Launching a Podcast for women Entrepreneurs with Sharon Louca
What are the benefits of having support when you launch your podcast?
Sharon Louca, host of the Connect, Unite, Empower podcast shares her experience working with me to launch her podcast in 2024.
Sharon talks about how winning the prize draw to get her podcast launched gave her the push and accountability she needed.
We delve into Sharon’s ‘why’, ways to maintain momentum, overcoming reservations about recording and her plans for Season 2 of the podcast.
If you’re looking to launch your podcast and need some support and accountability, book a free 30 minute call with me for personalised advice.
About Sharon
Sharon Louca is the Founder and Host of the Women’s Business Network a Multi Award Winning online support network for female business owners.
They support women running their own businesses through our online meetings, facebook groups, our collaboration book project The Womens Business Network Guide to Becoming a Successful Entrepreneur and their newly launched Podcast Connect Unite Empower.
Website - https://womensbusinessnetwork.co.uk
Email: hello@womensbusinessnetwork.co.uk
WBN Free FB Community
Download our WBN Guide to Becoming a Successful Entrepreneur -
Womens Business Network Guide to Becoming a Successful Entrepreneur
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womensbusinessnetwork.uk/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/womens-business-network-ltd/
Transcript
Rachael Botfield: [00:00:00] Hi, and welcome to podcasting 101 with Rachael. This podcast is for busy female entrepreneurs who run their own businesses and want to start a podcast or who may already have a podcast. I want to share practical information and tips on how you can get your podcast started and managing it along the way.
I'll also be interviewing other female podcast hosts to give you real insight into what it's like. Have Hi,
and welcome to this week's episode this week. I'm joined by Sharon Louca, who is the founder and host of the Women's Business Network, which is multi-award winning, which is amazing. And the host of the Connect, Unite, [00:01:00] Empower podcast. So welcome Sharon.
Sharon Louca: Thank you. Thanks for having me on Rachael.
Rachael Botfield: It's lovely to have you here and come and chat about your podcast.
So let's start with, just tell us a little bit more about you and what you do with the Women's Business Network and of course about your podcast. So
Sharon Louca: I started out in business 15 years ago and Started a business completely from scratch. I've got no clients, no contacts. So thankfully I discovered in my very early days, business networking and everything changed from there.
I had a full client list and I moved into office premises in 2014. And had my own meeting room. So it just seemed the ideal opportunity to start my own networking events. So I used to host monthly in-person events to people in my local network. And then when the pandemic happened, we had to go online.
I ran free weekly online sessions for my members. And we then suddenly grew this audience both nationally [00:02:00] and internationally. And Very bizarre at the time. And I think it just helped me to recognize that I loved the networking side of my business and wanted to do something more. I'd always wanted to expand it, but couldn't, hadn't quite sort of decided how to do that.
So when the pandemic happened, it gave me the opportunity and I launched it as its own limited company then. And I've been supporting women online for the last three and a half years, which has been
Rachael Botfield: fantastic. Yeah, that is fantastic. I think COVID was such a changing point for online networking as a whole because we all knew that we needed to do something.
And I know from listening to your podcast episodes like from guests and from your initial one, there was definitely that need there for people, especially running businesses. I mean, I hadn't started mine then, but I can imagine it'd be, I mean, it was a scary time for everybody, you know, work concerned as well as personal, but yeah, great opportunity.
To grow and see that need for people [00:03:00] having that kind of online support, really.
Sharon Louca: Yeah, no, definitely. And it was really just, it was at the request of my members because we had our last meeting on the Friday before we went into lockdown the following week. And so there was sort of, word was about that something was happening and we might have to stay at home.
And it was just, my members said, is there anything we could do somehow online? So I wasn't really aware of Zoom at that time. It was all something completely new. I hadn't done online networking, although I then got to learn that it had been going on prior to the pandemic. And it just, it was just that way of really supporting each other through really uncertain times.
So we'd have one person in tears one week, and then the next week they'd be the one who was lifting everybody else up because they were having a better week. So yeah, it was a really strange time, but we were really grateful that we had that online platform where we could all go and support each other.
