Truth in numbers.

How I started & why you should, too

Podcasting was not in my original business plan. Grabbing a microphone was not the creative outlet I sought.

I blame my friend’s resistance to penning a regular column for my news publication. Well, him and maybe the fine proprietors of a local micro-brew for the excessive production and service of quality beverages.

For 25 years, my life has been spent in and around the media business. I’ve been a reporter, an editor, a publisher, even a corporate goon. I fully understand the power of the written word, and how the message grows in strength when packaged with photography and art. I had even embraced the internet with its electronic newsletters and the viral reach of blogs and social media. What I hadn’t grasped was the full power of digital channels and their ability to not only pass along news and information, but to foster conversation in a community or industry.

I like to joke about my stumble and fall into the world of podcasting. But the truth is it was one of the greatest accidents I’ve experienced. What was essentially a Grapefruit Wheat Beer-induced whim, my first podcast has evolved into a regular three-times per week show with more than 300 episodes and climbing toward an audience of 10,000 people each week.

What I’m learning — what we’re all learning — is that podcasting is an incredible tool for business. Taking hold of a microphone and hosting a show not only helps build your customer and brand audience, it has the added bonus of making you better at your job.

Let’s face it, one of the hardest things for most of us to do is to tell our own story. Most of us have an inherent distaste for boasting about our own knowledge and successes. Hosting your own show forces you to become a better communicator and hone the skills you need to tell your story and grow your business.

I’m fond of telling people all forward progress comes on the heels of conversation. Whether we’re talking about our personal lives, our communities or our businesses, conversations bring ideas, hone plans and invite others to take part in the movement. They may not always happen with an obstinate friend in a local brewery, but they are, nevertheless powerful and important. It’s what made me pick up the microphone.