Cathy Heller: Do What You Love | E73

Podcast Summary

• From listener praise to valuable insights from successful guests: Everyone faces challenges, but with determination, empathy, and a focus on creating value, one can overcome obstacles and achieve success.

  Everyone's journey to success is non-linear and filled with challenges, even those who seem to have it all. As Hala shared, she receives numerous positive reviews from listeners, and one stood out from Joel Corpus, who praised the smooth transition between topics and the value created in each episode. Hala and her team strive to deliver actionable advice on Young and Profiting Podcast, featuring guests like Cathy Heller, the host of Apple's top podcast, Don't Keep Your Day Job. Cathy shared her own experiences, emphasizing that everyone goes through hardships, and it's essential to remember that a lack of resources is not an excuse to abandon your dreams. Radical empathy and creating value for others are at the core of every business, and Kathy manages to make millions while working only 4 hours a day. Ultimately, the key takeaway is that everyone faces challenges, and with determination, empathy, and a focus on creating value, one can overcome obstacles and achieve success.

• From Adversity to Success: The Power of Determination and Resilience: Determination and resilience can help turn dreams into reality, even when faced with adversity. Don't give up on your passions, stay true to yourself, and keep pushing forward.

  Determination and resilience can help turn dreams into reality, even when faced with adversity. The speaker shared her personal story of growing up in a challenging environment and wanting to escape through music. She moved to LA, wrote songs, and eventually secured a record deal with Interscope Records. However, she was later dropped from the label and had to find alternative ways to sustain herself. Despite being told to give up and get a "practical" job, she refused to accept that unhappiness was a necessary part of adulthood. Instead, she tried various jobs but none fulfilled her creatively. Eventually, she found success in radio, starting with a job at Hot 97 and eventually leading to her current podcast. The speaker's story highlights the importance of staying true to oneself and not giving up on dreams, even when faced with setbacks.

• Aligning career with passions and values: Explore alternative paths, ask new questions, and pursue a career aligned with your passions and values to find a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

  It's important to align your career with your passions and values, even if it means taking risks and making sacrifices. The speaker shared her experience of feeling unfulfilled in a high-paying job in real estate, despite her success, because it wasn't in line with who she was. She realized that the greatest regret of the dying is not living life on their terms, and she decided to quit and pursue a career in music, which she had always loved. She encourages listeners to explore alternative paths and ask new questions, rather than feeling trapped by traditional notions of success. The opposite of depression, she notes, is not happiness, but a sense of purpose. So, if you're feeling unfulfilled or out of alignment, consider what you can do to find your sense of purpose and make a difference in the world.

• Focusing on licensing music leads to unexpected opportunities: Determination and networking can lead to unexpected opportunities in the music industry, even without a traditional record deal. Trust the process and serve the world with your talents.

  Persistence and networking can lead to unexpected opportunities in the music industry, even without a traditional record deal. The speaker shares her experience of focusing on licensing her music to TV shows and commercials, which took 18 months and left her nearly broke. However, her determination paid off when she finally secured her first license and received a significant payment. This success opened doors to more opportunities, leading her to write music for various TV shows and eventually start her own agency to help other artists. Despite her initial reluctance, she discovered the fulfillment of serving the world through her talents and expertise. The story is a reminder that our identities can be more complex than we think, and trusting the process can lead to unexpected but rewarding outcomes.

• Undervaluing your expertise can lead to opportunities: Undervaluing your skills and knowledge can lead to unexpected opportunities and income. Don't hesitate to share them with others.

  Underestimating the demand for your expertise and knowledge can lead to significant opportunities. The speaker, who initially thought she wouldn't be able to create an online class due to her lack of experience in that area, was encouraged by a listener to do so. Skeptical at first, she was surprised by the overwhelming response and the potential income she could generate. This experience inspired her to continue expanding her offerings, including starting a podcast, which eventually led to a book deal. The moral of the story is that there is always a market for valuable information and skills, and taking the leap to share them with others can lead to unexpected success.

