Beyond the Mic: Impactful Guests and Transformative Insights

Matt: [00:00:00] Well, hello and welcome to Push To Be More with me, your host, Matt Edmundson. This is a podcast that talks about stuff that makes life work. Yes, but we're doing it differently in August. We're going to talk about that kind of stuff, but I'm talking about that kind of stuff with Sadaf, the show's producer.

Oh yes, welcome to episode number three of our little mini series here in August. Uh, Sadaf, how are we doing?

Sadaf: We're doing good. Great, actually.

Matt: Great. Because, uh, as if you've been following along with that little mini series here in August, you'll know that we're trying to do shorter episodes. We're talking a little bit more about the story about podcasting. We're talking about podjunction, an episode we're launching, lots of interesting stuff, um, bit more bite sized because, well, we all wanted a bit of a break ourselves in August and production takes a lot of time, um, on all the episodes.

So keeping them shorter, the production value. Uh, is definitely less involved, but we are pre recording them, ladies and gentlemen. And this is the [00:01:00] third one that we have pre recorded. Uh, so it's great when I say to you, how are you doing? Like it's changed from ten minutes ago, you know. But we appreciate this is the following week, and if you're watching the video again, I've not been wearing the same t shirt three weeks on the trot, and Sadaf has not been in the same hoodie three weeks on the trot either, but we are getting a few of these shows recorded back to back, which is great.

We're going to have another two to record after this, which we'll probably do on a different day and I'll be wearing a different t shirt. Well let's hope so anyway, let's definitely hope so. So what are we talking about today Mrs Beynon?

Sadaf: So today we're going to be sharing some stories about some of our standout guests that we've had. And, um, yeah, so we've had some incredible guests over the years as Matt's been, as Matt, as Matt mentioned, um, in the last episode. And, uh, Matt, I think... I think it would be fun for our listeners to hear about, um, the guests that have had, have had a profound impact on you.[00:02:00]

So maybe you could talk about that your, about their story or per, or the perspective that really stood out, their perspective that really stood out to you. Mm-hmm.

Matt: yeah. Guests are funny, aren't they? That it's, when you run a podcast, it's funny who you get on the show. So I would say on the whole, most guests are amazing. Um, occasionally you get some guests on and you think, how do they end up on the show? We try to filter those out now with, with something we call the pre call, don't we?

So we do like a call before the podcast is to figure stuff out. So I think we're getting better at that, really. Um, but the ones on Push, for example, the best guests we've had have been the most vulnerable, um, in my opinion, who have just shared the most incredible stories. And I don't think there's a guest that we've had on the show that I've not been able to learn something from, uh, which for me is a big thing.

You know, I have on my desk, um... My notebook here, [00:03:00] and I just take copious amounts of notes as we go through the episode. One, it helps me to figure out what the next question to ask is, um, uh, but also I just really, you know, like making notes, uh, as I'm listening to people talk. And so we've just, we've just had some awesome guests on the show.

So for, also for e commerce podcasts, you know, which is another podcast I host, which is about e commerce funnily enough, um, but we've been doing that for four years. We've had hundreds of guests on that show. And again, some of the standout guests are just the ones who bring the most value or who are the most vulnerable.

Sadaf: Mm-hmm.

Matt: Or the most real, they're not trying to sell you anything. And ironically, they're the guests that if you're ever going to be on somebody else's podcast and you want to use that podcast to gain traction for your business, you want to use it for brand awareness or whatever. If you deliver value, if you. Be vulnerable.

If you are real and inspiring and all that sort of stuff, people will genuinely connect with you. Whereas if you go on somebody else's podcast and [00:04:00] like the temptation, I think a lot of people have when they come on e commerce podcast is to try and flog their, you know, their e commerce services agency, or, you know, we're a paid media agency and all that sort of stuff.

Um, But I think when you bypass that and just talk about delivering value, so last time we talked about Rich Brooks, didn't we? Um, and the paid media agencies that they do. Um, we've had, uh, Ross on the Push To Be More. I can't remember what episode he was, um, but Ross Hetherington. Came on the one of the first few episodes.

Um, I know Ross. I've known Ross for years. Another paid media genius. Absolute genius that guy. Um, great guy. Just had a little baby girl. Guy's a legend. And um, enjoyed that conversation with him. But again, he just, he just provided insane value. As a result, that really helps build your brand, you know, and they didn't do it by flogging their paid media services.

They just talked about how to do it better yourself, you know, and how to, how to deliver value. And so, yeah, we've had a [00:05:00] lot of cool guests on the show and a lot of new people that I've met. Some actually the first 10 episodes of the show, the way I tend to do it when you launch a podcast is you go and get like 10 people who, you know, in some degree.

