Mike Murphy Unplugged

Episode Summary: A very special 10-year anniversary episode reflecting on a decade of content creation, the story behind 155 consecutive podcast episodes, and Mike's pivot into AI. From Adobe tutorials to RAG systems, hear how he evolved from Tech Handyman to RAG Handyman — and what's next for the Mike Murphy Content Factory.What You'll LearnWhy Mike put Mike Murphy Unplugged on the shelf after 155 consecutive weekly episodesHow a decade of Adobe and creative tutorials turned into 1,700+ YouTube videosThe scary, deliberate pivot from Adobe tutorials to AI contentWhat RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) is and why it matters for creatorsThe evolution from Tech Handyman to Podcast Handyman to RAG HandymanThe Podcast Origin StoryMike launched Mike Murphy Unplugged in September 2015, writing 3,500-word scripts every single week and recording them word for word. That pace carried him through 155 consecutive episodes before he hit the wall and had to press pause — not to end the show, but to put it on the shelf while he kept building elsewhere. The podcast is also what led to a book, a Domestika course, a job at a podcast startup, and a long list of relationships in the podcast and creator world.Content Creation JourneyWhile the podcast was paused, YouTube became Mike's workshop. The simple formula — learn something useful, fire up ScreenFlow, make a tutorial on the spot — resulted in over 1,700 videos across 10 years, including a 365-videos-in-365-days challenge in 2017. He also wrote hundreds of articles on Medium, rounding out a content trifecta of audio, video, and writing, and started calling himself a "tech handyman" for it.The AI TransitionAfter a decade building an audience around Adobe and creative-tutorial content, pivoting to AI content meant real self-doubt: would an audience that expects After Effects tutorials follow along into topics like Hugging Face, vibe coding, and Claude Code? Mike made the leap anyway — learning Python, terminal commands, and automation workflows, and building an AI playground on a virtual private server to experiment in public.RAG Systems Deep DiveRAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) is the current focus of Mike's AI work: building AI knowledge bases out of existing content so creators and small businesses can generate new material, develop course outlines, write scripts, and answer audience questions — all in their own voice, pulled from their own back catalog. That idea is the seed of what Mike calls the Mike Murphy Content Factory.Becoming the RAG HandymanThe identity arc: Tech Handyman → Podcast Handyman → AI Handyman → RAG Handyman. The mission stays the same across every label — make complex systems accessible and practical for content creators and small businesses, not just engineers.What RAG Can Do For YouContent generation — build on existing work with new angles and ideas Course creation — develop outlines that match your teaching style Script writing — maintain a consistent voice across formats…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A Happy New Year check-in — a walk down memory lane through Mike's path from a one-man band in Naples, Florida to nearly a decade of content creation, plus a look ahead at 2024 goals.What You'll LearnMike's background: English degree, a law school master's he's never used, and a decade of Adobe/creative tech deep-divingWhy he put his name in the podcast title against conventional advice, and why that still made sense to himHow Mike Murphy Unplugged led to a full-time job at Simplecast, later acquired by SiriusXMThe 2024 goals: launching Terrapin Textures digital products, reaching 50,000 YouTube subscribers, and a return trip to the Camino de SantiagoThis episode covers: who Mike is and when and why he started his online business and this podcast, what his goals were then versus now, what the future holds for Mike Murphy Unplugged, and what would make 2024 a successful year.Why His Name Is in the TitleMike put his name in the podcast title for a reason, despite plenty of advice against it when he first launched: this is his personal show, his audio journal. After publishing over 150 episodes in a row, he put the podcast on the back burner while working a full-time job and shifting focus to YouTube — but he never considered shutting it down. It was always just a matter of time before regular episodes resumed.Who Is Mike Murphy?Born in Syracuse, New York, Mike graduated from UMass Amherst with a degree in English and holds a law degree from the University of Denver he's never practiced with. He's lived in Missoula, Montana; Portland, Oregon; Concord, New Hampshire; Durango, Colorado; and now Naples, Florida, where he moved to help friends from Durango open a fine-art portrait studio. Over nearly 10 years there, he built deep expertise in tech, design, creativity, and the Adobe software he still uses today — learning constantly through podcasts, Lynda.com courses, and YouTube, a habit that hasn't changed.In January 2015, Mike launched his own online business to share what he was learning. By August of that year, he launched Mike Murphy Unplugged to document the journey — the tools, resources, and steps toward making a full-time living as a content creator. Publishing episode one remains one of the proudest moments of his life, not because he had a podcast, but because it marked the start of something meaningful: creating the life he wanted on his own terms.From Podcast to CareerMike Murphy Unplugged — and teaching others how to podcast — landed him a full-time job at podcast startup Simplecast, later acquired by SiriusXM. It was a great three-plus year run, but the Zoom-and-Slack grind eventually pushed him toward burnout. The cure was a 40-plus day pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago across France and Spain, an experience so worthwhile it was worth losing the job over when he got back a few months later — and he wasn't sorry about it.Goals: Then and NowWhen Mike started, the goal was simply to make a living learning and teaching creative and technical skills — that North Star ha…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A behind-the-scenes look at creating Mike's first online class, Introduction to Adobe Audition, with the creative-education platform Domestika — from the first pitch email to filming in their New York City studios.What You'll LearnWhat Domestika is and how it works as an online creative-education platformWhat Mike's Introduction to Adobe Audition course covers and who it's forThe full production timeline, from the first acquisitions email to filming in Domestika's NYC studiosWhat it's like to film a course on-location, including finishing the recording right before Hurricane Ian hitThis episode covers: what Domestika is, what the course covers, who it's for, what you'll learn, how to take it, how much it costs, how Mike got started working with Domestika, how he made the course, and how it's gone since launch. There's also a course trailer on YouTube.What Is Domestika?Domestika is a multi-lingual online learning platform offering courses and workshops across creative topics — design, illustration, photography, animation, and more. It originated in Spain, has been around for over 20 years, and is one of the largest platforms for creative education in the world, with over 8 million registered students across 50-plus countries and 8 languages.The Course: Introduction to Adobe AuditionAdobe Audition is a digital audio workstation (DAW) used for recording, editing, mixing, and mastering audio — part of the Adobe Creative Cloud bundle, used by podcasters, content creators, film and video editors, sound designers, and musicians. If you've used Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Reaper, Audacity, or GarageBand, Audition serves the same role.The course is for content creators, podcasters, musicians, sound designers, and anyone wanting to learn Audition, whether brand new to audio production or a seasoned pro switching DAWs. Domestika's Basics courses are its best-selling format, aimed at beginners and broken into mini-courses with practice lessons at the end of each section.What you'll learn:Getting Started with Adobe AuditionAdding Media and Recording AudioEditing: Waveform and MultitrackEffects and ProcessingExporting and Saving ProjectsYou can find the course at mikemurphy.co/domestika. Pricing and any promotional discount mentioned in the original episode are specific to the March 2023 launch window and are not repeated here since they're almost certainly stale — check the course page directly for current pricing.Timeline for Making the CourseJune 2022 — An acquisitions/curation manager based in NYC reached out, and Mike had an introductory call to discuss course ideas. Domestika didn't yet have a Basics course on Audition, so that became the direction. Within days of the call, Mike received and signed a proposal.July 2022 (Course Structure) — Mike met with his assigned content manag…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: An early, playful experiment: the entire script for this episode was written by ChatGPT, and Mike read it word for word to teach the basics of AI and how podcasters could put it to use back in 2023.What You'll LearnThe entire script for this episode was written by ChatGPT and read word for word — an early experiment in AI-generated contentThe difference between narrow AI, general AI, and strong AIHow ChatGPT works, from input to generated responsePractical ways podcasters can use AI for transcription, audio optimization, and audience engagementThe ethical and social considerations ChatGPT itself raised about using AI in podcastingThe ConfessionThe entire script of this episode was written by ChatGPT in a matter of minutes, and Mike read it word for word. The goal was to have a little fun while teaching the basics of AI — a mystery to many at the time, including Mike himself — but something certain to have an enormous impact on life as we know it. If you'd never heard of ChatGPT before, this was the nudge to give it a try.This episode covers: what artificial intelligence is, what ChatGPT is, the benefits of using ChatGPT and AI for podcasting in 2023, the ethical and social considerations that come with it, whether AI will replace podcasters and content creators, and what the future of podcasting looks like.The Script (Generated by ChatGPT)What Is Artificial Intelligence?AI, or artificial intelligence, refers to computer systems that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. AI systems are designed to mimic cognitive functions like perceiving, reasoning, and adapting to new situations.There are several types of AI:Narrow AI — designed to perform a specific task or function, such as language translation or image recognition.General AI — designed to perform a wide range of tasks and adapt to new situations, similar to a human brain.Strong AI — designed to be indistinguishable from a human in its ability to think and reason.AI is used across healthcare, finance, education, and transportation to improve efficiency and automate tasks — but its development also raises ethical and social concerns, including the potential impact on employment and privacy.What Is ChatGPT?ChatGPT is a chatbot that uses a natural language processing (NLP) AI model and machine learning to generate human-like responses to user input. It's based on OpenAI's GPT-3 language model, one of the largest and most advanced language models available at the time. Here's how it works:ChatGPT receives input from a user as a message or question. The input is processed by the chatbot's NLP algorithms, which analyze the words and phrases to determine intended meaning. ChatGPT generates a response using machine learning algorithms trained on a large dataset of human-generat…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: Marking the 7-year anniversary of Mike Murphy Unplugged, this episode tells the story of walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage across France and Spain in the fall of 2021.What You'll LearnWhat the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage is and where the Camino Frances route runsWhat a pilgrim's passport is and why it matters for staying in alberguesThe day-by-day timeline of Mike's 2021 walk, from France to Muxia, SpainThe full stats: 39 days, 1,462,154 steps, 654.3 milesAnd if you go, no one may follow, that path is for your steps alone.— Jerry Garcia & Robert HunterMy name is Mike Murphy, and I started Mike Murphy Unplugged in September 2015 to teach and document my journey of building an online business and brand around creating content. The goal of the podcast has always been to share what I'm learning and doing, to inspire others to create the life they want.The PilgrimageA pilgrim, or peregrino, is a person who journeys to a sacred place, often for religious or spiritual reasons. The Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James) is a pilgrimage tracing back to medieval times. There are several routes, but all lead to the tomb of the Apostle Saint James in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. The most popular — and the one documented in The Way, starring Martin Sheen — is the Camino Frances, starting in St. Jean Pied de Port, France, running up and over the Pyrenees and across Spain for 500-plus miles to Santiago de Compostela in the Galician region.The scallop shell is the official symbol of the Camino, and most pilgrims carry one on their backpack. Albergues are hostels where pilgrims can stay for usually less than $15, often with a communal meal (and wine). Every pilgrim needs a pilgrim's passport to stay in albergues, and it gets stamped at least once a day — at albergues, coffee shops, churches, and points of interest — to earn a Compostela (certificate) in Santiago. Over 300,000 pilgrims arrive in Santiago each year.My WalkAugust 26, 2021 — Started walking from St. Jean Pied de Port, FranceSeptember 28, 2021 — Arrived in Santiago de Compostela, SpainOctober 3, 2021 — Arrived in Finisterre, Spain ("The End of the World")October 4, 2021 — Arrived in Muxia, SpainStatsTotal walking days: 39 daysTotal steps: 1,462,154 stepsTotal distance: 1,052.6 km (654.3 miles)Average steps per day: 37,491 stepsAverage distance per day: 27 km (16.8 miles)Show Notes & LinksThe Way (2010 film, starring Martin Sheen)Related EpisodesEpisode 157: The 2022 Life Update ShowBuen Camino, MikeRead the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A quick life and business update after a long gap between episodes — moving out of a beloved beach cottage, losing a full-time job the same week, and walking 650 miles across the Camino de Santiago.What You'll LearnWhy Mike moved studios and left his full-time job at Simplecast/SiriusXM in the same weekThe lesson from Eckhart Tolle he leaned on during a rough stretch of 2021-2022How a 7-week leave of absence turned into a 650-mile walk across the Camino de SantiagoWhat Mike Murphy Co was focused on for 2022: YouTube, livestreams, and a new digital productWhy the podcast was shifting into more of a personal audio journalAbsence makes the heart grow fonder, so today I simply want to say hello, reconnect and bring you up to speed on what I've been up to and what I have planned for 2022.