Amy Vaughn:
Hello, everyone, and welcome to our weekly power lounge. This is your place to hear authentic conversations from those who have power to share. My name is Amy Vaughn, and I am the owner and chief empowerment officer of Together Digital, a diverse and collaborative community of women who work in digital and choose to share their knowledge, power, and connections. You can join the movement at togetherindigital.com. Alright, friends. I hope you’re ready for some magic to be added to your business strategy because today, I’m absolutely thrilled to welcome a true innovator of business podcasting to our show. And I’m extra excited because I recently had the honor and privilege of being a guest on her fantastic podcast. Joining us today is Rita, the enchanting host of bippity boppity business, a podcast that sprinkles a little pixie dust on the world of corporate strategy with a background that sounds like a dream career mash up from supporting luxury car owners, like a Tesla and BMW, to producing over 300 episodes across 13 b to b marketing podcasts.
Amy Vaughn:
Rita knows how to turn business insights into pretty captivating stories. She is here to help and share with us how she weaves a little bit of Disney magic into hard hitting business advice. And trust me, you all are in for a treat. Again, like I said, having been on her podcast, been in a number of them, but there’s just something about this creative angle and approach and way that you look at things, Rita, that just really brings a new perspective and makes you think about things differently. And so having experienced this firsthand as a guest on her show, I really can’t wait for all of you to feel that same sense of enchantment and just feeling a little bit alive and more different about the way that we look at our business, our strategy, and podcasting. So whether you are a podcast enthusiast, a Disney fan, or a savvy businesswoman looking for fresh inspiration, Rita’s got something special for you today. So, everyone, grab your mouse ears. Grab your notepads.
Amy Vaughn:
Let’s give a warm welcome to the one and only Rita. Welcome to the show.
Rita Richa:
Hi, everyone. Thank you so much, Amy. Wow. That intro has me, like, blushing. I’m
mixed:
I’m also happy. Good. Me too.
Rita Richa:
No. I thank you so much. It’s an honor to be here. I can’t wait to get into all of the Disney content business magic, this interesting niche of all of the things that I love and who I am as a person.
Amy Vaughn:
Yeah. And I love that you just own it, and you own it so well. It was such a delight. I felt like once I got off of your show, like, my face hurt from smiling, and I just felt so good. And I think that, you know, I think oftentimes we, you know, as marketers are afraid to sort of lean into those unique and individual passions, and I just I love it. I love it that you own it. You own it wholeheartedly. You lean into it.
Amy Vaughn:
And for me, it was just a joy and a pleasure. So I’m thrilled to have you here so that more of our Together Digital community and listeners can experience it even more.
Rita Richa:
Yes. I wore my pink blazer because
mixed:
I love it.
Rita Richa:
I knew this would be a safe space to do that.
mixed:
So Love it. Love it. Well, let’s
Amy Vaughn:
get to have the listeners here and learn a little bit more about you and your background.
Rita Richa:
Yes.
Amy Vaughn:
Your journey from kind of a luxury automotive customer service to Disney inspired business podcasting host. It’s pretty fascinating. Could you talk us through some of those key moments that led you to create business?
Rita Richa:
Yes. I’ll try to keep it concise to tell a long story short. But if you look at me, you probably don’t think that girl worked in the automotive car industry at any point. So as you can imagine, the journey wasn’t very linear from when I worked at Automobile Brands to now having my own business. What actually happened is, you know, my family. I come from a family of entrepreneurs. And when I turned around 18 or 19, unfortunately, my family went through a change where my dad lost his business. So I was very young, and I had to kind of grow up very quickly, trying to figure out how to help everybody. I’m a 1st generation American, so both my parents are from Lebanon.
Rita Richa:
So they’re and they immigrated here back in the day. But, anyways, when that happened, initially, I was going to school for music. I wanted to work for Disney. I’m a musical theater kid through and through. Wow. I had a full ride music scholarship. So I was going and pursuing that dream, but then life does life things sometimes. Life happens.
Rita Richa:
So I decided I needed to do the right thing, and I needed to do what my parents wanted me to do to support them. And I needed to find a job that made money in a respectable industry. So, on Craigslist, I was literally 18, and I I went on Craigslist because I didn’t even know how to search for jobs at the time when I got the news that, like, they needed my help. I’m like, I don’t know who I am. I went on Craigslist, and I found a job that looked very boujee. It was like the title “director of first impressions”. It was for BMW. And I’m like, okay, queen.
Rita Richa:
I’m 18. I’m gonna be a director. It’s my first job. Like, let’s pop off. Let’s go. Quickly learned that titles don’t mean a lot sometimes, and that was a fancy way of saying cute girl door greeter. That’s what that was. But I had my own office with my name on it.
Rita Richa:
So I was taking pictures and putting it on my Facebook and saying, I’m a director of first impressions at BMW. I’m very important. I love that. But long story short, from my time there and from my time at Tesla, I learned a lot about customer experience. I learned a lot about treating luxury clients, and I also got to meet a lot of people. And I found that I loved meeting people. That was one of my favorite things to do in that role, was just meet new people and hear their stories. So that was just something on the side.
Rita Richa:
But, genuinely, one of the number one things that made an impact on me at BMW is I got to go through this training, because I got a new fancy title called BMW genius. I was really rocking these, like, random too. These ego titles for someone not even 21 yet was, like, really doing something to my brain. So, anyways, the BMW Geniuses, they have a program, and they all go to, like, North Carolina, and they get to learn about the business practices. And they get to see how the cars are made and how to sell and what the technology is in the cars. So we were supposed to be, like, the Apple geniuses of the cars. Like, only teach people about the technology in the cars and kinda be brand ambassadors for the next wave of high-tech cars that are coming in. And the one thing that the trainer said is, he asked us, how much do you think you can make off of one sale, like, off of one customer, for example, if you if somebody sells 1 car.
Rita Richa:
Yeah. And people were like, oh, you know, you can sell. You can sell the most expensive car that we have is, like, $150,000, so maybe you’ll make x amount of commission from it, and you can make this much money. And he’s, like, incorrect. He’s like, you’re not thinking about the long term. What happens if that customer has a child, or what happens if that customer refers to their friend or their relative? He’s like, you need to consider the lifetime value of your customer. What is the lifetime value cost? And he said, on average, our people, who work for this location, for example, their lifetime customer value is $1,000,000. And I looked at that number, and I’m literally broke . I got 2 crackers too, like, you know, to my name, basically. And I’m looking at this number that says $1,000,000 on the screen.
