Latest / Crafted Connections / EP 46: SOLO - A Check-In, A Celebration, and an Invitation

Transcript

EP 46: SOLO - A Check-In, A Celebration, and an Invitation · Crafted Connections

• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: Hello, welcome to Crafted Connections.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Kaelin Calhoun, and this is a podcast all about storytelling and building genuine community.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: Here we'll dive into the art of storytelling, unpack strategies for making meaningful connections, and hear from incredible humans who are using their story to create impact.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: So grab your favorite beverage, settle in, and let's craft some connections.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: Hi, and welcome back to Crafted Connections.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so happy you're here.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Caitlin Calhoun.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: I've had this podcast for nine to ten months now, and I am loving it.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: Love, love, loving it.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: So today's episode is going to be a little bit different.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Not your traditional solo episode that I've done in the past where I, you know, give you give you some advice on how to strengthen your story or talk about one of my own experiences and stories and maybe some goals I'm setting.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, but rather kind of a call out for feedback and deeper connection with my listeners.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: I am so excited, you know, being this far along in that in the podcast, really publishing this many episodes.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: I, you know, statistically, podcasts do not get this far.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: And so I really, really, really want to lean into this year cultivating the people who are, who are into it, who, who are really enjoying, you know, what I'm putting out in the world, whether it be the interviews, whether it be the solos, that is to be determined, right?
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: As I, as I have some market research conversations.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: And this comes from a place of I reached the goal of a thousand downloads.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: I saw I was getting, you know, a a humble hundred episode downloads uh a month.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: And around September of last year, I was like, cool, I'm like on pace and it would be a very achievable thing, and it would kind of keep me accountable to the goals that I set around publishing on a regular cadence, a weekly Thursday morning cadence, if you will.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: So once I achieve that, it's like, okay, yay, new year.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: I achieved the goal by the end of the year as I wanted to.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: And and I first off want to celebrate that.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's very important that we celebrate.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: And I say this as a person who's learning to celebrate more.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, so I just kind of like take this moment and be really proud of that, you know, quadruple digit number one zero zero zero.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it was really cool to see it.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: It was cool to see a comma in in the number of downloads and and to think that that does require a thousand times for someone else to push play.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm ever so grateful.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so, so grateful for that.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: Now, you know, moving forward, I'm like, okay, what what do I want this to be?
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: What how do I kick it up?
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: I was having a discussion with with someone about taking it to the next level, kicking it up.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: What does that look like for me?
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: I think the phrasing, what was the phrasing I actually used?
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, the phrase I actually used was unlock the pod's full potential.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: With that, some some questions came out that were kind of challenging.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, like, who's your audience?
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: This, that, and the other things that I tell people to like know when they're telling their story all the time.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: And lo and behold, those questions presented some challenges.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, the A plus, recovering A plus student that I am, you know, was like, oh God, okay, I should I should know these answers.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: But in in a very real sense as well, it's okay that I don't.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: And and I'm gonna give you a little bit of background on kind of the inception and conception of this project.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that that will then help understand why it's okay that I don't like exactly know my audience and I don't exactly know this, that, and the other.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: Because it for this project in particular, when it comes down to it, it it was more about doing the dang thing, putting something out there, the execution, right?
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: And now that I've done that, it's unlocking the full potential.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: What does that even mean?
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: So that's the journey we're on.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: But to rewind a little bit, I've been a big podcast fan, like most of us are, for a very, very long time.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: And I, you know, I didn't really see myself having one for also a very, very long time until I don't know if there was like an actual like specific moment in time where I'm like, yep, I want to do this, but like ideas came up.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: It's usually through title ideas.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_00: My former company, Teardrop Pictures.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: I really was like, ooh, I could see teardrop talks becoming a podcast that that's very themed around, you know, exactly what we're doing, which is storytelling and this, that, and the other.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_00: And then, you know, a few folks were like, ooh, you should have one.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: You should have a podcast, you know.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: And I think a lot of folks who end up starting one have heard that from the people around them.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: And you also have to like find the evidence in when you're daydreaming, right?
