Behind The Mic: A Few Things To Consider Before You Start A Podcast with Anna Sergunina

Michelle Abraham: 00:00:03

This is amplify you the podcast about you discovering your message and broadcasting to the world. If you're a coach, author or speaker, you'll want to tune in. If you're looking for the best return on your time investment to get your message out to the world in a bigger way. We're giving you full access behind the scenes look of how we're running our podcasts, how our clients have found success, and what you can do to launch your podcast today. The world needs your message. I'm Michelle Abraham, the host join my family as we unleash your unique genius and find the connections you need to launch your venture today. Join us and let's get amplify. Hello, hello amplify your family Michelle Abraham here your house. I am bringing you today an awesome behind the mic interview. I have special guests and S are gooey surgury Nina with us today. So Anna, how are you doing today?

Anna Sergunina: 00:00:58

Hi, Michelle, thank you so much for having me over. I am fantastic.

Michelle Abraham: 00:01:02

Awesome. Well, let me tell you, our audience a little bit more about Anna. So Anna is the money boss podcast host. She is a CFP and has over 16 years experience as a certified financial planner is a CEO of Mainstreet financial planning, and which is one of the nation's largest fee only project based planning only focused companies so she serves young families with children and wanting to grow their wealth to make smart financial decisions along the way. She's got a she's a new mom to her two year old son, Liam and a wife to her husband years. 16 years. So Anna, thank you. You're very family based, I can tell and we're so happy to have you here talking to us today.

Unknown: 00:01:43

Yeah, that's awesome. Thank you. I'm excited.

Michelle Abraham: 00:01:45

Yeah, so let's dive into your podcast. So we're here behind the mic talking to the house, which is awesome. Good to hear all about the story. So tell us your why behind why you wanted to start your podcast? Yeah. Good.

Unknown: 00:01:58

Good question. And the short answer is and I'll get into more of this I really wanted to have a space for us to have conversations about money. My background is a certified financial planner allows me to talk about you know, all kinds of topics and i and i do that with clients that I work one on one but as I became a mom and in it really kind of shifted some things for me in terms of like, Okay, what is because we only have so much time in a day right and you know, having having child and then additional responsibilities on top of what I already was doing. kind of you know, makes you to find you know, some kind of a balance and a focus and so if that's how I have to live my life going forward now there's probably going to be less time spent on you know, focusing on the finances right just because now the time is applied in another area. So I thought why not have a have a platform right or space or community and podcasting is really attractive to me, just because other ways of you know, creating content isn't isn't my jam, like writing is not my favorite thing to do. So I'm like, Alright, I'm great on video, but it's just like it's a lot of work I like doing makeup and hair and don't get me wrong, that's all cool but if I can just you know, push the button and start recording and put my thoughts out there and then also create a platform to to help other guests come on and share their expertise. And for me just to simply ask them questions and have an experience that all they checked off my boxes. So you know motherhood all together my journey as a financial planner, and then just really wanting to how can I add just you know, a little bit of value to your busy day because finances and money are such a it's a hard topic for a lot of people we're busy. We're focused on other things and yeah, so I just I wanted to have that space and particularly talk about money it as it relates to parents, especially parents with young kids and you know, how do you how do you think about finances? What do you do? What are some of the things there's, there's lots of different topics that I'm interested in discussing together.

Michelle Abraham: 00:04:13

I love that about your show, you know, I've become a new fan of your show recently. And you know, because I have small kids myself too. It's really interesting like some of the topics you have on there I especially enjoyed when we had a guest on her and she was talking about how to talk to your kids about real estate where you know how we used to like back in the day you know, go to school, get a job, stay at a job, save up for retirement buy a house and that as a retirement plan well that's no longer like really happening these days. And so I found that really interesting on the on the podcast where she was you know, explaining that and like that's so true like things have totally changed

