Summary: <a href="https://solopreneurhour.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/bIS-moHG.jpeg"></a>As a solopreneur we have to follow our instincts and often, because of our entrepreneurial view of the world, following our instincts means zigging when the rest of the world zags. And one of the biggest zags any of us can make is to walk away from a lucrative job or job offer, simply because we know we are unemployable and can't work for anyone else. Our guest for episode 170 did just that. About a year ago, he turned down an extremely well-paying job offer because he knew in his gut it wasn't right. He didn't know what was next, but he knew that job offer wasn't it. Here to discuss what that experience was like and how he became a professional podcaster as a result is our friend, Chris Cerrone of The Chris Cerrone Show. A fitting chat for National Podcast Day. More About This Show When Chris said no to that position, he had no idea what he was going to do next. Not a clue! He had already had success running a cafe and in real estate so he knew he could go back to that, but something inside of him said there was something else out there for him. And then a light bulb clicked: he loved talk radio, he listened to podcasts and he was an avid fan of Howard Stern's show. So why not podcast? And why not do it the way it was meant to be done? That was it for him: he was going to be a professional podcaster. And so began his journey into podcasting. Today Chris's The Chris Cerrone Show is quickly becoming one of the top-rated shows out there. On this episode, we talk about how he's grown and how the show has grown, what he thinks about the state of podcasting in general and advice he has for people getting into the medium. Although much of this show is about podcasting (after all, it was National Podcasting Day when we recorded this), the same rules apply to whatever medium you're using to spread your message and build your empire. At the beginning of his podcasting experience, Chris readily admits he had to learn the art of being on the microphone. As we both agree, most people (prior to the recent popularity of podcasts) who were on a microphone were professionally trained. When you turned on your car radio, you heard someone who had gone to broadcasting school and had learned the art and the craft of radio broadcasting. Not so today. Today many people simply pick up a mic, a few other bits of gear and think they're on their way to becoming a podcaster. Having grown up on talk radio and Howard Stern, Chris was not among those people. He knew the value of being a great interviewer, including how to make a proper introduction of your guest. And on this topic again, Chris and I both agree: you don't simply ask your guest to tell your audience a little about themselves. Instead, you take every piece of information you can get about them, boil it down for your audience and then craft your introduction around that. It's like the scene in 8 Mile when Eminem takes the mic: he takes everything his fellow rapper can use against him and uses it first, leaving his opponent with no ammunition. Obviously your guest isn't your opponent but the concept is the same: if you want to get something fresh, new and invigorating out of your guest then you need to take their bio, read and listen to their answers to questions they've been asked before and give that to your audience in the opening moments of your show. They're left with only new stories, and new experiences to share; they can't rehash the same topics and coast through your show. Instead you'll get them to talk about things they've never talked about before, and your audience will get an interview like nothing else out there. The finer details of the show include: * Who has the most shows in the Top 10 of podcasts on iTunes? * What signature accessory is now part of Chris' brand? * What was Howard Stern's first show? * What's your goal as a speaker?
