He just discovered why his dad died. Now ‘tis the season for a rampage of revenge… If you like characters pushed over the edge, dark acts, and family drama, then you’ll love Freddy Cruz’s bloodstained holiday treat.

Praise for Freddy Cruz:

"Cruz keeps the twists coming, shifting first-person narration between Beckett and his quarry. James Patterson fans will be pleased." - Publishers Weekly. 

“If you like your festive stories dark and twisted, Freddy Cruz has a gem for you. Allow Me to Ruin Your Christmas is packed full of secrets, lies, and diabolical characters you'll love to hate." Adam Hamdy, bestselling author of The Other Side of Night.

"A dark tale of revenge that keeps you turning the pages." - The Serial Reader.

He just discovered why his dad died. Now ‘tis the season for a rampage of revenge… If you like characters pushed over the edge, dark acts, and family drama, then you’ll love Freddy Cruz’s bloodstained holiday treat.
Praise for Freddy Cruz:
"Cruz keeps the twists coming, shifting first-person narration between Beckett and his quarry. James Patterson fans will be pleased." - <a href="https://www.publishersweekly.com/9798839759138?fbclid=IwAR2L5FfQX_KPBDrckIxWXh4hGNPiTjEhUIDpJv2eeXqnRilKws1EsyQK6FY">Publishers Weekly</a>. 
“If you like your festive stories dark and twisted, Freddy Cruz has a gem for you. Allow Me to Ruin Your Christmas is packed full of secrets, lies, and diabolical characters you'll love to hate." Adam Hamdy, bestselling author of The Other Side of Night.
"A dark tale of revenge that keeps you turning the pages." - The Serial Reader.

A vengeful son. A red-fueled plan for retribution. Will he deck the halls with his wrath?

Allow Me to Ruin Your Christmas

A podcast for Houstonians who want to engage more with their hometown and learn more about the people driving its growth.

Cruz through HTX spotlights the stories, individuals, businesses, and organizations that make the Houston area GREAT.

A podcast for Houstonians who want to engage more with their hometown and learn more about the people driving its growth.
Cruz through HTX spotlights the stories, individuals, businesses, and organizations that make the Houston area GREAT.

A podcast for Houstonians who want to engage more with their hometown and learn more about the people driving its growth.

Cruz through HTX

Twenty-six year radio veteran Freddy Cruz has gone indie.


From former special forces operators and CEOs to authors and journalists, join
Freddy as he seeks to learn from some of the highest achieving individuals in the
world. These are stories of grit and blasting through the crucible of life. Stories of
standing up to powerful corporations and defying the odds. Not all of his guests
are authors, but they all have epic stories to share.

Freddy Cruz

TRAILER: Allow Me to Ruin Your Christmas

Freddy explains why he killed Freddy’s Huge ASK, how Cruz Through HTX was born, and why this final “Powerhouse Pet Owners” season is a breakup letter to Houston and a bridge to his new show, Your Mic. Burnout, Pod Bros, pets, and what’s next for the mic.

Subscribe on Apple, Spotify and YouTube!

This season of Cruz through HTX is powered by Speke Podcasting. Have an idea for a show? Let's get a conversation started. Start HERE.

Freddy explains why he killed Freddy&rsquo;s Huge ASK, how Cruz Through HTX was born, and why this final &ldquo;Powerhouse Pet Owners&rdquo; season is a breakup letter to Houston and a bridge to his new show, <a href="https://www.spekepodcasting.com/yourmic">Your Mic</a>. Burnout, Pod Bros, pets, and what&rsquo;s next for the mic.
Subscribe on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cruz-through-htx/id1693177880">Apple</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2EipITDvfHUHanTmhWDVqp">Spotify</a> and <a href="https://youtube.com/@thefreddycruz?si=WATJcgjHMjja789L">YouTube</a>!
This season of Cruz through HTX is powered by Speke Podcasting. Have an idea for a show? Let's get a conversation started. Start <a href="https://www.spekepodcasting.com/">HERE</a>.

The Final Season: Powerhouse Pet Owners and a Proper Goodbye

Baker and business owner Liz Hale shares how a skinny street dog named Rihanna helped her family weather empty‑nest syndrome, post‑COVID gut punches, and the grind of running Cake Fine Pastry and Plum Coffee Shop in Houston. Rescues, cake, grit, and a whole lot of cheese tax.

Connect with Cake Fine Pastry HERE.

Subscribe on Apple, Spotify and YouTube!

This season of Cruz through HTX is powered by Speke Podcasting. Have an idea for a show? Let's get a conversation started. Start HERE.

Key Takeaways

1. How a rescued “diaper dog” became the emotional glue of an empty‑nest household.

2. Street‑dog reality in Houston and why keeping Rihanna was a no‑brainer.

3. The post‑COVID beating independent bakeries took and why Liz refused to fold.

4. What customer obsession looks like when you’re literally getting tickets to deliver cakes.

5. Why being “meant” to own a business shows up most on the hardest days.

Baker and business owner Liz Hale shares how a skinny street dog named Rihanna helped her family weather empty‑nest syndrome, post‑COVID gut punches, and the grind of running Cake Fine Pastry and Plum Coffee Shop in Houston. Rescues, cake, grit, and a whole lot of cheese tax.
Connect with Cake Fine Pastry <a href="https://www.cakefinepastry.com/">HERE</a>.
Subscribe on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cruz-through-htx/id1693177880">Apple</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2EipITDvfHUHanTmhWDVqp">Spotify</a> and <a href="https://youtube.com/@thefreddycruz?si=WATJcgjHMjja789L">YouTube</a>!
This season of Cruz through HTX is powered by Speke Podcasting. Have an idea for a show? Let's get a conversation started. Start <a href="https://www.spekepodcasting.com/">HERE</a>.
Key Takeaways
1. How a rescued &ldquo;diaper dog&rdquo; became the emotional glue of an empty‑nest household.
2. Street‑dog reality in Houston and why keeping Rihanna was a no‑brainer.
3. The post‑COVID beating independent bakeries took and why Liz refused to fold.
4. What customer obsession looks like when you&rsquo;re literally getting tickets to deliver cakes.
5. Why being &ldquo;meant&rdquo; to own a business shows up most on the hardest days.