Unknown: 00:04:50

Yeah, you know, it's it's really interesting because when I started like when I thought about Okay, here's the podcast, you know, here's the platform, I like podcasting, listen to podcasts, like okay, I I want to focus on, you know, on helping parents and it kind of evolved like okay parents and then we started to dig into that, you know, issues or, you know, ideas of how do we teach our kids to be better with finances so just like opened up a whole other door, you know, for us to have conversations and like, for me to help experts that, you know, could share their advice, which was really awesome. I like to, like with my with my podcast, I like to have a variety. I think it's just my personality even. You can even ask my husband like, Okay, what are we having for dinner today? I'm like, okay, we had chicken and pasta last night was a fish today. So like, I like to have a variety just because it gets me excited. And I'm, you know, my mind works that way. So for the variety on the podcast, I thought, okay, I can do it, I can do interviews, which is, you know, which is I think common for podcasters. But I still also want to have solo episodes where I can go out and I think of these episodes more technical in terms of like, okay, here's a money concept or money issue that we're talking about, let me maybe get a little bit deeper about it and explain some things and bring real life examples, whether they're my personal or something that I've heard from a client. So I just thought that that kind of variety would at least let listeners be more open to hear about these concepts, right? Like, it's not, you don't need to read a financial planning book on how to deal with your money, you just need to because we're all like humans are emotional beings, right? We need to feel we need to this is how, especially with finances, this is how we're better off in making decisions. And actually a lot of money decisions are emotional decisions. So I thought that could be just a different angle in different take. It's not any crazy new topics, you guys have heard of all of this stuff. It's just, I don't know my interpretation a different way. And the variety is really what I wanted.

Michelle Abraham: 00:06:56

Yeah, I love that. Because, you know, if you had obviously a lot of the content can come from like your things you've heard your clients talk about in in sessions with you, or things that you've experienced yourself. And I think that lens, a really great lens to the people who are listening to be able to be like, Oh, I resonate with that, or Oh, Anna has clients I obviously that's been a thing for them to like, Oh, that's me to begin self identify as being potentially great clients for you as well, by listening to your podcasts. It's a great strategy.

Unknown: 00:07:27

Yeah, and yeah, you have a point of your I also, you know, there's common questions that I always get asked frequently, like, okay, where does it but you know, if this is coming up a lot, why not talk about this, I'm sure. Because there's people that are people who may be afraid to ask a question, or it seems like a silly, stupid question that nobody wants to ask me. Let's talk about it. It's not. So yeah, I think I just think this is really, it's been sort of my baby number two, you know, I have a baby, who's Oh, he's my son, his son, Liam is almost three, he's gonna be three in January. So I started the podcast about 14 months ago. So obviously, very early stages of, you know, growing and kind of really still getting the footing of like, Okay, what am I doing? How does all of this stuff works and, and I did all like a lot of the work myself for a very long time. Just, just because I didn't know what I was doing. I was trying to figure it out. And like, okay, there's not a whole lot of money coming from the podcast yet. Anyway, so it's a little sidetrack here. But yeah, it's I'm still trying to evolve with the show. And I've, I've heard, you know, just kind of, you know, comments and feedback from, from a few clients who did not listen to my podcast before. But then once they learned, like, oh, and that's actually I don't know, if if other podcast hosts have that reaction from friends or family. But sometimes you are like, Oh, you have a podcast. I know about that. Oh, wait, did I not tell you. So somehow we forget to tell people, we know that we have a podcast. And I'm sure you're so reminder,

Michelle Abraham: 00:09:06

right? I'm sharing your case to be really helpful with some of your clients went back and listen to some of the emphasis to it gives them a better understanding of some concepts to that you talked about on your show, that would be helpful for them when they come in to being a client too. And I think that's a great way to like, look at your podcast to like it's a great place to sign new clients see, like, you know, if you want to learn how to do XYZ, like go listen to episodes forward, four to seven, right? Then you'll get the idea of what we're talking about. Here. It's a great way to use to intertwine within your business too.

Unknown: 00:09:39

Yeah, exactly. No, and that's exactly where I have sort of like paused and thought to myself like okay, I need to make sure I've told everyone I know in this whole wide world, and I do have a packed cast, because the clients, well you have 100 plus episodes on your podcast. I will know what I'm going to have time to catch up on my story. We're not going to say So it was a compliment in a way but I was like okay I think I need to do a better job with with promoting and then that's probably you probably hear that from from from your you know your your your other folks that you work with or podcast hosts that that's probably the hardest part right it's like okay doing doing all this work behind the scenes is awesome and I still actually I didn't know that this is one thing that I learned about myself I actually very much enjoy the interviews like the whole behind the scenes like creating the podcast so I'm that's I think that's like the first year I don't know if others feel that way but that's what I've learned about myself is like okay, this is cool I'm gonna continue doing it it's hard but I've got it now the next phase comes in Okay, so I've got the creative part processes and all that like okay, now I need to look you know a little bit you know, down the road what's what's in the store for the for the show? Sometimes it feels like I may run into topics to talk about right?

Michelle Abraham: 00:11:00

yeah and then and then all of a sudden you sit down to think about it and you're like okay, I'm going to go to the top

Unknown: 00:11:05

right right, right just it's a face to like sometimes Yeah, yeah.

