The Sound Off Podcast

Lisa Brandt's career in radio and voiceover is a testament to the power of versatility, resilience, and a willingness to embrace change. From her early days in small-town radio to her time at some of Toronto's most iconic stations, Brandt's story is one of navigating the evolving landscape of the industry with determination.

One of the most striking aspects of Lisa's journey is her ability to keep it young. Whether it was cueing records and producing commercials in the analog era, or pivoting to voice work when her radio career took an unexpected turn, Brandt has consistently demonstrated a knack for reinventing herself. Her openness to trying new things, from blogging to painting, has allowed her to maintain a creative spark and avoid the stagnation that can sometimes plague long-term media professionals.

Lisa's emphasis on the importance of community and support is also noteworthy. Her experiences working with talented programmers and personalities like Marty Forbes, Pat Holiday, and Erin Davis have underscored the value of surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals who can provide guidance, encouragement, and a sounding board.

Perhaps most significantly, her approach to managing the constant influx of news and information is a lesson in self-care of her mental health. She is selective in her news consumption and to prioritize her own well-being over obsessing over current events is a refreshing perspective in an era where anxiety and burnout are all too common.

Lisa has an excellent podcast with Erin Davis (who was on our show earlier this year), called Gracefully and Frankly. Follow that show if you know what is good for you.

By the way, if you want to know why we titled the episode the way we did - checkout the video of this episode.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions

Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station.

Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website.

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Legendary radio broadcaster John Leslie, shared his journey from building a three-watt transmitter in his bedroom to becoming a program director at WEIR in Weirton, West Virginia. He discussed his service in the Marine Corps, his early radio roles, and his transition to television. Leslie highlighted his significant achievements, including a 38 share in Binghamton, a 27 share in Des Moines, and a 22 share in Albany. He recounted his historic trip to the Soviet Union to broadcast uncensored, marking a pivotal moment in media history. Leslie also detailed his transition to podcasting and the success of his hypnotherapy seminars with John Morgan.

Connect with John's podcast Talking About Radio here. There are a lot of great episodes in here!

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions

Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station.

Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website.

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We dive deep into the importance of audio promos for podcasts. Steve Goldstein, returns to make a compelling case for why every podcast needs a well-crafted audio promo.

Steve told us that as the podcast landscape becomes increasingly crowded, using owned media to promote your show is essential. However, he notes that promos are often overlooked, sitting low on the priority list for many podcasters. This is a missed opportunity, as an effective promo can hook listeners and drive them to tune in.

The key, Steve says, is to take a "right-brain" approach focused on storytelling and emotion, rather than just listing facts about the show. He advises against the common pitfall of creating a promo that is dry and overly logical. Instead, the goal should be to craft a short, attention-grabbing piece that piques the listener's curiosity.

Steve also emphasizes the importance of frequency, encouraging podcasters to "burn in" their promos rather than worrying about overexposure. He cites research showing the value of repetition in audio marketing. By investing the time to create compelling, story-driven promos, podcasters can better distinguish their shows and drive meaningful engagement with their audience.

If you are going to listen to one thing in the show - check out the his critique of our podcast promo. All to say, we will need a new one.

Check out the full blog with the 7 things you need to think about when making a promo.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions

Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station.

Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website.

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our Quarterly Feed Drop. This is where we play an episode from another awesome podcast. You might remember a few week's back we had Jeff Umbro on the show. His show is called Podcast Perspectives and you should give it follow.

The podcast world is growing rapidly, and podcasters can fall behind without a glimpse of the future. Predictive analytics have become vital for podcasts to survive and thrive.

In this episode of Podcast Perspectives, Jeff Umbro, host and The Podglomerate’s CEO and Founder, talks with Sean Howard, the founder and CEO of Flightpath, a predictive analytics platform for podcasting. Sean is also the founder of Fable and Folly, which is a network of fiction podcasts.

Sean and Jeff chat about his predictive dashboard, the data that goes into Flightpath, stories from Sean's past, and hints about the podcast industry's future.

You can listen to other Podcast Perspectives episodes here

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mary Anne Ivison was laid off in 2021. Ivison discusses the difficult transition and mental health challenges she faced after losing her job, but how she eventually found success in voiceover work and launching her own podcast "Let's Take This Outside".

We covered the ups and downs of building a voiceover business, including the challenges of working with agents and the impact of AI on the industry. Ivison shares her perspective that while AI may take over some lower-end voiceover work, the level of direction and variation required for many commercial projects still requires human talent. We also touched on the state of the podcast industry, acknowledging the difficulties of monetization and the shift towards more VC-backed companies. However, they emphasize the importance of finding a niche and building a loyal audience, rather than chasing download numbers.

Mary Anne is candid about the mental toll of the freelance lifestyle and the need to manage expectations, and that entering these creative fields requires a realistic understanding of the hard work and persistence required for long-term success.

Another honest episode providing an insightful look at the realities of navigating a career transition and building a sustainable creative business in the modern media landscape.

A video and transcript of the episode can be found on the network website.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions

Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station.

Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website.

