Engaging Audiences: Nicole Christina's Secrets to Podcast Success

Rich Bennett 0:00
Thanks for joining the conversation today. We are honored to have a special guest with us. Nicole Christina. Nicole is the host of the Multi-award-winning Zestful Aging podcast issue that has resonated with listeners in over 106 countries. With a rich 30 year career as a psychotherapist, Ms.. Nicole transitioned into the realm of longevity coaching, helping individuals design a more engaging, energizing and peaceful life as they age, not just a podcast. She's also the author of the insightful book and very good book, not just Chatting How to Become a Master Podcast. INTERVIEWER. Nicole's passion for promoting and zestful approach to aging and her dedication to making a positive impact in the lives of many is truly inspiring. So please join me in welcoming the incredible Nicole. Christina. How you doing, Nicole? 

Nicole Christina 0:56
Do a great intro like that. My head is just swell three times. 

Rich Bennett 1:02
Well, it's funny, so I got to tell the listeners this story. So I did pod score through pod match and you did a video for Alex and is the I want to say, the Academy. And I watched that video and I was like, oh my God, this young lady is awesome. 

Nicole Christina 1:23
I love calling me a young lady. Rich, you're you're you're really working on me here. 

Rich Bennett 1:30
I play Santa Claus so I can see everybody is younger to be. 

Nicole Christina 1:33
Excellent. Good, good. 

Rich Bennett 1:36
It's funny because I watched that video and you talked about your boys like. And I even told, as I said, this is awesome. I love her techniques. I got to get the book and I got the book and I read it and wow, anybody that is getting into podcast and this is a must have book. Without a doubt, if you're interviewing people, you have to have it. 

Nicole Christina 2:01
Thank you so much. It's very specific to interviewing. And as you know, Rich, I'm a psychotherapist, so. With like 32. Years of clinical work, I'm pretty. Used to talking to. People and trying to get them to talk about themselves. And feel. Vulnerabilities. And that's all. The stuff we love When we're. Interviewing for podcasting. We're not going for information, right? We're already have so much information. We're going for a relationship. So, you know, I like to think that. After doing this clinically for a number of years, my whole career, actually, there's a real crossover in that When I interview someone, I'm really looking to form a mini relationship. And yet to know what makes. Them tick, not just like, you know, sort of the stuff that they've been asked and answered every single time. I like to. You probably know from reading the book, you know, I am a little quirky. I like going for stuff that's not so mainstream and it just makes. It more interesting. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 3:13
Because and the thing is, with you, you have people that that's all they do. They're constantly on podcast. They're guesting all the time. Hmm. And a lot of these hosts ask them the same questions and you're not getting anything new out of them. That's why I. Well, you'll find out at the end. I always end with a different question or a certain question, but it just it makes the conversation so much better when you can pull out something that they've never talked about and just keep going with it. It's amazing. 

Nicole Christina 3:47
You know what the other. Thing is, just selfishly in terms of being a. Host, is it really. Helps with pod. Feed because like yesterday. I had this conversation with the woman who's called the Modern Pioneer. She has a million subscribers on YouTube and she does. She's just really cool. She does this stuff with traditional cooking and she just has this whole pioneer thing going and she's just lovely. I have such a the experience for me was. Like, sometimes I just have to pinch myself. It's like I almost get a little. You know. 

Rich Bennett 4:29
Giddy. 

Nicole Christina 4:30
Yes, I can get me and I'm just bouncing. Yes. It's like there's this sense of like, I probably will never meet her in real life. She lives in Texas, but. Like, there was such a. Connection, we. Were just, like, jiving so well and, like, we're laughing. Turns out she weirdly grew up in a neighborhood not far from me. So that we're. Talking about that. And the dogs and all this stuff. And like I was literally giddy and buzzing after that and that makes me that's sort of the. Buffer of then, you. Know, now I have to do all my research. Now I have to do all the stuff that is the crap side of podcasting. You know, the social. And the descriptor and. This and making sure and all that. And that's just. Like. Boring, boring, boring. But it's so offset when you have a connection. You're like. I'll do anything to. Do that again. And so. That's why I like to. Also talk about a good interview in terms of. Really. Helping the Pod fade phenomenon. 

Rich Bennett 5:47
And I got to admit, when I first started this back in 2015, I had I got the pod feed. 

Nicole Christina 5:54
Oh yeah. 

Rich Bennett 5:54
And I was only doing it once a month. That was the weird thing. Now I'm dropping three episodes a week now, and I can't wait to record the next episode. I just love it. 

Nicole Christina 6:06
Yeah, I love it. Yeah, it. 

Rich Bennett 6:08
Is. And the friend you mentioned her. You're the connections you make. But it's also the friendships. 

Nicole Christina 6:14
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 6:15
That you make. And I've had a lot of people on and they've come on again and again. But we're always and we're always connecting through Facebook. If you see something happens, then they're of course, I'm messaging right away on my. Yeah, how are you doing? Is everything all right? 

Nicole Christina 6:30
Oh, and I was going to say, now I'm. Going to just put my my therapy hat on for just one second, if you'll allow me. That's the gold. Yeah. You want to talk about buffering. Against the. Crazy that we're living in? What you're doing is not only. My opinion, that's the gold, that's the research. And it really helps our mental health to be like, I see you. You see me? I know you're going to like this. I'm going to send it to you. That's what humans are built for. 

Rich Bennett 7:07
I just wish they if they ever come up this way or down this way, either or they would call me so we can have lunch. 

Nicole Christina 7:13
I You gonna put that out there? 

Rich Bennett 7:16
That's all I tell them all the time. Hey, did you ever make it this way? 

Nicole Christina 7:19
LOL they. 

Rich Bennett 7:20
Have to do. 

Nicole Christina 7:20
Not to have crab right where you live. 

Rich Bennett 7:22
Oh yea I definitely got to get some crab, some oysters and all that good seafood to Smith Island. Have you ever had the Smith Island cake? 

Nicole Christina 7:34
I don't think. So. Oh, is. It's so good. What is it made with it? 

Rich Bennett 7:39
Well, they vary, but it's like seven layers. Oh, yeah. I mean, these are not thick layers. Yeah, but that. Oh yeah. It's, there's a place in the bay called Smith Island and that's where they're made. 

Nicole Christina 7:53
Which you can only. 

Rich Bennett 7:54
Get to by boat. 

Nicole Christina 7:55
I understand there's a really rich history in Chesapeake Bay. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I've been to Assateague. Oh, beautiful. Yeah, It's. A whole different world. 

Rich Bennett 8:08
Mm. Yeah. My wife and daughter actually just went camping there in tents. Yeah. A couple of weeks ago. And did last night it poured down. Oh. It rained all day and all everybody's tents collapsed. 

Nicole Christina 8:21
I hate that. 

Rich Bennett 8:23
So I think it's time we get a camper. One of the things I do want to ask you, though, because this has happened to me and I'm sure it's happened to you. Yeah, we talking about the friendships and how rewarding that is, how many times and I know you've had to had have you had a listener contact you and thank you for somebody you had on and they learned from it. 

