Podcast Struggles in Year One: How a Pandemic Forced My Biggest Pivot— Julia Toothacre | Ep 101

Whether you’re thinking about starting a podcast for your coaching or consulting business, or you already have a show and want to make it a stronger lead magnet, this episode is for you. Julia Toothacre shares her honest journey from launching her career-focused podcast right before a pandemic to slowly finding her groove as both an educator and an interviewer. If you’ve ever wondered how to balance solo content with bringing on guests—or whether you should take the leap into live coaching sessions on your podcast—Julia’s story will get your wheels turning.In this episode, you’ll pick up two specific lessons:• The real impact a podcast can have on your business as a discoverability and trust-building tool (even when numbers aren’t sky-high).• How to approach rebranding, optimizing episodes for search, and tackling the messy middle of distributing content across platforms like YouTube and audio feeds.Give this one a listen if you want to hear about the pivots, doubts, and little wins that keep a podcast and a business growing—especially when things don’t go as planned.Connect with Julia ToothacreWebsite:https://ridethetidecollective.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ridethetidecollective/#LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ridethetidecollective/If My Podcast Story speaks to you, consider subscribing so you never miss an episode. And if you have a moment, leaving a review helps more people discover the stories shared here. Your support truly means a lot.There’s more to every story than what you hear on the episode. Join the My Podcast Story newsletter to receive thoughtful takeaways, episode extras, and personal notes that don’t make it into the show. It’s a quiet way to stay inspired between listens.Sign up here: https://mypodcaststory.com/joinIf the stories you hear on My Podcast Story bring you inspiration, clarity, or simply a moment of connection, consider supporting the podcast by buying me a coffee. Every contribution helps me continue sharing the journeys of podcasters from around the world.Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/wisdomhqWant to be a guest on My Podcast Story? Send Wisdom Okonkwo a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/mypodcaststoryChapters00:00 Introduction & Julia’s Podcast Story01:17 What Control Your Career Is About02:18 Deciding to Start a Podcast03:04 Early Days and Covid Challenges05:34 Facing Fears & Adding Interviews06:43 Why Not Try Live Coaching On Air09:46 Podcast Discovery on YouTube10:44 Rebranding and YouTube Channel Decisions13:38 The Domain Name Story15:53 Repurposing and YouTube Podcast Setup21:47 Podcast Growth, Numbers & Mindset24:32 Audience Focus and Episode Strategy28:08 Connecting Podcast to Business33:36 Branding, Authenticity, and Guest Impressions36:17 Podcast’s Long-Game Value40:10 Julia’s Podcast Workflow & Tools46:32 Sharing Clips and Guest Promotion50:26 Where to Find Julia Online51:33 Wrap Up & Final Thoughts