Sound Judgment

The episode discussed on today's Sound Judgment is Famous & Gravy: Poetic Justice (Maya Angelou).

Amit Kapoor is co-host and co-creator of the podcast Famous & Gravy. Amit has spent nearly two decades in management positions for media organizations, both commercial and non-profit, ranging from Match.com to Wikipedia. He is also a stand-up comic, former Wienermobile driver, video game voice actor, and a certified meditation instructor. Amit has an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in American Studies from The University of Texas.

Michael Osborne is co-host of Famous & Gravy – a conversation about quality of life, one dead celebrity at a time." Michael has over twelve years of experience as a podcast creator and host. He currently heads 14th Street Studios, a podcast production and marketing firm based in Austin, Texas. Michael started his first podcast, Generation Anthropocene, while he was finishing his PhD in climate science at Stanford. After completing his degree, he spent five years running a podcast incubator for Stanford. During that time he created his second show, Raw Data, which partnered with PRX. In his role at 14th Street Studios, Michael specializes in creative development and podcast marketing for individuals and organizations.

Websites
14th Street Studios

Famous & Gravy

Socials:

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076654703402

LinkedIn links

Famous & Gravy

Michael Osborne

Twitter handles

@famousandgravy
@osbornemc

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more.

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Credits

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC.

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

This episode was sponsored by Signal Hill Insights.

Want to know how your podcast is affecting listeners? Need to plan to share outcomes with a branded client?
Visit measureyourpodcast.com for a free 4-part email series that will tell you how and why to measure the unique impact of branded podcasts. Go beyond counting downloads. Instead, obtain real responses from real listeners to demonstrate the ROI of branded podcasts. You’ll learn how research generates practical insights to optimize your production and drive renewals.

Read her books:
Tell Me More: Stories About the Hardest Things I’m Learning to Say

The Middle Place

Glitter and Glue

Hello World!

Other books by Kelly’s guests mentioned on this episode:
The Education of an Idealist by Samantha Power

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

If you liked this episode, you’ll love Sound Judgment Episode Season 1, Episode 5, “Finding Your Voice with Shelter in Place Host Laura Joyce Davis.”

Takeaways from my conversation with Kelly:

1. The thing we are asking for when we put our podcast, our book, or our speech out there is attention. And there is no more exquisite currency than attention. So how can we reveal something, or elicit something from our guest, that will make the listener feel like the time they spent with us was worth it? That’s Kelly’s guiding principle.

2. Carefully time the three questions you’re a little afraid to ask. Don’t ask your toughest ones first – and feel for the opening, like Kelly did with Samantha Power.

3. The purest motivation to start a podcast is to follow your curiosity. When it’s there, it’s evident to the listener. And it’s evident when it’s not there.

4: Kelly knows when an interview is going great when she’s saying something she hasn’t said before or when she knows that her guest is saying something they haven't said before.

Visit Kelly online:
www.kellycorrigan.com
Instagram: @kellycorrigan

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kellycorrigan

Facebook: kellycorriganauthor

Twitter/X: @corrigankelly

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more.

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more.
Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling.

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at [email protected]

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify
🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: [email protected]. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

Credits

...

The Six Biggest, Most Surprising or Useful Lessons our Hosts Identified in 2022
1. The host defines the brand of your show.

2. Hosting changes the host—not just as a storyteller and performer, but as a human being.

3. Great performances are valuable, whether that's a million-dollar signature story in a keynote speech or the captivating storytelling and connection skills of a great host.

4. We must challenge unconscious bias about the kinds of voices that are perceived as acceptable.

5. Narrative isn't simply important, it's the way we experience the world, define our identities, and make meaning. Sharing stories builds empathy. When we revise our own stories, we change our lives.

