Continuing Studies: for Higher Ed Podcasters

Greg Pillar: I figured early on,
I mean, again, the goal of this is

to amplify and, and really showcase
Gardner-Webb and the experience that

is on campus for students and everyone.

And so that really sort of anchored
with me or set with me that.

I need to make sure, I mean, it's not
about me, it's about everyone else.

Neil McPhedran: Welcome to Continuing
Studies, a podcast for higher education

podcasters to learn and get inspired.

I'm Neil McPhedran, founder
of Podium Podcast Company,

Jennifer-Lee: and I'm Jennifer-Lee,
founder of JPod Creations.

Podcasting is broadcasting.

We want you to know you're not alone,
and in fact, there are many of you

higher ed podcasters out there and
we can all learn from each other.

Neil McPhedran: Absolutely.

Jen, I had a really interesting
conversation with a friend who works in

psychology and I was telling him about
Higher Ed Pods and he was like, oh,

that's cool, so can I go on there and
search and see other psychology podcasts?

I'm like, oh yeah, yep.

We sort it that way.

And then he's like, well,
what about by a topic?

I'm really interested lately
in this certain topic.

Jennifer-Lee: Something nerdy.

Okay.

Neil McPhedran: Research nerdy
thing within psychology, which

is not my field of expertise.

So that's this next thing that we're
doing with Higher Ed Pods where someone

like him who is not necessarily in higher
education but is looking for academic,

in this case, research focused topics,
to be able to find podcast episodes.

And he commutes an hour every day.

For him podcasting is such an important
part of his learning and everything.

So anyway, this is our next, uh, thing
that we are tackling with Higher Ed

Pods, which is functionality to query.

And to be able to find episodes and shows
specific to some of these topics, sort

of deeper into research and whatnot.

We've had an intern working for the summer
who's a math major in university, and

he's been helping to index a lot of the
over 1200 podcasts we have in there now.

So anyways.

I'm excited about that.

Jennifer-Lee: No, and something else
that you're working on is gonna be

here before you know it, is of course
the round two of Higher Ed PodCon,

coming in July in Cleveland, Ohio, and
that's how we met our next guest, Greg.

We're gonna chat with him and he has
a lot of nice things to say about the

inaugural Higher Ed PodCon, as well as,
I think he's like a secret journalist

because he has some really good questions
that he asked during his podcast,

so I can't wait to chat with him.

Neil McPhedran: Yeah.

So we chat with Dr. Gregory Pillar,
Greg, and he is the Assistant

Provost for Academic Affairs
at Gardner-Webb University.

He launched The Bulldog Mindset,
which is their main podcast.

He is the host and was part
of the team that founded The

Bulldog Mindset last year.

They had just finished their first season,
so they're into their second season

of The Bulldog Mindset, and we jumped
into a really interesting conversation

with Greg about podcasting overall in
academia, but really his experience in

being part of year one and jumping into
year two now of The Bulldog Mindset.

So why don't we just jump into it, Jen?

Jennifer-Lee: Yeah, let's get started.

Neil McPhedran: Hello, Greg.

Thanks for joining us today on
the Continuing Studies podcast.

Greg Pillar: Thanks for having me.

Thrilled to be here.

Jennifer-Lee: Yeah.

Greg is another person that we decided
to ambush in Chicago when we were

doing the Higher Education PodCon.

Actually, I think Greg was at my
table, which I have to say, this whole

networking thing that our Greg, that
you've heard on the podcast before,

said everybody sit down at a table.

It was kind of like speed dating,
and then I met Greg and a whole

bunch of other people and I
was like, come on our podcast.

Greg Pillar: Higher Ed PodCon
was fantastic and well beyond

anything I could have expected.

Neil McPhedran: Oh, I love it.

The uh, speed dating thing was
super interesting actually.

What did you guys, 'cause the two
of you ended up at the same table.

That was an experiment we did.

We had like a slot for networking
and Greg took control there and

kind of forced people together.

I thought it was kind of interesting.

What did you two think?

Greg Pillar: I loved it.

I mean, although I'm an ambivert, so not
quite extrovert, not really an introvert

though at times perhaps more an introvert.

