INTRODUCING THE WOHW FACTOR BUSINESS PODCAST
(Note: This first blog posting is an abbreviated written transcript form of the audio podcast)
Hello and welcome to the W…O….H….W……..Factor business Podcast; my name is Linda Knox I’m your host and this is the very first podcast…..I am so glad that you tuned in. In this session I’m be giving you an overview of what The WOHW Factor Business podcast is all about.
WHO NEEDS A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT?
The tag line for this podcast is “the podcast designed with the beginner in mind”. Are you just starting out on your journey to fulfilling your God given call in life; whether it be in business; nonprofit; or whatever the venture; the material offered in this podcast will hopefully help you in your endeavor.
What type of help?
Looking at the word HELP…..I came up with an acronym that best describes the meat and potatoes of this podcast.
The letter “H” stands for HOPE. The oxford dictionary says that Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.
There are so many people that for some reason or another seem to lose their expectation and desire for what they have dreamed about doing and know is their God given calling in life. With this podcast and blog I would like to be someone that motivates and inspires you to not lose hope and to continue until your vision and dreams comes to pass.
The letter “E” stands for ENLIGHTEN……..and Enlighten means to give (someone) greater knowledge and understanding about a subject or situation”.
Throughout the up and coming podcast sessions I’ll be putting on my investigation hat and exploring various topics that will help you on your journey and then posting what I find on the blog. I’ll also be having conversations and interviews with the people on the weekly podcast who are the professions in their field and post their knowledge online as well.
The letter “L” stands for LAUNCH in this setting Launch means “to Start or set in motion an activity or enterprise”.
I’m sure that we’ve all been there before. Everything is in place you’ve worked hard and now it’s time to begin and to start your business and/or ministry…….but you stall……you procrastinate………you come up with just one more thing that needs to be done before you begin. Believe me I know firsthand because I am probably one of the world’s worst procrastinators. And yes its true you definitelywant to be prepared but there are times when you just have to take that leap……take the plunge……and simply start. You’ll make mistakes……we all do…..but you learn as you go. If you fall……get back up…….brush yourself off and start again…….but just start.
The letter “P” stands for PERSEVERE. To persevere means “to continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success.”
What a definition! How does somebody continue on their course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospects of success? It may not be easy but it is doable. There are countless highly successful people who faced hard times but the key to their success is that they never stopped.
Check out what is listed under the synonyms for this word in the Oxford dictionary…….
……”to persist, continue, carry on, go on, keep on, keep going, struggle on, hammer away, be persistent, be determined, see/follow something through, keep at it, press on/ahead, , be tenacious, hold on, go the distance, stay the course, plod on, stop at nothing, plug away, stick it out, hang in there”
To Launch and to persevere often takes a lot of encouragement and motivation…..here is where I’ll put on my cheer leading hat and cheer you on……in your journey!
H…..E….L……P……HOPE….ELIGHTEN……LAUNCH and PERSERVRE!
When I need words that’ll help to inspire me to go on in my quest to pursue my dreams and visions I find these words in books, in listening to other podcast, in listening to various music, in listening to audio books, in listening to various sermons and other inspirational tapes.
WHAT’S IN A TITLE?
This leads me to the title of this podcast WOHW which stands for The Wonders Of His Word. More than anything else it’s the Word of God that gives me my true inspiration and direction so I thought it only appropriate to name this after Him.
Having said that I also know that everyone has their own testimony as to what or who gives them the bulk of their inspiration. I’ve listened to hundreds of podcast episodes and nearly every podcaster will tell you in order to make your podcast a success you should podcast about what you really enjoy talking about.
For me, I like talking about… just about any and everything that has to do with entrepreneurs and ministry. Ministry can mean anything from working in the field as a missionary to having a calling to write Christian books or put on Christian musicals etc.
And while I recognize that I get a lot of my inspiration from the Word of God it should be noted that this is not a podcast that’s aimed and centered solely on Christianity or any type of religion.
MANY WAYS TO GET INSPIRED
I find the words that inspire me in a lot of different places; some of the best places that I find words of inspiration are in the print media. I was going to say in a book but books are only one type of print media. You can also find words of inspiration in magazines both print and online; in blogs, in newsletters; in PDF files you name it.
