is the new secret weapon of successful podcast guests. We talk about:
- How ChatGPT can support you with preparation for your conversations on podcasts
- The ways ChatGPT can help you with repurposing your podcast interviews
- ChatGPT's limitations
Key Takeaways1. ChatGPT is a chatbot developed by OpenAI that can provide information and answer questions 2. If you need to think through your talking points for an interview ChatGPT can help provide information about different topics 3. ChatGPT can generate questions based on the topics guests want to discuss on podcasts but you only want to use them as a starting point. 4. ChatGPT's usefulness may vary depending on the depth of information required, and the ease with which it can be found elsewhere. 5. While ChatGPT has the potential to be a secret weapon for podcast guests in that it can save you a lot of time you should use it as a basis for your research and then make sure that you take what it gives you to the next level.
Quote
"Everywhere you turn there’s talk of ChatGPT. So what exactly is ChatGPT and is it really the secret weapon of podcast guests?"
Mentioned in This EpisodeChatGPT
Nurturing Nurodiversity
Online Marketing Made Easy
The Pen Podcast
Beyond the Basics: 20 Non-Obvious Uses of ChatGPT for Marketing
Joeri Billast CMO Stories
Lindsay Cambridge - Jammy Digital
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
A question we're frequently asked is, Will podcast interviews help me to sell copies of my book? If you lean into the strategy of being a guest we've seen this work really well. We look at:
- The importance of setting clear goals
- Having a good call to action
- Making your interviews work hard for you
Key Takeaways* Before you begin booking podcast interviews be clear on your goals as a guest * Consider the different ways you could see a return on your investment * Think of your podcast interview as the beginning of your relationship with the listener * If you’re consistently showing up on podcasts the listener has several opportunities to hear you on different shows and get to know you, increasing those touch points that will help them decide to buy from you * It’s really important to have a good call to action at the end of the podcast. * Your call to action will align with your goals for being a guest * You'll get the exposure to the host's wider community - on social media and to their newsletter subscribers - when you're a guest * Make your podcast interviews work hard for you by repurposing them across your different channels
Quote
View your podcast interview as the start of a beautiful relationship with a listener rather than a wham bam transaction.
Mentioned in This EpisodeRupal Patel from CIA to CEO
Dave McKeown The Self-Evolved Leader
Adam Robarts - Nineteen
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Today we welcome the founder of the Poet Life, Christoph Jenkins to the podcast. We talk about:
- How to use poetry for team building
- Why poets don't need to be starving artists
- Poet Life's work to help young people express themselves
Key Takeaways* Keynote poets can engage your audience with word play * Poetry has taught all of us to read * We can use poetry as a tool to flush out your emotions and express yourself * You can have a career as a poet * Don't ask your children what they want to be when they grow up. Ask what they want to create right now * Open mic is a great way to team build * It's effective to give your employees a platform to express themselves creatively * Poetry can help employees find common ground
Quote
It's not about just giving [our children] examples. It's about becoming one.
Mentioned in This EpisodeObie West
Connect with Christoph JenkinsWebsite
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
A strong one sheet will help you book more podcasts. This week on The Best Guest we're talking about:
- How to create a one sheet that stands out
- Why a strong one sheet is helpful to a podcast host
- Setting up a media kit
Key Takeaways* Your one sheet will give hosts a picture of what an interview with you could sound like * Your one sheet is the place to show what's unique about you, how you're different from others in your niche * A one sheet should not be selly. It should not be all about your product or service * Your one sheet should include your biography (written in third person), suggested topics and questions, your head shot, your contact details * It's a nice touch to match the fonts and colours of your one sheet to your branding. It helps hosts make that connection when they look you up and know they have the right person * A good one sheet builds trust with a host and creates the right impression of you * To make sure you stand out from the crowd question, what makes you you, what sets you on fire? What have you helped your clients achieve? Why do they come to you? How is your approach different from others in your industry? * Create a media kit folder. You could do this on Google Drive. Add everything a host is likely to ask for such as your headshot, different length biographies, and one sheet. If you're an author add your book blurb and different renderings of your book cover
Mentioned in This EpisodeGet your free professionally-designed One Sheet template here.
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Today Jake Thomas joins us to talk about How to Create You Tube titles that people click. Jake is the author of the popular Creator Hooks newsletter. We talk about:
- Finding title inspiration from other industries
- The difference between writing titles for Google and YouTube
- Split testing your titles
- How to create curiosity
- The importance of modelling titles that work
Key Takeaways* If you don't have a good title no one is going to click your video * Google likes positivity - desire and curiosity rather than negativity * Give the audience what they want and how they want it. Think about why they're searching. * It's a mistake making content that's not for your audience eg if you have a channel about running, your audience aren't coming to you for nutrition tips * If people follow you for your personality you have more flexibility on topics * Don't write long and complicated titles * It's worth split testing titles and thumbnails but not at the same time * Open loops to build curiosity * Taking things to the extreme can work well eg The best camera
Quote
If you don't have a good title no one is going to click your video
Mentioned in This EpisodeJake asked some of the best YouTubers, "How do you write such great titles?"
And they all say the same thing: "I just model what's proven to work on YouTube."
They're not better than you.
They're not smarter than you.
They just model successful videos.
The Creator Hooks email shows you 5 videos worth modelling to help you write great titles and save time.
Subscribe to the Creator Hooks Newsletter here
Connect with Jake ThomasTwitter
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Today I want to encourage you to be more visible this year. Grab that imposter syndrome by the horns and wrestle it to the ground. We reflect on wisdom shared by some of our wonderful guests over the last year and talk about:
- The witch wound
- The importance of self-belief
- How to reframe the idea of self-promotion
- Why you should show your face
- Not worrying about bothering people by emailing them
Mentioned in This EpisodeEpisode 41 - Kelly Weekes
Episode 40 - Rupal Patel
Episode 33 - Catherine Berry
Episode 6 - Teresa Heath-Wareing
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In episode 65 we welcome 100k+ Creator, Keynote Speaker & Coach, Travis Brown to the podcast. We talk about:
- The most important part of video creation (not what you think)
- How to make videos 5 times as fast
- How to get viewers with the sound off to engage!
About Travis BrownTravis Brown is a 100k+ Creator, Keynote Speaker & Coach taking hundreds of creators to 10,000+ Followers, Millions of Views, and 5 Figure Months FAST. He’s the co-founder of Social Boom where he teaches creators how to grow a massive following and monetize it. After starting several successful side hustles, he’s now helping others build their own empire so they can fire their boss!
Travis has over 10 million reels views in the last 6 months by creating high value no BS videos for his audience (and none of the videos are trendy). His goal is to share this method so more creators can beat the ALGO and share their message and impact with the world regardless of their niche.
Key Takeaways* You do not need a fancy camera to get started with Reels. Your phone is more than enough. * Nobody doing more than you will ever criticise you. * If someone criticises you remember someone has probably done that to them and they're trying to pass the hurt on to you. * If you compare yourself to your favourite creator today, and you're at your beginning point, that's not a fair comparison. * You do Zoom calls and Facetimes all day so you're used to video. * Carry out research on YouTube and TikTok before you create your video. * It's important to have a hook so that you can capture attention in the first three seconds so that people stop and look. * Don't try to memorise the whole script. You can film line by line and piece it together. * It's important to use captions so people without sound can follow along and for accessibility. * You have to make your own process that fits your life whether that's creating videos every day or batching content. * Don't let any gurus tell you that you have to post three times a day and you have to put a cover and you have to use trending audio. None of that is true. You have to show up with a good idea that you're talking about something people are interested in and deliver it in the best way possible. * You should make the content you wish existed or something you'd enjoy watching. * When you find something that works, do it again. * You need to be somewhat predictable so people know what to expect.
Quote
Video isn't the future, it's the present
Mentioned in This EpisodeFinal Cut Pro
Cap Cut
Sony ZV1 Camera
Canva
10x Video Challenge
Connect with Travis BrownInstagram
Join Travis and Dan's video challenge here
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
As 2023 approaches and you're considering your goals for the coming year I'd urge you to consider a podcast interview strategy if you really want to make an impact. With that in mind this week I share five tips for getting booked as a guest on podcasts. We look at:
- Auditing your Online Presence
- Putting Together a one sheet
- Making a List of Potential Podcasts
- Evaluating the Podcasts you find
- How to Pitch a Podcast
Mentioned in This EpisodeFree One Sheet Canva Template
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Do you want to increase your domain authority? Are you looking to build backlinks to improve your SEO and drive more traffic to your website? Did you know that podcast interviews are a top way to do this? On this week's episode we talk about:
- What are backlinks and why do we need them?
- How podcast interviews help you to build backlinks
- How to get maximum SEO benefits from your podcast interviews
Key Takeaways* Every site has a domain authority - a number between 0 and 100 and this is based on how important Google thinks your site is. * A backlink is a link from another site to yours and Google sees this as a vote for your site. * A backlink from BBC News has more weighting than a small unknown random site. * By building backlinks you improve your SEO and your domain authority. * Most podcasts have show notes and you get at least one back link here. * Most hosts will ask which links you want them to include in the show notes. If they don't, ask. * If you're asked to provide a title for your episode make sure it includes one of your keywords. * Transcribe your episodes and turn them into optimized blog posts on your website.
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In episode 62 of The Best Guest we welcome Your Nope Coach, Suzanne Culberg back to the podcast. We talk about:
- Moving from 1:1 clients to a group program
- A membership vs a program
- The size of Suzanne's audience when she launched her program
About Suzanne CulbergSUZANNE CULBERG is a coach and author, who helps over-givers and people pleasers learn to set boundaries and say ‘No’ in a way that feels good.
Through her signature online program Why W8? Suzanne has helped hundreds of women break the cycle of putting themselves last and instead build the confidence to set boundaries.
Suzanne’s passion for helping women is fueled by her own experiences of over-giving, over-consuming, and over-doing everything. She’s on a mission to not only help women set boundaries for themselves but also to make boundaries normal. We should be saying ‘No’ more often.
Suzanne is a Certified Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic programming (NLP) and holds a Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours). Suzanne also has Certificates III and IV in Fitness,and is a Certified Sacred Depths Practitioner.
Suzanne lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband Jeremy and her two young children who keep her both busy and entertained. When she’s not coaching her clients, running her programs, sharing her latest wisdom on Facebook Live, podcasting or writing her popular newsletter, she can be found reading, enjoying Diamond Dotz, or burlesque dancing. She is also a big fan of Yoga.
