What do you get when you mix Melbourne’s oldest Rotary club with the newest wave in digital media?
An evening that’s equal parts laughter, learning, and a few friendly microphone fumbles.
The Night’s Headliners
Our guest speakers were two of Rotary’s own podcast pioneers:
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Karen Kim – Melbourne Rotarian, founder of Hello Music Studios, and host of the Hello Music World podcast.
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John Downes – veteran management consultant and creator of The Critical Few Actions business podcast.
Their shared topic: Podcasting for Business - why it matters, how to start, and what really happens behind the mic.
Karen Kim: From Classroom to Global Stage
Karen charmed the room with her trademark energy (and a quip about nearly wearing bright red flared pants).
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Why music? “It isn’t just entertainment,” she explained. “It’s a $8.7 billion Australian industry and a force for well-being, education, and community.”
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Why podcasting? A single episode can be “sliced and diced” into blogs, social posts, and event highlights—fuel for brand growth and global connection.
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Secret tactic: “I stalk people on LinkedIn until they notice me,” she joked, proving that persistence—and a sense of humour—pay off.
John Downes: Lessons from a Rookie with 50 Episodes
Despite decades in consulting, John confessed to “a healthy dose of imposter syndrome,” having launched his podcast only last year. Yet in under 12 months he’s:
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Released 50 weekly episodes and over 200 promotional videos.
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Attracted listeners in 40 countries (including a mysterious regular in Nepal).
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Built a 91,000-view LinkedIn following and a robust email list to beat the platform’s algorithm.
His show blends three formats—Meet the Experts, Meet the Founder, and his own “sheepish introvert” insights—always focused on helping business owners “cut through the overwhelm and focus on the critical few actions.”
Nuggets from the Q&A
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Time investment: Karen delegates editing to interns and Fiverr; John’s leaner system still takes about nine hours per episode.
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Ideal episode length: Anything from 30–60 minutes, as long as the conversation stays interesting.
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Monetisation: Sponsors, premium subscriptions, and - eventually - ad revenue are all possible, but both speakers focus first on community and brand building.
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Safety first: Both warned to stay alert to scams and deep-fake risks as podcast content circulates online.
A Rotary Finish
The night wrapped with hearty applause and the club’s classic thank-you gift: 400 percent Australian-made socks—two pairs each - for our guest speakers. John quipped he’d feared a “single sock” before discovering the full set.
As conversations lingered over drinks and nibbles, one thing was clear:
Rotary Melbourne may have 100-plus years of history, but when it comes to embracing new ideas - like podcasting - it’s very much tuned to the future.
