170 | The Power of Authenticity: Indie Podcasters Take Notes from The Greatest Showman Movie

[00:00:00] No one ever made a difference being like everyone else.

[00:00:10] Sound matters. Be heard.

[00:00:13] Welcome to the podcast where you get exclusive behind-the-scenes tips to make your own show sound truly spectacular.

[00:00:20] This is Podtastic Audio.

[00:00:25] Hey, what's happening? How are you doing today?

[00:00:30] Thank you so much for being here. I am Chris and this is Podtastic Audio.

[00:00:36] The show which I have designed and created to help you, yes, you and other podcasters just like you, make an amazing show for your audience.

[00:00:49] And that is what it's all about. You deliver the magic, you deliver the amazing content, you package it with your amazing audio, hopefully, and it goes out to your audience and they love you for it.

[00:01:02] That is what it's all about.

[00:01:03] And a little update on me. About a few months ago, I was actually diagnosed with having skin cancer inside my left ear.

[00:01:16] Like actually in the earlobe section, not down into where your eardrum is, kind of on the outer rim section of your ear.

[00:01:26] That's where the cancer had developed and it spread in pretty deep, which actually does kind of suck because when you hear the word cancer and that you have cancer of any kind, it's a very real and very scary thing.

[00:01:42] They always say like as serious as cancer. That's what they mean by that is that it's actually a pretty serious thing.

[00:01:49] And so to fix the cancer I had in my left ear, no, I didn't have my ear chopped off, but almost.

[00:01:58] They actually had to go in and cut out, like physically cut out into my ear, chunks of my skin, chunks of my ear and keep cutting until the cancer was removed.

[00:02:12] And it had gone down fairly deep into my skin, into my ear.

[00:02:16] So they cut out quite a bit. So much they cut out that they could not patch me back up.

[00:02:22] They could not restitch the wound in my ear to fix me back up again.

[00:02:27] So I had to go into reconstructive surgery with one of the top doctor surgeons in the city here at the major hospital.

[00:02:39] And so I went over there and that was last Friday.

[00:02:44] So today's Friday as I record this.

[00:02:45] So exactly one week ago, Friday, I went in for reconstructive surgery under anesthesia for an all day procedure where they physically like cut skin around my backside of my ear.

[00:02:59] And then they placed it within my ear to patch up the big gaping hole that they removed within my ear.

[00:03:06] It's all my left ear, by the way.

[00:03:07] And so I feel like Frankenstein a little bit with stitches on the backside of my ear and inside my ear.

[00:03:15] My hearing, thank God, I'm not losing my hearing.

[00:03:19] I'm still keeping my hearing in both ears, although it did take a while for my hearing to come back on the ear they worked on because of all the, I guess, stitches and the swelling and the blood and all that gross stuff, really.

[00:03:32] All of that was happening in my left ear, but thank God I still have my ear.

[00:03:35] And thank God, I think eventually it will hopefully be fully healed again.

[00:03:41] But for the meantime now, I can't put anything on my left ear, which means I cannot wear any headphones.

[00:03:47] Obviously, I can't put earbuds in there.

[00:03:50] And so it's kind of weird.

[00:03:51] I actually had to go order Apple AirPods, the original Apple AirPods that have the standard 3.5 millimeter headphone jack to plug into my Rodecaster.

[00:04:02] And that way I can use just one earbud in my other ear, my good ear, so I can take Zoom calls or I can do any kind of podcasting stuff or any kind of, you know, things like that or any kind of interviews or anything, that kind of stuff.

[00:04:17] That way I still can do that because normally I would just have the headphones on when I would do the podcasting.

[00:04:23] So this is totally new for me.

[00:04:25] I am back after one week of being out, but I'm gonna be out of work probably a month.

[00:04:31] So, yeah, fun times really.

[00:04:34] But thank you so much for your support and your kind words.

[00:04:38] And I appreciate everybody that has chimed in and everybody that has texted me and has written to me on social media and has gotten a hold of me and asked how I was doing.

[00:04:48] I appreciate every single one of you.

[00:04:50] And I think the reason why I'm here today being only one week after I was literally waking up from anesthesia, like totally out of it, not knowing where I was at, being on pain meds for a few days is that I think I love podcasting and I love content creation.

