My Podcasting Journey: From Marketing Tool to Personal Transformation

What if your biggest professional breakthrough is hiding inside something you've never even considered trying?

Eight months ago, starting a podcast had never even crossed my mind. The thought of interviewing strangers terrified me. Yet here I am today, having interviewed 50 fascinating people for my weekly podcast. What started as a simple marketing idea for my consulting business has become one of the most transformative experiences of my professional life, teaching me lessons I never expected to learn.

I want to share three surprising discoveries from my podcasting journey: how I found the perfect outlet for strengths I didn't know I had, what it took to develop my own authentic voice, and how something I started for purely selfish reasons grew into something much bigger than myself.

Finding My Perfect Creative Outlet

As a 10+ year Toastmaster who loves public speaking, I rarely got opportunities to practice those skills outside our club meetings. Podcasting suddenly gave me a weekly platform to hone what I was already passionate about. But here's what surprised me most: conducting interviews actually played to my strengths as an introvert.

My natural listening skills and ability to ask thoughtful questions became my podcasting superpowers. While I initially felt nervous about the whole endeavor, I was amazed at how quickly I got comfortable. I had stumbled into the perfect medium that allowed all my strengths to shine simultaneously.

There's something powerful about discovering that the skills you've been developing in one area of your life can translate beautifully into something completely new. Podcasting became the bridge between my love of meaningful conversation and my professional goals.

Developing My Authentic Voice

Those early interviews were admittedly awkward. I found myself trying to copy other podcast hosts, mimicking their energy and interview styles. But gradually, something shifted. I began to find my own conversational approach—one that felt natural rather than forced.

My background as an introvert and consultant shaped a unique interviewing style focused on deep listening and asking the questions others might be afraid to ask. Instead of rapid-fire questioning or surface-level banter, I leaned into creating space for thoughtful responses and genuine connection.

The unexpected bonus? Finding my authentic voice on the podcast gave me dramatically more confidence in client meetings and professional interactions. When you practice being genuinely yourself in one arena, that authenticity starts showing up everywhere else too.

From Selfish Motivation to Community Impact

I'll be completely honest here—I started the podcast primarily as a marketing tool to attract potential clients to my consulting business. It was a strategic move, nothing more noble than that.

But something beautiful happened along the way. I discovered the podcast was also benefiting my guests in ways I hadn't anticipated. I was giving them a platform to share their expertise, connect with potential clients, and build their own professional reputation. Each interview became a win-win rather than just a one-sided marketing play.

Even more surprisingly, the podcast evolved into something that serves a community of consultants I didn't even know existed. Through listener feedback and guest connections, I realized there was a whole network of professionals who were hungry for the exact conversations we were having.

This taught me that the most meaningful projects often grow far beyond our initial selfish motivations. What starts as a narrow focus on personal gain can expand into genuine value creation for others—if we're open to letting it evolve.

The Growth That Comes From Embracing Discomfort

Looking back, starting the "Thriving Through" podcast helped me discover the perfect outlet for my natural strengths, pushed me to develop my authentic voice, and transformed what began as a selfish marketing tool into something that serves a community I didn't even know existed.

Here's what I've learned: sometimes our greatest growth comes not from fixing our weaknesses, but from finding the right platform to showcase our strengths. And then watching as our narrow intentions expand into something far more meaningful than we ever imagined.

So to anyone reading this who feels stuck inside their comfort zone, I'd say: take that idea you've been dismissing as too scary or too uncomfortable, and just start. You might discover strengths you didn't know you had, find your authentic voice in the process, and create something that serves others in ways you never expected.

Your Turn

What project have you been avoiding because it seems too difficult or too self-interested? What if that's exactly the project that could help you discover your hidden strengths and create unexpected value for others?

I challenge you to take the first step and see where it leads. You might be surprised by what you find—not just about the project itself, but about who you become in the process of bringing it to life.