872. How We Built Almost 30 Into a Global Brand

23:35Lindsey Simcik:Yes. We just kept it moving. I think so often when you're in the beginning stages of creating something, I do this even today, where I will stop because it's not quite perfect yet. And like your brain forgets that like, this is the whole process. This is how we get to something that is close to the vision is being actually in the process of. So try to be as aware as possible of those moments where you stop because you're frustrated or it's just like not perfect the way you would want it because the more reps you get, the more times you experiment and try different things. I know it can feel tedious and time consuming and like you're wasting time or everyone's like ahead of you.

24:24Lindsey Simcik:But again, when you find your pocket and when you feel, when you find what feels really good, then things start to flow and then things speed up, you know? Yeah. I think we also were very much, and I think this is kind of necessity now, but we, I guess, what would you say about like our production quality and figuring all the things out that we did because I think nowadays people can kind of know immediately to outsource people really do that but we really learned almost everything yeah and I think there's value in that you know I think there's value in learning all the behind the scenes of how this works and doesn't mean you need to like edit the show for six months and like be in the grind of that I I think I did it for a month and I was like, I can't do this anymore because it's just not my genius.

25:19Lindsey Simcik:Who was our guy? He was$50 an episode. Yeah, he was great. And he was your friend. He worked at SoulCycle. Yeah, he worked at SoulCycle front desk. He was awesome. And it just wasn't my genius and it wasn't flowing and it was too time consuming. But I learned the basics. Was it Skylar? No, it was another. Was there someone named Skylar that worked for us? Yeah. Yeah. More recently. Okay, got it. Um, but I learned the basics so that now I can work with our production team and understand the intricacies, you know, on a basic level, what they do, how time consuming things are, et cetera. But what's interesting now in 2026 is that we have, and we'll talk about AI in a little bit, but there's so many resources and programs that can help you record and edit a podcast in a fraction of the time.

26:14So whether you have someone do that, or you are doing it, I would say,

26:22Lindsey Simcik:you know, get to know that process, at least for a little bit. So you have an understanding, because if you do want to make this a business, I do think it's important that you have a high level understanding of how things work. Yeah, across the board, it just, I think it's an, like a, uh, an advantage, I think to really teach what you don't know that understand, you know, and you can't really know what is good or not in that process. I think one of the most important things too, that I was just kind of thinking about that I think we've missed is we had a why, you know, we had a real why and our why was that we wanted to understand and feel into why this part of our life felt so crunchy and unknown and why in the process of our becoming did we feel so lost and why did we feel so alone and why did we feel like there was some way more questions than answers and it felt like this portal to 30 that we were in I think we were 27 at the time.

27:27Why was it so challenging and heartbreaking and confusing? And we wanted to figure that out. We wanted to get curious about that. We wanted to be with each other in that we wanted to walk each other through what was a really challenging moment in our lives where I felt completely disheartened with my career and felt like I knew I was made for more, but I didn't know what I was going to do. My health was like rock bottom. I was in a relationship that wasn't super aligned. I felt like with friendships, I was like transitioning out of friendships and into other ones. And yeah, I just felt completely disconnected from most of what my life was and on a path that didn't really feel authentic to me.

28:09And so we had this really truthful, embodied, lived why of our curiosity and why of the desire to know and understand understand and have a shift for ourselves. So the creation of that as a response to our why became very easy. And I think people really don't think about the why enough. They're like, oh, I just want to talk about this. I want to do this. And it's like, it needs to be such a burning why for you to be able to do what you're going to do with having a podcast.

28:40Lindsey Simcik:I totally agree. And I think the why actually helps you to get even more specific with your content, which I think is important. I think some people start so broad and just paint very broad strokes like, oh, we'll talk about this and this and this and this. And we've talked about a lot over the years, but in the beginning, you know, and at every kind of stage, there was like specific focuses where, you know, in that beginning stage, it was all about kind of like our very raw and sometimes raunchy personal experience and just the style was so specific and then we kind of entered into our the age of like health and wellness and like being very specific there and so um I would say definitely recommending like being a little bit more niche in your why helps you to speak to a specific audience to have a point of view to have kind of like a North Star with all of your content.

29:41Lindsey Simcik:Doesn't mean you can't change over time, but it does help to orient your audience around you, I think much sooner than if you were like, hi, I'm JC and I have a, welcome to my podcast. Yeah, yeah, yeah, honestly. It's like, I, this is, I'm from here and I do this and I grew up here. It's like, what about me? And people - I think especially now more than ever in 2026 with the advent of AI, which is so incredible in so many ways, but people are craving that like true human storytelling, that connection and your why is part of your story. Yeah. You know, so people connect to it. And then amongst the thousands of podcasts that they might see across their feed, like, you know what?

30:31Lindsey Simcik:I really love like how I connect with her when she speaks. Yeah. Part of that, what that is, is your why. Yeah, totally. I think it is. It's like the why should be so embodied and so true for you that it motivates you beyond wanting to stop, wanting to quit, wanting to do all that kind of stuff. So really finding that like deep embodied sense of this is what I'm here to do and serve because a podcast is, it's a transmission. It's a tool. It's, it's your soul. It's your expression. It's your story. It's not like you're making a t-shirt. you know it's not like you're selling headbands like this is truly a method of your soul communicating to help and heal others and so really getting anchored in that I think is huge and I think I don't think we knew it as much at the time but we were being very clear about our girl that we were serving spiritually curious like health and wellness inclined someone that feels lost in a transition in her life knows she's made for more and like wants to discover that yeah You know, and we were, we were that girl.

31:33We were that girl in the process of wanting to create this. So really honing in on the why as our motivating factor, I think was huge at the beginning too. Okay.