• From passion project to profitable business: Determination, learning from mistakes, and staying true to your dreams can turn a passion project into a profitable business. Try new things, follow your passion, and invest wisely to grow your wealth.

  Persistence and resourcefulness can turn a passion project into a profitable business. The speaker shares her journey from struggling to write a book to launching successful online courses, podcasts, and real estate ventures. She emphasizes the importance of trying new things, even if you don't know how to do them perfectly, and following your passion to achieve success. Additionally, she stresses the importance of investing wisely to grow your wealth and keep track of your investments using tools like Yahoo Finance. Overall, her story highlights the power of determination, learning from mistakes, and staying true to your dreams.

• Key to Success: Enthusiasm, Courage, and Radical Empathy: Embrace imperfection, stay persistent, and prioritize serving others to achieve success in business

  Enthusiasm, courage, and radical empathy are key to success. Enthusiasm magnetizes others to us, courage allows us to iterate and learn from failures, and radical empathy helps us understand how we can serve and add value to others. Remember, it's not about perfection, but rather about taking messy action and staying persistent. The most successful people are those who are unafraid to be imperfect and keep pushing forward. Additionally, it's essential to recognize the difference between a hobby and a business, as the latter is about meeting the needs and wants of others. Embrace these principles, and you'll be on the path to mastery and making a positive impact on the world.

• Building authentic connections in business: Focus on people's needs to build successful relationships and businesses. Be resourceful and persistent in pursuing opportunities.

  Empathy and building authentic connections are crucial in business. The speaker shares how she was initially hesitant to teach others but was inspired by their feedback and need for her skills. She discovered that people deeply desire to be seen and valued, and by focusing on their needs, she was able to build successful relationships and businesses. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of asking potential clients what they want and being resourceful in pursuing opportunities. An example she gives is her persistence in trying to license her music, despite initial rejections. By refusing to accept rejection as an obstacle, she was able to make valuable connections and build a successful career. Overall, the speaker's message is that business is about relationships and understanding the unique needs of others, rather than just numbers or transactions.

• Creating Authentic Connections in the Music Industry: Making deposits in relationships through creativity and resourcefulness can lead to successful collaborations. Persistently engage in meaningful conversations to build a strong community.

  Building meaningful relationships is crucial for success in both personal and professional contexts. The speaker shares her experience of delivering coffee and music to 26 music industry professionals as a way to initiate connections and eventually secure work opportunities. She emphasizes the importance of making deposits in relationships before asking for favors or seeking help. The speaker's creativity and resourcefulness in executing her idea, which included sending personalized emails with a PDF image, led to successful collaborations. Additionally, her concept of deep engagement involves having 10 Instagram conversations daily with her audience to foster genuine connections and build a strong community. Overall, this story highlights the power of authentic connections and the importance of being persistent and creative in building relationships.

• Depth of relationships matters more than numbers: Focus on building genuine relationships and providing valuable experiences rather than chasing numbers

  While numbers like followers or course sales may seem impressive, the depth of relationships and connections made is more valuable. Having a large following without meaningful engagement is not as special as having a smaller, more intimate audience who deeply connects with your content or services. People often underestimate the power of word-of-mouth and the impact of strong relationships. When it comes to selling courses or services, it's not about selling a product, but rather providing accountability and implementation support. This is why coaching or personalized guidance adds value. Instead of focusing on numbers, prioritize building genuine relationships and providing valuable experiences.

• Mentorship leads to significant growth: Investing in personal development programs with mentors leads to valuable feedback, energy, and confidence, surpassing self-paced learning. Sharing valuable content for free builds a strong brand and audience.

  Investing in personal development programs with hands-on guidance and accountability from experienced mentors can lead to significant growth and transformation, surpassing the value of self-paced learning. The presence of a mentor provides valuable feedback, energy, and confidence that goes beyond the information exchanged, making it a worthwhile investment. Additionally, giving away valuable content for free can help build a strong brand, audience, and fanbase, making it a win-win situation for both parties. The future of education may shift towards apprenticeships and mentorships as traditional education becomes less effective, and starting a podcast is an excellent way to learn and share knowledge with a wide audience.