MY CALL MY PASSION
Before I get more into the nuts and bolts as to what this podcast is all about this is probably a good place to tell you a little bit more about me. I know some of you are wondering just who is Linda Knox anyway and why is she so passionate about inspiring others in their quest to pursue their dreams and passions. Well the short answer is; inspiring others to pursue and to be successful in their dreams and passions is actually my given dream and or “call” in life. I love to try to help others in their mission and the best way that I know how to do this is by way of my other passion; that is communications; and in particular broadcast media and online media communication.
Communications is a broad term but broadcast media and online media are the primary modes of communication that I love. I’ve always had a heart and passion for all types of communication but my earliest memory of the desire to learn more about broadcast communications was in high school; that’s where I took my first broadcast class and I loved it so much that I decided to major in it at Ohio University………many……..many……….many………many….years ago. A lot has changed since I obtained by communications degree from Ohio University. When I was in school the only computers anyone ever saw on campus was in the computer lab and they were reserved for students majoring in computer technology. No student or professor breathed words like FaceBook; Twitter; YouTube or WordPress because they didn’t exist.
Refusing to be left behind, when the new technologies comes along, I jump on the band wagon and began to learn all of these new and exciting ways people are connecting and communicating with each other. That’s right not wanting to be left behind I began to learn all of these things myself and everything that make up this podcast and any and all of the social media foot print that you see in connection with this brand has been implemented by me. I learned how to use Microsoft word; adobe audition; Illustrator; Photoshop; Podcasting; Word Press; After Effects; Screen casting; video editing……etc by digging around and exploring books; tapes; magazines; software; online tutorials that taught how to use these tools. I will be talking more about my own personal journey in future sessions so stay tuned!
Perhaps the thing that I hate most is writing; largely because I am not a good writer so for all you grammar police out there be kind! I’m a work in progress and by no means am I an expert at anything but I am living proof that if you work hard you can learn and grab hold of some of the basic essential tools of your trade and make positive things happen.
Find out what you need to do to get your business and/or ministry up and going and get started….what are you waiting for!
WHAT’S A PODCAST?
Several of the ways I’ll be connecting and sharing words of inspiration and information is through Podcasting and on my website.
Alright so just what is Podcasting?
I’ve been going on and on about Podcasting and I just want to talk a little about what a podcast is. When I talk to various people about Podcasting I’m really kind of surprised that so many of them don’t know what a podcast is. A lot of people think that the only way you can listen to a podcast is through ITunes; however ITunes is just one of many ways that you can listen to and download a podcast.
Simply put a podcast is nothing more than a digital broadcast that allows others to download that broadcast. So when I upload and publish these broadcasts you can listen to the broadcast on your computer, or your cell phone or download them on ITunes, Stitcher or the digital media of your choice and there are a lot of them.
These podcast sessions are designed to give you words of inspiration to help you build and grow your business and or ministry. I intend on doing this by inviting special guest on the podcast that give insight on topics such as:
- What is needed to start your own business?
- Should I have an LLC or a Corporation?
- What type of license is needed to become barber / hairstylist?
- What type of permits do I need to start my in house bakery?
- What does it mean to be bonded and for what type of business requires you to be bonded?
- What type of classes should I be taking for a particular type of business and where can I take them i.e. online or on a college campus?
- What’s and online church, satellite church, campus ministry?
- Well you get the picture I can go on and on but believe me the topics are endless.
Special Guest and Solo Podcast
And not only will I have special quest who will give information that will help you on your journey I will also be doing a little investigative work myself.
In my solo podcast I will be sharing the results of what I find by doing some investigative work. For example if one of you write or get in touch and say that you would like to know more about whether or not you need to have your music copy written and how you go about it, I would check sources online; in books and various other places and share what I find in the blog show notes.
You have your work cut out for you
This would be a good time to interject here that the information that both the guest and myself provide are only meant to inspire you; to give you food for thought and point you in some directions. It will be your responsibility to do your own research and to work at making your business and/or ministry the best that it can be.
Audio Blog
Some people say that Podcasting is a type of audio blog; where you speak the words instead of writing them out on a blog post.
Well I intend on taking some if not the majority of the audio portion of the podcast and transcribing the words to be posted in a corresponding blog. So whether I do a solo podcast……like this one or one where I have a conversation with a special guest I will be posting the bulk of the information on a corresponding blog on my website.
Speaking of website this is another way to connect and share words of inspiration and information and I will be referring people to the site quite a bit to retrieve show notes and more.