Key Takeaways* If you're an introvert podcasts interviews are great because you're having a one to one conversation * If you struggle with boundaries it can feel hard to leave a membership * When you're not clear on your boundaries how do you expect your clients to be * Everybody has Facebook. It's wonderful for running a program * Eliminate your Facebook newsfeed with Newsfeed Eradicator so you don't get distracted * The learning curve of running a program can be steep - the tech, managing a group dynamic * If you're early on in your business hire support on a contract basis * By teaching live you can shape the program to each cohort * Suzanne did not have a large audience when she launched Why W8? Her list was 280 and 50 people signed up. The beta round of the course was only $97 * Having a large list adds to your costs so you want your subscribers to be engaged * If you're planning to do a program don't do a beta and offer huge discounts as you won't attract the right people * If you're going to continue with your 1:1 clients be clear about the difference in service between your 1:1 and the group program
Quote
When you are not clear on your boundaries, how do you expect your clients to be?
Mentioned in This EpisodeWhy W8?
Newsfeed Eradicator
Connect with Suzanne CulbergWebsite
Newsletter
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit
This week's episode is for you if you don't have a solid, uninterrupted 8 hours to focus on your business, have various demands on your time and are struggling to fit everything in. We talk about:
- How to choose which tasks to do when
- The joy of focus sessions
- Why it's important not to overschedule your day
Key Takeaways* Work out what time slots you have available in the day but don't timetable every second. You need a buffer in case unexpected things come up * Try out Microsoft focus sessions. Set the timer and the do not disturb will go on. You won't see notifications popping up so you can give your task your undivided attention * Do not work all the hours trying to squeeze everything in. If you're working late don't work early as well * It's important to look after yourself. Don't give up everything such as Netflix. You need time to recharge as well. * Outsource what you can and ask your team members to support you with client work and other tasks
Mentioned in This EpisodeThe 10x Rule by Grant Cardone
Microsoft Focus Sessions
Episode 58 with Kris Ward - Win the Hour, Win the Day
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In episode 60 of The Best Guest we welcome Donna Kendrick, the author of A Guide to Widowhood: Navigating the First Three Years, to the show. We talk about:
- What you can do to prepare for an unexpected loss
- The best ways for friends and family to support a widow or widower
- The stages of navigating your finances in widowhood
About Donna KendrickDonna Kendrick will never forget that “Omgosh, what just happened?!?!” moment when she discovered her husband Greg passed away suddenly in November 2013.
During her time of grieving Donna quickly realized that she had stepped into a new role overnight, one where she had to take control of her family’s finances in order to keep life consistent for her and her kids. Important family decisions came on real soon and real quick, and Donna had to figure out how to navigate this new season in her life, which meant finding the professional resources to help.
Donna has made it her life’s work to help other widows and widowers navigate their own financial decisions in the first days, weeks and months of widowhood... and the years to follow. She is the author of A Guide to Widowhood: Navigating the First Three Years (pub. Epic Author July 22) which is here to help through the first days, weeks and months of widowhood… and the years to follow. Donna is also the host of the Widow, Wisdom and Wealth ™ podcast, which aims to remove the intimidation out of financial planning, so families can handle any transitions that come their way.
Donna is an avid long-distance runner who turns her passion into an ability to raise funds for local causes such as Safe Harbor, a grief counselling program. In 2022 Donna married her husband Jim and between them, they have six children. Together with their Newfoundland and English bulldog, they enjoy living in the community of Springfield Township, Wyndmoor, PA.
Key Takeaways* If the worst happens make sure you take a moment to breathe * Surround yourself with trusted people * Get your state documents done * Make sure you have enough life insurance * Don't wait for widowhood to get prepared * Have someone come to meetings with you to take notes * If someone you know has recently lost a partner think what you can do to make their life easier
Quote
It's okay to take the quiet time. Don't be scared of it.
Mentioned in This EpisodeA Guide to Widowhood: Navigating the First Three Years
Connect with Donna KendrickSephton Financial Website
Widow and Wisdom Website
Widow and Wisdom Facebook
Widow and Wisdom Instagram
Widow Wisdom and Wealth Podcast
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Do you ever fall into the trap of thinking bigger is better? In our experience of booking guests on podcasts this just isn't true. There are so many benefits of talking to a small audience consisting of the right people. We talk about:
- Why small audiences are powerful
- How talking to a small audience can help you with your messaging
- Serving the right people over everyone
Key Takeaways* The fact that podcasts typically have small, niche audiences is actually one of the reasons they’re so powerful. * We’ve seen some really great results from our clients being guests on smaller shows and that comes from the intimacy of the medium and the connectivity through sharing stories and giving the audience the chance to know, like and trust you. * With a small audience you can develop a group of loyal fans * Small audiences are really powerful. They're more likely to buy from you * The more you understand who your audience is they more specific you can be with your marketing, your messages * "The goal isn't to serve everyone. The goal is to serve the right people." Seth Godin.
Quote
Conversions are way higher when you have a smaller audience.– Stu Mclaren
Mentioned in This EpisodeSeth Godin
C S Lewis
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Do you ever fall into the trap of thinking bigger is better? In our experience of booking guests on podcasts this just isn't true. There are so many benefits of talking to a small audience consisting of the right people. We talk about:
- Why small audiences are powerful
- How talking to a small audience can help you with your messaging
- Serving the right people over everyone
Key Takeaways* The fact that podcasts typically have small, niche audiences is actually one of the reasons they’re so powerful. * We’ve seen some really great results from our clients being guests on smaller shows and that comes from the intimacy of the medium and the connectivity through sharing stories and giving the audience the chance to know, like and trust you. * With a small audience you can develop a group of loyal fans * Small audiences are really powerful. They're more likely to buy from you * The more you understand who your audience is they more specific you can be with your marketing, your messages * "The goal isn't to serve everyone. The goal is to serve the right people." Seth Godin.
Quote
Conversions are way higher when you have a smaller audience.– Stu Mclaren
Mentioned in This EpisodeSeth Godin
C S Lewis
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your free podcast guesting strategy session today.
To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In episode 58 of The Best Guest we welcome Team Building And Systems Strategist, Kris Ward. We talk about: The Lack of Pillars in Most Businesses The Importance of Outsourcing and Building a Team How to Avoid Shiny Object Syndrome
About Kris WardKris Ward is the leading authority in scaling your business. Kris is the founder of the Win The Hour, Win the Day philosophy. She helps entrepreneurs create their W.I.N Team (what is next) team using her signature Super Tool Kits so you can get your Idea to execution! After the loss of her husband, Kris returned full-time to her work as a marketing strategist. She was thankful to see that her business had not only survived her absence but was growing. Now, Kris has completely changed the landscape for entrepreneurs by sharing the successful practices that allowed her absence. Kris has been interviewed by one of the original sharks from Shark Tank, Kevin Harrington, and ABC’s The Secret Millionaire – James Malinchak. She has been featured on award winning podcasts, radio and TV shows throughout the world. You can hear Kris on her own podcast – Win The Hour Win The Day, where she has engaging conversations with dynamic guests covering a variety of business topics so you can get to your next win now! Key TakeawaysYour team, your time and your toolkits are the biggest misunderstandings and the lack of pillars in most businesses. Think of your calendar as your time bank account. If you're not putting everything into it, like answering your emails, you may think you have eight hours available when you actually have six. The two big things that people miss are outsourcing and building a team. With the Win Formula you should always be 60% execution mode and only 40% admin Businesses do not run on memory. You cannot keep everything in your head. When your calendar is laid out if eliminates shiny object syndrome as you know how much time you've got. You should be able to handle anything, otherwise it's not a proper business
QuoteYou can tell a lot about a business just by looking at their calendar. Connect with Kris Wardhttps://www.freegiftfromkris.com/ (Get Your Free Gift from Kris here) Website https://www.instagram.com/kriswardlive/ (Instagram) https://www.facebook.com/WinTheHourWinTheDay/ (Facebook) https://www.linkedin.com/company/win-the-hour-win-the-day-podcast/ (LinkedIn) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
As Halloween approaches and we're busy picking out scary costumes I thought it would be an ideal time to talk about common fears that can come up when you're thinking about being a guest on a podcast and look at how you can deal with them. Key TakeawaysPodcast interviews are not the same as public speaking. They are a one-on-one conversation. It's you and the host talking, so it can be really helpful to think of it that way. Forget the hundreds or thousands of people that might listen to this episode when you're recording it. Be in the now in your conversation with the host. Take time to research shows properly before pitching and take time over your pitch to ensure the best result possible. If you're asked something you don't know, you can handle it like a politician and say, the real question is or say, that's an interesting question. I'll have to get back to you on that Share what you've seen and you can never be wrong. As Denise Duffield-Thomas says, you don't have to be the only voice in a space, you can be one of a number of voices talking about a topic, bring your thoughts, knowledge and experience. That's enough.
Mentioned in This Episodehttps://atomic.site/ (Andrew and Pete - Atomic) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossophobia (Glossophobia) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
If you're looking to be a guest on podcasts make sure you're maximising your efforts and not making common pitching mistakes. Today we talk about 10 podcast pitch mistakes to avoid. Key TakeawaysPodcast Pitch Mistakes to Avoid: Saying you’ve listened to the show and connected with something discussed when you’ve just picked something out of the show notes. Starting every paragraph with ‘I’ and solely talking about how fantastic you are. Sending a pitch that’s vague and wishy washy. Getting the host’s name wrong. (This should be number one.) Pitching to a show that doesn’t have guests or to a show that only has women, for example. Pitching to a show that’s not recording any more. Not identifying the show you want to pitch to in your outreach. Some hosts have more than one. Be specific. Ignoring how hosts ask to be pitched to. Going on and on and on and on. You need to cover the essentials but don't write an essay. Following up aggressively (but do follow up.)
