Digital Social Hour
How Podcasting Can Transform Your Business | Sebastian Rusk DSH #1293
Thu, 03 Apr 2025
Discover how podcasting can transform your business and life in this electrifying episode of the Digital Social Hour with Sean Kelly! 🎙️🔥 Join us as we sit down with Sebastian Rusk, a podcasting pioneer and expert in personal branding, to uncover the incredible journey that took him from starting out with just $8 to building a thriving business and life-changing platform. 🚀 Sebastian shares how podcasting became his ultimate networking tool, a vehicle for growth, and a powerful way to create meaningful connections. Learn why authenticity always trumps likeability, and how to stay consistent to unlock the magic of podcasting. From inspiring stories of resilience to actionable tips for launching your own show, this episode is packed with valuable insights you don’t want to miss! 🌟 Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned pro, Sebastian's story will inspire you to take action and harness the power of podcasting. Tune in now and hear how this transformative medium can amplify your voice, elevate your brand, and connect you with the people who matter most. 🎧 👉 Watch now and subscribe for more insider secrets on the Digital Social Hour with Sean Kelly! 📺 Don’t miss out—hit that subscribe button and stay tuned for more eye-opening stories and strategies to grow your business on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and beyond. 🌐 Let’s start the conversation—what’s your BIGGEST takeaway from this episode? Share your thoughts in the comments below! 💬 CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro 00:37 - How to Start Podcasting 04:37 - Life-Changing Turning Points 08:20 - Launching Your Business 11:42 - Reasons Podcasts Fail 16:44 - Importance of Consistency 17:45 - Benefits of Short Form Content 19:15 - In-Person vs Virtual Engagement 19:59 - Importance of Eye Contact 23:20 - Jason's Comedy Show Experience 26:20 - Why Podcasts Suck 28:04 - Friendship with Gary Vee 33:28 - Gary Vee’s Humility and Energy 34:07 - Managing Egos in Business 35:00 - Get Out of Your Head 38:34 - Miami's Unique Culture 40:24 - Sebastian’s Daughter Insights 41:20 - Importance of Recharging 42:38 - Finding Sebastian Online APPLY TO BE ON THE PODCAST: https://www.digitalsocialhour.com/application BUSINESS INQUIRIES/SPONSORS: jenna@digitalsocialhour.com GUEST: Sebastian Rusk https://www.instagram.com/podcastssuck/ LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digital-social-hour/id1676846015 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5Jn7LXarRlI8Hc0GtTn759 Sean Kelly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmikekelly/ Digital Social Hour works with participants in sponsored media and stays compliant with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations regarding sponsored media. #ad #emailmarketing #podcastsetup #engagingcustomersthroughstorytelling #transformyourbrand #howtoeditapodcast
Chapter 1: How did Sebastian Rusk start his podcasting journey?
Okay, guys, Sebastian here today. We are going to talk podcasting, something we both do for a living.
Talking about podcasts on a podcast. Yeah.
One of my favorite pastimes. I love it, man. Great to be here, dude. Yeah, thanks. Thanks for coming. When did you get into podcasting? About 15 years ago.
Damn. Blog Talk Radio. OG. I don't know if you remember. Yeah. I wanted to, I had like six bucks to my name and I wanted to meet guys like Gary Vee and Mari Smith back in the day and a Facebook queen. And I had no way of connecting with these people because I'm brand new.
And I started a online radio show, Blog Talk Radio, and then figured out that it had an RSS feed that I could throw on SoundCloud. I remember SoundCloud. Yeah, man. So I turned that into a podcast and I realized, well, if I submit that to SoundCloud, then I can get on Apple. And Spotify came on and I was real inconsistent.
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Chapter 2: What challenges did Sebastian face before podcasting success?
I started my first company doing social media and met Gary Vee in 2011, kind of turned me on to what was going to be happening in this digital landscape and started Social Buzz TV, which was an on-air media outlet, but also turned into boot camps and networking events where I really didn't know how I was going to make money. I just had like a burning desire to figure it out.
I had lost everything in 2008. Mm-hmm. And full-time single dad, moved back to Miami from Orange County. And I didn't know what I wanted to do. And in 2010, I just had an awakening moment. And I said, I need to go see Tony Robbins. I need to go awaken the giant within. So I called a friend of mine that worked for Tony at the time. And she fills me in on all the details.
She's like, it's going to be in Long Beach in July, 700 bucks. And I'm like, all right, cool. I got eight bucks to my name. I'm going to figure this out. So she calls me back. About an hour later, she goes, hey, my best friend lives on Miami Beach. I totally forgot to tell you. She's part of Tony's core team of six, travels the world with him. You should totally link up with her.
