Video Overview

The #1 episode of our newest video interviews and podcast series – Helping B2B High Ticket Service Providers Grow – One Lesson at a Time is LIVE, folks!

Our first guest? Well, it’s more than obvious.
Phil Lemieux, a Podcast Expert.

When a hobby grows into a thriving business, what more could you ask for?

The one lesson Phil wants to be remembered for is: “Podcasting is an incredible way of connecting, sharing and learning.”

STAY TUNED for more incredible lessons, stories and growth tips, straight from the most successful entrepreneurs!

Speakers

Interview Transcript

[00:00:07.400] – Dancho – Hello, everybody, and welcome to our first show. I mean, it’s our first show on Helping B2B High Ticket Service Providers Grow – One Lesson at a Time. And obviously, I mean, if we have to do this, who would be the most obvious person to bring on the first call? Well, if it is a podcast, I mean, you would assume that the first guy that we will bring on the call is actually a podcast guru. And it’s Phil Lemieux. I mean, just try to pronounce the surname and welcome Phil, welcome on the show.

[00:00:41.930] – Phil – Thank you very much, Dancho. It’s a pleasure to be here. And I’m happy to help you. For those that need to understand my last name, it’s French, so it’s Lemieux. It’s very hard to pronounce if you don’t speak French. But I go by, Phil Better online since I deal with mainly anglophone clients. So it’s just saving them time and embarrassment from not being able to pronounce my name.

[00:01:05.930] – Dancho – Well, I did my best.

[00:01:07.370] – Phil – You did a great job!

[00:01:13.760] – Dancho – That’s all I know, man.

[00:01:15.290] – Phil – It’s all right, don’t worry. The same thing with the Spanish. I have some Spanish clients and I go, uno, dos, tres and tequila. That’s all I know.

[00:01:21.660] – Dancho – Nice, nice. Well, the reason that why I really wanted to have you as a first guest because I mean, for everybody out there actually Phil is helping us as a coach, as a mentor to get all the podcast up and running. So we have three or four different podcasts and video interviews. And Phil is actually helping us. I mean, he knows his stuff. From what kind of setting up on Apple, Podcast.co, how to distribute the podcast and how to promote them. And I was like, well, if I needed an external help, probably our high-ticket service providers audience will need it as well. Phil, without further ado, you know your stuff. Give us a big backgound. I wanted to start from who you are and what you do, so the people would get the idea of who we’re talking to today.

[00:02:13.070] – Phil – All right. So a brief background, a brief bio on me. I’m Phil a.k.a Phil Better. That name came from working for a financial institution that didn’t like their employees posting certain stuff on Facebook and to save myself from being fired or getting in trouble, I just anglicize my name to Phil Better. And also it plays off to feel better. Like, do you feel better with me? Yeah, it was silly. I was young, but it works.

[00:02:41.300] – Dancho – Young and naive. Not just young, right?

[00:02:43.310] – Phil – Yeah. And now so that’s where I started, I started podcasting about six years ago with my first show called The Phil Better show, where I talked with friends and reviewed movies and entertainment news. And then that went for about four to five years and then 2019 hit and it was the worst year of my life. I just ended a relationship. I was in a dark place. I was 300 pounds. I was not in a good place and had ended up having a blow-up with my family over Christmas ornaments, of all things. You know, a time when everyone is supposed to be happy, I’m arguing about who’s getting what Christmas ornament. Because my parents had downsized their house to an apartment. And so my mom was like, okay, you’re going to see a doctor. This is ridiculous. I went to see a doctor, got on some anti-depressants to help me, did kind of help, but it was way too late. I should have done it way earlier, but it was too late. I ended up burning out in 2020, just before the lockdown happened. So in February I burnt out, stop working for two months and dove into entrepreneurship, trying to figure out how to make money outside of working for a financial institution. Fast forward to November of last year, I started investing in the Digital Entrepreneur podcast, to interview entrepreneurs like yourself, to learn how they did it and how to do it, and I found out that the biggest thing is just go. So I was like, okay, January. After two months of interviewing people in January, I was like, okay, let’s do it. And I started helping coaching entrepreneurs, podcasters, because I’ve been in the industry so long. Grow their podcast and now I have multiple of clients that I help from various degrees. Like with you, Dancho, I’m just providing some moral support coaching you on because you pretty much have everything ready set to go. There’s no really need for me to start you from scratch. You’re already pretty much there. You already know by being guests on podcasts and also doing your video series that you did before, you already know how to be a podcaster. And so I range from that to the setting up from scratch the whole podcast idea, setting up the automation for them, setting up their email lists, setting up their social media for the podcast so that it’s all there. They take it, they run with it, and if they ever need help, they come back to me and I help them grow. So that’s what I’m about. I like to call myself a boutique production agency for podcasting.

