Sandi Masori: Talks About How Your Can Turn Your Podcast Into a Book

I do really believe 100% from every part of me that everyone has the capacity to be able to do the things that they want and not to be held back by the mental baggage that's in our head that we want to push through.

Welcome to the do the Thing podcast. In each episode, we get down and personal with people who go after the things they want to make all their wildest dreams come true. Join us as we unveil and dissect a formula for what it takes to do the thing. Here is your host, Stacy Lauren.

Hey, everyone. Welcome to the do the Thing podcast. This is your host, Stacy Lauren. Okay, guys, well, this feels like a full circle kind of moment. It's so interesting. The person that helped me even start this do the Thing podcast is here with me today, which is really kind of serendipitous. And I didn't even think about this until this morning as I'm getting ready for the interview, because I'm about to start the do the Thing Start a podcast challenge April 17th. And this wasn't even on purpose. I really wanted to have talked to her because she's a book strategist. She was the one that initially got me to start getting interviews for do the Thing because I was blocked in how I was thinking in my story, and she thought it would help me not only open up my story, but then also hear stories of other people and how they do the thing. And we have a full episode on that, episode eight, if you want to hear her full story and us talking about it. But pretty much, she is the one that lit the fire for this whole thing. And so how cool is it I get to have her come back on? So we met up recently, and she's talking to me about this really new, cool thing that she's doing, and I've been wanting to explore that with her a little. There's some that she can tell and some that she can't. So we'll kind of get into what we can for this call. But then the other big thing I wanted to talk to her about was how to actually have a podcast be a way to write a book. Because I had just finished the Start A Book challenge in my community, and I'm about to start a Start a Podcast challenge. And I think some people in the community are like, well, I don't want to start a podcast. I want to still write my book. And I'm like, you guys, this is how you can write your book. And so anyway, I really wanted to talk to her about that because she was the one that opened my mind up to even doing this in the first place. So I thought, if anyone can help you guys learn how to do this, it's Sandy, Missouri. And so I am welcoming Sandy, Missouri to the show. Hey, Sandy.

Hey. Thank you so much for having me. I'm, I'm so excited to be here. And you're right, it is, it is kind of full circle and it has been amazing to watch your journey and how far you have taken this. Thank you. This is your, what, like 150th podcast now or something?

It's crazy, and it's so weird how it starts. It started with the book, right. This idea that I had. And then it sort of turned in. I put the book on pause for a while and then it turned because the podcast was just so much fun for me that I couldn't even. And now I'm, I'm getting back to the book, but it was just such a fire on its own. And you lit the match pretty much, because I didn't even think about doing these interviews until we talked.

Yeah. And you have become such an incredible interviewer. I mean, I know you, you had that experience from your staffing days, so it was already in you, but I just remember how nervous you were with the first one and how we talked about the questions that you were going to ask and, and even me telling you to look at your lighting in your background. And now look at you. You are an absolute superstar. I'm just blown away.

You know, it's funny that you say that, because I was so nervous and it wasn't until. And actually you were the one that referred Anastasia to me, who is the one, for anyone listening that hasn't listened to her episode. She had escaped from Ukraine and ended up helping 130 women while the war was going on to help them get shelter and jobs. And that was the interview that everything shifted for me because when I got to hear her story, and I'm getting chills just talking about this, because when I got to hear her story and how she was able to use her skills from her business. Her business is customer service transformation, where she helps businesses literally transform their companies, she was able to use that experience in when the war happened, and then that's how she was able to build the community and help these women get out of hard times. And that's when I'm like, wait a minute, I have that experience too, from staffing. And then I was able to kind of tap into what my gifts were with the staffing and it wasn't until. And I think she was episode number 10. It wasn't until that interview when the shift happened. But you're right, those first 10 interviews, I was so nervous. And then it would took me from the time he told me to start interviewing people to the time that I started. I mean, there was six months lag time because I just wasn't. I just was not able to get going.

And. And now look at you. I. I mean, I'm blown away. I'm really blown away.

Thank you. Well, I'd love to have you talk to the people that. And again, I'm sure you guys, there's other people listening that aren't in the community that didn't just finish the Start A Book challenge. So you are going to get a lot out of this interview as well. So please still listen, because it's not just going to be for the people that just finished, but I definitely want to speak specifically to the people that did just finish the Start a Book challenge and that are saying, hey, Stacy, I want to finish this book.

I can't.