Rachael Botfield: Yeah, absolutely. I know my friend Hayley Hudson, who's a VA, she started the VA lounge precisely for that reason that she needed, she [00:04:00] has like a coffee lounge for like, she calls it like VA sanity, but that's what they needed. Those people that were running their online businesses and suddenly the pandemic happened and, you know, having that ability to be able to reach out and do that has been incredibly.
And, since I started mine I haven't done it in the midst of the pandemic, but it's been so valuable. I just thought networking was this like stuffy thing that, you know, you have to go to and put your suit on and do your business card, all of that kind of stuff. When actually that's completely not the case.
And, you know, my eyes have been completely opened now, so, which I think is great.
Sharon Louca: That's what it was like. Yeah. I was going to say, that's what it was like when I started 15 years ago. Yeah. Very stuffy and hand your business cards out, but yeah, thankfully it's all changed since
Rachael Botfield: then. Yes. Yes.
Absolutely. Thankfully. So. So you've recently launched your Connect, Unite, Empower podcast, which is all about showcasing [00:05:00] networking and the benefits of having it for your business. And especially for women out there that might be starting new or not really part of a network out there to show you exactly how, and we've just got it.
Chatted a little bit about how valuable that support can be. So why did you want to start a podcast, you know, from, from your business? Why did you feel like you wanted to create a podcast to support your networking business?
Sharon Louca: It was something that I've been thinking of for a couple of years, to be honest, before what happened happened, but and I think it was just a way for me that I was meeting people who were already in the networking scene and already knew about networking, but I wanted to be able to reach those people who hadn't discovered networking or that had and dipped their toe and had been frightened away because they'd had a bad experience.
So I saw the podcast as an opportunity to reach other people to. To let them know that the benefits that there are of networking and how everything has evolved over the last [00:06:00] few years, and that there is that support out there, if you're sitting at home running a business on your own, you don't have to do it alone and all the challenges that you're facing, there is support out there to help you.
And through the podcast, I hope we can get that message out and also just Really focus on some of the key issues that people do experience in running a business so that people listening know that they're not, they're not alone. They're not the only, this is not a unique thing that's only happening to them that we, many of us have experienced it and we can share our knowledge and experience and how we overcome those challenges.
Rachael Botfield: Yeah. Podcasting is such a great way to do that. To reach a new audience, to reach the people that, you know, may not just discover you through social media. You know, that's one thing we know podcasts are great for and having, hearing that personal experience as well can really, that's what you want to get your message across really, isn't it?
And that really does help. A lot of podcasts tell stories and I think that those kind of stories are really important, especially as [00:07:00] business owners, that you can hear those, hear the experience, especially if you're somebody that has been, you know, maybe coming from the corporate space into the online space and then realizing that it's not the stuffy way that it is, like I did.
I mean, this was only three years ago and I, that's exactly what I thought it was, that kind of thing. Also run by men. No offence to any men listening I know lots of good men, but that's, you know, what conjures up in the mind and I can, you know, see why it could be off putting.
Sharon Louca: And I think as well, when people perhaps network through their corporate employed role, it's a very different experience because you're representing a company, a brand, you're talking about something outside of yourself.
Whereas then if you suddenly start your own business and you've got to network, you are the business. So it's a whole different experience then.
Rachael Botfield: So what did you find were your biggest challenges to getting started with your podcast?
Sharon Louca: It was definitely the technical side. I had no shortage [00:08:00] of people that I could interview.
I I think when I thought about it two years ago, props was a little bit nervous about, about holding the, the interviews, but I knew that I'd be able to overcome that and I, I even recorded three episodes about 18 months ago that I still sat on my computer somewhere. I. But I think for me, it was just that technical side of getting it connected to the right platforms, recording your intro and your outro, getting your music and everything.
And all that just seemed, and I'd speak to people and say, it's really easy and I'm not technical and I can do it, but I just couldn't get my head round and probably didn't. Give it the time to, to try and be able to do it myself. So it just sort of got shelved really. But it was always there in the back of my mind that I knew I would do it at some point, but it just always seemed to get pushed to the back back of the to do list.
Rachael Botfield: Yeah. I do hear that a lot about the tech things and it isn't that you're not capable of doing it. And like you say, it's always finding the time as well. For context, I probably should have mentioned this at the beginning of [00:09:00] the episode. Sharon won my, was the winner of. The prize draw that I ran before Christmas in 2023 to win getting your podcast launch for free in 2024.
