If you’re a follower of us across any and all of our social media platforms, or you’re signed up to our newsletter, you’ll know that we recently shared some VERY exciting news! Carli van Heerden, We Edit Podcasts’ Founder and CEO, just launched her very own podcast, Business Beyond the Mic!
And to celebrate this most auspicious occasion, I had the immense privilege to sit down with Carli, and go behind the mic…and beyond! (A super fun experience, btw! Was I nervous terrified? Yes. Did I have the best time? Also, yes!)
Check out the highlights from the interview with Carli above. And then keep reading!
Carli dives deeper and shares some incredible insights and exciting tidbits below!
There are also some bonus questions! You definitely don’t want to miss these!
The Launch of Business Beyond the Mic: Interview with Host, Carli van Heerden
Jennay: First up, let’s start at the very beginning. When did you first think about launching your own podcast?
Carli: As long as I can remember, I have always been behind the scenes when it comes to podcasting. That is where I found my happy place, and where I felt most comfortable, helping others succeed behind the microphone.
However, in early 2019, after 4 years of running a successful podcast production company and helping hundreds of podcasters launch and grow their shows, I thought it was time to step into the spotlight and start my own podcast.
Now, as things would have it, life happened! I was 8 months pregnant with my baby boy, my focus was shifting to optimize my company so that I could step into motherhood and things just were not aligning for the podcast.
Fast-forward 3 years, I have two incredible littles, and I have fully stepped back into the company. And the moment just felt right to get back to my dream of launching my own show.
Jennay: That’s so exciting! How did the concept for Business Beyond the Mic develop?
Carli: The concept for Business Beyond the Mic arose out of my initial “why” – helping podcasters create and grow incredible shows. I wanted to create another place for podcasters to come to get advice and strategies from other experienced podcast creators on what it really takes to create and sustain a successful show!
Jennay: How would you describe Business Beyond the Mic and what’s the vision for your show?
Carli: Business Beyond the Mic is truly a platform for building relationships and creating connections with other podcasters as we share and connect around our personal journeys in the world of podcasting.
And the vision for Business Beyond the Mic is simple: I am on a mission to have interesting conversations with amazing people to build relationships, foster community, and of course educate others by unpacking the wisdom of every unique podcaster’s journey.
And a key part of the vision is that we are not holding back! There’s no gate-keeping, and no unanswered questions left on the table, my guests and I get into it all! And I’m so excited about that!
Jennay: We’re excited, too!! Turning our attention to your guests, what kind of guests are you looking for to join you “Beyond the Mic”?
Carli: My ideal guests are those who are, of course, podcasters! And podcasters who are willing to share their journeys with the listeners, be open about their success strategies, and truly unpack all aspects of their podcast including their initial fears, obstacles they faced, decisions to monetize, and more!
If you fit the bill and want to join me on the show, reach out to me!
Jennay: While we’re chatting about guests, what types of topics or guests can listeners expect to hear on your show?
Carli: Over the course of the show, I will be sitting down with podcasters from all walks of life! Including nutrition experts, marketing gurus, lawyers, coaches, online educators, authors, speakers, personal trainers, women in tech – you name it! I’ve got you covered.
Jennay: That’s amazing! So many different experiences to learn from! And then, who is the target audience for Business Beyond the Mic?
Carli: Simply put, the target audience for Business Beyond the Mic is anyone who is looking to start a podcast or someone who is already on the podcasting journey and simply needs some guidance on next steps, how to grow their show, and what options are available in terms of monetization, community support, best tools and practices for podcasting, and how to dream big dreams for their podcast!
Jennay: Now, what’s been the most surprising thing you’ve learned as you’ve prepared to launch your own show?
Carli: The most surprising thing I’ve learned during my own journey in launching a podcast is just how much value you get from connecting with other podcast creators who have been through it all! Listening to their stories has given me such confidence and inspiration just to know that I am definitely not alone in this feat and there are countless others who share in this experience.
Jennay: And what has been the hardest part of the whole “launch your podcast” process?
Carli: One of the hardest parts of the launch process for me, as a natural introvert, was just getting over the initial nervousness! Although I’ve always been quite comfortable speaking with others, for some reason my nerves ran sky-high for my very first interview – I was practically shaking. I was so lucky to have the most amazing first guest! Without her, I do not think I would have found my calm podcasting voice!
Jennay: Shout-out to Elise Museles! (You can find the link to that first episode at the bottom of this post!) Now, real talk. What do you wish someone told you before you started?
Carli: That’s a great question! The one thing I wish someone had told me before I started was how to streamline my podcasting process, as the host. Sure I know all about streamlining the process once it goes into production. But what about everything that comes before you submit your files? Now that I’ve organized my recording and post-recording process I am able to save so much more time in the long run and get things done much faster.
Jennay: I’m taking notes! That’s a great piece of advice! So, even with all the learning curves, what has been your favorite part of bringing Business Beyond the Mic to life?
Carli: My favorite part of bringing the podcast to life is twofold: One, I get to connect with some amazing podcasters, share in their journeys, and learn so much along the way.
And two: I get to work WITH my own team in the process. Everything from creative, to writing, to video – I am right there with them all again! The feedback has been incredible and I am just so proud of every single person on my team!
Jennay: It must be really cool to see how things work “from the other side!” What’s the main takeaway you hope your listeners will get from tuning in to your show?
Carli: The main takeaways should be the knowledge you gain from listening to the stories of fellow podcasters and the steps they took to get to where they are today.
Every podcaster’s journey is unique – you can tailor your podcasting experience by the types of episodes you choose to put out, how often to publish, who to interview, whether to monetize, or even down to the type of equipment you choose to use.