Rita Richa:
I’m like, this guy is off his rocker. I don’t believe him. There’s no way. Yeah. But what happened is true. I started seeing it. And the thing you can say what you want about car dealerships, and I definitely was the weird Disney princess singing around the dealership that didn’t belong there. But the thing that I really admired is how these sales representatives valued relationships and the touch points that they took to make sure that they were memorable relationships, that that on a birthday, that maybe somebody that they sold 4 years ago, they’re calling them on their birthday, and they’re telling them happy birthday.
Rita Richa:
Yeah. Or if their kid played a sport, like, they’re sending a gift card for Dick’s Sporting Goods, for example, and congratulating them on their first winning game. Like, they were so detailed and so committed to relationship building that I understood that lifetime value. I didn’t know it then, but with podcasting, those are the moments that will turn your guests into just from a guest to someone that hopefully you’ll build a relationship with, if that’s what you want. But, basically, I had the moment where I realized I didn’t wanna work in automotive. And I moved back home, had a mini melt, early twenties crisis. Like, who am I? What am I doing with my life? And so I decided that I wanted to, I wanted to either work for Disney because I hadn’t yet. I wanted to work for Disney, or I wanted to, like, travel the world.
Rita Richa:
And I decided to travel the world in January of 2020, which is a really hilarious time to do that. Aw. So I applied for Disney, got into the Disney College internship program, and then simultaneously, I applied for some remote job for another agency that was doing, like, marketing and podcasting for people. I told my mom that I really wanted to obviously work for Disney my whole life. I’ve always said that. And my mom, Lebanese dead in the eyes, looks at me. She’s like, I don’t think you should do it. And I was like, excuse me.
Rita Richa:
You don’t think I should work for Disney? What’s wrong with you? She’s like, I have a feeling. I cannot tell you. I have a feeling. I’m like, alright. You have a feeling. So I listened to my mom, and, yeah, I wouldn’t be here today with my own podcast, my own business had I not started the journey of working for that agency. While I was working there, I started my own show, and I started it because I was working with people in high ranking positions in b two b, and I felt like they were talking to me in alphabet soup sometimes, like UX, UI. I mean, you and journey, whatever.
Rita Richa:
All these words are being thrown at me, and I don’t know what they’re talking about. Mhmm. So to better learn about business and to better be the producer that I was at that time at that agency, I decided, heck, I’m gonna start my own show for fun.
mixed:
Yeah.
Rita Richa:
And that’s how business was born. I was like, I understand 2 things in life and 2 things really well. I know that people need relationships long term in order to have a successful business and career, and I only have a special interest. I know everything about Disney. So I’m gonna try to better understand business from the lens of these metaphors and analogies of someone who was a longtime fan and has gone to the parks. So in conversations, it naturally started happening with the clients I was working with. They would ask me, like, well, what’s you know, our company is focused on a, you know, detailed guest journey, guest experience from beginning to end. So I’d be like, okay.
Rita Richa:
Are you kinda talking about is it similar to if I buy a ticket online to Disney and I go there? And then from the moment I get there from the minute I leave, like, it’s supposed to be this, like, cohesive thing. And they’d be like, oh, yeah. Pretty much. I’m like, okay. Now I understand what you’re saying.
Amy Vaughn:
Yeah. Translate it for me.
mixed:
In Disney
Rita Richa:
speak. In Disney speak. Right? Like, yes. I went to business school, but, like, they didn’t really update the language to match the world that we work in today. Like Yeah. Yeah. So that was basically it. I I, decided that I’m gonna try to better learn and go on that journey myself, and here we are.
Rita Richa:
Business.
mixed:
I love it. I love it
Amy Vaughn:
so much. Okay. So it’s funny. We haven’t for the several times we’ve spoken now, this hasn’t I don’t think this has come to light yet. My dad’s Egyptian, so I can completely relate to, like, the whole Middle Eastern daughter pressure of, like, hey. Responsibility. Do the responsible thing. Don’t go work for Disney.
Amy Vaughn:
That feels risky. Yes. There’s a lot of competition, so let’s be the doctor lawyer Yes. Your first generation kid pressure.
Rita Richa:
And I wasn’t smart enough to be a doctor or a lawyer. So they were like boujee cars. We all like BMWs. All work for BMWs. It’s so true.
mixed:
It’s so true, guys.
Rita Richa:
I’m not making fun of it. I mean, my parents had BMWs forever, but, like, you go around to, like, a Middle Eastern Oh, yeah. Kinda neighborhood, and they got their b mirrors and their Mercedes. All it is. ARAB money. Like, how small it is.
Amy Vaughn:
Even when we go back to Egypt, that’s, like, all there is is BMWs. Even if they’re, like, 5th, 20 years old, that’s, like, still all they are.
Rita Richa:
It’s still a BMW, though. It’s still a BMW.
Amy Vaughn:
I love it. Oh my goodness. And I love what you said about lifetime value. We’re gonna come back to that, I think, too. But I just really wanna touch on for those who are kind of sitting in a space of saying, you know, should I start a podcast? Shouldn’t I start a podcast? And, you know, I love what you said in that moment if you really started it not because you were already a subject matter expert. It was because you wanted to learn more.
Rita Richa:
Mhmm.
Amy Vaughn:
And you took these kind of two passion points and this interest for learning and just brought them together and then leverage the podcast for, you know, client growth and opportunity, but also for educating yourself because I will tell you, I a 100% agree after, you know, a 100 and a 100 plus episodes on Together Digital’s Power Lounge podcast. Am I just you? You feel like now you’ve just got, like, such a sense of wisdom from all of your guests because that’s all you’re doing as a guest is facilitating brilliance and giving other people the opportunity to shine, and you just get to be the sponge. It’s wonderful. And so I’m kind of curious too. You kind of started to answer this, but, you know, were there some other ways in which to work with these luxury brands, you know, kind of considering that lifetime, like, longer term, less just maybe I would say transactional, situation of luxury car dealerships and working in those spaces? How did that translate into, you know, your business in podcasting?
Rita Richa:
Well, something that specifically I really admired, at least at the dealership that I worked at, is they valued communication. And Mhmm. When it comes to the the moment that a car enters the shop to the moment that it leaves, they have certain touch points and systems that they’ve put in place in order to make sure that every customer has a similar experience, but also receives, the important communication touch points that they need
mixed:
Mhmm.
Rita Richa:
To make sure that their very expensive car is doing what it needs to be doing behind the scenes. Right? So for me, I’m still working on this, and I think it’s okay to admit that. We’re all every day evolving our systems and processes. But anytime I think about the podcast experience for the guest Mhmm. Or when I think about my clients who are, you know, starting podcasts from scratch, I’m always kind of remembering those moments. Like, what are the touch points that are the absolute most important touch points that we have to hit no matter what?
Amy Vaughn:
Mhmm.