I don't have time to start a podcast. What do we want to say to those people and how can we help them actually explore this idea more or at least show up to the Facebook Live so they can see if it's for them?

Yeah. So, I mean, I think. I think that probably the two easiest ways to write your book are either by doing questions and answers or by interviews, right? The easiest way to gather your content, right? Questions and answers. Especially if you're doing like a business authority kind of book that is really speaking about your expertise, your establishing you as a leader in your field, then a great way to do it is just by writing out the most frequently asked questions and the questions you wish people would ask you. But maybe your book is on a topic that's a little bit bigger than that and you need more than just your expertise. And actually, I myself am writing, currently my eighth book, and I'm using this method. And I mean, I'm not putting it on a podcast. These interviews will eventually go on my YouTube channel. But it's the same idea, right? We're doing an interview via Zoom, and the contents of those interviews are gonna become the content of the book. So basically, I'll just kind of take it from my personal story. Instead of using the broad general views, I'll tell what I'm doing right now and why I'm doing it. So I am. And you kind of alluded to it, I am in the Process of chasing down my childhood dream since I was seven years old, right? Since I was seven years old. I want it to be on camera. And it was from 7 years old that the first little play that I did in Brownies in third grade through my first year of college, I was in acting, and that was my thing. And then my first year in college, I dropped out because I didn't believe in myself and ended up getting a degree in Middle Eastern studies, which I don't know what I was thinking, but anyways, I digress. But the dream never left. Just. I still never believed in myself. And I tried to do it a couple of different ways. I mean, I have a YouTube channel that actually, the YouTube channel started really before writing my first book, but we'll come back to this one. But it kind of started as a DIY balloon channel, because at the time, I had a balloon company. And so I. I had a little bit of an outlet, but never was the big dream that I always harbored and wanted. And so this past year, I just turned 50. The dream has never left. And as I was thinking about this monumental birthday, and I'm like, I can't wait for somebody to make this happen. I can't keep hoping and praying that somehow I'm accidentally gonna be discovered by somebody driving up into my cul de sac, getting lost, and knocking on my door. Right? It's not working for me in the romance department either. I don't know. Nobody's finding my door by accident. So, anyways, I set about creating a show. And the show is a travel show based around crafts. As far as the specifics about the show, that's all I can say for now because we're in the process of trying to sell it. Please think warm, happy Netflix thoughts for me. But anyway, so I went to Africa, to Ghana, to create the pilot or the sizzle reel to try to sell it, right? So basically, I just kind of went all in. And it's a make or break thing. I'm either taking this thing all the way and winning an Emmy and doing it all, or, I don't know.

Putting.

Myself in a very precarious situation because I've really gone all in. But as part of it, I need to, because I have a standing with balloons, and I'm crafty. I like doing craft things. You know, I paint my little hair flowers, and I make my little barrettes. But I need to really raise my image so that when the studio heads go looking for me, I'm very clearly attached to crafts. And so to do that. I'm writing a book about crafts, but I don't feel like I have enough to say about it on my own. Right. I mean, although I like to do crafts, I mean, I could probably give a couple of recipes of crafts that I like to do, but I don't feel like it's gonna be a good, solid book if it's only my voice. So what I'm doing is I'm going out into the craft community and basically just kind of put out an open call. Hey, all of my crafty friends, I would love to interview you for a book about the crafts that you do. Right. And so here again, like I said, I mean, each of these interviews easily could be a podcast. It's the exact same format. I'm asking them questions. We're talking about the things that they make. We're looking at some pictures of their makes, talking about how they do it, why they do it, how they got started, all of these things, and then these interviews will be turned into the content of the book.

So I don't know.

At this point, I'm only about 10 interviews in. I figure that. You've done 10, I've done 10, yeah.

Oh, my God.

And I figure that I probably need. I'm thinking about three pages per person. So 150 pages. Three pages per person. I'm thinking I probably need about 25, 30 good interviews to tell these stories. So as I'm doing the interviews, the book is kind of taking shape. Right. So rather than. For example, when I did this book, I went from the questions and answers into the content. I kind of had an idea of the content before.

Can you say the name of the book for the people listening?

Yeah. Okay. So this was my first book. We'll come back and talk about it.

Okay.

The ultimate guide to inflating your trade show profits. How to increase branding recognition, visibility, customer loyalty, and attract more attention with balloons. So I'll come back to the story in a minute and why I wrote book and what it did for me. But basically, the distinction I'm trying to draw is that with that book, I kind of knew going into it what I want it to say, because I was talking to my clients, Right?

