Episodi

  • Finding Clarity After Burnout: My 9 Year Entrepreneurial Story

    Finding Clarity After Burnout: My 9 Year Entrepreneurial Story
    May 24 2024

    I get real about my burnout after finally achieving what I had worked for over the past decade. I had a family with three kids, paid off all my debt, and was running multiple successful businesses, but hit a wall.

    My story starts five years ago with the launch of SwitchPod on Kickstarter, where we raised over $400,000. Despite this success, personal challenges arose, like expecting our first child and balancing business with family life. The pandemic also hit and I had to quickly pivot my businesses without being able to travel.

    I talk about the craziness of 2022, juggling my biggest client project to date and the demands of a growing family, including newborn twins. Even though things were headed in the right direction professionally, a fallout with a major client led to a big loss of planned income, which also felt like a huge betrayal.

    During this time, I also faced personal setbacks, like a failed house purchase. With savings but no clear direction, I drifted and eventually sought therapy to process my emotions and past experiences. Therapy was transformative, helping me gain clarity and closure.

    After a year of reflection and support, I’ll share how I recovered from burnout and I hope this episode encourages you if you’re currently stuck in a velvet rut like I was.

    0:00 - It felt like a finish line
    1:05 - Let's go back to 2019
    4:34 - My busiest year ever in 2022
    6:56 - Client & subcontractor drama
    8:56 - What was I going to do next?
    10:36 - Drifting & procrastination
    11:11 - Seeking escape & therapy
    13:02 - Solid inner tube metaphor
    14:19 - Figuring out what was next
    16:03 - Anti-famous
    17:14 - Teasing the next episodes

    To learn more about me and what I offer, go to CalebWojcik.com. Cheers.
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    20 min
  • What to Expect from Couch to $500K

    What to Expect from Couch to $500K
    May 15 2024

    I'm excited to be back behind the microphone again after a long hiatus. The show will start with just me solo for a bit, but I plan to bring guests in from time to time too. I'll tell stories of failure and success. I will share real numbers and statistics. I'll laugh, but try not to cry.

    Next week, I’ll share my story of burning out and how I ended up on the hypothetical “couch” that I’m alluding to with the title of the show.

    But for now, here's a bit of behind the scenes on why I took a break from podcasting and why I'm back at it.

    0:00 - Shifting Towards Documenting
    4:09 - My History with Podcasting
    8:50 - What to Expect from this Podcast

    To learn more about me and what I offer, go to CalebWojcik.com. Cheers.
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    11 min
  • 2020 Annual Review

    2020 Annual Review
    Mar 11 2021
    #101 - At the end of every year I do an annual review and usually publish them too (like I did in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2018).And yes, I'm finally publishing this review in March because I took time off during Christmas break and played Playstation. That's the honest truth.The year before last, 2019, ended up being one of the biggest years of change or growth I’ve had since I started working for myself full-time because of SwitchPod’s Kickstarter launch and having our first child, but I didn’t make the time to create a public annual review. I could blame it having a two month old baby with colic, but really I was just taking any extra downtime then to catch up on sleep or urgent work after starting to ship SwitchPod worldwide just two months earlier.But 2020 was a YEAR. Actually it felt two to three years long.What started off as a normal year with plans to continue traveling for my video client work turned into basically staying home for 10 months straight. My wife and I took the pandemic and our potential exposure very seriously (because of her past cancer surgeries and her parents living nearby) and thankfully we haven't lost anyone we know to COVID-19, but it has majorly disrupted the lives of many, us included.“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”I’ll try not to mention any of the major world events from 2019 like the pandemic, the U.S. election, racial injustice, and more but it was definitely a harder year to stay focused on work and different events did impact my year financially, socially, mentally, and more.It makes me think back to 2008 and how in a way I took that economic downturn as a sign that I needed to choose myself to take care of myself, not rely on a company or economy to make sure I have a job or be in control of my income. I worked hard in college to get a job when I graduated with my two bachelor's degrees in May 2008 right before the recession.A few months into being a full-time employee I saw friends, coworkers, and family lose jobs, never land jobs, and be financially stunted. I also saw the company I worked for (Boeing) announce they were laying off up to 10,000 people. This made me start learning about entrepreneurship, how to make money online, and personal finance. It pushed to get my MBA right away. And overall, it made me not just trust that a large company would take care of me for 40 years and pay me a pension at the end.Because I took the risk and left my day job with solid pay and cushy benefits in 2011, I was able to build up the skills, connections, and multiple income streams that let me survive and even thrive financially in 2020 when the world was completely upended by coronavirus.If last year was rough for you and you felt out of control, try to use that as a wake up call for taking control back in your own life from whoever you've given it up to.Okay, I think that's enough preamble. Let's dive in.What I "Do" for WorkRight now I am running three different businesses day to day.A physical product business (SwitchPod)A client service business (Caleb Wojcik Films)A digital teaching business (online courses, YouTube, podcast, etc.).1. SwitchPodLet's start with SwitchPod since that has been the biggest change to my work lately. Since launching the Kickstarter campaign in January 2019, I'd estimate SwitchPod has taken up 50% or more of my time spent working. Some weeks more like 80%.2020 had some major projects for SwitchPod:Launched our 2nd & 3rd products, ball head and phone adapterCreated new stylized product photographyCompletely redesigned the Shopify website to be faster & more mobile friendly.Other than those larger projects, I spent my time reaching out to land more retailers to stock SwitchPod, fulfilling orders to Amazon and other existing retailers, marketing through social media, partnering with creators and companies on promotion, working on the less exciting admin bits (finances, taxes, legal, etc.), and handling customer support.It really isn't the type of business that I can let go more than a day or two without working on because systems will start to fall apart, customers and retailers will get upset by response time, etc.I think of it more like a garden I have to check in on every day. Some days I'm just pulling weeds or watering some things quickly. Other days I have to completely till the soil or plant a bunch of seeds which takes all day.I'm really proud of where the business is at. Could we be selling more units? Always. But the business is lean, very profitable, and has a lot of potential to grow. More numbers later.2. Client Services BusinessIn 2018 and 2019, my main client Smart Passive Income (run by Pat Flynn who is also my business partner on SwitchPod) accounted for about 50% of my service based business. The other half ...
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    1 ora e 32 min
  • What should I make next? (An Open Conversation with My Wife)

