We're doing things a little bit different today. And I'm going to be kind of vulnerable with you here. Now, I've been very vulnerable on the podcast many, many times over, right? I've shared messy behind the scenes stuff that I know y'all Eat up. Y'all love that. That's probably why you're here. And you keep coming back every single week. By the way, thank you so much. If you've been listening to the show, and you're loving what you're hearing, and you're sharing it with other
people, I do so much appreciate it. But I wanted to share a different side of what it feels like to be uncomfortable, because you're growing, and you're getting to the next level. And today's episode isn't going to be all about just getting started. It's going to be really targeting the people in the audience, the podcasters that have been doing this for a while and you're like, I got this figured out. What's the next step? So we're going to talk about how to know if your podcast is
ready for the next level. So let's get right to it. Welcome to the profit podcast where we teach entrepreneurs how to start launch and market their podcast. I'm your host, Krystal, Proffitt, and I'm so excited that you're here. Thanks for hanging out with me today. Because if you've been trying to figure out the world of podcasting, think of this show as the time saving shortcut you've been looking for. So let's get right to it, shall we?
Okay, so I hope that you've pulled up a chair, or you're comfortable folding laundry, or running or walking the dog like whatever it is that you're doing, I hope that you've kind of settled into the mind, space, headspace. Whatever that phrase is, you know what I'm talking about, like, you're getting comfortable with the idea of being uncomfortable, because we're talking about getting out of your
comfort zone today. Because I can tell you that I've had this restlessness over the last few months, like as me recording this, we're getting into September, and like the kids are in school, like it's been a whole new season of life for me personally, because our youngest son went to kindergarten. And now like, for five days a week, the kids are at school where previously I had our youngest son, he was at home with me, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and then he would go to like a
mother's day out situation twice a week. So I've really been doing my business and the podcast and YouTube, everything's been kind of part time where I do it here and there on the days that my son was home with me. And then on Tuesdays and Thursdays, it's like I was balls to the wall, like I'm gonna do everything that I can on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I'm gonna get all the things done, you know. So it was it's been like a part time thing.
But now that we've settled into a routine, and I'm working more consistently, and I know, kind of the vision for where I want to take my business and my podcasting journey, my content creation journey, and just what I see for profit media and everything in the future. I gotta tell you, I'm a little uncomfortable. And I'm not saying that because it's a bad thing. I'm saying it because I haven't felt this way since I pivoted to podcasting back in 2019. So I'm not going to tell
you the whole story. If you've been around here, you know it. But for those of you if you're brand new to this community, I was on a different path. I had a totally different podcast, I was speaking to mostly female entrepreneurs about female entrepreneur stories. And then I was challenged by my mentor. I've talked about Amy Porterfield. She's one of my mentors. She challenged me we had
a coaching call. And I actually have a YouTube video I'll link to where you can actually watch part of our call where she challenged me to go all in on podcasting. And I just remember this being I was terrified. I was so terrified because the idea of going all in on one thing really scared me because I was like, I couldn't see what that future would look like. I couldn't see all the things that would happen if I chose this path to
go down podcasting. But now two years later, and we're on the other side of that fear of that uncertainty. Y'all I wanted to share a few things with you today because I'm looking at the goals and the dreams that I wanted to accomplish having gone down the Half of podcasting. I have accomplished most of them this year. And I can say that with confidence because my biggest goals weren't to be on the biggest podcasts that are out there and get in front of like, how I want to be
on Amy Porterfield podcast. I want to be on Pat Flynn's podcast and I want to be on the like all these huge podcasts. Y'all should see me right now I'm in my office like you can see me. I just had a realization that you can't see me I'm not on
camera. But I'm literally I'm standing up today to record because I knew I'd like I'd need the energy to get through this because I have all this nervous energy because you know, this is vulnerable for me to tell you that I'm in this like season of restlessness of trying to figure out what my next move is, like, I am just going like my hands are up in the air. I'm going all over the place.
