Renee Speaks - For women, lady bosses, mompreneurs, and busy business owners.
"Start before you feel ready."
Today Renee Hastings, the creator of Renee Speaks shares her story of business podcast.
► Tell us about you and your podcast
Renee Hastings is the President and CEO of Executive Help Now, a premier virtual assistance agency. With over 15 years of experience, Renee and her team deliver expert administrative support, podcast production, and business consulting services to small business owners, content creators, and busy executives. Starting her entrepreneurial journey in 1996, Renee holds a degree in Business Management and has been a Dale Carnegie Leadership Training Coach. She’s appeared on NBC’s KCRA News 3 and now serves as an inspirational speaker, podcast host, philanthropist, and Small Group Bible Study Coach. Her mission: freeing up time for life’s more important moments.
Renee Speaks is for businesswomen, lady bosses, entrepreneurs, and mompreneurs who need time repatriated, personal self-care, and business inspiration...Renee Speaks is the weekly podcast that delivers entrepreneurial encouragement and support to make life easier and better because being a woman is a tough job but you don’t have to do it alone.
Consists of ambitious entrepreneurs and business owners seeking to streamline operations and regain work-life balance. They value practical solutions and are open to learning about the benefits of virtual assistance. I aim to provide them with valuable insights and real-life experiences that can help them integrate virtual assistance effectively into their businesses, ultimately empowering them to make informed decisions and unlock its full potential for success.
► Why & how did you start this podcast?
My goals and motivation in doing a podcast is to educate and inspire entrepreneurs and business owners about the incredible advantages of having a virtual assistant. I want to share valuable insights, real-life experiences, and practical tips that can help them streamline their operations, boost productivity, and regain their work-life balance by embracing the power of virtual assistance. Ultimately, I hope to empower and equip your audience with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions and unlock the untapped potential of virtual assistants in their businesses.
► How'd you find the time and funding to do this podcast?
Renee Speaks launched in January 2023, but the seed was planted in November 2022 during a conversation between Renee and her Virtual Assistant, who also serves as her podcast producer. They were brainstorming ways to reach and support more entrepreneurs, business owners, and fellow leaders, and podcasting felt like the perfect medium.
Why a podcast? Because it's personal, accessible, and powerful. Renee has always found inspiration and encouragement through the podcasts she listens to, and she wanted to create that same kind of space for others, especially those navigating the ups and downs of leadership.
When she expressed hesitation, wondering if podcasting was the right next step, her VA simply said what Renee always says to others: “Go for it.” That full-circle encouragement lit the spark, and the show was born.
Powered by Executive Help Now, Renee Speaks is more than just a podcast—it's a weekly dose of entrepreneurial support, filled with valuable conversations and expert guests, all designed to make life easier and better for ambitious leaders who want to do things right, and do them well. Because being a leader is tough—but you don’t have to do it alone.
► What do you gain from podcasting?
Finding the time and funding for Renee Speaks has been possible because podcasting is closely aligned with what we already do at Executive Help Now. Renee is the President and CEO of EHN, and podcast production is one of the services we offer to our clients. So in a way, this show is both a passion project and a demonstration of what we do best: operational excellence and creative content production.
We record five episodes on the first Friday of each month: four prerecorded and one LIVE. That gives us a full month of weekly content, with new episodes released every Friday. This batching method helps us stay consistent without interrupting our busy schedules week to week.
Each episode typically takes a few hours to produce, from planning and coordinating with guests, to recording, editing, designing assets, and writing the show notes. Since we’ve built systems and a team that supports the process, it’s all very manageable.
As for the cost, we’re fortunate that much of the production is done in-house by our EHN team, so we don’t have the same high expenses that others might when outsourcing everything. The biggest investment is really in time and coordination, but it’s worth it because the podcast extends our reach and helps us serve more people in a meaningful way.
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► How does your podcasting process look like?
We use a combination of tools including Descript for audio and video editing, Canva for promotional graphics, and CapCut for video content creation.
I find podcast guests through several platforms including the Need A Guest Podcast Facebook Group, the Podcast Discovery Database, JV Directory File, ICONMakerDirectory, and PodMatch.
Each episode is prepared and recorded via StreamYard. Before the recording, we ensure all materials are ready, questions are outlined, and we do a quick tech check to create a smooth experience for our guest and audience.
All interviews are conducted virtually, typically using StreamYard, which offers both video and audio options for a seamless remote recording experience.
► How do you market your show?
Listeners typically discover Renee Speaks through Apple Podcasts (iTunes), Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube, and our Facebook Page Reels. While we don’t currently have an exact percentage breakdown, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube are among our top-performing platforms.
Our most effective marketing channels are social media platforms, especially LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook (including Reels), and YouTube Shorts. We also use email newsletters and share episodes through strategic podcast directories to reach a wider audience.
► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?
On behalf of Renee Hastings—President & CEO of Executive Help Now and host of Renee Speaks—here’s her advice for new podcasters:
Start before you feel ready. Many aspiring podcasters wait for the perfect mic, setup, or script—but the truth is, clarity comes with action. Just get started and refine along the way.
Consistency is key. It’s not about perfection, it’s about showing up regularly and building trust with your audience.
Leverage what you have. You don’t need expensive equipment to launch a meaningful show. Tools like Descript (for editing), Canva (for graphics), and CapCut (for short-form videos) are incredibly helpful and beginner-friendly.
Tap into communities. Renee found great success finding guests and gaining exposure through platforms like:
Need A Guest Podcast (Facebook Group)
Podcast Discovery Database
JV Directory File
ICONMakerDirectory
PodMatch
► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?
"Email opt-in: https://executivehelpnow.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=e90c9c9dcdcdde734317dca7d&id=fff61c654d
Websites: https://executivehelpnow.org/, https://reneehastings247.com
Calendly
https://calendly.com/ehn2021/30min
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/executivehelpnow/
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/executive-help-now/
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ExecutiveHelpNow
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@ReneeHastings
Apple Podcasts
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