February 21, 2018

The Power of a Podcast (And Why We Started One)

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8THIRTYFOUR

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We originally posted this blog on February 21, 2018. Things have changed since then (shocker), so we updated it on August 26, 2025.

Everyone has a podcast nowadays. While we like to think ours, Happy Hour Hustle, is one of the best (especially with a glass of wine), we get why there’s so much competition. Podcasts work if you can break through the noise.

4.61 million podcasts are available worldwide. Listeners spend around 7 hours a week listening to just podcasts. That’s a whole workday that you can get their attention for.

The Podcast Formula

You need a purpose. Don’t start a podcast just to say you did. We started Happy Hour Hustle as a way to shine a light on causes, industries, and share knowledge from our favorite people. If you’re not passionate about your podcast or don’t have something new to say about a topic, people can tell.

Make an outline, you’ll thank us. Don’t just try to record without a game plan. It will go wrong. Believe us, we ramble, and no one wants to edit a two-hour-long clip of you never getting to the point.

Be yourself. It’s easy to play up your personality or want to go over the top, but it will come across as fake. People like you because of who you are. Take a deep breath (and maybe get a drink).

Get decent equipment. We’ve all suffered through terrible Zoom audio. Buy a real microphone. Your listeners’ ears will thank you, and you’ll sound like you know what you’re doing.

It’s Not Just Audio Anymore

Think about how you discovered your favorite podcast. Probably saw a clip on social media first, right? That’s because 61% of the top podcasts are using video now.

Record everything. Use your phone if you have to. That’s instant content for your socials. Make sure to add captions. Not everyone listens with sound on, and accessibility matters.

The data on platforms supports the video argument. YouTube is still the #1 platform for listening to and finding podcasts. Spotify now supports video, too. Full podcast episodes are pulling serious numbers on these platforms. 1 in 3 weekly podcast consumers say they like watching podcasts more than listening to them, and podcast newcomers say they start by watching and listening on YouTube.

Different People Communicate…Differently

One of the best assets we offer as a communications partner is helping our clients reach their target audiences through the best channels. Digital, print, earned media, paid placement…we evaluate it all. While timely blogs, robust social strategies, and well-maintained websites are key, podcast listeners are an interesting bunch. 100 million Americans listen to podcasts weekly, and they listen to around 8 episodes weekly.

So, don’t be average. Make the most of this interesting platform and subscribe to LOTS of podcasts…may we suggest starting with ours?

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Something on Your Mind?

The power of the Women`s Entrepreneurial Fellowship, in a graduate`s own words:

"Growth is never accidental, it comes from being willing to learn, adapt, and embrace change. After nine months of dedication, reflection, and business development, I proudly graduated from the Women`s Entrepreneurial Fellowship (WEF) during the Small Business Association of Michigan Annual Meeting.

Throughout the program, I challenged myself to evaluate every aspect of my business, celebrating what was working while identifying opportunities for growth and improvement. The journey was made even more meaningful through the support of an incredible cohort of women entrepreneurs, the guidance of mentor Gina Jacquart Thorsen, and the leadership of bodespeaks and her team.

A sincere thank you to smallbusinessassocofmichigan for investing in second-stage women business owners and creating opportunities that empower entrepreneurs to build stronger, more sustainable businesses."

— Mary A. Barton, President and CEO of Equitable Accounting Solutions and proud WEF graduate.

Applications for the next cohort are now open. Link in comments.

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Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 18099893149922914

The power of the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship, in a graduate's own words:

"Growth is never accidental, it comes from being willing to learn, adapt, and embrace change. After nine months of dedication, reflection, and business development, I proudly graduated from the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship (WEF) during the Small Business Association of Michigan Annual Meeting.

Throughout the program, I challenged myself to evaluate every aspect of my business, celebrating what was working while identifying opportunities for growth and improvement. The journey was made even more meaningful through the support of an incredible cohort of women entrepreneurs, the guidance of mentor Gina Jacquart Thorsen, and the leadership of bodespeaks and her team.

A sincere thank you to smallbusinessassocofmichigan for investing in second-stage women business owners and creating opportunities that empower entrepreneurs to build stronger, more sustainable businesses."

— Mary A. Barton, President and CEO of Equitable Accounting Solutions and proud WEF graduate.

Applications for the next cohort are now open. Link in comments.

"Out of failure comes growth – you have to see it as an opportunity."

bodespeaks joined cuzzinjustin on the strictlyfromnowhere Podcast for an honest conversation about entrepreneurship, embracing your superpowers, and building a personal brand that`s actually yours, the wins, the setbacks, and everything in between. And naturally, dropped an f-bomb or two along the way. You don`t want to miss it.

Full episode in the comments 👇

2 1

Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 17903563788460776

AI doesn`t treat every source equally; it trusts what`s credible, cited, and current, like news coverage.

Showing up in the right places isn`t just good PR. It`s how the robots (and the humans) get you right.

Read the full blog at the link in bio.

3 0

Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 18141485725556889

AI doesn't treat every source equally; it trusts what's credible, cited, and current, like news coverage.

Showing up in the right places isn't just good PR. It's how the robots (and the humans) get you right.

Read the full blog at the link in bio.

"If you don`t get up and grind every day, the needle isn`t gonna move."

We sat down with brandonmccraney, founder and Master Blender behind olderaleighdistillery in Zebulon, North Carolina. Brandon spent fifteen years just thinking about whiskey before he finally opened his doors, and even then it took four more years, a dozen rejections, construction delays, and a global pandemic to get there. Two years later, Olde Raleigh had already won Best Micro Distillery in the US.

Check out the latest episode of Happy Hour Hustle, where Brandon shares what it actually took to grow a business through COVID, the military discipline that kept him going when everything else said quit, and how working with people turned out to be the hardest part of the job.

Listen to Happy Hour Hustle on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and watch the whole episode on Youtube. Link in bio.

23 2

Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 18054365240537765

"If you don't get up and grind every day, the needle isn't gonna move."

We sat down with brandonmccraney, founder and Master Blender behind olderaleighdistillery in Zebulon, North Carolina. Brandon spent fifteen years just thinking about whiskey before he finally opened his doors, and even then it took four more years, a dozen rejections, construction delays, and a global pandemic to get there. Two years later, Olde Raleigh had already won Best Micro Distillery in the US.

Check out the latest episode of Happy Hour Hustle, where Brandon shares what it actually took to grow a business through COVID, the military discipline that kept him going when everything else said quit, and how working with people turned out to be the hardest part of the job.

Listen to Happy Hour Hustle on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and watch the whole episode on Youtube. Link in bio.

It`s 9 months that is impossible to sum up in a video - but here`s just a taste.

This Women`s Entrepreneurial Fellowship is resources, mentorship, and connections that you can`t build anywhere else. We`re so exicted for what the next cohort will bring.

Apply now at the link in bio.
smallbusinessassocofmichigan

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Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 17895511302506558

It's 9 months that is impossible to sum up in a video - but here's just a taste.

This Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship is resources, mentorship, and connections that you can't build anywhere else. We're so exicted for what the next cohort will bring.

Apply now at the link in bio.
smallbusinessassocofmichigan

Another cohort of the Women`s Entrepreneurial Fellowship just graduated, and honestly, the numbers only tell half the story.

The real value comes from the friendships, the business (and life) changing advice, and the community that shows up long after the program ends.

As one fellow said: "The other women in that room are not your competition. They are your curriculum."

Congrats to this incredible group.

Read the latest program blog at the link in bio.

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