Secrets to Podcasting Success and Personal Growth with Paula Sima (Host/ Talk Sh*t with P)
Chris sits down with Paula Sima, the dynamic force behind the "Talk Shit with P" [https://talkshitwithp.buzzsprout.com/]podcast. They dive deep into the transformative power of podcasting, exploring both personal growth and the evolution of content creation.
Paula shares candid insights into the early days of her podcast, its impact on her life, and how it has morphed into a platform for creative expression and mental health advocacy.
Join us for a lively conversation that covers everything from managing creative output during the pandemic to rebranding and the importance of authenticity in podcasting.
Paula's Links:
* Instgram: https://www.instagram.com/talkshitwithp/ [https://www.instagram.com/talkshitwithp/]
* YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talkshitwithp [https://www.youtube.com/@talkshitwithp]
Connect with Chris:
* ALL LINKs: https://campsite.bio/chrisvaglio [https://campsite.bio/chrisvaglio]
* YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOUkLpKDUPP0TiLgYkog94A [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOUkLpKDUPP0TiLgYkog94A]
* Coaching for Creatives - https://www.rockitgrowthagency.com/ [https://www.rockitgrowthagency.com/]
00:00:00:00 - 00:00:02:22
Speaker 1
So I'm here. I'm ready to talk some shit with Paula,
00:00:02:22 - 00:00:04:21
Speaker 1
and you really talk some shit. Paula.
00:00:04:23 - 00:00:09:27
Speaker 2
Let's talk some shit on looking live on Duck. So. Shit. Why Rockingham?
00:00:10:00 - 00:00:15:13
Speaker 1
That's right. That's right. We're going to rock it and we're going to talk some shit off to save time.
00:00:15:13 - 00:00:17:03
Speaker 1
I got to know a little bit about
00:00:17:03 - 00:00:21:20
Speaker 1
talk shit with pig. Because I'm listening. I listen. I listen. I listen.
00:00:21:20 - 00:00:26:08
Speaker 1
I know you started the show back at the basically at the start of the pandemic. So
00:00:26:08 - 00:00:38:05
Speaker 1
what would Paul of 2024 tell Paul of podcasting your podcasting self from 2020 when you started your first episode Was the coronavirus Cardi B
00:00:38:05 - 00:00:39:20
Speaker 1
Talking coronavirus.
00:00:39:20 - 00:00:44:03
Speaker 1
What would you what would you say to yourself now.
00:00:44:05 - 00:01:05:05
Speaker 2
It's funny you brought up COVID because you know that was a SEAL, but that was the first time I actually use kind of like a snippet of how she there's certain sayings that B says that, yes, and it was going viral and they used it. And then later on, I find that, oh, I could be sued. So I said I was like, at this point, nobody knows me.
00:01:05:05 - 00:01:17:13
Speaker 1
So you know what? Yeah, you do it and ask her forgiveness, You know what I'm saying? I mean, you know, I got a feeling Cardi B as much bigger fish to fry. But you know what? Say, you know what? If she goes after, you could turn it into content.
00:01:17:20 - 00:01:20:24
Speaker 2
And that's what I was going to say. There would be some good content.
00:01:20:29 - 00:01:26:02
Speaker 1
That would be something that would be some awesome content. Yeah. Then you'd have some real shit to talk about.
00:01:26:05 - 00:01:37:23
Speaker 2
With a mixed race on Twitter because I'd make it into right now and turn it into all from receiving the letter to battling it. Yeah, yeah.
00:01:37:23 - 00:02:00:13
Speaker 2
Well, back to your question. So literally, I would tell pull out of 2022 was stressing about doing this podcast is no don't worry about that little stuff right I was I was editing to perfection like the calls the everything which took me like 3 hours.
00:02:00:13 - 00:02:14:23
Speaker 2
And this is when they call for me after they're like, it's in there because we're humans, right? We cause this is how we talk when applied for. So why, why would somebody assume, because I'm on a podcast, I should speak proper that now I know talk So
00:02:14:23 - 00:02:24:20
Speaker 2
that and also I was so worried if I'd ever have guests on my show, I was like, Who's going to want to come to to talk shit?
