Hey crew, this week the score card is resetting. More on why below.

Switching to beehiiv over Kit was a big difference in what advertisers offer. The click through rates are way better AND I am able to design much more groovy pages. 🙂 I’m also adding a few ways to work with me below, so this will help jump those numbers for sure! This week I am also going to republish this newsletter on LinkedIn, which should hopefully start to increase the subscribers. We shall see! Pray for me! LOL

This week I did my second Sponsorship Pitch Lab and we discussed all kinds of great things - package creation, affiliate marketing vs partnership for the same company, and someone worried about accepting an ad because they just came out of a temporary hiding. And oh, boy, do I get that feeling.

I know many of you know that I was in “hiding” for about 2 years. I had a huge event that I had to cancel, and then bariatric surgery, then I didn’t sleep for like 3 months! Then I lost 90 lbs. Then I was diagnosed with non-alcoholic cirrhosis. Then I was told I was already in menopause. Then I had a hysterectomy. Somewhere in there I got a dog.

Sometimes we pop out for a bit and then have a complete identity crisis for one reason or another - especially if you’re a woman, which most of you are.

I kept thinking I was ready and then popping back to say I was ready…and then not being ready.

There are a few things about podcasting that you need to know, that I had forgotten before doing the Sponsorship Pitch Labs and interacting with a number of you wonderful people.

I pulled my own disappearing act this week, but it was not intentional. This newsletter is full of notes and tips and offerings, and I wanted to make sure they were set up flawlessly. Also, I had a Medication Oopsie. Those deserve capital letters, especially when it’s a brain oopsie. I wasn’t in any danger, I just took the wrong dose of the wrong thing at the wrong time on the same day that I also skipped something I really shouldn’t skip. My brain had a day or 2 of “this isn’t right, I quit.”

Yeah. It happens, though, right? And since I’ve told you it’s ok for you, that means it’s ok for me too even though every part of me wants to hold myself to a standard that no human is capable of achieving. Sigh.

So, I am currently late with this email, which I promised on Tuesdays. It turns out, Tuesdays are harder than I thought. I like delivering things on Fridays. Anyway, I’m still going to try for mid-week, and I apologize for being late…for those of you who noticed. LOL

Have you disappeared but aren’t sure how to reappear? My friend and colleague Jennifer Navarrete created NaPodPoMo TWENTY years ago.

What is it? NaPodPoMo is a month long event along the same vein as National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo. The difference? Well, instead of writing a 50,000 word novel, you podcast every day for 30 days from November 1st-30th.

I’ve been struggling with getting myself out there in a way that doesn’t feel awkward - and doing a 30 day challenge is the perfect excuse to resurface! I am planning on pre-recording content and editing now so I can start strong and not flake out. My goal is 100% just not to flake out. Even if I post something for 5 mins. Post. Something. Dang it.

I’m going to create a podcast where I just tell stories - my stories. I have thought so many times about how to deliver this content, where and in what format. This is the perfect excuse to JUST CREATE without thinking of what it’ll be or where it’ll go…and I’m excited for the challenge!

Hit reply and let me know if you’ll join me or if you have any reservations. We can support each other on their Facebook page!

To disappear, you can
1. Skip a week, and explain what’s going on to your audience.
2. Skip a month, and explain nothing except when you’ll return.
3. Cancel your show, thank everyone for a good run, and walk into the sunset, without knowing if you’ll ever return to podcasting.

I’ve done all these things. They’re all ok. I’ve been followed and forgiven each time.

To resurface, you can
1. Pop into social media and see how everyone is doing, and start casual conversations.
2. Start writing publicly while you figure things out, just to put SOMETHING in the world instead of letting it live in your head.
3. Try to restart what you were doing before, but in your own way, on your own terms, and only doing the parts you dig.
4. Participate in NaPodPoMo with me!

I’ve done (almost) all these things. They’re all great. I’ve rediscovered what I’m great at in this space, and dipping my toe in the consulting water has reminded me how fun and gratifying it’s always been.

The point: You do this show for YOU first, and then for them. You can disappear, reappear, or never leave. You can take sponsors, create subscriptions, start a Patreon, and sell T-shirts—one at a time or all at once. What’s best for you? I’m here to help you figure it out.

“I do a show about X and I’ve been doing it X long. I think I want to take a break - can you help me write a heartfelt script explaining that I am needing a respite and what they can expect? Can you also advise me on what they can expect?”

(haha)

I am offering up 2 new ways to work together! The first one is called the Podcast Money Map - you and I will work together to map out your monetization strategy - between now and six months from now. 90 minutes of you and me, let’s get on it.