Yeah.

And I was trying to give them information that would help them hire me. Really, in the craft book, I don't know what my main point is yet. And so I'm figuring that out once I aggregate all these interviews. Right. So I'm interviewing. I'm then transcribing these interviews. I'm then having Somebody kind of go through those interviews and boil it down to the most important points. Taking out the ums, the odds, the stops, the starts, the irrelevant chitter chatter. And then I'll take all of those stories and that will become the book. My goal is to have it out by the end of the summer, so.

My gosh.

So that's how a podcast can write your book for you, really.

And it just reminds me of what you told me with, because you had only told me. Stacy, I just need you to. You technically didn't tell me to start a podcast. You told me to get 10 interviews from people. And then I think I was the one that was like, well, if I'm going to be getting interviews and I want to record it in case I want to use it as a podcast. But then what happened? Well, once I got started, it took me forever to get started. I think it was six months. And you were like, what is up with you? I don't think I said that.

I thought it was more gentle, like.

How can I support you?

No, I think it was.

Yeah, I think it was. And it was great.

And so.

And so somehow, I don't even know somehow I got. Well, then I got started. I interviewed a friend, and then it was on video. And at the time, I could not do video. I kept judging myself on video, and I just got really critical of myself. And so then I worked past that, because then I just did it on audio. Now, it's funny because I could do video now, but it took me actually not until recently that I was comfortable doing it. But anyway, once I did the 10 interviews, I couldn't stop because of the connection I was getting with the guest was just so powerful and so beyond the superficial that I just felt alive. To have something that you love so much and then to get to talk to another person, I could do this all day. And there are times, sometimes I have podcast interviews scheduled all day. Right now I have, like, 30 podcasts banked that I'm trying to figure out, how am I going to get these out? Because I have guests that have been on that. It's been months since they've been published. So I'm thinking of just doing it every day just to kind of get them out. But it's almost like it goes like wildfire. And then another thing I wanted to mention, because you're doing this too, right now, I wanted to see if this is coming up for you is as the guest is talking and you got to see me when I was blocked and I could not remember any of my stories. These guests are helping me pull the story out of my brain because of the connection that I'm having with, with them. That actually the content is not just coming from the guests now, it's coming from me because that's when I'm feeling the most alive.

Yeah. And you know, it's one of the greatest things to overcome imposter syndrome. Right. I mean, we all have that, especially if we're driven entrepreneurs. And I think it's just kind of goes with the territory. And so writing a book, doing a podcast, doing these kind of interviews, you are, you are lent the status of the people that you're interviewed. You're actually, you're given the status. Right. You get a stand on their shoulders. So even if you're feeling as I am with crafts, like, oh, gosh, I just, I just don't know that I have that much to say about it. Right. I don't know that I can fill 150 pages with my own thoughts. Well, here, I mean, one of the women, and I am learning so much, right. One of the women that I interviewed during the pandemic made $20,000 selling wreaths on Amazon.

Oh my God.

Right. Never in a million years would I thought of that. So far, my little flowers, I just make them for myself or to give away. I've. I haven't started selling them. And so that blew me away because even when I thought about selling things as much as I sell books on Amazon and I'm in Amazon every day, it didn't occur to me to sell handmade goods. Right.

Yeah.

So it's just the benefits I can get out of it. And the things that will come up are going to be so far beyond what you think you were looking for in the beginning.

I love that. And I wanted to just kind of rephrase what you said earlier about how you're approaching this because you're basically, you had come up with your own thoughts on crafts. So that's already initially something that you had done. Then you started interviewing people. How did you get your first interview? Before I summarize, how did you get your first interview?

I just put it up in my Facebook. I said, hey, my crafty friends, I'm writing a book about crafts and I would love to interview you for it. And because I come out of the marketing and book world, I also put in that this is not a pay to play project because there are a lot of people that are doing multi author books and they're really, when they invite their Friends, they're really looking for people to pay for their book. And that's not the case. I'm interviewing people for their expertise in the content and to highlight them and lift them up. And so that was it. I just put, I'm writing this book. I'd love to interview you about your craft story and say, yes. People said yes. Then I also directly messaged people that I knew were crafty. I've also been asking each interview, hey, do you know somebody else?

I love that because you're already. You already talking to someone that loves the thing, so of course they're going to know other people that love the thing too.

