In this episode of the That's Audacious Podcast, host Lauren Clemett welcomes the incredible Rose Davidson, host and producer of the globally ranked and award-winning "Talking with Experts" podcast. Usually the interviewer, Rose steps into the hot seat to share her journey, insights, and unique system for helping others navigate the world of podcasting.
A Whim That Grew Wings: The Birth of a Top Podcast
Rose's podcasting journey began on a whim in 2020 during lockdown. Witnessing brick-and-mortar businesses struggling, she felt a strong desire to help. With no prior podcasting experience, she simply thought, "Why not start a podcast?" and invited a few Facebook friends as her first guests. This impulsive decision blossomed into something extraordinary: 633 recorded episodes over five years, earning "Talking with Experts" a spot in the top 5% of podcasts globally.
Lauren notes that most new podcasters quit after just five episodes, finding it too hard. Rose's secret to longevity? A heart-centred approach and a genuine love for connecting with people who openly share their knowledge. She sees her podcast as a valuable resource, even for herself, often revisiting episodes for insights. Her personal motivation to help others, rather than chasing numbers, has kept her dedicated.
The Power of Interviews: Authenticity Over Perfection
Rose explains her choice of an interview-style podcast: she finds it difficult to talk to a camera on her own. The dynamic of conversation allows her to be authentic and comfortable. Her tagline, "Business owners helping business owners," perfectly aligns with the show's name, as her guests are indeed experts in their fields.
She uses PodMatch to find incredible guests, a platform she highly recommends for its vetting process and ability to connect hosts and guests effectively. Rose and Lauren both emphasise that podcasting offers a unique way to build a personal brand, allowing audiences to hear your voice and passion, which is invaluable for speakers, thought leaders, and authors.
The OPAL System: Your Roadmap to Podcasting Success
Rose has distilled her years of experience into the Signature OPAL System (Organise, Produce, Arrange, Launch), a comprehensive program designed to guide aspiring podcasters.
Rose stresses that the biggest mistake people make is overcomplicating things and thinking they need expensive equipment. She started with just a laptop, microphone and camera. Her key advice: prioritise audio quality over visuals, as listeners will forgive poor video but not bad sound. Podcasting doesn't have to be expensive to start.
Consistency, Dedication, and the Long Game
While her podcast achieved a global ranking in the top 5%, Rose admits she has no idea exactly how it happened. She credits consistency and dedication as crucial mindset elements for any podcast host. She views podcasting as a craft and acknowledges that it takes time to build an audience; instant success with millions of downloads is a myth.
Rose is passionate about authentic conversations. Her show is guest-centric, with minimal host interruptions and straightforward editing. She also expresses disappointment when guests don't leverage their appearance, calling it a waste of time, and shares frustration over no-shows.
Rose's Advice: Get Organised and Be Kind to Yourself
Looking back to 2020, Rose would advise her past self to "be more organised." Despite her significant success and awards, she believes better organisation from the start would have propelled her even further.
Her final tips for aspiring podcasters:
