Moms With Dreams Podcast with Erica Blocker (Podfaded)

Wish you were one of those influencers with raving fans who binge on your every word, consume all your content, buy everything you have to sell, and demand even more. Then stay tuned while Authority magazine columnist and buzzfeed contributor Tracy Hazzard shares strategies, tips and tactics from top videocasters, podcasters, authors and social influencers on creating that bingeable factor. Now let's join Tracy as she explores how to rise above all noise with the binge factor.

Hey everyone. Welcome to the center of Influence podcast on Feed you'd brand and I am excited to bring another she Podcast live speaker with you today, Erica Blocker. She has the podcast Moms with Dreams. She's also a certified life coach, bestselling author, personal development speaker, and her Moms with Dreams and Moms with Dreams University are available@momswithdreams.com and she has been juggling her roles as a divorced mom of four. She's an entrepreneur, has a full time career, and is passionate about helping other moms follow their dreams without feeling guilty. Ooh, that mom guilt. She specializes in helping single women navigate through the peaks and valleys of motherhood, of self care. Oh, that is such an important topic. Self discovery, overcoming fear and perfectionist. Yet another very important topic. And doing what nourishes your soul and ignites your spirits. She's based out of New Jersey with her kids and she keeps busy living her dream journey. So let's hear from Erica Blocker. Erica, thanks so much for joining me today. I am excited to talk to a mom with dreams and you heard. You talk to moms with dreams every day.

Well, thank you. Yes, I do, Tracy. I'm super, super excited to be here with you as well. Thanks for having me.

So, you know, you just had your four year anniversary on your podcast, if I'm not wrong about that. Wow, what an accomplishment. Congratulations.

Thank you so much. I mean, it's been a journey for sure. I don't know, sometimes it feels like, wow, I can't believe it's been four years. And sometimes I'm like, wow, it's only been four years?

Yeah. Really? It's only been that long. Like, yeah, Well, I talked to some people who've been podcasting like, you know, 10 years or something when it was like really hard to podcast. It was hardly even called podcasting. And I think to myself, wow, I'm a newbie. I've only been doing it five, right?

But then sometimes it seems like I've been doing it longer than four years.

I'm like, oh yeah, another Podcast. Oh, my goodness.

I know. Isn't that always the way? Well, so you are going to be speaking at the she Podcast Live event, and I am excited because you are going to conduct a panel on the unexpected roi, the return on investment from podcasting. And I want to dive a little bit into that, because what has been your most unexpected return on investment from doing your show?

Wow. I mean, I've had so many. But if I had to say one, I think the biggest thing is meeting so many amazing women like yourself, Tracy. Had I not had my podcast, we wouldn't even be talking right now. And I've come across such amazing people in the industry and also as guests. And just, you know, as a result of being a podcaster, I've made amazing connections and have made great friends that I've kept over the years as well.

Oh, yeah, I know. I agree with you. I think the relationship building has been really unique in the podcast community. Everyone is so welcoming and so wonderful, and all my guests are always so appreciative of being featured. So that makes it even easier, right, to build a great rapport with them. So that is true. That's a great roi.

Yeah, it really is.

So what are some of the things that you started four years ago? It was a lot harder to start a podcast four years ago. It's easier now. There's a lot more support. There's a lot more courses and services and all kinds of things to help you out. But back then, it was hard. I know, because that's when I started one of mine as well. So what were some of the things that went really horribly wrong for you? The things that just. You were like, oh, wow, that's awful. And today you probably still cringe at that episode.

Oh, my gosh, this is the worst. Okay, so when I first started my podcast, I did have a podcast coach who helped me launch my show, which was great, and that was awesome. I had some episodes in the bank, so I was able to release my first few episodes, and it was great. However, I was doing the recording and the editing myself, and I am not a tech person at all by any stretch. I won't even claim to be one. At the time, I was even more intimidated by tech than I am now. I'm not really that scared of it anymore, but I had no experience, Tracy. Right. So here I am, like, oh, I'm launching this podcast, and I took some, like, you know, courses on Audacity editing, or, like, read some whatevers and did some YouTube videos, and I was like, I Got this. I know what I'm doing. So I record my first few interviews and they're great, great content. But the problem is that. And I didn't know that I had the audio all messed up. So my guest was in my left ear and I was in my right ear, and that's how it played back once I produced it. And I was like, oh, my gosh, why does it sound like this? I don't know how to mix. I didn't know what the terminology was at the time, but really, I didn't know how to mix the tracks and blend them or whatever.