Right, Right. And then, you know, I'm also starting to go out into the community, Right. If I go to a farmer's market, there's probably somebody there doing crafts. And so I might ask them, hey, can I interview you? Or for example, this is actually kind of a funny one. And I will give this restaurant manager huge credit. I went into a restaurant that had really bad parking. No parking, in fact. And so. And I had meant to just order to go. My plan was not to be there very long. And so I parked in the driveway behind the employee cars. And I only planned to be there for five minutes. And I told the manager, oh, I parked in the driveway behind the employee cars. I'm only gonna be here for five minutes. He's like, no, you can't do that. And I'm like, but I just wanted to go order. And we just weren't communicating, right? And he basically told me, no, you gotta move your car. And I was like, well, and I'm leaving. So I'm sitting in the driveway in my car trying to find another restaurant to go to, and he comes back out and sees me. And whatever, basically apol. He saves the situation, right? And I'm gonna give him huge props. Cause I was hot, I was angry, and he got me calmed down and back into the restaurant.

Right. And.

But anyway, somewhere along the course of that, we started talking, and turns out that he knits. And he knits figures, right? And so then I'm like, oh, can I interview you? Right. So, I mean, here's something that went from a very tense situation to now, like, studies, and I'm going to be interviewing him for the book.

So, yeah, here's something else that's interesting. It's just when you get to have this opportunity to interview people, and we'll use that as our frame right now, you don't even know what's going to come up so as you're talking to me about crafts, I didn't even have this connection point. But my sister is a teacher. I don't know if I told you about her, but she's amazing, and she's been wanting to get out of teaching for a while, and so I've been looking at buying a business for her to invest, and then she would run it and then we would split it, basically. And I'm literally right now about to buy a craft business because she's a crafter. And I'm like, well, and it's a.

I need an interviewer.

Yeah, it's a subscription craft box business, and I'm not sure how we're. We're to the LOI phase, so we'll see what happens. But, yeah. Oh, my God, that would be so cool if you interviewed my sister. But this is an example. This is exactly what happens. You don't know these connection points because, I mean, I've been talking to Sandy about her new venture for a while, and I. This literally is happening, but until I speak it out loud, we have this connection. I'm all of a sudden able to think about it. It's just interesting. Kind of like that guy at the restaurant. You wouldn't have had the same kind of level of connection if you weren't working on this venture, you know, because you might have just ate in your meal and then, okay, at least he got me back in. But now you have this meaningful remembrance of this experience and how you were able to come out of it.

Right? Exactly. Exactly. And I mean, here's the thing, right? I know for a lot of beginning podcasters, a lot of people who are starting their books again, this imposter syndrome, this sense of, well, who am I to do this? Who am I to ask them to be on the show? Oh, I don't have an audience. I haven't developed anything. It doesn't matter. People are honored to do it. And a lot of people recognize that even if you're just starting out, those episodes are banked, right? They're there for forever. So even though, for example, I'm. I'm going on somebody's show that's a brand new show next week, I know that she doesn't have an audience yet. I don't care, because you know what I mean? That interview may well be found a year from now when she's developed a huge audience. And when you go back to your tribe and you're like, oh, guys, I did this interview. I was on this podcast. It only lifts you up. Right. Even if there were only two listeners when it, when it first aired or when it first released.

Yeah. The other thing that's coming to my mind that you're saying is when you interview with someone new and they have a different style and a different lens, more parts of your story come out and more parts of you come out. So she could be getting something out of you that you can then use for your book. So in essence, when you're getting interviewed, it doesn't really matter what they're following is because you're getting to learn more about yourself, and especially if you're using it for a book, you're able to use that content for what you're creating.

Absolutely. And you're also putting it out there to your audience as well. Right. Which is then raising your.

Yes.

Which is then raising your status there too. Right. And then those interviews also will come up in searches.

So true.

And the same thing going, going back to the searchability of those interviews, even as a brand new beginning podcaster, that's still a gift that you are giving to your guests. Right. Even if it's only your mom and your brother watching it the first time that it's put out, it's out there. Google's gonna find it. And yeah, you are still raising the status of your guest. So don't like, oh, I'm just starting. Why should, you know, why should anybody do it with me? They'll love to. They'll be happy to.