It was a great way to just naturally
have some conversations and get

to know folks in podcasting.

Although I've been in higher
ed, podcasting is sort of a new

thing for me, so that was, met
a lot of people through that.

Jennifer-Lee: We're glad you came because
like I said, it was our first one and I,

I like the idea of the speed dating in
the afternoon because that's the hard part

with any conferences is, uh, everyone gets
tired because you're learning so much and

you're socializing and you're networking.

And of course we have
many different people.

We have ambiverts, we have
extroverts, we have introverts.

And so, I thought it was a really nice
touch to be like, actually let's everybody

sit down and just like chat for a bit
before we went into more sessions.

So I thought that was a great thing.

Neil McPhedran: Great.

So Greg, The Bulldog Mindset, the main
podcast, that is basically your podcast.

You're the host of et cetera.

You've been part of a few other podcasts.

Actually, you recorded something live
at PodCon, but let's come back to that.

But I'd love dig into The Bulldog Mindset
as you've just, if I have it right, you've

just finished your first season and with
this new school year, you're kicking

into your second season for the podcast.

Greg Pillar: Yeah, so I guess a place
to start was the spark for the podcast,

The Bullock Mindset, came from our
marketing and communication folks.

They had heard that I had been on a
podcast, I believe it was an episode

of Accreditation Insights, and they
came to me with an idea, or really

just to see if I was interested.

They've been wanting to do, they have
a podcast network here at Gardner-Webb,

but they've been looking for one that was
sort of focused on the academic culture,

the vibrancy of academics on campus.

They reached out to me saying,
Hey, would you be interested?

And I've, fairly new to the institution,
arrived here in January of this year.

I'm someone that's always up for a
good idea and see where it can take us.

So I was all in and working with them,
we developed The Bulldog Mindset with the

focus of trying to capture the voices,
the academic experience at Gardner-Webb.

We launched it in March.

We rolled out our 15th episode.

We're in season two.

I think we have about 12
episodes of season one.

We've recorded a few more.

So yeah, things are off to a great start.

The name Bulldog comes from Gardner-Webb,
is known as the Running Bulldogs,

and that is our mascot as well.

Bo the Bulldog is our mascot.

And The Bulldog Mindset is one of
several podcasts within the network.

Within the episode, we do have a couple
of special segments, uh, that we'll do,

and as we've gone into season two we're
trying to incorporate more student voices.

season one was dominated by faculty
and, and staff, with some students.

And so we have some special segments,
like the one I, particularly right

now, is I'm really enthusiastic
about is with students.

It's called What's In Your Backpack,
where we ask 'em either metaphorically

or physically, what is a go-to item
that you have in your backpack?

And I love hearing their perspective
and responses to that question.

Neil McPhedran: Greg, who's the
audience for The Bulldog Mindset.

Obviously students is part of
it, but I would imagine it's got

a bit of a wider aperture beyond
just students, is that correct?

Greg Pillar: It does, yeah.

I mean, the audience encompasses, I
would say the Gardner-Webb community,

so, and I say that both in terms of
faculty, students, staff on campus, but

also some of the early feedback I've
received we have folks from Boiling

Springs, North Carolina, about an hour
west of Charlotte, North Carolina.

So some folks in the community have
picked up on it, which is awesome.

But also it is intended for prospective
parents, students who might be considering

Gardner-Webb and come across it.

We try to make the episodes such that,
you know, they can definitely, if

they were to listen to any one episode
at any one time, where even a little

bit of it, hopefully we can hook them
in to listen to the full episode.

But to come away capturing a little bit
about what academic life and what just

the experience is like at Gardner-Webb.

Jennifer-Lee: Your questions, I have
to say, the fact that you really

wanna connect with the student
and say what is in your backpack?

What is your favorite answer
that you've had so far?

Greg Pillar: So early in the
season, but two favorite answers.

One was metaphorical,
one was more physical.

The metaphorical one was, and so it goes,
is what the student said as a mindset that

they have just to keep plugging along.

And that came from a student who,
although upperclassmen still came across,

much wiser beyond his years in school.