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: When you daydream and what are you thinking about?
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: Phil and I are planning some stuff for our future, and like I'm so excited about those things.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: And I find myself when I'm just sitting, all of a sudden I start thinking about that thing.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: And like, ooh, here's a detail, here's a detail, right?
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: And I was absolutely doing that for the podcast.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: I was like practicing like what questions would I ask this particular guest that I would want to invite on my podcast when I have my podcast, right?
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: And so I was rehearsing for something that didn't even exist yet.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: I recognized, okay, you you can't just keep daydreaming about something, and clearly you want to do this.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: And so then it started being like, cool, let's put it on the goals.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: And I would argue that it probably was on my like goal list or like something that I wanted to, you know, manifest and put together for over a year.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: And and it took different iterations and different names and this, that, and the other.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: I think what ultimately really was holding me back was the current industry expectations.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: You may have noticed if you've listened to more than one of my episodes, or if you're trying to find the video version of this podcast episode, I am audio only.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: And it was like with a video background, my need to make sure that any video I produce is like high quality, high level, the best it can be, was holding me back.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: I ultimately was like, it doesn't have to be video and audio.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: It can just be audio.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: And I even had discussions with folks leading up it that were like, oh, well, you can just make it a little bit more seamless this way or that way or the other.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_00: But like I knew myself and I knew that I wasn't going to start it if I didn't just start it in this fashion.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: And so that was something that I've really recognized.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: And then I also around the same time had started connecting with a few folks who had done podcasts as well.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: And this is folks that like, you know, they're not the golden glow nominees for podcasts.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: They're people like me who have also created a podcast around something that they're excited about or or they just wanted to get on the mic.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: And it's not even their like encouraging me to do it as much as their expression of how much fun it's been, how many people they've met through the experience, and how they wish that they had started sooner, they would do it again in a heartbeat.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: They they also were going on to like maybe revive and go to, you know, their podcast 2.0 or or rebrand or kind of redirect more of the story they were they were creating and they were in it and they were iterating and and they said they had no regrets.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: That combined with my desire for to do it such a long time, I was like, okay, just do it.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_00: Hey y'all.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: You know I love telling stories, gathering stories, and finding a way to help people connect their story with the people that will get it.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: And that's what my story strategy sessions are all about.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: So over at Calhoun Creative Consulting, my strategic storytelling firm, we do one-on-one and or facilitated workshops in relation to really honing in the strategy around your story.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_00: It's a bit of messaging meets content creation, meets storytelling, and then how do we put that out in the world?
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: How do we show up regularly?
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: There's a bit of mindset work around it, right?
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: To actually tell your story, whether you're launching something new or trying to rework your brand or just feeling a little foggy on how to communicate with your people.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_00: This is how to get clear.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_00: We'll dig into things like your narrative, how to uncover what matters most, maybe map out a few content pillars while we're at it.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_00: You'll also get a recording of our session so you can revisit the conversation anytime you like.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_00: Let's shape a story that actually feels like you.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_00: So book yours today.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: There is a link in the show notes.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_00: And hey, while you're at it, use the code podcast, all caps, podcast for 25% off your session.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: I would be honored to spend time with you and suss out your story.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: Let's dive back into the episode, shall we?
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: Finally, I'm on this nature walk and I'm like, just start the thing, kick it off this week.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_00: You can start with a quick solo about like the idea, the concept.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: I, you know, I already had all that mapped out because I had been daydreaming and writing and journaling about it for for years.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: And Crafted Connections, you know, was the title that was kind of in my head for the months leading up to the launch of this.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: On this nature walk, I was like, stop, stop overthinking it, make it audio only, make it happen, let's go.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: And so we did.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: And the process has been so much fun, obviously.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I'm still doing it.