The other thing that's coming to my mind that I love about my podcast is any idea that I want to explore. I can just like this. I could bring you on and explore it with you. And you like it. We both like it because we. You like talking about this, I like talking about this. And then it helps us open up this conversation. It's almost like you're getting to constantly have these mini masterminds with people. I just started a new comedy workshop and it started Saturday. This time I want to do mine on Comfort Zone. And I know someone that, that really speaks well on Comfort Zone. Actually, he's the president of my Toastmasters Club that I'm a member of. And I'm like, oh, my gosh. I just emailed him saying, hey, can we talk? Because he's going to help me now create content. He doesn't even know it. Even though I did email him telling him, I said, hey, I'm most likely going to use our interview for some content for this comedy thing, but he's going to help things come out. Of my head and then I'm going to see things from him and then we're going to bounce off each other just like what we're doing now. And that I don't think people realize how powerful that is.

Yes, that one plus one is more than three.

Totally. So, okay, I wanted to go back to the summarizing of what you're doing right now. So we talked about how you're getting the interview and I love that idea of number one, just purchase posting it in your Facebook group. That seems like a really just non threatening way to get started. I love that idea. And then you're just asking those people, who else can you refer me to? Which is kind of what happened with us. Right. You helped my engine go by referring me. I think you gave me 10 people immediately that I got to interview, which was really helpful. And so that's what gets it started. You got to get the momentum started. And then from there now, my gosh, you're comfortable going to a farmer's market and approaching random people that you don't know yet and seeing if they want to be on your podcast. And so it just sort of goes as your momentum goes because your confidence grows.

Oh, for sure, for sure. And like I said, I mean, it really takes the imposter syndrome, the I don't know what to talk about in my book out now. Yeah, there's a couple different ways to do it once you have those interviews. Right. So I don't want anybody to think, oh, I just take those interviews and that's. And boom, I'm done. There's no work to it. Right. Because yeah, that's the inspiration. You still got the perspiration. So the easiest way then to do it is to just clean up the interviews and release them in your book as full interviews. Right. That's the easiest way is just put out the transcripts of the interviews edited for clarity and for which is like.

Chicken Soup for the Soul. Right. That's kind of like what they did.

Chicken Soup for the Soul, I believe, invites people to write essays.

Okay.

Yeah, so. So actually my. Let's see, I have it. My seventh book, which is a book about writing books. I did it that way. I guess this was one of the advanced copies.

Okay.

I have another one somewhere here, but it doesn't matter. But so this book, in the first half of the book, I tell. Here's what you need to know about writing a book, about publishing a book. Right? Yeah. Answering. So this is kind of a hybrid of the way I did this Book. Yeah. I'm doing my current book. Right.

And the one that Sandy's holding up is called Book.

It's book it. Right, yeah. And so this book, the first section is a how to questions and answers. And then the second section is I interviewed some of my clients about their book and how they did it and what it did for me. Yeah. You see that I've actually just used the interviews. Let's see. I'm trying to get it with the virtual background so that it goes up. I have a window behind me, so it gets a little bit weird lighting. But anyways, you can kind of see. Right?

Yeah. But you basically use straight on their interview, and then you. You put it into the book.

Exactly. I mean, I cleaned it up. I had it edited. I took out the ums and odds. I made sure that where subjects were changed, that we kept the. The topic and kept it streamlined. I made sure that they look good, that they didn't look like they were misspeaking or things like that. Right. Yeah. So there was still a lot of editing work to it, but I wasn't taking those interviews and boiling them down into the summary of it, which is more likely what I'm doing with the craft. Right. Boil it down. So back to this book. Right. So I want to talk about. Just for a second. I know this is really about podcasting more than the book, but why a book at all? Right?

Yeah, no, it's about both. I think this is great. Yeah.

So when I wrote this book, I owned a balloon company decorating parties and events, and I had a problem in that I was specializing in corporate events and big events. But anytime you tell somebody, oh, I'm a balloon artist, they think clown. Right. I'm like, oh, that's so cute. So you do birthday parties and yes, I did do birthday parties also. Because if somebody's gonna offer me money, why would I turn it down? But really, I did these giant events. For example, I was on the team that did Obama's Last Halloween in the White House. Right. So really big event. So. So I was going to a lot of marketing conferences at the time to make sure that my website stayed number one in Google. And one day. Actually, the funny thing is, the guy that got me started in books was talking about podcasting.

Wow.