Physical item that someone pointed out
in their pack was Aquaphor, sort of like,

uh, cream that some folks use either as
moisturizing or instead of Neosporin.

It was unexpected.

I just didn't expect that
to be that a go to item.

Neil McPhedran: Just in
case something happens.

Yeah.

Jennifer-Lee: All relatable to the
target audience that you wanna talk to.

Neil McPhedran: Absolutely.

So Jen and I have been doing this
podcast for a little over two years now.

It's just so fascinating to the
evolution of podcasting, just even in,

let's just say in the last two to three
years, just becoming such an important

communication tool that just, that just,
just a little conversation we had about

what's in your backpack is like such a,

Jennifer-Lee: It's a deep conversation.

Neil McPhedran: Yeah, yeah, exactly.

That's what I was kind of thinking.

Podcasting affords you
the ability to do that.

You can ask that question let's, without
getting into the video, but if you stuck

a camera in front of someone, it might
be a different kind of experience to

sort of answer some of that stuff, but
you can do a little bit more without it.

Sort of curious your thoughts on that,
as in sort of maybe other learnings that

are coming outta year one, season one.

Greg Pillar: Yeah.

Well, one of the things that I do in
preparation for each episode is depending

upon how well I know the student or
staff or faculty member, I have a, I

get some background information about
them and I prepare a guest guide.

And so the goal is not, I don't
want it to be prescriptive.

I don't want it to be as if like we're
reading things back and forth, but I

also don't want them to feel like they're
caught off guard or like it's gotcha.

And so surprisingly, even though for
the students, the guest guide, I do

mention a couple of the questions
that I always wanna make sure I ask.

Like that's sort of the exception.

The way I sort of try to pepper it
though into the episode is, you know,

we may be talking about something a
bit more light or something like that.

And then, not that it's overly deep
by any means, but it is, uh, to your

point, you know, to what both of
you have mentioned, it's a little

bit of a deeper kind of question.

And asking that question right after
asking something that was a little

bit lighter, it's a combination of
where, you know, at a moment they're

put a little bit on the spot, but
I think you sort of capture just

what comes right to their mind.

And I've really enjoyed seeing
their thought process as they're

thinking about their answer.

And it's clear that although they may have
had in their mind what they were going

to answer with, there still was a little
bit of possibility that they might shift

or say something, something different.

Another question that I ask near
the end of the podcast with them

is, what do they hope to leave the
next Bulldog or the next student?

And that too is one that I've had a couple
students when I asked that they paused

for a bit and they're like, oh, good one.

As if they had no idea that was coming
and recognizing that not, you know, just

like students don't necessarily always
read the syllabus, they're not gonna

necessarily read the guest guide before
we actually do the record I sort of

point those questions out again to them.

So, it's really been a learning
experience going through season one

into early stages of season two that
I feel like I'm learning by the minute

as I go through this experience.

Jennifer-Lee: I just want you to touch
a little bit more on that question.

Do you have some examples
that you can share?

Uh, what they would
leave the next Bulldog?

'Cause I think that's just so powerful.

Greg Pillar: Yeah.

So far in most of their answers, I think
where they're coming from is, you know,

they're either part of a club, a group.

One student is a pre-med student,
so he's part of a group of students

who go through specialized pre-med
advising to prepare for applying.

I say pre-med, it's really pre-health
'cause it could be med school, pharmacy

school, vet school and things like that.

And it, it's clear that, you know, whether
it's something like that or they're a

residence assistant in the res halls they
definitely want to impart on their fellow

students, especially the underclassmen,
genuine lessons that they've

learned and what they've taken away.

Whether it's a case of like, you know,
don't wait till the last minute to

complete this particular type of an
assignment in this class, or do certain

steps like going to the career center.

Like don't wait until your senior
year, junior year, start doing that

your freshman year, sophomore year.

What I take away from their answer is that
they genuinely want to share something

that they didn't expect to learn or they
have learned, and they now want future,

future students to benefit from that.

Jennifer-Lee: Your questions
are all powerful, Greg.

Like I've been interviewing people
for the last 20 years on radio

and on podcasts, and it's taken
me a long time to get there.