Nicole Christina 8:47
Yeah, I mean, definitely. And here's the thing, and I'll put it right back to you. It's not always the ones that blow me away. Yeah, Like, I'm like, Oh, I'm so glad. And I'm like, That's wonderful to hear. But I just interviewed a guy who did some grief. He does rituals with nature, and he was at 911 doing this. And a guy who was at 911. Who went out for a smoke. Break and. Watched that whole thing was they're doing this healing ritual. It was the first time in 352 episodes I was speechless. And, you know, there's things that blow me away. And I'm just like, I have nothing to add. I just have to sit here in silence. And, you know, people respond differently in different episodes. So the answer is yes, but I'm a little bit surprised sometimes, Like, I'm so happy, I'm glad. 

Rich Bennett 9:51
And it's rewarding, I think. 

Nicole Christina 9:53
Oh, for sure. You need to. Get. All the rewards you can because it's a lonely little world here. And you know how. Alex and Felipe was always talking about. Community? Yes. 

That's something I'm still working on. But, you know, I wish I had more podcasting community. I don't know if this is true for you, Rich, but like my friends. Sometimes are a little tired of me saying, Guess who I had on this week? All sorts of them. They're like, Oh, yeah, great. Now that's fun. You're cool. 

Rich Bennett 10:28
No, my friends are like, When are you going to have me on? And I. So what did you want to talk about? Oh, I don't know. It was like, Well, that's why you're like, No. Yeah, I don't tell him that. Well, I just did tell him. 

Nicole Christina 10:40
Yeah, you just did that. 

Rich Bennett 10:43
Yeah, it's, it's. And I learned that the hard way, too. You have to 

you as the host. You can be picky of who you have on. 

Nicole Christina 10:54
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 10:55
Not everybody is ready to do a podcast. A lot of people come on, they're nervous. And there's been times where especially one time in general, I did everything. 

Nicole Christina 11:09
Oh, I hear you. 

Rich Bennett 11:10
Try to talk my, you know, my. It was. 

Nicole Christina 11:13
Just. I hear your pain. 

Rich Bennett 11:15
Oh, God, it was hard. And that's one episode I can never publish just because it was like talking to a wall. 

Nicole Christina 11:22
Oh, oh, I have. One or two people in mine. And it's very rare because there's, you know, either no their staff or research them or whatever or pre-interview them. I had a woman and I consider myself pretty good at this, and she had been on TV and she was an expert on aging. And I'm not giving her away because a lot of them are experts in aging. She had this cancer. Thing going and I was trying to get underneath. It around it all, and it was just. Like a. Reading. A I don't know, she had a book and she was just kind of almost like chapter by chapter. And I'm like, Yeah. This or what about no, you know, we're staying on the on the I don't know what it was. And I put it out because her book was pretty successful, right? That was five years ago. I don't know if I do that now. 

Rich Bennett 12:21
I was about to ask you how long you've been doing the. 

Nicole Christina 12:23
Podcast. In February. It'll be six years. 

Rich Bennett 12:25
Six years? Yeah. Yeah. I'm trying to do the math. 

Nicole Christina 12:28
17. 

Rich Bennett 12:29
Okay. Okay. 

Nicole Christina 12:31
So not as long as you. 

Rich Bennett 12:34
But the good thing is, you know, it seems like a lot of people that had started right before COVID are the ones that are still gone. You had a lot of people come on and start their podcast during COVID and they're no longer doing it. 

Nicole Christina 12:48
And I. Don't find. 

Rich Bennett 12:49
That the hard work. 

Nicole Christina 12:50
You know, it's so interesting. Because people will say. You know, Oh, I want to do a podcast and all this stuff. I was thinking about doing podcasts. I'm like, You have got to really love it because. Yes, the love is, is, is strong. But there are times I'm like, Are you oh, oh, no, I got. I got to you know, you got to do the work. And it's it's not always that fun. 

Rich Bennett 13:18
It's a full time job. 

Nicole Christina 13:19
And you got to show up for it even you can't, like, leave your listeners dangling. And yeah, there's parts that are not fun. And if you can't hire them out, I have an editor, but I do a lot of the I do the research, right? It's it's hard. It is. I think Alex does a good job talking about this. It's it's a long it's the long view. Right. Not to really settle in for the long view. No one's getting to be a millionaire overnight that I know of. Maybe, you know, some of those people. 

Rich Bennett 13:54
Know I've never met them yet. 

Nicole Christina 13:57
Okay, I. 

Rich Bennett 13:58
Listen, I know all. 

Nicole Christina 13:59
I know. 

Rich Bennett 14:00
What made you actually decide to get into podcasting? To start a podcast? 

Nicole Christina 14:04
Yeah. I was a therapist for 30 years, and I. Wanted to put out some. I like to challenge myself a little bit and I put out some online courses, one mindful eating and the other zestful aging. And I hired this tech intern. I'm right near Syracuse University, and he said. You know, I think you would really. Like podcasting, and because I am who I am, I contacted a woman that I had done a fly fishing 

meditation workshop with. She's a. Guy. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 14:40
Fly fishing. Meditation workshop. 

Nicole Christina 14:42
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 14:43
Okay. 

Nicole Christina 14:45
And, you know, it was she's a guy. She's a professional New York state guide. And I thought, wouldn't it be nice? And she does a lot of this work with breast cancer survivors. And I said, Oh, you know, you want to do this, be really cool. So we did this together. It was really fun. And she's just this dynamo, really lovely woman. So I called. Her up and I said, Hey, Vicki, can I interview. You? Because she lived in Syracuse and. Right. And she said. Of course, she's just. She's just extremely articulate. So I bring my little MacBook Pro to her house. We sit down. No fancy. Equipment. This was like, you know, I'm just sitting in her. Porch and I hit. Record. And I remember having this thought as she was talking. I got to do more of this. I don't care what has to happen. I got to keep doing this. I was in such my sweet spot of hearing her talk about why she's a fly fisher woman, why she does volunteering for people, what her background is, why she loves to be in beautiful rivers and streams in New York, what it does for her soul, what, you know, catch and release, the whole fishing thing, the whole trout thing. I was like. I was just like. Bitten by that bug and I never looked back. It was the most it was almost like a divine experience. And like, I, I cannot. Not do this. So that was the start. And she was my first interview. And and then I just branched out and got really, how shall I say, brave, I think tried to. Be right and talk to people who were like ass people who I had no. Business. No. Business asking and some. Of them said yes. And then one of my little. Tricks for people who are listening to this, who are podcast hosts is I would always say at that time, who do you know who would be an awesome guest? And then you have. This beautiful entree like Susie Smith sent. Me your way and then, you. Know, you got some credibility and then all of a sudden more people. And so it's sort of like that upward spiral. Yeah. And but I was. Interviewing people. Who I had read. Their work. In graduate school. They were like, my Beyonce says, you know, they're, you know, not maybe for other people. Yeah. But I was like, oh, my gosh, you help me form my whole philosophy about how I work. You know? And they're older now. And it was just like, pinch me right now because I can't believe how lucky I am. 

Rich Bennett 17:46
So, Nicole, did you go fly fishing? 

Nicole Christina 17:50
Oh, yeah. Did you? I do know how. To fly fish. 

