Ray Edwards Show

The Boredom Trap: Why You Quit Right Before It Works I sat down with Robert Plank — longtime podcaster, host of Marketer of the Day, and a man with more than 1,600 episodes behind him — to talk about why podcasting still works as a growth strategy for thought leaders, and why most people abandon it right about the time it starts paying. I include myself in that indictment. We also got practical about using AI without surrendering your voice, and how a podcast quietly builds relationships, referrals, and opportunities that no ad campaign can buy.Robert's "Done For You Podcasting" Service: https://www.dfypodcast.com/ Timestamps 00:00 — I introduce Robert Plank and his podcasting mission 02:14 — Why podcasting is still the best place to start a platform 03:08 — Why interviews feel more alive than solo monologues 04:20 — The boredom trap, and why your audience is always behind you 05:47 — Consistency, routines, and showing up on schedule 08:08 — Changing tactics without abandoning your strategy 09:05 — Why AI-generated content so often feels fake 10:54 — What good AI-assisted filmmaking and writing can look like 12:09 — Human judgment, cleanup, and the "AI pass" 13:36 — Using AI drafts while protecting your own voice 14:37 — Why you still have to review the output 15:48 — What 1,600+ episodes actually teach you 16:16 — The structure that makes interviews easier and better 18:40 — The relationship value that lives outside the interview 19:22 — Using podcasting to land one client instead of chasing vanity metrics 20:49 — Pre-calls, post-calls, and deliberate follow-up 22:33 — Why podcast relationships turn into real opportunities 24:13 — Shallow interviews versus true connection 25:28 — Letting referrals happen instead of forcing the sale 26:26 — What to do if your last podcast attempt flopped 27:05 — Why podcasting is easier now than it's ever been 28:02 — Reconnecting with old contacts and preserving good conversations 30:03 — Why recording video is worth it even with a simple setup 31:41 — How video deepens relationships over time 32:28 — The discipline of actually listening to your guest 33:54 — Why good banter makes a show worth hearing 34:11 — Robert's done-for-you podcasting service 35:24 — What his team handles behind the scenes 36:09 — My closing endorsement of Robert Quote I keep coming back to "Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently." — Henry Ford What I'd do with this Treat your podcast as a relationship-building tool, not a broadcast channel. Hold your core strategy steady long enough to actually see results. If you use AI, review and refine it until it sounds like a human wrote it — because one should have. Build a simple interview structure so your guest relaxes and the conversation stays on the rails. Follow up after the episode. The real value usually shows up after you stop recording. Repurpose every recording into video, audio, clips, and posts. One conversation, many assets. Reach back out to people you've lost touch with. A podcast is a great excuse to revive a relationship worth having.

In this episode, Michael Hyatt shares how AI is transforming productivity and leadership, emphasizing the importance of working according to your design and becoming an AI architect to enhance capacity and fulfillment. Key Topics AI as a tool for productivity and fulfillment Training AI to work for you, not against you Using AI to analyze websites and improve conversions Personality assessments and the MAPS profile Aligning work with your natural wiring and passions The concept of the desire zone and drudgery zone Building startups with AI on a bootstrap budget The importance of working according to your design Chapters 00:00 Introduction and guest background 00:31 Michael Hyatt's life philosophy and sabbatical practice 01:41 AI as a tool for increasing productivity and human flourishing 02:58 Training AI to handle routine tasks and email management 04:33 Using Claude AI for workflow automation and website optimization 06:57 Training AI to respond in your voice and style 08:55 AI's impact on team capacity and leadership 11:02 Displacement fears and the opportunity to become an AI user 11:58 Starting with AI: experimentation and startup opportunities 13:56 AI transforming business operations and outsourcing 16:02 Reflective thinking and AI analysis of websites 17:01 Creating and building websites with AI 18:52 AI in digital marketing and the newsletter offering 20:29 New project: The MAPS profile for personality assessment 22:00 Understanding yourself through AI-driven personality synthesis 24:02 Using personality insights to improve team dynamics 26:02 Working according to your design and the desire zone 28:04 Conclusion: working in your strength and fulfillment

In this episode, Raleigh Norton shares his incredible story of a skydiving accident (just a few months ago!), the lessons learned from adversity, and how intentional mindset shifts can transform your life and business. Discover insights on mastering craft, the importance of a clear 'why,' and navigating AI's impact on creativity.  00:00 The Skydiving Incident: A Life-Changing Experience 06:16 Lessons Learned from Adversity12:50 Raleigh Norton's Journey: From Hawaii to Scaling.com19:56 The Importance of a Proper 'Why' in Business 27:29 Transformative Mindsets: Learning from Life's Challenges 37:17 Transforming Challenges into Opportunities 38:05 Navigating the AI Landscape 39:58 AI's Dual Nature: Shadow and Light 44:38 The Role of Human Creativity in an AI World 50:19 Mastering Craft in the Age of AI 57:23 Building in Doses: The Path to Mastery 01:05:08 Believing in Your Potential CONNECT ON SOCIAL → instagram |   / rayedwards    → facebook |   / rayedwardsonline    → twitter |   / rayedwards   → tiktok | http://tiktok.com/therayedwards → linkedin |   / therayedwards    THE AUDIO PODCAST 🎧 The Ray Edwards Podcast |https://rayedwardspodcast.com  Subscribe for all the new videos from Ray | https://www.youtube.com/user/RayEdwar...  - My NEW book: Read This or Die! Persuade Yourself to a Better Life | https://amzn.to/40X32s8 My COPYWRITING Book: How to Write Copy That Sells | http://amzn.to/2BSgrc9 W A T C H M O R E HOW PROSPERITY HELPS EVERYONE:    • How Prosperity Helps Everyone   5 REASONS YOU AREN'T GETTING THINGS DONE:    • 5 Reasons You Aren't Getting Things Done   HOW TO GET OUT OF OVERWHELM    • How to Get Out of Overwhelm  

