Become a Media Maven

By appearing as a guest on a podcast, individuals can establish themselves as thought leaders and gain credibility within their industry.  Additionally, podcasts allow for meaningful networking opportunities, as hosts and fellow guests may have valuable connections.  Being a podcast guest also contributes to personal branding and visibility, helping individuals reach a larger audience and potentia...

Should you hire a coach or buy an online course? There is a big difference between the two.  Generally speaking, with a coach, you get more individualized help. With a course, it’s a one size fits all model you can go back to over and over again. I mix the two in my Media Mentoring Program. I’ve done both. Listen to the episode and watch the video from April 18th to go inside my 10 business coachi...

You need to be ready when you’re invited on a podcast or an opportunity comes up you weren’t expecting. If not, you will lose your chance, your competitor can snag it and it may change their business. Let’s make sure that’s you instead of them. Last week I talked about two ways to know if you’re ready for PR. Hopefully, you realized you are, so now let’s cover what you need to be ready to land cov...

I’m shocked at how many people, especially female business owners make excuses for not being ready for PR - to be on a podcast, contribute an article, land a TV interview, etc. People feel like they’re not ready because of their perception of what they see on the outside. That perception is exactly why earning media exposure is worth so much - because of the way your audience will perceive you. Pe...

The Forbes Coaches Council will say congratulations… then ask you to pay them to write for them. It’s the opposite of a job. I’m all about contributing to outlets when it builds your brand infront of your ideal customer or client, but this is different. Not only is this advertising, but it’s tricky advertising. While these pay-to-play appearances could impress people who don’t know any better, you...

Press release distribution services are tools that allow you to send press releases to a large, targeted audience of journalists, social networks, bloggers, influencers, and traditional or digital media outlets, either automatically or manually. They will guarantee you coverage… and they’re not wrong. You will get coverage. But what they won’t tell you is that NO ONE WILL SEE IT.  This is why. 1....

In this episode, I’m going to share how I sold my business, Podcast Clout , and everything leading up to the sale. I’ll start with  how I got the idea in 2019,  how I found people to build my vision,  how I grew the company,  and why I decided to sell it. If you’ve built anything and wanted to try something new, go back to what you were doing before, or have just lost passion and interest in what...

I hired my first business coach around 2017. It was life-changing and scary AF. Since then, I’ve never been without a business coach or have been in a mastermind. I’m going to tell you who I’ve hired, why, how much I paid, and what I took away from each business coach and mastermind… so buckle up! I’m not including online courses in this roundup. Those are one-and-done with lifetime access and are...

Ever wonder what makes a pitch stand out to a journalist? What about the common mistakes small business owners make when they pitch to the media and how to fix those mistakes? Look no further because I get answers to those questions and more in this podcast episode. Alice Dubin is a digital travel and lifestyle journalist based in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Da...

Imposter syndrome is loosely defined as doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud. It disproportionately affects high-achieving people, who find it difficult to accept their accomplishments. One study found that about 70% of all people have felt like an imposter at some point. Imposter syndrome often affects those who are highly capable perfectionists. What does imposter syndrome look like?...

You can’t just hire someone to handle your public relations and call it a day. You still need to be involved to make it successful.  I’m going to tell you how people sabotage their own PR, so if you’re doing these things, you stop… or you know better when you’re ready to implement a PR strategy. 1. You don’t get back to us when we need you to. The media works on deadlines, so we need to hear from...

Influencer marketing is HUGE today. Yes, it is misunderstood and so many people think they know how it works, but few actually do.  To dive deeper into how it works and how people make living as Instagram influencers, I'm resharing one of my most popular episodes with Christina Galbato who pulls back the curtain and shares her experience as an influencer and a coach to future influencers. Chr...

Warren Buffett said it takes 20 years to build a reputation. That means PR is a long-term game - not a sprint, but a marathon. This is why most PR software requires an annual subscription and why most PR agencies require an annual contract. Trust me, this isn’t to trap you and take your money. It’s just how the industry works. I’m going to tell you why it works like this and how you can use it to...