• 8:51
  SPEAKER_00: I have experience in the past of my career where I force myself to do things that I don't want to do because I think I should, and I no longer live that way.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_00: So it's really cool.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: Like I can genuinely tell you that like I love doing this.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm not just doing it because I think it will create leads, I think it will get more eyeballs on me, this, that, and the other.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: It does those things.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_00: It does help me build like really deep relationships.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: It helps me, you know, be in folks' ears and like them to build a relationship with me and basically replicate myself.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_00: That that all does happen, but I'm not doing it because of that.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: I'm doing it because I'm literally just like sitting here on a Wednesday morning in my robe talking about what I'm passionate about.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I get to regularly interview folks that I know, love, or people that maybe I want to get to know as well.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_00: So it's absolutely fantastic.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_00: I love connecting to folks more deeply.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: And I also have been like pleasantly surprised with the direction that different conversations have gone.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_00: I always rehearse the conversations, I always daydream about them.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, ooh, I'll ask them this, I'll ask them that.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_00: One of my most favorite things is sitting across from a person and like asking them crazy tons of questions.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes it starts, you know, it just starts going away, or I learn something about someone I've known for like in the case of last week's episode, uh Felix, I know him, I've known him for like almost 10 years now.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_00: And I, you know, I just like learned a lot more about like the professional side of him, which which I've met before, but but who he is in the snippet of time now too.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: And and so that's really cool.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_00: And and it's not just with with Felix, but a bunch of other people.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's been very, very cool.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_00: I've also had like interviews where I'm like, okay, okay, I don't know if that was good.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know if like that was working out.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: And then I re-listen and I'm like pleasantly surprised on a regular basis.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_00: So that's how it started, and that's how it's kind of been.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_00: And I've I've got a few episodes on the docket with, you know, my film mentor and a childhood friend that became a neuroscientist, and like, oh my gosh, I'm so excited to share those with you.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_00: And I've got topics I'm excited about, but I don't want to move too much further than that without connecting with the people who are listening to this podcast.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_00: And I would almost say, like, if if someone's listened to more than three episodes, I like want to really get into their heads and do that market research of like, why?
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_00: Why have you been here?
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_00: What have you been enjoying?
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_00: Why did you hit play again?
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: What do you look forward to in relation to the podcast?
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_00: Is it simply because you know me?
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you're my close friend, maybe you're my mom.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: Shout out, love you, lady.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe we've collaborated in the past.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe we only know each other through the internet.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you were a guest and then you were like, cool, I'll listen to another, and I'll listen to another.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_00: And then and then you kind of found interest in that.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_00: There are so many things that folks can listen to.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_00: The real estate of your earballs is so valuable to me, and I really, really appreciate it.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: And I want to dig a little deeper, and I want to have conversations with you.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm I'm putting out an invite.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_00: I'm putting out an invite to connect, to send me some messages, to to please connect with me for some feedback.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_00: And in order to do that, I'm just gonna have you either reach out via email at hello at Calhoun Creative Consulting.com or via the DMs at Crafted Connections Pod.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_00: So either way, I think that that's a great place to have conversations.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_00: I'm also going to be, you know, posting about this exact thing on socials because comments are just a great way to start having those interactions, you know, keep it as little resistance as possible.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_00: Not here to make it hard, but here to have the conversations with the people who who are invested in this and then to make sure that like I continue to deliver something that I'm so proud of.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_00: I've been proud of what I've put out there, and I'm excited to kick it up.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_00: I'm excited to enhance, and I'm excited to like let this hit its fullest potential.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you so much for listening to this very brief history and listening to my thoughts and where I'm going with this.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_00: And please, I want to hear yours.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_00: So let's talk.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_00: I hope you have a great week, and I'll be back next week with a wonderful, wonderful guest.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_00: Y'all are the best.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_00: Crafted Connections is lovingly produced by Calhoun Creative Consulting, a strategic storytelling firm dedicated to helping people and brands tell their stories in a way that resonates.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_00: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and connect with us on Instagram at Crafted Connections Spot.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_00: Keep creating, keep connecting, until we meet again.