So Sharon won, which was amazing. So that's how we've been working together. So I've been helping and supporting Sharon in getting her podcast launched and. Like one of the things, like you said, is the tech side of things and having somebody to support you with those kind of things, just giving you that advice.
Do you think there was more to the process of podcasting than you thought there was when you started, when we started going down the process or were you already pretty aware of what was involved? I had some
Sharon Louca: knowledge, I think and I think that's why when I was at that networking event and you said that there was a competition to, to win, and I just knew I was like, right, I'm entering that.
That is for me. I want to win. I definitely manifested it. So when I got your email [00:10:00] to say I won, I was over the moon because I thought this is the nudge and the help that I needed to, to be able to finally get this podcast launched. So with
Rachael Botfield: the challenges that you said about the tech and the recording and things like that, and then you also felt a little bit nervous about recording the episodes, and I know you talked about as now listen to your episodes that, you know, that's something that you struggled with and have overcome in your networking as well.
So do you feel like. All of that just kind of came together when you started making your podcast. You were able to like, draw on your experiences during your networking and
Sharon Louca: Yes, I think definitely when I look back to recording those first few, I call them episodes, but they were just literally recordings.
I do remember feeling, not feeling very comfortable with it. And then I think 18 months down the line, the fact that I host my own network and I've done, I do a lot more recording of videos now than I was then. And I think just the whole putting yourself out there more just [00:11:00] really helped me to feel a little bit more comfortable with the recording side of things.
So that I have really enjoyed. And so literally for me was literally just all that technical setup and being able to get, get those episodes out there. That was the biggest challenge for me.
Rachael Botfield: Yeah. I remember when you said you were nervous. And when I listened to the episodes, it didn't come across in that way at all.
I thought your networking and, you know, running your own business network has, has put you in great stead for doing the episodes. I didn't feel that you know, but I thought you were really quite natural when you were doing it. So that's, that's great. I know recently at the time the episode was recording, you had just, you've just got up and did a big speaking event as well.
Yes. Just to digress slightly, but I know that was a really big really big win for you.
Sharon Louca: Yes. Yeah. And I think the fact, and I think that again was because I knew I'd got this big speaking event coming up that suddenly the podcasting didn't seem quite so frightening anymore, because that was like the easy option compared to having to [00:12:00] stand up on stage in front of a room full of people.
So that I think definitely contributed to the confidence on the podcasting recording. But I think it's like with anything and what I've always found that I've always had to do. Because I was very shy and lacked confidence in the early days, I've always had to think about and prepare what I was always going to say, even down to preparing my 60 seconds.
I used to have to type them out and read them because the nerves would just get the better of me. And there was no way I could, I could say it so people understood without reading it. And for my episode, I really thought about and sort of prepared a bit of an outline script of what I wanted to say, because I think it's just that If you do get nervous, your mind can go blank, can't it?
And you just want to, you just want to make sure that you get all the key points that you want to want to to get into the episode, make sure that you you, you say everything you want to say. So like with everything and the same with preparing for my My speech, when I stood up and spoke, that was five weeks of preparation [00:13:00] and practicing.
And every single time it was different, but I just literally bullet pointed the key areas that I needed to cover so that I knew that there was, and that included stories as well. So it's always easier when you're telling stories of experiences that you've been through, because you can recall those and talk about them without having to worry about a script.
So yeah, yeah, we're, we're, Quite a lot of preparation has always had to go into it beforehand. But I think it's because you, I just always want to be able to deliver something of value. So, I like to put the time and effort into preparing and thinking about what I want to talk
Rachael Botfield: about. Yeah, and I do think it's important, especially, you know, when you're creating the episodes, is that you're, you know, You know, you're thinking about the message that you want to get across.
You're, you know, you're creating this podcast with an ideal listener in mind, and you want to make sure that the information that you're sharing is as relevant and useful to them as possible. And if that means scripting out, some, some people [00:14:00] are able to do it off the top of their head, depending on, on what the topic is.
I, myself, I don't, I don't I don't script them out there are certain phrases that I might want to, like, script out and I have bullet points, but you're right, having those main highlighter key points that you know you can keep coming back to, to keep, to refocus you, to make sure that you're keeping on track.
