Podcasting Your Passion Project

By: Margaret Lindenburg

Have you ever thought about starting a podcast? What about just pursuing a passion project? This month, I talked with Laura Kratcha and Liz Meyer to learn the how and the why behind their new podcast series, Unqualified Adults. Both 2017 college graduates and co-workers, Laura and Liz found that grappling with the real world of adulthood was, well, tough. So, they set out on a mission to “Encourage Unqualified Adults to keep calm and adult on, one story at a time—because we know we aren’t the only ones who feel scared, lonely, unsatisfied, and often duped by adulthood.” Here are the steps they took to grow their project from idea to production -- just like you can too!

Find a partner

Liz got the idea for starting a podcast while reading a book called “Entrepreneurial You” over her winter holiday. In her last year of college, she struggled with confronting adulthood and managing the stress of a big transition. Now, she was eager to start a conversation. When she came back to wrk, she shared her ideas with co-workers and found out that Laura also wanted to start a podcast about the anxieties of adulthood. Thus, by the power of two intentional women, Unqualified Adults was born!

Get serious.

Well, not so fast -- a podcast doesn't appear out of thin air overnight. Laura and Liz learned this quickly. After a few initial “fun” brainstorming sessions, Liz admitted that they had to “get serious.” She remembers Laura sitting her down and letting her know that “real talk -- this is going to be a ton of work.” If you are thinking about starting a podcast, make sure you set aside time in your schedule to get serious, commit, and follow through, too.

Assemble your team

Unqualified Adults have a team of five people total, each with their own roles. Each week, they all meet together to plan episodes. Don't be afraid to recruit your friends who love writing, tech, or media and ask them to join your team! Better yet, try to include your friends as guests on the show. Laura and Liz speak with a new guest each episode, and they love hearing and sharing their friends' stories.

Expect the unexpected

Laura and Liz have had their fair share of highs and lows along the way, from tech glitches to late night editing. Their best advice for producing a podcast was to embrace being “scrappy” even if it means figuring it all out on your own and on the fly. Don’t get discouraged!

Above all, stick to your purpose

Unqualified Adults was started to fill a gap in our conversations about adulthood. Laura and Liz wanted their podcast to be a space for talking about the anxieties that, frankly, no one likes to talk about. Their purpose, to lead by example and share honest stories, is the guiding force of their passion project -- and the reason why they love podcasting despite any challenges! Like Liz told me, make sure you believe in the things you’re talking about. “Be transparent. Be honest. Especially with yourself” and your purpose will lead the way through the bumps in the road.

Special thanks to Liz Meyer and Laura Kratcha for sharing their wisdom. Please give them a listen and learn more about Unqualified Adults here