One of my Media Mentoring Program clients wanted to know more about how I repurpose my content, so here we go! Last year, I approached content with a podcast first in mind. This year, I’m going YouTube first. 1. Audio is pulled from the YouTube video for my podcast on Become a Media Maven . 2. I pull a few one-minute snippets from the YouTube video to post short videos. 3. My assistant pulls the s...

I recently visited Southern California to visit three hotel clients of mine. Most work was done before I left. For example, I already wrote three blog posts before leaving South Florida.  That work included: 1. SEO keyword research for each place I was visiting using RankIQ.  Try it out here:   https://www.rankiq.com/?fpr=christina33 2. Write the blog post with hotel client inclusion, but not prom...

At the end of 2022, I asked the wonderful business owners on my email list to ask me anything about their biggest frustration in learning how to get attention without using ads.  I saw a recurring theme with three people and answer their questions here about: the amount of time it takes to write and repurpose content consistently finding and following up with opportunities to be on other people’s...

A Media Mentoring Program client of mine reached out on Facebook and suggested an episode idea, so I moved all the other ones down and bumped this one up for her.  There is such an overlap between social media and PR. They work together, so make them work for you! Build your brand on social media by sharing your expertise on social media. This way when a journalist does their research on you, they...

Why do we ignore red flags as business owners? I’ve done it many times, but in this episode, I’m going to help you learn from my mistakes.  I’m breaking down the 10 red flags to look out for when bringing on a new client and sharing some of my personal experiences with some of these signs to just say NO! Balks at your prices Asks you to lower your prices Doesn’t respect the boundaries you’ve set T...

Let’s get to my 12 favorite business tools with some free trials. If you subscribe to any of these, I may receive an affiliate commission. First, make sure you grab my FREE PDF to make it easier than ever to become a contributor to a top website at 16Places.com . 1. Agorapulse Agorapulse is my absolute favorite social media management tool. 2. ConvertKit This is what I use to build my email list a...

I love good business and personal development books. After reading so many for years, it’s hard to find some that stand out above the rest.  So many books are either too generic or all sound the same. These 20 books all stand out to me and are amazing when it comes to life and business.  All the books below are linked via my Amazon affiliate link. Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker At...

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight is said to be the best business book. Ever. The learning lessons are inferred and not spelled out, but the author summarizes everything he learned at the end. While I don’t relate to having a product business, I’m struggling to find business and personal development books that aren’t too generic or sound the same. My quick takeaways and memo...

When I heard that some podcasters spend HOURS editing a 30-minute podcast episode, I was shocked. There is no reason for that!  In this episode, I break down how I edit my episodes for both my podcast and YouTube channel in less time than it takes me to record them.  From cutting out mistakes, pauses, coughs, and everything else you don’t want people to hear, there is an easier way than listening...

I’m happy to say that I was never fired for having a bad work ethic or not hitting goals. The three times I was fired only solidifies why I started my own business. When you listen to this episode, you will understand why! Join Christina's newsletter for insider tips on growing your business without ads here . Become a contributor to a top website to build your brand with free resources here...

Denise Duffield-Thomas is the money mentor for the new wave of online entrepreneurs who want to make money and change the world. She helps entrepreneurs like you charge premium prices, release the fear of money, and create First Class lives. Her books Get Rich, Lucky Bitch and her newest Chill and Prosper give a fresh and funny roadmap to living a life of abundance without burnout. In this episode...

It took me about two years to hire my first team member. Then, it took me eight years to hire my first virtual assistant. Eight years! I was afraid AF to delegate things.  I thought it was just me, but this isn’t a rare feeling. Many business owners are afraid to loosen the reins a little bit and let go. That’s why I invited Kristy Yoder to my podcast. She is the founder and CEO of Smart VAs, a vi...