But I hit some incredible milestones in 2021. And a few of those are speaking at pod fest. So I spoke at pod fest global they had a masterclass earlier this year, that was one of my big like, oh, things are getting real. Like I feel like things, things are starting to move in the right direction. Then I got invited to speak at podcast movement University. And I thought, Oh my gosh, like podcast movement. That was the stage that I wanted to speak on. Whenever I started this whole journey
like that was in the cards for me. And I just, I was like this is going to happen. I'm going to make this happen. Then I was actually able to speak on the podcast movement stage in Nashville, which was just so freaking incredible. And then we have she podcast coming up in October, I'm going to be going to Arizona to speak at she podcast, like what is actually happening, y'all. These are the biggest stages for the podcast industry. And I didn't just go and participate at these. I was
speaking on stages. I am speaking on the stages that I wanted to speak on whenever I first said, I think I want to go into podcasting. So if you're wrestling with something right now, oh, and the other one was Amy Porterfield momentum membership, like that was just like, it wasn't even anything I had on my radar. It wasn't even an option. I didn't even think of like, Oh, I'm gonna put that on my vision board. No, I didn't even ever imagine that I would be speaking to some of my peers, some
of these people that I really look up to. And I'm teaching them This was when the apple podcast changes were coming up. And I was asked to come in and talk about the new changes of the iOS and everything that was happening with Apple podcasts in 2021. And I was just so humbled because I never in my wildest dreams would be thinking I'd be speaking on one of Amy Porterfield stages to some of her members. So I'm just floored at what has happened in 2021, two years after I said, Oh, I
think I want to teach about podcasting. Because if you've been around here, or you're brand new here, and you're like, wait, I Krystal, I thought you've been doing this for way longer. Y'all. I have not. I just started teaching podcasting going all in I've been podcasting since 2018. But I went all in in 2019 and said, This is what I want to do. This is my time to go all in on this one thing that I'm so passionate about. And I so love helping people
do this. So for those of you listening, if you are like you've been doing your podcast for a while, maybe you've been doing your business for a while and you're like, How do I know if it's time for me to take my podcast, take this journey, and go to the next level? That is what I want to talk about today. Because I'm in it. Like I said, I right before I started recording, I was having a moment of I don't know what to talk about on today's episode. And y'all know me, y'all know I have my
content planned like way in advance. I'm like, Okay, these are the the content strategies, the content ideas, like I'm the queen of content, I never run out of things to say. But the ideas that I had weren't sitting well with me, because I knew I wanted to talk about taking things to the next level, even when you're uncomfortable, but I
really didn't want to share it on a podcast. I thought maybe that's a good idea for an email that's that's easy to like, slip in there as like a social media post, you know, and like, have all the emojis and have all the things I don't really have to talk about it because it's like, oh, share your experience, share the things. But that's when I know I need to talk about it. Because if I'm feeling this way about my own journey, there's a good chance there's a lot of you out there feeling
the same way. So if you've been podcasting for six months, you Been podcasting for 12 months, you've been around here for a while doing your thing. And you're like, I feel like it's time like I'm too comfortable. And this happens. This is actually what happened for me is I got really comfortable with my son going to school two days a week, and then I could use do my business part time and then
do the things. And then it was like, the security blanket of saying, I don't have time to work on that, because I have my son, I don't have time for that. It was like, it was pulled out from under me in the best possible way. Because now I do have time.
And the question is, what do you want to focus on? It's a little scary. If right? It's like, Oh, you have all this extra time to devote to your business? But where do you put it? Where does that time and energy and effort go into? Because there's all these different aspects, you know, if you're growing an online business, or you're going down that rabbit hole of like, well, should I do more email marketing? Should I create more YouTube videos? Should I create more podcast
episodes? Should I guest on more podcasts? Like, what does that actually look like? That's what we're going to talk about. But first, I wanted to share with you a little bit about the questions that I'm asking myself, when I know it's time for me to go to the next level. And that is one is it
actually time? Is it time. And I mean that in looking at my personal life, in my professional life, if you've been around here, you know, I always talk about schedules, planning calendars, like all the things and I like to be very aware of what's going on in my life. And here's a great example. I'm actually working on a course like behind the scenes. I'm working on a more robust program for the advanced podcaster. Right, because we have profit podcasting. That's for people that
are just getting started. They want to know the logistics of podcasting. How does it work? How do I launch it? How do I get it out into the world? That is the purpose of profit podcasting, but y'all are starting to ask me for what's next. I already started my podcast. What's next? And I have had that question asked so many times over the last six months, that I can't ignore it anymore. Okay, so that is how I know the question, is it time? I know it's time for me, because y'all
are asking me for it. Y'all are asking me to level up. And I believe it's time for me to step up to the plate. So that's the question I want you to ask if you're like, How do I know if I'm ready? Is it time? And you'll be the only one that can answer that question, right? I can't come to you and say, Oh, you've been doing this for six months, it's time or you've been doing this for, you know, 13 months? Exactly. It's time. I don't believe that there's a magic formula to tell you.
