► Tell us about you and your podcast
I have no real background to speak of; just an average guy from Trenton, N. J. had a typical catholic upbringing. Closer To Venus is an interview-based podcast that covers topics such as reincarnation, near-death experiences, mediums, and various spiritually transformative events( STE) in an attempt to answer existential questions: why we are here, what is our purpose, and what really happens when we die?
The listeners are people who want to find higher spiritual ground and wish to go beyond the limiting beliefs of traditional religious and scientific dogma.
► Why & how did you start this podcast?
I was talking to a friend about an idea for an alternative to church; how there were so many different religions, how the church treated non-heterosexual people differently, and how a particular superchurch had almost a cultish vibe. My friend's idea was " what don't you start a podcast?"
The motivation was to get answers on things I had been interested in ever since I read a book about Edgar Cayce; reincarnation, near-death experiences, mediums, the afterlife, and eventually Ascension. My guess is if there was widespread acceptance of reincarnation, there would be little if any fear of death. Without a fear of death, there would be no need for faith, which would diminish the power and influence of religion, without sacrificing spirituality.
The first episodes were recorded in December of 2020, and The Closer To Venus Podcast was published to iTunes, Spotify and Google podcasts Jan 1, 2021, so it took about a month for me to release the first 4 episodes.
► How'd you find the time and funding to do this podcast?
I record and schedule the episodes to come out each Friday. between recording and editing, it takes 3- 5 hours for each episode. I do everything myself and spend about $40 a month on hosting, editing and recording apps.
► What do you gain from podcasting?
Closer to Venus was not designed to make money; it was designed to find answers, so I doubt a sponsorship is in the future. If nothing else, the podcast contributes to the knowledge bases well as my own learning in an effort to "connect the dots" between all of the spiritually transformative events
► How does your podcasting process look like?
Riverside FM for recording, Audacity and Descript for editing, Auphonic for mastering, Buzzsprout for hosting. I like to collaborate with the guest speaker on a list of questions before we record, and will often ask for a test call to make sure their audio environment is suitable. All interviews are done remotely.
► How do you market your show?
I don't market. I ask the guest speakers to share the episodes with their sphere of influence. Advertising for this type of podcast makes little sense as I have nothing for sale. The show is available on podcast apps everywhere
► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?
Things I've learned? The universe (supposedly) connects all of us and the most important things are love, compassion, and forgiveness.
Podcast hosts like Buzzsprout have a ton of videos on Youtube. I would also learn how to use Descript because editing is as important as anything.