Join Ray Edwards and Joe Barton as they explore faith, entrepreneurship, health, and the transformative power of trusting God through life's challenges. And yes - the $30M sales letter will be revealed! (Or is it - the $100M sales letter???). Discover how faith influences business decisions, health journeys, and personal growth in this inspiring conversation. CHAPTERS 01:14 Meet Joe Barton: A Journey of Faith and Family 03:02 The Birth of Barton Publishing and Its Success 06:08 From Ladybugs to Kidney Stones: The Start of a Business 09:01 Faith and Entrepreneurship: A Divine Connection 11:52 Health Challenges and Personal Growth 1 4:54 Childhood Context: A Story of Healing and Faith 23:41 The Impact of Family and Faith on Business 26:33 Current Business Landscape and Future Aspirations 30:35 Navigating Affiliate Marketing and E-commerce Challenges 33:52 The Impact of Advertising Changes on Business 38:19 Facing Financial Hardships and Tough Decisions 40:37 Shifting Perspectives on Business and Life 49:02 The Responsibilities of Wealth and Generosity 54:04 Building Temple: A New Venture in Health and Faith   Barton Publishing - https://bartonpublishing.com/ Build Templ: Let Your Training Be Worship - https://buildtempl.com/   CONNECT WITH JOE BARTON ON SOCIAL → LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joebarton → Twitter - https://twitter.com/joebarton → Website - https://www.joebarton.com   CONNECT WITH RAY ON SOCIAL → instagram | http://instagram.com/rayedwards → facebook | http://facebook.com/rayedwardsonline → twitter | http://twitter.com/rayedwards → tiktok | http://tiktok.com/therayedwards → linkedin | http://linkedin.com/in/therayedwards  LISTEN TO THE AUDIO PODCAST 🎧 The Ray Edwards Podcast | https://rayedwardspodcast.com Subscribe for all the new videos from Ray | https://www.youtube.com/user/RayEdwardsTV?sub_confirmation=1 - My NEW book: Read This or Die! Persuade Yourself to a Better Life | https://amzn.to/40X32s8 My COPYWRITING Book: How to Write Copy That Sells | http://amzn.to/2BSgrc9 W A T C H M O R E HOW PROSPERITY HELPS EVERYONE: https://youtu.be/NhDLNJjxfkY 5 REASONS YOU AREN'T GETTING THINGS DONE: https://youtu.be/ztREI-7Jn5k HOW TO GET OUT OF OVERWHELM https://youtu.be/EOD7sdBP-Ws ___ S N A I L M A I L Ray Edwards Ray Edwards International, Inc 2910 E 57th Ave Ste 5 PMB 330 Spokane, WA 99223 Inquiries | [email protected] ___ W E L C O M E Welcome to the Ray Edwards Podcast and YouTube Channel. We are here to help you write the "words that sell". Sell more of your products, services, and ideas. My name is Ray Edwards, and I'm the author of How to Write Copy That Sells. I'm also an internationally-recognized public speaker, entrepreneur and marketing strategist. Discover more details at https://rayedwards.com/about/ Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for regular (FREE) videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/RayEdwardsTV?sub_confirmation=1 - DISCLOSURE: Thank you for trusting me to bring you truthful and reliable opinions on any products I recommend. I always disclose affiliate or sponsored information - to be safe, just assume I stand to benefit from any recommendations I make. As a friend, you permit me to earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my affiliate/referral links. This doesn't affect you in any way in the checkout process (unless I've arranged a discount for you). Thank you for supporting this channel!