Rita Richa:
And how do we continually innovate what the experience of receiving those communication touch points looks like?
mixed:
Mhmm.
Rita Richa:
So one small example is, at the dealership, for example, instead of just getting, like, a text message or an email saying that your car is ready, the team started getting, the technicians to send personalized video messages to the, to the guest customers and sending them a video rundown of what’s going on with the car and showing them the car. Cool. And it was so innovative and cool, but it was a small glimpse into the power of video, the power of communication more than just a non personalized message. So, really, personalization, if anything, is something that’s huge in the luxury brands, luxury industries that I am often trying to consider because personalization is the catalyst for relationships. If you do not feel that the person is authentically connecting to you Yeah. Or they are talking to you as a person, they’re not going to want to talk to you. Agree. Right? So in our process, for delivery of the episode to our guests Yeah.
Rita Richa:
For our clients, I decided, we needed to find a more personalized way to deliver those assets. So what we started doing is creating custom Notion pages
mixed:
Mhmm.
Rita Richa:
That has all of the Google Drive assets within the page, but it says their name in the message, and has their photos. We put quotes in there that are not just the graphics, like the premade graphic quotes. We put quotes in there without the brand colors of the show in case they want to repurpose them in their own brand colors. So that. Very small tweaks, but, really, to answer your question, what you can learn from luxury businesses and apply into your own business today is communication touch points, developing a system for that, but still making it personalized in a way that’s sustainable and pleasant for the guests to experience. If you’re not smiling at any of the messages that you’ve received from the individual that you’re working with
mixed:
Mhmm.
Rita Richa:
Then you need to reconsider what your communication process looks like.
Amy Vaughn:
Yeah. Yeah. I love that. That’s such great advice. I love that so much. And I think that, there’s so many more tools nowadays that are, you know, at your fingertips even for small business owners as well to make, like, personalization an automated thing so that, you know, you think, oh, personalization, it’s such a daunting thing. But when you’re talking about even if it’s, like, a weekly or biweekly or monthly podcast, it’s not a heavy lift between the process building in a process or finding automation tools to help you do that. It’s, yeah, it is worth it.
Amy Vaughn:
It’s absolutely worth it in the long term. You’re gonna see the return, and I’m so glad you brought that up. I’m gonna plug for just a second our national conference, which is, like, a month away, and it’s a big topic. Our keynote speaker is actually talking about how personalization is the key to customer loyalty, and she just published a book on data driven personalization. We’ve got, like, yeah, we’ve got a lot in the way of just talking about how personalization is such a big, big key factor. And I realize when we’re kind of always swimming in data, it’s kind of hard. Yeah. But the tension between, like, customers wanting to feel seen and heard, and then also we have a panel on purpose driven marketing as well.
Amy Vaughn:
If they’re feeling like they’re aligned with the brands that they purchase from, there’s just so much to unpack there, Rita. You again, you’re
mixed:
such a smart cookie. Podcaster.
Rita Richa:
You know? I can’t stop talking. I had to monetize it some way.
Amy Vaughn:
You’re smart. You know? And I always love to joke about that too. It’s, like, one of those things where it’s, like, for all of us girls in class who couldn’t shut up and the teachers kept saying, you talk too much or the adults that told us that we talk too much. I was like, hey. Guess what? Now we get paid for talking. So Well,
Rita Richa:
I have a quick story about that just really quickly. So on the first day of school, freshman year, my English teacher asks everyone, what do y’all wanna be when you grow up? Typical. And I stand up because we’re supposed to stand up and say it. And I stood up full with my whole chest, and I said, I wanna be Oprah when I grow up.
Amy Vaughn:
Oh, I love it.
Rita Richa:
That’s what I said. And everyone looked at me and said, girl, you’re tripping. What are you talking about Oprah? This little awkward Lebanese girl with a unibrow. What do you mean? It’ll be Oprah. What’s wrong with you? Gosh. And I was like, you don’t understand. She’s an entrepreneur. Yeah.
Rita Richa:
She has her own talk show, and you will see. One day, I will have my own show. You will see. You will see. So I didn’t end up on TV, but I did make my own show. Isn’t that funny?
Amy Vaughn:
You sure did.
mixed:
You sure did.
Rita Richa:
You showed them. So we’re talkers. I know. That’s
Amy Vaughn:
okay. We’ve got something to say and share with the world, so I think use your voice, ladies. I love it. Oh my gosh. This is why we get along so well. We had I we have
mixed:
even more
Amy Vaughn:
in common than I knew before. Alright. I would love for you to share a little
mixed:
bit about,
Amy Vaughn:
a surprising lesson because you’ve done a lot of b to b podcasts, like 1313 plus. What was the most surprising lesson that you’ve learned about business through podcasting?
Rita Richa:
Business owners are afraid to show up authentically online. And for me, this was surprising because, again, I’m the former theater kid, and I am used to being on stage, used to just showing up in the way that I need to be to tell the story. So for me, it’s not about myself. It’s about the story that needs to be told and the audience that needs to receive it. That’s my mentality.
Amy Vaughn:
Yeah.
Rita Richa:
But a lot of business owners are afraid, especially in b two b when they’re more traditional conservative industries Yeah. To have conversations like this, just like this, where we’re talking to each other. We’re sharing education, but we’re also sharing personal stories too. And I think that that surprised me because isn’t that what podcast podcasting is all about?
Amy Vaughn:
Right.
Rita Richa:
It’s about authentic stories. That we share that by proxy, hopefully, those if you’re listening to us right now, you feel like you’re in the room with us.
Amy Vaughn:
Mhmm.
Rita Richa:
And if you hear us talking right now and we’re sounding like we’re reading off of Webster’s dictionary or yellow pages, girl, you’re not gonna listen. Okay? So, that’s what surprised me is that it’s a constant reinforcement and coaching opportunity for the Yes. For the leaders that I work with to remind them that it’s okay to be yourself in your content. And maybe in other mediums of what you do, that may not be appropriate, but podcasting is a medium where that is welcomed and if anything required in order to be successful.
mixed:
I love it. I love it.
Amy Vaughn:
We just had a question about this that just kind of brought me back to our Together Digital member Slack. I’ve added you to the channel too, by the way, Rita, because I know you’re in there. One of our members, Missy, was asking about putting herself in her profile pictures for her business for certain channels and things like that. And I think it does kind of lean into that fact of, like, yeah, it’s hard for us. I think sometimes as business owners, you know, and I get it. I was definitely in that it took a lot of time for me to kind of get into that space and be comfortable with putting myself out there at the front because, also, like, I feel like I represent the I I I’m here for the community. Like, our members are the highlight. They are what’s amazing about what we are.