So I was at a marketing conference. The guy on the stage was talking about podcasting, and it was a throwaway line. He's like, oh, yeah. And I wrote a book answering people's questions about podcasting. And I went, oh, I could do that. Yeah, so, and I had, I had made videos answering people's questions about balloons. And so basically I took those videos and again, the kind of the same, had them transcribe and rather than using it, you know, I worked my way through it, I summarized it, I took those questions that I answered in the videos and then boiled them down into the summary of it, into the critical information. And then I looked at it and said, okay, well, where's the holes in the information? Right. What did I not say? What did I cut myself off from saying? So what needs to be filled in there? Right. And so that is how this book was written in its entirety. And two things happened when I came out with this book. First of all, same conversation. Oh, so what do you do? Oh, I'm a balloon artist. Oh, that's cute. So you do birthday parties? Well, no, actually I do big corporate events, trade shows and stages. Here, let me gift you a copy of my best selling book. Wow, right. So they.

Such a huge difference.

Yeah, huge difference. Completely change the conversation. So they take the book and I can't. God, I hate this virtual thing. I mean, a little bit more, a little bit more light. I probably should put a backdrop behind me so that it. Oh, well, anyway, so they take the book, they look at the COVID right?

Yeah.

Wow, there's a cover. Then they flip it over, they look at the back where there's my picture. They look at the spine, they see that there's writing on the spine, they see that there's an ISBN. They flip through and see that there's actually pages with words in the book. And then this is the question that always cracked me up. Every single time they would look at me go, you wrote this? I don't know.

That'S so funny.

But then the conversation changed because no longer was it like, oh, well, why are you charging this? And the guy down the street's charging that? It changed everything. Came, hey, I only have $5,000 budget. Can you work with it?

Whoa. Totally different. Different, amazing. And the other thing that happened was.

People started asking me to help them with their books. So that's. Yeah, that's how I started helping other people, quite accidentally. This book over my shoulder right here, 32 Ways to Outsmart Cancer was my first book that I helped somebody else with.

Wow, that's cool.

I can't.

So for the book year. So that's one way, one strategy, which was basically either you're taking the interviews and you're putting them after you edit them a little, and then you're putting them straight into the book. Or there's the way that you're doing it now, which you're doing it a little bit more detailed where you're transcribing. And then can you just kind of explain that process for anyone?

Yeah, so. So I'm putting it through an automated transcription. I use Rev.com but there's a ton of different transcription services which is machine generated. Right. So some things it might get a little bit funky if two people are talking at the same time. You may need to go through your interview and do a little bit of manual correction and then going through that and first of all, redlining it for the ums and the odds and the drop content. Right. And also making notes. Is there anything that I'm going to need to follow up on with the guest that they didn't finish this thought, but it's really critical to what I'm going to need and I might need to follow up in a text message or an email like, hey, I didn't ask enough about this one question. Can you tell me more? Yeah. And then basically editing through it and summarizing it to what is their story. Right. So for example, Jamie started doing crafts with her grandmother when she was a young child. And to this day the smell of hot glue takes her right back to her grandmother's kitchen she originally started. And I'm totally making this up. This is not a really a real person or real interview. It's just you all. She originally had an interest in making melted crayon crafts, but a couple years ago at a craft fair, she discovered batiking and became fascinated by it. And now batiking is her favorite craft. Her favorite project. Again, totally making this up. Yeah. Her favorite project was a 50 foot wall hanging that she donated to the National Institute of bs. I don't. Yeah, right. And. And she did it this way. And here's the picture of it and here's what went into it. So. So kind of like that. And this is kind of what I think it's going to look like because I'm still in the information gathering stage. I'm still in what I call the inspiration window. So I'm not starting to boil down those interviews quite yet. Yeah, I'm collecting.

The other thing that comes to my mind as you're talking, that would be really good too is after they do the interview, then record what's coming alive for you after the interview because that's when you're gonna. Every interview you get, it's gonna pull, pull out different parts of your brain. I like to call it the portals. It opens it up and then you're going to be like, oh, wait, this is how I remember something from my past. And that's what's happening to me when it's. Which is kind of cool. So that's another way you can use the interview. Using the interview for content, but then you're using it to pull out information from you too.

Yeah, absolutely. And you're right to make notes of your thoughts immediately following the interview is also a great way because those things that really stick out with you right at that moment are probably parts that you really need for your book.

Yeah. And something I wanted to mention for you, and I'm sure I'll be bugging you about this at some point, but all these videos you're doing at any point, even a year from now, it's kind of cool because you have the video, you can always just upload it into a podcast. So it's kind of nice because once you have the content, whether right now, let's say you're putting everything into your podcast and then someday you want to do a YouTube, then you can still multipurpose the content. That's actually what I'm doing right now. I'm about to move do the thing on YouTube and then I'll have a podcast and YouTube and so. But I didn't start it both at the same time. I thought that would have been too overwhelming. And I like the way that I did it. But I think the same thing could be said for you. Right. Where right now you can't think of all the multiple things going on. But it totally could be something that could easily go into a podcast too, once you get the interviews. My point is. Sorry, Long, long way to say it is once you get the interviews, that content can be used for anything for sure.

