Six years ago today, I did something that terrified me. I hit publish on the very first episode of the Bloggy Friends Show. And I did it on April 1st on purpose, because I figured if it was a total disaster, I could just tell everyone it was an April Fool’s joke. Yes, really. ð
What I didn’t know then was that one scared little publish button click would change the entire course of my career.
The Idea That Sat on the Shelf for Four Years
I first thought about starting a podcast back in 2016. I had the idea. I had the drive. What I didn’t have was the courage. So the idea just sat there, collecting dust, while I talked myself out of it over and over again.
Then, in 2019, the GoDaddy team assigned me a post about podcasting for their resources page. I figured if I was going to write it, I needed to actually know what I was talking about. So I headed to Podcast Movement 2019 and spent a week absorbing everything I possibly could about how to start a podcast.
I came home and wrote that post with one quiet thought in the back of my mind: maybe one day I’ll actually do this myself.
Spoiler alert. I did.
The People Who Made It Happen
Writing that post led me to the team at RSS.com. And meeting them changed everything.
With the encouragement of co-founders Alberto Betella and Ben Richardson, and their incredibly supportive Marketing Director Brian Jensen, I finally stopped waiting and started doing.
On April 1, 2020, I released the first episode of the Bloggy Friends Show. Mid-pandemic. On April Fool’s Day. With absolutely zero certainty that anyone would care. ð
They cared. And I was hooked from the very first episode.
What Six Years of Podcasting Has Actually Looked Like
I started as a print journalist back in 2007. Blogging came into my life in 2009 when I saw that the world of media was shifting fast, and I knew I had to keep up. Podcasting felt like the next natural step in that same direction.
But I had no idea how far it would actually take me.
Since that first episode, I’ve interviewed dozens of incredible people. I’ve written about podcasting for some really cool companies, both under my own byline and as a ghostwriter. ðŧ I had the privilege of hosting Podcasting 101 for RSS.com for two full years.
Last year, I launched my second show, a fitness podcast called More Movement Please. It just hit 50 episodes. That one has opened doors I genuinely didn’t see coming, and I’m so proud of what it’s becoming.
What’s Coming Next (the Stuff I CAN Tell You)
Later this year, I’ll be hard-launching a brand new show. If you’re a good investigator, you might be able to find the two test episodes that are already out there. ðĪĢ
There are more audio projects in the works too. But those are still under wraps for now. ðĪŦ
What I can tell you is that it feels like every single thing I’ve done in my career up to this point has been leading somewhere. I’m more excited about what’s ahead than I’ve ever been.
What I Want You to Take Away From This
Most podcasters don’t even make it to six episodes. I want that to sink in for a second. Six. Episodes. And I’m six years in with zero plans to slow down. Heck, if anything, I will be revving this engine all the way up!
If you’ve been sitting on a podcast idea the way I sat on mine for four years, I want you to know something. The gear doesn’t have to be perfect. The timing doesn’t have to be perfect. You just have to start.
I recorded my first episodes with basic equipment and more fear than confidence. Today, I record my fitness podcast from my car. Seriously. And it sounds great. If you’re curious how I do that, I’ve got everything you need right here at famousashleygrant.com/car.
Check out this video “How I Started a Podcast âĶ From My CarâĶ” to see how I do it:
A Big Thank You
To every person who let me interview them. To everyone who has shared the show, told a friend, or sent a kind message. To Alberto, Ben, and Brian for believing in this before I fully believed in it myself. And even to the people who tried to talk me out of some of my goals and plans: thank you too. Seriously. You kept me motivated in your own way. ð
Do you need a podcast guest? Hit me up! I’d love to chat about podcasting, blogging, fitness, freelancing, and trying to get internet famous. ðĪŠ
You can find the Bloggy Friends Show right here: rss.com/podcasts/bloggyfriendsshow
Here’s to the next six years and beyond. As I always say at the end of every episode: may your page views be high and your bounce rate be low! ðĨģ
