Like I said yesterday, I've been falling in love with podcasts (and their hosts) since 2005. Podcasts introduced me to some of my favorite friends-in-person people: Guido of It's a Purl Man (he took me on a tour of his neighborhood when I taught at Gather Here); Diane of CraftyPod, now real-life friend + collaborator; Abby of While She Naps (she totally won me over with her straight-talk about money over a chai in Wellesley).
All along, I wanted to jump in and join the fun. In my real life, I talk…a lot. I love leading live explorations (ie, workshops) and I live for long conversations with creative women + biz explorers. Writing just can't communicate the easy flow that comes when I'm teaching a class or having a great conversation.
When the idea hit me again two weeks ago, I wrote all the reasons I shouldn't do it. Then I wrote the reasons I should. And after reading over what I wrote, I added one more line:
FOLLOW YOUR ENTHUSIASM. DO IT.
(I'll talk more about how I launched a podcast tomorrow).
So here it is, my brand new, weekly podcast, Explore Your Enthusiasm.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
In the inaugural episode, I share what I hope to do with the podcast, and what I hope it does for you. I want a casual space to talk about the more complex issues that I write about: motivation, profitability, and map-making. I want to introduce you to crafters that are doing their own thing, experimenting and following their enthusiasm, and making it work. I want you to know you're not alone, in whatever it is that feels like a struggle in your creative business: making money, finding motivation, being consistent.
I also share a bit about my own story of becoming a full-time crafter and the real story behind how my yarn company started. (I don't think I've ever told this story!)
I'll be adding new episodes each Wednesday + sharing them with you here on the blog. There are already a few bonus episodes in iTunes – podcast versions of my most popular videos! These are shorter than normal episodes and will be added to the podcast feed whenever I make a new video lesson (about once a month).
How to listen
- You can listen to it using the player above or download it.
- You can subscribe to it on iTunes here (or subscribe in whatever you use for podcasts – just search “Explore Your Enthusiasm” and it should pop up!).
- Find all the other podcasts here.
I'd love to know what you want to hear and who you want to hear from! You can leave a comment or email me privately. You could also give me some ideas by filling out this 5 question survey!
More than anything, I hope you like it. I hope this helps us connect in a new way and helps you feel supported, encouraged and part of this great community of amazing makers.
Karen Whooley
April 23, 2014 at 11:21 am (11 years ago)Tara, you have NO IDEA How excited I am about this podcast!! Congrats for going for it!
Tara Swiger
April 23, 2014 at 2:06 pm (11 years ago)Oh! Yay! Thanks! I’d love to hear what you think and what else you’d like to…hear!
Bobbi Rubinstein
April 23, 2014 at 3:19 pm (11 years ago)Enjoyed your first podcast! Congrats!! I’m a complete newbie at selling a product that I’ve made, in my case, my photography in the form of cards, calendars, etc. I’m also interested in getting shooting assignments, though I’ve done a handful for friends and PR clients. I’ve marketed my TV/film production services successfully for over a decade and more recently, 10 years of public relations as a freelancer, both my own clients and as a subcontractor. So I’m not completely new at earning a living in a non-structured environment. Awhile back, I handmade dozens of sample cards, got good feedback from friends/family suggesting I should sell them, and then got cold feet. Wasn’t ready to learn how to do this. Now I am. I want podcasts that show me how to approach this, a path. Thanks.
Tara Swiger
April 23, 2014 at 4:09 pm (11 years ago)Thanks so much, Bobbi!
It sounds like you are well-prepared to make your next business a success! The best recommendation I can make re: finding out what, specifically, to do is to check out Kari Chapin’s book, Handmade Marketplace. It’ll walk you through getting started selling it. (But it’s for hobbyists, so you might want to check out my Pay Yourself class to make sure you do profitability math.)
That’s always where I advise people start – get it online and ready to sell and *then y*ou can learn more and more about selling, marketing, all the rest.
Best of luck!
Bobbi Rubinstein
April 23, 2014 at 5:51 pm (11 years ago)Thanks for the suggestions. I’d already ordered Kari’s book from the library. Glad to know it was a good choice. I checked out your class and will keep it in mind as I move forward. I’m enjoying surfing your blog!