𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬? (𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐃𝐨)

Podcasting 101: How I Turn Books, AI, and Experience Into a Weekly Show on Innovation

One year ago, I hit “publish” on my very first podcast episode—a leap that felt both exhilarating and daunting. My show was born from a simple but powerful idea: share the insights of great authors and mentors about innovation in AI, medtech product development, and health & wellness. But why these topics? The answer is woven into my own story.

After 25+ years leading product development teams and bringing 66 products to market, I learned that the secret to success isn’t just technical know-how. It’s about organizing and motivating teams, keeping them at the cutting edge of technology and program management, and—crucially—giving them the space to innovate creatively.

AI became a natural extension of this mantra, both as a feature in the products we built and as a tool to empower developers. Meanwhile, the world of health & wellness was shifting, with thought leaders like Peter Attia championing “Medicine 3.0”—a preventive, proactive approach to health that promises a longer, more vibrant healthspan.

The spark for my podcast came from a friend who was my boss, Bryan Gilpin, who knew I loved reading books on these topics. We were both inspired by David Serra’s podcast, which brings to life the autobiographies of “dead people” whose businesses changed the world. I realized I could do something similar—distilling the wisdom of today’s most innovative thinkers and sharing it with a wider audience.

My Podcasting Workflow: From Kindle to Airwaves

Here’s how I turn a book into a podcast episode, week after week:

1. Reading and Highlighting:

I start by buying the Kindle version of a book and use the Amazon Alexa Reader to listen while I go about my day. As I listen, I highlight key points in each chapter—insights, strategies, and stories that stand out.

2. Summarizing with AI:

Next, I export my highlights from the Kindle app and feed them into ChatGPT (via ChatLLM). The AI helps me weave the highlights into a cohesive summary, connecting ideas and filling in any gaps. I add my own commentary and context, shaping the final script for the episode.

3. Recording and Editing:

I record the episode using Descript, a tool that not only captures my audio but also generates a written transcript. After recording, I apply “Studio Sound” and audio leveling for professional quality. I listen back at 1.75x speed, stopping to remove any flubs by simply highlighting and deleting unwanted text in the transcript.

4. Publishing and Distribution:

Once the episode is polished, I upload it to Podbean, which automatically distributes it to Apple, Amazon, YouTube, Spotify, and other platforms. The process is streamlined and efficient—just the way I like it.

5. Sharing and Community:

Finally, I spend about an hour crafting posts for X (Twitter) and LinkedIn, sharing the episode and its key takeaways with my network.

The Tools and the Time

My toolkit is simple but effective:

Descript: $50/month

Podbean: $15/month

ChatLLM (for ChatGPT access): $10/month

Each book can take up to 9 hours to listen to, but every 3 hours of listening typically becomes a 60-minute podcast. After listening, highlighting and summarizing takes about 2 hours per podcast hour, and recording plus editing are each about an hour. All told, each episode takes about 7 hours from start to finish, plus one more hour for social media and posting—an 8-hour investment I look forward to every week.

The Best Advice I Ever Got

A seasoned podcaster once told me, “Make it something that is easy enough to do every week.” That advice stuck with me. By building a workflow that fits my schedule and leverages the tools I love, I’ve made podcasting a sustainable, enjoyable part of my life. The payoff? I get to share valuable insights with clients, team members, and listeners—and I’ve even created courses to help others navigate the world of innovation.

If you’re curious about innovation in AI, medtech, or health & wellness—or if you’re thinking about starting your own podcast—check out my website InnoGuide.Net. I hope my story inspires you to share your own insights with the world.