Sebastian Rusk: 0:02

Welcome to Podcast Suck, a podcast about starting a podcast where we dive headfirst into the wild, wacky and sometimes frustrating world of podcasting. If you've ever sat down with a microphone, hit record and thought what on earth am I doing? Or if you're just curious about the magic behind your favorite shows, then you're in the right place. Get ready for laughs, insights and a whole lot of what not to do advice as we embark on this podcasting journey together. Let's dive in. What's happening everybody, how we doing Happy Monday to you. Yes, they do exist. That does require you to actually embrace the fact that you can have a happy Monday. So hope your week is off to a great start and you had a lovely weekend coming to you from a very rainy Miami Florida, which just increases the motivation to get in there and get after it on a Monday. Just that much more. Because, well, what else is there to do? Get after it on a Monday, just that much more. Because, well, what else is there to do? I mean, if you're into counting raindrops, maybe. So I was trying to figure out what I wanted to talk to you guys about today on this episode and, by the way, if you are tuning in live on Facebook or on LinkedIn or on YouTube. We do record the recording of this podcast episode live and we do that to engage with our friends over on Facebook, linkedin and on YouTube. If that is one of you, what's happening? Please drop a comment below. I will reply just as soon as we're done with the episode here. If you're tuning in to the podcast episode, that means I'm all up in your earbuds and you are listening to the podcast episode. I sure do appreciate you taking time to spend a few minutes with me to better understand what's possible when it comes to the world of podcasting.

Sebastian Rusk: 2:00

Today, I want to talk to you about your ability to make money with a podcast. Constantly ask Sebastian. I want to talk to you about your ability to make money with a podcast. Constantly ask Samash, I want to start a podcast, but how do you make money with a podcast? Do I need big, gigantic sponsors? Possibly, but that would require that you get tens of thousands, of thousands of thousands I'm talking like 40,000 to 50,000 downloads per episode for large brands and sponsors to give you cash, and well, most people won't get there. Here's what most people can do, though. Most people have the unique ability to start a podcast and interview people that will give you money, your prospects, people you want to build a relationship with. Whatever it may be, a podcast is the vehicle. Listen to me very carefully. Your podcast is your vehicle. It's your sales vehicle. It's your networking vehicle. It's your social media content vehicle. It's your sales vehicle. It's your networking vehicle. It's your social media content vehicle. It is your communication vehicle.

Sebastian Rusk: 3:12

Still not clear why people aren't picking up what I'm putting down here. Some are Just got a DM about 15 minutes ago from a guy hey, great to connect with you. Sebastian. Saw a video you posted the other day about interviewing people that you want to do business with on your podcast. I've been interviewing people, but it hasn't really been in a podcast format. Can you help me figure that out? Why, yes, I can. He booked a call and we'll be speaking in a couple of days about what's possible.

Sebastian Rusk: 3:40

I created this strategy. It's not only mine. People have been doing it for quite some time now, but I created it for myself and my own brand, because I wanted to get in front of people that I didn't already know. And it's 2025. Nobody wants to grab a coffee or lunch. Can I pick your brain? No, you can't pick my brain. You can pick your nose and you can pick your friends, but you can't pick my brain. You can pick your nose and you can pick your friends, but you can't pick your friend's nose. Side note, but what people are open to is having their ego stroked a little bit.

Sebastian Rusk: 4:16

Let's get you on the podcast. Well, yeah, I'd love to. I'd love to be on your podcast. It's a little bit different of a conversation. Then you want to grab coffee, want to grab lunch, you want to meet up. Let's connect, no, Be more strategic and forward thinking with your approach when it comes to networking, when it comes to sales, if you're a sales rep, even if you work for a company, start a podcast called the John Smith Show and interview business owners and tell their story. And oh, by the way, my name's John Smith and I sell widgets. In the event you need a widget, I'm your guy or gal or whatever. Not enough businesses are doing this, I, I, every single week.

Sebastian Rusk: 5:00

For the past 10 years, I've been in BNI, which is old school, offline, hand-to-hand, combat networking category exclusive. There's only one category per chapter one realtor, one mortgage broker, et cetera. There's no competition and while we do very well in BNI. It's not as good as we could be doing. While we do very well in BNI, it's not as good as we could be doing and it blows my mind because people are there to network with other people and having a podcast actually allows you to network with people at scale.

Sebastian Rusk: 5:41

What do you mean? What I mean is that you don't have to go anywhere. Twice a month I got to get up at 5.30 in the morning. I get to wake up at 5.30 in the morning and I've got to go to a breakfast in person and shake hands and exchange business cards and talk to people. The other two weeks were on Zoom. This day and age, you can interview someone on your podcast on platforms like Zoom or Riverside, which we're going to start using Again. I had a call with their team last week. Love what they're up to. Completely different podcast episode but side note, stay tuned for that. Riverside FM does rock, but you can have conversations with people and not have to go anywhere.

Sebastian Rusk: 6:16

If you set things up correctly the way that we set things up, it's an automated process. If I know that you're a potential client of mine and I want to get you on the podcast when I have a conversation. I want to meet you. I'm going to say, hey, betty, let's get you on the podcast. And Betty's going to say that sounds great. How do we do that? I send Betty a link that goes right to my calendar, based on my real-time availability and based on she can book whatever time works the best for her. Everything's automated when she books the Zoom link. All of her information is already in there. I know everything about Betty because she gave it to me and she booked a time. That was automated After I said let's get you on the podcast. Here's the link to book. I don't have to do anything else until I show up at the actual podcast interview. You got to understand, friends.