Yeah.

So my first. I don't know if it's my first five or however many episodes it's has the guest in one ear and I'm in the other ear. And I actually got a review on some. I forgot what platform it was, but the guy was super mean. He was like, oh, don't ever listen to this show. The audio is horrible. Blah, blah, this and that. And I was like, ah, I'm trying.

So that's one of my worst and now funniest things that happened to me when I first got started.

Oh, my gosh, I've been there. I can remember a couple of times, you know, like, the audio is not even on. It's not recording.

Yeah. So definitely some. But what has been some really interesting and exciting things that have happened to you because of the podcast?

Wow. I've landed so many speaking engagements, and she podcast is actually one of them as a result of podcasting. I don't even know. Like, I've traveled because of it. When I went to podcast movement. Not this year, last year, I think it was. Or the year that it was in San Diego. I can't remember.

Yeah, it was a couple years ago.

But yes, Anaheim, actually, not San Diego. Anaheim. I was in a breakout session. I forgot the topic or whatever, but I walked up to this woman, I was like, oh, you know, so nice to meet you. And I started to say who I was, and she was like, I know exactly who you are. And I'm like, really? She was like, yeah, you're the Moms with Dreams podcaster, right? And I was like, yeah. And I was just, like, blown away because here I am, I'm from New Jersey, and I'm over in California meeting people I never knew before, but they already knew me because of my podcast. And I just was, like, floored by that. Like, wow, I'm like somewhat of a celebrity. Kind of like, you got fans all over the country.

So that was really Cool. And then I've gotten some coaching clients from a podcast and, you know, really expanded my network. And also I've grown personally from it just being more assertive and less afraid to talk to people who I don't know and just have grown so much personally from being a podcaster.

You were talking a little bit about fear before we started our interview here. And so fear is, you know, is a big problem for a lot of, I'm going to say, a lot of women. Right. Is it a bigger problem for moms? Do we have more fear as moms?

I think so. I think we create more fears because we're always worried about our kids and what if this happens? And so we sometimes tend to overthink things and make things worse than what they really are, when really it's just a cut or a little scrape and we're like, oh, my gosh, she might need stitches. And I think with the podcast, my fear was, is anyone going to listen to my show? Because it's a show for moms. Like, for me, that's cool. But I, at the time, like, four years ago, wasn't really sure. I didn't see a lot of, you know, mom stuff happening, so I could have just been in my own little bubble, but I was just really like, oh, my gosh, am I going to get guests? And who's going to listen to my show? Those are my two biggest fears. And that was like. It wasn't enough to stop me, though, Tracy, I must admit.

Good for you. I'm glad to hear that. Well, what put the podcast bug in your ear? What made you think that podcasting might be worth trying?

Well, before I had my podcast, I hosted an online radio show, and that was live and it was every week, and I loved it. It was great exposure, and I loved, you know, meeting people, being on the radio, having. Having a platform to share my message and put other women on the platform to help them share their messages as well. But the one thing I didn't love was the fact that it was live, and if you say something wrong, that's it, you're done. Or if you show up late, you're missing out, or if your guests are late, you can't. You have no flexibility and no room to wiggle there. So after I did my one year contract, I was like, you know what? I want to do a podcast because I want more flexibility, I want more freedom, and I want to be able to control things rather than having a station telling me what I have to do, what time I start and that kind of thing.

Oh, I agree. So much power to that control, huh? So you're now about 150 plus shows in, and do you have some advice for someone who wants to start out?

Oh, yeah, for sure. So first I would say definitely plan out your time, because I didn't know how much time it was going to take each week. Being my own editor, first of all, you know, finding the guests, scheduling them, recording the interviews, then editing them, then publishing them. It was a lot of work, a lot of time, and I. And I underestimated the amount of time it would take. So I would say, realistically, look at how much time you have each week to invest and if you can afford to outsource. Now I have an editor and a producer and all that stuff, but in the beginning, I couldn't afford it, so I did what I had to do. But if you have any means to outsource any of those things that take away from your love of podcasting, I would say do that. Because there was a point, as I mentioned earlier there, sometimes it felt like it was longer. It's been longer than four years. Because there was a point in my podcasting journey where I felt like I wanted to quit. I was just overwhelmed. Technology wasn't. I couldn't find the right program to use for recording, and I just had a lot of issues. And I was just like, you know what? I'm done with this. Had I had someone on my team like I do now, I can just say, hey, can you fix this audio? Or can you do this? Or whatever they do to make it sound great. So those are my two biggest things, like, really look at your time. Make sure you have the time to invest in the podcasting and also consider outsourcing from the rip. Like, don't even put yourself through the stress and aggravation.