Rita Richa:
Yvonne for president. Yeah. You’re so sweet.
Amy Vaughn:
But it’s really about, like, them. Right? So I say, I wanna champion them. I wanna feature them. But then at the same time, like, there still needs to be somebody that’s relatable, that can represent at the forefront.
Rita Richa:
Right.
Amy Vaughn:
And so that is hard. So it’s, like, kind of no matter what your business is, people still want to relate to, connect with, and do business with people.
Rita Richa:
Right.
Amy Vaughn:
So I can totally understand. And I was when you were saying that, I was like, Missy, I’m pretty sure you registered and you’re listening today. So, if Rita doesn’t go back into Slack and and reiterate this
mixed:
Yes.
Amy Vaughn:
I know you’re listening today, so take that to heart as well as you’re kind of considering all of these things because I know the question was positioned as strategic, but I also know behind it is that fear Mhmm. Of putting yourself out there
Rita Richa:
Right.
Amy Vaughn:
In an authentic way as your business. So I love that advice, Rita. And I think also that is what makes you stand out in what you do, and it definitely I think, also, I think it probably does something to bring the right kinds of business to you. Right? Wouldn’t you say?
Rita Richa:
I would agree. And I also wanna provide another perspective on if you are not yet in the mindset of being comfortable putting your whole self on camera, what I did with business is it’s not called the Rita Show because I didn’t feel no one knows me. I’m not yet Oprah. Right? Yeah. So I decided, okay. Well, Walt Disney himself, he wasn’t initially the face of his brand. Sure. It was a mouse.
Rita Richa:
Mhmm. So whether you turn yourself into a mascot or you are the face of your brand, there is creative opportunities
mixed:
to
Rita Richa:
have something be the face of your brand. So if we think about a brand like Duolingo, for example, they are a software. They are technically, like, a language learning software, and their mascot is an owl. So the owl is what’s personified throughout their content. So if you are not yet able to be just you and you’re not comfortable, you know, saying that, okay. I’m not successful enough to be on the Tim Ferriss show or the Oprah show or whatever. Find a way to find a happy medium for that. But for me, that’s why my podcast cover art, it’s like, I’ve got polka dots, and it says, like, the name of the brand.
Rita Richa:
Because at the end of the day, I’m just trying
mixed:
to
Rita Richa:
brand the stories. So just think about it like that. If you have that mental block, like, you know, what’s the mascot of your brand? Like, have fun with it. Get creative with it. I don’t know.
mixed:
I love it.
Amy Vaughn:
I love it.
mixed:
I love it.
Amy Vaughn:
That’s great advice. Alright. Let’s stick into the Disney side of things a little bit more.
mixed:
Get ready. I know. Right? Like, finally.
Amy Vaughn:
Could you share some specific examples of how the Disney approach to your storytelling has helped one of your podcast clients better connect with their audience?
Rita Richa:
Yes. So in my journey of doing podcast development and in my journey of being a Disney enthusiast, I decided that I needed to understand what it was about Disney movies that made them so memorable. Mhmm. Like, what is it about the fact that I watched Ariel, like, when I was a baby? And now years later, it still means something to me, and I still remember it.
Amy Vaughn:
Yeah.
Rita Richa:
And I thought to myself, like, if we made content that was that impactful, that was that memorable to where somebody watched it once or twice, and then they talk about it to other people, and they remember it years later. Like, wouldn’t that be amazing? So at its core, what it is is Disney combines story structure and emotion. So if I can give you one piece of advice that I give to all of the clients that I work with is I want you to listen back to your episodes. And if you do not feel any type of emotion, whether it’s Mhmm. Excitement, inspiration, you know, maybe FOMO, whatever it is, they could be positive or negative. Yeah. If you are not feeling any type of emotion after you’ve recorded your content, it’s not ready. It needs some more work because you are competing on and on in an online world where everyone’s competing for the stage right now.
Rita Richa:
Takes me back to my theater days of auditioning. There are many people that look and act and sound like you, but only you can tell the story from your perspective and provide the emotional elements that we need as an audience to actually feel something. And what happens is when you feel something, you will act. It’s only when you feel something that you will act on that emotion. And isn’t that what marketing and business is? It’s not about the software. It’s not about your consulting service. It’s not about the fact that you do marketing for manufacturers. It’s the fact that somebody heard what you had to say and felt something
Amy Vaughn:
Yep.
Rita Richa:
And as a result, wanted to make their life either better or, more easy or whatever it is, and then do something.
Amy Vaughn:
Mhmm.
Rita Richa:
And that story structure is the hero’s journey. Right? So a lot of the movies that we watch, Hercules is a really great example of a character who went on a hero’s journey to find themselves. And then guess what? When he went on that journey publicly, other people were cheering Hercules on eventually. In the beginning, they were kinda like, woah. We don’t believe in what you’re doing. But over time, that kind of learning and sharing in public, that journey of getting to who Hercules really was, that’s a relatable story. Right? That was also easy for us to listen to. That’s the other thing.
Rita Richa:
We are busy, especially as women. Like, we have so many things in our lives, whether you’re a mom or you’re in a committed relationship or you’re the eldest daughter of a family who is always calling you and asking you what’s up, you don’t have time to just be listening to very heavy stuff. Right? So if you can find the secret sauce of making your content educational, entertaining, and inspiring, you are going to create super fans of your content. And in turn, super fans of your brand. Because something else that people forget about when we hear about Disney now is that when Walt Disney had to promote this idea of building the first theme park
mixed:
Mhmm.
Rita Richa:
Everybody thought he was crazy. Nobody thought he could do it. Mhmm. So what did he do? While they were building the theme parks, they created a TV show that took everyone behind the scenes of what was going on at the parks. Yep. Never before had a brand during that time. You’re thinking about the forties, fifties, or whatever. Where a brand was never that transparent before on taking you on that journey.
Rita Richa:
Right?
mixed:
Mhmm.
Rita Richa:
So your own journey today, maybe you’re not building a theme park or a castle. If you are, hit me up because that’s really cool. Right. But maybe you’re not doing that. But we are all inherently curious and seeing that hero’s journey happening firsthand because we all want somebody that we can celebrate. Everyone loves the individual who’s just like us, who came from nothing Yeah. Built themselves from the ground up and made it. And if you’ve experienced difficult things in your life, just tell yourself, this is part of my story.
Rita Richa:
This is going to make my hero’s journey even better one day. And be resilient and own it. Find the balance between what you’re comfortable with sharing and also making sure that you are learning something too at the end of the episode. I think that’s a big problem that we have often in podcasts, we talk a lot about the idea of something Mhmm. But we don’t often dive into the tactical elements of how to actually do that thing. So if you find that sweet spot somewhere in between the hero’s journey, emotion, and also teaching people something, you’re gonna have a really great time, first of all, because you’re gonna enjoy the conversation, but, also, your audience will probably appreciate it.
