Ep. 264 - It's a Wrap! The Final Episode (Plus, a Big Announcement)

Speaker A: Hello, my friend. This is a very, very big episode and a very different episode because I can't even believe I'm about to say this, but after 264 episodes and five years of this podcast, this is actually going to be the last episode of the Unapologetic Entrepreneur Podcast. I really can't believe I'm saying it. It feels so bizarre to think about something, something that's been part of my routine for so long that I'm shutting it down. And I'm going to go into why I'm making this decision and what you can expect. But this comes with a very exciting announcement to you. So I love podcasting, and so I'm not leaving the podcasting world. I am actually simply starting a new podcast. And so while this chapter is closing, I'm actually going to start a new podcast, which is a very exciting new venture. And it comes with a lot of excitement, but a lot of grief, too, of closing the door on something that is so special to me. And I do have great news for you. While I am starting a new podcast, I am not going to delete all of the Unapologetic Entrepreneur episodes. Those are still going to be available for you anytime, so they're not going away. You can still listen to them, listen to your favorite ones and all that good stuff. So overall, that's the big announcement. So I wanted to give it to you right at the top so that you know exactly what's going on. But I'll dig into everything that's going to happen next with the podcast and what you can expect now. This is the Unapologetic Entrepreneur Podcast, a podcast for passionate entrepreneurs just like yourself who are looking to create a profitable and productive business that you are proud of. On this show, we explore entrepreneurship success stories, but not just the highlights. We get into the nitty gritty details so that you know more about the path traveled to achieve that success. See, I'm on a mission to help you never feel like a failure again when it comes to achieving your goals. And so much of that is setting realistic expectations of the effort needed, goals that align with the season of your life, and ensuring that you have the accountability in place that you need. So on this podcast, you can expect real conversations, practical tips, and lots of encouragement along the way so that you have everything you need to follow through and actually achieve your definition of success. So if you're ready to go from unsure to unapologetic, be sure to hit that subscribe button so you never miss an episode. So why I'm shutting it down. I know that's gonna be the biggest question. Everyone's gonna say why? Because, number one, I love podcasting. It's something that I love doing. It's something that I enjoy in terms of, like, meeting other people. It's a great part of my business. Like, all things are good. So it doesn't make any sense of why I'm shutting it down. But really what it comes down to is you have to make good business decisions, right? And you have to think, what is the long term impact? What is the best thing for my business? Because while we are, all of us entrepreneurs who are very much passionate in terms of, like, I, uh, want to run a business that feels good to me, not just for the profit, right? We think about what feels good and what we want to do with our life, and that is absolutely at the forefront of everything. But you also have to think about good business decisions in terms of what makes the most sense. So when I was thinking about this, this was a long time coming, really thinking through the best idea. When you have a podcast and you want to make some sort of a shift, you really have two paths you can take. You can change the name of the podcast and keep the train rolling along, right? And you stay on the same cadence, and you stay really on the same, like, even though you're changing the name, it's like all the backend stuff is the same, so you don't lose any downloads. All of that stuff. It's a great thing. This is the first thing I did. So I started a podcast in 2019, and in 2021, now I'm thinking about that I changed the name of the podcast. And so that was the best choice because the audience who, you know, has followed me along from the first part, you know, 2019, when I started all the way through, the audience wasn't necessarily changing, the content shifted, but the audience was really saying the same. So that made sense to just change the name and keep moving forward. So I did that. Didn't skip a beat. Moved right on forward. The other path is ending one podcast and starting another podcast, which is what I'm doing this time. There are two main reasons why I did this and why you might want to choose this if you decide to shut down a podcast. And one is when things really are shifting a little bit more content and audience. Now, I strongly believe that every single person who has listened to the Unapologetic Entrepreneur podcast and resonated with what I talk about can absolutely follow me over to the new podcast. A Hundred percent. Because if you like what I'm teaching, I'm going to be teaching very similar things on the new podcast, but there's a slightly different angle. However, I have been in different rooms recently in terms of speaking opportunities and other things, and that it's not just the person who's starting a business. And that's really what a lot of my content has been over the course of five years of podcasting is for the brand new entrepreneur. Now, I will absolutely