This is my recording from my talk at Podcamp Nashville this morning. The outline was literally typed up just hours before I spoke. You know me, I just like to speak from my heart.

I had a touch of nerves just minutes before I spoke, but like normal, that all went away after I got started.

Here are my notes that I was reading from!

Podcasting As A Career in TWENTY MINUTES or less!

Introduction in 3 minutes or less!

CC Chapman’s Managing The Gray – Episode 50
How to Break Into New Media as a Career

CC gave some great tips to folks who often ask how to break into new media as a career. I want to tell you a little about my story and then let you know how I got to where I am today, fits in with the advice that CC gave in his show!

My name is Cliff Ravenscraft
I’m married, going on 12 years, to my lovely wife, Stephanie
I have three children ages 8, 6, and 2
I recently left my career in insurance after 11 years to pursue my passion for a living as a full time podcast and new media personality.

A Couple of Facts About Me that helped lead me to where I am today!
Insurance Agent – I Love To Sell!
Associate Pastor – I Love To Talk!
Pastor of Small Groups – I Love To Teach!
I Love People!
I Love Technology – I’m a gadget freak!

How I got into podcasting as a hobby in five minutes or less!
Leo Leporte + Father Roaderick + A Couple From Hawaii

My First Podcast – Lost – Faith – Technology! – Generally Speaking!
People begged me to do just Lost!
14,000 Listeners within just the first few episodes!
My Calling To Ministry
Launched More Podcasts!

The Decision To Go Full Time! – In 4 Minutes Or Less!
Used to be VERY Successful as an insurance agent!
Lost All Passion for Insurance!
Podcasting On My Mind Every Waking Moment!
January 2007, decided to do it as a part time job!
Started Consulting
Got too busy and really affecting my DAY JOB!
Decided I either had to go full time or go back to podcasting as a hobby!
Decided to focus on the Day Job!
Became Extremely Miserable!
Everyone told me, CLIFF YOU ARE MEANT TO BE A PODCASTER!
My Listeners
My Insurance Clients
My Underwriters
My friends
My pastor

MOST IMPORTANTLY!!!! MY WIFE!

How To Tell My Parents!!!!!
The 90 Day Notice!

HOW DOES ONE EARN A LIVING PODCASTING AS A PROFESSION – IN 3 MINUTES OR LESS!

ANSWER: I’m still working on that one!

Premium Content – The gspn.tv Monthly Support Team!
hundreds of listeners pay to hear all our content!

Sponsorship – Shows like FamilyFromTheHeart.com have a sponsor.

Webinars!

Podcast Consulting

Equipment Sales!

I’m constantly looking into other avenues for stream of income

THINGS CC CHAPMAN SHARED IN HIS MANAGING THE GRAY!

You Must Discover Your Niche!
Entertainment
Technology
Faith

Be Passionate About Your Niche!
People Are Drawn To Passion
I’m pretty darn Passionate

You Need A Strong Work Ethic!
I recently had to MAKE MYSELF declare one day a week as a day I don’t work!

Be involved!
I answer every single email
I try to play ever call in our shows
I create ways to interact with people and for them to interact with each other.
Online Forum
Twitter
Facebook
LIVE EVENTS!

WHAT CC SAID:

Be Curious! – Have Fun With New Technology
I try nearly every new technology that hits the block!
I try to find ways to use it to interact with my community.

Network, Network, Network.
That’s Why I’m Here
Podcamp Boston- Over 200 Business Cards!

Working Hard is Important, but luck can play a vital role.
CC called it luck, and didn’t want to really go into the discussion of destiny, fate, etc. That’s just not what his show’s about.

For me, you can call it luck, but I know in my heart, I was born to podcast! This is my calling in life.

You Have To Get Paid – Don’t UnderValue Yourself!
This was the most difficult thing to grasp!
I’m still working on how to go about charging for stuff that is just second nature to me!

To Me…. Podcasting is all about Entertaining, Encouraging, and Inspiring Others and Building Community

Discuss Podcasting in the gspn.tv Community Forum.

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In this episode, I share my thoughts looking back at my first month in my career in new media.

Discuss Podcasting in the gspn.tv Community Forum.

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In this episode, I record from a live demonstration at a meet up for NewMediaCincinnati.com.

Discuss Podcasting in the gspn.tv Community Forum.

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Thanks to Agee Design for sponsoring the Podcast Answer Man!

Discuss Podcasting in the gspn.tv Community Forum.

In this episode, I take a quick lunch break to bring you a video podcast of some options out there for microphones for your podcast. Check out the new equipment page on the blog!

If you are interested in talking with me about my podcast consulting services, you can reach me by email at Cliff@Ravenscraft.org or you can use the contact page at BitCastMedia.com.

Right Click Here To Download This Episode

Thanks to Agee Design for sponsoring the Podcast Answer Man!

Discuss Podcasting in the gspn.tv Community Forum.

In this episode, I discussed how The Podacast Answer Man will now be a part of my personal/professional blog at CliffRavenscraft.com. Also, I explained that I am going to official end the NetJunk and Pursuing Your Passion podcasts and move the content from those shows into the Podcast Answer Man show. This is an an effort to streamline my efforts in podcasting. More about this in the episode.

T.J. called in with a question about how I play my audio clips right into the show as we record. I use a program called Pod Producer which you can get for FREE at PodProducer.net.

Chris Oatley called in and asked about video podcasting. I do plan on doing more video podcasting and I will certainly be doing many episode devoted to the topic. In this episode, I do share some important tips as far as shopping for a camera. Make sure any camera you buy has an AUDIO INPUT JACK! This is extremely important. I also shared that a good place to host your video files is Libsyn at Libsyn.com. I also mentioned Podango, but asked anyone who was considering the use of Podango to hold off just another few days until they here our big announcement in the gspn.tv State of the Community address that I’ll be releasing this week.

Jon from MonsterCookies.ca wrote a question in our forum. He wanted to know why his artwork and description would not update in iTunes even though he had updated this information on his libsyn account. The problem is that Jon is using Feedburner. This is where iTunes is looking for the feed data. I explained that Jon needs to sign into his feedburner account, go to the “Optimize” Tab in the settings panel and then click on the “Smartfeed” option. It is here that he should change his podcast artwork, description, and keywords.

Call in your comments and questions to our Listener Feedback Line at 859-795-4067 and we’ll try to play your call in our next show.

If you are interested in talking with me about my podcast consulting services, you can reach me by email at Cliff@Ravenscraft.org or you can use the contact page at BitCastMedia.com.

Right Click Here To Download This Episode

Thanks to Agee Design for sponsoring the Podcast Answer Man!