[00:05:06.710] – Dancho – Nice. And you start from, let’s go. I mean, that’s the mantra of all entrepreneurs, you know? And even for me, recently, I was like, okay, I need to start the podcast and everything. I was like, let’s do it. And that’s it. I mean, there will be, I assume, I’m sure that there will be hundreds of problems along the way. Man, that’s how we actually learn. And I’m so happy to hear that you just said, well, let’s go. Figure out things on the way, but at least you’re doing what you’re really interested in. Well, when I actually was a guest on your podcast, I realized that you know your thing. And probably that’s the reason why I invited you on this first podcast. And actually that’s why I actually hired you.

[00:05:56.080] – Phil – Secretly he hired me because he wanted all my knowledge for himself.

[00:05:59.670] – Dancho – Don’t tell anyone. But the whole point is, was that your expertize is in the podcast.

[00:06:05.250] – Phil – Yeah.

[00:06:05.620] – Dancho – Tell me, what’s the secret behind it? Why should people, companies, owners actually start using podcast? I mean, why would? It is a lot of effort if you asked me.

[00:06:16.770] – Phil – So, yeah, it is a lot of effort in the initial startup. The initial startup is a lot of effort because you have to do all these little mini things. And then once it’s all together and you automated using Zapier or Integrate or any of these other companies that code no code coding, if you will. Once that’s all set up, it starts rolling really quickly. So I’ll take The Feel Better Show. It was pretty much my baby. It’s the worst show in the world, like when it started. Because I didn’t know what I was doing. Like most people, when they start podcasting, they don’t know what they’re doing. They don’t invest the time in learning all these other stuff. So from that experience, I’m like, okay, I learned along the way, okay, I need to have an email list. I need to be more active on social media. I need to do this, I need to do that, create a Facebook group from The Feel Better Show. So when I launched Invest in Yourself, I already had everything there. I already knew how to do Guest Outreach. I already knew how to do the show templates and all that and make everything as simple as possible. So I launched that and reaching out to people and now it’s flip. I don’t reach out to people as much as I used to like my first two seasons. It was me reaching out, sending like hundreds of emails to get people and now it’s flipped. People are reaching out to me to get on to my show, to be a guest on my show. And it’s like, wow. Because I come from a family of nine to five-ers, like I’m not used to being solicited, in essence, to have people come on my show because I never thought I would have this show, that’s a main place for entrepreneurs to share their story and share like some of their lessons they’ve learned, because that’s what my show is about. It’s for entrepreneurs to share their story, to become those thought leaders. So with podcasting, you can have it one of two, three different categories. Either you can become a thought leader like you’re doing with your personal show that you’re going to be launching. You can be an interview where you can promote businesses and promote entrepreneurs, fellow entrepreneurs, clients, if you will, like what we’re doing right now, or you can just have it for fun. Or LeadGen, in essence, if you want. You know, there’s a lot of podcasts like my podcast is a LeadGen. Like we wouldn’t have connected if you weren’t a guest on my show. I wouldn’t have been able to show you that I know my knowledge if you weren’t a guest on my show. So my show is actually is twofold. It’s to share information with fellow entrepreneurs and promote fellow entrepreneurs. But also at the back end, for me, it’s a LeadGen to get clients. All my clients, so far have come from being guests on my show. So having them on my show they get to share their knowledge. They get this free publicity that I’m doing all the work for which who doesn’t want free work, right? Free publicity is free, but also allows me to get past that cold call because cold calling is the worst thing. I’ve tried cold calling. It’s no fun. But with podcasting I go, hey, do you want to be on my podcast? And they’re like, yeah, sure. They come on.

[00:09:15.980] – Dancho – You have actually a reason why you’re reaching out. It’s not like Hi, buy my services or buy my product. But you’re like, Hi, do you want me to give you some value?

[00:09:25.940] – Phil – Do you want free value? Do you want free promotion? Do you want this free chance to share your story and promote yourself? And funny enough, I’ve found since podcasting that everyone is narcissistic. That’s one of the probably the biggest thing that’s like everybody’s like, oh, I’m not narcissistic. But if you say, hey, I’m going to put you on my podcast, that’s thirty thousand people or whatever they’re going to be like, yes, please. No one’s going to turn down that. Like that’s like you get to talk about yourself. And that’s one of the reasons I love podcasting. It’s just this communication.

