Subject Matter: Recent Episodes
Ben Bradbury
On season 5 of Subject Matter, we're learning from leading subject matter experts, delving into their mindsets and unpacking the theories, frameworks and tools that you can use to get ahead in life and business.
We'll learn from leaders at Airbnb, VaynerMedia, and even The White House. We'll discover how to ask the right question, how to use the personal touch to build relationships, and how you can unlock your potential through deep thinking. At the end of each episode, you'll be left with a handful of practical tips you can immediately apply, along with ideas that will help you make sense of the fast-moving world and workplace around you.
It’s not exciting, it’s not sexy but managing your operations is going to make you a more consistent creator and reduce stress. How? Tommy Yionoulis unpacks his playbook.
Tommy is the Founder of OpsAnalitica, the easy-to-manage operations analytics platform, that helps business owners identify and remediate problems, in real-time.
Ben and Tommy get into how OpsAnalitica turns human activity into measurable data, why writer’s block is for amateurs, and why merging creativity with discipline is the ultimate win.
Follow Tommy:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tommyy
And if you want to get into conversation with Ben, give him a follow at: twitter.com/benbradbury_
Storytelling isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s the fuel that powers creators and operators. Find out how to harness the power of narrative.
Ben dives into a five-minute breakdown of how to narratives builds culture, asks some questions designed to guide you towards your North Star, and offers up practical ways of how to shape your storytelling for your unique audience.
Grab a pen for the inside scoop on building your creator brand.
And if you want to get into conversation with Ben, give him a follow at: twitter.com/benbradbury_
Why is your social media like a department store? Ben gets into it in this five-minute run down.
There are plenty of social media strategies out there but as a creator what do you really want from your posts?
Ben goes through picking a channel, creating your content flywheel, and using your feeds to lead your audience to even more of your content.
And if you want to get into conversation with Ben, give him a follow at: twitter.com/benbradbury_
What’s the most valuable resource in the world? That’s right, data. Find out how to use it to drive your media business.
When you own your data, you own the ability to attract sponsorship, address audience pain points and create the kind of content your listeners are really looking for.
Ben gets into how and why first-party data is where it all starts.
And if you want to get into conversation with Ben, give him a follow at: twitter.com/benbradbury_
Why do some people seem to pack so much more into their day? The secret is learning to scale your time. Ben unpacks how.
Whether you’re a creator or operator, learning how to manage your time effectively is key to success. In this five minute run-through, Ben shares how to repurpose content, why one plus one equals three, and what exactly he means by low leverage work.
And if you want to get into conversation with Ben, give him a follow at: twitter.com/benbradbury_
Being a creator can be isolating. And for brands to get the best from creators, they need support. Find out how Grace is bridging the brand/creator gap at Fohr.
Fohr is the ambassador marketing company on a mission to create better brand/influencer partnerships.
Ben and Grace dig into why building connection between influencers and brands is the secret sauce to great content, how pain points on both sides are constantly evolving and Grace’s 3-point framework to motivate creative talent.
Follow Grace:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/grace-murray-11920946
And if you want to get into conversation with Ben, give him a follow at: twitter.com/benbradbury_
Mike is the founder of Glisser, the award winning virtual and hybrid event platform. Hear how a post-pandemic world pushed video to the top of the agenda.
Ben talks to Mike about their experiences of working together when Ben was fresh out of university, why working from home allowed people more time to get into video, and why you should think less like an event planner and more like a TV producer to keep your audience hooked.
Follow Mike:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mikepiddock
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikePiddock
And if you want to get into conversation with Ben, give him a follow at: twitter.com/benbradbury_
Jeremy Enns never made it big as a musician but he’s channeled his creativity in other ways, building a podcast marketing hub. As founder of the Podcast Marketing Academy, Jeremy offers podcasters a step-by-step podcast growth plan that takes the guesswork out of growing their show. He joins Ben as they discuss how Jeremy built his courses based on real life conversations with creators, why you should build tension into a show, and who he listens to in a world packed full of podcasts. Follow Jeremy: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-enns (inkedin.com/in/jeremy-enns) Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamjeremyenns (https://twitter.com/iamjeremyenns)
And if you want to get into conversation with Ben, give him a follow at: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
From sculptor to engineer, Zach Moreno loves crossing creative disciplines. Now he’s channeling all his talents into SquadCast. Find out how. SquadCast.fm is the cloud recording platform encouraging creativity and collaboration. Over the last 5 years SquadCast has become a pillar in the podcast community, empowering thousands of podcast hosts across 130+ countries. Ben and Zach dive into why working with others is the spice that he loves, why you should always try and walk the walk, and how the SquadCast studios are removing global barriers for creators.
Follow Zach: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachariah-moreno-8a1a0432 (linkedin.com/in/zachariah-moreno-8a1a0432) Twitter: https://twitter.com/XachMoreno (https://twitter.com/XachMoreno)
And if you want to get into conversation with Ben, give him a follow at: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
Tom Webster loves podcasts, which explains why he’s so good at them. Here Tom downloads his wisdom on getting great at interviews, and how he learnt from the best. Ben and Tom get into why growing up listening to radio greats like Larry King sparked a passion for connection through audio, his research on the future of podcasting, and unlocking the power of podcasts on a global scale. You’ll also hear Tom’s unique takes on the lack of audio options for younger listeners and why it’s time audio challenged TikTok to amplify storytelling through audio. Follow Tom: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomwebster (linkedin.com/in/tomwebster) Twitter: https://twitter.com/webby2001 (https://twitter.com/webby2001) And if you want to get into conversation with Ben, give him a follow at: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
Ben is a Workweek friend, working together to produce amazing podcasts. Find out more, visit: http://www.workweek.com/ (www.workweek.com)
Season 6 is a wrap. But before Ben signs off, he’s got 6 key takeaways ALL aspiring podcasters need. Plus the chance to win a professional audit and masterclass for your show. Ben takes you through the most important and highly actionable insights from Season 6 of Subject Matter. Dedicated to helping creators build, grow and monetize podcasts, tune in and discover how to get your show found, how to create sustainably, and how to make podcasting your full time job. You can also win the chance for Ben and his audio team to audit, analyze and help you build your own show with a free podcast masterclass.
All you need to do is tweet Ben at https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_) and let him know what you’ve enjoyed most about this season’s show.
To be a great podcaster you need to be a great consumer. Find out how to consume the kind of content that’s going to inspire your process. In this super quick run through, Ben goes through the 20% rule, plus 3 tools that are going to help you hyper focus on the kind of content that really matters.
And if you want to get into conversation with Ben, give him a follow at: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
What happens when audio and video interact? For podcasters the answer is: growth opportunity. YouTube’s powerful algorithm is a huge opportunity for audio creators and in this 5-minute, highly actionable episode, Ben goes through why this platform can help drive podcast downloads.
You’ll hear how to package videos, and some of the tools you’ll need to help you optimize your reach.
And if you want to get into conversation with Ben, give him a follow at: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
What’s the benchmark for podcast success? When a listener loves your work so much, they want to share it with their best friend. Find out how to make your audio highly shareable. In this 5-minute run through, Ben Bradbury talks to budding podcasters on how to create content with your vertical in mind, how to avoid being seen as too promotional, and how to get the best from your podcast and social media assets. And if you want to get into conversation with Ben about shareability, give him a follow at: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
The final piece of the brand identity puzzle. How to build your brand persona. Join Ben Bradbury in the last of this highly actionable series on branding. With real life examples of creators following the brand identity process, Ben talks though how brand values help you construct a persona, how story archetypes help define your mission, and how podcast host Nicole Casperson put all this into action. Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
Chosen the brand identity that fits your personality? Now it’s time to leverage your values. In part 2 of this brand identity series, Ben shows you how. Ben gets straight into how your brand values should be at the heart of every communication you have with your audience, informing your choice of subject matter, tone of voice and even your artwork.
Brand values build the consistency that helps your audience trust and follow you. Find out how in this all action, no noise run through. Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
How do you decide on brand identity? Don’t reinvent the wheel. In the first of 3 episodes, Ben Bradbury offers highly actionable takeaways for creating your personal brand identity. Ben explores the wisdom from Ancient Greece to Shakespeare. Discussing how story archetypes have helped us explain and predict human behavior. Characters like the Sage, the Rebel or the Creator can be broken down into a set of defining characteristics to help brands filter their messaging and marketing activities.
Use these tried and tested frameworks to define who you are as a creator, and how you want to connect to your audience.
Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
How do you connect with your audience? You think of your podcast as the tip of the spear, building your offline community through online leadership. Ben introduces a creator doing exactly that. Nicole Casperson is the journalist behind Humans of Fintech, a weekly podcast digging into stories from diverse leaders in the world of Fintech.
