The best things in life aren’t free. In the professional world, that means it’s time to take a risk. In today’s episode of the Be Better Podcast, Donald is joined by the co-founder and VP of Content and Community of Podcast Movement, Jared Easley, to discuss the risks he took in creating the world’s largest podcast event in the world.

Podcasting is a phenomenon for a reason:

• It allows anyone a low barrier of entry to start creating content. Anyone can get involved.
• Even now, it’s easier now than ever. People can create a podcast right from their smartphone.
• Jared wanted to create a podcast, so they looked at what content was online for people to get started. And there wasn’t much.
• They did go to an event and made connections. However, it wasn’t to the scale they imagined.

Jared took a risk to create his event:

• Forced to crowdsource for the funding for his event, Jared decided to make the event about the attendees, not himself.
• He realized there was a passion for the event, which galvanized his efforts to make it happen. 
• While the first few years of the event weren’t perfect, it established the trust and proof of comfort needed to make it successful long-term.

Mitigating risks can help overcome the fear of failure:

• For example, in one particular year, Jared’s event lost $40k. 
• Were there mistakes? Yes. And those mistakes were corrected in subsequent years to make the event a more enriching experience.
• Mistakes can help you learn what you couldn’t know any other way, helping you become wiser and more informed for the future.

It’s okay (and productive) to try new things:

• Your experiences and efforts make you unique. Try a variety of ideas when creating something new – you’ll be surprised what doors that can open.
• The worst thing you can do is not try. Instead, keep moving, and you’ll find that more doors will open.

Jared’s major takeaway? When starting something new, put your efforts into others and create rapport to yield reciprocity for long-term success. Build an army of supporters to be more comfortable taking risks to further yourself.

Be Better Episode Resources:

• Check out Jared’s book recommendation, Will It Fly? By Pat Flynn.
• To get connected with Jared, visit podcastmovement.com for more content and information. 
• Listen to Jared’s podcast Starve the Doubts on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
• Like, subscribe, and listen to the Be Better podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and anywhere else podcasts can be found.

You can help build a better world.

Help Better Homes and Gardens fight homelessness across the world by donating at bhgre.com/newstory. With a goal to raise $100,000 by the end of 2022, your contributions will go directly to supporting those affected and helping build a world with homes for everyone.

This episode is brought to you in part by Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate.

Looking for a new role that allows you to become your own boss, create your own schedule, and have excellent income potential without the headache of starting a new business? Become an agent with Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, an American icon trusted in all things related to the home. Explore career options at bhgrecareer.com/.