Michelle Abraham: 00:11:10

But yeah, I know I often see like we've seen a lot of shows now that are kind of like in the stage where they wanting to relaunch their show where like, you know, they've been talking about something and they've kind of outgrown the topic or their businesses evolved a little bit and I think people before we're very I'm thinking very much of the mindset that podcasts were had to stay the same all the way through you can't change well podcasts can evolve with you and your business which is great so it's like you're starting you're showing your son with so little that's awesome because all those topics it's like when you're in that phase of your life and then now like as he's moving into toddler stage you're gonna bring in some other new things that are coming up and then when he starts you know getting allowances or learning more about money to that's going to outline for some a whole other new kind of topics you I think that's really cool and to be able to evolve with your show. I think is great Yeah,

Unknown: 00:12:00

yeah, yeah, I know you have a good point you have a good point there too. Yes, I can I can definitely evolve that's why i think that's that's actually one of the reasons I love podcasts is ever you can you can you can tweak it to if they're podcast focused on you know, life like lifestyle decisions and things like finances, then sure, that can definitely evolve with you and gives you the flexibility I have not relaunched the podcast I had a thought about it, but I just tweaked I did actually. After 100 episodes I started really, you know, as you start something new, like you're really excited. I was doing three episodes a week. Oh, wow. Yeah, I burned myself out like I forget one and kind of slow down for me, but it was just a lot. And then I decided, Okay, what's the what's the rush? Like? What's the rest of them you trying to create? You know, so many, you know, so many pieces of content, because it's that's really what it was at the beginning. And I was trying to figure out what's my voice? How do I talk about these things? Once I started, more guests, I just like so I'm down to two episodes a week. And that seems to be a good dynamic for my one solo episode and then want to interview. So I think last six months or so I've been focused on on to answer to,

Michelle Abraham: 00:13:13

yeah, I love how you do like the one interview and then the one solo show because, you know, oftentimes, I think people forget that, like when they're coming to their show, people are coming to their show to listen to them. And then if we have all guests, I know this is a mistake that I've made in in a few of the shows I've had before is if it's all guests, people didn't get a chance to hear the host voice and get to know the host as well. And you know just exactly what you said and it was became one of your most favorite things to do in your business. I hear that a lot from a lot of our clients, too, that podcasting has become like their favorite thing to do in their business, which I'm so happy to hear about that because, you know, we see pod cast come and go all the time in the world where people get that pod feed, but I think you've done that you've done your show in a very smart way where it doesn't have to pod feed, you're never gonna run out of content. Because as you're growing, your business is growing. Your podcast is growing it can move along with you. And I think that's that's super cool. Now question on your, on your type of shows, uh, your what, what category are you in, in your show?

Unknown: 00:14:21

Yeah, so right, I tweaked it a little bit, actually, very recently, because I wanted to, I started with business category, because I mean, there's not the real category for financial planning, but business was what I started with. And then I looked around to see you know, where other podcasts were ranking and since I so after about Episode 100, when I like really purposely decided to sort of like, Okay, I'm focusing on on on finances for parents. This is where I'm like, this is where my angle was because it was kind of built with general to begin with, it's, as I was trying to figure all of this out, so then I changed it to parenting. So it's my new boss. And I the first category is parenting I forget what the I think my second category is business and then I think the third at least this is the setup on my on my behind the scenes platform family and kids nice because again I'm tying all of that you know all of the messages

Michelle Abraham: 00:15:18

yeah yeah how to fit money into your i mean you know i think that's such a important thing as parents or grow a parents or raising small children to like their finances like sometimes becomes like the the sticking point on some some some disagreements right as people you know you're tired you're navigating small kids you're trying to parent finances sometimes becomes a bit of a conversation that's not always the best conversation so I think this is awesome having you're having money conversations all the time in your podcast and I think it's really going to help your listeners who are parents be able to you know, have conversations in their home about money and be more educated about the topics you

