Help over-givers and people pleasers learn to set boundaries and say 'No' without feeling like a horrible person
Help over-givers and people pleasers learn to set boundaries and say 'No' without feeling like a horrible person
"I can’t say it better then Nike, just do it. Fumble your way forward."
Today Suzanne Culberg, the creator of The Nope Coach shares her story of Self-Improvement podcast.
► Tell us about you and your podcast
I’m the Nope Coach, I help over-givers and people pleasers learn to set boundaries and say “No” without feeling like a horrible person.
I started the podcast in May 2023, I was aiming for 100 days of daily podcasts. I keep the episodes short, 15 minutes or less.
I have created the podcast I would love to listen to, no annoying jingles, no long boring bios, straight to the point, bite sized chunks of daily inspiration.
When I reached day 100 I decided to keep going to day 365 so I can have a year of daily podcasts!
My podcast is about real life, it’s unedited, raw and messy as life can be. I create a show regardless of what is going on, and my aim is to show what life is truly like, unlike the overly edited, polished, productions that make us tend to feel crap about ourselves.
My listeners are mostly women, who identify as people pleasers, martyr’s, over-givers, and can’t say No’ers and want to be able to reclaim their ability to Say No and put themselves first. Self-first isn’t selfish.
► Why & how did you start this podcast?
I LOVE podcasts, I listen to them every day, while walking, doing housework, and driving. I always wanted my own show. In December 2022 I created my first podcast, a co-hosted show called Over it. We did it the ‘official way’ with jingles, bios, show notes etc. I felt caged and constricted. So in May 2023 I created The Nope Coach, a solo show, daily, no jingles, boring intros, long winded outros, show notes, bios, or anything that I found tedious, time consuming or boring.
My initial goal was to reach 100 days straight, once I surpassed that I am now aiming for 365 days.
My motivation is to show REAL life. I’ve had a tumultuous year, my Mother passed away, I had a second degree burn, and many other things, but the show has gone on! There have been episodes where I have laughed, cried, raged and more. I want to show that we are always valuable, and not just when we are ‘picture perfect.’ This show is 100% unfiltered.
I started the podcast on May 2nd 2023, I recorded the first 3 episodes and released them on May 3rd. I had a few doubts in the beginning, because I’d never come across a show like mine! But I kept it up, short, unedited, one take, no fake.
I think had I let myself ‘think about it’ I would have procrastinated and perfected and never released an episode. I am glad that I ripped the band aid off, recorded, and hit publish. The imperfect podcast published, trumps the perfect podcast never released.
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► How'd you find the time and funding to do this podcast?
I release an episode every day. I normally record once my kids have gone to school, but I have recorded first thing in the morning, or late at night! The show must go on.
I don’t edit, so basically I record the episode on Zoom, I upload the video to YouTube, I convert the audio to MP3 and upload it to my podcast platform. I can normally get the episode recorded, converted, uploaded and YouTube thumbnail created, in under 30 minutes. If I have a guest we tend to record multiple episodes back to back that I release over consecutive days. So I can get 3 episodes recorded, uploaded and scheduled in 75 minutes.
I work as a coach, so I carve out 30 minutes per day for podcasting, or 75 minutes when I have a guest, which is once a week or so.
I spend $20 per month for hosting, $20 per month for zoom, $25 per month for Grain (which is a software that allows me to create little clips for reals – though I am inconsistent with making reels at this time). I also hired someone to create the cover art and the YouTube thumbnail template (which I update manually each day).
I fund the podcast myself, though I do have a Paypal donate me link, and people do donate to the show, which I so appreciate.
► What do you gain from podcasting?
I don’t currently have sponsorship, though I am open to the possibility in future.
I currently get about 100 downloads per day for the audio, and about 40 views on YouTube each day. I am aiming to build my YouTube following in 2024.
Podcasting benefits me in so many ways –
Personally, as a shy, socially awkward introvert turning up daily to podcast has increased my ability to speak sight out of mind!
Professionally, I have been asked to speak at summits, in people’s paid programs and training. Many of these have been paid gigs.
My business has grown, as new clients often tell me they have followed the show.
► How does your podcasting process look like?
I use zoom, an mp3 converter, and the platform I upload my show to that distributes on my behalf. So I run my show on skeleton software.
I find guests by either directly asking them to come on the show, and I also have an application form on my website - https://www.suzanneculberg.com/the-nope-coach-podcast/
I interview all my guests on Zoom.
My guests are all informed that I don’t do shownotes, but they are welcome to mention any of their products and services. I trust that any resource mentioned can be found by my listeners with a quick google search.
To prepare for each show I have a spreadsheet with possible topic ideas, I choose the topic of the day, and then I hit record and go, one take, no fake. I make note of the time when I hit record and aim to keep the episodes 15 minutes or less.
► How do you market your show?
I market the show to my newsletter list, on social media, and I mention it when I guest on other people’s podcasts. I reached the top 10% of podcasts here on listen notes in my first month, and the top 3% within my first 4 months and have held that position since!
Most of my listeners tune in via Apple and Spotify. Though I am working on increasing my YouTube presence in 2024.
I also make short reels of many of my episodes and upload those to social media.
► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?
I can’t say it is better than Nike, just do it. Fumble your way forward. Your best gets to get better. If you don’t listen back to our early episodes and cringe inside, you’re not growing. Let it be fun, let it be awkward, and have a go.
► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?
Podcast: https://www.suzanneculberg.com/the-nope-coach-podcast/
Website: https://www.suzanneculberg.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzanne_culberg/
Youtube: youtube.com/@suzanneculberg
PayPal Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=CBV9P4BQE4VTU
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