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
The podcast hosts you connect with when you're a guest on shows are often your ideal client. Let that sink in for a moment. This week we had an email from a client telling us that a host had asked to work with her directly after her first interview. This isn't unusual and is a valuable aspect of a podcast interview strategy. Today we talk about: How to make a good impression with podcast hosts Ways to build relationships with podcast hosts
Key TakeawaysMake a good impression - schedule your interview without delay, send the host everything they need for the interview and show up early Connect with hosts before your interviews on social media Add value during your conversation. Don't be salesy Continue your conversation after the recording has stopped Build your relationship after your interview - send a thank you note/ join a host's community Share your podcast episode when it's live
Mentioned in This Episodehttps://victoriabennion.com/captivate-podcast/improving-business-efficiency-with-yvonne-heimann/ (Improving Business Efficiency with Yvonne Heimann) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
The podcast hosts you connect with when you're a guest on shows are often your ideal client. Let that sink in for a moment. This week we had an email from a client telling us that a host had asked to work with her directly after her first interview. This isn't unusual and is a valuable aspect of a podcast interview strategy. Today we talk about: How to make a good impression with podcast hosts Ways to build relationships with podcast hosts
Key TakeawaysMake a good impression - schedule your interview without delay, send the host everything they need for the interview and show up early Connect with hosts before your interviews on social media Add value during your conversation. Don't be salesy Continue your conversation after the recording has stopped Build your relationship after your interview - send a thank you note/ join a host's community Share your podcast episode when it's live
Mentioned in This Episodehttps://victoriabennion.com/captivate-podcast/improving-business-efficiency-with-yvonne-heimann/ (Improving Business Efficiency with Yvonne Heimann) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Stories build an emotional connection and make listeners stick around longer. They lower our defences and they enable us to teach principles in a much more engaging way than sharing a list of bullet points. Today we talk about: Why telling stories is so powerful What elements to include in your stories
Key TakeawaysWhen we hear a story our brain lights up, the neurons wire together which triggers us to remember more of the information we're hearing A good story consists of a 5 act structure set out by John Yorke in Into the Woods Well told stories release chemicals in the brain. They give the listener a hit of dopamine, oxytocin and PEA which make them feel generous, trusting and in a good mood Your stories don't have to be long and they don't have to be perfect The more you practise telling stories the better you'll get
Mentioned in This Episodehttps://www.expertempires.com/ (Expert Empires) https://www.marieforleo.com/ (Marie Forleo) https://timschmoyer.com/ (Tim Schmoyer) https://www.paulmort.uk/ (Paul Mort) https://www.livconlon.com/home-page (Liv Conlon) https://www.thetransformationagency.com/ (Tess Cope) https://www.johnyorkestory.com/ (John Yorke) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Today we welcome leading ClickUp YouTuber and Business Efficiency Consultant, Yvonne Heimann to the podcast. We talk about: Efficient ways to manage your podcast interviews Why focusing on efficiency over productivity is important How to ensure your business can handle major growth
About Yvonne HeimannYvonne Heimann is not only the leading ClickUp YouTuber, but also a highly valued Consultant to its developers, as well as a passionate Business Efficiency Consultant & Mindset Coach to Live Streamers, Social Media Managers, YouTubers, and Coaches. Using her knowledge of over 12 years running multiple businesses, she helps her clients organize, strengthen, and streamline their businesses into profitability and success. Yvonne is a force to be reckoned with. When her husband died, she was determined to not only resume her passion for building “bulletproof businesses” but also to make sure that those who go through something similar can find the same solace and excitement in entrepreneurship that she did. She wants everyone who goes through a life-changing challenge to know they can come out on top too – even if it takes time. Her work is driven by a vision of a world where digital entrepreneurs not only make a living doing what they are passionate about but thrive and wear their passions as badges of honor. “A world where no one is ever faced with the decision of having to put business and making money over family and loved ones.” That is Yvonne’s mission. Key TakeawaysMake sure your podcast interviews are in your calendar Login to the podcast 15 minutes before the interview is due to start so you're ready Schedule your podcast promotions so you're always promoting one interview Review the tasks on your list and ask if each one really needs to happen. Will it have an impact? If not get rid of it Automate as much as possible in your business so that you can focus on your genius
QuoteTo me, the word productive and what's behind it connects to this hustle mentality of we have to work 24/7. People seem to be getting really tired of this and wanting to make more educated and smart decisions based on data, which is where efficiency comes in.Mentioned in This Episodehttps://clickup.com/ (Click Up) https://app.agorapulse.com/ (Agorapulse) https://airtable.com/ (AirTable) Connect with Yvonne Heimannhttps://askyvi.com/ (Website) https://www.facebook.com/AskYvi/ (Facebook) https://twitter.com/askyvi (Twitter) https://www.instagram.com/askyvi/ (Instagram) https://www.youtube.com/c/askyvi (YouTube) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Today we welcome leading ClickUp YouTuber and Business Efficiency Consultant, Yvonne Heimann to the podcast. We talk about: Efficient ways to manage your podcast interviews Why focusing on efficiency over productivity is important How to ensure your business can handle major growth
About Yvonne HeimannYvonne Heimann is not only the leading ClickUp YouTuber, but also a highly valued Consultant to its developers, as well as a passionate Business Efficiency Consultant & Mindset Coach to Live Streamers, Social Media Managers, YouTubers, and Coaches. Using her knowledge of over 12 years running multiple businesses, she helps her clients organize, strengthen, and streamline their businesses into profitability and success. Yvonne is a force to be reckoned with. When her husband died, she was determined to not only resume her passion for building “bulletproof businesses” but also to make sure that those who go through something similar can find the same solace and excitement in entrepreneurship that she did. She wants everyone who goes through a life-changing challenge to know they can come out on top too – even if it takes time. Her work is driven by a vision of a world where digital entrepreneurs not only make a living doing what they are passionate about but thrive and wear their passions as badges of honor. “A world where no one is ever faced with the decision of having to put business and making money over family and loved ones.” That is Yvonne’s mission. Key TakeawaysMake sure your podcast interviews are in your calendar Login to the podcast 15 minutes before the interview is due to start so you're ready Schedule your podcast promotions so you're always promoting one interview Review the tasks on your list and ask if each one really needs to happen. Will it have an impact? If not get rid of it Automate as much as possible in your business so that you can focus on your genius
QuoteTo me, the word productive and what's behind it connects to this hustle mentality of we have to work 24/7. People seem to be getting really tired of this and wanting to make more educated and smart decisions based on data, which is where efficiency comes in.Mentioned in This Episodehttps://clickup.com/ (Click Up) https://app.agorapulse.com/ (Agorapulse) https://airtable.com/ (AirTable) Connect with Yvonne Heimannhttps://askyvi.com/ (Website) https://www.facebook.com/AskYvi/ (Facebook) https://twitter.com/askyvi (Twitter) https://www.instagram.com/askyvi/ (Instagram) https://www.youtube.com/c/askyvi (YouTube) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In today's episode of The Best Guest we welcome Elen Sentier a best-selling author of British native shamanism who describes herself as a quirky, wilderness woman who is deeply connected with nature. We talk about: What it means to rewild yourself How to stop people pleasing What happens when you're true to yourself
About Elen SentierElen Sentier comes from a long family lineage of Cunning Folk and was brought up as awenydd (spirit keeper) in the old magical traditions of Britain. Elen trained as a transpersonal psychotherapist with Ian Gordon-Brown and Barbara Sommers when health issues led her to retire from her career at the MOD. Elen was thrilled to discover how the transpersonal perspective integrates the personal with spiritual and transcendent aspects of being human, which meshed with the old magical ways she’d been brought up in. Elen initially opened a practice in London but always more at home in the wilderness, she and her husband, a particle physicist, left London for the Welsh Marches. Here, Elen continued to develop her practice using transpersonal psychology and witchyness to help clients become their true selves, rewild their hearts and find what makes their hearts sing. Elen has also taught her work through an apprenticeship and three-year advanced course for over 30 years. Her students, from all walks of life such as policemen, poets, stock brokers and doctors, go on to take the work into their own specialisms. To date, Elen has published 12 books with the Moon Books imprint of John Hunt Publishing, three of which are bestsellers. Her bragging rights include dancing for Arlene Philips; taking contemporary dance class with Robert Cohen; flying in Jaguar fighter aircraft; doing plasma-physics at the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy; and being kissed by Mick Jagger! She loves cats, and eats paleo, and her tag-line is “If the cat and the boyfriend disagree, get rid of the boyfriend!” Key TakeawaysIt's important to be able to say, I can't buy in to that Digestive problems can be about repressed emotions and stress Saying no gets easier when you feel your wild self It's important to get to the roots of why you people please Realise you don't have to keep playing other people's scripts
QuoteWe mostly people please because we don't feel safeMentioned in This Episodehttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Wanderland-Jini-Reddy/dp/147295193X (Wanderland by Jini Reddy)
Connect with Elen Sentierhttps://www.elensentier.com/ (Website) https://www.facebook.com/WyesWomenShamans/ (Facebook) https://twitter.com/elensentier (Twitter) https://www.instagram.com/elensentier009/ (Instagram) https://www.linkedin.com/in/elensentier/ (LinkedIn)
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In today's episode of The Best Guest we welcome former specialist school headteacher and author Ange Anderson. Listen as we talk about: The challenges of setting up and leading a specialist school Technological and therapeutic interventions for children with learning differences Juggling different writing projects
About Ange Anderson Ange Anderson M.Ed opened and led an innovative specialist school in North Wales for 10 years introducing over 25 different therapeutic/technological interventions to support pupils with learning differences. She edited and co-wrote The Future of Special Schools and Therapeutic Interventions and is author of VR,AR & AI in SEN; Trampolining for Children & Young People with SEN; Music, Sound and Vibration in SEN; and Learning through Play for SEN, all published by Routledge. Ange has written several educational articles, some of which were for the Times Educational Supplement (TES) and she contributes regularly to special education magazines. In addition Ange presents internationally on topics related to special education, such as supporting children and adults with Neurodiversity. She is also the special educational needs (SEN) advisor for a global VR company. Ange believes continuing professional development (CPD) for staff holds the key to being an excellent school and has supported schools in finding the most appropriate therapeutic and technological innovations for their school. Ange also writes children’s books under the name Angela Morgan. As well as writing, Ange enjoys going to the ballet, classical music, walking her dog, reading and home decorating. Key TakeawaysAnything where a condition affects the brain means you're neurodivergent You have to do a sensory profile on every child who comes into school and that will inform which therapies may help Instead of thinking some students have behavioural issues, it might actually be that we need to teach the way those children learn
QuoteNeurodivergent people experience, interact and interpret the world in unique ways Mentioned in This Episodehttps://snowdonia.gov.wales/ (Snowdonia) https://www.mendi.io/ (Mendi) https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-are-binaural-beats (Binaural Beats) http://maeshyfryd.co.uk/page/venturing-into-play/40357 (Venture into Play) https://www.tobiidynavox.com/pages/what-is-eye-tracking#:~:text=The%20eye%20tracker%20sends%20out,knows%20where%20you%20are%20looking. (Tobii Eye Gaze ) https://berardaitwebsite.com/ (Berard AIT)
Connect with Ange Anderson Website https://www.facebook.com/angeauthor (Facebook) https://mobile.twitter.com/angelique500 (Twitter) LinkedIn https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMvEV6n38jQhjAVmSQaVwOw (YouTube) SEN Books by Ange Andersonhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Virtual-Augmented-Artificial-Intelligence-Education/dp/0367024535 (VR,AR & AI in SEN) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Therapeutic-Trampolining-Children-Special-Educational-ebook/dp/B0863FZQSW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=294T3QMR7IL3N&keywords=Trampolining+for+Children+%26+Young+People+with+SEN&qid=1662984041&s=books&sprefix=trampolining+for+children+%26+young+people+with+sen%2Cstripbooks%2C36&sr=1-1 (Therapeutic Trampolining for Children & Young People with SEN) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Music-Sound-Vibration-Special-Education-ebook/dp/B094JC2KGG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3DHO9ZPU6D9FW&keywords=Music%2C+Sound+and+Vibration+in+SEN&qid=1662984089&s=books&sprefix=music+sound+and+vibration+in+sen%2Cstripbooks%2C39&sr=1-1 (Music, Sound and Vibration in SEN) Learning through Play for SEN https://www.amazon.co.uk/Future-Special-schools-therapeutic-intervention-ebook/dp/B01BB7D4VM/ref=sr_1_8?crid=1CQL5ZJKQBCS&keywords=ange+anderson&qid=1662983567&sprefix=ange+anderson%2Caps%2C56&sr=8-8 (The Future of Special schools and Therapeutic Intervention)
Fiction Books by Ange Anderson (aka Ange...