00:02:24:20 - 00:02:52:20
Speaker 2
Well, it's funny when people realize you have a podcast and again, everybody's experience is different. My podcast is called Talk. You would be. So when I tell people I have a podcast called Talks, you would be the first thing you hear is I want to talk. So I share with you. Yeah. So it has become that I have so many people want to come to my podcast when I'm like, Do you even know what this podcast is about?
00:02:52:26 - 00:03:26:06
Speaker 2
What do you want to come talk about that I don't know. As long as I'm talking shit with you. I'm like, You know, it's not literally like we're not really just talking hula hoops. So I went from being in 2020 worried about if I ever have enough guests or people want to come to a show to now receiving emails and people are just filling out the form, finding their form and sending their pitches, and then media keeps like I'm happy anyway, So I want send them to say, Oh no.
00:03:26:08 - 00:03:28:11
Speaker 1
No, now see that now.
00:03:28:17 - 00:03:29:20
Speaker 2
And I was 83.
00:03:29:20 - 00:03:47:19
Speaker 1
Right now you're gatekeeping, now you're gatekeeping. Before you're like, anybody could be on my show. Just I just need yeah, I just need content. People come on the show now. I'm like, wait a second. You're not past, say, in four years. You're now, you know, velvet rope, right? VIP.
00:03:47:22 - 00:04:18:23
Speaker 2
Lester, Is shit ever close? I remember it says a lot. And again, I ended up rebranding my podcast two years ago. In 2022, I rebranded. But when I said to those just taking any guesses about your mental health story, you and I talk about your mental health. Whatever it is, bring it on. Come. I was just accepting a variety of mental health and then you start taking it serious and getting in these rooms and people are telling you constantly.
00:04:19:00 - 00:04:32:09
Speaker 2
The first thing I had in that first two years of my podcasting was niche down meeting mission. You got a niche that I hated is I was like, I don't even fucking know what I'm doing. Why are you going to make me niche now?
00:04:32:12 - 00:04:41:08
Speaker 1
You know, who the hell am I even niching down to? I don't even know what I'm doing. I just want. I just want. I just want a podcast. What I learned.
00:04:41:08 - 00:05:01:18
Speaker 2
They're asking me about who is your persona? Who is this? I'm like, I don't care. What does that have to do? A book. I just want to share stories and have these conversations. Yeah, but eventually, eventually you realize that you do need to somehow niche down or realize what your purpose is or who your persona is.
00:05:01:18 - 00:05:07:26
Speaker 2
So in a niche down into and turn it into, say, Sue on the sheer mental health stories and journeys.
00:05:07:26 - 00:05:25:03
Speaker 2
But I want to focus on creativity because now I'm in this world of the eighties. I'm building a brand. I, I am more aware of what I'm doing and what I wanted to be. And I've gotten a little cocky, you know, because now that is rule is like, Oh yeah, doing this shit, you know?
00:05:25:06 - 00:05:26:11
Speaker 1
Oh yeah.
00:05:26:14 - 00:05:43:18
Speaker 2
So I became that person where when now people reach out, I'm like, Is this on brand with me? Are you really right? Yes. You might have a mental health story, but does it go with what my show is? Because there's a lot of mental stories now. I've become more aware and
00:05:43:18 - 00:05:47:08
Speaker 2
the madness is saying it's keeping weight. I got to protect your brand.
00:05:47:14 - 00:06:00:08
Speaker 2
Yeah, Yeah. Maybe you can just just have. So we talk about sponsorship and everything. You can't have a sponsorship. You are you're promoting something that you don't agree with, but you're promoting it on your podcast. Say.
