Normally, this is the part of the show where we sit down with a guest and do a Keep, Ditch, Try about their expertise. This time, we turned the format on ourselves.
We just wrapped up a few days at Military Creator Con in Arlington, Texas, where we recorded a short series of Community Bites, quick conversations with incredible content creators, filmed live at the conference. Before we introduce you to any of them, we wanted to walk you through what it was actually like filming on the road instead of from our usual studio, the good, the awkward, and the lesson we’re already applying to next time.
Listen on Spotify ·
Watch on YouTube ·
In This Episode, We Talk About:
- The Polaroid-and-QR-code takeaway they gave every guest, and why they’re moving it earlier in the process next time
- Why their completely spur-of-the-moment approach to inviting guests on camera is getting a little more prep going forward
- The follow-up plan they’re building so guests actually get to share the spotlight they were given
- A behind-the-scenes squirrel moment involving matching earrings
- A first look at what’s coming: seven Community Bites episodes filmed at Military Creator Con
Taking Our Show on the Road
This whole mini-series started with a conference. Military Creator Con turned out to be one of their favorites this year, and Mara and James put on a genuinely great event. Between sessions, Anna and Selena did a string of interviews with creators they met there, and once they got home, the question became: how do you introduce seven upcoming episodes at once? Their answer was to do exactly what they’d ask any guest to do, a Keep, Ditch, Try, except this time about their own process.
The keep was an easy one: the Polaroid camera. With every guest, they snapped an instant photo, let it print, then stuck a QR code sticker on the back linking to the podcast. Every single guest loved it. The only tweak going forward is timing: instead of taking the photo at the end of the conversation and making a busy guest wait around for it to develop, they’re moving it to one of the first things they do, so the photo has time to print while the rest of the conversation happens.
The ditch was a harder one to admit: there was no real heads-up before asking someone on camera. It was pure “hey, oh my god, we want to talk to you” energy, followed by scrambling to set up a microphone and explain the format on the spot. Selena, who describes herself as a visual learner rather than an auditory one, felt that gap most directly, if someone throws a question at her cold, she needs a beat to process it before she can answer well. A little more prep next time, they agreed, isn’t going to ruin the show. If anything, it’ll help their guests feel more confident and give better answers, without losing any of the spontaneity that made these conversations fun in the first place.
The try is the follow-up plan they didn’t have this time: making sure every guest gets access to their own video and photos afterward, and knows they’re featured on the podcast, so they can share it on their own platforms too. As Anna put it, the whole reason they want people on the show is to boost their expertise and make sure their ideal clients know who they are and what they can do for them. A good giveaway and a good conversation only go so far without a plan to actually help someone use it.
For our listeners on a busy schedule:
Keep. Ditch. Try.
KEEP
The Polaroid-and-QR-code takeaway they gave every guest, just moved earlier in the process so the photo has time to print.
DITCH
The completely spur-of-the-moment approach, no advance prep or heads-up for guests before asking them on camera.
TRY
Building a real follow-up plan: making sure guests get their video and photos, and know they’re featured, so they can share it too.
If you’re ever taking your content out of the studio for the first time, borrow this playbook: keep the giveaway, ditch the guesswork, and build the follow-up plan before you need it, not after.
🎤 The Mic-Drop Moment
“The reason we want people on our podcast is to boost their expertise and make sure their ideal clients know who they are and what they can do for them.”
— Anna + SelenaWatch on YouTube here:
Meet Anna + Selena
Anna Larson and Selena Conmackie are the duo behind the 15ish Minute Fix podcast, where they serve up real-talk marketing for small business owners, straight up, no sugarcoat. As Fractional CMOs and digital wingwomen, they help entrepreneurs figure out what’s working, what’s not, and what to try next, without the jargon or the ego. Their Keep / Ditch / Try format is fast, fun, and made for business owners who want to get stuff done and still have time for lunch. Because smart marketing doesn’t have to be complicated, and it sure shouldn’t be boring.
Connect With Anna + Selena
- Find Anna: Website: nomadabout.com
- Find Anna: Facebook: facebook.com/iamnomadabout
- Find Anna: Instagram: @iamnomadabout
- Find Anna: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadlarson
- Find Selena: Website: thehauoli.com
- Find Selena: Facebook: facebook.com/thehauoli
- Find Selena: Instagram: @thehauoli
- Find Selena: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/selena-conmackie
About Military Creator Con
This episode was recorded right after wrapping up Military Creator Con in Arlington, Texas, a huge thank-you to Marah and James for putting on one of our favorite conferences this year. The next one is May 20 to 22, 2027 in Fort Worth, Texas. Learn more at militarycreatorcon.com.
Loved This Episode?
- Rate us on Apple Podcasts, it helps more business owners find us.
- Share this one with a fellow podcaster or creator who’s thinking about taking their own show on the road for the first time.
- Subscribe so you don’t miss the next seven Community Bites, coming from Military Creator Con.
Find us both at: www.annaandselena.com
Let’s Be Inbox Besties
Get weekly business fixes, behind-the-scenes updates, and first access to new episodes delivered straight to your inbox.
✉️ Subscribe at annaandselena.com/email/
