► Tell us about you and your podcast
Vidhya Iyer, host of Mindful Businesses.
► Why & how did you start this podcast?
I am the owner of the company Bootmakers which makes high-end leather boots. I have always tried to lead a sustainable lifestyle, with the foods, clothes, and cleaning products that we as a family use and consume. I wanted to create a sustainable shoe, with every little feature though through. I started talking to other sustainable businesses and I learned so much from these conversations that I decided to get share this with other business owners - and Mindful Businesses was born.
► How'd you find the time and funding to do this podcast?
When we started we released every two weeks, now we release one every week. Production time includes finding potential guests communicating with them and researching the business before the interview, editing, and promoting the finished podcast. After having the first few episodes edited by someone else, I have switched to editing them myself. The whole process for each episode takes about 13-15 hours. I love podcasting so I make time for it. How do I do it? I have a schedule and I set timers for myself to finish a given task. That keeps me on track. I was fortunate enough to find a local radio station that would let me use their studios for recording for me. I per see do not have any out of pocket to produce. I do spend out of pocket for social media ads.
► What do you gain from podcasting?
We are very strict about not accepting any gifts from our guests - we strongly believe that keeps our podcast neutral and informative. We had received sponsorship for our podcast from a local insurance company. Since we have grown and gained worldwide listeners, we decided not to continue with the sponsorship. Being a are still fairly new, we feel that we could lose listeners if we have ads interrupting our interview.
► How does your podcasting process look like?
I use a Blue microphone Snow Ball with a foam damper. My daughter presented me with the Yeti for Christmas and I can't wait to try it. I use Zencastr to record the episodes, edit them on Camtasia, and use Simplecast to host the podcast. I find our guests online, through the newsletters that I subscribe to. Some of the guests are recommended by friends and listeners. Since the show has gained popularity PR firms representing the brands reach out to me to requesting an interview. I research extensively the guest and the environment that they operate. On the day of the interview, I make sure I am sufficiently hydrated and exercise my vocal cords with several voice exercises. I use Zencastr to record my episodes.
► How do you market your show?
They find us through FB, LinkedIn, and Instagram posts. We have periodic email campaigns.
► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?
A wise man once told me "remember you have two ears and one mouth - listen to your guests."