Amy Vaughn:
I love it. That’s a great framework and a great series of takeaways. I love it.
Rita Richa:
Yes.
Amy Vaughn:
That’s so cool. And I know you mentioned this to me before, and it’s one of those things that it’s like, okay. Whatever. Sometimes I can just be like, forget everybody else because, you know, we don’t have to be for everyone. Correct. But I am kind of curious how you try to strike if you do strike the balance between, like, the magic and wonder of Disney and what feels like I don’t know. Here’s the other thing too. I just never try to take myself too seriously, but I think sometimes in, like, corporate and business, we do.
Amy Vaughn:
We have a tendency to. Right? It is the nature of the things. So it’s like, how do you balance the magic and wonder of Disney and then often that serious nature of business and the topics that you might be dealing with on your podcast? Do you ever and, yeah, I know you said you’ve gotten pushback on that too Yes. At times.
Rita Richa:
I have. And it’s something that I will always be advocating for myself. And if you’re listening, you will always have to do that too. Yeah. We still have businesses who don’t believe in what I’m saying, who believe that you need to be professional. You need to keep work at home, you need to, you know, be this, like, news anchor lady voice type person that’s, like, really serious that talks like this on the camera. And for a long time, Amy, I felt like I had to be that way, and I didn’t feel good enough to make content. I didn’t feel like you know, I felt like what I was doing was silly.
Rita Richa:
I felt like what I was doing really didn’t mean anything. And it wasn’t until I had people listeners reach out to me in the world, like, at conventions and stuff that I’d never met before who would say, Rita, thank you so much for listening to this podcast. Like, this is the only thing I can listen to at the end of the day. I’m a lawyer. I deal with stressful cases all day. Aw. And your podcast is the only business podcast I listen to because I get to learn something, and then I get to turn my brain off. Right? So it’s like you said, what you do may not be for everyone.
Rita Richa:
Mhmm. But if you are in tune with who your audience is and what your goal is for your business Mhmm. That’s better. I’d rather you not be for everyone. I’d rather you be for one person. And once I got out of my own head and my ego a little bit and started thinking about the person listening to the podcast, the one person whose voice is in their ears right now. That’s crazy. Someone I’ve never been before, I’m, like, right there in their ear.
Rita Richa:
And no matter what part of the day that they’ve had, like, I get to be that one little voice that says Mhmm. It’s okay to be different. Like, you’re okay. Like, you’re more than okay. You’re wonderful. And that’s really what Disney magic and wonder is. It’s not necessarily putting on a tutu and twirling.
Amy Vaughn:
Right.
Rita Richa:
It’s reminding us of the core values that we believe in and hopefully helping you in your journey of what those core values are for yourself, like figuring them out and starting from there. Right. Because the beauty of business and the beauty of entrepreneurship is that, especially if you’re an entrepreneur, you get to decide what you will stand for and what you will fall for.
mixed:
Yeah.
Rita Richa:
And if you are, you know, still operating in the ways of corporate America, how they’ve conditioned us and taught us to be, where we’re all a cog in the wheel, I mean, you won’t ever get to have that beautiful journey. And it’s a difficult one. It requires growth. It requires the confidence to say, like, I’m going to just be myself. Because, Amy, what it is, it’s not really about balancing the both. It’s about me being comfortable being myself. And, and, you know, there are some episodes where I look back and cringe a little bit, and that’s the beauty of it. It’s you know, you can always iterate.
Rita Richa:
You can always improve, and that’s how we learn. But I really think what it is, it’s me allowing the guest to shine that is my biggest focus on any episode. So I like to say I’m Disney, and often the guests are the business. So I will bring out their magic, and I will be, like, the sparkle and the seasoning on the top. Now if it were the other way around, and I was just sitting here singing the entire episode and the guest gets, like, 2 words in Yeah. Yeah, that would be a great show. So Yeah. So, I mean, I would encourage everyone listening right now.
Rita Richa:
If you have a hobby, anyone, if you have a hobby or special interest, whether it’s sports, crocheting, Legos, I don’t mind, whatever it is, tea time. Maybe you’re really into tea. Okay? If you’re struggling to make content, specifically a podcast, think about your hobby first, then add, this is the formula, plus that with the business topic.
Amy Vaughn:
Yeah.
Rita Richa:
And now you have a sustainable show because you get to talk about the thing that you love. Yeah. That’s very easy branding and theming. I mean, if I were really into teasing, like, Bridgerton, for example, imagine a Bridgerton business show. Hell yeah. Come on. Right? Like,
Amy Vaughn:
somebody’s starting right after this. You know that now.
Rita Richa:
Right? Idea. Go for it. Chat it up. Okay? Because guess what? That’s what branding is. It’s combining the thing that you do with the aura of what you are, what you love. Right. And when you go to events, you’ll be able to lead with who you are rather than what you do, which for sales is very, very effective. When I go to an event, I don’t tell everyone I have a podcast production agency, and, you know, that’s not, like, the first thing I say.
Rita Richa:
They ask me what I do. I say, I’m a podcaster. My show’s called business. I love Disney. I love Disney.
Amy Vaughn:
Right.
Rita Richa:
I started with Disney. We’re starting at a level playing field here, not I’m you, and you’re here, and we’re all better than each other or whatever. And you’d be surprised how many genuine friends you get to meet when you decide to say, like, I’m gonna find a hobby or an interest and brand my show around it because Mhmm. People at networking events are gonna be more easily able to talk to
Amy Vaughn:
you. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
Amy Vaughn:
Oh my gosh. Okay. A couple of things because so much. I know. Disney. Like, I don’t even care if you’re not a Disney fan. If you have any understanding of just in general what, what business looks like and good business. I mean, a company that’s been it’s over a century now.
Amy Vaughn:
Right? I mean, Mickey’s technically almost like Steamboat Willie is, like, almost out of, what’s the word?
Rita Richa:
It’s like the trademark that I
mixed:
Yeah.
Amy Vaughn:
Out of trademark because it’s, like, 100 years old. Right? So, like, he’s old. Yeah. And you look at them from, like, a business success standpoint, their their internal structures for teams and and imagineers, their internship programs, their innovation
Rita Richa:
Mhmm.
