David Wolf

Some Smallbiz Owners are Just Moving On

David Wolf — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 13:56:00 GMT

For some, there's a long distance between Wall Street and Main Street--where their own small business is located. While some sources report that small business opimism is down, many business owners are getting tired of thinking about the economic issues currently facing the nation, and are turning back to focussing on their own business...the one universe they actually have some control over.

Business is business, and there are always opportunities, for sure. Rather than worrying about the economy, some entrepreneurs are looking to start a new business. There is certainly plenty of pain out there, (aka "needs") and sometimes great business ideas emerge by identifying an opportunity to relieve a particular population of pain/need and creating a new market or product idea around it.

After all, from the stand point of capital required, it has never been easier to start a business. The amount of money needed to create a business in technology or online for example is historically less than ever. There are resources to build websites for virtually free, and some include sales management tools and other features.

You have control of your own universe. With some observation, a little creativity and entreprenerial spirit, it is possible to reframe the economic mess into an opportunity. It's really a matter of choice.

$700 billion Dollars: Bail Out or Rescue Plan?

David Wolf — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 01:00:00 GMT

You decide. Chances are you're in your own business, work for a small business owner, you've got a mortgage, your one in nine home owners who are already in foreclosure. Or maybe you've lost your home already and are now living in a tent city because you have no options left.

It's hard to believe I'm describing the United States here. Few times if ever in history has a US president made a speech such as the address made by President Bush last week. Phrases like distress, deep recession, panic, collapse... to hear these words ---they can only signal fear, panic, political pressure, propaganda, or some combination of all the above.

No matter how you slice it, this is going to be painful. For everyone, except perhaps the CEO of Wamu who will reportedly walk with some 18 million in his pocket while sharholders are left with nothing. The question about fairness amidst this mess seems like a question one should not bother asking. But we have to ask.

So--you're in business. More importantly, you live in the USA and pay your taxes like clockwork. How will this all effect you? Will you have trouble getting credit for your business? Will your mortgage payment increase while your home equity shrinks? Will the pain at the pump continue? And what price will your children pay in 5, 10 or 20 years out? Tough stuff.

Like many, I for one, am increasing skeptical about the propects for a rescue, cure, bailout, whatever you might call this concoction. How could the authorities in this administration not have seen this coming? But that's history now. The only value in that question is that it points to the confidence we have lost in our government's capacity to control or manage the business of running the nation. If this government were a small business like yours or mine, it would have been liquidated long ago.You can't react so late in the game and hope to catch up. It's no way to run a business.

I'm wondering about both the sources and destinations for such a huge sum of money--what they will REALLY be, and whether any kind of recure operation such as this can even work. Are we really bailing out the oversees bank in China? European investors? Who? And where will this money really come from? Spend spend spend your way out. I really doubt it.

The media (and the house Republicans) are starting to ask some real good questions, and I'm all ears. Why is it that we couldn't dream of printing money in such an amount to build New Orleans, rebuild our educational system, fix the bridges, the roads, the heathcare..I could go on.

And to take it to the street, mortgage backed securities are a secondary market--important for sure, but one that is dependent upon the fundamentals--the market values of real estate on the street, correct? How can we possibly hope to fix this secondary credit liquidity problem when the fundamentals are so dismal. Thus far, I see no evidence that the 700 club is looking at the value of my home. How about you? I'd love to hear from you.

Live From World Blog and New Media Expo in Las Vegas

David Wolf — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 22:04:00 GMT

It was indeed an action packed weekend. I had a chance to talk with 50 or so exhibitors. These interviews will be editied and posted right here on SBTV.com within the next week or so. What a passionate group of new media pros!

This area is developing so quickly. Some of the companies literally launched at the event itself!!! There are so many ways to tap into the business of blogging and podcasting. There are many themes: the convergence of content and search. The ability to news feeds into your site or blog. The ability to tweak content in real time to optimize search.

There are new tolls for webinars, conferencing, recording. Experts to help you design and publish your own podcasts. For monitoring and analyzing traffic and audience. Simpleapproaches to monetizing your site with videos. Online QVC- like sales tools with video. The variety and innovation was endless and very exciting.

Look for our Blog World Expo Podcast Series as I post them here on SBTV.com.

