The Power of Storytelling in Podcasting with Robbie Shaw | Oui Talk Raw

Terry Hudson: Welcome to Oui Talk Raw. I’m Terry Hudson, author, speaker, and connector, and I’m here in the rBeatz studio today for the show. Today, we’re going to talk about your story, why it’s important, how to tell it, and why it matters—whether you’re an individual or a business. We’ll discuss podcasting, both as a host and a guest. I’ve got a great guest to help with this today—Robbie Shaw. He’s a podcasting expert, an incredible storyteller himself, and the host of the popular Champagne Problems podcast. He’s also the founder of Evrybdy Studios, which is the podcasting studio many influencers and businesses I respect use. Robbie Shaw, welcome!

Robbie Shaw: Thanks, Terry. Glad to be here.

Terry Hudson: I’m excited for today. This is Oui Talk Raw, and I don’t think it’s going to get any rawer than today.

Robbie Shaw: We’ll see what I can do.

We’re going to talk about our stories, but let’s start with yours. I’ve known about you for a while and finally met you at an event. I was getting ready to eat when I got a text from my friend, Friday Jones, asking if I could come be a guest on a podcast. So, I put down my food and went over. I was very impressed by the setup, which was a mobile setup, and of course, you have your main studio. I did some research and wow, what a story!

Robbie Shaw: Thank you, Terry.

Robbie Shaw’s Journey: From Basketball to Podcasting

And, I didn’t even know you were a basketball player, even though you have the height for it. So, let’s start there.

Oh, man. Yeah, basketball was something I grew up with in the neighborhood. It’s what we did. My brother was a player, and my dad was a fan. I followed my brother’s footsteps, competing with him and playing pickup ball. It just kept going—junior high, high school, AAU, and then I played a little college ball.

A little college ball?

Yeah, I played at North Carolina, Chapel Hill, on the junior team coached by Phil Ford. Dean Smith was still coaching varsity there. Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison, Jeff McInnis—all of them were playing while I was there. We got to practice with them, and it was an insane experience.

To play at that level in high school and then transition to a legendary school like that—what a proud accomplishment. That experience definitely shaped you.

Yeah, looking back, there were pivotal moments during that basketball experience that paved the way for a lot of things in my life. Life is a lot like dinner. It’s not just the sweet stuff. It’s the savory, the roughage—it’s everything. Life is made up of all these experiences, both good and bad. Some people let hard moments derail them, but we all have one life, and it should end well. Embracing your story, including the rough parts, is key to living that life well.

Absolutely. And your story is a perfect example of that. It’s not just the clean-cut, all-American athlete story people might expect. Let’s dive into it.

Why Vulnerability is the Heart of Storytelling

Well, my story is rocky. It involves addiction, depression, and a lot of self-destructive behavior. I used to blame my upbringing for a lot of my struggles. I grew up in a middle-upper-class Southern family. My dad was an entrepreneur, and we were financially comfortable. People think that financial security makes life easier, but nothing is easy—whether you’re rich or not. People cry in mansions too. Life doesn’t always turn out how we expect.

Exactly. We all face challenges in different ways, but your story is a testament to how even seemingly perfect circumstances don’t guarantee an easy life.

Right. I grew up with comfort and support, but when I hit college, I faced emotional challenges I didn’t know how to deal with. A relationship went south, and I didn’t know how to handle the heartbreak. I’d never faced that kind of emotional turmoil before. My coping mechanism became alcohol, which eventually led me down a much darker path.

That spiral lasted almost a decade, right?

Yeah, it did. During those years, I moved to New York City, did some standup comedy, and worked on Wall Street. But it was a time of deep depression, self-doubt, and substance abuse. The darkness wasn’t evil, just a sadness I couldn’t escape. I didn’t have the tools to deal with it.

And eventually, it reached a breaking point. You had a few moments of realization, but there was one that really hit home.

Yes, I had a few low moments, but eventually, I realized I had to make a choice: change or die. That moment opened up a new chapter in my life. The decision to change everything was the only option.

So, let’s talk about that shift.

My first step was helping others who were going through the same struggles. I went to grad school and earned a master’s in clinical mental health counseling. I wanted to help people with substance abuse, depression—everything I’d gone through. I thought, who better to help than someone who’s been there?

That’s such an important perspective. You’re right, lived experience can be a powerful tool for helping others.