Unknown: 00:15:58

Yeah, no, I agree. It's like It's like I'm starting to even come up with new analogies because a lot of what I've said in the past were like okay, well you know, your finances is like you go for a checkup to a doctor's office once a year right or like you do you know, physical once a year so now it's more like well you know, parenthood doesn't come with a manual you kind of like you kind of have this baby like you're supposed to know how to do this and so and then I was like well, the same thing is true about finances like well how are you supposed to know how to deal with your money? like okay, how to make it how to save it how to spend it, like all of those things if you've never taken any personal finance classes if you've never like really spent any time if your family was not good with money so how are you supposed to do and so like oh my god there's so much there's so much similarity in both of these things that we have to figure out a way to talk about this and fully not be ashamed because it's hard it's Parenthood is hard I know for those who are parents I only have one kid so for those of you who have more than one I mean I yeah you're my god this is amazing. So So our finances right you and two I think we can evolve as we get older right as we go through the phases of life again, you know, I'm sure we're in you know, whatever your age is like when you were in your 20s right if you're like in your midlife now you look the finances differently your you know you may be worth more or I don't know like now and you know for me I'm close to my to be 40 and I now my life looks different now I want to focus on on different things, even with the money that I'm continuing to make right so and then I'm sure it's gonna change even further like when you get to your 50s and 60s and so far so it's like it's an ever ongoing topic and conversation that I don't know I just use so much parallel here with with the parenthood

Michelle Abraham: 00:17:50

Yeah, I love that. I haven't seen anyone really like parallel those two together before I think that's an interesting twist that you have on your show. I think it's so it's so true. He they definitely learn that Yeah, they definitely both don't come in manual.

Unknown: 00:18:08

Thank you for highlighting it. I'm just that that's even more like salmon. Okay. Yes. The sister Pacific conversation to continue.

Michelle Abraham: 00:18:14

Yeah, for sure. Absolutely. Yeah, I think especially when like when one parent goes on maternity leave and you know, then you have a cut in your finances or you know, those kind of things. I know, like the people appearing in Canada. Who do are the college education fine, right? They were they were calling me while I was still in the hospital with my son. But when he wanted to set up my college education, but like, I just literally had him 30 minutes ago. It's so funny. How did you know?

Unknown: 00:18:47

Wow, that is amazing. I should I should I use one of the first jobs ever I had when I started out in the financial services industry actually was working for I used to I used to live in Maryland. And I worked for Maryland state because here in the United States, the the college savings plans are administered by states but then they there's a couple levels layers there. So anyway, I used to I remember I used to actually go out to state fairs and Passover shores and do presentations to parents and elementary school, but it always like it just didn't click quite click in my head about like, elementary school. Your kids are like, you know what, six or seven? And you're just starting to like save for college. Like isn't that a little too late? So like, the call you're getting is, is awesome. I know I

Michelle Abraham: 00:19:39

was like, why don't you start thinking about this now if like I just literally gave birth? It was good. Yeah, oh

Unknown: 00:19:47

my gosh, I'm totally using that example because that was just anyway, it never really made sense to me like elementary school like but yeah, the earlier the better. The earlier the

Michelle Abraham: 00:19:56

better. You can That's awesome. So and it tells us a little bit more about your, your vision for your podcast, you've touched on it a little bit. So just before we let you go on here, what is your hope that you are doing with your podcast? What is the what's your hope that your listeners are getting from your podcast?

Unknown: 00:20:15

Yeah, um, I haven't given a whole lot of thoughts. I don't have a business plan for my podcast, for sure. This is really a passion project. But I think at the end of the day, and as I evolved with, with with my message, and I think it's, it's become a lot more clear to me, you know, what topics I want to bring, you know how to be like, they hadn't run that parallel of parenthood, motherhood and finances, I just want my listeners to, like, every time they listen, every time they spend 1520 minutes to try to keep my podcasts, like, you know, some interviews, maybe like maximum 45 minutes, but that's a lot of time, that's a lot of attention and energy that they give me, which is, which I'm really grateful for. So if anything, I want to give practical, practical things that they can implement, like every guest, I have, like, okay, we're going to talk about your topic, but I need something that that my listeners can take away and actually go and do like, this is the biggest challenge I have in the line of work I do with personal finances, because I'm, I'm more on the advising side. And so clients come to me for advice. And I do give them advice but where I find the hardest part it's it's not just in finances, I think it's in life in general is actually doing and implementing. So if I can just inspire someone and share like a really one thing, one little nugget in every episode that you can just really do and stick to it. I think that's that's going to be by far the most rewarding thing. And if I ever hear back from you that that really worked in your life, then that's that's made

Michelle Abraham: 00:21:51

makes it all worthwhile. Right? Yeah, I think that's one of the best things you can do for a podcast or something we've said on the show, tell them that you've made a difference or that it's changed your life or something like that, I think is so so powerful. So I love that so thank you so much Anna for spending time with us. You guys go check out money boss podcast, and it gives so many great tips on there. She's got some cool guests on there. And I've enjoyed becoming a new fan of the show myself. So go and have a listen. He can find it everywhere you get podcasts. And if you want to send them to your website to go check it out.

Unknown: 00:22:28

Yeah, you can. You can check out my financial planning company which is Main Street planning.com.