Today we're celebrating the 50th episode of The Best Guest. Woohoo! We're talking about: How I got the podcast started Lessons learned about podcasting in the last year How you can win a power hour and professionally-designed one sheet to kick start your podcast interview strategy
Key TakeawaysYou'll get used to the sound of your voice (I promise) Free isn't always best Editing - surprisingly enjoyable but can take ages The Rode NT1-a microphone is fabulous and the Blue Yeti's pretty OK too Just because your tell people you're recording a podcast does not mean they'll be quiet Your podcast can provide you with so much content for your channels Ask your guest to also record your conversation so you have a back up If using Zoom to record your podcast don't press End click stop recording
GiveawayAs a thank you for listening and to celebrate this 50 episode milestone we’re doing another giveaway. The prizes are: A Power Hour with Victoria to kickstart your podcast outreach and a Professionally-Designed One Sheet to send out to hosts
We’ll help you craft solid content and our designer will put together an eye-catching design using your branding. All you have to do to enter is leave a review with on Apple podcasts or Spotify, screen shot it and send it to podcast@victoriabennion.com before midnight BST on Monday 12th September. Mentioned in This Episodehttps://www.charlotte-foster.co.uk/ (Charlotte Foster Podcasts) https://robmoore.com/podcast/ (Rob Moore - Disruptors) https://www.captivate.fm/ (Captivate.fm)
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Podcast interviews truly have the ability to transform your business but how can you track your success? How can you tell what impact your interviews are really having? Listen in as we talk about: The importance of setting clear goals The different ways to track success
Key TakeawaysBe clear about your goals and what you hope to achieve from a podcast interview strategy. Choose a call to action that aligns with your goals. Track your success against your call to action. For example if your CTA is an incentive to get listeners to subscribe to your list, did you see an increase in subscribers when your episode went live? Remember to also look at the other opportunities you've experienced as a result of your podcast interviews. For example, our clients have been asked to speak at conferences, deliver webinars and workshops, write features and articles. The full impact isn't necessarily going to be obvious the day or week your episode goes live. Remember content can be discovered down the line - months after you recorded the show. Your podcast interviews are assets.
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
If you're an author with a book coming out, when is the right time to get started with podcast interviews? Listen in as we talk about: Starting sooner rather than later How to talk about your book on your podcast interviews
Key TakeawaysPodcasts have different lead times so bear this in mind when booking shows You always need to be working to increase your visibility Don't stress about getting the timings perfect Podcasts are evergreen so you'll see benefits from your interviews down the line Appearing on podcast shows in your niche can have a powerful impact Share your knowledge generously on your podcast interviews
Mentioned in This EpisodeMeg Van Deusen - https://www.megvandeusen.com/books/ (Stressed in the US) Adam Robarts - https://nineteen.life/ (Nineteen - 19 Insights Learned from a 19-Year-Old with Cancer) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
As the saying goes, 'You only get one chance to make a first impression so you want to make sure it’s a good one.' Today we're looking at the importance of first impressions and how you can make sure you're making a good first impression with podcast hosts. We talk about: The importance of a good website Auditing your social media accounts How to make good impression at your interview
Mentioned in This Episodehttps://victoriabennion.com/captivate-podcast/create-a-brand-and-website-that-stand-out/ (Create a Brand and Website that Stand Out with Liz Rochester Shaddock) https://www.entirelycatherinephotography.com/ (Photographer Catherine Berry) https://victoriabennion.com/checklist/ (How to be an Excellent Guest Checklist) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Recently I was interviewed for a Byte the Book event by the fabulous founder Justine Solomons. If you haven’t heard of Byte the Book, it has been described as the number one networking organisation in publishing. Byte the Book offers consultancy, runs events and offers lots of benefits to members. When we spoke, Justine asked all about How to Get Booked as a Guest on podcasts so I thought it would be useful to share and edited down version of our conversation with you today. We talk about: Why should you want to be a guest on podcasts The equipment you need How to be a great guest How to find the right podcasts Putting together a great pitch
Key TakeawaysBecause podcasts have niche audiences you can reach the right people Show up to your interviews with the mindset to add value It's better to talk to a small number of the right people There are podcasts looking for guests like you Always follow-up It's important to promote your podcast interviews
Mentioned in This Episodehttps://bytethebook.com/ (Byte the Book) Connect with Justine Solomons and Byte the Bookhttps://www.facebook.com/ByteTheBook/ (Facebook) https://twitter.com/BytetheBook/ (Twitter) https://www.linkedin.com/company/byte-the-book/ (LinkedIn) https://www.instagram.com/bytethebook/ (Instagram) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Good quality audio is so important when you're recording a podcast interview. There's no faster way to make someone stop listening than horrendous sound quality. Our clients get an audio consultation with Zack the Podcast Man to make sure they're sounding fantastic before they start their podcast interviews and on today's episode I share Zack's top tips for killer audio. Key TakeawaysEssential equipment - Headphones or earbuds, an external microphone and ideally a webcam It's important to kill the echo before you record Turn off the notifications on all your devices Turn off heaters and fans and close windows and doors Keep hydrated to avoid unwanted mouth sounds If you live in a busy household put a sign to say, Recording in Progress Don't eat, fidget or multitask during your interview Use your microphone correctly - stay six inches away from it and turn it slightly to the side Make sure all your equipment is working before your interview.
Mentioned in This Episodehttps://www.thepodcastman.com/ (Zack The Podcast Man) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
On today's episode of The Best Guest we're talking about choosing your call to action for podcast interviews. We cover: What is a call to action? How do you choose the right call to action? Examples of great calls to action
Key TakeawaysThe call to action you choose depends on your goals If you send a listener to join your email list or to your social media, make sure you're active there Too many options could confuse the listener Make your URL easy to remember. Keep it simple. Welcome places are a great option for your call to action Your call to action could be a free consultation or call
Mentioned in This Episodehttps://counterweightcreative.co/bestguest/ (Jeremy Enns' Welcome Page) for his Appearance on The Best Guest. Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
What the heck is a One Sheet? That was my reaction when I started pitching my first client and was asked for his One Sheet by a host. Thank goodness for Google! Today we talk about: What is a One Sheet? Why you need one? What should you include?
Key TakeawaysA One Sheet is an interactive PDF It's a place to showcase what's unique about you. This is the place to be specific not general Highlight your expertise in your One Sheet Your topics and questions will set you apart from others talking about similar things
QuoteYour One Sheet is the place to highlight what's unique about youMentioned in This EpisodeGet your free professionally-designed https://mailchi.mp/90f04d52ca58/podcast-pitch (One Sheet template here.) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In today's episode of The Best Guest we welcome SEO specialist, Sarah McDowell. Listen as we talk about: The importance of SEO How being a guest on podcasts is good for your SEO The ways you can maximise the SEO benefits from being a guest on podcasts
About Sarah McDowellSarah is based in the UK and has around 10 years of experience in Digital Marketing, specialising in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). She is currently the SEO Manager at Captivate, a growth-orientated podcast hosting platform, which is part of Global Media & Entertainment. She has worked both inhouse and agency side, meaning she has experience in working in a range of different sectors and industries. Before joining Captivate she was part of the SEO team at Holland & Barrett. Sarah’s early career plans didn’t involve marketing, let alone SEO. After graduating with a 2:1 in Dance & Culture from the University of Surrey, Sarah was unsure as to what career she should pursue. She enjoyed dance but knew she didn’t want a career in it. After applying for a range of different roles, Sarah accepted a job at a web design and marketing agency, and it was here that she fell in love with SEO. The rest as you could say is history… cheesy right? Using data, customer insights and her understanding of how search engines work, such as Google, she implements SEO strategies to best optimise websites, with the end goal of increasing relevant traffic, conversion and improving user experience. Sarah is also a podcaster, conference speaker, previous judge of the Drum Search Awards, trainer and co-author (book yet to be published). In her current role at Captivate, she is combining her two passions which are SEO and podcasting. She has four podcasts under her belt, mainly about SEO, with the latest one only launched a few months ago, called The SEO Mindset podcast. Key TakeawaysSEO is a channel for discoverability of your brand The better visibility you have in Google, the better chance you have to attract prospective customers. Every time a website links to your website this is a back link. Back links help Google to trust your website Use tools such as SEM Rush to see what links you have to your site and what backlinks your competitors have. Appearing on podcasts is a good way to build back links Whenever you appear on a podcast you are getting links to your website Podcasts are evergreen. People can always come across it and find you. You're targeting a new and engaged source of traffic. You're tapping into other people's audiences Podcast interviews feed into EAT - Expertise, Authority and Trust. Google looks at this when ranking pages and websites. Podcast interviews help with EAT because you're seen as authoritative by Google To maximise your podcast appearances for SEO - Suggest a topic, do some keyword research to see what people are searching for and base your episode on that topic You'll receive backlinks in the show notes Make sure you share your episode Repurpose your podcast content. Transcribe it and turn it into a blog Turn your podcast interviews into social media content Embed your podcast interviews on your website but add some text for context. This is good quality content for your website and Google is going to see this. Make your page different from the podcast show's site so you're not competing. Find a different angle
QuoteSetting up a website and leaving it is not good enough. It's like buying a lovely plant for your house and not watering it. Even a cactus needs a bit of water. So if you don't nurture it, it will die. It's the same with your website.Mentioned in This Episodehttps://www.semrush.com/ (SEM Rush) https://www.womenintechseo.com/ (The Women in Tech Community) https://www.womenintechseo.com/ (SEO Mindset Podcast) Connect with Sarah McDowellTwitter - https://twitter.com/SarahMcDUK (@sarahmcduk) Twitter - https://twitter.com/seomindsetpod (@seomindsetpod)...