[00:05:09] And I feel kind of like I'm going stir crazy here if I can't actually get out there and record something on the microphone and actually create something.

[00:05:19] And speaking of creating something, we live in an age right now where it's incredibly easy for anybody, and I mean anybody, to create some kind of content and put it out there in the world for anybody to enjoy.

[00:05:35] Now, some of it's good and some of it is not so good.

[00:05:39] But as us independent content creators, and I say content creators, meaning I'm lumping in YouTubers or Instagram Reel creators or TikTok creators, whatever they're called, or even, yes, us podcasters, lumping it all together.

[00:05:55] As content creators, maybe we should stop worrying about what everybody else is doing and trying to mimic exactly what somebody else is doing or some other show is doing and actually focus on the things that make us special and makes us different than everybody else out there.

[00:06:17] And that is how you're going to grow your audience.

[00:06:19] One of my absolute favorite movies has got to be The Greatest Showman with Hugh Jackman.

[00:06:27] I think it came out in 2018.

[00:06:30] And every time I watch this movie, I think, wow, it's very relatable to us indie podcasters.

[00:06:38] If you don't know what the movie is about, I got a quick synopsis of the movie.

[00:06:42] Here it is.

[00:06:43] The Greatest Showman is a musical film that tells the story of P.T. Barnum, a visionary who rises from humble beginnings to create the world-famous Barnum & Bailey Circus.

[00:06:57] The movie follows Barnum's journey as he assembles a group of unique performers, individuals society had cast aside due to their differences, and turns them into celebrated spectacle.

[00:07:13] Despite facing criticism from the press and rejection from high society, Barnum's passion and determination drive him to keep pushing forward.

[00:07:24] Along the way, he struggles with balancing his personal life with his ambition.

[00:07:29] And after a series of setbacks, including financial ruin and a fire that destroys the circus, he rebuilds and finds success again by staying true to his vision.

[00:07:43] The movie celebrates themes of embracing individuality, overcoming adversity, and dreaming big, all while delivering high-energy musical numbers like This Is Me and A Million Dreams.

[00:07:59] Ultimately, The Greatest Showman is about believing in yourself, finding beauty in the unconventional, and turning dreams into reality despite the obstacles.

[00:08:11] Now, if that does not sound like every single indie podcaster that you know and I know, I don't know what else does.

[00:08:20] So, for indie podcasters like us, the idea of embracing unique talents is truly a game changer.

[00:08:29] Often when starting out, podcasters can feel the pressure to replicate the style of something bigger, like more established shows.

[00:08:36] Think of the biggest show that you listen to or watch on YouTube.

[00:08:40] Podcasters will seem to just fall into copying what they do, thinking that is the way to actually make it.

[00:08:47] But however, what The Greatest Showman teaches us is that true success comes from owning what makes you different, not from trying to fit in a mold.

[00:08:59] So, I have six ways the movie itself, The Greatest Showman, can relate to us indie podcasters.

[00:09:08] Now, the very first thing I have here is, number one, you are the brand.

[00:09:15] Yeah, it's your show.

[00:09:18] As an indie podcaster, you are both the creator and the voice of your show.

[00:09:23] Your unique perspective, your own life experiences, and the way you present yourself is what draws listeners in.

[00:09:32] Yes, I know they come in for the content.

[00:09:35] And yes, I know sometimes they'll come in for the hard data and the hard facts and those numbers and things like that.

[00:09:43] But they stick around because of you.

[00:09:46] Just like Barnum celebrated his oddities and special talents of his performers, podcasters can celebrate their quirks and interests, which may not appeal to everyone.

[00:09:59] Listen, your show is not for everyone.

[00:10:03] But it will deeply resonate with those who do actually get it.

[00:10:08] Those that actually do get you.

[00:10:11] Remember, niche audiences are often the most loyal.

[00:10:15] And the second reason I believe that The Greatest Showman movie relates to us indie podcasters is authenticity builds trust.

[00:10:26] Now, I've been saying this for quite a while now.

[00:10:29] And in podcasting, people tune in because they feel a connection.

[00:10:35] That's the beauty of audio.

