Redefining Your Niche to Attract and Empower a Worldwide Podcast Audience With Lara Heimann

As part of my series of interviews about “5 things you need to know to create a ‘bingeable’ podcast”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lara Heimann.
Lara is an international yoga pioneer and Physical Therapist focused on evolving the practice of yoga to empower movement and balance amidst a modern lifestyle of technology and sedentariness. With an advanced degree in physical therapy and more than 25 years of yoga practice and education, Lara is redefining the modern practice through her comprehensive LYT Method, emphasizing smart alignment, functional movement, and spiritual wellness. Through the holistic connection between body and mind, Lara’s methodology is a clear and influential roadmap to ignite the spirit to operate at its highest potential for everybody.
Premiered in the Fall of 2018, Lara’s Redefining Yoga airs three times a week to more than 600K listeners across nearly 90 countries. Diving into issues that explore the mechanics and philosophy of Heimann’s anatomy driven LYT Method, episodes provide listeners with a mix of motivational and educational content that speak to topics of health and wellness, injury prevention, and more. Weekly guests with influential backgrounds propel the message of celebrating voices who are doing good in the world and championing living an optimized life of movement, physical and spiritual nourishment, and a drive to help to make a more kind and just world.
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Can you tell us the “backstory” about why or how you got started as a podcaster?
My students are actually the reason why I got started as a podcaster! From my social media content to my closing remarks after each class, they asked if I could dedicate some time to talk about yoga and physical therapy from my perspective, and answer their questions about wellness, injury prevention, veganism and all of the things I am most passionate about. I decided to call it “Redefining Yoga” which I think is a pretty perfect name that encompasses just what my mission is to do! I now stream episodes 3 times a week with nearly a million listeners from all over the world!
Can you share a story about the most interesting thing that has happened to you since you started podcasting?
One of the most interesting things is not knowing what I would talk about for three podcasts a week. I was shooting from the hip a little bit, getting feedback as I went along to feel out what people wanted to hear from me. With 300 podcast episodes now under my belt, I think it’s pretty funny that I didn’t have a strategic plan besides to talk about yoga from my physical therapist perspective.
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?
Fortunately, I didn’t have many big mistakes, but I did have a few hiccups. I learned early on to check that the microphone was on (because it wasn’t for at least one), to change batteries for recording device (also died a few times mid-podcast), and to have enough space on my SD card (also ran out of space mid-podcast when interviewing someone).
How long have you been podcasting and how many shows have you aired?
Two years and 300 episodes
What are the main takeaways or lessons you want your listeners to walk away with?
I want to educate my listeners with practical tips for how they can move better and feel better and bust some myths/reframe the common perceptions about a yoga practice.
Check out the full interview in Tracy Hazzard’s Authority Magazine Article about Lara Heimann!
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Podcast Influencer, Lara Heimann of the Redefining Yoga shares the best ways to:
1) Booking Great Guests. Look for guests who will contribute knowledge and expertise.
2) Increase Listeners. Encourage listeners to share with others.
3) Produce in a Professional Way. Record in a good soundproofed area, edit well (I have a podcast production team).
4) Encourage Engagement. I have a weekly Q and A and ask listeners to send me their questions.
5) Monetize Your Show. Look for solid sponsorship that is consistent with messaging.
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 Lara Heimann!