Today we welcome author coach and marketing mentor Kelly Weekes to the podcast. We talk about: Ways to reframe comparisonitis How to tackle overwhelm Why it's important for authors to prioritise self-care How to deal with rejection and criticism
About Kelly WeekesKelly has been involved with books and publishing for almost her whole working life from when she first started out as a bookseller through to senior marketing roles at HarperCollins and Hodder&Stoughton where she oversaw the marketing across the adult list. She has worked with household brand name authors like Stephen King and Jodi Picoult, launched debut authors and has worked on a broad selection of non-fiction authors. Since starting her own business, Kelly’s focus has been to mentor authors (and some book related organisations) through the process of marketing themselves and their books. Being an author presents all sorts of mindset and confidence challenges that Kelly became more and more aware of through her marketing work with authors. Common challenges are a fear of being visible, how to handle rejection and comparisonitis, lack of self belief, loss of confidence, overwhelm, burnout and procrastination. Through working with a coach herself for a number of years, Kelly recognised the power of coaching to transform people’s performance through working with their mindset. She wanted to take the power of coaching and use it to support authors. Last year she became an accredited coach (Institute of leadership and Management) and now works with her coaching clients to help them past any challenges they face in their author careers. Her real passion is helping existing authors who have been writing and published for a while, but have fallen out of love with their careers for whatever reason and are feeling really negative, reignite their passion for their writing again and to move forward. Nothing beats the satisfaction of seeing an author client who has been feeling burnout and overwhelmed, or has stopped writing altogether, start writing again with ease and positivity. Kelly has delivered workshops and talks on marketing and mindset for organisations like The Independent Publishers Guild, The London Writers Cafe, Byte the Book, The Novelry and Bookmachine. She is a member of the Institute of Leadership and Development. When she is not working, or has her head in a book, Kelly is often running around after her young sons. In the last year she has also started Kickboxing and has fallen in love with sea swimming, managing to swim almost every week throughout the winter. Key TakeawaysPressure on ourselves is constraining for our creativity If you're suffering from comparisonitis think about what is triggering you. There's often a message there. Flip it to show you what's possible for you too. The time you spend worrying about what other people are doing is a waste Dealing with criticism - Know from the outset that not everyone is going to like you and that's OK It's important to take negative reviews with a pinch of salt
QuoteIf we don't have self-belief and confidence it's hard to put ourselves out there and be visible and talk about our books and projectsConnect with Kelly Weekeshttps://kellyweekes.co.uk/ (Website) https://www.instagram.com/kelly_weekes/ (Instagram) https://www.facebook.com/groups/creatingconfidentauthors (Creating Confident Authors Facebook Group)
Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
On today's episode of the podcast we welcome agent-turned-entrepreneur Rupal Patel. We talk about: Rupal's journey from the CIA to becoming a CEO Writing From CIA to CEO Your Personal Energy Map Reframing the idea of Self-Promotion
About Rupal PatelRupal Patel’s high-octane career has taken her from jungles and war zones to boardrooms and international stages. After a thrilling career at the CIA, she earned her MBA from London Business School and started her first award-winning business 10 years ago. Called a ‘Power Woman’ by Harper's Bazaar Magazine, Rupal is a sought-after international speaker and business consultant who has spoken in front of thousands. As a sitting CEO, author, executive advisor, coach and mentor, Rupal helps founders, leaders, and next generation change-makers reset their mindset and make the impossible possible. Her new book From CIA to CEO (Bonnier Books, May 2022) provides a powerful new toolkit for leaders and entrepreneurs that reveals how the techniques of the CIA can help anyone find their voice and thrive in the world of business without conforming to stale stereotypes or dated “best practice”. Rupal shares the unique skills she developed as a woman and field agent in the high-stakes, alpha-male world of the CIA, and combines those clandestine insights with her experiences as a CEO and business advisor. She brings tools and tips from the top-secret world of the CIA into everyday living and leading: methods like Profiling and Situational Awareness that help uncover and amplify strengths, and game-changing new frameworks such as Identity-Driven Leadership and Personal Energy Mapping that unlock performance, develop mental toughness, and build steel-core confidence. With motivating stories and truly unique exercises, Rupal helps her audiences leverage the CIA mindset to remake the rules of success and become unstoppable. Key TakeawaysFrom CIA to CEO is a book fundamentally for living and leading based on your values. What's important to you, setting yourself bold, big dreams, ambitions, goals, and then it contains a very practical toolkit for how you do it. You can explore and experiment. Take some of those CIA tools that I was trained in and adapt them. Discover your Personal Energy Map - Consciously map what your energy ebbs and flows are in the course of a day, week, month, season and where possible align the activities you do in your life and career with where your energy is ebbing and flowing. It's so important to put ourselves out there. People talk about it as self-promotion, as if it's somehow this in your face endeavour, where you're in people's faces. I would like to flip that and reframe it for people. It's not about being self-promoty. It's about being more visible. It's about sharing with the world, what you do, how good you are at doing that thing, the service you provide, the product. You've got this amazing idea that you want to bring attention to. If you don't, in a way it's being very selfish.
QuoteWe are all leaders of our own lives.Mentioned in This Episodehttps://www.entreprenora.co.uk/from-cia-to-ceo.html (From CIA to CEO) Connect with Rupal Patelhttps://www.entreprenora.co.uk/ (Rupalypatel.com) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Today we welcome Danae Shell to the podcast. Danae is Co-founder and CEO of Valla, the UK's first legal platform for employees. We talk about: How to scale your business What to consider when building a team Where to find help if you're having problems at work
About Danae ShellDanae Shell, originally an immigrant from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, taught herself to code on a computer her family bought at a garage sale. With these skills she built websites to fund her college education then immigrated to Scotland to work as a programmer and social researcher. On the side, she created Knickers, a lingerie blog that became the #1 online publication for lingerie in Europe and ranked #1 for the term “knickers” on Google for five years. Danae put her newfound marketing skills to use as a digital marketer at a number of startups, helping to scale successful startups like FreeAgent and Care Sourcer, running award-winning campaigns and helping to raise £1.2m in an equity crowdfunding round. In her work, Danae saw far too many examples of workplace discrimination and harassment, and experienced a few herself. She and her friend Kate Ho got fed up with people having no power to fight back, so they created Valla, the UK’s first legal platform for employees. As Valla’s CEO, Danae has been awarded as a “Disruptive Innovator” and “Rising Star” in the tech industry, and most recently launched Valla’s new Discrimination First Aid training course, a first in the UK.
Key TakeawaysIf you're a founder in an early stage company you have to be close to the coalface. You have to be close to your customers. You can't outsource things like sales and marketing. You can have them on board but you need to have the picture of the whole process How to build a team - Look at what experience and skillsets you have and what you need to bring in to the team Choose people for your business who can innovate over people who have just done it before Focus on process, innovation and collaboration within a team Networking and introductions are the key things to do to find investors Treat seeking investors like a pipeline The highest performing teams are the teams that feel comfortable sharing their mistakes with each other without fear of being punished Bringing up issues is almost the raw material of innovation The more representation you have in a company, the higher performing the company is
QuoteThe smallest unit we should be thinking about when we're thinking about innovating through uncertainty is a teamMentioned in This Episodehttps://www.venturedeals.com/ (Venture Deals) https://fundraising-bootcamp.com/ (Fundraising Bootcamp) https://lunchclub.com/ (Lunch Club) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fearless-Organization-Psychological-Workplace-Innovation/dp/1119477247/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=62672789519&gclid=CjwKCAjwtcCVBhA0EiwAT1fY7zZJZV7puIUZHwB_UA7S-nABtPlOPBdC29o_ZuSR6fqNefmDzpY0SRoCbOIQAvD_BwE&hvadid=318322451224&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1007222&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4523204409089084151&hvtargid=kwd-613261838059&hydadcr=18492_1817284&keywords=the+fearless+organization&qid=1655733174&sr=8-1 (The Fearless Organisation)
Connect with Danae Shellhttps://valla.uk/ (Valla - A New Platform for Getting Your Employment Issue Sorted) https://www.linkedin.com/in/danaeyshell/ (LinkedIn) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Mentioned in this EpisodeTim Lewis and Christelle Lerryn - https://www.facebook.com/ohNoNotAnotherLiveShow (Oh No Not Another Live Show) https://victoriabennion.com/captivate-podcast/making-a-connection-with-catherine-berry/ (Make a Connection with Catherine Berry) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Have you ever asked or been asked how many downloads a podcast has? Download numbers are only part of the picture when looking at a podcast interview strategy. In episode 37 of The Best Guest we look at average podcast download numbers and where the benefits from being a guest on podcasts truly come from. Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
How do you create a successful podcast? Perhaps a show that enables you to quit your current job? And how do you even make money from a podcast? If you're planning to start your own show, listen in to episode 36 to hear key takeaways from the experts at the Podcast Show London 2022. Mentioned in this episodehttps://redhandedpodcast.com/ (Redhanded Podcast) https://www.secondcaptains.com/ (Second Captains Podcast) https://saturnreturnswithcaggie.libsyn.com/ (Saturn Returns Podcast with Caggie Dunlop) https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=victoriabennion1 (Mark Asquith and Captivate FM) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Key TakeawaysIt's Sinead's belief that almost every woman we know in the workplace isn't getting paid what she deserves. Pretty much every women needs to make what they do more visible and needs to build great relationships Women put pressure on themselves to be all things to everyone and to be amazing and fail to live up to these expectations. It's important to work on your mindset and recognise you are enough Cold water swimming is invigorating. It's like a reset button The biggest changes Sinead has experienced in her business are when she's gone and sort coaching or a mastermind, finding the right person to help with the next stage. Sinead's goal is to elevate at least 1 million women's careers.
