5 Reasons I’m Excited About Podcast Movement and 2 Why I’m Not

At the beginning of August, hundreds of podcasters will come to Dallas, Texas to share their knowledge, connect with friends, and learn from experts in the podcasting industry.

While I've supported Podcast Movement from the beginning (I can proudly say I was the very first backer on Kickstarter), I wanted to share why I'm so excited about the event.

To me, Podcast Movement is more than just an event.

No, I'm not about to go all weepy-eyed and say it's a life changing societal revolution, but I do believe it symbolizes something important.

Why I'm Excited

The Little Guys

Podcast Movement wasn't started by the “A-Listers” (I'm starting to hate that term) or celebrities. It was started by regular people who saw a need in the market and decided to fill it.

I'm not against events put on by the big-name people, but PM shows us that a small group of people, dedicated to a cause, can do big things.

Reconnection

When Podcast Movement opens its doors, it will be eight months since New Media Expo. That's a long time. Forever in terms of the internet.

I'm really excited to see the friends I made in January and connect with new people.

One person in particular I'm really excited to meet is my friend Jeff Brown. He's been on my podcast twice but I've never gotten to meet him in person.

Almost everyone attending PM will have a story like mine and it's going to be awesome to see online connections become off-line ones.

Achieving Big Things

Podcast Movement wasn't started by a big bank loan or angel investors. It began with a crowd-sourced campaign on Kickstarter.

Within 24 hours, PM had met its funding goal and life was breathed into an idea. Jared, Gary, Dan, Mitch, and a handful of other visionaries put together a plan, shared it with the community and were rewarded for it.

Kickstarter is a great way to see if an idea or product is worth spending part of your life on. If you can get support early, you know you're on to something.

The way PM gained steam goes to show that we can all achieve big things if we can help people solve a problem, shorten a learning curve, or teach them a skill.

Opportunity

There are some awesome speakers and podcasters presenting at Podcast Movement. Experts like Chris Brogan, John Lee Dumas and Cliff Ravenscraft are all taking the stage.

But there's also a great opportunity for other speakers to share their message too! I've submitted a proposal to share something I believe the world needs to hear.

In conjunction with my ebook on podcasting, I want to share How You Can Start a Professional Podcast on a Shoe String Budget. I may not get approved to speak, but I still have the opportunity.

A-listers aren't the only people with a message worth hearing, and every expert was a student at one time. PM has a place for both.

If you'd like to hear me share about starting a podcast at a reasonable cost, visit PodcastMovement.com, scroll all the way to the bottom the “Talk to Us” section and tell the organizer's you'd love to hear me!

Something for Everyone

Normally I'm a proponent for specialization. I often preach that a “jack of all trades” is really a master of none. Podcast Movement is attempting to succeed where others have failed by dividing the event into two categories: beginner and advanced.

One of the largest complaints I heard regarding New Media Expo was that the event was too basic. People who had been doing business online for a while didn't learn much as a lot of the speakers and panels were geared to newbies.

By dividing the conference into two “tracks,” both the new guys and pros will have something to look forward to.

Why I'm Not

Too Much of a Good Thing

One thing I'm hesitant to get excited about is the number of speakers who will be featured at Podcast Movement.

According to the schedule, there is approximately 18 hours of conference time with more than 35 speakers (not including any proposals like mine).

That comes to roughly 30 minutes per speaker, an hour if you divide them in half (beginner track vs advanced track).

While I'm excited to see the speakers, and I'm eager to see many of them, I don't want to be rushed or herded like an animal from one room to another.

PM could pull it off with flying colors, but I'm cautiously optimistic.

Robbing Peter to Pay Paul

I really enjoyed New Media Expo. Sure, it had its flaws, but so many people get so much benefit from that event.

Additionally, blogging and podcasting go hand in hand. I hope that Podcast Movement doesn't steal NMX's thunder and cause it to go down hill.

I got so much value from NMX and it helped me so much, I'd hate to see it decline due to the success of PM.

I think there's a place for both, and, as you know, I'm a big fan of win/win scenarios.

Finally, I'll end with this.

If you're on the fence about coming to Texas in August, bring a cool pair of clothes and make sure you do not miss this event.

I would love to see you again, meet you for the first time, and introduce you to some of my friends.

If you haven't bought your ticket yet, and would like to use my affiliate link, this link will take you right there!

Also, if I happen to have a meetup while I'm in town, people on this list will be among the first to know so get on it 😉