But her podcast is just one piece of her media company. Through her twice-weekly newsletter and carefully selected social media channels, she can fill rooms at her real life events.
And you can too when you treat your RSS feed as the gateway for connecting with your listeners. This is the episode that goes beyond audio and into all the other channels you can leverage to create real community and connection.
Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
What’s the advantage of creating with audio? One of the biggest advantages is the ability to explore nuance and replicate the beauty of conversation. While it is important to maintain a good signal to noise ratio with both audio and writing, there really is no substitute for in-depth conversation to help unravel an idea.
Join Ben as he discusses why digging deep in your conversation is how you get to the gold.
Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
97% of podcasts are consumed within a week of publishing. Consistency counts when it comes to building your RSS Feed momentum, and when you build momentum, you can improve your chances of organically growing your audience.
Join Ben as he discusses methods to scale your time while still producing more content, and increase the amount of hits on your feed.
Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
What’s the best way to create your most compelling content? Drawing from your own personal experience can be a game changer in engaging your audience. In this episode, join Ben as he draws upon his own experience on why “living your message” can be the most authentic way to determine the best topics for your content.
Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
How can we improve the communication we have with our audience? Boosting our signal to noise ratio by removing “crutch words” can improve our communication and grow our show. Join Ben for his takes on improving your signal to noise ratio to help grow your podcast’s audience.
Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
With so many channels of social engagement available, finding the right option for your podcast’s community can be daunting. In this Q&A with Jeremy Enns’ Podcast Marketing Community, we discuss how you can find the right channel of engagement for your podcast’s audience. Join Ben and company as they discuss targeting the proper channels for your podcast’s demographic, as well as tips on repurposing content efficiently for these channels.
Want to join the conversation? Follow Ben and tweet him at: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
Let’s face it, the truth is discoverability sucks and can be a barrier to growing your podcast’s audience. Alongside Jeremy Enns’ Podcast Marketing Community, Ben explains how you can produce a podcast with discoverability in mind to maximize your market. Join Ben as he shares his insights on better ways to package and deliver your podcast’s content for multiple entry points, as well as his methods on creating new ideas for content to maximize your podcast’s discoverability. Want to join the conversation? Follow Ben and tweet him at: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
So you have a podcast, but how do you find the time to market it? In conjunction with Jeremy Enns’ Podcast Marketing Community, Ben dives into streamlining your production processes to free up the time to market and grow your podcast effectively. Join Ben as he explains how to structure your production team and divide labor, as well as how to efficiently keep the lines of communication open with your production team so you can market your podcast to a wider audience. Want to join the conversation? Follow Ben and tweet him at: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
How do you grow your podcast? In this 5-minute run through, Ben talks about why audiences love choosing a niche and how you can leverage that for your show. Join Ben as he sets the scene with a brief media history lesson, before diving into two highly actionable playbooks to make sure you’re hitting the right audience for your podcast.
Want to join the conversation? Follow Ben and tweet him at: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
How do you know what type of podcast format works best for you? Ben offers up four choices, plus the pros and cons of each. Get ready to grow your podcast. Join Ben as he unpacks four very different podcast formats. While there are no wrong answers, you’ll want to figure out which one plays to your unique strengths as a creator and which feels like the most fun!
Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
How do you grow a podcast? You engage with your audience. But that’s hard when Apple and Spotify don’t have those capabilities. Ben has the answers. Join Ben as he takes a look at how to grow a community, why he believes podcast platforms will eventually help, rather than hinder, community growth, and why you must always go where your audience go, not wait for them to find you.
All action, all signal, no fluff. You’re going to want to write this one down.
Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
How do you grow a podcast? Ben shares his experience on podcast frequency and the one thing you need to remember when it comes to podcast cadence. Join Ben as he unpacks lessons from some of the biggest names in podcasts, shares some hacks to help you avoid content burnout, and gets into the numbers.
If you’re a podcaster or want to get into audio, this is the all signal show that will give you the practical know-how.
Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
How do you grow your audience? Start by recognizing your podcast is as unique as you are. When you start looking inwards and understanding what you bring to your show that no-one else can, then you can start building on your strengths. How to go about it? Ben’s got some ideas. Tune in and download his knowledge in this all action, all signal episode.
Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
How do you grow your audience? By creating an honest feedback loop. It’s only when you can see the good and the not-so-good, that you can improve and build. Ben takes 5-minutes to go through 3 ways you can make an honest assessment of your own show. And if you want to get hold of his super useful feedback template, just send a DM to his Twitter. All action, all signal and all in five minutes.
Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
How do you grow your podcast audience? You make your opening so compelling they can’t switch off. Find out how with Ben Bradbury. Did you know if you keep hold of a listener’s attention for more than 90 seconds, they’re more likely to finish your show? In this 5-minute run through, Ben gives 3 highly actionable ways to craft the perfect opening for your show. Get it right and you’ll be rewarded by your platform’s algorithms and see your audience grow. All action, all signal and all in five minutes.
Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
How do you monetize a podcast? Sponsored advertising is certainly one route, but getting the right fit is crucial. Join Ben as he guides creators through 3 questions they must answer before signing on the dotted line.
When you can tick the box on all 3, you’re ready to start making money. Dive into the show, all action, all signal and all in five minutes.
Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
How do you consistently create great content? When you’re a creator, that blank document in front of you can be a huge hurdle. Find out how to overcome it. Ben Bradbury has a 4-step framework for creating infinite content and in this 5-minute tear down, he gives you the practical insights you need to show up consistently for audio, social or web content.
All action, all signal and all in five minutes.
Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
How to grow a podcast: It’s the number one question for creators looking to build and monetize their show and Ben Bradbury has the answers. In this new series on podcast growth, Ben cuts straight to the chase with highly actionable, insightful takes on how to make your audio a success story.
Discover why you should include Twitter as part of your growth strategy but not rely on it to build an audience. You’ll also hear why converting readers to listeners is a challenge for creators, and why your podcast is the tip of the spear of your media company.
All action, all signal and all in five minutes.
Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
How do you make money from your podcast? With a great guest strategy. Find out how. Ben Bradbury takes you on a 5-minute tear down on why a podcast is an effective way to build qualified leads, why you should work out your customer’s LV, and how to turn a conversation into an active deal.
All action, all signal and all in five minutes.
Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury (twitter.com/benbradbury)
How to grow a podcast: Ben’s back with the next piece of the puzzle. Discover the formula to become an effective thought leader and build your audience. Join Ben as he takes creators on a 5-minute run through on what thought leadership is, the secret sauce to implementing it in your growth strategy, and why your audience is looking for more than just the facts. All action, all signal and all in five minutes. Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (twitter.com/benbradbury_)
How can you know if your podcast is on the right track? Ben takes a quick dive into how to keep tabs on the right metrics, based on a question from a listener. Join Ben as he gets into measuring podcast success. From focusing on the right variables, to the win of just showing up. You’ll also hear why the majority of podcasts end up in an audio graveyard and how to avoid the same fate. Be a part of the conversation and follow Ben:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
How do you create a successful podcast? Through relatable content. Your listeners are real people and want a relationship with your show. How? Ask the king of content, David Nour. David is back for a third visit to Subject Matter and for good reason. He’s the expert at linking offline opportunities to online opportunities through killer content.
Ben and David get deep into conversation on using self-deprecating comedy to increase relatability, how to create market gravity, and the importance of segmenting your content strategy.
You’ll also hear more on David’s work with Fortune 500 CEOs, how he uses content to bridge the gap between consulting and speaking, and how he’s building a digital presence for his personal brand.
All signal, no noise. If you’re starting out in audio or want to build, grow and monetize your podcast, this is the episode you need.
Follow David: LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/davidnour (linkedin.com/in/davidnour) Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidnour (twitter.com/davidnour)
Follow Ben: Twitter:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
Case Study: Alex Garcia has a unique voice. His podcast is fast, all signal, all action. Find out how Ben and the team helped Alex play to his creator strengths. Before you launch your podcast, take a long, hard look at yourself and ask: What are my strengths? When you identify what you’re great at, and the problem you want to solve, that’s when you start making great podcasts.
Ben gives a quick breakdown of Alex Garcia’s 30 Minutes of Growth podcast, drawing out key insights and offering hot takes on how to grow, build and monetize your show.
Follow Alex: LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/alex-garcia-294119159 (linkedin.com/in/alex-garcia-294119159) Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexgarcia_atx (twitter.com/alexgarcia_atx)
Follow Ben: Twitter:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
How Ben found inspiration from a highly successful YouTuber and how you can too. When Pewdiepie’s sitting next to you at an airport departure lounge, you have to strike up a conversation. In this 5-minute teardown, Ben shares the golden nugget of advice Pewdiepie told him and how audio creators can apply it too.
