Kristel Bauer is a Corporate Wellness Expert, Female Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker, Top 1% Podcast Host and Founder of Live Greatly with a personal mission of helping individuals thrive personally & professionally. Kristel was recently featured by Forbes as a 2021 Top 10 Influencer.
Kristel will partner with you to make your next event a huge success inspiring positive change and leaving a Powerful Impact on your audience. Kristel brings her expertise & extensive experience in Corporate Wellness, Emotional Intelligence, Leadership, Mental Resilience, Burnout Prevention, Self-Care, Stress Management & Work/Life Harmony to in-person and virtual events as Professional Keynote Speaker.
Kristel is redefining self-care at work & teaching leadership skills that support optimal communication, a vibrant company culture and successful innovation. Kristel can be booked as a professional speaker for in-person & virtual events and corporate trainings. Recent clients include General Mills, Northwestern University, Cardinus Risk Management NAWBO & Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science.
Kristel is the host of the global Top 1% self-improvement podcast, “Live Greatly” where she talks with the top minds about wellness, life and success. Kristel also shares her insights with her 2 minutes of motivation episodes. Some recent guests include Camila McConaughey & volleyball legend Gabrielle Reece.
In our interview with Kristel we explore the her origin story and the value proposition of her Podcast “Live Greatly”.
Thank you Kristel for participating in this Q&A session. Please give us an overview of your background and career to date?
Kristel: I am currently a Corporate Wellness Expert, Professional Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and Host of the globally ranked Top 1% “Live Greatly” Podcast, where I interview top minds to gain insights into their wellness and success. I was recently recognized as a 2021 Top 10 Influencer in Forbes and am a motivational speaker inspiring positive change for optimal health and happiness.
After years of practicing in different areas of medicine as a Physician Assistant, and going on to further my education as an Integrative Medicine Fellow, I saw many gaps that needed to be filled in individual and organisational approaches to health and success.
While practicing clinically in Integrative Psychiatry and Functional Medicine, I supported many individuals experiencing mental health struggles and burnout. From top level executives to stay at home moms, I realized that there was a strong need to start redefining self-care, success and mental wellness at work and at home. I decided to leave clinical practice in 2019 to share my message on a wider scale. I started my company Live Greatly to empower and motivate others to reclaim their health and well-being, personally and professionally.
I have appeared live on ABC 7 Chicago and Ticker News along with being featured in Forbes, Forest & Bluff Magazine and more. I recently gave a TEDx talk about Redefining Work/Life Balance in a Covid-19 World at Wolcott College Prep in Chicago and am currently in the process of writing my first book. I am located outside of Chicago, IL but am available for speaking events, corporate training, and consulting throughout the world. You can learn more about me here https://www.livegreatly.co/
Please give us an overview of your Podcast “Live Greatly”?
Kristel: At the end of 2019, I left clinical practice with the goal of sharing my message on a wider scale via speaking and podcasting. My background and training was in healthcare so I did not have any media or podcasting experience when I decided to take the plunge but I knew that I would figure it out along the way. I leveraged our local library media lab to gain support in editing and recording and I actually recorded my first podcast episode there! My first few guests were people I knew through my Integrative Medicine Fellowship and I expanded from there. I recorded from our bedroom closet with audio only in the beginning and then later added in video and upgraded my equipment and location. For the first year I didn’t outsource the editing and production and then gradually started bringing in more help as my show’s audience grew.
As a Top Professional Keynote Speaker, I inspire and uplift my audience with my message around topics of Wellness, Self-Care, Healthy Habits, Leadership, Emotional intelligence, Empathy & Burnout Prevention. My Podcast features interviews with top CEOs, Professional Athletes, Medical Experts, and other remarkable individuals. I also share my insights in a 2 minutes of motivation episode, which is released every Friday.
Live Greatly to empower and motivate others to reclaim their health and well-being, personally and professionally. - Kristel Bauer
What key challenges have you faced in your career as a Podcast host and how have you navigated these?
Kristel: I expected my audience and show to grow fast organically and discovered that it takes time, effort and consistency. Growing a podcast takes patience! When I first started my show I didn’t have experience in marketing and had not been on social media. There was definitely a learning curve for me with navigating social media! I hired a mentor (Heather Monahan) to help me after having her as a guest on my show and learned a lot with trial and error. I also eventually hired a podcast team to help me with editing, production and promotion which helped bring my show to the next level.
What steps did you take to ensure the launch of your Podcast was successful? In other words, how did you go about launching your Podcast?
Kristel: I didn’t know much about launching a podcast at the time and had just opened up accounts on social media. So the main focus for me was to just get started and get past the fear of starting something new. I didn’t know about the strategies for launching a podcast and the tips for getting ranked which I think was probably a good thing for me at the time because I didn’t overthink it!
What is the target audience of your Podcast and how would you describe the value proposition you offer them with each episode?
Kristel: My target audience is working moms, but anyone interested in self-improvement and discovering ways to support their health and happiness can benefit from listening to my show. I share an inspiring interview every Tuesday and then a quick 2 minutes of motivation episode where I dive deeper into a topic every Friday.
What strategies have you employed to grow your Podcast listening audience?
Kristel: I have a podcast team focused on helping me grow my show and I post regularly on my social media channels with each episode.
Before we conclude this interview, please tell us what your top 10 Podcast shows are, and whom your favourite Podcast host is?
Kristel: Live Greatly, Habits and Hustle, Creating Confidence, The mindbodygreen podcast, Body of Wonder, The School of Greatness, The Gabby Reece Show, The Kara Goldin Show, Build for Tomorrow and Ten Percent Happier. My favorite host is Heather Monahan.
Thank you Kristel for participating in this Q&A session. We wish you all the best.
Kristel: Thank you! Readers can find me on Instagram @livegreatly_co and my website is www.livegreatly.co
My target audience is working moms, but anyone interested in self-improvement and discovering ways to support their health and happiness can benefit from listening to my show. - Kristel Bauer
This interview was originally published in Issue 1 of Podcaster Inc. Magazine which you can purchase at Volume 1, Podcaster Inc. Magazine Issue 1 (Digital) | Podcaster Inc.