But you're so new at this and
how are you drawing inspiration

for these great questions?

Are they just coming to your mind?

Do you have a secret
background as a journalist?

Greg Pillar: One of the things that
I've done is listen to a lot of podcasts

and I think it only amplified after
I started this podcast because now

I had a little bit more of a focus
and intent, like, okay, not only am

I listening for the guest, but I'm
trying to tune into the host and how

they're approaching asking questions
and how they respond to the answers

and what I can pull away from that.

So, I mean, some of these questions,
although they're not like verbatim

like that, but I've picked up bits
and pieces from, you know, other folks

out there, actually one that I'll give
credit to, Joe Sallustio, the, you

know, from the Ed Up Experience, on.

I believe at the end of many of
his podcasts, they'll give the

mic to the guests, you know,
any final words, final thoughts?

You know, anything we didn't get
to or something along those lines.

And so equally with faculty and
staff I have on the podcast, but also

with students, I'll ask a version of
that question as the very last one.

And sometimes there can be some great
things that come from there that maybe I

missed and they really wanted to say, in
one case, it even led to a student, I have

one student who's been on twice already.

A comment she made at the end of
one led to definitely being like,

oh, we need to have her on again.

Neil McPhedran: I like that.

So you don't work on this
by yourself, obviously.

We all know working in podcasting,
it takes a team to do a podcast.

So are you working with the
central communications team

from Gardner-Webb University?

Is that who's basically sort
of helping to execute and doing

all the behind the scenes?

Greg Pillar: Yeah, so huge shout
out to my colleague, Noel Manning,

who is our associate Vice President
for marketing communications.

He does have a little bit of background
in both podcasting and radio and, and

film, and he does all the producing,
editing, everything like that.

So that makes my role even easier
when I just need to, I do the prep

and I quote, unquote book the guests.

We show up, we record.

He does all the editing and all the
backend stuff, and we go from there.

So that really helps in
considering the fact that I have

a day job, that really helps.

Neil McPhedran: That's great.

And so the original mission for the
podcast is, you know, came from that

team and they had identified, you know,
they wanted to have this voice that's now

been created with The Bulldog Mindset.

And so is there any sort of
insights in there, just our audience

being so focused on podcasting
in the higher education space.

I know that there's probably some folks
out there listening that would be sort

of in a similar, well, thinking about it
or just sort of starting their journey.

Greg Pillar: Yeah, the person that came
to me with the thought or idea about

it was our previous Vice President
for marketing and community relations.

Although he didn't go into great detail
with what the impetus was for bringing

up the idea, just that they've been
wanting to have an academic podcast for

a while and just not the right person to
sort of champion it and take it forth.

It was something, looking at the
podcast network that we have.

Neil McPhedran: Yeah.

Greg Pillar: Other than like the Coaches
Corner, which is something that during

football season and basketball season is
they have on a very consistent kind of

rotation after games and things like that.

The other podcast they had on
there were ones that they didn't

necessarily have a set rotation.

They would sort of, you know, as
an idea came up or a opportunity

came up, they would record it.

And so the one thing that has definitely
been part of a goal or hope of theirs is

that I would say this is the first podcast
they've had in a while that definitely has

a regular consistent release of episodes.

So we have about two a month
or one every other week.

And it's been that way since March
and we went through the summer.

Even though, you know, the school
is typically out in the summer.

Our goal, with the exception of maybe some
particular holidays, our goal is to keep

being consistent and going through, and
I'm along for the ride for as long as it's

achieving the goal or just really wasn't
what they were hoping for, looking for.

They'd say, thanks, Greg, appreciate it.

Focus on your day job.

But yeah, no, it's been
a consistent drumbeat.

Slowly but surely, I think we are building
an audience and I've actually now had a

couple people actually reach out with an
idea for an episode, and so I love it.

So even if they're not
necessarily listening, they're

definitely aware of the podcast.

Jennifer-Lee: Well, Neil and I talked to
a lot of universities and colleges and a

lot of the podcasts you'd be surprised.

They start off and then they go on for
a long time and they continue to grow.

And when the people leave the institute,
they continue to grow with new people.