31:44Lindsey Simcik:One thing that's really shifted for me during pregnancy is how intentional I've become about what I'm putting in my body. I've always been like that, but I don't know, just like it's a little bit more serious every time I'm paying more attention to ingredients, sourcing, and choosing products that align with the standards I am holding right now. That's why I've been using Rituals Essential Prenatal. It helps me feel supported without overthinking. And I love that it's vegan, non-GMO, gluten, and major allergen-free, and made without synthetic colorants. It also includes key nutrients like choline, folate, and omega-3.

32:21Lindsey Simcik:We know this is very important in pregnancy with traceable ingredients, which I really, really appreciate. The experience has also been different from other prenatals I've tried. The capsule is designed to dissolve later, which I've noticed. Like I personally found it's really gentle on my stomach and it's easy to take consistently. I also like that Ritual uses bioavailable nutrients designed for absorption and that their essential prenatal is backed by a human clinical study. It just gives me more confidence in what I'm taking during the season. There's a lot of prenatals out there. So I highly recommend Ritual.

32:54Lindsey Simcik:don't settle for less than evidence-based support. Save 25 % on your first month at ritual.com slash almost 30. That's ritual.com slash almost 30 for 25 % off your first month. I love finding simple swaps that make everyday meals feel a little more supportive of my goals, especially when I don't want to give up the foods I actually enjoy. That's why I have been loving, obsessed with Hero Bread. It lets me keep things like sandwiches, wraps, even pasta nights without feeling like I'm sacrificing anything. And I'm at a point right now in pregnancy where I'm not restricting, but I also don't want to be overdoing it on like the gluten and the pastas and all the things.

33:39Lindsey Simcik:Hero Bread makes it easy and I feel amazing after eating their products. The taste and texture are what surprised me most, honestly. Their products are soft, fluffy, honestly feels like traditional bread. I love the tortillas for easy lunch wraps and their sliced bread for quick breakfast sandwiches. I also love their bagels. Every single morning, my son asks for the bagel. He loves them. And then I've been making him the noodles as well. So it really covers all those comfort food staples. I'm excited for you to try. Nutritionally, it fits really seamlessly into my family's routine. Depending on the product, it has zero to five net carbs, zero grams of sugar, and 11 to 32 grams of fiber.

34:20Lindsey Simcik:It also has protein too. I'm a girl that's been trying to get my protein and my fiber at the same time. So I am killing it with Hero Bread. And you really wouldn't know that it is this healthy based on the texture and the taste. So Hero Bread is offering 10 % off your order. Go to hero.co and use the code A30POD at checkout. That's A30POD at H-E-R-O.co. oh and what would you say to people who are kind of exploring different formats so that's that was our format and kind of what if someone just wants to interview people from the get right and I do think there needs to be a why obviously but I'm just I think some people just want to be not as um forward-facing yes and no where they're they're they're putting people up on the pedestal.

35:15Lindsey Simcik:I agree. And it's less about them. They are asking the questions. They are being the audience. And I actually, I'm curious what you think about this. This is kind of a radical opinion. And so take it or leave it. But I actually think that

35:31it is a lot more challenging now to just start off as an interview show.

35:35Lindsey Simcik:Oh, for sure. Because there are so many interview shows. There are so many of the same people being interviewed. There are so people don't know who to attach to or connect with. And I actually think you doing a solo show about you and teaching whatever is actually the better move. Yeah. I, I, I often say that to people when they're like, Oh, I want to like do this. And usually it's an interview format. Yeah. The right guest crushes, but like has to be, but I think few and far between what we've learned too, is people come to the show because of the host. oftentimes. Yes. We were at Spotify and they said that.

36:13Lindsey Simcik:Yeah. So, um, I agree with you. I think, you know, whether it's your story or maybe, you know, it's a comedy podcast and like whatever the format is, but don't discount your talent and your presence and like why you feel compelled to start a podcast. It's not just about the other person. Yep. They're like, I want to start, I want to have conversations about hormone health. It's like, okay, but you, because those conversations are being had, you are the special sauce, the unique perspective, the curation of whatever that is. I actually, it's funny. I was thinking about that just like two hours ago where we were having a conversation with someone that was like an expert in a certain space and they were talking and they were saying these things.

36:59And I was like, I am so grateful to be podcasting right now, because I have a perspective and a personality and every single thing that this expert is saying I could find on chat, GBT and what is, what is special and not that they're not special or amazing, but it is actually not about you. It is not about the stats and information. Now it's actually about the personality and the questions and the curiosity and the connection and the chemistry. And so it's so much more about you as a being, as a human, your vulnerability, your rawness, your truth, your perspective, your creativity, like your curiosity, then it is about giving people information because they have all the information out at this point through AI.

37:41And so you don't, having a podcast where you're sharing research and data on stuff is just way less interesting than it is like a unique perspective, something fresh and, you know, different that people don't really know about. Yeah.

37:54Lindsey Simcik:And if you're totally married to the interview format, how do you stand out in that way? And so there's so many ways to do that and we can talk about that, but I think that's the thing. This is an attention economy. We're competing not only with other podcasters, but we're competing with the quickness of scrolling through Instagram and the Netflix and the this and the that. Only fans. Only fans. TikTok. I was on there for hours the other day. I don't. But like, it's just, I think about Only Fans too much. It's just like, we have to. In like a way that it's weird. Let me confirm. We have to be thoughtful about how we are differentiating ourselves.