UPS CAPITAL OFFERS SMALL BUSINESSES NEW GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE SOLUTION

David Wolf — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:52:00 GMT

UPS CAPITAL OFFERS SMALL BUSINESSES NEW GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE SOLUTION

View this Exclusive Webinar: https://upscapital.webex.com/upscapital/lsr.php?AT=pb&SP=EC&rID=48157142&rKey=69969F3849A7B333

With UPS Capital Cargo Finance, U.S. Importers Can Use

Their In-Transit UPS Shipments As Collateral For Loans

ATLANTA, Sept. 9, 2008 – UPS Capital®, the financial services arm of UPS (NYSE: UPS), is offering an easier and more efficient way for small companies to finance their trade transactions with international suppliers.

The new service – UPS Capital Cargo Finance^SM – enables small U.S. importers to use their in-transit UPS shipments as collateral for loans, reducing the need to rely on paper-intensive letters of credit to finance international trade transactions.

UPS Capital Cargo Finance is designed for U.S. companies with annual revenues up to $50 million that import 1-to-10 ocean or air freight containers of goods per month. Here’s how it works:

· A U.S. importer places an order for goods with an international supplier.

· Once the supplier fulfills the order and the bill of lading covering the goods is in UPS’s possession, the importer pays 50% of the cost to UPS Capital and UPS Capital then pays 100 percent of the cost of the goods to the international supplier.

· The U.S. importer then pays back UPS Capital according to the terms of the loan (usually within 60 days).

“Since implementing UPS Capital Cargo Finance into our supply chain, we have realized significant cash flow improvements and have streamlined the flow of goods within our supply chain,” said John O’Hare, CEO of Pedors, a Georgia company that has been using the service to finance imports for its orthopedic footwear business. “The best part is that we have strengthened our relationship with our Chinese supplier, enabling us to negotiate better terms because, with the help of UPS Capital, we are able to pay our supplier immediately rather than later in the transaction. As a small-business owner, having extra working capital can make all the difference as we look to grow and expand our business.”

Most global trade transactions for small companies are financed via letters of credit or cash in advance, with trading on open account terms typically available only to large companies. While effective, letters of credit are time-intensive and costly. Cash-in-advance transactions can strain cash flow for small companies. Additionally, traditional financial service companies may be hesitant to lend against goods that are in-transit or housed in a foreign location, leaving few options for small businesses that want to participate in global trade.

“Because UPS manages the shipment of the goods and provides visibility, UPS Capital is able to do something banks and other financial services companies may not be willing to do – provide financing earlier in the transaction,” said Robert J. Bernabucci, president of UPS Capital. “Not only are payments to suppliers accelerated, but transit times for the receipt of goods also may be improved. The true value of an efficient supply chain can only be realized when the physical movement of goods is married with the efficient funding of those goods.”

Businesses interested in learning more about UPS Capital Cargo Finance should register for a free webcast at upscapital.webex.com. The webcast will be held today at 10:30 EDT. Any other inquiries can be made at CargoFinance@ups.com or 1-888-812-5696.

UPS (NYSE: UPS) is the world’s largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain and freight services. With more than a century of experience in transportation and logistics, UPS is a leading global trade expert equipped with a broad portfolio of solutions. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the Web at UPS.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS. For more information about UPS Capital, please visit upscapital.com.

Thomas Friedman Has it Right

David Wolf — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 01:39:00 GMT

Hot, Flat & Crowded.

I just returned from a incredible 92 Street Live lecture given via satellite by author, columnist and and thought leader, Thomas Friedman. You may recall his book, "The World Is Flat". The new book is entitled, "Hot, Flat and Crowded".

This was an awesome 2 hours. Among other subjects, Freedman discussed his new books, and about how we can "save the United States" (ie jobs, the economy, its role as a world leader...etc) by applying the our spirit of innnovation to what will become the most pressing issue before us in the coming few years and beyond...Sustainable, clean energy.

In a true revolution, some body gets hurt. Green is not a revolution, says Friedman. It's a party.

He takes it very seriously, and believes Americans should as well. Friedman calls the next "industrial revolution-opportunity" ET. That's Energy Technology. It will, he says, be more a profound transformational than the Internet Revolution. That's because the Internet was something that did not previously exist. In the case of energy---we are challenged with having to replace forms of energy that already exist, for better and worse.