Sebastian Rusk: 7:01

There is a, there is an ability to automate this entire process that doesn't add to your plate the level of BS excuses that I hear on a daily and a weekly and a monthly basis of why someone can't start a podcast. Well, I got too much going on and I'm doing this and I'm listen. There's never going to be a good time ever. If you're waiting for money not to be funny, or cows not to go moo, or the sun not to come up, you're going to be waiting quite some time. The time is right now and unless you hate money, starting a podcast and interviewing people that you want to do business with, that will give you money. By the way, this is the fastest way to monetize a podcast.

Sebastian Rusk: 7:43

Kevin Spencer, who happens to be in my BNI chapter, has a podcast called Retail Checks and Balances. You've heard me tell this story before, maybe through content and on the podcast. Here he does retail point of sale all the hardware, reward system, everything up to swiping the card. What does he do? He interviews retail business owners, tells their story and they hire him. I think the last update I got from him he's made right around $200,000 or $225,000 over the past 15 months with his podcast. In fact, he texted me last week, closed the deal for $227,000. He said who needs sales reps when you have a podcast? And that number continues to go up and up. He'll get to a million bucks sooner rather than later. I'd say probably at some point this year.

Sebastian Rusk: 8:38

Just one dude understands the game, was willing to show up and say I'm starting a podcast and I said you need to be interviewing people you want to do business with. You're a master networker. You're all over the place shaking hands, kissing babies, giving business cards out. Do that at scale with a podcast. Oh and, by the way, the podcast content well, that can be repurposed so that you're showing up in the newsfeed which, by the way and then, lastly, become a better communicator.

Sebastian Rusk: 9:08

A lot of you are really bad at communicating. I say that with love. The way you communicate, and it all has to do with a lot of your inner critic, that inner story and inner dialogue that you tell yourself about what you think you sound like or what you think you look like. It has nothing to do with you. I always tell people that when they come to me, I don't like this or I don't like that, listen, none of that has nothing to do with you. I always tell people that when they come to me, I don't like this or I don't like that, listen, none of that has anything to do with you. It has to do with the listener, it has to do with the consumer.

Sebastian Rusk: 9:40

Andy Warhol was once quoted talking about artists whatever you create, whatever art you create, and he said don't worry about what you think about what you're creating or what the person that sees it and perceives it, and whatever it likes it dislikes. Don't worry about any of that dislikes, don't worry about any of that, just keep creating. Once we do that, we get reps in, start to create a belief system for ourselves. The more reps we get in, you're like you know what I got. This I see it happen on a daily basis. I got people coming to me like deers in headlights. When they first start A deer in headlight, it's not deers, okay, it's like saying shrimps, okay, it's just shrimp. This isn't a grammar lesson, but I felt compelled to share that. But I have people come to me constantly like a deer and headlights.

Sebastian Rusk: 10:39

I don't know if I can do this by like episode three. They're like give me the mic, I got this Nothing I did. I got this, nothing I did. I simply remind them who they are. I simply share what my experience of them is. I simply share with them. This is what shows up for me, based on my experience with you, and nine times out of 10, that is drastically and I do mean drastically different than what they think.

Sebastian Rusk: 11:11

Got to be careful with that story. That story runs the show. It's often a bunch of malarkey. It really is not even true. Living our lives according to a story that we wrote. It isn't even true and we're taking it a step further and we're enrolling other people into it as if it's true.

Sebastian Rusk: 11:31

What, unless you hate money, your business should have a podcast. If you have questions, thoughts, ideas, concerns about why you should start a podcast, why you shouldn't use the link in my bio. Hit me up on Instagram at podcast suck. That's podcast plural. Two S's in the middle Podcast suck. Send me a DM. Hit the link in my bio. Schedule a podcast strategy call. I'll sit down with anybody for 15 minutes and chat about what's possible. I'll help you change the narrative and story that you've been telling yourself on why you can't become a podcaster, why you can't generate revenue, increase sales, get your social media content game in check, become a better communicator.

Sebastian Rusk: 12:16

I appreciate everybody tuning in live as we recorded this episode over on Facebook, linkedin and YouTube. Please comment if you have questions. Those of you listening to the podcast episode again, thanks for letting me get all up in your earbuds today. Episode again Thanks for letting me get all up in your earbuds today. I hope you're leaving with at least one or two things that you did not know, that you did need to know, about making money with a podcast. It's money.

Sebastian Rusk: 12:38

Monday, baby, let's go Is today, the day that you push the excuses aside and go. You know I'm doing this because I always say this time next year you will be so glad and so happy you started a podcast, but none of that's going to happen. Inaction very rarely has a payoff. Thanks for tuning in. Until next time, friends. Thanks so much for tuning into this episode. We sure do appreciate it. If you haven't done so already, make sure you're subscribed to the show wherever you consume podcasts. This way good updates as new episodes become available. If you haven't done so already, make sure you're subscribed to the show wherever you consume podcasts this way, with good updates as new episodes become available. If you feel so inclined, please leave us a review and share the show with someone you know should start a podcast or may already have one. And remember podcasts suck if you don't have one. Until next time, friends.