38:41Lindsey Simcik:And I think that comes back to the why, right? And I think that comes back to your creativity. So allowing yourself that creative freedom in the beginning, like, you know, thinking about, okay, I'm going to do an interview show, but as part of it, like documentary style, you know, as part of it, like, I'm like on location with that person at their blah, blah, blah. And then we sit down or whatever it is. But I, it is so hard to move the needle if you're just going to like sit down and be vanilla and be vanilla and interview people without you having shared your story of why you want to talk to these people about like, yeah, it's just, it's such a, it's such a - That's what people gravitated and attached to.

39:30And just to share more, so Spotify was talking to us and they were saying that people are less interested in the guests than they are the host. They continue to come back to the show for specifically the host rather than the guests. and that is the reoccurring thing. That is the remembrance that they have. And, you know, there's a lot of concepts or there's a lot of, um, research or psychology around if you are someone that is a podcast host, a media person, like being actually opinionated and having something people can attach to is actually more attractive than being someone that's not. So, you know, there's a lot of really great podcasters that have very specific opinions, very opinionated.

40:10And the reason why they draw such a crowd is because people actually are attracted to people that have opinions. People are actually attracted to people that have a specific point of view, even if it's not their point of view, either it causes conversation or discourse, or they know where they stand. And so you having a specific opinion, you saying how you feel, you expressing things that maybe you are a little afraid of, I'm not saying anything crazy, but like just being who you are publicly is going to also be helpful because people will then know who they're going to spend their time with.

40:39Lindsey Simcik:And just a piece of that is like, you know, I'm thinking about Stephen Bartlett and like, um, Mel Robbins as examples. Why do people, who are they? Why do people keep coming back to them? They're interviewing other people. I would say the interviewee or the guest is usually like, like what we're focused on, but I feel very, um, taken care of by them as interviewers. You know, I, I am not bothered by their cadence, their tone, the way they allow the interview to flow. Like, I just think they're thoughtful, practiced.

41:22Lindsey Simcik:They insert their own curiosities, opinions, and questions in a way that feels like very intuitive and natural. And it feels like things I would ask as an audience member listening to this. But it's also very researched and very prepared. Yes. A hundred million. And not even saying that as shade, saying that as like honoring, like what we perceive as very natural and fluid is actually very deeply researched, very deeply prepared, very deeply practiced, very deeply, you know, done with a team and a camera. And so don't assume that it is so easy. And also it is okay if you make an effort. Yes. I think the more effort, the better, especially in the beginning, because then you understand how much preparation you truly need.

42:11Lindsey Simcik:Yeah. There is such thing as too much preparation. I think we've learned that sometimes when you know too much, like you give a weird interview because you're like kind of leading. Like I don't even have anything to ask you about so i think there's a healthy balance but i i would recommend if you are choosing that interview format study some of the great study people that you're attracted to listening to and what really what about them or the format the style any aspect of it feels really good to you and feels like not that you copy but you take note okay i love like i love his transitions mm-hmm they seem to just allow the conversation to flow without it sounding too mechanical yeah but it it actually lets the conversation move rather than sticking somewhere too long yeah trying to think of really great interviewers i do think steven's very good uh-huh i actually do yeah um i think danielle robley she's a good one um i just don't listen to a ton of podcasts Yeah, I listen to comedy ones.

43:18Lindsey Simcik:Yeah, I listen to ones that like are not our format. I know, honestly, because it's like just gives you a little bit of break. And that could even be something where it could be helpful when you're starting a podcast or when you're, you know, doing your thing to kind of take a break from listening to similar podcasts. Yeah, I don't think I've listened to similar podcasts in a really long time because it just throws you off. Like my ear of work comes in where it's like, oh, we should do this. We should do that. We should check on this thing and it just becomes not relaxing. So it is okay for you to take a break from other types of podcasts when you're listening to them.

43:50So you can stay fresh and in your own creativity and your own genius. So to say, you know, the landscape has changed quite a bit. What we would teach now is different. What we would say now is studying it like a craft, understanding that your voice is the muscle that you're going to be using for this. Make sure to stay consistent, have a clear why so that you can really continue to move forward with doing this thing. And what else?

44:16Lindsey Simcik:Yeah. I would just say having that clarity early on, knowing that it could change, but being, being very confident in that, that clear why and letting, letting the format be more specific than maybe you're comfortable with, because I do think having like a very specific, almost niche topic and or way that your show comes across will set you apart. Yeah, I agree. I agree. Um, so when let's talk about when we started kind of marketing the show in those early days, I think it's important. And then kind of going into, um, making it a business before a business, but I think marketing was just social media.

45:01Yeah.

45:01Lindsey Simcik:I think that was the only thing. I don't know, girl. We, we kind of, we, we did a different, a little bit different. How we did like in person, we activated our community before social media no at the same time yeah i agree but like that was different i know i was thinking about i'm like i think for like cred it's like we've been doing this 10 years we've made multiple seven figures we've done two world tours we did a merch line we did an ambassador program we've been nominated for awards we've been written up in places like forbes entrepreneurship oprah daily people you know we have over 100 million downloads and a second show and an amazing relationship.

45:40Yeah. Yeah. To boot. Come on now. And so it is something that all of this has the cred. But yes, I agree. We were activating the community very early. I don't, honestly, this, what's so crazy to think about all this stuff is I don't, I, when I die, I cannot wait to just feel like, look at you. My soul was just driving the whole time because there's so many things where it's like, why did you do that? like, why did I stop drinking at 26? Why did I like start meditating at 27? Why did I like, you know, want to do SoulCycle? Why did I like, like podcasts? Why did I, you know, it was just like, what?

46:22Like none of it was, why did I want to get off birth control at 24? Like what, you know, there's so many things that I'm like, what was like driving you in the same thing with Almost 30? Why did we want to meet people in person? We didn't even know people were listening. So we started having events like Lindsay was saying in person, in friends' backyards, like having like meetups, like SoulCycle. We just started to meet an audience that I guess we had.

