Yes, Virginia, You Can Be Internet Famous.

This is an archived page from 2019. Find out more

(By Troy Price) I usually feel bad about myself in the hours leading up to midnight on December 31st and I hope this is the last year. It all starts about two weeks earlier. It is around this time, every year, that I let the worst part of myself out for everyone around me to see. We are a family that chooses to go to events that mark the end-of-the-year Holidays. You would think that 100% of the people standing in the cold watching a Christmas Parade is excited about the pageantry of hometown celebration. I however stand there on the sidewalk and heckle floats that use symbology from other religious Holidays in a Christmas parade. As we watch our town proudly roll their first-responder’s vehicles down Main Street, I loudly suggest to all around me that this would be a horrible time to have our house catch fire. And of course I make gagging sounds every time a kid picks up thrown candy from the gutter.

It is not just parades either. I whisper to my wife, “Dude, Chill out.” when people wish us Merry Christmas too earnestly as we walk into the grocery store. It is obvious to every gift recipient that I do not wrap my presents to the best of my ability. And I do throw a few elbows with wanton disregard for my fellow shoppers as I dive into the sales on December 26th.

This year I realized that in doing all this I was not being a champion for social change during the Holiday Season, as I had hoped. The cynicism that I so freely share this time of year actually removes an opportunity for my joy more so than it has ever awakened other’s consciences. With this realization I am going to kick my innate bent towards cynicism to the curb (there is a lot more room for it there now that all that candy is picked up). I have a year to prepare for next year’s Holidays, but right now I am going to stop being so cynical about the promise of podcasting.

There are people with wild dreams about what their podcasts can do for them. With my new mindset in place and still in the spirit of the holidays, I offer the following advice…

Mr. Cratchit, you do not have to work for “The Man” any more. There are people who do make a good living from podcasting. It all starts with a grounded monetization strategy, but you can make a plan to quit your day job with your podcast. People have done it before and you can too.

Yes, Virginia, you can be internet famous. You can start your podcast today and very soon be on Good Morning America, or be contacted by an agent to have your lifestory made into a movie. You already have what it takes to become a household name, you just need a platform. People have done it before and you can too.

Dear, Santa, you can reach the whole world in one night. Podcast technology and the internet allows you to have the voice that you record in your little, remote workshop be heard all over the globe at near the speed of light. Your age-old principles of dieting, animal management practices and fair labor standards can impact the world. People have done it before and you can too.

Little Match Girl, you can find your tribe. There are thousands of people in the world who think just like you do and share your entrepreneurial spirit. After just a few episodes your kindred spirits will reach out to you. They value what you say and are excited about future meet-ups and will support you via Patreon. People have done it before and you can too.

While I borrowed from other literary sources in the above examples, I could have made it more personal. Other people right now are living your podcasting dream. If your podcasting dream includes profit, notoriety, or influence or even all or none of the above, you need to give it a sincere effort. Your podcasting efforts can make what you dream about a reality.

It is with sincerity that I wrap this up with an often used Steve Jobs/Apple quote:

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes … the ones who see things differently – they’re not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. … You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things. … They push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the people who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

Here is to more dreaming and less cynicism in the coming year, starting with me.

_Troy Price is the co-founder of _Front Porch Studios_ in Berea, Kentucky. He’s been involved with podcasting for over a decade. Reach Troy by email at _Troy@frontporchstudios.com.

Comments:

Troy Price - Dec 5, 2019

Lynn with the Power of the Purse podcast read this article and was inspired. She reached out to me asking about audience engagement. Here is a quick video with my thoughts for her. Feel free to learn from what I shared with her. Don’t worry, she said it was OK to share! https://youtu.be/S0ApI2sbxRo

This is great stuff, happy holidays Troy

Thank you! Hey, would you email me? I would love to know more about Heartcast!