Whilst you're figuring out your craft because your first 10 episodes aren't usually your best and also you're going to pivot and change, aren't you? so the first 10 you know and So it was great because I remember people like Jane Moore. She came on the show I've not seen Jane for years. I'll send her an email Jane.

I'm doing this podcast. You want to come on? She's like, yes, I was like awesome. That's great And so it's great to have a conversation with her and So yeah, things like that. You just have some amazing guests on the show. Amazing guests. Who's been some of your favourites? Can I ask you that? You produce the shows.

Can you think of...

Sadaf: Oh, um, there's been a few. I'm just trying to remember names and stories. [00:06:00] Um, um, Edward Jackowski, he has, I don't think that one's been, oh, did that one get aired?

Matt: I think that was last week, wasn't it? It's on the website.

Sadaf: Okay, yeah, so last week. I really enjoyed that. I really enjoyed that. It was just a different flavor altogether. I loved it. Um, I remember the one with Brett Curry.

Matt: Ah, Brett.

Sadaf: I really enjoyed that one. Um, um, you know, there's so many that we produce. I'm trying to make sure I'm thinking of Push to Be More or not.

Matt: EP

Sadaf: um,

Matt: or any of the podcasts going

Sadaf: yeah, I

Matt: Brett, he's a Yeah, no, I'm totally with you. But Brett was an interesting guy because I mean he is an interesting guy and met him There's a really interesting story how I meet Brett, right? So It's a bit of a [00:07:00] long winded story. I go on to a podcast by Daniela Werner who is on She is gonna be on Uh, where's it gone?

Oops. No wrong one. She's going to be on podjunction. Um, and so she's one of the guests that we talk about on podjunction who, uh, uses podcasting to grow her business and she has a spa business, right? Spa consulting business. Not we, I, I don't default in my head, put that in podcasting together, but she is killing it in the podcasting space where spa is concerned.

And so she has this podcast. Uh, I think it's spa marketing made easy, something like that. And she invited me to go onto her show to talk about e commerce, right? Um, so I go on to Daniela's show and I'm talking about how spa owners could maybe transition and do digital stuff. And we just get on really well.

Daniela is a beautiful lady, really lovely person, full of just. [00:08:00] Genuine joy, you know, she's just one of these kind of people and you just, you enjoy being around her. Again, I'm not met her face to face. Um, but went on her podcast, she's been on Podjunction. You're going to get to hear that episode. She's awesome.

Um, at the end of that episode, Daniela says to me, she goes, you really need to meet this guy called Jared, Jared Mitchell. She says, he sounds like you, but American. Uh, and I'm like, okay. Um, and so she introduces me to Jared who is also running his own e commerce beauty business. I was running an e commerce beauty business at the time.

I've subsequently sold that. Um, he's running an online. Beauty business similar sort of size similar and so he we get connected Thanks, Daniela. Jared who I'll talk more about in a minute because the guy is an absolute legend. He is such an awesome, dude He's like, Oh, you should really meet Brett Curry.

And so he introduces me to Brett, who's been on the podcast. He introduced me to Peter Awad, who has also been on the podcast. [00:09:00] Um, and Brett, I'd never met Brett. Brett's been on both the e commerce podcast and the push podcast. He's got one of the biggest paid media agencies, specifically around YouTube ads is his specialty and Amazon.

Um, and. Um, really interesting story, fascinating story, and he came on to the podcast. We just had a great time, hit it off. He's got eight kids. This was always a thing which just totally threw me. That's how everybody remembers Brett Curry, the man with eight kids, dude. Um, so when I was over in Dallas recently, like four weeks ago, I think it was four or five weeks ago.

Um, I said to Brett, Brett, I'm in Dallas. I don't suppose you're around and he's, cause normally he's not in Dallas, um, is, I think he's. He's in Missouri somewhere, isn't he? Um, maybe Springfield. I can't remember. Anyway, he, um, he said, well, funnily enough, I'm going to be in Austin. Uh, and I said, right, I'm gonna catch the, I'm gonna get the bus.

The Von Lane is a very posh [00:10:00] bush, let me tell you. Uh, down from Dallas, I went to Austin and I met Brett and we just talked for hours and hours and hours. And I'm like, Brett, I've got to get up at 4 o'clock in the morning to catch a plane, but I'm gonna have to go at some point. And he's like, yeah, me too.

So we both got really knackered the next day. But it was just great to meet him in person and we hit it off. And so, yeah, Brett Curry, what a legend, uh, that guy is. But Jared, right, Jared Mitchell. So let me tell you the story about Jared. This is about really interesting guests. Um, so I meet Jared. Jared comes onto the e commerce podcast.

