📺 Watch & Subscribe on YouTube

Ever wondered how to balance your passion for work with your personal life—especially when your business partner is also your spouse?

This week on Podcast Junkies, I’m joined by Gaby Proctor, host of Real Estate Talks and seasoned real estate expert, who offers a candid look into her journey from corporate marketing to thriving real estate entrepreneur in Austin. With over fifteen years in media and more than a decade in real estate, Gaby specializes in helping first-time buyers, investors, and the Hispanic community navigate the U.S. property market.

We dive deep into the unique challenges (and rewards) of running a business with your spouse, how to maintain healthy boundaries between home and work, and strategies for leveraging your marketing background to stand out in a crowded field. Gaby also shares her experiences creating a bilingual real estate podcast, building authentic community, and the power of niching down in a saturated industry.

Plus, we explore additional insights from Gaby’s time at longevity and wellness events, the value of staying adaptable in your business journey, and practical advice for podcasting—like building an email list, engaging listeners, and protecting yourself from social media uncertainty.

Ready to hear how Gaby keeps it real in both work and life? Tap and listen to the full episode now!

FullCast – https://fullcast.co/

Leverage Niche Podcasting to Stand Out

Gaby Proctor shared how creating a podcast specifically about real estate in Spanish for the United States helped her fill a unique gap in the market. Starting with a niche keeps your target audience focused and makes your content easier to find for those seeking that specific info.

Build Community and Audience Engagement Beyond Downloads

Harry Duran encouraged offering value through easy-to-access downloads, inviting your audience onto your email list, and hosting virtual meetups like “Happy Hour with Gabby.” Cultivating a community around your podcast builds loyalty and direct relationships outside of social platforms.

Collaborate and Partner to Sustain Long-Term Projects

Gaby Proctor emphasized the benefit of teaming up with a co-host for accountability and support. When motivation dips, having a collaborator helps you push through lulls and stay consistent.

Get Feedback and Learn About Your Audience’s Needs

Proactively ask listeners for feedback and guidance on topics they’re seeking, as suggested by both speakers. However, Harry Duran recommended actionable ways to tailor your episodes—like using outcome-based episode titles, related downloadable resources, and email sequences—to better understand and serve your listeners.

Don’t Build Your Business Solely on Rented Platforms

After Gaby Proctor lost access to her social media accounts, the conversation highlighted the importance of diversifying your online presence. Focus on building your own channels, such as an email list or website, since you truly own your audience there and aren’t subject to the whims of platform algorithms or policies.

📺 Watch & Subscribe on YouTube

Ever feel like the future of your job or business could be snatched away by AI before you’ve had a chance to adapt? I know I do—and in this episode, we’re diving headfirst into exactly what you need to watch out for.

This week on Podcast Junkies, host Harry Duran sits down with Matt Rouse, host of the Digital Marketing Masters podcast, AI futurist, author, and yes—AI Chicken Wrangler. Matt Rouse brings a unique blend of digital marketing expertise and real-world insight into what technology is doing to reshape small businesses and creative careers.

The main theme explores how AI is fragmenting social media, transforming local marketing, and pushing business owners to reevaluate where they invest their time and energy. Matt Rouse shares his track record for predicting tech trends (he got 13 out of 15 AI predictions right years before they happened) and offers practical advice for anyone running a local business, a niche startup, or even starting their own podcast.

But this episode isn’t just about doom-and-gloom predictions or runaway robots. Harry Duran and Matt Rouse get personal about parenting in a tech-driven world, universal basic income, and why understanding how to work with AI (rather than ignore it) is now an essential business skill. They also unpack how real relationships, local connections, and creativity might just be the human edge in a future dominated by algorithms.

Curious where your job, your marketing efforts, or even your family's future sits in this rapidly changing landscape? Hit play and future-proof your thinking—this is a conversation every business owner, marketer, and creative needs to hear.

FullCast – https://fullcast.co/

Reevaluate Your Marketing Channels:

Matt Rouse stresses that social media has become highly fragmented, making it essential for business owners to reassess where they invest their marketing time and resources. Instead of sticking to traditional platforms, focus on niche-specific or local platforms where your target audience actually spends time.

