Guest Notes For Drive On Podcast
I appreciate your willingness to share your thoughts and experiences on the Drive on Podcast.
This page will cover what you will need to know when we record your interview.
Recording
I use a service called Zoom to record podcast episodes. It requires just a quick software install on your computer to work. You will get prompted to install it after clicking the link for our interview if you don't already have it installed.
There are a few requirements for using Zoom. Most importantly, you need a computer with internet access (Mac or Windows should be fine). It would be best if you also were using the latest version of your web browser. The following browsers should work just fine:
- Internet Explorer (version 11+)
- Edge (version 12+)
- Safari (version 7+)
- Google Chrome (version 30+)
- Firefox (version 27+)
Finally, a microphone is required (see audio recording tips below).
For a full list of Zoom system requirements, please click here.
Please note that if you can't connect via your computer for some reason, it is possible to call into the meeting by phone or use the mobile app (iOS, Android). The audio quality on a phone call typically isn't quite as good as an online interview unless you have unreliable internet in your area. I would prefer it if you joined online or through the app unless your internet service is unreliable.
It is best to use an external microphone if you have one. The built-in microphone on most computers tends not to have the best sound quality, but we can make it work if that's all you have. You don't have to go out and buy a microphone just for this interview.
If you have headphones with a built-in microphone, like the headphones that might have come with your cell phone, you can plug that into your computer, and it'll work better than the built-in mic.
Try to keep the room quiet where you are recording. Dogs barking, kids being kids, fans, air conditioners, and the garbage truck outside your window all tend to creep into the recording.
The video will be recorded and will get uploaded to YouTube. Short clips may get shared on other social media sites as well.
Zoom can use just about any camera type that connects to your computer. Many computers come with built-in webcams, which will work fine. If you use your cell phone, the built-in front-facing camera (the one on your screen) will work. You can also use a USB plug-in-type camera or any number of other supported devices when using your computer.
Try to situate yourself in an area with good lighting. If you don't have access to a well-lit space, you can place a lamp in front of you to improve the lighting.
I don't particularly care how you dress or whether or not you have a messy room in the background. However, the podcast episode may be seen/heard by people that you want to take you seriously. So, it may be in your best interest to neaten up a bit.
If you're opposed to neatening up the background, Zoom lets you use virtual backgrounds, which you can set to block what's lurking behind you. You can use almost anything you want for a background (your company's logo, a spaceship door gunner, or be boring and use a beach scene). Just don't use anything explicit (nudity, drug references, etc.) Click here to learn how to set up virtual backgrounds.
Photo
When your episode goes live, we'll publish it on social media. When we do, it's nice to have a photo of you to go along with it. A headshot or a candid shot of you doing something we talk about would be great.
Here's an example of what we're looking for.
Format
I'll start with a quick introduction of who you are and what you do, then I'll turn it over to you to properly introduce yourself.
I like to talk about your time in the military. We all have stories from when we were in the military, and it's nice to share something from that time. It could be about something that happened on deployment, a life-changing lesson you learned, or even a funny, relatable story. Sharing your struggles and triumphs are great ways to give hope to others who might be going through the same situation.
The transition from military to civilian can be difficult. Sharing your experience can help others who might be struggling with the transition. We can also talk about your time after getting out of the military if you aren't still serving.
We will only discuss what you are comfortable discussing. Please let me know beforehand if any topics are off-limits to you. If you become uncomfortable with a question that I ask or the direction the conversation is heading during our discussion, let me know. I will edit out that part of the recording, and it will never be heard of again.
I want to talk about the service you provide or your support to veterans and the military community. A large part of this episode will be to raise awareness of you, your cause, or your organization. The service you offer might be able to help veterans who may not have heard about it before.
We all know about the VA and the services that they offer. I want to make sure that veterans who listen to the podcast learn about the other support and services available from other sources. That's where you come in.
I've used the following format with non-profits in the past. It is a loose guideline - we can stray from this if the conversation warrants it. However, I've found that it is sometimes helpful for the guest to have a rough idea of what I'm looking for:
- A brief background on the guest (military service if applicable, how they got involved in the non-profit, and anything else they'd like to add).
- Talk in general about what the non-profit's mission is and how it helps the veteran community.
- Overview of specific programs the non-profit provides.