So, I told my budding-entrepreneurial 18 year old son---THIS is where the PAIN will be in the future. This is where the opportunities will be in the future. This is where the US has an opportunity to lead frog across China, for example and run with that opportunity to create clean, affordable scalable energy. ET hold the future for the USA, and for the survival of the planet earth.

Mistakes Companies Make When USing a Social Network for Their Business.

David Wolf — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 22:51:00 GMT

http://blogs.wsj.com/independentstreet/2008/08/21/social-networking-common-mistakes-small-businesses-make/trackback/

I think this artical is a good quick check list. You have to take your time, lighten up, engage on a more personal level in order to be attractive. Kinda like real life!

Framing Your Game with Social Technologies

David Wolf — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 19:35:00 GMT

Using social networks to build brand is now at the forefront of brand and business building.

Coming soon, we'll be adding a whole bunch of new features to Smallbiz Central here at SBTV.com. Along them, a media uploader and dynamic Profile Page, so you can "broadcast yourself" and your business. Moving forward, as the co-architect of Smallbiz Central, I'm thinking a whole lot about how to help small business people using social media. There are so many social networks our there that the challenge is provoking alot of reflection and strategic probing.

In Groundswell, the book by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff, "broadcasting" is likened to "shouting". This of course refers to the traditional, old school advertising method: "telling the customer what to think about you and your brand". The new school is one of engagement and participation, and above all...authentically solving your customers needs.

So, to really get started and into this social technology thing for your business, you'll need to know define and/or redefine your business objectives. Of, course--you should do this habitually anyway! Then, you'll need to determine how you want to set up your social media platform to achieve your objectives. Selecting blogs, discussions and even creating podcasts or video clips are a few of the mediums available. But, remember...you need to determine what combination of approaches, and tech--strategies will engage your customers. And aligned wth the technique you choose, you must decide how you will interact as well. What will be your voice? And how are your designing and "framing" the game.

Groundswell (a fascinating read) really takes this thought process apart so one can apply the ideas. With social media, you can decide how your game will be played. Will you be using a blog ad discussion to LISTEN to your market, to TALK TO your market, or to help them solve their problem? Three basic examples of how you might choose to frame your own game.

One powerful feature that I plan for future releases will be the ability to start your own group on Smallbiz Central. This will enable you...the small business owner to full embrace and maximize the potential of our SBTV social network. It will put you at the center of a conversation you can design and frame to meet your objectives. It will allow you to plan and impliment your own web-tech strategy to build your customer relationships in a way that matches your brand persona, and meets your stated objectives.

The K Factor

David Wolf — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:23:00 GMT

The K-Factor.

When it comes to world of business creation and branding, it's a small world after all. I think that many entrepreneurs two tendencies around idea generation that can work at cross-purposes with the need to focus when solving for a business concept, brand definition or marketing challenge.

First, we can fall in love too easily. Often, that first great idea that resonates takes over in our minds, and we can't let go. We're in love. But, there are other fish in the sea. The other tendency is that we can generate so many ideas that we become completely overwhelmed, dredging through a puddle of possibilities with no answer in sight.

I recently interviewed author Michael J Gelb, who is an expert on the great inventor of our time, Thomas Alva Edison, and the co-author of the book, Innovate Like Edison. During he and co-author, Sarah Miller Caldicott's study of Edison's methods of innovation, they discovered his ability to employ "kaleidoscopic thinking". I call it the K-Factor. Edison believed that if you need to come up with one great idea, then you should come up with many great ideas. Edison did exactly that. He referred to his own mind as a Kaleidoscope. We can do this too.

Harness our natural entrepreneurial tendency to generate endless great ideas, and, by peering at them as if they were in a kaleidoscope, with critical thinking, we can then isolate and select and one great idea that is the perfect fit. Then mold it carefully for the particular challenge at hand. Keep all those other great ideas alive in your K-file for future consideration, you'll want to refer back to them from time to time, to peer back into your process.

As an entrepreneur, you should celebrate your ability to create a multitude of great ideas. It's your gift. But...don't fall in love too soon. And always remember the K-Factor.