When you’re at the start of your podcast journey, this is the show that tells it how it is. Take a listen as Ben shares Pewdiepie’s wisdom with highly practical takeaways.
Follow Ben: Twitter:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
How do you expand your brand reach? You synergise your content, creating a newsletter alongside your podcast show. In less than five minutes, Ben goes through why you need to use your relationship capital to reach your audience, why subscribers are gold bars in the bank and why email is read by everyone from an intern to a Fortune 500 CEO. You’ll also hear two examples of how to create newsletters based on your strengths with highly actionable takes, and how to figure out the funnel.
Grab a pen.
Follow Ben: Twitter:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
What’s audio’s number one job-to-be-done? Be a friend to listeners. But not just any friend. Ben takes audio creators through a practical five-minute playbook on why you should be there for your audience on their terms, how to get your tone just right, and why authenticity is so important. If you’re a podcaster or want to be one, this is the show where you’ll learn how to build, grow and monetize your podcast. Follow Ben: Twitter:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
What’s unique about audio? Its ability to build an intimate relationship with a listener. In this 5-minute tear down, Ben explains why you only have capacity for so many relationships in your life, how podcasters can use that to their advantage, and why treating your audience as friends is the key to successful growth. Join Ben for insightful, practical insights on how to optimize for depth and build your podcast audience.
Follow Ben: Twitter:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
How do you grow your podcast sustainably? Rae Palermo has the answer. Find out how to build without the burn out. Ben and Rae delve into the kind of conversation every podcaster needs to get in on. If you’re thinking of getting into audio or have your own show, you’ll know growing your audience is key. But if you can’t repeat the actions that make that happen over the long term, you’re going to seriously struggle. Rae shares her experience of why you need to talk to your audience before you start a show, how you can build a consortium of shows around a topic creating huge impact, and the 5 different types of monetization paths creators can follow as they scale. Actionable, insightful and not to be missed. Follow Rae: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rae-palermo (linkedin.com/in/rae-palermo)
Follow Ben: Twitter:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
What’s the one question podcasters ask the most? How do I grow my audience? In this quick run through, Ben has the answers, three in fact. When you understand that audio drives audio, you can unlock the secrets to converting casual listeners to subscribers. Tune in for 3 practical takeaways that will see your audience grow and your podcast take off. Follow Ben: Twitter:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
Jen Sargent has 3 questions you need to answer before you hit the green light on your podcast. Find out what the CEO of Wondery asks before she commissions a show. Ben takes you on a fascinating run-through of the 3 whys. If you want to avoid your podcast falling into the dumpster of failed shows, this is the insight you need before you hit record. From joining in the conversation to questioning your format, take a listen and launch your podcast with confidence.
Follow Ben: Twitter:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
In a word, yes! But why is a whole different matter. Ben takes creators on a quick dive into why YouTube is such a powerful tool for audio. You’ll hear takes on why it’s so different from Apple and Spotify, why Google and YouTube are all algorithms and no curation, and a neat trick to get your podcast on YouTube even if video makes you uncomfortable. Finally, you’ll hear Ben’s predictions on the future of YouTube for audio. If you’re a creator or want to get into podcasting, this is the insight you need for success.
Follow Ben: Twitter:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
Deciding on what content to put out can be overwhelming. But there’s one rule you can follow to make sure your content always lands. Tell local stories. In this quick dive, Ben shares his wisdom on why it’s important to choose highly relatable stories, some real life examples of great local storytelling, and how you can get into the mindset of your listener.
If you’re a creator looking to get into audio or want to grow your existing podcast, this is five minutes you won’t want to miss.
Follow Ben: Twitter:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
Making money? That’s the easy part, but how do you make it sustainable? Daniel Murray, of Marketing Millennials, has the answer. Ben dives into it with marketing legend Daniel Murray. With more than 360,000 LinkedIn users following his Marketing Millennials podcast page and 24k Twitter fans, Daniel is nailing success as a creator. In this episode discover why your podcast comments are content and how to use them, why a true audience follows you from platform to platform, and why you need to think of your podcast as a media company not just a single product. You’ll also hear Daniel’s spicy take on making money for the long term and not just one-off wins.
Follow Daniel: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing (linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing) Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dmurr68 (twitter.com/Dmurr68)
Follow Ben: Twitter:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
In this fly through, Ben shares a lesson he wishes he’d known right from the start: The secret to growing your distribution. How? Tune in and find out why building relationships should be your number one priority, how the Disney CEO created his empire, and why one stakeholder is all it takes. This is the episode where you grow your podcast distribution, grab a pen and paper.
Follow Ben:
Twitter:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
As a creator, you’re not just making media, you’re building a media company. In this five-minute tear down, Ben asks the questions creators need to answer when they’re looking to build, grow and monetize their audio products. He delves into why figuring out your business model before you get on the content wheel helps guide your direction, and why a large audience doesn’t always guarantee financial success.
Quick and straight to the point, join Ben as he asks the questions that count.
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Twitter:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
There’s one question guaranteed to set you up for success, but you need to ask it before you hit record. Why? Because it breeds cooperation. Ben races through why it’s so important to talk to guests about their expectations and you’ll learn which question gets the best from them. You also discover why what you ask pre-interview goes a long way in what happens afterwards. If you’re starting out in podcasting, or looking to improve your craft, this quick, highly actionable episode is the most profitable five minutes you’ll spend today.
Follow Ben:
Twitter:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
You’ll never build your audience if you don’t know who you are, but it takes courage to overcome imposter syndrome. Adam Ryan, CEO of Workweek, has gone through the process and has created the playbooks that lead to consistent productivity. Ben goes deep with Adam on how to create for depth. You’ll hear why it’s vital to combine your personal beliefs with data, why you should write for your past self, and why listening is the key to personal growth.
You’ll also hear why being a little fish in a big pond is a great learning curve, how being an outsider is an advantage, and why Adam would rather someone listen to 10 episodes of his podcast than read 10 editions of his newsletter.
If you’re a podcaster or want to get started in audio, this is the episode that’s going to give you the courage to believe in your product.
Follow Adam: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamtryan (linkedin.com/in/adamtryan) Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdamRy_n (twitter.com/AdamRy_n)
Follow Ben:
Twitter:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
Every creator is their own media company. But if you’re looking to turn your content into profit, there’s one question you need to ask yourself. In this five minute tear down, host Ben Bradbury asks: Who’s the audience?
Answer this question and your content will land. When you’re addressing your audience’s pain points, offering more value than you’re getting back, and serving a need - then you win.
It’s how highly successful media companies like Workweek position themselves and you can too.
Dive into this highly actionable quick episode and start asking yourself the important questions.
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Being a creator is full of ups and downs, but one moment can change everything. In this five minute episode, Ben talks through the moment he was recognized as a creator and why you should push through the hard times to make success happen. You’ll also hear how Workweek creator and queen of fintech Nicole Caspeson grew her audience from 1k to 15k by putting herself out there consistently.
Discover how you can hunt down those ‘wow’ moments in this quick, insightful episode of Subject Matter.
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How do you make sure people hear or read your content? By meeting them where they are. In this five-minute episode, packed with insight, Ben breaks down how a visit to an art gallery became a wow moment. He unpacks why your podcast or newsletter is a form of art, how art is a reaction to culture, and how it should always reflect the cultural zeitgeist.
You’ll hear two highly actionable insights and Ben’s hot take on why surrealist art spread across the world.
Five minutes. Go!
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Meet the Creator Whisperer. Sachit Gupta is the name behind some of the most successful podcasters in the business, including Tim Ferriss, Andrew Warner, and Seth Godins. He’s helped more than 100 creators turn their art into profit as a podcast and business consultant, generating millions of dollars in revenue and subscribers. Ben and Sachit get into the exact email formula you need to get a response from a famous person you admire, how to get super tactical in your output, and how Sachit generated $70,000 in podcast sponsorships in just one day. You’ll also hear how he built and ran the first and only cohort of the On Deck Podcaster Fellowship, what he learns on the https://www.creators.show/ (Conscious Creators Show), and why Sachit’s on a mission to help 1M creators across the world. Follow Sachit: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sachitgupta (linkedin.com/in/sachitgupta) Follow Ben: Twitter:https://twitter.com/benbradbury ( twitter.com/benbradbury)
Design is everywhere from the car you drive to the coffee machine you can’t live without. But design is way more than looking good, it’s an asset every creator should have in their toolbox. Good design makes it easier for us to interact with the world and with the content we consume. An intuitively-designed iPhone gets us almost instantaneous access to a camera, music and of course, podcasts. In this bite-sized episode, Ben shares why creators should leverage design principles to get in front of their audiences, why style always wins, and the 3 lessons he learned from a trip to the Design Museum.