How Going Broke Made Me Rich A while back, I lost everything. Not "everything" the way people say it after a rough quarter. I mean I opened my banking app one day and saw a number with no digits in front of the decimal. Zero. The kind of zero that makes you sit very still for a minute. I'd been earning a million dollars a year. And then I wasn't earning anything at all. Here's the strange part, and it's the reason for this post and the episode it goes with: losing it might be the best thing that ever happened to me. If you've ever been afraid of losing what you've built — or you're in the middle of losing it right now — stay with me. "The recent unpleasantness" I've started calling it that, with a little wink, "the recent unpleasantness" (what's that movie? Anyone know?). It began with Parkinson's. Then the pandemic, which was not a gentle season for anyone running a business. Then shoulder surgery. Then brain surgery — and I want you to notice I just dropped "brain surgery" in next to "shoulder surgery" like I was listing errands. Add a few business decisions I'd love to have back, some personal ones I'd file in the same drawer, medical bills that arrived looking like phone numbers, and overhead that had grown to the size of a small kingdom. Underneath all of it, quietly, a crisis of faith. Not a wobble. A genuine dark night of the soul, the kind St. John of the Cross wrote about, where God seems to have left the room and shut the door, and you stand in the dark wondering if any of it was ever real.  At the bottom of it, I declared bankruptcy. I'm not telling you this to perform my suffering. I'm not complaining. We're rebuilding, and I'm a new man — by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I mean that as plainly as I can say it. So here's the question I had to ask myself. When I say going broke made me rich, is that just a clever line? A copywriter's sleight of hand? Or can a man say a thing like that and be telling the truth? It's true. Here's how. What was actually load-bearing When you get stripped all the way down, you find out what was holding the house up. I'd built a life with a lot of stuff in it. Income. Status. A reputation in my corner of the marketing world. The comfort of knowing the bills were handled and then some. None of that is wrong. I'm not here to tell you money is the problem and poverty is the cure — that's a sermon people preach when they've never actually been broke, and it's nonsense. What happened was simpler. Everything that wasn't essential got taken away, and I was left holding only what was. And the list of things that are truly essential turns out to be far shorter than the list of things I'd convinced myself I couldn't live without. Corrie Ten Boom said it better than I can: you don't learn that Jesus is all you need until the day He's all you have.  I used to read that as a needlepoint-pillow kind of line. Then I lived it, and it stopped being a pillow and became the floor I was standing on. Because when you've got nothing left but God, you find out fast whether God is enough. He is. Not because I read it somewhere — because I tested it against the wall, with nothing to fall back on, and it held. What grew in the low place I spent a lot of that season on my knees. I mean that literally, not as a figure of speech. Some mornings I was flat on my face on the floor, talking to God. Sometimes not even talking. Just there. Out of words, out of plans, out of the energy it takes to keep pretending you've got it handled. And in that low place, things grew that had never had room before. Real humility — the kind that comes from running out of options and realizing you were never as in control as you thought. A habit of seeking God's will before a decision instead of after, when I just needed Him to bless what I'd already chosen. A patience I did not previously possess; ask anyone who knew me in the old days. I became a better husband, a better parent, a better friend, a better follower of Jesus. Not better than you, or anybody — better than the man I used to be. That's the only fair comparison there is. And the new one is a better creature. A reborn one. That's not a marketing claim. It's a report from the field. A different kind of builder I'm rebuilding the business now, with a few good people helping me, and it's going well. But it's going well in a completely different way. Before, I built fast and big. I added overhead like it was a hobby. If something looked like it might work, I threw money and people at it and sorted the details later. This time it's slow, methodical, almost annoyingly careful. Not because I've gotten timid — because I've become a different kind of business person. The fast-and-big version of me was running on a need to prove something, to be impressive, to outrun a fear I couldn't have named at the time. That guy got retired during the unpleasantness, and the fellow who replaced him builds differently. Going back through my old courses and trainings as part of the rebuild, I found most of it was sound. Well-built. Stuff I can stand behind. I'll say that carefully, because there's a version of it that's just bragging in modest clothing. I'm not proud of the work. I'm pleased by it — and there's a difference. Proud takes credit and puffs up. Pleased just looks at the thing honestly and notices the foundation's still square. The shortcut Here's where I land the plane. Some of us are slow students. I'll put myself first in that line. Apparently I'm the kind of student who needs the painful version of the lesson — going broke financially, physically, spiritually, getting taken all the way down to the studs before I'll finally surrender to God's will. That's how I learned it. The hard way. The expensive way. It doesn't have to be that way for you. You could skip all of it and go straight to the mercy seat. Straight to surrender and humility and trust, and find the freedom there before the tragedy ever shows up. The lesson is available without the tuition I paid. I had to lose everything to learn God was enough. You could simply decide He's enough today — on a perfectly ordinary Tuesday, business intact, bank balance healthy, nothing dramatic happening at all. Surrender now, while it's a choice, instead of later, when it's the only option left. That's the shortcut, and it's a real one. So if everything's going fine and you've been holding God at arm's length because you don't feel like you need Him at the moment — go to your knees anyway. Not out of crisis. Out of wisdom. Get there the easy way. And if you're in the dark right now, door shut, God seemingly gone from the room, hear this from somebody who's been exactly where you are: He hasn't left. It feels like it. I know. But the floor is still there in the dark. I found it. It held me. It'll hold you. Going broke made me rich. I mean that every way it can be meant. I lost the money and found the things money was always a substitute for, and knowing what I know now, I wouldn't trade back. This is the written companion to this week's episode of The Ray Edwards Show. If it landed, go listen to the full conversation — and then go do the thing only you can do. And remember whose you are.