And it can be repurposed multiple different ways. Right. I mean, you could take your snippets of it for your social media content for your post. There's so many different ways that you can, once you've done your interviews, chop it up and multi purpose it.

Now I'd love to just talk to the people that are in the community. So I have two communities. I have the new one that I'm just starting, which is the Start a podcast challenge. And oh my gosh, Sandy, there's almost a thousand people in there that are going to do this challenge.

Congratulations.

Thanks. It's really cool. And then I have the other community, which has been the singles community that I've been running for, I think, about eight months now. And that one has 1500 people in there. And it's been really exciting to see their growth, and it's really great. I just did an interview with someone in the community the other day who. She's funny. She's like, I joined today, and now I'm starting a podcast. I have no idea how this even happened. It's because you don't even realize the growth that you're having until you look back and you're like, oh, my gosh, what happened to me? And so what a lot of the people in there, the books that they want to write, it's a healing kind of thing. And so they're doing it more. And I've just lost my identity and I'm reclaiming my life, which kind of is what do the thing was for me, in a way. And so. But they're kind of going through that. One of them I love. Oh, my gosh. She heard my episode with Dr. Nancy D' Andrade on people Pleasing. It was such a good episode, and that inspired her. She wants her book and podcast to be on people pleasing. So that's an example. So she's going to bring up all the times in her life when she did it, maybe interview people on it, but that's an example. So just wondering, for people that are in that situation, maybe if you could provide any kind of inspiration for them, because obviously that's more scary. They don't have a business. They haven't been really doing this kind of stuff. They're professionals and doing really, I mean, amazing jobs and such amazing things, but just haven't expanded the comfort zone to this level yet. So just wondering what your thoughts are for them.

Yeah, well, I mean, they're true. I think interviewing others can really show both you and them you're not alone, right? And listening to their journeys and how they got through it. And here's the thing, right? If you're thinking like, oh, my God, to do a podcast for the rest of my life on this topic is so much, so big, maybe just do a summit. You know what? Maybe just interview 20 people and just call it that, right? And you can continue it later. Invite more people. If you're finding, like you did, Stacey, that you're just loving it and getting into it, but if not, if you find, oh, look, I got the content that I need. I've gotten myself out of this, this stuck place that I was in, by the power of community, by the power of hearing other people's stories. By the power of healing together and everything like that. Yeah. And I don't need to now. I want to move on to a different topic. I don't want to talk anymore about getting past this trauma now. I want to talk about second chances now. I want to talk about second chapter or whatever. Right. So maybe that takes a little bit of the pressure off that it could be something evolving as a what in TV they would call a mini series. Right. We can call it a mini podcast or something like that.

I love that. I'm so excited. I just wrote it down because I want to mention it tonight. I have a zoom with the singles group tonight, and I'm trying to get more of them to move over because I just know what it's going to do for them in a way that's not completely harassing because I can be really annoying when I believe in something. But anyway, yeah, I love that summit idea. That's such a cool way to put it. Well, I'd love to hear if you have any other thoughts on this topic as we kind of close out. If there's anything that's coming to your mind that could really help people or something that's really helped you be able to really expand outside yourself because you're doing it now. I mean, you even. I don't know if you want to talk at all about what you're doing with TEDx right now. Cause that's really cool. I can imagine that had to be a comfort zone stretch. And now maybe that even helped you do what you're doing now, you know?

Well, okay, so I'm. I'm on the TEDx San Diego committee as a volunteer. I don't think that was really a stretch. I mean, a Facebook friend of mine is the curator and she put out a call for volunteers. And I really wanted to do things with TEDx, but didn't feel that I was ready to do my own TED Talk. So I thought this would be a good way for me to be involved and to learn about it. But I think really where I'm going way out of my comfort zone is with this show, and I'm going to so far out of my comfort zone. Oh, my God.

What's helping you move with that? What's been the thing that's really helped you? I mean, you went to Ghana.

