Carpe Diem Connections Podcast: Retrospective

 

One of my big projects during Covid was to start a podcast: Carpe Diem Connections.  I feel quite proud of my little venture, even though I don't have many followers.  In some ways (just like with this blog) that makes it less intimidating and easier to experiment.

I wrapped up Season 3 in the end of March..  10 episodes including each of the 10 Keys of Happiness. I've been taking a little break from podcasting while I focused more on blogging in the last couple of months, but now I've decided to have a short Season 4.

In fact, I recorded my first episode of Season 4 a couple of days ago to demonstrate how to use a Retrospective.

This will help me decide what I might want to do differently in Season 4.

First we look at the "Why" behind doing the podcast in the first place and whether or not the objectives were accomplished.

Then I'll look at what worked well, what could've been better, and what I might do differently in Season 4.

Why do a podcast?

• To learn how to publish a podcast
• To learn how to edit audio
• To learn more about the topics I'm podcasting about
• To connect with like-minded people
• To virtually socialize (during a time when I'm not socializing in the "traditional" way)
• To gain followers for my Carpe Diem Connection community
• To become an influencer! 

What worked well

• I enjoyed finding guests and connecting with people I admire
• I learned Audacity and some basic audio editing
• I learned more about happiness and joy, and increased these in my own life
• I had fun with this
• I went on to host a professional Webinar for the Agile20Reflect conference with one of the guests I met
• I did 3 seasons and did each a little differently
• I stayed consistent, creating a blog post, podcast, and YouTube videos (in Seasons 1 and 3) each week.
• It was good to have a "prompt" for each week (ie. the 10 Keys to Happiness)
• I did get invited to others podcasts or radio shows to talk about Carpe Diem Day
• It was good to Co-host Season 2 with Becky and learn from her
• It was nice to get the support, comments or recognition from any friends who listened to an episode

What could've been better

• Though my speaking and editing skills improved, there still is a lot of room to grow these skills
• I don't enjoy the self-promotion and didn't engage much in promotional activities
• I don't have many followers
• There isn't an easy way to get audience engagement with a podcast, so I can neither have a conversation nor get feedback easily from listeners
• I didn't really have a target audience
• My equipment... and sometimes the equipment or comfort-level of the guest
• I don't think I gained any additional followers for the Carpe Diem Connection Facebook Group.

What I'll do differently in Season 4

• Continue to improve my podcasting skills - (I took a beginner Audacity class last week.)
• Do a better job of getting the podcast listed in podcast directories
• Identify and connect, via social media, with my target audience
• Find a better way to engage with the audience
• I have a new microphone, so that might help with the quality
• I want to keep the episodes shorter (perhaps 15 minutes or less) maybe splitting my guest interviews into multiple podcast episodes.

Guests

• Janet Blaser - Expat living in Mazatlan and Author of “Why We Left: An Anthology of American Women Expats” 
• Baroness Susan Greenfield! - Renowned neuroscientist
• Dan Jaworski - Leading the effort to End Alzheimer's through the Kona Ironman in October, 2021

I'm excited, specifically about the amazing guests I'm going to be talking to this season!