Many of us feel guilty if we are not constantly working or otherwise doing *something* (this can be an issue, of course, but many of us might feel this way). We equate "doing things" with success, like "productivity", and fill every block of time.

The problem this causes for coming up with ideas: constant preoccupation leaves no time for useful, creative thinking. Science has figured out that our brains are actually more active for problem-solving during "boring" moments, when our brains are on autopilot. This is known as the Default Mode Network.

In this micro-episode:

1. Why "doing nothing" increases neurological activity
2. How the Default Mode Network helps you generate content topics (or solve business problems)
3. Research on how boring tasks improve creative ideas

Find more episodes and subscribe at stereoforest.com/minute.

Written, edited, and hosted by Jen deHaan.

Website and Contact at https://stereoforest.com/minute

Get StereoForest’s newsletter for podcasting resources at https://stereoforest.com/newsletter

Produced by StereoForest https://stereoforest.com

About Jen at https://jendehaan.com

1. Like this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://StereoForest.com/tips
2. We love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytz
3. We have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8ndd
4. Transcriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqk
5. Schedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link: https://f.mtr.cool/VZBOZR
6. Support the show and get creative templates and assets: https://share.uppbeat.io/p4od8inwhc2j

Host: Jen...

Many creators worry that scripting a solo show takes too much time, and that running and interview and chatting with a guest is easier, quicker, and ... better.

Interview shows actually carry a massive workload, like finding guests and coordinating schedules. You have to research what you should ask that guest for discuss, and help with (and pay for) remote recording tech. And then there's the ghosting.

In this micro-episode:

1. Overhead of running an interview show, and why solo/scripted might be more efficient for your business
2. Options for your show's overall formatting (strategy)

Find more episodes and subscribe at stereoforest.com/minute.

Written, edited, and hosted by Jen deHaan.

Website and Contact at https://stereoforest.com/minute

Get StereoForest’s newsletter for podcasting resources at https://stereoforest.com/newsletter

Produced by StereoForest https://stereoforest.com

About Jen at https://jendehaan.com

1. Like this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://StereoForest.com/tips
2. We love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytz
3. We have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8ndd
4. Transcriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqk
5. Schedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link: https://f.mtr.cool/VZBOZR
6. Support the show and get creative templates and assets: https://share.uppbeat.io/p4od8inwhc2j

Host: Jen deHaan is the founder of StereoForest. With a background of over 20 years in tech, education, & instructional design and 10 years in improv and performance, Jen brings systems and scientific approach to media production.

Jen's website:

This is one of the most common questions in the industry, and certainly the podcasting community. Audio podcasts remain really important to businesses, because they fit into a listener's life when their eyes are occupied. Are your eyes preoccupied right now? Oh I guess they are if you're reading this.

Moving on!

Video is an excellent asset if your main goal for your content/assets is building trust. This is particularly true if you sell expensive professional services. Video adds a layer of knowledge and connection that audio can't do on its own.

In this micro-episode:

1. Why audio is necessary and useful for your listener (or future client)
2. How video accelerates trust for your sales
3. Flexible strategies for adding video without committing to a full video podcast

Find more episodes and subscribe at stereoforest.com/minute.

Written, edited, and hosted by Jen deHaan.

Website and Contact at https://stereoforest.com/minute

Get StereoForest’s newsletter for podcasting resources at https://stereoforest.com/newsletter

Produced by StereoForest https://stereoforest.com

About Jen at https://jendehaan.com

1. Like this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://StereoForest.com/tips
2. We love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytz
3. We have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8ndd
4. Transcriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqk
5. Schedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link: https://f.mtr.cool/VZBOZR
6. Support the show and get creative templates and assets:

Public speaking training often teaches us to remove every filler word from our speech. Podcasters frequently ask in podcasting communities whether to delete every "um" or leave them in.

Psychology offers a different perspective for us on removing all these filler words through the "Pratfall Effect". This concept suggests that highly competent people become more relatable and likable when they make small mistakes because perfection creates something like a wall between you and your audience.

In this micro-episode:

1. How over-editing can lead to this "Uncanny Valley" effect
2. Why filler words can serve as processing signals for your listener
3. The risk of sounding too much like AI-generated content, because it's 2026

Find more episodes and subscribe at stereoforest.com/minute.

Written, edited, and hosted by Jen deHaan.

Website and Contact at https://stereoforest.com/minute

Get StereoForest’s newsletter for podcasting resources at https://stereoforest.com/newsletter

Produced by StereoForest https://stereoforest.com

About Jen at https://jendehaan.com

1. Like this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://StereoForest.com/tips
2. We love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytz
3. We have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8ndd
4. Transcriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqk
5. Schedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link: https://f.mtr.cool/VZBOZR
6. Support the show and get creative templates and assets:

You might think you nailed a recording until you listen to the playback. You immediately want to delete the file because you hear every breath and stumble.

This reaction is normal but often distorted. Two psychological concepts explain this phenomenon, which are the Beautiful Mess Effect (that suggests we view our own mistakes as weaknesses while others view them as strengths or courage) and the Construal Level Theory (that says we operate at a "low level" of detail while editing) while the listener operates at a "high level" and focuses on the words instead.

In this micro-episode:

1. Why you focus on "the bark" while your listener sees the forest (I live in a forest, so I always use this one!)
2. How over-editing breaths... pretty common... creates an "uncanny valley" effect
3. Practical tips to gain perspective before you edit

Find more episodes and subscribe at stereoforest.com/minute.

Written, edited, and hosted by Jen deHaan.

Website and Contact at https://stereoforest.com/minute

Get StereoForest’s newsletter for podcasting resources at https://stereoforest.com/newsletter

Produced by StereoForest https://stereoforest.com

About Jen at https://jendehaan.com

1. Like this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://StereoForest.com/tips
2. We love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytz
3. We have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8ndd
4. Transcriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqk
5. Schedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link: https://f.mtr.cool/VZBOZR
6. Support the show and get creative templates and assets:

Many podcasters fear that scripting their show will make them sound monotone or kinda robotic as a result. It's the worry that reading kills the natural vibe of a conversation.

The opposite is often true thought because scripting your episode (which includes using NOTES, doesn't have to be a full script especially after some practice) respects your audience's time because it prevents rambling and repetition. A well-planned script allows you to deliver dense and accurate info or ideas without getting lost in tangents that gets in the way of your message or the episode itself.

You can learn to read a script naturally with practice. Vocal prosody and reading techniques allow you to sound conversational while maintaining the precision of a written plan. This series will get into some of those specifics in future episodes.

In this micro-episode:

1. Why rambling impacts listener trust (and attention!)
2. How scripting helps you deliver more value and be efficient too
3. The difference between a helpful tangent and... a distracting one

Find more episodes and subscribe at stereoforest.com/minute.

Written, edited, and hosted by Jen deHaan.

Website and Contact at https://stereoforest.com/minute

Get StereoForest’s newsletter for podcasting resources at https://stereoforest.com/newsletter

Produced by StereoForest https://stereoforest.com

About Jen at https://jendehaan.com

1. Like this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://StereoForest.com/tips
2. We love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytz
3. We have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8ndd
4. Transcriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqk
5. Schedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link:

Many people assume starting a podcast means starting an interview show. This format has become synonymous with the medium itself, or at least it can feel that way in the podcasting communities.

The interview model is less effective today, particularly for businesses, because the market is crowded. One example of this is when guests perform a "circuit" where they repeat the same talking points on a dozen different shows (making your episode one of many similar conversations).

If your goal is to build trust with a potential client, an interview might not be the right tool. Clients want to know what you think and figure out if you can solve their problem.

In this micro-episode:

1. Why new podcasters are shifting toward solo formats
2. The difficulty of growing a generic interview show in a saturated market
3. Alternate options to the interview format

Mentioned in this episode: Independent Podcaster Report 2025

Find more episodes and subscribe at stereoforest.com/minute.

Written, edited, and hosted by Jen deHaan.

Website and Contact at https://stereoforest.com/minute

Get StereoForest’s newsletter for podcasting resources at https://stereoforest.com/newsletter

Produced by StereoForest https://stereoforest.com

About Jen at https://jendehaan.com

1. Like this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://StereoForest.com/tips
2. We love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytz
3. We have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8ndd
4. Transcriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqk
5. Schedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link:

Many professionals are stepping back from social media for their businesses today. Using it to compliment instead of the main place they publish new content, resources, or marketing materials. You need to know what options exist to replace that visibility if you choose to step back like this, because people still need to find you!

In this micro-episode:

1. The role of email newsletters in professional services marketing
2. Why search traffic indicates higher intent than social media traffic
3. How AI and LLMs are changing SEO for us (or, are they?)

You might find better ROI by investing in search-ranking assets like articles or podcast episodes that build relationships with the right people over time (more slowly). More on that during this week's episodes.

Resources mentioned: https://stereoforest.com/beyond-social-media-business-growth-strategies-that-work-for-professionals/

Find more episodes and subscribe at stereoforst.com/minute.

Written, edited, and hosted by Jen deHaan.

Website and Contact at https://stereoforest.com/minute

Get StereoForest’s newsletter for podcasting resources at https://stereoforest.com/newsletter

Produced by StereoForest https://stereoforest.com

About Jen at https://jendehaan.com

1. Like this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://StereoForest.com/tips
2. We love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytz
3. We have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8ndd
4. Transcriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqk
5. Schedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link: https://f.mtr.cool/VZBOZR