So that is something to, to bear in mind, you know, when, if you're the one starting your podcast, is to think about how you best And perhaps as you continue in podcasting, it evolves as with everything that you do that you, the more comfortable you become, the easier it is to get that information across.
But it is, I think it's always nice to have those bullet points there to be able to refocus yourself. I mean, I have my bullet points here for this episode as well to make sure that I'm asking the right kind of questions. I want to be able to share, you know, the knowledge that we want to share. with everyone who's listening.
Yeah.
Sharon Louca: And I think that's important because I think it is easy because it is, it is very relaxed, isn't it? Podcasting. It [00:15:00] is literally having a conversation and having a chat. And I think that's why you, you want to make sure that it isn't just you having a nice little chat and not, not delivering the value that you want to and the impact that you want to make
Rachael Botfield: through it.
Yeah, absolutely. Cause it is. It is quite easy to, to, to digress and, and although it's really nice to, to go down an avenue that perhaps you might not have thought where it was going to take you, and obviously it does depend on the topic and the type of podcast that you're putting out there, but yeah.
important to think, am I, am I then going to bring it back around to, you know, the, the salt, the, the reason why you wanted to, to create this episode in the first place? Yes.
Sharon Louca: Yeah, definitely.
Rachael Botfield: So what do you think the benefits have been of having somebody to support you through the whole process as opposed to you deciding to take those steps to do it on your own?
It's
Sharon Louca: made a huge difference because I think left to my own devices, I'd still [00:16:00] have recorded episodes sitting on a file somewhere and probably wouldn't have found the time to get them, get them out there. So it's made it, it's, it has enabled me to launch my podcast basically. It's just yeah, yeah.
It's made such a huge difference.
Rachael Botfield: Do you think as well? So, because you've obviously then when you won the prize, you had that commitment, didn't you? You've then got this commitment to doing it. Yeah. Yeah. And do you find the, because I know we had calls kind of every couple of weeks, didn't we? Like we, we had those kind of calls, initial kind of strategy calls and how we were going to work it out. Did you find those calls helpful? Did you think that what we had, because I know they've kind of got shorter as we've gone on because we, there's less to kind of, that we need to touch on than in the beginning because you know, you then know exactly what you need to get done.
Do you think those calls really benefitted you in getting an idea of what the whole process was?
Sharon Louca: Definitely. And I think right from the first call we had, you were very clear in what your [00:17:00] process was. I love the way you got the Trello board that we shared so we could communicate anything you needed from me, or I could see what was, what was planned for when.
And I think the fact that we'd decided on a launch date and then we tracked back with the calendar of what had got to be done when it just really helped me to focus and make sure that I, I recorded. It's recorded in time so that there was the time for you to do all the editing and everything before we, we launched it.
And whilst we'd, I think when we probably spoke initially, it was like, well, we'll aim to launch on this date, but it was almost as though that w that was always going to happen, wasn't it? I think because you've got that process in place, it wasn't a, we'd like to do it on that day. This is how it's going to work and it will happen.
And it did happen. So I think, I think the way you've, you've set up your process has been fantastic. and I think the way that we've had those check-in calls has just helped me to, to make sure that I'm on top of everything I need to be giving to you and understanding where we're at and anything I needed to [00:18:00] approve.
The whole process has just been really seamless and that's why I've shouted about it several times on social media. It has been a really, really good experience. I'm
Rachael Botfield: really, really pleased you've had a good experience. I, I always think having that schedule, that timeline in place and knowing exactly when you need to get things done by, I mean, For myself, for this podcast, that's what I do for myself.
I have key dates in my diary and have them in my schedule. And, and I think that those are key. That kind of planning is, is key to, to succeeding with any project that you're doing, whether it's podcasting or anything else that you want to do in your business to make sure that you have that accountability as well.
And sometimes it is just having that accountability, isn't it? And having those things And almost sometimes when someone else is helping you do it, it's almost easier than having to do it yourself because you're not the one. And it's making those decisions as well. You know, when you choose to dive in, when you haven't got someone to be accountable, you know, you can [00:19:00] always kind of move the goalposts slightly and
Sharon Louca: that's going to say business when you're working on your own, if there is always that, Oh, well, I won't do that today.