Dig into this highly actionable bonus episode and discover how you can use design to build, grow and monetize your podcast,
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Audio is exploding. As you’re listening to this, millions of people are tuning in to be entertained, educated and inspired by creators just like you. But committing to a podcast is tough. The number one way podcasts grow is word of mouth, so how do you create a show worth talking about? How else can you reach bigger audiences? And how do you eventually convert that audience into revenue? If you’re an aspiring creator wanting to build with audio, this is the show for you.
I’m Ben Bradbury, and 4 years ago I was an aspiring creator too. I started as a freelance podcaster, then became an agency owner, and now my agency has become part of Workweek: A media company powered by creators that’s making work fun. I’m heading up Workweek’s audio team, and although I’m obviously a little biased, I think we’re working on some pretty cool projects. And I’ll be sharing everything I learn to help you build, grow and monetize your audience through audio.
Here’s what you can expect from this season. We’ll have 2 types of episodes: In-depth interviews, and bite-sized commentary. With the interviews you’ll hear from subject matter experts, learning how they got started in the audio space, and we’ll get into the weeds of how they maximize the impact of their audio. You’ll get actionable insights into growing and monetizing your content, from guests who practice exactly what they preach.
And I know you’re busy, so I'll be following up with short episodes that includes commentary from each interview, diving into case studies you can learn from, and providing practical tips to make your show worth listening to.
If you want to make the most of the audio revolution, you’re in the right place.
New episodes dropping May 23, with four new episodes every week after that. Media’s constantly moving and we’ll be sharing information from the very edge of our field, so make sure to subscribe to stay up to date with the very latest content.
“How do I build, grow and monetize my podcast?” I see this question coming up a lot. In this upcoming season I’m excited to start this journey with you, sharing learnings that will help you turn your audio into a sustainable and profitable business.
In this episode I share my own journey as a creator, from digital nomad, to agency founder, and finally how I’ve landed my dream role as Head of Audio at Workweek. We’re a new media company focused exclusively on supporting and growing creators.
In this bonus episode I’ll take a look back at where Subject Matter has come from, why it’s taking a new, exciting direction, and how success in audio is something anyone can do with the right mindset.
I’ll also tell you about our upcoming shows, some of the amazing guests I’ve got lined up who’ve achieved huge success in podcasting, and a bit more about the snackable, actionable episodes we’ve got hitting your feed very soon.
Excited for you to listen!
Feel free to reach out to me any time on Twitter: https://twitter.com/benbradbury (twitter.com/benbradbury)
It’s a wrap! Season 5 is done and dusted, leaving behind a treasure chest of wisdom collected from Ben’s stellar guest line-up. Take a listen to the season highlights in this best of episode. Founders, CEOs, former General Counsel and mavericks - all speaking from experience and offering their unique insights on growing and succeeding for young professionals in a competitive space. Not just succeeding but succeeding with integrity and while keeping yourself mentally and physically at the top of your game. Learn how to develop the right kind of empathy, how to really listen and why one word can unlock your potential. You’ll hear guest wisdom intertwined with some of Ben’s personal founder journey in this season finale of Subject Matter. Guest highlights include: http://linkedin.com/in/rmvolpe (Rob Volpe), http://linkedin.com/in/richskeller (Rich Keller), http://linkedin.com/in/davidwachs (David Wachs), http://linkedin.com/in/brianroland (Brian Roland), http://linkedin.com/in/robchesnut (Rob Chesnut), http://linkedin.com/in/marc-champagne-%F0%9F%97%9D-14767b17 (Marc Champagne) and http://linkedin.com/in/eleanorhaglund (Eleanor Haglund) You can find Astutely’s actionable feedback guide, mentioned in this episode, on https://open.spotify.com/episode/2WCroXCBOX0G97nyrnzVy8?si=35325d00eb044102 (this podcast.)
When you learn to let your authentic self shine through, you build the kinds of relationships that last the distance, personally and professionally. For busy professionals, taking time to consistently show up will help you take feedback better, build communication and make the kinds of pitches that get heard. And it’s never too early to get great feedback, opening the floor to your team is where solutions are created. Staying quiet and letting your talent loose, is where relationships are solidified and creativity unleashed. Ben unpacks why feedback is the tool you need to bring out the best in you and the people you lead, how to make a pitch that sticks and why being consistently yourself all of the time builds relationships with staying power.
Eleanor Haglund knows how to take feedback. Positive, negative and everything in between, when you stop talking and start listening, you get better and better. And it’s never too early to open the feedback loop. Whether you’re pitching to the boss, or working out a problem, let your team shine by talking less and listening more. Drawing on her experiences in Montessori education, Eleanor has worked with many startups, raised funds and won several competitions building her companies. Now she’s Founder and CEO of Allianse, the platform for connecting startup CEOs and investors. Learn the secrets of pitching like a professional and how to build a team that optimizes your business. Ben and Eleanor talk about why feedback is crucial for success and how theater and cooking have influenced her personal and professional life. Follow Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_ (https://twitter.com/benbradbury_) Connect with Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benbradbury/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/benbradbury/) For more information about the Subject Matter Podcast: https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf (https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf)
What does art mean to you? Is it a part of your everyday life or something that barely registers? For ambitious professionals, art can take on many forms, from podcasters to Old Masters. Whatever you define as art, it’s something that can help you tackle problems and look for solutions in your time-strapped professional life. Ben unpacks how one of the great names in tech was inspired by thinking outside the box and why the fusty old image of art as a hobby for the rich is being stripped away by an ambitious startup. You’ll hear why you should spend time with art and artists, and how to go about creating a creative routine.
Art is a divisive issue, but getting to know the artist’s story can help unlock creative thinking and break down barriers. Discover how tapping into creativity can make you a better strategist. Paul Becker is the CEO of Art Money, a global fintech company empowering people to buy art through a win-win business model. He believes art’s ROI isn’t just the value of the piece but how it makes you think and feel, and how it can help with creative problem solving. In this episode Paul explains why getting to know the artist, taking Steve Jobs as an example, helps to unlock the story behind the art and why that story can be a useful tool for your own creative thinking. He discusses how looking outside your own industry for inspiration and answers is all part of art’s power and how you can use it to break down barriers. 01:30 - Paul Becker intro 01:36 - The motivations that drive the Art industry 03:07 - The importance of psychology to understand the art world 06:30 - The cultural baggage and disruption of Art 10:40 - the true ROI of Art and how to use it as a tool for creative thinking 15:22 - The art of storytelling 20:30 - The importance of integrity in art and business 24:00 - The future of art, as per Paul Becker 27:48 - Interview wrap Listen to more Subject Matter podcasts at: http://www.subjectmatterpodcast.com/ (http://www.subjectmatterpodcast.com)
Prioritizing your wellbeing can feel selfish. In a world where we feel judged by our productivity, taking time to make sure you’re in top physical and mental shape can be challenging. And yet it’s exactly these kinds of actions that create motivation and success. When you prioritize your personal life, you’re making a long term commitment to your professional success. And leading by example can help your teams work smarter and harder too. Ben gives practical advice on how to form a healthy routine and weekly habits that will help you think more clearly, sharpen your intellectual edge and help you sleep better.
When you put your personal life above your professional life, you become a great employee. To get the best from teams, leaders should hand over the reins and allow them to manage their own workloads. With so many teams working remotely, focusing on output and not the clock is the smart way to get the best from your reports. Brian Roland is our guest and talks to Ben about why leaders should trust teams to make decisions on their work/home life balance. He discusses the power of having employees whose ethics align with the company they work for, and how to be a business that actively gives away its profits. Listen now and get practical insights into unleashing your leadership potential and why you should always put your needs above the company. Find more Subject Matter podcasts at: http://www.subjectmatterpodcast.com (http://www.subjectmatterpodcast.com) 00:00 - Introduction 03:09 - Abenity’s social mission 04:30 - Brian’s first steps to create Abenity’s social mission 08:26 - The benefits of having a social mission 14:26 - Working for Full-Profit Enterprises Vs. Working for Non-profit Enterprises 18:05 - The requirements to build a remote-working team 21:04 - The importance of prioritizing personal life over work life 25:03 - Managing social needs in a remote-working team 27:44 - Brian’s D-I-S-C evaluation system for remote workers 32:46 - The problem of using emails for internal communications 38:39 - Closing remarks
Choosing between doing the right thing and what's best for you can be tough decision, but what if doing the right thing was always in your self-interest? Ben talks about why developing personal integrity is a gamechanger for professionals and why Richard Branson agrees with him. You'll discover what happens when doing the right thing compounds and why the world's most successful people look inside when it comes to key decision making. You'll hear about the two types of motivation and why one will propel you forward, while the other leaves you flat.
