Bill Kirst: Coffee & Change

Coffee & Change is a podcast that seeks to echo the stories that need to be told and illuminate the truest potential in others. Hosted by Bill Kirst, it’s an interview format in a conversational style. The show began in 2017 and has more than 114 episodes.

Bill’s current workflow from recording on SquadCast to publishing is as follows:

• Master both the guest and host file using SquadCast’s Dolby.io integration
• Select each mastered file and edit in Descript with integration from SquadCast
• Take out any extraneous audio or errors in the recording using the transcription in Descript Pro
• Export the audio as a WAV file for each speaker
• Import into GarageBand
• Line up audio tracks and do a smoothing listen
• Add intro music and opener in GarageBand
• Add outro music and save
• Upload to SoundCloud as a private file
• Share the private link with the guest to listen all the way through and make any suggested edits or requests
• Once approval is received from the guest, schedule the episode to go public
• Go back into Descript and make audiograms to promote the episode on LinkedIn and Instagram

Bill writes that the SquadCast <> Descript integration saves him countless hours of having to go back and blindly listen to the tracks to deduce where there should be edits. He notes that the ability to edit in the transcription is a huge time saver.

Bill’s goals for Coffee & Change are simple: build empathy at scale and lead with compassion in a digital age. “I am not looking to monetize at the moment, it’s more about changing lives through storytelling,” Bill says. “Eventually, I see the collection of wisdom gained from this passion turning into a book or a course to help teach others.”

Bill notes that the most surprising outcome of the show is the people who call or message him to say how much the show helped them. Some have even said it helped save their life. “It’s about changing lives, saving lives, making moments that matter. And as long as there are listeners and stories to echo, I’ll keep going.”

Rabiah Coon: More Than Work

Rabiah Coon is the host of More Than Work. It’s a show that shares stories of individuals who have pursued meaningful work or their passions outside of work (or both). The podcast was born out of her own experiences of making her self-worth too dependent on how she was doing at work and how much she was working. “I often didn't see myself as a full person if I wasn't overworked and then I saw this in friends. More Than Work is an interview-style podcast that seeks to entertain and inspire listeners.”

Rabiah’s current workflow from recording in SquadCast to publishing is as follows:

• Acquire the guest via email, social media, in-person interaction, or referral
• Use Calendly to schedule the guest and Google Forms to gather some information
• Send preparation email to the guest, including information on using SquadCast for recording
• Record using SquadCast and get a SquadShot using the built-in tool
• Download files from SquadCast
• Upload files to Descript and run the automatic transcription
• Edit using Descript
• Create and export audiogram using Descript
• Take notes during editing and write shownotes and other show data in Apple Notes
• Process edited file through Auphonic
• Create show art in Canva
• Publish podcast through Captivate
• Create and edit episode page using Squarespace
• Share episode on social media (IG, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn)
  

“SquadCast is great because it provides me with the audio and video files that I need to upload to Descript,” Rabiah says. “The ability to download the files in various formats or share them directly to Descript is helpful. Descript lets me take those files, merge them into one production file, transcribe and edit the transcription and sound at the same time, and make changes to the individual files as well.” If Rabiah wanted to automate things more, she could remove some steps as both services have useful API integrations with other common tools.

“SquadCast and Descript are the most key pieces of software that I use, as they allow me to create and edit quickly and easily while maintaining a high degree of quality,” Rabiah says.

Rabiah has high hopes for More Than Work. “I would like my show to grow to the point that I would be able to monetize it in a meaningful way and also get higher profile guests that would expand the reach,” she says. She truly believes in the message of the podcast and the goal of helping others see that they can have an impact outside of just their 9 to 5 — or maybe realize that they already do. She tries to make sure that people know they don't have to do a huge thing, just some thing.

Rabiah had a coworker contact her and tell her she cried listening to an episode because hearing the guest made her realize she didn't need to be afraid to let people see her art. She now sells it. These kinds of connections keep her going. “Sometimes, even when I can see a dashboard that says people do listen, I wonder if anyone really hears the podcast. Also, I've had so many guests now and the connection with them, even if for only an hour, is really special.”

Thank you to Bill and Rabiah for sharing your SquadCast <> Descript journeys and for the podcast inspiration. 

For more information on using both SquadCast and Descript for your podcast production workflow, click here.