Podcast Movement 2016

July 6th-8th in Chicago, Illinois I attended Podcast Movement 2016.  I attended the Podcast Movement conference to learn more about podcasting and ways to improve “Heart to Heart with Anna.” I learned so much I’m still trying to process it all!

One of the most important contacts I made was with the guys at Buzzsprout. It all started with Co-Founder Tom Rossi. He explained how powerful Buzzsprout was, how they could really help me understand my podcast’s analytics (something I now understand is very important for me to know!) and will host my podcast very simply and easily. I really liked how Tom explained everything to me. He totally understood that I am not a techie and that I would need some help and he was very supportive and helpful.

Tom introduced me to Alban Brooke of Buzzsprout. This awesome Marketing and Customer Happiness Representative did indeed make me happy! To my dismay, I discovered that my show Heart to Heart with Anna was not on iTunes! Since so many people listen to podcasts on their phones, this had to change and Alban made it so! Alban found the RSS feed for Heart to Heart with Anna and submitted the show to iTunes. He told me it could take up to 2 weeks for the show to be available on iTunes, but to my delight, it was live the very next day!

Unfortunately, progress often happens by taking one step forward and two steps back. I was absolutely delighted that the day after meeting with Alban, Heart to Heart with Anna was on iTunes; however, I was dismayed to see that the show was listed in the art/comedy category! So I headed back to the Buzzsprout table and asked the guys for more help.

That’s when I was introduced to John Pollard, one of the terrific programmers at Buzzsprout! He saved Heart to Heart with Anna by changing our category listing from art/comedy to health — where it needed to be! I really appreciated all the kind help the guys at Buzzsprout showered on me. I also appreciated the cool pink t-shirt they gave me. Thanks Tom, Alban and John!

Another great company I found out about at Podcast Movement 2016 is called ZenoLive. My mother doesn’t have a computer or a smart phone, but she does have a telephone. Thanks to ZenoLive, my mother can now listen to my show!

It only took a few minutes to set up. Now Heart to Heart with Anna can be listened to with any telephone — not just a smart phone! Here is the phone number to listen to the only podcast devoted to the congenital heart defect community. You can hear the 5 most recent episodes of Heart to Heart with Anna by pressing the numbers one through five after calling 1-701-719-9932.

In my next blog, I’ll share photos and stories of the wonderful members of the congenital heart defect community I met on this journey!