#1 - Peaking with Brian Wiles

**Audio episode with pauses taken out**

Wyatt peaks with Brian Wiles, a podcast host and entrepreneur, about his shift from corporate life to entrepreneurship and his podcasting journey. They discuss common podcasting pitfalls, success metrics, emphasizing self-promotion, content creation, and cross-platform strategies. Brian shares insights on production time, monetization challenges, and using podcasts for business promotion. The conversation also covers anchor questions for interviews, starting a podcast, and balancing athletics with business, highlighting lessons from building a company.

Takeaways

• Define success metrics for podcasts upfront.
• Passion can drive the corporate-to-entrepreneurship transition.
• An MBA offers finance and networking benefits.
• Podcasting boosts thought leadership and brand visibility.
• Engagement matters more than downloads.
• Consistency builds audiences; cross-platform sharing boosts reach.
• Self-promotion is key for entrepreneurs.
• Quality editing enhances listener experience.
• Podcasting fosters business connections.
• Niche markets aid monetization.
• Anchor questions streamline interviews; target audiences are essential.
• Starting a podcast needs a unique voice and persistence.
• Business ventures take time and money; no shortcuts exist.
• Extra content and community-building deepen engagement.