In this episode, Sarah Crews shares the top lessons learned from her first 10 episodes of the 'Lessons from Your Hairstylist' podcast. She discusses the importance of being concise, paying attention to details, investing in quality tools, seeking help, embracing imperfection, leveraging guest interviews, structuring episodes for clarity, enhancing audience engagement, and improving interview skills. Each lesson is backed by personal experiences and practical tips for aspiring podcasters.

Anna Lambert's Spotify Episode Link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1MOqpULUsDQ4c7KhJBGXi4?si=mBQFnlGqRG6e9gffdWnWQA

Anna Lambert's YouTube Episode Link: https://youtu.be/MAa2X5jDXkE

Anna Lambert's Instagram: @woowoohairstylist

Christi-Yanni Ablong Instagram: @christi.yanni

Well hello and welcome to the lessons from your hairstylist podcast. I'm your host and hairstylist friend Sarah Cruz. if you've ever thought that you might want to start a podcast, if you've even had it in the back of your mind somewhere, then I'm gonna share with you today the top lessons I've learned from my first 10 episodes. Now that I have released 10 episodes, I have some pretty strong

Hindsight and I want to share those things with you today because if you're somebody who listens to a podcast You've probably had it somewhere in the back of your mind where you've imagined maybe starting one.

So let's get started with number one. This is the art of concisement. So I don't even know if concisement is a word, but...

I am quickly learning about being concise. One thing I noticed in my early episodes was that my tendency to ramble was really strong. Especially during the intro, I had so much that I wanted to share, I wanted to get it all out, but I often just found myself struggling to land the plane.

I Realized that my audience appreciates clear and direct communication I know that because when I listen to a podcast I feel the same way I get very impatient when somebody's not sticking with the point or there's not constant value and impact being

given.

So I've been working on keeping my intro succinct and getting to the point faster. It's a skill I'm still honing, but I find that it helps to maintain listener engagement.

for instance, I've started outlining key points that I want to cover ahead of time, which helps me stay focused. And I did have one podcast guest on Anna Lambert. I found her because she's a hairstylist who started a podcast herself. And I was looking for someone who was already doing what it was that I wanted to do. So I started listening to her very first episodes that she recorded. And I realized I love listening.

to her and later she has been one of my first 10 guests on my podcast and her piece of advice to me was to lay out in an outline your podcast episode ahead of time so that you can really stay on track and I was doing that a little bit but now I feel like I've gotten that down to the very key points that I want to cover and then I feel like now I'm

getting better at wrapping it up.

So that has helped me tremendously outlining the episode and setting it up in the intro as to how it's gonna roll out.

Next, the little things matter. So this is number two. Now, I want to talk about the little things that can make such a big difference. For example, I learned the hard way about keeping my papers and other items off my microphone. I had one podcast episode where my papers were wrestling over the...

microphone and it was very distracting and it was very hard to edit out. So that's something that I'm conscious about now

you would not believe how much those noise cranking papers can be such a distraction. So I've developed a system to keep my workspace tidy and to minimize distraction. So systems are always good for everything. And now I have things in place and I know that if I'm gonna flip papers, I'm not gonna have them near the microphone.

Just a small adjustment, but it greatly improves the audio quality. Also something is camera angles. I've played with this a little bit. I normally just film like in my office with like a blank wall in my chair. It's very minimalist. I'm in a different spot today, but what I realized with the camera angle is that it's important to push back a little bit.

This is because when the clips are cut and put onto social media and they're in the various social media ratios, the guest and also my face can fill the entire screen and be way too much. So getting the angle right for YouTube, for Instagram, for whatever platform you plan to post this on, that's really important. And to be sure that you've got plenty of space so that you can crop.

Again, just little things, but those things matter.

Number three, tech tips for smooth recording.

this is a little bit of tech, but it also goes along with those small details.