Amy Vaughn:
Their customer experience within their parks. Like, it’s just undeniable. So it’s like, I I don’t even care if you’re not a fan of, like, the movies where it’s so much more than that, which is I think why what you do is really smart. I love, love, love your podcast formula. I think that’s so great because I also think it just stops people. Because I’m, again, I’m like, okay. We are all human, and we do. We love to talk and we’re passionate about our businesses, but we’re also human. And it’s like you kinda start to scroll through and you see how are you meant to choose when every single podcast, like, art square looks exactly the same, and they’re all blue, and their fonts are the same? It’s like all these sans serifs, and it’s like, how am I supposed to pick in a sea of sameness? Choose to stand out.
Amy Vaughn:
Choose to stand out. And I really love what you said there, and I’m, like, I’m just gonna make a little audio footnote for our production team to just quote Rita that the idea of lead with who you are, not what you do with what you do. Because we are so much more than with what we do, and people remember who we are, not just what we do. And I think that just goes beautifully into our next question because that is a ton of the advice. That’s one of the first pieces of advice I give in networking because, obviously, together digital is all about networking and the strength of our network because it’s such an essential part of growing our career and just ourselves, not just professionally, but personally. I’m kind of curious how podcasting has opened up networking opportunities for you, even your clients.
Rita Richa:
Girl, it has opened up a whole new world.
Amy Vaughn:
I love it.
Rita Richa:
How to do it. Good. Reason being, I live in Jacksonville, Florida. Yes. It’s in Florida, but it’s not a city that when you think of the media Yeah. That is one of those top cities that comes to your mind. Okay? So the fact that in my tiny little studio apartment, I’ve been able to talk to people all over the world. Like, that is amazing to me.
Rita Richa:
And the reason why is I do have a strategy for it. Okay? So a lot of people ask me, how do you get great gas guests? How are you going to these events? What are you doing? Mhmm. And it’s very similar to a lot of what you preach, Amy, which is a combination of being active online and seeking out similar communities, seeking out the right people. Right? But it’s also going to events too. So for example, I do a little hack. Okay? I’m gonna give some secrets here. If there is a podcast guest that you really, really want to interview or, alternatively, a person that you really, really want to meet that you wouldn’t normally be able to meet, I, for example, will look at events that that individual is speaking at. Okay? So for this example, there was an individual who, his name is Saul Blanco.
Rita Richa:
He’s a Disney animator and director. And I saw that he would be speaking at Podfest. And the second that I saw that, I was like, I’m going to that talk. Yeah. Everyone just hold your horses, drop everything. I’m going there. Right? Because what happens at events is oftentimes, you will be able to, maybe at least for a minute, get to say thank you to the speaker. Right? Yes.
Rita Richa:
That’s your pitch.
mixed:
Yeah.
Rita Richa:
That’s your one minute pitch right there. And if your show name is as effective as business
Amy Vaughn:
Oh, yeah. You have
Rita Richa:
you have one
mixed:
you have one second. You have one second to
Rita Richa:
be like, oh, what’s that show? If your show name is not easy is not easily explainable, like, if you have to, like, pull out a scroll and dust off the scroll to, like, explain what your show is about, you’ve lost your opportunity already. Mhmm. So I walked up over the show. Granted, I was not fangirling. I was crying. It was not okay. I was so moved by this man’s speech that I was, like, sobbing.
mixed:
And I was like, my show is business, and I would love for an opportunity
Rita Richa:
Yeah. For you to be on my podcast. Like, it was a mess, but I did it. Okay? And that’s the thing you need to know is that you could do it, do it scared, do it anyway. Okay? But what happened is that one connection led to another connection, and it becomes this, like, web of one moment I’m crying in an Orlando convention room to this poor random director. Next, I’m in LA, and I’m interviewing the guy in LA of all places. Love it. So the strategy is to write down your dream to 100 people that you would literally lose your mind and sob just like I did if you got to meet.
Rita Richa:
And whether it’s on LinkedIn, you try to reach out to them and ask them to be on your show, or you go to an event where they are there, shoot your shot, and make your brand ready to be pitchable. Right? And, yeah, that’s that’s kind of, the thing that has blown my mind is the people that I’ve been able to meet. I mean, I now have an international client from China. I would have never worked with them and they are an amazing foundation as well too. But, like, yeah, I didn’t fly to China to meet that individual and their amazing business. I did a LinkedIn live stream where one person was watching. Uh-huh. So that’s the other thing too.
Rita Richa:
For all of you who are doing this, they’re you’re doing the work, but you are looking at your numbers and going, what’s the point? As long as you have the right people listening, Yeah. That’s what matters. I would rather you have 10 superfans Yeah. That love what you do is better than 1000000 people who could care less.
Amy Vaughn:
100%. Preaching hands.
mixed:
Yes. I agree. Preach. I agree.
Amy Vaughn:
I agree. Go back and watch Kenya Kelly. She is a TikToker who has made 1,000,000 of dollars for herself and her clients off of her TikTox, and she even will tell you. She will tout those numbers and those dollar signs and those views, but even she knows. Like, it doesn’t matter. Like, don’t come to me and say you want a viral TikTok. I will even if I get you, like, a 1000 views, all of what matters is if you got, like, 26 phone calls that implemented you 10 new clients. That’s what matters.
Amy Vaughn:
Like, pay attention to the right metrics. I 100% agree, Rita. That’s a very good call.
Rita Richa:
Well, b to b, that’s a very controversial topic, though, because businesses of that nature wanna know what the ROI is on the amount of downloads and the growth. So that’s something that I have to remind everyone. Yeah.
Amy Vaughn:
It is. It’s a constant drum we’re beating, isn’t it? Yeah. We love the data. We do. We can’t help it.
Rita Richa:
Numbers.
Amy Vaughn:
The shiny object. We have that shiny object syndrome. Now I love that you also accost speakers. I’m glad this isn’t just me, and that’s how I’ve gotten some of my most favorite guests as well and kind of more of those top tier guests because it’s like, I know they’re there. I know they’re speaking. And when you can kind of get in front of them, it kind of makes a more memorable opportunity and experience. They get to see that passion, and then, you know, you’ve got your pitch. You’re not gonna get buried into their inbox.
Amy Vaughn:
I usually try to carry something with me to kind of give to them to, you know, be remembered as well. And then I typically follow-up with an email, but, yeah, I’m glad it’s not just me.
Rita Richa:
I made little Disney pins for my brand. So I made, like you know how pins are a big thing in Disney culture in general? See, I did it. I did that from my logo. But something that I do in general Uh-huh. I will take my phone, and I will record a moment from their segment that I thought was really impactful. Yeah. And I’ll post it on LinkedIn the next day. Like, I’ll turn it into a little thing and tag them on it. So even if I don’t have a physical object, there’s also a digital object
mixed:
that you
Rita Richa:
could give to them too.