— Eleanor RooseveltLife Updates: 2022In early January of 2022, Mike had to move out of the beach cottage he'd happily rented for over 11 years, because it was sold. He lost his full-time job of three-plus years at Simplecast/SiriusXM on the exact same day. The good news: he found a place for rent right across the alley from the old cottage, and the timing freed him up to focus on Mike Murphy Co and making a living as a tutorial maker and content creator — his long-standing North Star."Some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge." — Eckhart TolleLife Updates: 2021Pandemic life didn't change Mike's day-to-day much — he'd already worked from home, and Florida largely ignored the shutdowns. He stayed healthy throughout, but the podcasting industry's pandemic boom meant a heavier workload, and by mid-2021 he was starting to burn out. In August 2021 he took a 7-week leave of absence to recharge.The Trip of a LifetimeThat leave became a walk across the Camino de Santiago: starting in St. Jean Pied de Port, France on August 26, 2021, walking 15-20 miles a day over the Pyrenees and across Spain, and finishing in Muxia in early October — 650 miles in 40-plus days. The days were simple: walk, eat, drink, sleep, repeat, with a daily mantra of "one thing to do, and all day to do it."Resources MentionedMovie: The Way, starring Martin Sheen — if you've ever thought about going, do it.Book: The Courage To Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi — recommended by YouTuber Ali Abdaal.Mike Murphy Co in 2022Growing the Mike Murphy Co YouTube channel and increasing revenue streamsWeekly livestreamsCreating a digital product (class)Writing on MediumFreelance and consulting work — helping people figure things outMike Murphy Unplugged PodcastNo set schedule…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A simple, practical 60-item checklist for creating positive change, read from the book What to Say When You Talk to Yourself by Shad Helmstetter — all about rewiring your brain with positive thoughts and self-talk.What You'll LearnA 60-item checklist for creating positive change, from the book What to Say When You Talk to YourselfThe core idea: what you feed your mind is what you becomeA tip for listening to Kindle books as audiobooks using Amazon AlexaToday's episode reads a simple but practical checklist from What to Say When You Talk to Yourself by Shad Helmstetter, Ph.D. The book is about rewiring your brain with positive thoughts and self-talk, and the checklist is meant to introduce positive habits as change happens from within. What you feed your mind is what you become — feed it positivity, and the world around you changes.Tip: if you have an Amazon Alexa device, you can often buy Kindle books for $3.99 or less and listen to them through the Alexa app like an audiobook. The voice is a little robotic and nowhere near Audible's production quality, but it's a way to consume a lot more books at a fraction of the cost.Whatever you put into your mind in one way or another, is what you will get back out, in one way or another.What Does Your Self-Talk Sound Like?Are you kind, positive, and encouraging when you talk to yourself? Or do you beat yourself up over everything left on your to-do list, the projects you never have time for, or the goals that haven't happened yet?Ways to Create Positive ChangeBelieve in yourself Keep your priorities straight Take responsibility for yourself Create your own future Meditate daily Practice mindfulness Focus on what you want Attract what you desire Learn to visualize the outcome of your goals Never let anyone control your destiny for you Be creative Think big Control stress Be aggressive and assertive Think positively Chart your own course Set specific goals and review them often Spend some time each day improving your mind Review your results and readjust as necessary Be tolerant Do everything with love Don't hate Have courage Recognize that most of what we believe about life is an illusion Be honest Work hard Believe money is good and it will come to you Have faith If you agree to do it, enjoy it Be strong Show affection Manage your time Dress right Learn to sell yourself Take time off Believe in a "higher self" Eat right Live prudently Seek the aid of others who are in sympathy with your goals Give assistance to others Keep motivated Be optimistic Trust others and be worthy of trust Recognize that success is more than money Be kind See the "big picture" Take care of the details Get organized Don't procrastinate Stay in control Keep fit See problems as "opportunities" Learn everything you can about your job Don't be afraid of success Be generous to others Believe in God Reach a little higher than you thought you could Set your sights Take action Never give upRead the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: On the 4th anniversary of Mike Murphy Unplugged, a walk down memory lane revisiting the Top 10 takeaways from year one — and an honest look at how each one holds up three years later.What You'll LearnRevisiting the Top 10 lessons from year one of podcasting, three years laterWhy "podcasting is a big commitment" held true from 2016 all the way to 2019Why "done is better than perfect" is advice Mike says he'll carry to the graveThe one lesson from year one that didn't make the 2019 list anymoreThe final takeaway: do it for yourself, and everything will be worth itMike Murphy Unplugged officially launched on Friday, September 25, 2015 — four years before this episode. A big thank you to everyone who's been along for the journey since the beginning. Looking back at the previous three anniversary episodes, Mike decided to revisit his Top 10 Takeaways from Year One and see how "Year One Mike" stacks up against "2019 Mike."The Top 10 List, Revisited1. Podcasting is a big commitment and hard work. Once you launch, your mind switches to "on" — everything you read becomes a potential topic, and you're always thinking about the next episode, the writing, the recording, the show notes, the artwork, the newsletter. Like a restaurant, you're only as good as your last meal, so you have to bring it every week. 2016 advice: don't obsess over perfecting cover art, titles, or audio — just be honest with yourself about the time and mental commitment required. 2019 verdict: ditto.2. I am proud to be a one-man band. Year one taught Mike that the only way to sustain podcasting long-term is to stay yourself. He knew he'd get more downloads by doing interviews, being a guest, or narrowing his niche — but he carved his own path instead. 2019 verdict: still proud of the platform built entirely on his own terms. The advice: don't look side to side at what others are doing — look forward and keep going.3. Podcasting has made me a better teacher, thinker, and writer. After year one: a better organizer of thoughts, writer, graphic and web designer, photographer, animator — and his Adobe skills (Audition, InDesign, Lightroom, Photoshop, After Effects) kept expanding. 2019 verdict: ditto, with a bigger toolbox and more confidence, even while still feeling like a novice in some ways. The more you study and practice, the better you get.4. Podcasting has made me more confident. Feeling competent to teach, finding his voice and style, learning to trust his gut, becoming a better communicator and decision-maker. 2019 verdict: ditto — even more confident and sure of himself, especially in his teaching ability.5. Podcasting can be fun and creative. Mike recorded on a nude beach under the Golden Gate Bridge, on an airboat with alligators in the Everglades, and from multiple beaches in Naples. 2016 advice: there are no rules to podcasting, so shake it up and have fun when you can. 2019 verdict: podcasting stopped being fun once it collided with a full-time job, running Murphy Concierge, and making nightly tutorial…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A breakdown of how to move a podcast from one hosting company to another without losing subscribers — covering podcast hosts, directories, RSS feeds, and 301 redirects.What You'll LearnWhat a podcast host actually does: audio storage, RSS feed generation, and directory syndicationWhat a podcast directory is and why you only submit your RSS feed onceWhat an RSS feed is and why it's the single source of truth for your showWhat a 301 redirect is and how it lets you move hosts without losing subscribersThe full step-by-step process for migrating a podcast to a new hostThis episode covers: what a podcast host is, what a podcast directory is, what an RSS feed is, what a 301 redirect is, and how to move your show without losing subscribers.What Is a Podcast Host?Choosing where to host your show is one of the biggest early decisions in podcasting. At the time of recording, Mike worked full-time on the product support and content team at Simplecast. Other popular hosts included Libsyn, Blubrry, Podbean, Buzzsprout, Spreaker, SoundCloud, and Anchor. What Podcast Hosting Platforms DoAudio file storage and delivery — storing audio files and serving them to listener devices whenever someone clicks play or download, whether through an app or an embed player.Generating your RSS feed — the link connecting your show to subscribers and every podcast app and directory. Every podcast has one unique RSS feed, and it typically only changes when you change hosts. Note: your RSS feed isn't always generated at the same location as your audio files — when moving a show, you migrate wherever your RSS feed lives, not necessarily where the audio is stored.Publishing and syndication to directories — publishing or editing an episode automatically pushes updates out to directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Pandora through the RSS feed. This automatic update process is called syndication.Everything else — analytics, websites, sharing tools, embed players, and (for some hosts) excellent support.What Is a Podcast Directory?A podcast directory is a library or catalog where listeners browse, listen, and subscribe to shows. Major directories at the time included Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Google Play, Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and Stitcher. You only submit your show to each directory once — new episodes update automatically everywhere through your RSS feed. Tip: keep a note with the URL for each of your directory listings for easy reference.What Is an RSS Feed?RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication (Wikipedia). A few things worth kn…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A behind-the-scenes look at a simple, practical financial freedom plan — the two books that inspired it, the "pay yourself first" method, and the specific tools used to put it on autopilot.What You'll LearnThe motivation behind building a simple, practical financial plan at 50Key lessons from I Will Teach You To Be Rich and The Latte FactorThe "pay yourself first" method and how to calculate it from your salaryThe specific tools Mike used to put his finances on autopilotWhy Take Action on Finances NowTurning 50 in November was the trigger, but the deeper motivations were reducing stress and self-doubt, financial freedom, peace of mind, control and clarity, and staying in a position to keep moving forward and advance.The Two Books That Led to ActionI Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi — Mike's biggest takeaway from the first edition was setting up online banks to automate finances: deposit a paycheck into checking, then let set amounts flow automatically to bills, savings, and investments. He revisited the book via the audiobook on Audible and found it held up — a crash course in investing fundamentals with tactical, step-by-step advice and specific recommendations. It first pushed him to take action ten years earlier, and it had the same effect the second time around: the book isn't really about money, it's about intentional living and purpose.The Latte Factor by David Bach — mentioned via The James Altucher Show, also consumed as an audiobook on Audible. It follows Zoey, a twenty-something in NYC buried under student loans and living paycheck to paycheck — a familiar story for many. Zoey meets a wise mentor who teaches her the power of compounding interest and, most importantly, the concept of paying yourself first.Pay Yourself FirstTake the first hour of every working day and put that pay into savings or investing.Bonus math tip — getting your hourly rate from an annual salary: divide the salary by 2.$50,000/year → $25/hour$75,000/year → $37.50/hour$100,000/year → $50/hourExample: at $50,000/year ($25/hour pre-tax), saving one hour per working day is $25 × 5 days = $125/week, or $450/month, just from paying yourself the first hour of every day.Takeaways: pay yourself first, treat savings like a monthly expense, and prioritize it.The Plan and ToolsMike figured out his savings goal using the Latte Factor's pay-yourself-first method: salary divided by 2 for an hourly rate, multiplied by 7, rounded up — funding his 401k, Roth, and several savings buckets.Vanguard — moved his mutual fund and Roth IRA here. Tip: look up expense ratios, they…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A holiday update episode looking back at putting Mike Murphy Unplugged on hiatus, landing a new role at Simplecast, and looking ahead to 2019 goals across YouTube, writing, and Murphy Concierge.What You'll LearnWhy Mike put the podcast on hiatus and how 2018's minimalism push made that decision easierHow the podcast hiatus opened the door to a new role at Simplecast2019 goals: doubling down on YouTube, writing on Medium, and reaching 10,000 subscribersPassing 1,000,000 views on YouTubeA couple of months prior, Mike shared that he was taking a hiatus from Mike Murphy Unplugged. It wasn't an easy decision — he was proud of the consistency and hard work he'd put in every single week for three years — but it was the right call at the right time. The show had started introducing negativity instead of inspiration, and it was time to lighten the load.On ConsistencyPeople often ask how Mike manages to create tutorials and content so consistently. The answer: he loves it. Making tutorials and quick tips isn't always easy, but it's what he wants to do, so he does it.The Podcasting BreakMike still loves podcasting and always planned to publish again regularly. But as soon as the process stopped being something he looked forward to, the problem-solver in him kicked in — he doesn't like leaving things broken when he has the ability to fix them. He shifted and tweaked his process until the best move became putting the show on the shelf to re-adjust.Minimalism Made It Easier2018 was a year of minimalism for Mike — letting go of physical, digital, and mental clutter that caused stress or wasn't contributing to happiness. Candidly, the first half of 2018 had the podcast feeling like a thorn in his side, with topics pulled out of thin air just to maintain the streak. Recognizing that as a problem, and solving it, wasn't giving up — it was giving himself permission to free up space.Opportunity KnocksAs soon as the podcast went on hiatus, a door opened: an opportunity to work for podcasting technology company Simplecast. Not a coincidence, in Mike's view — a result of showing up every day, making and publishing content, and gradually narrowing in on his style. The role is in support: helping solve problems for podcasters, creating educational content through tutorials and articles, and eventually teaching through webinars and conferences. It lines up almost exactly with what Mike talks about on this podcast — get started today, even without all the answers, and move in the direction of what's already positive in your life.Doing His ThingThe Simplecast opportunity came at the perfect time, filling the void left by the podcast hiatus. Four months in, Mike had learned a ton about podcasting, startup life, and himself — working full-time five days a week, making tutorials nights and early mornings, and doing Murphy Concierge work on his two days off. He was making a living helping, creating, and teaching — exactly what he set out to do when…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: Marking the 3rd anniversary of Mike Murphy Unplugged with an update on change, development, and creating the life you want — including news of a new role with podcast hosting company Simplecast.What You'll LearnWhy Mike started Mike Murphy Unplugged and what podcasting was really for himThe value of showing up daily even when it feels like nobody's listeningHow a personal loss and a year of decluttering shaped a decision to pause the podcastLanding a new role as podcast support specialist at SimplecastMike Murphy Unplugged started on Friday, September 25, 2015. This anniversary episode does three things: acknowledges the milestone and everyone who's supported the show, shares updates since Episode 150, and announces a new position with podcast hosting company Simplecast.What Is a Milestone?A milestone is an action or event marking a significant change or stage in development. Change is to make or become different. Development is a state of growth or advancement.Why Mike Started Mike Murphy UnpluggedTwo reasons: to connect, teach, and help people figure things out, and to figure out how to make a living as an online educator and content creator. Podcasting was the perfect medium — Mike had been an avid podcast listener since the original iPod, loved audio and gear, and saw an emerging medium he could use to share his voice from his own bedroom.He gave himself 30 days to learn how to start a podcast: recording and editing audio, building the artwork and branding, and setting up social profiles. He didn't overthink it, and stayed determined to do it his own way — everyone told him to niche down, but that's never been who he is. A wide range of interests used to feel like a weakness; it became his superpower. The long-term goal was simple: make a living as a content creator and teacher.Showing Up, Day After DayThe point of Mike Murphy Unplugged was always to document the journey — the tools, resources, and steps toward a general goal of making a living in creativity and teaching tech. Step one was starting the podcast itself, so the first several months were a podcast about podcasting, sharing everything Mike knew about setting up and producing a show.The main principle from three years in: show up day after day, even when it feels like nobody's listening. Mike created at least one piece of content, seven days a week, 365 days a year, for almost three years — trusting that consistency would either help him figure it out or open a door. There was no roadmap at the start, just persistence.In Episode 150, Mike announced he was taking a break and putting the podcast on hiatus. Was it podfading? Not quite — but it needed a break. What started as a tool to help him had started to feel like a burden, held onto mostly to protect a never-missed-a-Friday streak.A Year of Simplicity2018 has been the year of simplicity, and I created my own v…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A mid-year check-in on content strategy and work-life