It’s spring break now… tearing out carpet the last week, removing a dead tree. Before the pandemic, this would be spring skiing time! This year we had 2 weeks of spring break due to the school budgeting an extra week for wildfire closures. Imagine that! assume the air quality will force closures like in 2017-2019! Well in 2020, thanks to the pandemic, and remote schooling… no days off. We still had fires thought. :)

Vidstep

I spent a little time using a video tool called Vidstep.io. Vidstep is basically a video player with chapter breakpoints (think about how youtube now permits you to break up a video into sections). Vidstep is focused on processes and training videos. I plan to use it for that purpose, but I also think there is an interesting application for webinar and workshop replays. Instead of editing the video or pulling snippets and retitling them… Vidstep enables that “table of contents” to ride alongside the video. You can put resources, documents, links and CTAs below the video too. If we can avoid editing the webinar and just upload to vidstep and tag the various steps along the timeline, that is an incredible timesaver.

Microconf Mastermind

I joined a Mastermind groups associated with Microconf. The conference, group, podcast Startups for the Rest of Us. Basically, they offer for a small fee, to link you up with 3-4 other software founders for mastermind calls. So I’ve been matched with 4 incredible startup founders. At the time of writing this, we already had one call and will have the second call in 2 days.

The reason for joining an informal mastermind group is accountability. I need to switch gears to selling and pitching for downpayment.gift. It’s too easy to just keep working on features and perfecting the product. We need to move forward and start getting partners and customers on board!

I have been a huge fan of Microconf and what they stand for… Bootstrapping and indie startups… in fact, I finally got to attend the conference in 2018 in Las Vegas. I missed in 2019 but plan to return in future years. The Startups for the Rest of Us podcast and others in that style have been incredibly helpful in learning and staying motivated working on a startup essentially alone.

The intro paragraph in this update did not reference this.. but since I’m from the future… the goal for the first weeks was 6 webinars. 1 in week one. 5 in the week two. Schedule, Invite, Promote, Present, Record, Publish, and Promote.

The mastermind exists in a bi-weekly video conference call and slack channel.

Podcast editing

I was trying to figure out the best tips for editing a podcast. Spent a few minutes watching a boring and verbose course on podcast editing. I did get the idea that -14 dB would be the appropriate level for publishing in iTunes. I will hopefully get back to podcasting in May. I plan on sticking with Audacity and Descript for editing. I need to look at file quality too. Someone should just publish a 1-pager on podcast format, editing tips.