You know, eventually, if you were to leave
one day and the podcast was still going,

what would you wanna leave the next person
that was gonna take over the podcast?

Greg Pillar: I'd wanna leave them
a, a platform and a avenue that was

pretty much set for them to be able
to get started, but not so set that

they couldn't then bring in their
own voice, their own angle to it.

It wasn't an obstacle for me.

I, I think the fact that we already had
a podcast network, it wasn't like we were

trying to do this completely from scratch.

Neil McPhedran: Right.

Greg Pillar: And so, you know, it's
not like I've reduced that bar that,

you know, that could give folks pause
before they would want to take on

the endeavor, but it'd be something
attractive enough that someone would

definitely wanna be like, oh, I wanna
pick up, you know, where you've left off.

But then also for them to realize
though they're not trying to force

themselves into Greg's podcast,
that, that they have the ability

to make it into, into their own.

And I don't know, I'm really excited
to see where this continues to evolve,

whether it's, you know, there's a
couple other folks on campus who I

would think, I would love to help
grow the Gardner-Webb podcast network.

There's a couple other areas where I think
they, they really should have their own

podcast, and I've been told we, we have a,
a separate podcast studio in our library

that students can use, and not only
does it have the podcasting equipment,

it has computer there with software
to do all the editing, everything.

The library staff or the dean of
the library is now looking to try

to find a space for a second one
because of how popular that space is.

Jennifer-Lee: That's such a great resource
for students because even something

that Neil and I talk a lot about on the
podcast, and actually it was brought

up at Higher Ed PodCon, is that because
the job markets are getting so hard to

get into, no matter your experience,
or even if you're entry level, a lot

of people are using podcasts, even if
they're limited series to get a job.

It is just a way to build
relationships with the people

that you want to be hired by.

Greg Pillar: Yeah.

Well, it, it's a great way to
really cultivate your own skills.

I mean, I've been in higher
ed for 20 plus years.

First as a faculty member and then
more recently as an administrator.

And so, you know, speaking in front of
groups, public speaking is something that

over time I continue to learn, continue
to get better at doing it, podcasting and

being a host, a whole different ballgame.

And it, it's funny, when I listened to
the first couple of episodes, Noel's been

very patient and supportive, I cringe
at hearing myself as I'm talking with

the number of ums and ahs and stuff like
that, and I've been determined and slowly

but surely I do feel I'm improving.

And these are skills, you know,
sort of spontaneous speaking.

Being able to speak in this kind of
format is absolutely a skill that

would serve me well as I continue
on in higher ed or go elsewhere.

And so I think that's
another benefit for students.

Or even other faculty and staff alike, if
they were to go into the podcasting, it

can really help with skill development.

Jennifer-Lee: Well, and you
hit it right on the head.

It's a valuable skill no
matter if you go further on.

And regardless of where AI takes us,
communication is still something you're

gonna need to know how to do, even
if you're communicating with the AI.

And that is a skill that we're learning.

So I always tell people, crack
on mic, even if you never air

it, it just helps you get better.

Greg Pillar: Absolutely.

Neil McPhedran: I think there's so much
to, you know, Greg, you gave a couple

of really good examples, but there's
so much in podcasting beyond, I'm

just gonna have a career in media, for
students to tackle and to be part of.

Just even that process you go through of
preparation where you're learning about

the person you're going to interview
and you're ready to have a conversation

with them is applicable in life.

Greg Pillar: And being
agile and adaptable.

I mean, the thing I've seen as
being the most difficult part of

this has been how I respond to the
answers that I get from the guests.

And I don't know ahead of
time what they're gonna say.

There have been a couple episodes early
on where I realized the whole episode

seemed like me peppering them with
questions, you know, question, answer,

question, answer, and realizing that, no,
I want this to be more of a conversation.

I want this to be more engaging
for the audience, even though

they're not, like, it's not live,
they're not physically there.

So working on that skill of, you know,
on the moment, okay, this is what their

answer was, what's a good follow up?

Or how do I, you know, move the
conversation from that point.

Been very invigorating.

I love it.

Neil McPhedran: That's great.

