When Tina Dietz was handed a tape recorded at 2 years old, that was that, she developed a life long love affair with speaking. Today she is a speaker, audio-book publisher, podcast producer, and an internationally acclaimed business coach who has been featured on ABC, Inc.com, Forbes and Huffington Post. Her company, Start Something Creative Business Solutions works with authors, experts and entrepreneurs who want more than just a business and more than a routine life. They want a business oasis.
Summary
Tina discusses being a podcast guest, and the difference between being an average guest, and a good guest. She also talks about showing up to have a real conversation, instead of just to promote something.
She shares the single easiest way to get onto a podcast, and how simple it really is. She also stresses the importance of making sure the shows you appear on are the right fit for you.
Dana and Tina talk about evergreen content, and how it's very beneficial when it comes to sharing and promoting podcast episodes. They also discuss strategic hiring and how it can help immensely, even early on.
Tina gets into the key pieces and takeaways for someone who is looking into being a podcast guest. She gives practical tips, as well as insights to keep in mind as you move into being a guest.
Quotes
“There's being a guest, and then there's being a good guest.”
“People come for the topic, but they stay for the host.”
“It's not all about you, it's about you getting involved with that hosts' community.”
“Every interview you do is a marketing asset.”
“Show up prepared.”
“Having a podcast means that you have a platform to share influence with other people.”
Are you ready to grow your business? Are you ready to focus on and leverage your Zone of Genius?
If you said yes to either of the two questions above, if you’re hanging out in Overwhelm City or Burnout Alley and there aren’t enough hours in the day and you always feel like you’re scrambling, you need systems.
Even if you’re not a “systems person,” I guarantee you have systems… even if your system is something like:
Step 1. Get ready to do a task
Step 2. Try to remember how you did it the last time (whenever that was)
Step 3. Stop trying to remember and invent a new way to get it done
Step 4. Rinse and repeat.
I call this the “Non-Systems-System.”
Systems are simply consistent ways of getting things done that are made up of a mix of people, technology, and processes that create an intended outcome. It’s a structure that’s created to hold all the parts of your business together so work can flow. Ideally, this is set up to be like a wide-flowing river – not a creek with lots of beaver dams on it.
Better and more effective systems are the train tickets out of overwhelm city. You’ll find that you know what’s going on, what needs to happen, get to do more of the stuff you love in your business AND you work less while making more money.
You might have a blogging system that you follow to create high quality content on a consistent basis. Or a client on-boarding system that sets up your clients to have an amazing experience EVERY TIME they work with your business.
In systems are embedded culture, values, creativity, your essence… The systems of your business create a microcosm, an ecosystem that can reflect your unique way of being and working.
Building systems is simply about bringing consciousness to the process of how you (and your team) get things done in your business. In this process of bringing greater consciousness, what’s not working, what could be working better, and what could be simplified comes to light. You also find out ways to work more joyfully and more in alignment, which makes the process of running and growing a business all the more enjoyable.
Why Systems Rock!
Unless you’re building systems, it’s easy to stay in a place where you feel like you’re always racing against the clock. Talk about hanging out on the burnout path.
By getting clear about where you are, you can let go of any need to be polished and perfect and simply be clear about where you’re going and keep building without all the mental runaround.
With systems, it’s easier to add on and change the business without it being a huge hassle – that’s what systems are for.
When you have insight into what IS working, you won’t have to dedicate extra energy or resources into what’s already solid.
You’ll gain back extra brain space because you’re no longer trying to hold all the details. Since you have places for all that knowledge and insight to go to be actioned, you can trust you won’t lose momentum when you step away.
You might even find that you can take weekends and lunch breaks! Not in front of the computer, but away from it and you might not even think about work for hours or days at a time.
Imagine being able to work the same amount of hours (or less!), but do MORE of what you love doing in the business while being able to serve more people that need your particular sauce of brilliance.
You will be able to slow down and enjoy the ride, rather than the process feeling like a drag.
When you expand what you’re able to do without YOU having to work more, you enable yourself to be able to make more money, expand your impact, increase your creativity in business, while kicking that annoying overwhelm gremlin out.
That is why systems are awesome and worth making work for you.
