Maxim Poulsen, Growth Talks Podcast
Maxim Poulsen, the host of Growth Talks podcast, speaks to The Industry Leaders about how his podcast got started, how entrepreneurs can use podcast appearances to their advantage, and provides his #1 tip for any podcast guest looking to make an instant impression.
For those who don't know about your work, can you tell us a little about who you are and who your podcast is for?
I'm Maxim, an automation, data, and operations nerd.
An entrepreneur at heart, I've been working in Growth for the past 4 years in early-stage startups. Today, besides my full-time job, I create a ton of content about everything to do with Growth.
Growth Talks is a podcast for anyone that is interested in Growth (Growth folk, students, marketers, or anyone that wants to make their way into Growth).
Every week we interview a Growth profile and talk about who they are and what they do - the ultimate goal is to demystify Growth.
What 1 tip would you give to a podcast guest who wants to make an instant impression?
A lot of guests take time to open up. I always try my best to get them in the groove before going live, but it's not easy.
So my tip would be: don't sweat it.
If you've been invited, it means you have something interesting to share. So, be yourself; focus on answering the questions to the best of your ability, and don't let the stress eat you up. This is what makes for the best podcast guests.
(Editor's note: if you want to know how to give an A+ introduction of yourself on a podcast, check out these tips)
How useful is appearing on podcasts for business owners or people wanting to build a personal brand?
Very useful. For 2 main reasons:
1. Visibility
Appearing on a podcast (especially is it addresses a relevant audience) is an amazing opportunity to get your name/brand out there. The trust in the host is partially transferred to you as a guest, and multiple appearances will definitely build out your brand.
2. Credibility
Podcasts give you the time and space to dive deeper into your key topics and develop credibility and thought leadership. They're also great pieces of content to recycle for your own content creation strategy. Most podcast hosts will be happy to give you access to the whole video/clips if you want to reuse/redistribute them.
In short: appear on podcasts. But choose the right ones.
What's your biggest challenge as a podcast host?
Specifically for Growth Talks, I think there are 2 main challenges.
Firstly, finding the right balance between the variety and relevance, and applicability of different topics. I want to cover the whole scope of what could be considered "Growth" but I also want it to be relevant to my listeners. Luckily, people who work in Growth tend to be very curious.
Secondly, finding people that are experts in their craft and that feel comfortable coming on the podcast to talk about themselves and what they do. I wish there was a correlation between how comfortable people are speaking and their skills, but this is sadly not the case. I'm always looking for my next exceptional guest, and I've started asking guests for recommendations. Good guests usually give good recommendations.
Is there another podcast (aside from yours!) that you’d recommend to business leaders?
My go-to podcasts would be Lenny's Podcast (Product topics) or Driving Demand (Growth, Demand generation).
Brilliant hosts and guests, insightful topics.
Search 'Growth Talks' podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
