The Top Podcasts for Building Your Personal Brand

Greetings and welcome to those who are new to LeapFrog Scientist!

Our goal is to foster a community of like-minded individuals sharing personal branding experiences and insights tailored for scientists that are trying to strengthen their brand presence.

Expanding on the theme of the article “Grow Your Brand in 5 Small Habits”, this post highlights my top podcast recommendations. These podcasts fall into 3 buckets.

• Podcasts to learn (“20% time”)

• Podcasts to communicate.

• Podcasts for building your peer circle.

I didn’t really start delving into podcasts until I needed extra study time for the DABT exam. Balancing a full-time job at a contract testing lab with being a single mom to two young kids, a dog, and two cats, along with all the other demands of life, left little room for downtime. So, I’d pop on a podcast while cooking dinner, tidying up, or driving around. The toxicology podcasts I’ll share weren’t just helpful for squeezing in more study time; they were also surprisingly entertaining and offered a way for me to carve out a bit of that elusive 20% time (though, let’s be honest, it was probably more like 5-10% during certain periods of my life).

What is 20% time?

Google popularized the concept in the early 2000s, encouraging employees to allocate 20% of their time to pursue projects they believed would benefit the company, fostering creativity and innovation. This principle extends beyond the workplace, applicable to your current job, a side hustle, or simply for personal growth.

Spending 20% of your time equates to dedicating 8 hours a week to discretionary pursuits, empowering individuals to proactively set their own agendas. If pursuing this outside of work, it may require finding up to 8 hours a week to commit. In my experience, my 20% time initially focused on DABT certification and learning marketing tools (such as creating carousels, webinars and thumbnails).

Whether you’re immersed in a graduate program, pursuing a certification, or delving into a niche area of study, podcasts offer a fantastic opportunity to supplement your learning with enjoyable content. Here are a few podcasts that I found both entertaining and invaluable for reinforcing toxicology DABT material, covering topics such as acetaminophen toxicity, arsenic poisoning, animal venoms, poisonous plants and heavy metals.

Here’s a few of my favorites.

Erin Welsh, PhD and Erin Allmann Updyke, MD, PhD are a one-two punch of infectious disease knowledge. They created the podcast as graduate students who were disenchanted with the insular world of academia to share their love of epidemics and weird medical mysteries with the world, and at the same time share cocktail recipes known as Quarantinis and Placeboritas. Just. Brilliant.

This podcast sparked my interest in the world of podcasts. If anyone out there shares the enthusiasm for creating a podcast with me, feel free to reach out!

A captivating podcast hosted by Clinical Toxicologist Ryan Feldman, PharmD, DABAT, where he delves into the world of poisonings from the perspective of those who treat them. He explores a range of topics including cyanide, pesticide poisoning, and a variety of other toxins, while also learning about effective treatment methods.

Kevin Shanks, a board-certified forensic toxicologist, takes you on a journey through the fascinating realm of forensic toxicology and chemistry. Through discussions on drugs, poisons, and forensic science in the context of current events and pop culture, explore intriguing topics such as carbon monoxide, oleander, and cyanide poisoning, gaining valuable insights and knowledge along the way.

Carving out time for your 20% time outside of work and childcare commitments can be a challenge, but perhaps you can begin by simply listening to a podcast or two. Here are some of my favorite podcasts on communication techniques, marketing and branding.

Matt Abrahams, a lecturer in strategic communication, sits down with experts to discuss public speaking anxiety, speaking off the cuff, nailing a Q&A, and more.

In episode 118: Maximizing Your Personal Brand: Communicating Who You Are to Help Get What You Want, Dorie Clark and Matt, discuss the power of personal branding. The focus is on being more strategic in how we communicate about ourselves and how we can shape the narrative of our lives. This is a great podcast for those of you who are struggling with a personal brand. They suggest asking the following questions:

Ask others how they think of you?

Who are you jealous of?

Who intrigues you?

The concept revolves around crafting a vision of your desired identity and drawing inspiration from others' experiences. It's not about imitation, as authenticity and your reputation ultimately play pivotal roles in shaping a standout personal brand.

