My Goals for 2025
The best accountability tool is to make it PUBLIC
Sometimes the best way to set goals is to make them known. So here I am! Help keep me accountable (or weigh in down in the comments on whether you think I’m on the right track or not!)
Play the long game with the YouTube channel. Slow and steady wins the race. I’ve learned that my YouTube growth is going to take TIME. I plan to be consistent, of course, but also a but less twitchy around making commitments like “one produced video per week.” Instead, I want less videos, better quality. More thoughtful videos. Sure I could churn out videos quickly, but if I want things to grow, I want the videos to be something I would want to click on and watch.
Take cues from what people tell me they like. Specifically, I’m hearing that many of you enjoy the vlog-style approach. Again, leaning into the EXPERIENCE of being in my shoes in the world of tech. I plan to do things from that perspective. So you can be there with me.
More travel, more events. CES reminded me of the value of BEING THERE, wherever it may be. I had some really great and unexpected conversations with people about things that might fuel the remaining year in some ways. I also learned a lot about a lot of different things, more than I would if I read someone else’s article online. This can get expensive, but there are ways around that if I’m crafty enough. So, more travel (which also means more vlog opportunities!)
A regular cadence for the Techsploder Podcast. I launched it as a weekly. Then I cut back severely, but not entirely. Then, on New Years Eve, I recorded one of my favorite episodes from the podcast with Becca Farsace. I get SO MUCH from that show. I don’t have the bandwidth for a weekly cadence (yet) but I feel like I can easily commit to 1x per month, and possibly even 2x per month. That commitment will not wane. I also have other tangential plans around that show that I won’t get into here, but they excite me!
Grow AI Inside and prove that growth with honest to goodness sponsorships. The numbers on AI Inside have been pretty flat since the show launched. The good news is that the show launched with good numbers out of the gate. But it’s not growing much beyond that initial audience base. I want to bring more AUTHORITATIVE guests that people already know to chat with Jeff Jarvis and I. We will not sacrifice the news updates when that happens either. Thinking a solid 30 min convo at the top of the show with news updates to follow. Getting solid guests usually means those guests share out to their sphere. That’s a great start for growth.
Grow Android Faithful too! Often this is the show that’s cruising along for me and the crew. Primarily because we’ve been doing it for so long! But we have big plans to implement some new ideas for the podcast in 2025. We would love to secure some real sponsorships and bring more people into the fold. One thing I’ve noticed is that some of the best ideas for MY podcasts comes from trialing them on Android Faithful. So its a very valuable effort. I just love this show.
Guest on other peoples podcasts. This is a BIG opportunity for growth. It’s also a bit intimidating for me. It forces me out of my comfort zone in two ways. First, it requires me to reach out to people I might not already know and make a case for me to join them on their show. Second, it forces me to be ok with what I know (and maybe DON’T know going onto their show.) I know how important this is for podcast growth. I really need to do this.
Be open to more opportunities for collaboration. I suppose this is similar to my previous goal, but in general for my podcast work as well as my YouTube growth. Techsploder helps on this front because it puts me in direct contact with people “doing it” out there. I’ve also just begun my new twice-weekly hosting gig for Tom Merritt and the DTNS crew with the DTNS Briefing (every Tuesday and Thursday!) These opportunities help me not feel so alone in the independent world. They also put my in view of more people. They also, by the way, make me really happy.
Lean into writing. I am now a freelancer for Digital Trends and Micro Center. The beauty of this is, after a full year of making almost nothing, I suddenly have a few trees to shake when I want to make some oif that all important dough. I just have to come up with a story they want and pitch it! This is going well, so far. Especially after writing four pieces during CES (I’ll link you to them once they publish) I need to continue to flex this muscle and get better at this process. But at least now, I have a pretty concrete way to make money NOW as I need it.
Release a new Yellowgold album. Alright, many of you might not even be aware that I produce and write music as Yellowgold. I haven’t released an album of new material since 2018. But I’ve written and practically finished production on a new album since then. I just haven’t made the time to turn it around and get it out there! So I’m setting the goal right now (so you can hound me about it until it happens.) New Yellowgold album coming in 2025. And I’m really proud of it. I can even give you a sneak peak at an early version of the album art and title.