[00:09:53.810] – Dancho – Yeah, but Phil, now, okay, you’re a celebrity that reaching out to you for the podcast. But I’m just curious, how did you actually not the first a lot, but like the first one or first five people that actually were like, who is this guy where he’s from? Canada, hmm. I don’t know. Let me check his portfolio – zero. I don’t know. And that’s really part of the fears of everybody that wants to start the podcast. I mean, yeah, I can figure out the title probably. I can figure out the topic, but then I need to invite people and, you know, invite and they will come. No, no.

[00:10:34.070] – Phil – You build it first and then. Yeah. So what I did was actually because I was in so many podcasting groups, I specifically, I’m starting a new podcast for entrepreneurs to share their story. And I had previously connected with a couple entrepreneurs from my other show. And I reached out to them and I’m like, one of them is Donny Bovin. He was the first guest on my show. And I’m like, Hey, Donny, I’m doing a show on entrepreneurship. He is the master of networking. Like this guy networks like no one’s business. It’s amazing what he does. And he was like, hey, I’m like, hey, do you want to be on my show? He’s like, yeah, sure, no problem. He loves podcasting as well. So he comes onto my show and then I put the post in a Facebook group and I got the co-founder of GaS Digital, which is the, gets five million downloads a year on their podcasts, which for a podcast that’s like big numbers, right?

[00:11:32.130] – Dancho – I don’t know for me, I’m still at zero.

[00:11:34.220] – Phil – Yeah, for you it’s like that’s something I can shoot for. I’ll give you a little hint. The top one percent of podcasters get about three thousand downloads on their podcast episode in the first 72 hours.

[00:11:46.870] – Dancho – Three thousand. I’m writing this number down.

[00:11:50.110] – Phil – That’s the top one percent. The top five percent get two hundred to three hundred downloads. And then the top ten actually get 20 downloads.

[00:12:00.040] – Dancho – Wow!

[00:12:00.970] – Phil – Yeah, it’s really a weird way. Like to be in the top 10, you have to have 20 downloads an episode. And it’s like, wow, really, that’s it? But with one of my clients, Lloyd, he is in the top 10 in New Zealand and in Australia. He fluctuates, he’s in and out because other podcasters release new episodes and they get more downloads, but he’s averaging close to 200 to 300 downloads an episode. And he’s in the top five percent of podcasters, you know, like. And he’s in the top 10 on the list. So if you look at it, the top one probably is only getting about 500 downloads a month. Or if you’re like Joe Rogan, you’re getting, an outlier like Joe Rogan, he’s getting probably 16 to 20 thousand downloads an episode, and probably even more to warrant the hundred million dollar contract that he got with Spotify. But that’s everybody’s goal. Get the Spotify money.

[00:13:02.420] – Dancho – For me, it’s weird because, you know, you see all these Instagram celebrities or influencers and they do in millions like, B2C it’s like, I have a product, fifty million saw it or a billion or hundreds of thousands. Well, in the B2B and in the podcast, I realized just now that the numbers are kind of different. And in regards to that, I mean, your expertize is actually to help entrepreneurs and owners to build that podcast. So actually, how did you learn or earn this expertize? I mean, it’s not like you were born and you were like from tomorrow I’m just going to be a podcaster and I’m going to just give consulting services.

[00:13:45.320] – Phil – So it actually took me to six years to learn how to do it like so, okay, what’s the process, the setting up, what equipment do I need? How do I edit a podcast and all this? And so I was doing this all by myself and I up my skills. I’m not the best editor. I’m not by far not the best podcaster out there. There are far better interviewers, far better podcasters out there. I just looked at it from, I took a business look at podcasting because everybody, I started podcasting as a hobby. And a lot of people who started earlier, like not in the last two years, did it as a hobby because they’re like, oh, this is fun. I can share my thoughts and maybe I’ll become like Joe Rogan and this and that, but they didn’t have a plan. They were just like putting content out and hoping. Praying. But because when I started investing in yourself, I said, this is a business, how do I do it like a business? So I started running it like a business, and I started connecting with other podcasters in the business world. And I would learn from them, like, what do you do when you have this situation? And they were like, well, I did this and this, and I’m like, oh, that’s interesting. And so I would incorporate that into my thing and my process and it become easier and easier. So now I have a simple 30 day launch thing where I just keep refining my 30 day launch plan and I’m just refining every time I have a client, I work with a client, I refine, I refine. Before it was like a throw stuff against the wall and see what sticks and whatever stuck, it’s like, okay, this is the stuff. Okay, now let’s make this better and then you throw more stuff on the wall and see what works like, I didn’t have an email list before and now I have an email list and I’m like, oh my God, now I need to grow this email list and what do I do? I go out and find experts and email lists and bring them on my show. Every single one of my guests, not every single one of them. The large majority of my guests are people that I want to learn from to better my job.