[00:10:37] You are right in their head.

[00:10:39] You are right with them on their journey to work, on their journey to the subway or wherever they're going.

[00:10:44] You are right with them.

[00:10:47] You're not watching in a theater.

[00:10:48] You're not on the TV in the living room with your whole family.

[00:10:53] Do people still do that?

[00:10:54] Do they still watch TV, the evening news together like after dinner?

[00:10:59] Maybe they do.

[00:11:00] Maybe they don't.

[00:11:01] But listeners can tell when a show is actually authentic and when it's trying too hard to be something that it's not.

[00:11:08] By being yourself, your unfiltered, unpolished, and unique self, you're building trust with your audience.

[00:11:17] This trust is what keeps listeners coming back even if the production isn't exactly perfect.

[00:11:26] Authenticity is especially appealing to indie podcasters because it doesn't require a big budget or fancy equipment.

[00:11:34] It just requires you being you.

[00:11:39] And moving on to the third thing you can take away from the movie, The Greatest Showman as the indie podcaster,

[00:11:45] is that different stands out.

[00:11:49] Now, what does it actually mean?

[00:11:51] As an indie hobby podcaster like most of us are and with thousands of podcasts out there,

[00:11:59] it might seem just a little overwhelming to think about how your show will gain any kind of traction.

[00:12:05] However, trying to sound like everybody else or copying the big podcasts out there, like I said before, it's a trap.

[00:12:15] Listeners are consistently searching for something fresh and different.

[00:12:20] Something that doesn't sound like everything else out there.

[00:12:24] Which is kind of funny if you go on YouTube or TikTok or Instagram Reels or any others kind of like video platform places

[00:12:33] where people upload like snippets or clips from their podcast interviews,

[00:12:39] which is like the host will be on the top and maybe the guest will be at the bottom or vice versa, however they do it.

[00:12:46] And it'll be the two people talking heads doing their snippet.

[00:12:50] And you see so many of those, they all start to look the same.

[00:12:55] Maybe talking about different things, but eventually they all seem to look exactly the same.

[00:13:01] They all look the same.

[00:13:03] In fact, a lot of them actually copy the same microphones, the same setup, same everything like somebody else.

[00:13:10] So what makes it any different?

[00:13:12] So if you're looking to actually stand out, try being a little different.

[00:13:17] When you embrace your unique voice, you set yourself apart from all that noise.

[00:13:23] And that is how you attract your ideal audience.

[00:13:28] Moving on to number four.

[00:13:31] Personal stories make a connection.

[00:13:35] I've been saying this for a very long time.

[00:13:38] The great thing about podcasting, especially like long form content,

[00:13:43] I guess podcasting would really fall into that category of long form content.

[00:13:48] It's where you as the audience listener side of things gets to hear from the content creator, the podcaster.

[00:13:57] You actually get to connect with them through long form stories.

[00:14:02] And much like the greatest showman movie,

[00:14:04] it weaves the personal struggles and triumphs of its characters into overarching spectacle.

[00:14:12] Your podcast is more than just the topic at hand.

[00:14:16] It's about you.

[00:14:18] Sharing your personal stories, your take on things, or maybe your experiences

[00:14:23] can build a deeper emotional connection with your listeners.

[00:14:28] Whether it's a funny anecdote or a lesson learned,

[00:14:32] these moments make you relatable, memorable, and actually more important than ever, a human.

[00:14:41] Because one thing that AI cannot do is actually create and make your stories that you live through

[00:14:52] with your own personal experiences, with your own personal feelings,

[00:14:56] and put your own personal emotion behind their AI fake podcast.

[00:15:01] And I know AI is a big thing right now,

[00:15:03] but have you ever asked AI,

[00:15:05] Hey, how are you feeling today?

[00:15:07] What were you feeling on this day?

[00:15:10] How did that make you feel?

[00:15:12] What were you thinking when you did this?

[00:15:14] I don't know if we can answer that.

[00:15:16] Maybe it can someday, but for right now, it can't.

[00:15:18] So don't worry about that.

[00:15:20] Okay, moving on to the fifth thing I learned from watching The Greatest Showman

[00:15:24] and comparing it to podcasting is that as independent podcasters,

[00:15:29] we actually have podcasting freedom.