46:46Lindsey Simcik:I think it was like the SoulCycle ride was kind of the catalyst to show us that it was possible to bring people together around our show. And we met at SoulCycle. You guys, I'm sure I've heard our story a million times, but that is a community in itself. Yeah, that's, you know, and so that experience of being an instructor taught me the power of community. And like, when you have, even if it's a group of 30 people gathered around something that they're passionate about, or it makes them feel good. word spreads. Yeah. And it takes, it's, it's, it takes like, um, it's old and it roots itself and people want more, you know?

47:33Lindsey Simcik:And so I think that ride, we sold out the ride. I think it was like 60 people, not just our friends. It was like actual listeners too. And it just showed us like, wow okay like people are listening they're interested those 60 people maybe 45 of them went and told someone else about the podcast and so yeah we would have events in friends backyards eventually i think in 2018 we started our tour we toured around the united states we would look at the different states that our listeners were in like yeah kind of the most listeners top five or seven and go to those cities. And it was actually, again, this is a benefit.

48:15This was one of the benefits that podcasting wasn't big because nowadays you look at podcast tours, they're fucking in stadiums, like thousands of people. Like I saw bad friends. It was like a thousand people. Like, you know what I mean? You can see like huge, but back then, like no one was doing it. So it was anything we did was successful. Yeah. You know, like having 50 people, a hundred people, how it all, all of it was a success. Cause there was no bar. There was no, like we made up the success and it just felt really good. It's funny. I was thinking about like one of the, the first times we had a, we did like a event in Erica Kimmich's backyard.

48:57And I was like reading something like a poem that I wrote or something. And there was a line that I said that was like the corniest thing I'd ever seen in my life. And this was before GPT. And I said like fly on eagle's wings or something. And I just like looked up and everyone was like, and I just started laughing and everyone started laughing so much at me. And literally that was like a brain chemistry moment changing in my life where I was like, I love this feeling of laughing and everyone's laughing. We're all laughing together at how silly that is. Like the best feeling. And we really followed that.

49:27You know, we followed that, that drive, but a lot of why we were doing events in person, obviously a soul call, but it fulfilled the why everything was aligned to the why. And maybe we knew it consciously or not, but the why was we felt so alone in our process of our becoming, of our process of our awakening. And we wanted to feel less alone. We wanted to feel like we weren't the only ones that knew that we were souls here, that wanted more for life, whatever. And so we brought together those people that felt like us, that understood us, all of that thing. And it was almost like people had finally given voice to this experience or this feeling that they had been going through, which really breeds such a diehard audience of people that really, really love you.

50:08I read this book a while ago. It's called Cultish. Have you read it? No. It's basically like the fanaticism behind brands and building like brands that have cult-like followings. And I read it, you know, it wasn't like we applied it to almost 30, but you could have. One of the aspects of it is really, really having that experience where you are fulfilling this feeling that not many people feel like in a niche way of feeling like maybe you're lost, maybe you're confused. There's also using specific languages, languaging. So when we said, um, when we had our like catchphrases of like, honestly, like hundred, like, you know, whatever else we were saying, people would catch onto that too.

50:49And it was very much like the raunchiness and the forwardness and the directness was actually like a part of what made people feel like they were a part of something rather than just being like, sort of like, it was like they loved us or they hated us. And they could really choose one of the things during the time.

51:06Lindsey Simcik:Yes.

51:09Lindsey Simcik:One thing I really try to stay consistent with is my morning routine. Even when my schedule gets really busy or I'm traveling, which I'm doing next week, I really like to have something to help me start my day feeling really good, really healthy. And for me, the challenge is doing that even when I'm on the go. But I have been loving and saying this from the rooftops, cachava. Their new travel packs make it so easy to throw a pack into my bag and still have my favorite all-in-one nutrition shake wherever I am, whether I'm heading to the studio or traveling to LA like I am next week or just running between things.

51:43Lindsey Simcik:It really helps me keep that ritual of nourishing myself without overthinking it. Each packet has plant-based protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, greens, probiotics, omegas, and electrolytes, all in one simple shake. And it's delicious. I also love that it supports things like energy, digestion, and overall wellness. And it actually tastes really good. So the travel packs come in flavors like chocolate, vanilla, matcha, chai, coconut, acai, and strawberry. So it's really easy to switch it up. I love the chocolate. I love the strawberry. It just makes staying consistent feel very effortless for me, which I need in this season of my life, even when my routine changes or it's all over the place.

52:24Lindsey Simcik:So take your daily ritual with you. Go to cachava.com and use code almost30 for 15 % off your first order. That's cachava, K-A-C-H-A-V-A.com. Code is almost30. Girl, winter is so last season. And now spring's got you looking at pictures of tank tops with hungry eyes. Your algorithm is feeding you cutoffs. You're thirsty for the sun on your shoulders. That perfect hang on the patio sundress. Those sandals you can wear all day and all night. And you've had enough of shopping from your couch. Done hoping it looks anything like the picture when you tear open that envelope? It's time for a little in-person spring treat.

53:05Lindsey Simcik:It's time for a trip to Ross. Work your magic. And I think to that point, like being able to meet us in person to like and to feel our energy yeah like totally you know often we would meet listeners and we feel like we know them or they know like obviously they know us at the show but almost in like a just a kindred spirit type way very rarely have we met people that are like totally freak us out and it's weird like usually it's like dude I want to hang out with you like this is amazing and so I say that because, you know, it is that really specific yet powerful feeling of like, damn, these girls are the real deal.