One of the things that I do is I always put my phone on airplane mode and the reason I do this is because once I got a call mid episode and that call somehow disrupted the audio and it kept the entire episode audio from syncing to the video and it was so frustrating when my editor went to go in and try to match that up. So it took a lot of time and it was just very frustrating to get that to match up, especially then when I went to try to create clips.

to try to crop things down and get them so they were postable on social media. It was a little bit of a nightmare when that call came in. Somehow it just disrupted everything. So good idea to have your guest, if you have a guest, put their phone on airplane mode and also have your phone on airplane mode as well so that your call does not disrupt your audio.

Number four, invest in quality. Now, when I first started, I know I was a little overwhelmed by everything that you could buy and everything that you needed to use and all of the different programs and the different steps of starting a podcast. And so it doesn't have to be super expensive. For me, I have picked out just a few key areas where I will invest just a little bit. I do have a microphone. This is a microphone that we actually already had.

So I just use that and it's fine. That's a Yeti microphone. But the other thing I do is I invest in a podcasting recording software called Riverside FM. And I don't have any sort of like sponsorship with them or anything like that. But I do like it because there are a lot of perks that allow you to market your podcast episode later on. It just makes it a lot easier to take it from recording to

the various different platforms that you're trying to post on.

Now, I initially considered using free options. I know that not everything has to be perfect, but investing in quality is essential when it comes to something like the recording and the audio and the editing for me. So that's one place where I found that it was really smart to put a little bit investment in there, and actually it's not a lot. I think it's like $30 a month, so not bad at all.

Like I said, I record on Riverside, which has these features, which makes the process a whole lot smoother. It's got high quality audio, video recording, and it syncs seamlessly, especially if you have a guest. You've got two tracks of audio. It helps those to really sync up and it allows you to edit each audio track separately, which is really nice. You can do everything right in the app and it just makes things so much easier and streamlined.

So like I said, I didn't want to break the bank, but I have learned that sometimes spending a little something on the right tools pays off in the long run.

And it's these small investments that can really elevate your podcast significantly.

Number five, the value of getting some help. Another key takeaway that has been of importance to me has been getting some help. When I first started, I sought some assistance from someone who provided a framework to me and she gave me checklists to kind of guide me through the process of getting my podcast from recording to the airwaves.

Now given budget constraints, of course, because this podcast right now is not monetizing. This is a passion project. We've just started 10 episodes in. So this is not a moneymaker right now, right? We got to keep the budget small right now. So what I did was I hired a virtual assistant who was focused on podcasting, who had some experience in it, but was also newer in marketing her own business and getting clients.

So it turned out to be a really great fit in the beginning because we both supported each other in our respective endeavors.

Having that support truly made the launch process less overwhelming and allowed me to focus on creating the content.

She and I established a workflow and we streamlined everything from scheduling to social media promotion, which has been invaluable.

Now my virtual assistant's name was Christiani

I'm going to put her info in the show notes for you just in case you might want to explore the world of podcasting.

She may be someone who could help you get started the way she helped me get started.

Next, number six, let's talk about embracing imperfection. Now, in the beginning, I was worried how everything would be perceived, my audio quality, my delivery, and even the content itself. But I learned that striving for perfection can be absolutely paralyzing.

One thing that's very important to me that I really had to work on was not worrying about what other people thought. And that actually has been very liberating. The more you put yourself out there, the more you just do your thing, the less sensitized you are to what other people might think about it.

And what's nice about this liberation from worrying about what other people think about you is that it really allows you to be more authentic and to focus on sharing the message rather than getting caught up in all of this self doubt. And I've really come to realize that my listeners appreciate my genuine voice more so than a polished facade.

In a world where social media often only showcases the best moments, being real and relatable can create a stronger connection with your audience.

And this has also encouraged me to share more personal stories and lessons learned, which resonates deeply with my listeners.

Next, number seven, the power of having guests on your podcast and batching your content.

Now being able to have guests on my podcast is something I always really wanted to do. I wanted to bring experts on in the world of beauty and health and wellness

and bring that expertise out to my friends, you, the listener.