Do you need to be ruthless to attract success? The answer is a resounding no. In fact, for ambitious professionals to unlock their potential, personal integrity is a key component. Chief Ethics Officer at Airbnb and former US Counsel Rob Chesnut believes great leaders embody authenticity, self-awareness and transparency and set the temperature for the culture of the companies they work for. Rob talks with Ben about why young professionals must use their North Star to guide them towards companies whose values align with their own. You'll hear why customers are attracted to ethically-led businesses, why integrity can be a double-edged sword and why leaders should bring their personal ethics into their roles Listen to more Subject Matter podcasts at: http://www.subjectmatterpodcast.com (http://www.subjectmatterpodcast.com) 00:00 - Intro 02:50 - Humans, intelligence and self-interest 04:24 - How to stay on the right lane of integrity 07:25 - The importance of purpose and integrity in business 12:10 - Airbnb’s case study of purpose and integrity 14:20 - Rob’s first encounter with integrity 16:08 - Integrity within leadership 20:00 - Differentiating right from wrong 22:38 - Characteristics that drive integrity 23:41 - The importance of curiosity in the workforce 25:18 - Airbnb’s CEO, Brian Chesky, approach to purpose and integrity 29:39 - Closing remarks
Seeing things from another's point of view is the starting point to all relationships, whether that's your CEO, colleagues or direct reports. With empathy you'll build collaboration, experience less turnover and avoid friction at work, but how do you know you're using the right kind of empathy?
In this episode Ben talks through two different types and why there's such a thing as 'bad' empathy. You'll learn how to build it into your day-to-day practice without eating into your busy work schedule and hear why CEO and entrepreneur Rob Volpe believes building empathic relationships guarantees success.
Rob Volpe's early experiences of bullying taught him the power of empathy. He carries these lessons with him as an astute observer of life and a master storyteller, who brings empathy and compassion to the human experience. As CEO of Ignite 360, he leads a team of insights, strategy, and creative professionals serving the world’s leading brands across a range of industries. In this episode Rob sheds light on the different types of empathy, how to develop empathic communication and why your team will grow stronger, become more collaborative and produce better results when you go out of your way to understand them. Interview Breakdown: 2:00 - Intro to Rob Volpe 2:30 - How actors and writers apply empathy 3:55 - What most people misunderstand about empathy 4:50 - Empathy within the male and female stereotype 8:52 - How to remain empathetic in the workspace 13:00 - Habits to strengthen your empathetic muscle 18:11 - Unlock empathy through a beginner's mindset 21:20 - How Rob discovered the power of Empathy 25:40 - The empathy crisis explained through numbers 29:15 - Unleash empathy through talk and play 32:55 - Closing remarks Listen to more Subject Matter podcasts at: https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf (https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf)
In a digital world, we need personalization now more than ever. Ben unpacks the deep human need to connect and how leaders can work to create those connections, building trust within teams and creating lifelong customers. We hear about David Wachs, serial entrepreneur and founder of Handwrytten, a platform that leverages AI technology to produce beautiful handwritten notes at scale. David believes in the lost art of note writing and the power of connection that comes when you set time aside to write a personal note or card. When so many feel isolated post-COVID, human connection is just a handwritten note away.
David Wachs is a serial entrepreneur. His latest venture, Handwrytten, is bringing back the lost art of letter writing through scalable, robot-based solutions that write your notes in pen, sending 180,000 handwritten notes per month. Used by major meal boxes, eCommerce giants, nonprofits and professionals, Handwrytten is changing the way brands and people connect. Prior to starting Handwrytten, David founded Cellit, a leading mobile marketing agency. Cellit was sold to HelloWorld in 2012. In this episode, David shares why creating a platform NOT a product is important to him, how to score a 10 on team meetings every time, and why your time is the best gift you can give. Listen to more Subject Matter podcasts at: https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf (https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf)
In this episode, Ben pulls out some quick, practical takeaways to help busy leaders unlock relationships, hit pause and increase focus. And it all starts with a single question. Using talking points from podcast guest Marc Champagne's book, Personal Socrates, Ben guides you into deeper thinking and shows you how to build mental muscle. You'll discover the questions to ask yourself, when to ask them and what to expect on your journey to better mental fitness. Even the most time-short executive can develop daily habits that press pause on productivity when they ask themselves the right questions at the right time. Follow Ben on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3csz4o9 (https://bit.ly/3csz4o9) Connect with Ben on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nuLN01 (https://bit.ly/3nuLN01) And at: https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf (https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf)
Marc is a Mental Fitness Strategist, author, and co-founder of the journalling app KYO. His podcast, Behind the Human, is ranked in the top 50 and unpacks the mental fitness practices and reflective questions shaping the lives of some of the most successful and brilliant thinkers in the world. His first book, Personal Socrates, explores the pointed questions that stimulate our mental fitness and teach us how to direct our internal narrative to work for us, instead of against us. In this episode Marc unpacks why asking questions helps leaders find clarity and hit pause on the treadmill of life. He also explains why focusing on the details helps your team feel valued, even when working remotely. Listen to more Subject Matter podcasts at https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf (https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf)
If you're a young professional wanting a successful career, it can be easy to feel frustrated at the slow progress you're making. You have big ambitions, yet you constantly feel stretched spinning a dozen different plates, and running out of time to accomplish what you want. What if there was a way to get the professional growth we're after, while not compromising on our busy lifestyle? On Subject Matter, we believe ambitious professionals shouldn't have to wait to learn from the best. The insights you deserve are one conversation away. On Subject Matter's fifth season, that's exactly what we're here to provide to you: Practical lessons from today's top performers that you can use to get ahead personally and professionally. With your host Ben Bradbury, together we'll get inside the heads of leaders running organisations like Airbnb, Vaynermedia, eBay, and even The White House, shining a light on the mindset, tools and practices they use that can help you understand your value, and unlock your potential. If you're looking for information and inspiration to create a career you're proud of, all bundled up as an easy listen, we've got you covered. Subject Matter's 5th season starts on November 16th. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
Rakesh Kamath is Co-Founder and CTO of JoeZoo Inc, an EdTech company focused on transforming written skills assessment through the use of AI and NLP. He has more than 20 years' experience focused mostly on SaaS Product Engineering, and was formerly Director of Digital Strategic Innovation at BMO Bank of Montreal. In this episode Rakesh shares why you need to get out of the way of your intelligent hires, why vagueness leads to company churn and how to create a safe space in your company to get the best from your team. Listen to more Subject Matter podcasts at https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf (https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf)
Matt Munson is a CEO and Executive coach with Sanity Labs, a boutique leadership coaching firm he founded in 2019 that provides coaching to venture backed and bootstrapped leaders. Matt draws on his own experience as a venture-backed CEO as well as a variety of coaching disciplines to help others navigate the perilous journey of leadership and organization building. Prior to his coaching work, Matt co-founded Twenty20, the world's largest crowd-sourced commercial image catalog, where he served for 7 years as CEO until the company's exit in early 2019. In this episode Matt shares his experience of becoming a highly effective leader, managing his own psychology and why love is the best motivator in the business. Listen to more Subject Matter podcasts at https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf (https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf)
Tanya Ramos-Puig is President of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation. As the top executive in the organization, she is responsible for advancing its mission to further international awareness and appreciation of Latin music and its contribution to global culture. Over the past two decades, Ramos-Puig has devoted her career to improving educational opportunities and life outcomes for youth in the most under-resourced communities, including most recently as CEO of Pencils of Promise. In this episode she shares her experiences of taking a listening tour before starting her CEO role, why being a listening leader is essential to building effective teams and how to really see the big picture. Listen to more Subject Matter podcasts at https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf
Eddy Badrina is the CEO of Eden Green Technology, a company using vertical farming technology to change the way we farm our produce, and feed our communities. He is a board member at Seed Effect, a micro-lending non-profit focused on fostering economic stability in the South Sudan and Uganda. Before shifting his primary focus to human service and food security, Eddy was an entrepreneur. He co-founded BuzzShift and served as their president for over 11 years. In this episode Eddy shares his experience on creating a redemptive company and what that means, why economic sustainability is as important as environmental concerns and why communication is essential for integrating the outside of your company with the inside. Listen to more Subject Matter podcasts at https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf (https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf)
Helaine is the Founder and CEO of CITYROW. After months of spin and boot camp classes left her with a lower back injury, Helaine began searching for a workout that was low impact, but highly effective, and came across the rowing machine. And so CITYROW was born, delivering at home and in-studio rowing workouts. Under Knapp’s leadership, CITYROW has grown from one studio in New York City to 12 studios across the United States, along with an on-demand global program which launched in 2018. She has been featured as a business leader and a wellness expert on TODAY, Women’s Health, ABC, Harper’s Bazaar, Well + Good, Vogue, Yahoo! Finance and PEOPLE, among many others. In this episode she talks about managing energy levels, working on your own strengths within the team and managing communication during COVID and beyond. She also touches on the right speed for scaling up your company. Listen to more Subject Matter podcasts at https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf (https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf)
Delphine Carter is the Founder and CEO of Boulo Solutions, a career matching service that helps women stay in and return to the workforce. Boulo has now helped over 1,000 women and has generated over $1M in revenue. Delphine was able to fund Boulo’s $500,000 seed stage while working and raising children during the pandemic. In this episode she shares her vision for building a culture that promotes wellbeing, why you should be intentional but never prescriptive and how to use Slack to build culture remotely. Listen to more episodes at https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf (https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf)
Lara Vandenberg is the CEO & Founder of Publicist, the company redefining the way brands hire Communications and Marketing talent. Lara is on a mission to transform inefficiencies in marketing, solving major pain points for the industry. In this episode she shares why CEOs need to create a personal board of directors and why marketers have a responsibility to set company culture. You'll hear why Publicist is set up to have maximum exposure to its clients and why Lara still makes time to answer customer support as a busy CEO. Listen to more Subject Matter podcasts at https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf (https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf)
David Jay is the founder and CEO behind Warm Welcome, which helps businesses upgrade from boring text to personal video so they can build meaningful relationships that drive real revenue. David has bootstrapped several startups into multi-million concerns. Revenues from Warm Welcome, along with his other four companies, will exceed $6 million in 2020. He was also recently named a Top 100 Tech Innovator and Influencer. In this episode David shares his insights on how videoing messaging captures the subtleties missed by text, why the point of building good company culture is to build a good company and why the new economy will rely on great relationships. Listen to more Subject Matter podcasts at https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf (https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf)
Saverio Bianchi is the Founder and CEO at Atelier and Avenue, a leading eCommerce and digital transformation consultancy. He has spent the last 16 years delivering projects for more than 40 of the world's leading brands in luxury, beauty and fashion. In this episode Saverio unpacks how reframing problems helps clients change the narrative on what's holding them back, why industries can be complex but not complicated (with the help of Lego bricks) and why voracious curiosity is the engine that drives a learning organisation. Listen to more episodes at https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf (https://bit.ly/3I6GbBf)
Brandy Whalen is the Co-Founder of Kitcaster, a podcast booking agency facilitating meaningful conversations at scale. She is a self-proclaimed shiny object chaser, excited by new challenges and new opportunities. On this interview, we learn how to assess for creativity when hiring candidates, why communication between CEOs and their team is often an assumption and how to close that gap of misunderstanding, and how to create a remote company culture where all team members openly share problems and wins.
Ed Vincent is the Founder and CEO of Festival Pass, the world's first live events subscription service across music, film, food & wine, theater, tech & innovation. Ed has over twenty years of business, technology, and management experience. In this episode, we uncovered how a company's core values can be a filter for making decisions, why Ed spent the last 52 weeks ending with their weekly all-hands with the same one word, and what we can learn from the world of parenting on building consistent, predictable culture.
Shaul Olmert the Israel-based CEO and Founder of Piggy, an app that allows Gen Z to reinvent the way they share media. In this episode, we unpack how CEOs and HR professionals need to evolve their approach to recruiting future talent, why not knowing all the answers as a Founder is liberating and improves performance, and how the future of work will increasingly rely on multi-media expression.
Brian Ford is the co-founder of For Purpose, a social impact platform modernizing what it means to be a philanthropist. For the past 3 years he has hosted Self Improvement Daily, a podcast that shares personal development insights in two minutes every single day, with over 7 million downloads. We spoke about why investing in your personal brand all comes down to the relationships you build, how Brian's brand led to him co-founding For Purpose, and how Brian learned why punchy phrasing is essential to creating an aligned company culture.
Chris Hull is the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Otus (otus.com), a Chicago-based EdTech company. Otus lets school leaders can focus on student learning, not technology, and they serve 160 unique school districts with over 1,000,000 monthly users. In this episode we covered how learning in an organization starts with listening, what Chris learned going through a major reorganisation scaling from 20 to 70 employees, and how the guiding principles of transparency and honesty empowers his team.
David is the Founder of Khandy Tech, a web-implementation and product consulting agency that was recently acquired by JUICE Labs, where he now oversees the operations of their sister web development company, Peachy. In this episode you'll learn why results are not the most important thing for agency leaders: it is their communication. We also covered how to use poker as a framework to make business decisions and calculate strategy, and how to empower team members to foster a culture focused on transparency.
Yoav Vilner is the CEO at http://walnut.io/ (Walnut.io), the world's leading sales demo platform making interactive experiences that convert. In this episode we unpack the Israeli mindset that gives Founders & CEOs in Tel Aviv a distinct advantage, why you should NOT use your product when creating content for communities, and how Yoav convinced some of Tel Aviv's most experienced talent to join a relatively unproven startup.
A brief introduction to what you can expect from Subject Matter Season 4. This season's theme: How Founders & CEOs can build a strong company culture.
For today's season finale, we're going behind-the-scenes to share our reflections on producing this season of Subject Matter, while centering around tangible takeaways that can be applied to your own podcast or to keep in mind for other content you create.
Nick Hague has helped half of the world’s 100 largest B2B companies succeed with leading market research. He is the Co-Founder & Head of Growth of B2B International, an international market research agency with over 100 employees across the glove. Today's interview will explore why context can help you become a better listener, the subtle power of focus groups, and why viewing your company headquarters as an academy is a great mental model to build a healthy long-term culture in your team.
David Nour is a subject matter expert on how strategic relationships create sustained innovation, profitable growth and lasting change. He has studied business relationships for decades, and his latest book, "Curve Benders" outlines how why Curve Benders, a special kind of relationship, are the best way to amplify your relationships, relevance, and personal market value. Tune in to learn more about powering your non-linear growth in the future of work.
People in the business world mistake communication and conversation as the same, when in fact the two are quite different. Clint Padgett is an expert in this field of project management and drawing the line of when one is necessary over the other while offering his unique perspective. In today's episode, you will learn about the history of communication, when to use a conversation over simply a conversation, and how to leverage your experiences outside your comfort zone to become an empathetic leader.
Whether it is investors, customers, or employees, you need to know how your target audience is consuming. Way back in human history, the only option was the written word, but now we have a number of options where connecting with "the reader's ear" has never been more important. On today's episode, we'll explain why you need to understand why resensing is a practical tool that will allow you to meet your consumers where they are.
Artemisia Gentileschi was best-known female painter of the 17th century. But the thing most people miss is her creative process. She was an expert in leveraging teams, and surgically distributing her work to Europe's elite, providing practical principles for thought leaders today seeking to build powerful relationships.
When someone understands you, you can unlock massive gains in productivity together. You can empathise with each other's needs, synchronize with each other's goals, and work much more efficiently. In today's episode, we explain how the inception of voice technology using Siri created a commercial benefit to feeling understood, by unlocking new levels of efficiency for consumers.
The saying goes "It's lonely at the top". As a Founder or CEO, it's challenging to know which ideas to execute on and which to drop. That's why it's critical to have a sounding board in your inner circle. On today's episode, we come to understand how Phil Knight, the CEO of Nike, used a sounding board to unlock his story's subtlety, and build one of the world's most iconic brands.
Emotional conflict leaves us feeling drained, but productive conflict can fuel remarkable growth. The Wright Brothers began inventing locked in a fearsome feud, yet eventually used productive conflict to create breakthrough innovation. Leaders can learn from their example on how to view conflict, detaching emotions from the equation by swapping one word: "disagreement" for "debate".
What if there was a game that could improve your decision making, expand your risk tolerance, and help you understand your blind spots? I'm not talking about business, but Poker. As we'll learn, the game highlights that behavioral blind spots that we're all prone to. And leaders end up paying an especially high price...
We analyse how Alex Blumberg, Co-founder of Gimlet Media uses the unique opportunity for podcasts to create a transparent company culture. Everyone makes mistakes. Companies are the sum total of the people they employ, so they are the sum total of their flaws too. People want to work with leaders who accept this fact rather than shying away from it.