The Website:
On the website; the blog articles; show notes, and featured guest interviews will be listed in one or more categories in order to make it easier for you to jump right to the topic of your choice.
The categories are as follows:
- · Written and Spoken
- · Art and Music
- · Online and Digital Technology
- · Entrepreneurial, new, trendy and everything
The first of these categories is Written and Spoken.
In this category I’ll be exploring topics like; everything that goes into writing a book to everything that goes into writing a screen play. I’ll be exploring what goes into writing a speech right up to what it takes to actually get up in from of an audience to give one.
I’ve found that in just about any and every business and/or ministry you will come across the need to sharpen your skills in the written and spoken categories Lots of people have strong desires to write a book or to write a song but don’t have a clue as to how to get started; we’ll be looking at everything from putting your first thoughts down on paper; to the production; to marketing and sales. Or say maybe you’re an administrator or teacher and you are called on from time to time to get up in from of a group of people to speak but don’t feel too comfortable about it. I’ll be exploring things like how to design a speech; how to get over the nervous jitters; to how to book and manage speaking engagements.
The second category is Art and Music.
I realize that Music is an art form in and of itself however it is so vast that I wanted to put it in its own category right beside Art.
I love music and just about every style of music….my style and taste for music have changed a lot over the years. I like not only the sound of music…….. but I also like to explore what all goes into producing good music. I’m talking about everything from writing the music, to taking a look at the key players such as, background vocals, musicians, and securing a recording facility, copy-writing your work, production, marketing, video making…..You get the picture….the music arena is huge!
In the category of Art I find that there are so many different forms. You have computer digital art; painted and printed such as oil paint art etc; photo art; theatrical art; dance art etc.
When I was coming up in the church the most prominent art form was expressed in music. Someone would get up and begin to play on the Hammond B3 organ and the choir would bellow out melodious music. And every now and then the art form of theatrics and drama would be displayed (usually on Christmas and Easter) when the children would give a play and recite their assigned Christmas and Easter speeches.
So much has changed since then. While we still have great music and Christmas and Easter pageants. Nowadays we also have choreographed praise dancing, miming, dramatic spoken word; and full fledged theatrical productions….I’m talking about Broadway style. And many of the great Broadway plays, movies and television productions of today have their roots with faith based visionaries; Christian men and women who are writing and producing great plays movies and television shows.
People like Tyler Perry who went from being homeless to producing; directing and starring in countless plays movies and television show to owning his own production studio. How about people like Bishop TD Jakes who has a number of successful movies that he has written and produced. And people like Roma Downing the actor in Touched by an Angel along with her husband Mark Burnett producer of Survivor; who both went on to produce a 10 hours movie special called “The Bible”; that went on to be seen by millions.
In future podcast my mission is to explore just how it’s done and exactly what goes into making these types of productions. What about you? Are you one of those people that have a screen play somewhere inside you? Do you dare to dream big enough to want to produce your own TV or Broadway show?
And still another form of art is that that is displayed on canvas and in digital form. There are thousands of gifted painters and people who have skills in digital illustration. I know so many people who are gifted in the area of illustration; they design cards, t-shirts, book covers, social media pages and websites just to name a few. These people have a special gift and they are highly sought after especially in this world of online mass communication.
Another highly sought after group of people are those that are skilled and gifted in the area of art of digital photography.
I’ll be exploring many more artistic vocations and looking into how these great works of Art are produced and marketed.
Online and digital technology
In the category of Online and digital technology; I will largely be exploring how online and digital technology has impacted the modern day church and our businesses.
I’ll be taking a look at and exploring things like:
How has digital technology impacted the church?
- Just what is an online church anyway? What’s an online pastor? What are satellite churches; and who should have one and; how do you start one?
- Should the church partake in the social media frenzy and open accounts on Twitter, FaceBook, Instagram, and Pinterest (just to name a few).
How has digital technology impacted the educational system?
Not only will I be talking about how online technology has impacted the church I will also be exploring how the online technology of today has impacted our educational system. Education is really important and while attending an onsite campus is the choice that most people make. I thank God for computers and the opportunity that you have to get an online degree or certificate from accredited colleges.