still talk about those things, but there's a lot more of my audience that is further along than just starting. They're the ones that are like, I have seen success in my business and I want to take it to the next level, but that next level is a little harder and that next level comes with different mindset shifts. And so because of that, the audience shifting and the content shifting was one of the reasons I decided to start a new one. Now at that point, I was still like on the fence about I could probably still just change the name and keep going because, let's face it, I want to keep all the downloads. I love that I have podcast reviews. I don't really want to start from zero again. But I was thinking about it and I was looking at the numbers and from a business decision standpoint, it makes more sense to start a new one because of one thing. So my podcast numbers had grown, um, substantially when I first started. So of course, you know, you gained traction and it started moving up and then it really hit a plateau. And I have seen that plateau not move very much. And I believe it's because I needed a little bit of a shift in terms of audience and content shifting. And so I believe strongly that the best business decision for me, it's still aligned with myself and my heart and my passion, but it's a better business decision in terms of the new podcast is going to be much more aligned, very, very clear of what's happening. And it will bring the person who's a great client for me, because like I said, over time, and you've probably experienced this too, in business, everything is always changing. And so the client that you have on day one or month one or year one is probably not going to be the same exact client that you're going to have in year seven and eight and ten, if so, great, but also is like, well, something has to have changed. You've evolved as an entrepreneur and your services and all of these things. And so everything has to change. And so this is not a bad thing by any means. It's just, it was very clear, like, I need to realign and reposition, and it's going to be easier to do that by closing one door and opening a new one. Uh, with all that said, I certainly hope that you follow me over to the new podcast. For sure you were invited. Even if you are still at the beginning stages of growing your business and starting your business, I want you to come over. Because the more that you can think about the things I'm going to talk about on the new podcast at the beginning, the better off you're going to be. Because chances are, most people who are hitting these roadblocks a little bit later down the road, I, uh, bet all of them would say, I wish I had known that at the beginning. So even if you're at the beginning of your business and you're like, oh, my gosh, Amanda, I love the way that you show up. I love the way that you teach, I wish I could follow you over. You can. Please come on over. I want you to do that and really enjoy listening and learning, because it's. It's still me. Uh, it's still me coming across the earbuds, and I will be teaching in the same way. It's just having different examples is really what it's coming down to. So at this point, you're probably thinking, amanda, uh, just tell us about this new podcast. And I totally understand that. I'd want to know, too. So I am not going to reveal the name, and I chose to do that because I want it to be a big splash when it comes out. So my email list is going to be the first people that see this. So if you're not on my email list, go to amandaman mckenny.comemail and you can get on my list. So I promise you that is where I share everything. If you've been on my email list for a while, you know this because I tell you things that I don't say anywhere else. So I want you to make sure you're on my email list because that is, you're going to get the first sight of the. The new artwork, the new name, all of it. And who knows what I'm going to do? I mean, I'm sure there'll be some fun things along the way, but I do want to tell you about the podcast overall, and I'm super excited about it. So it's going to launch on December 2, pending any weird tech issues. So I feel like I need to say that because the first time I launched a podcast, which was a long time ago, five years ago. I don't. I was like, oh, my gosh, I don't even remember how to do this. So the first time I remember thinking, oh, I'm going to pick a launch date and it's going to be perfect. And voila. Right, well, come to find out. When you launch podcasts, you really have to submit it and it has to go through a whole process. So, like, you're kind of not in control of what day it actually goes live. I'm gonna do everything I can to make it December 2nd. But, you know, if it's not December 2nd, it should be within that window. The goal is for it to be live and kicking in December, so you will have a short lapse of Amanda in your pocket each and every week. I am gonna take some time off because in five years, in five years, which is crazy, I've only missed two weeks of releasing a podcast. And when I say miss it, it was intentional. It wasn't like I forgot. It was very intentional to miss those two weeks. But I haven't given myself a break. So, yes, I'm going to be working on the new podcast between now, which this is going live on October 14, 2024, and the, uh, new podcast will launch December 2, 2024. I am going to be working on the new podcast and there's a lot of other things, but I'm going to give myself