The Podcast game is very similar to the rap game. Standing out and letting people know you exist is the key to the game.
Growing up in Oakland,Ca. or anywhere that was similar to the Bay Area — in terms of pure hustle — exposed me and a host of others to the life of grinding. I always heard about rappers like, Too $hort, E-40 and Mac Dre selling tapes (later C.D’s) independently. Literally slangin’ albums out the back of their trunks!
Why pay for distribution when they were getting off units on their own? Not only are you saving money, but you’re hands on with growing your fanbase. The downside was all the money they had to spend on pressing up albums,money they had to invest, loss of valuable time, and ground work they had to do.
Today’s rappers have it much easier with the advent of Youtube, and every other digital media medium out there. But this piece isn’t about the rap game, no. It’s about the similarities I find with trying to get a Podcast off the ground and becoming household names.
Much like the E-40’s and Too $horts of the world, the people who care for us know what we do. We’ve built a small dedicated few, who know we have something to say. Who give a dedicated listen every episode.
The next step in the journey is letting people outside of our small circle know we have something for their ear canal. Letting word of mouth take it’s course, is definitely slow motion.
We’re on many different Podcast mediums, sure, but how can we expect people to listen, if they have no clue they should be?
I’ve made flyers, we’ve printed up shirts, coffee mugs, and everything else to let people know about this fire they’re missing in their lives.
Before Episode #1 my enthusiasm was sky high, knowing all we needed was the right person to hear us, and it was crackin!!
I’m still waiting on that person lol.
In a nutshell, we need better ways to promote. Somedays I be on my Kanye West shit, feeling like we the best in the game. Whoever not up on us, well it’s their fault for not knowing.
Other times, I feel like
I got these Podcast, man.
I do love the grind though. And I will say this, more people know us this year then they did any other year I been alive. So, there’s that.
To everyone out there in the game, waiting on people to know your name, keep pushing that product we call content!!
Whether you’re blogging, Podcasting, selling merch, rapping, slanging recipes. Never quit until you that fat lady starts singing!
And she can’t sing if she don’t got the mic!✌🏿
Thanx Dave! 
True Indeed. You guys are part of my day, the key is to get other people to feel like I do. The talent is there, you just need the advertising.
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I appreciate that sentiment bro! It’s great to know when someone gives a damn. The advertising is the key, and I feel like I’m running out of ideas.
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Man, thank you. I feel exactly how Dave feels. Like Ms. Suede says “friends and family will be the first to brush you off, talking about how busy they are, or that your blog is too long, but they will be the first people to send you some gossip from mediatakeout.com or Huffington post, or an Instagram meme.”
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It will be all the sweeter when you get that right one to hear you. I think about that all of the time. But the fact is, with each passing podcast, you guys are that much closer to being heard by that right one!
As they say, burn the ships so there’s no way to go back! There simply is no turning back.
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I’m going to keep pushing, and we are going to make everyone proud! I’m glad you guys are here with us at this level before everyone starts acting like they been listening lol
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That’s RIGHT! YAASSSS!
I have been thinking about adding some extras to my blog offerings. Not just podcasting but I have something else brewing. I’ll tell you more about it after I develop it a little more.
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Well if it’s a food blog you already know what u need to do Lady G. Hahahahahahahah
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You need to add another ‘a’ on the end of that long ass hahahaha you tried to pull!
And ANYWAY erybody know my food be looking good!
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Righhhhhhtttt!!!!
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I could’ve sworn I commented on this, but now I don’t see it. Anywho…I hope you all get all of the support you want and need to be where you want to be.
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There you are! I think I erased the comment. I was in the middle of writing a long reply, because it was such a great comment, than… I don’t know if my wrist hit a button, but both of our comments were gone! Anyhow, thank you again Sista Garland, I apologize for the miscue, and your comment was inspiring. Entrepreneurship is slow motion, and you have to learn to love the process, and enjoy it, which I finally am.
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Dammit Dave!
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hahahaha I know
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lol Just kidding! But really I kept looking like I know I poured out my heart and soul about support on this post…where’d it go? That’s happened to me before. I’ve deleted and lost other people’s stuff lol
Now I’ll just have to write something about support and tag you and Tareau 😉
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Thank you. I felt bad about it, and I thought about typing something on a past post, but I was more upset because I could tell you typed a thoughtful comment. I was a little embarrassed haha. I decided to wait until you replied again, so the response could be up to date, or relevant
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lol it’s all good
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LMAO I just died at the “I got these Podcast, man” part hahahaha. Man, I definitely understand your struggle and don’t give up. You guys have an awesome Podcast here and it just takes time for word to spread. I don’t know if you’ve already tried Facebook ads but they do wonders for spreading the word online. I use them quite often for certain blog posts/articles. You can even filter who the AD reaches by age, gender, race, interests, etc. Keep pushing!
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