00:06:00:11 - 00:06:30:18
Speaker 1
Yeah, I mean, I those are all very well said actually. I mean, and I know we can laugh about it and it is, it's funny, right, because you think back where you started, right? Like I went back and I listened to your first three episodes just to prepare because I listen and I would say if anybody was going to interview me, like go back and listen to my episodes of, you know, whether it's song, So I've show it on or when this show used to be called Rockit Live, like go back and listen to those episodes because it's like I'm like all over the place and like even a mishmash of guests.
00:06:30:18 - 00:06:45:20
Speaker 1
But like, because I just wanted the podcast, I just wanted to talk with people. But, you know, you make a really great point as you grow and as you learn and you said a few key things in there, your personal brand, you want to be protective about it and on top of that, right as you begin to grow an audience, right.
00:06:45:20 - 00:07:04:22
Speaker 1
What are the things, what are the stories? What are the people your audience wants to hear from? And plus, what fits in with you, Right? So, exactly like when you start out, you're like, Hey, I'm going to do anything. It's like being in a band. Like when you first play about I don't care, I'm going to play birthday parties back your bar mitzvahs, legion halls.
00:07:04:26 - 00:07:21:11
Speaker 1
Yeah, Burger King parking lots, like whatever. But eventually now you're going, well, okay, You start to grow, you learn. Are you all right? We're not going to do that anymore now. We're going to you know, we're going to play proper shows. We're going to get paid for what we're doing, like you begin to build up. And that's over the course of the years that you've been doing it.
00:07:21:11 - 00:07:31:05
Speaker 1
That's what you figured out. Like any creator, right? Anybody that starts a project, you start here and where you wind up because you've learned and you've grown. So I would love to know from you, Paula.
00:07:31:08 - 00:07:54:10
Speaker 2
But before we move on, I just want to add something on that. And there's a knowing that I think sometimes some people end up getting so confused or lost is because they just start shooting. They're already quick into the branding and all of that. Right. So when I started it, they just wanted to to do something during the pandemic, right?
00:07:54:12 - 00:08:17:04
Speaker 2
We were all closed. I needed something that to get me out of my my, my mental struggles. And once the world started opening up, I did not invest in any shit. I was recording from my sworn on the anchor app before I became Spotify for podcasters or whatever it is right now, but I was recording through there. I was self editing everything.
00:08:17:09 - 00:08:42:18
Speaker 2
I was like, I'm not going to invest until I see it's something I actually want to keep doing. So why was the why opened up? And I was still back to my night of 9 to 5? Joe Actually, I walked retail, so I had slept the hours, you know, morning nights, evenings, whatever, and then still wanting to record and edit and put it out on time and attend events and conferences.
00:08:42:18 - 00:08:59:07
Speaker 2
That's when I knew, okay, now I really love this. I'm interested in it. Now listen, this, this when, when they suggested for me to rebrand, if I was doing it for fun, I wasn't going, was I rebranding? Like why the fuck would I rebrand if I'm just doing it for fun and, you know, like, that's a waste of money.
00:08:59:07 - 00:09:16:07
Speaker 2
So take your time with fast knowing if you actually love something before you actually put so much strength into that. That's about this. I tell my, my, my 2020 self like all these little things that we have to wait for them for us to.
00:09:16:09 - 00:09:38:22
Speaker 1
Yeah, I agree with that. I think those are all great statements to make because I mean, it is it's what you learn along the journey, right. And you know, the things you do, the the sacrifices you make, the time you put into it, but it pays off at the end of the day. So basically, for anybody listening to us right now, if you are kind of in the in the very beginning stages of starting a podcast, are still debating like, should I do it?
00:09:38:22 - 00:09:54:16
Speaker 1
Should I not? I mean, I can tell you from from both of us and if you've already listened to what Paul has been saying is just start it, just do it. Don't overthink it, just frickin do it. Like you don't need a ton of fancy equipment, as Paul just said. Do it on your phone, man. Like, that's that's all you really need.
00:09:54:16 - 00:10:12:11
Speaker 1
At the end of the day, if you've got something to say, stories to tell, questi