• Exploring new opportunities for business growth through podcasting and e-commerce: Starting a podcast or using a platform like Shopify can lead to valuable learning experiences and sales opportunities. Focus on a specific niche, learn from mentors, and work efficiently to achieve success.

  Creating and growing a business can be achieved through various means, and starting a podcast or using a platform like Shopify can provide valuable opportunities for learning and selling. The speaker shares his experience of interviewing influential figures on his show and starting a LinkedIn Secrets Masterclass on Shopify. He emphasizes the ease of entry into podcasting and selling online, as well as the benefits of focusing on a specific niche and learning from mentors. Furthermore, the speaker shares his perspective on working efficiently and effectively, stating that being successful means working smarter, not harder. This can lead to a more balanced workday, even with multiple projects. Overall, the discussion encourages listeners to explore new avenues for personal and professional growth.

• Providing value to a dedicated audience: Success comes from building deep relationships and consistently providing value to a smaller audience, rather than trying to reach a large following all at once.

  Building a successful business or career doesn't necessarily mean working long hours every day. Instead, it's about intentionally building relationships and providing value to a dedicated audience. The speaker shares her experience of going from making $300,000 to $400,000 a year in the music industry to making multimillions by teaching classes and building a following. She emphasizes that success isn't about having a huge following or making a big splash all at once, but rather about consistently providing value to a smaller, dedicated audience. She encourages starting small and focusing on building deep relationships with a few people, rather than trying to reach a large audience all at once. She also emphasizes the importance of working smart, such as finding one big client instead of trying to sell to hundreds of individuals. The speaker's story demonstrates that success is within reach for anyone who is willing to put in the effort to build relationships and provide value to a dedicated audience.

• Focus on strategies with large impact, not just long hours: Believe in what you're doing, network, pitch, leverage online platforms, and seize opportunities to reach a larger audience and make a significant impact.

  Being smart in business means focusing on strategies that can reach a larger audience and make a significant impact, rather than working long hours with limited reach. This can involve networking, pitching to larger companies, and leveraging online platforms to connect with potential customers. Courage is also essential in entrepreneurship, as having the confidence to sell one's product or service is key to success. The story of Jenny, who built a successful vegan food business by getting into delis and chains, illustrates this concept. Similarly, the speaker's experience of building a widget and expanding its reach demonstrates the importance of thinking big and being resourceful. Ultimately, the key to profiting in life is to believe in what one is doing and seize opportunities to share it with others.

• Choose to believe in possibility: Believe in possibility, do the hard work, and watch personal growth and transformation unfold.

  Settling for less in all areas of life is a disservice to oneself. This can manifest in accepting subpar relationships, jobs, or environments. Successful people, on the other hand, see opportunities and possibilities, and refuse to put ceilings on their potential. They are vulnerable, empathetic, and resourceful. The biggest payoff to pushing through resistance and doing the hard work is personal growth and transformation. It's not about the external rewards, but rather who you become in the process. So, instead of waiting and deciding that nothing will happen, choose to be messy, believe in possibility, and watch what unfolds. As Kathy inspiringly put it, "Our job is to do the darn thing. Let him take care of what comes of it."

• Discovering Joy in Challenging Times through Work: Through her podcast interviews with successful figures, Kathy Heller inspires listeners to explore their career dreams and find joy in their work. Take her free quiz on kathyheller.com for guidance.

  Kathy Heller, the host of the number one Apple Podcast "Don't Keep Your Day Job," shared her personal experience of going through tough times but finding joy in her work, especially through her podcast interviews with notable figures like Malcolm Gladwell, Rob Lowe, Jason Mraz, Ali Webb, Mark Manson, Bobby Brown, and Mandy Moore. She encourages listeners to explore their career dreams through a free quiz on her website, kathyheller.com. Her podcast is a valuable resource for those seeking inspiration and guidance in their professional lives. To learn more about Kathy and her work, follow her on Instagram @cathy.heller or check out her podcast and website. Don't forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite platform to support the creators.