balance ahead of a 2-week vacation to Nantucket — planning the second half of 2018 and reflecting on the value of taking a real break.What You'll LearnA mid-year review framework for evaluating your life and business roadmapWhy podcasting didn't make the 2018 priority list, but stayed important anywayThe 2018 mantra: Simplicity, Fundamentals, StorytellingMicro-storytelling as a teaching approach — breaking big concepts into small piecesPriorities for Q3 and Q4 2018 across Murphy Concierge, YouTube, writing, and health"The mind should be allowed some relaxation, that it may return to its work all the better for the rest." — SenecaTaking a BreakResting your mind is vital to your health and wellness, but that doesn't mean stopping your efforts to create the life you want. Mike's sights were on the long-term — a marathon, not a sprint — so pace mattered. July 18th marks the halfway point of the year, a natural moment to evaluate a life and business roadmap and set up a strong finish. Are you on the right track? Do you know where you're headed? Are you in control, or in reaction mode?Mike shared in Episode 149: The Freedom Show that he was taking an indefinite hiatus from the podcast. This episode plans the content strategy and business goals for Q3 and Q4 of 2018 ahead of a 2-week vacation to Nantucket — his version of work-life balance.The 2018 Roadmap RevisitedIn Episode 122: The 2018 Roadmap Show, the year's priorities were: Murphy Concierge (generating income), Tutorials & Classes, Writing, Ask Mike Murphy, YouTube, and Health & Wellness.Looking back at the halfway mark, Mike felt good about progress against that roadmap — with one note: podcasting didn't make the original priority list, but remained important to the overall content puzzle, especially as audio and podcasting kept growing in a mobile-first world. The plan wasn't to walk away from podcasting, just to find a new rhythm — a step back to take two steps forward.Mantra and theme for 2018: Simplicity, Fundamentals, Storytelling — maintaining a lifestyle of reduced physical and mental clutter, with more emphasis on fundamentals and storytelling in content creation.Storytelling on the TripMike approached the Nantucket trip with storytelling in mind — drawing from personal experience in a way others could relate to and connect with, rather than worrying about volume of content. The goal: micro-storytelling — taking big concepts and breaking them into smaller pieces instead of trying to cover too much at once, so that snippets of the journey add up to a larger story. Ideas on the table included behind-the-scenes looks at gear and workspace, the "why" behind the work, and glimpses into life and business — not to self-promote, but to let people into the journey.Priorities for Q3 and Q4 2018Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: An announcement episode: after months of decluttering physical and digital life, Mike Murphy Unplugged goes on hiatus after Episode 150 — and why letting go isn't the same as giving up.What You'll LearnThe announcement: Mike Murphy Unplugged was going on hiatus after Episode 150How months of aggressive decluttering, physical and digital, led to this decisionWhat "one man band" really means to Mike: freedom and independence, not working aloneThe benefits of letting go, and why it isn't the same as quitting"The secret to happiness is freedom... and the secret to freedom is courage." — ThucydidesThe AnnouncementAfter months of aggressively purging and decluttering his physical and digital environments, and taking honest inventory of his business and life, Mike came to a difficult realization: this podcast had become a weight, not a lift. Stubbornness could have kept it going forever, but that wouldn't have been healthy. Letting go isn't the same as quitting — it just makes room for something new.Mike Murphy Unplugged is going on summer hiatus. The pause takes effect after Episode 150. This isn't the end of podcasting for Mike, just a break. Since launching in September 2015, he'd published a new episode every Friday morning at 6:00 AM without fail — the podcast helped him find his voice as a creative and gave him a platform to teach. He's extremely proud of the body of work built, and it's time to start a new chapter.BackstoryMike moved from Colorado to Montana to Portland to New Hampshire and back to Colorado, traveling everywhere in between, often living out of a Subaru wagon or VW van. The freedom and independence of that life came largely from not owning much — being debt-free and unencumbered let him pick up and go whenever opportunity knocked."One man band" is a phrase Mike uses often, and it represents exactly that: the ability to move and act on his own terms, without being tied down. Simplifying and cutting back to essentials is about maintaining control over what matters most, and eliminating what doesn't serve his goals. The less he has, the better he feels.The Minimalist ProcessFor several months, Mike turned decluttering into a kind of game — thinning out everything, even the small stuff that doesn't seem to take up much room. Gear and tools that weren't used regularly went to be given away or sold. Kitchen cupboards, junk drawers, bathroom cabinets, closets — all pared down to only what actually gets used. The same approach applied digitally: iPhone home screens went from 10 to 2.5, hard drives and Google Drives got cleaned and properly backed up, unused Mac apps got deleted, and email subscriptions and old accounts got ruthlessly cut. Anything unused is one less notification, one less distraction.The Benefits of Letting GoFeeling lighter, cleaner, and freer. Less stuff means feeling swifter and more nimble, with reduced stress from actually knowing what you own. A clearer, more focused mind. More moti…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A deep dive into IGTV (Instagram TV) shortly after its June 2018 launch — what it was, how it worked, and why Mike planned to use it for Mike Murphy Co. Note: IGTV was discontinued by Instagram in 2022; this episode is preserved as a historical snapshot, not current guidance.What You'll LearnWhat IGTV was and how it worked when it launched in 2018The vertical-video specs and rules IGTV required at the timeWhy Mike planned to use IGTV as a storytelling platform for his brandA snapshot of platform strategy thinking in 2018, useful as a case study in adapting to new formatsFollow along at the time: @mikeunplugged on Instagram.What Was IGTV?IGTV launched in late June 2018 from Instagram (owned by Facebook), at a time when Instagram had over 1 billion users and Facebook over 2 billion. It was a standalone app, separate from Instagram, but also accessible from within the main Instagram app.Many described it as "TV for mobile devices" — every content creator was their own channel, open to anyone. Content played automatically when you opened the app, like turning on a TV, with browse options for For You, Explore, Following, and Popular. You could search for creators, but not topics.How IGTV WorkedIGTV was built entirely around vertical video — a 9:16 aspect ratio (the opposite of YouTube's horizontal 16:9), most commonly shot at 1080×1920, matching what an iPhone shoots and the same size as Instagram Stories. Videos had to be between 15 seconds and 10 minutes long for most accounts; accounts with over 10,000 followers or verified status could upload up to an hour, but only via a web browser, not the phone app.Tip at the time: keep text and graphics away from the edges of the frame, since certain phones would crop them.Viewers could comment (visible in both IGTV and Instagram), like, and share videos, and IGTV integrated with Instagram Stories through swipe-up links directly to IGTV content.Why Consider It for Business or BrandWith Instagram and Facebook's combined reach in the billions, IGTV represented a significant early opportunity for creators and brands — the first platform of its kind built specifically for vertical, phone-native video, which is how people were increasingly consuming content. The reasoning: tell your brand's story in long-form video, market products and services, entertain or educate your audience, network with other brands, and control your own narrative.Keeping up with every new platform is exhausting — one week it's Facebook Live, the next it's Instagram Stories, then IGTV. The real secret isn't chasing every platform; it's getting genuinely good at making content (writing, video, podcasting), since those are the core transferable skills. Go where your opportunity actually is, not just because everyone else is there.How Mike Planned to Use IGTVThe plan: post tutorials and quick tips made for vertical viewing, mix in fun animated promo content for the podcas…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: After losing a friend, an episode about what really matters in life and business — priorities, urgency, a self-audit, and the recipe for success as a content creator.What You'll LearnHow losing a friend reframed what actually matters in life and businessA self-audit framework for how you'll be rememberedWhy the podcast episodes and videos that get the most personal feedback are the ones sharing a real storyA four-part recipe for content creators: create for people, positivity, self-awareness, and storyThe StoryLast week, Mike lost a friend. In reflecting on the good times, he never once thought about where his friend worked, how successful he was, or how much money he made — just the little things, the laughing, the pure joy people felt around him. He remembered his friend saying hello to everyone, holding doors, giving up his seat for someone older. Being a good human being at the core is all that stuck.Side tip: take photos and videos every time you're with friends and family, no matter how often you see them, and have a system to organize and back them up — you'll want them when it matters most.Self-Audit: Look in the MirrorIf you left this earth tomorrow, how would you be remembered? Would your life have had a positive impact on the people who met you, in person or online? The little things that make the biggest impact: laughing, smiling, saying hello to strangers, being nice, doing your best, working hard, being reliable, being a good friend and family member, and doing the right thing when nobody's looking. Are you doing these things every day? It often takes a death, or a near-death experience, for people to pause and actually reflect — and that's okay.Life Lessons and Content CreationAfter 147 podcast episodes, the ones that get the most feedback and comments are the ones sharing a personal story. Same with the nearly 500 YouTube videos — the most common comment, by far, is genuine surprise that Mike actually responded. That disbelief is baffling to him: why wouldn't you reply to someone who took the time to write? You're never too busy or important to hit reply or say thank you — plenty of creators with massive followings, Gary Vaynerchuk included, still personally reply to emails and tweets.Recipe for Content CreatorsCreate content for people. Would you want to consume what you're making? Content creation is about relationships — treat your audience with the same respect you'd give a good friend. Positivity. Be optimistic, focus on the good, and make content with pure intentions — meant to entertain, help, or solve a problem. Ask yourself: how does this content make people feel? Self-awareness. Be yourself 100% of the time. You're not competing with anyone but yourself — go all in on what you do well. Story. The most important element, and the one that ties everything together. Stories are what people remember, think about, and share. They're why Instagram Stories, Snapchat, and IGTV resonate — creators let their guard down and tell their real story. Your co…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A behind-the-scenes look at self-publishing a first eBook on Amazon — the tools used, the step-by-step process, and an honest read on how it went.What You'll LearnThe main tools used to self-publish an eBook: Scrivener, Adobe Creative Cloud, and VellumHow Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) works and how eBook vs. paperback royalties compareThe full step-by-step process from topic to published bookThe honest truth about how hard it was, and how sales actually wentIf you've ever thought about self-publishing a book on Amazon, this episode goes behind the scenes of self-publishing How To Podcast on Wordpress.com: The Step-by-Step Guide. For the full story behind why this particular book got written, see Episode 142.The Main ToolsWriting — Scrivener ($50): Mike's writing tool of choice for every podcast script and the entire eBook. The appeal: strong project organization via a sidebar (146 podcast episodes fit neatly under one folder), fast document creation, Google Docs-style autosave, and cloud sync across iPhone and iPad.Design and marketing graphics — Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign: the trifecta for logos, fonts, colors, images, and mockups, via Adobe Creative Cloud ($50/month at the time).Formatting — Vellum ($200 for an unlimited license): a Mac-only app that makes formatting eBooks and print editions simple, and genuinely enjoyable. Highly recommended.Tip 1: proofread and edit relentlessly — get as many other people as you can to help, since your own eyes will start playing tricks on you.Tip 2: upload to Amazon KDP first, and hold off on other platforms (Google, iBooks, Nook) until every error is fixed — that way you only have to make corrections in one place.Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)KDP is where all the self-publishing magic happens — free, and packed with resources for every step of the process. Past episodes 72, 73, and 74 go into more detail on KDP and Amazon's self-publishing tools. If you're planning to write an eBook, creating a KDP account early — ideally once you know your title — lets you check for title conflicts and lock in your title while you write.The Kindle Store is where readers buy the book; KDP is where you upload the manuscript, cover, and print version. Mike priced How To Podcast on Wordpress.com at $3.99 (about $2 in royalties per copy) and the color paperback at $15.99 (about $1.50 in royalties) — eBooks were the more profitable format.Quick Recap of the StepsFigure out your topic. Create a KDP account, enter a working title, and verify…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A motivational episode and a bit of a reality check on what it actually takes to make it as a content creator — the honest time, effort, and patience behind every finished piece of content, and a challenge to stop looking for shortcuts that don't exist.What You'll LearnWhy content creation is no longer optional for brands and businesses that want to stay relevantThe real time cost behind a 15-minute podcast episode: scripting, recording, editing, and promoWhy most podcasters and vloggers quit before they ever get goodA self-audit checklist for your online presenceWhat does it take to make it as a content creator? To succeed in business? To create the life you want? The easy answer to all three is hard work, consistency, persistence, and patience — but this episode goes a little deeper into what mastering the craft actually requires.This episode is meant to force a gut check: are you doing everything you can to succeed, or are you making excuses? Content creation is no longer optional for brands who want to stay relevant online — it's a requirement, and it's noisy. You have to work to earn your audience's attention and learn how they actually consume content. Take small steps, but take them, and stay ready to shift as things change. Audit your own online presence: is your website mobile-friendly? When did you last update it or post new content? Are you giving people a reason to want to do business with you? There's no easy button for creating content — stop looking for one.The BackstoryThis episode was inspired by a video Mike made that week, "Why It Takes 3 Hours to Make a 30-Second Video." Based on the reaction, it seemed to hit home for a lot of people. The moral: things aren't always what they seem, and being great at your craft takes hard work. Content creation and working for yourself isn't easy for anyone. The people who make it look easy are pros who went through the same struggle — they just stuck with it longer. Every article, podcast episode, YouTube video, and Instagram story you see is a finished product. What you don't see is the years of classes and tutorials, the practice, the research and writing and prep time, the gear setup, the 20 takes for an intro, and the reshoots because of bad lighting or audio problems.Why People QuitThe average podcaster pod-fades or quits before episode seven. Most daily vlogs don't make it a week. The reason most people quit vlogging, podcasting, blogging, or any craft is that it's genuinely hard and takes a lot of time and dedication to master — the climb isn't always fun, but you do get better and faster. The other reason people quit is self-doubt, often fueled by friends and family questioning why it's taking so long. You have to block out the negativity and keep going if you genuinely believe