The other thing I'd like to sort of go
back on and touch what you said a few

minutes ago, which is there's a couple
of ways into these podcasts, isn't there?

You know, we've talked to different
folks across the university academia

spectrum, so in some ways in, you know,
in some instances it is about the host.

It is a subject matter that is squarely in
their wheelhouse and it's their podcast.

But the beauty of podcasting is, and you
presented the other way to look at this,

is you're building The Bulldog Mindset.

You didn't blink when Jen asked you
the question, what happens if, you

know, when you move on kind of a thing.

Like that's obviously something
you've, at least I gleaned from your

answer, something you've thought about.

And I think what, essentially, what
you are building with the team there

is the voice, as you've said, but a
channel that whether or not you are

the host of it or not, it can carry on.

And I love how you're bringing in,
you said that you wanna bring in

student voices as well, so it's just an
interesting lens that I sort of wanted to

lean into a bit that you had mentioned.

Greg Pillar: Yeah.

Well, and like I said from the
start, they gave me wide creative

control, which has been great.

I'm sure if I went down certain
roads or channels that were off

the road, they might be like,
no, we need to steer you back.

But I figured early on, I mean, again,
the goal of this is to amplify and,

and really showcase Gardner-Webb
and the experience that is on

campus for students and everyone.

And so that really sort of anchored
with me or set with me that I need

to make sure, I mean, it's not
about me, it's about everyone else.

And you know, the one part that's a
little bit difficult is I'm someone

that sometimes in conversations with
people, especially in some cases, if

they're, you know, this is the first
time I'm really sitting down with

them is, is I try to relate, is to
give like, oh, that's a great point.

I have the similar example that I can
relate to that point, but realizing

that every time I do that, I'm sort of
shifting that attention away from them.

And so the goal really is to bring my
own kind of humor and approach to it.

But if I do the job well, especially as I
continue to learn and get better at this,

before I pass this along to anyone else,
it truly is something that I may have been

the facilitator, I'm not the main thing
that people are remembering about it.

It's the guess.

It's how it makes them feel.

It's the campus.

Jennifer-Lee: True.

It's never about you really.

In many things in life.

It's never about you.

I think that's a good life lesson
that we should always take.

Always about serving others.

I would love to have Greg back on and see
how he's doing in a year and where it's

heading, because I didn't realize you are
such a newbie, but you feel like a pro.

Neil McPhedran: Yeah, I know.

Greg Pillar: It's amazing how, I
probably listen to more podcasts

than I do watching TV easily.

And so I'm a sponge.

I try to learn what I can and you know,
I, I have listened to your podcast.

I've listened to so many on the Ed
Up Experience, and I've listened

to a lot other ones out there, and
some not even just in higher ed, I

mean outside of higher ed, but yeah.

Neil McPhedran: It's such a
great medium, especially in the

higher education academic world.

It's this direct voice from each of
the campuses essentially, and the

schools within the campuses and the
individual professors within those

schools, it's an opportunity to have
that direct voice from those folks.

And it's not about how big the audience
is necessarily, but it's the audience

that sort of matches what the topic is.

Jennifer-Lee: Podcasting is
a tool beyond the listens.

Greg, you, you've said that pretty
much throughout this whole interview,

but before we go, Neil touched
upon something at the beginning.

You said you were doing some live
shows at the Higher Ed PodCon?

Greg Pillar: Yeah, no, as I mentioned,
before I started The Bulldog Mindset,

um, I had the opportunity to be a
guest co-host on a couple episodes of

the Ed Up Experience, and I've also
had a chance to connect with Lori

Sanderson, who is one of the hosts
for Ed Up Accreditation Insights.

One of the areas of expertise I
have in higher ed is accreditation.

First having been a guest on their podcast
a couple times, she's invited me back to

be a co-host with her on several of them.

And so yeah, at Higher Ed PodCon,
that was the first time I got to meet

her in person, which was phenomenal.

But then since they had podcasting
set up, we decided to jump on and

we recorded a short 15, 20 minute
episode of Accreditation Insights.

So that was true Improv
podcasting right there.

Neil McPhedran: That was great.

