fAVORIte THINGS
I know it can feel overwhelming when you’re first exploring the gazillion tech and tools out there! Of course, there is no one solution that is perfect for anyone. But: I hope my curated list of what has worked best for me and the peeps I collaborate with gives you a good place to start!
Some of these are affiliate links, meaning we both benefit: you’ll usually get a free trial or similar as a thank you for using my link, and I get a small perk too. I of course personally use and recommend all these resources, so it’s a win-win!
I used this easy-to-use mic for years: Simply plug in via USB to your laptop and choose how many people will be speaking into it. If you want to upgrade, the Blue Yeti Pro also has an XLR connection.
Blue Yeti USB microphone
Recording Gear
Want to have a microphone that is more portable? Then the Zoom H5 is your best bet! It’s what I upgraded to when I wanted to be able to capture ambient sound on the go and not have to lug around my laptop to record interviews on location.
Zoom H5 mic digital recorder/microphone
A pop filter does just what it sounds like! It softens harsh sounds, like the one you make when you say “P”. I’m linking to the one I use here, but you can also DYI them!
InnoGear Microphone Pop Filter
Zencastr remote online recording
If you’re recording an interview or with a co-host not in the same location as you, Zencastr is a great tool to record online in studio quality. Simply send a link and receive a separate track per guest. They’ve got a free option which is enough for most newbie podcasters!
Software
Recording & Editing
Audacity recording & editing software
Audacity is a free and open-source digital audio editor and recording software. It’s a great place to start for free and has a ton of resources on how to edit & record.
Descript recording & editing software
Want to edit audio as easily as a word doc? Sounds like magic, but is actually possible with Descript! Upload media or record in Descript to instantly transcribe your file into text, then tweak the text to directly edit your media clips. Edit out filler words and silent gaps with a single click. Switching to Descript has saved me countless editing hours and boosted my quality in one fell swoop. Test it out for free:
Artlist music & sound effects
Are you a fellow podcaster or soon-to-be podcaster? Then you know that music and sound effects give your episodes that extra lil’ something to make them stand out. Finding great music and sound effects, though? Not that easy. I don’t know how many days I lost going through 765 options until I found THE ONE: Artlist.
They offer unlimited creative assets for content creators, including royalty-free music from world-class artists and super realistic sound effects. And if you’re a video person, they ALSO have beautiful stock footage, video editing software, and more. Check them out and get two extra free months on me:
With my marketing background, having a podcast host that is growth-oriented has been a dream – they make it easy to create sponsor kits, insert ads, and track clicks. Plus, it’s perfect for me as a serial podcaster because you can have as many podcasts as you want under one plan (even private ones!). Use this link for a 7-day free trial to check them out with no strings attached.
podcast hosting
get your 7-day free trial →
Not a design wiz? No worries! Get a beautiful podcast cover or other design done for you. I held a 99design contest to design the Pls Like Me podcast cover art (which is to die for!), but you can hold a contest to design a bunch of things – from a logo to packaging. Get $20 off your first contest by using this link:
Design
Want to create graphics and visuals (like your podcast’s cover art!) easy peasy but aren’t a professional designer? Cue Canva! With Canva, you can use a ton of different templates for all your design needs for free.
The best way to get people to tune in from social media is to give them a teaser of your episode! Headliner is a freemium tool that lets you create social media graphics with audio embedded – aka waveforms – perfect for sharing. Use the below link to get 2 free weeks of their Pro to try it out:
Confession: I was a lifelong WordPress user. But when it came time to create the Tell on Purpose website, going through the standard WordPress migraines was not only unappealing, but I simply didn’t have the time for it. Enter Showit: They have a true drag-and-drop interface ...no code required. Think creating your website like on Canva but with a powerful integration with WordPress (and a free blog migration). If you want complete creative control over how your website looks, use this link to get a one free month on me:
Every time an envy-worthy website came across my screen, the site credit read “Design by TONIC”. After drooling over their beautiful templates (and their genius copy, they’re storytelling masters!), I finally made the jump and bought one. And I can honestly say: I wish I had done it sooner. Fully customizable, gorgeous on any device, with a seamless Wordpress blog to match, and SEO power for days. No one will ever guess it wasn't custom designed just for you (because, honestly, it was). Go make your old website jealous and grab 15% off your new design (mine that you see in action here is Paper Plane):
Your story (and podcast if you have one!) needs a home on the web that you own. Hostinger is a great website hoster, and you'll get 20% off by using my link below.
Signing up to work with or by from you should be easy-peasy! That’s why I use ThriveCart: I can customize the whole checkout process (like adding testimonials), have super flexible pricing offers (including payment plans, subscriptions, pay what you want, and coupons), and it helps me grow with an integrated affiliate platform. They are offering a lifetime account for a limited time so grab it while you can:
website
Highly Recommended for your
ConvertKit email marketing software
If you’ve downloaded one of my free resources or subscribed to the Inside Story newsletter, you’ve come across how I use ConvertKit! ConvertKit is email marketing software for creators. What I love are their easy-to-create and beautiful sign-up forms, plus how I can set up automated emails and flows that still feel personal.
Perk for you: If you use my link below to sign up, I’ll send you a swipe file of my entire welcome series so you can build your own that connects & converts. Simply shoot me a message with the email you signed up with.
Want to take it to the next level and create a course like I have? With Thinkific, you can quickly and easily create online courses and membership sites that look great and are interactive. With the below link, you’ll also get a one month free on Pro+Growth.
Learning
Tech & courses for
Loving the thought of spending less time on social or - gasp - no time at all? Good news: It’s not just possible, but even profitable, to lessen your death grip on social media! When I decided to make the transition, one of the first things I did was turn to online business veteran - and social-media free entrepreneur - Leonie Dawson. She’s got a great - and inexpensive - course on Marketing Without Social Media that’ll give you 150 ways to market your biz off social:
One of the biggest things that kickstarts my creativity is being inspired by others – especially by seeing the gritty behind-the-scenes of their journey! If that sounds right up your alley, check out MasterClass. You get to learn straight from world-class instructors: From Roxane Gay teaching writing for social change to Issa Rae’s class on creating outside the lines. Fall in love with Masterclass like I have:
