Podcast Week compiled by Trent Thomas
Elle Ferguson’s new podcast series Sliding Doors with Elle Ferguson, is now available on LiSTNR.
In the new LiSTNR original podcast Ferguson speaks to influential people at the top of the fashion and beauty industry about their ‘sliding-door moment’, the moment they took a risk or leap of faith and it ultimately led to their success.
Guests share how they deal with challenges like imposter syndrome, fear of failure and the consistent rejection that come with working within the highly competitive aesthetics industry, as well as who their biggest supporter was and the advice they wish they had been given at the start of their career.
Mediaweek‘s Trent Thomas spoke with Ferguson for Podcast Week about taking the leap into podcasting.
Ferguson said that the process of getting her podcast up and running on LiSTNR took about 12 months, and during that process, she said that she learnt there was no how-to-do book for making a podcast.
“I got to listen to the first three episodes and I am really proud of what we have created and I never thought I could do something so well.”
Ferguson has finished bulk recording her first set of episodes but doesn’t want to call it a season but instead sees it as a catalogue of content.
“We really want to offer the listener a takeaway so that they are getting skills and tools and we just don’t want those to date.”
When asked about the theme of the show Ferguson said that everyone has had a sliding doors moment in their lives or careers, and her podcast explores that.
“Throughout my career I have been lucky enough to meet so many amazing people and creatives, and every time I would start chatting with them there was this one particular moment or opportunity that had happened to them. Instead of going right they went left, or instead of getting a ‘yes’ they got a ‘no’ and it changed the path of their careers, and we always said ‘oh my gosh that’s a sliding doors moment’.”
When asked what is what like to produce a podcast, Ferguson said that she thought it would be like a radio show, but she has had to learn to stop and listen.
“I have to try and not feel the awkward silences but those silences allow the guests to take a moment to reflect and it’s been an amazing discussion to see these people reflect on their journeys.
“Not many times do you sit there and think about how you go to exactly where you are. It has been really amazing to sit across from someone as they go ‘oh my god it was a sewing machine that my mum bought me when I was nine’ and it’s just amazing to be in that moment with people.
Ferguson first gained attention for her fashion and lifestyle blog They All Hate Us, cultivating a following from her fashion and modelling collaborations, before launching her own vegan beauty brand ‘Elle Effect’ in 2018. When asked how important podcasting is for content marketing her brand and products Ferguson said that it’s the new way to connect to audiences.
“You are hearing it from your voice, you are hearing your reaction first hand and I think it’s actually opening up my brand on another level, a more personal level. Instagram stories and things like that are a filtered version, and with this podcast, they are very real and raw discussions.
Ferguson said the only real edits were the odd breath being edited out and to cut down the length of the episode to 30-40 minutes each, with some interviews lasting for up to three hours.
“We might have made it shorter because every interview went for way too long, but I think it’s an amazing layer to add to my brand these real discussions.”
LiSTNR original podcasts, head of content, Jen Goggin, said: “Elle’s incredible career in fashion, beauty and business has given her the credibility and contact lists to engage with global superstars in the fashion, media and beauty world.
“Her charismatic and warm personality is perfect for the medium of podcasting and has meant that her podcast episodes are always full of exclusives and valuable advice from her guests. It is a must-listen for anyone interested in the fashion and beauty industry.”
Courtney Act on calling Brenda for Nova
In February of this year, best friends and drag queen stars Courtney Act also known as Shane Jenek and Vanity also known as Benjamin Moir launched the podcast Brenda, Call Me! On the Nova Podcast Network.
Mediaweek ‘s Trent Thomas spoke with Jenek about the pairs foray into podcasting.
The pair have been friends for over 20 years, and when Nova reached out Jenek knew who they wanted to do the show with.
“Nova said do you want to do a podcast? And I said Yeah! What if I do it with my best friend?”