[00:15:33] Now you're thinking, you know, what does that really even mean?

[00:15:37] As a hobby podcaster, you have the freedom to experiment.

[00:15:43] You can do whatever you want with your show.

[00:15:45] You can do video, you can do audio, you can do this or do that.

[00:15:49] You can change gear, you can have a co-host,

[00:15:52] you could have an interview style show, you can do a solo show,

[00:15:55] you can do a combination of all three.

[00:15:57] It doesn't matter.

[00:15:59] You're not constrained by corporate rules

[00:16:01] or the need to appeal to a mass audience for profit.

[00:16:06] This means you can lean into your passions, hobbies,

[00:16:11] or even the most specific interests and run with them.

[00:16:15] That kind of creative freedom is a huge advantage in building something truly,

[00:16:23] actually, originally unique.

[00:16:26] And the sixth takeaway from The Greatest Showman when it comes to indie podcasting

[00:16:32] is that you can create a community of like-minded people.

[00:16:39] You see, by being unapologetically yourself,

[00:16:43] you'll attract an audience that truly appreciates what you bring to the table.

[00:16:49] You're not just building a podcast, you're building a community.

[00:16:54] These listeners are more likely to engage, share your show,

[00:17:00] and become your biggest advocates because they connect with you, the authentic you.

[00:17:06] Just like Barnum brought people together who felt like outsiders,

[00:17:12] your podcast can be the place where like-minded people feel seen and valued.

[00:17:19] You ever go on to a YouTube channel,

[00:17:22] and it's something that's probably pretty obscure,

[00:17:26] and it just comes across your feed,

[00:17:29] and you start watching video after video,

[00:17:31] and you're like, man, I've watched a lot of videos from this particular channel,

[00:17:36] and it's nothing like mainstream.

[00:17:39] It's something pretty particular.

[00:17:41] That's because you love that thing.

[00:17:44] That's because those are your people.

[00:17:45] That is what you are drawn to.

[00:17:47] And YouTube knows that.

[00:17:48] That's why they feed it in front of you.

[00:17:50] But if you have not seen the movie The Greatest Showman,

[00:17:53] don't worry.

[00:17:54] I'm not going to spoil anything,

[00:17:56] but I'm going to go over some of my favorite moments from the movie

[00:17:59] and how they actually relate to us indie podcasters.

[00:18:03] And in one movie moment,

[00:18:05] throughout the entire movie,

[00:18:08] Barnum faces harsh criticism from society and the media.

[00:18:12] Sound familiar?

[00:18:13] And at one point,

[00:18:15] the critic calls his show a circus humbug.

[00:18:18] Instead of being crushed by the negative reviews,

[00:18:21] huh, I wonder what that sounds like,

[00:18:24] Barnum uses this criticism to fuel his push harder,

[00:18:29] eventually coining the term circus

[00:18:31] in a positive light

[00:18:33] and building his brand even bigger.

[00:18:36] Now, how does that relate to podcasting?

[00:18:37] It's not pretty obvious.

[00:18:39] Indie podcasters will likely face criticism,

[00:18:42] whether it's negative feedback from listeners,

[00:18:45] struggles with maybe low download numbers,

[00:18:48] or even doubts from friends and family.

[00:18:51] We've all been there.

[00:18:52] Instead of letting that criticism discourage you,

[00:18:56] like it did for Barnum in the movie,

[00:18:58] you can use it to motivate you to refine your craft

[00:19:02] and stay true to your vision.

[00:19:05] Every indie podcaster has moments of self-doubt.

[00:19:09] I have them.

[00:19:10] We all have them.

[00:19:12] But persevering, despite setbacks,

[00:19:16] is key to long-term success for any show,

[00:19:19] and especially for an indie podcaster.

[00:19:20] Another movie moment is when Barnum gathers a group of unique performers,

[00:19:27] people who are seen as outsiders by society.

[00:19:30] He doesn't see them as oddities,

[00:19:32] but as individuals with extraordinary talents

[00:19:36] that deserve to be celebrated.

[00:19:38] By bringing them together,

[00:19:40] he creates a spectacle that fascinates the entire world.