In January 2019, I started writing a book, and 8 months later closed the lid on a completely botched project. I ran into 3 fatal problems: copying from other thought leaders, not getting feedback, and trying to cheat with tools rather than build my habits. This how not to write a book, why I didn't finish that book, and why I don't regret the project at all because everything I learned has informed how we're building Astutely today...
Our convictions can lock us into this a prison of our own making. If you are able to be open, curious, and humble, then it can lead to the result of pioneering the whole industry of smartphones, like Apple. In today's episode, we explore intellectual humility: knowing what we don't know. Becoming aware of your shortcomings is vital for your company's survival, and is unlocked by overcoming a potential fear of leaving your comfort zone.
Our second Whatifstory—A fictional story asking "What if history turned out differently?"—Tells the story of a fateful encounter in a dusty bookstore, where one glance in a mirror leaves us with an entirely different perspective...
What made The Beatles one of the 20th century's biggest bands? Not skill, not marketing marketing, but technology. No matter how powerful your message is as a Founder or CEO, it is always constrained by the technology that enables it. If you don't understand the technology that powers the time you are in, then you won't understand the limits and opportunities that your messages face.
How does it feel when someone appears in your inbox asking for yet ANOTHER favour? These people constantly drain your energy by ruthlessly taking. On the other hand, people who can't help but be helpful leave you with a very different feeling. This is the difference between seeding relationships and leeching relationships. On today's episode, we talk about why seeders always win over the long-term, and techniques you can use to build a more giving organisation.
Similarity allows you to relate to others, yet uniqueness allows you to shine. What most people miss? It's when leaders pair both together that their company thrives. We're learning from the PayPal mafia who used similarity and uniqueness to dominate their market, and from Byron Slosar, Founder & CEO of HIVE Diversity, who is using these two core principles to take the diversity & inclusion industry by storm.
Our first Whatifstory—A fictional story asking "What if history turned out differently?"—was inspired by Theodore Roosevelt's "The Man In The Arena" quote that has impacted leaders for over a century. We asked: "What if there actually WAS a man in the arena?" What follows is that gladiator's story...
Strategy is cyclical. You can only make progress by understanding where you've come from. If you're a leader building a brand for yourself, reflection is critical. On today's episode, Ben shares 3 striking lessons that came out of his annual review—on identity, uniqueness and purpose—that directly applies to ambitious leaders like you.
There is a difference between brands who miss with their messaging, and brands who empathise with the time. Comparing two case studies of Gillette and Nike showcases how marketing is often not just what you say, but how you frame it...
How did one humble company overcome adversity to become one of the top live streaming platforms in the world? Twitch created a new language that wasn't built for a country, but for a culture. The culture of the Internet. Today's business leaders are confronted with a fast-growing digital language too. You need to understand how to turn communication from offline to online, or you'll be left in the dust, trailing behind other more relevant firms.
How did Europe's most powerful man feel understood? By portraying himself authentically. Napoleon Bonaparte built a powerful brand by showcasing his authentic self. Similarly, for leaders to create a brand that lasts, it needs to be authentic. This can be done in the messages you share, the stories you tell, or as we'll learn, even the paintings you commission...
Andrew Carnegie was one of the world's wealthiest men... with a severe problem in employee wellbeing. If he was around today, his workforce may well have revolted! Today one business leader, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, is dangerously close to following in his footsteps. What does the King of customer experience have to learn from Carnegie's leadership? And can he avoid making the same mistakes?
Empathetic communication starts by identifying your story's subtlety. The best way to do this is recruiting the help of a sounding board. Today we're learning from superstar soprano Renée Fleming whose success was achieved thanks to her voice coach for 16 years. And it turns out opera has more in common with business than you might think...
If impostor syndrome is the feeling that we're not worthy of our success, the antidote is awareness. This feeling of being a fraud is all too common, and on this episode we explore how to prevent it from holding you back as a business leader by looking at Dr. Valerie Young, who has created a programme taken by over 80,000 people to understand impostor syndrome.
Leading executive Mellody Hobson does not stray away from hardship. She sees fear as helping her future self by pursuing discomfort and hard things now instead of later. She has achieved consistent success by being a warrior against adverse circumstances while growing up, and as a woman of colour. Whether we're having difficult conversations in the boardroom about race, or in the bedroom with ourselves, leaving your comfort zone is never a bad long term decision.
The more you say, the less people remember. American novelist Ernest Hemingway made sure every word counted. In this episode, we'll extract lessons from Hemingway's expertise, showing why empathetic leaders often need less words than they think to create connection.
Most people undervalue how powerful sharing their ideas can be. B2B International Co-Founder Nick Hague realised that sharing his ideas publicly was a risk worth taking. On today's episode, we're learning from Nick's example by breaking down the process of becoming a thought leader into 3 phases—theories, methods and tools—that you can use to build your personal brand as a leader.
Sounding boards can help us build powerful relationships. They help us better understand ourselves, which helps us better understand others. Today we're examining the team behind the popular game Linkee, and how they launched a successful product thanks to the integral role of sounding boards.
Effective teams are powered by strong communication. But it's often hard to juggle expectations of whether everyone understands the task at hand, and can perform at their potential. To be productive in today's remote world, Astutely has developed a communication framework you can use to make your team even more effective, focused around 3 pillars: co-creation, guidance, and feedback.
Having a company purpose is one thing. But knowing the philosophy behind it makes you uniquely powerful. Too many companies have superficial missions based on shallow, profit-driven missions. Digging into your personal philosophy is an opportunity to form a deep connection with customers, as they buy into your business based on your unique storybook of experiences.
Satya Nadella's empathetic leadership increased Microsoft's stock value by nearly 6x. How did he do it? Today we're unpacking how Microsoft transformed their cut-throat culture into a thriving workplace, and sharing lessons from the book Nadella gave all his executives during his first meeting as CEO: "Nonviolent Communication" by Marshall Rosenberg.
Meg Jay shows us why weak ties are the strongest relationships. Strong ties got you to where you are, but not where you need to go. It's often the people you know least well who create growth for your future self. And as we'll explore, these weak ties offer a unique opportunity to improve how you communicate as a leader.
ConvertKit Founder Nathan Barry's overcame his fear of leaving the comfort zone creating significant early success for his company. The comfort zone is where great potential comes to die. Sticking with what feels comfortable eliminates the possibility of building truly remarkable relationships. Why? Empathy is uncomfortable. We unlock its potential when we're willing to step outside our comfort zones.
Prolific podcast host Guy Raz teaches us how he creates safe spaces to turn his superhuman guests into relatable humans. His example shows us that the more your relationships feel understood, the more your impact as a leader can leap from good to great. In this episode, we explore how compelling communicators can train their muscle of becoming intentionally empathetic.
Self-understanding is a competitive advantage. Leaders who understand themselves can capitalise on opportunities with conviction. In this episode, we'll share a practical 4 step technique from Nobel prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman to dramatically accelerate your ability to understand yourself, and therefore make key relationships feel understood too.
As explained in Darwinian theory we survived today because our ancestors before us allowed us to. There are benefits when you overcome your fear and leave your comfort zone. Matthew Parris wrote compiled remes of research on how being forced out of your comfort zone with trauma can result in genius. English poet Edward Lear grew up traumatized and succeeded not in spite of his background, but because of it. Choose to leave your comfort zone to create a greater source of strength in your leadership ability.
A practical guide to how nature can help you create connection with key relationships. When we talk about the "nature" of something, we mean the truth of it. Nature is true, and leaders can use it as a tool to understand truths about themselves. This lets them ultimately find the all-powerful subtleties in their story, which unlocks their empathetic communication: messages that connect with people's heads and hearts.
Robbie Crabtree's turns stories into powerful tools. His Performative Speaking model reveals a subtle secret: When it comes to stories, it's not just what you say, it's how you say it. Most people underestimate just how many stories they have to tell. If experience is the greatest teacher, leaders are sitting on a powerful range of lessons they can use to create connection with the people that matter. In this episode, Robbie's framework will show you exactly how.
At Astutely, we believe your brand's potential is unlocked by one thing: When you identify the subtlety in your story. Today we're showing this principle in action with one of history’s empathetic leaders: Abraham Lincoln.
Daniel Priestley's personal branding framework has more to it than meets the eye. He uses the same principles that have been quietly leveraged for thousands of years. In this episode, we unpack an ancient Chinese strategist's lessons on reputation management, and show how modern leaders can build personal brands that speak for them while they're not in the room.