Um, shares his experience. We have a great conversation. We hit it off at the end of that. He says, Matt, listen, I'm looking for a bit of a mentor. Would you be interested in that? And I was like, sure, man, you're an awesome dude. I really liked him. And so we started this, uh, once a month, we just catch up for like an hour.

I ask him really awkward questions about his life and then we just carry on. Right. This is quite a good relationship. Um, and so we do this for a few [00:11:00] months and then my daughter. Uh, is called Zoe. One of the things I've tried to do with all of my kids is take them on that one trip, right? So this was always my policy, I'm going to take my kids, just me and the kids, on that one trip.

And we're going to go, and we're going to go big, right? They get to choose where we go, what we do, I just want them to remember it, right? Just creating memories the rest of their lives. And so it was Zoe's turn. And I'd done a trip with my boys, and it was now Zoe's turn. And I said to Zoe, what do you want to do?

And she's 15, so she'd been planning this trip since she was like nine. Um, so originally it was like, I want to go Disney world. I think she outgrew Disney world a little bit. And so she came back and she said, dad, I want to go over to the States. I want to go to California and drive the Pacific coast highway route.

I think it's route one, isn't it? Um, at the California, California coastline. I [00:12:00] was like, sounds like a trip. That sounds like a heck of a trip. Let's do that. So I called Jared and I said, Jared, um, listen, this is what Zoe wants to do. Before I know it, Jared has sent me everything that I need to do on that

Sadaf: Oh, amazing.

Matt: that part of the world. He was from, it's from San Clemente, South California. And, um, It's like, you're flying into L. A. and I'm like, yeah, we'll just fly from London to L. A. He said, right, I'll pick you up at the airport. He drives 45 minutes, picks me up from the airport. Me and Zoe are totally jet lagged.

We go to his house, where he puts us up for a few days, where we sort of recover. Takes us everywhere, to the beach, everything. So this is Zoe's first sort of introduction to America. And, uh, Jared has just got the, I mean he's, I've never seen a big truck, he's got a massive truck. Uh, and we're driving everywhere in this big huge truck, we're eating some great food, it's this California sunshine, the beaches, he's showing us around. So I got to know not only Jared, but his family, right? So his, his beautiful wife, in fact, Zoe [00:13:00] calls Jared the man with the hot wife, which I think is hysterical. Jared's like, I'll totally take that. No problem. So I've got to know both Jared and Elena, just amazing people. Skincarebyelena. com, if you're in the States and you buy beauty products, buy it from them.

They're awesome people, awesome family. Two great kids, got to know them a little bit for a few days, and then we went into this, you know, trip of a lifetime. So in my head now, I've associated Jared with this trip of a lifetime that I did with Zoe. Um, and then I was over in the States a few weeks ago, um, at an event over there, and so I flew over to...

San Clemente. I spent some time with Jared and his family. Spent four days with those guys. Had the best time. Um, again, just lovely people. Met with Peter Awad as well over there, who Jared had introduced me to. So just face to face meetings with some... and Peter is just... What an awesome guy that is. I mean, just, just a legend.

Um, I know I say that a lot, but these [00:14:00] people are awesome people, and so yeah, for just lots of stories like this, you know, so I do this podcast, I meet incredible people, I end up flying to their home, spending time with them and their families, or they fly to our house and spend time with us, and we create these great friendships, um, and you know, just super privileged, super honoured,

Sadaf: Hmm

Matt: amazing, amazing.

And not every guest turns out like that, um, not at all, but some of them just become really special and you become super, super grateful.

Sadaf: Yeah. Those are fantastic stories. Definitely. And you're right. It is incredible. The people that, uh, you've met and that we've had a, have had an impact, um, through podcasting. It's great. Yeah.

Matt: Yeah, it is. It is. And I'm looking down the list now and I can tell you every guest that's been on the show, I could tell you something that I just really enjoyed [00:15:00] about that episode. So I mean,

Sadaf: Can I ask then, is there any, um, particular moment or piece of advice that from a guest that has changed the way you approach things or the direction of podcasting or anything like that? Yeah.

Matt: so with e commerce podcast, um, I mean, you'll know this as well as anybody quite often after a podcast, um, recording with a great guest, I'll walk into the office with a page notes go, right, listen up everybody, listen to this. Um, and I will share what I've learned in those sort of insights. In fact, it got to be.

With e commerce podcasts that was happening so much. We then set up something called e commerce cohort Where we did like this paid sort of membership mastermind group that people could join and we get some of the best Podcast guests to come and do actual workshops to go practically through some of the things that they say [00:16:00] So, recently we've had a guy called, um, Oliver Sparks on the show. podcast episode I think went out recently. He also recorded a workshop for Cohort, which was, it's going to sound really dull, about metrics. But actually, if you're in e commerce, is incredibly insightful, uh, and super valuable. Yeah. And, and just the stuff that he was sharing was incredible, really. We, um, we shot that, uh, well, Oliver recorded that, sent it through, we've put that in cohort, um, and he's now next week, he's going to do some live calls with me with people that are in cohort that have got bunches of questions for him.