6. To stand out from the competition, we need to constantly think of how to be "better than good," as Jay Baer puts it.

BONUS: Podcasting is a team sport—not simply because of the variety of skills and tasks involved in producing a great show, but because collaboration with colleagues who make you feel safe enables courageous, vulnerable creativity. We will almost always do better work in collaboration than we will completely alone.
The episode(s) discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:
The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth, Sound Judgment Ep. 2
A Host on a Mission with Quien tu Eres host Pabel Martinez, Sound Judgment Ep. 6

Finding Your Voice with Shelter in Place Host Laura Joyce Davis, Sound Judgment Ep. 5

A "Yes, And" Approach to Cohosting with Pantsuit Politics, Sound Judgment Ep. 3

Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland, Sound Judgment Ep. 4

The podcast Standing Ovation with host Jay Baer: A sneak peek of a Season 2 Sound Judgment episode

The podcast Snap Judgment with host Glynn Washington: A sneak peek of Season 2, Episode 1, coming January 12, 2023
Sound Judgment Ep. 1, “Emotional Bravery on Last Day with Stephanie Wittels Wachs”

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling.

Captivate Your Listeners, Improve Your Hostiness and Grow Your Show in 2023!
What’s it like for you to face the blank page of your script – or that "blank tape" on the mic? As any writer knows, a blank page is intimidating. It can be even harder when we’re using our voice – because we only have 30 seconds or so to hook new listeners. That’s a lot of pressure. There’s a lot that goes into starting your episode with a bang, keeping listeners enthralled throughout, and especially providing enough value that they’ll come back again and again.

Don’t stay stuck! Get a half-price Hook Your Listener Audit now. As a veteran story and program editor, producer and host, I’ll work with you personally to get over the stress of the "blank page" and help you improve your hostiness. You'll send us a link to one episode ahead of time, and in one 45-minute session, I’ll identify several ways that you can tune up your show fast, painlessly, and without any extra cost – so you can get critical acclaim and, most importantly, grow your show. In just one session, we’ll uncover and build on your unique strengths. You'll tune up the sound and promise of your show. You’ll be more likely to captivate listeners. And most importantly, you’ll quickly feel – and sound – more confident! Now through January 31, you can get a personalized Hook-Your-Listener Audit for half price — only $149. We've only set aside a handful of these packages (we give them a lot of time and attention in addition to our face-to-face 45-minutes session). And because they're so affordable, they’re going fast.
Click here to purchase your own HYL Audit now. But...

About Sam Mullins

Sam Mullins is a writer, comedian and journalist based in Toronto, and is the host of the critically acclaimed podcast series “Chameleon: Wild Boys” and “Chameleon: Dr Dante” from Campside Media and Sony Music. For the past decade, he's been writing comedy for TV + radio, and performing his award-winning solo shows all over North America. His stories have been featured on This American Life, The Moth, and CBC's The Doc Project.

The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:

Chameleon: Wild Boys Episode 1. Arrival

We believe that no podcast host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, editors, and engineers -- the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to every podcast team whenever it’s possible to do so.

Wild Boys Credits: Host: Sam Mullins; Producer: Abukar Adan; Senior Producer: Ashleyanne Krigbaum; Executive Producer: Matt Shaer; Editor: Karen Duffin; Sound Design and Mixing: Hannis Brown and Garrett Tiedemann

At the end of every episode, I give you a few of the many takeaways from these conversations. Here are today’s:

1. As storytellers, we already know that curiosity is critical. But are you as curious as you can be? When Sam first started looking into this old story, he discovered that reporters had only skimmed the surface. Sam was driven by a need to understand how this situation could have happened. He began asking questions like what was their childhood like? What would drive two young men to do something like this?
2. Trust your instincts. If you think there’s more to a story than meets the eye, you’re probably right. Sam trusted his when he said, “There has to be much more here than they were just jerks messing with us.” And there was.
3. Working with a good editor is a godsend - it can mean the difference between a memorable story or series and one that falls flat. But, as Sam says, the relationship with an editor is a scary one, because it’s so intimate. You have to earn each other’s trust and be completely honest with each other.
4. The creative work you do without recognition or outward signs of success is never wasted. I’m a sucker for an overnight success story – which is what Sam’s story initially sounded like. But I’m also a sucker for most people’s real overnight success stories – which is that good fortune isn’t sudden at all; it’s the outcome of years of building skills.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Sound Judgment Ep 14: Bone Valley: How to Create a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference

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Did you know Sound Judgment is also a free newsletter? Every two weeks, get storytelling, hosting, and journalism strategies taken straight from the on-the-ground experiences of today’s best audio makers, no matter the genre. Newsletters feature examples for you to try in your studio; essays on the challenges and rewards of this craft; and news about fellow audio creatives making the kind of work we all aspire to. Click here to subscribe.

