What we’ve learned so far with our own podcast

A retrospective on our journey so farAfter reaching episode 33, we are taking a moment to look back at our evolution from production experts to first time podcast hosts. Although we have spent years helping others film and produce, stepping in front of the lens ourselves brought a fresh set of challenges and unexpected realisations. This episode is an honest review of the hurdles we faced, the systems we built, and the surprising lessons we learned while finding our feet in the podcasting world.Planning for a casual feelOne of the most significant takeaways for us is the sheer volume of preparation required to make a show appear simple and casual. We’ve realised the necessity of having robust systems in place to maintain our consistent weekly schedule. By testing these processes on our own show, we have been able to iron out the technical kinks, ensuring things are as easy as possible for us and for the clients we will help in the future. We also discuss the creative process of building our set and how it all came together to look incredible, even if it isn't a "real" cave.The importance of packaging and strategyWe have to admit that we initially treated our episode titles and thumbnails as an afterthought. We quickly learned that these elements have a massive effect on viewership, so we now plan them before we even start filming. It is funny how we would have advised a client to do this from day one, yet we skipped those steps for ourselves. Beyond the strategy, we are excited to see our community growing and are thrilled to be approaching the 2,000 subscriber mark.Building community and overcoming nervesWe have been pleasantly surprised by how willing people are to participate as guests; it actually feels easier to get a "celebrity" onto a podcast than it is for a traditional TV talk show. We also share our personal stories of overcoming those early "sweaty" and intimidating recording sessions. We call it the "first pancake syndrome", that initial, awkward day that you almost have to throw away to pave the way for the relaxed, easy-peasy dynamic we enjoy now.Thank you for following along our journey so far, and we are looking forward to the next 33 episodes! Stay tuned for more.