Amy Vaughn:
It. Clever. Clever. Clever. I love this so much. This is so fun. Alright. And I like the dream guest list.
Amy Vaughn:
I try to make one of those every year for myself as well. I think that’s great advice. Speaking of more advice, let’s talk about mistakes. What’s one of the most common mistakes that you see folks who are kind of starting a podcast make?
Rita Richa:
They make it about themselves.
mixed:
Mhmm.
Rita Richa:
The other mistake is they are too long. Some of them are too
mixed:
long. Yeah.
Rita Richa:
And what I mean by too long is it’s fine if there’s a flow to the conversation. But if there is, I guess I need to rephrase that. It’s length without intent and purpose Mhmm. Is not effective. So, the mistake is really not not viewing your podcast as a collective, not viewing it as an entire library, a full collection
Amy Vaughn:
Okay.
Rita Richa:
Of the episodes. Mhmm. So often, we are hyper focused on the individual episode itself, but I would encourage you every now and then to take a look back and see, like, what does your full library look like? Because if somebody has not yet followed you Yeah. The first thing they’re gonna do is judge the entire thing. That’s a great point. Absolutely. Cohesive? Is it cohesive? Is it consistent, or is it repetitive? That’s the other thing. Mhmm. It’s okay to be repetitive if you’re doing it in a strategic way to ensure that your brand message or your mission statement is being kind of, taught or shared.
Rita Richa:
But if it’s repetitive and guests, like, the similar Yeah. Similar types of guests. Also, another mistake I would say is most people think that they have to start with a video podcast. Now this is going to be very controversial. Oh. Back in the day, podcasting used to just be audio.
Amy Vaughn:
Podcasting. Yep. It’s all the work.
Rita Richa:
Audio. Now video is important, and I think video is great, especially for the clips. But, I see someone in the chat. Her name’s Katrina. She’s asking about podcasting and all that. But yeah. We will.
Amy Vaughn:
I promise.
Rita Richa:
I’m gonna touch on it briefly. And what I’m trying to say is podcasting can be an affordable way Mhmm. To do content if you start audio. I would rather you start audio only than not do it at all. Yep. And that’s the big mistake is many people just don’t start because they think it’s too expensive or too difficult or they don’t have anything to say. Yep. If you do an audio only podcast, you can help that kind of fear of being on camera.
Rita Richa:
A lot of us have a fear of being on camera or looking a certain way. Especially as a lady, I feel like I have to look a certain way on camera. Mhmm. So I started my show audio only because it was that, like, step stepping point into content and media. So instead of thinking about what you should do, I want you to think about what you could do. That’s all I ask.
mixed:
I love it. I love it.
Amy Vaughn:
Yeah. And to kind of build on that, let’s get to Katrina’s specific question so we can kind of touch on it a little bit more because I know it is a common kind of concern. Then she says, ” I know what I’d like to do for a show. Tech women teach women how to stay safe from hackers. Sounds Yes. Very needed. But as I am just starting my business, I have no budget. How much should I expect to spend to hire a podcast editor? I’m not a techie. And how do you recommend finding a producer slash editor? My show would be a combination of solo and interviews.
Rita Richa:
Very good question. First thing I would say is make the decision to determine, before you even hire an editor or consider your budget, you need to understand the medium in which you are recording. So video and audio or audio only. If you decide to do audio only, the cost will significantly go down in the beginning because there’s a lot of tools out there where you can actually learn how to edit your own audio, especially with AI. Yeah. I recommend using a tool called Descript. Yep. And it’s Agreed.
Rita Richa:
It’s a tool that I use to help me with editing my show. It’s great. We’ll get into that later, but that’s the first thing. Figure out audio or only. Secondly, if you have a strong brand presence online where you’ve already been building your personal brand, reach out to potential sponsors. I had a show that I worked on where they didn’t even have one episode, and we made a sponsorship deal in order to help that show exist.
mixed:
Mhmm.
Rita Richa:
So what I mean by that is to find an industry adjacent to yours. Usually, software or tools companies are more open to sponsorships.
Amy Vaughn:
Yeah. They want more women customers. Exactly. Keep them safe from hackers.
Rita Richa:
Exactly. And pitch and say, hey. You know, my current brand, I have x many followers. I have this level of engagement already. We’re about to launch a show. I would like to request x amount of dollars a month and start small for your 1st sponsor. Even if it’s, like, $50 or $100 a month to start with, having one sponsor logo will create this, like, kind of Oh. Effect, and then somebody else, yeah, somebody else will wanna hop on it too.
Rita Richa:
Right? So, you know, if you don’t have the funds right off the bat, before you stress too much about the budget, see what’s out there. Who’s who’s willing to work with you? And in that package, say, like, hey. Like, you are going to be my preferred vendor. If I prefer, if I work with you and you are the sponsor of my show, anytime somebody asks me about Xtool resources or software, you will be the primary one. I will not recommend anyone else. Exclusive. Exclusive. Right?
mixed:
They like that word.
Rita Richa:
Exclusive. They like that word. I was looking for that word. I don’t know where it went. And, yeah, and see where you can go. Realistically, though, if you want a video podcast and you want clips, I would say, if you if you work with a producer, an editor, and somebody who is I would I need to pause actually and describe the difference between a producer and an editor because I think this is a very big misconception. Working with an editor is going to be cheaper because working with an editor will take exactly what you say, they will take that work, and they will edit it exactly how you tell them, whether it’s right or whether it’s wrong, especially on platforms like Fiverr and whatever. Those are very affordable places to go when you start, and I recommend starting there.
Rita Richa:
But as you figure out your topic, you’re going to start to grow, and you’re going to need a creative partner to help with the growth of your show, the outreach, and the branding of your show. And that’s what a producer does. A producer is going to tell you no sometimes. They’re not going to say yes all the time. I’m a producer. I’m going to work with you, for example, and any producer will, to help bring out the story of the show. We’re gonna coach you to be talented. We’re going to be looking for opportunities where you can be, you know, highlighted on other shows maybe, for example.
Rita Richa:
So working with an editor is very important in the beginning, and it’s going to be affordable, especially on places like Fiverr. But as you grow, if you want to work with a producer, that’s where the price is going to change because you’re going to be leveling up to having a creative partner and someone who understands a little bit about marketing as well as with the show. Yep. But yeah. So on the low end, I’d say around maybe $150 per episode Mhmm. If you’re going really low and you’re doing some of it yourself. Mhmm. But on the high end, it could be anywhere from $300 to $1,000 an episode if you’re working with a producer, and, also, it depends on the type of podcast that you’re doing as well.