53:53Lindsey Simcik:Like they're not just like putting on an act on this show. And like, they really are moving through very real things just like me, you know, like maybe it's possible for me to, to leave my job and also pursue my dreams or to leave the relationship or to start, you know, there was countless moments of that in person. And so it's not to say that like you have to do in-person events, you have to go on tour, but you can think in addition to the 2026 basics of like, you know, having fire clips and making sure your social media is on point. We can talk about that and all the things like the marketing machine is running.

54:35Lindsey Simcik:how are you connecting with your people? What does that look like? Is it in person? Is it in, you know, a group like a WhatsApp or a Facebook or whatever? Like, how are you really giving them access to you so that like the roots that they are planting with your show grow deeper and deeper, the trust that they have, the loyalty that they have are growing deeper. It was giving people and cultish in the book talks about, it gives people, you know, a sense of belonging, the shared language, and then it gives them identity and meaning. So the identity is I'm someone that's almost 30. I have this meaning that I'm here for more in life.

55:16And so applying those things to what you're creating, so you can really kind of formulate this community and audience that just feels so deeply connected to you and wants to promote you and wants to share about you. Thankfully, we did start social media early. We had Chloe, who was our intern turned employee that worked with us for like five years, Chloe Leonard. And that was, I think, a huge part of our process for growth too, because I don't think a lot of podcasts were doing that yet. They weren't creating really beautiful websites or creating like a brand experience. And so we started the social.

55:48And now in 2026, it's, I think, absolutely essential. I think what I read the study recently, I'm in this group of podcasters and one of the women shared that people find new podcasts now on YouTube. They do not find new podcasts on Spotify or Apple. And so discoverability via YouTube is actually how you're going to grow your show. It's not via Apple and Spotify. So focusing on the video component of your show is actually very essential and actually having it be video forward, I think is one of the bigger things that people should do. And even having it feel like a show experience on YouTube, I think is good.

56:22It doesn't mean you need to have like a crazy set. You know, Emma Chamberlain is someone that doesn't really have like a really beautiful set. There's a lot of podcasters that travel and it's just kind of, it is what it is. But I think that if you can investing in a set that makes it feel like an experience, Brittany Broski has like the Broski report and her set is like really cool and unique and her. And it feels like every time you, you join, you're sort of dropped into this like world that someone has. Cause this is what it's about too. Now it's about creating worlds with brands where people, you can get the product of things in a lot of different places.

56:57I can get information about my Saturn return in a lot of different places, but what makes people interested is when they feel like they're in a world, you know, Jesse glucose goddess does that so well. Whenever you're watching her YouTubes as well, you feel like you're inputted in this world of science, of glucose, of nutrition and all this kind of stuff. So the video is actually essential and the social media for anyone that's doing 2026 is essential. And I think the number one thing is the clips. Yeah.

57:22Lindsey Simcik:It's that short form content. It's so important for Instagram, for TikTok and for YouTube shorts, I think are the top three. What would you say about video, video quality, presence on video that is really important? This is the thing I think people aren't comfortable on video. You know, it's like you have to be able to get comfortable on video and get comfortable looking at yourself. Most women hold themselves back because they're insecure about how they look. So, you know, I think there's a stat. It's like 78 % of women hold themselves back from doing one thing that they want to do with their lives because of what they look like.

57:57So that's a barrier for a lot of women, what they look like, their bodies. For me, that felt like something I had to work with. But I think you getting as confident as you are and how you look, I think is important. And that doesn't mean, you know, losing weight or changing your body. It means wearing comfortable clothes, feeling beautiful and ready. If that feels appropriate to you, if you don't want to get ready, that's totally fine too. Whatever makes you feel comfortable. And then I think getting a setup that feels supportive of how you want to look. Like I was looking at Amy Poehler's Good Hang podcast and the lighting is so soft and so forgiving and so beautiful and almost this like orangey hue that fits this experience of this nostalgia and this joy that you really feel watching the show.

58:41So there's so many different elements that people really do not see or pay attention to when they're watching shows or they're listening to podcasts that actually kind of now are what's going to be required to make you stand out or make your show kind of that next level or that like difference, you know, Khloe Kardashian show, the lighting is like, you know, probably$200 ,000 worth of nice lighting, but like Kardashian lighting.

59:06Lindsey Simcik:Oh my God. My dream, my dream scenario is to just like be under the lighting, um, is finding just, first of all, I guess, making yourself feel really comfortable in your outfits or whatever you feel like is going to make you feel yourself when you're on the show. And then to figuring out a lighting setup or a setup that also makes you feel as comfortable as possible. Maybe you're going to a studio that you work with them to set up the lighting. Maybe you, you know, suggest lighting, but I think you can be particular. You can be, um, like just have the confidence of being someone that cares about that and getting it correct.

59:43Like you don't have to just like receive whatever, you know, place gives you as far as lighting and audio, like have your own perspective and speak up for yourself if you want something unique to you.

59:54Lindsey Simcik:And if you want to set it up yourself at home, because I think a lot of people have, you know, constraints as far as like, no, I need to do it at home. My schedule doesn't allow or budget or whatever. Take the time to research, to see examples that you really love. Maybe consult a professional like, hey, what kind lights like would you use a videographer or what have you in production? Because I think investing in it as early on as possible just gives you a better chance of success in the video realm. Meaning, again, this is an attention economy. So if people go to your YouTube and the quality is crap, both audio and video, they're going to move on and they probably won't come back because there's a lot of other shows.

1:00:43What do you think is more important, audio or video?

