What Potholes Have to do with Podcasting

I lived exactly 1/3 of my life in Scranton, PA. I moved there (more or less) in 2003 as a freshman at The University of Scranton. I stay there through undergrad and grad school, then taught there and worked in the IT department.

I moved away from Scranton in 2016. That’s 13 of my 39 years in the Electric City.

There were a lot of things to love about it. I had a strong community there. I did work that I felt made an impact. The cost of living was low. My all-time favorite cigar shop, bar, and rooftop are all there.

But something I don’t miss is the potholes that plague the city.

The problem is so bad that earlier this year, they launched a website for people to report potholes.

Since Scranton is located in the Northeast USA, at the base of mountains, it’s more susceptible to the freeze/thaw cycle. Here’s how The Keystone explains it:

Daily temperatures can fluctuate between freezing and mild during the winter months. After precipitation, either rain or snow, the water seeps into the soil below the roadway. When it gets colder, the precipitation freezes and the ground expands, pushing the road up. Then, as the weather warms, the precipitation melts, and a gap is left between the road and the ground below it. When a vehicle drives over it, the road cracks, falls into the gap, and creates a pothole.

The only thing you can do with a pothole is report it and wait for it to get fixed (or if you’re PENDOT, you can fix it).

I feel like over the last few months, I’ve been going through a freeze/thaw cycle with Streamlined Solopreneur.

Some episodes have done well — but some are very cold.

My download numbers are down. Engagement hasn’t been as good as I hoped it would be.

That’s not to say that things are bad — but I’d like them to be better.

And I understand that competition is stiff in 2024. And that I completely rebranded my show a mere 7 months ago.

Over those 7 months, some potholes have formed. And it’s time for me to fix them.

I was on a call with my friend Carly and we were discussing what we feel is working and not working in podcasting.

Recently, I was on a call with my friend Carly, discussing what we think is working—and not working—in podcasting.

I told her I’m committing to a couple of experiments:

1. Producing more solo episodes
2. Adopting a format with a rotating group of co-hosts instead of constant guest interviews

I believe that changing the format—especially when people are eager to learn and there’s an overabundance of interview shows—is crucial for my show’s continued growth.

But that also means upheaval for my processes—and that’s OK.

Sometimes you need to shake things up to improve your show or business, as long as you have a good approach.

My plan is:

1. Focus on capturing the content effectively and document the process.
2. Test this new approach a few times to identify what’s repeatable.
3. Develop my Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) by recording and narrating the process so my VA and I can assess.
4. Adjust my automations and delegation to align with the new process.

My suspicion is that the new formats will be easier, but there are some unknown variables I’ll need to consider.

We’re coming up on the end of the year—a time of reflection and renewal for many. This is how I’m reflecting.

What are you thinking about changing as we move into the new year?