I used to think video wasn’t worth the effort. Then one podcast changed everything.
For years, I’d been that guy who preferred email over phone calls, written proposals over pitch meetings. I built my business through text—blog posts, newsletters, detailed write-ups. Video felt like performance. It felt like putting on a show when what I really wanted to do was solve problems.
But sometimes the universe has a funny way of proving you wrong.
The Moment Everything Shifted
Last year, I was invited to be a guest on Spencer Haws’ Niche Pursuits podcast. Nothing fancy—just me, a microphone, and an honest conversation about building businesses online. No camera crew. No script. No carefully crafted talking points.
I almost said no.
But something made me show up anyway, and I’m glad I did. That single episode became the #2 most listened to podcast of 2023 on Niche Pursuits. 👉 https://www.nichepursuits.com/most-popular-podcast-episodes-of-2023/
Not because I had some revolutionary insight or because I’m a natural performer. It resonated because I showed up as myself—talking about real challenges, real failures, and the messy reality of building something from scratch.
What Happened Next
Here’s the part that made me a believer: Within 48 hours of that episode going live, my inbox exploded. Not with tire-kickers or people asking for free advice, but with serious inquiries from people who had been searching for exactly what I offered.
The episode wasn’t just heard—it was heard by the right people. Entrepreneurs who had been struggling with the same problems I’d solved. Business owners who recognized their own story in mine. People who didn’t need to be convinced that what I offered was valuable because they’d already heard me walk through exactly how I’d solved their problem.
The numbers tell the story: $20,000 in new monthly recurring revenue within 60 days. From one conversation. No sales funnel. No elaborate launch sequence. Just me talking honestly about what I’d learned.
But here’s what really struck me—it wasn’t just about the immediate revenue. My email list grew by 40% in two months. I started getting invited to speak at events I’d never heard of. Other podcast hosts reached out. People began forwarding the episode to their networks with notes like “this guy gets it.”
That’s when it hit me: This wasn’t about being good on camera or having perfect delivery. This was about being the clearest version of myself in front of the right people. And in 2025, video is the most efficient way to do that.
The Bigger Picture
We’re living through the most democratized era of media distribution in human history. Anyone with a phone can reach thousands of people. But most of us—myself included—have been treating video like it’s still 1995, when you needed a production crew and a TV network.
The truth is simpler: Authenticity scales better than production value. Stories travel faster than features. And trust—real trust—happens when people can see and hear you being genuinely helpful.
That podcast episode worked because it wasn’t trying to be anything other than a real conversation. No fancy graphics, no dramatic music, no carefully choreographed moments. Just clear thinking, honest storytelling, and practical value.
And that’s exactly what video can do for any of us, if we stop overthinking it.
My 2025 Commitment
This year, I’m not just hoping to get invited on more podcasts. I’m building my own video presence—a YouTube channel where I can share what I’m learning in real time, short-form content that breaks down complex ideas into digestible insights, and yes, more podcast appearances where I can connect with different audiences.
Not because I love being on camera (I don’t, particularly). But because I’ve seen what happens when you show up consistently with valuable insights in a format that lets people really get to know you.
Here’s what I know now that I wish I’d known five years ago: Your expertise is only as valuable as your ability to communicate it to the people who need it most. And video—authentic, unpolished, real video—is the most leveraged storytelling tool of this decade.
Every business has stories worth telling. Every entrepreneur has insights worth sharing. Every expert has knowledge that could change someone’s trajectory. The question isn’t whether you have something valuable to say—it’s whether you’re willing to say it in a way that actually reaches the people who need to hear it.
What story could one good video tell for you? What if your next client, collaborator, or investor is already searching YouTube right now, looking for exactly the perspective you could provide?
The camera doesn’t care if you’re nervous. The microphone doesn’t judge your delivery. But the right person, hearing your story at the right moment, might just change everything.
I’m betting on it.