When you've done this many podcast episodes, or you've been doing it for this long. It's time it's gonna be different for everybody. But I knew it was time for me because y'all are asking me for it. So it's time to level up for me. The next one is is it experience? That's the other question. Do you feel like you have to have a certain level of experience before you can go to the next level? Now this is what's been really interesting is because I struggle with imposter syndrome as well,
because I'm human. And we all go through this self doubt, or just wondering like, Am I ready? Is this the right thing? Is this the right time? And for me, I think that I've held back in a lot of different pivots that I could do in my business, for the lack of experience. Now, it's not experience in the sense of podcasting and creating content, like y'all know, I'm well versed in the
areas of creating content. But for me, I think that I've held back a little bit because I don't want people coming to me asking about things that I don't know about, and having to tell them, I don't know that go talk to this person. Like I don't like the idea of someone coming to me and I have to send them to other people. But I got over that, because that's ego. That's me, not wanting to admit when I don't know something or not wanting to admit that I don't have all the answers
and referring to someone else. But it's the truth, y'all. I don't know. I can't if you come to me and say Krystal, how do I get a million dollar brand deal with Nike or coke? Like what does that look like? I'm about I don't know how that works. I don't know. I don't know how you get, you know, a five figure a six figure deal with an ad sponsor because I haven't had that experience myself. And
as stupid as that sounds. It's been something that has held me back because I am like, if I can't do deliver all of the things to all of the podcasters. Then why should I even try? Y'all? That's dumb. It's really dumb. And I'm calling myself out on it. Okay, so if this is you, if you're like, well, I don't have all of the experience, I don't have all of the knowledge
about all the things. So what you still, I don't know many other podcasters that can say, like, y'all at this point, I have published more than 700 podcast episodes, in three years. A lot of podcast episodes have published close to I want to say at least two to 250 YouTube videos I have posted and published and created and edited and thought about and plan and strategize so much content. And this is where I feel super, super
comfortable. So let's go back to number one, the questions there have three questions that I've been asking, Is it time? Is it experience? And is it a feeling? Right? These are the questions to ask like, how do you know if you're ready to go the next level? Is it a feeling? I believe that it is? I believe it is I think for me, it's a combination of people asking me to level up and feeling like called to this higher standard, this higher version of myself, it is a feeling because
it's uncomfortable. It's uncomfortable, it's vulnerable. It feels like something that's like, Oh, this is new. But it's exciting. It's also very exciting. So it's like a roller coaster of emotions, for sure. Whenever you're getting ready to level up. So if you're listening to this, and you're like I've been thinking about, like starting a membership, I've been thinking about
creating a course for my audience. I've been thinking about launching an event, I've been thinking about writing a book, like all of those things are all collectively incredible. But also, they're a little scary. They're a little scary. If you've never done them before. If you've never done any of those things before, and you're doing
it for the first time. It's out of your comfort zone, it is a feeling it is something that, like I said, this is why I won't be the person to tell you, Oh, you've been doing this for 27 episodes, it's time it's time for you to create your first course it's time for you to guest on more podcasts. Like, I'm not going to be the one to tell you that because only you know when you're ready. And also I mean, if the last What is it? 18 months, 24 months, it feels like seven years at
this point. The the ongoing of 2020 and all the mayhem we've been through, like the freedom to say it's not time right now. I have learned that over everything that we've all collectively been through in the last 18 months. And I have felt Okay, saying it's not time is not time. It's not time. But now I feel like it is time. And I've been using that as an excuse for the last few months. So is it time? Is it experience? Is it a
feeling? These are all the questions that I want you to ask to know if you're ready to go to the next level? And then you're like, well, Krystal, I know it's time for me to level up. I haven't doing this I'm really complacent. I'm sitting I'm chilling in my comfort zone, just all you know happy and like, oh, everything's running smooth. What does it look like to get to the next level? What does it look like to take the next step? Because maybe you're someone you're like, I don't
want to like make more work for myself. I don't want to go off the deep end. I don't want to like do a whole bunch of other fancy things that like maybe you want to baby step into the next level, right? You don't want to like say okay, I climb this mountain. I'm gonna climb the next one. Maybe you're like I just want to tiptoe and take a peek outside and see what is that the next level.