Rita Richa:
If you have an interview based podcast, those are more affordable to produce. Mhmm. If your podcast is narrative where it sounds more like an audiobook or we’re telling those, like, Disneyesque, you know, sound effect stories and the and all of that. Yeah. Those are just gonna be a little bit more, obviously. But I would recommend starting with audio only, starting small, finding an editor on Fiverr, going on YouTube, and looking up Descripts’ YouTube video tutorials. Yeah. And, I, you know, I’m always on LinkedIn.
Rita Richa:
If you have a question, I’m happy to answer it for you.
Amy Vaughn:
Yeah. Yeah. I agree. Yeah. And you can always reach out to me too. Happy to share some other,
mixed:
like, The whole society is here for you.
Amy Vaughn:
Always here. We all again, we share our knowledge and our power. We don’t hold back on any of it. I think, process is an important part when you’re just getting started too, kind of having a long defined process for bringing in your guests just to make things easier on yourself if you’re running a business plus hosting a podcast because you just you don’t have the resources maybe to hire people to facilitate all that, so put process in place where there’s maybe instead of people if you can. I also used it for a little while before we ended up with our production team. Our amazing production team that we have now, Shout out to the amazing Heart Cast Media team. So you can look them up if you want to. Cool. Yeah.
Amy Vaughn:
Hook check check them out. But OpusClip was also really cool for pulling and extracting video clips. But, I mean, I would say too, like, if you’re gonna invest in anything to start with, I would say, actually, just make sure you have, like, a good mic and a good headset to
Rita Richa:
start with
Amy Vaughn:
picking up, like, your initial quality for sound to start with and making sure that you have a good recording space. Like and there’s so much good info, like free info on creating a good podcast out there that everybody has kind of, like, shared. Start there really too, and then I do Descript is a great, great tool, and it’s pretty low cost too as far as, like, getting your transcripts, getting, you know, sound bites, and also kind of editing as well. So great, great advice. You know, if anybody else has any other questions, don’t be shy about asking. We love, love, love the questions as to why we have our live listeners with us. I’m gonna go ahead and skip to our power round because we’re coming close to the end, Rita. So I know we’ve got some fun ones here.
Amy Vaughn:
Yes. So alright. We’re gonna put you on the spot with some of these. I know it’s like choosing your children, but my favorite Disney character in the business lesson that they teach.
Rita Richa:
Belle. She was different. She owned it. I love it. Made fun of her at first, but then she lied to all of them.
mixed:
So, yeah, I love it.
Amy Vaughn:
That makes me so happy. She’s, like, not my daughter’s favorite right now. She’s, like, all about Belle. Alright. Most unexpected place that you have found inspiration for a podcast episode?
Rita Richa:
A guy who owns an automotive shop Yeah. Who also happened to be a Disney fan. That was, like, my 2 worlds full circle of living together. I love that.
Amy Vaughn:
That’s fantastic. That’s fantastic.
mixed:
I love it. I love it. I love it.
Rita Richa:
Check his episode out. Frank Skandura. It’s a really good one.
Amy Vaughn:
Aw. I definitely will. That sounds adorable. It sounds delightful. One tool that you can’t live without for podcast productions. Another little good tip for Katrina here.
Rita Richa:
Yes. Google Forms. Yes. Underrated. Right? Underrated.
Amy Vaughn:
Every day. I use them every day.
Rita Richa:
Really great for getting guest information and it goes automatically into a spreadsheet. Because if you’re not a numbers girl like I am, that’s so great that it does that for you.
Amy Vaughn:
Absolutely. Yeah. Holler for forms and automation. I’ll tell you that.
mixed:
Yes. Fantastic.
Amy Vaughn:
Alright. Biggest challenge in b to b podcasting and your quick solution.
Rita Richa:
Biggest challenge is looking like everyone else’s show. There’s a lot of podcasts out there right now. Quick solution. Yeah. Try to be different, and use some of the formulas that we talked about today. And Yeah. Those are great. And see how it does for you.
Amy Vaughn:
I love it. No. Those you gave us some really good takeaways. Alright. We have got just enough time for this last one. So Okay. I know you said you had your dream list, and you’ve gotten some of those folks interviewed. But is there any remaining if you could interview any business leader? And let’s say they could be alive or dead.
Amy Vaughn:
This might be making it too easy if I
mixed:
say dead. On your podcast,
Amy Vaughn:
Who would it be and why?
Rita Richa:
It’s Walt Disney.
mixed:
I was gonna say.
Amy Vaughn:
And once I read the question, I’m like, wait. No. Of course, I know who it’ll be.
Rita Richa:
He was someone that decided that he would change an industry entirely. Animation would not have been what it is today without Walt Disney
Amy Vaughn:
Yeah.
Rita Richa:
Period. Yeah. So, if anything, if I could leave some inspiration with that. Like Please. We look at him, and we think he was successful and everything was easy. He was somebody that continuously had to overcome challenges. He at one point lost all his employees. He almost went bankrupt.
Rita Richa:
He had to take loans out that his wife was, like, not happy about. His brother was almost like his right hand man for business and finances. His brother almost, like, was like, we’re not doing the theme park. Right? And he had one dream. He started it all with a mouse. Right? So for you, if you are listening, you have an idea that only you believe in, and you deserve to see it through, to be the visionary that at all costs continuously pursues that dream, and finds the magic in that. You are the magic at the end of the day. Don’t let anyone else tell you differently.
Rita Richa:
And those are the people that maybe 10, 20, 30 years from now will be just like, you might be that person where somebody says, I wish I could have interviewed this person. Being yourself and continuously believing in your vision and your dream is the only thing you can do as an entrepreneur when the going gets tough, but just know that it’s worth it, and you’re worth it. So your show should be a celebration of that, and I can’t wait to see that journey for you no matter what it is.
Amy Vaughn:
Thank you so much, Rita. What a great way to wrap things up. So excited to keep watching you and all that you’re doing. Thank you for inspiring us all. I know you’re all ready. It’s Friday. You have the weekend to keep brainstorming and planning. You’ve got members.
Amy Vaughn:
You’ve got both me and Rita on Slack. So if you need us and you wanna brainstorm, just, you know, slide on into our DMs, reach out if you need us. Again, everyone, thank you so much for joining us today. We appreciate all of you, our listeners, for being here. Rita, thank you so much for showing up and sharing your power and your passion. We really do appreciate it and enjoy it. It’s a pleasure.
Rita Richa:
It’s been a magical podcast episode. Thank you, Amy.
Amy Vaughn:
Doubted that I wouldn’t be with you. Alright, everyone. Have a great rest of your day. And until then, we’ll see you next week. Keep asking, keep giving, and keep growing. Bye, everyone.
Rita Richa:
Bye.
Amy Vaughn:
There we go.