Empathetic communication starts with finding the subtlety in your story. To find that subtlety, you have to embrace your uniqueness. Ancient Greece provides practical wisdom on what happens when you apply your unique strengths, and a cautionary tale for when you let short-sighted thinking get in the way...
Radio personality Jordan Harbinger teaches us 2 practical techniques for how leaders can build rapport with clients: Using F.E.W. (Facts, Emotions, Why) and Question-Answer-Statement. Whether with customers or your team, building rapport is an essential part of creating connection.
Success as a business leader often comes down to the relationships you build. On the third season of Subject Matter, we're showing you how to build powerful relationships with empathetic communication: messages that connect with people's heads and hearts. Join Astutely Founder Ben Bradbury as he shines a light on the subtle strategies the leaders of the past and present are using to build powerful relationships as we speak. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
Kids say it how it is. Adults complicate things. In fact, children might be better than adults at building healthy relationships. Today’s interview with Lex Deak will show you what kids can teach us about becoming more honest communicators, empathetic leaders, and all round better people.
Today we’re learning how to make better decisions in business by understanding yourself better. Because most people overlook this simple but surprising strategy, it can become your competitive advantage on the professional playing field.
Improving the quality of your relationship bank is an investment. But what exactly does that investment look like? Today that becomes clear through the story of a relationship expert, who will help you close the gap between good relationships today, and creating great relationships tomorrow.
We’re more connected to our relationships than ever. But how often do you step back and examine how exactly you're showing up for the people that matter to you? If your closest connections last for decades, a few small changes could make a difference that literally lasts for a lifetime...
The way we’re working is changing. Teams are virtual, relationships are digital, and business has entered its next big evolution. How can we adapt to meet these changing demands? And why is it more important than ever to treat our team not only as professionals... but people too?
Since our ancient ancestors hunted and gathered together, teamwork has let humans flourish. And while we’re isolated, even though the teams that make up companies can’t physically meet, they must continue performing. How must business teams evolve to stay effective? And what fundamental teamwork truths can we not afford to forget?
The problems we cause, the value we create: So much comes down to the story we tell ourselves. Perception is reality. Whatever story we choose to believe has a very real impact on our lives. For better, or worse...
In a crisis, communicating poorly can be disastrous. Even the smallest gap between what you meant and what a customer, boss, teammate or friend heard you say, can delay or even destroy our best plans. In an uncertain crisis, it pays to choose the language we use carefully.
We’re all facing extreme uncertainty right now, with each day different to the last. But within uncertainty lies opportunity. On today’s special episode, we’re exploring 3 practical strategies to take advantage of our isolated situation.
For the serial entrepreneur, businesses aren’t win or lose. It’s a learning process. After scaling one company by 4,000%, what could be applied to your other projects? That’s what we’ll learn from today’s guest, and much more. We don’t have to be entrepreneurs ourselves to put their lessons into our life playbooks...
Have you ever worried about not having all the answers? I certainly have. We can overcome this anxiety by making our learning today widely applicable to tomorrow. And the very best knowledge of all? That goes into our life’s playbook.
What’s the difference between data going nowhere, and evidence that drives change? How do we present stories to impact millions of people? Today’s guest answers big questions where the stakes have never been higher.
Trying to overplan or overthink a situation is like trying to complete a puzzle without all the pieces: It’s impossible. Our great expectations create fragile thinking that shatters under the slightest change. How can we overcome the problems of overplanning and expectation? By swapping rigid thinking for fluid thinking.
Interview with Eric Ruiz: a writer and marketing strategist (formerly working at Netflix, Waze, and trolling Drake with a tongue-in-cheek billboard). We practically apply last week’s mental model of bifurcation, learning how Eric bifurcates decisions to minimise risk, streamline his thinking and focus where it matters. We’ll also learn why Eric thinks the traditional diversity discussion is broken, and see another perspective we can take to achieve real diversity in our thinking.
What if you could reduce the chaos of choosing between dozens of decisions to just two options? Bifurcation paints our path forward in binary black and white, making difficult decisions more straightforward. Combining this with singular focus—narrowing your visor so all you can think about is achieving that one goal—is a powerful recipe for progress. But where could singular focus get in our way? Is there more to risk than splitting our bets? And when might we just need to throw caution to the wind, and go all in?
Blame damages our relationships. Pointing the finger slams the door shut on any future progress you might make together. But what if we could retrain blame? So when we instinctively look for problems, instead we accept our situation, take responsibility and open the door to opportunity? There’s more than one side to this though. As we’ll learn, solutions don’t always equal success...
Have you laid awake in bed after an exhausting day regretting a decision you made earlier? The truth is, it’s hard to see why we make certain choices. Busy schedules make reflection a luxury. But what if you could take a step back and actually understand how to make better decisions? How would this impact your life across your home, your relationships and your work? That’s the big idea behind this season of Subject Matter...
The idea of an uncomfortable conversation is never easy. But the truth is: they’re necessary. And odds are, the thing we’ve been putting off is often what needs to be done most. For people who want to radically shift their live's direction, there is one conversation that is both the hardest to have, AND the most important. It requires us to stop looking at the world around us, and instead search for what lies within. What happens, and who will you become, when you’re willing to change everything?
There are three pillars that lay the foundation of your life - your home, your relationships and your work, at any given moment. Between the three, we discover what makes life worth living. With only three pillars in place, it begs the question - are you effectively prioritising the right one at any given moment? How do you rock your foundations in a way to ignite growth that will last a lifetime?
The only way to produce extraordinarily different results is to think differently. That either comes from following in the footsteps of others (mentors), or blazing your own trail (seeking new context). On this episode of Subject Matter, we deep-dive into the paths of some of the greatest debaters and idea creators in the world to figure out what works. As always, what you decide to be right...is up to you!
If life is merely a matter of perspective, then how should we perceive it? Is it enough to be happy with the one we’ve all created so far on our journey? Or is time…for a challenge? What if the things you believe are critically important don’t actually matter as much as you think? And what if the old way could make way for a much more powerful perspective altogether?
Today’s debate is on the power of saying yes, versus the power of saying no. When to use them, and when not to. Which is better? And is one strategy superior to the other? Saying yes opens your mind to all the world has to offer, at the cost of your time. Saying no puts you in the driver's seat, controlling how you move into the world. Which is better? Which is worse? You'll have to decide for yourself.
Does fortune favour the bold, or does fortune favor the prepared? Do entrepreneurs ever truly get “lucky”, or is work always the deciding factor? And if we create our own luck, how come some people seem to simply be luckier than others?
It’s a new year, and a fresh opportunity to start things right. You might be setting goals, but is there a better way to think about what lies ahead? What if we’re not searching for answers, but rather, themes that we can live our life by? And in fact, what if there’s one theme that presides over all others? In this special episode of Subject Matter, where we look at the past year just gone, and how to set yourself up for success in 2019, to make it "THE" year for you, and not just "A" year.
Whether it’s David over Goliath or the Trojan Horse taking Troy by surprise, brains almost always beat brawn. As the saying goes, knowledge is power. But can you know too much? And what happens when your knowledge turns into something much darker?
To get ahead, is it better to have tunnel vision for the things you want to achieve or to slow down and proceed as authentically as possible? Is ruthless execution the opposite of authenticity? How will your message and your impact stand out from the clamor of the crowd? Join us on Subject Matter, where we cross-examine these two very polarizing ideas in pursuit of the 'truth'.
When it comes to making decisions in today's digital world, cold hard numbers are only a few clicks away. But what if the numbers don’t add up? What if instead, the best way to decisions is not from stats and figures, but instinct and intuition?
Does success have to come at the price of being happy? Can your ambition and happiness peacefully co-exist? Or are you sacrificing your vision by not working hard enough?
There’s no doubt that breaking the rules have produced some of, if not all, of society’s biggest achievements. But you can’t break the rules until you know how to properly play the game. There’s no such thing as a shortcut. Rules are made to be broken. The question is, when?
As entrepreneurs, we’re always out for number one. And if anyone is going to make our business succeed, it’s got to be us. Right? But what if the only way to really get ahead is to actively seek out new people and environments that force us to think radically differently? Is our success as down to us as we might think?
It saved the world's most translated book from failure. It lets you copy the world's hottest car company. What if giving away could be the key that unlocks what we truly want? And how do we make sure we don't give away too much? That's this week's discussion on Subject Matter.
When we think of fear, it's typically an idea that holds us back. After all, our demons are often our greatest enemy. But what if there was more to fear than meets the eye? Could it be possible to channel fear to not anchor us down, but let our ship sail? Could fear be the needle that points our compass towards growth?
Thanks for checking out our podcast! Here's a brief introduction to what you can expect from Subject Matter.