EPISODE · Jul 23, 2026 · 42 MIN
Empowered Podcasting CMO on Turning Followers into a Year‑Round Community (How EPC3 Makes Belonging Stick)
from Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed · host Junaid Ahmed
5 key takeaways: Community ≠ audience: community is recurring, reciprocal, and built through shared experiences, not metrics. The magic happens in the hallways: stages teach, corridors create opportunities (collabs, podcasts, books). Design with belonging in mind: workshops, interactive journals, visible staff, and pre-event touchpoints turn attendees into contributors. Make introverts powerful connectors: be interested, not interesting — ask great questions and invite people in. Start local, know your "who": test pop-ups and meetups before scaling to travel-heavy conferences. Timestamps (with enticing labels): 0:00 — Opening: Why in-person gatherings still outvalue online reach 3:48 — Podfest pivot: Rich’s defining moment from virtual to real‑world belonging 7:08 — Airbnb retreat: How hallway encounters became a week‑long creative masterclass 15:17 — Hallways vs. stages: Where learning ends and collaboration begins 20:36 — Making newcomers belong: the staff-led approach that stops cliques 25:54 — Tips for introverts: simple questions that spark big conversations 33:15 — EPC3 preview & who benefits most: growth, monetization, and community in focus Guest links: Website / podcasts / book: https://richperry.com — 10 Minute Mentor, Purpose First Entrepreneur, and free copy of Talk of the Town Empowered Podcasting / event: https://empoweredpodcasting.com — EPC3 (Aug 21–23, Charlotte) Social (find EPC + community): Empowered Podcasting on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram (links via empoweredpodcasting.com) 🎙 Wanna be a guest? Apply on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/member/hacksandhobbies📖 Home Studio resources: https://homestudiobook.com🔗 LI: https://linkedin.com/in/superjunaid Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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What this episode covers
When your online followers finally meet in the same room, something quietly seismic happens — alliances form, projects launch, and belonging replaces broadcasting. Junaid sits down with Rich Perry, partner and CMO of Empowered Podcasting, to unpack how events like Podfest and EPC3 convert passive audiences into active communities. Rich shares personal moments of transformation (from virtual summits to Airbnb creative retreats), the rules that keep hallway magic honest, and practical design choices that make first‑timers feel like insiders. If you want to design gatherings that actually build relationships — not just fill seats — this episode is a blueprint.
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Empowered Podcasting CMO on Turning Followers into a Year‑Round Community (How EPC3 Makes Belonging Stick)
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