They also advise strategic approaches such as offering services pro bono, which could involve trading services. For instance, they discuss exchanging their photography services for complimentary meals at restaurants. Additionally, they explore leveraging FOMO (fear of missing out) as a strategic tool.

Excel in your field of expertise. In the midst of the noise on social media platforms, where opinions are often formed after merely skimming a post or two, genuine expertise holds immense value in personal branding. However, you don't need to master everything; you just need to stay a step or two ahead of your audience.

Becoming a recognized authority in your field is key. The emphasis here is on "recognized." It's akin to the philosophical question about a tree falling in a forest—your expertise needs to be acknowledged and understood by others, demonstrating its value to them.

The 3 pillars of becoming a recognized expert are:

• Content Creation - Share ideas publicly.

• Network - An amplification device.

• Social Proof - You are easy to recognize. What clients are saying, are you on stages, writing articles?

Embrace your imperfections; they reveal the authentic you. Don't stress overachieving perfection. Striving for perfection can hinder progress. Instead, prioritize progress over perfection; aim for "good enough" rather than flawless.

Think Podcast is all about growing and scaling your business with online video and the show is dedicated to helping you learn how to get your content noticed. In episode 152: Personal Branding 101: Establish Yourself as a Leader in Your Industry, Heather talks with Pace Morby, professional real estate investor, entrepreneur, visionary.

A highly relatable narrative for those camera-shy individuals out there. Pace, once fearful of the camera, began sharing before-and-after pictures of his work on social media as an entrepreneur. Surprisingly, this simple act garnered attention and bolstered his personal brand. The crucial element? Not overthinking the posts; it was merely a lighthearted way to chronicle his journey. "I'm not the type of person that wants to attract attention, be in the spotlight," he confessed.

“Your vibe attracts your tribe”.

Share stories that resonate with the audience you aim to attract. Ever since I began posting regularly on LinkedIn, every job opportunity I've had since 2019 came from someone reaching out to me on the platform.

Whether you lean towards crafting written posts or producing videos on YouTube, the key is to begin. Many individuals falter due to mindset barriers, hesitating to hit the "post" or "record" button. Perhaps you struggle with imposter syndrome, feeling you lack comprehensive knowledge. Yet, even if you're just one chapter ahead of someone else, your insights hold significant value. Start by sharing information generously to aid others as much as possible.

The Copyblogger Podcast is a weekly show hosted by Tim Stoddart. Each week they host a cast of rotating experts that analyze content marketing, copywriting, email marketing, conversion optimization, mindset and much more.

In an interview with Lara Acosta, she reveals the secrets behind her rapid growth on LinkedIn.

According to Lara, the cornerstone of her success lies in community building and networking. She emphasizes the importance of forging genuine connections and nurturing relationships, contrasting this approach with the impersonal nature of Instagram and its faceless followers. Lara underscores the significance of engaging with people, sharing personal experiences, and creating emotional connections.

She asserts that it's not just about your knowledge base, but also your personality that sets you apart and makes you uniquely standout in the online sphere.

Packed with wisdom, insights, and valuable lessons, this podcast is a peer in its own right. While I may not have much time to network in person and find my peer circle, I make a conscious effort to surround myself with voices that inspire me to pursue my aspirations. Alex discusses the importance of mastering the grind and emphasizes the necessity of prioritizing goal achievement, even if it entails making sacrifices and enduring criticism from others who may deem it boring. Other topics covered include selecting your niche, mastering your behavior, harnessing the power of focus and strategy, and unlocking your full potential.

I hope that these podcast recommendations have inspired you to listen and discover a world of knowledge, inspiration, and community, to propel your scientific branding journey.

Don’t forget, it’s the small consistent steps that pave the way for great things.

Thanks for reading and I hope you found value and motivation to begin your personal brand journey. If you liked this post, please share with a friend and don’t forget to join for free to get the latest posts direct to your inbox.

Chat soon,

Bonnie