I could not agree with you more. I mean, I think that's probably why we see such a significant amount of people pod fading. And for those listeners who don't know what podfetting is, there's a whole entire episode on it here on Feature Brand. But the pod fitting is when you start a podcast and then you quit somewhere. And the typical is 7 episodes, 11 episodes, 25 episodes right around there. Then people will go on for a few hundred or 100 or more after that, at least. And I think the number one reason is it was more work than they anticipated. They really didn't think that all the way through. They thought, oh, I just got to plug this microphone in and start talking. And that would be it. And it's a whole lot harder, a whole lot more prep than that. So you've noticed that. So do you do a lot of prep for your guest interviews and things like that on your own?

I wouldn't say a lot. I did a lot in the beginning because I was so, like, new and so afraid of not sounding good and making sure that I was prepared. But now I feel more seasoned, and I just. I literally look up my guests. A lot of them come to me, so I already have, like, their background information, and I can go to their website. I have, like, you know, their PR person pitching them, so I can look at all that. Their one sheet and all that stuff. And so I do a little bit of groundwork prior to. But I don't spend hours, thank goodness.

It doesn't take that anymore. I know. I agree. If it took that long all the time, it would be a lot of work. And I think your show, it's not like it needs a lot of prep because you want to get them to talk about something probably that they don't typically talk about. If they're business women. Right. They don't necessarily talk about the mom side of things. So you get to flip that, and, you know, that's kind of what I want to talk about next. So how many you have? Four kids. How old are they?

18, 19, 20, and 26.

Oh, my goodness, you look so young. For those of you who can't see her, which you can't because this is a podcast, she looks so young, so take a look at her picture. So, Erica, wow, you have worked hard to raise them, and, you know, are they proud of you as a podcaster? They are.

They think it's cool. They used to think it was annoying, though, because when we lived in our old house, I didn't have a room dedicated well. It was like our den, and there's no door, and it was attached to the kitchen. So I used to have, like, everything from the kitchen. Like, it was off limits. I was like, you guys, do not come in here. Because my microphone at the time, I was using the yeti microphone, and it picked up. It's a condenser mic, so it picked up every sound in the house. And I was like, you guys, don't go in the kitchen. Don't touch the refrigerator. So it used to be annoying to them, and they used to be like, oh, my gosh, mom's podcasting again. But now they're like, oh, it's kind of cool that you have a mom to Dream show. And so, yeah, I mean, but at the same time, Tracy, they're teenagers, so they a part of them really doesn't care.

So, yeah, you know, they're like, no, mom, don't talk about me again.

Exactly.

No, to my youngest. So I have, I have three. So mine are all girls. And so 24, 10, and five. Big gap in there. The same husband. And so. But my 5 year old will come and say, stop talking about me. Like, you can't talk about me. She's very conscious of that. And I'm like, well, I might have told you. I might have told a story about you on stage the other day. Sorry.

I know I use my kids a lot and they're always like, mom.

They call me Extra Erica. So they're like, you're so extra, Mom. You're always using us as your stories. And sometimes we don't even say half the stuff you say that we say.

Oh, I love that. They were like, you're embellishing, Mom. I know.

I know what you mean.

Oh, my gosh, I would get that too. That's a great. That's a great, great nickname.

I love it. So.

Well, how about some more lessons for some podcasters? So this is my five tips sections. These are the best ways to do these things. So what are the best ways to book great guests?

The best way to book great guests is to, I would say, go through. I don't even know. Let me restart that answer. I have no idea. I'm trying to think. I. For me.

You mentioned before working with publicists. Have you found that to be a great way to book great guests?

Yes, I've gotten some great guests from publicists, but the other way that I found great guests also is by, when I'm out and about. If I'm at an event or I'm somewhere and I meet someone who I think is doing great things, I just ask them to be a guest on my show. Either I hear them speak, we're at a networking event, or whatever it is. I find also by getting out and meeting people physically in person has helped me also get great guests for my podcast.

What about increasing listeners? What are some of the best ways you found to increase listeners?