1:00:48Lindsey Simcik:I actually can't if we're going to be doing a video show I mean both have to be on point because both can be very distracting um I think audio would be more distracting totally I agree with you because people often like I think they're watching YouTube but they're also like doing other things yeah so I agree with you the the audio needs to be on point but as far as video goes if you can get that as like dialed in from the beginning as possible I think you'll just have a better launching point you can always improve it yeah but like let's make sure the camera is pretty great quality clear crisp the lighting and you could set this up at your desk our friend Aaron Alexander has a setup at like a desk I think Chris Williamson has a really beautiful desk setup.

1:01:42Yeah.

1:01:43Lindsey Simcik:Like the camera, phenomenal, the lighting, intimate, great. And it probably doesn't take much to get that setup going. Yes, you might need to invest a little bit, but again, these are like things that we learned are so worth the investment in order to just raise the bar on the type of content we're putting out. I think if you focus on your continued improvement of audio, video, your voice, yourself as an interviewer, speaker, or podcaster, it can also help you take the pressure off of the constant need to grow. Because people can, you know, you can get really obsessed with the downloads, the followers, you know, the whatever, the likes, the shares.

1:02:24And so to kind of turn off that part of your brain, get really obsessed with how you can be better week over week, month over month, even a couple percentage points. I remember there was, I watched this talk. There was like a fireside chat I was at with Steven Bartlett. And he was saying, he's like, my team cares about the 0.1%, like the 0.01 % shifts. Like this got 0.01 % more clicks. This got 0.01 % more watch time. Like my team is like obsessed with that. Like we see those as wins. Like each little percent is a win. And so finding those little wins for yourself to just feel like you are moving further, closer to the goal than like focusing on the numbers and stuff, dipping week over week, if that happens.

1:03:08Lindsey Simcik:Definitely. Definitely. Um, so what do we think about batching consistency? Let's talk about those. Cause a lot of people take breaks. A lot of people, you know, what about seasons? Just like a little bit of logistics. Yeah. Giving you full permission. Like there is, there is, there are options here. I think people go into podcasting and they hear that we've done it for 10 years and never missed a week. And they're like, I can't do every week. They think every Tuesday we're like meeting. Yeah. But the behind the scenes is that you can batch your content. Yeah. So you can really fit it into your life.

1:03:43You guys have heard some weeks I have a boyfriend, some I don't have a boyfriend. Some I'm married, some I'm not married. Some like, it's all crazy. Like you, you never know what's going on because each week's a different kind of vibe with where I'm at.

1:03:54Lindsey Simcik:This might come out and I already have a baby. No, honestly, for sure. So you can batch, you could do, you know, a marathon of content when you feel like you have the time, space, energy, clarity, all the things, and that could set you up to be consistent. Maybe you do eight weeks of content in a week, right? Yeah, of course. of episodes, send it to the editor if that's how you're doing things. And then you kind of build the period in between that as like research, you know, setting up the next set of interviews, the marketing and all of it all, everything else. So I love batching. I think the downside is that sometimes it's not always the most live current and live.

1:04:41Lindsey Simcik:And like, you just have to consider that when you're recording. And that's just, you know, what it is. You could do a weekly show. You know, some people thrive on like recording weekly, it's done, they edit it right away, they put it out. And like that cadence works really, really well for them. I also think there are certain formats that are weekly shows that I think do really well algorithmically because people know it is so current that they want to like tune in for the most current. Like an astrology read of the week or the news or pop culture. What they're going to say about pop culture and the celebrities and this and that.

1:05:18Lindsey Simcik:So that's a format that I think does really well algorithmically. You can also do seasons. Yeah. I think seasons are great. I actually suggest seasons for people that have a lot of different things in multiple aspects of their business. Yeah. Committing to doing a season of like 15 episodes, 12 episodes, I think can be good. You can focus on it as a project, then reevaluate, see how you feel. say you are about to come up to the 15th week, your 15th episode, you can be like, I want to continue, continue. But I think it gives you a break and you can kind of continue to optimize season over season.

1:05:52Definitely. Which I think is great.

1:05:53Lindsey Simcik:And just know that you're going to learn a lot in the process. So like, you know, we, we've kind of done it all over the years in terms of like, we were recording every week when we lived here together in LA. Now we live, you know, on separate hosts. So we batch a lot more. We do separate recordings. So you're going to figure it out. Um, but I think whatever sets you up to be consistent every single week, releasing a show is what I would recommend. Yep. I'd say every single week release a show. Um, seasons can be a really good suggestion as well. Focusing a lot on the why is a good idea, batching content and figuring out how to fit it in your schedule in a way that's sustainable is going to be really good, getting really good quality equipment or having support for that so your audio and video sounds good, sounds like you, and sounds up to par.

1:06:44Lindsey Simcik:This episode is brought to you by Redfin. You're listening to a podcast, which means you're probably multitasking, maybe even scrolling home listings on Redfin, saving homes without expecting to get them. But Redfin isn't just built for endless browsing. It's built to help you find and own a home. With agents who close twice as many deals, when you find the one, you've got a real shot at getting it. Get started at Redfin.com. Own the dream. You thought this was your run club era. Turns out, it was more of a thinking about run club era. The good news? Someone's marathon training is about to start.

1:07:23Lindsey Simcik:Sell your workout gear on Depop. Just snap a few photos, and we'll take care of the rest. They get their race day fit, and you get a payout for trying. Someone on Depop wants what you've got. Start selling now. Depop, where taste recognizes taste. So if you guys are starting a podcast, there are things to think about if you want to treat it like a business, if you want to start making money with it. I think for us, I remember talking to someone and they're like, wait till you've made$10 ,000 before you register for tax purposes. I don't know if that's legal or not, but that's what we did. We waited till we had around 10K to register.