Business Systems Are Like an Ecosystem
Your business is like an ecosystem. There are lots of different parts that interact to create something bigger than just each one of the parts individually. There's a symbiotic relationship that happens when these pieces work well together.
When you think about your business as an ecosystem, how you create systems is informed by the way you do things and why you make certain decisions.
Think about a river. There’s a lot of potential energy in a river. But if the river didn’t have banks, it would be diffused everywhere. The water wouldn’t be channeled.
You are the river. Your systems are the river banks, the roots of the trees that prevent erosion on the banks, and the rocks and bends that slow the water at certain locations along your trajectory. All of these parts support your journey and help you flow. Without a container for the river, the fish and other aquatic critters wouldn't have a home.
Systems operate in a continuum. There's no wrong place to be, you are where you are. Just like ecosystems. They are where they are in their development. There are no “have to’s” and there are no “shoulds.” There are no places that you're supposed to come out at on the other end. It's just about you having the opportunity to explore and decide what kind of journey you want to have and where you want to go. With systems, there's no done and there's no perfect.
When you align your systems you support your creativity and amplify your impact. You can improve the way you're working so you're more effective with your time and the way that you showing up on a day to day basis. You can have the impact that you want and do meaningful work without going to a place of overwhelm or burnout or spreading yourself too thin.
This process of building systems is about consciously choosing what needs your attention, effort and investment of resources. Ultimately that starts within, that starts with you making those choices.
Ready to level up your business systems? My brilliant colleague Justine Sparks is offering a free online workshop called Level Up Your Business Systems. During the event, you'll work through a framework to pinpoint the current level of your systems in personal organization and planning, financial management, sales, and marketing.
It's an opportunity to reduce your overwhelm and increase your business results in real time: 20% Theory, 80% Action. It's going to be a lot of fun and super practical and actionable.
With a background in business management, corporate social responsibility and marketing, Justine is your soulfoul systems designer. Her mission is to give you the tools that will allow you to support yourself on the journey. Justine brings high level strategic and systems thinking to the work she does with business owners. She received her BS in Business Management from an all women’s college, Simmons, in Boston, with a concentration in Leadership. Learn more about her.
Birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and apparently writers are writing!
May is a big month for events in the nonfiction world, and for books and writing in general. I’m pretty sure that as the weather improves, writers emerge from their blankies, blinking at the sun and needing human contact, so event organizers plan accordingly.
3 Events for Nonfiction Writers in May
Nonfiction Writers Conference – Virtual – May 4-6
The opening session features a conversation with Gretchen Rubin, New York Times bestselling author of The Four Tendencies, Better Than Before, and The Happiness Project. Additional sessions cover how to write, publish, promote and profit with nonfiction books.
Participants can also register for our popular Ask-a-Pro sessions, free 15-minute consultations with industry pros. A private Facebook group is also available for all attendees to gather and exchange ideas.
CLICK HERE for the event website and more information.
Self-Publishing University “Less Talk, More Action” Conference – Virtual – May 31
A one day online conference focused on book marketing and increasing sales!
This conference offers 10 international Speakers ready to pour into you the help you need and have been searching for around the vital topic of Book Marketing!
The aim of this conference is to bring authors, agents and publishers in one place to have a hearty, healthy and value added discussion on the issues facing authors today and how they can better prepare themselves for success in the near future. Straight to the point, no sales, no fluff and taking action is the order of the day.
CLICK HERE for the event website and more information.
Book Expo America – New York City – May 31-June 1
THE BIG KAHUNA! I have colleagues who attend and work this event every year, and they quite literally train for it because it’s so huge. Tons of events, tons of exhibits, the scope will blow your mind and give you ideas, info, and contacts for the entire next year to work with.CLICK HERE for the event website and more information.
**HINT: if you’re a blogger or show host with a show about publishing, books, etc. consider applying for a press pass for this show.Remember the pen IS truly mightier than the sword, and getting your creative juices flowing is key to getting your work and message out into the world. Is writing and publishing already part of your world, or are those areas emerging for you? What motivates you in this arena, or what stops you from publishing? Sound off in the comments!