Top Two Lessons Sinead has Learned 1. To treat fear differently "If I'm feeling afraid of something, it's probably worth pursuing because the best things in life require you to push outside your box." 2. If you don't know, go and ask QuoteFear is like a excited friend saying, 'You've got to do this. It's amazing!'Mentioned in this Episodehttps://atomic.site/rebels/?aap=145 (Andrew and Pete's Rebels Programme) https://thesystemsalchemist.com/ (Jodie The Systems Alchemist) Connect with Sinead Sharkey-Steensonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sinead-sharkey (LinkedIn) https://genwomen.global/ (Website) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
This week on The Best Guest we're talking about when is the right time to get started with a podcast interview strategy. Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Today we welcome brand photographer Catherine Berry to the podcast to talk to us about why it's so important to show ourselves in our marketing and how we can take better photos. Key TakeawaysShow your face to make a better connection in your marketing Our brains process 11 million pieces of information every second but only 40 are likely to be conscious Three main triggers that will draw our attention - Food, sex, faces. We link to faces in an emotional sense Be more confident to bring those emotions to your visual content. Anything we can do to make a better connection Where is the personality? Where is the emotional link? This is our shop window. What is making people want to come in to your shop? Selfies are a quick and easy way to connect with your audience Virtual photoshoots are a great way to batch up content if you don't have time for a full brand shoot
Catherine's Top Tips for Taking Better PhotosGet a selfie stick that can turn into a tripod and has a remote trigger Plan your outfit, introduce props, move about, take full body shots, make different expressions and take a batch of photos which you can edit and you will have a lot of visual content Don't go too crazy with filters. You don't want to hide behind them Turn your photos into videos with Inshot. Algorithms love video
QuoteThere needs to be a point of difference and we the people are that difference. So stand out. Be more you.Mentioned in this Episodehttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.adobe.psmobile&gl=GB (Photoshop Express) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.camerasideas.instashot&gl=GB (Inshot) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&gl=GB (Snapseed) https://www.entirelycatherinephotography.com/selfies-masterclass (Catherine's Selfies Masterclass) https://victoriabennion.com/captivate-podcast/create-a-brand-and-website-that-stand-out/ (Create a Brand and Website That Stand Out with Liz Rochester Shaddock) Connect with Catherine Berryhttps://www.entirelycatherinephotography.com/ (Website) https://www.instagram.com/entirelycatherinephotography/ (Instagram) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Our guest this week is international mindset coach, Suzanne Culberg who transforms bodies and minds. She is also a speaker and author of The Beginning is Sh*t, an unapologetic weightloss memoir. Suzanne believes women often gain weight because they give too much to others. They over eat because they over give. Suzanne’s passion for helping women is fueled by her own weight loss journey, going from 150kg (330lbs) to maintaining the healthy 72kg (158lbs) she is now. Suzanne helps her clients deal with negative patterns of behaviour, build confidence, and create lasting change, like she has experienced with her own incredible body transformation. Suzanne is a Certified Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic programming (NLP) and holds a Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours). Suzanne also has Certificates III and IV in Fitness, and is a Certified Sacred Depths Practitioner. Suzanne lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband Jeremy and her two young children who keep her both busy and entertained. When she’s not coaching her clients, running her programs, sharing her latest wisdom on Facebook Live, podcasting or writing her popular newsletter, she can be found reading, enjoying Diamond Dotz, or burlesque dancing. She is also a big fan of Yoga. Key TakeawaysGiving and receiving are like inhaling and exhaling. You can't have one without the other. People who overgive end up overconsuming in some way Learn to say no in a way that feels good to others so that you can say yes to yourself Overgivers are often really bad receivers. We need to retrain ourselves to be good receivers. We think when we lose weight we'll be magically happy and confident but you're still you. You just take up less space If you don't address what's driving your overconsuming you will switch your overconsuming to something else How we do anything is how we do most things People appreciate good clear boundaries
QuoteClear is Kind - Brené Brown Connect with Suzanne Culberghttps://www.suzanneculberg.com/ (Website) https://www.facebook.com/suzanneculberg (Facebook) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Welcome to part 3 of our mini-series, Booking Guests for your Podcast. In part one we looked at finding potential guests for your podcast. In part two we talked about how to pitch guests for your show. Today we're focusing on making sure your guest episode is a success - from scheduling your guest, to preparing for your interview, sharing and repurposing the episode. Mentioned in this episodehttps://www.gordonfiremark.com/PodcastRelease (Podcastrelease.com) https://victoriabennion.com/captivate-podcast/successful-speaking-with-perdita-andrews/ (Episode 19 - Successful Speaking with Perdita Andrews) https://patflynn.com/ (Pat Flynn) https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=victoriabennion1 (Captivate.fm) https://robmoore.com/ (Rob Moore) Book your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In the last episode we looked at how to find guests for your podcast. In Part 2 of the mini-series, Booking Guests for your podcast, we talk about the different ways to pitch guests to be on your show. Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Recently we've been asked about booking guests for your own podcast, so we've put together a three-part mini series looking at how to find podcast guests for your show, how to pitch potential guests and when you get a yes how to schedule your guests, prepare for your interview, share and repurpose the episode. In part one we share our tips and tricks for finding guests for your show. Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Our guest this week is brand and website designer Liz Rochester Shaddock. Liz specialises in delivering professional, bespoke and highly converting websites in 30 days. Liz talks about how you can create a brand and website for your business that stand out from the crowd. Key Takeaways- Branding is the experience that you're giving to people - Think outside the box. Ask yourself, if my business were an animal what would it be? This will bring up further ideas - Make it clear what you do on your website so visitors can see straightaway - Make sure the content on your website is up to date - Keep your website clean and clear and make sure your call to action buttons stand out with contrasting colours - Put together brand guidelines and stick to them on your website - Don't use too much jargon on your website - If you're using a text and image together make sure you can read the text - Don't be afraid of white space QuoteBranding isn't what you say it is. It's what they say it isConnect with Liz Rochester Shaddockhttps://www.bit2flash.co.uk/ (Bit2Flash Website) Website in 30 Days https://www.facebook.com/bit2flash/ (Facebook) https://www.instagram.com/bit2flash_website_designer/ (Instagram) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Not everyone will be ready to buy from you after hearing you on a podcast. Today we talk about how you can build and nurture your relationships with podcast listeners. Book your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this episode of The Best Guest Victoria shares her key takeaways from the sessions and workshops she attended live at Social Media Marketing World 2022 delivered by Michael Stelzner, Chris Rudolph, Jessika Phillips, Rachel Miller, Tim Schmoyer, Fallon Zoe, Nicky Saunders, Mari Smith and Pat Flynn. Mentioned in this episodeMichael Stelzner - https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/ (Social Media Examiner) https://freedomagencycoach.com/ (Chris Rudolph) https://jessikaphillips.com/ (Jessika Phillips) https://rachelmiller.com/ (Rachel Miller) https://timschmoyer.com/ (Tim Schmoyer) https://www.ladytribe.com/ (Fallon Zoe) https://www.instagram.com/thisisnickys/?hl=en (Nicky Saunders) https://www.marismith.com/ (Mari Smith) https://patflynn.com/ (Pat Flynn) Book your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
How do you feel about live events? In this episode we talk about Victoria's upcoming trip to Social Media Marketing World in San Diego and the benefits of attending live events for your business. Book your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Once you’ve booked your podcast interview there are a few things that can trip you up if you’re not careful and I want to run through the checks you can put in place to increase the chances that your interview is going to go off without a hitch. Some of this comes down to your processes but there’s a big dash of attitude in there too that I want to cover. Book your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Our guest this week is Ross Davies, owner of Strafe Creative, a digital design agency focused on conversion led design. Growing up alongside the web led Ross to be fascinated by technology and design yet he started his career as an ergonomics engineer in the automotive industry. The culmination of both Ross’ experience and passions led to his realisation that his skills were transferable, and thus Strafe Creative was born. Strafe Creative’s clients include Experian, NHS and London Tobacco Dock Event Centre. Recently, Strafe has been listed on the prestigious ‘Drum Recommends’ agency database and they won Best Website in the UK Business Awards for their work with Adventure Base. Other award accolades include CSS Awards, RAR, Digital Entrepreneur Awards and the British Business Awards. Ross loves to find new and innovative ways to improve processes, whether that’s in the way he runs his business or in the design process with clients. Identifying objections and issues in any process can help streamline it and it’s this systematic approach that has led to some fantastic client results. In 2020, Ross was hired as a systems architect and advisor for ‘Open Kitchens’ a not-for-profit helping to redistribute food throughout the pandemic. He helped to plan and create user flows, wireframes, digital components and CRM that brought the platform to life and to date has enabled over 250,000 meals to reach those in need. Ross is also the author of a book, Paper Plane Plan which delves into growth hacking for the service industry. He’s a proud husband and father, a huge basketball fan and loves Thai food. Ross and Victoria discuss the importance of setting business goals, how to increase the likelihood a user will buy from us and the ways we can improve our ROI on marketing by only updating our website. Key TakeawaysRoss sets a yearly goal, however, it's quite easy to put off a yearly goal, so he breaks this down into 90 day goals and then breaks them down further into individual tasks which makes the goal more achievable. Parkinson's Law - A task will take the time you give it. Write out your goals and put them somewhere you can see them every day. Ways to increase your website conversions: Add testimonials for social proofing, creating large numbers, feature any accreditations, reference your client list, make it obvious what your service is Make sure your web pages are digestible. Avoid big blocks of text.