Absolutely. I’ve been sober for almost 19 years now. There were some bumps along the way, and I had some setbacks with other substances, but nothing as bad as before. I am completely sober now, and that journey led me to podcasting.

What was the spark for that?

It was partly selfish—I knew it would be challenging and rewarding for me. I had a fear of public speaking, and podcasting felt like a way to push myself out of my comfort zone. I started Champagne Problems because I wanted to address alcohol from a wellness perspective, not just from the point of view of addiction. I wanted to normalize conversations around alcohol and reach a wider audience.

And you’ve done just that. The diversity of guests on your podcast shows how alcohol affects people from all walks of life—whether it’s successful people or everyday folks.

Yeah, it’s all about normalizing the conversation. It doesn’t matter if it’s one glass of wine a month or full-blown addiction—alcohol affects us all in different ways. We wanted to reach everyone. The podcast led to Evrybdy Studios, which grew out of the demand in the Charlotte market.

That’s amazing. Charlotte is a great market for podcasts with its diversity, arts, sports, and business world. It’s a perfect place to help people share their stories.

Exactly. Charlotte is a growing city with a lot of opportunities for people to tell their stories, especially with the influx of new residents. People want to share their journeys, and podcasting is a great platform for that.

And that’s what makes Evrybdy Studios so valuable—it gives people the tools to tell their stories.

Yes, exactly. People want to connect, and podcasting allows them to do that. It’s about telling the stories that matter to them, whether they’re in business, sports, or just everyday life. It’s all about building a connection.

We’re going to take a quick break now, but when we return, I want to dive deeper into how storytelling in podcasting can help both businesses and individuals. Stay tuned.

How Podcasting Builds Personal and Professional Connections

Why is someone’s story so important when it comes to podcasting?

Oh, man, great question. I mean, the essence of podcasting is storytelling. And I can talk about it from both a personal and professional standpoint, but I’ll stick to the personal side for now. You know, all creativity comes from vulnerability. You’ve got to be vulnerable. You’ve got to eliminate that “cool factor.” It doesn’t get you anywhere. Just put that pride aside, drop your ego, and be prepared for people not to like what you’re putting out.

Storytelling is such an interesting aspect because it’s not something you’re creating out of nothing. It’s something you’ve experienced and are now delivering. Sure, there’s a skill to how you deliver it, but really, even if you’re not wrapping it in a performance, it’s just sharing life from a vulnerable place. Especially sharing things you’re not proud of—talk about a way to feel judged, but also, it’s cathartic. It’s powerful for others to hear, too. We all have our struggles, and we’re never alone in them.

 Right. You’re basically a guide for others.

 Exactly. I think of myself as Alfred. You know Alfred, not Batman—I’m the guy who knows how to fix the Batmobile. I help make things work, so Batman can do his job. We’re all Alfred in someone else’s life, helping heroes rise and do what they do. Every hero has self-doubt, and then they find someone like Alfred, who says, “Hey, I’ve been through that. Let me show you how I got out of it.”

Your story is a key part of that. It’s like in business—say you’ve got a product, but you need to sell the solution to a problem. You’re telling the story of how you solved that problem, or even how you came up with the idea to solve it. Like on Shark Tank—it’s not just about the product. The story behind the product is what really matters. For example, the guy with the yoga page didn’t even make it through to the sharks, but after being on the show, he made a million in sales just from telling his story. That’s how powerful a story is. It’s not just about having the next diet plan or exercise trend.

 Yeah, right.

 Why is your solution different? It’s not about the features and benefits, but how is it going to change someone’s life? If you’re coming out of addiction or dealing with anxiety or depression, your story is solving someone else’s problem. Whether you’re the host or the guest, you have something to say that will impact somebody out there.

 Yeah, that’s a great point. Let’s talk a little more about that.

 Sure. For me, coming from a background I’m not proud of—addiction tends to bring you into some seedy places and makes you do some pretty ugly things. You may even treat people poorly, and that can weigh on you. So when you get clean and start your recovery, you’re not just rebuilding your life externally with a job or money—you’re rebuilding your self-perception with all that regret. And how do you do that?

Well, there’s a lot of work involved—things like the 12-step model, therapy, and experiential work. But what better way to rebuild your self-worth than by telling your story? And especially getting good at telling it. When you’re comfortable with the parts of your story that used to make you uncomfortable, that’s when the real growth happens. I think one of the biggest issues in society is the discomfort we feel, the fear of it, and the avoidance of it.

