This week you’re going to fulfill an entrepreneur who lately left her 6-figure job in biotech to develop into a full-time podcaster and on-line enterprise proprietor.
Gill Tietz began the Sober Powered podcast in mid-2020. Since then, she’s launched over 100 episodes on the science of alcohol habit and different content material to assist listeners get and keep sober.
In that point she’s additionally grown her Instagram account to over 43k followers, created a podcast community for different sober-related podcasts, and constructed a number of different revenue streams.
Tune in to The Facet Hustle Present interview to listen to:
- how Gill made her podcast stand out from the gang
- how she’s grown her viewers by totally different platforms
- the other ways she’s monetizing her enterprise
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The Inspiration for Beginning Sober Powered
“The inspiration was my very own journey with alcohol. I give up ingesting in November 2019, and once I stopped I actually needed to grasp; ‘is that this my fault?’, ‘am I a weak-willed loser?’, ‘did I select this?’” Gill informed me.
As somebody who labored within the science house, Gill knew the best way to discover and perceive info.
So, Gill began spending hours day by day studying in regards to the science behind habit, and what alcohol does to the mind.
“I used to be simply attempting to reply the query, ‘why me?’” Gill mentioned.
After 7-8 months of analysis, Gill lastly had the solutions she was searching for and it helped her rebuild her shallowness and take care of the disgrace she was feeling.
Gill needed to share her journey and what she had discovered with others. After weighing up the professionals and cons of beginning a weblog, a podcast, or a YouTube channel, Gill settled on a podcast.
Gill mentioned she didn’t know how to record audio, so she referred to as herself on Zoom and recorded her first episode that manner.
Gill launched her Sober Powered podcast the identical day and that was the start of her on-line journey.
Aggressive Evaluation
“There’s a lot truly, there’s a ton,” Gill mentioned once I requested her about sobriety podcasts already working.
Gill mentioned she didn’t really feel any strain to compete with different sober podcasts as a result of she didn’t count on to get any listeners, and he or she was additionally doing one thing totally different from the opposite podcasts.
Gill additionally added that almost all sober podcasts are interviews and are targeted on sharing the tales of people that have discovered sobriety.
The primary distinction with Gill’s podcast is that she information largely solo episodes sharing info that she has realized about alcohol and the way habit impacts the mind.
This was one thing different podcasts weren’t sharing, no less than not in the identical manner Gill was.
Getting Preliminary Traction
When Gill launched her podcast she additionally created an Instagram page. However with no followers, she wasn’t capable of drive any guests to her podcast.
“I had a really gradual begin. The day I launched I had 9 listens, and a few of them have been me,” Gill mentioned.
It was by Fb Teams in her second 12 months of recording her podcast the place Gill began to see some preliminary traction.
Gill was in quite a few sobriety-related Fb Teams and would reply questions associated to alcohol restoration.
Gill would additionally point out that she has a podcast when answering questions. This began to generate some curiosity from different members of the teams.
The important thing to constructing an viewers by Fb Group is to be useful first. Reply questions intimately, and promote your product second, Gill defined.
This has labored wonders for Gill. In truth, Gill was so useful in one of many teams she was in they made her an admin.
Podcast Guesting
Gill has been a visitor on a whole lot of different podcasts and mentioned this has been instrumental in rising her personal viewers.
“Each time you visitor, the host is endorsing you,” Gill mentioned.
Gill additionally defined that you just’re placing your self in entrance of an engaged audience by being a guest.
So, for those who give interview you’ll naturally achieve new followers from that viewers.
Podcast Guesting Sources
Rising an Instagram Following
Instagram began slowly for Gill however has since develop into an vital a part of her enterprise.
What helped Gill develop her Instagram following was making connections throughout the sober neighborhood.
Gill began being invited to look on Instagram Lives with different individuals and was taking part and collaborating extra.
“I began being extra of an individual, and never only a podcast spamming soundbites when a brand new episode was out,” Gill defined.
The extra Gill confirmed of herself over Instagram, the extra her viewers grew.
Gill additionally acquired higher at selling her podcast on Instagram. She examined totally different posts and located that utilizing a reasonably image with sturdy colours and itemizing 4 details from the episode labored one of the best.
As for her major ideas for rising an Instagram following, “Consistency and perseverance,” Gill informed me.
Gill noticed plenty of accounts develop quicker than hers, and he or she additionally noticed some accounts fizzle out.
Gill knew she was in it for the long term and mentioned that though it’s been painful at instances, persistently releasing content material has given her the sting over a whole lot of her competitors.
Utilizing Instagram Carousel Posts
It wasn’t till 1-2 years into her journey that Gill discovered about the best way to make carousel posts on Instagram, nevertheless it’s been a game-changer.
Gill now makes use of a carousel to advertise each episode of her present and mentioned every one will get her hundreds of recent Instagram followers.