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Work with us!

• We make original podcasts for NGOs, purpose-driven brands, and universities
• We also offer podcast strategy and consulting services
• Or contact us about our public media and individual training services for content creators and on-air talent

Visit podcastallies.com or email us at [email protected] for more information.

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Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more.

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more.
Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health car...

Scroll down for takeaways you can use from today’s show.

Enter the Sound Judgment Listener Name Contest!
On Standing Ovation, Jay calls his listeners “clappers.” Glynn Washington of Snap Judgment calls his listeners “snappers.” What Should I Read Next? host Anne Bogel talks to her “readers.” What should we call you?
Enter our contest, inspired by Jay Baer. Here’s how it works:
Submit your ideas (as many as you would like) here.

Deadline: Saturday, February 4.

Prize: We’ll choose the best, most fun name from the entries. Jay Baer, the second most popular tequila influencer in the world, will send the winner a bottle of tequila from his personal stash.
We’ll also promote you in our newsletter, on an episode of Sound Judgment, in our show notes and on our social channels. Don’t wait!

Jay Baer
Hall of Fame keynote speaker Jay Baer has lost count of the number of podcasts he has produced and hosted. He is also a New York Times bestselling author of six books and founder of five multi-million dollar companies. Filled with real-world case studies, Jay’s programs teach companies how to turn customer experience, customer service, and marketing into their biggest business growth advantage. Jay has advised Caterpillar, Nike, IBM, Allstate, The United Nations, and 32 of the FORTUNE 500. He is the founder of Convince & Convert, a strategy consulting firm that owns the world’s #1 content marketing blog and the world’s top marketing podcast. He is also a tequila sommelier and the second most popular tequila influencer in the world.
Connect with Jay at Jaybaer.com and thebaerfacts.com.

The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:

Standing Ovation, David Horsager
A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no podcast host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to every podcast producer whenever it’s possible to do so. Jay both produces and hosts Standing Ovation on his own.

Connect
Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling.

Elaine welcomes genuine connections on LinkedIn.

Visit Podcast Allies to learn about our individual and team training; podcast development consulting; podcast production services; podcast host coaching; and podcast producer coaching.

Speaking: To hire Elaine to speak at your event, email [email protected].

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
Share your Sound Judgment dream guest with us. Who’s your favorite podcast host? Drop us an email at [email protected]. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

Say Thank You

Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.
On the show page on your phone, scroll to the bottom of the episodes. Click on the stars to rate; click on “Write a Review” to tell us what you think!

Takeaways from this episode
1. Your story could be worth millions of dollars. Why aren’t you analyzing what makes it good?
Like the typical podcast host, the typical speaker—no matter how successful— doesn’t know why their material is good. They’re just operating on instinct. Which also means you don’t know how to improve your work.

As Jay said, a good keynote speaker tells the same story many, many different times a year, often for several years. As he says, that means their “signature story” could be worth millions and millions of dollars. He’s dumbfounded by the lack of insight most speakers have about these extraordinarily valuable stories. “To not know how or why it’s good, or how it’s gotten better over time, is amazing,” he says.
That’s one reason he started Standing Ovation and a big reason why I started Sound Judgment and am on a quest to identify the universal skills of hostiness. While you’re not likely to make millions directly from your podcast, if you use it as the linchpin of your business or your social impact organization, you could count its value in the millions. That’s just one of many superb reasons to keep learning. Dissect your own episodes, on your own or with a guide. Also, deconstru...