a little bit of a break of creating content on a weekly basis, because when else do we get. And I thought, why shouldn't I do that? So I'm going to take a little bit of a break. But the new podcast is going to be all about accountability and really understanding how to follow through, even when it's a challenging time in your life and in your business. Because as you've seen, if you've been following my journey along, you've seen me evolve my business. And each and every step of the way, I'm tapping into what I do best, because that's what I want to be paid for, is where my gifts are, but also, also what helps people see results. And I have dug in to every single client coaching note that I could find every Google Doc. All of my clients are like, oh, my gosh, you've kept them for this long. Yes, I have been looking at coaching documents and seeing who is actually seeing results in their business. And each and every time, it's people who are not afraid to have accountability. Now they're paying me when they're working with me to help with that which there's no shame involved of getting help. We get help in every other area of our life when we ask for it. And um, you know, if you want to lose weight or get back in the gym, you go and work with a personal trainer for a little bit so you can get kick started and then you do it on your own. Right when you have something going on, you go to the doctor and you get some support and you get a plan to move forward with, but you probably have some check ins. It's just like that. There's no shame in needing help with accountability because accountability and holding yourself accountable is really, really. But when I dug in and each and every interview I've asked people like, how did you follow through when this was really hard? If you can go back to my episodes, I ask people about the hard things. This was really hard. How did you move through that? You'll hear that come up in almost all of my interviews that I've done. And I realize that there's an element of someone having accountability in their life and in their business, whether that's through someone else, self accountability, all of this. And so I have been focused, focused on accountability for about a year and a half. I have coached people in this way where I am solely their accountability coach for whatever the goal is. I've helped people launch things, grow their business, increase their email list, finish books, start the podcast. I could go on and on, but it's the thing that the person really wants to do and they're like, I'm sick of the excuses, Amanda. I'm ready. I know this is going to be hard, but I'm here for it. And this is why it's so important to me. Every client's like, yes, she did. Because I force people to tell me, why is this important to you? Hi there. I promised to get you back into the episode really soon, but I wanted to make sure you knew where to find support from me if you'd like it. So many times we listen to a podcast episode and we know that it's a great idea. But ideas aren't what make big change happen in our life or in our business. Action does. So if you've been talking about a specific project, dream or goal for a while and haven't quite finished it yet, it's time to either intentionally let that go or get the support you need to finally finish it. And if I feel like a good fit for you, I'd love to take it across the finish line with you. Go to my website to see the Current coaching options@amandamcinney.com or email me at Amandaandamackinney.com. i cannot wait to talk to you. But for now, let's get back into the episode. And so, with all of that said, the new podcast is going to be focused on helping you follow through and understand how to do that. The way in which I'm doing this, it's really like two parts. So research is going to be a big component. I've brought in research in these episodes on the unapologetic Entrepreneur, but it's going to be even more highlighted in the new podcast. I'm going to bring in so much more research so that you know, okay, this is how the brain is working. This is how we get stuck in this pattern. I'm not a therapist, I'm not a doctor, but I'm going to be pulling from research articles of those who are and so that we can fully understand why this is so critical. I think that somewhere along the lines, like accountability has become a four letter word, that people don't want to admit that they need or feel weird around it. And I want accountability to have a cauliflower moment. I want it to be a great thing, that we're holding ourselves accountable, that we're getting the support that we need because what's on the other side is the result. So you're gonna see the research built in, but you're also going to hear from people. You're gonna hear from people who have navigated hard things because it is so easy to look. And I do it too. We all do it. We look at someone else and say, oh, but I don't have what they have, or their life is easier or whatever story we tell. I'm going to ask so much more about the hard stuff. I'm going to say, that was really difficult for you. How in the world did you keep going? How in the world did you navigate that? Tell me about how specifically you did this. So not only are you going to get the research on how this is working in your body and in your brain and how we can move through it and shifting those mindsets of like, oh, I should be able to do it by myself. We all do this. And, uh, we tell ourselves, oh, I should be able to do that, I should