It was really neat to see that mic set
up used a few times during the day.

We weren't sure what was gonna
happen with it leading into the day.

We had talked about setting something
up and just having it there.

Definitely will be part of year two
and I think folks seeing it there may

sort of come a little bit more prepped.

I know, you're totally right.

It was spontaneous and you
guys took advantage of it,

which I thought was great.

We'll include that next year.

Greg Pillar: No, I, it's funny,
my background's environmental

chemistry and I've been to countless
academic conferences in my career.

And I will say, and this, so this is
outside my discipline, but you know,

in, in an area that I have passion
for and an interest in growing.

I definitely came away from that, from
Higher Ed PodCon, far more connections,

far more knowledge, far more action
items than any other conference I'd

been to probably in my academic career.

And it's one of those things that I,
although I have the podcast right now

for Gardner-Webb, you know, it's one of
these things where these other podcasts

I get a chance to do, whether it's as a
guest like on yours or as a guest cohost.

Someday I could see it when that time
does come for me to move on to The

Bulldog Mindset, I definitely have
interest in having my own podcast.

Right now, still probably in, about higher
ed, but having something separate and

this has given me that foundation I need
to be confident enough and knowledgeable

enough to be able to do that.

Jennifer-Lee: It's like
you're already ahead.

Neil McPhedran: There you go.

Well, Greg, thank you so much
for joining us today and for

sharing about your experience.

That was great.

That was wonderful to chat with
you again and to get some more

insights into The Bulldog Mindset.

Greg Pillar: Yeah.

No, both of you, Jennifer, Neil, thank
you so much for this opportunity.

I really appreciate it.

Jennifer-Lee: Yeah, thank you.

Neil McPhedran: Jen.

That was great.

That was a good conversation
we had with Greg.

As we talked about, we both met him
in Chicago at PodCon and cool to

hear him say so many positive things
about PodCon, but more so just to

sort of dig into The Bulldog Mindset.

Jennifer-Lee: I just love his question.

Curious to know like what is in your
proverbial backpack, Neil, as a podcaster?

Neil McPhedran: I've got extra
cords in my backpack usually that

I carry around just in case I have
to plug my computer into something.

Jennifer-Lee: I would say prep would be in
my proverbial podcaster backpack because

Neil McPhedran: That was a better answer.

Jennifer-Lee: I know.

Sorry.

I thought of that on the fly.

Because what we learned from Greg
is like, doesn't matter who you are

at the beginning of your stage or
later in your podcast and career,

prepping no matter what, for your
podcast, for your interview, if

you're getting a job, prep is very
important to anything you're doing.

Neil McPhedran: Yeah,
that's a good point Jen.

And it was interesting.

He is, since he started the podcast
and to this day, he talked about

how that prep was important.

Even though along the way he's
changed his style a little bit.

As he mentioned, he's gone from sort
of being question, answer, question,

answer, more sort of straightforward and,
but he's tried to really be cognizant,

he was mentioning, about introducing
more conversational style into that.

That didn't mean less prep, that
didn't mean, oh, let's just sort

of see where the conversation goes.

He still has a very focused plan to
prep and to be prepared to the guest

and has some key questions that he
likes to ask for each episode, even

though he's sort of tried to evolve into
more of it being more conversational.

So, back to things we've talked about.

You know, even if you're trying to
make your podcast sound less formulaic

and more sort of conversational,
you still need to be prepared.

Jennifer-Lee: I like that he talked
about listening to other podcasts.

Neil McPhedran: Oh yeah.

Jennifer-Lee: And I can't stress
enough is listening to podcast.

I know a lot of people don't like to hear
their own voice and he even mentioned it.

But listen to your podcast,
especially if you're new.

That's only how I got better on radio.

And then eventually
podcast is by listening.

Because if you don't know what you're
doing, how do you know to correct?

So I thought Greg was like leaps and
bounds ahead of everybody, which.

Neil McPhedran: Yeah.

Yeah, you're right.

He even mentioned he listened back to a
first couple of the episodes of his own

podcast and what he took away from that.

Jennifer-Lee: We don't like
doing it, but you should listen

to yourself all the time.

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