I'll leave it till tomorrow. Or whatever. Whereas it is always nice when you're working with somebody that, you know, That that you've got that structure in place and
Rachael Botfield: it will be followed. I like that as well. There is, I think there's a lot to be said about that because I, you know, when we all have those busy days, you know, you push things when actually maybe you just then scuppered yourself for something else and you think, actually, I shouldn't have done that.
But you know, there are lessons that we live and learn, don't we, in business, everything. Changes sometimes in our, what we've got, time we've got to do. How have you enjoyed creating your first season of your podcasts?
Sharon Louca: I've loved it. It's got, it's, I can't believe how quickly it's gone. It has gone awfully quickly.
Yeah. It's gone really quickly. Yeah. And yeah, I'm just excited to continue with it really. Yeah. Yeah, I think when we, when we said, and you said like the first six episodes, and I thought it can't just be a [00:20:00] one off six and then I don't do anything else. Cause I think when you've put that effort and work into it, you just think you want it to continue, want it to continue offering the value.
Rachael Botfield: Yeah. That was what I was going to, one thing I was going to ask is like, I know we have chatted and you said that you, you want to carry on the momentum. How have you felt with cause I know some people start their podcast and they do a weekly one or perhaps they do you know, a continuous one or episodic, I think they call it an apple.
So, or choose to do it in seasons. And we've done this one as a six part series. Do you think that that was the way that you would continue or do you think that you would, you know, try something different or how, what are your feelings about that? I think the
Sharon Louca: way we did it where we launched a fortnightly episode, I think I would certainly do.
That as a minimum, I wouldn't do it. I, I don't think I'd want to commit myself to a weekly one. I've got contacts who, who literally are dropping a seat a new episode every week. And I just think the thought of , of the pressure of having to do that [00:21:00] felt a little bit too, too much unless you're in, in this position where you've got a good batch of recordings already to, to work through.
So I think it would be either a, a fortnightly, episode, or again, perhaps do another six, six episode series. But yeah, I think if I, if I end up going it alone, it's like, Oh, that this, that you've kept me accountable. And it's like, could I, could I keep myself accountable to, to do it? So I think, I think sometimes it is that you would need to, if you go in it alone, you've got to make that commitment to do it.
Yeah, absolutely. And you all know this from obviously you've got your podcast, so.
Rachael Botfield: Yeah, it is. And I think like one of the biggest things that I tend to say to people who want to launch podcasts is having that time in your business. Like you say, it is a commitment and making sure that you're able to dedicate that time.
That time that it, it needs to take to, to do your podcast. I mean, lots of people run their podcasts [00:22:00] themselves, you know, successfully and, and because now you've had this experience, you know what's involved, you know what needs to be done. Mm-Hmm. So you have got all that experience and skills from this, you know, the series that you've just created.
So that will, you know, stand you in good stead. And I think that you know, it's something that. You know, you, you and also you've got these six episodes, now you've got all that awesome content with your episodes and you can repurpose those episodes as well. You know, whilst you are, you know, coming up with your next season or deciding what you're gonna move forward with your podcast as well.
'cause that's one thing that I do that's easy to forget for everybody is about repurposing those episodes. Yeah and I
Sharon Louca: think it's remembering as well that podcasting is another form of marketing your business, isn't it? So again, it's, it's, it's time that it's important time that you can dedicate to another arm of your marketing strategy.
So yeah, it is, I [00:23:00] think just, just making that, setting that intention and setting that time aside to make sure that that it
Rachael Botfield: does continue. I mean, we. We all set time aside for, like I say, for our marketing activities and having a podcast is like, so for example, so the way that I use my podcast, it is my kind of theme, my pillar for, for my content.
So I've created that content once you don't, I don't have to go think about more ideas. for my content because I'm using my podcast as that, that basis for the content. Although there is that extra element of the production side of things with the podcast, but I'm not doing it twice in effect of having to think of other stuff for production.
Social media as, as well as my podcast. And it's not just every episode. It's not every post is like, listen to this, listen to this. It's, you know, pulling those key things that you've already talked about in your experience. And then using those as, you know, jump off points for other bits and pieces for your content.