QuoteWork out what is your business's Kit Kat
Mentioned in this Episodehttps://openkitchens.co.uk/ (Open Kitchens) Connect with Ross Davieshttps://www.strafecreative.co.uk/service/ecommerce/?gclid=CjwKCAiAvOeQBhBkEiwAxutUVKNaDp_IuHC74SQFbRLAEXi25hqfUXbueTypvXQDoj1DMshh8l3swhoCUycQAvD_BwE (Strafe Creative Website) https://twitter.com/StrafeCreative (Twitter) Fill in https://www.strafecreative.co.uk/project-planner/ (Strafe Creative's project planner) for a free audit of your website. Mention Victoria and that you are a listener of The Best Guest and a member of the team will give you a 5 minute video audit of how you can improve conversions on your website. No strings attached. Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In today’s episode I want to talk about the groundwork you can do to ensure that your podcast interview goes well. Podcast interviews are a great networking tool and building relationships with hosts is an important, often overlooked part of this strategy. Building a relationship with the host begins way before you show up for your actual interview. That’s right. It begins the moment you get a yes from the host. You want to make a good impression with the podcast host from your first contact with them. So let’s talk about what simple steps you can take to achieve that. Book your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Where you send listeners to connect with you at the end of your podcast interviews is really important. You want to have a strong call to action when you embark on this strategy. And as we’ve discussed in previous episodes one option for your call to action could be to send listeners somewhere they can sign up to your email list. But for them to want to do this it’s a good idea to offer an incentive, a lead magnet. In https://victoriabennion.com/006-teresa-heath-wareing/ (episode 6 Teresa Heath-Wareing discussed How to Create a Lead Magnet that Converts.) I’m really pleased to welcome Kylie Lang to the podcast to talk about why a Quiz could be the ideal lead magnet to grow your email list. Kylie Lang is a Quiz Funnel Strategist and Course Creator as well as being founder of the 'Fab Factor'. She works with course creators, service providers and coaches to grow their email list, get more leads and have sell out launches using the power of an automated quiz funnel. After running her digital course company for nearly 14 years, when there was no social media to speak of and most courses were paper based, she's made plenty of mistakes and been part of the massive growth of digital marketing at the grassroots level. Fast forward to 2021 and she's had multiple 6 figure launches and seen her email list increase by over 700% by creating highly converting quiz funnels. Key TakeawaysReid Hoffman said, If you're not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you've launched too late. Starting a quiz: Think about an overriding problem that your audience has. The reason you started your business is because you identified a problem and you are offering a solution. So you take that problem and you reverse engineer it into what you believe will be something that people will be curious enough about to want to know. Quizzes are outperforming other lead magnets in so many different ways Kylie only spends £250 a month on ads for her quiz and gets anything from 700 to a thousand leads from this. You should be taking quizzes to see which ones you like, what questions resonate with you. Don't look at other people in your industry, look at people outside of your industry.
QuoteDone is better than perfect. Do not allow procrastination to stop you doing anything. Mentioned in this Episodehttps://www.weddingacademyglobal.com/ (The Wedding Academy) Connect with Kylie LangTake the quiz at https://kylielang.com/quiz/ (https://kylielang.com/quiz/) Connect with Victoria BennionBook your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this episode we're going to look at how to go about finding the right podcasts to pitch. It’s really important you don’t take a scattergun approach when pitching podcasts. It won’t help your credibility to do this and the results will be unimpressive. But if you take the time to research podcasts properly before you approach them and then suggest being a guest you’re going to experience some stellar results. Book your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Perdita Andrews is a Professional Speaking Coach, based in Paris, specialising in working with influential women and non-native speakers who struggle with communicating with confidence and ease. Guiding and championing her clients along the way, she has watched them: get their dream jobs through her interview preparation land new clients (even over Zoom!) captivate audiences on podcasts and conquer the arena speaking at international industry conferences through her public speaking sessions
Perdita gives her clients the tools they need to raise their visibility at work, earn higher salaries, captivate their audiences on a global scale and achieve their highest success through the spoken word. In this episode we talk about: Speaking with confidence The importance of speaking with authenticity How to deal with stage fright If it’s possible for someone afraid of speaking to get to the point where it’s something they enjoy
Key TakeawaysGlossophobia is the fear of speaking and it’s one of the biggest phobias There isn’t a single person in their daily conversation who doesn’t use some kind of a filler word. That is our reality. So when you seen somebody in a context where they’re trying to present themselves as casual with zero crutch words it has the opposite effect. Authenticy trumps everything. Be as authentically you as you can. Looking foolish and not communicating what they want to communicate are the biggest concerns Perdita’s clients have about speaking We all need a little bit of stage fright to remind us that we actually care about what we’re doing
QuoteCommunication not perfection Mentioned in this Episode https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart (Think Fast, Talk Smart Podcast) Get in Touch with Perdita AndrewsConnect with Perdita Andrews at https://perditaandrews.com/ (www.perditaandrews.com) and download a copy of her Core4 Principles for Successful Speaking. https://www.linkedin.com/in/perdyandrews/ (LinkedIn) https://www.instagram.com/perditaandrews/ (Instagram) Get in Touch with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this episode you'll learn about the benefits of a podcast interview strategy, what's involved in getting booked as a guest on podcasts, how to maximise your interviews and what it looks like to work with a podcast booking agency. Book your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy call here.) To learn more about working with us visit https://www.victoriabennion.com (www.victoriabennion.com)
In today's episode of the podcast we're joined by that British Podcast Guy, Mark Asquith. Mark shares his thoughts on Online Gurus, Podcasting and Star Wars. Key TakeawaysMost people who say they are gurus are chasing the passive income dream. So do you really think they’re going to give you time and attention? A lot of people who quit working for people quit because they don’t want to have a boss but what you do is that you get 10 clients and you end up with 10 bosses. You can always make money. There’s always ways to make money. If you are working as a business person or a freelancer you have the right to push back.
Advice for podcastersMy one piece of advice is don’t copy other people. Don’t put ‘preneur’ at the end. Let Chris have that with Youpreneur. Don’t put ‘on fire’ at the end. Let John have that. Second piece of advice – just be overly yourself. Be almost too much you.
QuoteDon’t be another grey person that blends in. If you have opinions get them out there.Mentioned in this Episodehttps://www.captivate.fm/ (Captivate.fm) https://atomic.site/?aap=145 (Atomic) Get in Touch with Mark Asquithhttps://www.markasquith.com/ (Website) https://victoriabennion.com/017-mark-asquith-on-online-gurus-podcasting-and-star-wars/Facebook.com/MrAsquith (Facebook) https://victoriabennion.com/017-mark-asquith-on-online-gurus-podcasting-and-star-wars/Instagram.com/MrAsquith (Instagram) https://victoriabennion.com/017-mark-asquith-on-online-gurus-podcasting-and-star-wars/Mark.live/twitter (Twitter) Get in Touch with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this episode you'll learn 10 ways you can repurpose your podcast interviews to really maximise your investment in this strategy and leverage your time. Mentioned in this episodehttps://www.rev.com/ (Rev Speech to Text Services) (Convert audio and video to text) https://www.canva.com/ (Canva) (Graphic Design) Get in Touch with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Today we’re joined by Niki Hutchison who specialises in audience growth. Niki shares her top tips for growing your audience without paid ads. Niki has been developing effective strategies to grow businesses for over twenty years. As well as creating impactful marketing campaigns for agencies and clients, she has also managed and grown businesses, achieving huge increases in turnover. She’s built two of her own service-based businesses from scratch and has over ten years experience as an entrepreneur. There are not too many business scenarios that Niki hasn’t experienced! Key TakeawaysSince the pandemic it’s been really important to create a strong audience of people who love what you do. There is so much that you can and should do before you invest any money in Facebook Ads otherwise you’re likely to waste a lot of money:
Make sure you’re really great at what you do Social media – Make sure you’re in the place where people you want to attract are spending time. It’s key to optimise your presence on social media It’s important to grow your email list so you’re not reliant on social media to reach your audience Create a freebie that you know is going to appeal to your audience to grow your email list Go detective mode – Learn as much as you can about your audience. Install some kind of analytics Ask for reviews and share them Attend networking events or host your own Work with influencers. Invite them to your events. Be a joiner – join that membership or Facebook group. You really do get out what you put in. Join as many things as you can and them remove yourself from the ones that aren’t the right fit for you. To cultivate an engaged audience it’s about communication, consistency and clarity Speaking on podcasts can really shorten the lead time in which it takes for someone to become your client.
QuoteThe more you niche, the more you lean in and the more you listen to what you know about your audience and listen to what they’re telling you the easier it becomes to create a freebie or lead magnet that they’re really going to want. Get in Touch with Niki HutchisonDownload Niki’s Tip Sheet: https://www.nikihutchison.com/25ways (25 Ways to Grow Your Audience Without Paying for Ads ) Learn more about Niki’s https://www.nikihutchison.com/audience-growth-club (Audience Growth Club) Listen to https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/audience-growth-podcast/id361047333 (The Audience Growth Club Podcast) https://www.nikihutchison.com/ (Website) https://www.facebook.com/groups/nikihutchisonmarketingcommunity/ (Facebook) https://www.instagram.com/nikihutchison/ (Instagram) https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikihutchison/ (LinkedIn) Get in Touch with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In today’s episode of the podcast we welcome Amy S Peele, award-winning, best-selling author of CUT and MATCH, medical mysteries with a mission and a side of humour. Amy S. Peele RN, is the award-winning, best-selling author of Cut and Match, medical mysteries with a mission and a side of humor. Before becoming a writer Amy enjoyed a fascinating 35-year career in the organ transplant field which provides an authentic backdrop to her books. She learned early on in her medical career that humor was an important survival skill and studied improvisation at the world premier school, Second City, in Chicago. Amy currently resides in San Francisco, close to the Golden Gate Bridge, where she loves to swim, teach chair yoga and meditate. Key TakeawaysMake your password to your computer at work the name of one of your characters so that even if your work is all consuming you are connected to your story Knowing how to be playful is important for survival when you’re one of five siblings A development editor keeps you on track with your writing and what moves the plot forward If you’re a new author looking for a press find out if they help you with your marketing and social media To market your book you need to put your business hat on and if you can’t find somebody who can help you Simple twists in your chair are really good for your spine You can write a beautiful book but if you get up in front of a group and you’re nervous and scared they won’t hear the story and who you are. If you can relax, deliver and be purposeful and calm they’re just going to want more.
