Where Savvy Marketers Connect With Customers

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dusty Weis, President of Podcamp Media, located in Milwaukee, WI, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Podcamp Media is a branded podcast production agency for businesses proudly based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, serving clients throughout North America. Launched in 2019, Podcamp helps companies and associations engage their customers and members through targeted, strategic storytelling. Using high-production value on-demand audio, strategic content planning, and integrated social media, we help our customers create industry-leading content that serves as a top-of-funnel content marketing tool, cements their thought leadership, and fosters valuable collaboration opportunities with leaders in their industries.

Tell us about yourself

I like to think of myself as a professional storyteller. I've been working behind a microphone (in one fashion or another) for over 20 years. I started working in radio when I was 17 years old, and multimedia storytelling has been my passion ever since. First as a news reporter, then as a public relations and content marketing manager, I've leveraged that storytelling imperative on behalf of a number of institutions and brands through the years. I also host Lead Balloon, our flagship podcast at Podcamp, where experienced public relations and marketing professionals from global brands share tales of the do-or-die situations that define creative and communications careers—what went wrong, how they overcame unexpected obstacles, and what they learned in the process. It's kind of like "This American Life" for professional communicators.

Lead Balloon was honored as "Marketing Podcast of the Year" by Adweek, was nominated for a Webby Award, and in 2022, became the first podcast to fly with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron in our episode about the unit's public affairs team. I love working in audio and podcasts, especially because this medium harnesses the power of something primal. Storytelling has been a part of humanity's shared heritage for tens of thousands of years, and technology has given us the power to send a story around the world in mere seconds. Again and again, throughout my career, I've seen the power that stories have to bring people together across space and time, to spark imaginations and inspire action. Every day spent working in this field is a new gift.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

As a bootstrapped entrepreneur without investors or business debt, being able to hire my first full-time employee, compensate them well, and provide benefits was a major milestone. I'm very proud of the way this business has grown over the years.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

As a small business owner, there are no concrete boundaries or definitions that come with my job. I not only lead the company, but I'm responsible for ensuring next year's revenue is on track to meet our needs. I manage our IT operations. I vacuum the floors and clean the studio when it's needed. I am the catch-all problem solver for every aspect of the small business, and it can be difficult to establish healthy boundaries.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Most importantly, you must know your ideal customer and understand what makes them tick. Spend some time researching the types of people who are most likely to purchase your products and services, and go out of your way to understand their needs.

Then, establish a content channel that speaks to those people in their own "native language" and cement your authority in your field. Obviously, I think a podcast is a great fit for this type of thought leadership, but your choice of channel should be driven by your audience's preferences. Use your content channel to build a trusted relationship with your customers over time so that when the time comes for them to buy, all the sales work is already done.

Lastly, give yourself plenty of runways. Building a business on the back of a content channel takes time. There might be months or even years between the time you establish a relationship with a customer and when you finally make the sale.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.podcampmedia.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PodcampMedia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcampmedia/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dustyweis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustyweis/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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