Ready to Ditch Social Media? How Stefanie Gass Uses Podcasting to Grow an Online Business.

online business

December 27, 2023

Hey Friend!

Do you wish there was a way for you to grow an online business without having to show up on social media every day? Are you ready to claim back your time and prioritize your family without sacrificing your business?

Podcasting might be the answer you’re looking for! To help you figure out if starting a podcast is the right step for you, I sat down with my podcast coach, Stefanie Gass.

Stef is a seven-figure Christian business coach with a top 20 podcast, Online Business for Christian Women. She helps Christian women start and grow a podcast. In this blog, we’re breaking down how she went from being overwhelmed on all the social media platforms to only showing up on her podcast and making more money than ever before. Follow her steps to grow an online business!

How Podcasting Helps You Break Free From Social Media to Grow an Online Business

Sarah: Let’s chat podcasting! I know you did not start a business with podcasting in mind. Can you share your story and why you decided to start a podcast? What was going on in your business that made you decide to take that step?

Stef: I had been an entrepreneur for about a decade at that point and I was really struggling. I knew I was called to help women build their businesses and make money online, but it was still fuzzy. But I did know that showing up everywhere on social media was not feeling aligned with me. God is not a God of confusion, He is a God of peace. And I was NOT feeling at peace! I was trying to chase all the new shiny stuff and I was on every single platform. And still not making any money!

I had been praying “God, show me how I’m supposed to grow my online business.” In October 2018, I had a prophetic dream that said “start a podcast.” It was so clear. So I trusted God and I just started speaking. When you’re moving in alignment with God’s will, you can’t mess it up. It’s crazy because today, my podcast is the one place I show up and it’s the number one way I make money in the business.

picture of a bible at the top and underneath text reading when you're moving in alignment with God's will, you can't mess it up.

Stef Gass’s Journey from Overwhelmed on Instagram to All In on Podcasting

Sarah: So tell me why you are such a big fan of podcasting?

Stef: We are in a hyper-distracted, information overload society. On top of that, everybody wants to work from home. You can absolutely want that, but you have to be smart about it. When I started, I just looked around at what everyone else was doing and I did that. I didn’t take it to the Lord and ask Him how I should build my business.

We think we’re supposed to grow an online business on social media. But these apps just weren’t working for me. I was addicted, spending 5-6 hours a day on Instagram, and it wasn’t even making me any money. And so many of my students tell me the exact same story. If it’s not producing the fruit and the favor in our business, why are we doing it?

Eventually, God led me to fast from Instagram. It started out just on the weekends and even that was filling me with so much peace. And then He asked me to lay it down. I only did 30 days initially, but the business grew. At that moment in time, I went full in on podcasting. God was showing me in that moment how to have my time back so I could be more present in my life and so I could lead my company.

Why Podcasting Works to Grow An Online Business

Sarah: How does podcasting work to grow an online business?

Stef: Social media has no shelf life. Your followers will see it for a few hours and then it’s gone. It doesn’t work for you if you’re not working. Podcasting works for you all the time in a couple of key ways.

1. Podcasting Uses SEO to Get Your Show Found

Stef: When you create your podcast, you’ll be creating SEO that gets people to see your podcast. It becomes a lead-generating machine because it is set up to be highly searchable.

2. Podcasting Lives On

Stef: Some of my most highly downloaded episodes are from years ago. Podcasts last so much longer than social media content.

Podcasting also:

saves time
saves money
gives you peace

Podcasting gives you the know, like, and trust factor you need to bring in sales. There is no faster conversion rate than your ideal clients liking you. You can’t get that in a reel or a post with 3 pasts.

Sarah: The intimacy you get from podcasting is so much higher than anything else you get on social media too.

photo of a dark haired woman in white clothing, smiling, and text underneath reading there is no faster conversion rate than your ideal clients liking you.

The Results Stef Gass Got After Consistently Podcasting for 5 Years

Sarah: Where is your business now, after ditching all the social media platforms and going all in on podcasting?

Stef: Where the business is today can only be God, and that’s how you know you’re walking in alignment with Him. It’s all His. Having that posture helps to keep a humble heart. The things God has done I would never have imagined.

We have a team of 4 people
An internship program
A top 20 Podcast in Entrepreneurship
1.5 million downloads
7 figures in 2023

And because of how successful the business is, I can contribute to causes that have always been on my heart. It takes money to make a real difference and now I get to support causes and organizations that are making a positive impact in the world.

You Need to Partner with God to Grow an Online Business

Stef: The podcast is my legacy. My voice will be in the world long after I’m gone. So how do I shepherd this well? How do I be the best steward of this that I can be?

A few rules I stick to to keep a truly God-led business:

I am unapologetic about consistency
I am 100% dedicated to discipline, even if I don’t see results yet
My “yes” is needed, but God’s timing is always perfect

You will get afraid. Everything you do is hard until it’s not. I always tell my students to just focus on the next step. God tells us not to worry about tomorrow, just worry about today. Maybe that looks like deciding whether to start a podcast or not.

You take captive your thoughts and don’t let the voice of the enemy distract you. Just take the next right step.

Sarah: I hear a lot of people say they are afraid to take the next step because it may be a step in the wrong direction. But someone said to me “Do you think God’s going to let you go in the wrong direction and then not come back for you?”

Stef: You can NOT mess up God’s plan for your life!

dark teal rectangle with pieces of tape in the corners and text in the center reading my yes is needed but God's timing is always perfect

Take the Next Step to Grow an Online Business and Start Podcasting

If you’re serious about building a business from your podcast, do it right. Invest in the person you trust to help you do it right faster. As a Stef Gass student, I can honestly say my life and business are so much better after working with her. So, if you’re looking to start and grow a podcast as part of your online business, go work with Stef and watch your business grow exponentially.

If you haven’t started a podcast yet, take a look at Podcast Pro University.

If you already have a podcast, apply for Podcast to Profit and mention that I sent ya 😘.

God has a plan and purpose for you. If He has called you to grow an online business, He will give you the tools and resources you need to take the next right step. I pray you are blessed with wisdom and peace as you trust in Him.

Chat soon!

Sarah

P.S. Listen to the full podcast episode for all the extra tips!