    What should I make next? (An Open Conversation with My Wife)
    Sep 11 2020

    #100 - Have you ever reached big milestone that shifts you to be more introspective?

    I'm talking something big like turning an age that ends in zero, getting out of debt, or having a child.

    This is what happened to me when it came to planning and recording episode 100 of my podcast.

    Not only did I start to question what episode 100 should be, but also what content I even want to be making.

    I've stopped and started my podcast up again multiple times since recording episode 1 back in 2014. I've done plenty of interviews with video creators and taught a bunch of what I've learned running my video business the last 6 years.

    I tend to focus most of my YouTube videos on specific pieces of video or photo gear because that is what I think will get me more views, which leads to audience growth, more affiliate income, and more course sales. And for the podcast I feature other creators to share what is possible to accomplish with online video, but also to potentially reach some of their audience as well.

    I already run two profitable businesses, the first making videos for clients and the second being SwitchPod, and each equate to a full-time job themselves a lot of the time. This means the hopes, dreams, and plans for my free content and paid courses business always ends up being a third wheel.

    And what I earn from it is also the least of my 3 income streams, so it gets the least amount of attention.

    So why am I putting so much pressure on myself to make it "the thing" or compare myself to other creators online?

    In this podcast episode I discuss this and more with my wife Jen.

    We talk about what's next for me online, what kind of videos, podcasts, etc. I should be making, discuss my website redesign, and share an open and honest look at what it is like to be a creator online balancing multiple businesses, passions, and goals.

    To learn more about me and what I offer, go to CalebWojcik.com. Cheers.
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    37 min
  • Choosing the Perfect Camera for You (At Any Budget)

    Choosing the Perfect Camera for You (At Any Budget)
    Aug 21 2020
    #99 - The most common thing people ask me online is, "what camera should I buy?”When there are new cameras being released from every brand multiple times a year, it is really hard to do enough research on your own to figure out which camera is right for you and what you’re going to use it for.In this podcast episode I chat with Greg Farnum all about cameras and which ones we’d buy. We talk through what features really matter when choosing a camera, what accessories we’d recommend beyond just the camera body or lens, and finish by discussing what we’d buy with a $500, $1,000, $2,500, or $10,000 budget.Whether you're in the market for a new camera or you want to be reassured that what you have is good enough, this episode will help you out.Chapters / Timestamps0:00 — Introduction01:41 - Greg's Background05:14 - Important Camera Features17:07 - $500 Budget Recommendation23:36 - $1,000 Budget Recommendation28:47 - $2,500 Budget Recommendation44:22 - $10,000 Budget Recommendation47:50 - Invest in Lenses Not Cameras48:53 - Essential AccessoriesItems MentionedGreg's YouTube ChannelGreg's InstagramBenQ 4K Art Series MonitorZoom H6 RecorderSony RX100 VISony a6000 & 16-50mmCanon G7XFUJIFILM X-T30 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 18-55mm LensSony a6400 16-50mm LensPocket 4kPocket 6kSigma 18-35DaVinci ResolveCanon RPCanon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM LensPolar Pro 2-5 Stop Variable ND FilterSwitchPod - Handheld TripodSmall HD FocusAtomos ShinobiAtomos Ninja VBMPCC Tilta Modification Kit To learn more about me and what I offer, go to CalebWojcik.com. Cheers.
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    59 min
  • Better Lighting for Your Videos On Any Budget

    Better Lighting for Your Videos On Any Budget
    Aug 14 2020

    #98 - In my opinion, lighting is one of the most underrated skills and underspent categories of gear when making high quality videos.

    If you understand how to light a video well and have the proper gear, your videos can even look better than someone that has a camera that costs 5 or 10 times as much as yours.

    In this podcast episode I chat with Tommy Callaway about how to improve lighting in your videos. We discuss common mistakes people make with lighting, what you can do to improve your lighting setup for under $100, what specs you should pay attention to when researching a light to purchase, and what lighting gear we would recommend at low-end, mid-range, and professional level budgets.