Podcast interview from The Entrepreneur Way where we talked about how you can expand your audience, influence and increase your income(Podcast on The Entrepreneur Way, Mar 28, 2018)
Tina Dietz is an internationally acclaimed speaker, podcast producer, audiobook publisher, and creative business expert who has been featured on ABC, Inc.com, Huffington Post and Forbes. Her podcast, The StartSomething Show, was named by Inc magazine as one of the top 35 podcasts for entrepreneurs, and her company, StartSomething Creative Business Solutions, connects experts, authors, and entrepreneurs all around the world with their ideal audiences through podcasting, audiobooks, and thought leadership marketing. Tina splits her time between the US and Costa Rica where she’s part of a team building a community of entrepreneurs and conscious leaders.
Entrepreneurial Role Models:
Pitchmen
When business started difficulties overcame:
“Surrendering to the fact that I was an entrepreneur. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen the godfather movies but it was in the godfather 3, the least interesting of all the movies, Al Pacino has this moment where he goes they keep bringing me back, and that is what it felt like to me becoming an entrepreneur, I really resisted it for a long time” …[Listen for More]
“I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul”
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Best Advice to Other Entrepreneurs:
“Engage your curiosity. Curiosity will get you through a lot. We get so fixed sometimes on how something looks or how something should be or we worry about if something is going to turn out a certain way, what other people are going to think about us it goes on and on and on. Whatever circumstance that you’re in if you can shift from whatever state of being you’re in that has you feeling diminished or concerned or angry or upset or any of those states of being, if you can shift yourself into curiosity then that is a bridge to be much more positive and making decisions from a place that’s not based in fear or anger”…[Listen for More]
“Adult life is dealing with an enormous amount of questions that don’t have answers. So I let the mystery settle into my music. I don’t deny anything, I don’t advocate anything, I just live with it.” Bruce Springsteen
Other Quotes From the Chat with Tina Dietz:
“I don’t know if there are secrets, there’s just stuff you haven’t learned yet”
“Setting ideas aside, I don’t have to act on all the ideas”
“It’s a little bit like the matrix, are you going to take the blue pill or the red pill because if you take that blue pill you’re going to go down a road that you’re going to follow for some time”
Did you like what you heard?
If you liked this podcast, please leave a review on iTunes! Visit to discover the iTunes page. If you found value in this episode why don't you help a friend out and share this episode on Social Media
Learn how how you can expand your audience, influence andincrease your income
I’ve put together some audio and video production tips and techniques for you to help you get started using audio and video so that you can experiment with getting yourself and your message out into the world in a bigger way.
There are few things more frustrating than having a great idea and then getting bogged down, slowed down, or flat out stopped by the learning curve of dealing with technology.
Got a great idea for a show…but you don’t know how to set up a podcast.
Want to try out Facebook Live…but you don’t want your lighting or background to look bad on camera.
Well, guess what?
One of the most valuable pieces of coaching I ever received, and I also pass this on to all my clients, is simply this.
The main reason my company is called “Start Something” is because where most people get stopped with bringing their ideas, dreams, and goals into reality is in the STARTING. Once you start taking steps, momentum takes over and it’s easier to move forward and see your path.
It’s the first steps that are the most shaky – particularly when it comes to getting yourself out into the public eye with audio and video.
I’m not a highly technical person, and at the same time I like to get things DONE and done well. I also don’t have an unlimited well of patience. Not.Even.Close.
If this sounds a bit like you too, I’ve put together some tips and techniques for you to help you get started using audio and video so that you can experiment with getting yourself and your message out into the world in a bigger way.
Audio and video need to be demonstrated rather than talked about, and in the 5 minute video you’ll see today…
What microphone I use
What you can ‘get away with’ depending on if you’re doing video or audio only
How to record audio ‘on the road’
My super easy, portable ‘recording studio’ setup
Setting up a video background when your room is a mess
Ideas for natural, easy video backgrounds
The most important element of producing your audio and video messages.
I invite you to experiment this week and try doing a short video, audio, or Facebook Live using these tips – if you do, TAG ME on social media or send me the clip so I can acknowledge you for taking steps towards living the life of your dreams and making the world a better place.
Got more audio/video tips? Let’s chat in the comments!