And also having a guest not only diversifies the content, but it also helps me stay on a routine of batch recording. Batching is not something I have traditionally been very good at, especially like when it comes to posting, social media, things like that. I'm very much someone who likes to do things in the moment. So having a guest has actually forced me to plan ahead a little bit

Also working around someone else's schedule. I've got to be more planned on the front end and have things ready to go. So it's helped to train me somewhat to do things ahead of time rather than just posting on the fly

batching ahead of time is so helpful, because if you have a rough week or you have a time where you're super busy and you don't have time to record, you've already got some episodes in the bank. So that has been one of the best things I've actually done. So I don't know if that was something that I learned, but that's something that I am over here kind of patting myself on the back about just a little bit, because there've been other learning lessons that I sure need to do differently, but getting things done ahead of time, I'm kind of proud of.

because that has helped so much to allow us to come out with a new podcast every week without worrying about and scrambling at the last minute how are we gonna do it. So batch recording and scheduling guests ahead of time has been really good. I would recommend that.

in addition,

Having these conversations with guests has not only enriched the podcast, Hopefully this podcast inspires you and the people that come on and inspire you. They inspire me too.

they help inspire me to keep pushing forward because there's just so many stories and insights to share. And that was really at the heart of why I started this podcast. I wanted to bring some real value to people. Take those conversations that I have with clients behind the chair,

the things that we've talked about over the last 30 years. Also, people that are in the beauty industry, my colleagues as well, those conversations. I really wanted to bring a lot of the stuff that we inspire and learn from each other, those discoveries, I wanted to bring those onto the podcast. So having guests on really helps do that

Now I have found that having a mix of solo and guest episodes also helps me keep my creativity flowing. Like today, I just wanted to share with you, now that we have 10 episodes out, what some things have been that I've learned along the way. That way, again, if you're someone who has even thought about it in the back of your mind, maybe these things will help you.

But yes, having guests and also doing solo episodes really allows me to explore different perspectives on beauty, personal growth, making the podcast more dynamic and engaging.

And my goal is just to make this better and better all the time.

Number eight, structuring episodes for clarity and introducing cut it or keep it.

Now we talked about structuring the episodes a little bit, but one of the things that I decided to add in recently was a segment called Cut It or Keep It. So as I continue to refine my podcasting approach, one of my key goals is to establish a very clear structure for each episode. again, going to ensure that we can deliver engaging content hopefully

within a target time frame of about 45 minutes. That's my goal. And I believe that having a well-defined beginning, middle, and end is crucial for maintaining listener interest.

So I'm envisioning in the beginning, I'll be setting the stage by introducing the episode topic and my guest. just share a brief overview of what listeners can expect, stirring in their curiosity right from the start. Now in the middle, we're gonna dive into obviously the main content where I'm just gonna engage my guest, ask thought provoking questions and explore the topic in depth.

This section is going to be the heart of the episode. It's going to be filled with the insights, the stories, and tips that resonate with our audience.

Now finally in the end, I'm going to wrap these things up with a summary of the key takeaways and we'll transition into the new signature segment which I'm excited to introduce called Cut It or Keep It.

Alright, let me explain a little bit about this new segment. So, cut it or keep it is a fun and engaging take on my experience as a stylist behind the chair.

As a stylist I face the decision every day with a client about whether their hair is worth working with and treating or if it's just time to cut it off and start fresh.

segment, I'll present my guest with a topic which is related to beauty, wellness, or even could be current trends, and I'll ask them a question, would you cut it or keep it? And essentially this just means, are they for it or are they against

Now, Cut It or Keep It is going to be a rapid fire round at the end of the episode that will encourage lively discussions and help us explore different perspectives. Plus, it's an opportunity for guests to get to share their personal opinions and experiences in a fun way.