To be consistent every week, if you're putting, if your show is a weekly show, to put your content out every week and to not fall off, because as soon as you fall off, you can be forgotten in the sea of podcasts and all the other things that people have going on. So I'd say be consistent for sure. And show up every single time that you're supposed to.

You mentioned before, produce it in a professional way, that you use some outside resources now. So what do you think has improved the show the most in its production value?

Oh, absolutely. Having a producer, a sound team who they do all the sound work. So like I said, my initial thing was having the volume and the sound was off, and I don't have that issue anymore. It sounds really professional. I'm super happy about that because the audio is what really will either attract or detract your guest. So having great audio is really important, and that's really changed the image of my show. I'll say.

Yeah, I made it much more professional. Wonderful. Well, your sound is really good. I was listening to some of your episodes earlier, so you do have great sound.

Thanks.

So what about encouraging engagement? Does your community talk back to you?

They do sometimes. It's not always. I always encourage them to, hey, guys, either send me an email or leave a comment below the show notes, and every now and then I'll get comments. But every, you know, when I do, they're always so good, and they give me just the right amount of motivation that I need to keep going. But sometimes I feel like, is anyone listening? Like, I can see the downloads. I know people are listening, but it's different when you actually hear from a person who is touched or really was helped by something you shared in an episode. And so, yeah, I do get feedback from my audience either. Sometimes I get random emails, and I think it's super cool.

I love that. And you also get somewhat accosted at events.

Yes.

So have you found a way to monetize your show? Have you found a good way to do that?

Not consistently, to be honest with you. In the beginning, I was so like, oh, I want to monetize my podcast. I want to make it worth my while. And then I realized that it's an extension of my brand. And so instead of stressing out about downloads and getting sponsors, which is what I was doing initially, I just decided to be organic with it. And so through my podcast, I've gotten new coaching clients because they're listening every week or how often my show comes out now, I think it's every other week for the summer. But they're listening, they're getting to know me, they're liking what they hear, and they want to work with me. So, yeah, that indirectly, I have monetized my podcast.

So, yeah, so it's increased your authority for being a coach and look at how people reach out and Connect with you. I love that about it. I think that's my favorite way is when it really resonates into your core business and builds that community that you're looking for and they warm themselves up to you. I think that's my favorite monetization way. Right. Because then it's effortless. Right. You get to do what you love and it just. You get rewarded for that. Wonderful. So where can we find you on social media?

So you can find me on Facebook? Erica Blocker. I have personal. My personal profile is there. And of course, I have my business page, Erica Blocker. I'm also on Instagram. Erica Blocker. The number four for my number four children.

There you go. Now we'll remember that.

My website, I have two websites. I have ericablocker.com and I also have moms with dreamsuniversity.com which is an online platform that I created a few years ago for moms to learn and take courses online.

I love that. So I want to talk a little bit about that. So your podcast is pretty unique from others in its category. I'm going to even say bingeable. Have you gotten some people telling you that they binge on your show? Right. Because they, like, find it and then they want to consume because you've got some really great timeless content there. What's really special about you as a host or the guest that you bring on that is bringing an edge to that marketplace, to the marketplace of moms with dreams.

Thank you so much for the compliment. First, Tracy and I just want to say I think that, you know, for me, it's just my authenticity. Like, I don't go on there with airs. And when I bring guests on, I feel like they are genuinely people who resonate with my audience and can speak to them, speak to their needs, speak to their desires, speak to their challenges, and just really be relatable overall. And the content that we discuss, the topics that I have are real topics. I'm not like trying to be super high level and I'm not trying to be like just all about entertainment either. I think I try to bring a nice balance of information, inspiration, education, and also just making women feel like they have a place where someone gets them or they can come to when they feel like no one around them understands and they can get that information or feel. Feel like they're connected to someone who understands them.

Do you feel that your audience, your moms with Dreams, that there are some unifying themes that happen to them that they're not pursuing them or things that are holding them back.

Absolutely. You know, some of the themes that I hear recurring through different conversations are the mom guilt theme that plagues us all at some point or another. The feeling, like, how do you balance motherhood? Like, the struggle of doing what you love outside of being a mother and a wife, and how to bring that all together so that you don't feel like you're taking precious time and energy away from your family and also having confidence. I feel like sometimes we as mothers forget our value. Even when we're working in corporate America. It's like we forget that we have skills at work and how to transition those skills into a viable business or something where we can put ourselves out there and show that we have authority and just not downplaying our abilities and skills. I would say those are the most. And of course, you know, the time thing, not having enough time. But I think that goes back into, like, being busy being a mom and having so many things. I feel like those are the main themes that I hear most often.