Empty Nest, Stray Dog, Full Oven: Inside Cake Fine Pastry

Ozeal DeBastos built his vibrant network of over 4,500 podcasters by focusing on authentic connection, both online and in-person. Through consistent events and understanding his audience’s needs, he fostered real relationships beyond the mic. His journey proves that showing up and prioritizing people still drives lasting podcast success.

Learn more about Ozeal here!

Catch Ozeal's workshop "Build Your Podcast Community" at Speke Fest 2025. Buy tickets here!

Subscribe to Your Mic on YouTube, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Shoot Freddy an email: freddy@spekepodcasting.com.

Key Takeaways

1. Building a strong podcast community is not an overnight process. It starts with understanding your audience, engaging with them both online and offline, and showing up consistently. The true growth comes from genuine connections and real-world events, not just flashy online promotions or a “build it and they will come” mentality.

2. Even in a digital-first era, especially with the rise of AI, in-person interactions and building community offline are invaluable. Real connections happen face-to-face, and offline strategies like meetups and events are essential for deepening engagement and loyalty.

3. Podcasting is evolving, with video becoming more prominent, especially with platforms like YouTube. However, audio remains king in terms of retention and deep listener engagement. The most successful strategy is embracing both formats—meeting your audience where they are and offering content in various consumable ways.

4. While download numbers are often highlighted, retention (how long people actually listen) and engagement (how listeners interact on other platforms) are far better indicators of a podcast’s health and impact. Focusing on creating loyal, engaged listeners is more valuable than chasing high download counts.

5. Ozeal’s BAM method emphasizes the importance of building a clear, genuine brand first, then attracting and nurturing an audience, and only then moving to monetize. Skipping these foundational steps leads to disappointment. Monetization is a marathon, not a sprint, and it only works when the groundwork has been properly laid.

Timestamped Overview

00:00 From MySpace to Real-Life Events

05:27 Consistency Builds Community Engagement

08:08 Podcast Boom Since 2020

12:18 Podcasting's Evolution and Acceptance

14:39 Podcasting Evolution with YouTube Influence

17:22 Audio Book Covers Drive Views

20:50 Power of Niche Podcast Ads

24:16 Content Must Captivate Instantly

27:29 Monetizing as an Indie Creator

 

Ozeal DeBastos built his vibrant network of over 4,500 podcasters by focusing on authentic connection, both online and in-person. Through consistent events and understanding his audience&rsquo;s needs, he fostered real relationships beyond the mic. His journey proves that showing up and prioritizing people still drives lasting podcast success.
Learn more about Ozeal <a href="https://www.creatorfactor.net/">here</a>!
Catch Ozeal's workshop "Build Your Podcast Community" at Speke Fest 2025. Buy tickets <a href="https://www.spekepodcasting.com/spekefest2025">here</a>!
Subscribe to&nbsp;Your Mic on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@SpekePodcasting">YouTube</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-mic/id1777171203">Apple</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1PQNHuqxIVhkLfjGYuWcxl">Spotify</a> or wherever you get your <a href="https://omny.fm/shows/spekepodcasting/playlists/your-mic">podcasts</a>.
Shoot Freddy an email: <a href="mailto:freddy@spekepodcasting.com">freddy@spekepodcasting.com</a>.
Key Takeaways
1. Building a strong podcast community is not an overnight process. It starts with understanding your audience, engaging with them both online and offline, and showing up consistently. The true growth comes from genuine connections and real-world events, not just flashy online promotions or a &ldquo;build it and they will come&rdquo; mentality.
2. Even in a digital-first era, especially with the rise of AI, in-person interactions and building community offline are invaluable. Real connections happen face-to-face, and offline strategies like meetups and events are essential for deepening engagement and loyalty.
3. Podcasting is evolving, with video becoming more prominent, especially with platforms like YouTube. However, audio remains king in terms of retention and deep listener engagement. The most successful strategy is embracing both formats&mdash;meeting your audience where they are and offering content in various consumable ways.
4. While download numbers are often highlighted, retention (how long people actually listen) and engagement (how listeners interact on other platforms) are far better indicators of a podcast&rsquo;s health and impact. Focusing on creating loyal, engaged listeners is more valuable than chasing high download counts.
5. Ozeal&rsquo;s BAM method emphasizes the importance of building a clear, genuine brand first, then attracting and nurturing an audience, and only then moving to monetize. Skipping these foundational steps leads to disappointment. Monetization is a marathon, not a sprint, and it only works when the groundwork has been properly laid.
Timestamped Overview
00:00 From MySpace to Real-Life Events
05:27 Consistency Builds Community Engagement
08:08 Podcast Boom Since 2020
12:18 Podcasting's Evolution and Acceptance
14:39 Podcasting Evolution with YouTube Influence
17:22 Audio Book Covers Drive Views
20:50 Power of Niche Podcast Ads
24:16 Content Must Captivate Instantly
27:29 Monetizing as an Indie Creator
&nbsp;

TRAILER: Allow Me to Ruin Your Christmas

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