The Build Cycle Podcast #044 – Jordan Harbinger on Owning Your Future

Long time fans have been wondering “Why did Jordan Harbinger leave the Art of Charm podcast?” Yes, Jordan’s departure from AoC came a surprise to its listeners, but it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to him. We discuss why he’s no longer there, but that’s just the starting point in this wide ranging conversation on how anyone can pick up on the signals that their business (or personal) relationships might be going the wrong way. He explains why it’s so important to be real with yourself about how you and your partners are getting along.

In this wide ranging interview, we also discuss how he’s rebuilding his audience through The Jordan Harbinger Show. He also shares his tips on how to create a world class podcast, attract top notch guests, and keep listeners coming back for more. It’s valuable info, but throughout it all, we continue to explore what it takes to own your future by owning your decisions. If you’re struggling to grow your company, keep your workers or business partners happy, or just can’t seem to get a break, this episode will help open you up to a better, more growth-oriented mindset!

This episode is brought to you by HealthIQ, be sure to check out the note at the bottom of this post and see why, as an entrepreneur, that matters for you!

DISCUSSION TIMELINE

02:20 – Why leave Art of Charm?
04:50 – What were the warning signs things weren’t working out?
10:30 – Self awareness and the right mindset is key
15:55 – Next steps to launching his own show
18:39 – What’s different about the new show?
22:15 – How did he launch with a full team and recording studio? Where’d the money come from?
25:05 – Is a podcast enough? Or do you need products and events?
30:45 – How does Jordan gets good guests on his show?
35:35 – Keeping it fresh with popular guests.
43:39 – Testing a new segment properly
46:35 – Tips for getting a new podcast off the ground
58:11 – What keeps him up at night?
1:02:05 – Parting advice for entrepreneurs

POST-GAME ANALYSIS

how to tell if your business partner is going in a different direction than you and own your business and future with Jordan Harbinger

When the people you start your company with aren’t seeing eye to eye any more, or each of you wants to take the company in a different direction, it’s time to separate emotions from the discussion and figure out what the best course of action is for all parties. He mentions sunk cost, which along with steady income, makes it hard to leave something that you’ve invested so much time and energy into and is paying you. But if things aren’t going well, they most likely aren’t going to get better, and life is too short to play the waiting game and hope they will.

This is tough, because it requires looking inward and taking responsibility for your situation. Blaming others is a fool’s errand, you gain nothing from it. Ultimately, you need to own your future. Look at your options and be real. If you’ve been in any kind of relationship for very long, you know you can’t change others. Having those expectations will only lead to frustration. Change yourself, your environment and your outlook, because those are the things you can control.

How he’s building a world class podcast

Jordan has a goal. He wants to be one of the top interviewers in the world. Which drives him and informs each decision he makes. This is a key lesson any entrepreneur should learn sooner than later. Without clear goals to navigate by, your company can drift aimlessly. Maybe its profitable and seemingly successful, but maybe it could be much better and more profitable. One of the tools Jordan uses is a CRM. Typically, CRM software is for sales people, but he uses it to manage communications with potential guests, which is a pro move that helps him get top performers. He also uses it to keep in touch with his listeners. That’s a lot of work, but as he says, “You have to outwork everyone.”

Part of that is doing a ton of research on your guests ahead of time. We all want to have a unique discussion, not just repeat the same things everyone’s heard before. Numerous top personalities and frequent podcast guests say the same thing…they want to be challenged with fresh questions, otherwise they go on autopilot. Not only will that produce a lackluster episode, but your guest is less likely to share it with their audience. Make it special, though, and it’ll make the rounds and help you grow.

“It’s not about the guest, it’s about what the guest can teach the listener.”

Tucked away in our discussion about the quantity of ads in a podcast is this nugget of wisdom: “There’s always going to be people that don’t like the ads, but that tends to be feedback for me that I’m doing something wrong. That I could be doing something better.” That’s the right mindset. It’s like when I get comments on Bikerumor about how we misspelled something or missed a key fact. We take that as constructive criticism to improve, and that’s why we get better, not bitter. And you’ve got to keep getting better. There’s simply too much competition for blogs, podcasts, videos or any other media (or product, for that matter).

find out why jordan harbinger left the art of charm and how he rebuilt his new jordan harbinger show podcast in this interview with the build cycle

It takes time to grow

Another nugget? Give new things time to find an audience. His Feedback Friday episodes took months to gain steam, and almost a year to really hold their own compared to the interviews. Speaking of taking months to build steam, your podcast, blog, videos or whatever your product is has to be good. You can market it and get the word out as much as you want, but if they don’t stick around and keep listening or watching episode after episode, your numbers will never add up to much. It’s about retention. Yes, you need to promote like crazy, too, but it’s far less expensive and less time consuming to keep the listeners you have than to keep adding new ones that immediately drop off.

Jordan’s parting advice about building relationships inside and outside your company is exactly how he’s managed to grow his guest list to include so many big names. Remember, all of your interactions is networking, and people remember the bad as much as the good. Having an off day? Take a break from email and social so you don’t say something you’ll regret. Believe me, one wrong sentence can haunt you, especially if your competition gets ahold of it. Keep it positive, and keep providing value to your network even if you don’t have any particular end game in mind. They’ll remember that you’re helpful, and will refer you to others. Just being nice will help your network grow organically, which will open up options down the road.

LINKS & RESOURCES

Here’s how Jordan explains his recording equipment setup: “I use an electrovoice RE20 microphone. I prefer the vintage early 90s models to the new ones. I also use a digital audio interface called an Apollo. It’s overkill. I also use acoustic treatments on the wall (panels). Each one is about $77 and worth their weight in gold because the room sounds 100x better with it than without it. Mic, interface, etc, matter far less than room acoustics, yet this is where most people skimp in favor of a ‘better mic’ which just makes acoustic problems even worse.”


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