27A- BONUS- Reflections from this Self-Reliant Entrepreneur — the measure of a life

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For this 2019 Holiday season, we wish to publish some reflections from this solo-preneur about the sayings that made me think about my world and environment from the book The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur by John Jantsch.

As John Jantsch, the author, gives us daily meditation-type thinking with sayings from different authors, poets, authorities, etc., throughout the year, we focus on the entry of this “contemplative journal” on 22 December — The measure of a life. And we can relate this to two elements in my own mind:

In the world of entrepreneurship — for I have been an entrepreneur (and still am) several times over for the past 38 years (although different types of -preneur); and
In the world of podcasting — for the past 15 years, I have been active in the podosphere as both an entrepreneur with products, offerings, offers, etc., to sell on the internet, as well as being a paid podcast consultant for hire.

What John Janstch states in this very brief expression for this day of December 22nd is definitely the challenge that faces the entrepreneur or startup, and thus leads to a question of putting a value on your contribution that measures life:

“As we stick with it, pivot, scale and evolve, we ultimately find that our entrepreneurial vision is the tool that allows us to make meaning and impact in the lives of others as equally as it enables us to make a living…but most [of us] stumble upon greatness directly through the eventual execution of a solution that brings value to others. Realization of this impact is how you measure life. Making just one person’s life better today is, in itsself, an astonishing feat.”

And the question that John puts for you to ask yourself is “whose life has been made better by what you do?”

My perspectives on the measure of a life

Now, as an entrepreneur who has dedicated himself to new media, screencasting, video and mainly podcasting, we can see that this question delves deeper into our creative processes and the results of our creativity.

As a small business owner who is a podcaster, we see the enjoyment and the gratitude when our audience members take the time to write a positive review and give thanks for our delivery of some value in their lives. Because content creators can influence others’ lives without having to go through the “gatekeepers” of the “lame-stream media” who will not allow any publication to others without some kind of monetary return on investment, the podcasters can give VALUE to their listeners and their audience (and enhance it with screencasts or videos, as well) by just delivering the passion and the message of the themes and topics which they share.

So, in this brief episode, an entrepreneur (especially a content creator or podcaster) can reflect on the positive contribution to others’ lives with the VALUE they deliver to their audience in which the message and the content will positively affect the lives of their listeners or viewers.

And as a startup or small business owner, the entrepreneur can actually receive the gratitude and get direct feedback from the audience members by word-of-mouth when attending a podcast conference and hear the thanks from one of the members of the audience during a casual conversation or exchange of ideas as they network together and start a good relationship together — one which will last for a long time.

Such was my experience when I first met Dave Jackson of The School of Podcasting in person at the Podcast and Portable Media Expo in Ontario, California in 2007. What started off as a business relationship (as he was my consultant and work-for-hire producer to help me launch my podcast shows) had grown into a respectful dialogue since then, and I still, today, know how he affected me (I had told him so when I met him and thanked him), and how my stories of my experiences during the war had affected him.

Also, one last example — I know that both Lon Naylor of screencapturevideo.com which used to be learncamtasia.com and I have made each others’ lives better. We had started as partners in a joint venture in 2013 — but to this day, the respect and the benefit of knowing each other have given us a type of richness in which the “measure of a life” is something that resulted.

So, yes, the entrepreneur who is a podcaster can benefit from sharing, giving, delivering value and promoting great content that will also make others’ lives better by the results produced.

Thank you for your attention.