Success Through Adversity: Unconventional Route to Mastery

Hey producers,

It was a pleasure to welcome a master in my favourite field, podcasting, and discuss his journey, which led him to speak with some of the biggest names in entrepreneurship, content creation, creativity, and more. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Now, let’s look at some valuable takeaways.

Building an 8-Figure Podcast Empire from $0 | #69: Darren Lee

Darren Lee, Founder & CEO of Voics, is a dynamic podcaster and entrepreneur dedicated to building influence and authority through podcasts. Hailing from a small town in Ireland, Darren’s passion for rugby shifted to bodybuilding and distance running after an injury. With a background in tech startups and financial technology, he has collaborated with Fortune 500 firms and global fintech companies.

Darren's podcast, Kickoff Sessions, features top-tier guests like Justin Welsh, Sahil Bloom, and Matt Gray. With over 200 episodes, it has reached the top 5% globally and hit #1 in the careers charts. His love for podcasting led to the creation of Voics, where he continues to grow both ventures. Tune in to Produced By to explore Darren’s journey from Ireland to Bali, Indonesia, and be inspired by his relentless drive for improvement and success.

Lessons:

• Turning Setbacks into Success: The Power of Opportunity

• Transform Your Passion into Profit

• Why Working for Free Can Pay Off Big Time

• Establish Yourself as an Authority in Your Field

• The Secret to Success: Consistency Over Time

Lesson 1: Setbacks as Opportunities

Imagine working hard to become a professional athlete, only to face a serious injury that halts your plans. It must be devastating and understandably puts one at a crossroads. That’s what Darren experienced in his teenage years. However, he saw this as an opportunity or even a turning point that led him to his current path. He didn’t let it stop him; instead, he found a new passion. Long story short, he ventured into entrepreneurship, podcasting, and eventually a mix of both. Like something out of a Hollywood film, right?

Lesson 2: Monetize Your Passion

We all have something we enjoy doing, and the ultimate win is to monetize it. When you turn your passion into a source of income, it doesn’t even feel like work, and helping others makes it even more rewarding. When Darren started podcasting, people began coming to him for advice, help, and support. Initially, he did it for free, which eventually gave him the idea to monetize his expertise and build a podcasting empire. Now, running his podcasting agency, he manages dozens of podcasts, helps people start from scratch, and continues to educate others about this amazing field. As a podcaster myself, this is truly inspiring!

Lesson 3: Work for Free

Following up on the previous point, Darren initially helped people for free. Naturally, one can't continue indefinitely without compensation, but he used his entrepreneurial spirit to find a viable market. It’s important to protect your time, but doing some good deeds can be beneficial. People might remember, recommend, or reciprocate in some way. Especially when starting out, it’s valuable to build your name and establish yourself. So, try doing something nice for someone today and see what happens.

Lesson 4: Build Authority

This is something I wish I had learned earlier. In any field, establishing yourself as an authority will benefit you. It helps you grow your following, attract people seeking your advice, and build trust. Darren exemplifies this perfectly through his posts on LinkedIn and his newsletter. He consistently offers valuable content that podcasters find helpful, making him a trusted voice in the industry. Mission accepted!

Lesson 5: Consistency

Showing up every day—our favourite lesson. Look at the number of episodes of Kickoff Sessions, and you’ll see Darren’s experience. It’s not about overnight success but about one episode after another, learning, iterating, and improving. As a result, Darren has spoken with some of the most popular voices, such as Justin Welsh, Sahil Bloom, Matt Gray, and more. I’m always excited to see who’s next. I hope that one day in the future, I’ll look back and think about writing this.

I loved Darren’s response to my question about where people can find and follow him. He said he wouldn’t promote himself because if you’re not curious enough to search for him (or his podcast) based on our discussion, he hasn’t done a good job. That’s something I’ve been reflecting on and trying to focus on. That’s how I’ll wrap up this edition. Thanks again, and have a successful week!

Keep producing,
Tommen