O N E year.
54 episodes, 21 bonus episodes.
I started with just a $40 mic from Amazon and my well used AirPods. I started with nothing. The only experience I had was the Instagram videos I had done for over a year. But what I had all along was a vision.
A vision for what this podcast would become. I didn’t know exactly how or when I would achieve the massive goal I have attached to this vision. I didn’t care about any of that. I just knew that this is what I’m meant to do.
I know there are podcasts of people just talking shit back and forth, telling stories on crime, interviewing famous people, talking about sports, etc - and how popular those podcasts are. But my vision for this was never any of that, the goal is to positively impact people’s lives. The mission is to live out my purpose of coaching through this platform that is FREE to everyone. I knew going into this that the success wouldn’t happen overnight. I knew from the start that personal development isn’t as popular.
Thank you to my listeners. To those of you who have been on this journey with me from the start and those of you who have just recently joined my community. Thank you for sharing and rating and reviewing ASK ME WHEN IM A MILLIONAIRE podcast. Thank you for using word of mouth to tell people about an episode you loved. Thank you for trusting me.
In this year I have failed. Made mistakes. Cried, oh boy did I cry. Felt angry at times that I wasn't gaining the traction I had hoped. Feelings of doubt and fear inevitably popped up for me because as human beings no matter how confident we are in ourselves and in our goals - that fear, doubt, and inner negative voice will trickle back in.
I learned so much in this year. About myself. How my willingness to fail - in front of other people - has helped me break down barriers in every other area of my life. I learned how to let go of control, how to trust in my higher power and divine timing, how to keep going even when the support of the people around me has dwindled. I learned how to practice patience and if you know me, you know I am not the most patient person. I learned that sometimes the people who you initially thought would support you can turn out to have ulterior motives. I truly learned so much already.
The passion I have for this show and the other coaching services I provide is unmatched. This work lights my soul on fire. The messages I get from my listeners who thank me for helping them reach a goal or change their life in some way fuels me but I always remind each of them... I'm just the messenger. The teacher. The guide. I can't do the work for you - your success is a result of YOUR work, I just gave you the tools you needed.
I put in my best energy and effort into each episode.
There have been times when I recorded 45 minutes of a show and deleted that recording because it felt forced. Then realigned, recentered, re-recorded and gave the best I could give that day. I speak from the heart, from my intuition through each episode. I map it out but ultimately, I let my inner knowing guide me through each recording sesh.
There were days that felt lonely. Days when I questioned my ability to move forward. Days I wished I could just become an entrepreneur full time already. I will never keep those hard days from you because I know that the hard stuff breeds growth. There are people who will tell you "Don't focus on the amount of likes, views, supporters. Just do the work and enjoy it. You care too much what people think if you're focusing on that". But my promise to you from the start is authenticity. Raw honesty. The truth is, when you feel passion for the hard work you put in, there will be days when you get frustrated over the lack of traction. It's inevitable, anyone who acts like they're above feeling that way, above feeling the frustration around not getting the traction as fast as you'd hope, is bullshitting or just hasn't worked hard enough or consistent enough to know what it feels like to feel let down - not because your project lacked in any way but because you didn't receive the response it deserved.
It's human. When you put in the hard work there will be times when you feel annoyed or a little let down and it's okay! Let yourself be human and then get back to it. Recenter, realign, and keep going. Allowing yourself to feel your feelings, fully. That's something I learned not just through being a podcast host or entrepreneur, but from doing the internal work for years before starting this journey.
As much as there were days that were hard. There have been way more days of feeling excited, feeling the energy just coursing through me. Episodes that I have recorded where I literally felt like my higher power was speaking through me. Days when I felt so empowered that nothing could bring me down. The joy and the gratitude that I feel is everything.
I am so proud of each of the 54 episodes. Proud of how much I've evolved as a host in just one year. Proud of the dedication, consistency, and discipline that went into hitting over 50 episodes in just 365 days. I rarely celebrate my successes and wins but that changes this year. I am leading by example. Take this as your sign to celebrate your wins, big or small. Don't go through life just onto the next one. Take the time to bask in what you have accomplished. I had a fellow podcast host tell me recently that I have that "it" factor. She told me whatever it is, I got it. It made me think how often people have told me "I don't know how you do it. I don't know how you have endless ideas. How you produce so many episodes." and how little I gave myself credit. So another thing I learned is the important of celebrating your growth, your successes, your big and small wins.
ONE WHOLE YEAR and it's no coincidence that just days before this mark, I recorded my first guest episode. It's no coincidence that in that episode we talked about confidence and authenticity, on showing up as your true self.
I had people in the beginning telling me not to curse, not to pause for too long, to do shorter episodes, this that and the other. People giving me unsolicited advice that I heard but never took. Why?
Because I am showing up as me. Not as some watered down version of me. I curse, I laugh, I get loud - because that is me. I spent so much of my life being told I was "too much, too loud, too opionated..." and I used to lessen myself because of those comments. But not anymore. I am me and that is my superpower. YOU ARE YOU, AND THAT IS YOUR SUPER POWER. Your voice, how loud or soft spoken you are, you weird little quirks, whether you curse like a sailor or sweet like a saint... It's you and no one else is you.
Because none of those people are podcasts host or even anything similar. I don't say this to judge them, I know most of them made these suggestions out of love thinking their fears were protecting me. A mentor of mine once told me, don't take advice from someone who has literally never even tried to do what you are doing.
Because I know I am not for everybody and I am no longer afraid of that. I know the community I am building will feel empowered by my authenticity and will give them proof that they can be themselves - all of who they are - and still accomplish their dreams and goals.
Only 25% of podcasts make it past 10 episodes... That's a wild yet true stat. 44% of podcasts out there only have 3 episodes... even more wild. But you don't usually hear those stats. What you usually hear is that there are 3-4 million podcasts published. The reason for MOST podcasts failing to produce more than 10 episodes, let alone 3 is because people expect instant gratification. They think instantly they will have 100s of thousands of listeners which just isn't the case.
What I learned this year is that LASTING success takes time and not only does it take time... I'm totally cool with it. I believe in divine timing, this idea that things come to fruition when they're meant to. I have learned so much this year but I am so glad that I didn't have thousands of listeners by episode 20 because I was still learning, still growing. I understand that the journey to success isn't usually quick or easy. That you need to be able to fail and make mistakes and learn from them to be ready for the bigger audience which will bring new challenges.
Here's my advice to you if you are starting out on a new venture this year:
Be yourself. In your personal and professional life. Be brave enough to show up as who you really are so that you can grow into an even better version of you.
Don't try to replicate someone else. Sure, take inspiration from them, there's nothing wrong with that. But don't try to be someone else. Don't try to use their words or copy their work in any way. It will show, people will feel that it's not coming from you.
Be willing to fail, and be willing to fail in front of other people. So often we see everyone pretending they're perfect out of fear of others seeing them fall short. You block yourself from so much growth and from reaching the next level in your life and in your career when you're unwilling to suck at something long enough to be good at it.
Be careful who you trust. I am not at all feeding into any trust issues. But take it from me, not everyone who acts like they want to see you win is actually rooting for you.
Do a daily check in with yourself.
Celebrate your wins, big or small.
Only take advice from people who have actually done what you are doing or people who are further along than you. Your family and friends might unknowingly project their fears onto you as a protection mechanism out of love.
YOU ARE ENTIRELY UP TO YOU.
I'm pumped for what 2024 will bring. I'm ready for this new challenge of hosting guest interviews on my show. I'm ready to coach you in a bigger way this year. To build this community of badasses. I'm ready, I hope you are too.
XX, DANA 🤟🏼
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