Limitless Leaders™ Podcast

Limitless Leaders™ Podcast


30: Podcasting Unwrapped for Businesses and CEO’s

December 12, 2021

We can’t deny that podcasting is one of the biggest platforms today for producing content. Once an obscure medium, we now see no end in its popularity’s rise among different industries. It’s no surprise why — podcasts offer an endless selection of topics in any thinkable field of interest. 


But do you know what goes behind the production of your favourite podcasts? The audio you hear on your podcast app is only the tip of a massive iceberg. Layer upon layer of work goes into producing a show, and we unwrap all that today. 


In this episode, The Podcasting Queen Annemarie Cross takes us through the wonders of podcasting. She shares the challenge that led her to start and thrive in podcasting. Annemarie also lays down key tips on starting a podcast and nurturing an audience. She delves deep into the technicalities involved in running a podcast, including technologies, frequency of release, episode length, and more! 


If you’re looking to jumpstart your podcasting journey, then tune in to the full episode. 


Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode: 


  1. Discover key tips in starting a podcast from The Podcasting Queen herself. 
  1. Find out the best podcasting technologies and platforms you can use. 
  1. Learn how often you should release a podcast and the perfect episode length. 

Resources 


Episode Highlights 


[02:40] How Annemarie Became the Podcasting Queen 


  • Annemarie started her first podcast in 2008, the same year the global financial crisis hit. 
  • Annemarie was then working as a personal brand strategist for executives and professionals. 
  • Many people recently lost their jobs from the financial crisis. Annemarie started her first podcast with a colleague to serve as a voice of hope for those people. 
  • They did the show for two years, creating an impact on people all over the world.  
  • Annemarie continued with podcasting after the show and helped people create their own. She loves the connection and community built from podcasting. 

[05:16] The Key Challenge Annemarie Overcame and Turned into a Gift 


  • About six years ago, Annemarie established a partnership and built it into a seven-figure pipeline.  
  • The partnership ended up not working and left Annemarie burned out and unable to create content. 
  • She realised she could still ask questions even though she couldn’t write or create that time. Her grief and loss kick-started the Women and Leadership Podcast. 
  • Three episodes in, she accidentally generated two four-figure clients. She started thinking about how she could repeat that. 
  • The lessons from her worst business failure have become the core principles of what she teaches today. 

[09:52] Gift of Curiosity and Growth 


  • Annemarie knew that circumstance could make or break her. 
  • She knew that not addressing it appropriately could change her core values, including integrity and trust. 
  • Annemarie trusts people to trust in people. Thus, she hired the most expensive coach to support her through that challenge. 
  • Hiring a coach allowed her to go through the process of forgiveness, healing and dealing with negative emotional triggers. 

[12:29] Key Tips in Starting a Podcast 


  • Look into the misconceptions about podcasting first. For instance, many businesses now compare it to mainstream radio. 
  • The audience you create in podcasting is a community of your ideal clients. You don’t want to diminish that relationship by ad stacking like mainstream radio. 
  • Always imagine that your ideal client is sitting across the table every time you create an episode. That way, you’re nurturing them along the customer journey. 
  • The outcome you want to achieve from your podcast will determine its specific content, platform and frequency of posting. 
  • Look at a podcast as a relationship-building tool, not merely as a broadcasting tool. 

[16:03] Future Podcasting Trends 


  • Thought leaders don’t follow trends — they create trends. 
  • There are no other rules to podcasting other than the rules you set yourself. 
  • Annemarie thinks the trend is heading towards businesses getting clear on leveraging their podcast from a business standpoint. 
  • She says that many CEOs will realise they can build a deeper connection with their audience through podcasting. 
  • People who understand podcasting’s value can use it as a vehicle to champion their brand message, thought leadership and industry authority. 

[19:36] Building a Podcast: Where Do I Start? 


  • First, focus on your message and its purpose. You cannot create compelling content that converts and nurtures relationships from fluff and banter. 
  • Don’t worry too much about the microphone. However, you want to have technology that doesn’t sound too distracting. 
  • You do not have to put on a persona. The Edelman Trust Barometer found that being too media-focused, precise and produced doesn’t fuel conversations. 
  • Start with a three-part podcast series first. It is an excellent option to kick-start the next audience relationship. 
  • Podcasting takes a lot of time, money and commitment. Only when you have a strategy in place can you generate the best results for every single episode. 

[23:12] Repurposing Content 


  • Always searching for new guests and new topics is a common mistake. 
  • Snapshots refer to smaller segments of an audio or video. These sound or video bites can hone in core quotable quotes. 
  • You can always direct people back to the main episode from featured snapshots. 
  • Figure out how to make a piece of content more consumable. 
  • Hearing from someone that you keep sharing something is a good problem to have. We’re all often guilty of hearing the same thing over and over and not taking action. 

[24:42] Annemarie’s Recommended Podcasting Technologies 


  • StreamYard would be a technology that could leverage the podcast and live streaming space. 
  • She has used Zoom for many years. 
  • Find a platform that you already use and are comfortable with. You don’t need to try everything. 
  • Audacity is also great for audio-exclusive podcasts. 
  • Create content that will allow you to tap into different communication preferences. 

[27:15] How Often You Should Release a Podcast Episode 


  • Identify what works best for you. 
  • You want to be top of mind with high-quality content, depending on your podcast’s purpose. 
  • Annemarie suggests releasing an episode fortnightly every second week. The podcast can be as short as five minutes. 
  • She had some podcasts that have gone from daily to weekly to every fortnight. They all worked because the outcome they wanted fit in those time frames. 

[25:56] The Right Episode Length 


  • Get feedback from your audience. 
  • There has been a change in consumer behaviour because few people commute to work now. 
  • 20 minutes is an excellent episode length. Some prefer 40 minute-long podcasts. 
  • Focus on the quality. The length of an episode rarely matters as long as it’s good and engaging. 

[31:07] Annemarie’s Favorite Things 


  • Word: Adventure 
  • Meal: Fish and chips 
  • Sound: Silence 
  • Annemarie is a multi-passionate person. A field she would’ve taken more notice of had she known what was happening now is politics. 

About Annemarie 


Annemarie Cross is the CEO of the Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast Network and Industry Thought Leader Academy. She is a business coach, podcast and personal branding strategist, speaker, and author. Also known as ‘The Podcasting Queen', Annemarie hosts the award-winning podcast, The Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast. She has also been cited as one of Melbourne, Australia's Top 20 Business Coaches. 


Annemarie is a pioneer in the podcasting space. She started her first co-hosted podcast in 2008 and has interviewed thousands of guests over the past 13 years. Along the way, her podcasts have been syndicated on local and international radio. They have also joined the top podcast show lists for entrepreneurs and small businesses globally. 


If you wish to connect with Annemarie, you may reach out to him on her websitePodcasting with PurposeLinkedInFacebookTwitter, and Instagram


Enjoy This Podcast? 


We can’t deny that podcasting is one of the biggest platforms today for producing content. How can you leverage podcasting to champion your brand message, thought leadership and industry authority? Kickstart your podcasting journey and take your business and leadership skills to newer heights! 


Post a review and share it! If you learned something by tuning into this podcast, do not hesitate to write a review and share it with your friends! The world needs more people with the drive and leadership qualities to make the world a better place. 


For more updates and episodes, visit and subscribe on the Limitless Leaders podcast page


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To leading the future and staying limitless, 


Renée