“I have done lots of peoples podcasts and normally you are sitting in someone’s lounge room or you are recording it yourself from your place, but because it’s with Nova we go into these big glamourous recording studios and it’s so fancy. They have got all these cameras in there and do all of the editing and cut up cute little videos for us to post on our social media and it’s like a fully supported team. As drag performers we are used to doing a lot of things ourselves, even in my career with the show I am doing, I am doing all the bits and pieces. With this, we just talk for two hours and then Nova edits it and sends it to us and we listen and say yep! That sounds good or maybe not that part!”
Jenek said that there is a lot of drag podcasts but they are the only one with Australian flavour.
“As far as penetrating Australia, it is just something that makes Australians go ‘oh this is for us’, you can hear a lot of American podcasts but it’s nice when you hear an Australian one and it sounds very familiar.”
Read the full interview here: Courtney Act on the luxurious life of podcasting and what’s next
Jenek thought everyone would listen in the first week but then slowly peter out but that hasn’t happened, with listeners increasing week on week.
“Over Mardi Gras, Vanity and I were out after the parade and people were like ‘oh hi Brendas!’ and talking to us about things on the podcast and it was the first time that I realised that people listened to our podcast. They would say ‘have you seen Brenda anywhere?’ and I would be like how do you know that! Ah right you listen to the podcast.”
[Listen to Brenda, Call Me! here]
Nines years later Andy & Adrian Should Know Better
Back in 2012, Andy Kay and Adrian Perillo hung up their headphones on the breakfast show at JOY 94.9. Nine years later though, the pair are back and launching their podcast Andy & Adrian Should Know Better on the Nova Podcast Network.
Speaking to Mediaweek’s Tess Connery for Podcast Week, Andy Kay said that after a few years of thinking about it, now was the time to get back behind the mic.
“We thought ‘we’re too old and not cool enough to do a midnight shift on Nova or anything like that’, so when this podcast opportunity came up, we thought ‘why not jump at the chance to do a podcast?’
“It was just really the right time to do it.”
Despite the break, Kay says that the pair got back into the swing of things quickly.
“When we started recording episode one, I was really excited and I thought ‘we’re probably a little bit rusty but let’s just see how we go’.
“Adrian was extremely nervous. I literally had to say to him ‘your anxiety is at a 10, you need to bring it right down to at least a 5’.
“As soon as we did the first break, it was like riding a bike, everything just ran as normal, as we did when we were doing the breakfast show.”
Guests have lined up to appear on the show but have been kept under wraps. Kay promises a mixed bag of guests – including an international star of stage and screen.
“We’re going to do international stars, we’re doing local stars as well so it’s going to be a really nice variety of guests.”
While the pair are very happily podcasting for now, Kay says that they won’t rule out a return to live radio.
“Podcasting is definitely scratching that itch for now, but we would never not explore an opportunity to go back into radio. If the right opportunity came up, for sure, we love traditional radio. That’s what we cut our teeth on, and we’ve got a big passion for it.”
Andy & Adrian Should Know Better launches Thursday, April 8
Phoebe Parsons’s Confessions of a trainwreck finds a new home
The popular podcast Confessions of a Trainwreck hosted by ex-Nova announcer Phoebe Parsons has moved over to Jay Walkerden and Katie Mattin’s podcast company Podshape.
Walkerden signed Parsons to Nova almost four years ago as part of the winner of a podcast talent quest.
The show has had over 175 episodes across the four years and has had almost 2m downloads since it began, and has a target demo of 18–35-year-old women in Australia.
Parsons said: ‘I pretty much owe my career to Jay as he gave me my first big break in the industry and was the first person to take a chance on a tragic little train wreck. I’m excited to join Podshape and wait for my next big break – just kidding (no I’m not)’.
The show has undergone a logo change and a tweak of the format which will include Parsons releasing shows each week on ‘Trainwreck Tuesdays’ and ‘DM Fridays’ and each show will continue to focus on relationships, health & fitness, money and career.
[Listen to Confessions of a Trainwreck here]
Acast launches new subscription tool Acast+
Acast is releasing Acast+ which is a series of subscription tools to support podcasters across the majority of open listening platforms including Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.
With Acast+, podcasters can offer ad-free streams, exclusive content, early access and more to paying subscribers.