[00:15:38.840] – Dancho – Filling the knowledge.

[00:15:40.400] – Phil – Is simply that, like some of my people, some of my guests charge in the excess of a thousands of dollars to be coached. And I’m like, but I can get them on my show for free. So in the way of getting them on my show, like that’s a secret. Like people don’t understand, like it’s free publicity. So getting, I have an email expert coming on the show in season five. I got an Instagram, I got a Twitch streamer on earlier in the season, how to grow your twitch and this. So that when I start going into that or I get a client, I’m like, okay, I have a reference point, but I can start with and help them grow. And then I just take what I know and add it to what they have. And usually if you already have an audience, if you already have an email list, about a thousand people, you can get 200 downloads easy like that, because that’s what my client, Lloyd, does. He has an email list of about just over a thousand people. He gets 200 downloads. And he just sents an email out to them whenever a new episode drops. And we started a new series for him. And it’s just slowly learning from your past mistakes and refining it to it. Like, every day I’m learning something new. I’m learning how to use a chat bot for myself. And but I also can offer it to my clients. Obviously there are better chat bot experts out there, but it’s something I’m learning, something new every day to be at least competent in it, then I can hire someone who’s better at it.

[00:17:08.030] – Dancho – So you’re actually using the podcast as a vehicle to obtain knowledge from different experts because as they show up on your podcast, you’re able to experience and ask the right questions. And actually our podcast is going to be kind of similar, now that I’m talking, because we’re actually helping B2B high-ticket service providers grow, and we are a high-ticket service providers. And the first topic is about whether you need or not podcast and here is you talking about the podcast. And I’m like, okay, I have this. Oh, I don’t have this. Okay, so then I should ask you even more smarter questions if you ask me. But I mean, you did a lot of podcasts, you did a lot of on shows, but also guest shows. So if you had to choose like the one single lesson, one like the big golden nugget that you, in twenty years from now, you want to be remembered by one thing that you’ve said and what’s that one thing? I don’t want to put more pressure on it, but in podcast I know that there is a lot of thinking, prospecting in doing in post-production, in distribution, in marketing. But that’s like the flow of podcasting. And I’m like, well, insights. I mean, anyone can do a YouTube video and try to replicate the same thing, but whether they can do it as well as you, of course not. They need the years. So back to the one single golden nugget, a lesson that you can share for an eternity?

[00:18:46.340] – Phil – It’s a tough one, yeah. I love these type of tough questions. It’s a great question. Usually I’m the one asking the tough questions so big on the other end it’s very odd, not to feel sorry for most of my guests when I ask those tough questions, but I’m going to still ask those tough questions because that’s how you learn. Probably the number one lesson that I would love to be remembered for, twenty years, thirty years, forty years down the road is sharing my passion for podcasting. Just how amazing of a tool of a connecting tool it is. Because if you think about it, you’re in Macedonia, I’m in Montreal. That’s leagues apart, hours apart, but we’re having this conversation about a podcast and we’re sharing it, we’re going to be shared to the world with people from all over the world listening to us. Two people who are in two different countries, two different time zones, sharing knowledge with people all across the globe. For me, I never thought, first of all, as a child that I would be having people listen to my voice in Russia, in Australia and South America, South Africa. So I guess I want to be remembered as the dude who helped change podcasting into a legitimate industry. That’s I would love to have that, but the lesson is just start podcasting. The only way you’re going to learn is to learn to podcast. I could tell you everything I know about podcasting, and you still wouldn’t know a quarter of what it is because it’s the experience of creating your first show and just recording and seeing how amazing podcasting is. It’s the level of networking I’ve never known. It’s like networking on steroids.

[00:20:29.160] – Dancho – I see. But Phil, one more aspect that I wanted to touch. I mean, we’re always looking at the podcast as outreach channel, as a marketing, as a sales channel, as a thing that you want to do something outside. On the other hand, I actually started recording a few of the podcast, and I also wanted to touch the aspect of the podcast as internal, like reflecting on what you’re doing and what can be done better. So can you share some experience in that regard? Because, yeah, as a marketing and sales channel, I think I got the idea. But also I think there are additional benefits to the podcasting.

