My 5 Biggest Podcasting Fails

Ona here, your friendly neighborhood Podcast Trapper.

I wasn’t excited to do this episode…but I am so glad I did.

In today’s episode, I discussed my top 5 podcasting fails. I’m sharing my mistakes so that you can learn from them! Launching three brands has been a journey, and I have made so many discoveries about myself and the industry along the way.

Also, be sure to actually watch this episode on Youtube - my setup looked gorgeous and my orange outfit was fire. Just saying…

So without further ado, here are my fails - and how I’m bouncing back!

Fail #1: I took on way too much

When I opened Adode Media Studios back in 2021, I was actively planning Blk Pod Collective’s 2022 conference.

This was a big mistake!

Opening a studio requires serious focus, branding, structure and budgeting, and I did my best. But to be completely transparent, I was not fully engaged to the best of my abilities.

I was doing way too many things.

My fellow creators will understand: When you’re inspired and motivated, it can be so easy to keep taking things on. You can do it all, so you want to. But it’s really important to remember that when you do everything, you do nothing. That is to say, when you are doing too many things, you can’t do any of them all that well.

I know that my business would be further along if I had been fully focused on it in the earlier days.

For example, I didn’t do enough work to figure out who our ideal client was before we launched - so I had to do some rebranding and restructuring later. If I went back in time, I would have done some of that deep work prior to opening, and I suggest that you do the same.

The other major impact this had on my business was the struggle to build a team. While my attention was divided, I was approached by potential team members. I was so excited to build a team at Adode that I said yes without doing my due diligence to vet them properly before hiring them.

I wound up with people who couldn’t do exactly what we needed, because I didn’t know what questions to ask. I also ended up working with team members who didn’t have a track record of providing great deliverables and managing their time responsibly, because I just did not thoroughly check out their background.

Hiring can be hard. It’s one of my biggest challenges as I scale my business, and I strive to make sure I hire the right people to represent the work we’re doing here! Making sure to build a team I’m proud of would have been a lot easier if I had been fully focused in the beginning. Things like hiring and scaling can cause so much pain and frustration if you’re not totally engaged in the process. My advice is - It’s so much easier to hire effectively from the beginning than it is to deal with a team that is not working well together.

Solution: Don’t burn yourself out.

The solution to this is - If you’re in the process of launching your brand, don’t burn yourself out before you even get started.

Focus on one thing or one brand at a time. Don’t stretch yourself. It’s not healthy, and it also won’t create a strong foundation for your business.

Don’t plan a major event while you’re launching your company. Do not launch multiple companies at the same time. Don’t try to do it all. Don’t attempt to post to every single social channel multiple times a day, for multiple brands.

Launch one brand, and sit down to do the deep work before you overdo it and exhaust yourself. Who is your ideal client and why? Where are those people spending their time? What social platforms do they use the most? What are they motivated by? What products or services do they need the most?

These things seem basic, but they affect every decision you make as an entrepreneur. Doing this work for your brand will help you start off on the right foot. And you might be surprised at how many entrepreneurs don’t dive deep enough into our branding because we are so excited and overwhelmed that we don’t fully take the time.

Now, about hiring. Scaling our businesses can seem difficult, until you approach it differently. The purpose of hiring a team is to build a collaboration of capable, skilled people. What capabilities do your clients need the most? What are the most valued skills in your industry? In podcasting of course, they are time management, attention to detail and creative thinking.

You can also hire smarter by understanding yourself as a leader. When doing the deep dive into your branding and your ideal client, entrepreneurs should be taking time to assess their own strengths and weaknesses - which can help you hire a better team. What are you best at? How can you do more of that, and hire people who complement your abilities? What do you struggle with? What skills do you need in your corner and what would help your business grow the most? Sit down and make a list of the qualities you look for - and some deal breakers.

I don’t want to burn myself out. That’s why smart hiring is extra important for me, because I need to be able to sit back and trust my team to take care of things on my behalf.

Make sure you’re not doing all the things!

Fail #2: I did not have an exit strategy

I wish I would have had an exit strategy for my business when I started.

