“How to Become the Center of Influence Through Rising Tide Podcasting” with Kimberly Sumpter of the Sistahs Connect Podcast
As part of my series of interviews about “How to Become the Center of Influence Through Podcasting”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kimberly Sumpter is a Jersey City, NJ native and the host of the Sistahs Connect podcast. She is a Community Business Academy Instructor for Rising Tide Capital, a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming lives and communities through entrepreneurship. Kimberly is also the owner of the Wax Kandy Candle Company.
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Can you tell us the “backstory” about why or how you got started as a podcaster?
In February 2018, I decided to create a private Facebook group in hopes of finding other women who were also looking for a positive and uplifting community on social media. Most importantly, I wanted to facilitate and encourage the women within the group to connect with one another. In the span of three months, the community grew to over 1,000 members. It then occurred to me not only did I have a community of engaged followers, but these were also women who I might be able to convert into becoming podcast listeners. I then began binge listening to podcasts about podcasting. I joined several facebook communities for podcasters and began watching tutorials on how to start a podcast. Eleven months later, I launched my first episode of the Sistahs Connect podcast.
Can you share a story about the most interesting thing that has happened to you since you started podcasting? Many of my friends have been inspired by my journey and are now launching or have launched their own podcasts. I have also been asked by people that I’m not personally acquainted with if I would be willing to teaching them how to start a podcast. I am a natural born teacher and I love that this is an opportunity that is opening up for me. I must admit that I would never have imagined six months that anything like could happening.
Can you share a story about the biggest or funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that? Within the first three months of starting the podcast, I purchased a total of six microphones. Yes, six! As the shipments would come in, I would hide them underneath the bed and away from my wonderful fiancé. It’s so easy to go overboard with purchasing podcasting gear if you’re not careful. Looking back, I realize that none of those purchases were necessary and that a relatively inexpensive hobby almost became costly.
How long have you been podcasting and how many shows have you aired?
I’ve been podcasting since January 20, 2019. To date, I’ve released a total of 12 episodes.
What are the main takeaways or lessons you want your listeners to walk away with?
I want the listeners to feel a sense of community and to know that they are not alone on their journey. All my guests drop jewels and bits of encouragement in hopes that someone listening will be compelled enough to begin to take action in her own life and move forward to find her divine purpose. Ok super. Now let’s jump to the core of our discussion.
Check out the full interview in Tracy Hazzard’s Authority Magazine article about Kimberly Sumpter!
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Kimberly Sumpter of the Sistahs Connect Podcast shares the best ways to:
1) Book Great Guests. I created a wish list of the people that I’d like to interview. I make sure that they can bring value to my listeners. I like to book guests that are naturally conversational and can articulate their message in a way that the listener can understand and relate to. I also make sure that I communicate with my guest during a discovery call prior to the interview. This makes them feel more comfortable and to let them know what they can expect.
2) Increase Listeners. Increasing listenership can be a challenge. What I didn’t realize before starting the podcast is that many of the women that I am targeting have never listened to a podcast before. I make sure to create posts and content that assists them with understanding how to find and subscribe to my show. Having meet-ups and creating explainer videos have also helped me to get over that hurdle.
3) Produce in a Professional Way. Good sound quality is so important, and you don’t need expensive equipment or a professional studio to achieve that! I have an interview-based podcast where 90% of the interviews that I conduct are in person. Starting out, my initial set up was a laptop and a Blue Yeti microphone. I did decide to invest in a ZOOM H6 recorder which produces an amazing sound quality. A simple hack like using a heavy blanket to absorb the sound has done wonders for me. I also take the time to understand how to use my own equipment so that I can get the most out of it. At the end of the day, I owe it to my guests and the listeners to produce a show worth coming back to.
4) Encourage Engagement. As a podcaster it is ultimately up to me to engage my audience but because a large majority of the guests that I interview are personal friends, they not only promote their own episodes but they do help to promote the overall show. Staying connected and engaged within the Sistahs Connect Facebook group has also helped the podcast to grow exponentially.
5) Monetize. Because my podcast is niche and fairly new, I’ve decided to focus on finding ways to monetize as a “podcaster” vs monetizing the actual podcast itself. Creating intimate lifestyle events that are podcast focused have been a great way for me to monetize. It also builds a sense of community and it helps me to attract more listeners. By combining my experience as a candle maker, I’ve been able to create customized candle favors for my own brand and have secured orders from other podcasters who want to offer unique merch to their listeners as well. Lastly, I have begun the process of using my website as a form of monetization. I am creating and will be offering business listings in a dedicated directory for women of color who own small business for a nominal fee.
What makes your podcast binge-listenable? What do you think makes your podcast unique from the others in your category? What do you think is special about you as a host, your guests, or the content itself?
Check out the full interview in Tracy Hazzard’s Authority Magazine article about Kimberly Sumpter!