Instance publish:
To construct her carousels, Gill mentioned she:
- Creates a slide because the thumbnail with the title of her present, however doesn’t point out anyplace that it’s a podcast. Gill mentioned the objective is to make use of a catchy title that makes somebody click on by.
- On the second slide, Gill solutions the primary query of the present in response to the title on the primary slide.
- The third slide often additionally has info flowing over from the second slide with a diagram if related.
- On the fourth slide, Gill mentions that she has a podcast episode answering the query or diving deeper into the subject.
Gill mentioned carousel posts have been by far the largest driver of recent followers on Instagram and new listeners for her present.
You may see examples of Gill’s carousel posts on her Instagram account here.
Monetizing SoberPowered
After 9 months and paying for the whole lot herself, Gill had a sponsor attain out and provide to sponsor her podcast.
“I charged them nearly zero {dollars}. I’m so ashamed of myself,” Gill mentioned.
Gill mentioned she didn’t know what to cost and didn’t believe in herself that she may drive gross sales for the sponsor, so she undercharged.
Gill mentioned the sponsor ended up making some huge cash and he or she was kicking herself. However that was the second the place Gill realized she may appeal to sponsors, and generate firms some income.
After that sponsorship ended, Gill began reaching out to firms through Instagram and asking in the event that they needed to sponsor her present.
Gill has been capable of safe extra sponsors since and now costs a CPM of $23-33. This implies Gill costs anyplace between $23-33 per one thousand downloads of her present.
Gill additionally recommends utilizing dynamic advertisements as a substitute of static advertisements, which podcast platforms like Buzzsprout can help you do.
Dynamic advert insertion means the advert can change on older episodes so that you’re not selling the identical firm with a baked-in advert without end.
Instagram Reel Model Collaborations
Gill works with manufacturers to advertise their merchandise through Instagram Reels.
Electronic mail Subscribers
Gill has provided a variety of lead magnets over time to get people onto her email list.
On the time of the interview, Gill was providing a free e-book and a 3-day give up ingesting e-mail problem as lead magnets.
Paid Membership
A few month earlier than our interview, Gill launched her paid membership which prices $15-27/month relying on the membership stage.
Members get:
- entry to a personal neighborhood
- month-to-month conferences led by Gill
- programs
- extra podcast episodes
- a Q&A with a visitor professional as soon as a month
An important factor is a platform the place they will join with others.
In simply her first month, Gill already signed up round 100 paying members.
Podcast Community
Gill says that is the income stream that took her unexpectedly.
After attending some podcast conferences and assembly different podcasters, somebody from Megaphone, the podcasting arm of Spotify, urged Gill begin a podcast community and mentioned they’d assist.
After stalling on the concept for some time, Gill met somebody from an advert company at one other convention that would assist her safe sponsors.
Now she had somebody who understood the best way to construct a community and was prepared to assist with that facet and somebody who may assist her safe sponsors.
Gill began reaching out to different podcasters in her area of interest asking in the event that they needed to hitch up as a part of a community.
There are at present six podcasts within the “Sober Powered Media Podcast Network”. Gill helps herald sponsors for all of the exhibits and takes a lower of the income, and in addition helps with advertising.
Going From Facet Hustle to Full-Time Enterprise
“Early June is once I began full-time,” Gill informed me.
After attending the Podfest Expo in Might of this 12 months, Gill mentioned she went dwelling and give up her day job.
Gill mentioned she hadn’t changed her full-time job wage at that time and doesn’t suggest individuals take the leap earlier than doing so.
However her day job was affecting her psychological well being and it was in her finest curiosity to give up.
Since going full-time, Gill has 6x’d her month-to-month income in simply three months and issues are getting into the proper course.
Instruments and Tech
The instruments and tech not already talked about that Gill is utilizing to run her enterprise are:
- Supercast – That is the platform Gill is utilizing to host and handle her premium members solely podcast.
- Circle.so – On the time we spoke, Gill mentioned she was utilizing Slack to speak along with her members however was within the means of shifting over to Circle.so.
If You Needed to Begin Over…
Realizing what she is aware of now if Gill needed to begin over she mentioned she would make connections so much faster.
“I’ve a whole lot of very profitable associates that I belief,” Gill mentioned, talking about what her largest energy is true now.
Gill is aware of that if she wants some recommendation or needs to bounce an concept off somebody, she has individuals in her community that may assist.
“Construct relationships, discover individuals that you may belief, and don’t be afraid to ask for his or her suggestions,” was Gill’s recommendation.
What’s Subsequent?
“I’m very excited as a result of I’m going to begin a enterprise community,” Gill informed me.
Gill can also be going to begin a enterprise podcast, and he or she’s serving to a few different individuals begin their very own enterprise podcasts.
She’s going to take the mannequin she used to develop SoberPowered and construct that community, and replicate it throughout the enterprise area of interest.
Gill’s #1 Tip for Facet Hustle Nation
“Iterate.”
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