What motivates someone to start podcasting as an educational pursuit after retirement, and what are the challenges they face?

Podcasting begins as a post-retirement pursuit but becomes an unexpected journey of storytelling and learning.

And also kind of express my point of view on a multitude of different things happening in that sports world. So that’s how it all kind of kicked off and as we talked about kind of pre-mic episode here I am a learner at heart and I knew that I was starting from ground 0 but that was invigorating for me.

~ Mark Hochgesang (1:21)

The conversation explores how podcasting became an unexpected post-retirement pursuit for Mark. Starting with a suggestion from former colleagues, podcasting offered a way to share perspectives on sports while continuing to learn and engage with others. The discussion touches on the personal aspects of podcasting, such as storytelling, preparation, and the intimacy of audio communication. His episodes often feature guests who have overcome adversity or achieved significant milestones, reflecting his interest in inspiring and game-changing stories.

The conversation also highlights the challenges of producing a podcast, from mastering technical aspects like sound quality to managing the editing workload. Preparation and thoughtful content development play significant roles, as does the balancing act of how much of the host’s personality to include. Podcasting has also strengthened connections within his immediate circle and reconnected him with old colleagues, further emphasizing the communal and connective power of the medium.

Takeaways

The learning process — He views podcasting as a continuous educational journey.

Game changers in sports — The podcast highlights guests who have overcome adversity and made significant impacts.

The power of preparation — Extensive research and planning go into every episode to ensure engaging storytelling.

Podcasting as a post-retirement pursuit — It serves as a meaningful and creative way to stay active and connected.

The intimacy of audio — Podcasting creates a personal and compelling form of communication.

Balancing personal presence — He reflects on how much of himself should be included in his podcast episodes.

Technical challenges — Managing sound quality and editing initially proved time-consuming but rewarding.

Building connections — Podcasting reconnects him with former colleagues and introduces him to inspiring new people.

Resources

Heavy Hitter Sports — Marks’ podcast featuring inspiring stories of game changers in sports.

Zencastr — The recording tool used in the conversation.

The Rookie (Movie) — A Disney film about Jim Morris, a guest mentioned in the podcast.

Multipliers —  Liz Wiseman’s book discussed during the episode.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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