Rebranding and Launching a New Podcast After 75 Episodes With Bianca Hughes

While there is so much advice out there about starting a podcast, what does it take to pivot and launch a new show after you’ve been podcasting for a while? What steps do you take? How do you manage expectations? As you can see, we’ve got a lot of questions about relaunching a podcast. Bianca Hughes recently launched a new show, It Didn’t Break Me, after ending her previous show with 75 episodes. She joins us to share the behind-the-scenes of pivoting, from deciding to end one show and start another, what she’s done differently the second time around, and more.

Niching Down and Relaunching a Podcast with Bianca Hughes

Tell us about your new show. 

It Didn’t Break Me Podcast is a seasonal show that drops weekly on Wednesdays. Each season creates a safe space for honest and vulnerable conversations with people who share their transformational life stories about the messy stuff they didn’t think they’d come back from. And yet they are still here, courageously accepting themselves as they are and letting their light shine.

Listen to the trailer here.

What led you to pivot to relaunch your podcast as It Didn’t Break Me? 

I loved my first podcast, but the name “Authentic Wednesday” did not tell people what the show was about. I still plan to keep the authentic conversations in this podcast, but I want to be more specific on the podcast’s purpose. This time around, the focus is on overcoming things we thought would break us or cause our world to fall apart.

What can learners expect from your new show? How is it different from your previous show?  

My superpower is asking great questions. People feel comfortable opening up to me (I think it is the therapist in me), so now I focus on interviewing guests rather than just talking solo. Even in the first episode, my friend interviews me.

Listeners can learn that it is ok to step out of the box.

Life is messy, and trying to make it perfect is exhausting.

There is greatness within them, and they can do the things they fear. They will discover they are not alone in the challenges they face.

What advice would you share with other podcasters thinking about pivoting to launch a new show or relaunch their existing shows? 

Do it, lol!

If you can, get a launch team. I had Bethany Hawkins and her team from Crackers in Soup help take many things off my plate. I would also say have conversations with people you trust and chat with podcasters to float around ideas. Use your strengths as a podcaster and get help for the things you don’t enjoy; otherwise, you might begin to loathe your show.

What have been the differences between launching your first and second show? Does it get any easier? 

The difference is the support and encouragement from other Black women podcasters and hiring Bethany and her podcast management team. I had support before, but it does make a difference when women look like you. Also, going to She Podcast Live was helpful to learn what is possible.

It does get easier when you get support and take the time to see what you are capable of. However, that does not mean you will not experience fear when you are doing new things like sponsorships, which is next for me.

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How are you getting the word out about your new show, and what podcast marketing strategies have been the most impactful?

I am being intentional about being more vocal about my podcast and sharing it with whatever groups I am part of online or in person, and I am not holding back. I’m also leveraging social media and doing a podcast tour, being a featured guest on several shows to help spread the word.

Please share with us your tech stack. What tools or resources helped you launch your new show? 

I am now using Captivate to host the podcast, which I love. I like pretty things, and it looks pretty, and they are constantly developing new features.

I use Zoom to record the interviews and Audacity to record the intros and outros for each episode.

I have Sony MDR7506 headphones and an ATR2100 mic.

WOC Podcasters is a great podcasting community for support and can help you grow. I am also in other podcasting Facebook groups.

Where can readers connect with you? 

Follow my show, It Didn’t Break Me, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also follow me on Instagram (@authenticallybeyou) and Facebook (@authenticallybu).

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Did you relaunch a podcast? How did you go about it and what tips would you share?

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