A Year on the Mic: Lessons from Podcasting Weekly
Hitting the 52nd episode mark on the WebCami Podcast has me feeling both accomplished and relieved. It’s been a whole year filled with pride and moments that felt like an uphill battle.
The Work Behind the Mic
I knew podcasting wouldn’t be a cakewalk, but the reality was even more intense than anticipated. Beyond learning the ropes of equipment and striving for audio clarity, the sheer time commitment was surprisingly large. I naively thought narrating blog posts would be straightforward and less complicated than the complexities of interviewing. Reality check: it was a demanding task in its own right.
Crafting a mere 6 to 10-minute episode could devour an hour and a half of my week, if not more. The time investment could balloon to two and a half hours for longer pieces. Each episode meant wrangling 8 to 30 individual recordings, uploading to clean up the sound, and assembling the snippets into a coherent narrative. Picture this: one screen displaying the blog post, another running Audacity for recording. The process was a dance of starting, stopping at missteps, and beginning again. Once recorded, the segments were polished in Adobe Enhance, then stitched together in my podcasting software, ending with a drafting of show notes. And I always had to write and record my commentary to add. All the while, I wondered, is this the best way to do this?
Navigating Platform Shifts
Little did I know that podcasting tools are ever-changing. After starting on Anchor and transitioning to Spotify for Podcasters, I’m now getting notice that Spotify for Podcasters is turning into Riverside. This change will occur in June. The thought of making time to learn again made me sigh!
Conversations That Matter
One of the year’s highlights has been engaging with the WordPress community. Requesting permission to feature colleagues’ work and layering in my commentary ignited great conversations and strengthened connections. These exchanges made me love the WordPress community even more.
Lessons in Balance
As a solopreneur currently working on multiple projects at various stages, this podcasting venture brought the importance of strategic prioritization to the forefront. Sharing insights and guidance became a mission, particularly for web designers embarking on their careers. Diving into my archive of blog posts allowed me to reflect on my growth and the evolution of WebCami Cafe since its inception in 2018. But my work always comes first, so the podcast was crafted on many weekends and predawn hours.
Hitting Pause
The last few months have brought a realization: I am spreading myself too thin. Something has to give between the podcast, my newsletters, my workload, and my personal life (like navigating a home remodel). Thus, I’ve decided to take a breather from the podcast. This isn’t the end, though. It’s a pause for reflection, recalibration, and eventually, a return – possibly with a new twist. I’m loving my HabitsWP.com newsletter project and reaffirming and sharing all the habits I’ve embraced in my business over the years.
I need to step pack and focus on my web design projects, clients, Facebook group, and newsletters, I want to acknowledge what a great learning experience this has been. I’m so happy I could stick with the habit of weekly podcasting for an entire year.
Looking Ahead
The podcast will return for a Season 2, though its frequency and format might shift. The core goal will remain to share, inspire, and connect. I’m eager to explore how this next chapter unfolds, bringing new stories, insights, and connections.
For now, I’ll focus more on where it all started: my web design business, which has websites to create and clients to support.
Stay tuned!