1:08:01I think I first registered in Delaware using like some website, but we did, we were pretty early in the game of contracts, early on the game of legalizing things, early on the game of trademarking. We got trademarks for pretty much everything. I have trademarks for almost everything that I do just to like protect ourselves. We, we got the separate banking, I would say two and a half years in. And so I would say two years and we started making money or no, I'd say a year and we started making money too was enough to quit our jobs. And then on that point was when we really started to get, make things legal, work with the banking to kind of set everything up.

1:08:38And it's kind of been a rolling process along the way. But I think from an earlier start, we wanted to make things like a business in the sense of we were, wanted it to grow to be something that would be a sustainable business. And there was an organization and like peace that I felt knowing that our bases were covered with it. Like it felt.

1:08:58Lindsey Simcik:Yeah. Krista really drove that. Like, I think you came from a background of being in corporate and just having like a very good sense of that part of the foundation. And so yeah, I think well before it was like a full fledged business, it's just like, what are the pieces that need to be so sturdy and in place to hold what comes in? You know, it's like thinking about the masculine frame, the masculine frame of it all. And then when the money came in, it had the right places to go. Yeah. We also eventually got an accountant. Brock. Brock. Bless you, Brock. So much patience for us girls. No, honestly, there's been, I think there's been three times where I realized that my like impatience has like caused us a working relationship.

1:09:45Three people isn't bad over 10 years, but Brock was one of them. He was just doing his job and it was annoying me. He'd be like, well, how do you, how can I be sure this as a team meal. I'm like, suck it, Brock.

1:09:58Lindsey Simcik:I'm like, can't you figure out a loophole for us? No, honestly, like I wanted him to loophole every single thing. He's like, no, you have to pay taxes on this. And I'm like, why? But it's really important because you could like be rolling and make money and like not really accounting for things. I miss, yeah, he was great. I actually wanted to work with him again after, so we worked with him for like a year, two years. And I reached back out and he was like, no. I was like, that's the correct answer. Yeah, totally. Made sense to me. It's like reaching back out to an ex. It really was. It was like tail between my legs.

1:10:27Brock, you were the best I ever had.

1:10:30Lindsey Simcik:He was in Utah. He was like$200 a month. Yeah. It was awesome. Now we're paying like a, yeah. Um, so I think that's really important because unless you yourself feel so confident in managing all of these things, hiring and delegating, you know, whether it's the systems, there's AI now for so much of that. But Claude can connect to your QuickBooks. So you can have Claude sort of file and systematize all of your stuff. I would just set up your first, your separate checking. And then you could have all of that be sent to like a tax person at the end of the year. So you could actually have Claude do it.

1:11:05Lindsey Simcik:Yeah. So I think there's a lot that you can automate, a lot that you can take off of your plate. But it's just really important. And I think energetically, it's just important to signal to like the spirit of your business that like you are serious and you are like taking care. of it in that way. Yeah. I love that. So treating it like a, like a business, definitely I'd be making more than 10 K before you do that. Otherwise you have to just, you can mark it as like your own contractor. Um, okay. Questions from the audience here at the end. I've been wanting to start a podcast for two years, but I keep waiting until I feel ready.

1:11:41How do you know when it's time?

1:11:45Lindsey Simcik:Yeah. I, I, I'm just so mean. I'm like, that sounds good. you're not you've been waiting two years until you're ready i don't know what what do you want me to do shake you get ready do the podcast you're making every single day the choice to not do the thing that you want to do from a parts perspective i would go in with compassion and be like what is the part of you that's stopping you that has the fear what are you afraid of that's the question what are you afraid of afraid i'm gonna get judged i'm gonna get canceled this bad thing's gonna happen to me great we have to be with all of the the all of the arguments and negotiation points of the part to help soothe that part to know that it is safe, even if anything happened, no matter what, to allow the parts of you that want to be creative to step forward.

1:12:31So you really have to be with the parts of you that have stopped you that have made you frozen in time, told you that you're not ready, really honor them, understand them and have them sit next to you as the other parts of you step forward to move you towards that business. But you know, you're never going to feel ready. It's never going to feel perfect. It's never going to feel a thing. And I think the more to sometimes that you can like really get really real about your life and not have this constant, like, I'm going to start a podcast for two years. Like, no, you're not like, I'm sorry to be, but you're not, it's been two years.

1:13:02Like sometimes you have to be really honest with yourself to make yourself get motivated. Like what if in two more years, you're still saying this at what point are you going to be honest that you haven't done something? And then hopefully that can motivate you to really look at the deeper patterns that are stopping you from doing this thing that you say you really want to do.

1:13:17Lindsey Simcik:And at the end, I completely agree with all of that. I think that's so powerful and very potent work that you must do before you dive into this. Cause like, and your why is not strong enough. You got to find a greater why than just you, bitch, honestly. But I would also say confidence comes from taking action. You're gonna, that's a good one. Literally you have to do things. You can't be thinking about it. Nothing happens when you're thinking about it, to be honest. Like anytime that I've had resistance in starting something and then I just start it, I'm like, whoa, I'm so much better at this than I thought.

1:13:54Lindsey Simcik:Wow. I'm learning this so much more quickly than I thought I would. And I'm actually getting more inspiration and like, you have to be in it. Yeah, I agree. To actually get the confidence that you want, the clarity that you want, the direction, the progress. I also think it's just like, I was thinking about that this morning, actually after a workout, I was having this moment of like the decisiveness of, this is happening. I wish this wasn't true that I'm not starting a podcast, but this is happening. This is the reality. I want to start a podcast, but I'm not. Okay, then drop it. Just like stop having the constant, I should do this, I should do that.