in what you're doing. Be relentless.Mike's Content, By the NumbersTech and creativity come easily to Mike, but creating content on a regular basis is still a real challenge. This 15-minute podcast can take several hours just to script. Recording and editing come easily, b…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A chapter from Mike's eBook How To Podcast on Wordpress.com, sharing 14 reasons to consider WordPress.com as a combined podcast and website host. Note: plan names and pricing reflect 2018 and have since changed.What You'll Learn14 reasons WordPress.com made sense as an all-in-one podcast and website host in 2018The three WordPress.com plan tiers at the time and what each unlockedHow WordPress.com handled reliability, customization, and multiple/private podcast feedsMonetization options available through WordPress.com hostingMike's approach to recommendations: he only endorses tools he genuinely uses and believes in, because trust — that he knows what he's talking about and actually believes it — is the foundation of the whole brand. These are the 14 reasons that were compelling enough to write an entire eBook about it: How To Podcast on Wordpress.com: The Step-By-Step Guide.14 Reasons to Use WordPress.com1. Simplicity. One price covers both podcast and website hosting. Mike's own setup at the time wasn't simple — separate bills to Libsyn, Siteground, and Sucuri (for security, after a website hack) — which made the WordPress.com all-in-one approach appealing.2. Trust. WordPress has a long track record and roughly 30% of websites run on WordPress.org or WordPress.com. Paid plans included email and live chat support.3. Affordability. Every paid plan bundles podcast, blog, and website hosting plus a free custom domain. Note: the Free Plan doesn't support audio uploads, so podcasting requires at least a paid tier. At the time: the Personal Plan ($4/month, 6GB — roughly 200 thirty-minute episodes worth of storage), the Premium Plan ($8.25/month, 13GB, premium themes, video support), and the Business Plan ($24.92/month, unlimited storage/bandwidth, plugin installs, custom themes like Divi, automatic backups, e-commerce). See current WordPress.com pricing for today's plans and rates.4. Reliability. WordPress.com's server infrastructure is built for uptime, security, backups, and heavy bandwidth — with enough redundancy that an individual site going down independent of a platform-wide outage is unlikely, unlike smaller shared-hosting setups.5. Customization. The base tier is limited to free themes; the mid-tier unlocks hundreds of premium, mobile-responsive themes; the top tier allows full custom theme uploads (Divi, in Mike's case). For a podcast that just needs a home base, the entry-level plan is often enough.6. Domain name included. Paid plans include a free custom domain for the first year (renewal was $13/year at the time), replacing the default yourpodcast.wordpress.com address — or you can bring your own existing domain.7. Social sharing. One-click publishing to Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms, plus automatic email alerts to blog subscribers when a…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: What a podcast media host actually is, how the whole system works behind the scenes, what to look for when choosing one, and the two different hosting setups Mike ran in 2018.What You'll LearnWhat a podcast media host actually is and how it differs from a website hostHow podcast media hosting works end to end, from upload to listener downloadThe 3 factors to weigh when choosing a media host: longevity, flexibility, affordabilityThe two different hosting setups Mike used for his two shows in 2018What Is a Podcast Media Host?A podcast media host is where you upload and store the final audio files for your podcast — most commonly MP3s, though it could be PDFs or video files for a video podcast. Every time you publish a new episode, the MP3 goes into storage alongside your other episodes, and when someone opens a podcast app and downloads an episode, it's the media host that serves up the file. It's conceptually similar to a website host, just for podcast audio — plus extras like RSS feed generation, statistics, and podcast web pages. Think of it simply as the home for the audio files you want to share with the world.How Podcast Media Hosting WorksThe 101 version: every podcast has an RSS feed submitted to Apple Podcasts and directories like Spreaker, TuneIn, Google Play, and Spotify. That feed is generated either by your hosting company or, in Mike's case, by a plugin on his own website — but every podcast has one either way. Publishing a new episode uploads the MP3 to the media host, and the RSS feed automatically distributes it to every directory and notifies subscribers. When a listener presses play in their podcast app, the media host pulls the file from storage and serves it up — a warehouse that's always on call.What to Look for in a Media HostThree big factors:Longevity and dependability. Choose a host with a proven track record and financial stability — one likely to stick around long-term. Flashy, free, brand-new hosting solutions with no track record are a real risk, since switching hosts later is a genuine hassle.Flexibility and expandability. Look for a host that can scale with your show — state-of-the-art servers that handle traffic spikes and provide unlimited bandwidth, so a big shoutout from a major podcaster doesn't take your downloads offline.Affordability. Price matters — find something that fits your budget so you can sustain it long-term.What Mike UsedPodcast #1 — Mike Murphy Unplugged: $15/month to Libsyn for MP3 hosting, plus $15/month to Siteground for the WordPress.org website, using the free Powerpress by Blubrry plugin to generate the RSS feed. Total: $30/month across two separate services — a common setup, but not the cheapest option.Podcast #2 — the companion show to the WordPress.com eBook: using WordPress.com itself, which combines podcast hosting and website hosting in one $4/month Personal Plan wit…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: The story of how one unexpected email led to Mike's first eBook, How To Podcast on Wordpress.com — and a case study in what makes a cold email actually work.What You'll LearnThe anatomy of a good cold email, illustrated by a real one Mike receivedHow a 30-minute Skype call turned into 4 hours and changed Mike's mind about WordPress.comWhy podcasting on WordPress.com was such an under-the-radar topic in 2018How this conversation became the origin story for Mike's first eBookShortly after attending Podcast Movement 2017 in Anaheim, California, Mike got an email through his website contact form that grabbed his attention from the very first line.The Anatomy of a Good EmailCredibility. A university professor introduced himself and mentioned he'd listened to all 100+ episodes of the podcast. Tip: you never know who's listening — every listener matters.Flattery. The professor said he'd reached out because Mike demonstrated qualities he respected: knowledge, motivation, productivity, personality. Tip: appealing to someone's ego, sincerely, genuinely works.Kindness. He'd noticed Mike sounded like he was struggling with something in a recent episode and thought he might be able to help. Tip: podcasting can feel lonely, and you're never quite sure anyone's listening — but the people who are listening feel like they know you. That's the power of the medium.Intrigue. He said he'd stumbled onto a podcasting resource that no one seemed to be talking about, and wanted 30 minutes on a call to explain. Tip: telling a podcasting nerd you've got a secret game-changer and you'll only share it for 30 minutes of their time is a great way to get a yes. Mike said yes, and they scheduled the call.Summary: introduce yourself as a human, make a genuine connection, offer something of value, and make it hard for the other person to say no to a short conversation.The 30-Minute Call (That Lasted 4 Hours)The professor's pitch: WordPress.com — cheap, dependable, all-in-one podcast and website hosting he'd personally used since 2015, with almost no documentation or discussion of it anywhere in the podcast community. He thought Mike was the right person to teach others about it. Mike was skeptical — he remembered WordPress.com as the "lite version" of WordPress.org — but stayed open. The 30-minute call ran close to 4 hours.Just How Under-the-Radar Was This?Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A breakdown of the Amazon Associates affiliate program — how it works, how commissions are structured, what can get an account banned, and good ways to actually use affiliate links.What You'll LearnHow the Amazon Associates affiliate program works and how commissions are calculatedWhat "Bounties" are and how they differ from standard commissionsThe rules that can get an account banned from Amazon AssociatesPractical ways to use affiliate links without feeling spammyWhat Is the Amazon Associates Program?Started in 1996, Amazon Associates is the largest and most successful online affiliate program, with close to a million members. It's free to join and open to anyone with a website, an Amazon seller account, or web development skills. Amazon provides specially formatted links for products you want to promote; when someone clicks your link and buys something on Amazon, you earn a commission.Commission rates at the time (typically 0-10%, averaging 4-8%):0% — digital downloads (music, video, software, games, eDocs, Kindle books), gift cards, and wine1% — video games and consoles2% — televisions2.5% — computers, computer parts, DVDs and Blu-ray3% — toys4% — Fire tablets and Kindles4.5% — physical books, health and personal care, automotive, baby products6% — headphones, beauty, musical instruments, business and industrial supplies7% — clothing, smart TVs, jewelry, luggage, shoes, handbags, watches, Echo and Alexa devices8% — furniture, home, lawn and garden, pets10% — Amazon Fashion (women's, men's, kids private label), luxury beauty, Amazon Coins4% — everything else (electronics, gear, cameras, video)Bounties: Flat-Rate PayoutsAmazon also runs promotions paying flat "Bounty" amounts, which can add up with enough traffic. Examples at the time: Audible trial memberships ($5), Audible Gold memberships ($10), Amazon Prime referrals ($3), Amazon Fresh groceries ($5), Kindle memberships ($5), and Twitch Prime ($3).How to JoinJoining is easy and free — apply directly through the Amazon Associates program. Pros of Amazon AssociatesPassive income, a steady revenue source, and no traffic restrictions — new site owners with little traffic can join. One side tip: if you're just getting your online presence off the ground, hold off joining until you have some momentum, since long stretches of inactivity can get an account closed.People already trust Amazon, so they're comfortable clicking affiliate links.24-hour cookies — affiliates get credit for any purchase made within 24 hours of a click, not just the specific product linked.Amazon offers plenty of promotional tools.It's motivating — money might be the initial driver, but over time the focus naturally shifts to making genuinely helpful content.PoliciesSee the full Amazon Ass…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A start-to-finish overview of launching a podcast — the Podcast Roadmap, a free one-page cheat sheet distilling the whole process into 6 main steps plus an optional 7th.What You'll LearnThe 6 main steps (plus 1 optional) to launching a podcast from scratchThe main tasks inside each step, from planning through monetizationWho the Podcast Roadmap is for, whether brand new or already podcastingA free downloadable one-page cheat sheet summarizing the whole processThis is the cheat sheet Mike wishes he'd had when he started: download the Podcast Roadmap.What Is the Podcast Roadmap?A comprehensive overview of how to launch a podcast, meant to connect the dots from "I want to start a podcast" all the way to going live on Apple Podcasts. It's not meant to go deep on any single step — just to help you visualize the chronological order and the common tasks that keep the process on track.Why the Roadmap ExistsMike created it originally for a client who wanted the elevator-pitch version of what it takes to set up a podcast — a one-page outline that became the Podcast Roadmap. There are a lot of moving parts to podcast production, but once you understand the big picture, it's mostly a matter of working down the list.Who It's ForAnyone who wants to save time and reduce overwhelm setting up a podcast — whether you're brand new and ready to take the plunge, already have a show but want a better handle on the fundamentals, or you're helping a friend and just need a reminder of the main steps.The Roadmap: 6 Steps, Plus 1 OptionalRead the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A rarely-told, difficult personal story — finding a dead body while working a lawn-care job in New Hampshire, and the encounter with a grieving father that changed how Mike sees everything since. The message: you only have one life, and there's no better time than now to create the one you want.What You'll LearnA true, difficult story from Mike's lawn-care job days, and the encounter that changed himWhy the way one grieving father responded left a lasting impression on how to treat peopleA challenge to do an honest self-audit: are you living your own life, or someone else's version of itWhy kindness and consideration matter just as much online as in personThe StoryAbout 20 years ago, Mike and his dog drove a 1972 VW van from Missoula, Montana to Canterbury, New Hampshire, to live with a college roommate and his wife in a farmhouse in the woods. Right after college, Mike had traded a cum laude English degree for a busboy job and various other work out West — making good money, genuinely happy, but with a constant internal voice pushing for more, never fully satisfied.Out West. After college, a few good years out West having fun, still wanting to put that degree to use somehow. Feeling a bit lost, a college friend with a "real job" suggested New Hampshire — maybe a university job, maybe Boston. So Mike and the dog headed east.The Job. A corporate lawn care company turned out to be the only "real" job Mike could find that didn't require dressing up — salary, benefits, but casual, with gas covered and plenty of field time. His first real car (one where the AC and speedometer both worked) came with it. The job wasn't bad — Mike saw every corner of southern New Hampshire and only had to be in the office a couple hours a day. It confirmed something he already suspected: he's a one-man band, and the traditional career-to-retirement path was never going to have his name on it. He works for experience and knowledge.The Day I Will Never ForgetOne fall morning, Mike headed to a small coastal town on the New Hampshire/Massachusetts border for his first job of the day. Working in the backyard, he spotted what looked like a lawn chair with a scarecrow or a dozing older man in it. Moving closer to avoid startling anyone, he realized there was a shotgun propped between the figure's legs — and then saw the rest.It was real. A 23-year-old military veteran had taken his own life in the backyard of his father's house. Mike walked, numb, to a machine shop across the street and calmly told the workers there what he'd found. They confirmed it.The FatherMike leaned against the work truck, blank, waiting for police. Then the father arrived — sprinting from his car, through the front door, yelling "No." Moments later, he walked back out, composed himself, and approached Mike directly. He asked Mike's name. He asked if Mike was okay. He said nobody should have to witness something like that, thanked him for getting help, gave him a handshake-hug, and apologized before going back inside.Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A behind-the-scenes, story-driven episode about Mike's journey to make a living as an online educator — and the moment, at 48, he first identified with the word "teacher."What You'll LearnA lifelong love of learning, traced back to childhood curiosity and college-town energyWhat Mike wants to teach, and to whom: content creation, for creatives and go-gettersThe concrete steps taken to position himself as an online educator by 2018Why Murphy Concierge doubles as both income and in-person teaching practiceI'm 48 years old, and when I grow up I want to be a teacher.A Perfect World for Mike Murphy LLCMike's tagline — Learn. Create. Move Forward. — traces back to childhood, feeding a curious mind on anything that sparked interest: trivia, geography facts, conversations with his mom over cards and books. The Pythagorean theorem never landed, but knowing the Grand Canyon was 18 miles wide in places did. College brought no clear direction (a recurring theme), but the energy of a college town — bookstores, curious people, a hunger for more — was enough, and it's stuck ever since. Travel works the same way: wake up early, grab a camera, walk, absorb, repeat. Learn. Create. Move Forward. — three constants that show up daily: taking in a tutorial as a student, creating something, making the business a little better. Never stopping.The perfect world: making tutorials and being recognized as someone who genuinely knows their craft because they work hard at it and care — and getting paid to do exactly that.What to Teach, and Who to Teach It ToTrendiness doesn't matter much, but recognizing trends and behaviors comes naturally — paying attention to what quietly catches the eye rather than chasing noise. The pull is toward simplicity and good intentions: tools and products built with genuine care, not just marketing. In practical terms, content creation in new media — video, podcasting, eBooks, articles — is the zone. The direct answer: teach content creation, to creatives and go-getters willing to get their hands dirty and try.Steps Toward Becoming an Online Educator365 videos in 2017. Over 900 consecutive days of daily content. Never missing a day on Instagram Stories. Relentless, deliberately so — daily tutorials made with the only real expectation being that tomorrow's is a little better than today's.Writing this episode marked the first time in 48 years Mike identified with a career title he'd apparently been seeking his whole life: teacher. There's a specific joy in taking a topic that would typically need ten minutes to explain and compressing it into 60 seconds.A less obvious step: Murphy Concierge, the local tech handyman business — getting paid to help people figure things out, in person, which is really just teaching with a different name. Started mainly out of financial necessity, it ended up modeled around the same Learn, Create, Move Forward philosophy, feeding content ideas back into the online work in a genuine win-win cycle.ConclusionSometimes you need to pick you…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A behind-the-scenes look at the workflow and tools behind Murphy Concierge, Mike's local freelance tech-handyman business — from client management to scheduling to invoicing.What You'll LearnWhat Murphy Concierge is and who its two client segments areHow to run a client-facing business entirely from an iPhone using cloud toolsThe full client workflow: booking, scheduling, project tracking, invoicingWhy thoughtfulness about your audience/clients should shape every tool decisionTools used: G Suite (the complete office suite), Google Drive (storage), Google Calendar (scheduling), Gmail (email and documentation), Apple Notes (to-dos and notes), Apple Reminders, Apple Contacts (address book), Evernote (brain/hub), Things 3 (to-do app, in trial mode), and Freshbooks (invoicing).What Is Murphy Concierge?Murphy Concierge is Mike's tech handyman business, helping local residents and businesses in Old Naples, Florida with their devices — iPhones, iPads, Macs, wifi, printers — and broader online needs like social media, content creation, and web/graphic design. Most of the work is fixing issues and teaching people to get the most out of their Apple devices. It's simply an extension of the online brand, just with in-person meetings.Clients and Target DemographicTwo client segments: mostly retirees over 65, and a smaller group of small professional businesses needing help with content strategy, marketing, and tech issues. Some clients don't text or email at all, so tools and workflows need to accommodate that. Business clients usually hire Mike either to get up to speed online or because they have no interest in learning the systems themselves. The same thoughtfulness about a target audience matters for any content creator — a periodic brand audit (colors, fonts, graphics, tone, music, writing) helps confirm everything still consistently represents the brand and speaks to its actual audience.Tracking Client InformationThe whole business runs on an iPhone, so every tool is cloud-based for access from any device. G Suite (formerly Google Apps for Work) is the hub, with Google Calendar as the most critical piece. Google Drive stores documents and media; Gmail houses the full address book and serves as a paper trail — every new client gets a contact-info email, and every phone booking gets a documentation email afterward, which can matter legally as well as practically.Scheduling and Calendar ManagementGoogle Calendar is non-negotiable — reliability depends on it, with reminders set for every morning and 30 minutes before each appointment. As the business gets busier, a foolproof system with built-in checks and balances becomes essential. Side tip: understand and actually test how your devices sync.Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: Behind the scenes of launching Ask Mike Murphy Live, a weekly Q&A livestream — the goals behind it, the concrete steps to start one, and the exact gear Mike used to go live.What You'll LearnThe backstory behind launching Mike Murphy Unplugged with zero audience in 2015What Ask Mike Murphy Live is: a weekly Q&A livestream, and why Mike started itThe concrete steps to launch a livestream show, from committing to a time to marketing itThe specific hardware and software Mike used to go live in 2018The BackstoryMike started Mike Murphy Unplugged in September 2015 to give himself a platform to teach, find his voice, and document the journey of starting an online business. Sharing knowledge and tools as he learned them helped him just as much as it helped anyone listening — and teaching what you know is one of the fastest ways to get genuinely good at it. Committing to a weekly podcast built a rhythm that shaped his teaching voice and helped establish authority in the podcasting and content-creator space.Mike launched Mike Murphy Unplugged on Friday, September 25, 2015 with zero audience. The following Monday, on a whim, he started a live Q&A show on Blab.im (#ripblab) to build exposure and help people figure things out live.What Is Ask Mike Murphy Live?A version 2 of "Open Mike Night," which Mike ran every Monday night for over a year starting in 2015. Ask Mike Murphy went live every Monday at 9pm Eastern, answering questions and helping people with tech issues or feedback on designs, videos, or websites — starting on Facebook, with YouTube and Twitch planned as future experiments.Goals for Starting a Live Q&A ShowMike loves the Q&A format — few things are as satisfying as solving a real problem for someone or giving gear/tech advice that genuinely helps. The ultimate goal: reach more people, build community, and keep doing what he loves — helping people figure things out.Steps to Create a Livestream ShowCommit and pick a time. The hardest part was committing to a consistent slot — Monday nights at 9pm — and mentally showing up for it every week, the same discipline as the podcast itself.Create graphics and artwork for the livestream across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Recommended sizes: 1920×1080 (wide, for video overlays), 1080×1080 (square, for Instagram), and 1080×1920 (vertical, for Instagram Stories). Tools: Adobe Photoshop, Canva (free templates), and Unsplash (free photos).Make optional promo videos or animations using any video tool — Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, ScreenFlow, or Camtasia.Market it. Post graphics or short animations announcing the livestream and build some buzz, even without knowing whether anyone will show up. Don't get discouraged if nobody does the first few times — do the show anyway, since people can always watch the replay.Tools Used to Go LiveSoftware: ECamm Live ($39, with a free tr…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A deep dive into Amazon Alexa — how the voice assistant works, what it can do, how Amazon Skills and Flash Briefings function, and how to get a podcast onto Alexa devices via TuneIn.What You'll LearnWhat Amazon Alexa is, how it works, and what the Echo and Echo Dot devices doThe range of things Alexa could do in 2018: Q&A, streaming, smart home control, shoppingWhat Amazon Skills and Flash Briefings are, and how to create one for your podcastHow to get a podcast listed on Alexa devices via TuneInPro tip for podcasters and livestreamers: mute the microphone on top of an Echo or Dot before recording — the button turns the ring red and stops Alexa from responding, which matters a lot when recording a podcast episode that keeps saying her name.What Is Amazon Alexa, and How Does It Work?Alexa is a cloud-based, voice-activated virtual assistant Amazon launched in 2014. The two most popular devices at the time were the Echo ($99, tall cylinder shape) and the Echo Dot ($50, hockey-puck shaped). Alexa uses AI to listen, understand, and answer most questions, with capabilities always updating automatically. You wake her by saying her name, then speak your request — she's always on and always listening. Settings are managed through the iOS or Android app.Origin of the name: "Alexa" was chosen partly because the hard "X" consonant is easier to recognize accurately, and partly as a nod to the ancient Library of Alexandria — reportedly also inspired by Star Trek's computer voice system. If "Alexa" happens to be your name or a household member's, the wake word can be changed.What Can Alexa Do?Questions and answers — much like Siri or Google.Streaming — radio, Amazon Prime Music, Spotify, podcasts, even bedtime stories.Productivity and tasks — alarms, timers, to-do lists, calendar checks, kitchen measurement conversions.Information and news — weather, news, sports scores.Calling — voice or message other Alexa device owners.Smart home control — lights, thermostats, and other compatible devices.Fun and games — jokes, songs, puns, trivia-style games like Jeopardy.Shopping — order directly from Amazon (and, in some markets, Domino's, Uber, or Starbucks), with parental/household restrictions available.Amazon Skills and Flash BriefingsAmazon Skills expand what Alexa devices can do — think of them like iPhone apps, with thousands already available from third-party developers, enabled through the Alexa app or Amazon's website.Flash Briefings are a special type of Skill delivering short news and information updates from sources including blog and podcast RSS feeds. Once enabled, a listener can simply ask Alexa for their flash briefing, or bundle it into a "Routine" alongside their to-do list, calendar, and weather.How to Make a Flash BriefingRead the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A guide to setting up and using an Instagram business profile — the conversion process, the differences from a personal account, the Insights analytics available, and the ad formats businesses could use in 2018.What You'll LearnHow to convert a personal Instagram account to a business profileThe key differences and limitations between personal and business profilesWhat Instagram Insights reveals about audience, posts, and Stories performanceThe 4 ad formats available and how to create ads directly from a phoneInstagram facts at the time (source: Instagram for Business): over 25 million business profiles, over 2 million advertisers, 60%+ of people say they discover new products on Instagram, 200 million people visit business profiles daily, video watch time up 80%, and a third of the most-viewed Stories came from business profiles. The bottom line: Instagram was (and remains) a serious platform for businesses of every size, with new features continuously rolling out.Requirements to Create a Business ProfileThe only real requirement: a Facebook Page set up for the business first, used to verify payment credentials and contact information. Since Facebook owns Instagram, converting to a business account also unlocks ad management from within Facebook's tools.How to ConvertSet up a Facebook Business Page, log into Instagram on a phone, go to profile settings, tap "Switch to Business Account," link the Facebook Page, and fill in business information. The whole process takes just minutes.Differences and LimitationsSharing: business profiles can only cross-post to their linked Facebook Business Page — not to other pages or a personal profile. Switching which Page it's linked to just means briefly reverting to a personal account and reconnecting.Privacy: business accounts can't be set to private, unlike personal accounts. Switching back and forth between personal and business is always possible.Advantages and Tools for Business AccountsBusiness status — official recognition as a business, even for a brand-new account, which carries some marketing credibility.Contact info — phone, email, directions, and a physical address (if applicable) all become visible on the profile, plus one clickable link — a real benefit for local businesses.Insights — arguably the most valuable feature: detailed analytics on audience (age, gender, location, active hours), profile visits, link/contact clicks, reach, likes, comments, saves, and follower growth. For Stories specifically: views, reach, forward/back taps, and exit rate.Advertising and MonetizationFour main ad formats at the time: photo ads (square or landscape), video ads (up to 60 seconds, square or wide), carousel ads (swipeable multi-photo), and Story ads (vertical, up to 15 seconds) — with 300 million people using Stories at the…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A start-to-finish walkthrough of Mike's 2018 backup and digital organization system — the tools, the hardware, and the redundancy strategy behind protecting years of podcast episodes, videos, photos, and business documents.What You'll Learn3 practical tips to take inventory and get control of scattered digital dataThe exact 2018 hardware and software backup system Mike used, start to finishWhy redundancy (a cloned drive plus offsite cloud backup) matters more than any single backup4 pieces of parting advice for building a backup system that actually protects youThis episode piggybacks on Episode 132: The iCloud Show.A question worth sitting with: if a backpack with your laptop, iPhone, iPad, and an external hard drive got stolen out of a parked car right now, could you recover your podcast episodes, videos, photos, music library, and business documents?Practical Tip #1: Take InventoryFigure out where all your digital content actually lives, and gather it in one place — consolidating from internal drives, thumb drives, external drives, Google Drive, and Dropbox. Create one folder (a "2018 Backup" folder, for example) and organize by big-ticket categories: Videos, Photos, Documents. The goal is a single master folder to back up.Practical Tip #2: Clean HouseWhile consolidating, delete anything no longer needed — unused applications, desktop and Downloads folder clutter, loose files in photo/movie/music folders. Store documents in Documents, not on the Desktop. Toss any empty external drives that are several years old.Practical Tip #3: iOS DevicesClean up iOS devices and export all photos and videos to consolidate with the master photo library on a desktop or laptop.Tools UsedChronoSync ($50) — a Mac utility that scans two drives or folders and reports the differences, so you can copy over exactly what's changed and keep a backup as an exact clone, saving significant time.SuperDuper ($30) — similar to ChronoSync, with scheduled automatic backups between two external drives, keeping a cloned backup running continuously without manual tracking. Mike's preference: SuperDuper.The 2018 Backup SystemiPhone and iPad — automatically backed up to iCloud (contacts, notes, messages, photos). Photos and videos also get exported via Image Capture to a Mac and imported into Adobe Lightroom for management.MacBook Pro — backed up continuously via Apple Time Machine to a drive connected to an Apple AirPort Extreme, physically separate from the computer. If the laptop failed, everything could be restored from Time Machine almost immediately.External drives — LaCie Thunderbolt drives, bought in pairs: one for active work, one as a clone kept in sync via SuperDuper or ChronoSync. Fast, quiet, and reliable, though genuinely fast multi-TB SSDs were still pricey at the time, making Thunderbolt/USB 3.0 t…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: An iCloud 101 for Apple users — what actually gets backed up, how iCloud Photos syncing works, and how to use iCloud Drive as part of a real backup strategy.What You'll LearnWhat iCloud actually is and how it powers the whole Apple device ecosystemWhat gets backed up automatically, and how to check whether your backup is currentHow iCloud Photos syncing actually works, including the delete-everywhere warningWhat iCloud Drive is and how to use it as a real backup strategyThe most common question Mike gets asked: how do I free up space on my iPhone or iPad? A few questions worth sitting with: do you know what actually gets backed up to iCloud? If you delete a photo from your iPad, does it also disappear from your iPhone and Mac? Do you know when your device last backed up? Did you know you could back up 2TB of anything for under $10/month at the time? If any of this feels confusing, you're not alone.Hard drive storage vs. iCloud storage: these are unrelated. Buying more iCloud space does not free up room on a full iPhone — you have to remove or offload data from the device itself. The upsell popup offering more iCloud storage is genuinely a little misleading on this point.What Is iCloud?iCloud is Apple's proprietary system for storage, backup, and syncing