Not this time, Sean. I'm like, what can I bring to the table for an individual like this? But she said, hey, it's worth a drink. Hit her up. I'll make the introduction. So she did that. And I met up with that Friday. And we met up on Miami Beach for happy hour. And about five minutes into the conversation, she said, so what's next? And I said, I don't know. And she said, that's a problem.
And these are my offended days. So I'm thinking, who is this chick telling me what I'm doing with my life is a problem. When I thought to myself, she works for Tony Robbins, dude, you might want to humble yourself and stay curious. So I said, so what do you mean? And she asked me a question and this is where everything changed. She said, I'll tell you exactly what I mean. Who's missing out?
because you're not showing up.
And I thought, wow.
So spending 2008, 2010, sucking my thumb, poor, woe is me, I lost everything. And then her asking me that question immediately changed my thought process. I go, wait a second, wait a second. I have a gift. I don't know what, my gift is a communicator, but I don't know what's next for me. But I've been on social media since MySpace. Yeah. I gotta figure this out.
And by that Monday, I had the Social Buzz TV logo and I started running around town with a bus pass on my skateboard, evangelizing the biggest, baddest social media company, creating content, going to your events, doing boot camps. And then eventually people would say, hey, can you help me out with your social media? or my social media. And I said, sure.
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Chapter 3: How can podcasting transform your business?
I stepped into my power. I stepped into my gift. And I got explicitly clear on my non-negotiable boundaries on all I'm doing is speaking, comedy, and launching podcasts. And I... After I got done with that year, I took unplanned six months off to repair Sebastian. Thank God I did. And I said, let's get back in the game. We got to figure out what's next. Let's phase out social buzz.
Let's let clients know. Heart's no longer in it. Let's not renew any contracts. Let's figure out what's next. So I went and rented a coworking
desk for a couple hundred bucks a month around the corner from my house and I was leaving that first day I ran to the desk and I ran into an old friend and she had an internet radio show and I'm like what the hell is that she's like well we like you know we got these channels I'm already confused but is it working she's like well I go yeah I'm not convinced you know you can just start a podcast right she goes I'm headed out why don't you walk me to my car and I go all right cool
So I walk her to her car and I said, you know, start a podcast. I've done it before. I haven't been as consistent, but I have a podcast. She goes, I don't know how to do that. Why don't you create a solution that helps people start a podcast? immediate antennas up. And it was like this, just like total, just God moment. And it was like, hold on a second here.
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. This is everything that I've been asking for all wrapped up into one. So I said, Hey, it was great seeing you. I'll be in touch. We're going to get your podcast started. I ran back upstairs to my, to my rented desk, took out two sheets of paper and a pencil and I mapped out what would become the podcast launch lab.
which is a turnkey podcast launch solution to take you from idea to iTunes in 90 days or less with our proven podcast launch solution. And that was what I started to evangelize everywhere. So we phased out and like, how do you leave the digital world and stay in it? Bingo podcasting. So I started to dig a little deeper and I told the story to a buddy on the golf course. right around that time.
And I said, I grew up in a radio station. My dad was a DJ for 30 years. I've never had any like intention of following in his footsteps. But here I am in the world of podcasting. And he said, man, our genes sure are powerful, aren't they? And I said, I don't know anything about genes. But my grandfather's name was Gene. Maybe that has something to do with it.
So it's kind of funny how it all started to culminate together. But I contribute 90% of it to my own personal healing journey and really being able to step in to who I've become. was designed to be. I always ask people, are you willing to give up who you've become to be who you are? And that is a very puzzling question for some, but also very sobering for others to go. Yeah.
Cause I think that when we are walking around with a mask on, We are so desperate to take that mask off, but we don't know it until we realize that there's an opportunity to go and do so. And never in a million years, Sean, did I think that podcasting would become my life's work. Not because it's a great profitable business. It is, and I'm grateful for that.
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Chapter 4: Why do many podcasts fail?
adamant about making sure people stick to what they said they're going to do. Right. Because the shows that have the biggest success happen to be my most successful and wealthiest clients. And that's not because they have money and because they're successful. They have sustainability. It's no wonder they're successful.
It's no wonder that they're in business and they're doing the things that they're doing because they stay the course and they're willing to get in there and they know that it just takes one conversation to change it all. And with that consistency and sustainability, that's where the magic happens. But people get in and they're like, hey, you know, it doesn't work.
And I think in addition to that, even more important than that, Sean, it's When you try to do it all on your own. Yeah. Let's record some episodes. Let's see what AI tools are out there. I got a cousin that used to edit stuff. I think he can help me out. I think it's taking it all on your own.
If you don't hire a professional, at least have a freelancer, a VA, somebody to come in and take the content, edit it. That doesn't happen a lot either. Just record something and throw it on the internet. But I think those are the two main things. Consistency, they give up. And then trying to do it on your own.