Rich Bennett 17:54
Die. Were you fly fishing before that first interview or. Oh, okay. Yeah, I've never tried that yet. 

Nicole Christina 18:01
It's a whole. Different game, you know, like. Yeah, you got to be in the whole thing because I think most people would. Say, unless you're at the high, high levels, it's easier to catch something on bait. But there's this whole art form. About. Tying flies and reading. The exact fly that matches with what's hatching. You know, it's a whole world. And my son is very highly into it. So that's how. Okay, yeah. 

Rich Bennett 18:31
I'm going to have to try it. 

Nicole Christina 18:32
It's so awesome. And. You know, you just have to. Kind of like. You, you know, be. Really mindful when you're on the streams and they're beautiful. Like, I'm just doing this thing, but it's not like, Oh, I'm. Going to catch this huge fish. You know, It's a different mentality. 

Rich Bennett 18:50
Maybe I'll have to go give me a fly fishing rod and try to. 

Nicole Christina 18:53
Oh yeah. 

Rich Bennett 18:55
I definitely have to do that. 

Nicole Christina 18:56
Yeah, it's cool. 

Rich Bennett 18:57
So with interviewing guest because yeah, we always run into this and then we always learn over time, I think we learn how to do it better. Oh yeah, of course. Your book helps a lot to. But what were some of the initial challenges that you actually faced in interviewing Guest? Had you ever come in? 

Nicole Christina 19:20
At first I'm, I'm going to, you know, anyone who knows me is going to be like, yep, I just get real tangential sometimes and I get so excited that like I veer off kind of like what we're doing right now. I veer off because there's so many cool things to talk about and 

my questions and I do this as a therapist, what you think I know by now, but they're like compound questions. They're like four questions. And then the guests would be like, What do you want me to answer first? So I get sometimes I'm just it's too, too wordy. It's too 

excited. You know? And certainly over the years, I've I've, I've pulled myself in when I first started and I say this in the book, like. If my guest would. Talk to me for 6 hours, I'd. Be like, Yay, let's go, because I write this idea. You know, I can't believe people. Are going to be on my show. So I'm going to just like keep. Going at every single little. 

Piece of goodness. And now I've learned some discipline, and that is when things are going well, that's when it's time to wind down, not when you're like, okay, I guess we covered everything we possibly can. There was no more energy left. So my sweet. Spot I've found is roughly 30 minutes, but I used to go an hour and that. You know, it didn't it. Didn't work as well. And I just had to learn it. It was a matter of self-discipline and right. That was kind of a rough lesson. 

Rich Bennett 21:06
Interesting. So with this, because you have good interviewers and then you have the master ones, what's the difference between, say, a good interviewer and a master interviewer? What I. 

Nicole Christina 21:21
Would say. And see what you think about this. Okay, is I think that when you're in an. Interview that's really humming and you feel really connected, your audience wishes they could just jump in and be part and. It's so. Magnetic and compelling that you want to be. Like, Wait, I, you know, can I say something? You know, the audience feels like they're part of. That and that. If it just resonates so. Deeply with the. Listener that it's not. Just an interview anymore, I would call it. It's like an emotional experience, right? Really feeling a sense of being heard and understood. And even. Belonging. Because we know this world. Is really dealing with a loneliness and isolation epidemic. So I think the really good interviews just make you feel so comfortable. And so part of that process that. It. Transcends just being a podcast interview. It's like this little like love in or something. 

Rich Bennett 22:34
I know, I love that. And because one of the things I was always against that word interview. 

Nicole Christina 22:40
Oh, okay. 

Rich Bennett 22:41
When I started this and people wanted to come on, they say, Yeah, we would love for you to. I said, I don't interview people. We have conversations. 

Nicole Christina 22:48
Yeah, that's good. 

Rich Bennett 22:50
But it still has to start out as interview is questions. Hmm. So you still have the it's still an interview. Hmm. You know, but you think about it. Nobody's going to listen to a show called Interviews with Rich. 

Nicole Christina 23:04
Dead. 

Rich Bennett 23:05
Conversations. This sounds better. 

Nicole Christina 23:07
I've heard. I've heard that before. And I think it makes a lot of sense. And I agree with you, 

Conversations is so much better and so much more accurate. 

Rich Bennett 23:20
Well, and it makes it easier when I print up shirts and says, join the conversation. What it says, join the interview. 

Nicole Christina 23:27
Yeah. Yeah, that's great. No one was doing an interview, though, so it's interrogation. I'm so good at like a little light bulb hanging as the icon. 

Rich Bennett 23:40
Who just gave me a nice marketing. I did not want to do that. So what was it that you actually wrote the book? Let me rephrase that. When is it that you actually started to write the book? 

Nicole Christina 23:54
Yeah, this is a teeny little book. It's only like 35, 40 pages. So like. You'd think it. Would be like a weekend. And I was I wrote the book, let's see, two and a half, three. Years ago, and I. Just thought, Oh, this is going. To be great. You know, I'm going to really glean some of the stuff. Because I had watched. Interviewers and I'm like. What do you do it? And I said the wrong thing to say. But like. I watch Letterman and he had this interview. He had an interview show right after late night. Right. And he I was watching this. To my horror, people would talk. About emotional stuff. And they'd put it out there and he'd jump over to. Something that happened with his son. And like, I'm like, What are you doing? You're leaving this jewel right on the table. And I found, like, nothing against Letterman. I'm sure you know, he's a great guy. I don't know him. But I was finding that there was a lot of stuff about him. And his son and his son being at that time few years ago, a teenager and a pain in the butt and all this stuff. And I'm like. This person, like even Connie was on. He was talking to people who had real issues and kind of wanted to clearly talk about some of their struggles and he would. Not go near it. And I thought. Man, you are really missing. Not to make it a psychiatric interview. But that's the juice. Right there. So I would. Watch a lot of interviews and I thought I think I had something to. Say, like, you know, who I. Thought was a really good interviewer. Who I was like, Wow, cool for you is Jerry Seinfeld. 

Rich Bennett 25:46
Oh, okay. 

Nicole Christina 25:47
Have you watched Comedians in Cars having coffee? 

Rich Bennett 25:51
No, but I'm going to now. 

Nicole Christina 25:52
So he has a very disarming way of talking to people and he listens and he's got this really, he's just seems very. Open and accessible. And see see what you think when you. Watch him. I was like, wow, you know, good for you. And people. Talk about hard. Stuff. 

Rich Bennett 26:16
Yeah. 