across devices and services, accessible from anywhere — Apple's answer to Dropbox or Google Drive. Beyond backup and storage, it also powers Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Reminders, Notes, Photos, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, iCloud Drive, and Find My iPhone — all synced under one Apple ID."The Cloud" simply means information stored on the internet, accessible from anywhere — unlike a USB-tethered external hard drive sitting at home, unreachable from a coffee shop. iCloud is also a big part of why the Apple ecosystem feels so seamless: Continuity and Handoff let you start something on one device (a Safari tab, a podcast, a video) and pick it up on another, and AirDrop moves files instantly between devices — all powered by the same underlying iCloud account.What Gets Backed Up, and How to Manage ItApp data, Apple Watch backups, call history, device settings, home screen layout, iMessages, photos and videos, purchase history, ringtones, contacts, calendars, bookmarks, mail, notes, health data, and iCloud Drive files — essentially everything needed to switch phones without losing anything, as long as iCloud Backup is turned on.Setup and management: an Apple ID and password is all that's needed; manage settings from each device or on a Mac. Check "Manage Storage" (iPhone General Settings, or Mac System Preferences) to see what's taking up space and clear out old backups or unused apps. iCloud.com only works from a desktop browser (Chrome, Safari, or Windows) — not from Safari on iPhone or iPad — and it's worth exploring directly to connect what's on your devices with what's stored in the cloud.Homework: on iPhone/iPad, go to Settings → your name → check the de…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A behind-the-scenes look at Mike's self-imposed writing challenge, the "Write the Life" project — publish a self-published eBook by April 15, 2018 — plus a quick overview of eBooks in general.What You'll LearnA quick overview of eBooks: what they are, where to buy them, and typical pricingThe self-imposed "Write the Life" eBook challenge: publish by April 15, 2018Why Mike chose eBooks as the next content format after podcasting and videoThe vision behind building a passive-income content platform through self-published books37 days remaining in the challenge at the time of recording.What Is an eBook?An eBook — electronic book — is a digital book made of text, images, or both, readable on computers, phones, or tablets. The digital counterpart to a printed book.Benefits of eBooksGenerally inexpensive, an endless catalog to choose from, and convenient to read on a phone, tablet, or dedicated e-reader like the Kindle. eBooks let you highlight, bookmark, add notes, and search text — and take up zero luggage space.Where to Buy ThemAmazon, Apple Books, Google Play Books, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo, among others — though Amazon and the Kindle Store dominate the market and make self-publishing highly accessible. Amazon was Mike's primary focus, with distribution to smaller sellers planned too.PricingGenerally under $10, with the most common Kindle Store price points around $2-3.99, and plenty of free or $0.99 titles.Purchasing and ReadingDedicated readers like Kindle or Nook allow direct purchases on-device. On iPhone or iPad, purchases happen through Amazon first, then sync easily to the free Kindle app — Mike's own preferred way to read, primarily on an iPad Pro.What Was WritetheLife.com?A new blog built specifically to force a public commitment: publish an eBook on Amazon by April 15, 2018. The reasoning leaned on Parkinson's Law — work expands to fill the time you give it — the same logic that got this podcast launched in 30 days with zero prior podcasting or audio-recording experience. The challenge: self-publish an eBook and document the whole process, tools included, on the blog, with a companion 5-10 episode podcast series and a class planned alongside it.Why Start This Project?Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A deep dive into Evernote — what it is, why it took 10 years to finally click as a productivity tool, and the simple organization system that made it stick.What You'll LearnWhat Evernote is, what it costs, and how it compares to similar note-taking appsWhy it took 10 years of on-and-off use before Evernote finally clickedThe simple 3-notebook organization system that finally made it workWhy Evernote's real power is search and tags, not elaborate folder structuresThis episode is for you if: you've never used Evernote, you have an account but it hasn't clicked yet, or you're already a power user curious how someone else structures their workflow.What Is Evernote?Evernote is a Silicon Valley company that officially launched in 2007, going public in 2008-2009, with roughly 200 million users by 2018. Plans at the time: Basic (free forever), Plus ($35/year, Mike's plan), and Premium ($70/year). Similar or complementary tools: Apple Notes, Bear, Todoist, Trello, and Google Drive.When Did Mike Join Evernote?Mike created his account in January 2009 as a beta user, and started and stopped using it at least 20 times since — always liked the idea, but could never quite make it stick.What Does Evernote Do?Evernote is the Swiss Army knife of productivity tools — a note-taking and list-making app, an organizer, and an archive, functioning like a filing cabinet for your digital brain, accessible from anywhere. It's built around capturing ideas and saving digital information: webpage articles, photos, emails, quotes, pretty much anything.What it's not: a backup system like Dropbox or Google Drive. Evernote makes virtual copies of what you upload for viewing and sharing, but doesn't store the original files.Primary UsesCreating and sharing notes; taking or uploading and marking up photos; recording voice memos; scanning business cards and paper documents; and building to-do lists with checkboxes and reminders.Evernote 101: Getting StartedSign up free at Evernote.com, download the desktop app (Mac or Windows) and mobile app (iOS or Android). Tap the green plus icon to create a new note — text or voice memo — and add photos, PDFs, audio, attachments, or annotations inside it.Notes live in Notebooks, synced in real time across devices, whether typed, dictated, or clipped from the web. At the time, the free plan capped notes at 250, with unlimited tags. Think of Evernote as the word "capture" — a place to offload the constant flow of information so your brain gets a break.Why It Took 10 Years to Love EvernoteMike always loved the technology and design — beautiful UI, seamless sync, affordable, right up there with Gmail and Dropbox as favorite tools. But it never actual…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: How to figure out what your time and knowledge are worth, and how to create content, products, or services genuinely valuable to others — covering the definition of value, the 4 types of value, and a practical framework for pricing your own time.What You'll LearnWhy value is never fixed, and how economic value differs from ethical/sentimental valueThe 4 types of value: functional, monetary, social, and psychologicalA 3-step framework for figuring out what your time and knowledge are actually worthWhy undercharging is often rooted in undervaluing your own skills, not the market's actual demand"A lawyer's time and advice are his stock in trade." — Abraham LincolnWhat Is Value?Nothing has a fixed value — "one man's junk is another man's treasure." Price tags may be fixed, but value lives in the eyes of the market, and it's always shifting. Economically, value is the maximum someone is willing to pay for a good or service. Ethically, it's how useful or important something is to you personally — think of the personal possessions in your house that carry sentimental rather than monetary value, or the brands you love because they align with your own core values like honesty, fairness, or kindness.Perceived Value and Value-Based Marketing"Value" is an online buzzword, and creators are constantly told to over-deliver on it — but the audience decides what's valuable, not the creator. As Gary Vaynerchuk often puts it, the market decides how valuable content is, through likes, shares, and comments — not the creator's own assessment. Anyone who's published something they were proud of to silence, or something they considered mediocre to a huge response, knows this firsthand.The 4 Types of ValueFunctional value — does it actually solve the problem? A tutorial that fixes someone's issue is functionally valuable simply because it worked.Monetary value — is the functional value worth paying for? When a "want" becomes a "need" (learning a skill for a promotion, say), willingness to pay rises accordingly.Social value — does it connect people with each other? A paid community or Patreon group might have limited functional value but significant communal value — this is often one of the most underrated parts of a brand.Psychological value — does it make people feel better? Simple content, like a livestreamed beach sunset, can carry real emotional value even without solving any concrete problem.The throughline: always design with the end user in mind. Does it work? Is it worth paying for? Will they meet good people? Will they feel entertained, inspired, or happy?How Much Is Your Time and Knowledge Worth?There's no universal formula, but a few steps help:Figure out expenses. Know the real monthly cost of running the business and living on it. A freelance rate calculator is a useful starting point for determining an hourly number th…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A recap of Podfest Multimedia Expo 2018 — why Mike keeps going back year after year, and the four biggest lessons he brought home this time.What You'll LearnWhat Podfest Multimedia Expo is and how Mike's reasons for attending evolved over 3 yearsWhy in-person industry events matter, even for self-described introverts4 key takeaways from Podfest 2018: collaboration, feedback, authenticity, and not undervaluing yourselfThe book Principles by Ray Dalio and its lesson on the value of honest feedbackWhat Is Podfest Multimedia Expo?An educational and training conference for independent podcasters, created by Chris and Katie Krimitsos, originally based in Tampa before moving to Orlando to draw a more international audience. Podfest 2018 ran February 8-10 at the Wyndham Orlando Resort, with early bird pricing at $249 and hotel rates around $139/night. The schedule is dense and tightly run, with both shared main sessions and breakout tracks — 2018 introduced a dedicated YouTube track for video creators.Why Mike Went2018 marked his third year attending. Year one (2016): a new podcaster looking for general advice and trying to get his name in front of the community. Year two (2017): more focused on Mike Murphy LLC specifically, absorbing as much as possible from people already succeeding and looking for chances to help others. Year three (2018): almost entirely about networking — building stronger relationships in a space he knew he'd be part of for the long haul.Podfest keeps a spot on the calendar every year because of its unusually kind, generous community — podcasters, creators, and entrepreneurs genuinely trying to help each other, largely a reflection of the organizers themselves.Even as a self-described introvert who finds conference small talk draining, Mike pushes through — no excuses. Being around like-minded creative entrepreneurs, all working hard and learning from each other, makes attending worth the discomfort every time.Takeaways From Podfest 2018Four things stood out, beyond a bad cold:Collaboration is key. Research people worth connecting with and find genuine ways to help them — even something as simple as a helpful comment or Instagram DM builds a real working relationship. Honest feedback needs to be a priority. Making it easier for the audience to leave feedback (in show notes visible on mobile, and more direct calls to action) came directly out of this realization. Book mentioned: Principles by Ray Dalio — Dalio credits radically honest feedback as a major reason for his own success and his $150 billion company's. Being authentic is powerful. A presenter fumbling with a broken PowerPoint tossed his notes aside and asked the room if he could just ditch the slides and be himself — the room visibly relaxed, and it became one of the most memorable moments of the conference. The lesson: people want you, not the packaging. Undervaluing your own skills isn't an option. A recurring struggle — confidence in the work itself, but reluctance to actual…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: The final part of a 3-part social media mini-series with livestreaming expert Ross Brand — this episode covers Facebook Live: what it is, how to use it, and content ideas for personal brands and small businesses.What You'll LearnWhat Facebook Live is and how to go live from both mobile and desktopThe tools available for professional-grade Facebook Live production in 2018A long list of content ideas for Facebook Live shows, from Q&As to behind-the-scenesA tip for repurposing Facebook Live recordings into podcast episodesPart 3 of the social media series with special guest Ross Brand from LivestreamUniverse.com — Episode 125 covered LinkedIn and Episode 126 covered Twitter.Special Guest: Ross BrandRoss Brand is a pioneer in the livestreaming field, transitioning from terrestrial radio to founding LivestreamUniverse.com, where he showcases and empowers other live video creators — including his own shows, Ross & Nez and Livestream Universe's Best of BeLive.TV. Named the world's #1 livestreaming expert to follow by Klout and one of "5 live video experts to follow" by Switcher Studio, Ross has spoken at Summit Live, Summit on Content Marketing, and NYU's Division of Programs in Business.What Is Facebook Live?A livestream, by definition, is a live broadcast of an event over the internet. Facebook Live is Facebook's feature for sharing live video directly on the News Feed in real time — viewers can join, comment, and interact live, and the video saves to the timeline as a replay afterward. It rolled out to beta testers in August 2015 and opened to the public in January 2016.How to Use Facebook LiveOn mobile: open Facebook, tap "Live" from the post-creation screen, add a title and description, optionally add emojis or effects, invite a friend to co-host if desired, and tap Start Live Video. Shoot in landscape mode when possible.On desktop or laptop:For full professional production: Wirecast by Telestream ($700-1,000) or OBS Studio (free, open-source).Browser-based, easy setup: BeLive.TV ($12-20/month).Mac/Windows app, easy setup: ECamm Live ($40, one-time).Mobile is the simplest way to go live. For TV-studio-quality production, Wirecast or OBS Studio are the tools to explore. For something professional but easy — especially with guests or screen sharing — BeLive.TV or ECamm Live are strong picks. Whichever route, a decent HD webcam and microphone round things out, and all of these tools make syncing external gear straightforward.Types of Facebook Live ShowsThere are no fixed rules — content should align with the brand and connect with the targ…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: Part 2 of a 3-part social media mini-series with livestreaming expert Ross Brand — this episode covers Twitter fundamentals, key stats, and practical tips for content creators.What You'll LearnTwitter fundamentals: tweets, mentions, hashtags, likes, and retweets explainedTwitter usage stats and the platform's biggest accounts as of 2018Practical tips for using Twitter for travel, customer service, and content promotionHow to use Buffer to schedule and space out promotional tweetsPart 2 of the social media series with special guest Ross Brand from LivestreamUniverse.com — Episode 125 covered LinkedIn, this one covers Twitter, and Episode 127 wraps up with Facebook Live.What Is Twitter?Twitter is an online news and social networking service built around short posts called "tweets" — a micro-blog by design. The character limit expanded from 140 to 280 in November 2017. Text, photos, videos, GIFs, and live video are all supported, with live video being especially popular during breaking news events.Tip: when traveling, Twitter is a genuinely effective way to reach airline customer service — rebooking, cancellations, standby lists.Bonus tip: for service businesses, Twitter is a real customer-service channel in its own right — social media customer service was fully expected by 2018.The Story of TwitterFounded in 2006 by Jack Dorsey (also the founder of Square), Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Ev Williams (also the founder of Medium).Twitter FundamentalsYou can follow anyone; someone must follow you back before they can send you a direct message. Each post — 280 characters or fewer — is a Tweet. The @ symbol mentions someone directly; hashtags (#) mark topics. Liking (heart icon) and retweeting are the main ways to engage with and amplify someone else's content. The Twitter bird logo is named Larry.The Numbers (2018)Roughly 350 million users, over 500 million tweets per day, 80% of users on mobile, 80% of accounts overseas, 56% of users earning over $56K/year, and a company valuation over $16 billion at the time. Over 100 million tweets contained animated GIFs. Top followed accounts: Katy Perry (108M+), Justin Bieber (100M+), and Barack Obama in third — with the sitting president at the time ranked #20 with 47 million followers.Q&A With Ross BrandIs Twitter still relevant for content creators and personal brands in 2018, and why?Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: Part 1 of a 3-part social media mini-series with livestreaming expert Ross Brand — this episode covers LinkedIn, why content creators should be using it, and where to focus first.What You'll LearnWhy LinkedIn was becoming more of a content-creator platform in 2018Key LinkedIn facts and demographics at the timeExpert advice from livestreaming pioneer Ross Brand on where to focus first on LinkedInA simple LinkedIn content strategy: post your best niche-relevant material once a dayThis is part 1 of a 3-part social media series with special guest Ross Brand from LivestreamUniverse.com, covering LinkedIn, Twitter (Episode 126), and Facebook Live (Episode 127) for content creators, personal brands, and online businesses.Special Guest: Ross BrandRoss Brand is a pioneer in the livestreaming field — both a prolific content creator and a thought leader on leveraging live video to grow a business or brand. He made the transition from terrestrial radio to livestreaming, founding LivestreamUniverse.com to showcase and empower other live video creators. Named the world's #1 livestreaming expert to follow on social media by Klout and one of "5 live video experts to follow" by Switcher Studio, Ross has spoken at Summit Live, Summit on Content Marketing, and NYU's Division of Programs in Business.About LinkedInLinkedIn is a professional networking platform geared toward job seekers and business connections, built around profiles that function as resumes or bios. Tagline: "Relationships Matter." Founded by Reid Hoffman in 2002, launched in 2003."If you aren't embarrassed by the first version of your product, you shipped too late." — Reid HoffmanThat echoes one of Mike's own favorite principles: done is better than perfect. Just start.Facts about LinkedIn at the time: LinkedIn acquired Lynda.com in 2015 for $1.5 billion; Microsoft acquired LinkedIn itself for $26.2 billion in 2016. 530 million users, 70% outside the US, 40 million students and recent grads, 57% male / 44% female, 41% of millionaires use it, the average CEO has 930 connections, 5.5 million accountants are on the platform, 44% of users earn over $75,000/year, and 3 million active job listings. Profiles with professional headshots get 14x more views and 36x more messages. The most overused profile word, then and for years prior: "Motivated." Q&A With Ross BrandWhy should creators use LinkedIn in 2018? LinkedIn was shifting toward more of a content-creator platform with the addition of video, and relatively few creatives were using it that way yet — meaning it was easier to stand out.What should someone focus on first? The profile itself — that's where to put initial effort, whether starting fresh or updating an existing account.What content strategy works, and how often should you post? Share your best material…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A behind-the-scenes look at the Mike Murphy 90-Day Health & Wellness Project — a content-marketing case study built around getting into shape at a local spin studio, told through personal goals, a client win-win, and the gear used to document it all.What You'll LearnWhy Mike sees physical and mental health as foundational to business successThe 90-day Health & Wellness Project with Cycle Guroo, a Naples, FL spin studio clientMike's personal goals and the client's business goals for the projectThe gear used to document the project in video, audio, and text"To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear." — BuddhaHealth as the FoundationThere's no doubt in Mike's mind that the secret to success in business and happiness in life is health — physical and mental both. School and work culture tends to prioritize hard work and grades over movement and creative outlets, but a balance of both is the winning combination.Current state, in summary: decent shape for 48, but with room to improve — chronic back issues from a lifetime of bad posture, and occasional breathing trouble that comes with it.Routine: 15–20 miles of biking daily, plus at least 5 miles of walking. Eating leans healthy and light by preference, not discipline — no fast food or fried food in recent memory. Even with a laid-back approach to exercise, back pain, headaches, and stress are present and mostly ignored rather than addressed.The logic: elevate physical and mental health to an optimal state alongside sharpening content and education skills, and the result is a genuinely unstoppable combination. People are drawn to confidence and positive energy — and good physical and mental health is where that comes from."A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." — Lao TzuThe 2018 Mike Murphy Health & Wellness ProjectBackground: Mike had been consulting for Cycle Guroo, an indoor cycling/spinning studio in Naples, FL, on content marketing and social media strategy to drive local business and position the studio as the place to build physical and mental health through exercise, empowerment, and confidence.What is spinning? A high-intensity stationary-bike workout with a tension wheel simulating hills, loud music, colored lighting, and an instructor calling out direction and encouragement — closer to a concert than a gym class.The project: a 90-day exercise program at the studio (ending April 15, 2018), documented start to finish in audio, video, and text across Instagram Stories, this podcast, and eventually YouTube and livestreams. The content does double duty — building Mike's personal brand while serving as a real case study and transformation proof for the studio to use with prospective clients.Personal goals:A solid early-morning routine to boost productivity all d…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A personal-branding episode — Mike goes behind the scenes with his own origin story, from a childhood injury and discovering the Grateful Dead to the winding cross-country path that led to building Mike Murphy LLC.What You'll LearnMike's origin story: childhood, a broken femur at 13, and discovering the Grateful DeadThe core principles behind his in-progress book: learning, creating, and moving forwardHow introversion and a love of teaching coexist as a deliberate "push and pull"The winding path through Portland, Missoula, Durango, Denver, and Naples that led to Mike Murphy LLCThis episode is the facts, the highlights, and the turning points — history, profile, and resume all rolled into one. In January 2017, Mike promised to write a book by year's end and didn't. This episode starts it: an introduction to One Man Band: Create the Life You Want, covering who he is and the paths he took to get here.Requirements to create the life you want: you have to start, and you have to work hard.Core Principles of the BookLearning — feed your brain and stay sharp.Creating — find your voice and uniqueness by doing and practicing what genuinely interests and excites you, then getting really good at it.Moving forward — "You only lose what you cling to" (Buddha). Stop dwelling on the past and focus on the good things ahead.Origin StoryBorn in Syracuse, NY in November 1969 — a Scorpio, the youngest of three. His father spends winters in Florida; his mother died in 2006.Early school days: shy, uncomfortable with attention — winning "best all-around student" in 4th grade was closer to a nightmare than an honor, given the walk down the aisle in front of the whole school. A surprise birthday party would still be a worst-case scenario; receiving gifts has never been comfortable, closer to the Hobbit tradition of giving rather than receiving on your own birthday.Pulling From Opposite SidesNot wanting the spotlight, yet recording a podcast and writing a chapter all about himself — that contradiction has always been there. Starting the podcast and putting himself in videos was far outside the comfort zone, but necessary for what he wanted: happiness and the freedom to make a living doing what he wants.The shyness isn't rooted in insecurity or fear — Gary Vaynerchuk's framing of "push and pull," drawing from opposite extremes, helped put language to something Mike had always done but couldn't describe. A lone wolf and introvert who's spent his whole career in the service industry; shy but a natural teacher and leader more than a follower. Adaptability is the throughline — like a raft following the smoothest line down a river. Fear of being knocked down was never going to be the reason this fails.Turning PointsA broken femur at 13 meant 6 weeks in traction and 8 weeks in a full body cast, followed by a year of therapy — any NBA dreams ended there. During that period came…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: Mike's annual roadmap episode — the mantra and theme for 2018 (fundamentals and storytelling), the 6 priorities for Mike Murphy LLC, and the content schedule he's committing to for the year.What You'll LearnMike's mantra and theme for 2018: fundamentals and storytellingThe 6-priority roadmap for Mike Murphy LLC, from Murphy Concierge to health and wellnessThe 2018 content schedule across podcast, tutorials, articles, and socialWhy Mike writes a public roadmap every year instead of keeping goals privateRoadmap quote: "If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there." — paraphrased from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, from the dialogue between Alice and the Cheshire Cat about which way to go when you don't know where you want to end up.Creating a roadmap forces real thinking about objectives and aspirations, and putting a plan in place makes some of them a reality. It won't be followed perfectly, but it gives clarity on the general direction — a follow-up to last week's 2017 recap in Episode 121.Mantra & Theme for 2018: Fundamentals and Storytelling2017 was about simplicity and reducing physical and mental clutter — that stays in effect. 2018 adds fundamentals and storytelling: who am I, what am I doing, why am I doing it, how am I doing it. The goal is a blueprint of the journey that helps hit big-picture goals while helping others create the life they want through the content being made.Sharing a real origin story matters because people trust and buy from brands with a backstory they can relate to. The catch-phrase driving all of it: Create the Life You Want.The 2018 Mike Murphy LLC RoadmapRead the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A year-end reflection on 2017 — Mike's 5 favorite episodes, a report card against the 2017 Roadmap he set back in Episode 70, and what actually got done vs. what didn't.What You'll LearnMike's 5 favorite episodes of 2017 and why they stood outA report card on the 2017 Roadmap: simplicity in physical stuff, mindset, and businessContent goals vs. actual output for the year, including 365 straight days of videoWhy an annual roadmap/reflection episode keeps him accountableThis is a reflection show — looking back at 2017 and how the year measured up against the 2017 Roadmap laid out back in January.Favorite Episodes of 2017The Personal Brand Shows (Episode 82 & Episode 83) — thorough episodes Mike worked hard on and was proud of.The Simplify Show (Episode 91) — 2017 was the year of decluttering mind and space, and this one got a lot of listener feedback from people wanting to do the same.The Dead Show (Episode 95) — a trip to Boston and talking about his favorite band, always an easy, fun one to make.The Irma Show (Episode 106) — storytelling isn't something Mike considered a strength, but this one came together well and got strong positive feedback.The Self-Doubt Show (Episode 110) — another storytelling episode, built around favorite memories on the river in Colorado. This one held special meaning.Overall, Mike was happy with the quality of the content even though dedicating consistent time to podcasting alongside other projects was a real struggle. Showing up week after week isn't easy, but there was good material in every episode — and that's what mattered most.The 2017 Roadmap: Simplicity Report CardThe theme for 2017 was simplicity across the board — clutter-free, intentional, focused. Quote for the year: "Take what you need and leave the rest" — The Band.Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A walkthrough of Apple Podcasts Connect — how to manage an existing podcast, validate and submit a brand-new show, and read the new Podcast Analytics dashboard Apple rolled out in December 2017.What You'll LearnWhat Apple Podcasts Connect is, and why Apple calls it three different names (iTunes Connect, Podcasts Connect, Apple iTunes Connect)The Manage, Resources, and Validate & Submit features inside Podcasts ConnectHow to launch a brand-new podcast: validating and submitting an RSS feedWhat Apple Podcast Analytics tracks: unique devices, time listened, subscriber breakdown, and listener drop-off trendsWhat Is Podcasts Connect?Podcasts Connect is the portal Apple launched in 2016 for managing existing podcasts, launching new ones, and viewing performance analytics. Apple isn't consistent with the name — you'll see it called iTunes Connect, Podcasts Connect, or Apple iTunes Connect, but they're all the same tool.Warning: don't touch your RSS feed URL or the Mirror URL inside Podcasts Connect unless you know exactly what you're doing. Your RSS feed is how listeners subscribe and get notified of new episodes — mess with it carelessly and you risk breaking subscriptions.Managing an Existing PodcastEvery podcast tied to your account — new or old — shows up under Manage. Click your cover art to open a show's management page.The features available there:Status & Refresh Feed — a green dot means your podcast is active and healthy; red means something needs fixing. Refreshing isn't usually necessary, but it's useful after metadata changes that are slow to update in iTunes.Mirror URL — a permanent link to your RSS feed. Listeners who subscribe via the mirror URL stay subscribed even if you change your actual feed URL later. Only touch this if you understand RSS feeds.View in iTunes — see how your show looks live in the iTunes Store.Hide Podcast — keeps a show active but undiscoverable/unlisted.Delete Podcast — self-explanatory.Tip: subscribe to your own podcast, and check it on your devices every time you publish a new episode. If something looks wrong, Podcasts Connect's status indicator is the first place to check.Resources & HelpThe Apple Podcasts Partner Resources library has FAQs, news, videos, and guides covering all of podcasting. It's accessible from the dropdown menu in the upper left, under My Podcasts.Launching a New Podcast: Validate & SubmitValidating and submitting is the last step before a new podcast goes live — same process whether it's your first show or another one added to an existing account.Copy your RSS feed URL to your clipboard. In Podcasts Connect, click the blue + in the upper-left corner (or paste into the empty text box) and hit Valida…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: Five reasons a business — especially a local, brick-and-mortar one — should consider launching a podcast in 2018, covering advertising, authority-building, client relationships, content marketing, and revenue.What You'll Learn5 reasons a business should consider launching a podcast: advertising, authority, community, content marketing, revenueWhy podcasting is intimate and trust-building in a way most other marketing isn'tReal podcast concept ideas for realtors and coffee shopsHow to turn one podcast episode into a full content-marketing workflowWho this episode is for: any business, but especially local ones — realtors, mortgage brokers, financial consultants, restaurants and cafes, pet stores, grocery markets, plumbers, electricians, landscapers, painters, designers, house cleaners, and beyond.Preface: Podcasting Is Hard WorkArticles make it sound easy, but running an ongoing podcast is real work — more than pressing record on an iPhone and hitting upload, and more than a $50 USB microphone and a $15 hosting account. Once a podcast starts, "what's the next episode about" tends to live in the back of your mind 24/7 — real time management is required, on top of preparation, planning, tech skills, and social media engagement. Running a business is already hard work but worth it; podcasting is the same trade.Innovation matters more than ever for small and local businesses, and podcasting is one genuinely powerful way to connect with clients, stand out from competitors, and become the recognized authority in a space.The Secret to PodcastingPeople start listening because a topic interests them or someone recommends it. They keep coming back because of the host, and because the show is useful, entertaining, or improves their life in some way. Podcasting is intimate — listeners feel like they know the host, even without ever meeting, because the host shows up consistently and delivers.The core rule: consistency is everything. Listeners build routines — commutes, workouts, mornings — around a show's release schedule. Break that consistency, or let quality slip, and the trust built up gets violated fast. As in the restaurant business: you're only as good as your last meal.A podcast for local businesses can build trust with clients and the community if it is consistent (schedule) and over-delivers on content (value).1. Advertising & SalesPodcasting flips the old model of blasting zip codes with marketing materials and hoping the numbers work out. It meets customers where they already are — mobile devices — and audio content is uniquely suited to multitasking in a way most other formats aren't.Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A behind-the-scenes look at how and why Mike makes Instagram Stories every day — one year after the feature's launch — covering process, mindset, topic ideas, and the tools used to make each story more interesting.What You'll LearnWhat Instagram Stories is and how it compares to Snapchat, one year after launchMike's daily process and mindset for making Stories, morning through sunsetWhy accountability, not audience size, is the real reason he shows up every dayThe apps and tools used to make Stories more visually interestingFollow along on Instagram: @mikeunplugged. For a primer on what Instagram Stories is and how it differs from Snapchat, Episode 49 is the place to start — this episode picks up one year after Stories launched in August 2016.What Is Instagram Stories?Launched in August 2016 inside the main Instagram app, Stories is phone-only (though viewable on web now) and works like daily vlogging with an expiration date — clips run up to 15 seconds each, in succession, and everything disappears after 24 hours.Core features: normal photo, Boomerang, Rewind, SuperZoom, Hands-Free, Stop Motion, and Live — plus the ability to pull photos and video from the camera roll, add text, filters, and stickers, and go live solo or with a collaborator. To view someone's Story, tap the colored ring around their profile photo at the top of the main feed.By this point Stories had roughly 300 million active users, compared to Snapchat's 177 million (still Snapchat's stronghold: under-25s). For anyone building an online presence, Stories was — and remained — worth a real shot.Why Mike Uses Instagram StoriesThe backstory starts on Snapchat in summer 2016 — goofy filters and talking to strangers about his day were genuinely outside the comfort zone at first. But video, livestreaming, and direct connection are the future of online business, and the 24-hour expiration takes the pressure off: every day is a fresh start, which makes the whole thing feel more like practice — for making videos, telling stories, and figuring out what people actually want.Over 2 years of consistent Instagram posting, and over a year of daily Stories — 7 days a week, some days more than others. It's become one of the biggest personal motivators and a built-in accountability system.The Why Behind ItStories holds Mike accountable in a way nothing else quite does — if the work isn't happening, there's nothing worth sharing. It's a personal quest to get more comfortable on camera, sharpen the craft of storytelling, and build genuine connection with an audience, none of which comes naturally by default. Audience size isn't really tracked — Stories has view analytics, but they're rarely checked. Knowing that even one person is finding value is enough reason to keep showing up.The ProcessNo scripting or day-mapping happens in advance, but every Story is built with the basic shape of a story in mind…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A full blueprint of how Mike launched his side hustle, Murphy Concierge — a local tech-handyman service — covering the why, the exact tools and steps used to get it off the ground, and the revenue goals behind it.What You'll LearnWhat Murphy Concierge is and why Mike started it as a local tech-handyman side hustleThe exact steps and tools used to launch the business: domain, website, logo, invoicingWhat a side hustle is, and two podcasts to learn more about building oneMike's revenue goal and the math behind his introductory hourly rateWho this episode is for: anyone looking to add a side hustle alongside an existing business or full/part-time job.What is a side hustle? Per Entrepreneur Magazine: "A side hustle is a way to make some extra cash that allows you flexibility to pursue what you're most interested in. It can also be your true passion – a chance to delve into fashion, travel or whatever it is you care about the most without quitting your day job."Podcasts about side hustles worth checking out:Side Hustle Nation by Nick LoperSide Hustle School by Chris GuillebeauWhat Is Murphy Concierge?A local side hustle helping people fix their iDevices and Macs, plus troubleshooting, fixing, and training for digital products and online tools. Tagline: The Tech Handyman. Site (in progress at the time): murphyconcierge.com, email: [email protected] Start This Side Hustle?To help pay the bills while building the online personal brand and business — and because it's a service Mike already does and loves, just one he hadn't been marketing until now.Steps and Tools Used to Get StartedDeciding to start:Secure a domain name via GoDaddyCheck social handle availability with NamecheckrBuilding the website:Point the domain at SiteGround (the web host used at the time) Install WordPress.orgDownload and install the Divi WordPress themeSet up Google Workspace to send/receive mail at [email protected] Create a logo using Adobe IllustratorLogo & Brand ResourcesCanva (free) Logo.squarespace.com ($10) Color palettes: Adobe Color, Coolors Business cards: Adobe InDesign or Canva Digital business cards: Adobe After Effects, Keynote, ScreenFlow, or Camtasia Invoicing: FreshBooks (main tool), PayPal, Square, Stripe (for…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A mobile-recorded episode from Franklin, Tennessee — Black Friday deal roundups, a quick history lesson on Franklin and Nashville, and a behind-the-scenes look at the travel gear kit used to record on the road.What You'll LearnA behind-the-scenes look at Mike's mobile podcast recording gear and travel kit10 pieces of Franklin & Nashville, Tennessee triviaBlack Friday deal links from the 2017 holiday seasonThe exact recording chain: Shure SM58 into a Zoom H6, edited in Adobe AuditionRecorded on the road in Franklin, Tennessee, following a safe and happy Thanksgiving spent relaxing with friends and family.Black Friday Updates2017 Amazon Black Friday Deals2017 Holiday Gift & Gear GuideFranklin & Nashville TriviaFranklin was named after Ben Franklin — it was almost called Marthasville instead.Tennessee was originally part of North Carolina, breaking off in 1796 to become the 16th US state.Nashville was founded on Christmas Eve in 1779.The first woman sentenced to die by electrocution in Tennessee was sentenced in 1949.Teddy Roosevelt coined the phrase "good to the last drop" after drinking locally produced coffee at the Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville.Nashville was the first city in the country to receive an FM broadcasting license, in 1941.Oprah Winfrey got her start in television as the first African-American female news anchor at a Nashville station.United Records Pressing has produced recordings for numerous legendary performers and is one of only four companies in the nation still producing vinyl records.It's illegal to keep a cheetah as a pet in Nashville.The Grand Ole Opry is the longest-running radio show in the world.Mobile Podcast & Travel GearBUBM Travel Bag — a 2-tier travel bag and electronics organizer for keeping audio gear, electronics, and cables together, easy to stuff in a backpack or suitcase. Amazon link, $21.99. Zoom H6 Handy Recorder — the swiss army knife of portable audio recorders. Amazon linkShure SM58 — the go-to dynamic mic. LinkSamson Q2U — Amazon linkEneloop AA Batteries — Amazon linkRecording SetupShure SM58 dynamic microphone plugged into the Zoom H6 handheld recorder via XLR. The H6 records to a memory card, which then transfers to a computer for editing in Adobe Audition. For iOS recordings on the go, the app of choice is Auphonic.ConclusionHappy holidays from Franklin, Tennessee.Show Notes & Links2017 Amazon Black Fri…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A story-time episode — Mike's backstory on how he ended up making daily tutorials and teaching online, what nearly 800 straight days of content creation taught him, and what success actually looks like for Mike Murphy LLC.What You'll LearnThe backstory behind Mike's move into daily tutorials and online teachingWhat 792 straight days of content and 381 straight days of video actually taught himWhy teaching comes naturally to him and what drives the daily-content habitWhat success looks like for Mike Murphy LLC, in his own words"I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." — Albert Einstein"What's my deal?" — a question Mike's been asked more than once, including twice in the past month on social media alone. This episode is the abbreviated backstory, a look at the present-day game plan, and a conclusion on what success actually means for the business.The BackstoryAs a kid: sports, staying active, and anything that used his head — cards, puzzles, games, game shows. School and learning were genuinely enjoyed, not endured.College: no clear idea what to study or do — a theme that's stuck around ever since — but every minute of the experience was loved: independence, studying, learning, and plenty of road-trip travel.Post-college: resort and college-town living, chasing quality of life over a career ladder. Bartending, traveling, exploring, staying curious. "Those who wander are not lost." — J.R.R. TolkienThe Hard QuestionsWhat's your passion? What do you want to do with your life? What's your calling? What are you good at? The past 9 years answered them slowly: managing a photo studio in Florida, consuming huge amounts of tutorials and podcasts, wearing every hat available, and learning constantly — photo, video, audio, Adobe, networking, business, marketing, web, design, IT. Creating. Moving forward.Why TeachIt comes naturally, and sharing knowledge that genuinely helps people is satisfying in a way that doesn't need much more explanation than that.Present Day792 days of content created and uploaded in a row, including a 381-day streak of one video per day. The daily habit started as a way to figure out what "the thing" actually was — and making something every day is how you get good at anything: you practice, a lot. Two years into daily content, the picture is clear: creating online content and teaching people is exactly the right lane. The focus now is teaching people to create online content for their own personal brand or business — podcasting, video production and editing, social media trends, and industry-leading tools like Adobe Creative Cloud that give them a real competitive edge. Technology moves fast, and creators and educators are only going to become more valuable.What Does Success Look Like?Simplicity and happiness, with enough money to keep creating and enjoying life. Learning and creating for a living, sharing that knowledge, and inspiring…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A behind-the-scenes look at the 2017 Mike Murphy Holiday Gift & Gear Guide for Content Creators — why it exists, how it's produced across video, text, and audio, and where it all gets distributed.What You'll LearnBehind the scenes of the 2017 Mike Murphy Holiday Gift & Gear Guide for Content CreatorsWhy Mike started the Gift Guide in 2016 by teaching himself After Effects the hard wayThe 3 pillars behind the guide: video, text, and audio, distributed everywhereThe exact gear used to produce it: camera, mic, and editing softwareBackstoryThe Gift Guide traces back to November 2016, when Mike taught himself After Effects specifically to animate gear demos and how-tos — which turned into the original 2016 Holiday Gift & Gear Guide. Being new to After Effects meant videos were eating 4–6 hours a night, a pace that wasn't sustainable to repeat in 2017 while keeping the format going.Tip: when learning a new tool like Photoshop, After Effects, or Premiere, jump straight into finished projects instead of just learning the program's overview — get your hands dirty and let real projects force the learning.A genuine milestone: a video uploaded every single day since November 1, 2016 — a long streak by any measure.What Is the Gift & Gear Guide?A combination of video, text, and (via this podcast) audio — the three pillars of content creation. The 2017 guide includes roughly 25–30 products picked as good gifts for creatives and online business owners. Each product gets its own video plus a mini blog post covering the details, distributed across Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and (for some) Medium.com, with a dedicated page on the website collecting all the videos and links.Why Create the Gift & Gear Guide?Business and brand building — honing a tech-review/tutorial style that could eventually attract vendor and brand partnerships, refined over time into something genuinely quality and helpful.Monetization — gear videos drive traffic to Amazon affiliate links, building a passive income stream over time as part of a sustainable creative business.Uniqueness — staying genuine and doing things the "one man band" way, distinct from the standard influencer gift-guide format.How the Content Gets MadeCamera: Logitech C920Microphone: Rode NTG3 Shotgun MicVideo editors: ScreenFlow (recording), Camtasia and Premiere (editing), Adobe After Effects (polish)Free 30-day trial of Adobe Creative CloudWhere It Gets DistributedYouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Medium, and a dedicated page on the website.2017 Mike Murphy Holiday Gift & Gear GuideGifts get uploaded to the guide as each video releases.Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]

Episode Summary: A rundown of the Adobe Creative Cloud 2018 update — the new apps, the headline feature upgrades across Photoshop, Lightroom, and Premiere, and why staying current with creative tools matters even if you can't learn everything at once.What You'll LearnWhat Adobe Creative Cloud is and why it's the creative-industry standardThe major October 2017 update highlights: Lightroom CC, Photoshop's Curvature Pen Tool, and more3 new apps graduating out of beta: Adobe XD, Adobe Dimension, and Character AnimatorWhy staying current with your creative tools matters more than mastering everything at onceA free 30-day trial of Adobe Creative Cloud is linked in the show notes. From the archives: Episode 38, The Adobe Show, covers the broader case for Adobe CC if you want the fuller introduction.Adobe Creative Cloud OverviewAdobe CC is Adobe's subscription bundle of creative software — the industry standard across graphic and web design, video editing, podcasting, print/advertising, and online content creation broadly. Photoshop has always been the flagship name associated with Adobe, but video, audio, and animation are just as central to the suite.Cost: $50/month for the full Creative Cloud, $20/month for teachers and students, $20/month for a single a la carte app (like Audition alone), or $9.99/month for the Photography bundle (Photoshop, Bridge, and Lightroom).Why Adobe Matters for Technology TrendsAdobe, Apple, and Amazon dominate because they understand user behavior and actively shape where technology, creativity, and business are heading through the tools they ship. Staying relevant doesn't require deep technical knowledge of AR, VR, or AI — but if Adobe CC and the newest iPhone are both leaning hard into a technology, it's worth keeping on the radar. Watching what companies like Adobe prioritize is itself a useful trend signal.Adobe CC 2018: What's NewThe major update landed in October 2017, installable through the Creative Cloud desktop app.Tools regularly used day-to-day: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom, Audition, Premiere Pro, After Effects.New apps graduating out of beta: Adobe XD, Adobe Dimension, and Adobe Character Animator.Highlights of the UpdateLightroom CC — a brand-new, cloud-native version of Lightroom (the older version becomes Lightroom Classic), with 1TB of cloud storage for RAW and JPEG files, editable from anywhere. Photoshop — Curvature Pen Tool, an improved Properties panel, smoother brush strokes, better brush organization, Kyle Webster brush packs, and a Quick Share menu. Illustrator — a new Properties panel and Puppet Warp. InDesign — footnote support. Adobe Audition — auto-ducking and faster mixdowns. After Effects — virtual reality and 360° camera editing, plus new animation tooling. Premiere Pro — improved Essential Graphics, responsive animations, multi-project support. Adobe XD — design and p…Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.Support the showSubscribe To Weekly Newsletter:AI UnpluggedConnect With Me🌐 Website📧 Newsletter🎥 YouTube🐦 X💼 LinkedInComments, Questions & Feedback: [email protected]