QuoteSometimes if you’re going to do something bold and you’re not sure what it might be if you ‘Yes and’ that scary thing, your mind kind of goes OK I’ll try it. Mentioned in this Episodehttps://clairediab.com/ (Claire Diab) https://www.louisepenny.com/ (Louise Penny) https://www.betsygrazianifasbinder.com/ (From Page to Stage by Betsy Graziani Fasbinder) Get in Touch with Amy S Peelehttp://www.amyspeele.com/ (Website) https://www.facebook.com/amyspeeleauthor/ (Facebook) https://www.instagram.com/amypeele/ (Instagram) https://twitter.com/amy_peele (Twitter) Get in Touch with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this episode we talk about, do podcast guests get paid? This question often crops up when people are considering embarking on a podcast interview strategy and are not sure where their ROI is going to come from. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In today's episode we welcome original spice girl, abuse survivor and founder of La Vie Refresh Health and Wellness, Verna Haywood. Verna Haywood fled an abusive relationship in Trinidad with just £100 and a suitcase and came to the UK in 1997 determined to be the voice for women in similar situations who have yet to find their own strength. At La Vie, Verna uses the seven pillars of health and wellness to Rebalance, Restore and Renew women to enable them to live a life of wholeness. Verna’s method combines a holistic approach to re-establish harmony between body, mind and soul. It draws on the principles she learned growing up on the island of Grenada, in the Caribbean, using nature and seasonal produce to feed, sustain and medicate to ensure a healthy, balanced life. Key TakeawaysWomen are powerful. We have everything we need inside of us Don’t let concerns about money stop you Don’t go into a relationship thinking you can change the other person
QuoteWe just need to take that bagagge out and step into our power because we have everything within us. Get in Touch with Verna Haywood http://www.lavierefresh.co.uk/ (Website) https://www.facebook.com/LaVieHealthandWellness (Facebook) https://www.linkedin.com/in/vernalaviespa/ (LinkedIn) Get in Touch with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Imagine speaking on 70 podcasts to find only one yielded results. This is completely avoidable and in today’s episode we share how to get results as a podcast guest. Get in Touch with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In today’s episode we welcome Jeremy Enns, the CEO of podcast marketing agency Counterweight Creative and creator of Podcast Marketing Academy. Jeremy talks to us about how to succeed with podcasting from both sides of the mic. Jeremy Enns is the CEO of podcast marketing agency Counterweight Creative and creator of Podcast Marketing Academy, a high-intensity, cohort-based course for creative mavericks looking to grow a raving base of brand evangelists. He’s spent the past 5 years traveling full time, once bicycled across Europe, and will always look back on the day he finally saved up enough money to buy the Millennium Falcon Lego set as one of his proudest achievements. Key Takeaways It’s beneficial to guest on shows with adjacent audiences It’s important to listen to a show before pitching and find something to connect with a host Let a host know what’s in it for them if they interview you It’s not so much about how you market your podcast but making sure you are creating a really good podcast in the first place Don’t get hung up about your audio. Choose an external mic and move on. The quality will be so much better than your inbuilt mic
Ask yourself: Is my show worth someone’s time? Get in Touch with Jeremy Ennshttps://counterweightcreative.co/bestguest (Website) https://twitter.com/iamjeremyenns (Twitter) Get in Touch with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit http://www.victoriabennion.com/ (www.victoriabennion.com)
Being a guest on other people’s podcasts offers one of the most effective ways for you to get in front of your target audience, to gain visibility and build your brand. But once you’re booked on podcasts how do you ensure that you really showcase your expertise and maximise the impact of your interviews? In this episode we’re going to talk about how to be a great podcast guest so that you're set up for success with this strategy. Equipment mentionedhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Calling-Recording-Microphones-Adjustable/dp/B006A2Q81M/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=27FUBTZ4JYUCU&dchild=1&keywords=logitech+c920+hd+pro+webcam&qid=1634928528&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFGT0JaWTAzR1c2MkcmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAzMjA3MDcyMzc3T05RMVdaM1hYJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA3NTY4OTgxUkoxSTdBM0FHMkhRJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ== (Logitech c920 Webcam) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Recording-Streaming-Condenser-Adjustable/dp/B00N1YPXW2/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2IX2YL21IBBDH&dchild=1&keywords=blue%2Byeti%2Bmicrophone&qid=1634928566&sr=8-1-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzRVExTVo3UTg2WTJWJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjkxMzYyMTU0WDRaQThZRVI0QiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTQ3ODIyRk44VlVWUzVNSks0JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ&th=1 (Blue Yeti Microphone) Podcasts mentionedhttps://www.lucidi4.com/make-it-right/ (Make it Right) https://inspiremybusiness.com.au/podcast/ (Inspired Energy) https://www.5minutesuccess.com/podcast/ (5 Minute Success) https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/sage-advice/id1549770612 (Sage Advice) https://readtoleadpodcast.com/ (Read to Lead) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/manage-smarter/id1332925915 (Manage Smarter) https://henekawatkisporter.com/ (The Entrepreneurial You) Get in Touch with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit http://www.victoriabennion.com/ (www.victoriabennion.com)
In today's episode we welcome James Morgan-Jones, the author of The Glasswater Quintet, a series of psychological thrillers, with a supernatural touch. James began his career as a professional actor but after a serious accident retrained as a feline behaviourist. James Morgan-Jones was born and brought up on the Essex/London borders. His mother was Welsh and his father from the East End. He trained as a professional actor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and worked for several years in the theatre. After a serious accident he retrained as a feline behaviourist and now lives in West Wales. He began writing seriously after gaining an MA with Distinction from Trinity Saint David University in Carmarthen. He then embarked on The Glasswater Quintet, a series of psychological thrillers, with a supernatural touch. The novels are linked by character and place but set in different decades, from the 1940s onwards. The first book in the series, On the Edge of Wild Water, was published by Wordcatcher in the summer of 2017. This was followed by the second in the quintet, The Glass Citadel, later that year, as well as a short story collection, The Wheel and Other Stories. The third novel, The Stone Forest, was published in November 2018, followed by the fourth – Eye of the Rushes – in 2020. James is also an accomplished speaker and a respected poet. He was featured in a radio interview for World Poetry Day 2020. In the autumn of 2019 his first collection of poetry, Living Places, Passing Lives, was published by Wordcatcher. Get in touch with James Morgan-Joneshttps://jamesmorganjones.co.uk/ (Website) https://twitter.com/JamesMorganJon1 (Twitter) https://www.facebook.com/JamesMorganJonesAuthor (Facebook) Get in Touch with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit http://www.victoriabennion.com/ (www.victoriabennion.com)
In this episode we talk about how to prepare to be a guest on podcasts. Learn why it's important to have your house in order before you start pitching to hosts and how to make a great impression. Equipment mentionedhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Calling-Recording-Microphones-Adjustable/dp/B006A2Q81M/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=27FUBTZ4JYUCU&dchild=1&keywords=logitech+c920+hd+pro+webcam&qid=1634928528&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFGT0JaWTAzR1c2MkcmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAzMjA3MDcyMzc3T05RMVdaM1hYJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA3NTY4OTgxUkoxSTdBM0FHMkhRJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ== (Logitech c920 Webcam) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Recording-Streaming-Condenser-Adjustable/dp/B00N1YPXW2/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2IX2YL21IBBDH&dchild=1&keywords=blue%2Byeti%2Bmicrophone&qid=1634928566&sr=8-1-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzRVExTVo3UTg2WTJWJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjkxMzYyMTU0WDRaQThZRVI0QiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTQ3ODIyRk44VlVWUzVNSks0JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ&th=1 (Blue Yeti Microphone) Experts mentionedhttps://www.monkeynutuk.com/ (Monkeynut Audiobooks) Get in Touch with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Teresa is a leading marketing influencer in the UK, ranked number five in MarkET.Live’s Top 30 Marketers that Inspire in 2021. She is the founder of, Marketing that Converts, The Academy, where she works with businesses, entrepreneurs and marketers to help them enhance their digital marketing & social media efforts. An award-winning international speaker, TEDx speaker and thought leader, Teresa has shared her social media and digital marketing strategies on international stages including the World Marketing Summit, Inbound 2020, 3XE and Social Day. Through her popular weekly podcast, Marketing that Converts, Teresa has interviewed leading entrepreneurs such as, Amy Porterfield, Michael Hyatt, Pat Flynn, Dean Graziosi, Jasmine Star, James Wedmore and Michael Stelzner. However, when Teresa founded her agency in 2013 she was a single mum with no savings, having left her corporate role. She had just one week to set up her business and make enough money to keep a roof over her and her daughter’s head. Teresa worked super hard and managed to get clients. Her agency grew quickly and soon Teresa was overwhelmed and worn out. To increase her knowledge, she invested in online trainings, memberships and masterminds, which she discovered she loved, and was inspired to create her own online academy. Teresa enjoys spending time with her lovely husband, daughter and two stepchildren. She doesn’t have many hobbies because she loves what she does so much that she can’t help but do it all the time. Being British, Teresa loves tea and by tea she means gin. Get in Touch with Teresa Heath-Wareinghttps://teresaheathwareing.com/ (Website) https://twitter.com/theathwareing (Twitter) https://www.facebook.com/TeresaHeathWareingUK/ (Facebook) https://www.instagram.com/teresa_heathwareing (Instagram) https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresaheathwareing/%20 (LinkedIn) Get in Touch with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit http://www.victoriabennion.com/
In today's episode we welcome Jini Reddy who is the author of Wanderland, shortlisted for the Stanford Dolman Award for Travel Book of the Year and for the Wainwright Prize. She has contributed to anthologies, penned an award-winning guidebook (Wild Times)and her texts and poems have been displayed in exhibitions at London’s Southbank Centre and at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. As a journalist and travel writer, she has written widely for national press and in 2019 was named a National Geographic Woman of Impact. In her writing, she increasingly occupies a cross-cultural, cross-genre space where place, spirituality, nature and culture meet. Jini was born in Britain to Indian parents from South Africa, and raised in Quebec, Canada. She now makes her home in South West London. Jini Reddy offers mentoring for aspiring authors, marketing consultancy for authors and also eco-travel, personal development, and wellbeing ventures. Get in Touch with Jini Reddyhttps://www.jinireddy.co.uk/ (Website) https://twitter.com/Jini_Reddy (Twitter) Get in Touch with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this episode we talk about how to put together your podcast pitch to ten times your chance of a yes from hosts, how to set up your media kit and what to include in your podcast information sheet. Download your free copy of the podcast pitch template we’ve used to secure our clients hundreds of podcast interviews along with a professionally-designed https://bit.ly/3C7J5m9 (CANVA podcast information sheet template here ) Get in Touch with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this episode of the podcast learn how to get started with podcast interviews. We talk about the equipment you need in place so that you sound and look clear and professional, and how to select which podcasts to pitch to. Get in Touch with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
In this episode we talk about the lesser known benefits of a podcast interview strategy. Our clients are often surprised by how many benefits there are to being a guest on podcasts. Reach is usually the first thing they think of. How many people are going to hear my message? but there are far more benefits than the initial reach. Get in Touch with Victoria BennionTo learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com
Welcome to The Best Guest podcast, the show for the Victoria Bennion Podcast Booking Agency. Each week we share tips and strategies on how to get booked as a guest on podcasts, how to maximise your interviews and how to nurture the leads you receive from your podcast interviews to grow your business. You also hear from our clients and guest experts who share their knowledge about mindset, marketing and business to ensure you are set up for success. Book your https://calendly.com/victoriabennion/strategy-session (free podcast guesting strategy session) today. To learn more about working with us visit www.victoriabennion.com