In this solo episode of the Stan Stewart Podcast, host Rob Anderson answers a personal question—why he podcasts. He outlines his history of early adoption of podcasting, mentioning past shows like Barnstorming Blondies and Adventure IQ, and describes his current two podcasts: One Dive at a Time (a veteran‑focused series produced with Neptune Warrior) and a journal of his ICF coaching accreditation journey. Rob emphasizes that his podcasting is a low‑production, on‑the‑go activity—recorded from his Jeep or a park bench using a phone and Rode wireless microphones—because the process itself serves as a creative outlet and spoken journal. He deliberately ignores metrics, download counts, and viral strategies, focusing instead on the personal value of speaking his truth and the potential ripple effect of reaching even a single listener. He shares his “ripple theory,” the idea that each spoken word can help someone else, and cites feedback that validates this purpose. Throughout, he encourages listeners to share their own stories without waiting for perfect production, offering his contact email for partnership. The episode blends personal narrative, practical podcasting habits, and a philosophical stance on authenticity over scale.
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Hey, this is Rob with the Stan Stewart Podcast. You know, I feel really weird about these little intros walking into it. I've got to figure that part out at some point. I want to take a few minutes today to talk about something that is very personal, and it's not from a strategic It's not from a business angle. It's not some hot take, but a real answer to a question that someone asked me a few weeks ago. As a matter of fact, it was my father-in-law that asked me this a few weeks ago. And the question was, why do you podcast? Now, I've actually got 2 other podcasts that I do. One is set up for my veteran community. Where we use scuba diving as a way— really, it's a way to build veterans. And that's the One Dive at a Time podcast. It's run for Neptune Warrior. If you want more information about that, it's neptunewarrior.org. Awesome. And then the podcast is called One Dive at a Time. And where it comes from is the model that I created back in 2016, Healing Heroes One Dive at a Time. So I called the podcast One Dive at a Time. And I've run other podcasts in the past. I ran one for Adventure IQ for years. As a matter of fact, when podcasting first came on the scene, We were actually one of the first 500 podcasters that were out there. I just happened to catch on to it. I happened to meet the guy who originated the concept for podcasting. So I got into it very early. And then when I was flying and I was a student pilot, I had a podcast called Barnstorming Blondies. And it was my entire journey as a student pilot, lesson by lesson. There's been podcasts where I've put a lot of effort into production, but most of the time, I really haven't thrown That much into it. So with One Dive at a Time, I've got just a small setup, but I, you know, I don't do scripts. I do what's called mind mapping, and I just, I just speak from the heart. And unfortunately, because I like to speak from the heart a lot, a lot of those podcasts over on that platform have got like 20 and 30 minutes. I've tried to shorten that up as I come in To this podcast, and I don't put a lot of effort into it. I am sitting in my Jeep. This is where I do— I think this is where I've done every podcast, is either from my Jeep or sitting on a park bench somewhere. But I don't throw a whole lot of production effort into it. And I know that there's guys out there who've got studios. I've helped people set up studios. I think that they're— I think it's pretty fascinating how you can get great sound, great ambience, and things like that. And yeah, in a way, I'd really like to have that on my podcast. But the truth is, I do my podcast for me. I know that that sounds selfish. And I really don't mean it that way. I don't go out and check how many download numbers I have. I don't track how many subscribers that I've gained since I started this thing, or even by a week. I'm not building a content calendar around what's going to go viral. And it's just like the other 2 podcasts I'm running right now, One Dive at a Time. And I've got another one that is my— it's really my journey going through my ICF accreditation. For me, it's a creative outlet. It's how I process what I'm going through, what I'm wrestling with, what I believe in. And yeah, I hope it helps someone. I hope it lifts somebody up. But even if it only reaches 1 or 2 people, for me, that's okay. That's more than enough. And I'll just happily sit in my Jeep using my phone as my recording device and a couple of Rode wireless microphones so I sound a little bit better. I think we live in a world that is obsessed with scale. Everything is measured in likes, in reach, in subscribers, in return of investment. And don't get me wrong, yes, I run a business and I get it. Metrics matter, but sometimes something just needs to exist because it matters to you. And for me, a combination of podcasting and the short little 30-second videos I do on TikTok and Instagram And YouTube. That's, that's what it is for me. You know, I, I record those little 20-second monologues, and most of the time I'm either out walking around or Or I'm working in the garage, I'm in the backyard. More often than not, I'm— again, I'm sitting in my Jeep. And what I'm recording is something that just, it hits me. I've been thinking about it and boom, instantly I feel like I have to put it out there. Maybe something I'm wrestling with, maybe something that hit me in that moment. And I need a way to let it out. Now, I'm a big-time journaler, but it is also a way for me to journal spoken out loud so it reaches others. It's my way of reminding myself of what I believe, of what matters. I talk about the theory of ripples a lot, and that stems from— it actually stems from Some work I did and continue to do with diving. And at some point, I'll probably share that on what my ripple theory is or philosophy is. But for me, this is a ripple. It's cast out there. If someone is listening on the other side, maybe they needed to hear it. And I do get— it is nice. I do get feedback on either the videos Or even the podcast that says, "Hey, I really needed to hear that," or "That touched me today," and I love that. There's a quote that I've always loved, and it was Dorothy Parker who once said, "I hate writing. I love having written," and in some ways that does apply to this. And I think if I put more time into perfecting. Expecting what the sound should be like and, you know, how much, you know, how much reverb needs to be in the microphone and the selection of music and going out and seeking sponsors, I think I really would hate it. But I actually enjoy turning on the mic, playing the piece of background music I've selected, and jumping in and doing a podcast. I love turning the camera on and putting my message out there. You know, it's not easy to record, you know, when— I guess I would say This could be a lot more difficult to record. But I mean, I don't worry about background sounds. I mean, the other day I had people standing outside the Jeep talking while I'm trying to do a podcast. And yeah, I could get frustrated with it. I could go out— I actually have studio space I can rent for little or no cost. Actually, I've got studio space I can use at no cost. But I think that would take the fun out of it. I think it would take away the purpose that I have. You know, I throw one of these out there and I always feel better after I share something that for me is very real. So what I— why do I do a podcast? Well, to answer the question my father-in-law has asked, and I'm sure that other people Sure, my family thinks I'm just a nutcase for doing these. I'm sure my friends think I'm egocentric or something. But I do it because I need to. Because it centers me. Because it reminds me of who I am and who I'm becoming. Because sometimes I need to hear my own voice say the truth out loud. And if along the way someone finds encouragement, they find insight, or they find hope, In something I've said, then it's a blessing. And that's the ripple effect in action. So, thank you for listening. I mean, and I honestly miss that. That's not just the way that I close out the podcast. I'm honestly grateful for you listening. If you feel like you need to share Your story, or even just your thoughts, do it. Don't wait for the perfect production or a big audience. Just speak. Someone out there may need to hear your words, even if that someone is just you. If you need a partner to walk along that journey with you, I'd be more than happy to do that. Reach out to me at rob@standsurecoaching.com. Thanks, Rob. Once again, thank you so much for listening. Thank you.