 Yeah, fear of public speaking is a big one.

 Definitely. But even beyond that, people avoid physical discomfort—like just pushing their bodies to run a quarter mile or even just feeling out of breath and sweating. But that discomfort can lead to growth. People avoid emotional discomfort too—they don’t want to have hard conversations or set boundaries. But you can’t build great relationships without some discomfort.

There’s a book called The Comfort Crisis, and it talks about how our society has created so many comforts for us that we avoid discomfort at all costs. You can sit in your house, barely move, and still have everything delivered to you. That’s not good for our mental health or physical health. But storytelling? Storytelling is a way to throw yourself into an uncomfortable place that has such a reward on the other side.

 Yeah, well said.

Behind the Scenes at Evrybdy Studios

Now, let’s talk about Evrybdy Studios.

Sure! First off, for anyone looking up the studio—it’s Everybody without the vowels. That’s E-V-R-Y-B-D-Y. And the reason I did that? Well, it’s simple—we’re talking about it right now. It works. I get asked about it every time I mention the name.

The studio came about from a personal need. I wanted a space that could support my podcast. Then, very quickly, people started reaching out, asking to use the space or seeking consulting on how to start their own podcasts. I realized there was a huge demand. Within six months, we shifted away from what we were doing before, found a new space, and saw the demand only grow.

When I started, I thought I couldn’t compete with all the other people doing this. But then I realized—I don’t need to compete. Your tribe is your tribe. You might have some crossover with others, but there are so many different tribes out there, even just in your city or state, never mind nationally or internationally. There’s a huge audience for your podcast, no question.

And another thing: People often say, “I don’t know how to do this,” but that’s what we’re here for—to help people get started and share their stories.

And, you know, again, there’s a quote I’ll probably say it every show because it needs to be a T-shirt: “Your first thing will not be a masterpiece, but without your first thing, you will never have a masterpiece.” So you just get going. And nowadays, it’s not like, you know, when people go on computers, for instance—remember the days of DOS, when you had to figure out all that stuff?

Oh, yeah. Everything’s there now. Click buttons, copy and paste, whatever it is. You know, grab and pull it. It’s all there. You just… and now you have AI, you can think less and less, and they have all these marketing tools for you as well. So all you’ve got to do is walk forward and get in there. And now you have services like yours that you don’t have to go out to 20 different stores or, you know, go online and buy all this equipment. You can rent the place and go do it. And these people can help you, you know, with the other services that go with it. Because hearing the story or saying the story is one thing, then you’ve got to find the audience and, you know, make it visible. And your team helps with that as well.

They do. They absolutely do.

Yeah. The man, I had a thought, and of course it slipped. Podcasting in America, where was I going? Oh, I know what it was! You know, when we talk about podcasting in general, I think most people, because they go on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube, they think, “Holy cow, it’s so overwhelming. There’s so many. It’s saturated. Why would I ever get into this space?” So to piggyback on what you were saying, the tribes are out there. The audience is out there. The fact is, podcasting as a medium is the same thing as television, streaming, radio—it’s just another platform to consume media.

It ain’t going anywhere. It’s only taking different shapes, the same way TV shows do, the same way movies do, documentaries, music. It just gets more creative and different. Except you can go find your audience like you get metrics. I’ve had people on Oprah, you know, go looking for that audience because they’re everywhere. You’d never be able to pinpoint the names or the people you’re trying to market to, but you can really pinpoint a demographic with podcasting. That’s incredible.

Yeah, and that’s where television is different than podcasting, where radio and mass media are different from podcasting. You can go find your solid audience and know the numbers. And eventually, you can even have their email addresses or whatever you need to market to them.

Yeah, it’s incredible. It’s highly effective as a marketing tool. I mean, it’s just a ridiculous marketing tool. And the low-hanging fruit is the social media aspect of marketing your own podcast. When people come to us, it’s like, “I’ve got this great idea.” And they do. They’ve got great content, they even have a lot of followers. But if they want it to go outward-facing, public, and spread as much as they can, the hurdle is: How do you market it? You know, you can use a podcast as a marketing tool, but how do you market the marketing tool, right? And that’s the code to crack. There are a lot of different strategies and theories inside of that.

