There are a lot of online communities around the internet and they have their specific interest. Some talk about food, fashion and even freelancing. One such freelancing community is the Freelance Blend headed by Marv De Leon. Marv used one unique method of reaching his fellow Pinoy freelancers by podcasting. In this article, we will get to know Mr. Marv and his podcast known as the Freelance Blend Podcast.
The Freelance Blend Podcast (FBP) started last December of 2013 with its 2-part podcast with Fitz Villafuerte of readytoberich.com. Since then, the FBP has featured notable guests such as Anton Diaz of ourawesomeplanet.com, Showbiz Bro, and wheninmaila.com’s Vince Golangco (hi Vince!). I recently had the chance to have a brief yet fun interview with Mr. Marv de Leon. Check out the interview below and learn more about the Freelance Blend Podcast!
Can you tell us where your fascination for freelancing began? Also, what are your best experiences so far?
Marv: I am still a beginner in the field of freelancing and that’s why I formed the freelancing community known as Freelance Blend (as well as the podcast, Freelance Blend Podcast). I built it in hopes that I can learn from fellow freelancers and influencers. My best experience so far since creating the community was interviewing Vince Golangco, the founder of this blog, who was also a freelancer.
When did you decide to make the Freelance Blend Podcast? Was there a specific event/or chain of events that led you to make the decision?
Marv: I created the podcast when I realized that there is a group of Filipino freelancers but they are not part of a community yet. At the same time, there are new freelancers that need guidance and support, but again the problem is the lack of a community that can do so. I could not find that community so I formed it myself (Freelance Blend). The best way for me to reach more people and to let them know about Freelance Blend was through a podcast.
As in any podcast, there will be technical and logistical issues (internet problems, faulty equipment, no good place to record, etc.). So far, how has the FBP overcome such obstacles?
Marv: One solution for the technical issues is by investing in good equipment such as a microphone, laptop, headphone and digital recorder. Also, preparation is key to ensure that I deliver high quality podcast episodes to my audience.
So far can you give us the rundown on how you usually record or edit your episodes on FBP?
Marv: As mentioned earlier, you need to invest in a good microphone that will provide high quality audio, so that my listeners will feel that I am recording from a studio, even if am not in one. In fact, I record from my 8 year old son’s room.
Did you know?: Vince Golangco of this site was one of the guests at the FBP
What have been your favorite episode/s of the Freelance Blend Podcast so far?
Marv: All of them. But most especially, the episodes with Vince Golangco (of course) and Jaymie Pizarro of The Bull Runner.
What podcast do you love listening to during your spare time?
Marv: I love listening to podcasts and I consume tons of them. Here are my favorite shows: Smart Passive Income, School of Greatness, Startup, and Fizzle Show.
What has been the reaction of your family and friends when they found out you do a podcast?
Marv: Surprised. I didn’t tell my friends and even my sisters, to test if somehow my podcast finds its way to them. After a few weeks, my brother-in-law asked if I was the one who interviewed Anton Diaz of Our Awesome Planet. And I said “yes”, so they found out and I validated my experiment.
Marv at one of the Freelance Blend-led Workshops (Image by Cheryl Golangco/Click here to read more)
What are your future plans for the FBP?
Marv: For Freelance Blend Podcast, watch out for more influential people to guest on the show who will hopefully inspire people to start freelancing or a freedom business. Also, more short audio blogs from myself, where I teach interesting how-to skills, tips and strategies to become better freelancers. For the Freelance Blend community, we will be having more workshops (a Personal Branding workshop in April), speed networking events, meetups, webinars, and Freelance Expo towards the end of the year. Exciting!
I invite your readers to check out our website, join our newsletter and get our free ebook at www.freelanceblend.com/awesome-ebook.
Do you have any advice for people who would love to pursue podcasting?
Marv: If you are really serious about starting a podcast, invest in the best equipment possible and then just do it. Then, also commit to producing great content regularly. Be consistent. Conversely, if you think you won’t be able to commit to it, then don’t even bother. You will only waste time, money and energy. Podcasting is easy but it is not for everyone. Maybe they should start a blog first.
Marv De Leon – The host of FBP
It’s amazing to see a podcast can be another platform to reach out to fellow freelancers and create an online community of Filipino Freelancers from there. Establishing a podcast, in the case of the FBP, was a good way to reach out to a specific community and grow. Other podcasts have done the same in the past (Rob Cesternino’s Robhasapodcast being one good example) and it’s refreshing to see something similar happening with our local podcasters. Again I would like to thank Mr. Marv De Leon for his time to have this interview about the FBP. I wish Marv and the Freelance Blend community more power and more events to come in the near future.
Freelance Blend Podcast
Website: https://www.freelanceblend.com/category/podcast/