There are so many people who find it hard to go back to school they may be single parents or people who are working full time and it’s just not practical to attend a traditional college. With the expansion of online campuses people are graduating from college with the bulk of their studies being implemented online. I also like the fact that you can learn a trade or maybe even perfect a skill by taking what I like to call “a la cart” online classes….. such as Photoshop, dream weaver, adobe audition etc.
I’m a do it yourself……study….. “a la cart queen”. because as I said earlier; back in my college days we didn’t have all of the nice tools of communication that they have today however I won’t let that stop me and neither should you. With a limited budget and limited time I hammer away and am constantly exploring and learning….via “a la cart” exploring and learning just a little bit at a time.
If you want to learn how to design and produce a website ….you can do it….without having to know coding; so maybe you’d like to produce a podcast; just set aside some time to learn the tricks of the trade; and believe me……if you have the desire……..and the drive then you can do it. Bit by Bit….class by class…..topic by topic; that’s what I call “a la cart learning”.
Entrepreneurial, new, trendy and everything
The fourth category is called Entrepreneurial, new, trendy and everything else.
Wikipedia says this about entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is a process of identifying and starting a business venture, sourcing and organizing the required resources and taking both the risks and rewards associated with the venture.
Well I know that Entrepreneurs have been here since the dawn of creation but never have I seen so many people who…. after having identifying a need…… are now taking on the challenges and the risks to see their dreams come into fruition. In these podcast I’ll be looking at all types of businesses from how to start and run a bakery shop (both in house and brick and mortar) to how to start your own landscaping business.
If Baking or landscaping is not your thing what about:
- Fashion design
- Motivational speaking
- Counseling
- Financial planning
- Wedding and event planning
- Hair and facial technicians
- Carpenters
You name it! This list can go on and on…….
Now is the time to seize the moment to launch your dream because the beauty of it is we live in a world today where you don’t have to wait for someone to hire you before you can start living your dream; you can hire yourself. That’s right with the expansion of online marketing and the various digital platforms; if you are gifted and have a solid plan you can hire yourself. There are countless testimonies of people who took the initiative and manufactured their own destiny. In this day and age it’s a level playing field. Gone are the excuses of age, race, sex, social economic make up….no more excuses anyone can make their dreams come true. Let me emphasis that along with your talent you must know that it will take work….a lot of work and you must have a plan and know how to work that plan with great skill and integrity.
What’s New and Trending?
Entrepreneurs have to take a good long look at what’s new and trending. Things are constantly changing and in order to stay on top of things in your business or ministry you should also be watching for those things that pertain to enhancing your vision.
But a word of warning here……in your quest to stay on top of things…… Beware of chasing what I call….”the shiny object” if you’re like me you can really get off track by trying to examine every new and sparkly object that crosses your path. Try to stay focused on what you really need to get the job done with emphasis on need.
Well that’s a quick overview of the categories and things that will be covered on the website:
· Written and Spoken
· Art and Music
· Online and Digital Technology
· Entrepreneurial, new, trendy and everything
M.O.V.E
Lastly I want to talk about another segment of the website called MOVE.
M.O.V.E. is an acronym for Minutes of Visionary Energy. If you’re like me you can get overwhelmed when you think about all of the task that you have to perform and things that you have to do in order to make your vision a reality. We feel discouraged because we think that there just isn’t enough time to get things done. We’ll I discovered how to MOVE how to utilize my move….how to utilize my minutes of visionary energy.
You may not think that you can get a lot accomplished in just a few minutes but remember that Minutes become hours….hours become days……days…..weeks…..weeks…..months and months years. It really only takes a few minutes to get started at something and before you know it you will have accomplished a great task.
Need to finish reading a book? Take a few minutes to read it or if you have the audio version then take a few minutes to listen to it while you’re driving; working out or cooking. Take a few minutes to explore a topic; write a paper; you get the picture. Take a few minutes a day doing something that will get you closer to your goal.
We all need encouragement know I do and I count it a privilege to try and help you achieve your goals because as you achieve your goals then I am one step closer to achieving mine…..and that is to help YOU.
Don’t forget to log onto the website at wowfactorbusinesspodcast.com and sign up for the news letter. I’ll be sending out updates as to when the podcast will air and will be giving other news and exciting information. Also please don’t forget to write a comment on the blog; visit our FaceBook; and twitter and other social media sites.
Thank you for listening and giving me the opportunity to give you a little overview as to what this podcast is all about; until next time; be blessed!