Yeah. So I think the smartest thing that I did with the show is that I sought outside help. So I found a producer that I didn't know what kind of producer he was. I just knew that he was A producer we had met in a different group altogether, and I reached out to him and basically said, hey, can I hire you for two hours? Someday I might write a book called the Two Hour Mentor, because I've done this several times in my life where there's a piece of information that I need or I'm trying to figure out how to do something, and I'll go find somebody that is an expert in it and ask them if I can hire them for two hours to interview them again. We come back to interviews. It all comes back to interviews for them to help me with wherever I might be stuck. And so I started hiring him by the hour as a consultant for hire, work for hire, consulting producer. And basically we would meet and each week he would kind of give me the next thing I should do.

And I love that an accountability way too. Really held you accountable very much.

And without that, it wouldn't be what it is now. I mean, right now I've got an amazing, amazing sizzle reel, got some footage, and next we're going to start knocking on doors trying to sell it. So I think everything. You're not sure something. Go interview someone. Right?

Yeah. Well, you're reminding me of even that mentor idea. I do that all the time. If I want to learn about something, I'm bringing on an expert. I don't have to pay them because they're getting to share their comfort. They're. They're.

Because you're doing it for the podcast.

Right. So they're getting to talk about their brand. They like doing it. And so I'm helping them open up new things. And so it's a great way to really learn and grow is to interview them, like you said.

Yeah. And. And actually, he and I eventually will be doing a how to make a TV show class.

Hmm. So cool.

Of course. Yeah.

Well, I'd love to hear what would be your number one piece of advice for the listeners on doing the thing, and we could say it, anything related to the book, the podcast, or even just going after the scary thing that you're doing right now.

Well, it's the same piece of advice for all of them, actually. And that is that I know that you're sitting there thinking, I'm not good enough. I'm not this enough. I'm not expert enough, I'm not whatever enough. I don't have an audience enough. It's all in your head. It's not true. And the people that you want to interview and the people that are going to listen to you are not having Those same feelings about you, just by virtue of you doing the thing and taking that first step, you have already lifted your status to the point that you are qualified to do it. So just. I know that getting out of your own way is the absolute biggest hurdle, but give yourself a little bit of grace and just, just do it. I mean, just take that first step and you'll see that it will get infinitely easier and that the benefits that you're going to get from it are going to be way beyond what you were even looking for.

Yeah, that is so good. And it's so true. By people seeing you doing the thing, that's your expertise.

They see it.

So it's not even like you need to sell it because it's already happening and it's along the lines of something that you love, then that shows abundantly.

Right.

And the more of those thoughts and.

The community that you're making in that through your interviews, I mean, how many of the people have you interviewed have become friends of yours now?

Yeah, totally.

Yeah.

It's so true. And it's actually helping me even connect more to my community members. I just posted one today and I'm just like, it's because that's my third podcast interview with her. I'm really getting to know my community through having this means of the podcast and then it's cool because it's recorded so they are able to see their growth through each interview. It's drastic changes that I'm able to visually see now.

Yeah, yeah, exactly. Can I make an offer to your community?

Yeah, sure. Yeah, do it.

So if any of the people in your community are looking for help with their book, with self publishing their book with driving it to bestseller, any of that, I have an amazing deal. Just connect with me and let me know that you're part of Stacy's tribe and I have a significant discount for you.

Yay. How do they connect with you?

Okay, so you can reach out to me two ways. My website is www.expertbook, the number 4 and the letter u.com. i don't know why it's only one book and not multiple. That was a mistake when I got the website, but there we go. So it's E X P E R T B O O k. The number four, the letter u.com expert book for you. You can reach me through there on every single social media everywhere. And even my Gmail. It's my first name and my last name. S A N D I M A S O r I. So LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Gmail you can find me. I am very googleable. My phone number is everywhere. So just I'm available then all you just answer questions.

That's so cool. Thanks for the offer too and for doing this with me. Thanks for lighting the match that started this whole craziness that I'm doing now. And I'm just so thankful for you.

I have just been loving watching you take off. I mean it's been an honor.

Thank you. And for the listeners, do the thing. Don't wait for opportunity. Create it.

That's right. As Ice T once said at an event that I saw him at, nobody else is waking up in the morning with your dream. So you gotta get up out of bed and take the step to make it happen.

Thanks for listening to the do the Thing podcast. We hope you enjoyed the show. But even more, we hope you'll be inspired to do the Thing. Do you have a burning question on Doing the Thing that you'd like answered? How about an inspiring do the Thing story of your own that you'd like to share? We'd love to hear all about it. Just leave us a voice message at do the Thing callcast co or email us@helloothethingpodcast.com.