Nicole Christina 26:17
With him. And I thought, this is. Really worth watching. So I was watching all the big interviewers and I thought, you know, I think I have. Something to say. Who knows? You know, it's people. Are wanting to know about this and. Podcasting. So I hired a book coach and man, I thought this was going to be like, okay, here's my staff. And then they said, You got to hire an editor. I'm a pretty good writer. I do that as part of my professional job. And they're like, This is good, but we. Can make it better. I'm like, Really? So we got the editor and can and I who I. I met through a friend who's a professional editor. Then we got the book coach. I'm like, This is turning into a part a full time job. This is a lot more than I had. This is a little teeny book, guys, you know? So it did take a lot. Longer because, you know, then there's the whole, you know, you're doing all this, you're trying to advertise it a little bit. And I was like, Wow, I am so over this, But I've gotten. Tons of people. Talking to me about it. It's been a really. Great way to. Like when I went to this podcast conference down in New Jersey, Joe Pardo and I just brought a ton of books, and to tell you the truth, I just gave them out because I didn't want to mess with the New Jersey taxes and all this stuff. But it was a really nice way to. Get the conversations going and. People. Wanted to talk about it. So I. Found it to be really useful. In moving in the podcasting world. Not everybody has an interview. Show, as you know, so it's not always relevant. But when it is relevant people. Love to talk about and I've gotten a lot. Of speaking. Gigs off of it. So it's, you know, it's not making me a millionaire. I haven't bought a Ferrari. From my little book, but it has gotten me into some really lovely. Conversations. Right. And that's, as you know, that's so satisfying. 

Rich Bennett 28:29
Well, the thing is, you keep saying a little book, but this little book has a I want to say a novel full of knowledge. 

Nicole Christina 28:40
Wow. 

Rich Bennett 28:41
I mean, it's the stuff that you have in there is phenomenal. Matter of fact, there's something I use now from your book, and that's, you know, especially with podcast because you you well, you know, you get bombarded with people that want to come on your show. 

Nicole Christina 29:02
That's right. 

Rich Bennett 29:02
And you know and some of them are you could tell the ones that really don't listen to your show or even look at it. And the pitch is always the same. Yep. So one of the things I learned how to do from your book was to politely tell them that it's not a good fit right now. Yeah. 

Nicole Christina 29:21
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 29:22
Which I always thought. Yeah. Oh God, yes. But I thought it was so. I mean, I don't know if I can do. 

Nicole Christina 29:29
It. 

Rich Bennett 29:29
Now, but now it definitely, definitely works. 

Nicole Christina 29:33
So I'll tell you a little funny story. So of course we get pitched all the time because it is really free advertising, particularly when someone has a new book out, a new documentary for me, you know, they're like. Oh, I got you know. I want to be on the show. And it's. Exactly what you. Say. It's like. Dear. You know, zestful aging or something, right? Well, that's. Not a good. Start. You know, you're doing great things. Really. What are. They? You know, But. I had a guy, a PR firm contact me. What do they do? Mold remediation. I'm like. 

Rich Bennett 30:10
Oh, my God, I had that one. 

Nicole Christina 30:11
You did? Yes. Get out of here. Yes. So I said, I'm no, this is you don't even what do you doing? You know, And and. Then I said, you know, this isn't a fit. Then six months later, again, with the mold remediation. Yes. And I'm like, man, you are just wasting my time. And yes, it makes me irritated because, like, you know, we have time is precious. Don't don't do. That. Don't scattershot me with your, you know. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 30:44
No, when I read that in your book, I started laughing my tail off. Oh, my God, There's got to be the same person emailed me time and time and time again. 

Nicole Christina 30:53
That's crazy. I forgot. I put it in the book. 

Rich Bennett 30:56
Oh, and the funny thing is, when I first got it, I contacted one of my co-hosts who owns a roofing company. 

Nicole Christina 31:03
Oh, okay. 

Rich Bennett 31:04
He's like, Oh, yeah, definitely. Let's let's. Let's do that. Let's get. Well, when you reply to that email, it's amazing how apparently they're not get your replies because they'll email you again. 

Nicole Christina 31:16
Oh yeah. It's no good. 

Rich Bennett 31:20
Yeah. I was like, Nope, sorry, not for me. But another thing I think your book is good for is for people that are in sales. 

Nicole Christina 31:29
Oh really? 

Rich Bennett 31:30
I think so, because, well, back in the day when I was in sales, but early days in radio, you would go in there and you would do your pitch, you would try to close the sale right then and there was you with your book, you're learning how to interview. You're building that relationship, which is something that's how sales have changed. You're building that relationship now. You don't go in and try to seal the deal right away. 

Nicole Christina 31:58
I see. Okay. 

Rich Bennett 31:59
You would you know, you want to build that relationship up and you want that loyalty. And we talked about it in the beginning. You make your relationships and I think this is also good for, you know, for salespeople as well. 

Nicole Christina 32:13
I see. Yeah. Yeah. I hadn't I hadn't quite heard that. But people want. Connection. I mean, we are starving, particularly after COVID. Oh, yeah. So, you know, and we're mammals, right? We're humans. And that we are that is just wired in. So it's. You can't you. Can't fake biology, you can't like get around biology. That's what we're all looking for. And that's why I do it. Right. Can I add just a couple more points for your listeners if absolutely not. 

Rich Bennett 32:51
No, of course. 

Nicole Christina 32:52
Yeah. You're, you're, you're a joker, Mr.. 

Rich Bennett 32:57
But you're going to have fun. 

Nicole Christina 32:59
I know, I know. I know it. A couple other things. I would just say that I learned the hard way is like, you. Want to really make it easy. For your guests. And so what I do is I. Just lay out I have a PDF. And I'm just like. This is what I need from you. This is you got to wear headphones, which I highlight in purple. You can't be on your phone because I'm on lips and it just doesn't work. You got to be on a. Lap like I really. Lay it out. Now. Some of them don't read it, so we to kind of review, but I also, 

because I'm a specialist in eating disorders, I talk about I don't want to talk about diet because some of my zestful agers will be like. Oh, I went keto when I lost you. Now, now. And that's. Fine. It's just not something I want to highlight on my podcast. So I'm really good about. Here are the. Instructions. Here's what you need to know. I also asked. For I mean, you did a. Beautiful intro, but I asked my folks to give me something to work with for an intro and then I write with it a little bit. So you want to really come. Across like you've done this. Before. You you've got a system in place. And you know what. You're doing because. That sets up. This kind of feeling of. Safety. And confidence. Like I've done this for a long time. You may not. But don't worry, because I totally have this in hand. Yeah. And you have people. Coming on and they can kind of breathe a little bit and let. You. Kind of take the reins and, you know, and talk to them and you can feel like you can sit back and just enjoy the conversation. So that's something that I've 

developed over the years is really trying to come across as a professional. Not a newbie. With a. 

Rich Bennett 35:00
Break. Let's take a little break here. I want to tell you about Marilyn Pugwash. Their passion is in making your items look like new. Their expertise is in pressure, washing from driveways, houses, decks, fences and awnings to apartment complexes, townhomes, strip malls and store fronts. They want to clean it up for you from top to bottom. Contact them today to get a free quote. Either Go to Marilyn Pre-Wash dot com again Maryland pre-wash dot dotcom or call them at 

4437521754. Again it's 

4437521754. Maryland Pre-Wash From top to bottom, they're going to clean your home. Yeah, that's one of the things that PDF is is great and that's one of the things I want to implement as well because you could tell, I mean, one of the things I learned and I got changes because I'll tell everybody before I even approach them, Can you record remotely if you can? Do you have a webcam, do you have a microphone? And I was saying, do you have headphones and or earbuds? Is that earbuds out? Because I found out a lot of times like somebody is using what is it, the AirPods? 