So I wanted to give you a few options to consider if you know that going to the next level is something you're interested in. So number one is growing and scaling. Maybe you're like I want to get more downloads on my podcast. I want to get my show in front of more people I want to speak on more stages. I want just more visibility overall with my brand been growing and scaling could be the
next level for you. Or like I said I mentioned guesting on other podcast maybe that's what it is or guesting on other live shows like I have recently seen the power in like collaborating with other YouTube people or people that are on Instagram that have large followings and you're able to do it lives or YouTube live like you're doing live streaming, maybe that's a way for you to grow and scale your show. Maybe the next move
for you is monetizing. Like we talked about if it's creating a course a membership, writing a book offering other types of products or services based around what your audience wants. monetizing is the thing that I get asked about the most. And I'll be really honest, most people that ask me about monetizing are not ready. They're not ready for it. But you know, you are, you know who you
are. If you're like, I have a feeling. I think it's time and I have all the experience I'm ready to monetize, then I encourage you to explore what that can look like. And y'all know I've been talking about this, if you want to start a digital course, and you're listening to this in real time, Amy Porterfield has an incredible course creation boot camp going on right now in the month of September 2021. So if you're listening to this in real time, go check it out. I'll have a link in
the show notes. KrystalProffitt.com/episode287. But that's where I advise people to start. Maybe you need to get started with affiliate marketing, maybe you just want to baby step into it. But I want you to decide what is the next level, maybe it's outsourcing. So I was recently on a call with, with a VA agency, a virtual assistant agency that I'm looking at working with, and I got really nervous and excited about it. Because I think it's fun to think about the idea of outsourcing and
growing my team. But it also makes me nervous, because you know, I'm a little bit of a control freak. I didn't know this about myself until I've like, collaborated and work with other project managers, content coordinators, like different people throughout the span of my business. I've worked with many different people at this point. I'm a little bit of a control freak. And so the idea of outsourcing, like, I love it, but also, it's the gamut of emotions. I'm like, Oh, am I
really gonna be able to let this go? Will I really be able to fill in the blank, right. But I know, in order to get to that next level, I have to start outsourcing, I have to start letting some things go. So I can focus on the things that are going to make the biggest impact in my business. And then the last one, we already kind of talked about this, but creating products, services, memberships, whatever monetizing looks like for
you to serve your audience. I'm not talking about creating products and stuff that aren't for your podcast audience, right? Why are you growing your podcast, if you're not going to serve the people that are already listening to you, you have a built in audience with your podcast, serve those people. And if you're like, I don't even know how to get started. Start surveying your people. If you're in our Facebook group, you know, I recently put out a poll, I did this on LinkedIn as well.
And I'm trying to understand, like, what this next product because I'm in like content creation mode right now, for a product that's going to help people that are ready to take their podcast to the next level. And I want to know what that looks like. I have an idea. But I want buy in from people in my audience because I want to serve them. I don't want to create something that they're like Krystal, we don't need that. We don't need that. Like we actually needed help with this.
But you created something about that, y'all, that's a waste of my time. That is a total waste of my time. And I really value my time. So I want to make sure that you're doing the same thing. So let me run through these again, real fast. So the three questions one more time is is it time? Is it experience or is it a feeling when it comes to
taking your podcast to the next level? And then some of the ways that you can take your show to the next level is growing and scaling guesting on other shows, monetizing, outsourcing, creating products, services and memberships and growing your team. So I'm gonna have all of this in the show notes. KrystalProffitt.com/episode287.
But that's all I have for you today. If you've been thinking, I really do need to take things to the next level. I hope that this was the kick in the pants, right? The kick in the butt that you needed to get out of your comfort zone, y'all. I'm not staying here. I'm leading by example. And that's I think why this episode today was a little uncomfortable for me to get started. And I do see how easily I slipped right into my
comfort zone and my coaching zone. Because I know that you need to hear this because I needed to hear it. I needed to hear like Krystal, you're just playing easy. You're not like taking big
leaps. You're not taking risks anymore. You're just kind of gliding along the path that you've been, you know, doing for the last few years and it's time to get out of your comfort zone because y'all I've hit all of my major goals that I had for podcasting To speak on these stages that are so freaking incredible, and I feel so grateful. But it feels a little scary to hit those goals because now I'm like, what's next? What's next? Maybe your big dream was to just start your
podcast. Now you've done it and you're comfortable with it. Now you're like, I did the thing. I thought it was going to be impossible. But I did it. What's next? So I want you to think about that. Maybe you need to journal about it. Maybe you need to go and record a podcast episode about it. I don't know what you need to do, and your own creative experience and how you process things. But I encourage you to ask, what's next? What's next in your podcast journey. But that's all I
have for you today. So I hope that you enjoyed today's episode, make sure you are following the podcast, wherever you're listening. I would love it if you would leave us a rating and review wherever you're listening to the podcast. Tell us what you loved about this episode. Tell me if you're ready like to say Krystal, I'm ready for the next level. Or say this was incredible. This blew my mind. I never thought about these things, whatever you want to say I read all of our reviews
and I appreciate every single one of them. But that's all I have for you today. So as always remember, keep it up. We all have to start somewhere.