[00:19:44] Now, what does that get to do with podcasting?

[00:19:47] Basically, it's this.

[00:19:48] In podcasting, embracing what makes you different is actually key.

[00:19:53] Whether it's your niche, your personality,

[00:19:56] or your storytelling style,

[00:19:59] leaning into what makes you unique

[00:20:01] is the magic that will set your show apart from the crowd.

[00:20:05] Any podcasters can often feel like outsiders

[00:20:08] in a world dominated by big budget,

[00:20:11] big expensive podcasts

[00:20:13] with millions of dollars coming and going,

[00:20:15] and these big, beautiful studios.

[00:20:17] Trust me, I've seen them.

[00:20:19] But that is where the opportunity actually lies for you.

[00:20:24] Being yourself and attracting listeners

[00:20:27] who value that authenticity.

[00:20:30] And the final movie moment

[00:20:32] that relates directly to podcasting

[00:20:34] is in the movie when they sing the song,

[00:20:37] A Million Dreams.

[00:20:39] Now, one of the most iconic songs in the movie

[00:20:41] is that song, A Million Dreams.

[00:20:43] It captures the essence of dreaming big

[00:20:46] even when others don't see your potential.

[00:20:50] Barnum's vision of something magical

[00:20:52] and bigger than life itself is what drives him.

[00:20:56] And despite the hardships,

[00:20:58] he never lets go of that dream.

[00:21:00] And when it comes to us indie podcasters,

[00:21:04] every podcaster starts with a dream

[00:21:07] of what their show could become.

[00:21:09] Now, while indie podcasters

[00:21:12] may not be dreaming of massive studio

[00:21:14] or of a million downloads,

[00:21:17] their dreams could be as simple

[00:21:19] as impacting just one listener.

[00:21:22] No matter how big or how small the dream,

[00:21:26] it's important to keep that vision alive

[00:21:28] and allow for it to fuel your passion for creating.

[00:21:33] And that is why I am here.

[00:21:35] I will gladly podcast,

[00:21:38] even though I just had cancer surgery last week,

[00:21:42] because I actually love doing this.

[00:21:45] It's not about the millions of downloads for me.

[00:21:49] It's not about being famous.

[00:21:51] It's not about being on the billboard.

[00:21:53] It's not about all these great grand things

[00:21:56] that people think is involved with podcasting

[00:21:59] or even YouTube or any of that kind of stuff.

[00:22:02] For me, it's not about that.

[00:22:04] It's about delivering a message

[00:22:06] and helping out just one other podcaster, you.

[00:22:10] So I hope you have found some value

[00:22:13] from today's podcast.

[00:22:14] I know I have,

[00:22:16] and especially when I watch the movie,

[00:22:17] The Greatest Showman,

[00:22:18] I always think,

[00:22:19] man, this has got to be just like indie podcasting.

[00:22:22] It's so relatable.

[00:22:24] And if you have not seen the movie,

[00:22:25] don't worry,

[00:22:26] I will put a link to the movie trailer

[00:22:28] in the show notes of this very episode.

[00:22:31] If you want to scroll down there,

[00:22:32] click it,

[00:22:32] it'll be a trailer to the movie.

[00:22:35] The movie came out a little while ago.

[00:22:36] I do believe it is streaming on Disney+,

[00:22:39] but I'm not 100% sure.

[00:22:42] You always can rent it on all your usual renting places,

[00:22:46] except Blockbuster.

[00:22:47] They're not around anymore.

[00:22:49] But anywhere else you can find it is great.

[00:22:51] I love the movie.

[00:22:51] It's a fantastic movie.

[00:22:53] It's one of those movies

[00:22:54] that makes you kind of happy and excited

[00:22:55] and glad and happy

[00:22:56] that you watched it,

[00:22:59] you experienced it.

[00:23:00] And as a content creator,

[00:23:01] you feel like,

[00:23:01] yeah,

[00:23:02] I understand what they've gone through.

[00:23:04] I understand,

[00:23:04] I feel,

[00:23:06] I am here creating,

[00:23:07] and I love this stuff.

[00:23:10] And until next time,

[00:23:11] happy podcasting.