Sharon Louca: [00:24:00] Yeah, no, that's right. It's funny. I was on a networking meeting this morning and there was a lady on there who does videos and she said exactly the same. You can record a video, but then you can do so many things with it. Like you say, social media posts, potentially a blog post. You could cut the video down.
into small snippets and things. So yeah, yeah, it's yeah, it's the same. Does that again? It's
Rachael Botfield: the time, isn't it in an ideal world, but I mean, it's something that, you know, we all striving to do with our businesses is create those bits and pieces. You know, sometimes we feel we have to do it immediately or straight away.
It's not something that you're ever going to lose. You've always got those podcast episodes and they will always be there ready for you, you know, do little bits on and take little bits from as you go ahead. So they're always going to be, be there. I know your episodes will always be, you know, the evergreen, they're always there sharing your experiences and your guests talking about their experiences and networking, the things they've learned.
All those kind of [00:25:00] advice and tips that they're sharing, they're all evergreen for anybody that
Sharon Louca: wants to do. And I suppose that's the nice thing against your social media posts, that they just sort of get lost, don't they, after, in some cases, within minutes, can't they, they can disappear and you know.
That leads on to the next thing. But yeah, that is nice to have that evergreen content there, but like you say, new people will discover you at new times and be able to learn from the content that you've put out there.
Rachael Botfield: Yeah, absolutely. I do. I do like that. I do like that. Have you got any. Lessons you've learned for the future.
I suppose you've already touched on that a bit about knowing you don't want to drop the momentum of the podcast. Is that kind of like one of the biggest takeaways?
Sharon Louca: Yeah, I think, I think what I am so grateful for is that you have, have started me on this journey that I don't think I would have started on my own.
I, it's always something I wanted to do, but I think, I think in hindsight, it probably wouldn't have happened because I'd have had another look at the tech and thought, no, too, too much like [00:26:00] hard work. I won't bother again. So, yeah, no, I'm just really grateful for what, what you've done, how you've, how you've helped me and, and even just, just sort of learning more about the process and how it works and, and how you set things up with, with your intro and your outro and, and show notes and things like that.
It's just been a really good learning experience. So no, thank you very
Rachael Botfield: much. Oh, you're welcome. It's been lovely working with you. I think. When you know those things now it does take away some of that initial fear and overwhelm that you've got when it comes to it. Because those are the kind of things that you don't need to worry about now for your next season.
You've already got those, you already know what those are and how you do them. So I think that, I mean it's the same with anything isn't it, once you start doing it and learning more about it you've got, it gets rid of some of those, your fears and stuff that you had to, to begin with. Yes. Yeah. I'd love to ask you just one last question.
Have you got any advice for anybody that's looking to launch a [00:27:00] podcast for their business?
Sharon Louca: As I say, I am so pleased that my podcast is finally launched. So I think if it is something that That people are like me have looked at it and haven't done anything with it, then definitely find somebody like come to Rachael and get her to help you to get everything set up.
Because I think if you, if you, if you. sort of just looking at it and you just don't know where to, where to turn, then definitely go to somebody to help you at least get started. Then potentially they can, they can train you to, to be able to manage it yourself on going. But just that initial sort of setup means that now I've got, I've, I've got sort of things that I can work with to hopefully ensure that, that I can continue with a regular, a regular Series and episodes.
Yeah. Brilliant.
Rachael Botfield: Yeah. And Thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate it, Sharon. And if anybody wants to connect with Sharon or go and find her podcast, I will put all of her [00:28:00] links into the show notes. Where do you hang out the most? Is it normally on LinkedIn?
Sharon Louca: Yes, if you connect with me on LinkedIn, we've got profiles across Facebook, Instagram, we've got a LinkedIn page as well as my own profile, but probably the easiest is to connect, connect with me.
Just find Sharon Louca on on LinkedIn and yeah, it'd be great to connect.
Rachael Botfield: And have a listen to the Connect, Unite, Empower podcast. I will, as I said, yeah, I will leave links for that. time of recording this episode. This episode five's coming out, isn't it? And then there's episode six coming out of season one of many.
I hope From Sharon, so so much for coming on Sharon and sharing your experience with us today and I know you very well Thanks a lot. Thanks for listening to the show. If you'd like to connect with me or get in touch, then head on over to my website. If you liked the episode, then I'd love it. If you could leave me a review in your [00:29:00] chosen podcast app, your feedback is much appreciated.
See you next time.