    Whether you're looking to invest money into new lights or just modify your current lighting setup with a few DIY solutions to improve how it looks, this episode is full of helpful tips.

    Chapters / Timestamps
    • 0:00 - Introduction
    • 0:40 - Tommy's Background
    • 04:12 - Choosing to Focus on Lighting
    • 07:25 - Working with Big Brands
    • 08:09 - Common Lighting Mistakes on YouTube
    • 11:40 - Lighting Upgrades Under $100
    • 24:35 - What Matters When Buying Lights
    • 32:40 - Gear Recommendations for Any Budgets
    • 50:56 - Learning How to Shape Light
    Items Mentioned
    • Tommy's YouTube Channel
    • Tommy's Twitter Feed
    • Bebob MICRO V-Mount Battery
    • Intellytech Pocket-V 98Wh Li-Ion Battery
    • Godox SL-60 LED Video Light
    • Neewer Soft Box
    • Aputure 120D
    • Aputure MC
    • FalconEyes F7
    • Aputure Nova p300c
    • Lupo Superpanel Soft Full Color 30 1x1
    • Velvet Light Evo 2
    • Intellytech Fast Frames

    To learn more about me and what I offer, go to CalebWojcik.com. Cheers.
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    58 min
  • How to Record Better Audio on Any Budget

    How to Record Better Audio on Any Budget
    Aug 7 2020

    #97 - Everyone always wants to talk about the latest cameras that just came out, but the better way to spend your money is on making your videos sound better. And even if you don’t have any extra budget to put towards a better microphone or audio recorder, there are a lot of tips and tricks for capturing better sound.

    In this episode I chat with Curtis Judd about how to record high quality audio, what gear he recommends for both the cheapest and high-end budgets, and common audio mistakes to avoid when making videos.

    Chapters / Timestamps
    • 00:00 - Introduction
    • 01:21 - Curtis' Background
    • 04:52 - Choosing to Focus on Audio & Lighting
    • 11:27 - Audio Gear Evolution
    • 23:23 - Tips for Hiding a Lav Mic
    • 26:34 - High Quality Audio on a Low Budget
    • 32:00 - Upgrading to a Medium Budget
    • 39:30 - Curtis' Favorite Microphones
    • 48:53 - Most Common Audio Mistakes to Avoid
    • 53:30 - Final Thoughts
    Items Mentioned
    • Curtis Judd's YouTube Channel
    • Curtis Judd's Website
    • Canon C100 Mark II Camera
    • Caleb's Review of the C100 Mark II
    • Rode NTG3 Shotgun Mic
    • Mix Pre 6
    • TAKSTAR SGC-600
    • Rode VideoMic NTG
    • Deity V-Mic D3 Pro
    • Curtis' Video About How to Boom Your Camera Shotgun Mic
    • DPA Microphones 4017B
    • Sennheiser MKH 8050
    • Shure TwinPlex TL48
    • Shure SM7B
    • Earthworks SR314B
    • Electro-Voice RE20

    To learn more about me and what I offer, go to CalebWojcik.com. Cheers.
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    58 min
  • Money Lessons Learned from Getting Out of Debt Twice

    Money Lessons Learned from Getting Out of Debt Twice
    Jul 17 2020

    #96 - Most people are afraid to talk about money.

    If I had to guess the reason I'd say it is because they are truly embarrassed about where they are financially. They would rather flaunt flashy cars or homes the debt they owe a bank actually owns then discuss the deeper going ons of their savings for retirement or their net worth.

    “But Caleb, what does this have to do with creativity, using cameras, and making videos?”

    Everything.

    You can't do your work, make your art, or run your business if you can’t get your money right.

    I think money shouldn't be something you're ashamed of or hide from, no matter where you are at financially. There will always be someone further in debt or with a larger net worth than you.

    And instead of hiding where you’re at, coming face to face to your reality of not being where you wish you were with money might be the wake up call you need.

    So as my wife and I just hit a financial milestone we're proud of, I wanted to record a podcast episode about my financial journey from getting out of debt two different times in completely different ways. The first time by being frugal and cheap, the second by building businesses to help me earn more (while spending to live the life I want to live).

    I also discuss what I'm calling the "money ladder". It describes the stages of getting out of debt and saving for the future that you should work your way up, one rung at a time.

    If money has been something you’ve been afraid to deal with yourself or talk about with the people close to you, I hope this episode will help to feel more comfortable being open and honest about it so you can work toward financially healthy.

    Chapters / Timestamps
    • 00:00 - Why We're Talking About Money
    • 03:34 - Balance Sheet Rich vs Income Statement Rich
    • 05:52 - My Debt Story
    • 18:12 - Climbing the Financial Ladder
    Items Mentioned
    • The Millionaire Mind by Thomas J. Stanley Ph.D
    • I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
    • Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin
    • Get Rich Slowly
    • The Simple Dollar

    To learn more about me and what I offer, go to CalebWojcik.com. Cheers.
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    32 min