Currently, in beta, some founding partners have seen an uplift in monthly revenue of more than 20% while first trialling the new product suite and offering Acast+ memberships to fans. Partners so far have included Talking Politics in the UK, Somna Med Henrik in Sweden, and others globally.
Acast+ follows Acast’s recent partnership with Patreon, which lets podcasters seamlessly and securely distribute patron-only content to audiences across any listening platform. Acast’s mission is to provide creators with monetisation options that best fit their needs, giving them more ways to make money, in more places — across platforms that are open and accessible to all.
Jackie O joins Urzila Carlson on the That’s Enough Already!
The Masked Singer judge and Melbourne International Comedy Festival star has gathered her favourite comedy colleagues to chat about the things that drive them nuts on That’s Enough Already!
On the most recent episode, both Jackie ‘O‘ Henderson from KIISFM’s Kyle and Jackie O show and Danni Minogue join Urzila Carlson’s podcast.
They talked about working on The Masked Singer, internet trolls, car park thieves, and people chewing, and they discuss why they love each other so much.
That’s Enough Already! launched March 1st as part of the Acast Creator Network. Whether it’s Covid-deniers or people who don’t let you into traffic, the podcast world seems ripe for a show about the morons who make the world a worse place, and Urzila and her guests are prepared to name and shame them all.
The Tilly Money Podcast to launch latest season
The Tilly Money Podcast is releasing the first episode of its second season on April 1. The show is hosted by Maureen Jordan, a lawyer, economist, publisher and businesswoman who is also the CEO of Switzer Financial Group.
Tilly Money aims to eradicate the current gender wealth gap by making financial information accessible, digestible & interesting for women, whilst building a community around strengthening females financial wellbeing, independence & literacy.
The Tilly Money Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple podcasts, brings its listeners the tales of inspirational women that are succeeding in business, health, advocacy, wellbeing and lifestyle – because they believe that there’s not simply one path to accomplishment.
After a successful first season of speaking to industry leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians & everyday women, season two will shine a light on females who are making strides holistically, whilst increasing listeners financial literacy, decoding tricky finance terms and walking them through wealth-building tips and strategies.
[Listen to The Tilly Money Podcast here]
Osher Günsberg and James Mathison rejoin forces for Idle Australians
The original hosts of Australian Idol Osher Günsberg and James Mathison are reuniting to make sense of the news of the week, in the new Acast podcast Idle Australians.
Since their Idol days, the pair have followed different paths, with Günsberg solidifying his reputation in television and podcasting while Mathison has entered the world of politics.
Listen to Idle Australians here.
You’re In Good Company encourages women to explore the stock market
In Australia only 18% of active online retail investors are women. This means that women on average retire with 47% less in retirement savings than men. In You’re In Good Company Millennials Maddy Guest and Sophie Dicker provide simple and informative investing resources and advice. Their hope? Encouraging more women to explore the stock market. Each week, Guest and Dicker interview thought-provoking experts to help listeners navigate the stock market before they take the plunge.
The Real House Husbands arrives on Acast
In this new podcast on Acast, the winners of The Amazing Race in 2019 Tim and Rod dive into the depths of reality TV. They are on a quest to expose how what happens off-screen can be so much more dramatic than what you see on TV.
The newlyweds share the mic with the likes of Angie Kent (The Bachelorette and Gogglebox), Abbie Chatfield (I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here and The Bachelor), Ryan Gallagher (Married at First Sight) and in their first Aussie interview Trinity The Tuck (Rupaul’s’ Drag Race) joins them to discuss their own experiences on the silver screen.
Alexis Fernandez has the right mindset for Do You F*cking Mind
Following the launch of her book, Be Bold: Manifest Your Dream Life, pilates instructor and neuroscience student, Sydneysider Alexis Fernandez gives podcast listeners no bullsh*t mindset hacks to live their most badass life. Talking through all things self-growth, self-love, relationships and learning to give less of a f**k, she sprinkles her colourful words of wisdom with some neuroscience thrown in for good measure.