Now I plan to share the topics with my guests ahead of time so that they can have a chance to prepare, collect their thoughts, and that way when we get to that segment, we can just dive right into the discussion and keep the energy high.

For example, we might discuss topics like hair trends that should be cut or self-care practices worth keeping. It just allows for both the guest to weigh in and to tell what we think is beneficial or unnecessary in the beauty industry or all things related to health and wellness and well-being.

So I'm excited. I'm really looking forward to integrating Cut It or Keep It into our episodes.

I believe it's gonna add a unique flavor to our conversations and keep you engaged and entertained.

number nine is going to be enhancing audience engagement and feedback.

So I'm realizing, now that I have launched these 10 episodes, that the algorithm on social media can help the podcast get found, but a lot of intentional work needs to be done for better audience engagement and feedback. Building a community around the podcast is essential, and I'm committed to finding innovative ways to connect with you.

So one approach I'm considering is creating interactive content, such as polls and quizzes, things like that on social media platforms like Instagram. This not only encourages you to participate, but also gives me valuable insights into your preferences and interests.

For example, I could run a poll asking what topics would you like to hear about? Which guests would you want to hear more from? This type of content may help you feel like you're more a part of the conversation, which is what I want, and hopefully foster more of a sense of community together.

Also going forward, I'd really like to look at implementing a system for gathering feedback after each episode. So this might look something like an email list where you could share your thoughts, suggestions, or even questions for future episodes.

Maybe I could gather those from social media and maybe the email list eventually.

Ultimately, what I'm looking to do is to create a two-way dialogue between you and me, making you an active participant in the podcasting experience.

By prioritizing your engagement and feedback, I believe that you and I can build a stronger, more connected community together.

It's a lot to build, but we'll get there as we grow.

And finally, number 10 would be improving my interview skills. Boy, as I have looked back on the last 10 episodes, I can really see where I have a lot of work to do. Now, I'm proud of myself. I've got the first 10 episodes out, but I can see where I was rambling on quite a bit there, especially in the intros.

So in the beginning of this episode, I talked about my tendency to ramble.

And there are times too when my guests have a lot to say, they have a lot of detail to share, and I may need to

the conversation aligned in a particular direction. I may need to interject. And I feel like working on my ability to know when and how to get in there is something that I really want to improve so that the listener stays engaged the whole time.

One other thing too is learning to ask less complex questions. I do tend to ask a question and a question and then another question on top of that all in one go.

This usually happens to me whenever I'm following up on what someone has already said and I'm trying to expand on it. I just get really excited about two or three points that they made and I wanna cram a bunch of little questions in there on my follow-up. But the more I practice, the better I become at asking engaging questions and creating meaningful conversations that resonate with my audience.

The other thing I think I could probably do too is to seek the feedback from my actual guests to see how they felt the interviews went and what they think could be improved. I think this will help me to refine my approach and ensure that each episode is better than the last.

So there you go, the top 10 things I've learned in my top 10

of the Lessons From Your Hairstylist podcast.

So just to recap.

I've truly learned the importance of being concise. I've learned that paying attention to the little things is really important. Investing in quality tools where it makes sense, seeking help, embracing imperfection,

improving the guest briefings, and developing my interview skills.

As I grow in my podcasting journey, I am really excited to apply these lessons that I've learned and to grow alongside you,

Thank you for joining me here on the Lessons From Your Hairstylist podcast. If you've enjoyed today's episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with your friends. And feel free to reach out to me if you've been interested in starting a podcast yourself. I would love to offer you any support that I can and cheer you on in your journey as well.

That's all I have for today.

Until next time, remember that transformation in anything you want begins with tiny steps. Do me a huge favor. Please leave a rating, a review on the podcast and share it with someone you know. Whether they're a beauty industry pro or an everyday beauty enthusiast looking to live a happier, healthier, more beauty filled life, this podcast is here to help provide practical action steps to help do just that.

Have the most amazing day and remember to take just one tiny step today towards your goals. Talk to you next week.