Chris Van Vliet is a 4-time Emmy Award-winning TV Host, podcaster, and YouTuber who has interviewed some of the top stars in the world like Dwayne Johnson, Oprah Winfrey, Meryl Streep, Denzel Washington, and many others.
What is INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet all about?
I am absolutely fascinated with how people are wired to achieve greatness. My podcast is all about reverse-engineering the habits and techniques of people who are the very best in the world at what they do. From athletes to actors and entrepreneurs to FBI negotiators, I want to find out their path to the top so we can apply those insights to our own life. Some of my recent guests include U.S. Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang, actor Freddie Prinze Jr., former UFC fighter Paige VanZant, comedian Michael Yo and entrepreneur Grant Cardone.
Tell us a little bit about your background – how, and why you started your podcast?
I have always had a passion for broadcasting, and I can remember pretending to be a radio DJ with my Fisher Price tape recorder when I was 4-years old. I have been so amazingly fortunate to work in radio and TV since graduating from University in 2005. I see broadcasting as this perfect intersection of where curiosity and storytelling meet and now anyone can do it with the advent of podcasting and YouTube. The idea for my podcast came from the fact that I was uploading hour-long interviews to my YouTube channel and realized that there was a huge new audience that would love to hear the audio version of those.
What was the biggest problem you encountered launching your podcast and how did you overcome it?
I think the biggest problem that any podcaster faces when they are launching their show is finding their audience. It’s such an uphill battle to put all of that time and effort into your show and to only have a handful of people listen to it. Persistence and patience were such important qualities to learn during the first few months and the realization that slow growth was better than no growth at all.
Do you have any other projects or businesses you working on?
I have a YouTube channel that is closing in on 100 million views and 300,000 subscribers. I have also loved bass fishing since I was a kid, and I co-founded the outdoors brand WOO! Tungsten, where we sell environmentally friendly weights for fishing.
Do you monetize your Podcast, or plan on monetizing, tell us how or how you plan to do it?
I am partnered with Blue Wire, which is an amazing podcast network filled with incredibly talented people from top to bottom. They have believed in me as a creator since day one and have helped to bring ad reads not just to my show, but to all of the podcasts on the Blue Wire network.
How do you stay driven and motivated to keep going in your business and podcast?
It all starts with passion. You need to realize when you commit to being a podcaster that it is very much a labor of love. And if you don’t love every step of the process then you should probably stop before you even launch. It’s so important that you love the entire process from top to bottom: the research, the recording, the editing, the publishing, the promoting, and everything in between.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your audience?
I’ve leaned heavily on social media to get the word out about the show. And it’s important to treat each social media platform as its entity. Just because something worked on Twitter doesn’t mean it will work on Facebook or Instagram. Throw as much spaghetti at the wall as possible and eventually, a few noodles will stick. I also found that being a guest on other podcasts is a great way to get the word out about your show and to find a new audience who may not be aware of who you are.
What is your definition of success?
For me, my definition of success has always been the idea of being excited for what I’m going to do and being proud of what I’ve accomplished at the end of the day. We spend almost half of the time that we’re awake working, and I believe it’s so important to fill your workday with something that you enjoy, or at worst, something that you don’t hate.
If you had to start a brand-new podcast today, what are the steps you would take?
The most important thing about starting a new podcast is starting it! Too many talk about their ideas for a show but never actually take the most important step, which is hitting that record button. Some of the best podcasts fail before they even launch. I think you need to be clear on what it is that you want from your show, and you have to be consistent. If you show up every week, your listeners will learn that pattern, and they will start to show up too.
What is your favorite quote?
The quote that has really driven me throughout my life is
Vague goals get vague results
In fact, I like it so much that I put it on a t-shirt! Unfortunately, too many people set vague goals that don’t give them a clear target to aim at. It’s the equivalent to getting into your car without knowing your destination or how to get there. You just end up driving around aimlessly. It’s so important to be specific about what it is that you want and how you plan to accomplish that. Because if vague goals get vague results, then specific goals get specific results.
How can readers get in touch with you?
You can find my podcast Insight with Chris Van Vliet wherever you listen to podcasts, and you can find me on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook at @ChrisVanVliet. And my website is Chris Van Vliet.
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