43 Inc

I’ve been saying this for over a decade now and I’ll keep saying it… having your own podcast is one of the most powerful ways to connect with your community… when you bring on interesting people and you’re doing it for the right reasons it stops being about you and it starts being about lifting others… and when you lift others you lift the whole community.

It’s not just about throwing out content…it’s about consistent connection. That’s where the growth comes from. I’ll use Tanner as an example… not only is he my friend, but he’s also a client and he’s been consistent since day one… and here’s the formula if you’re paying attention: consistency brings consistent content… consistent content brings growth… growth builds brand awareness… and brand awareness makes the phone ring first.

At the end of the day, your podcast is your handshake to the world…it’s your way of saying “I’m here, I’m real, I’m part of this community, and I want to shine a light on others.” Stay consistent. Be like Tanner.

I was just talking to my friend Tanner Kielty and Taylor Hadley about this. You have to be the first one to create. One of the biggest mistakes I see in today’s world is this… people would rather attach themselves to what is already working instead of coming up with something new. They see the hype… they see the buzz… they see the followers stacking up and their instinct is to jump on… ride the wave… and hope it carries them somewhere. But that mindset is the exact opposite of what true leadership, true innovation, and true legacy are built on.
If you want to stand out you cannot just latch onto what is hot… you have to create what is next. There is a massive advantage in being first. Doing it first does not just get you attention… it puts you in the position of ownership. You set the tone. You shape the narrative. You build the foundation. And once you do… everyone who comes after is simply imitating. They can copy the mechanics… they can replicate the process… but they will never capture the same spark because the originality belongs to the one who created it.
Let me give you real world examples. We were the first to create a Halloween drive through event when families needed something safe… engaging… and community driven. We were the first to put together scavenger hunts that got people moving… connecting… and exploring. We were the first to organize a home run derby giving kids and adults a reason to celebrate athletics together. We were the first to step up and honor school staff and bus drivers… the people who often go unseen yet keep our community running every single day. We were the first to design billboard campaigns that were not just about selling something… but about reminding people to take care of their community and lift one another up. We were the first to walk into businesses cameras in hand and create videos that showcased their stories… not ours.
Fast forward to now and you will see those same ideas scattered everywhere. People are doing their own versions of the drive throughs… scavenger hunts… derbies… appreciation events… and business videos. And while imitation is often called the sincerest form of flattery let us call it what it really is… copying. And there is nothing inherently wrong with copying except that it will always keep you one step behind the person who created it first. That is why this message is important. In business, in leadership, and in life, your responsibility is not to attach yourself to what is working for someone else. Your responsibility is to dig deep… think hard… and create something that is yours. Something that solves a problem in a way no one else has. Something that brings value to your community, your clients, and your industry in a way that sets the bar higher. We live in a time where the world is saturated with noise… and the temptation to follow trends is stronger than ever. But the people who are remembered… the people who build something lasting… are the ones who innovate. They do not wait for someone else’s blueprint. They draw their own. So here is my reminder kids…Do not settle for being a follower. Do not let yourself become another copy in a world already full of them. Be the one who creates. Be the one who brings something new into the world. Be the one who sets the pace that others will scramble to keep up with.

Because in the end originality wins. Every time.