Nicole Christina 36:27
Yeah, Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 36:28
It doesn't work as well as headphones in a regular microphone. 

Nicole Christina 36:31
That's exactly what I found. And they don't really always love that because these are. Expensive. And people kind of love their AirPods. But the mike I found the exact same thing is not great for recording. And so what I've had people do. And you may have had this experience is like they'll be like, Oh, let me. Find my kid's gaming headphones. Have you ever heard? 

Rich Bennett 36:55
Oh, yes. 

Nicole Christina 36:58
So we do that. 

Rich Bennett 37:01
That's here. And here's my take on this. If you're going to be a guest on the podcast, chances are virtually chances are you've been doing a lot of podcast. Invest in the proper equipment. You don't need expensive equipment. I mean, you know, like your microphone in my you know, or my microphone, you can get a good microphone for $100. Yeah, yeah. The headphones, you know, definitely. I would say you want to make sure they're noise canceling because you don't want any outside interference and a webcam and Internet. 

Nicole Christina 37:42
You need. 

Rich Bennett 37:43
Internet. Real Internet. Yes. I can't tell you how many times I've been recording. And it's it's almost like watching an old Godzilla movie because my guess there, it's like a delay. It's weird. You haven't got all Godzilla movies, everything. The voices were doubled over it. What about you? Which is one of the reasons I only do audio and not the video. But yeah, that's I've found that if they're using slow internet. 

Nicole Christina 38:18
Oh wow, I haven't done that problem. I have had this problem though. I was talking to someone who was like, you know, one of these people that, you know, I'm like freaking out because they're so cool. And I look up. And there are some thunderclouds that look like they're going to blow my house away. And I think she was in Europe or somewhere far away. I thought, I'm going to lose this interview. It was so dark and scary and. You know, we were able to wrap it up, but I was distracted because the weather in Upstate New York was so bad. I thought, this is this is Don. I got like a minute left. I better, you know, get what I can get. So, yeah, sometimes things like that happen. 

Rich Bennett 39:08
That's one scary thing about doing it, you know, remotely, virtually, because and my fear was always that the Internet would go out. 

Nicole Christina 39:16
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 39:17
Luckily, that's never happened to me. Knock on wood. Yeah, but I did have a power saw. 

Nicole Christina 39:22
All. 

Rich Bennett 39:23
Over my computer. Everything. I mean, everything went out. 

Nicole Christina 39:27
Oh, gosh. 

Rich Bennett 39:27
I was like, I hurry up and I burned it back up. 

Nicole Christina 39:30
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 39:31
Urban Squad case back up. And my guest was still there. 

Nicole Christina 39:34
Oh, that's a miracle. 

Rich Bennett 39:35
Oh, yeah. I was like, Oh, have, of course, apologize like crazy. 

Nicole Christina 39:40
Yeah, such. 

Rich Bennett 39:41
Like crazy. And it's. 

Nicole Christina 39:43
It's just happens. 

Rich Bennett 39:45
Oh, yeah. Down. So zest for aging. How did you come up with that name? 

Nicole Christina 39:50
Oh gosh. I have to give credit to my, my spouse. I was thinking of what can I say that's jazzy and sassy and all this stuff, and I'm the wordsmith in the family, but I think we were out in some. Microbrew. Place, which, you know, there's a lot of them in upstate New York, and he's amazing. He's a big guy into micro beer. And he said, What do you think about Zest? Yeah, you too. Yeah. Yeah. There you go. And he said, What do you think about zestful? I'm like, That's it. I can't do any better than that. And, you know, I've had so many people say, I love zest, I love that, I love that. And I was like, I can't take credit for that. 

Rich Bennett 40:30
And your podcast has changed throughout the years, hasn't it? 

Nicole Christina 40:34
Oh, well. 

Rich Bennett 40:35
It's as far as like gas and everything that you've talked to. 

Nicole Christina 40:39
Oh, I've always wanted to be the Terry GROSS of Healthy aging. She does a huge variety, you know, okay. And I of always. Wanted to just like all the different stuff that comes up as we age, the good stuff and the hard stuff. I think I've even made that a, you know, cast my net wider, but, you know, not to be offensive, but when I started I was like, is. Women only incest believe, right? But then I had men contact me and one guy. Was like this. Stanford, Harvard. Whatever. And he's like, I think I've, I think I've solved Alzheimer's. I'm like, okay, I think we're going to have to have you on, you know? And he had this whole different way of looking at cognitive decline. I'm like, I would be a fool to say, I'm sorry, you can't be on my show. Right? So once he came on, it kind of the floodgates opened and then, you know, everybody is welcome. So that has changed. I'm just go off the mainstream. Like I have a woman who this was early on, but she's an actress in Hollywood and she spends her time in San Quentin. Teaching the air. Cell mates how to do hospice skills. And I'm like, That's the what? Yeah. And then I have this woman. People always love the story who is an environmentally very aware woman. She's in the Everglades and she grew up there. And the pythons are taking over. And eating. All the mammals. I'm not talking about like some mammals. 98% of the mammals are gone because these pythons get so big. They'll eat anything. Deer, raccoon, otters, whatever. And so I actually was down in Florida doing some seniors tennis thing, and I'm like, Oh, I need to go and shadow her. So I went down and went Python hunting with her so that, yeah, I know, it's weird. I still can't believe I did it. You go in midnight because that's when the Pythons come out and she has a truck. With these huge. Spotlights. It's okay. I was on the back of the truck looking for these pythons at midnight. It was wild, but like, I really. Try to do stuff. That's a little different. I don't do any makeup. I don't do like. How do. You look? Younger. Yeah, right. Well, how do you dye your hair in the eye? Other people do that. And people interested in that. That's just not my, you know, where my heart lives. So it's most I'm a social. Worker by training. So a lot of my stuff is really about and that's the last award I got, which was a couple of days ago, which was for like good, you know, humanitarian. 

Rich Bennett 43:38
Really? 

Nicole Christina 43:39
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 43:40
Well, congratulations. 

Nicole Christina 43:41
Thanks. I interviewed this woman named Julie. Verdin, and she is widely known as the best indie filmmaker in the world, and she's an older woman now. And she just recently. Did a film on homelessness. She's a. Brit, but she lives in L.A. and she did a film on homelessness in L.A. and then. She and her film crew went to I forgot how many cities, a lot of cities in the U.S., like 12 cities. And interviewed people. Who were homeless. And yeah, so that's I was like, oh, how you know, that's just that's that's where that's where I live. People do things that are really beneficial for mankind. So those are so so some of the people that I really love to to talk to. 

Rich Bennett 44:32
Nicole, I have to tell you this. I love snakes. Yeah, I have pet snakes. 

Nicole Christina 44:37
Yeah. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 44:37
But there ain't no way in hell I am going out in the Everglades at midnight hunting for pythons that are bigger than me. 

Nicole Christina 44:45
Yeah, they are. And this is the thing that people don't know. I did not know. This woman is such. She's so radicals. She doesn't. She's 62. She doesn't need to be doing this. Her husband, a partner in a big law firm in Miami, and. They've had Japanese film. Crews come over. Any time that you. Watch Nature or anything on PBS about the Everglades, Donna Culwell is there because she is such a badass. Well, here's the thing that might interest you, or you may. Already know this, Rich. These guys. Are master construct ers. But they also. Bite. Yes. So I didn't know that. And I thought, if you're a constrictor, that's your that's what you do. So she grabs these guys. They're Matt, they're massive animals. And they if she doesn't grab them right behind the head properly, they buy her. 