David Wolf is the manager of Radio, Podcasting and Social Media at SBTV.com-The Small Business Television Network. www.sbtv.com. Email him at dwolf@sbtv.com.

The Power and Currency of Relationship in Business

David Wolf — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:45:00 GMT

More than any force in small business, the relationships you build and have are paramount. The concept of relationship capital, what it is, what it is not, and how it is emerging as a valuable, measurable asset on the proverbial smallbiz balance sheet has been put on my radar, thanks to a couple of Smallbiz Brain interviews recently conducted on the subject.

The majority of people endaged in small business endeavors are human (at least most of us) which means we have a set of needs emotionally, professionally and otherwise; natural cuases of nature that cannot be denied. What I'm observing is that for many years business people and professionals have sensed, known or intuitive performed professionally with the matter of relationships a natural extension and presumption of the sales or networking process.

Now, seem to be finding a language for the connectiveness to our contacts, associates, friends and ths like. Web 2.0 social networking platforms like Linked In, Facebook and so forth have helped to identfiy such relationships as capital--a currency that is not on the balance sheet, but very real, and very important to success.

My interview with Dr. Ivan Misner unpacks who his simple quest for new contacts some 20 years ago ultimately created a word-of-mouth business networking industry with his innovation that began as a simple networking group and ultimately transformed itself into a multi-million dollar international organizaion called BNI.

http://www.bni.com/

For an insight as to how this leader thinks about relationship capital, here are some excerpts from my interview with Dr. Ivan Misner on the Smallbiz Brain Podcast Series:

Dr. Ivan Misner:

I think BNI is really a classic example of necessity being the mother of invention. I put together friends of mine, people I knew and trusted and they knew and trusted me and we agreed to refer each other. And we started doing that and someone came who couldn’t join, because at BNI we take only one person per flavor – so there’s one lawyer, one banker, one chiropractor, one travel agent – and someone came who couldn’t join and she asked if I’d help her open up a second group. And I said, “Yeah sure, I can do two of these plus my consulting practice.”

We opened up a second group and we had two people come to that group who couldn’t join, right at the very first meeting and they asked me if I’d help them open up their own group. I said okay and then we had three people come to those two groups that couldn’t join and it just snowballed.

In a year we had twenty groups and I realized that I had struck a chord in the business community that I hadn’t expected. I kind of thought everybody had this networking thing and referral marketing thing worked out and I discovered that they really didn’t. This helped business people generate business through referrals.

David Wolf:

Now, along the journey, were there any particular surprises you encountered or things along the way that you didn’t expect?

Ivan Misner:

Wow, there’s so many it’s hard to narrow it down to just a few. I think one would be it’s really funny how everyone thinks they are so different. And forget about other countries; let’s start with the United States. I opened up in Southern California. The first chapter was in Arcadia and the fourth chapter was in the San Fernando Valley. If you don’t know Southern California, that’s 30 minutes apart. Maybe two days if you’re driving during rush hour traffic. It’s really only 30 miles or so apart. And to have people say, “Oh no, no Ivan, something like that wouldn’t work here in the San Fernando Valley” was a real eye opener to me. To be so close and have people saying, “No, no, we’re different here.”

And then of course, as you start to open up in different states, you really get that we’re different mentality. And what I had to work through and what I didn’t fully understand then was that our similarities are far greater than our dissimilarities and that oftentimes, people use the weird-different answer or comment as a way of just saying, “I don’t want to do the hard work necessary to do what you want.”

David Wolf:

Now the BNI model itself, it took some time and some trial and error to sort of hone in on and bracket so that it was working. Can you speak a little about what that process was like and what you finally ended up with in what we’ll call the mature version of the BNI model?

Ivan Misner:

You know, I really think in a lot of ways we created an industry. We really practiced a lot of different things to see what would work or what wouldn’t work – simple things like, you know, just the structure of the meeting and what should go first and what should go second.

For example, we used to have visitors be the first people to stand because we thought we were being gracious, you know, they’re a visitor of the meeting, so let’s let them stand and do a sixty second introduction. Well, we found out pretty quickly that it was like deer in the headlights. They had no idea of what they were supposed to do. Networking groups back in the mid 80’s were pretty new and a lot of people didn’t understand how they worked and were really uncomfortable having to stand and do a sixty second introduction.