Yeah. Yeah. People ask me every day and I'm sure you get asked this too, how to grow the show. And it's like, they expect some magic answer, but I'm posting 20 times a day on my Instagram. Like I'm posting every single day on YouTube. It's just consistency. And I've done that for two years straight. Yeah. That's how we're pulling numbers. Right. But they expect me to give them some magic formula.
It's crazy.
Right. Exactly. There is no magic number. It's time and patience and consistency. Yeah. And being able to go and do it and, you know, and not trying to do everything yourself and realizing I don't know what's on the other side of this, but I know there's something there for me. So I'm willing to stay consistent with it.
Yeah. I like what you said about hiring because the editors for me, absolute game changer. If I tried doing the clips myself, there's no way.
I would rather wake up in the morning, punch myself in the face and eat my pillow than edit a podcast episode. But I have a whole team that loves their work and I'm grateful for that. And we have an entire assembly line and we do incredible work. The client records their stuff, uploads their content, moves on with their day.
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Chapter 5: What role does consistency play in podcasting?
Oh yeah.
Banned from the US. Wow. And I didn't feel like going to Mexico. So I was like, all right, you're the one guy I'll do it for. But other than that, you're coming to Vegas or I'm coming to you. Yeah. You know, it just doesn't feel the same. No. That's why with events too, I only go to events in person. I don't really like the virtual ones.
Yeah, no, I don't either. I mean, I'll do them. There's nothing better than, you know, being able to be in shorts and flip flops and deliver a talk. And it was cool for a little while. but I like to look people in the eye, not the Zoom screen eye. Make that connection.
And when I'm landing a point, that ability, that eye contact is so vital from the platform to the audience and being able to make sure that you're resonating because people come up to you after and go, I feel like you were talking to me. And I go, it was.
What's the biggest stage you've spoken at?
I would say that... traffic and conversions, even though I wasn't necessarily a keynote being on stage for three days in front of, you know, five to 7,000 people. And those are high level people too. And that's where, you know, comedy started to come into play was because I could go hit a large stage, deliver a talk, whatever it may be. And no problem.
But when it came to comedy, I'm like, I'm not going to go to a bar, make 50 drunk people laugh. I'm out. Yeah. So I had my buddy, Manny Garavito, who started the Miami comedy scene on my show a couple of years ago, 2021, I think, not a couple of years ago, several years ago. And I shared that story. And he's like, dude, you're like that social buzz guy, right? He's like, I've been following you.
Like, there's no way that you're scared of comedy. I go, oh, no, I am. And he goes, well, listen, we're doing a show in Doral next week. It's an open mic. You should come out. It's five minutes. You bring your notes. Very informal. I'm like, all right, cool. Well, at the time, I had been writing. I'd been writing for like two years.
And a buddy of mine that I went to high school with is a brilliant writer, would never do comedy, but was a brilliant writer. So we had been writing like crazy. I just needed to be unleashed. I needed to get out of my own way. And I needed just the guts to actually go and do it.
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Chapter 6: Is in-person engagement more effective than virtual?
For all the Sebastians and Carloses and Jessicas that are out there like doubling down on content. And I got the clip. I love it. So that was the last time we got a chance to spend some time together. But he's gone on to be a worldwide phenomenon. Literally with the book too. Yes.
That was a good book. I read that one. Yeah. Yeah. His philosophy on content changed my life. How you repurpose to every single platform. Now I'm posting everywhere. Yeah. I mean, that was just a game changer.
Yeah.
And it's such a cost effective method of gaining attention. Yeah.
His humility is, I think people mistake it based on his energy level and how he shows up. He's highly engaged when you're talking to him. I can see that. You feel like you're the only person in the room. That's cool. One of the first things I ever learned from him was your personal brand in perpetuity is your reputation. And authenticity trumps likability.
And always make time for people, Sebastian. Always. You're never too busy. You'll never be too popular. You'll never be too big. Make time for people. You never, ever forget where you came from. And I've never forgot that. Can't get too big time, man. Because they'll come back to bite you. I'm sure you experienced this a lot.
with the level that you've been able to grow the show and the people you have conversations with and the people that probably hit you up too. I mean, egos are on like high alert. And I think that there's a shift happening right now where when you show up with your ego through the roof, it's less attractive and less appealing to people to go, you know what? I want to be around that guy.
But when someone shows up and goes, dude, I, I put my pants on just like you do every day, one leg at a time, you know? Um, I think that's what resonates with people. And that's who I'm trying to be. I'm trying to be someone where, you know what? I, I, I'm a better person because I know Sebastian.
Yeah. Yeah. I'm constantly checking my ego. I'm evaluating conversations I had throughout the day, reflecting on them, how I could have, you know, talked better. If anything, it's important.
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