And so, but this is what it was like for me, or still is, you know, you talk to guests, you take pages of notes and you just have these incredible insights and it can change everything in some pretty big ways. So Mark Buchanan, right? Mark Buchanan comes on to. [00:17:00] Uh, one of our podcasts. I think he's been on PUSH, hasn't he?

I get

Sadaf: Yeah.

Matt: who's been on what. Yeah, I'm just like, yeah, yeah. So the perseverance of, the power of perseverance, how Churchill's words shaped one entrepreneur's life and business. Mark Buchanan. This guy is a complete lunatic. Uh, I, I don't say that about everybody, but he is, but he's a lovely guy.

Love the bones off him. And again, we've become great friends, right? Uh, another, he's been to the house, he's been around for dinner, um, I've actually had him do some coaching and consulting services at our company. Just some of the insights that he had around a system called 4DX, um, the four disciplines of execution, which we talked about on the podcast.

Which sparked something in me because I'd read that book, came out the Stephen Covey thing and after the podcast recording, I'm like, Mark, how do you feel about coming down to the business to do some stuff? He drives down on his own dime, didn't charge us a penny, came and did something around 4DX. We're now working with him on his podcast.

Uh, so we're going to help him do his podcast launch strategy, which is one of the things we do at Aurion Media. Um, to help him [00:18:00] launch his podcast right for his new Fairtrade e commerce retail business, which is brilliant. Uh, we are fairtrade. com, um, and getting interested in that, but then he comes down and he delivers these workshops of value, which then changes how we do things as a business.

Um, and that's, you tell me, has that been good or has that been bad? I mean, it's definitely had an impact, right?

Sadaf: Yeah. I think it's, I think there's, uh, learning and everything isn't there, and I think he's, he's brought so much to light that we, I think sometimes when you're doing the same thing all the time, you can get your blinkers on. It's nice to be able to see what else is going on and how we can make that work for our business.

I think it's been really valuable.

Matt: yeah, totally has as a great guy, Mark, like real, really great guy. And so, yeah, so there's lots of things like that where we just meet great people and great relationships or some insane value that comes out of it. Or even things like Coke or a whole business comes off [00:19:00] podcast because we're like, we are learning so much here.

Um, it would be insane not to sort of take this to the next level where people who want to learn. Can it's not we don't charge a lot of money for it. Whatever it is 57 bucks or something like that Um, but it's just one of those platforms where you think well If people really want to come and learn they will do and we've got some great guests to do that Um, maybe we'll do the same with Podjunction. Maybe we won't. We don't know. Um, we'll wait and see how it goes. We're not, we're not trying to prescribe that at the moment, but um, yeah, all the people that, that we've interviewed, those 10 people on Podjunction, all great people, connected really well with just about all of them, from all over the world, every walk of life as well.

Yeah, great.

Sadaf: Absolutely. Yep.

Matt: Yeah, I feel like, I feel like we should probably stop talking because I can just wax lyrical about every single guest. If I've not mentioned you by name, by the way, and you're listening to the show, going, well, I was on your show, you've not mentioned me. Still love you. You're still awesome. Um, but I, you know, I, we've interviewed over 200 odd people now across the various podcasts.[00:20:00]

Um, and I could probably name three or four of them who I would never interview again. For the rest of you, absolute legends, you're welcome onto the podcast at any time. Um, just some great conversations that have come out of these things. But yeah, no, does that answer your question?

Sadaf: Yeah. That's great. That's great. So it's probably good for now. And we'll be talking about unexpected opportunities that podcasting has brought to us next week in our next episode.

Matt: Next week, tomorrow probably, because I need to go get me dinner now, but yeah, no, it's fair play.

Sadaf: Yeah.

Matt: Absolutely. No, fantastic. So, let me do this. I need to queue it up. Yes, very much so. Thank you for joining us, ladies and gentlemen. Don't forget to keep pushing to be more. Don't forget to subscribe to the show, wherever you get your podcasts from, because we've got some more awesome conversations lined up.

And in case no one's told you yet today, you are awesome. Yes, you are created awesome. It's just a burden. You have to bear it. [00:21:00] I have to bear it. Sadaf has to bear it. You've got to bear it as well. So thank you so much for joining us. Have a fantastic week wherever you are in the world. I'll see you next time.

We'll see you next time. Bye for now.

Sadaf: Yeah. Bye.