- Anonymized success stories - I don't want to violate the privacy of anyone who has benefitted from the non-profit. But, if you could share a few stories of how people have benefitted from your work it may help the listeners identify with those people and be more willing to reach out for help.
- Discuss how people can reach out for assistance through the non-profit.
- Let listeners who wish to donate or volunteer know how they can get involved.
- Closing thoughts, and reiterate where listeners can go to get involved (website, social media, etc.)
This podcast aims to provide helpful information to other vets who might be struggling after getting out of the military. With that in mind, I want listeners to hear your message of hope. If you were a veteran, let's talk about some of the struggles you went through so that they know that they're not alone. If you provide a service to veterans, let's talk about that service to let them know that there are other options than talk therapy or pharmaceuticals.
If you have any specific topics you want to discuss, please let me know beforehand so I can be sure to include them in the conversation.
The goal is to record, at a minimum, a 30-minute show. I find that around the 30-minute mark, we can cover enough content to be interesting. Longer is better, too. We'll record longer if there is more to talk about than will fit in 30 minutes. There is no max time for an episode.
Promotional Materials
If you or your company have physical items you would like to send to Scott before the recording, such as a copy of your book, apparel, or other items you can send them to:
Drive On Podcast
13954 W Waddell Rd
Unit 103 Box 201
Surprise, AZ 85379
Ground Rules
My goal is to provide helpful content to listeners of the show. There are a few things I expect of the guests. Please see the topics below, and let me know beforehand if you have a problem with any of these.
No politics. I have my political beliefs, and I'm sure you have yours. I'm glad that you do. However, the goal of the podcast is to support veterans, period. I don't want to alienate a group of veterans because of someone's political views.
That doesn't mean that we can't talk about a bill in Congress that affects veterans or service members. However, I don't want to have guests bashing one side or the other during the discussion, regardless of their beliefs.
- OK: Bill number 8675309 is in front of the House of Representatives and it will help veterans who are affected by burn pits. I would encourage the listeners to contact their representatives to support this bill.
- Not OK: Bill number 8675309 is in front of the House of Representatives and it will help veterans who are affected by burn pits. It's probably not going to pass though because the jackass [Democrats | Republicans | Martians] added some B.S. language to the bill that advances XYZ agenda. Man, I really hate those [Democrats | Republicans | Martians].
I don't want listeners trying something they heard about on this podcast that will land them in jail. That tends to make matters worse.
However, I do recognize that certain things that are illegal in the United States might not be illegal in other parts of the world. You may have had an experience where you traveled to a country in South America and found a benefit in something you tried along the way. That's a part of your story, and it is worth telling.
You may have even done something illegal here at home. That's also part of your story, and you shouldn't feel like you have to censor yourself.
But please, make sure to preface your comments with something along the lines of "I'm not a lawyer, but I don't believe this is legal in the United States. When I traveled to South America, I was able to legally experience this. If you want to try this too, you should also consult with your doctor to make sure you can handle it."
The interview will get edited as I see fit. If there is anything you want to have edited out, please let me know as soon as possible. Ultimately, I will have the final say on what stays and goes, but I will do my best to accommodate all requests.
I will decide if and when the interview will be published. Please let me know if you have a particular date that would make sense for the episode to be released near (book launch, event date, etc.). I will try to accommodate your request if possible, but I don't make any guarantees.
Please be on time. I understand that other things come up, so please reschedule for another time if you can't make it. There is a link in the confirmation email you received, or email me to let me know you can't make it. I will wait no longer than 10 minutes after our scheduled time to begin recording. Same deal as the military - be on time.
If you miss the scheduled recording time without rescheduling or letting me know you can't make it, I will only reschedule again with you at my discretion. Probably not, though.
I do not pay guests to appear on the podcast. Don't ask. My response will be to cancel the interview if you do. The deal is that you get access to my audience to talk about your cause, brand, book, or whatever. I get the content we produce to help grow the podcast. Fair enough?
The content we produce may be used for any purpose. It will get put out in audio and video formats on the podcast. The text will also get put out in the form of a transcript. Video/audio/text segments may also be used in social media posts. These are just examples of how the content may be used and is not an all-inclusive list.
Relax
We're just having a conversation. There is nothing to get nervous about. Anything that gets worded awkwardly or comes out wrong can get edited reasonably easily. Don't worry. Relax, and enjoy telling your story!