You might hear this and think - Ona! You love your community! Why would you need an exit strategy?

Hear me out.

When I started Blk Pod Collective and Adode Media, I was astonished when they took off! They became successful in a big way. It felt amazing. And honestly, I was so proud of myself! I felt important and honored to have created resources for my community. Seriously - I love y’all, and I want to show up in so many ways.

And - I am just one human being! I wasn’t taking days off or taking great care of myself. I wasn’t getting my nails done or my hair pressed because I was stressed out.

We are all worthy and deserving of a break. Taking time for yourself helps you give more and become more. And if you need a pep talk from me, please check out our former episode, How to Set Boundaries for Your Business. It might actually change your life.

The biggest issue was my vision.

I had a big vision for these brands. But despite praying for success, working hard and dedicating myself to their expansion, I was still somehow shocked when they actually…succeeded. Has this ever happened to you?

They took off and then I was like, cool! I love this life! But what’s next for me? How can I build my companies so that they are bigger than myself and they continue on with me and without me? To be clear, I love my job and wake up every day with excitement to work with our clients. I don’t want to quit - I just want to create a company that continues when I take a vacation, and thrives when I transition to part-time or when I decide to retire and take up real estate investing.

The solution: Build it better.

An exit strategy does not mean that you’re leaving your business right now.

It could be a 1-year, 5-year, or 20-year plan. But true legacies are built when we create something bigger than ourselves!

You can probably envision your business succeeding. But what would it look like if you're not the only person working full-time? How can you structure your team so that you have time freedom? What does your company look like after you retire?

This is the work I’m doing right now, a few years in. Now, I know from experience that I cannot be moving furniture around and working on sets when I’m in my 50’s. My back can’t take the heat. So I have been thinking about delegating in a smarter way, hiring people to help me with the day-to-day operations of my business.

I wish I had started my business with an exit plan.

It’s not counterproductive - it’s the most productive thing you can possibly do! Beginning with an exit can also help you make important decisions in your company about who to hire, where to place top talent and where to spend your budget. Trust me, this could be the piece of the puzzle you’re missing.

Fail #3: I tried to do it all alone

We talked about hiring a team. But I also wish I had worked with knowledgeable consultants when I started my company!

Specifically, I really wish I had hired a video consultant.

In podcasting, the equipment we buy is so important. Buying the wrong equipment can make or break your entire business.

When I launched, I did my best. I bought what I thought we needed - and I ended up with a lot of stuff that did not fully fit our needs in production. For example, I bought three pricey Canon cameras…that have a 30-minute cutoff time. This is deeply impractical for a production studio!

I also made rookie mistakes with our soundproofing and lighting when we got started. Now, I know better - but let’s face it. Someone knew better, and I could have hired them.

The cost of not hiring consultants or having the right equipment is much higher than just putting in the money up front. Trust me.

I’ll admit it: We lost clients because of my mistakes. 30-minute cutoff times did not help our image! And serious big-name podcasters saw what I didn’t, right out of the gate. I could be embarrassed and keep this to myself, but I really did this episode so that you can use me as an example.

Launching something new is a big deal, and it takes courage. Trying something means you can fail, and I experienced little failures amidst my successes. No one is perfect and we all make mistakes. Learn from me! I lost clients because I just didn’t know everything when we got started, and I am learning new things all the time. But I wish I could have invested my money in hiring a consultant to bypass some of the harder lessons from when we launched, and that’s a lesson I’ll readily share with you.

The solution: Hire people who know the things!

I know, we’re seeing a trend here. I thought I could do everything because I went to Youtube university! The solution here is to hire skilled professionals to help you get started.

But also - if you fail, try again!

The lesson here is clear. If there’s something you don’t know, hire someone to help you out. If there is something missing in your business, don’t wait to lose clients over it. Invest in setting it up right.

But since no one is perfect, the other advice I have for you is - own up to it!

Again, I lost a few wonderful potential clients when we began. Now, I know better and I do better. I have been putting in a concerted effort to reach out to them with an offer to produce some material for them for free.

