We were lucky to catch up with Joi Leah recently and have shared our conversation below.
Joi , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?
I wanted to be in radio and entertainment, so I started my media company. I knew a lot about radio from being on IBNX radio show “The Conscious Party”. I learned so much being a part of that media company. Being at IBNX radio, I learned about working in a studio and working with Mutiple show coordinators. Instead of continuing to work for other media companies I decided to go out on my own. I wanted to create and produce my own ideas and work with other individuals who wanted to be creative in the radio/entertainment industry, I decided to start my podcast show to get my feet in the door of media. I started my own media company and my own show “Backstage with Joileah’ as the pilot show for JOILEAH ENT. From there I began to get more into the virtual radio space, and this set my show apart from a lot of other podcast shows. From there I worked with Sirus XM doing voice overs and add lids, I have partner with other podcasters, and have given tutorials to beginner podcasters to show them how to get into the media industry. When I started the podcast and media company, I never knew that so many opportunities would come my way, but it has opened the door for me to be a heavy hitter in the media world. I first started with my LLC, then I got the equipment, I started to book guest, I looked for studio time, and lastly, I launched my first season of Backstage with Joileah podcast. The first season wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be, I had so much fun working with so many different guest and personalities. I ended season one and was ready to start a new season immediately. Now when I work with other companies, I am my own entity and can receive production credit due to having my media company.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I built my social media audience by reading books on social media and learning the algorithm from other influencers. I took the tools that other influencers used to build my own following. You have to always have a positive social media presence. There is certain time of day that you should post, certain days, and the captions are very important as well use hashtags where appropriate. Utilize tools and software. Most people with hundreds of thousands of followers didn’t get such a following simply by spending hours after hours on different platforms. Network with Influencers. One of the most effective ways to gain a massive social media following is by connecting with influencers you follow or admire. Get noticed by Blogging and YouTubing. Create your own videos. and ALWAYS be consistent. Don’t take a break keep going until you have the social media presences you want. Be that person you want to look up to and admire. Stay positive and speak to your market. Include social media follow buttons everywhere possible. Share other influencer content and try to collaborate with them. That is how you become friends as well. Remind your email subscribers about your social accounts. Respond to your followers and interact with them. Know your following and give them what they want!! These are the tools I used to build my audience on social media.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
A lesson I had to unlearn was caring what other people think. When you are trying to grow a following or grow your business you feel the customer is already right and you want to please everyone. But you are not going to please everyone. You have to learn your audience & learn to not care what other people think. This is how I grew and became successful. There are alot of people out there that will support you for being you and having your own personality. When I first started in this industry alot of people doubted me and asked me “what I was doing”. Alot of people did not support my dreams or my vision. I did not start my media company and podcast to please people. I wanted to help people and influence people. Everyone wanted to give their opinion on MY show which really didn’t help. I had to tune out all the voices and NOT CARE what people think. Once I decided to tune out the voices that is when the magic started, and I became more creative with my show &media company. I started to interview people I would never talk to and learned so much from them. I took risk and really started to have fun. If any advice I can give to listeners is to do your own thing and try not to care so much about what people think. Be your own person! Only take advice from people you look up to and that are moguls in your industry, Let the naysayers say what they want, and you do what you have do and reach your goals. Trust me they wish they could do it too. If God gave you a vision or a dream nobody can stop, you but YOU! So who cares what people think or say. JUST DO YOU!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sites.google.com/view/backstagewithjoileah
- Instagram: @Joileah
- Facebook: Joi Leah
- Twitter: Joileah
- Youtube: Backstage with Joileah https://youtube.com/channel/UCtGjRFRISAYvoy-EwSG9_Ew
- Other: Podbean: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/backstage-with-@joileah/id1585009227 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/backstage-with-@joileah/id1585009227 iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-backstage-with-joileah-77150301/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hlfvHziG5GNWG9Se84HU0