Prioritize Local Marketing for Local Businesses:

If you run a local service business or have a physical location, shift your energy towards local marketing strategies (like optimizing Google Business pages and partnering with local influencers). Generic, broad social media marketing isn’t as effective anymore for localized businesses.

Use Automation Tools to Save Time and Increase Results:

Take advantage of solutions like SMB Autopilot (developed by Matt Rouse), which automates and optimizes local SEO. These kinds of autopilot tools deliver results and monthly reports without manual effort, freeing up business owners to focus on their actual work and families.

Learn to Work with AI (Don’t Ignore It):

The people who know how to leverage AI in their businesses and workflows will have a significant advantage. Matt Rouse advocates treating AI as a partner—explaining tasks to it and learning how to get the best results. Ignoring AI or underestimating its pace of growth can leave you behind.

Focus on Customer Language and Needs, Not Personal Preference:

Understand that you are not your customer. Your preferred platforms and lingo might not match your audience’s. Invest time in audience research, listen to your client base, and adapt your marketing language and channels to where your customers actually spend their time online.

📺 Watch & Subscribe on YouTube

Sometimes the glue holding my relationship together feels more like Scotch tape—how do I keep things passionate, connected, and real when life (and business) gets in the way?

On this episode of Podcast Junkies, I sit down with Ellen Dorian, host of Make More Love, relationship coach, and entrepreneur with decades of experience helping high-achieving business owners navigate love, sex, and personal fulfillment. Ellen’s always been the ear friends turned to for advice, and she’s since transformed that talent into a thriving career guiding individuals to better, more authentic relationships.

We dive deep into the reality that intimacy can become routine and how introducing novelty—even on a monthly basis—can reignite the connection. Ellen shares candid stories from her own journey, demystifies the three-year rule in relationships, and reveals why strategic annual planning isn’t just for your business, but for your love life, too. Plus, we tackle topics like escaping “roommate syndrome,” the challenges of relationship growth for entrepreneurs, lessons from college, and why taking your clothes off (sometimes literally!) can help you focus.

You'll also hear why direct mail might be making a comeback, tips for overcoming tech overwhelm when starting a podcast, vulnerable reflections on aging, and how editing your own podcast can teach you more than you ever expected. This episode is packed with honest insights and practical wisdom—perfect for anyone who’s ever wondered how to balance their personal and professional ambitions while keeping their relationship front and center.

Ready to hear Ellen’s powerful strategies for sustaining love and intimacy—plus actionable tips you can implement today? Hit “play” and join us for this heartfelt and insightful conversation! Listen now to PJ382: Ellen Dorian.

FullCast – https://fullcast.co/

Spice Up Your Relationship Routine

Harry shares a practical relationship tip: even if you have a routine that works in your intimate life, make it a point to try something new at least once a month. Whether it’s a new activity or revisiting something you used to enjoy, fresh experiences can revitalize connection and intimacy.

Treat Your Relationship Like a Business—Strategic Planning Works!

Harry applies his business coaching experience to relationships by encouraging regular “strategic planning” sessions with your partner. He suggests sitting down at least once a year to set rolling three-year goals, create a 12-month plan, and break them down into actionable projects. This keeps both partners aligned and allows you to course-correct regularly.

Understand the Real Issues Behind Business Struggles

Harry points out that business owners often struggle with focus and growth because of unresolved relationship issues at home. By addressing the root personal challenges—instead of just business strategy—you unlock better clarity and decision-making in your professional life.

Start Before You’re Ready and Just Keep Going

Both Ellen and Harry discuss the challenges of launching a podcast (or any creative project). Their advice: Don’t get stuck aiming for perfection. Work through technical hurdles step by step, use cohort or group support if possible, and remember that every episode won’t be perfect. Publishing regularly is more important than waiting until everything is flawless.

Edit Your Own Content—At Least at First

Harry and Ellen both recommend editing your own podcast episodes when starting out. Doing this helps you catch verbal habits (like rambling or...