Rich Bennett 45:39
They will turn around. 

Nicole Christina 45:39
Yeah, she's bleeding. She's like and this is what she says. She goes, oh my fault. I didn't, you know, I'm like, yeah Donna. You what you do with it. And she's just like going in the, you know, there's tall grasses. And she's like, I'm pretty sure I saw one here. She's in there. I'm like, Oh my gosh. So unfortunately or. Fortunately, when I went down, they had just finished breeding, so they were sort of in chill mode. We didn't see any pythons. We saw other snakes, tons of night hogs, tons of really cool stuff. 

Rich Bennett 46:15
Oh, wow. 

Nicole Christina 46:16
But it was just her. And usually she has volunteers and she's actually paid by the state of Florida to get these guys out. But she's she makes. I mean, is kind of an ad for Donna Carlisle if you go on her Facebook she. Sells. Stuff that's from their skins. Okay Pretty cool. And her. Her. Her trucks all decked out in like python skin And it's it's. It's it's. Really something. 

Rich Bennett 46:48
I was what I was going to ask you what she does after they catch them. 

Nicole Christina 46:51
But it well they she wants to eat them. 

Rich Bennett 46:54
I asked if it's good eating or not. 

Nicole Christina 46:56
Well here's the thing. The sad part is there's so much mercury coming down from the farms and the runoff. She would eat them. But and she does. Eat them sometimes. But it's like you got. To be really careful. She shows if you go on her Facebook. Her last name is. KLIF. Al and you'll see the crazy pictures and the film and the vid and stuff. But she takes the eggs out and she shows how many eggs were about ready to be released in the wild. But it takes a special. Person to do. That. Yeah. She it's it's you know, it's not a 9 to 5 She goes out most nights at midnight and you know she's. It's hard work. She's not getting rich. From the state of Florida, you know, But it's so. Important to her. Because she grew up there and she it's very obvious that the mammals are gone. 

Rich Bennett 47:57
Well, it's amazing how in Florida how many invasive species there are, too. You got them. What was it? The iguanas you believe as well? And peacocks. 

Nicole Christina 48:06
Oh, really? Yeah, I didn't know that. 

Rich Bennett 48:09
Yeah, I was watching something and they were talking about all these invasive species. 

Nicole Christina 48:13
Yeah. Yeah. And she was probably on it. I mean, like, after I interviewed her. Two summers ago, you know, now, like, she'll she puts up stuff on her Facebook and it's like, you know, a new thing on nature, I mean. Right. And any time there's anything on wildlife in Florida, she's front and center. 

Rich Bennett 48:35
Well, besides her, who is one of your most memorable I don't want to say memorable. Everybody's memorable, but wanted to You had one of your guests that you learned so much from. 

Nicole Christina 48:49
Well, she was a biggie because I thought this. I think I'm brave because I zipline. Right. I mean, this. Woman is like the of badassery. So that was a big one. 

Rich Bennett 49:01
I'm sorry, but this is like you're a bear there. You're hunting for pythons in your zip line now. Holy cow. 

Nicole Christina 49:07
I'm That's so hard. It's like, you know, which child do you like best? You know, I've had so many great experiences. 

Rich Bennett 49:17
It all depends on which child's at the room. In the room. 

Nicole Christina 49:19
But there you go. That. Who's listening? Oh, I I. Well, that's tough. You know, my. Husband always jokes with me and he's like, I know, I know. Best interview ever. And that's what he always says. You know, like. This was the best. Interview ever. I had. This one is not is going to be aired. And I don't know how it'll coincide with the airing of this one, but it will be aired on this coming Saturday. November four, maybe because the guy. Who I just had mentioned who was an artist and does these grief rituals with natural stuff like. 

Rich Bennett 50:01
Yes, I want to listen to that one. 

Nicole Christina 50:02
His name is Day. She'll and he got into it because he was so just slammed with heartbreak. He had just lost. He. Broken up with a long term relationship and his dad died and he was just like, should I get out of bed, you know, one of these kind of. Yeah. Life. And he had to because he had his dad's dog. So all he could do is like, walk the dog. And then one day he sat down, he started arranging. He's an artist, but starting arranging stuff. He found like pine cone stuff. And all of a sudden it's like. Feel a little better, feel. A little better. So he he. Really developed this whole curriculum. He works a lot with death Tool and people, they say, Oh, horrible grief. But the story that he tells at the 911 memorial, I. Literally. And I was joking before I mean like I'm not often speechless. I just couldn't talk. He told this story about this guy who had a piece of the building and had lost friends, you know, and he had just gone out for a smoke break and I just was paralyzed. I did not know what to say. And then after a little while, I said, thank you so much for sharing that story. So for in recent memory, that one, yeah, really affected me deeply. 

Rich Bennett 51:23
That I've had that happen a couple of times to where either I'm speechless or I'm grabbing the Kleenex Kleenex because I'm crying, especially when I have people on that are in recovery and they tell their stories. 

It's just it it can throw you off or give you an idea. We had a young lady on a children's author and I asked her the question about, you know, how how well her books are doing. So I take it you're no longer teaching. You probably retired. You're doing this full time. Well, she had to quit teaching because she was assaulted and I'm going to forget the name of it. Chronic something she has chronic something. Pain syndrome. Yeah. And but she goes to the whole story. We're recording this in Persian. And me and my co-host, Wendy, we're just we're we're in tears now because we were we weren't expecting that. Which sometimes that makes it even better when you're not expecting that. 

Nicole Christina 52:30
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 52:32
Oh, and I. Nicole, I'm not lying and I. I'm still working on it. I made it a mission of my to find out more about CPS and to get out, I want to get somebody on that news about it that can treat it. And that's one of my goals, is to find that person. 

Nicole Christina 52:54
Is that a trauma reaction. 

Rich Bennett 52:56
Yeah yeah it well can also now here's the weird thing. I had somebody else on the podcast where he's going through the same thing but his was caused by surgery when they amputated his leg. 

So it could be caused by that. And it's weird. It's like it can, you could be fine and then all of a sudden you're paralyzed. 

Wow. Yeah. And it doesn't go in one place. It goes to different places. So is there any either person or topic that you wanted to discuss on your podcast that you haven't yet? Because I know with aging ideas I'll be I I'm always big on Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and all that. Yeah. 

Nicole Christina 53:43
Oh yeah, that is a great question. Um, 

well, let me say this. I'm going to a little bit sneak in that sneaky but tricky. I have. I played tennis with a group of women who I've known for years. They're like my posse and we are all going to go hike in Spain on the Camino together in May. We'll see if I can do it. 

Rich Bennett 54:10
Richard Keep amazed at me more and more that. 