1:14:35It's like whatever reality you're in right now, accept it fully. and then maybe recalibrate to another reality about something you actually want instead of just this constant like pain you're causing yourself of saying you're going to do something that you're not disappointing yeah exactly it's like that's all sabotage exactly but i completely agree about the confidence thing that it happens in the doing and the why needs to be strong enough yeah what equipment do i actually need to start i don't want to over invest before i know if I'll stick with it.

1:15:03Lindsey Simcik:That's legit. I understand that. Um, I mean, you could start with a very cheap USB mic that you connect to your computer. Um, it could be under a hundred dollars. It doesn't mean it's going to be the absolute best quality in the world, but also about your room that you're in. Yeah. So make sure that the acoustics in a room, get the rugs on the floor, the curtains, just make sure that there's no echo. Um, you can record if you have like a Mac book, you can record into GarageBand. Like it could be that simple into Zoom into Riverside. There's so many different programs. It could just be very plug and play.

1:15:42Lindsey Simcik:So yeah, you might invest a hundred, 200 bucks. Yes. But I think Danielle Laporte and Jenna Kutcher used to do it on their phone. Danielle Laporte used to do it on her phone. Jenna Kutcher used to do it in the closet. And I think we did it in the closet for a while. So you don't have to overinvest. I think just getting, having like a clean little camera if you can and mic is totally fine and I think it's a good idea to almost like treat yourself as you continue to grow and show up in a way where you get better stuff so don't use gear as like a procrastination tool I want to eventually monetize how do I think about that from the beginning without it feeling gross and or premature gross is a weird word I gross, but I feel like gross in the sense like, like, um, too much.

1:16:28Lindsey Simcik:Is that what gross means? I mean, it is interesting because I'm acting like I don't understand why they're saying that. And I absolutely do because there is a part of it that is like cart before the horse a little bit. Yeah. Cause I don't think, I think, I think about this a lot with the women that I coach. I don't think that people really understand that now with the way the economy is, it is actually demand is built before the product is created. Where before back in the day, it was Henry Ford created the car, which created a demand for the car. The creation succeeded the actual thing. I'm going to create this thing that iPhone, Steve Jobs, I'm going to create this thing you guys have never seen before.

1:17:07You don't even know you want this thing and now you can't live without it. Nowadays, it's actually the opposite.

1:17:16It's for the thing. And then they give them the thing. I'm an influencer that, you know, I've been struggling so much with PCOS and all these things. And this is the one thing that worked for me. And then you create the product. So I actually think you creating the demand and creating the audience first is really the thing that you have to really focus on before you start to monetize. So it's not a bad thing to think about monetizing in the future, but you really have to have those listeners of like 10 ,000 downloads an episode is kind of the standard start point for monetization from a network perspective before you monetize.

1:17:48Lindsey Simcik:And that's what's changed over the years. Like that's one piece we forgot to say in terms of like the business of podcasting has changed. You know, like I think there was so much more ways in which we could be creative. Yeah. Freedom, creative with brands and collaborative with brands. We were like, we will hold your ice cream against a graffiti wall for an extra$125 to share it on social. But it felt cool because so many of these brands that we worked with in the beginning were also growing. So we're like, how can we both be successful? You know, like what are your goals? What are our goals? How can we do a creative campaign?

1:18:28Lindsey Simcik:And today for better or for worse, so much of what's happening is like you go through an agency, they have access to brands, then they have also have access to podcasters. They can brands and podcasters. And then we get into the numbers. So what are your numbers? That is what you'll be, you know, what, uh, you're asking rate will be. Um, so there's, I find a little less flexibility and creativity in that way. Um, but to your point, like you really, yeah, you have to build a following. You have to, or you won't be able to monetize. Completely. So I think about focusing on your product, your community that you're building and the audience that you're going to eventually monetize is going to be the most important.

1:19:12And there's really nothing about wanting to monetize. Actually, it's incredible to want to do that, but you have to start from that basic point. You can do affiliate partnerships and make money through affiliate programs without having that big of an audience. You can do Patreon, things like that. Then there's obviously host red ads. You could do other brand partnerships, speaking. I can kind of parlay into really anything.

1:19:33Lindsey Simcik:Yeah. And it could also just be a funnel into your business if you have a business of Totally. That's what I always say a lot of times with people that have their own products and services. Like imagine your product is a hundred dollars and you have one person buy the a hundred dollar product. That's almost more than an advertiser would be if you have a small show. And so you really can have this be a top funnel for a lot of what you're doing. And I think that's going to make you even more, more money. Yes, yes, yes. Amazing. Be yourself. Everyone else is taken. Smile, dance like no one's watching.

1:20:05Lindsey Simcik:Live, laugh, love along the way. I would just say, don't be discouraged because you see everyone starting a podcast, right? And also be real with yourself about do you want to commit to something that requires you to really nurture your craft really kind of like show up consistently requires research time effort. Like if you want to make it a show that stands out and an audience can gather around, it does take a lot of effort, you know? And so if it's just a hobby, amazing. If it's a form, if it's a form of catharsis for you, fantastic. But if you're looking to create a show to garner an audience, to eventually monetize, et cetera, like it does take a lot of work and consistency.

1:21:02Lindsey Simcik:So I think, you know, we see people just willy nilly creating them, but to be one that I think is successful, it takes a lot more. You guys got this almost 30.com morning microdoses are a second show. You can get inspired with our clips channel. You can check out our clips and our YouTube at almost 30 podcast on Instagram and TikTok and YouTube. You can connect with Lindsay at lindsaysimsek on Instagram and me at itskrista. And we love you. We have a bunch of other solos with just Lindsay and I. So you can find those on our YouTube, Spotify or Apple. And thank you for subscribing, rating and reviewing.

1:21:38It means the world. We love you all. We love you guys. Enjoy. Bye.

1:21:51you