With a lot of our groups, we tried meeting every other week instead of every week and we discovered early on that groups that met every other week passed exactly 52% less referrals than the group that were meeting every week. Having regular meetings substantially increased the amount of referrals that one gets. It’s kind of like getting a haircut over the phone – it doesn’t quite work. In referrals, you’ve got to be there to build the relationship and get the referrals.

David Wolf:

I know this is somewhat of an obvious question, but if you don’t mind – why does word of mouth work?

Ivan Misner:

Word of mouth works because it’s all about the third party testimonial, the third party endorsement. Just take a look at advertising – radio advertising. Some of the most powerful radio ads are ads where somebody’s standing up and saying, “I use Joe’s Autobody – he was great and he was inexpensive and I can trust Joe and you can trust Joe.” That kind of third party testimonial is powerful.

It’s also dangerous and that’s why referrals really have to be based on relationships. It’s dangerous because when you give a referral, you give a little bit of your reputation away. If you give a bad referral, it hurts your reputation. If you give a good referral, it helps your reputation. So when you’re giving referrals and the people do a good job, it’s great for business because people are more inclined to accept that referral than they are anything else.

David Wolf--Closing this entry...

I'll continue more from Ivan's interview in future blog postings. Plus, I have discussed this subject with Adam Kovitz, the founder of the international publication, the National Networker. ADam has become an expert on the subject of relationship capital, and I'll include segments from his interview in future postings as well.

Till then...

Pick Your Podcast Style

David Wolf — Sat, 31 May 2008 14:56:00 GMT

Producing a great podcast series involves more than simply throwing up a live mic and rolling. There are several styles that you can choose in terms of format. Plus, you can create variations on these as is deisred.The thought process per below can help organize the presentation of your content. The first two listed form the foundation of most techniques you might use. This post was inspired by http://trafcom.typepad.com/podcast/2008/05/trafcom-news-podcast-75-pick-your-podcast-style-and-format.html from from Donna Papacosta, who has a wonderful series on the subject.

Commentary- This technique uses one voice, one point of view, often used like a lecture or "tips and advisory" format. The Commentary form requires a the voice talent to be able to perform or at least...that is hold the interest of the listener. This is not as easy as it seems, particularly if you don't have experience in voice performance. That said, some individuals have a natural talent, no formal training, and are organically colorful, musical and entertaining to listen to. Just beware it is challenging to hold a listeners interest with this technique, as it can become monotonous.
Interviews- I like to think of an interview as questions, followed by answers from a guest.Some interviews come across more like conversations, which is becoming an acceptable approach to podcasting. I will say that I personally I prefer to make a distinction between the interview technique (clean question, clean answer) as opposed to a conversation which is less formal and more organic. Some radio broadcast pros suggest that a host prepare 2:1 for a given interview in terms of time and energy. That is 2 hours of prep for 1 hour of produced content. Some also suggest that you pre-interview your guest. I have found that in most cases, I prefer not to telegraph the interview too much in order to get a spontaneous response from the questions I ask them.
Real Conversation- I like to make a distinction between the interview technique (clean question, clean answer) as opposed to a conversation which is less formal and more organic. Real conversations are spontaneous, more improvisational, and allow the listener to "sit-in" on what might seem like an intimate or private interaction. This provides a less produced and very authentic experience which is certainly appealing to many.
Script and Clip- This is a radio documentary format and requires more editing and more complexity in terms of production. In this form you would include some narrative, them insert audio clips from the field, comments, reports, interview segments and so forth. Your narrative can become the glue for the podcast, the point of view, so to speak.

Remember to release your podcast as consistently as possible. Your audience like the routine you provide: Same time, same channel, so to speak. Till then...

