How Podcasting Changed My Life
& Why I decided to start one
After a couple of years of listening to podcasts and reading a passage from Charlemagne’s book, I finally got the courage to start my own.
“So many people hit me on Twitter, or see me in the streets and say, “Yo Charlamagne, I love The Brilliant Idiots. How do I get my own podcast?” You get it by buying a couple of mics, sticking them into your computer, hitting record, and starting a conversation that people are going to be interested in. That’s it. If you’re consistent with it, eventually it will take you where you want to go. But no one is going to “give” you a podcast. Or anything else of value.”
So I did just that. I purchased a microphone and set up shop in my cousin’s kitchen, turned on Garage Band, and got straight to work. Let me rewind a bit to provide you with context as to why I was recording in a kitchen. Earlier that year, I decided to take a leap of faith and quit my job, and moved to California. At the time, I was staying with my cousin during my transition, and her kitchen became my studio. I’ll elaborate on the details later. However, what matters most is, I had some places I wanted to go and things I wanted to do, and I wholeheartedly believed that creating a podcast would get me there. Eventually, it did.
Before I tell you how podcasting changed my life, I’d like to start from the beginning and tell you how I first got introduced to the world of podcasters.
It was 2016, and I was working at my first corporate job as a Creative Coordinator. I was excited to be working alongside other creatives because I was eager to transition out of retail and keep my video skills sharp post-college. I was so interested in being in a studio setting, surrounded by other creatives, and get hands-on experience working in media that I was commuting over an hour outside of Chicago every day for work.
At the time, I was in a developing role, meaning it was a role that was new, and the tasks were things that had never been done before by the company. A lot of what my role entailed was creating content for social media and growing the audience. I was working for a beauty company, and it was the turning point of Instagram where everyone was learning how to monetize their social media platforms, and companies were scrambling to catch up to the new social media marketing craze. So most of my time at work was spent on Instagram planning or creating beauty content.
Most of my friends thought I had such a dope and glamorous role because they thought I just got to play on social media all day. I admit, at times, it was fun, but once you realize social media has no off button, it eventually gets draining.
With the world of social media being a new concept, my parents, and a few of my friends, we’re trying to wrap their heads around how people could get paid to create videos and take pretty photos to post online. Honestly, I was too. I would often tell them about some of the challenges I was facing at work regarding things on social media on top of also trying to navigate being the only woman of color within the office. Although my friends and family were great people to vent to, they had no answers on how I should handle certain situations because this was all new to them as well.
Then one day, my friend sent me a link to a podcast. The podcast was called Myleik Teele’s Podcast. For the very first time, I felt like there is someone I can relate to, and she has answers on how I could navigate these challenges I was encountering at work. I listened to the entire episode, and I immediately craved more.
I then asked my friend to send me a list of similar people that I could check out. Listening to podcasts felt like a mix of me chatting with my girlfriends and a good book that I could not put down.
Podcasts became like my favorite song, and I wanted to play them back to back. Listening to podcasts was giving me a newfound confidence that I could apply to my professional life. Eventually, I began to venture off into other podcasts. I decided to ask some of my coworkers if they listened to podcasts and if they did what their favorite episodes were.
Once I started listening to some of the things they listed to it felt like I had a glimpse into my coworker’s mind, and I now had something I could connect and chat about with my coworkers.
This was when podcasting changed my life.
After listening to a variety of podcasts, I began to realize there is more to life than just paying rent and working a 9–5. Other people had a lifestyle of taking a non-traditional approach to education, work, dating, and much more. Some people were truly living life on their own terms. This energy and these stories sparked so much inside of me that it fueled me to spice up my life. It had such an influence that I decided to quit my job and take a leap of faith by moving to California to chase my dreams.
I ventured to the West Coast with nothing but a dream, college degree, and a strong desire to succeed.
My goal was to land a role at a tech, media, or beauty company and work my way up to be a Creative Director. I figured before I got to that point, I would try my luck with freelancing and entrepreneurship.
I don’t want to make it seem like moving to California, and freelancing was just as simple as picking up my bags and leaving. It was hard, which is why I was staying with my cousin and using her kitchen as a studio. I quickly realized I needed more than just a degree to find work. I also needed a network and proof of my skills and abilities. I was a freelancer and taking on contract work by necessity, not by choice. I was doing everything from marketing, hospitality, hosting, real estate, hair; you name it, I was doing it. Through all the odd jobs, I would always remind myself that I did not move out here to settle for anything that did not align with my goals. During this time, listening to podcasts kept me informed and focused.
There are tons of podcasts ranging from news, self-improvement, health and wellness, and many more. I found a few that kept me inspired. There is even a search engine called Listen Notes that can help you find podcasts on specific topics or personal interests.
Instead of just sitting on the sidelines and listening to everyone else have fun, I decided to jump in.
Almost every podcast I listened to the hosts sounded like they were having fun. The hosts were connecting with authors from their favorite books, interviewing people about topics they were most interested in, and, most importantly, connecting with others and talking about whatever they wanted. In my eyes, this was life.
I started a podcast because I wanted to share my journey as a freelance creative and to inform and inspire others.
Overall, podcasting encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone and explore new opportunities. It opened up new ways for me to connect with people beyond my immediate circle, and most importantly, it inspired me to be my best self.
I’m still on my learning journey as a Podcaster & Creative Entrepreneur. I uncover something new about myself or encounter someone or something inspiring daily. I share the highs, the lows, my unfiltered thoughts all over on my podcast. I also interview guests and invite them to share their journey and expertise about their industry. So if you are new to podcasts I welcome you to give them a try you might cross an episode that will spark a positive change in your life.
Did you enjoy this? I often share more thought-provoking ideas and interview people who are pushing the culture forward on my podcast called Not Your Average Culture; you can check it out here. For those interested in my other creative works, you can visit my site Chardeney Mason Creations.