If listeners can learn from these experiences and adapt what works to their own podcasting journey in order to be successful, then I call that a win!
Jennay: Next question, I’m super curious to discover a little more about your podcast process. How do you prepare for upcoming episodes?
Carli: First, I reach out to potential guests who I think would be a great fit for the show. I like to email them personally to build connections right off the bat. Once the interview is scheduled, my team creates a detailed guest information sheet, we gather updated headshots and bios, and a link is sent for the recording.
Before hitting record, we usually have a quick chat just to shake out any nerves that might be lingering, we get to know each other a bit, and then we are off to the races! Once the recording is complete, I will go through all the files to make notes for my editors, writers, and creative – and then submit everything to the WEP Team!
Jennay: And what’s one thing you always do before you record an episode?
Carli: My favorite thing to do before an episode is to listen to my guests on other podcasts. This is the best way for me to get to know them before our recording and helps to give me insight into their podcasting style and how to bring out the best parts during my conversations with them.
Then, of course, I always do an equipment check, sip some water, and write down a few questions I want to ask the guest before we start recording. That way I can help prepare them for the direction of the interview and make sure we focus in on their own unique perspective.
Jennay: Now, let’s dive into some bests and worsts…Let’s start with the best…what’s the best thing about hosting a podcast?
Carli: The best thing about hosting a podcast is sharing the experience with others. Not only with my guests but also with people in my personal life. I knew that this would be something that I would be incredibly excited about, but I didn’t know just how excited I would be to share it with the world.
Jennay: That’s amazing! I love that your podcast is already exceeding your expectations! Now…what about the worsts…
Carli: I will definitely have to say, the “initial nerves”. As a kid and all the way through high school, I played piano at a high level, and I distinctly remember the feeling of performing in front of big audiences and how, even though I appeared cool, calm, and collected on the outside, my nervousness was sky-high on the inside. And that feeling has definitely resurfaced on this journey.
However, as with anything, the more practice you get, the better it becomes! Plus, I have an amazing team behind me who absolutely makes me sound like the dream podcast host!
Jennay: What have been some of the best lessons from your guests so far?
Carli: Some of my favorite lessons that I’ve learned from my guests so far have a lot to do with how to be a better host. Now, this is on top of the incredible advice they’ve given regarding how to work with podcast networks, how to implement dynamic ad insertion, how to book and schedule guests, and more!
But I have loved learning more about each podcaster and their specific style as a host, studying exactly how they are able to engage listeners in the conversation and bring an episode to life! There is so much to learn from each and every one of my guests.
Jennay: Now, a fun question…have there been any “podcast fails” along the way?
Carli: Oh yes! There have definitely been some podcast fails along the way. Just this week I’ve had to reschedule two of my interviews because of technical difficulties, and bad timing with noisy neighbors! I’ve also had to stop a recording midway through – another technical glitch. And I’m sure I haven’t seen the last of these fails.
But the best thing to keep in mind is that everyone in this space totally understands when these things happen! My guests have been incredible, and although the learning curve can be steep at first, there is so much good that overshadows any of the fails!
Jennay: Definitely! And as you continue on this exciting podcasting journey, what are you most excited about discovering as you continue to interview guests?
Carli: So many of my guests have mentioned that they would love to take their podcast “on the road!” And even diving into hosting LIVE podcast recordings. So, now, I’m just really curious to see if my podcasting journey will eventually lead to doing live podcasts, and what that would actually look like?
Jennay: Live podcasts! That would definitely be an exciting adventure! Now, our final question: We know you’ve got some amazing guests lined up! Can you share a little about some upcoming guests listeners can look forward to?
Carli: We really do have an incredible lineup of guests to look forward to! To build the excitement, I’ll drop a couple of names…we have Ashley Menzies Babatunde from No Straight Path, Jeni & Sandy from And She Co., and Abagail Pumphrey from the Strategy Hour Podcast lined up. As well as Kathy Caprino from Finding Brave, Kristi Bridges from the Irresistible Factor, AJ Vaden from the Influential Personal Brand Podcast, and so much more!
Jennay: What an incredible line-up! And I’m sure there will be even more amazing surprises along the way, so stay tuned!
Thank you to Carli for sharing your launch story with us!
If you haven’t already done so, subscribe to Business Beyond the Mic wherever you get your podcasts so you don’t miss a single episode of what promises to be an incredible season!
And if you have missed out on the first two launch episodes, you can check them out here:
1. Using Your Podcast as a Stepping Stone with Elise Museles
For the very first episode, Carli sits down with Elise Museles!
Elise is a certified eating psychology and nutrition expert, creator of the Food Story Method and platform, and host of the popular podcast Once Upon a Food Story.
During their conversation, Elise and Carli dig into those intrusive fears of launching a podcast. They dive into her podcasting process, they cover how to discern which guests to have on your show, and the advice Elise would give to the newbie podcaster who is just starting out!
So much value jam-packed into one episode!
But wait! There’s more! You can also check out Episode 2…
2. How Your Podcast Can Open Doors for You and Your Brand with Brittany Hodak
In episode two, Carli gets chatting with Brittany Hodak! Brittany is an award-winning entrepreneur, author of Creating Superfans, and customer experience speaker who has delivered keynotes across the globe.
During their conversation, Brittany dives into her advice on creating evergreen content and how her appearance on Shark Tank continues to influence the success of her podcast today.
Brittany is a wealth of information on everything from her podcast content strategy, to how to decide on the right sponsorships for your show, and what it looks like when your message truly resonates with your audience.
You don’t want to miss it!
Then stay tuned for more Business Beyond the Mic!