Make Em Smile Marketing

David Wolf — Tue, 27 May 2008 02:17:00 GMT

Pssst...Hey, small business owner. Have you ever thought about the cost of a customer walking out your door with a frown instead of a smile? It's not a pretty number. This is a great working example of launching your own inexpensive negative marketing campaign... big time. And have you thought about what you might have spent to change that frown into a smile before he made it to the exit door of your shop? Relative to the cost of the frown, to your business, it would have cost you nothin'. Peanuts. Bubkiz. Nadda. Consider for a moment that this frowning, unhappy former-customer who just left your shop is a marketer too. An expert. Your customer. He's a word of mouth marketer. And he's really motivated cause he's pissed. He's a megaphone. He's not happy with whatever did or didn't happen today with your service, product or attitude. He'll tell 10 people, each of who will tell 10 more..you get the idea. It's a viral spiral and you're no longer in control (as if you ever were!) And one other question for you: How much do you spend on say, yellow pages marketing each year? Just curious. I'll bet it's a whole lot more than what it would have cost you to "make" that unhappy, frowning customer smile on the way out of your shop. Tom Feltenstien worked with McDonald's for years. Now he writes books about smallbiz marketing. He developed something called "Four Walls Marketing" and wrote a book around that principle. Among other things, he says EVERYTHING is marketing and and marketing starts within the four walls of your shop. Every detail, every employee behavior, the colors of your walls, the lighting, the signage, the vibe... everything. Forget about billboards, radio, TV or the yellow pages. If you don't have your marketing together within the four walls of your business, (he's says)...then you've got no business spending money or energy on marketing outside the four walls! I love this. Meanwhile, back to our customer who's frowning and dissatisfied with whatever. Let's say you own a bagel shop (I know absolutely nothing about the bagel business) and you're out of...salt bagels. Salt bagel lovers are extremely persnickety about their salt bagels. Now, this is a tough situation. You have to make this fussy salt bagel lover customer smile... and transform him into a more than satisfied customer before he heads for the door. Now, if you even dare to think about NOT doing something over the top for this guy because you think it will cost you more than it's worth, you're fired. (Sorry) But here's where the rubber meets the road with your "Four Walls" marketing initiative. I'd consider asking this guy what you can do for him to make him happy, then triple the value of his response. He says, "what else do you have today?" and you say x, y or z. He's thinkin a single bagel substitute is all he can get and he's really bummed. He wanted his salt bagel and you're out of 'em. But, instead, you surprise him and you buy him a bakers dozen and a coffee...on the house! Think about this: That bakers' dozen and 12 ounce joe cost you nada and you just launched a new word of mouth marketing campaign. This guy will leave your business looking for the first person to share his extraordinary bagel victory at your place of business. He'll be smiling all the way to the toaster. And you've just created a spontaneous word of mouth marketing campaign for the price of a bakers' dozen. Now, that cost a whole lot less than a quarter page in the Sunday display ads, eh? Might as well throw in an 8 oz cream cheese too!

The Art of Podcasting

David Wolf — Sat, 10 May 2008 21:00:00 GMT

What is a podcast? A radio show, an interview, a conversation, a free-style monologue, a marketing audio file, a PR event. The answer is unquestionably...yes. The truth is that a Podcast is an incredibly unique and effective way to distribute content in any of the previous mentioned forms. I've been around the world of audio production, terrestrial radio and podcasting for a while. I think that one thing to remember when designing and producing an effective podcast s that you need to develop a format that is consistent, both in terms of scheduling releases, and in terms of the format itself. it should position you, the podcaster and your brand in its best light. How to design your own format and podcasting-persona? You need to find your "center" and use your own voice--I don't mean that you should do the talking, although that may be the case with the format you choose. I mean your inner VOICE. Let your podcast reveal the WHO behind your business. That's what a podcast can do for your small business so much better that a textual newsletter, brochure or written article cannot. So when you do podcast--remember to create that connection that is unique to podcasting---and radio to a certain degree. Essential, both of these are mediums that can create intimacy with your listener because its a one-to-one event. Don't talk to a big room of listeners "out there in radioland". Think of the microphone as one listeners ear. THis will help you establish that one-to-one connection that so unique to podcasting...and radio. Do this and you're sure to engage your many subscribers...one at a time. True connection leads to authentic engagement, and ultimately customers that want to work with you. Here's a quick review in some easy steps: 1. Find you true, authentic OWN VOICE and stay with it 2. Design a format that is engaging 3. Publish consitently (weekly is best, daily is great) 4. Address a single listener when you podcast 5. Create a connection, then a call to action in your podcast 6. Find a great podcasting service to out it all together (if you're not an audio pro)