Nicole Christina 54:13
Tells us, Oh, I'll listen to this. These are 15. Mile days and. I am a walker, but I. Am a little concerned how that's going to go. So what I want do is do some kind of if they'll allow me, they're they're kind of they're not mouthy like I am introverted. They'll be like, could you put that microphone away, please? I'm I'm going to have to ask their permission, but I'm hoping to do some kind of show. Or shows about that experience. I think it's going to be pretty challenging for her all. Well, with the exception of one woman, we're all around 60. We're all physically. Active. But this is. Going to be a challenge yeah, we're going to do the northern route, which is the Basque region in northern Spain. And I am I have never done anything like that. So I'm hoping that I could do something really fun and interesting about what it's like when you do something that's beautiful and a bucket list thing, but it is really damn hard. Yeah. And it might catch me in some moments of like you guys go ahead because I have to take a day off because my plantar fasciitis is like, you know, walking on glass right now. 

Rich Bennett 55:45
Where do you have that you're going hiking? 

Nicole Christina 55:47
Well, everyone. I think, has a little bit of that who does this kind of stuff. But I have orthotics and. You know, it's it's it. Is a lot it's a lot of mileage. But you're spent you're not doing anything else. So you're walking, you're resting. It's a great. Food scene. There. So we'll be drinking a lot of espresso. We'll be drinking some red. Wine, eating. Some really lovely. Foods. And then we'll go again. Right? It doesn't have to. They may want to run it. I cannot run it. So I'm curious how it goes. I'm a little nervous, excited. And so I want to capture that for my audience. And so that's something that has not been done that I'm going to fine. We'll see how it comes out. 

Rich Bennett 56:36
Yeah, I would not be able to go with you and do that because you would not be able to get me away from the food. 

Nicole Christina 56:41
Yeah, I know they have. Apparently. Now, this is not. Something I had planned for. My friend had discovered this. It's the biggest food. Scene outside of Tokyo. I'm like. What? Wow, It's the Basque region. So go. They're on, you know, their coast. So they do a lot of fish. They do a lot of just. Beautiful. Beautiful food. And I'm there for it. I'm. I'm ready to see what beautiful Spanish food is like. I've never been to Spain. 

Rich Bennett 57:12
Sounds like a song. 

Nicole Christina 57:14
I Yeah, Yeah. Let's see. I mean, you know, some people turn around and go home. Yeah, it's rocky. It's. It's hard. And I just. 

Rich Bennett 57:24
Got to experience, though. You have to. 

Nicole Christina 57:26
Experience what I'm about. I just, you know, 

62 and I. And I know that there's an end to this party, and I'm just trying to do everything I can. Wow. 

Rich Bennett 57:38
Nicole, you're like me. Not for a long time. I have a goal, and I am going to be a centurion. 

Nicole Christina 57:45
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 57:46
I'm going to still be podcast that 100. I don't know if I'll be able to get anybody, all of them understand me. 

Nicole Christina 57:53
Make sure you get your teeth in. And yeah. 

Rich Bennett 57:56
I'll probably still be playing Santa Clause too. 

Nicole Christina 57:59
That's I love that. That's so that's so cool. I love. 

Rich Bennett 58:03
That. Yeah, that's one of my goals. That's my goal. My long term goal. Yeah. And then my I only really have two things on my bucket list. One is for all the Bennet boys to get together. And when I say Bennett boys, I'm talking about my first cousins who live in England. 

Nicole Christina 58:18
How could I know. 

Rich Bennett 58:19
For all of us? Because we, a lot of us haven't met in person. So I would just love for us to get together, you know, have some beer, bourbon, barbecue. Oh, my other thing is to go to Iceland. 

Nicole Christina 58:32
You got to go. 

Rich Bennett 58:33
Oh, that's what I've been to. 

Nicole Christina 58:35
Got to go. And you know what's interesting about Iceland? I don't know now that it's become this, like, really, you know, big spot. Mm. The thing. That I loved about it. It's not that far. You know, you left new. Work and you're there in 5 hours. Because you don't have to go the whole way. I would go. Back there in a minute. 

Rich Bennett 59:00
As yet. My problem is I don't fly anymore. Oh, and it's a long boat ride. But I'll be flying in February, so I'll get used to it again. And maybe I'll surprise my wife and say, Hey, honey, we're going to Iceland. Oh, wow. 

Nicole Christina 59:17
It looks like the moon. I mean, you're on your like this. Is all black and moss covered where I and I just can't. I mean. To me, it was such. A bang for the buck because it's such spectacular scenery. And you know. You are not in the U.S.. 

Rich Bennett 59:38
Now exist anymore. 

Nicole Christina 59:39
That's right. And they're, you know, really friendly and. Oh, I can recommend that as well. 

Rich Bennett 59:46
And I've heard it's the most beautiful country in the world. 

Nicole Christina 59:48
Yeah. And the water and everything. It's geothermal. So there's no pollution and and there's it's a. It's. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 59:57
I will make it something very important. Tell everybody your website and how they can get your book. 

Nicole Christina 1:00:03
It is zestful aging dot com. You can get the it's on Amazon as all things are we want to make Amazon richer and richer and yeah it's. It's. It's a small book as as we've said but if you're interested in being an interviewing host I think it it gives some good examples of you know what how to how to get a really great thing going with your your guest. I actually interviewed this guy I don't know if you know him, Carl Landau. He wrote a book the book on pickleball actually. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:46
But really. 

Nicole Christina 1:00:47
He's a really cool guy and he has a podcast. Called I Used to Be Somebody. So it's all these kind of muckety mucks who are now retired. But he said something to me, really cool. He said, I. Stay friends with like. Most. Of my guests. I'm like, That is so cool. And so I kind of aspire to that and. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:10
And I'm the same way. 

Nicole Christina 1:01:11
I'm sorry. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:12
I've met a lot of great people and I, I have to thank Alex for that because if it wasn't for Pod match, I met most of these people. 

Nicole Christina 1:01:20
What a beautiful platform that. Oh, it is designed like, you know, prop props to Alex. I mean, it is so. Intuitive and. It is worth every. Single penny because I've done the like, hey, you know, I could speak on this. Let me be on your podcast. That is such a time suck. And he makes it just so easy and so shout out to Alex Sanfilippo. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:51
And one of the things I think one of the biggest things I've learned from it, I keep saying the Academy. I don't think it's called the Academy, but the I know you're talented. Yeah, yeah. And this is something I tell people that want to get into podcasting now, especially if they want to monetize. If you want to monetize your podcast, if you're asking for sponsors, you better be putting money into your podcast. I don't use that free host and you know who I'm talking about. There's a couple of them out there. 

Nicole Christina 1:02:22
Yeah, yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:02:23
You don't do that. You're this is your product. And just from this thing, I've learned some things that I'm signing up. Well, bought your book. Yeah, of course. Then I went ahead and now I'm paying for podcasting. Pop it so it makes sense. It just. 

Nicole Christina 1:02:41
Makes sense. You I so agree with you that. You know, before you get sponsorship. You got to put some cash out. It doesn't have to be tons and tons and tons. But absolutely on the hosting. You can use a free host. That's just crap. And it's your are, you know, your whole soul's in. It and you want it to. Be decent. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:05
Well, the other thing too is these free hosts. There's no such thing as free as we know they're going to through ads and on your podcast if you have a sponsor, your sponsor is not your sponsor is going to get upset if they're hearing somebody else's ad instead of their own. 