Obviously, social media is its own beast. It used to be super effective because it would go to all the people that followed you. Now, it’s changed. It’s squashed that interest graph, which is a little bit different. I think TikTok was kind of a forerunner with this, where it changed to where it was people with the same interests. You may go to school with people, work with them, go to church with them, but they don’t have the same interests. So, they figured out you need to go to people that have the same interest as you.

Yeah, it changed the way social media works. A lot of people got lost in that and didn’t realize that you’re trying to find an audience that shares the same interest as what you’re talking about, not just everyone you went to school with or whatever. I think it’s for the better, but people have to get acclimated to it now.

Yeah, it’s newer. I mean, I agree with that. There’s more nuance to it. For instance, I follow a restaurant’s account because I like to eat. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to see all their posts. I don’t know what’s going on because it’s so vast now. I don’t have enough time to scroll through everything I follow. Maybe it’s in there, but I just don’t see it.

Yeah, it’s a convoluted, crowded world. If you focus, I have strategies where I’ll even look at magazines, like their posts, and then I know they’re seeing my posts. And I can build that way. I also try to keep track of what they’re looking at on my posts. Those are the kind of people I try to get on the show. You know, someone that I follow, like one of your people, I know that… that I follow that usually your studio is involved with.

Oh my God, I’ve watched this person work for so long and saw where she came from—believe me, she went from working at a college to what she’s doing now. She’s working with a sports team and co-hosting two events that I’m at next week. They’re good events, prominent ones, and she’s on both of them. She’s broken out of just the Charlotte area to do other things as well, and she did it through that. It involved staying in front of her audience and telling her story.

And your studio looks beautiful. When I saw her doing a podcast, I thought, “Where is she doing this at?”

Yeah, I mean, the sets are tailored differently for each client. We have a common set—there’s carpet, walls, furniture, and we can move things around. There’s a cost to highly customized sets, but we’ve got lighting with different colors. We can do anything they want. It’s all based on the client’s need, want, and brand. So, if you want to talk marketing and podcasting, we go pretty deep into development with our B2B clients. They’re much more interested in this kind of work.

So it’s all about the brand.

Exactly. We go deep into what we want the podcast to be—what the intro looks like, the colors, the logos, the frequency of release, the guests, the lighting—literally down to every detail to help them reach their goals. Businesses typically want awareness and sales. They’re looking for ROI, trying to bring people into that funnel.

I get it. That’s a super effective way to do it, but you have to do it right.

Exactly. That’s a lot of what we built our company around—the B2B model. I also work with a lot of independent podcasters, and there are usually different goals there. Some people are driven by financial goals, others use podcasts to drive people to other entities—like a Facebook group, where they can gather email addresses and market from there. There are lots of different goals tied to podcasts.

But, back to what we were saying: the B2B space is very intricate and deep. We’ve created an agency silo inside our company that does a lot of strategy work around that. It’s an exciting path we’re on now.

Yeah, so they don’t have to come up with everything themselves. They have experts in the building to help with that.

And I think that’s true for individuals too. People I know who get into podcasting—they have a purpose. They want to get into it and have high-level dreams. Of course, you start small, using your phone or whatever, just to get started and get used to things. But every time you try to improve what you’re doing. Eventually, you get a studio like yours for a better look. And you get a team that understands marketing, which takes so much guesswork out of it.

Yeah. And with social media, there’s an expectation of success or going viral that needs to be squashed. The 13-year-old kid thinking they can make dance videos and become as famous as the other viral kids is unrealistic. It’s skipping the steps.

Exactly. And the stories of “overnight success” are one in a billion. Even those aren’t really overnight success stories. It’s like winning the lottery—it doesn’t happen for everyone.

But, if this is your calling and not just a hobby, you think about it day and night. Then it’s your job. You’ve got to treat it like a business.

How can people find out more about you?

We are on every platform. It’s eveyrystudios.com—no middle E, no middle O. You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn. We’re everywhere.

And the services you offer are wide-ranging for both independent podcasters and businesses?

Correct. We offer everything, from a co-working space where people can record and produce their podcasts to a full-service production company, including branding, consulting, social media marketing, and full-scale post-production. If it’s podcast-related, we’re involved.

Excellent. Thanks so much for joining us today, Robbie.

Thanks for having me.