[00:21:09.480] – Phil – Oh yeah. So, with podcasting, you have to be consistent. Consistency is key. So from when I started podcasting, I was not consistent. I was far from consistent in both in my podcast, but also in my life. As I’ve rolled in age and experience, I’ve learned that I need set procedures in place. So I’m running my life. I live by a calendar now. It’s 100 percent calendar life, like my family, I’m like, look, just send me a calendar invite. I’ll put it on my calendar so I know. And that helps with my podcasting, because that gives me the chance to be like, okay, I know that I have an event at this time, so I need three hours beforehand. I need to be ready for that. But then I’m free the rest. So it helps you stay, I’m trying to think of the word and as a podcaster, you’re forgetting words, which is really odd because they’re supposed to be able to talk. It helps you hold yourself accountable. To your audience, to your friends, helps you stay accountable to word by being a podcaster. Because you know that I have to be at somewhere, let’s say this podcast started at two. I had to be here for two o’clock to make sure that I recorded. But I also know that the minute we’re done here, I’m in the studio editing for the next three to four hours and then I do a live show and then I’m editing afterwards. So it helps you stay accountable to yourself, to your word, and it just makes you a better person I found. And when you’re doing a podcast like your personal podcast, it also allows you to figure out your core values, because then you can figure out you’re being a thought leader in your personal podcast. So you’re sharing your thoughts and it makes you have to sit down and go, do I actually believe this or is this something that’s been put on top of me that I’m forced to believe? And am I able to fight that belief or share why I think this is wrong versus why this is right? So it allows you to grow as a person as well, because you’re fighting against the common sense or the knowledge that’s been put to you. You’re like you’re challenging it. So you’re questioning stuff. Whenever I have a guest on. I love it because they’re teaching me something, so I’m growing as a person thanks to podcasting. But I’m also challenging my beliefs, challenging my mindset so that I can be the best version of myself. And I’m slowly growing into the best version. I’ll never be the best version of myself, but I’m always chasing the best version of myself thanks to podcasting.

[00:23:44.930] – Dancho – Nice. I think this was actually the golden nugget that I was looking for in terms of, yeah, podcasting can give you all the answers. But when you start looking internally, what drives you and what you actually do it, man. There are a lot of lessons to be taken out there. Phil, I think that we’re reaching the end of the podcast. I mean, I am going to do a lot of podcasts like this. You’re my first guest.

[00:24:14.330] – Dancho – Honored.

[00:24:14.600] – Dancho – And I would really appreciate if you could just tell our audience where they can reach you and follow you. And if they are interested in podcast like everybody, Phil, Phil, everybody.

[00:24:26.330] – Phil – Hi, everybody!

[00:24:26.810] – Dancho – Where they can find you?

[00:24:28.550] – Phil – The best place to find me is on Instagram – @podcasterphilbetter. Make it simple, you know, Phil is regular Phil. And Better is B-e-t-t-e-r. If you’re interested in hiring me, you can go to my website – philbetterinc.com. But overall the best place to find me is on Instagram. Send me a DM, follow me, comment on my pictures or whatever, and I’ll be more than happy to reach out to you and have a free call. Like I love giving free 30 minute calls with people and just sit down and go, okay, this is what podcasting can do for you. Or if you need help with your podcasting, I’ll suggest something you can do to grow your podcast.

[00:25:05.390] – Dancho – Nice, nice. I mean, people really appreciate like, not you like this sitting and just you know what, you have no right to talk with me, but just like down to the earth. Let me see if I can help you. If I can, perfect. If not, sorry I cann’t help you. So everybody interested in starting a podcast, I mean, here is Phil and by the way, if you don’t like this podcast, it’s his fault, by the way.

[00:25:33.410] – Phil – I’ll take the blame. I’ll take the blame.

[00:25:35.330] – Dancho – Just saying it on the low end. But other than that, Phil, I would really have wanted to thank you for coming on this podcast, Phil Lemieux. I figured it out in the fly.

[00:25:55.130] – Phil – It is great.

[00:25:55.820] – Dancho – It was nice having you.

[00:25:57.110] – Phil – It was my pleasure, Dancho. I’m looking forward to when listening back to this episode and going, why did I say that, oh my God. And being hypercritical of myself. But I’m also looking forward to seeing the growth that you get because I know you’re going to have an amazing growth because you have connections to such amazing clientele in your BizzBee Solutions company. And the guests are going to be flying. Soon you’re going to be bigger than I am. You’re going to be getting so many guests requests that it’s going to be unimaginable. Then you’re going to be like, Phil, I need more help. And that’s all I’m looking forward to.

[00:26:26.900] – Dancho – Phil, this is on the record, so watch what you’re saying. But it was really nice having you. I think I really got the golden nugget I was looking. For everybody else, thank you very much for staying tuned. I wish you all a great day. Actually it’s afternoon here. So Phil, thank you again and bye-bye.

[00:26:48.440] – Phil – Bye, everyone.