Do you want to know how to create a great audiobook? Listen as audiobook publishing expert, Tina Dietz as she shares her treasure trove of tips and techniques to get your message heard.(Podcast on Book Marketing Mentors, December, 2017)
Do you want to know how to create a great audiobook? Listen as audiobook publishing expert, Tina Dietz as she shares her treasure trove of tips and techniques to get your message heard.
When she was two years old, someone handed Tina a tape recorder and that was that a lifelong love affair was born. Today, Tina is a speaker, audiobook publisher, podcast producer, and internationally acclaimed business coach who’s been featured on ABC, Inc.com, Forbes and Huffington Post. Her company, Start Something Creative Business Solutions, works with authors, experts, and entrepreneurs who want more than just a business and want more than a routine life. They want a business oasis. Tina splits her time between the US and Costa Rica.
In this week’s powerful podcast episode “How to Create a Great Audiobook” you will discover …
How necessary it is for you to have an audiobook
What are some audiobook basics you need to understand
What audiobook trends you need to know about
Who is the best person to read your book
The importance of using an oral edit
Top mistakes to avoid when creating a great audiobook
And much, much more…
This episode features practical tools and techniques to help listeners who want to market a book. It provides invaluable and powerful information listeners will want to know to supercharge a book marketing strategy.
Listen to this week’s interview and discover how to get you and your book noticed and your voice heard in a crowded marketplace.
To Download the transcript from this podcast interview “How to Create a Great Audiobook,” visit Book Marketing Mentors' page.
Wondering how you can leverage your books and work?
LTVO talks to Tina Dietz, Audiobook Publisher, about her role, what she sees happening in the audiobook business, how she educates her authors about audiobooks, and tips for VO talent who may want to work with her.(Podcast on Love That Voice Over, April 14, 2017)
LTVO Guest Tina Dietz has a long history with the microphone. When she was 2 years old, someone handed Tina Dietz a tape recorder – and that was that! Today, Tina is an internationally acclaimed audiobook publisher, podcast producer, and Creative Business Expert who has been featured on ABC, Inc.com, Huffington Post and Forbes. Her company, StartSomething Business Solutions, helps clients who want more than just a business and more than a routine life – they want a “Business Oasis,” and Tina herself splits her time between the US and Costa Rica.
I was a guest at the Moms With Dreams Show, hosted by Erica Blocker where we talked about how you can Start Something and finish it. Tune in(Podcast on Moms With Dreams, March 28, 2017)
This week on the podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Tina Dietz, owner of Start Something Business Solutions. Tina and I met last September when she was speaking at Mid-Atlantic Podcast Conference here in New Jersey. I knew from the moment that Tina shared her story that I wanted to invite her to be a guest on my podcast. I just knew that her story would inspire and excite YOU to start something brilliant.
Tina Dietz is an internationally acclaimed business coach, audiobook publisher and launch specialist, podcast producer and a bestselling author who has been featured on ABC, Inc.com, Huffington Post and Forbes.
Her podcast, The Start Something Show, was named one of the top podcasts for entrepreneurs on Inc.com. Her company helps clients who want more than just a business and more than a routine life – they want a Business Oasis. I LOVE that!
One of the things that we jump into during this interview is the idea that so many creatives and entrepreneurs struggle with avoiding shiny bright objects and staying focused. It’s because they have brilliant ideas and love starting new projects but often have a hard time finishing them. (I know this is one of my own personal challenges.) Tina sheds light on this topic and shows you how to redirect your excitement of “starting” so you can finish what you’ve started. It’s powerful!
Tina shares lots of great tips during our time together and suggests that you read the book, Big Magic, by Elizabeth Gilbert.
It’s hard to believe that this is my 87th episode, but it is. And that means that I’m only 13 episodes away from my next big milestone as a podcaster! I’ll share more about what I’m planning as we get closer.
For now, I want you to think about one thing that you learned from my interview with Tina and how you will implement it in your life.
Let me know what you’re going to start. You can leave me a note in the comments or send an email to Erica@momswithdreams.com.
I hope this was valuable to you in some way and that you now have a different outlook on your life, your business or both.