Nicole Christina 1:03:21
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:22
So you got to watch out for that. 

Nicole Christina 1:03:24
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:25
So, Nicole, I want to thank you so much. But before I get to my last question, is there anything you'd like to add 

besides the fact that you need to come on again so we can talk about the other day? 

Nicole Christina 1:03:36
Yeah, we'll talk about that. I guess this is probably the most obvious thing, but, you know, I've had a career that has been really enriching as a psychotherapist. This. New level. I mean, when I started podcasting, it just changed my life in ways I could never have imagined. Is it a grind? Sometimes, yes. Do I get grouchy? Because I'm like, Oh, you know, I got to write a descriptor and I want to make it like, you know, catchy and and interesting and not just, you know. Stupid. Do I like like I want to take a walk with my dogs, but I have to do the social savvy. Yes, but I guess what I. Want to say is. You know, it is added so much, what's the word. Satisfaction. You way. I just feel like it. Is up to my. It's changed my life. And so what I would say to people who are thinking about it, like if you think that. This is something that clicks with you and you feel like this could really work for me, I would really say it is so. Worth it. There's ways to make it. Easier, as you've mentioned. But it it the. It's added a quality of life that's even hard for me. Probably to even. Understand, you know? Yeah, it's, it's really changed my life. So I guess I just wanted to say I deeply appreciate the medium and being able to meet people like you. I mean, that's. Just to me that, that makes life better. And so that's I guess that's what I want to say. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:18
So you've been interviewed. Do you even know how many times you've been interviewed? 

Nicole Christina 1:05:23
No. Okay. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:28
So people don't camp is there I love to ask this question. Is there anything that a host has never asked you that you wish they would have asked you? And if so, what would be that question and what would be your answer. 

Nicole Christina 1:05:45
About the podcast. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:46
About Anything in general? 

Nicole Christina 1:05:48
Oh, gosh, why? 

Rich Bennett 1:05:54
Hmm. 

Nicole Christina 1:05:57
I think kind of go on back to the. Last question is like, what does podcasting. Mean to you? What is. Me? I'm going to get choked up. Meeting all these people. That you admire and that you feel like. How do I. Get to be so lucky that I am talking to people that I've read their stuff, like Peggy Orenstein wrote? A she's a prolific writer and I read her as a as a student. She does a lot of social commentary. She wrote Boys and sex, Girls and Sex. There's a lot of stuff about development. She's a journalist. I thought, Wait a minute, I am freaking talking to Peggy Orenstein. I was one of the first people, Just because I'm an early bird gets the worm kind of gal who talked to her about her. Her latest book on aging, essentially. And I just wanted to just cry, I guess. I was. Like, I don't know how this all happened, what I did to deserve this, but this is to me. Like 

I'm in heaven. So I think people. Haven't asked me, like, what is podcasting really done for your life? What how, what plays, what. Role has it played and how has it changed you as a human being? And and then we sort of touched on that. I just feel so fortunate that like if I get to go to the UK, I have people I can look up and say, Yeah, get a coffee or a tea and. Know, yeah, you clean up plastic waste. Yeah, you paddle boarded across England picking up trash. I just want. To meet these. People and have tea with them, but I know. They're out there and. So it just makes my life so much, so much richer. So I haven't had a chance to talk about that too much until now. Like it has changed. Me as a human and made me just deeply grateful. 

Rich Bennett 1:07:59
And see. And now you're doing the same thing because you're helping people. Yeah. So it all comes around. Oh, you are. You've helped me. 

Nicole Christina 1:08:09
Yeah, you helped me. 

Rich Bennett 1:08:11
So here. And here's a funny thing. Something I didn't tell you about because I, my mentor, he tells me to set goals. One of my goals was to start writing a book this year I didn't know what I wanted to write about again. So it's like, okay, well, let me write about podcasting. Yes. And I started doing it. And then when I read your book, it hit me like, No, I don't want to write a book on podcast, which includes everything. Yeah, I think it's better because I consider your book as this too. I consider your book as a guide. 

Nicole Christina 1:08:51
Okay? 

Rich Bennett 1:08:52
And I think what I'm going to do instead love it. So I had the first one about Monetize and then equipment. 

Nicole Christina 1:08:59
Love it. So can I, can I plug one of my guests I just. 

Rich Bennett 1:09:03
Absolutely. 

Nicole Christina 1:09:04
Dropped. Last. Week. Lovely. Her name is Julia Daley. And her whole gig is writers over 50. And she. Champions writers over 50 and she calls herself the Texan with the Southern accent. She is. Absolutely lovely. So I want to talk about again with the bad ass. Years ago she was a caterer. This was years ago. And she said to herself. I want to shadow Martha Stewart. And Martha Stewart had just come out with this book. People were like crazy for it. I think it was called Entertaining. It was like this Bible at what? Right. Okay. So Julia's like, I want to shadow this woman. Martha Stewart didn't. This was before a lot of stuff happened, right? Martha Stewart didn't have shadow. Was Julia Daily was like, No, I want to shadow you. And she made it happen. She was the first person to come up to connecticut and shadow her in her state. Now, Martha charges for that. Right. But this is the kind of woman she is. And so her. Whole thing, she's. An award winning writer and her whole thing is publishing after 50. And I would totally look at her stuff and she is an absolute gem of a human being. 

Rich Bennett 1:10:28
I definitely will have to do that. 

Nicole Christina 1:10:30
Yeah, use my name. She just dropped. She just dropped last. Let's see, where are we were? She just dropped last Saturday. 

Rich Bennett 1:10:39
Okay, So what is today's date? October 27th. Wow. Nicole, I want to thank you so much and thank you for writing that book, too, and doing the video for Alex because I learned a lot from you. I'm still implementing stuff. Is that the right word? Implementing? Yeah. 

Nicole Christina 1:10:57
I think so. 

Rich Bennett 1:10:58
If not, it is now because I said it. 

But now I want to thank you and all of you listening. If you want to get into podcasting, you definitely have to get Nicole's book and for those of you that are like me engaging, 

listen to her podcast this here. And I have to admit you have a lot of great guest on. 

Nicole Christina 1:11:23
Yeah, I'm very fortunate. I you know as I. Said Rich sometimes I'm like, why are you contacting me? You know, you know. 

Rich Bennett 1:11:34
It blows you away. 

Nicole Christina 1:11:35
It blows me away. I'm like, wait a minute, you really you've been working this this guy that I'm going to interview. With in a few. Weeks, he's like he and Jimmy Carter were doing Habitat for Humanity. And I'm like, wow, you're this is a hoax, right? So I got to get over my nerves. But all you know, I'll take a walk before I record. 

Rich Bennett 1:12:02
Walk the dogs. You'll be fine. 

Nicole Christina 1:12:04
Once. That's my answer to everything Nicole. 

Rich Bennett 1:12:08
Thank you so. 

Nicole Christina 1:12:08
Much. A pleasure, Rich. Thank you so much for having me on. 

Rich Bennett 1:12:11
Oh, my pleasure.