know how to do that. No, accountability is a learned skill. This is not something you were born with. I think some people have some characteristics about themselves. It might make certain things easier for them, but that's certainly not a limit that needs to be placed on yourself. And so you're gonna hear from the research side. You're also gonna hear case studies. You're gonna hear from people who want to talk on this topic, who want to dig in and share with you that this is a great thing to have in your life. And so it's going to be about building momentum, staying focused, having the discipline, and actually achieving your goals. Everything is going to be related to getting results. It's not just fluffy. It's all about getting results and really digging in. I'm not saying it's easy, but it's usually more simple than we think that it can be. So, um, more on that on the new podcast, which again will come out December 2nd. So here's the plan. Here's what's happening. So this episode is releasing on October 14th. The new podcast is coming out December 2nd. So there's gonna be that break. And again, what I want you to know is that if you are interested in this, if you're even, if you're just curious, like, what the heck is Amanda gonna do? I want you to get on my email list and make sure to do that. All you have to do is go to amandamckinney.com/forward/email, and you can get on my email list. And there'll be some fun stuff coming through for sure as I lead up to this really fun launch. And all along the way, the Unapologetic Entrepreneur Podcast Live. You can absolutely still listen to your favorite episodes. You can go back because I'm sure you're like, oh, my gosh, there's some I didn't listen to yet. I do that each time I hear someone's, like, closing down a podcast, like, oh, my gosh, I've got to go binge them. So go listen. I'm not taking them away. I mean, I'm not going to say forever, but, I mean, I can solidly say another six months, a year or so. Like, I don't plan to take it away. I love this podcast. There's so much valuable information still here. So go and listen and enjoy, and you can still have me in your pocket the whole time. And to all the guests, the episode is still gonna be live, all the links are still there, all that good stuff. So that is the plan. So on December 2, the week of December 2, you will have a new podcast to listen to. And I have some fun things planned for that first week. So I'm gonna do things a little bit differently that first week of the podcast, and I'm really excited about it. So again, make sure to get on my email list@amandamcinney.com email for that is the next stuff that I want you to do. If you're not on my email list, do that. But then I also just want you to listen to your favorite episodes. Or if you are so inclined, I would love to hear from you. I'd love to hear what this podcast has meant to you, your go to episode, or anything that it's helped you with. And I say this because when I meet people, they often tell me, oh, uh, Amanda, uh, your podcast helped me do this thing or that one episode with so and so was really impactful. I love hearing those stories. So please don't hesitate to send them to me. You can send them to me on my email, which is amandamandamackinney.com I'd love to hear from you. I'd love to hear those stories. And whether this is your. This would be an interesting one to be your first episode. But whether you've listened to one episode or all264, my message to you is thank you. Thank you for trusting me with your time. Thank you for listening and for laughing and maybe even crying with me a few times. Thank you so much for taking me on walks with you, washing the dishes, cleaning the house, doing whatever it is, taking a drive. Thank you so much for your time and your energy. It is not lost on me that you have tons of options when it comes to listening to a podcast. So the fact that I have had the downloads that I've had, that I've had the conversations that I've had, it is all because you're listening and, and telling me that it's helpful. And I really, really hope that you'll follow me over to the new podcast. I hope that you stay inspired. I hope that it continues to be something that helps you grow your business and uncover that confidence that I know is in you and that you can follow through and achieve the goals. Because, as always, I believe that you can. I know that you can. And because if it is on your heart, I believe that you can do it. It wouldn't be there if you couldn't do it. It's not gonna be easy. It's probably not gonna be on your timeline, but you can. And I believe that wholeheartedly. And that's the same thing I'll be sharing on the new podcast, just with a slightly different lens and a fun new name. So let's have fun with this. And until next time, I hope that you give yourself permission to be unapologetically you, and lots of grace along the way. I'll talk to you soon. Thank you for listening to this episode. If you found it helpful or inspiring, be sure to share it with someone else who could use it too. Sharing is caring, but it's also a huge boost to your accountability. Sharing this message and then talking about it will ensure that you actually take the action that was mentioned in this episode. Hello accountability. There's nothing better than the feeling of actually following through, and I want that for you. So screenshot it, share it, and if you share it on Instagram, be sure to tag me ah@theamandamackinney M2. Until next time.