I’ll be back next week with more inspiration and education.
Get out there, do what you love and make a difference!
xoxo,
Erica
Wondering how you can Start Something and finish it? I can help you – Let's talk
Podcasting is one of the fastest and easiest ways to establish authority – Let me show you how you can leverage it for thought leadership marketing.
It’s no longer only insider knowledge — podcasting is one of the fastest and easiest ways to establish authority. Whether you’re just starting to build a business or you and your company have long-established credentials, this online audio platform can catapult your influence beyond the capabilities of many other expert-building marketing platforms. Since there are now 65 million people in the U.S. listening to podcasts every month, thought leaders have an exciting opportunity before them to engage new audiences and build their brand.
Getting featured on TV or publishing a book still serve as gold standards for having achieved expert status, but podcasting has made it possible for even budding business owners to share their knowledge and expertise with a wide audience.
The advantage of this modern platform is that it’s open publicity — meaning the host has the freedom to generate the message and control the content. Podcasting also requires fewer resources and is more accessible because audio is available to consumers when text and video are not. The convenience of listening to downloadable audio files on smartphones or tablets has allowed for a new wave of attentive, on-the-go listeners.
The opportunity to reach your target market by using your personal voice offers an additional layer of communication to convey your company values and brand authenticity. Doing so deepens trust and develops loyalty. By using a conversational format, leaders have the freedom to articulate what makes their business unique, without using typical marketing jargon.
As you may have gathered, podcasting isn’t just for entrepreneurs. Bigger brands, industry leaders and corporations often miss a big opportunity by not taking advantage of this trend.
Below, we’ll focus on leaders who are looking to establish themselves as experts and develop their spheres of influence.
How Can You Get Started With Podcasting?
You don’t need to be a host yourself. One of the best ways to introduce yourself to a new market is as a guest. Hosts are hungry for content. They are searching for people like you to feature on their podcasts to keep their shows fresh and to provide value to their audience. Libsyn, one of the largest commercial podcast hosting companies, reports an increase from 16,000 hosted shows in 2013 to 22,000 shows in 2014 to 28,000 shows in 2015. These numbers are expected to continue to increase as more people become exposed to the platform.
The key is to connect with the hosts of shows most appropriate for your subject niche, and to do so in a way that’s personal — your chance of getting a response lowers dramatically if you have an assistant send an email.
Podcast hosts want a good fit on their show; if they decide to have you on as a guest, they will take the time to give you ideas on how you can most effectively reach their audience. One way to find podcasts that are looking for guests is to do a keyword search in iTunes or Google for shows with topics that appeal to your ideal clients or target market. iTunes is to podcasts as what Amazon is to books; it is the premier platform for broadcasting your audio message to an eager audience.
You don’t have to start with cold leads, however. The easiest opportunities for guest spots may exist under your nose, via your colleagues. Ask people you know who have been podcast guests to introduce you to the hosts of those shows. Referrals can go a long way in establishing credibility and building relationships.
If you have the resources, you can also use a booking service to acquire guest spots; there are several excellent companies that can take care of placing you on the perfect shows.
How To Leverage Podcast Interviews
Once you’ve secured a podcast spot, there are an extraordinary number of ways you can use, and re-use, this valuable material. You can now post audio clips on your website or blog; include audio clips in your media kit or feature them on your company profile page or LinkedIn page. You can share the audio across social media, or use the transcribed content for new articles or blog posts. A wealth of marketing assets is available at your fingertips when you have podcast content.
As thought leaders, experts and business owners, we’re always looking for ways to increase our exposure and to grow our communities of loyal followers. Podcasts are free to access, there are so many shows to choose from, and it takes virtually no technical know-how to get started as a guest. These characteristics make being featured on podcast interviews one of the best “New Expert Platforms” available today.
Want to learn more aboutpodcasting for your business?
Tina Dietz is coming to unleash the voice of your business!
Internationally acclaimed business coach, world class audio-book publisher and launch specialist, popular podcast host, and bestselling author Tina Dietz brings passionate vision, perspective and attention to detail for her clients. Tina’s company, StartSomething Creative Business Solutions, helps clients who want more than just a business, they want a ‘Business Oasis!’