Well, you know, it's so interesting that you say that. It just made me remember that my husband and I have been married 27 years, and we're co parenting really well, and we also run our business together. So we, you know, we work together and play together and everything, raise kids together. But I was on a trip to China, and I was over on my trip, and someone asked me go, well, what happens to your children while you're here? And I was like, it never occurred to me, like, even worry or think about it, because I was like, well, of course my husband's watching them. Like, you know, why would that be a thing? And so there's also cultural differences to moms. You know, I didn't even think about it because it just didn't relate to me.

Mm. Right. And then I have a lot of single moms, too, who listen to the show and they have the issue of childcare and things of that, like, feeling like, oh, okay, what do I do with my kids when I'm trying to pursue this dream over here?

So it's a hard row.

I agree.

I mean, even juggling it as a couple, it's always hard. So, yeah, definitely. That is a huge undertaking. And it's always a concern. Whenever I sign myself up for a speaking event, is like, is this going to be a problem? So. I know. And I can see that really holding you back there. So. Well, I am so glad that you are bringing your service to the world through Moms with Dreams. Is there maybe a great guest that you'd love to have on your show. Some mom somewhere that maybe one of our listeners might be able to reach out and connect with you.

Oh, my gosh. My dream guest is Lisa Nichols.

Really?

Yes.

Why?

I love her. I love her story. She's inspired me. She's actually one of the reasons why I started coaching is because she was a single mom from LA and now she's a multimillionaire, speaking, coaching, writing books, and just making a huge impact on the world. And so. And she's also a mom. I think I said that single mom earlier, and I'm just so amazed by her. And I love her spirit, her energy, what she talks about, all that stuff. So she would be one of my dream guests.

Wonderful. I might be able to make that happen for you.

Oh, wow. That would be awesome.

Because we produced a few episodes where she's been a guest on, so I might be able to reach out to one of my other podcasters and say, hey, can you make an intro for us? So see, if you don't ask, it doesn't happen. Right?

Yes, that would be a dream come true.

Well, is there any other advice you'd like to leave our audience with about becoming a podcaster or sharing your dreams? What else would you like to tell them?

What I would like to say, if you're thinking about podcasting, or even if you're on the fence about should I follow this dream or pursue it, I would first say, really take time to get clear on what you want. And if you know that this is really what you want, then go for it. Don't let anything stop you. I don't care if you're a mom. I don't care if you're a grandmom, if you're a father, whatever you are, it doesn't matter if you're. If you're young, sometimes people may downplay the fact that, oh, you're too young, you don't know what you're doing, don't let anyone or anything stop you. And most of all, don't wait until you're perfect. You know enough, you have enough, and you're good enough right now. So if this is something you want to pursue, then I wholeheartedly encourage you to go after it. You'll learn what you need to learn as you go along. You heard my story, right? I had no idea what I was doing with the sound, didn't know what I was doing with the editing. But now, if you listen to my show, it's totally different than it was four years ago. And that's all part of the journey. So don't be afraid to make mistakes. Don't be afraid to not sound great because we're not always going to sound our greatest. But it doesn't matter because there's someone waiting for you to show up and someone needs your message. So I encourage you to step up, get out there and share with the world what you have.

Oh, Erica, thank you so much everyone. You can find erica blocker@ericablocker.com, you can find her podcast, Moms with Dreams. And I think you said momswithdreams.com as well. So I'm sure we'll be able to find her, take a listen, hear what she has to say, join her show. And of course, you can always find all connections to her. If you're in the car or jogging right now, you don't have to write this down because it will be in the blog post at FeedYourBrand Co under the episode with Erica Blocker. Erica, thank you so much for joining me today. I really appreciate it.

Thank you, Tracy. It was a pleasure and I had so much fun talking with you.

Oh, me too. So everyone, this is Tracy Hazzard and I will be back next time with another cent of influence podcaster just like Erica on Feed you'd brand.

You've been listening to the Binge Factor Podcast. For more information on podcasting and videocasting success tips and tactics, please go to thebingefactor.com and be sure to listen to our other show for podcasters called Feed you'd Brand if you'd like to be interviewed on this show as well as featured in Tracy's column, please go to thebingefactor.com guest and apply.