So, that escalated quickly!
Today, 13th July 2017, the MeaningfulMoney Podcast surpassed one million total downloads. I know that's a big number because I speak to other podcasters all the time. For a UK-based show, where the market for podcasts is a fraction of that in the US, this is a big deal.
Needless to say, I'm deeply humbled that anyone would deem my audio musings worthy of their time. Podcast stats are very light on detail, so I've no idea how many actual subscribers I have, or how many of the delivered MP3 files (for that is what a podcast essentially is) are opened and listened to.
But I do know that the daily feedback via email and iTunes reviews is my oxygen. So many of you take the time to encourage me, call me out on things you disagree with (not often!), and thank me, that I know you're out there. Many of you share your stories of how you have transformed your financial futures by implementing some of the stuff I bang on about on the show. Let's be clear though – YOU have done the real work, not me. But it's a privilege to have been a part of the inspiration. Here's one of my favourite emails from MonopolySi:
To give you a bit more background, this was where my girlfriend and I were 3 years ago when I started listening to the podcast:
- Combined student debts of c. £14k
- 2 overdrafts of c. £4k •3 credit cards of c. £5k
- No insurance
- No emergency fund
- £0 in pensions
- £0 in savings
- No plan. No direction. No hope.
Since listening to the teachings of the Prophet Matthew, this is where we are today:
- Cleared all our debts
- Credit cards chopped into pieces
- Just bought a flat in London a couple of months ago
- 2 pensions we pay into every month
- S&S ISAs we pay into every month
- An emergency fund
- Life insurance and income protection (working on critical illness)
- We have wills!! Actual wills.
- A ‘Short-Term Fun Fund’ we pay into every month for holidays/Christmas etc
Thanks again for everything you have done for us.
YES!! THAT's why I get behind the mic each week, after having laboured over the writing and editing. We simply don't teach good financial control at school, college or university, to the extent that people need to understand it in an ever-changing world.
What's next?
So where from here? Well, one million is just a number, no big deal. Business as usual continues, and an inbetweenisode with my buddy Russ Haworth will be ready to go next Wednesday morning.
The most exciting thing in the works is my first book, which will be published by Harriman House early next year, all being well. Very soon I'll have a holding page ready so you can sign up to be kept informed and maybe even join the launch team. I want to smash the Amazon best-seller lists and I'll need your help to do it. Weird how I'm already thinking about marketing the book and the damn thing isn't even written yet!
I want to do more video; the medium where it all began back in April 2010. Video takes time, and that's something I'm fairly short of as we're now so busy at Jacksons. But hey, sleep is for wimps, right?!
A brief aside: it's interesting to note that I passed half a million downloads back in May last year, so it took three and a half years to get the first half-million, and just over one year to get the next. How long until two million, d'you reckon?
Thank you to…
Roger, Chas, Mike and all the team at Jacksons Wealth for giving me the space to follow this weird path. We need to talk about a sabbatical…
Tom, Justin, Verona, Jane, Stewart, George and all the amazing people at Seven Investment Management for sponsoring me since episode 100 of the videos, and every single podcast episode. They've been helping me out for over six years now, and I couldn't have got this far without them. They are a firm with a unique culture in the financial world, and they do great work
Chris, Andy and Richard – my mastermind buddies who hold me to account in the best way possible; with patience, care and support. They're all accomplishing big things too, and I'm so proud to be a part of that group.
The squad at the Content Marketing Academy – the most genuine bunch of business-folk I've ever had the pleasure to meet. If you have any message to share or cause to promote, you need to be a part of this community. Special thanks to Col Gray of Pixels Ink for the artwork he ‘knocked together' for this post – much appreciated, dude.
Each and every one of my wonderful listeners, who have downloaded and heard at least one episode in the past nearly five years of podcasting. Thank you for the wonderful feedback and encouragement.
And last but most importantly, Joanne, Ellie and Kate, my ever-patient girls and chief cheerleaders, who often have to ‘keep it down a bit' if I'm recording at home. I love you all very much – you're the whole point of this, you know.
And you – thanks for reading this. Now, get back to whatever it was you were doing before I distracted you!
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