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Donna Reed, a former radio host, podcast creator, and voiceover talent discusses her dcareer in radio, including her times at WQDR and WRDU in Raleigh, NC; then to KLOL and KODA in Houston, Texas and WCXR in Washington, DC. where she enjoyed the freedom of night shifts. She transitioned to voice acting after a car commercial opportunity and has since worked on audiobooks, commercials, and transit announcements. Reed also curated the "Leopard Print Lounge Chair" channel for AccuRadio during COVID-19, blending eclectic music for a relaxed atmosphere. She reflects on the challenges and joys of podcasting, emphasizing the need for consistency and creativity. Reed looks forward to more interviews and episodes in 2025. Give her show a follow here.

A video and transcript of the episode can be found on the network website.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions

Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station.

Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website.

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tony Garcia's journey through the radio industry over the past four decades provides a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of syndicated content and the changing landscape of the medium. From his early days as an intern at the iconic WNBC in New York during the 1980s, Tony's enthusiasm for radio was palpable, as he recounted the excitement of being part of the station's shift from album rock to the burgeoning new wave scene.

This passion led Tony to create his own syndicated show, "Wave Breaker," while at WNYU. Through sheer determination and a willingness to learn on the job, he navigated the complexities of distribution, leveraging techniques like bulk-erasing tapes to get the show into the hands of eager college radio stations across the country, and in Europe. This laid the foundation for Tony's deep understanding of the syndication business, which he would go on to apply in roles at companies like Progressive Radio Network and the Wall Street Journal Report.

Tony's insights into the strategies employed by media giants like Dow Jones, who adeptly repurposed content across their various platforms, underscores the importance of adaptability in an ever-changing industry. The transition from vinyl to CDs, and eventually digital distribution, further highlights Tony's ability to evolve with the times, always seeking to provide the most efficient and cost-effective solutions for his clients.

The story of Tony's involvement with the Bob & Sheri show, from the initial challenges to the eventual triumph, exemplifies his knack for identifying and nurturing talent. By enabling ownership of their IP and digital presence, Tony demonstrated a keen understanding of the value of intellectual property in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.

As Tony looks ahead to the future, his enthusiasm for the potential of hyper-local podcasts and the continued expansion of Bob & Sheri, and publishing ventures reflects a visionary mindset.

A video and transcript of the episode can be found on the network website.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions

Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station.

Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website.

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You likely know Steve Pratt's name from his days as founder of Pacific Content. The company that created stories about brands set the bar for branded podcasts in the late 2010's. The company was later sold to Rogers in 2019 and just recently sold to Lower Street in the UK. Unlike our interview with (former Pacific Content Director of Audience developement) Dan Misener, we are going to ask Steve about his thoughts when it was announced Rogers would be mothballing the company he started.

In this episode, we discussed Steve's career evolution from television to podcasting. He highlighted his work at YTV where he was in charge of "The Zone", CBC Radio 3, and later Pacific Content, emphasizing the importance of creating unique, audience-focused content. Steve shared insights on the challenges and successes of branded podcasts, such as Slack's "Customer Success Podcast", Charles Schwab's "Choiceology" and Red Hat's "Open Source," which avoided direct brand promotion. He also discussed the impact of AI on content creation and the need for high-quality, differentiated content.

Steve's new book, "Earn It: Unconventional Strategies for Brave Marketers" offers strategies for earning audience engagement through creative storytelling.

A video and transcript of the episode can be found on the network website.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions

Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station.

Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website.

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Back in 2016, Leslie was the PD for 107.7 The End in Seattle, driving the station to huge success in the millennial market. Since then, she's taken on a few more stations, been elevated to overseeing programming of Audacy's exclusive streaming-only channels... And like so many people in radio, been restructured out of a job. Their loss. We discuss where Leslie's currently at both life and career wise, but mainly this is a time for us to catch up and learn how Leslie's thoughts and predictions from 2016 have aged.

For the most part, Leslie's values remain the same: Radio and digital should be friends, not enemies; Radio stations need to focus on curating personalities above all else; and the youngest generation is a giant well of untapped potential listeners who should be catered to. However, interestingly, Leslie is no longer a part of that youngest generation. She once was a sort of "Millennial Whisperer" in the radio industry, but Gen Z is a whole different beast, which we discuss at length. 7 years doesn't sound like a long time, but it really is, especially in an industry that's been scrambling so hard to keep up with the youth, and Leslie has a lot of thoughts about the way things have changed.

We also discuss women's progress in the radio industry, or rather, its stagnation in recent years. Fred Jacobs of Jacobs Media published his AQ6 survey earlier this year, which you can read about here. It showed that women's representation in radio hasn't really improved since 2019. Being both a woman herself and serving on the board of directors for mentoring and inspiring women in radio, Leslie shares some interesting insights into why that might be.

If you haven't heard our original interview with Leslie, and you'd like to compare for yourself, you can listen to it here. If nothing else, it's an interesting time capsule to a world before TikTok.

A Transcript and video version of the episode is available on the network page.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions

Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station.

Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website.

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.