Even though I’ll have to cover the cost, it will be worth it if they give us another chance. Three years later, we have learned so much here at Adode, and my team is so capable of handling their production!

If you dropped the ball with someone when you got started, don’t let it get the best of you. Is there something you can do to make it up to them? Is there an offer you can design just for them, or can you reach out and thank them for their patience with you? The truth is, it’s never too late - and you just never know who might choose to work with you.

Fail #4: I didn’t do an industry analysis

When we launch our businesses, we get so excited. But it’s really important to do our due diligence first: By doing an industry analysis.

What do I mean? I mean that we need to truly look at the hard realities of working in our respective industries.

For example, Adode Media Studios is a full-service production company. We can do so much more than podcasting. We have the setup to produce Youtube shows and help create video content. We also have digital designers, branding strategists, web developers, a photographer and more. But because we branded ourselves around podcasting, not everybody knows that.

I’m so proud of what we’re doing. But when you’re naming your business, make sure you’re not putting yourself in a box! Make sure you’re not putting limitations on yourself.

I also could have done more research into the numbers and figures of what makes money in the production industry, and been more mindful of how to advertise my business. All of this said, the lesson is obvious - look at the truths of what works, and what doesn’t!

Solution: Analyze your industry

Ask yourself these important questions.

Does your name make sense, or do you just like it? Does it serve the purpose you need it to? What does it communicate to your prospective customers?

Does what you’re doing make the kind of money you need to be making?

How will you scale your business? How are others in your industry scaling theirs? How will you hire and what will you expect as a return on your investment? How many clients will you be able to take on?

Does your branding appeal to the client you’re trying to get? Are you showing up in the right marketing channels? If not, how will you stand out more in the future? How can you differentiate yourself?

Look at the examples around you - of what to do, and what not to do. Make important branding and budgeting decisions based on real data!

Fail #5: I didn’t work on my strengths and weaknesses as a leader first

Last but not least: I didn’t work on myself enough as a leader before I launched my brands.

I will say - this is definitely not my first leadership experience! Far from it. Prior to becoming a digital creator, I had a successful career in healthcare. I managed upwards of fifty people.

But hiring and building my own team, to represent the company I built? Let’s get real: It challenged me in new ways!

I am going to be so, so honest with you: I get frazzled easily!

Despite my strengths - clearly I am motivated, determined and creative - I get rattled over things. Admittedly, I also lose my patience with people.

This might work as an employee (sort of), but as a leader, I am cultivating my own ability to be flexible, graceful and kind with others.

Earlier in life, I needed to put up strong boundaries with others. I don’t shy away from that. And although I still treasure my ability to say no, I also need to learn flexible thinking.

For example, when I started Adode, I was super strict and rigid in how I planned the studio schedule. I gave small buffers but I booked us super full and did not leave much margin for error. In theory, this sounds good.

However, clients and employees are in fact human. People are imperfect, and I have had to learn how to give people grace. I have also learned skills in how to communicate my boundaries with clarity and respect. Communication skills help me to enforce the rules of my business without coming across the wrong way.

Now, I consider others’ perspectives before cutting them off or losing my cool.

The solution: Get the skills you need to be your best!

I am going through some leadership training right now, and it’s working. I am doing the work!

Gaining the skills to communicate differently and reframe issues when they come up…that’s priceless.

Looking back, the feedback I’ve been given in the past is that people admired my boundaries, but that I could come across as harsh or intense. I could have taken that feedback sooner and approached my business from a customer service perspective.

Now, a few years into my company’s launch, I am learning new ways to stand strong in how I run my business while considering the experiences of others. I am also learning how to best communicate with hires, because building my team is really important to me.

Be real with yourself - what do you struggle with? What training or coaching can you get to improve before you get started on the wrong foot?

What feedback do you consistently get? Who do you trust to be honest with you about your strengths and weaknesses as a leader?

When it comes time to scale your business, you will be so glad you did this work.

I hope these lessons help you!

These lessons were hard-earned by me, and I really hope you benefit from me sharing them. Remember, no matter where you are in your entrepreneurial journey, mistakes happen - and what matters is what you choose to do about them!

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Ona Oghogho

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